3.  The  evidence  that  accompanies  faith  is  our
next  article.      People  may  sincerely  deceive
themselves;  indeed  erroneous  opinions  are  ge
nerally  received  on  account  of  some  glimmer
ings  that  hover  around  them  and  dazzle  the  be
holders.     The  belief  of  an  error  seems,  in  some
cases,  to  be  grounded  on  principles  as  clear  as
those  of  truth.      It  is  certain,  however,  that
truth  has  a  brightness  peculiar  to  itself;  an  evi
dence,  that  distinguishes  it  from  whatever  is
not  true.     The  persuasion  of  a  man,  who  rests
on  demonstration,  is  altogether  different  from
that  of  him  who  is  seduced  by  sophisms.     Evi
dence  has  its  prerogatives  and  its  rights.    Main
tain  who  will,  not  only  with  sincerity,  but  with
all  the  positiveness  and  violence  of  which  he
is  capable,  that  there  is  nothing  certain;  I  am
fully  persuaded  that  I  have  evidence,  incompa
rably  clearer,  of  the  opposite  opinion.     In  like
manner,  when  I  affirm  that  I  have  an  intelli
gent  soul,  and  that  I  animate  a  material  body;
when  I  maintain  that  I  am  free,  that  the  Crea
tor  has  given  me  the  power  of  turning  my  eyes
to  the  east,  or  to  the  west;  that  while  the  Su
preme  Being,  on  whom  I  own  I  am  entirely
dependant,  shall  please  to  continue  me  in  my
present  state,  I  may  look  to  the  east  or  to  the
west,  as  I  choose,  without  being  forced  by  any
superior  power  to  turn  my  eyes  toward  one
of  these  points,  rather  than  towards  the  other:
when  I  admit  these  propositions,  I  find  myself
guided  by  brightness  of  evidence,  which  it  is
impossible  to  find  in  the  opposite  propositions.
