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

The Gofpels then were published that they might be a ftanding 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 Confciences 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 necessary to give Credit and Authority to the Publishers of a Revelation are always fuppofed, when we fpeak 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 con

ftitute

in

Atitute 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. Honefty, Sincerity, and Religion may be put on in Appearance; and a Man may bear himself fo well in the Disguise, as not to be discovered. Things in common Life are easily believed upon the Report of honest Men: But then it must be confidered, that the moral Probability of such Things goes a great way 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 Course 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 Purpofe. We do not therefore rely merely upon the Honesty or VOL. I.

S

moral

moral Character of the first Preachers of the Gofpel, but on their Authority proved and fupported 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 Gospel.

But here the Question is asked, How shall we diftinguish between the Pretences to Revelation, which are fo 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 mifled by Imposture; 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 fecurely truft themselves.

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

jection,

jection, and then to examine what Weight of Reason there is in it.

First then, The Question must relate to Revelation, confidered only as the Rule and Measure of Religion: For the Dispute between Nature and Revelation is confined to this one Point, Which is the best and safest Guide in Religion? 'Tis abfurd therefore to bring Inftances of any Revelations in this Cafe, which do not pretend to this Property, that were never given, or pretended to be given, as a Rule of Religion: For, when Men talk of the various Revelations that have been in the World, and the Difficulty of determining which they ought to obey, they cannot take into their Confideration the Answer of the Oracle to Crafus, or the several other Answers on particular Occafions recorded in the Greek and Roman Hiftories, nor yet the particular Meffages which God fent by the Hands of different Prophets to the People of Ifrael; for these Revelations, whether true or falfe, being confined to particular Occafions, are out of the prefent Question, and have no Relation to the Inquiry concerning a Rule or Measure of Religion. This Observation will in a great measure overthrow the Truth of the Fact upon which S 2 the