minds to testify

revelations or infpirations but miracles, and this undoubtedly was Mr. Locke's opinion. "We see," saith he, "the holy men of old, "who had revelations from God, had something else befides that internal light of "affurance in their own "that it was from God. They were not "left to their own perfuafions, that those "perfuafions were from God, but had out"ward figns to convince them of the author "of these revelations. And when they were "to convince others, they had a power given "them to justify the truth of their commif"fion from heaven, and by visible.figns to "affert the divine authority of a meffage

they were fent with. Mofes faw the bush "burn without being confumed, and heard "a voice out of it. This was fomething " befides finding an impulfe upon his mind "to go to Pharaoh, that he might bring his "brethren out of Egypt; and yet he thought "not this enough to authorise him to go "with this meffage, 'till God, by another "miracle of his rod turned into a ferpent, "had affured him of a power to testify his "miffion by the fame miracle repeated be❝fore them whom he was fent to "."

INASMUCH then as, according to this great man's opinion, miracles were neceffary to testify

z Ibid. ch. 19. p. 324.

testify even to the inspired perfons themfelves, that a revelation was from God; and also the like VISIBLE SIGNS were requifite to convince others that it was fo; what evidence is fufficient to prove this to those who lived many ages after these miracles were wrought? and confequently to whom they could be no VISIBLE figns.

IF men are to believe any thing merely because it is divinely revealed, they must, as hath been already mentioned, be perfectly affured that it is fo revealed. This affurance we fee is attended with almost insuperable difficulties. However, we have one confolation:-There can be no great difficulty in knowing what is not thus revealed. For of this we may be certain:-Whatever God has revealed to man as an object of his faith, is adapted to the capacity and apprehenfion of man to understand and believe. Every thing therefore which men require us to believe as fuch, that is not fo adapted, we may be fure, although pretended to be divinely manifested, is of human contrivance or invention.

A COMMON Opinion concerning immediate divine revelations is, that only fome particular perfons in former ages have been favoured with them. If it be inquired, what the principal end or defign of most of these revelations was, the answer doubtless will be,

to convey the mind and will of God to mankind, in order that they might obey and be happy. Pray, are not all men alike interested to know this? And are not all men equally under the care of their Creator? Is it then reasonable to fuppofe that, for such purposes, God would acquaint a few perfons only with what was abfolutely neceffary, and he intended all fhould know? This roundabout procedure is contrary to the operations of God in nature, which are all performed in the most direct and effectual manner poffible. And is it not also contrary to scripture? which tells us, "that was the true light, which lighteth EVERY MAN that "cometh into the world." Again," The grace of God that bringeth falvation, bath appeared to ALL MEN, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we fhould live foberly, righteously, and godlily in "this prefent world ".”

SURELY no one can think but Omnipotence could as eafily make known his mind and will to every individual, as to a few particulars, and then all must be acquainted with it: whereas, were the other method taken, multitudes could know nothing of thefe partial revelations, and confequently the defign of them would not be answered. e.. www.But

But we should confider, that the defigns of an ALL-WISE and ALMIGHTY being cannot poffibly be disappointed: therefore we may be certain the moft proper methods are always taken to accomplish them. How then can we conclude otherwife, than that, ac cording to the above-cited texts of fcripture, what is neceffary, refpecting mens falvation, for every man to know, is to every man revealed?

Ir any particular perfon, without giving full and fatisfactory proof of his authority, pretends, that the mind and will of God, respecting what others are to believe and perform, is revealed to him, would it not be juft and proper for these to say ?-If God resay?—If quires this belief and performance of us, no doubt but he will reveal to us that he hath fo done, and when he doth we will believe and obey.

AMONG a fect of enthufiafts, who were great afferters of and pretenders to immediate divine revelation, there happened to be a very handsome man of an easy fortune: a certain woman of the fame fect, much inferior to him both in perfon and circumftances, became enamoured of this man, (an incident as common, at leaft, with faints as finners) and told him the Lord had revealed to her that he was to be her husband. Very

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well, replied he, when the Lord hath revealed to me that you are to be my wife, I will marry you.

OUR male enthufiaft, in this cafe, certainly behaved like a man of sense, and afferted a right which all men have an equal title to :

That a revelation which is their own immediate concern, fhould be made known immediately to themselves; or at least, that those who pretend they have received divine revelations which relate to others, should give evident proof of their being divine revelations.

In fine,-may we not conclude, First, that there can be no other merit in believing, than fincerely and earneftly endeavouring to obtain the best information we are able, and readily embracing truth when we difcover it? Secondly, that difbelieving is a crime only in those who neglect or refuse the means of being informed? Thirdly, that the benefit arifing from faith principally depends

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-Belief or disbelief, fays the pious and learned Dr. Whitby, in his Laft Thoughts, page 40, can neither be a virtue, or a crime, in any one who uses the beft means in his power of being informed. If a propofition is evident, we cannot avoid believing it; and where is the merit or piety of a necessary affent? If it is not evident, we cannot help rejecting it, or doubting of it; and where is the crime of not performing impoffibilities, or not believing what does not appear to us to be true?