s Will. Now
'tis evident, from the absurd Notions which the ancient Heathens had of
the Deity, and their Idolatry, that Mankind was so far degenerated and
deprav'd, that they had lost the true Knowledge of God, and of his
Attributes, and consequently were ignorant of their Duty towards him;
for which reason, God was pleas'd, out of his infinite Love and Mercy
towards Mankind, to send at sundry times _Prophets_; that is, Men who
were inspir'd by the _Holy Spirit_, and had the Will of God
_immediately_ reveal'd to them; to the end that they might instruct
others how to serve him (the ancient Tradition receiv'd from our first
Parents, and those good Men which succeeded them, being now almost worn
out, and over-grown by the increasing Wickedness of the World) and
thereby avoid those Judgments which would otherwise infallibly overtake
them, if they continu'd in Impenitence and Disobedience.

Sec. 4. This was the Means which the Generality of the People of God had to
know his Will. They receiv'd it from the _Prophets_, who had it
_immediately_ from God. So that the Difference of their Knowledge
consisted in the Manner of their receiving of it, not in the Things
receiv'd, which were the same both to the _Prophets_ and the _People_.
Only the _Prophets_ receiv'd it _immediately_, but not the _People_: for
then consequently they would all have been Prophets, which it is plain
they were not.

Sec. 5. And when it had pleas'd God to give a clearer and fuller Revelation
of his Will to the Prophet _Moses_; what was deliver'd to him, was
committed to the Care of the Priests, of whom both King and People were
oblig'd to learn their Duty. Deut. xvii. 18. _And it shall be when he
sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom, that he shall write him a Copy
of this Law in a Book, out of that which is before the Priests the
Levites, and it shall be with him, and, he shall read therein all the
Days of his Life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep
all the Words of this Law, and these Statutes, to do them_. And Malachi
xi. 7. _The Priests Lips should preserve Knowledge, and they should seek
the Law at his Mouth, for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts_. So
that they were not to seek after any other more perfect manner of
Worship, than what was deliver'd in that Book, nor to expect that those
Truths or Precepts which were contained in it, should be reveal'd to
them anew, either by any Prophet living in their time, or by _immediat