Judgment is averted, and Men restored to their former Peace and Tranquility. How, even in things fortuitous, Juftice is executed; and the Arrow which fuch a Man fhot at random, is yet guided, as to hit the Perfon guilty of fome heinous Crime. How fuch a Man's ruine proves another's inftruction; and he, whom Education could not engage to Prudence, learns to be wife by another's fall. How Men ignorantly contrive their Neighbours good, and while they least intend the happiness of others, take the readieft course to make their labour fuccessful and profperous. How a Flea fhall awaken an Abafbuerus, that he may look into his Chronicles, and read the good Offices of Mordecai, and recompence him, and prevent the Mischief intended against God's People. How a word, that drops fometimes from the Preacher's Mouth in a Sermon, shall make that impreffion on the Hearer's Heart as to change it, and work him into another Man.

He that would take fuch Paffages as these into ferious Confideration, how were it poffible for him to questiona Providence, that orders, and rules, and governs all,and extends its care even to the least, most minute, and most abject and contemptibleCreature? How could he forbear to admire God, as the most wife, most knowing, most lovely, most perfect, moft holy, and most bountiful Being, whofe eyes run to and fro to fhew himfelf ftrong in the behalf of thofe, whofe heart is upright towards him, 2 Chron. 16.9.

The Unbeliever, that doth not believe the Scripture to be the Word of God, and fancies

there

there is no other World, no Judgment after Death; and thinks it irrational, that Temporal Sin fhould be punished with an Eternity of Torments; It's want of Confideration makes him continue Infidel,

For ift, As for the Scripture which contains the Sum and Subftance of the Chriftian Religion, would he but take a walk in the Field, or in his Garden, or in his Chamber, and weigh the Arguments which make for the Divinity of this Book, and confider what he can object against it, whether his objections be equal in ftrength and weight with the Reasons that fetch its Pedigree from Heaven,he would foon be of another mind, and pity the weakness and faucinefs of those Youngiters, that play with the Oracles of God in Ale-houses, or Taverns, or Theatres. He need only discourse with himself in this manner.

I fee the whole Chriftian World, for fo many Centuries together, hath embraced thefe Sacred Volumes, as the Treasury of God's Will and Ordinances, as a Directory dropt down from Heaven, to teach them how God will be worshipped, what Notions they are to entertain of God, and what they are to do to fave their Souls for ever; how they are to order their Lives, how they are to Pray, how they are to behave themselves towards God and Man, and what Rules they are to obferve in their thinking, fpeaking, doing, and dealing in the World. It's very probable, that God, who is all Goodnefs, all Mercy, and of infinite Pity, and hath made this World to ferve Man, and endowed

him with a capacity of knowing and adoring God, would not leave him deftitute of fuch helps and means, as might belt promote his knowledge of him; but find out a way to manifeft himself to him, especially when it's evident, that without fome better Directions than Nature gives, Men are fo very apt to fall into Errors and Mifapprehenfions of his Glory and Majefty, Whether this Book contains therefore the true Revelations which God hath been pleased to make to Mankind, is the Question.

Upon examination I find, that there is nothing in this Book, either promifed, or threatned, or commanded, but what is Deo dignum, fit for a God to promife, and threaten, and command.

Whatever is delivered here, feems to be very agreeable to his Majefty, and Sovereignty, and Divine Nature. The Rewards as well as Punishments are God-like; and the Duties preffed here, are but the neceffary confequence of his Goodness,and Justice, and Government, and Supremacy; which confequences, because Man, by reafon of his corruption, was not able to deduce from the Notion of God, God thought fit to reveal and manifeft to him, by various Paffages, Hiftories, Prophecies, Parables, Precepts, and Conclufions.

Upon enquiry I perceive, that the defigns of this Book are at lealt very harmless, its great aim being to make Men good, and juft, and honeft, and live like Men of Reason; fo that if Men quarrel with it, they must quarrel with their own Make,and Conftitution,which is not onlycapable of fuch perfections, but,were the groffer fenfual

Ob

Objects removed,or feparated from it, would naturally defire and breath after them. Whatever Verity or Truth, the light of Nature, or Reason dictates, is here to be found; and this Book is fo far from contradicting, or abolishing, any thing of that nature, that it improves and refines it. If I fearch all the Volumes of the ancient Heathen Philofophers, Men who ranfack'd Nature, and tried what Nature would difcover of God, and anatomized the Law written upon Mens Heart: If I peruse all the Leffons and Rules of Morality they gave and prescribed to Mankind,I find them all delivered in this Book,much purer, and much clearer, than thofe Philofophers were able to propose them; and what lies scatter'd up and down in their vafter Volumes, is concenter'd here, infomuch that not only Scholars, but very ordinary Capacities, may be Philofophers, and speak more Sense and Reason than the ancient Wits, whom the World, when barbarous and rude, looked upon as Oracles.

The Sacred Writers, whoever they were, for ought I fee,were Men of very noble and generous Spirits, for their great endeavour is, to inftruct and edifie Mankind, and to teach them fuch Delights, as are fit for a Rational Soul to embrace. I fee, they exhort Men to live like themselves, like perfons capable of converfing with God. fee they are all for prefervation of Human Societies, and to this end, they fpeak against all that's evil, and incourage Juftice, and Peace,and Unity, and Charity, and Obedience to Governours, and all that's Good and Holy; and condemn all Hypocrifie, commend upright Dealing,

and

1

and fincerity of Heart, and profcribe even those Sins which the World can take no notice of, Sins of Thoughts, Sins of the Heart, and Sins of Secrecy, and urge a hearty unfeigned love to our Neighbour. Their great care and follicitude is, that Men may not be kept unacquainted with themselves; and tho' they lived in different Ages, at different Times, and were of different Educations, yet they all agree in their great Endeavour and Design to purifie Mens Hearts,and to keep their Confciences void of Offence towards God and towards Men. They would have God worshipped and honoured like a God, in Spirit and in Truth, and require the Cream and Marrow of our Endeavours, our dearest and tenderest Love to be given to him, which indeed is a Worship fit for him that is our Supream Ruler and Governour, in whom we live, and have our Being.

They condemn all Senfuality, which makes Men live like Beasts; and all Impatience, and Discontent, which makes their Lives miferable; and all Pride and Haughtinefs, which makes their near Neighbours hate and despise them; and all base Selfishness, which makes them uncompaffionate. They prefcribe the greatest Cordials against Croffes and Afflictions, for they promise a better Life after this, a Life of everlafting Joy and Bliss; and tho' Mofes and the Prophets fay but little of another Life in express terms, yet they do it in Types and Shadows, and mysterious Phrafes and Actions, which the Prophets among the Jews in all probability explained to the People; and suppose there

were