lified by knowledge, fenfe, and candour would allow, that whatever is not abfolutely impoffible is neceffarily liable to be matter of Faith; that, because a thing is unknown or even beyond the poffibility of ever being known by our fenfes, there is on this account not the leaft argument why it should be derided as a thing incredible; it being precifely in that fituation which makes Faith a neceffary principle; and there being a poffibility that it will be reported on fuch authority, that it may be confidently and firmly believed.

To conclude: human Testimony, as a mean of knowledge, has, I hope, been fhewn to be built on foundations that claim our refpect and our confidence. Befide the confideration that without it the circle of human intelligence would have been small and inconfiderable, nay, farther, would have been incomplete; which would of itself afford a strong argument of its being a juft evidence of truth, it has from its own nature a good and clear pretenfion to our affent and fubmiffion. Notwithstanding the limited and corrupted nature of man, generally confidered, there is fufficient Ability and Veracity left to give it in innumerable inftances a clear and folid credibility. These effentials to fuch an end are very often fo elucidated and confirmed

by the accompanying Evidences of things and perfons, as well as by the nature of the Matter itfelf, the Deference it meets with among the wife and good, and in fome cases by its general Reception by mankind in all times and countries, as to amount to a full and undeniable certainty. Farther, the mind, when it is as far as it may be expected to be, properly prepared, is competent to decide, at leaft as far as it may be requifite to do fo, on the feveral Degrees of affent to which this evidence is entitled.

If these things are true, let us then look with all due estimation on the cause, whenever we are led to contemplate the great and important effects which this fpecies of knowledge is able to produce in the intellectual world; when we confider that it chears and enlightens the mind, by illustrating or correcting the process and conclufions of folitary genius and labour; by enlarging its wealth through the focial interchange of various acquirements; by animating unto new investigations; and by contributing to fecure the fuccefs of its attempts. Let us remember, with the respect certainly owed to the cause of such a bleffing, that it alone qualifies us to enjoy the inheritance of all that a pious zeal has preserved from the wreck of antiquity; that it alone forms the channel, along which the

riches that lie in neighbouring and in most diftant regions of the world are communicated mutually between each other; thus, in one instance, subjecting to our disposal those accumulated ftores of reafon and experience, which Time had, else, irretrievably alienated; and, in the other, bringing into one grand view the vaft but diffused treasures of knowledge, which Space had widely removed from all participation.

A

SERMON II.

HE B. XI. I.

Faith is the Subftance of Things hoped

H

for.

ITHERTO Faith, in order to perfpicuity, has been confidered fimply as as a mean of Knowledge; and in this view has been treated with refpect only to the Understanding of man. But the manifest connexion between the Intellect and the Will leads, in the next place, to regard it as a cause and an instrument of Action. For all knowledge of the nature of things is infeparably followed by a difference of esteem and choice between what appears good and what appears evil: and it may reasonably be judged, that the capacity for one was given for the fole purpose in this world of leading unto the other.

In proceeding to contemplate Faith as it is, in any manner, connected with the conduct of man, it is, first, evident that what has been in

the