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other facts; namely, the gifts of the Spirit, which prove the truth of the firft beyond all poffibility of exception: and the truth of thefe laft facts is proved by the beft and only evidence they are capable of. And as this proof is a proof of a very few plain facts, and the evidence of these facts clear and easy, it must be allowed to be a proof of the Chriftian religion, level to the meaneft capacity. It is no wonder therefore that this fhould be the proof on which the apoftles always eftablished it in all their discourses to Jews or devout Gentiles, according to the account we have of thofe difcourfes in the Acts; though, after they had founded it there, they often brought in ancient prophecy to confirm and illuftrate it, or perhaps to remove objections that might be thought to arife from thence against it. And as they fixed Chriftianity on this foundation to the Jews and devout Gentiles (though they bring prophecy afterwards in aid), fo they reft the proof of Chriftianity folely on this evidence when they speak to idolatrous Gentiles, as indeed it was abfolutely neceflary they fhould, fince the idolatrous Gentiles must have had it proved to them by thefe facts, or not at all; for very few of them had the books of the Old Teftament in their hands, were at all acquainted with them, or had any opinion of them. And the way the apoftles took, to prove the truth of Chriftianity to Gentiles as well as Jews, muft be the proof on which it ought always to be refted; and that which they fuperadd to the Jews muft therefore only be confidered as an additional argument to another, by which Chriftianity had been fully and unexceptionably proved before. Circumftantial evidence will corroborate positive evidence; though pofitive evidence fhould be firft given, where it is to be had.

If it be faid, that our Saviour appeals to prophecy as well as to John Baptift's teftimony, the voice from heaven, and the miracles he wrought, and that we cannot reft the cause of Christianity more fafely than where he refted it; I answer, that our Saviour could not ufe any other proof during his life-time, because the apoftles could not teftify the great facts of his refurrection and ascension till they were facts, and he was gone to the Father; nor were they to witness them till the Spirit came on them to witness to the truth of their teftimony. But our Saviour plainly foretold, that this was the teftimony which would be greater than any that was given in his life-time, and which would be effectual; when he fays*, "That he" (the Comforter)" fhall reprove the world of fin, ❝righteousness, and judgement. Of fin, because they believe not "on me" (of the truth of whofe miffion they will then have fuch undoubted proof);" of righteoufnefs" (or of the righteousness and juftice of my caufe), "because I go to my Father" (and fhall be exalted at his right-hand, when) "ye fee me no more" (but fhall not perifh as a deceiver); " of judgement, because the prince "of this world is judged;" or, because I shall destroy the power

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of the devil, and propagate my kingdom with wonderful fuccefs, by the power and efficacy of the Spirit.

When I lay all this together, I cannot but wish that the method which in itself appears alone capable of convincing the idolatrous Gentiles; which appears founded on the plaineft facts, and the moft fully attefted, which our Saviour referred to; which the apoftles conftantly, and fonetimes folely, ufed; and which would alone. render men unpardonable, if they rejected it; fhould be the way ufed of addreffing those who difbelieve, or pretend to difbelieve, Christianity now for want of evidence. When Chriftianity is thus established, the more clearly we can make ancient prophecy appear to have been accomplished in Jefus of Nazareth, the greater fervice we fhall do to Chriftianity: especially to confirm the belief of it in the minds of the learned and of the well-difpofed. But I heartily wish, that if the other method be tried, and Christianity be fo built on prophecy as to allow that, if it can be built on it, it is well eftablished; and if it cannot be built on it, it must be overturned; we may find, that, inftead of proving the truth of it to the vulgar, it does not leave them in fome doubt about it; and that, instead of forcing the unbelievers out of their faftneffes, it does not enable them to cover themselves the more from those attacks, that must otherwise foon make them appear defperate, or oblige them to yield. Such long deductions as muft go to make out this from prophecy now, founded on a great deal of critical learning, does not seem likely to be taken in by the ignorant, or to leave no room for cavilling to men of learning, and difpofed to doubt.

On the other hand, can any thing be built more on a rock, or become more vifible to the moft fhort-fighted, than Chriftianity? If it be proved that Jefus of Nazareth wrought the miracles he did; that he was dead (which St. John, who was prefent, fully teftifies *); and that he rofe again from the dead, according to his own prediction; that angels declared him to be rifen accordingly; that he converfed forty days with his difciples after his refurrection; declared himself to John to be "him that was dead and is alive;" that he was feen by his apoftles gradually mounting the air, till a cloud of glory took him out of their fight; that they received a meffage from angels, that he was gone up into heaven; and that, according to John Baptift's prediction, before our Saviour's appearing publickly in the world, and our Saviour's frequent predictions before and after his refurrection, that he would fend the Holy Ghoft upon his apoftles, who were his chofen witneffes, and who were ordered to ftay at Jerufalem expecting it, and to begin to witnefs after they received it; that they then received it, and immediately began, and from that time continued, to witness his miracles, refurrection, and afcenfion, and to teach the scheme of the Chriftian religion; and that God bore witnefs to the truth of their teftimony, and of the word which they taught, "with figns and

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"wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost" (diftributed in proportion), according to his own will, and in the manner the Scripture fhews, and with the frequency in thofe places, and for that tract of time, as we have proved: and Jefus muft appear to the meancft understanding to be "the fent of God," and the apoftles muft likewise appear to be the minifters or " the fent of Christ," beyond all poffibility of exception: he must then alfo be fubmitted to as the Teacher and the King of God's people; and all that the apoftles, his minifters, have taught or commanded us from him, or from his Spirit, must be received with faith and obedience, though we could not fhew one Old Teftament prophecy to relate to him. This is "the power and demonftration of the Spirit," in which, St. Paul tells the Corinthians and Theffalonians *, "the word came to "them;" and is that by which it must yet force its way to those who either do not know or do not believe it.

To conclude: thus was God, or the Son of God (after that he had been manifeft in the flefh), "juftified in the Spirit +:" and thus, I believe, will wifdom be now juftified of her children; fince, befides all the other advantages which this evidence of Chriftianity has been already faid to have beyond others, it feems to have thefe likewife that it appears from this Effay to be interwoven with the whole hiftory of Chriftianity from Matthew to the Revelation; that it enables us to explain many texts, which have hitherto occafioned great difficulty; and that upon trial it will be found to help us to folve feveral hard problems in the Chriftian religion, and to give the Deifts a fair answer to fome objections which they bring against it, from its wanting fome evidence, which they pretend they have reason to expect.

* I Cor. ii. 4. I Theff. i. 5.

+1 Tim. i. 5.

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ESSAY

ESSAY ON INSPIRATION,

TH

Occafioned by I TIM. V. 23.

HE APOSTOLIC INSPIRATION was the higheft, under the New Teftament; and may be called [Gradus apoftolicus] the apoftolic degree: as the Jews used to call that which Mofes had under the Old Testament [Gradus Mofaicus] the Mofaic degree.

Many of the difficulties and objections, which have been raised, concerning infpiration, appear to me to have been very much owing to the mistaken accounts, given by fome of the friends to revelation. But that which I take to be the genuine account doth not only appear, at first view, easy and natural; but the most unexceptionable alfo, upon examination; viz. As Mofes retained, in his head, the perfect and entire idea of "the pattern, fhown him, in "the Mount; according to which model, he was to make all "things;" fo the apoftles, and they alone, had, in their heads, the full and complete fcheme of whatever they were to preach, or write, concerning the Chriftian doctrine; and according to that model they were to found and erect the Chriftian church.

I do not mean that they had, any of them, the whole scheme of 'the Chriftian revelation, in its utmost extent, fully communicated unto them, at once. No; the contrary of this is plain and evident. For, on the famous day of Pentecoft, the twelve apoftles of the circumcifion do not appear to have received any more than the revelation of that gospel which they were to preach to Jews only. They none of them had then (no, nor till several years after) the particular revelation, concerning their going to the devout Gentiles, much lefs what gospel they were to preach to them. And it was ftill a longer time before the particular revelation was communicated to the apostles of the uncircumcifion, concerning their going among the idolatrous Gentiles, or what gospel they were to preach among them.-And finally, different apoftles, both of the circumcifion and uncircumcifion, had (befides the general scheme) different revelations communicated unto them. But what I would fay is, that they had, by immediate revelation, the whole scheme of what they were to preach to the Jews, before they addressed themfelves to the Jews; and the whole fcheme of what they were to preach to the devout or idolatrous Gentiles, before ever they addreffed themselves to devout or idolatrous Gentiles; and that they retained in their minds conftantly the complete idea of the whole fcheme, after the whole fcheme was communicated to them.---In this fenfe, "the spirit was in them, and “abode with them; taught them all things, or brought all things to "their remembrance;" according to our Lord's exprefs promife,

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