B. Think you then that all the true Prophets of GOD, that made Additions to former Revelations, whofe Writings are received as Canonical, that they wrought Miracles?

A. Yes furely, or fomething of equal Proof to it. The firft Prophet amongst the Jews, that committed his Revelations to Writing, was Mofes; and it is part of that Revelation that the Jews fhould have other Prophets to fucceed him, and inftruct them in the Divine Will, which prepar'd them to expect and receive them, when any fuch appear'd. And when they did appear, it must be fuppos'd, that the Jews had fome ways of diftinguishing them, which could not be without fomething Extraordinary and Miraculous that appear'd in them, or by them, (unlefs it be fuppos'd they had Security, that no Man amongst them, would falfly pretend Revelation, or the Divine Miffion, which was far enough from being their Cafe or Apprehenfion.) What then can be fuppos'd their Marks of Di ftinction? It must be furely Something that Falfe Prophets or Impoftors could not easily counterfeit. For if fo, all Diftinction would ceafe. And what could not False Prophets imitate? They could fay as well as True Prophets, they were fent of GOD, they could imitate the Style of True Prophets, in their Defcriptions of their Vifions and Revelations. They could farther speak agreeably to the Law of Mofes. They could counterfeit an auftere and mortified Life, and maintain outwardly fuch a Character a long while; fo that yet here ap pears no certain Mark of Distinction. But could they work Miracles, could they prophe fy or foretel without the Divine Affiftance?" Four Things therefore feem to me, not only to

the

I

on INSPIRATION. the Jews, but all the World, a Teft of True Prophets; ft. An agreeablenefs of Doctrine to the Law of Mofes, and to thofe Eternal Rules of Sanctity and Holinefs, which Natural Light teaches Men. As appears from that Text, If there arise among you, &c. 2dly, Miracles; 3dly, Prophecy or Foretelling. Hence it was, that Samuel was eftablifh'd a Prophet of the Lord, and all Ifrael knew, and acknowledg'd him a Prophet. And again, if the Thing prophefy'd, or foretold, came not to pafs, Mofes teaches the Jews not to account fuch a Man a true Prophet. 4thly, A Prophet might be known in Virtue of a former Revelation eftablish'd by Miracles, when that Revelation foretold, defcrib'd exactly, a Perfon to fucceed, with fuch and fuch Gifts and Endowments, to fuch and fuch Ends and Purpofes; and when Men faw this actually accomplish'd, there would be very great Grounds of receiving fuch a One, as an Extraordinary Meffenger, not upon his own Word, but upon the Authority of a former Revelation. As in the Cafe of John the Baptift. We do not read indeed, he wrought Miracles, but yet he had many and great Atteftations. There was. fomething of a Miracle in his Birth, Elizabeth was barren, and well stricken in Years, and this was a thing well known to the Jews; but especially his Father Zacharias faw an Angel, and as a Confirmation to him of the Truth of what he had reveal'd, touching John, he became Dumb, and had inftantly and miraculously his Speech again reftor'd to him, upon the Accomplish1 ment of what was promis'd. Which being Matters well known to the Jews, not only gave Zacharias Affurance of the Truth of the Revelation touching John, but contributed likewife to raife in all Men of honeft Minds, a very

The Third Cafe, what

extraordinary Opinion of the Baptift. Thefe
Circumftances, together with the Holiness of
John's Life, the Subftance of his Preaching,
which was Repentance and a Good Life, and
the Approach of the Meffiah, join'd with the
Prophecies relating to fuch a Forerunner of our
Saviour, all thefe could hardly fail to draw
Men's Eyes and Attention towards John, make
them look on him as a Prophet fent of GOD
to fome very particular Purposes. So that, as
often inculcated, a Holy Life, an Agreeableness
of Doctrine to Natural Light, and to former
Revelations, altho' these will be fufficient to
recommend a Man to the World as a Good Di-
vine, as one fent to revive and enforce former
Revelations, and in this Senfe give him the
highest Reputation; yet if his Pretenfions be
greater, to make any Additions to former Reve-
lations, to bring any new Commands
thefe Proofs Miracles must be added, or a Pro-
phetick Spirit, or his Miffion must be prov'd
from fome plain foregoing Revelation or Pro-
phecy establish'd upon Miracles, or else fuch a
One will pretend to that which he cannot
prove, and whom none therefore have Reason
to admit, under the extraordinary Character he
affumes.

; to

B. Pray go on to your Third Cafe; Suppose the Purpofe of any Prophet or Infpir'd Man, will be a fufficient or the End of his coming were, to foretel the Evidence Ruin of any State or Kingdom.

to come

to one,that A. There must be fome Reafons to engage profeffes Men's Attention and Belief, in this Cafe, as fromGOD, well as others. For this may be falfly pretentodenounce ded, as well as other Meffages from GOD. the Ruin of And I think, nothing less than Miracles, can any State be a fufficient Inducement to Wife Men, to reor King.

dom.

ceive

ceive fuch a One, as a Heavenly Meffenger, faving in thefe following Inftances.

Firft, Miracles, or fomething equivalent may Miracles be very reasonably expected, unless the Perfon are necefpretending to come from GOD, brings no 0-duce Men fary to in ther Meffages, makes no other Denunciations, to believe than what have been threaten'd by preceding fucb PreProphets; and then the Ground of Men's At- tence. tention and Regard, is not the Words or Declaration of the prefent Pretender, but former Revelation. Thus for Inftance, Should any Man declare himself fent by GOD, to command Men to Repentance and Reformation of Life, on Pain of very great Evils that should -attend them; and this only in general Terms, without explaining, when or what fort of Evils fhall befal them. This is no more than what the Divine Writings conftantly inculcate, and the Contents of fuch a Prophecy may be receiv'd, not upon the Authority of him that brings it, but that of the Word of GOD; and at this rate any Man may Prophecy, that has Folly and Confidence enough to pretend to it, and fhall have as great Authority to bear him out in it. For here is nothing fingular but the Pretence, nothing fhines forth fo confpicuoufly as a Man's Folly and Prefumption. And what Man endu'd with common Modefty or Difcretion would fet himfelf on fuch an Enterprize, pretend himself fent of GOD, when nothing appears in his Character, that particularly denotes and diftinguishes him from others? That, GOD fhould prompt him to it, is impoffible; because the end of fuch a Meffage would be ut terly loft; and that becaufe no Man would have Reafon to believe it, and if the Perfon was cre dited, and the Meffage admitted, it must be

upon a Principle that would introduce greater Evil than Good; I mean, it would expofe Mén to perpetual Mistake and Delufion; it warranting Men's receiving Revelation without Proof, that is, every Pretence of it; and because there are affuredly more falfe Pretences than true, it must be the inlet of much more Miftake and Error on the World than Truth. There is no other way therefore to fecure Men from Impo fition, but aither by an over-ruling Hand of Providence, to hinder all falfe Pretences to Prophecy or Inspiration, or elfe to give true In-" fpiration or Prophecy an efpecial and fufficient Proof; and the Confequence of this Suppofition is, that it is the Will of Heaven, that on this True Revelation fhould ftand, and by this Men fhould judge of all Pretences of this Kind, receive or reject them: But perhaps this is need lefs Repetition.

לי

Our prefent Point is this; "A Perfon may declare by way of Judgment or Evil, what the Scripture or foregoing Revelation declares, without any Proof, becaufe fuch a One fays nothing particular, and therefore ftands in need of no particular Proof. But then what is it that fuch a One pretends? To be hearken'd to, only as speaking and denouncing, what for mer Prophets have denounced, and ftands on Divine Record. If this be all, the Perfon drops this high Pretence of being immediately fent from GOD, and his Character dwindles into a common Teacher and Enforcer of Righteouf nefs, and he is to be believ'd only upon the Authority of the Word of GOD; and he is far ther to be meafur'd and judg'd of, and reputed, as the well or fill acquits himfelf, within this compass; as he Reafons on, or enforces Divine