B. You really here furprise me. If outward Addreffes to the Senfes will not afford Ground of rational Satisfaction, what will? This was furely oftentimes the Method of GOD's revealing himself to Holy Men in the Old Teftament. It is faid GOD fpake to them; and I fuppofe this was done, as reprefented by an outward and fenfible Voice. What other concurring Circumftances or Teftimonies would you have to accompany this way of Revelation, that will render it unexceptionable?

What A. There are many. The Scripture, altho' Proofs ufually at very concife as to this Matter, yet fufficiently tended this informs us, makes this way of Revelation quite way of a different Thing, from the pretences of the Heathens, as to their converfing with their Gods, or of the Enthufiafts amongst our felves. B. Would you felect fome Inftances among the Prophets, that one might fee the Difference?

Revela

zion.

A. First, It is obfervable, that this fort of Revelation confifted not in a mere External Call or Voice, but other great and extraordinary Things there were that generally accompanied it, which in their own Nature were apt to ftrike a good and wife Man with deep Regard and Attention, and were fitted to produce a rational and well-grounded Belief.

First, It cannot be doubted, if GOD pleafes, but that he can make vifible Appearances to the Senfe, and reveal himfelf this way. Secondly, When he does it, he must be supposed to do it with an intention of being known by them, of having his Will communicated and underftood by others. Thirdly, This being the end, it is farther to be fuppofed, That every thing in order to it, is fair, void of all fhew and fufpicion of Tricking and Impofture: For when GOD truly reveals himfelf, why should any

Man

Man suppose it has not the utmost Evidence and Proof? The Revelation being true, and intended to be known as true, the Method taken to this end, I think, muft be clear and unexceptionable. All this we muft fuppofe, unless we will make the. Deity miferably trifle, or worse.

B. I believe you: For when a Good and Wife Man finds a neceffity of informing another in any momentous Truth, and he undertakes it, his Wisdom and his Goodness will fecure him, that he ufes Expreffions and Methods, that are fitteft to Inftruct and Perfwade, otherwise he defeats himself of his own end.

A. Now whether this be not the Cafe in Fact, let us Examine. Mofes was an Infpired Man, and a Prophet, to whom GOD`made himfelf known this way. Now being intended to do great Things for the Jewish Nation, to be their Leader and Law-giver, on whom they fhould efpecially depend, it must be prefum'd, that fomething greater and more miraculous fhould attend his Revelations, than thofe of others, according to the Dignity and height of his Character and Imployment. Now, How he came to know himself a true Prophet, you read in the Old Teftament. The first time this Prophet had any Divine Manifeftation was in Horeb, the manner of which is thus defcrib'd: (a) And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of Fire, out of the midst of the Bush; and he looked, and behold the Bush burned with Fire, and the Bush was not confumed; and Mofes faid, I will now turn afide and fee this great fight, why the Bush is not burnt This very firft Appearance, has it not fomething very extraordinary in it?

(4) Exod. ch. 3. V. 2, 3•

A. Yes

B. Yes certainly. For a Man to be presented with fuch a fight unthought of, muft very much furprise him; it has the Face of fomething, as you fay, very extraordinary and miraculous at the very firft Appearance. The Bush all on fire, and yet not burnt, which is not usual nor natural, and therefore must be immediately interpreted by a Man of Understanding, as a Prodigy; this therefore is well begun, the Foundation is laid in Miracle.

A. Agreeable to the Character of Mofes, as a Man of Learning and Judgment, you obferve how he behaves himfelf on this occafion: The thing was very uncommon and extraordinary, and as a Wife Man, he proceeds to enquire in-. to the Cause and Meaning of it. He did not; immediately, although an extraordinary Appearance, conclude it Divine and Miraculous, but went to fee and examine it; and had there been any thing of Cheat, or nothing but fome Natural Effect, altho' uncommon, he had been very likely to have discover'd it; but he was prevented in his Search, and another and a greater Miracle fucceeded it; for immediately, upon his turning to fee this great fight, GOD called unto him out of the midst of the Bush, and faid, Mofes, Mofes (b). So that here was the undoubted Atteftation of both his Senfes, his Sight, and Hearing.

B. The Truth is, That Fire fhould speak, is more Miraculous, than that Fire fhould not. burn.

A. It is very reasonable likewise to suppose in the fecond Place, That this Appearance of Fire. hrad fomething more extraordinary, and terrible in it, than what is common to that Element,

(b) Exod. ch. 3. v. 4.

as

8

as it appears by the Circumftances of the Story. For it is faid, when (c) Mofes drew near, be bid his Face, and was afraid to look upon GOD, which might be owing to the Majefty and Terror of the Appearance, which usually was very great and extraordinary. For as the Scripture defcribes GOD Almighty dwelling in inacceffible Light, whofe Splendor is infuppor table by Mortal fight; fo it appeared in Fact, when he was pleafed this way to reveal himself, it confounded its Spectators beyond the force of Natural Agents or Caufes, or at leaft of that here affign'd, common Fire: And of this the Holy Prophets were fo deeply appris'd, that they avoided, as much as poffible, the Glory and Terror of this Manifeftation, out of dread of immediate Death, or utter Confufion and Delinquency of Underftanding and Spirit: And there wanted not Examples of this kind, wherein Men had greatly fuffered by a too full and open difplay of the Divine Nature upon them, as particularly in the Cafe of St. Paul, who was ftruck to the Ground and depriv'd of all fight, by the fudden and amazing Light that furrounded him. So that upon the whole, it became ainongft the true Prophets, both from Experience and exprefs Declaration of GOD, a rooted Univerfal Opinion, that a full Display of the Divine Nature was dangerous, and confequently it was Matter of the higheft Caution to them, that they beheld not too great Degrees of it; as may be abundantly feen in the Reve-> lation made to the Prophet Elijah (d), which is thus described. And behold the Lord paffed by, and a great strong wind rent the Mountains, and brake in pieces

(c) Exod. ch. 3. v. 6, (d) 1 Kings, cb. 19, p. 11.

the Rocks before the Lord; and after the Wind an Earthquake, and after the Earthquake a Fire. Certainly enough to confound the Understanding of any Mortal, which we may take Notice the Prophet was willing to preferve. So again; How terrible was the Appearance of GOD on Mount Sinai? Mount Sinai was altogether in Smoak, because the Lord defcended on it in Fire, and the fmoak thereof afcended like the fmoak of a Furnace, and the whole Mount quaked greatly. No wonder the People apprehended immediate Death, could not fuftain the Majefty and Terror of fuch a fight. From all which it may be inferred, That this Appearance of Fire, which Mofes faw in the Bush, and upon his approach to, was afraid of, and hid his Face from, had fomewhat of peculiarity in it, and made a livelier Impreffion on his Senfe, than that Element, or perhaps any thing that the fight in this World is converfant with, is capable of.

B. I muft acknowledge the Circumftances of this Revelation to Mofes, were very extraordinary; and truly if Men grant the Matter of Fact, here is the highest Ground of believing fomething Supernatural in it. If the moft Wife and Cautious Man now-a-days were encompas'd with fuch a Scene, if fuch Representations were made before him on a fudden, without any or the least Appearance of Natural Caufes; I know not what he could think or fay, but that GOD Almighty was in it, as thefe Men thought and concluded. These certainly are the most remote from any fhew of Tricking or Impo fture.

A. We are taught both from Reafon and Divine Writ, That GOD is a Spirit, and, as fuch, cannot be revealed to the Senfe. How can he then be revealed? By fuch outward Manifefta