a full, perfect Understanding of the Will of GOD in this great and laft Revelation by his Son. If this be fo, as doubtless it is; fuppofing in the Discourses of this or any other Infpir'd Writer, common and vulgar Opinions, not detrimental to Religion, and the End of his Miffion, fhould be alluded to or admitted; this could not in the leaft prejudice him in the main Pretenfion to Inspiration; if after Ages, or the prefent Age fhould be able to difcover, and demonftrate thofe Opinions falfe; because it is very clear in the Cafe, as it is fuppofed, here is no new Opinion in Philofophy advanc'd by Infpiration, neither are the old and common Ones confirm'd; but the Infpir'd Writer leaves the World as he found it in thefe Points, be they true or falfe. And what fignifies it to the Ends of Religion, which is the only End of an Infpir'd Writer, whether the Sun moves or the Earth? Or how would he have advanced this Caufe, had he determin'd the Point? Had Jofhua fpoke according to the modern Systems, thou Earth ftand ftill: What ftrange Amazement muft it have produc'd in the Jews, who never heard nor imagin'd, and very probably could not eafily entertain fuch a Notion?

B. It may be needful in many Cafes, that the Infpir'd Writer fhould fpeak agreeably to common and receiv'd Opinions. But fuppofing in his Narrations, &c. he fhould err in the Circumftances of Time or Place, upon the fame Grounds, methinks, this fhould be an irrefra gable Proof against his Infpiration,

A. Not at all, unless it can be made appear, that in thefe Matters the Infpir'd Perfon profeffes himself guided by an infallible Spirit, as well as others. It may be poffible, thefe may not be the Ends for which, he is Infpir'd. For a Man

a Man may believe the Apoftles were Infpir'd, in order to teach the Chriftian Religion infallibly, that is, with what GOD requires Men to believe and practife in order to Salvation. If this be all, they were Infpir'd with, (and really this is abundantly enough, and all that is needful, they fhould be infallible in) in other Matters they may be liable to Error, without any Prejudice to their Infpiration. For they are infallible only as far as the Inspiration goes; and if this be only about Matters abfolutely neceffary to Salvation, and they profefs no other fort of Inspiration than this; if in this only they are pofitive, require Men's Attention and Belief, but in other Things are left to themselves, to the common Means of Information, and confequently fall into Miftakes (although I know of none in regard to the Perfons, we are fpeaking of) this cannot overthrow their Infpiration and Infallibility in the Matters wherein they profefs it; and it would be inconfequential to urge this against them, unless it can be made appear they profefs'd an Univerfal Knowledge from Infpiration.

B. I think I have clear Notions in these Points; what other Things conceive you neceffary to render Credible this Pretence to Infpiration?

of a Di

A. It feems to me very neceffary the Perfon the Perfor Infpir'd by GOD Almighty, fhould be en-appearing du'd with a Good and Holy Life, and that for under the divers Reasons. First, Becaufe it looks fomewhat Character difagreeable, that he fhould Infpire a very vine and Wicked Perfon with fuch Immediate and Ex-Infallible traordinary Influences, and Dictates of his Spi- Messenger, rit; between Which and a Wicked Man, there must have is the greatest Contrariety; and all Nati-the Tefti many of a ons, Jews, Chriftians and Heathens, have Good and imagin'd Holy Life.

imagin'd an ill Life, the greatest Impediment either to Ordinary or Extraordinary Infpiration or Revelation: But of this before. 2dly, It would in Truth look very Abfurd, that a Wicked and Unholy Man fhould be chofen to bring Meffages from a Pure and Holy GOD, and efpecially, if we carry along with us the general Idea of an Infpired Man, or the Character he appears to the World under, which is that of a Divine and Heavenly Ambaffador; and as this is the greateft Honour amongst Men, and bespeaks one thus imploy'd by any Worldly King, his more efpecial Favourite; fo it is in Truth the greatest Honour, that can be conferr'd by GOD on a Mortal Man; and how it should come to pass, that a Wicked and Impure Man fhould have this Intereft with Heaven, and be fo efpecially Dignify'd, is utterly unaccountable. While his Doctrines in fuch a Cafe may bespeak him to proceed from GOD, his Actions and Life contradict it, rather befpeak him an Apoftle, or Minifter of the Kingdom of Darknels. His Character befpeaks him highly favour'd by GOD, but if fuch a One can be in favour with GOD, what muft the World think or believe of GOD? His Actions reprefent GOD one Thing, his Doctrines another; and which are to be believ'd, either his Actions or Doctrines? Which do beft and moft truly represent GOD? I believe a Man's Actions: It is thus at least computed among ft Men; Let a Prince make never fo fine Speeches in the Praife of Virtue and Sobriety, publifh never fo many Profeffions and Proclamations to recommend it; who are his chief Favourites receiv'd into the most intimate Familiarities and Friendfhips, into the most important Imployments and Trufts, is the Point; if the Loofe, Vicious

and

and Prophane; if the Honeft be neglected and difcarded, Wife Men will judge, notwithftanding his Pretences, very difadvantageously of the Prince's inward Inclinations. And yet there may be fome Apology made for Princes in this Cafe; Ignorance of Men, and Neceffity of State, and not meer Love and Inclination, may drive them on this Abfurd Election. But thefe cannot find place in GOD; he must therefore in this Choice be fuppofed Delufive; not fo Holy and Pure a Being as thefe Doctrines imply; which because Human Reafon can never receive, fuch a Prophet can never be receiv'd as a real Ambaffador of GOD.

;

Thirdly, A Wicked and Unholy Life would defeat the very Ends of fuch an Infpiration or Revelation. The End of all Revelation must be fuppofed to implant in Men an awful Senfe and Regard towards the Deity, to engage them to a Good and Holy Life; and nothing could be a greater Impediment and Contradiction to this End, than an Ungodly Life, in fuch as immediately derived thefe Revelations from GOD, and came to enforce them upon Mankind whatsoever fuch a One could fay on the fide of Religion and a Virtuous Courfe, might be eaffly answer'd and confuted. Suppofe, he should urge the Divine Authority in the Cafe, that thefe Rules of Life were enjoin'd by GOD. If there be any Strength in this, may one fay; it is wonderful, why this Divine Authority fhould not have greater Effect upon him that more especially knows what it is, who immediately receiv'd thefe Revelations; how dares he more to contradict and defpife Divine Au thority than others? If the Terrors of the LORD, the Punishments annex'd to the Breach of thofe Laws, be the Argument infifted on, to enforce Obedience,

Obedience, it will ftill be anfwer'd, If there be any thing in thefe Terrors or Punishments to be dreaded, why fhould not he dread them, to whom they were immediately reveal'd, and confequently who must be prefum'd to believe and understand them better than others. If the Rewards to a Virtuous Course be mention'd, who knows these Rewards better than the Prophet, to whom they were reveal'd? And how came they to have fo little Effect on him? So that whatsoever any Prophet could fay, it would immediately turn upon himself, destroy his own Authority, confute his own Pretences, not half fo much reach the People as himself, render himfelf exceedingly more inexcufable, more guilty, more condemn'd, than the People, to whom he addrefs'd; Phyfician, heal thy felf, being not a peculiar Proverb of a Nation, but a common Dictate of Human Reafon; there being nothing a higher Difparagement on any Art or Profeffor of it, than to fee himself go unmended in the Matter of his own Art, in what he profeffes to cure other People. The Art in this Cafe must be inefficacious, the Profeffion idle, or the Disease infignificant.

Fourthly, By this Rule, it is more especially that our Saviour teaches us to judge of, and difcover Falfe Prophets. More than once he inculcates, by their Fruits ye fhall know them: And as to himfelf, Which of you convinceth me of Sin? And if we would be particular and exact, of all Vices none doth more clearly manifeft a falfe Prophet than Pride; and if this appears evidently in any Pretender to extraordinary Infpiration or Revelation, whatfoever other Virtues appear in him, as perhaps Temperance, great Aufterity, Contempt of the Pleafures of Senfe; (of which Virtues, high Degrees have