the difpute raised about the millennium, the truth of the promises of Jefus Chrift being equally believed by both the difputing parties; but differently understood, according to the temper of those that confidered of them; fome forming grofs and fenfual conceptions concerning them; others having a more fpiritual relifh, which they had acquired by studying the prophecies, and their true fenfe.

3. We find that this divifion which had fprung up amongft Chriftians, is one of the moft folid proofs of the truth of the books of the New Teftament. If fome fools have endeavoured to decry fome of them, or to falfify fome particular places, we fee that both parties unite to repel that violence, by producing their copies, and beating back the impoftors with their united strength. One fees that Tertullian, tho' a Montanist, writ prefcriptions against Heretics; and Epiphanius takes notice (without any refpect to fome that were orthodox) of their crime in blotting out of their copies, that Chrift had wept.

It is known that the divifion of the Jews into Karaites and Thalmudifts, the jealoufy between the Jews and Samaritans, and the divifion between the Jews and Chriftians, is a means of preferving the Scripture, and hindering its corruption, each party being very vigilant to hinder their adverfaries from attempting any thing to its prejudice, in corrupting a book which they confider as common to them all.

I might obferve many other advantages which accrue to the truth from these human failings; but I will only inftance in one, which has always feemed to me very confiderable; and that is, That thefe Heretics diftinctly prove the truth of the predictions of our Saviour. An impious perfon would have reafon to accufe our oracles as falfe, if there had never been any herefies. But truth triumphs in seeing fo great a multitude of them, who the more they increase, the more fhe fees herself confirmed and established. This is the reason induced God to permit fo great an increase in the first ages, when the truth, meeting with the greateft oppofition by profecutions, stood in the greatest need of fenfible characters by which it might be known.

I conclude this work with defiring my reader to confider thefe reflections upon the holy Scripture here propounded, with a serious attention, and to examine the coherence and indissoluble connexion of them; and with prayer to God that it may please him to make them ferviceable to advance the glory of his name, which is the only end I have propofed to myself in the writing of them.

END OF VOLUME FIRST.