55° The Parable df the Vol. T. at the Prbvidence of God, which in thefe later Ages of the World does not make thofe more immediate Difcoveries and Manifellarions of himfelf óis\that he did to former Ages, that we have rather great reafon to admire the Wifdo, d Goodnefs of God's Próvidence, which bath privileged us with this flanding Re- velation of his written Word, which bath fo many ways the Advantage of fre- quent and extraordinary Revelation, and in refpeét of the generality of Mankind, is much more ufeful and efle8ual to its end. I know there are fome that have endeavoúr'd to perfwade the World, that DoEtrines may much better be preferved by common Rumour and Report, than by Writing and Record ; but I hope there is no Man fo deflitute of common Senfe as to believe them contrary to the Ex- perience of all Men. I come now to the 4th thing I propos'd to be confider'd ; namely, That there is fufficient Evidence of the Divinity of the Scriptures. By the Divinity of the Scriptures, I mean, that they were revealed by God, and that the things con- tained in them were not invented by Men, but difcovered to Men by God ; and that the Pen-men of thefe Books did not write their own private Conceptions, but were infpired by the Holy Ghoft. Now if we can be fatisfy'd of this, we ought to receive the Scriptures with the fame reverence, as if an Angel from Heaven fhould declare thefe things unto us, or as if God fhould immediately reveal them to our Minds ; for nothing can come with greater Authority than this, that we believe it to be revealed by God ; and provided we be allured of this, it matters not which way ; the thingbath the fame Authority. Now that we have fufficient Evidence of the Divinity of the Scriptures, will bell appear, by confidering what is fufficient to give Authority to a Book, fo that no prudent or reafonable Man can queltion, but that the Book was writ by him whofe Name it bears. For what Evidence we would accept of, for the Au- thority of other Books, we muff not refufe in this cafe for the Scriptures ; if we do, we deal unequally, and it is a fign that we do not want Evidence for theAu- thority of the Scriptures, but that we have no mind to believe them. Now the utmoft Authority that any Book is capable of, is, that it bath been tranfmitted down to us by the general and uncontroll'd Teflimony of all Ages, and that the Authority of it was never questioned in that Age wherein it was written, nor invalidated ever lince. And this Evidence we have for the Authority of the Scriptures. As for the Old Teflament, I Ihall not now labour in the proof of that by Arguments pro- per to it felf, but (hall take the Divinity of rhém upon the Authority ofthe New, which, if it be proved, is fufficient Evidence for it, tho' there were no other. Now for the Scriptures of the New Teflament, I delire but thefe two things to be granted tomeat 6rft. r. That all were written by thofe Perfons whofe Names they bear ; and for this we have as much Authority, as for any Books in the World, and fo much as may fatisfy Men in other cafes, and therefore not to be rejeéted in this. z. That thofe who wrote thofe Books were Men of Integrity, and did not wilfully falfify in any thing; and this cannot reafonably be denied, becaufe thefe very Perfons gave the utmoft Evidence that Men could give of their Integrity. The higheft atteftation that any Man can give of the Truth of what he relates, is to lay down his Life for the Teftimony of it and this the Apo(iles did. Now if this be granted, that they did not falfify in their Relations concerning the Miracles of Chrift, and his Refurre lion, and the miraculous Gifts which were bellowed upon the Apofties after his Afcenfion ; this is as great an Evidence as the world can give, and as the thing is capable of, that. our Saviour was a reacher, come from God, and that the Apoftles were extraordinarily affifted by the Holy Ghoft ; and if this be granted, what can be defired more to prove the Di- vinity of their Writings > But it may be faid, that tho' the Apoflles were granted to be Men of Integri- ty, and that they did not wilfully falfify in their Relations, yet they might be miftaken about thofe Matters. But that they were not, we have as much Evi- dence as can be for any thing of this Nature, namely, that the things which are related
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