whose fruitful stock the other corrupt tempers spring. "Ye shall not surely die," (Gen. iii. 4.) found admission into the first man's heart, in opposition to the divine denunciation, and emboldened him to eat. This spirit of infidelity is naturally rooted in the mind of every child of Adam, scarcely to be eradicated by the clearest evidence of scripture truths; such "fools and slow of heart are we to believe, what the scriptures have spoken!" (Luke xxiv. 25.) The name infidel hath been in the christian world stamped with infamy; therefore the profession of infidelity is made by few, yet the fact is universal. And the truth of it a few observations will confirm: intimating, by the way, that the first work of the spirit of God upon the heart of man is this very thing, "conviction of unbelief," and therefore where no such conviction has been made, such a soul continues as yet dead in a state of nature and sin.

That in the heathen world the hopes of impunity, or disbelief of punishment, were at the bottom of all men's transgressions, is a truth which, I presume, will be readily admitted.

How else, in opposition to so many natural forebodings and traditionary notices, that "they who do such things are worthy of death," could they make themselves so easy under, and talk so gaily of their vices, as their histories and other writings evidently shew they did. Now they could be supposed to act thus only on this principle, that these notices and forebodings had no real foundation, or that somehow or other there was a reserve of mercy: either that the gods took no notice of human actions at all (which was the affirmation of many, and the hope of more) or that they would overlook the little escapes of human frailty. -Thus their unbelief operated. But I rather

speak of ourselves, who profess to believe the revealed truths of the scriptures.

Who of us really and heartily submits to the divine declarations? We admit them in words, in works we deny them. You hear God's determinations to punish sin with death eternal, (Rom. vi. 23.) yea every sin: (Gal. iii. 10.) Yet who believes them? did we really assent to and duly revere God's word, how would every sin affect us? But now what is the universal hope and language? "I shall have peace, though I walk in the imaginations of my heart." (Deut. xxix. 19.) To establish this persuasion we too, as the heathens did, give way to fallacious reasonings; either mytransgressions are venial, and they will be overlooked; at least, they will not deserve so heavy a scourge as "the worm which dieth not, and the fire which is not quenched." (Mark ix. 44.) But what is this fire which is not quenched? It cannot be actual burning; for how can one lie in everlasting burnings unconsumed? And how know I, but the whole may be a delusion; and that “man dieth as the beast, and is no more.' Yea sometimes it advanceth farther, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." (Psal. xiv. 1.) As it is our interest as sinners that there should be none; many doubts about it are in more hearts than mention them. Such are some of the workings of unbelief; a man must be a great stranger to himself that hath not found their influence.

Again, with regard to the other revealed truths of God's word, how deep-rooted are our objections to them? Nicodemus was not singular, when to our blessed Lord's declarations he answered, "how can these things be ?" (John. iii. 9.) Some, and the many indeed, shew so little regard to the word of God, that they cannot be so well said to

doubt the contents as not to understand them; and are rather ignorant of the truths than unbeleving. But no sooner does any man begin to examine, than he will find this " root of bitterness springing up in his heart."

The revelation of God, as subsisting in unity of essence and trinity of persons; the divinity, person and character of the Redeemer; his undertakings and the issue of them; the necessity and nature of the new birth unto righteousness; and the whole work of God's Spirit on the heart: these and the like truths, as related in the scriptures will often be objected to. "The natural man receiveth not the things that be of the spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. ii. 14.) Hence all the heresies. and schisms which have divided the church of God hence all the doubts and distresses that have disturbed the hearts of the sincere; as well as the fixed rejection of the gospel, which possesses. the mind of the avowed infidel. Our nature is. in fault.

6.6

And, by the way, this shews the folly of that method of metaphysical disquisition, with which the celebrated disputers of this world" have led the crusade, and joined in embattled. squadrons. against the infidels.. When after all the boasted triumphs of reason, we see infidelity maintain its. ground as firm as ever. though the outworks. seem to have been carried, the body of the place remains unhurt; thither they have retired, and are still as far from a surrender as ever. It is the heart not the head only which must be attacked. Infidelity is too much our nature to fall before the untempered sword of fallen man's reason, it can only be subdued by

"the

sword of the spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephes. vi. 17.)

II. Pride hath set up its throne in man's nature. "Ye shall be as gods," (Gen. iii. 5.) was one grand bait the devil proposed to man. And since that day this unhallowed temper is rooted deep in the heart. Its actings are various, according to the object on which it fixes, or by which it is excited. Let us take a cursory view of some few instances of it.

(1.) Pride shews itself on our wisdom; for vain man would be wise :" (Job xi. 12.) an insatiable thirst after knowledge is the effect of connecting with such attainments ideas of superior excellence. Hence emulation and the pride of surpassing others, is the sinful motive usually urged upon the students of science to excite industry; that, like coursers straining for the goal, they may each carry off from their competitors the envied prize. An extensive knowledge can be the lot of few, because leisure or abilities are wanting: but the affectation of appearing wise, at least wiser then we are, is general. Who in conversation, whatever be the subject, is not desirous of appearing knowing; whether it be divinity, politics, science, or any other profession? How readily, and even unasked, do we say what we know upon it, drop hints of deeper views of the subject than we discover; and where ignorant, artfully seek that our ignorance may be concealed? Why do you expect a deference to your judgment ? Why so loth to appear mistaken in a proposition or opinion you have advanced? Why so little deference to the opinion of others, wiser, older, and more godly men? Why "so swift to speak, so slow to hear?" (James i. 19.) Why pleased to have your parts admired, or your genius com

plimented? Why hurt when contemned as a person of mean understanding, especially in your profession; or an author of no learning? Come not these from pride of heart?

(2.) Pride on natural, is as common as on mental endowments. Did you ever see a beauty without vanity? And where fine features are wanting, the elegance of form supplies the fuel? Are not these the envy of one sex and the idol of the other? Hence the secret pleasure of being taken notice of, and the deep chagrin of being neglected; the arts practised to attract the one, and avoid the other; the easiness of credit given to flattery, and the affectation even to grey hairs of appearing young, genteel or handsome.

Nor is this temper less obvious amongst men ; though womanish beauty would be counted an effeminacy, yet to be manly agreeable, genteel in person, strong in body, and of a fine address, is just as much coveted after by one sex, as beauty is by the other; is the ground of the same pride when possessed or commended for it, and of the same discontent if unpossessed or unnoticed.

Dress comes in, in both sexes, as an auxiliary to nature and to pride. The Fashion is consulted: be it expensive or indecent or dangerous, pride must be gratified, though at the loss of health and modesty. And what a pleasure to be well dressed? What a satisfaction when we first appear in any thing new and in taste? What a jealousy of a finer dressed figure than our own; and what an ambition to excel? Hence not only the contention among equals, but the confu sion of ranks and station and the difficulty sometimes to distinguish the Master from his servant, or the chambermaid from her Mistress.

(3.) The gifts of Providence, however adventitious, afford also an abundant occasion for