Revelations with fo clear and overpowering a Light, as to discover to us the Divinity of them, and that they came from him. Confequently, in God's manifefting himself to the Prophets, there was such a powerful Representation on the Part of the Divine Agent, and that Clearnefs of Perception on the Part of the Perfon, infpired, as did abundantly make good thofe Phrafes of Vifion and Speaking, by which it is defcribed in Scripture. Yet fometimes there was added fome Sign or fupernatural Proof; for when Gideon had fome Doubt of what the Angel Judg. vi. faid when he knew not who he was, and betrayed vii. 13,14 fome Fear when required to go on a difficult Enterprize, he was confirmed by the Fire out of the Rock that confumed the Flesh, and by the Fleece, and by the Soldier's Dream, and the Interpretation thereof. And Mofes was convinced not only of his own Miffion Exod. iv. from God, but of the Acceptance and Authority he 3. 6. should have upon it with the People, when the Rod in his Hand was turned into a Serpent; and his Hand, putting it into his Bofom, was made leprous, and cured again in a Moment by taking it out.

Q. But doth not this make a stubborn Belief and obftinate Conceit of a Thing to be a Divine Revelation?

A. I think not, because a good Man, when he is inspired, and reflects upon it, and diligently confiders the Affurance which he finds in his Mind concerning it, can give a rational Account of it to himfelf, he must have Reason to believe himself infpired, which the deluded Perfon wants; and therefore the Pofitiveness of the Pretender may arise from Pride and Self-conceit, which have no fmall Influence; but more especially from a difordered Imagination or Fancy, which interrupts the Operations of the Mind; whereas a true Infpiration will bear the Teft of the Prophet's Reason, which will give him Satisfaction concerning it. Thus he finds it a foreign Impreffion, that it doth not spring from

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himself, nor hath its Rife from thence; and therefore afcribes it to fome Spirit without himself, and believing that there is a God that can communicate himself to the Minds of Men, and that his Goodnefs is fuch, that he will not fuffer them to be under the Neceffity of a Delufion, which they must be, if, when they have the highest Affurance and Satiffaction that such a Thing is a Divine Revelation, they may be deceived. Farther, he confiders the Matter of the Revelation, and if it neither contradicts any effential and fundamental Notion of his Understanding, nor any other, former Revelation, he thinks himfelf obliged to entertain it. The Confidence of Enthufiafts in their imaginary Infpirations, arifing from a Defect of their Reason and Judgment, is in itself no more an Argument against this, than because Senfe is fometimes deceived and impofed upon, that therefore it is never certain; or because there are Errors and Difputes among Mankind, that therefore there is no Truth. Confidence in imaginary Infpirations may be great, but the Perception, and fo the Affurance, cannot be equal to what is real.

Q. How can they that receive the Revelation from the Perfons infpired, judge of the Truth of fuch a Revelation?

A. From the Credibility of the Perfons pretending to Inspiration, that they be of known Probity and approved Integrity, and that they be endowed with-Prudence and Understanding; for God's Choice of Perfons for fo peculiar a Service, doth, in that Way, either find or make them fit. From the extraordinary Evidence and Teftimony they give that they are infpired, as working of Miracles, which muft be unquestionable as to the Number and Quality, and to the public Manner of doing them; and the Prediction of future Events, which God claims as a Prerogative to himfelf; because fuch Things being out of the Reach of any created Understanding,

derstanding, are a more certain Proof of a divine Power, than even the working of Miracles themfelves. From the Matter of the Revelation, which, when it concerns Mankind in general, must be worthy of God, as proceeding from him, and must tend to the Advantage and Satisfaction, and Happinefs of Mankind, to whom the Revelation is made: for Juftice, Holinefs, and Goodness, are as neceflary and as effential to our Idea of God as Power; and confequently, a Revelation that contradicts thefe Attributes cannot come from God. This Evidence is very neceffary, and may reasonably be expected, and is a Proof of the highest Nature; and what, as every Man can judge of, being a Master of Sense and Reason, and fo. it is what every Man ought to be concluded by.

Q. What Evidence is neceffary for those who live at a great Distance from the Age of thofe Perfons that were infpired, to fatisfy them of the Truth of that Revelation they are obliged to believe?

A. The credible Report of Eye and Ear Witneffes concerning the Miracles that have been wrought, and the Predictions that have been foretold to prove Perfons inspired, conveyed down to us in fuch a Manner, and with fuch Evidence, as that we have no Reafon to doubt of the Truth of them; which is all the Evidence that can be had in fuch Circumstances, and which must be prefumed neceffary, and therefore is fufficient.

Q. But fince the Proof of Revelation at a Diftance depends upon the Truth of Matters of Fact, what general Rules are there, that when they all meet, Matters of Fact cannot be falfe?

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A. There are four Rules that make it impoffible Short and for Matters of Fact to be falfe, where they all con- d with a cur. First, That the Matter of Fact be such as that Deft. Men's outward Senfes, their Eyes and Ears, may be Judges of it. Secondly, That it be done publickly

in the Face of the World. Thirdly, That not only publick Monuments be kept in Memory of it, but fome outward Action to be performed. Fourthly, That fuch Monuments and fuch Actions or Obfervances be inftituted, and do commence from the Time that the Matter of Fact was done.

Q. Wherein appear the Advantages of these Rules for the Proof of Matters of Fact?

A. The two firft Rules make it impoffible for any fuch Matter of Fact to be impofed upon Men, when fuch Matter of Fact was faid to be done; because every Man's Eyes and Senfes would contradict it. And the two laft Rules make it impoffible that any fuch Matter of Fact fhould be invented fome Time after, and impofed upon the Credulity of Afterages; because whenever fuch Matter of Fact came to be invented, if not only Monuments were faid to remain of it, but likewife public Actions and Obfervances were conftantly used ever fince the Matter of Fact was faid to be done, the Deceit must be detected by no fuch Monuments appearing, and by the Experience of every Man, Woman, and Child, who must know that no fuch Actions or Obfervances were used by them.

Q. Pray give an Illuftration of the Force of the two firft Rules?

A. To illuftrate the two firft Rules; fuppofe any Man fhould pretend that Yesterday he divided the Thames in the Prefence of all the People of London, and carried the whole City, Men, Women, and Children, over to Southwark on dry Land, the waters ftanding like Walls on both Sides; I fay, it is morally impoffible, that he could perfuade the People of London that this was true, when every Man, Woman, and Child could contradict him, and fay that this was a notorious Falfhood. Therefore it may be taken for granted, that no fuch Impofition could be put upon Men, at the Time when fuch public Matter of Fact was faid to be done.

Q. How

Q. How may the two laft Rules be illuftrated? A. Suppofe a Story fhould be invented of a certain Thing done a thousand Years ago, perhaps fome might be prevailed upon to believe it: But if it be faid that not only fuch a Thing was done, but that from that Day to this, every Man at the Age of twelve Years had a joint of his little Finger cut off, and that every Man in the Nation did want a Joint of fuch a Finger; and that this Observation was faid to be Part of the Matter of Fact done fo many

many Years ago, and vouched as a Proof and Confirmation of it, and as having defcended without Interruption, and having been constantly practifed in Memory of fuch Matter of Fact, all along from the Time that fuch Matter of Fact was done; it is impoffible, in fuch a Cafe, that the Story could be believed, because every one could contradict it, as to the Mark of cutting off a Joint of the Finger, and that being Part of the Matter of Fact, must demonftrate the whole to be falfe.

Q. What may we learn from thofe frequent Difcoveries God hath made of his Will to Mankind?

A. The infinite Goodness of the Divine Nature, whereby God has always fupplied his Creatures from Time to Time with all neceffary Means to conduct them to eternal Happiness. That his wife Providence does not only take care of our Bodies, and govern all thofe temporal Concerns that relate to them, but that it extends itself to what is of much greater Importance, our immortal Souls, which must be for ever happy or miferable in another World: That the great Unhappiness of Man confists in withdrawing his Dependance upon God; for nothing but a wilful and obftinate Neglect of those Discoveries God hath made of himself, can ruin and deftroy him. That the Divine Revelations being accompanied with all the Evidence and Proof that Things of that Nature are capable of, Infidelity be

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