IV.

all circumftantially foretold and exactly S ER M. 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 Reafon to expect, that the reft will, in due Time, receive their Completion. 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 vast Preponderancy in Favour of Christianity. It is a ftupendous, complicated 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 G 4 extend

IV.

SER M. extend throughout all Ages, from Ever lafting to Everlafting. And could we take in the whole Compafs of Providence from first to laft, 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 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 ourfelves with fome disjointed and independent Parts of it. But,

IIIdly, Let us fuppofe there are some Things not ftrictly reconcileable to Reason, and fome Inconfiftencies in little incidental Matters and Points of no Confequence; Chriflianity, 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 Circumstances of Facts, and other incidental Paffages, have been reconciled with a Clearnefs really fur

prizing;

IV.

prizing; and much more than could be rea- SER M. fonably expected as to Books written at fuch a Distance of Time; when feveral Records, which threw Light into these Matters, are entirely loft. But fuppofing this had not, or could not, be done; let it be confidered, 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 inspire the Writers fo far, as to answer all the valuable Purposes of publishing his Will. 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.

Which

This being once granted, though the Scriptures fhould 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 Eftate, were punctual and careful in their Oeconomy as to the main Concern; but, amidst their great

IV.

SER M. great Abundance of spiritual Riches, did not attend to every Article of frivolous Expence; the Omiffion of which drew no Manner of bad Confequence after it. It is not incumbent upon us in our Disputes with Deifts to prove, that Mofes, the Prophets and Evangelifts were infpired to fuch a Degree as to be to a Tittle infallible as Hiftorians. It is enough to prove that they were fo as Prophets, Lawgivers, and Perfons making known the Will of God; and that, as Hiftorians, he guided them fo far, that they fhould not be guilty of any momentous Escapes or Inadvertencies; it being abfurd to think, that when God gave a Religion built upon Facts, he would leave the Writers to themselves in relating those Facts upon which it is built; fo as to fall into fuch Inconfiftencies as would affect the Credit of the Relators, and destroy the Credibility of the Relation.

It was no more ftrictly neceffary, that the Deity should guard against trivialErrors, than that he fhould reveal useless Truths it is enough that he hath discovered Truth as far as it is important to our Happiness; and prevented Error, as far as it is of an hurtful Tendency. An extraordinary Affistance is feldom vouchfafed when fuch an Affiftance is not material:

and certainly it was no very material Point, that the Prophets and Apoftles should

be

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be fecured from Miftakes that were not SER M. material; no more than it was fo, that Providence should fuperintend all fucceeding Tranfcribers, and preferve them from fuch Errata, as do not in the leaft defeat the original Intention of Revelation, or affect one effential Point. The grand Point is, whether we have fatisfactory Evidence that Christianity is a Revelation from God containing every thing neceffary to secure his Favour and our Happiness; not, whether it be a Revelation given us exactly in the fame Way and Manner that we may imagine it fhould have been; and with that Degree of Clearness, Fulnefs and Freedom from every Stumbling-block as we might have expected: For it has been proved*, that God does not, in the Courfe of his Provi dence, dispense other Bleffings to us in the fame Way and Manner as we, previously to Experience, fhould have expected.

The Queftion therefore between the Deifts and us being not, whether the Infpiration of the Scriptures be univerfal as to every Thing however inconfiderable; but, whether it be fo fufficient as to take in all Points that have a Relation to Faith and Practice; fo fufficient, that we may absolutely depend upon it in every interesting Concern: to fet Chriftianity afide, it must

* See Bishop BUTLER'S Analogy, Part II. Ch. 3.

not