darkened the Old World? But, be the Caufe what it will, if you judge rightly in fuppofing yourself able now to difcern the Dictates of Reafon and Nature, without which you ought not to pretend even to Natural Religion, 'tis abfurd to pretend that you are in the fame Danger of being deceived by pretended Revelations as the Old World was, fince you have, and claim to have, that Light, the Want of which was the very Thing that exposed them to all their Errors and Superftitions. And, to fhew that this Objection is a mere Feint, afk any one who makes it, whether he thinks any Man could impofe. one of the Heathen Forms of Worship, or any thing like it, on him? No Man, I believe, but would be angry to be fufpected of fo much Weakness. Yet these very Forms were imposed on your Forefathers; and are confident, and with good Reason, that they cannot be impofed on you. "Tis evident then, that you are not in the fame Cafe with them, that their Danger is not your Danger; and, confequently, their Errors about Revelation is no Objection against hearkening to Revelation now, when we know ourselves effectually fecured against their Errors.

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From thefe Pretences let us turn to view the true Revelations belonging to the same Period,

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Period, and fee how far they relate to the prefent Cafe. Thofe given to particular Men upon particular Occafions are out of the Question, for Reasons already mentioned.

The Law of Mofes was published and declared with great Solemnity, and by Perfons every way qualified: It contains a Rule or Syftem of Religion, and is ftill maintained, by its Disciples in oppofition to the Gospel. Here then perhaps may feem to be fome Difficulty, when two Revelations, that have equal Pleas to Truth, are set in competition one against the other. This Question must be argued upon different Principles with Jews, and with other Men: For the Law was given and declared to the Jews, and they were under the Obligations of it: They therefore are concerned to inquire, not only of the Truth of a fubfequent Revelation, but alfo, whether it does fufficiently abrogate their Law, or whether it is to fubfist with it; as likewife whether their Law has any-where precluded them from admitting any farther Revelations. But to us the Question is, how we are concerned with the Law, and whether there can be any Competition with respect to us between the Law and the Gofpel. From the Principles already mentioned we may foon. determine this Question: For 'tis plain, that

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very

no Revelation can oblige those to whom it is not given; that Promulgation is fo far of the Effence of the Law, that no Man in Reafon or Equity owes any Obligation to a Law till 'tis made known to him; that the Obligations therefore of a Law are limited by the Terms of the Promulgation. Apply this to the Law of Mofes; you will find that Law in the Promulgation of it confined to the People of Ifrael: Hear, O Ifrael! is the Introduction to the Promulgation; which it could not have been, had the Law been defigned for the whole World. And this was known to be the Cafe under the Law. Mofes, who best understood the Extent of his own Commiffion, fays thus to the People of Ifrael: What Nation is there fo great, that hath Statutes and Judgments fo righteous, as all this Law which I fet before you this Day? Deut. iv. 8. The holy Pfalmift expreffes the fame Sense in these Words: He fheweth his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and his Judgments unto Ifrael. He hath not dealt fo with any Nation: And, as for his Judgments, they have not known them. Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20. From all which 'tis evident, that the Law of Mofes has no Claim to our Obedience. The moral Part of the Law, when understood,

will oblige every rational Creature; but this is not the Obligation we are now speaking of. The Law of Mofes then cannot add to the Number of Revelations which create us any Difficulty in determining ourselves: For, let the Cafe happen as it will, we are free. from the Law. But the Law affords even to us abundant Evidence for the Truth of the Gofpel. The Proofs from Prophecy are as convincing to us as to the Jews: For it matters not whether we are under the Law, or not under the Law, fince Conviction in this Cafe arifes from another and different Principle. But I haften to a Conclufion.

Let us then confider briefly, what Alteration has happened fince the Coming of Christ to disturb and unfettle our Judgments in this great Affair. A Man perhaps, who is a great Reader, may be able to produce many In-. ftances of Impoftors fince that Time, and imagine that they are all fo many dead Weights upon the Cause of Revelation: But what is become of them, and their Doctrine? they are vanished, and their Place is not to be found. What Pretence is there then to

fet up thefe Revelations? Is God grown fo weak and impotent, that we may suppose thefe to be his Revelations, and intended for

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the Ufe of the World, had he not been baffled at first setting out? If God intends a Law for the Ufe of the World, he is obliged, if I may use the Expreffion, to publish the Law to the World: And therefore Want of fuch Publication evidently fhews that God was not concerned in them, or at least did not intend that we should be concerned in them: And therefore 'tis abfurd to inftance in fuch Pretences as Difficulties in our Way, which in truth are not in our Way at all.

And thus the Cafe of Revelation ftood, and the Gospel had no Competitor, till the great and fuccefsful Impoftor Mahomet arofe: He indeed pretends a Commiffion to all the World, and found Means fufficiently to publith his Pretences: He afferts his Authority upon the Strength of Revelation, and endeavours to transfer the Advantages of the Gospel Evidence to himfelf, having that Pattern before him to topy after: And, should we say that the Alcoran was never promulged to us by Persons duly commiffioned, it may be answered perhaps, that the Alcoran is as well published to us as the Gofpel is to them; which has fome Appearance of an Answer, though the Fact is indeed otherwife;

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