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but notwithstanding this inexpreffible condefcenfion, this tranfcendent goodness of the Almighty, there are fome fo incureably licentious, as still strenuously to affert, that the fcriptures are nothing more than compofitions of learned and ingenious men, and by no means the operations of the divine Spirit. We fhall therefore make it the business of the subsequent discourse to develop the weakness and folly of fuch an affertion, and demonftrate to you, that the HOLY MEN OF GOD SPAKE, AS THEY WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST.-To begin then with the ftyle and manner in which the facred fcriptures are delivered.

He that is converfant in the literary labours of mankind may observe, that there are two very different modes of writing in use among them. The firft is eafy and familiar, like that between friend and friend, where they endeavour to convince each other by strong and substantial reafons only, as being fenfible, that such are the most probable, if not the only means of answering the end propofed. The other affumes the air of majesty, and is principally made use of by kings and potentates, who, on account of their elevated fituation expect to be believed on their bare authority; imagine that their dignity must command a due obfervance of their words; and look upon it as an act of too much condefcenfion to offer reasons for the performance of fuch orders as they judge requifite to be obeyed.-In human fciences, the fame method is in a great measure preserved. The phyfician expects to be believed by his patient, without affigning reafons for what he prescribes; and the tutor by his pupil, even in such points, as the latter might with decency dispute with his companions. Shall not this rule then, with much more justice, take place in matters of divinity, which furpass not only the understanding of learners, but the skill of the most profound theologists themselves. In philofophy likewise the profeffors thereof gradually afcend from fuch things as are evidently known, to others more obfcure and uncertain; and from first prin

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ciples to draw conclufions. All which plainly intimates, that men, even by nature, are confcious to themselves, that they are wont to be believed no further than they can make proof of what they affert, though the point be never so trivial and infignificant; and therefore, they are fenfible how defervedly they fhould be neglected, should they imagine their fayings to be of any weight or authority in matters of a divine nature. Since this then is the ufual method of writing and speaking among men ; and fince the compilers of the facred fcriptures were indifputably men of deep penetration and clear understandings; had they expreffed their own fentiments only, they would, doubtless, have obferved the fame mode as the generality of mankind did; but as their commiffion was from above, they looked upon themselves as ambaffadors from heaven, and delivered their credentials accordingly. The divine Inspirer of the facred penmen expects to be believed on his mere authority, even in such points of doctrine, as exceed both the natural belief of those who hear them, and the understanding of all those who attempt to difcourfe upon them. 66 God, fay you, created the heavens and the "earth; and man is fallen from his original state of innocence through fin :"--but who will credit fuch affertions on human teftimonies unsupported by a voice from heaven? The great Author of the facred oracles commandeth them to be believed: he speaks with authority therefore, and not with the art of perfuafion. Moreover, no one of a common understanding will expect to be believed upon his bare word, except in such things as lie within his own power and his own knowledge. Whoever then, in things fupernatural, we mean in matters concerning God and man's eternal falvation, expects to be believed upon his own fimple authority; yea and to be more believed without, than others with the strongest evidence, must needs be the prince, and father of the universe, and not man.-How gloriously is this ftate and grandeur preserved throughout the whole body of the facred fcriptures? Where will

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you find in them any other arguments than fuch majestic ones as these, namely, THE LORD HATH SAID. THE LORD HATH SPOKEN. Which manner of speech is more firm, by far, than any mode of oratory whatever, and as convincing as demonstration itfelf; for what other book proceedeth in that fort, and, at the fame time, that it commands, enforceth obedience. Impoftors, indeed, have endeavoured to imitate this ftamp of the divinity; but, upon comparison, any impartial perfon will foon perceive the infinite distance that there is between them.

There are many books of morality, written by pagan authors, which contain, indeed, a great variety of excellent and useful inftructions for the regulation of our conduct :—but in what manner do they proceed against vice, or deal with virtue ?-Why, they define; they diftinguish;-they difpute; and if they offend the known laws of logick are afraid of being cenfured. The laws of God are delivered in more peremptory terms," HE THAT STEALETH "SHALL PAY FOURFOLD. HE THAT KILLETH, SHALL BE "PUNISHED WITH DEATH."-Is not this as much as to say, that the fanction of holy writ depends entirely on the power of its author; and that all human compofitions rely altogether on their own proof? -In fhort, our fpeech for the generality extendeth no further than our power; for which reason, the tutor speaketh after another manner than the pupil, the prince than the subject; and the judge. than the council at the bar. What manner of book then must that be, which speaketh to all men alike; to kings as to subjects.; to old as to young; to learned as to unlearned?That furmounteth the capacity not only of the one, but the other alfo ?-That neither entreats nor perfuades any one, but peremptorily bids, or prohibits all mankind? In what other writings do we read of fuch never ceafing punishments, and fuch everlasting rewards?-And, if every one delivers himself according to his ability, from whence is this fpeech derived, which prefumeth to make fuch declarations, but

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from him, who is himself everlasting ?-If from a creature, he must either be a good or a bad one. If an evil one, why forbiddeth he evil fo rigorously, and commandeth good fo exprefsly? Or, in other words, how cometh it to pass, that the only marks he aimeth at are God's glory, and man's welfare ?-Or, if good, why doth he challenge to himself that which belongeth to God only, and which cannot be imputed to any created being without the highest act of impiety and presumption ?—And if it be neither the one nor the other, what follows, but that it muft, of neceffity, be the Creator himself?

But as the ftrongeft confirmation of the truth of the facred wri tings; we find, that their greatest advocates refigned their lives, and incurred the hatred and difdain of the whole world, rather than they would tranfgrefs the laws therein prescribed, or treat them with the least token of disrefpect; being fully perfuaded they served fuch a law-giver, as not only had an absolute power over the body, and this transitory life as other law-givers have; but had also power to confer on them everlasting life, or to confign them to everlasting mifery. Another confirmation of the truth of the question is, that the laws delivered in the facred fcriptures affect not the outward man only, but pierce even to the heart. They require facrifices indeed; but then they prefer obedience. They enjoin fasting, it is true; but then it is from fin. They require circumcifion ; but then it is the circumcifion of the heart; and who can be a judge of the fecrets of the heart, but he who made them?-Or, who can penetrate into the inmoft receffes of the foul, but its omnifcient Creator? And who could therefore prefcribe a law to men's thoughts, but the almighty Difpofer of all things? All which, when duly weighed, will, I prefume, amount at least to a strong prefumption, that he who speaketh fo evidently upon authority, and threatens that which exceeds man's ability, muft of neceffity be more powerful than man.

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The holy fcriptures are likewife the only fource from whence we draw the discovery of fuch matters, as mere human reafon could never have arrived at; yet fuch as, when once difcovered, carry the greatest air of probability and truth along with them. The Supreme Being is of a nature incomprehenfible to the last degree, and indeed muft, in a great measure, always continue fo; yet, in this revelation of himself, we acquire fuch an infight into this, his incomprehenfibility, as, without it, we could never have attained. The light of nature would have taught us, indeed, that there is a Supreme Being; that he is all-powerful, juft, and wife; but that God himself fhould vouchsafe to vifit us in perfon, and fuffer for us, in order to make a plenary fatisfaction to the divine justice, is an act of indulgence beyond any human conception, and must have remained a secret for ever, had not God himself thought fit to reveal it. There are likewife a great many particulars in regard to ourfelves; to which, without the divine aid and affiftance, we should have been as utter ftrangers as to the nature of God himself: but in the facred fcriptures we find as plain, and as rational an account of those otherwise infuperable difficulties, as we are at present capable of conceiving. We should, doubtlefs, been at a loss to know how this earthly tabernacle could have enjoyed so many, and such valuable faculties; how we came by thefe bodily organs, and much more, how we attained the use of them, had we not been informed, that they were framed by an all-powerful Being, who, when he had fashioned them, breathed into our noftrils the breath of life. What less could have told us; that when this ray of the divinity withdraws from the body, it returns to God that gave it?-What lefs could have told us, how it is hereafter to be disposed of, and that they must one time or other be re-united, fummoned to give an account of their former joint behaviour, and be configned together to rewards or punishments, in proportion to their good or ill deportment? The first man, indeed, might know when he was created;

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