facred writings as well as to any other, unlefs we can suppose that God was obliged to guide every transcriber's hand, or take care that no errors fhould come out from the prefs. The providence of God is abundantly vindicated, by taking care that no fuch errors fhall happen, which may lead men into opinions and practices contrary to the end and defign of the revelation given. As for other things of leffer consequence, where, neither the intereft of the divine government, nor the happiness of men are concerned; to affert it neceffary that God should interpose to prevent any differences or difputes about them, is to affirm it necessary, that God fhould interpose in a very extraordinary manner, tho' there be no extraordinary occafion to require it. The great end of a revelation from God undoubtedly can only be, to acquaint men with his will in reference to their duty, and to encourage they by proper motives to perform it; that fo they may obtain his favour, and fecure their own happiness. And therefore all the objections formed against the facred books, upon account of the differences, which may be found in the feveral copies we have of them, will appear to be of no force to

prove them not written by a divine authority and influence, till it can be proved that the original defign of them is hereby quite obfcured, and that therefore they are infufficient to make men virtuous and happy. Indeed till this be made out, the objection carries in it this manifeft contradiction; that the fcriptures cannot be from God, because there is in them fuch a number of various readings, as render them infufficient to accomplish that great end, for which they are abundantly fufficient.

And as to all hiftories of ancient date, there will also arife difficulties, either with respect to the chronology, facts, references or customs, which,at this distance of time, we may not cafily account for; whilft nevertheless, with the greatest reason, we believe the hiftories in general to be true, and the authors of them to have been men of integrity and credit. And if this be no objection, with any man of common understanding and reason, against his believing the history of past times; why should the fame difficulties, attending christianity, prejudice any perfon from receiving it? Since they require no new proof for the truth of ancient facts in Other cafes, but what they have from the

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concurrent teftimony of antient writers ; and fcruple not to believe particular histories, tho' in fome parts very liable to just exceptions; if the teftimony in favour of Chriftianity be as ftrong and full, there will be, notwithstanding all the difficulties that attend it, the fame reason for believing it, and no need of any further proofs to confirm it: and therefore as farther miracles are in themfelves needlefs, 'tis unreasonable in fuch a cafe to expect them.

The only end therefore and use of miracles that I can think of, when wrought by the affiftance of God, or good fpirits in fubjection to him, feems to be this; to confirm that person's miffion from God, who comes in his name, and by his authority, and hath a revelation of his will to impart to men and 'tis reafonable to think that God will interpofe, and give an extraordinary affiftance to his fervants, when 'tis neceffary to convince men of their miffion from him, and in order to secure the greater credit to the meffage they deliver in his name. No confiderare person can imagine, that God will fend a special messenger from himself, but on cafes of very great importance and neceffity; and when ever he

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fees fit to do it, we may be affured he will enable him to fupport the character with which he hath honoured him, by giving him. fuch credentials, as shall be a fufficient proof of his divine inftruction and authority. Now, 'tis evident that the most excellent doctrines and precepts, that can be delivered, would; not in themselves be a proper evidence of any perfon's miffion from God; because poffibly his own reasonable powers and faculties might have been fufficient for the discovery of these things: and therefore 'tis neceffary he should have farther proof to appeal to; even fuch works, in which it may evidently appear, to all impartial enquirers, that he acts under a superior power and influence; fuch works in which, either the hand of God himself may by discovered, or at least the ministration of good beings under him.

For whatever miracles can be proved to be done, either by the immediate interpofition of God himself, or by the agency of good fpirits; this will be a certain proof, that the person who doth them, ought to be regarded as a meffenger from God. For tho' false prophets may do real miracles, to juftify false pretenfions, by the affiftance of fuperior evil spirits; and tho' there doth not appear

appear any fufficient reason to think, that God is always obliged to suspend thofe powers he hath given them, or hinder their doing many wonderful works, for the support of their own intereft and authority; yet 'tis not reconcileable with any of the divine perfections, to imagine that God himself will actually fupport falfe pretenfions, or exert his own power for the confirmation of a lye. Nor will any wife and good fpirits be inftrumental to support, and propagate a real imposture, or concur with a wicked man in perfwading others to believe, that he hath that authority from God, which he actually hath not for this would deftroy the fuppofition of their being wife or good.

But it may be asked, what need is there of miracles for this end? Or why fhould Godinterpofe in this extraordinary manner, when the fame end may be answered without it? Is not the difference between truth and false. hood, good and evil, virtue and vice, easily discoverable without a miracle to inform us, or any divine interpofition to discover thefe things to us?

I answer, that it must be acknowledged there have been fome, who,by the meer light of nature, have made noble discoveries with re

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