vinely inspired; i. e. that they had God for their Author, (however Men were made the Inftruments of their conveyappear from the following Ar

ance) will

guments.

I. PROPHECIES are an evident Mark of Divinity, and great Part of the Holy Scriptures turn upon Prophecies; when Matters of Facts are foretold at a great diftance of Time, before they are tranf acted; when many particular Circumftances are mentioned, and thofe very contingent ones, which Human Forefight could have no reafon to conjecture, and Human Policy could not poffibly contrive to take effect; when a continued fucceffion of fuch Predictions is made by different Perfons, all perhaps declaring different Circumftances, but all agreeing in the main Point; and when all these meet with their entire Completion, according to the Subftance, the Manner, the Time predicted, what is this other than the Wisdom and Knowledge of God? But in the Holy Scriptures we find abundance of Prophecy and Completion; infomuch, that when we read any Part, of

it,

it, we might juftly enquire, Do we read the Prediction of what fhall be, or the Hiftory of what hath been? We do both; for one is the Counter-part to the other.

2. MIRACLES are another Mark of Divinity; they have always been esteem'd Proofs of Miffion; and Pretences to Divine Inspiration have ever been accompanied with Pretences to working of Miracles: To produce Effects above human Abilities, and the known Powers of Nature, must require an Agency fuperior to that of mere Man, when fuch Works are produced in Confirmation of Doctrines which are worthy the Divine Being to promulge; they give thofe Doctrines a Divine Sanction: Miracles indeed have been wrought by wicked Spirits for the Confirmation of Falfhood; but then the Doctrines they were defign'd to establish, always discover the Impofture. Common Reason can distinguish whether Doctrines have a good or a bad Tendency; if they have a good one, then the ready Proof of Miracles will declare their Divine Origin: And this is the Cafe of the Holy Scriptures; therein are contain❜d Doctrines VOL. I. highly

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highly worthy the Almighty to reveal and the Words of thofe who preached thofe Doctrines, were all along confirm'd by Signs following.

3. ANOTHER Argument to prove the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures, is the concurrent Teftimony of all Ages. A well attefted Hiftory, is as ftrong an Evidence of Truth, as Things declared and tranfacted at a distance, are capable of receiving; and in Human Affairs it never fails of its Weight and Credit: In like manner it hath pleafed the Almighty, to vouchsafe us the fame fort of Evidence in Sacred Matters, as we think fufficient in common Life: It can be as well prov'd, as Human Teftimony can prove any thing, that the Books of the Holy Scriptures were written by the Authors whofe Name they bear; at the Times when; and with the Circumftances, under which they are fupposed to be written; That the Facts recorded in them were true; That the Writers bore the Marks of Divine Miffion; That they were reputed inspired Writers by those among whom they lived; That their Works were immediately receiv'd

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into the Canon of Scripture; and have been handed down to us thro' intermediate Ages, with all poffible Fidelity and Exactness.

THESE Arguments of Prophecies, Miracles, and Human Teftimony, may be call'd external Arguments; because they do not immediately arife from the Substance of the Scriptures themselves; and from these Arguments we must conclude, that if there be Faith in Man, if there be Power and Wisdom in God, they all concur to evince the Divine Authority of thofe Sacred Writings.

4. The Subftance of them does likewise most powerfully, and affectingly conclude for their Heavenly Origin.

THE Excellency of thefe Sacred Writings will indeed more particularly fall in with the two other Heads we proposed to treat of from thefe Words, viz. The Usefulness and Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures. But it may here be mention'd, that those bright and exalted Truths which are there declared, Thofe glorious Hopes of Eternal Happiness with which they enrich those enlivening Sentiments of Vir

tue and Holiness with which they inspire us; That admirable Harmony and Connection which run thro' the Whole; tho' the Parts were compofed by different Perfons, at different Times, and on different Occafions, are all of them pregnant Proofs, that, however they are the Writings of Men, they are nevertheless the Dictates of God himself. Time would fail us, were we diftinctly to mention their unaffected Simplicity of Narration; their majestick Plainnefs of Stile; their piercing Force of Inftruction, they being quick and powerful, fharper than any two-edged Sword; their heavenly Weight of DoArine; their lovely Syftem of Faith and Holiness; the bleffed Tendencies they have to promote God's Glory and Man's Happiness; the Awe and Veneration they impress on their very Adverfaries ; the bright Influences they have on the Lives of those who obey the Precepts of them: These and numberlefs other Inftances of this fort, are fuch strong and affecting Indications of Heavenly Truth, fuch clear and direct Stroaks of Divinity itself, as put them, not only above the Sufpicion

of