think that fo many Prophefies fo coherent toge-
ther, fo circumftantial, fo extraordinary, and fo
exactly fulfilled, fhould be the meer production
of Chance; they must needs acknowledge that
they are far more ancient than the Events, which
Confeffion the Prophefie alone of the Calling of
the Gentiles, repeated almost in every Page of
Scripture, cannot but force out of them even a
gainst their Will. And we'll fhew them, that
fuppofing those Prophefies had a Supernatural
Principle, they could never have proceeded from
any Malignant Spirit, or from any other Source
but the Spirit of God; which we shall do, when
we fhall joyn thefe Prophefies to all the other
Characters of Divinity with which that Revela-
tion is qualified, viz. To the Sublimity of its
Doctrin, the Simplicity of its Stile, that Inte-
grity of Manners, that fo fenfible Fidelity and
that Self Denial in its End, and that Sanctified
Morality taught in its Harmonious Agreement
with Natural Religion, that Spirit of Piety, that
Salt of Vertue, every where feasoning it, and
that I know not what of Divine, which is un-
expreffible, and which a Good Soul can better
feel than utter. In truth, nothing but a pro-
digious Irregularity in the Mind, can ascribe such
a Revelation as this to a Spirit of Darkness:
But if this be not what the Incredulous have to
fay, we would at least fain know what can be
their Defence.

CHAP.

CHA P. V.

That fuppofing we find the Jewish Revelation qualified with Characters of Divinity, we may very well from that very Obferva tion affure our felves it never was effentially corrupted,

Since

Ince the Jewish Revelation is altogether Divine, we cannot first of all, but assure our felves from thence, that Providence has always carefully watch'd left Men through their Malice, should alter or corrnpt it; because God is ingaged by his Wifdom and Goodness to the prefervation of his Works.

It would argue Extravagance and Impiety too in us, if we thould put lefs Confidence in God with respect to matters of Religion, than with respect to thofe of Nature. Since therefore 'tis the least of our Apprehenfions, that the Goodness of God fhould act fo unfuitably to it felf, as to permit that the Crops which fhoot up this Year, fhould produce nothing but Poyfon, though a different configuration of Parts from what ufed to be, were fufficient to produce that effect; fo in like manner we do not fear his Wisdom should ever permit, that a Revelation defigned to give us Life, fhould become the inftrument of our Death.

Thofe who want both Time and Understanding to examine in particular what are the means which the Wisdom of God has made use of to preferve this Revelation down to us fo pure

and incorruptible, ought wholly to chear up and comfort themselves with this confideration.

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'Tis even moft certain, that this is fuch a Fundamental Difpofition, that without it, we are neither capable of Faith nor Religion: We should never have done, if to credit any thing, we were obliged to enter into all thofe long Difcuffions about it, which the Curiofity of Men, or the Ejd Jealoufie of Incredulous Perfons may demand. It fuffices first, if we perceive any Characters of Divinity in the Scripture, which will infalli. bly happen upon our meer reading of that wonderful Book, unless we wilfully fuffer our felves to be blinded by our unruly Paffions. And Secondly, if we can.affure our felves that God is too Good to deceive us by revealing to us any Falfities, and too wife to fuffer any Essential Alteration to be made in a Revelation proceeding from himself.

Profis

For

For fince it argues want of refpect for God, to doubt of the truth of what he faith, though our Reason doth not altogether comprehend it; fo likewife it's an Offence to him to distrust the Purity of his Revelation, though we are igno rant of the means which his Wifdom has made ufe of to preferve it intire for us; a full Confidence in his Wisdom and Goodness being no lefs our Duty, than a like Reliance upon his Veracity, and both of them make up the moft confiderable part of the Sacrifice which Faith of fers up to him.

and

It is therefore moft certain, that as foon as we have acknowledged the Scriptures of the Jews to be Divine, we are difarmed of all further Pretences to perfift in our Scruples; though People fhould fain never fo much, that

it was restored by Efdras, it makes nothing against us. For fuppofing it were fo as they pretend, it conld not have been done but by the immediate Orders of God, and by the infpiration of the Holy Ghoft. An ordinary Man could never have adorned the Scriptures of the Jews with fo many Divine Characters as we find in them. Efdras enlightned only by the dim Lamp of Nature, could not have fo exactly foretold fo many things, which accordingly came to pass after his time; and we fhall fhew hereafter how groundless and improbable this Fiction is.

Yet fuch is the wonderful Conduct of Divine Wifdom, that what gave the Incredulous occafion to raise Doubts, ferves likewife to confute them; and that without feeking any further Proofs, we find their very Objections ferve for a Strong Confirmation of our Belief.

For the diverfity of Stile which some object against us, affures us, that thofe wonderful Books were not written by a fingle Man, and that confequently Efdras was not the Author of them. The little variety of Chronology, or rather those appearances of variety which we leave to the Interpreters to reconcile together, ferve at least for fo many Bulwarks against the Sufpition we might entertain, that thofe Writers had copied from each others Works. Their frequent Repetitions are of a wonderful ufe and of abfolute neceffity, fince every effential and important Truth must be often repeated, left any fhould pretend ignorance of them, or the truth of them might be falfified. The Simplicity of their ftile very well anfwers the defigns of Divine Wir dom, in rendring this Revelation fo fuitable to every Mans Capacity and Understanding. The

Tranf

1

Such the rea

Tranfpofitions, Parentheses of Scripture, and whatever else seems contrary to the Rules of Politeness, denote a Character free from the affectation and vain pomp of Eloquence, which is always fufpected of Intereft or Vanity. The various Readings, Synonimous Terms, and variety of Punctuation, are defign'd to ftir up and engage Mens Minds, the more to study it, who were it not for thofe little difficulties that fometimes occurs in them, would as coldly and indifferently look upon the wonders of the Second Revelation, which they would then think too common and ordinary to merit much application, as we do upon the wonders of the first. Besides that, fuch Accidents as thefe are, can never be avoided, without a conftant and perpetual Miracle, which cannot fall under the defign of Providence, fince it would ceafe being a Miracle, fhould it continue always. Furthermore, fince it was necessary that Difficulties fhould occur in Mysteries, thereby to fubdue and Exercise our Minds, fo likewife it was needful that the Jewish Revelation fhould seem subject to Casualties; so as other Books are thereby the more to exercise our Faith in this refpect, and give occafion the better to exert the confidence we ought to put in the Divine Wisdom.

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It would be much better, if the Incredulous who delight in cavilling thereupon, would but confider whether thofe very difficulties are not part of the model of Religion, and make not a part of the Decrees paft in the Divine Council. As for us, we look upon them as fo many Shadows that serve to fet out and embellish a Picture; and we are put to no great Puzzle, to find out

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