Perfon be fufficiently qualified to be entrusted with so great Charge; if nothing appears to to make it justly fufpected that he is a Deceiver; if no private Views, no Self-intereft, no Ambition are discoverable; if he be in all Refpects fuch an one as we may reasonably fuppofe God would make Choice of to send on his Errand: If the End and Design of his Coming is fuch as we may well suppose God to be the Author of; if it tends to promote the Honour of God, and true Religion, to secure the general Happiness and Welfare of Mankind, without any partial Views and Regards: If his Miffion be attested by such Signs and Wonders, as plainly point out to us the Hand of God fupporting and encouraging the Work; if they are openly fhewn before Friends and Foes, and attended with fuch other Circumftances, as are neceffary to place them above Suspicion: In this Cafe we have a certain Evidence of the Miffion and Authority of this Perfon to make known to us the Will of God, and are bound to receive what he shall publith in God's Name, as the Law of God. Now all these Proofs we certainly may have, without being able to understand, or fully comprehend, all that fuch a Perfon delivers; and yet, in Force of these Proofs,

we

we are bound to believe what he delivers to be the Word of God. Men do not speak accurately when they fay, the Doctrines are proved by Miracles: for, in truth, there is no Connexion between any Miracles and Doctrines: Miracles prove the Authority of the Person, and the Authority of the Perfon is the Ground of receiving the Doctrine. Now it is one Thing to know the Authority of the Person, another Thing to know what he says. His Authority makes what he says to be Law, and your Want of Knowledge in the Meaning of what he fays will not unmake the Law: For if it could, Ignorance would be the fupreme Authority, fince no Authority could make a Law, which Ignorance could not repeal. How far we are concerned in thefe Obfcurities, or what Obligations they lay upon us, which perhaps may be none at all, is another Queftion: But I think it is evident that no Body of Laws, human or divine, becomes void and of none Effect, because fome Parts are hard to be underftood, or not to be understood. And if Men difpute upon fuch Places, and divide into a thousand Opinions about them, fuch Divifions do ftill lefs affect the Law,

which owes not its Authority to the Agreement or Difagreement of Interpreters.

But it may be faid, and I think very juftly, To what Purpose is any Thing delivered as Law, or Revelation, which is too obfcure to be understood? The very End of the Law is, to be the Rule of our Actions; and how is this End to be attained, whilft we continue ignorant of the Meaning of the Lawgiver? Men may blunder, and make dark Laws, and fo mifs the Scope they aimed at; and the Wonder is not great: but how should any Obscurity darken the Law of God? fince we cannot but suppose, from the very End and Nature of a Law, that his Intention was to be understood; and his Wifdom permits us not to doubt but that he was able to explain his Meaning.

This brings us to confider the Fact, Whether the Gospel has fuch Difficulties and Obfcurities in it, as may make us efteem it unworthy of the Wisdom of God.

The Chriftian Revelation is contained in the Books of the New Teftament; but they are not all of the fame Kind, nor do they fall under the fame Confideration in this Question. Had Men given themfelves Time to think coolly, and to make the

true

true Separation in this Cafe, we had not perhaps been told, that the Difficulties of fome Parts of the Scripture are an Objection to the Revelation itself.

The Books of the New Teftament may be confidered either as Hiftorical, as Doctrinal, or as Controverfial, and fome as a Mixture of the two laft. By the Historical, I understand, the Narrative of our Saviour's Life and Death, and of the Preaching of his Apostles after his Refurrection and Afcenfion. Thefe, as they are merely Historical, afford none of those Difficulties which are fo much complained of: The Story is plain and fim-· ple, and the different Accounts of it, in the feveral Gofpels, vary no more from each other, than may naturally be expect ed from different Pens.

By the Doctrinal, I understand, thofe Matters of Faith, and Rules of Duty, which do not regard this or that particular Cafe, but were intended for the Ufe of the whole World, and are to continue to the End of it. And if there be a clear Law, and clearly expreffed, in the World, this is the Law. Can Words more clearly exprefs the Honour and Worship we are to pay to God, or can more familiar Directions be given in this Cafe, than are to

be found in the Gofpel? Is not Idolatry clearly condemned in the Gofpel? Is there any other Thing relating to divine Worfhip, that we yet want Inftructing in? Are not the Duties likewife, which we owe to each other, made evident and plain, and can there be any Difpute about them, except what arifes from Luft, or Avarice, or other Self-Intereft? As to the peculiar Benefits of the Gofpel, are they not declared without Obfcurity? Can you read the Gospel, and doubt whether Christ died for you, whether God will grant Pardon to the Penitent, or his Affiftance to thofe who afk it; whether he will reward all fuch in Glory who continue the faithful Difciples of his Son? What other Reve lation do we want, or can we defire, in these great and weighty Concerns? Or, what is there wanting to make up a complete Syftem of Religion? Thefe Things you read in the Gofpels, thefe Things you read in the other Writings of the Apoftles; in these there is a perfect Harmony and Confent of all the infpired Wri

ters.

But ftill, you fay, there are Difficulties in Scripture. And fo there are: But they are fuch as do not interfere with the clear