and  therefore  adhere  to  them  at  all  events.  They  form  to  themselves
in  imagination  a  god  according  to  their  wishes,  altogether  such  a
one  as  themselves ;  because  any  other  notion,  any  scriptural  repre-
sentation of  the  Divine  Being,  would  control  their  reason  in  a  way
their  pride  cannot  bear,  and  curb  their  passions  so  as  sensual  indul-
gence dislikes  extremely.
•  They  maintain,  that  believing  any  statement,  depends  upon  the
evidence  concerning  it  presented  to  the  mind.  Now  this  is  in  part
true ;  evidence  must  be  presented.  Yet  it  is  in  part  fake ;  because,
whatever  evidence  may  be  produced,  if  the  mind  will  not  examine  it,
or  even  look  at  it,  the  most  weighty  arguments  can  have  no  avail.
Weakness  in  the  visual  organ,  may  prevent  our  discerning  what  is
plainly  set  before  us;  and  a  wilful  closing  the  eyes  takes  place  fre-
quently, when  we  suspect  that  what  is  to  be  seen  will  be  disagreeable
to  us.  The  disposition  of  the  mind  has  therefore  much  more  to  do  with
oar  actual  believing,  than  the  mere  quantum  of  evidence.  The  per-
▼erseness  and  obstinacy  of  the  will  are  extremely  influential.  All
these  points  involve  guilt,  and  make  the  error  so  held  to  be  deeply
criminal.
1  It  is  "  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness ;"  while,
therefore,  a  heart  of  unbelief  operates  in  a  man,  he  will  not  believe  on
the  Saviour,  let  the  evidence  produced  be  what  it  may.  Prejudice
forms  a  principal  ingredient  in  unbelief;  but  prejudice  supposes  there
has  net  been  any  suitable  examination ;  the  opinions  fortaod  under


Wardlaw,  &c.  on  the  Criminality  of  Unbelief.        369

this  influence  molt  likely  are  erroneous,  and,  so  far  as  they  are  so,  the
error  must  incur  guilt.
