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5. Neither do we know it to be true already by Scripture. or sense, or reason:" our assurance is not "impressed on our thoughts by ANY evidence of the thing". And indeed, nothing could be more absurd and self-contradictory, than to pretend, (as some of the party seem to do,) to have any evidence of the truth of a fact, which is known and acknowledged not to be true. For if we not only think, but know that it is not true, we know that there is evidence of its untruth. Not simply no evidence of its truth; but full demonstration of its falsehood f. But how a man, not given up to delusion, can believe that to be true, which he certainly knows is false, may puzzle a Locke or Newton to say. However, Mr. Marshall goes on to declare,

6. That herein lies the great difficulty of believing, not as it is with divine truths, because the thing to be believed is contrary to our vicious biasses; (John iii. 19.) but merely because we have no evidence of its truth, but full demonstration that it is false. "This is a strange kind of assurance, far different from other ordinary kinds; and therefore no wonder if it be found weak and imperfect, and difficult to be obtained, and assaulted with many doubtings." But pray, wherein does it differ from all other kinds of assurance ? and why is it so difficult to be obtained? He goes on to say,

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f Mr. Marshall's meaning is so plain, that it seems impossible it should be any plainer. And these words did not drop from his pen inadvertently; but the plain truth of the case drew them from him. For he has said nothing but what is absolutely essential to their scheme. He knew it was so; and he had honesty enough to own it. True, Mr. Cudworth was sensible he could not vindicate the scheme, set in this open honest light therefore he, (absolutely without any grounds,) pretends I misrepresent their scheme; and then buries up himself in a heap of ambiguous words; without attempting to answer my queries upon the point. But I appeal to all men of common sense, into whose hands this shall come, whether I do not understand Mr. Marshall's words in the sense, the very sense, the only sense they can possibly bear. It is plain beyond dispute, that Mr. Wilson understands them in the very sense I do. For, as we shall see presently, he maintains that in justifying faith, "we believe that to be true which is not true before we believe it." Well! if it is not true, it is false. And if it is not true, it implies a contradiction to say, that there is " any evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason," of its truth. And therefore if it be believed at all, it must be," without any evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason," as Mr. Marshall honestly owns.

66. we are constrained to believe other things on the clear evidence that we have, that they are true, and would remain true, whether we believe them or no; so that we cannot deny our assent without rebellion against the light of our senses; reason, or conscience: but here our assurance is not impressed on our thoughts BY ANY EVIDENCE OF THE THING." And on this account, and merely on this account, is it difficult to believe this fact. For there is no man but that would be glad to believe, that instead of going to hell after death, he shall be for ever happy in heaven. Balaam said, let me die the death of the righteous, and let my latter end be like his. So that wicked men would be glad to get this faith; and if they cannot get it, it is not because they are not willing to have it, as was the case with the wicked Jews, whom Christ upbraided, John v. 40. YE WILL NOT come to me that ye might have life; but merely because they have not "any evidence of the thing." So then they are not to blame for their unbelief; for it is no crime. Rather they are to be pitied; for it can be considered only as a calamity. And accordingly, several writers have of late appeared in Great-Britain, zealous to prove, that faith is no duty, and unbelief no sin.

Thus far then Mr. Marshall's words are plain, and we cannot mistake his meaning: but the next particular is not with out some difficulty. For,

7. He says, that the fact not being true, but rather known to be false, and so there being no evidence of any kind, or from any quarter to build our faith upon, we must therefore "work it out in ourselves by the assistance of the spirit of God." But how can a man in his right senses, go about to work up himself to believe that to be true which he knows is not true, but absolutely false? and which way does a man go to work in this case? He does not look for evidence; for he knows there is none from Scripture, sense, or reason, Nay, he does not try to believe it to be true, as supposing it true; for he knows it is not true. But he tries to believe it is true, that it may become true by his believing it to be true. Surprising, shocking affair!

And all this "by the assistance of the spirit of God." But pray, how can the spirit of God grant any assistance in such

a.case?

Were the fact true, and were there evidence of its truth, we should need no assistance in the case. A wicked man is as able, and as willing to believe such a fact, as any saint in the world. And since the fact is known not to be true, and it is known there is no evidence of its truth, but full demonstration of its falsehood, what assistance can the spirit of God grant in the case? The Psalmist prays, open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. And if our vicious biasses render us inattentive to, and prejudice us against, divine truths, so that we are slow of heart to believe them to be, what in fact they are, whether we believe or no; or if we hate the light because our deeds are evil, if we hate the truth because it condemns us, we may need the influences of the divine spirit to remove our prejudices, to open our eyes, to make us attentive to, and give us a relish for the truth, to cause us to savour the things which be of God; and so long as any corruption remains in our hearts, to blind our minds to the holy beauty and glory of divine truths, we may need the divine spirit to open our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things out of God's law. But in this case, there is no prejudice in the heart of the most wicked man in the world to be removed; for the fact believed would have suited Balaam himself. And it can be of no advantage to have our eyes opened in the case; but rather a disadvantage. For the wider our eyes are opened, the more plainly and clearly shall we see, that it is not true, but absolutely false ; that there is no evidence of its truth, but full demonstration of its falsehood. There is nothing in the case, therefore, to be done by any spirit for us, but to put out our eyes, and blind our minds, that so we may, by the mighty power of delusion, be led firmly to believe a lie. But surely, no spirit will do this for us, but that wicked spirit who is the father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning. He may bring texts of Scripture to us, as once he did to our Saviour, and apply them to our souls, one after another, till ravished with joy, we cry out, "I know my sins are forgiven! I know God loves me! I know I shall be saved! I am as certain of it, as of my own existence! and should all the world say I am deluded, I would not regard them!" I have been par

ticularly acquainted with many instances of sinners thus deluded. Numbers of our converts in New-England twenty years ago, were to all appearance converted thus.

Thus we have taken an impartial view of Mr. Marshall's doctrine, the very doctrine Mr. Wilson has undertaken to vindicate; and for a complete stating the question to be dis-> puted, there is but one observation more to be made.

8. A fundamental maxim in Mr. Marshall's scheme, on which all the rest depends; I say, a fundamental maxim in Mr. Marshall's whole scheme is, that in justifying faith "we believe that to be true which is not true before we believe it." And this maxim is absolutely essential to his scheme. For,

The fact believed is, that "my sins are forgiven," or in other words, " that I have a saving interest in Christ and all the benefits purchased by him." Now if they say that this is true, before I believe it, they must, with the grossest sort of Antinomians, hold that we are justified before faith, in express contradiction to the whole Gospel. This they do not, they dare not say. They are therefore under an absolute necessity to say, "that we believe that to be true which is not true before we believe it."

But if it is not true before we believe it, then every thing Mr. Marshall has said will inevitably follow. For if it is not true, it is false. If it is not true, there is, there can be, no "evidence from Scripture, sense, or reason," that it is true; and therefore we must believe" without any evidence of the thing." And so it is" a strange kind of assurance," and "difficult to be obtained," and we must " work it out in ourselves." And it being so contrary to common sense, even to the reason of all mankind, to believe that to be true which we know is not true, we evidently need the assistance of some spirit in the affair. Not the spirit of God indeed, for he never helps men to believe any thing but what is true before we believe it.

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If therefore it can be proved, that this fundamental maxim is false, down goes their whole scheme, and all who are settled upon it lie buried in its ruins.

1. It is self-evident, that in all instances, a thing must exist, at least in order of nature, before its existence can be

discerned by the human mind. To say otherwise, is an express contradiction. For to discern that a thing exists before it does exist, is to see that it is before it is: which is the same as to say that a thing may be, and not be, at the same time. Which is an express contradiction.

But to believe my sins are forgiven, is to discern that this fact is really so, that this thing does exist. Its existence then is in order of nature, before I discern its existence. For to say I can see a thing to be, which is not, is an express contradiction. So then they must say, we are justified before faith, or their faith is an inconsistent, self-contradictory thing.

I am well aware that this sort of converts, in their inward experiences, are wont to have the love of God and pardon of sin, to their apprehension, manifested to their souls before they believe. For this manifestation is, the ground of their belief: and indeed it would be simply impossible they ever should believe, if they had not something of this nature. For no human mind can believe what appears to be not true. But it will not do to speak out this secret, and tell the world plainly how it is. For then it would appear that they are justified before faith, and all would join to condemn them as gross Antinomians. And therefore they are obliged to give such an account of their faith, as in its own nature evidently implies a contradiction. Nor can you get one of these men coolly and impartially to attend to this point, because they are conscious of an insuperable difficulty. Rather, they will bury themselves in obscurity, in a multitude of ambiguous words, not at all to the purpose. Witness Mr. Cudworth's Further Defence, and Mr. Wilson's Review.

2. The thing believed to be true, is on their own scheme not true. For,

They all hold that we are not pardoned until after faith, at least in order of nature. To be sure, Mr. Wilson expresses this strongly. He says, p. 209, that " justification is a consequent of our union with Christ by faith." And to the same purpose, p. 194, 195. 205, &c. Now, if it be a consequent of our union with Christ by faith, then it does not exist till after faith. Faith is in order of nature before justification. But their faith consists in believing they are justified. And