fhin'd forth in Impoftors, and I believe, is more especially that Angelical Form, into which the Devil can caft himself) yet I fay, notwithftanding these other fpecious and dazling Shews of Virtue, if Pride appear, if true Humility be wanting in their Character, (a Virtue, the Devil cannot fo easily imitate) the Inspiration cannot be of GOD. On this our Saviour again teaches us more especially to depend. He that fpeaketh of himself feeketh his own Glory; but he that feeketh his Glory that fent him, the fame is true, and no unrighteousness is in him, John 7. 18. And I believe really this fo true, that I fancy no Impoftor hath yet appear'd, fo capable of difguifing and diffembling himfelf; but to fenfible and difcerning Men this Vice of Pride may easily fhew it felf, and abundantly betray him and his Pretences.

B. I like this Obfervation well; for no Appearances of Virtue make a greater fhew, and are more fitted to cheat the Vulgar than Mortification and great Aufterities of Life; and to this many Men may be naturally difpofed, without any Supernatural Affiftances; and the Devil may not be wanting to help Men forward in thefe outward Chaftifements of the Body, and carry them to great heights in them; there being no Reafon to imagine, the Devil in himfelf addicted to Voluptuoufnefs, Intemperance, and the like Vices; neither doth he fo much contradict his own Nature in diffembling the contrary Virtues, or affifting others to do it. Pride and Malice, and Envy, we take to be more effential Depravities of his Nature, and what he is lefs able truly to difguife; and befides, the Vices of Drunkennefs, open Prophanenefs, not at all conduce to thefe Ends of deceiving. So that Men naturally prone to Au

fterity,

Miracles

the Pre

fterity, and Mortification, with great degrees of Pride, (with which it is often accompanied) are abundantly fit for his Apoftles, and that fuch are not Leud, openly Profane in their Actions and Lives, is not at all to be wonder'd at, if we fuppofe this Evil Spirit in the leaft fagacious, in the choice of means towards his own Ends: And if at any time he Infpires Men, to rival the true Apostles, it must be expected to be fuch fort of Men, not the Voluptuous and Intemperate, but the Auftere and Mortified; and if any ways, fuch Perfons are to be difcover'd, it must be by these aforefaid Vices of Pride, &c.

A. When fuch Men therefore appear, can we be too diligent in trying them by a Rule of our Lord's affigning? Of this Character have been the greateft Deluders that have appear'd on the Stage of the World. To proceed,

Thirdly, Miracles we conceive abfolutely neneceffar ceffary, to confirm and establish a Divine Reveto justifie lation; I mean, to convince and fatisfie other tence of Men, and without thefe all other Marks would being aDi. be infufficient. For to fpeak agreeably to our vine Mef- Natural Notions of GOD, to be of a Holy Senger.

and Unblameable Life, to deliver never fo Wife, Excellent and Good Precepts; although these are very Extraordinary Things, yet will they not neceffarily infer a Man Divinely Inspired, or Commiffioned, because it doth not appear, but that these Things may be within the Capacity of Human Understanding and Endeavour. We know fome Things our felves in thefe Matters, but how can we tell but a Man of greater Understanding and Improvement may know more? And befides, we either believe the Doctrines of fuch a Man to be true, because they are agreeable to our Natural Apprehenfions of Things; That is, upon their own Evidence, be

caufe

cause they can be made appear by Natural Reafon: And if this be all the Ground we have of our Belief, we believe not in the Virtue of Revelation, but as we do all other Things, as they are prov'd and demonftrated by the allow'd Principles of Human Reafon. But a Man's speaking agreeable to Reafon, infers not his being Infpired. For Reafon may teach another Man that, which Reason teaches us to acquiefce in as true, when discover'd to us, and prov'd to be true. For what appears reafonable to us, when Difcover'd, Reafon may lead another Man into the Discovery of. Or elfe we muft fay, we believe fuch and fuch Doctrines, because the Author of them fays, he is Infpired; but of this there is no Proof, but the Man's bare Word. Yes, the Goodness and Reasonablenefs of the Doctrine. This recurs to the fame, although it will prove a Thing or Doctrine true, yet will it not prove a Doctrine Divinely Infpired, becaufe Reafon may be fufficient to find out reafonable Doctrines. So that in this Cafe, a Man believes, because the Doctrines are reafonable, not becaufe of Divine Authority or Infpiration, unless a Man cannot be fuppofed to speak reasonably without Infpiration.

But if the Reasonablenefs and Goodness of any Doctrine or Scheme of Truth, be a fufficient Argument of Infpiration or Revelation; according to this Principle, where this fails, where a Do&rine cannot be made appear by the Principles of Reafon, here is no Grounds of Belief. So that fhould the Perfon pretending in this Cafe to Infpiration, deliver any thing beyond the Discovery of Natural Reafon, here would be no Grounds to support such a Doctrine. Of which fort of Doctrines, may be eafily fuppos'd innumerable; fuch are all Promises and Threatnings, Rewards and Punishments, and indeed all inftituted and

revealed

from the

reveal'd Religion. Let the Doctrine, or the Subject-Matter of a Revelation be the Refurrection of the Dead, without Miracles how can fuch a Doctrine be prov'd? Not unless this Doctrine can be prov'd certain by the Principles of Reason, which I prefume it cannot be. So that although other Doctrines, that Reason can demonftrate, may be receiv'd and believ'd, yet where Reafon cannot demonftrate, here is apparently no Ground of Belief; or which is the fame thing, none but the bare Words of the Propofer or Revealer. From whence I think thefe Things are plain.

Inferences First, That without Miracles no Man can go, foregoing nor is to be credited beyond Natural Religion, Propofiti becaufe Reafon can teach nothing but this; and if any Doctrines are advanced beyond it, they are advanced without Proof.

ons.

Secondly, The Heathens, to whom never a Divine Revelation was propounded, that is, a Revelation fupported by Miracles, were under the pure Difpenfation of Natural Religion, were bound to believe nothing but what Natural Reafon could evince, or could be made appear upon the Principles of Reason ; and confequently all the Doctrines that either Philofophers or Poets taught beyond this, as they did many, under the pretence of Infpiration, were Doctrines without Proof, that none had fufficient inducement to believe. In this they were meer Enthufiafts, believ'd without Reason or Proof. And doubtlefs they had done well, and highly agreeable to the Will of GOD had they rejected all fuch pretences to Infpiration, and confequently all Doctrines depending thereon, and brought every thing to the Teft of found Reafon; by this means they had preferv'd themselves from that endless Superftitions

and

and monftrous fardle of Errors and Abfurdities, in which they were involv'd. For it being clear, if they had never fufficient Proof afforded of Divine Inspiration or Revelation; as they had not, if clear and unconteftable Miracles were never wrought amongst them to fupport it; it was abfolutely the Will of Heaven they fhould be under the Conduct of Natural Light; and confequently all pretences to Infpiration were grand Impofitions on them, and their firft great Overfight and Error. So that their Philofophers, and indeed all others that difcours'd and taught the Nature of GOD and Human Duties, according to the Principles which Natural Light afforded, were their best, trueft, and only Divines.

Thirdly, If any particular Men amongst the Heathens were Infpired, the Bufinefs and End of that Infpiration, when deftitute of Miracles, was not to reveal any new Doctrines concerning. GOD, or a future State, beyond the reach of Natural Light, but to enlighten and guide the Rational Faculties, to clear and purge them of thofe Mifts and Errors, which Corruption and Vice had introduc'd, and enable them to fee more clearly, and difcourfe more convincingly of thofe Points, that lay within the compass of Natural Reafon; which Men again, were bound to believe, not upon the Authority of Infpiration, because of this there yet appears to have been no Proof, and fo could be of no Autho-, rity to them; but as thefe Doctrines were eftablith'd and evinc'd by the Principles of Natural Light. In this Cafe, I fay, it feems peculiarly the Work of Infpiration, to enable fuch as had it (if any had it) to think more correctly, and reafon more agreeably to their own and other Men's Natural Apprehenfions of thefe

Q 2

Things,