SERM.IV. natural would it be for them, before they

were embodied, to draw a fine Picture of
this World, to which the Original had no
Likeness? How unlikely that they should
expect to go through fuch a Scene of Igno-
rance, Mifery and moral Imperfection as
there really is in it; where Happiness, like
the Sun, is generally within our View but
never within our Reach? Now setting Re-
velation afide, why might not we as well
be deceived by mere Speculation with Re-
gard to a future World, and our Allotment
of Happiness there; as we should certainly
have been in Regard to this, had our Souls
reasoned in a State præ-existent to it? We
muft, without the Help of Scripture, form
a future World of our own Imagination,
to which, as it is in itself, it may bear no
more Correspondence, than the World of
a foreign Philofopher did to that of Nature.
Nor must we expect that God's Creation or
Revelation fhould exactly coincide with the
Creatures of our own Fancy.

The best Arguments to prove God the natural Governor of the Universe, are brought from the Universe itself: but the best Arguments to prove him the moral Governor of it (without which it will be

of

of little Avail to prove him the natural Go- SERM.IV. vernor) are perhaps deducible from Scripture; the only original Book that confiders the World as God's World; as under his extraordinary Providence. If we look backward to the Creation, we find a gradual Discovery of God's Will, and a whole Succeffion of Prophecies, fome darker, fome clearer, all pointing to, and centering in, the grand and ultimate Event of the Redemption, to which. feveral intermediate ones refer.

Add to this those of a diftinct Nature, concerning the Downfall of certain flourishing Kingdoms, States, and Cities, all circumftantially foretold and exactly accomplished. And if we look forward from that Æra, we muft obferve a long continued Chain of Predictions beyond the Reach of human Knowledge; fuch as those relating to the Propagation and Continuation of Christianity to the End of the World; the Reign of Antichrift; the Difperfion and Restoration of the Jews; when all Kingdoms fhall become the Lord's Kingdom, and all his Enemies be put under his Feet: Several of which being already fulfilled, give us abundant Reason to expect, that the reft will, in due Time, receive their Com

SERM.IV. pletion. And, whoever attentively weighs the Internal Evidences, will perceive they

outweigh the Objections from the Internal Contexture of Revelation: to which if the External Proofs be added, the Scale turns with a vaft Preponderancy in Favour of Christianity. It is a ftupendous, compli cated Scheme, and fuch as could never have entered into the Head of Uninfpired Man; beginning from Eternity, carried on with great Uniformity, and ending only where all Things are loft, as to our Knowledge, in Eternity. Whatever Exceptions may be raised against this or that Prophecy; it appears upon the whole, that none could have formed, and thus far executed, fo uniform a Plan reaching throughout all Ages, but that Being alone whofe Views extend throughout all Ages, from Everlafting to Everlasting. And could we take in the whole Compafs of Providence from first to last, tracing each Link of the Chain; we might find there was not only a Confiftency, there was even a Connection between all revealed Truths. Truth, like a large Diamond, would be most beautiful could it be had by us unbroken; each Part lending a Luftre to it's neighbouring Parts,

and receiving it back from them; and all SERM.IV. of them confpiring in a focial Union to brighten and ennoble the whole. But fuch is the Poverty of our Understanding, that not being able to be at a fufficient Expence of Thought to purchase it whole and undivided; we are forced to content ourselves with fome disjointed and independent Parts of it. But,

IIIdly, Let us fuppofe there are fome Things not strictly reconcileable to Reason, and fome Inconfiftencies in little incidental Matters and Points of no Confequence: Christianity, nevertheless, ftands upon a firm Bafis, as long as the principal Evidences for it remain unfhaken, and the weightier Matters are worthy of God.

All feeming Contradictions as to Hiftorical Accounts, minute Circumftances of Facts, and other incidental Paffages, have been reconciled with a Clearness really furprizing; and much more than could be reafonably expected as to Books written at such a Distance of Time; when feveral Records, which threw Light into thefe Matters, are entirely loft. But fuppofing this had not, or could not, be done; let it be confidered,

SERM.IV. that it was not God's Defign in giving a Revelation, to fecure his Creatures from every Error however infignificant; but to fecure them, if not wanting to themselves, from Errors of a moral and religious Nature. God's Goodness, in publishing his Will, only obliged him to infpire the Writers fo far, as to answer all the valuable Purposes of publishing his Will. Which is effectually done by giving us, what we have in the Scriptures, a full, unerring Syftem of moral and religious Doctrines; together with a fufficient Certainty of Fact to confirm them, and fufficient Motives to enforce them.

This being once granted, though the Scriptures should not be univerfally and infallibly exact in every Point, yet they are as exact as they need to be; infallibly exact as to all the beneficial Intents of a Revelation. It is, I hope, no dangerous, tho' needlefs Conceffion, to fuppofe, that the Stewards of the Myfteries of God, like wife Managers of an ample Estate, were punctual and careful in their Oeconomy as to the main Concern; but, amidst their great Abundance of fpiritual Riches, did not attend to every Article of frivolous Ex

pence;