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they profeffedly undertake to give an account of the feveral times, in which Chrift made a personal appearance after his refurrection. Can it then be reasonably supposed, that God would give feveral histories to the world upon one and the fame fubject; and yet would omit in every one of them to relate a fact, which was most pertinent and material to answer the grand purpose of those histories? No furely.

Fifthly, The doubtfulness and uncertainty of the historians with respect to fome facts, or the circumstances which attended them, plainly prove that those histories were not written by divine inspiration in the sense abovementioned. Thus at the marriage in Cana of Galilee, John ii. 6. it is faid, And there were set there fix water-pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Upon which I observe, that if this branch of hiftory had been the produce of divine inspiration, then we should have had an exact account, not only of the number of those vessels for purification, but also of the quantity, which each vessel contained. Whereas the hiftorian writing of, and from his own mind, and from a judgment formed upon what he saw, tho' he gives us the exact number of the veffels, because that came within his view; yet the quantity, which each vessel contained, he could only guess at, and therefore gives a doubtful and uncertain account of it, and

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and says that they contained two or three firkins apiece. Thus again, Atts i. 15, it is faid, the number of the names together (viz. the difciples which were met together) were about an hundred and twenty. Which is the same as to say that, though the historian was uncertain as to the exact number of the difciples met together, yet he, or the perfon he had his information from, guess'd them to be about an hundred and twenty. Whereas, if this branch of the history had been written by divine inspiration, there would have been no room for doubtfulness or uncertainty, nor any place for guessing in the cafe. Because, as God is most certainly perfectly acquainted with the exact number, or quantity of every fubject, which he may at any time be supposed to treat of; fo he would have given not an uncertain, but a certain account of the number of the disciples, that were met together. From which, I think, it evidently appears, that those histories were not written by divine inspiration in the sense abovementioned.

Sixthly and lastly, This is what is frankly acknowledg'd by St. Luke, who not only declares that his writing his gospel was an act of his own choice, as in chap. i. at ver. 3. (it Seemed good to me also —to write unto thee, most excellent Theophilus, &c.) but he also declares, who it was which furnished him with materials for this work, viz. not almighty God revealing to, and impreffing upon his mind the

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the fubject matter contained in it, but it was those men who were eye witnesses, and minifiers or attendants on the Meffiah, as at ver. 2. It was from those that he had received a large and full account of all things from the very first; take the whole account in the Evangelift's own words. Forafmuch as many have taken in hand to fet forth in order a declaration of those things which are most furely believed amongst us, (even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eye witnesses, and minifters of the word), it feemed good to me alfo, (having had perfect underStanding from the very first), to write unto thee in order (most excellent Theophilus), that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed. Here we fee, St. Luke declares for himself and others, that they wrote from the informations they had received, from those who were eye witneffes of the facts they related; and confequently they did not write by divine inspiration as aforefaid.

These, Sir, are the grounds and reasons, upon which the abovementioned opinion is founded, with respect to the historical parts of the New Testament. The use that I shall make of it is to observe, that we ought carefully to diftinguish betwixt what is strictly and properly the history of the New Testament, and what is barely the judgment or opinion of the historian: because the truth of those are to be tried, and judged of by different evidences, and in different ways. The truth of the facts contained in the gospel history is to be tried, and judged of, by fuch evidences, and in fuch a way, as the truth of all other facts is to be tried, and judged of by, viz. we are to enquire whether the hiftorian wrote from his own knowledge, or whether he had his information from others; and if the latter, then whether those, he received his informations from, were under fuch circumstances, as qualified them to come at a right and true information of the facts they related; and likewife with respect to both, we are to enquire whether they were persons of fuch honesty and integrity, as would give a true and faithful account of what they saw and heard, or of what they were thus informed of, &c. But if the historian gave his judgment or opinion concerning any part or parts of that hiftory, the truth of that opinion is not to be tried or judged of, in the fame way, by which we judge of the truth of the facts he related; but it is to be judged of in the fame way, in which we judge of the truth of other mens opinions, with respect to the same fubject, viz. we are to examine the principles, upon which such opinion is founded, and fee whether it is well grounded or not, in order to judge of the truth of it. For as the mind and pen of the historian were not under a divine movement and direction, but he wrote from his own knowledge, or from the informations he received from others, and from his

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own judgment, which judgment was fallible, and therefore not abfolutely to be rely'd upon: so the truth of his opinions, in the present cafe, must be tried and judged of in the fame way, and by fuch evidences, as the opinions of all other men are tried and judged of by; viz. by examining the grounds and reasons, upon which they are founded.

And that I may be rightly and fully understood with respect to the point in hand, I will give a cafe, viz. John xix. from ver. 32. to 37. Then came the foldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucify'd with him. But when they came to Jefus, and faw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs. But one of the foldiers with a spear pierced his fide, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And be that faw it bare record, and his record is true, and he knoweth that he faith truth, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the fcriptures should be fulfilled, a bone of him shall not be broken. And again another fcripture faith, they shall look on him whom they have pierced. In this branch of history, the historian first gives a relation of certain facts, viz. that the foldiers brake the legs of the two thieves, who were crucify'd with Christ; and that they did not break the legs of our Lord, but that one of the foldiers pierced his fide with a spear, and forthwith came there out blood and water. The historian having given a relation of these facts, proceeds then, fecondly,

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