mony

This is the true Foundation of the Apostles' Authority confidered as Promulgers of Chriftianity; which depended upon what they themselves had seen or heard, and not upon what others had feen or heard, whether Friends or Foes. Other Circumstances may be good collateral Evidence; but the Testiof the Apostles refts upon this, That they themselves faw and heard what they have reported. And therefore the fame Apoftle in his firft Epiftle fets forth this Evidence in the very fame Manner: That which was from the Beginning, which we have heard, which we have feen with our Eyes, which we have looked upon, and our Hands have handled, of the Word of Life.-That which we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alfo may have Fellowship with us.

You have alfo the Reason affigned which moved St. John to publish his Gospel, which extends likewise to all the other Writings of the New Teftament: But thefe are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift the Son of God, and that believing ye might have Life through his Name. This Reason is not fo ftrictly to be urged, as if Writing were the only Way of publishing the Gospel, which we know was effectually published to great Multitudes, before any Book of the New

New Testament was written, by the Preaching and Working of the Apoftles. But thus far perhaps we may justly argue, That Writing is the best, if not the only Method of perpetuating the Teftimony, and delivering down the Doctrines of Christ uncorrupted to distant Ages: And this Way has had the Confent and Approbation of all civilized Nations; from whence it is that fcripta Lex is used in the best Writers to fignify an instituted Law, as diftinguished from the Law of Nature arifing either from Inftinct or Reason.

The Gospels then were published that they might be a standing Evidence to all Ages of God's Purpose to redeem the World by fending his Son to take our Nature on him, that he might die for our Sins, and rife again for our Juftification: And it was abfolutely neceffary to convey this Knowledge to the World by a proper Authority; for Revelation cannot obtain the Force and Authority of Law, or any way oblige the Consciences of Men, till it be fufficiently published and declared. This is univerfally true of all Laws whatever, both human and divine: And the Reafon of it is plain; because otherwife Men would be bound to an Impoffibility, to obey a Law before they

knew

knew what the Law was. For the fame Reason also it must be allowed, that the Promulgation of the Law is the proper Care and Concern of the Lawgiver: For the Law must come from the Governor to the Governed; and the Subject, till he knows the Law, that is, till it is promulged and fufficiently declared to him, can have no Concern in it. Apply this to Revelation, and you will perceive, that it is abfurd to fuppofe that God has given any Law to the World which he has not fufficiently promulged and declared; for that would be to fuppofe that God intended to give, and not to give, a Law to Mankind at the fame time. An infufficient Promulgation is no Promulgation; and therefore all Powers and Qualities neceffary to give Credit and Authority to the Publishers of Revelation are always fuppofed, when we speak of the Truth and Authority of Revelation. God may reveal what he fees fit to one or two or more Men; but, unless fuch Men are commiffioned and duly qualified to fatisfy others that fuch Things have been made known to them, others are no more concerned in the Revelation, than if it had never been made. It would take up too much of your Time to inquire particularly what are the neceffary Qualifications to conftitute

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stitute a proper Witness to Revelation. It may fuffice to obferve, that no Man is naturally qualified for it, for this plain Reason, because all natural Qualifications are easily counterfeited to ferve a Purpose. Honesty, Sincerity, and Religion may be put on in Appearance; and a Man may bear himself so well in the Disguise, as not to be discovered. Things in common Life are easily believed upon the Report of honeft Men: But then it must be confidered, that the moral Probability of fuch Things goes a great way in rendering them credible. "Tis no Shock to our Minds to believe that such a Thing happened at fuch a Time, which we know often does happen in the Courfe of Things and probably might happen then. In fuch Cafes a small Weight inclines the mind to affent: But it requires other kind of Evidence to make the Mind fubmit to the Belief of Things which are fupported by no moral Probability, but are quite out of the ordinary Course and Nature of Things. This fhews that no Revelation can be fufficiently promulged and declared to the World by Men, unless they are extraordinarily qualified and commiffioned to that Purpose. We do not therefore rely merely upon the Honesty or

moral Character of the first Preachers of the Gofpel, but on their Authority proved and supported by many wonderful Works which God enabled them to do, and on their Integrity fufficiently established by what they did and fuffered for the fake of the Gofpel.

But here the Question is asked, How shall we distinguish between the Pretences to Revelation, which are so many and various, all of which have an equal Right to be heard, that 'tis endless to look for Religion in fuch a Croud of Pretenders to it, and difficult to determine the Merit of the feveral Claims? So that the only fure Way is to take up with Natural Religion, which is every-where uniformly the fame, and in which there is no Danger of being deluded and misled by Impofture; for Natural Religion admits of no Counterfeit: And, fince every Man's Reason is Judge in this Cafe, no Man can be cheated but by himself: And all Men are so much their own Friends, that in a Matter of fo great Moment, which fo nearly concerns. their present and their future Happiness, they may securely trust themselves.

Now, to form a true Judgment upon this Cafe, it will be neceffary firft to state the Queftion right upon the Foot of this Objection,