The certainty of divine revelation A sermon preached at St. Martins in the Fields, Feb. 4. 1694/5. Being the second of the lecture for the ensuing year, founded by the honourable Robert Boyle, Esquire. By John Williams, D.D. chaplain in ordinary to His Majesty.
         Williams, John, 1636?-1709.
      
       
         
           1696
        
      
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             The certainty of divine revelation A sermon preached at St. Martins in the Fields, Feb. 4. 1694/5. Being the second of the lecture for the ensuing year, founded by the honourable Robert Boyle, Esquire. By John Williams, D.D. chaplain in ordinary to His Majesty.
             Williams, John, 1636?-1709.
             Boyle, Robert, 1627-1691.
          
           
             The second edition corrected.
          
           [4], 39, [1] p.
           
             printed for Ri. Chiswell, and Tho. Cockerill: at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard; and at the Three Legs in the Poultrey,
             London :
             M DC XC VI. [1696]
          
           
             With an initial imprimatur leaf dated Feb. 4. 1654/5. and signed Guil. Lancaster.
             With a final advertisment page.
             Reproduction of the original in the Trinity College Library, Cambridge.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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           Bible. -- N.T -- Hebrews I, 1-2 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800.
           Sermons, English -- 17th century.
           Salvation -- Early works to 1800.
        
      
    
     
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           IMPRIMATUR
           ,
        
         
           
             
               Feb.
               4.
               1694
               
               /
               5.
               
            
          
           
             Guil.
             Lancaster
             .
          
        
      
       
         
         
           The
           Certainty
           of
           Divine
           Revelation
           .
           A
           SERMON
           Preached
           at
           St.
           
             Martins
             in
             the
             Fields
          
           ,
           Feb.
           4.
           1694
           
           /
           5.
           
           BEING
           THE
           Second
           of
           the
           LECTURE
           For
           the
           Ensuing
           YEAR
           ,
           Founded
           by
           the
           Honourable
           
             ROBERT
             BOYLE
          
           ,
           Esquire
           .
           By
           
             JOHN
             WILLIAMS
          
           ,
           D.
           D.
           Chaplain
           in
           Ordinary
           to
           His
           Majesty
           .
        
         
           The
           Second
           Edition
           Corrected
           .
        
         
           LONDON
           :
           Printed
           for
           
             Ri.
             Chiswell
          
           ,
           and
           
             Tho.
             Cockerill
          
           :
           At
           the
           Rose
           and
           Crown
           in
           St.
           
           Paul's
           Church-Yard
           ;
           and
           at
           the
           
             Three
             Legs
          
           in
           the
           Poultrey
           .
           MDCXCVI
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
         
           
             HEB.
             I.
             1
             ,
             2.
             
          
           
             God
             who
             at
             sundry
             times
             ,
             and
             in
             divers
             manners
             spake
             in
             time
             past
             unto
             the
             Fathers
             by
             the
             Prophets
             ,
             hath
             in
             these
             last
             days
             spoken
             unto
             us
             by
             his
             Son.
             
          
        
         
           IN
           which
           Words
           I
           have
           observed
           there
           is
           ,
        
         
           I.
           A
           Description
           given
           of
           Revelation
           ,
           't
           is
           God's
           speaking
           ,
           and
           declaring
           his
           Will
           to
           Persons
           chosen
           for
           that
           purpose
           .
        
         
           II.
           The
           Certainty
           of
           it
           ;
           't
           is
           by
           way
           of
           Declaration
           ,
           and
           taken
           for
           granted
           ,
           
             God
             who
             at
             sundry
             times
             ,
             and
             in
             divers
             manners
             spake
             ,
          
           &c.
           
        
         
           III.
           The
           Order
           observed
           in
           delivering
           this
           Revelation
           ;
           it
           was
           
             at
             sundry
             times
          
           ,
           and
           
             in
             divers
             manners
             :
             In
             time
             past
             by
             the
             Prophets
             ,
          
           and
           
             in
             the
             last
             days
             by
             his
             Son.
          
           It
           was
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           in
           parts
           ,
           and
           in
           several
           Periods
           and
           Manifestations
           ;
           and
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           by
           Illapses
           ,
           Visions
           ,
           &c.
           
        
         
           IV.
           
             The
             Perfection
             and
             Conclusion
             of
             all
             ,
          
           
           't
           is
           in
           the
           last
           days
           by
           his
           Son
           ;
           the
           Heir
           of
           all
           things
           ,
           &c.
           
        
         
           Under
           the
           first
           I
           have
           shewed
           ,
        
         
           1.
           
           What
           we
           mean
           by
           Revelation
           ,
           in
           contradistinction
           to
           Natural
           Light.
           
        
         
           2.
           
           The
           Possibility
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           The
           Expedience
           ,
           Usefulness
           ,
           and
           Necessity
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           It
           is
           the
           Second
           I
           am
           to
           proceed
           to
           ,
           viz.
           The
           Certainty
           .
        
         
           Under
           which
           I
           shall
           shew
           ,
        
         
           I.
           That
           God
           has
           reveal'd
           himself
           ;
           or
           that
           there
           has
           been
           such
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           II.
           The
           Difference
           between
           Pretended
           and
           Real
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           III.
           That
           the
           Scriptures
           of
           the
           Old
           and
           New
           Testament
           contain
           such
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           have
           upon
           them
           all
           the
           Characters
           necessary
           and
           belonging
           to
           such
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           I.
           That
           there
           has
           been
           a
           Divine
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           What
           I
           have
           principally
           in
           my
           eye
           ,
           is
           the
           Proof
           of
           the
           Divine
           Authority
           of
           the
           Holy
           Scriptures
           ;
           but
           for
           the
           present
           I
           shall
           lay
           that
           aside
           ,
           and
           take
           my
           rise
           towards
           it
           from
           such
           general
           Principles
           and
           Observations
           as
           are
           founded
           upon
           
           Reason
           ;
           or
           such
           particular
           Instances
           and
           Matters
           of
           Fact
           as
           manifestly
           proceeded
           from
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           And
           accordingly
           I
           shall
           dispose
           of
           what
           I
           have
           to
           say
           in
           Proof
           of
           it
           ,
           under
           these
           Four
           Heads
           ;
           as
           we
           have
           for
           it
           ,
           
             
               1.
               
               A
               Rational
               or
               Moral
               Evidence
               .
            
             
               2.
               
               A
               Natural
               .
            
             
               3.
               
               A
               Traditionary
               ,
               or
               Testimony
               .
            
             
               4.
               
               A
               Supernatural
               .
            
          
        
         
           First
           ,
           Moral
           :
           Where
           in
           the
           first
           place
           I
           take
           for
           granted
           what
           I
           have
           before
           proved
           ,
           viz.
           That
           a
           Divine
           Revelation
           is
           Expedient
           ,
           Useful
           ,
           and
           Necessary
           ;
           and
           upon
           that
           Supposition
           shall
           attempt
           to
           prove
           the
           Certainty
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           I
           acknowledge
           ,
           where
           the
           Necessity
           is
           created
           by
           our
           own
           fault
           ,
           there
           lies
           no
           obligation
           upon
           the
           Creator
           to
           provide
           a
           Remedy
           ;
           and
           since
           the
           Necessity
           Mankind
           is
           now
           in
           ,
           proceeded
           from
           their
           Apostacy
           ,
           that
           Necessity
           can
           in
           reason
           be
           no
           just
           Plea
           for
           it
           ,
           nor
           a
           sufficient
           Excuse
           in
           the
           want
           of
           it
           .
           When
           Man
           was
           created
           in
           such
           a
           state
           as
           made
           Revelation
           a
           necessary
           Help
           to
           his
           Reason
           ,
           God
           immediately
           afforded
           him
           such
           an
           extraordinary
           Manifestation
           of
           himself
           :
           But
           when
           he
           forfeited
           that
           Divine
           Gift
           ,
           he
           could
           have
           no
           allowable
           Right
           or
           Claim
           to
           it
           ;
           For
           
             to
             
             him
             that
             hath
          
           ,
           and
           improves
           what
           he
           hath
           ,
           
             shall
             be
             given
          
           ;
           but
           to
           
             him
             that
             hath
             not
          
           ,
           and
           takes
           no
           care
           to
           preserve
           and
           improve
           it
           ,
           may
           justly
           be
           denied
           what
           was
           otherwise
           fit
           and
           necessary
           for
           him
           to
           have
           .
        
         
           This
           indeed
           is
           the
           Case
           ,
           if
           rigorously
           stated
           ;
           but
           considering
           the
           miserable
           Circumstances
           Mankind
           were
           in
           after
           the
           Fall
           ,
           more
           especially
           through
           want
           of
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           we
           may
           reasonably
           conclude
           ,
           That
           the
           Goodness
           of
           God
           would
           no
           less
           incline
           him
           to
           give
           it
           ,
           than
           if
           he
           had
           been
           obliged
           to
           it
           by
           a
           special
           Grant
           ,
           Promise
           ,
           or
           Covenant
           .
           Decrees
           are
           Secrets
           lock'd
           up
           in
           the
           Breast
           of
           Almighty
           God
           ;
           and
           whatever
           Good
           is
           therein
           intended
           ,
           how
           beneficial
           soever
           they
           may
           be
           in
           the
           Event
           ,
           yet
           afford
           no
           Satisfaction
           to
           us
           ,
           till
           they
           are
           opened
           and
           revealed
           :
           And
           though
           the
           Redemption
           of
           Mankind
           were
           decreed
           ,
           and
           were
           according
           to
           Circumstances
           to
           operate
           ,
           and
           in
           due
           season
           to
           be
           fully
           executed
           ,
           yet
           what
           would
           They
           have
           been
           the
           better
           ,
           if
           for
           4000
           Years
           together
           that
           Decree
           had
           lay
           hid
           in
           the
           Bosom
           of
           the
           Father
           ,
           and
           the
           Decree
           had
           never
           been
           a
           Promise
           ,
           and
           that
           Promise
           had
           never
           before
           that
           time
           been
           reveal'd
           unto
           them
           ?
           So
           that
           had
           we
           no
           such
           Promise
           upon
           record
           ,
           as
           ,
           
             The
             seed
             of
             the
             woman
             shall
             bruise
             the
             serpent's
             head
          
           ;
           
           yet
           however
           ,
           we
           might
           be
           as
           sure
           that
           there
           was
           some
           such
           kind
           of
           Revelation
           made
           to
           Adam
           ,
           some
           Promise
           of
           Forgiveness
           ,
           when
           God
           did
           intend
           to
           Redeem
           him
           and
           all
           Mankind
           ,
           as
           there
           was
           a
           Design
           to
           Redeem
           them
           :
           It
           being
           as
           necessary
           toward
           their
           present
           Comfort
           to
           have
           a
           Revelation
           of
           that
           Mercy
           in
           their
           Redemption
           ,
           as
           Redemption
           it self
           was
           necessary
           toward
           their
           Happiness
           .
        
         
           And
           this
           will
           farther
           be
           confirmed
           ,
           if
           we
           consider
           what
           has
           been
           before
           proved
           in
           the
           former
           Discourse
           ,
           
             That
             all
             men
             have
             had
             a
             Sense
             of
             the
             Want
             of
             a
             Revelation
          
           ;
           and
           have
           been
           possess'd
           with
           an
           earnest
           and
           impatient
           desire
           of
           obtaining
           it
           ;
           which
           being
           a
           desire
           becoming
           Human
           Nature
           ,
           useful
           and
           fit
           to
           be
           cherish'd
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           to
           be
           conceiv'd
           ,
           that
           where
           there
           is
           provision
           made
           to
           answer
           all
           sensible
           and
           natural
           Appetites
           throughout
           the
           Creation
           ,
           that
           this
           no
           less
           importunate
           ,
           though
           supervenient
           Desire
           ,
           should
           have
           no
           regard
           paid
           to
           it
           ,
           but
           be
           suffered
           ,
           like
           Aetna
           ,
           to
           be
           always
           burning
           within
           ,
           tormenting
           ,
           as
           it
           were
           ,
           the
           Bowels
           of
           Mankind
           with
           an
           unquenchable
           Fire
           ,
           or
           an
           unsatiable
           Desire
           of
           knowing
           what
           was
           not
           to
           be
           known
           ,
           and
           of
           obtaining
           what
           was
           not
           to
           be
           obtained
           .
           This
           is
           a
           State
           that
           the
           Consideration
           of
           God's
           Goodness
           will
           
           not
           admit
           us
           to
           suppose
           ;
           and
           we
           must
           therefore
           necessarily
           conclude
           ,
           That
           the
           same
           Divine
           Power
           and
           Wisdom
           that
           made
           Man
           a
           Reasonable
           and
           Inquisitive
           Being
           ,
           and
           has
           allowed
           him
           a
           World
           of
           Wonders
           to
           employ
           that
           Faculty
           in
           the
           Contemplation
           of
           ,
           hath
           also
           provided
           for
           that
           Noble
           Desire
           of
           knowing
           what
           the
           Will
           of
           his
           Maker
           is
           ,
           and
           what
           relates
           to
           his
           own
           Eternal
           Welfare
           ;
           and
           that
           is
           ,
           by
           a
           Revelation
           .
           Indeed
           without
           this
           ,
           't
           is
           with
           him
           as
           with
           one
           that
           is
           born
           Blind
           ,
           that
           whatever
           other
           Evidence
           he
           may
           have
           of
           the
           Being
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           wants
           one
           of
           the
           most
           convincing
           of
           all
           ,
           which
           is
           ,
           The
           Wonders
           of
           an
           Almighty
           Power
           and
           Incomprehensible
           Wisdom
           ,
           conspicuous
           in
           the
           Frame
           of
           Nature
           ,
           and
           the
           visible
           parts
           of
           the
           Creation
           :
           So
           whatever
           sense
           men
           ,
           that
           have
           only
           Reason
           for
           their
           Guide
           ,
           may
           have
           of
           the
           Mercy
           and
           Goodness
           of
           God
           ;
           whatever
           they
           may
           observe
           in
           the
           Course
           of
           his
           Providence
           to
           confirm
           them
           in
           the
           Belief
           of
           it
           ;
           whatever
           Hopes
           they
           may
           have
           of
           it
           ,
           from
           the
           general
           Notion
           of
           the
           Divine
           Nature
           ;
           whatever
           Desire
           they
           may
           have
           of
           it
           ,
           from
           a
           sense
           of
           their
           own
           Misery
           ,
           yet
           they
           want
           that
           Evidence
           of
           it
           ,
           which
           ,
           as
           we
           find
           by
           constant
           experience
           ,
           alone
           can
           satisfy
           and
           compose
           their
           doubtful
           and
           distracted
           Minds
           ,
           and
           that
           is
           Certainty
           ,
           
           or
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           same
           ,
           Revelation
           ;
           by
           which
           and
           nothing
           less
           ,
           That
           Certainty
           is
           to
           be
           attained
           .
           And
           therefore
           we
           have
           just
           reason
           to
           believe
           that
           was
           not
           wanting
           to
           the
           First
           Ages
           of
           the
           World
           :
           For
           the
           same
           reason
           we
           have
           to
           believe
           God
           to
           be
           good
           ,
           the
           like
           reason
           we
           have
           to
           believe
           that
           he
           did
           after
           that
           manner
           make
           himself
           known
           in
           those
           early
           times
           from
           the
           first
           to
           Mankind
           .
        
         
           But
           it
           may
           be
           said
           ,
           What
           is
           all
           this
           Reasoning
           to
           Matter
           of
           Fact
           ?
           For
           if
           after
           all
           ,
           there
           has
           been
           no
           such
           Revelation
           ,
           or
           no
           Proof
           can
           be
           made
           of
           it
           ,
           That
           is
           more
           than
           a
           Thousand
           Speculative
           Arguments
           for
           it
           .
           And
           besides
           ,
           supposing
           there
           was
           once
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           what
           was
           that
           to
           those
           Ages
           and
           Nations
           that
           afterwards
           wanted
           it
           ,
           and
           were
           condemned
           ,
           as
           it
           were
           ,
           to
           
             sit
             in
             darkness
             ,
             and
             the
             shadow
             of
             death
             ?
          
        
         
           The
           last
           of
           these
           is
           not
           to
           be
           denied
           ,
           and
           so
           I
           shall
           first
           of
           all
           consider
           it
           .
           And
           in
           answer
           to
           it
           it
           shall
           suffice
           to
           say
           for
           the
           present
           ,
           That
           if
           there
           has
           been
           such
           a
           Revelation
           made
           known
           to
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           all
           due
           care
           taken
           by
           the
           Almighty
           and
           Beneficent
           Creator
           for
           the
           Preservation
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           it
           afterwards
           be
           damnified
           ,
           or
           corrupted
           ,
           or
           in
           fine
           ,
           utterly
           lost
           ,
           through
           the
           Negligence
           or
           Perverseness
           of
           men
           themselves
           ,
           the
           Fault
           of
           the
           Miscarriage
           wholly
           rests
           upon
           them
           .
           The
           
           making
           known
           the
           Revelation
           ,
           was
           an
           extraordinary
           Case
           ,
           and
           is
           a
           voluntary
           Act
           of
           Grace
           and
           Favour
           in
           Almighty
           God
           ;
           the
           Preservation
           of
           it
           is
           the
           ordinary
           Case
           ,
           and
           belongs
           to
           Men
           :
           and
           when
           once
           the
           Extraordinary
           Case
           becomes
           Ordinary
           ,
           God
           leaves
           it
           to
           its
           proper
           and
           natural
           Course
           ,
           to
           Second
           Causes
           ,
           to
           Human
           Prudence
           ,
           Care
           ,
           and
           Inspection
           .
        
         
           Thus
           it
           is
           with
           Reason
           ,
           the
           Noblest
           Principle
           of
           Human
           Nature
           ,
           which
           if
           not
           attended
           and
           nurtur'd
           ,
           may
           degenerate
           into
           Stupidity
           ,
           and
           a
           kind
           of
           Brutality
           .
           As
           it
           happen'd
           to
           some
           Nations
           in
           the
           Southern
           Parts
           of
           
             Africa
             ,
             West-Tartary
          
           ,
           and
           West-Indies
           ,
           that
           notwithstanding
           the
           Characters
           of
           an
           Almighty
           Being
           legibly
           stamped
           upon
           the
           Face
           of
           the
           whole
           and
           every
           part
           of
           the
           Creation
           ,
           have
           so
           far
           degenerated
           ,
           that
           it
           has
           been
           questioned
           ,
           Whether
           they
           have
           had
           any
           Notion
           or
           Sense
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           or
           any
           sort
           of
           Worship
           for
           him
           .
           And
           so
           it
           is
           in
           the
           case
           before
           us
           :
           For
           as
           God
           had
           made
           a
           special
           Revelation
           of
           himself
           to
           Adam
           after
           as
           well
           as
           before
           the
           Fall
           ,
           so
           he
           took
           a
           very
           effectual
           way
           for
           the
           Conveyance
           and
           Preservation
           of
           it
           ,
           by
           the
           Longaevity
           of
           those
           Patriarchs
           with
           whom
           it
           was
           deposited
           ,
           and
           who
           were
           to
           take
           care
           that
           it
           might
           be
           preserv'd
           inviolable
           :
           Three
           of
           which
           
           alone
           fill'd
           up
           the
           first
           Period
           of
           1656
           Years
           ,
           from
           the
           Creation
           to
           the
           Flood
           ;
           
             viz.
             Adam
             ,
             Methuselah
          
           ,
           and
           Noah
           :
           So
           that
           Methuselah
           lived
           243
           Years
           with
           Adam
           ,
           (
           for
           so
           old
           was
           he
           when
           Adam
           died
           ;
           )
           and
           Noah
           lived
           600
           Years
           with
           Methuselah
           (
           for
           so
           old
           was
           Noah
           when
           Methuselah
           died
           ,
           and
           the
           Flood
           came
           .
           )
           And
           four
           again
           of
           the
           Fathers
           after
           the
           Flood
           (
           tho
           the
           Extent
           of
           their
           Lives
           was
           shortned
           )
           fell
           in
           with
           the
           856
           Years
           from
           the
           Flood
           to
           the
           giving
           of
           the
           Law
           by
           Moses
           at
           Sinai
           :
           So
           that
           Abraham
           is
           well
           supposed
           to
           have
           lived
           150
           Years
           with
           
             Shem
             ,
             Jacob
          
           about
           20
           with
           
             Abraham
             ,
             Levi
          
           60
           Years
           with
           Jacob
           ,
           and
           Amram
           the
           Father
           of
           Moses
           lived
           in
           the
           Time
           of
           his
           Grandfather
           Levi.
           
        
         
           Now
           what
           course
           ,
           in
           the
           Circumstances
           and
           the
           State
           the
           World
           was
           at
           that
           time
           in
           ,
           could
           be
           more
           fit
           ,
           if
           duly
           observed
           ,
           for
           conveying
           the
           matter
           of
           a
           Revelation
           through
           the
           several
           Periods
           and
           Ages
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           so
           far
           as
           Personal
           Teaching
           was
           sufficient
           ?
        
         
           And
           especially
           ,
           when
           the
           Things
           revealed
           ,
           and
           after
           this
           manner
           to
           be
           delivered
           from
           Age
           to
           Age
           ,
           were
           of
           Importance
           sufficient
           to
           oblige
           both
           Teacher
           and
           Scholar
           ;
           and
           withal
           so
           Few
           ,
           as
           might
           without
           any
           Difficulty
           be
           retained
           .
           And
           therefore
           ,
           if
           notwithstanding
           the
           Method
           taken
           by
           Almighty
           God
           for
           the
           registring
           what
           
           he
           had
           revealed
           ,
           in
           the
           memories
           of
           men
           ,
           and
           for
           delivering
           it
           down
           to
           future
           Ages
           ,
           there
           was
           afterwards
           no
           care
           taken
           on
           their
           part
           ,
           and
           no
           reasonable
           provision
           made
           for
           conserving
           such
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           but
           that
           in
           process
           of
           time
           ,
           it
           was
           either
           totally
           obliterated
           ,
           or
           vilely
           corrupted
           ,
           the
           Miscarriage
           was
           (
           as
           I
           have
           said
           )
           wholly
           chargeable
           upon
           such
           as
           by
           their
           Negligence
           or
           Wickedness
           made
           Mankind
           
             to
             sin
          
           ,
           in
           not
           delivering
           ,
           or
           not
           faithfully
           delivering
           down
           to
           Posterity
           what
           they
           themselves
           had
           received
           in
           its
           Original
           Purity
           from
           their
           Ancestors
           .
           The
           Case
           is
           indeed
           very
           lamentable
           ,
           but
           what
           is
           not
           to
           be
           helped
           ,
           without
           Almighty
           God
           alters
           the
           Nature
           of
           things
           ,
           turns
           them
           out
           of
           their
           proper
           and
           ordinary
           Course
           ,
           and
           acts
           solely
           by
           his
           own
           Power
           and
           Prerogative
           ,
           either
           without
           or
           above
           the
           Agency
           of
           Second
           Causes
           .
           Which
           is
           no
           more
           with
           reason
           to
           be
           expected
           ,
           than
           that
           when
           God
           has
           made
           the
           Earth
           in
           its
           own
           nature
           fertile
           ,
           and
           capable
           of
           yielding
           all
           things
           necessary
           for
           man's
           subsistence
           ,
           with
           Cultivation
           ;
           that
           He
           should
           also
           be
           obliged
           to
           continue
           it
           in
           the
           same
           state
           it
           was
           created
           in
           ;
           and
           when
           by
           the
           Sloth
           and
           Stupidity
           of
           men
           it
           brought
           forth
           nothing
           but
           Thorns
           and
           Thistles
           ,
           should
           miraculously
           make
           every
           Tree
           that
           is
           
             pleasant
             to
             the
             sight
             ,
             and
             good
             for
             
             food
             ,
          
           and
           whatever
           was
           beneficial
           and
           necessary
           ,
           to
           grow
           out
           of
           the
           Ground
           ,
           as
           at
           first
           ,
           and
           before
           there
           was
           a
           
             Man
             to
             till
             the
             ground
          
           .
           Now
           if
           this
           be
           unreasonable
           for
           Man
           to
           expect
           ,
           it
           is
           so
           then
           in
           the
           case
           of
           Revelation
           ,
           which
           God
           had
           committed
           to
           the
           Custody
           of
           Men
           themselves
           ,
           and
           made
           them
           whose
           Interest
           it
           was
           ,
           to
           be
           the
           Conservators
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           Having
           thus
           far
           considered
           the
           Case
           of
           those
           that
           had
           not
           ,
           or
           have
           no
           Revelation
           ,
           I
           shall
           return
           to
           the
           Main
           Point
           ,
           which
           is
           ,
           To
           shew
           that
           there
           has
           been
           such
           a
           Revelation
           .
           And
           that
           brings
           me
           to
           the
        
         
           IId
           .
           Sort
           of
           Proof
           ,
           which
           I
           call
           Natural
           ,
           as
           it
           belongs
           to
           things
           Natural
           ,
           and
           is
           opposed
           to
           what
           is
           of
           mere
           Institution
           ,
           (
           which
           I
           conceive
           to
           be
           equivalent
           to
           Revelation
           )
           :
           And
           they
           are
           Speech
           ,
           and
           common
           Notions
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           Speech
           :
           For
           which
           there
           is
           in
           Man
           a
           Natural
           Capacity
           ,
           and
           Organs
           admirably
           contrived
           and
           disposed
           (
           as
           we
           see
           by
           experience
           .
           )
           But
           now
           there
           is
           a
           vast
           difference
           in
           that
           case
           betwixt
           Us
           and
           other
           Creatures
           ;
           for
           other
           Creatures
           have
           not
           only
           Organs
           as
           we
           have
           ,
           fitted
           for
           their
           proper
           Notes
           ,
           but
           at
           once
           have
           all
           those
           Organs
           in
           Tune
           and
           in
           Operation
           ;
           so
           that
           whatever
           they
           would
           signify
           in
           
           their
           way
           ,
           and
           according
           to
           their
           kind
           ,
           they
           immediately
           thereby
           express
           :
           But
           though
           the
           Organs
           of
           Speech
           in
           us
           are
           as
           exquisitely
           framed
           ,
           yet
           we
           gradually
           grow
           up
           to
           the
           use
           of
           them
           ;
           and
           again
           ,
           can
           never
           apply
           them
           ,
           or
           know
           how
           to
           use
           them
           ,
           without
           some
           precedent
           Instruction
           .
           And
           therefore
           it
           has
           been
           the
           Opinion
           of
           many
           ,
           That
           without
           hearing
           others
           speak
           ,
           we
           should
           be
           eternally
           dumb
           *
           ;
           as
           the
           Experiment
           of
           Psammeticus
           King
           of
           Egypt
           shews
           †
           ,
           (
           if
           true
           )
           of
           shutting
           up
           Two
           Children
           in
           separate
           Caves
           ,
           where
           they
           never
           heard
           one
           Articulate
           Word
           ,
           and
           so
           could
           use
           none
           .
        
         
           So
           that
           now
           Man
           must
           be
           taught
           ,
           and
           as
           he
           is
           taught
           ,
           so
           he
           speaks
           .
           But
           we
           will
           put
           the
           case
           in
           which
           there
           was
           no
           Human
           Instructor
           ,
           and
           yet
           the
           Person
           spoke
           as
           articulately
           ,
           and
           had
           the
           free
           use
           of
           Words
           ,
           and
           knew
           as
           well
           how
           to
           express
           his
           mind
           by
           them
           from
           the
           very
           first
           ,
           as
           if
           he
           had
           had
           the
           best
           Helps
           for
           it
           in
           the
           world
           ,
           and
           had
           been
           never
           so
           long
           a
           time
           versed
           and
           practised
           in
           it
           ;
           and
           that
           Person
           was
           Adam
           ,
           who
           was
           created
           in
           a
           full
           Age
           ,
           and
           had
           none
           before
           him
           ;
           and
           yet
           must
           as
           soon
           have
           Words
           for
           use
           ,
           and
           Skill
           how
           to
           use
           them
           ,
           as
           he
           had
           to
           give
           Names
           to
           the
           Creatures
           ,
           according
           to
           their
           several
           kinds
           .
           For
           without
           this
           ,
           what
           Conversation
           
           could
           he
           have
           with
           Eve
           ,
           or
           what
           Comfort
           could
           he
           take
           in
           her
           presence
           ,
           (
           for
           it
           was
           not
           to
           be
           call'd
           Society
           )
           ;
           and
           what
           a
           Dejection
           must
           there
           be
           in
           each
           of
           them
           ,
           when
           all
           other
           Creatures
           had
           their
           Notes
           for
           understanding
           each
           other
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           Species
           they
           were
           of
           ,
           but
           they
           themselves
           alone
           were
           mute
           .
           So
           that
           though
           't
           is
           not
           expresly
           said
           ,
           That
           Adam
           and
           Eve
           had
           any
           Discourse
           ;
           yet
           't
           is
           as
           certain
           from
           the
           reason
           of
           the
           thing
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           that
           God
           spake
           to
           them
           ,
           or
           the
           Serpent
           and
           Eve
           spake
           together
           .
           But
           't
           is
           certain
           Adam
           must
           then
           be
           self-instructed
           ,
           or
           be
           instructed
           by
           God
           :
           He
           must
           then
           invent
           a
           Language
           of
           himself
           ,
           or
           he
           must
           be
           taught
           by
           him
           that
           made
           him
           .
           If
           he
           was
           to
           teach
           himself
           ,
           how
           could
           he
           know
           that
           he
           was
           able
           to
           speak
           ;
           or
           how
           can
           we
           think
           he
           would
           begin
           his
           Conversation
           by
           an
           attempt
           that
           way
           ?
           For
           't
           is
           highly
           probable
           ,
           that
           they
           would
           first
           have
           began
           with
           dumb
           signs
           ,
           or
           some
           external
           motions
           (
           as
           we
           see
           those
           ordinarily
           do
           ,
           that
           have
           no
           Words
           which
           others
           can
           understand
           )
           ;
           or
           if
           they
           should
           at
           length
           have
           found
           out
           such
           an
           Expedient
           ,
           and
           formed
           some
           Articulate
           Sounds
           ,
           yet
           what
           a
           tedious
           course
           would
           this
           have
           been
           ,
           and
           how
           long
           before
           it
           could
           be
           wrought
           into
           a
           Language
           ,
           that
           they
           could
           first
           Think
           of
           Words
           ,
           and
           then
           Remember
           them
           ,
           
           and
           then
           Use
           them
           ,
           and
           then
           fall
           into
           Discourse
           ?
           Don't
           we
           find
           how
           difficult
           it
           is
           to
           learn
           to
           speak
           a
           Foreign
           Language
           ,
           when
           we
           have
           all
           Advantages
           for
           it
           ,
           by
           Instruction
           and
           Discourse
           with
           those
           that
           speak
           it
           ?
           But
           suppose
           Two
           Persons
           wholly
           strangers
           to
           one
           another
           ,
           and
           of
           a
           Language
           as
           different
           as
           Chinese
           and
           English
           ,
           should
           meet
           together
           ,
           and
           be
           constrained
           by
           Circumstances
           ,
           being
           without
           other
           Society
           ,
           to
           converse
           with
           each
           other
           ;
           though
           each
           had
           a
           Language
           of
           their
           own
           ,
           and
           knew
           how
           to
           speak
           and
           form
           Words
           for
           Pronunciation
           ,
           yet
           how
           long
           would
           it
           be
           before
           they
           could
           fix
           the
           Words
           for
           it
           ,
           and
           to
           have
           a
           Term
           for
           every
           thing
           they
           were
           to
           discourse
           about
           ;
           to
           invent
           and
           agree
           upon
           it
           ,
           and
           then
           to
           remember
           them
           ,
           and
           then
           to
           use
           them
           ?
           And
           then
           much
           more
           will
           the
           difficulties
           increase
           ,
           were
           these
           Two
           in
           the
           case
           of
           Adam
           and
           Eve
           ,
           and
           to
           beat
           out
           the
           Track
           which
           never
           any
           walked
           in
           before
           ;
           to
           invent
           Speech
           it self
           ,
           and
           Words
           to
           be
           spoken
           ,
           and
           sufficient
           to
           express
           the
           Thoughts
           of
           each
           other
           ,
           so
           as
           to
           make
           Company
           ,
           and
           that
           Company
           agreeable
           ,
           acceptable
           ,
           and
           useful
           .
           This
           must
           have
           been
           the
           work
           of
           Time
           ,
           if
           it
           had
           been
           practicable
           ;
           and
           the
           Difficulty
           of
           it
           would
           have
           made
           each
           others
           Company
           a
           Burden
           rather
           than
           a
           Pleasure
           ,
           till
           such
           
           time
           as
           they
           could
           come
           to
           a
           mutual
           understanding
           of
           one
           anothers
           minds
           and
           inclinations
           .
           And
           therefore
           to
           make
           them
           
             meet
             helps
          
           for
           each
           other
           ,
           it
           was
           of
           Necessity
           that
           they
           should
           have
           an
           extraordinary
           Power
           communicated
           from
           Heaven
           ,
           and
           be
           enabled
           by
           that
           Instinct
           as
           soon
           to
           speak
           ,
           as
           the
           other
           Creatures
           are
           in
           a
           course
           of
           Nature
           to
           utter
           such
           Voices
           as
           are
           suitable
           to
           their
           kind
           ,
           or
           as
           Mankind
           are
           to
           express
           their
           Passions
           of
           Joy
           or
           Sorrow
           ,
           by
           Laughter
           or
           Tears
           .
        
         
           So
           that
           't
           is
           not
           without
           reason
           ,
           I
           rank
           the
           Gift
           of
           Speech
           among
           those
           things
           that
           are
           of
           a
           Divine
           Infusion
           ,
           and
           so
           equivalent
           to
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Another
           Instance
           of
           this
           kind
           ,
           is
           what
           is
           usually
           called
           Common
           Notions
           ,
           or
           Natural
           Impressions
           :
           
             Common
             Notions
          
           ,
           because
           they
           are
           common
           to
           all
           Mankind
           ;
           and
           
             Natural
             Impressions
          
           ,
           because
           they
           are
           conceiv'd
           not
           to
           be
           acquired
           by
           any
           Human
           Means
           ,
           such
           as
           Education
           and
           Instruction
           ,
           Observation
           and
           Experience
           ;
           but
           are
           imprinted
           on
           our
           Nature
           by
           an
           Immediate
           and
           Supernatural
           Power
           .
        
         
           That
           there
           are
           such
           Notions
           as
           all
           Mankind
           do
           agree
           in
           ,
           is
           undeniable
           ;
           such
           as
           the
           Belief
           of
           a
           God
           ,
           an
           Adoration
           to
           be
           given
           to
           him
           ;
           and
           that
           there
           is
           an
           essential
           difference
           between
           Good
           and
           
           Evil
           ,
           so
           that
           Good
           cannot
           by
           any
           art
           or
           endeavour
           be
           made
           or
           esteemed
           to
           be
           Evil
           ,
           nor
           Evil
           Good
           :
           For
           as
           the
           Natures
           of
           the
           things
           themselves
           cannot
           be
           altered
           ,
           so
           neither
           can
           our
           Conceptions
           of
           them
           .
        
         
           It
           is
           as
           undeniable
           ,
           That
           these
           Notions
           or
           Impressions
           are
           so
           early
           to
           be
           discovered
           ,
           and
           do
           so
           grow
           up
           with
           our
           Reason
           ,
           that
           they
           seem
           not
           to
           be
           the
           Effects
           of
           our
           Reason
           ,
           but
           rather
           to
           be
           antecedent
           to
           it
           ;
           and
           that
           it
           is
           rather
           what
           we
           Find
           ,
           than
           what
           we
           Chuse
           ;
           what
           belongs
           to
           our
           Nature
           ,
           than
           what
           we
           add
           to
           it
           .
           And
           accordingly
           as
           we
           have
           a
           Notion
           ,
           so
           a
           Sense
           of
           those
           things
           ,
           antecedent
           to
           all
           Reasoning
           and
           Instruction
           ,
           which
           we
           call
           Conscience
           ,
           
             excusing
             or
             else
             accusing
          
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           nature
           of
           the
           things
           ,
           whether
           good
           or
           evil
           .
           Now
           as
           the
           Nature
           of
           the
           things
           must
           be
           before
           our
           Conception
           of
           them
           ,
           so
           both
           must
           be
           before
           we
           pass
           this
           practical
           Judgment
           upon
           them
           :
           And
           if
           we
           do
           exercise
           this
           Faculty
           antecedent
           to
           all
           Instruction
           ,
           then
           so
           must
           the
           Sense
           of
           the
           things
           be
           ,
           about
           which
           it
           is
           exercised
           .
           So
           the
           Apostle
           ,
           
             Rom.
             2.
             14.
             
             When
             the
             Gentiles
             which
             have
             not
             the
             law
             ,
             do
             by
             nature
             the
             things
             contained
             in
             the
             law
             ,
             these
             having
             not
             the
             law
             ,
             are
             a
             law
             unto
             themselves
             :
             Which
             shew
             the
             work
             of
             the
             law
             written
             in
             their
             hearts
             ,
             their
             conscience
             also
             
             bearing
             witness
             ,
          
           
           &c.
           
           Which
           is
           exactly
           agreeable
           to
           the
           Phrase
           of
           the
           Wisest
           among
           them
           ;
           So
           Aristotle
           calls
           it
           ,
           the
           
             Natural
             ,
             Common
          
           ,
           and
           
             Unwritten
             Law.
          
           
           
        
         
           But
           above
           all
           ,
           Cicero
           (
           who
           best
           knew
           the
           sense
           of
           the
           Philosophers
           ,
           and
           how
           to
           express
           it
           )
           doth
           speak
           fully
           to
           this
           point
           ,
           both
           as
           to
           the
           Universality
           of
           these
           First
           Notions
           ,
           and
           the
           agreement
           in
           them
           by
           all
           Mankind
           ;
           both
           as
           to
           the
           nature
           and
           rise
           of
           them
           .
           
           
             There
             is
          
           ,
           saith
           he
           ,
           
             a
             certain
             Law
             ,
             not
             written
             ,
             but
             native
             to
             us
             ,
             which
             we
             have
             not
             learned
             ,
             received
             ,
             nor
             read
             :
             But
             we
             have
             taken
             and
             derived
             it
             from
             Nature
             it self
             ;
             to
             which
             we
             were
             not
             Taught
             to
             be
             conformed
             ,
             but
             Made
             ;
             it
             was
             not
             by
             Institution
             ,
          
           
           
             but
             Infusion
          
           .
           This
           ,
           in
           another
           place
           ,
           he
           saith
           all
           men
           have
           by
           a
           
             certain
             Anticipation
          
           ,
           and
           calls
           them
           
             innate
             Cogitations
          
           ;
           and
           will
           allow
           it
           to
           come
           from
           no
           less
           a
           Power
           than
           what
           is
           Divine
           .
           
             We
             have
          
           ,
           
           saith
           he
           ,
           
             received
             a
             Conscience
             from
             the
             Immortal
             Gods
             ,
             which
             cannot
             be
             plucked
             away
             from
             us
             .
          
        
         
           So
           that
           whatever
           Improvement
           these
           Notions
           and
           Impressions
           may
           receive
           from
           an
           after
           Instruction
           ,
           yet
           they
           seem
           to
           be
           implanted
           in
           us
           by
           the
           same
           Power
           that
           made
           us
           reasonable
           Creatures
           ,
           who
           no
           more
           could
           
             leave
             himself
             without
             Witness
          
           in
           our
           Minds
           ,
           than
           in
           the
           Works
           of
           Nature
           .
           And
           being
           thus
           antecedent
           to
           our
           own
           
           Reasoning
           ,
           or
           other
           information
           ,
           can
           proceed
           from
           no
           other
           a
           Principle
           than
           Revelation
           doth
           ,
           and
           is
           therefore
           equivalent
           to
           it
           .
        
         
           III.
           There
           is
           a
           Traditionary
           Proof
           of
           Revelation
           ,
           which
           is
           by
           Testimony
           ,
           or
           by
           such
           Instances
           as
           are
           a
           part
           of
           the
           Revelation
           ;
           and
           of
           which
           ,
           as
           I
           conceive
           ,
           no
           tolerable
           account
           can
           be
           given
           ,
           if
           they
           are
           not
           allowed
           to
           be
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           .
           In
           order
           to
           which
           ,
        
         
           1.
           
           I
           observe
           ,
           That
           the
           Want
           of
           a
           Revelation
           in
           any
           particular
           Nation
           or
           Age
           ,
           is
           not
           an
           Argument
           sufficient
           to
           prove
           that
           there
           never
           was
           any
           Revelation
           .
           For
           Revelation
           being
           more
           especially
           of
           things
           not
           knowable
           by
           the
           mere
           Light
           of
           Nature
           ,
           may
           be
           lost
           ,
           while
           the
           Light
           of
           Nature
           remains
           .
           It
           being
           in
           this
           case
           much
           as
           it
           is
           in
           Matters
           of
           History
           ,
           which
           may
           be
           derived
           from
           one
           Generation
           to
           another
           ,
           and
           especially
           by
           Registers
           and
           Memorials
           :
           But
           if
           a
           former
           Generation
           be
           careless
           and
           slothful
           ,
           or
           the
           Records
           not
           faithfully
           wrote
           or
           kept
           ,
           the
           Matters
           of
           Fact
           in
           one
           Age
           are
           irrecoverably
           lost
           in
           the
           next
           ,
           or
           turned
           into
           Fables
           .
           Of
           which
           the
           Earliest
           Times
           are
           too
           manifest
           an
           Instance
           ;
           and
           for
           which
           reason
           Varro
           did
           not
           divide
           them
           amiss
           ,
           into
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           &
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           obscure
           or
           unknown
           ,
           and
           fabulous
           .
           Which
           lasted
           till
           the
           First
           Olympiad
           ,
           
           and
           that
           was
           ,
           at
           soonest
           ,
           
             Anno
             Mundi
             3173
          
           ;
           when
           the
           Historical
           Age
           ,
           according
           to
           him
           ,
           begins
           .
           Now
           as
           the
           want
           of
           such
           Histories
           will
           not
           prove
           that
           there
           never
           were
           any
           such
           ,
           and
           much
           less
           that
           there
           were
           no
           Matters
           of
           Fact
           for
           the
           furnishing
           such
           Histories
           :
           So
           though
           there
           be
           no
           Revelation
           ,
           or
           no
           Memorials
           of
           such
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           in
           some
           particular
           Nations
           or
           Ages
           ,
           it
           will
           not
           necessarily
           follow
           that
           there
           never
           was
           any
           such
           Revelation
           made
           to
           the
           World.
           
        
         
           2.
           
           When
           I
           propose
           the
           Proof
           of
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           I
           would
           not
           be
           understood
           so
           much
           as
           to
           suppose
           ,
           That
           there
           was
           from
           the
           beginning
           ,
           or
           before
           the
           Time
           of
           Moses
           ,
           a
           Pandect
           or
           Collection
           of
           Divine
           Revelations
           ;
           but
           only
           that
           there
           were
           Inspired
           Persons
           to
           whom
           God
           did
           (
           as
           occasion
           served
           )
           reveal
           himself
           
             in
             sundry
             times
             and
             divers
             manners
             ,
          
           such
           as
           
             Adam
             ,
             Enoch
             ,
             Noah
          
           ,
           &c.
           
        
         
           3.
           
           Where
           there
           has
           been
           or
           is
           no
           Revelation
           ,
           or
           pretence
           to
           it
           (
           if
           any
           such
           Age
           or
           People
           ever
           were
           )
           yet
           there
           are
           or
           have
           been
           in
           those
           Ages
           or
           Nations
           ,
           certain
           Footsteps
           of
           such
           a
           Revelation
           ;
           and
           which
           whereever
           they
           are
           found
           ,
           are
           as
           evident
           Marks
           of
           such
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           as
           Pillars
           or
           Crosses
           found
           in
           a
           Countrey
           at
           present
           uninhabited
           ,
           are
           ,
           that
           there
           have
           been
           some
           persons
           that
           have
           been
           there
           before
           ,
           and
           have
           erected
           those
           Monuments
           .
        
         
         
           4.
           
           I
           account
           such
           Usages
           ,
           Rites
           ,
           and
           Principles
           ,
           to
           proceed
           from
           Revelation
           ,
           that
           have
           no
           foundation
           in
           Reason
           ,
           and
           the
           nature
           of
           the
           thing
           ,
           but
           are
           correspondent
           to
           what
           we
           call
           Revelation
           ;
           and
           which
           can
           well
           have
           no
           reason
           at
           all
           assign'd
           for
           them
           ,
           if
           not
           the
           Reason
           given
           in
           that
           Revelation
           :
           Such
           are
           Expiatory
           Sacrifices
           ,
           and
           other
           things
           relating
           to
           Divine
           Worship
           .
        
         
           5.
           
           This
           is
           the
           more
           confirmed
           ,
           if
           such
           Usages
           ,
           Rites
           and
           Principles
           have
           been
           observed
           ,
           practised
           ,
           and
           believed
           ,
           in
           Nations
           that
           have
           had
           no
           relation
           one
           to
           another
           ,
           no
           Commerce
           or
           Communication
           ,
           nor
           sometimes
           knowledge
           of
           one
           another
           ;
           for
           then
           they
           must
           arise
           from
           some
           common
           Head
           ,
           from
           whence
           they
           were
           ab-originally
           dispersed
           among
           the
           several
           Branches
           of
           the
           same
           Stock
           .
        
         
           When
           one
           People
           has
           been
           mixed
           with
           another
           ,
           as
           the
           Jews
           and
           Egyptians
           ;
           or
           derived
           from
           another
           ,
           as
           the
           Colchi
           from
           the
           Egyptians
           ;
           or
           there
           have
           been
           Commerces
           and
           Confederacies
           ,
           Wars
           and
           Conquests
           ,
           't
           is
           no
           wonder
           they
           intermingle
           in
           several
           Rites
           and
           Observances
           .
           Of
           this
           we
           have
           a
           notorious
           Instance
           in
           Circumcision
           ,
           which
           by
           the
           abovesaid
           means
           came
           to
           be
           received
           by
           several
           Nations
           ,
           as
           the
           
             Ethiopians
             ,
             Egyptians
          
           ,
           and
           Colchi
           ,
           the
           Phoenicians
           ,
           and
           some
           of
           
           the
           Syrians
           ,
           as
           Herodotus
           shews
           *
           .
           But
           when
           the
           Usages
           ,
           Rites
           ,
           and
           Principles
           have
           been
           as
           well
           found
           where
           there
           has
           been
           no
           Communication
           ,
           as
           where
           there
           has
           ;
           't
           is
           no
           less
           a
           sign
           they
           descend
           from
           one
           and
           the
           same
           Original
           ,
           than
           when
           the
           Waters
           of
           the
           Seven
           Branches
           of
           the
           River
           Nilus
           have
           one
           and
           the
           same
           Taste
           and
           Colour
           ,
           without
           any
           Communication
           ,
           that
           they
           do
           all
           descend
           from
           the
           Main
           Stream
           .
        
         
           In
           like
           manner
           ,
           if
           we
           find
           ,
           suppose
           ,
           among
           the
           Seventy
           Nations
           (
           into
           which
           't
           is
           said
           Mankind
           was
           divided
           ,
           upon
           the
           Confusion
           at
           Babel
           )
           several
           of
           the
           same
           Rites
           and
           Usages
           ,
           generally
           speaking
           ,
           concurring
           with
           those
           of
           what
           we
           call
           Revelation
           ,
           we
           must
           conclude
           ,
           That
           they
           were
           observed
           before
           that
           Dispersion
           ,
           and
           were
           wholly
           owing
           to
           as
           early
           an
           Institution
           .
        
         
           Among
           the
           Instances
           that
           I
           shall
           make
           use
           of
           for
           the
           Proof
           of
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           I
           shall
           begin
           with
           those
           that
           relate
           to
           Divine
           Worship
           ,
           such
           as
           Time
           ,
           Sacrifices
           ,
           &c.
           
        
         
           1.
           
           Time.
           That
           there
           is
           some
           particular
           Portion
           of
           Time
           to
           be
           set
           apart
           for
           the
           Publick
           Worship
           of
           God
           ,
           either
           by
           Divine
           Appointment
           ,
           or
           Humane
           Consent
           ,
           is
           absolutely
           necessary
           ,
           when
           it
           is
           to
           be
           the
           Act
           of
           a
           Society
           ;
           for
           Worship
           ,
           without
           some
           time
           for
           such
           Society
           to
           
           convene
           and
           assemble
           in
           ,
           must
           inevitably
           end
           in
           Confusion
           and
           Dissolution
           .
        
         
           And
           therefore
           as
           God
           created
           the
           World
           as
           a
           Temple
           to
           exhibit
           and
           manifest
           himself
           in
           ,
           and
           created
           such
           Beings
           as
           should
           in
           their
           several
           Stations
           celebrate
           his
           Praise
           ;
           so
           when
           he
           had
           finished
           all
           his
           Work
           ,
           he
           established
           that
           Day
           which
           he
           rested
           upon
           ,
           to
           be
           from
           thenceforward
           devoted
           to
           that
           Service
           ;
           as
           we
           may
           see
           the
           Institution
           ,
           
             Gen.
             2.
             2.
          
           
           I
           call
           this
           an
           Institution
           ;
           for
           when
           could
           that
           be
           more
           seasonably
           instituted
           by
           Divine
           Authority
           ,
           than
           at
           the
           Close
           of
           the
           Creation
           ,
           when
           the
           Sanctification
           and
           the
           Reason
           of
           it
           were
           so
           immediately
           connected
           ;
           
             God
             blessed
             and
             sanctified
             it
             ,
             because
             in
             it
             he
             had
             rested
             from
             all
             his
             work
             ?
          
           It
           being
           not
           probable
           that
           there
           should
           be
           at
           that
           time
           no
           Institution
           ,
           when
           the
           Reason
           for
           it
           is
           expresly
           given
           ;
           or
           that
           there
           should
           be
           no
           present
           Obligation
           to
           observe
           it
           ,
           when
           there
           was
           an
           Institution
           .
           If
           God
           had
           no
           sooner
           finished
           his
           Work
           ,
           but
           he
           sanctified
           the
           Day
           following
           ,
           't
           is
           evident
           that
           the
           Obligation
           to
           observe
           it
           must
           begin
           with
           the
           Institution
           :
           And
           if
           he
           sanctified
           it
           ,
           because
           on
           that
           Day
           he
           rested
           ,
           't
           is
           as
           evident
           the
           Institution
           did
           begin
           with
           the
           Reason
           of
           it
           .
           And
           then
           how
           improbable
           is
           it
           that
           God
           should
           bless
           and
           sanctify
           a
           Particular
           
           Day
           ,
           and
           yet
           for
           the
           space
           of
           Two
           thousand
           Years
           together
           should
           leave
           that
           Day
           in
           common
           with
           the
           other
           Days
           of
           the
           Week
           ,
           without
           any
           distinction
           ?
           How
           improbable
           again
           ,
           that
           it
           should
           be
           first
           instituted
           and
           made
           a
           Duty
           to
           the
           Jews
           only
           for
           a
           Reason
           that
           equally
           concerned
           all
           Mankind
           as
           well
           as
           them
           ,
           because
           he
           rested
           ;
           and
           for
           a
           reason
           existent
           from
           the
           first
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           in
           the
           time
           when
           it
           was
           instituted
           at
           Sinai
           ?
           'T
           is
           highly
           unreasonable
           to
           add
           one
           Prolepsis
           to
           another
           ,
           and
           to
           heap
           Figure
           upon
           Figure
           ,
           when
           there
           is
           no
           necessity
           for
           it
           ,
           contrary
           to
           all
           the
           Rules
           of
           a
           Just
           Interpretation
           .
        
         
           Now
           if
           this
           be
           an
           Original
           and
           Primaeval
           Institution
           ,
           we
           have
           one
           Instance
           of
           a
           Divine
           Revelation
           ,
           so
           far
           as
           the
           Scripture
           is
           of
           Authority
           ;
           and
           surely
           we
           may
           demand
           in
           its
           behalf
           ,
           to
           have
           as
           much
           regard
           paid
           to
           it
           as
           we
           give
           to
           Prophane
           Histories
           .
        
         
           But
           however
           ,
           we
           are
           not
           without
           a
           concurrent
           Testimony
           from
           them
           also
           in
           this
           particular
           .
           For
           it
           is
           manifest
           that
           there
           hath
           been
           of
           great
           Antiquity
           such
           a
           Distribution
           of
           Time
           as
           we
           call
           a
           Week
           of
           Seven
           Days
           ;
           and
           which
           is
           more
           to
           our
           purpose
           ,
           That
           the
           Seventh
           Day
           was
           a
           Festival
           and
           Religious
           Day
           .
           This
           Lucian
           doth
           more
           than
           intimate
           ;
           and
           long
           before
           him
           ,
           Solon
           ,
           
           who
           calls
           it
           
             Most
             Holy
             Day
          
           ,
           in
           his
           Elegies
           ,
           quoted
           by
           Eusebius
           *
           ;
           and
           one
           earlier
           than
           he
           ,
           Homer
           ,
           who
           calls
           it
           ,
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           
             The
             Holy
             Day
          
           .
           But
           
             Calimachus
             ,
             Homer
          
           ,
           and
           Linus
           ,
           are
           still
           more
           particular
           ,
           for
           they
           say
           it
           was
           because
           all
           the
           Works
           of
           Creation
           were
           then
           finished
           .
           So
           Homer
           ,
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ;
           and
           't
           is
           therefore
           called
           by
           
             Linus
             ,
             The
             Birth-day
             of
             the
             World.
             
          
        
         
           Now
           there
           is
           nothing
           in
           Nature
           to
           point
           to
           this
           ;
           for
           there
           is
           no
           more
           to
           be
           observed
           from
           the
           Motion
           of
           the
           Heavens
           for
           such
           a
           Septenary
           distribution
           of
           Time
           ,
           or
           Division
           into
           Weeks
           ,
           than
           there
           is
           for
           the
           dividing
           of
           a
           Day
           into
           Hours
           :
           And
           consequently
           it
           must
           proceed
           from
           some
           Institution
           ,
           and
           from
           a
           very
           early
           Institution
           ,
           because
           of
           what
           I
           have
           observed
           from
           the
           fore-cited
           Authors
           ,
           who
           are
           of
           great
           Antiquity
           ,
           especially
           Homer
           and
           Linus
           :
           For
           Homer
           is
           supposed
           to
           have
           lived
           in
           or
           about
           the
           time
           of
           Saul
           ,
           in
           the
           Year
           of
           the
           World
           2940
           ,
           and
           Linus
           in
           the
           time
           of
           the
           Judges
           ,
           about
           the
           Year
           2570.
           
           The
           consideration
           of
           which
           doth
           make
           it
           probable
           ,
           that
           these
           Ancient
           Poets
           owed
           their
           Information
           to
           the
           general
           Tradition
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           rather
           than
           to
           the
           Jews
           .
           Indeed
           Aristobulus
           the
           Jew
           ,
           from
           whom
           Eusebius
           drew
           the
           abovesaid
           Testimonies
           ,
           saith
           ,
           these
           Poets
           had
           borrowed
           them
           
           from
           the
           Jewish
           Books
           .
           But
           if
           it
           be
           consider'd
           how
           little
           the
           Jewish
           Books
           ,
           the
           Scriptures
           ,
           were
           known
           to
           the
           World
           before
           the
           Translation
           of
           them
           by
           the
           Seventy
           into
           Greek
           ,
           which
           was
           about
           300
           Years
           before
           the
           Birth
           of
           our
           Saviour
           ;
           or
           how
           little
           the
           Opinions
           of
           the
           Jews
           themselves
           before
           the
           Captivity
           were
           known
           abroad
           ,
           it
           will
           hardly
           be
           conceived
           ,
           that
           these
           things
           should
           be
           known
           so
           early
           ,
           and
           spoke
           of
           so
           positively
           by
           the
           Greek
           Poets
           ,
           Homer
           and
           Linus
           ,
           within
           so
           short
           a
           time
           after
           the
           Institution
           of
           the
           Sabbath
           at
           Sinai
           ,
           as
           these
           two
           lived
           ;
           for
           Linus
           must
           have
           lived
           within
           less
           than
           half
           an
           hundred
           Years
           after
           the
           time
           of
           Moses
           ;
           and
           Homer
           in
           less
           than
           400.
           
           Where
           if
           we
           take
           the
           lowest
           term
           ,
           that
           of
           Homer
           ,
           the
           Jews
           were
           hardly
           in
           a
           setled
           State
           ,
           and
           no
           more
           in
           a
           Condition
           ,
           than
           they
           were
           disposed
           in
           their
           Temper
           ,
           or
           permitted
           by
           their
           Religion
           ,
           to
           inform
           other
           Nations
           in
           the
           Articles
           or
           Mysteries
           of
           their
           Religion
           .
           So
           that
           it
           seems
           very
           evident
           ,
           that
           the
           Observation
           of
           the
           Seventh
           day
           for
           the
           Service
           of
           God
           ,
           was
           an
           ancient
           and
           general
           Opinion
           ,
           and
           especially
           of
           those
           who
           may
           be
           best
           presumed
           to
           understand
           what
           had
           been
           the
           sense
           of
           Mankind
           in
           the
           Ages
           before
           ,
           or
           those
           in
           which
           they
           lived
           .
           And
           if
           this
           was
           the
           
           Opinion
           of
           those
           early
           Times
           ,
           conformable
           to
           the
           History
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           we
           have
           sufficient
           reason
           to
           offer
           this
           as
           an
           Instance
           of
           a
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Another
           instance
           of
           Revelation
           is
           Sacrifices
           ,
           and
           especially
           those
           of
           Expiation
           .
           Amongst
           all
           the
           Rites
           and
           Usages
           relating
           to
           Divine
           Worship
           ,
           there
           are
           none
           that
           exceed
           these
           in
           their
           Antiquity
           (
           except
           the
           Sabbath
           )
           or
           Extent
           .
        
         
           For
           we
           no
           sooner
           read
           of
           God's
           Reconciliation
           to
           Mankind
           ,
           but
           that
           they
           offer'd
           Sacrifice
           ;
           no
           sooner
           of
           
           Noah's
           Deliverance
           and
           Escape
           out
           of
           the
           Deluge
           ,
           but
           he
           offer'd
           Sacrifice
           :
           And
           without
           doubt
           ,
           as
           it
           begun
           ,
           so
           it
           continued
           ,
           and
           was
           as
           much
           dispersed
           and
           observed
           among
           Mankind
           before
           the
           Flood
           ,
           as
           after
           it
           .
           But
           how
           probable
           soever
           it
           is
           ,
           that
           this
           Rite
           was
           thus
           universally
           observed
           before
           ,
           yet
           That
           we
           are
           not
           so
           certain
           of
           ,
           as
           we
           are
           of
           the
           Observation
           of
           it
           after
           the
           Flood
           ,
           when
           there
           was
           no
           Age
           nor
           Nation
           where
           it
           was
           not
           to
           be
           found
           ,
           how
           dispersed
           soever
           they
           were
           ;
           of
           which
           no
           tolerable
           Account
           is
           to
           be
           given
           ,
           unless
           it
           be
           allowed
           to
           have
           been
           in
           use
           before
           the
           Dispersion
           at
           Babel
           ,
           and
           that
           it
           was
           of
           Divine
           Institution
           .
           It
           must
           have
           been
           ,
           I
           say
           ,
           in
           use
           before
           that
           Dispersion
           ;
           
           for
           how
           could
           all
           Nations
           fall
           into
           one
           and
           the
           same
           Practice
           ,
           and
           have
           the
           same
           Opinion
           of
           Sacrifices
           ,
           when
           there
           is
           nothing
           in
           the
           Nature
           of
           the
           thing
           to
           lead
           them
           to
           it
           ,
           if
           it
           had
           not
           been
           ,
           that
           they
           had
           all
           descended
           from
           
             one
             Blood
          
           ,
           from
           one
           Family
           ,
           from
           one
           Body
           ;
           by
           which
           means
           it
           was
           conveyed
           into
           all
           the
           several
           Branches
           issuing
           from
           it
           ,
           and
           went
           along
           with
           them
           where
           ever
           they
           went.
           
        
         
           Now
           the
           question
           is
           ,
           Whence
           this
           should
           arise
           ,
           and
           what
           gave
           it
           this
           universal
           Acceptance
           and
           Authority
           ?
           whether
           the
           Invention
           of
           some
           Eminent
           Persons
           ,
           suppose
           ,
           in
           those
           early
           Times
           ?
           or
           whether
           it
           was
           by
           Revelation
           from
           God
           ,
           and
           of
           his
           special
           Institution
           ?
        
         
           There
           seems
           no
           great
           reason
           to
           think
           this
           Service
           should
           proceed
           merely
           from
           the
           Invention
           of
           Men
           ,
           even
           of
           those
           pious
           and
           well-disposed
           Persons
           ,
           since
           (
           as
           I
           have
           said
           )
           there
           is
           nothing
           in
           the
           nature
           of
           the
           thing
           to
           lead
           to
           it
           .
           For
           how
           could
           it
           be
           supposed
           that
           this
           should
           be
           acceptable
           to
           Almighty
           God
           ,
           which
           in
           it self
           holds
           no
           Conformity
           ,
           nor
           is
           at
           all
           suitable
           to
           his
           Nature
           ?
           
           
             Will
             I
             eat
             the
             flesh
             of
             bulls
             ,
             and
             drink
             the
             blood
             of
             goats
             ?
          
           is
           a
           true
           representation
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           It
           might
           become
           a
           sanguinary
           sort
           of
           Daemons
           ,
           or
           false
           Gods
           ,
           and
           wicked
           Spirits
           ,
           to
           be
           
           pleased
           with
           the
           Fumes
           and
           Reakings
           of
           the
           Bleeding
           Sacrifice
           ,
           as
           the
           Heathens
           generally
           thought
           :
           But
           men
           of
           any
           understanding
           would
           rather
           chuse
           a
           
             reasonable
             Service
          
           for
           the
           God
           that
           made
           them
           reasonable
           Creatures
           ,
           and
           might
           presume
           another
           sort
           of
           Sacrifice
           would
           be
           more
           acceptable
           to
           him
           than
           this
           ,
           and
           acceptable
           without
           it
           ,
           viz.
           a
           Sacrifice
           of
           Praise
           and
           Prayer
           ,
           of
           a
           pure
           Mind
           ,
           and
           a
           good
           Life
           ,
           which
           the
           wiser
           Heathens
           did
           in
           their
           Opinion
           exceedingly
           prefer
           .
           But
           as
           for
           the
           Sacrifices
           and
           Blood
           of
           Beasts
           ,
           such
           Philosophers
           as
           Pythagoras
           and
           Plato
           spoke
           of
           them
           often
           with
           regret
           and
           displeasure
           ;
           and
           others
           wonder'd
           how
           they
           first
           came
           into
           the
           World
           ,
           
           as
           Porphyry
           ,
           that
           wrote
           expresly
           against
           them
           .
        
         
           
             What
             Expression
             could
             thereby
             be
             given
             ,
             suppose
             ,
             of
             mens
             gratitude
             to
             God
             for
             their
             Being
             ,
             and
             their
             Preservation
             ?
          
           Who
           of
           all
           Mankind
           is
           fo
           stupidly
           credulous
           ,
           so
           foolish
           ,
           that
           can
           think
           the
           Gods
           delighted
           with
           such
           a
           present
           of
           Bows
           ,
           
           Gall
           ,
           and
           Blood
           ,
           which
           a
           hungry
           Dog
           would
           scarcely
           touch
           ;
           and
           that
           they
           should
           repay
           the
           favour
           to
           those
           that
           offer
           it
           ?
           
             said
             an
             ancient
             Heathen
             Poet
             ,
             cited
             by
          
           Porphyry
           .
        
         
           But
           if
           we
           descend
           to
           Expiatory
           Sacrifices
           ,
           who
           could
           think
           that
           
             the
             Blood
             of
             Bulls
             and
             of
             Goats
             could
             take
             away
             sin
             ,
          
           and
           that
           God
           would
           accept
           of
           that
           as
           a
           fit
           Compensation
           for
           their
           Crimes
           ;
           
           the
           Blood
           of
           a
           Brute
           for
           that
           of
           a
           Man
           ,
           the
           Life
           of
           one
           that
           is
           not
           in
           its
           own
           power
           ,
           instead
           of
           him
           that
           was
           ?
        
         
           And
           if
           men
           were
           so
           weak
           as
           of
           their
           own
           accord
           to
           offer
           it
           ;
           can
           we
           think
           the
           Almighty
           Creator
           would
           accept
           of
           what
           was
           for
           it self
           only
           unbecoming
           his
           Majesty
           ,
           and
           be
           so
           highly
           delighted
           with
           it
           ,
           as
           to
           testify
           his
           Acceptance
           of
           
           Abel's
           by
           the
           descent
           of
           a
           Miraculous
           Fire
           to
           consume
           it
           ;
           
           and
           to
           
             smell
             a
             sweet
             savour
          
           upon
           
           Noah's
           Oblation
           ;
           to
           appoint
           it
           as
           a
           sign
           of
           his
           Covenant
           with
           Abraham
           ;
           and
           lastly
           ,
           to
           embody
           it
           into
           the
           Mosaical
           Institution
           ?
        
         
           It
           was
           enough
           ,
           one
           would
           think
           ,
           that
           the
           Majesty
           of
           Heaven
           and
           Earth
           hath
           accepted
           of
           the
           good
           will
           of
           the
           first
           Inventors
           ,
           how
           poor
           and
           low
           soever
           the
           Invention
           was
           ;
           but
           it
           was
           too
           great
           a
           Condescension
           to
           do
           by
           these
           as
           the
           Heathens
           by
           their
           Heroes
           ,
           to
           translate
           them
           into
           the
           number
           of
           their
           Deities
           ;
           too
           much
           to
           have
           such
           a
           Mark
           of
           the
           Favour
           of
           Heaven
           ,
           as
           none
           of
           the
           Divine
           Institutions
           could
           have
           more
           .
        
         
           But
           why
           should
           we
           think
           so
           meanly
           of
           those
           Antediluvian
           Patriarchs
           ,
           of
           Adam
           and
           
             Abel
             ,
             Enoch
          
           and
           Noah
           ,
           &c.
           the
           first
           Inventors
           or
           Encouragers
           of
           this
           way
           of
           Worship
           ?
           At
           this
           rate
           happier
           far
           were
           the
           Inventions
           of
           
             Adah
             ,
             Jubal
          
           ,
           and
           Tubal-Cain
           ,
           
           that
           taught
           others
           how
           to
           order
           Cattel
           ,
           to
           handle
           the
           Harp
           and
           the
           Organ
           ,
           to
           work
           in
           Brass
           and
           Iron
           ;
           
           for
           these
           did
           serve
           either
           the
           Necessities
           or
           Pleasures
           of
           Mankind
           ,
           and
           were
           suitable
           to
           their
           nature
           and
           condition
           :
           But
           to
           offer
           Bestial
           Sacrifices
           to
           an
           Infinite
           Spirit
           ,
           was
           as
           if
           we
           should
           present
           Mankind
           with
           the
           Entertainments
           and
           Pleasures
           of
           the
           Brutes
           ;
           and
           so
           it
           cannot
           be
           thought
           that
           Men
           (
           how
           low
           soever
           their
           Understandings
           were
           )
           would
           think
           the
           Blood
           of
           Beasts
           a
           decent
           Present
           to
           their
           Creator
           ,
           which
           indeed
           would
           not
           be
           so
           to
           their
           Superiors
           here
           .
        
         
           But
           we
           have
           another
           sort
           of
           Character
           of
           those
           Holy
           Men
           ,
           who
           were
           Persons
           of
           great
           Knowledge
           and
           vast
           Experience
           ;
           who
           both
           received
           their
           Religion
           from
           the
           Almighty
           ,
           were
           the
           great
           Props
           and
           Stays
           of
           it
           in
           their
           Generation
           ,
           and
           to
           whom
           the
           care
           of
           transmitting
           it
           to
           Posterity
           was
           committed
           ;
           and
           for
           which
           reason
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           others
           ,
           God
           seemed
           to
           have
           protracted
           their
           Lives
           to
           so
           vast
           an
           Extent
           .
           They
           were
           such
           as
           were
           eminent
           for
           their
           Piety
           ;
           as
           
           Abel's
           Faith
           is
           one
           of
           the
           renowned
           Instances
           ,
           
             Heb.
             11.
          
           and
           Enoch
           is
           said
           to
           
             walk
             with
             God
          
           ,
           and
           was
           in
           an
           extraordinary
           way
           rewarded
           for
           it
           .
           Such
           again
           were
           they
           as
           were
           endued
           with
           the
           
           Spirit
           of
           Prophecy
           ,
           
           as
           
             Adam
             ,
             Abel
             ,
             Enoch
             ,
             Noah
             .
          
           
        
         
           And
           therefore
           it
           cannot
           in
           reason
           be
           supposed
           that
           ever
           they
           should
           think
           the
           offering
           the
           Blood
           ,
           
           and
           burning
           the
           Flesh
           of
           a
           Beast
           ,
           
           to
           be
           a
           fit
           expression
           of
           their
           Gratitude
           to
           Almighty
           God
           ,
           or
           a
           means
           to
           obtain
           his
           Favour
           by
           way
           of
           Expiation
           for
           their
           Sins
           ,
           without
           his
           Institution
           .
        
         
           It
           is
           then
           (
           as
           far
           as
           I
           conceive
           )
           evident
           ,
           that
           Sacrifices
           ,
           of
           what
           kind
           soever
           ,
           were
           not
           invented
           by
           men
           .
           But
           if
           they
           were
           not
           invented
           by
           men
           ,
           How
           came
           they
           to
           be
           admitted
           ,
           and
           at
           last
           so
           much
           to
           obtain
           in
           the
           world
           ?
        
         
           I
           answer
           ,
           They
           were
           of
           God's
           own
           Institution
           ;
           and
           therefore
           were
           received
           by
           the
           Patriarchs
           ,
           and
           accepted
           by
           himself
           .
        
         
           But
           then
           it
           may
           reasonably
           be
           demanded
           ,
           Why
           they
           should
           be
           thus
           honoured
           by
           a
           Divine
           Legislation
           and
           Authority
           ,
           when
           it
           is
           allowed
           that
           they
           are
           in
           themselves
           not
           suitable
           to
           his
           Nature
           ?
        
         
           I
           answer
           ,
           They
           were
           instituted
           as
           those
           Sacrifices
           were
           Typical
           ,
           and
           had
           respect
           to
           a
           greater
           Sacrifice
           ,
           that
           of
           Christ.
           And
           therefore
           't
           is
           observable
           ,
           That
           as
           Almighty
           God
           for
           the
           Comfort
           of
           Adam
           ,
           and
           preventing
           his
           Despair
           ,
           (
           as
           has
           been
           before
           
           shewed
           )
           did
           immediately
           after
           his
           Expostulation
           with
           him
           ,
           and
           Sentence
           pass'd
           upon
           him
           ,
           reveal
           his
           intention
           to
           pardon
           him
           ,
           and
           the
           Means
           by
           which
           it
           was
           to
           be
           procured
           and
           ratified
           ,
           
           
             The
             Seed
             of
             the
             Woman
          
           :
           so
           in
           consequence
           of
           this
           ,
           and
           to
           shew
           their
           Faith
           in
           that
           Promise
           ,
           we
           read
           in
           the
           next
           Chapter
           ,
           of
           their
           Sacrifices
           and
           Offerings
           which
           they
           brought
           unto
           the
           Lord
           ,
           as
           a
           Representation
           of
           what
           they
           for
           their
           Apostacy
           had
           deserved
           ,
           and
           should
           have
           suffered
           ,
           had
           not
           the
           Divine
           Mercy
           interposed
           .
        
         
           Now
           if
           we
           have
           represented
           this
           aright
           ,
           we
           have
           a
           fair
           account
           of
           an
           Expiatory
           Sacrifice
           ,
           and
           how
           it
           came
           to
           take
           such
           place
           among
           men
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           so
           universally
           received
           .
        
         
           We
           have
           a
           reason
           again
           how
           and
           why
           it
           came
           to
           be
           framed
           into
           the
           Law
           of
           Moses
           ;
           and
           why
           those
           Sacrifices
           and
           the
           Rites
           belonging
           to
           them
           ,
           were
           made
           a
           principal
           part
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           have
           thereby
           a
           Key
           to
           unlock
           many
           Mysteries
           in
           that
           Law
           ,
           and
           to
           answer
           many
           Difficulties
           about
           it
           ,
           when
           it
           is
           a
           
             shadow
             of
             good
             things
             to
             come
             .
          
        
         
           By
           this
           means
           again
           we
           come
           to
           understand
           the
           special
           Providence
           of
           God
           ,
           that
           this
           was
           so
           much
           preserved
           and
           so
           universally
           dispersed
           and
           received
           among
           mankind
           .
        
         
         
           By
           this
           means
           again
           we
           have
           a
           fair
           account
           how
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           the
           Cross
           ,
           and
           the
           Notion
           of
           our
           Saviour's
           Death
           as
           an
           Expiatory
           Sacrifice
           ,
           came
           to
           be
           soon
           entertained
           among
           the
           Gentiles
           ;
           for
           being
           of
           God's
           Institution
           ,
           as
           he
           preserved
           it
           ,
           so
           being
           thus
           preserved
           ,
           it
           became
           an
           excellent
           introduction
           ,
           and
           prepared
           Mankind
           for
           the
           belief
           and
           reception
           of
           our
           Redemption
           by
           Christ.
           
        
         
           To
           the
           same
           Original
           may
           the
           First
           Fruits
           ,
           Priesthood
           ,
           
           and
           Tenths
           be
           referr'd
           ;
           the
           first
           of
           which
           was
           observed
           from
           the
           time
           of
           
             Abel
             ,
             Gen.
             4.
          
           and
           the
           two
           last
           long
           before
           the
           time
           of
           the
           Mosaical
           Law
           ;
           and
           therefore
           are
           to
           be
           derived
           from
           an
           ancient
           Institution
           .
        
         
           But
           because
           it
           may
           be
           thought
           these
           Instances
           may
           be
           liable
           to
           exception
           ,
           forasmuch
           as
           they
           are
           sometimes
           disputed
           among
           those
           themselves
           that
           do
           contend
           for
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           I
           shall
           proceed
           to
        
         
           IV.
           Sort
           of
           evidence
           ,
           which
           is
           Supernatural
           ,
           and
           that
           is
           either
           it self
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           or
           the
           Proof
           of
           it
           ;
           of
           the
           former
           is
           Prophecy
           ;
           of
           the
           latter
           ,
           Miracles
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           Prophecy
           ,
           or
           the
           foretelling
           of
           things
           to
           come
           ;
           whatever
           time
           they
           are
           to
           exist
           in
           ,
           near
           or
           remote
           .
           I
           add
           this
           latter
           Clause
           to
           it
           ,
           to
           prevent
           all
           Exception
           ,
           and
           to
           distinguish
           Prophecy
           truly
           so
           called
           ,
           from
           Sagacity
           ,
           or
           Human
           
           Providence
           ;
           which
           from
           Precedent
           Observations
           and
           proximate
           Causes
           ,
           may
           be
           often
           fortunate
           in
           its
           Conjectures
           or
           Predictions
           .
           But
           now
           as
           to
           Infinite
           Power
           all
           things
           are
           alike
           possible
           and
           easy
           ,
           and
           there
           is
           nothing
           great
           or
           little
           ,
           more
           or
           less
           ,
           with
           respect
           to
           it
           ;
           so
           to
           Infinite
           Knowledge
           ,
           to
           which
           
             one
             day
             is
             as
             a
             thousand
             years
             ,
             and
             a
             thousand
             years
             as
             one
             day
             ,
          
           all
           things
           ,
           the
           remotest
           as
           well
           as
           nearest
           ,
           are
           alike
           present
           ;
           and
           there
           is
           nothing
           distant
           or
           near
           with
           respect
           to
           it
           .
           And
           therefore
           whereever
           the
           true
           Spirit
           of
           Prophecy
           is
           ,
           the
           same
           Power
           that
           can
           foretell
           what
           shall
           happen
           to
           morrow
           ,
           could
           ,
           if
           he
           so
           pleased
           ,
           as
           easily
           foretell
           what
           shall
           happen
           a
           Thousand
           Years
           hence
           ;
           since
           
             all
             things
             are
             alike
             naked
             and
             opened
             unto
             him
             with
             whom
             we
             have
             to
             do
             .
          
           Now
           this
           sort
           of
           Knowledge
           can
           proceed
           from
           nothing
           less
           than
           him
           ,
           who
           as
           he
           knows
           all
           things
           ,
           so
           has
           all
           Causes
           in
           his
           own
           Power
           ,
           and
           can
           foresee
           how
           they
           will
           operate
           ,
           and
           what
           shall
           be
           the
           Event
           of
           such
           Operations
           ,
           or
           can
           dispose
           them
           to
           it
           as
           he
           pleaseth
           ,
           whatever
           the
           Causes
           be
           ,
           whether
           (
           as
           we
           usually
           say
           )
           they
           are
           Voluntary
           ,
           Necessary
           ,
           or
           Contingent
           ;
           and
           being
           thus
           peculiar
           to
           him
           ,
           and
           his
           sole
           Prerogative
           ,
           't
           is
           no
           less
           than
           a
           Species
           of
           Divine
           Revelation
           .
           And
           therefore
           as
           none
           can
           know
           
           the
           Certainty
           of
           such
           Futurities
           and
           Events
           but
           God
           ;
           so
           none
           can
           foretell
           them
           but
           such
           as
           he
           is
           pleased
           to
           reveal
           them
           to
           ▪
           From
           whence
           it
           was
           that
           Plato
           somewhere
           calls
           Prophecy
           ,
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           a
           Communication
           or
           Fellowship
           with
           God.
           For
           suppose
           now
           we
           should
           set
           before
           us
           any
           Epocha
           or
           Character
           of
           Time
           ,
           which
           the
           Prophecy
           respects
           ;
           the
           160.
           
           Years
           from
           
           Isaiah's
           naming
           of
           Cyrus
           ,
           to
           his
           Decree
           for
           building
           
             Jerusalem
             ,
             Isa.
             44.
             28.
          
           
           Or
           the
           350.
           
           Years
           from
           the
           Prophet's
           naming
           Josiah
           ,
           to
           the
           time
           he
           defiled
           those
           Idolatrous
           Places
           ,
           1
           
             Kings
             13.
             2.
             2
             
             Kings
          
           23.
           16.
           
           Or
           the
           490.
           
           Years
           in
           
           Daniel's
           Weeks
           ,
           from
           his
           time
           to
           the
           Death
           of
           Messiah
           
             Dan.
             9.
             2.
             4.
          
           
           What
           an
           infinite
           number
           of
           intercurrent
           Passages
           must
           there
           be
           before
           it
           be
           brought
           in
           its
           proper
           season
           to
           its
           accomplishment
           ?
           And
           how
           amazing
           a
           sight
           would
           it
           be
           ,
           if
           we
           could
           lay
           our
           hand
           upon
           the
           Clue
           of
           the
           Prophecy
           at
           its
           first
           setting
           out
           ,
           and
           follow
           it
           ,
           making
           its
           way
           through
           all
           Oppositions
           and
           Interferings
           ,
           to
           the
           last
           Period
           and
           Completion
           !
           But
           then
           if
           we
           turn
           our
           Thoughts
           to
           the
           chief
           Subject
           of
           Revelation
           ,
           the
           Prophecy
           of
           the
           Incarnation
           of
           our
           Saviour
           ,
           as
           it
           began
           immediately
           upon
           the
           Fall
           ,
           and
           passed
           along
           through
           the
           61
           Generations
           ,
           for
           4000
           Years
           together
           ,
           it
           would
           be
           like
           the
           dispersed
           
           Parts
           of
           a
           Human
           Body
           ,
           to
           the
           Time
           and
           State
           of
           the
           Resurrection
           ,
           that
           are
           carried
           safe
           and
           entire
           through
           all
           Transformations
           ;
           and
           at
           last
           when
           the
           
             Sea
             and
             the
             Grave
          
           are
           called
           upon
           to
           
             give
             up
             their
             dead
          
           ,
           all
           the
           Atoms
           and
           Particles
           are
           recalled
           from
           their
           several
           Vehicles
           or
           Tribes
           they
           were
           joined
           to
           ,
           and
           fall
           into
           the
           same
           Composition
           as
           before
           in
           this
           present
           state
           .
           Much
           such
           a
           Subject
           have
           we
           before
           us
           ,
           which
           after
           various
           Windings
           and
           Turnings
           ,
           and
           an
           Infinite
           Succession
           of
           Causes
           and
           Events
           ;
           we
           read
           ,
           
             That
             it
             might
             be
             fulfilled
             —
             and
             as
             it
             was
             spoken
             by
             the
             mouth
             of
             the
             holy
             Prophets
             ,
             which
             have
             been
             since
             the
             world
             began
             ,
          
           Luk.
           1.
           70.
           
        
         
           So
           that
           as
           many
           Prophecies
           as
           we
           have
           ,
           or
           the
           world
           ever
           had
           ,
           so
           many
           Evidences
           have
           we
           of
           a
           Supernatural
           and
           Divine
           Revelation
           .
        
         
           And
           this
           all
           Mankind
           have
           had
           a
           belief
           of
           ,
           as
           is
           manifest
           from
           the
           Oracles
           they
           consulted
           upon
           all
           emergent
           occasions
           ;
           many
           of
           which
           were
           very
           ancient
           ,
           as
           Herodotus
           tells
           us
           that
           of
           
             Jupiter
             Hammon
          
           in
           Lybia
           was
           .
           I
           acknowledge
           that
           these
           were
           full
           of
           Imposture
           ,
           and
           were
           despised
           for
           it
           by
           the
           Wiser
           part
           of
           the
           Heathens
           ,
           such
           as
           
             Tully
             ,
             (
             Lib.
             1
             ,
             2.
             de
             Divinat
             .
             )
          
           and
           detected
           ,
           as
           Eusebius
           shews
           ,
           
             (
             Praepar
             .
             Evang.
             l.
             4.
             
             Init.
             &
             l.
             9.
             c.
             5.
             )
          
        
         
         
           And
           I
           mention
           these
           ,
           not
           that
           I
           esteem
           them
           of
           any
           Authority
           ;
           rather
           the
           contrary
           ;
           but
           to
           shew
           what
           the
           World
           thought
           of
           Prophecy
           ,
           and
           that
           even
           those
           Philosophers
           who
           diverted
           themselves
           with
           the
           Mistakes
           and
           Impostures
           of
           their
           own
           Oracles
           ,
           never
           questioned
           whether
           ever
           there
           were
           any
           true
           Prophecy
           ;
           but
           always
           allowed
           it
           ,
           and
           took
           it
           for
           granted
           .
        
         
           So
           that
           the
           Impostures
           of
           their
           own
           Pretenders
           never
           engaged
           them
           so
           far
           ,
           as
           to
           call
           in
           question
           the
           Veracity
           of
           all
           Prophecy
           ,
           or
           to
           deny
           it
           where
           it
           was
           able
           to
           justify
           it self
           .
        
         
           2.
           
           Sort
           of
           Supernatural
           Evidence
           ,
           is
           Miracles
           .
           But
           of
           that
           ,
           God
           willing
           ,
           I
           shall
           Discourse
           afterwards
           .
        
         
           Thus
           far
           I
           have
           endeavoured
           to
           shew
           ,
           That
           there
           has
           been
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           antecedent
           to
           ,
           or
           where
           there
           was
           no
           Written
           Revelation
           :
           And
           the
           Arguments
           and
           Instances
           have
           been
           such
           as
           were
           proper
           to
           those
           Circumstances
           ;
           such
           as
           we
           are
           led
           to
           by
           the
           Light
           of
           Nature
           ,
           and
           Human
           Observation
           :
           And
           therefore
           though
           they
           receive
           Light
           and
           Confirmation
           from
           a
           Written
           Revelation
           ,
           are
           not
           supposed
           to
           depend
           upon
           it
           for
           their
           Evidence
           .
           And
           if
           this
           Point
           has
           been
           hereby
           made
           out
           and
           proved
           ,
           we
           then
           find
           that
           
           God
           has
           
             at
             sundry
             times
             and
             in
             divers
             maners
             ,
          
           revealed
           himself
           to
           mankind
           
             by
             the
             Prophets
          
           and
           inspired
           Persons
           ,
           from
           the
           beginning
           through
           the
           Ante-diluvian
           and
           Post-diluvian
           Times
           ,
           till
           the
           Promulgation
           of
           a
           Written
           Law
           by
           Moses
           .
        
         
           If
           it
           be
           said
           ,
           That
           these
           are
           far
           from
           amounting
           to
           a
           Certainty
           ,
           and
           from
           giving
           us
           an
           Infallible
           Assurance
           of
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           since
           some
           of
           them
           are
           disputed
           even
           among
           those
           that
           own
           a
           Revelation
           ;
           as
           the
           Original
           of
           the
           Sabbath
           ,
           and
           Sacrifices
           ;
           and
           at
           the
           most
           are
           but
           Probable
           Arguments
           .
        
         
           1.
           
           I
           answer
           ,
           Probability
           is
           a
           fair
           Step
           to
           Certainty
           ;
           and
           I
           may
           after
           all
           affirm
           ,
           That
           the
           Account
           here
           offered
           is
           the
           best
           that
           can
           be
           given
           o
           those
           Instances
           :
        
         
           2.
           
           There
           are
           such
           Arguments
           as
           are
           taken
           from
           the
           Consideration
           of
           God's
           Nature
           ;
           and
           there
           cannot
           be
           a
           stronger
           ,
           than
           what
           is
           fetch'd
           from
           the
           nature
           of
           things
           .
        
         
           3.
           
           There
           are
           other
           Instances
           that
           are
           equivalent
           to
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           can
           proceed
           from
           no
           lower
           a
           Principle
           ;
           such
           are
           Speech
           and
           Common
           Notions
           ;
           the
           former
           of
           which
           in
           the
           Circumstances
           before
           recited
           ,
           must
           be
           from
           Divine
           Inspiration
           ,
           and
           the
           latter
           from
           a
           Divine
           Impression
           .
        
         
         
           4.
           
           There
           are
           those
           things
           which
           when
           they
           accompany
           what
           we
           call
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           prove
           the
           Truth
           and
           Certainty
           of
           it
           ;
           and
           being
           recorded
           in
           a
           Written
           Revelation
           ,
           become
           of
           the
           Body
           of
           it
           ,
           and
           they
           are
           Miracles
           .
        
         
           5.
           
           There
           are
           others
           that
           are
           the
           Matter
           of
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           they
           are
           Prophecies
           ,
           especially
           such
           as
           are
           carried
           along
           in
           a
           continued
           Train
           ,
           and
           mutually
           confirm
           each
           other
           .
        
         
           6.
           
           There
           are
           others
           that
           are
           not
           only
           consonant
           to
           what
           we
           own
           to
           be
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           but
           to
           Human
           Testimonies
           ;
           and
           being
           confirmed
           by
           both
           ,
           are
           of
           great
           Authority
           .
        
         
           All
           which
           laid
           together
           ,
           give
           us
           ,
           I
           may
           say
           ,
           unquestionable
           Evidence
           ,
           That
           there
           has
           been
           a
           Revelation
           ,
           or
           that
           God
           has
           made
           himself
           and
           his
           Will
           known
           to
           the
           World
           by
           Persons
           chosen
           out
           ,
           and
           inspired
           ,
           and
           commissioned
           by
           him
           .
        
         
           And
           this
           is
           a
           good
           Preparative
           and
           Introduction
           for
           what
           is
           to
           follow
           ,
           viz.
           That
           there
           is
           a
           special
           Revelation
           ,
           and
           that
           Revelation
           recorded
           and
           transmitted
           by
           Writing
           to
           the
           World
           ;
           which
           is
           a
           Point
           in
           Reserve
           ,
           and
           that
           will
           in
           order
           be
           discoursed
           of
           .
        
         
           FINIS
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
           BOOKS
           Printed
           for
           Richard
           Chiswell
           ,
           and
           Thomas
           Cockerill
           .
        
         
           
           RVshworth's
           Historical
           Collections
           :
           The
           Third
           Part
           ,
           in
           Two
           Volumes
           ;
           containing
           the
           Principal
           Matters
           which
           happen'd
           from
           the
           Meeting
           of
           the
           Parliament
           ,
           
             November
             3.
             1640.
          
           to
           the
           End
           of
           the
           Year
           1644.
           
           Wherein
           is
           a
           particular
           Account
           of
           the
           Rise
           and
           Progress
           of
           the
           Civil
           War
           ,
           to
           that
           Period
           .
           
             Fol.
             1692.
          
           
        
         
           Dr.
           John
           Conant's
           Sermons
           ,
           Octavo
           .
           Published
           by
           Dr.
           Williams
           .
        
         
           The
           Possibility
           ,
           Expediency
           ,
           and
           Necessity
           of
           Divine
           Revelation
           .
           A
           Sermon
           preached
           at
           St.
           
             Martins
             in
             the
             Fields
          
           ,
           Jan.
           7.
           169
           4
           
           /
           5.
           at
           the
           Beginning
           of
           the
           Lecture
           for
           the
           Ensuing
           Year
           .
           Founded
           by
           the
           Honourable
           
             Robert
             Boyle
          
           ,
           Esquire
           .
           By
           
             John
             Williams
          
           ,
           D.
           D.
           Chaplain
           in
           Ordinary
           to
           His
           Majesty
           .
           4to
           .
        
         
         
           D
           r
           
           WILLIAMS's
           THIRD
           SERMON
           AT
           Mr.
           BOYLE'S
           Lecture
           ,
           1695.
           
        
      
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A66386-e230
           
             *
             V.
             Postellus
             ,
             lib.
             de
             Orig.
             c.
             4.
             
          
           
             †
             Herodotus
             ,
             Enterpe
             .
             c.
             2.
             
          
           
             
               Ad
               Nicom
            
             .
             l.
             4.
             c.
             5.
             l.
             5.
             c.
             9.
             l.
             8.
             c.
             1.
             
          
           
             
               Rhet.
               l.
               1.
            
             c.
             10
             ,
             13
             ,
             15.
             
          
           
             Pro
             Milone
             .
          
           
             L.
             1.
             de
             Nat.
             Deor.
             &
             L
             2.
             de
             Legib.
             
          
           
             Pro
             Cluentio
             .
          
           
             *
             Clio.
             cap.
             36
             ,
             37.
             
             
               Enterp
               .
               cap.
               104.
            
             
             V
             Bochart
             Geogr.
             Saci
             .
             Phaleg
             .
             
               l.
               4.
               c.
               31.
            
             
          
           
             *
             Praepar
             .
             l.
             13.
             c.
             12
             ,
             p.
             667
             
          
           
             Psalm
             50
             ▪
             13.
             
          
           
             Euseb.
             Praepar
             .
          
           
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             .
             lib.
             2.
             
             Sect.
             58.
             
          
           
             
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
               〈◊〉
            
             .
             So
             Theodotion
             .
          
           
             Gen.
             4.
             20.
             
          
           
             Gen.
             4.
             25.
             
          
           
             Gen.
             9.
             26.
             
          
           
             Jude
             14.
             
          
           
             2
             Pet.
             2.
             5.
             
          
           
             Gen.
             3.
             
             &
             4.
             
          
           
             Gen.
             14.
             18.
             20.