II. and Submiffion be requir'd to them, as to the Scripture it felf; Miracles, or Something equivalent muft neceffarily accompany the Teacher and Propounder of them. Thirdly, We are diligently to confider what a Man profeffes of himself in this Cafe; if to receive thefe Explications immediately by Infpiration or Revelation; if this be fuppofed or admitted to be true, thefe Explications will be of as great Authori ty as the Scripture, or the Revelation it felf, that they do explain; and this is in effect, as you fay, a new Revelation. For although it is pretended, that the Matter of thefe Revelations is the fame, yet the Comment is new; and efpecially, if the Confequences of receiving this new Revelation be the fame, as if exprefs Additions had been made to former Revelation; if Men be bound to believe different Doctrines in the Virtue of thefe Infpir'd Explications, from what they Apprehended before, in the Virtue of former Revelations; to omit Duties, or do others, of which they had no Apprehenfions from former Revelation; This has all the Effects of a new Revelation, and must be fo interpreted. For if a Man had directly afferted himself Authoriz'd to make Additions to Scripture, what other Effects could it have had than thefe? And confequently a Man urging thefe Explications of former Revelations in the Virtue of immediate Infpiration, the Man becomes bound to prove his Infpiration equally with him that afferts himself Infpir'd with intirely new Doctrines. Fourthly, Where Miracles are not requir'd to juftifie Doctrines formerly deliver'd by Infpiration or Revelation, the Authority of Scripture is only to be infifted on. So that in this Cafe, the Queftion is, To what

Rule

Rule or Authority the Man appeals for the Proof of these new Comments? If to the Spirit, then his Infpiration is to be prov'd, and the Credibility of his Doctrines refts here, upon the Nature of the Proof he gives of his Infpiration. For there can be no farther queftion as to the Truth of thefe Explications of Divine. Writ, if he proves himself Infpir'd in them. And how can a Man do this? It must be either by Miracles or Scripture. By the latter a Man cannot, unlefs he can prove himself foretold in Scripture, as a Perfon to appear in the World with thefe Gifts and Endowments, to give Light to former Revelation; without one of thefe, what Authority or Proof can he produce of his Infpiration? Suppofe another Man fhould profefs himself Infpir'd with a Senfe and Explication of Divine Writ contrary to his, what Rule would Men have of judg ing which was in the right? If there was no other Argument, this would clearly expofe the Folly of fuch a Pretence.

But fuppofe a Man infifts on the Scripture, for the Proof of those new Explications of Divine Writ; this is a right Appeal, and Miracles are not needful, because his prefent Infpiration is not urg'd as the Proof of thefe Doctrines, but former Revelation; and juft fo far as thefe Doctrines appear the Senfe of former Revelation, they will appear credible. But then in this Cafe, what Right have Men to talk of Infpiration? To what Purpofe is it urg'd, when it is not prov'd? And when too Men do not place their Authority and Proof of their Doarines on that, but the Scriptures?

- B. But cannot Men be Infpir'd to this End, to speak agreeably to Scripture?

A. No doubt of it: And likewife others may have rational Grounds to believe Men affifted by the Spirit to thefe Ends, because the Spirit of GOD is promis'd to lead Men into the Apprehenfion of the Truths that the Scripture réveals; and the moft rational Inducement of a Man's Belief, that another is Infpir'd, or af fifted by the Spirit here, is the Confonancy of his Doctrines to the Scripture. But to talk of a Man's extraordinary Inspiration, in order to introduce Doctrines, when the Teft of thefe Doctrines is not this, but the Word of GOD, must be judg'd ftrangely weak and prepofterous. And farther, when the Appeal is made to Scripture, touching the Truth of any Do&trines, and the Perfon is not intended by GOD to publifh any new Doctrines, beyond what the Scriptures reveal; the Work of the Spirit feems to be clearly to guide him into the Senfe of Scripture, and enable him to fee the Confiftency of Doctrines with it, and prove this Confiftency to others; and confequently all helps to this, viz. Reading, comparing Texts, an acquaintance with Tongues, with Antiquity, &c. must be judg'd Means, which are not inconfiftent with the Spirit to thefe Ends; but rather by these it is, that the Spirit leads a Man into an Apprehenfion of Scripture Truths, because these are abfolutely neceffary to the Ends intended, viz. To clear the Senfe of Scripture to others: For when a Man can derive no Authority from the Pretences of Infpiration, either to his Perfon or Doctrine; as he cannot when he cannot prove himself Infpir'd; fuppofing he was Infpir'd with the Sense of Scripture,

without these Means, what would it fignifie? Nothing at leaft to others, for the fake of whom, more efpecially, this Infpiration was given: For they would be convinc'd no otherwife, than Doctrines were made appear to be the Senfe of Scripture; which could not be, but by the aforefaid Means; by fhewing the Analogy of Texts, the true Conftruction of Words, the Hiftory of former Times, and the like. So that the Work of the Spirit here, is not to lead a Man into a Perfuafion he is Infpir'd with fuch or fuch Doctrines, (for this would fignific nothing unlefs Men were to receive thefe Do&trines upon the Authority of this immediate Infpiration) but to engage the Attention of a Man to fuch Confiderations, as are fufficient to convince both himself and others, of the Agreeableness or Repugnancy of Doctrines to the Word of GOD. For it is upon this his Credit ftands, when deftitute of the Means of convincing others of his extraordinary Inspiration. When therefore Men only profefs to speak agreeably to the Word of GOD, and this way aim to introduce and establish their Doctrines; it is not at all to the Purpofe to talk of their being Infpir'd with thefe Doctrines; but much more pertinent is it, (if they will be talking of Infpiration here) to fay the Spirit affifts them, to difcern clearly and convincingly the Senfe of Scripture; and upon fuch Motives and Grounds, as are apt to work a rational Affent to fuch or fuch Opinions, or Doctrines; and that in themfelyes firft, and upon all other unprejudiced Men likewife, affifted with the fame Spirit. So that fuch Men fhall have fomewhat, whereby they may prove their Opinions agreeable to Scripture, and of Divine Authority, befides

S 3

their

their Inspiration. And because this, I am confident, is generally the Infpiration which Men enjoy in thefe latter Ages; Ifhall endeavour to open this Matter the more fully.

First, There is an Inspiration, that the Perfon that receives it is fenfible of. And this we term Extraordinary, fuch as the Prophets and Apoftles, who were to make Additions to the Scriptures, at certain Times had. And when they were thus Infpir'd with any Doctrines, the immediate Ground of their believing thefe Do&rines, and publishing them to the World, was their Inspiration; and because they were to publish new Doctrines or Commands to the World, it became abfolutely neceffary to this End, that they fhould know clearly and certainly, when they were under the Divine Influences or Inspirations.

Secondly, There is another fort of Affiftance or Inspiration, which we term more common and ordinary, which we believe attainable by every Man in the Christian Church; and the End of this Inspiration, we conceive principally to be, to raise the Mind to an Underftanding and Belief of Scripture Truths; and this is done again, we believe, by Motives and Confiderations, proper to convince Men, Not as in the former and Apoftolical Infpiration; for the End of this, being to make Additions to the Scriptures, the Apoftles could not have any Certainty, that they thought agreeably to the Will of GOD from former Revelation, and confequently what they must be fenfible and fure of, was their own immediate Infpiration; which we imagine, lay chiefly in a stronger Energy and Force of the Divine Spirit upon the Mind; and likewife the Spirit not ufing

thofe