1. When there is a necessity of it in order to a man's greatest interest and happiness, I think it to be a reasonable account for any man to give why he does not live as the greatest part of the world do, that he has no mind to die as they do, and to perish with them; he is not disposed to be a fool and to be miserable for company; he has no inclination to have his last end like theirs "who know not God, and obey not the Gospel of his Son, and shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.'

2. It is very commendable to be singular in any excellency, and I have shewn that Religion is the greatest excellency to be singular in any thing that is wise, and worthy, and excellent, is not a disparagement, but a praise: every man would choose to be thus singular.

§ III.

The third imputation is, that Religion is a foolish bargain; because they who are religious hazard the parting with a present and certain happiness for that which is future and uncertain. To this I answer,

First. Let it be granted that the assurance which we have of future rewards falls short of the evidence of sense. For I doubt not but that saying of our Saviour, "Blessed is he who hath believed, and not seen," and those expressions of the Apostle, "We walk by faith and not by sight," and "Faith is the evidence of things not seen," are intended by way of abatement and diminution to the evidence of faith, and do signify that the report and testimony of others is not so great evidence as that of our

own senses: And though we have sufficient assurance of another state, yet no man can think we have so great evidence as if we ourselves had been in the other world, and seen how all things are there.

Secondly. We have sufficient assurance of these things, and such as may beget in us a well-grounded confidence, and free us from all doubts of the contrary, and persuade a reasonable man to venture his greatest interests in this world upon the security that he hath of another: For,

1. We have as much assurance of these things as things future and at a distance are capable of, and he is a very unreasonable man that would desire more. Future and invisible things are not capable of the evidence of sense; but we have the greatest rational evidence for them, and in this every reasonable man ought to rest satisfied.

2. We have as much as is abundantly

For

sufficient to justify every man's discretion, who, for the great and eternal things of another world, hazards or parts with the poor and transitory things of this life. And for the clearing of this it will be worth our considering, that the greatest affairs of this world, and the most important concernments of this life are all conducted only by moral demonstrations. Men every day venture their lives and estates only upon moral assurance. instance, men who never were at the East or West Indies, or in Turkey or Spain, yet do venture their whole estate in traffic thither, though they have no mathematical demonstration but only moral assurance that there are such places. Nay, which is more, men every day eat and drink, though I think no man can demonstrate out of Euclid or Apollonius, that his baker, or brewer, or cook have not conveyed poison into his meat or drink. And that man that

would be so wise and cautious as not to eat or drink till he could demonstrate this to himself, I know no other remedy for him but that in great gravity and wisdom he must die for fear of death. And for any man to urge that though men in temporal affairs proceed upon moral assurance, yet there is greater assurance required to make men seek Heaven and avoid Hell, seems to me to be highly unreasonable. For such an assurance of things as will make men circumspect and careful to avoid a lesser danger, ought in all reason to awaken men much more to the avoiding of a greater; such an assurance as will sharpen men's desires and quicken their endeavours for the obtaining of a lesser good, ought in all reason to animate men more powerfully, and to inspire them with a greater vigour and industry in the pursuit of that which is infinitely greater. For why the same assurance should not