trines now explained, which are put beyond all Manner of Doubt by their own Plainness, if we allow but the Authority of the Holy Scripture, which no Christian in his Senses can refuse.

Ir any one weighs the Arguments, by which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved, with these Doctrines in his View; he will observe (and if it be well observed, it will be of great Use) that all the Force of the Argument is employed about these Things, and not about those Points which divide the Christian World, as was before hinted.

SECT. V.

Whence every one ought to learn the Knowledge of the Christian Religion.

IN this Agreement and Disagreement amongst Christians, prudent Men will judge it most safe, to take their Knowledge of the Christian Religion from the Fountain, which is not in the least suspected, and whose Streams all confess to be pure and undefiled. And this Fountain is not the Creed or the Confession of Faith of any particular Church, but only the Books of the New Testament which all acknowledge to be genuine. I confess some Christians do sometimes say, that those Books cannot be understood but by the Doctrine of their Church; but others again deny it; and (to mention but this one Thing) that Opinion is very suspicious, which depends only on the Testimony of those that affirm it; and they such, whose chief Interest is, that it should. seem true. Others say, that there is Need of the extraordinary Assistance of the Holy Spirit, not only in order to the Belief of the Scripture (which may without any great Difficulty be allowed) but

also

also, in order to understand the Meaning of the Words contained in it; which I do not see how it can be proved; but we will grant this also, provided they will acknowledge that all Men, who read the Books of the New Testament with a religious Mind, intent upon the Truth, are afforded this Spirit by the Goodness of God; there is no Need of contending for any Thing more than this. Every one, therefore, may wisely and safely gather his Knowledge of the Christian Religion from these Books; yet making use of those Helps that are necessary or profitable for the Understanding of such Book; which we will not now inquire after.

WHOEVER therefore believes, that the Revelation of the Will of God made by Christ, is faithfully related in the Books of the New Testament; such an one must of Necessity embrace all Things which he there meets with, according as he understands them, as Matters of Faith, Practice and Hope; for whoever believes in Christ, ought to receive with a religious Mind, every Thing which he thinks comes from him; he cannot defend himself with any Excuse, whereby to admit some and reject others, of those Things which he acknowledges to come from Christ. And such are those Doctrines I before explained, and concerning which all Christians, as I said, are agreed.

As to the Rest, about which they contest; since they are not so very plain, a religious and pious Man may and ought to deliberate concerning them, and with-hold his Judgment till they appear more evident to him: For it is very impru dent to admit or reject any Thing, before it sufficiently appears to be either true or false. Nor is eternal Salvation, in the Books of the New Testament, promised to any one who embraces this or that controverted Opinion; but to him who heartily receives in his Mind, and expresses in his Actions,

5

Actions, the Sum of the Christian Religion, as we have described it.

SECT. VI.

Nothing else ought to be imposed upon Christians, but what they can gather from the New Testament.

(a) THIS, therefore, is the only Thing that can justly be imposed upon all Christians, viz. that they embrace whatever they think is contained in the Books of the New Testament, and obey those Things which they find there commanded, and abstain from those Things which are there forbidden; if any Thing further be required of them as necessary, it is without any Authority. For would any fair Judge require a Christian to believe a Doctrine came from Christ, which he does not find in the only faithful and undoubted Records, in which all are agreed the Revelation of Christ is derived down to us? Let other Doctrines be true; let us take this for granted a little while; they cannot however be esteemed as true by him, who amongst the different Sorts of Christians, follows the middle Way, and allows of no certain Record of the

(a) This, therefore, is the only Thing, &c.] To this belongs what Christ saith, Matt. xxiii. Ver. 8. and following; "Be ye not called Rabbi, for one is your Master, even Christ, "and all ye are Brethren. And call no Man your Father upon "the Earth, for one is your Father, which is in Heaven: "Neither be ye called Masters, for one is your Master, even "Christ." See also Jumes iii. 1. To the same Purpose, Rev. iii 7. where Christ is said to have the "Key of David," which is thus described, "which opens (namely Heaven) and no one "shuts, and which shutteth and no one openeth.' If we are to believe Christ only, and there remains no other certain Record of the Revelation made by Christ, but the New Testament; it is manifest from hence, that in Matters of Faith, we ought to give Credit only to these Books.

Revelation,

A

Revelation of Christ, but the Books of the New Testament. Whilst he believes this, nothing else can justly be required of him; and he will believe this, till it shall be made appear to him by plain Arguments, that the Knowledge of Christianity is safely to be had somewhere else which I believe will never be done.

(a) Ir any one therefore attempts to take away from Christians the Books of the New Testament, or to add to them such Things as do not appear to be true, we are by no means to hearken to such an one; because he requires that of us, which no prudent Man will allow, viz. that we should believe that which we are not certain of, or neglect that which all own to be the sure Record of the Revelation of the Gospel. There is no Need of examining all Controversies singly, and one by one; which would be an endless Thing, and cannot be done but by very learned Men, who have Abundance of Leisure. Whoever imposes any Thing upon us, as necessary to be believed, which we cannot believe; he drives us from himself; because Belief cannot be extorted by Force; nor will any one who fears God, and is a Lover of Truth, suffer himself to profess what he does not believe, for the Sake of another.

BUT they who differ from this, object; that if every one be left to their own Liberty, in judging of the Meaning of the Books of the New Testament; there will be as many Religions as

66

(a) If any one therefore attempts, &c.] To this relates that Saying of Paul, Gal. i. 8. "If we, or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Thing for, the Gospel than that Gospel which we have preached to you, let him be accursed." And indeed it is no Man's Business to add any Thing to the Gospel, as unnecessary; nor to diminish any Thing from it, as unprofitable."

there are Men; and Truth, which is but one, will immediately be oppressed by a Multitude of Errors. But I think, that before an Opinion, which is established upon solid Arguments, be opposed by Objections, the Foundations upon which it is built ought to be overthrown; because so long as that remains firm, the whole Superstructure raised upon it cannot be shaken; as we see here. For, if any Inconvenience should follow from what has been said, it is nevertheless true, till it be made appear not to be fixed on a firm Bottom. But to pass by this now; it is false that the Revelation of the New Testament is so obscure, that the Sum of the Christian Religion cannot be truly learned from it, by any one of a sound Mind, who is desirous of Truth. It is evident from Experience, that it may be truly learned from thence; for all Christians, as has been already shewn, agree in the principal Parts of it; which was observed by Grotius Book II. Sect. XVII. We have no regard here to a few simple or wicked Men; since whole Societies of Christians, who in other Respects, out of their too great Eagerness of Contention, are apt to differ from one another, and to run into the contrary Extremes, are here agreed.

SECT. VII.

The Providence of God, in preserving the Christian Doctrine, is very wonderful.

IN this Particular, as in numberless others which relate to the Government of human Affairs, the Divine Providence is very wonderful, which, notwithstanding so many Differences, as were of old, and are at this Day amongst Christians, yet hath preserved