pearance, obtained the fame Title every where. St. Peter gives it by the plaineft Implication to what St. Paul wrote: and doubtless what He, and the reft of the twelve, wrote, equally deferved. it. Inspiration is any particular Influence of God on the Mind: whence we pray in the. Communion Service, that he would cleanfe our Hearts by the Infpiration of his Holy Spirit. But, in the Cafe before us, it must fignify such Influence, as will be effectual for the Purpose: of writing fuch Books. And of this there may be various Degrees requifite, and therefore granted, according to the Variety of Circumftances. Moving a Perfon inwardly to undertake the Work is one Degree. Superintending him during the Execution of it, fo as to preferve him from any confiderable Mistake or Omiffion, is another. Preferving him from all," even the least, is a higher ftill. Enabling him to express himself in a Manner loftier, clearer, more convincing or more affecting, than he could have done otherwife, is yet a further Step. Suggesting to him alfo the Matter, which he shall deliver, goes beyond the former, efpecially if he was unacquainted with it till then. And putting into his Mouth the very Words he shall use, is the completest Guidance, that can be. Now we fay not, that God hath done all thefe Things in every Part of Scripture: but fo many in each, as were needful. That He di d rected Mofes to write his Laws, and Ifaiah, and Ezekiel and Habakkuk, Part at least of their Prophecies, and Jeremiah the Whole of his, and St. John the Book of Revelation %, they themselves pofitively affure us and by Parity of Reafon we may prefume it concerning the reft: nor can we doubt, but that, writing in Obedience to his Command, they wrote fo, as he approved. On fome Occafions perhaps they wanted, and therefore had, no extraordinary Affiftance. Without this, the Hiftorians amongst them might relate feveral Facts from their own perfonal Knowledge, others from authentic Records: and Mofes might receive his Accounts of the earliest Ages from undoubted Tradition. For Tradition was much longer credible, when there were but few Things to commit to Memory, and there was no other Way of preferving them, and two or b Exod. xxxiv. 27. Comp. xxiv. 4. Jer. xxx. 2. xxxvi. 2, 28. 11. Deut. xxxi. 9, 22. Rev. i. 11, 19. three three Generations lafted many Centuries. The Writers of the Pfalms might often chuse their own Subjects, and treat them fuitably to their own Genius. The wife King, and other Compilers of the Proverbs, might perpetuate their own Maxims. The Authors of the Epiftles may well be fuppofed to have given the many fmall Directions, which we find in them, folely from the Dictates of their own Prudence. The Authors of all the Books might be trufted very commonly to use their own Stile and Method, (in which accordingly there is much Diversity) nay, even their own Illuftrations, Arguments and Reafonings, on the Points before them. And yet, amidst all this, the watchful Eye of God might fufficiently provide against their misleading into Error and Sin, or omitting to inftruct in any Thing effential, thofe, whom they were appointed to make wife unto Salvation". That he hath fuperintended them thus far, is evident from the Neceffity of his doing it. The Patriarchal, Jewish and Christian Revelations, which are contained, with their principal Evidences, in these Books, could not be known with Certainty otherwise than by Means h 2 Tim. iii. 15. of of them, after fome Time, though they might at firft by Word of Mouth. And therefore to prevent his gracious Intention towards every fucceeding Generation from being fruftrated, undoubtedly God would take Care, that the Scripture should teach us infallibly what he required us to believe and do: which was impoffible, if his Truths and the Imaginations of his Creatures were blended in them promifcuously: or indeed, if they were only left to express themselves as they could, properly or improperly, concerning abstruse and difficult Matters, (as there are many fuch in the facred Writings,) where a finall Error in their Phrase might occafion a great one in our Belief or Conduct. For on this Suppofition, how should we diftinguish with Safety in Matters of fuch Moment: and where fhall they, who reject any one Article, find a fure Place to stop at? Fatal Experience hath proved continually, that they can find none. And confequently our wife and good Maker would effectually preferve Writings of fuch infinite Importance, not only from grofs Errors, but from the very fmalleft in Faith or Practice, and, one fhould think, in Arguings and Facts alfo: the former being often affected by the latter. But But this is not all: he must have interposed much farther. We find Paffages throughout, fo fublime, fo pathetic, full of fuch Energy and Force upon the Heart and Confcience; yet without the leaft Appearance of Labour and Study for that Purpose: indeed the Defign of the Whole is fo noble, fo well fuited to the fad Condition of human Kind; the Morals have in them fuch Purity and Dignity; the Doctrines are many of them so much above Reason, yet all of them fo reconcileable with it; the Expreffion is fo majeftic, yet familiarifed with such eafy Simplicity; that the more we read and study these Books with pious Difpofitions and judicious Attention, the more we fhall fee and feel of the Hand of God in them; and without fixing diftinctly on this or that Text, be fully satis fied in the Grofs, that no mere Men, and yet lefs unlearned Men, as feveral of the Writers were, could ever approach to fuch Perfection, (far fuperior to that of the most admired Hear thens,) without being raised vaftly above themfelves by fupernatural Aid. But then if we confider alfo the accurate Agreement and Correfpondence of the feveral Parts, though of very different Natures, written at very different Times, under very different Difpenfations of 6 Religion, |