1

vinely inspired; i. e. that they had God for their Author, (however Men were made the Instruments of their conveyance) will appear from the following Arguments.

1. PROPHECIES are an evident Mark of Divinity, and great Part of the Holy Scriptures turn upon Prophecies; when Matters of Facts are foretold at a great diftance of Time, before they are transacted; when many particular Circumstances are mentioned, and those very contingent ones, which Human Forefight could have no reason to conjecture, and Human Policy could not possibly contrive to take effect; when a continued fucceffion of such Predictions is made by different Persons, all perhaps declaring different Circumstances, but all agreeing in the main Point; and when all these meet with their entire Completion, according to the Substance, the Manner, the Time predicted, what is this other than the Wisdom and Knowledge of God? But in the Holy Scriptures we find abundance of Prophecy and Completion; insomuch, that when we read any Part of it, we might justly enquire, Do we read the Prediction of what shall be, or the History of what hath been? We do both; for one is the Counter-part to the other.

2. MIRACLES are another Mark of Divinity; they have always been esteem'd Proofs of Mission; and Pretences to Divine Inspiration have ever been accompanied with Pretences to working of Miracles: To produce Effects above human Abilities, and the known Powers of Nature, must require an Agency superior to that of mere Man, when such Works are produced in Confirmation of Doctrines which are worthy the Divine Being to promulge; they give those Doctrines a Divine Sanction: Miracles indeed have been wrought by wicked Spirits for the Confirmation of Falshood; but then the Doctrines they were design'd to establish, always discover the Imposture. Common Reason can diftinguish whether Doctrines have a good or a bad Tendency; if they have a good one, then the ready Proof of Miracles will declare their Divine Origin: And this is the Case of the Holy

Scriptures; therein are contain'd Doctrines

VOL. I.

C

highly

!

highly worthy the Almighty to reveal ;
and the Words of those who preached
those Doctrines, were all along confirm'd
by Signs following.

3. ANOTHER Argument to prove the
Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures,
is the concurrent Testimony of all Ages.
A well attested History, is as strong an
Evidence of Truth, as Things declared
and transacted at a distance, are capable
of receiving; and in Human Affairs it ne-
ver fails of its Weight and Credit: In like
manner it hath pleased the Almighty, to
vouchsafe us the fame fort of Evidence
in Sacred Matters, as we think sufficient in
common Life: It can be as well prov'd,
as Human Testimony can prove any thing,
that the Books of the Holy Scriptures were
written by the Authors whose Name they
bear; at the Times when; and with the
Circumftances, under which they are fup-
posed to be written; That the Facts re-
corded in them were true; That the Wri-
ters bore the Marks of Divine Miffion;
That they were reputed inspired Writers
by those among whom they lived; That
their Works were immediately receiv'd

into

!

2

1

into the Canon of Scripture; and have been handed down to us thro' intermediate Ages, with all possible Fidelity and Exactness.

THESE Arguments of Prophecies, Miracles, and Human Testimony, may be call'd external Arguments; because they do not immediately arise from the Substance of the Scriptures themselves; and from these Arguments we must conclude, that if there be Faith in Man, if there be Power and Wisdom in God, they all concur to evince the Divine Authority of those Sacred Writings.

4. The Substance of them does likewise most powerfully, and affectingly conclude for their Heavenly Origin.

THE Excellency of these Sacred Writings will indeed more particularly fall in with the two other Heads we proposed to treat of from these Words, viz. The Usefulness and Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures. But it may here be mention'd, that those bright and exalted Truths which are there declared, Those glorious Hopes of Eternal Happiness with which they enrich those enlivening Sentiments of Virtue and Holiness with which they inspire us; That admirable Harmony and Connection which run thro' the Whole; tho' the Parts were composed by different Perfons, at different Times, and on different Occasions, are all of them pregnant Proofs, that, however they are the Writings of Men, they are nevertheless the Dictates of God himself. Time would fail us, were we distinctly to mention their unaffected Simplicity of Narration; their majestick Plainness of Stile; their piercing Force of Instruction, they being quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged Sword; their heavenly Weight of Dotrine; their lovely System of Faith and Holiness; the blessed Tendencies they have to promote God's Glory and Man's Happiness; the Awe and Veneration they impress on their very Adversaries; the bright Influences they have on the Lives of those who obey the Precepts of them : These and numberless other Instances of this fort, are such strong and affecting Indications of Heavenly Truth, such clear and direct Stroaks of Divinity itself, as put them, not only above the Sufpicion

of