Things in which Infpiration, although true, had no right to be pretended by themfelves, nor credited by others; but that Matter refted as to other Men, upon the Reasonablenefs of the Doctrines themselves. And in this Cafe, how fuch Men came by their Opinions, would feem a vain and idle Tale to relate; but the Point was, how they prov'd them to be true; which because they could not by Infpiration, it must wholly be by Aruments that Human Reafon fuggefted. So that in those Days a Man, both deftitute of Miracles, and deftitute of clear and convincing Reafon, would in Truth have nothing to say for himfelf; would be a fhameless Pretender and Impoftor. B. That's a very clear Cafe, a Man offers certain Propofitions to me to be believ'd. I ask him, how do you prove them to be true? What fay you for them? Did GOD reveal them to you? No! That cannot be prov'd, although poffibly faid. Do you eftablish them upon the Principles of Reafon? No! Then I must be lieve without any fort of Reafon, or Induce ment to Belief, or I may very fafely and warrantably reject your Doctrines; I fhall furely choose the latter. A. Fourthly, As Men may very eafily quit Natural Light, when they should not, and fondly and blindly admit the pretence of Divine, Revelation without Reason; fo Men may be as blameable the other way, adhere obftinately to Natural Light, and reject Inspiration, when they ought not, For fuppofe a Man claims a Belief from others, as to diverse Doctrines; fay those, from whom he exacts this Belief, here are fome Things you fay, that are very reafo nable, in which we do acquiefce and agree with you. But as to others, fuch as a future Judg ment ment and Refurrection of the Body, pray what Proof offer you as to these? You convince us not of these Points in a way of Reafon; No, fays the Propounder, neither do I pretend it; thefe Things cannot admit of fuch a Proof; they being Things purely depending on the Will of GOD, which Will he hath communicated to me; but how know we this? The Truth of this, anfwers he, depends upon diverfe Reafons, but more efpecially upon the Miracles I work: This fort of Proof I infist on for Belief, as to Doctrines of this Kind, and they can admit of no other. If the Perfons here fhould turn the deaf Ear to this kind of Proof, and believe nothing, but what could be made evident upon the Principles of Human Reafon ;. Would not this be an extream Sottishness and Blindnefs? B. No queftion: And in this, I prefume, you would infer the Heathens were highly blameable, who as before, they admitted the pretence of Infpiration without Proof; fo after, when a True and Divine Revelation was propounded to them, they rejected it, contrary to all Proof and Reafon. A. The Greeks, faith the Apoftle, (a) Seek after Wisdom, would admit nothing as worthy their Attention and Belief, but what favour'd of Hu man Learning and Eloquence, was confiftent with their Notions in Philofophy, and was advanced and establish'd on thefe Grounds and Principles; and fo they became unacquainted with, or overlook'd, that other fort of Proof, viz. Divine Revelation, whereby the Doctrines of the Gospel could only be supported and establifhed. (4) 1 Cor. ch. 1, V. 22, B. But Q 3 B. But will nothing evince the Truth of a Divine Revelation but Miracles? Suppofing the Apoftles had never wrought any Miracles, but only attefted the Miracles of our Saviour, his Doctrine,Life, Death, and Refurrection, and in this Teftimony, had undauntedly flood, even to the lofs of Eftate and Life, and all things dear to them; would not this be fufficient without Miracles, to gain the Affent of unprejudiced Men? A. The Cafe is not exactly parallel: yet I fhall give you a fhort Answer to it. I own, this would prove a very weighty Confideration to all fincere and unprejudiced Men, yet I fear, be hardly fufficient without Miracles. Two Things there are, in which fuch Men would require Satisfaction; One is, that the Perfons thus teftifying the Miracles, Life, &c. of another, were Men of Sincerity, did not knowingly impofe upon them; and their fuffering the lofs of Life, and all Things, for the fake of fuch a Teftimony, and their perfifting in Oppofition to fuch Evils, I grant, the highest Confirmation that any Man can give of his Sincerity; and few Examples there have been of Men fo bewitch'd with Vain-Glory, as to fubmit freely to fuch Evils, for the fake of any future Fame or Honour that it could purchafe; and if there have been now and then Examples of this kind, yet they have differ'd exceedingly in their Cir cumftances from the Cafe of the Apoftles; Fame and Honour (which is the only Motive that can be prefum'd to engage Men to fuch Undertakings) being not rationally to be fup pofed the End, that could animate the firft Preachers of the Chriftian Faith, because it was a Religion difdain'd, and fubjected their Memorys to Contempt for the future, as well as as their Perfons to the higheft Sufferings for the prefent: This Religion making no great Figure in the World, at leaft becoming no ways honourable to its Profeffors for a long time after; and what could never at all be expected by the Apoftles, but in Virtue of our Saviour's Promifes, its Truth and Divinity. So that altho' Fame we allow to be a ftronger Principle with many Men than Riches, Pleafures, or Life it felf; yet all Things confider'd, it could not be fufpected the Motive that engag'd the firft Difciples and Followers of our Saviour because the dying in fuch a Cause, held forth no fuch honourable Profpects to them; neither could be imagin'd by them, upon any other Grounds but its Truth and Divine Affiftance. So that I believe, throughout the History of all Ages, no Inftances or Examples can be alledg'd, of Men's Suffering in defence of Error, that in their Circumstances, came near the Sufferings of the firft Chriftians; and altho', it may be popularly faid, fuch a Man voluntarily undertook Hardships and Death it felf, for the fake of Fame and Reputation; and Inftances may be given out of the Roman Hiftory of fuch a Spirit of Ambition; yet whofoever fhall diftinctly confider, and compare the Cafe of the Apoftles with these Men, will find a moft wide and notable Difference. Hence I make no difficulty to agree with you, that the Sincerity of the Apoftles was fully Demonftrated by their Sufferings. But Secondly, Another Thing the World would want Satisfaction in, was, That these Men were not impofed upon themfelves. And I take it, here Miracles are more needful to extricate Men of this fufpicion than the former; because it is evident, Error hath had its Martyrs as well as Truth; and this not only History The Second may convince us of, but Daily Experience; ceed now to the Second Cafe; Suppofing a former Revelation, and the Pretences of the Infpir'd Perfom were to add any new Doctrines, or Commands to it.' B. Pray what would be fufficient to clear his Cafe fup Pretences, and render the World inexcufable in: not admitting him? pofing a former Re velation, A. Many Things must be fuppos'd, that we and the have before faid, and I think prov'd, to be neDivine ceffarily requir'd to the Character of a MeffenMessenger ger of GOD; he must be of a Holy Life, his pretending Doctrines muft not contradict thofe Natural: it, what Apprehenfions we have of GOD, &c. but would be more particularly, to add to a fufficient First, Thefe new Revelations muft fuppofe Evidence the Truth of the former, muft by no Means to ollige the World, contradict them. So that here we have two to receive Rules or Ways of judging, by the Sentiments bim under that Natural Light teach, and that of Revelathat Cha- tion; which I fay, no new Revelation muft rader. contradict, becaufe this would make GODO con |