Angel tells the Virgin Mary that the Holy Ghost should come upon her and the Power of the Highest should overshadow her and therefore that Holy Thing which should be born of her should be call'd the Son of God And this our Saviour means by the Father's sanctifying him and sending him into the World For which Reason he says he might justly call himself the Son of God John 10.35 36. If he call them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the World Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God If there had been no other Reason this had been sufficient to have given him the Title of the Son of God that he was brought into the World by the Sanctification or Divine Power of the Holy Ghost 2. Christ is also said in Scripture to be the Son of God and to be declared to be so upon Account of his Resurrection from the Dead by the Power of the Holy Ghost His Resurrection from the Dead is here in the Text ascribed to the Spirit of Holiness or the Holy Ghost And so in other places of Scripture Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you And 1 Pet. 3.18 Being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit that is he suffer'd in that frail mortal Nature which he assumed but was raised again by the Power of the Holy Ghost of the Spirit of God which resided in him And upon this Account he is expresly said in Scripture to be the Son of God Psal 2.7 I will declare the decree The Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee to which perhaps the Apostle alludes here in the Text when he says that Christ was decreed to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead To be sure these Words This day have I begotten thee St. Paul expresly tells us were accomplish'd in the Resurrection of Christ as if God by raising him from the Dead had begotten him and decreed him to be his Son Acts 13.32 33. And we declare unto you glad Tidings how that the Promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee He was the Son of God before as he was conceived by the Holy Ghost but this was secret and invisible and known only to the Mother of our Lord And therefore God thought fit to give a publick and visible demonstration of it so as to put the matter out of all question he declared him in a powerful manner to be his Son by giving him a new Life after Death by raising him from the Dead and by this new and eminent Testimony given to him declared him again to be his Son and confirmed the Title which was given him before upon a true but more secret Account of his being conceived by the Holy Ghost And as our Saviour is said to be the Son of God upon this twofold Account of his Conception by the Holy Ghost and his Resurrection to Life by the Spirit of God So the Scripture which does solicitously pursue a Resemblance and Conformity between Christ and Christians does likewise upon a twofold Account answerable to our Saviour's Birth and Resurrection call true Believers and Christians the Children of God viz. Upon Account of their Regeneration or new Birth by the Operation of the Spirit of God and upon Account of their Resurrection to Eternal Life by the Power of the same Spirit Upon account of our Regeneration and becoming Christians by the Power and Operation of the Holy Spirit of God upon our Minds we are said to be the Children of God as being regenerated and born again by the Holy Spirit of God And this is our first Adoption And for this Reason the Spirit of God conferred upon Christians at their Baptism and dwelling and residing in them afterwards is call'd the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby you cry Abba Father And Gal. 4.5 6. Believers are said to receive the Adoption of Sons God having sent forth the Spirit of his Son into their Hearts crying Abba Father That is all Christians for as much as they are regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God and have the Spirit of God dwelling in them may with Confidence call God Father and look upon themselves as his Children So the Apostle tells us Rom. 8.14 That as many as are led or acted by the Spirit of God are the sons of God But though we are said to be Children of God upon account of our Regeneration and the Holy Spirit of God dwelling and residing in Christians yet we are eminently so upon account of our Resurrection to Eternal Life by the mighty Power of God's Spirit This is our final Adoption and the Consummation of it and therefore Rom. 8.21 this is called the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God because by this we are for ever deliver'd from the Bondage of Corruption and by way of Eminency the Adoption viz. the Redemption of our Bodies We are indeed the Sons of God before upon account of the regenerating and sanctifying Virtue of the Holy Ghost but finally and chiefly upon account of our Resurrection by the power of the Divine Spirit So St. John tells us that then we shall be declared to be the Sons of God after another manner than we are now 1 Jo. 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Now we are the Sons of God that is our Adoption is begun in our Regeneration and Sanctification but it doth not yet appear what we shall be we shall be much more eminently so at the Resurrection We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him But the most express and remarkable Text to this Purpose is Luke 20.36 where good Men after the Resurrection are for this Reason said to be the Children of God because they are the Children of the Resurrection But they who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection from the Dead neither marry nor are given in Marriage neither can they die any more for they are equal to the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection For this Reason they are said to be the Children of God because they are raised by him to a new Life and to be made Partakers of that which is promised to them and reserved for them For all that are raised by the Power of God out of the Dust of the Earth are not therefore the Children of God but only they that have part in the blessed Resurrection to Eternal Life and do inherit the Kingdom prepared for
suffer nothing but Truth and Reason to weigh with them We generally pretend to be Pilgrims and Strangers in the World and to be all travelling towards Heaven but few of us have the Indifferency of Travellers who are not concern'd to find out the fairest and the easiest Way but to know which is the right Way and to go in it Thus it should be with us our End should always be in our Eye and we should chuse our way only with Respect to that not considering our Inclination so much as our Design nor chusing those Principles for the Government of our Lives which are most agreeable to our present Desires but those which will most certainly bring us to Happiness at the last and that I am sure the Principles of the Christian Religion firmly believed and practised by us will do Let us then be persuaded by all that hath been said upon this Argument to a firm Belief of the Christian Doctrine I hope you are in some Measure satisfied that the Objections against it are not such as ought much to move a wise and considerate Man If we believe that God hath taken so much care of Mankind as to make any certain Revelation of his Will to them and of the way to Eternal Happiness let us next consider whether any Religion in the World can come in Competition with the Christian and with half that Reason pretend to be from God that Christianity is able to produce for it self whether we consider the Things to be believed or the Duties to be practised or the Motives and Arguments to the Practice of those Duties or the Divine Confirmation that is given to the whole And if we be thus persuaded concerning it let us resolve to live up to the Laws and Rules of this Holy Religion Our belief of it signifies nothing without the Fruits and Effects of a Good Life And if this were once resolved upon the Difficulty of believing would cease for the true Reason why Men are unwilling to believe the Truths of the Gospel is because they are loth to put them in Practice Every one that doth Evil hateth the Light The true Ground of most Mens Prejudice against the Christian Doctrine is because they have no mind to obey it and when all is done the great Objection that lies at the bottom of Mens Minds against it is that it is an Enemy to their Lusts and they cannot profess to believe it without condemning themselves for not complying with it in their Lives and Practice SERMON IV. Jesus the Son of God prov'd by his Resurrection ROM I. 4 And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead ST Paul in the beginning of this Epistle according to his Custom in the rest stiles himself an Apostle particularly call'd and set apart by God for the preaching of the Gospel the main Subject whereof was Jesus Christ our Lord Who as he was according to his Divine Nature Vol. V. the eternal Son of God so according to his Human Nature he was not only the Son of Man but also the Son of God According to the Flesh that is the Weakness and Frailty and Mortality of his Human Nature he was the Son of David that is of his Posterity by his Mother who was of that House and Line Made of the seed of David according to the Flesh v. 3. But according to the Spirit of Holiness that is in regard of that Divine Power of the Holy Ghost which was manifested in him especially in his Resurrection from the Dead he was demonstrated to be the Son of God even according to his Human Nature Declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead All the Difficulty in the Words is concerning the meaning of this Phrase of Christ's being declared to be the Son of God The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which most frequently in Scripture does signify predestinated decreed determined but it likewise signifies that which is defined declared demonstrated Ser. 4. put out of all Doubt and Controversy And in this Sense our Translation renders it As if the Apostle had said that our Lord Jesus Christ though according to the Frailty and Weakness of his Human Nature he was of the Seed of David yet in respect of that Divine Power of the Holy Ghost which manifested it self in him especially in his Resurrection from the Dead he was declared to be the Son of God with Power that is mightily powerfully demonstrated to be so so as to put the matter out of all Dispute and Controversy And therefore following our own Translation I shall handle the Words in this Sense as containing this Proposition in them That the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Dead by the Holy Ghost is a powerful demonstration that he was the Son of God And it will conduce very much to the clearing of this Proposition to consider these Two things First Upon what Account Christ as Man is said to be the Son of God Secondly In what Sense he is said to be declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead The Consideration of these Two Particulars will fully clear this Proposition and the Apostles Meaning in it First Upon what Account Christ as Man is said to be the Son of God And for our right Apprehension of this Matter it is very well worthy our Observation that Christ as Man is no where in Scripture said to be the Son of God but with relation to the Divine Power of the Holy Ghost some way or other eminently manifested in him I say the Divine Power of the Holy Ghost as the Lord and Giver of Life as he is call'd in the Ancient Creeds of the Christian Church For as Men are naturally said to be the Children of those from whom they receive their Life and Being so Christ as Man is said to be the Son of God because he had Life communicated to him from the Father by an immediate Power of the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost First at his Conception which was by the Holy Ghost The Conception of our Blessed Saviour was an immediate Act of the Power of the Holy Ghost overshadowing as the Scripture expresseth it the blessed Mother of our Lord And then at his Resurrection when after his Death he was by the Operation of the Holy Ghost raised to Life again Now upon these two Accounts only Christ as Man is said in Scripture to be the Son of God He was really so upon Account of his Conception but this was secret and invisible but most eminently and remarkably so upon account of his Resurrection which was open and visible to all 1. Upon Account of his Conception by the Power of the Holy Ghost That upon this Account he was called the Son of God St. Luke most expresly tells us Luke 1.35 where the
will grant us whatever is good and necessary by which is certainly intended in the first place Spiritual good Things because these are the best and most necessary and to satisfy us that our Saviour did in the first place and more especially mean these St. Luke does particularly instance in the Grace and Assistance of God's Holy Spirit Luke 11.13 How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him The holy Spirit that is the continual Presence and Influence of it to all the purposes of Guidance and Direction of Grace and Assistance of Comfort and Support in our Christian Course And what else is the meaning of that Parable of our Saviour's concerning the Talents entrusted with every Man according to his Capacity and Opportunities Matth. 25. I say what else can be the meaning of it but this That God is before-hand with every Man by affording the Advantages and Opportunities of being happy and such a measure of Grace and Assistance to that end which if he faithfully improve he shall be admitted into the Joy of his Lord. And upon this Consideration of the gracious Promises of the Gospel to this purpose it is that the Apostle St. Paul doth so earnestly exhort Christians to endeavour after the highest Degree of universal Holiness and Purity that we are capable of in this Life 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God And so likewise Phil. 2.12 13. Wherefore my beloved work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling that is with great Care and Concernment lest you should fall short of it for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure The Consideration of God's readiness to assist us and of his Grace which is always at hand to stir up our Wills to that which is good and to strengthen us in the doing of it ought to be a great Argument and Encouragement to us to put forth our utmost Endeavours and so co-operate with the Grace of God toward our own Salvation And the Apostle St. Peter useth the same Argument to press Men to use their utmost Diligence to make their calling and election sure by abounding in all the Virtues of a good Life 2 Pet. 1.3 4. According as his Divine Power hath given us all things which pertain to Life and Godliness that is hath so plentifully furnisht us with all the requisites to a godly Life through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue that is by knowledge of the Gospel and the Grace therein offered to us whereby he hath given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be Partakers of a Divine Nature having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust And then from the consideration of this Divine Power conveyed to us by the Gospel and the Promises of it he exhorts Men to give all diligence to add to their Faith Virtue and Knowledge and Temperance and Patience and Godliness and brotherly Love and Charity And indeed the Scripture every where ascribes our Regeneration and Sanctification the Beginning and Progress and Perseverance of our Obedience to the powerful Grace and Assistance of God's holy Spirit we are said to be regenerate and born again of the Spirit to be renewed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost to be led by the Spirit and by the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of the Flesh and in a word to be kept by the mighty Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 3. What the Grace of God is ready to enable us to do if we be not wanting to our Selves may properly be said to be possible to us and in some sense in our Power That may be said to be possible to us which tho' we cannot do of our selves as of our selves that is by our own Natural Power yet we can do by the Help and Assistance of another if that Assistance be ready to be afforded to us as we are sure the Grace of God's Holy Spirit is because he hath promised it to them that seek it and he is faithful who hath promised That cannot be said to be wholly out of a Man's Power which he may have for asking that which we are able to do by the Strength and Assistance of another is not impossible to us Surely St. Paul did no ways derogate from the Grace of God when he said I am able to do all things thro' Christ strengthening me he reckons himself able to do all that which by the strength of Christ he was enabled to do And this is the true Ground of all the Perswasions and Exhortations which we meet with in Scripture to Holiness and Obedience which would all be not only to no purpose but very unreasonable if we were wholly destitute of Power to do what God commands but if he be always ready at hand to assist us by a Grace sufficient for us if he co-operate with us in the Work of our Salvation then is there abundant ground of Encouragement to our Endeavours and if we fall short of eternal Salvation it is wholly our own fault it is not because God is wanting to us in those Aids and Assistances of his Grace which are necessary but because we are wanting to our selves in not seeking God's Grace more earnestly or by neglecting to make use of it when it is afforded to us For it is really all one both to the encouragement of our Endeavours and to the rendring of our Disobedience inexcusable whether we be able of our selves to perform the Condition of the Gospel or God be ready to assist us by his Grace and Holy Spirit to that purpose Wherefore as the Apostle exhorts Heb. 12.12 13 14 15. Lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make strait paths for your feet lest that which is Lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed Follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord looking diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God intimating that it is want of care and diligence on our part if the Grace of God fail of its end and be not effectual to all the purposes of Faith and Repentance and Obedience God does not with-hold his Grace from us but Men may receive it in vain if they do not make use of it And thus I have done with the third thing I proposed to consider from these words I proceed to the Fourth viz. To consider the Necessity of this Obedience in order to our obtaining of Eternal Life and Happiness Christ is the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him that is to such and only to such as live in Obedience to the Precepts of his holy Gospel to them who frame the general course of their lives according to his Laws Some Men seem to be
like our selves bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh labouring under Want and Necessity and yet not to be moved to commiserate him this is a sign that we have put off our own Nature otherwise we should pity the Sufferings of it in others For whenever we behold a Man like our selves groaning under Want and prest with Necessity and do not relent toward him and are not ready to relieve him we are hard-hearted to our own Nature and do in some sense what the Apostle says no Man ever did that is none retaining the Temper and Affections of a Man hate his own Flesh This the Scripture speaks of as a most barbarous sort of Inhumanity and calls it Murder 1 John 3.15 Whoso hateth his Brother is a Murderer and not to relieve our Brother in want is to hate him for this is the Instance which the Apostle gives at the 17 th verse Whoso hath this worlds Goods and seeth his Brother in want and shutteth up his Bowels of Compassion from him whoso doth not consider the Poor is a Man-slayer and a Murderer he is cruel to his own Nature nay were he sufficiently sensible of the Condition of Humane Nature he is cruel to himself Seest thou a Poor Man in great Misery and Want there is nothing hath befallen him but what is common to Man what might have been thy Lot and Portion as well as his and what may happen to thee or thine another time Make it therefore thine own Case for so the Providence of God may make it one time or other and thou provokest him to make it so speedily by thy unmerciful Disposition toward the Poor I say make it thine own case if thou wert in the Poor Man's Condition and he in thine consult thine own Bowels and tell me how thou wouldst wish him to be affected toward thee Wouldst thou be willing that he should slight and repulse thee and shut up his Bowels of Compassion from thee If not then do not thou deal so with him consider that it may be thine own case therefore do not thou give the World any bad Example in this kind do not teach Men to be unmerciful lest they learn of thee and thou find the ill Effects of it when it comes to be thine own Condition This is the first Aggravation of this Sin the Inhumanity of it But 2. Besides the Inhumanity of this Sin it is likewise a great Impiety toward God Unmercifulness to the Poor hath this fourfold Impiety in it it is a Contempt of God an Usurpation upon his Right a slighting of his Providence and a plain Demonstration that we do not love God and that all our Pretences to Religion are hypocritical and insincere 1. It is a Contempt of God and a reproaching of him so Solomon tells us Prov. 14.31 He that oppresseth the Poor not only he that dealeth unjustly with a Poor Man but he that is uncharitable towards him as appears by the Opposition but he that honoureth him hath Mercy on the Poor here Oppression of the Poor is opposed to want of Charity towards him He that oppresseth the Poor reproacheth his Maker how is that He despiseth God who made him after his own Image and Likeness For the Poor Man bears the Image of God as well as the Rich so that thou canst not oppress or neglect him without some reflection upon God whose Image he bears 2 The uncharitable Man is an Usurper upon God's Right The Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof and he hath given it to the Children of Men not absolutely to dispose of as they please but in trust and with certain reservations so as to be accountable to him for the disposal of it In respect of other Men we are indeed true Proprietors of our Estates but in respect of God we are but Stewards and he will call us to an Account how we have laid them out So much as we need is ours but beyond what will support us and be a convenient Provision for our Family in the Rank wherein God hath placed us all that is given to us that we may give it to others And if God hath been liberal to us in the Blessings of this Life it is on purpose to give us an Opportunity and to engage us to be so to others that stand in need of our Charity and we are false to our Trust if we keep those things to our selves which we receive from God for this very end that we might distribute them to others according to the proportion of our Ability and their Necessity This is to hide our Lord's Talent in a Napkin and that which thou storest up in this Case is unjustly detained by thee for God intended it should have been for Bread for the hungry and for Cloaths for the naked for the Relief and Support of those who were ready to perish 3. The uncharitable Man is impious in slighting of God's Providence He does not consider that Riches and Poverty are of the Lord that he can soon change our Condition and that it is an easy thing with him to make a Rich Man poor We do not sufficiently reverence the Providence which rules the World if when God hath blest us with Plenty and Abundance we have no pity and regard for those that are in need God can soon turn the Wheel and lay thee as low as the poor Man whom thou dost neglect He can cast down the mighty from their Seat and exalt the humble and meek fill the hungry with good things and send the rich empty away God's Providence could easily have disposed of things otherwise to have secured every man from want but he hath on purpose order'd this variety of Conditions high and low rich and poor not that some men might have an Advantage to insult over and despise others but that there might be an Opportunity for the exercise of several Virtues that the poor might have an Opportunity to exercise their Dependance upon God and their Patience and Submission to his Will and that the rich might show their Temperance and Moderation and Charity 4. Unmercifulness to the Poor is a plain Demonstration that we do not love God and that all our other pretences to Religion are hypocritical and insincere St. James tells us that pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and the widow Ja. 1.27 That the wisdom which is from above is full of mercy and good fruits ch 3.17 St. John represents this uncharitable Disposition as utterly inconsistent with the true Love of God 1 John 3.17 But whoso hath this world's goods and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of Compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him In vain does such a Man pretend to love God nay ch 4. v. 20. he tells us that it is impossible such a Man should love God If a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a
the mediation of Angels seems not to be true for St. Stephen tells us that the Law was given by the disposition of Angels Acts 7.53 And St. Paul that it was ordained by the Angels in the hand of a Mediator that is Moses Gal. 3.19 But that the Revelation which was made to him had some singular Prerogatives above those of other Prophets is plain from Scripture Numb 12.5 6 7 8 when Aaron and Miriam contended with Moses as being equal to him God tells them that there was a vast difference between him and other Prophets Hear now my Words if there be a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a Vision and will speak unto him in a Dream My Servant Moses is not so With him will I speak Mouth to Mouth even apparently and not in dark Speeches c. Ex. 33.11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a Man speaketh unto his Friend Deut. 34.10 And there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face All which signify at least this that God made the clearest and most familiar and most perfect Discoveries to Moses of any of the Prophets only our Lord Jesus Christ by whom God hath discovered his Will to us under the New Testament did excel Moses Moses being but a faithful Servant that is humilis amicus a meaner sort of Friend but the Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God who came from the bosom of his Father and was intimately acquainted with the secrets of his Will and had not the Spirit given him by measure but the most plentiful Effusion of it being anointed above his Fellows Now these being the several sorts and degrees of Revelation which God hath made of himself to the World the Holy Scriptures are a System or Collection of these the authentick Instrument or Record by which the things revealed any of these ways are transmitted to us and is therefore call'd the Word of God as containing those things which God in several Ages hath spoken to the World that is matters of Divine Revelation which are necessary to be known by Men in order to their Eternal Happiness And this being now the great and standing Revelation of God which is to continue to the end of the World I intend to limit my Discourse solely to this as being the only Revelation which we are concern'd to enquire after And therefore in the 3 d Place to shew you what Advantages this standing Revelation of the Scriptures hath above private Revelations made to particular Persons and frequently repeated and renewed in several Ages that so it may appear both agreeable to the Wisdom of God to settle Revelations in this way as being more commodious and likewise to his Goodness it being a real Priviledge which these later Ages of the World enjoy that they have a more fixt and certain way of being acquainted with the Will of God than those Ages had which were govern'd by such private Revelations as were now and then made to particular Persons And the Advantages are these 1. It is a more certain way of conveyance of things and more secure and free from Imposture Suppose a Revelation made to a particular Person which is of general Concernment that this may have a general and lasting effect he must impart it to others as many as he can and give them the best Assurance he can of it and these must relate it to others and so it must pass from hand to hand to be delivered from Parents to their Children Now this way of conveying a Revelation by Oral Report must needs be liable to many Uncertainties both by involuntary Mistakes through Weakness of Memory or Understanding and wilful Falsifications and Impostures out of Malice and Design So that the effect of an unrecorded Revelation can neither be large nor lasting it can but reach a few Persons and continue a little while in its full Credibility and the further it goes the weaker like Circles made in Water which the more they inlarge themselves and the longer they continue the less discernable they are 'till at length they quite disappear Whereas being once recorded by Persons secured from Error by Supernatural and Divine Assistance they are not liable to those easie Falsifications or Mistakes which traditional Reports and Relations are necessarily through human Malice or Weakness liable to 2. It is a more general and universal way of Conveyance Which is evident from the common Experience of the World who have pitched upon this way of writing things in Books as that which doth most easily convey the knowledge and notice of things to the generality of Men. 3. It is a more uniform way of Conveyance that is things that are once written and propagated that way lye equally open to all and come in a manner with equal Credit to all it being not morally possible that a common Book that passeth through all hands and which is of vast Importance and Concernment should be liable to any material Corruption without a general Conspiracy and Agreement which cannot be but that it must be generally known So that considering the commonness and universal Concernment of this Book of the Scriptures all Men are in a manner equally that is every Man is sufficiently and competently assur'd of the credit of it that is that we are not in any material thing imposed upon by false Copies But in traditional Revelation it is quite otherwise Traditional being a very unequal and ununiform way of Conveyance For seeing it may be of general Concernment and all cannot have it at the first hand that is immediately from him to whom it was made but some at the second others at the third fourth or fifth hand or much further off the Credit of it will be necessarily weakned by every Remove A Report that comes through many Hands being like the Argument we call Induction and as the Strength and Goodness of that depends upon the Truth of every one of those Instances that make it up so that if any of them fail the whole Argument is naught so the credit of a Report that passeth through twenty hands depends upon the Integrity and Sufficiency of all the Relators and whatever there is either of Falshood and Malice or of Incapacity of Understanding or Frailty of Memory in any of the Relators so much Weakness is derived into the Report or Testimony and consequently the assurance which we can have of a private Revelation which is deliver'd traditionally through a great many Persons must needs be very unequal 4. It is a more lasting way of Conveyance Which likewise appears by Experience we having now nothing at all of the History of ancient times but what is conveyed down to us in Writing 5. It is a more human way of Conveyance which requires less of Miracle and supernatural Interposition for the Preservation of it This Book of the Scriptures may with ordinary