God to require fome other Conditions, contrary to his Compact with his Son. But if only a part of those Conditions was reveal'd by the Apoftles, and the other part was to be difcover'd in afterages; then the firft Chriftians did not perform all the Conditions of the Gofpel-Covenant, and confequently cou'd not claim Salvation by it. But this is fo abfurd and fo uncharitable a Doctrin, as I hope no good Man will maintain. If it be faid, that tho' God had made an abfolute promise to our Savior, yet there is no injuftice in the alteration of it, upon fuppofition that our Savior's consent be first had; and therefore the Father and the Son together may by mutual confent reveal fome New things, and impofe them as neceffary to Salvation; I anfwer, That we cannot fuppofe two Perfons in the Holy Trinity to have made an overhafty Covenant, and afterward to defire each other's consent for the improvement of it. Besides, that this being liable to perpetual alterations, wou'd make the Chriftian Religion the most uncertain thing in the World.

4. 'Tis an act of injuftice to Mankind to require New Conditions of Salvation. For tho' our Salvation be the Gift of God, yet this Gift is now confirm'd to us by a Divine Charter; fo that 'tis not in God's power to alter it by adding new Conditions, without which we fhall not reap the benefits of it. For God is obliged to ftand to his Promife, and perform thofe things, which he has given us a legal Title to, and a juft Right to require of him. Nay,

5. St. Paul has plainly forbidden us to receive any new Terms of Salvation, befides what he himfelf has publish'd to the World; saying, Gal. 1.8. Tho' we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other

D Ś

Gofpel

Gospel unto you, than that which we have preach'd unto you, let him be accurs'd. let him be accurs'd. Nay, he is ex

tremely vehement in this injunction, as appears by his repetition of it in the following Verfe, faying, As we faid before, fo Say I now again, if any Man preach any other Gospel unto you, than that ye have receiv'd, let him be accurs'd. Now 'twill be readily granted by our Adverfaries, that St. Paul wrote these words by the affiftance of God's Spirit; and that they are to be understood as God's Command: and therefore I defire them to confider, whether it can be imagin'd, that an All-wife and Immutable God wou'd publifh any other Gospel than what had been preach'd by the Apoftles, after he had forbidden the whole World to receive any other Gospel than what was at firft deliver'd. And yet this must have been done, if God has reveal'd any new things as neceffary to Salvation, fince the Apoftles times. Nay, farther ftill,

6. We cannot have better proof of any New Doctrin, than the Teftimony of Miracles; and yet our Savior himfelf has warn'd us against admitting even that fort of proof; faying, For there hall arife falfe Chrifts, &c. Matth. 24. 24. Behold, I have told you before, faies he, v. 25. that you may not be deceiv'd by them. And St, Paul tells us of one that comes with all power and figns and lying wonders, 2 Theff. 2. 9. So that we have invincible Objections against the Miracles themfelves, and all imaginable Reafon to reject thofe New Doarines which are prov'd by them.

Thefe, if I miftake not, are very weighty Arguments against the Reception of New Terms of Salvation; and much ftronger than any the Jews or Gentiles cou'd offer against our Holy Profeffion. For the Gentile Religion was eafily prov'd to be abfurd ;

abfurd ; and the Jewish Law was to continue but for a time. Twas a type of things to come; and they were to expect an alteration of it. But we have the fureft grounds to believe that the Christian Religion (as 'twas Preach'd by the Apoftles) was to be a standing and perpetual rule to the end of the World; and we are exprefly injoyn'd to hold him accurs'd, that preaches any other Gofpel and therefore, tho' it were fuppos'd lawful to receive fome novelties, if attefted by Miracles (which nevertheless we may and ought to di ftruft after fuch Cautions; yet I fay, tho' it were fuppos'd lawful to receive fome Novelties) certainly we may justly expect the moft convincing Demonftrations to prove the Divine Authority of any Additions to it.

Therefore let our Adverfaries produce their Credentials; let them perform Miracles before our Eyes; and do fuch things in confirmation of their Doctrines, as may at least equal what the Apostles did in former daies. But I am fatisfy'd that they will not pretend to fuch Teftimonials. Something perhaps that is a little odd,may be faid to have been done in a corner; or perhaps theymay give us an old Story to prove a Revelation by: but we are not to build upon fuch fandy foundations; or to receive a thing that is faid to come from God, without evident and fubftantial Reasons to affure us, that God did certainly reveal it. Great things are most juftly requir'd at the hands of thofe, who fet up for new Lights and fresh Revelations: but we find no Performances answerable to their pretences. Wherefore we must take the freedom of withholding our affent, till fuch mighty Deeds are fhewn, as right reafon fhall not be able to diftruft.

CHAP.

CHA P. IX.

That the Scriptures do contain all things necessary to Salvation.

TH

HUS then I have made it appear, that we have no fufficient Proof, that any particular Doctrines not contain'd in the Scriptures, were reveal'd either to the Apoftles, or to any other Perfons: from whence it follows that God has not at all reveal'd any particular Doctrines not contain'd in the Scriptures. Now fince we are not to receive any thing as a Divine Revelation without a fufficient Proof; and fince we have no fufficient Proof of any Revelations, befides what we find in the Scriptures; 'tis plain that the Holy Scriptures are the only Divine Revelations, which we ought to receive. And therefore, fince 'tis granted on both fides, that God has reveal'd all thofe things which are neceffary to Salvation; and fince the Holy Scriptures are the only Divine Revelations which we ought to receive; it follows, that the Holy Scriptures, which are now prov'd to be the only certain Revelations, do contain all things neceffary to Salvation.

CHAP.

CHAP. X.

The First Objection, that the Canon of Scripture is imperfect, anfwer'd.

NOT

THING now remains, but that I anfwer two Objections.

First then, It is faid, That if the Holy Scriptures do contain all things neceffary to Salvation; it must be understood either of the whole Canon, or of fome one particular Book. Now our Adverfaries may juftly conclude, that no one particular Book do's contain all things neceffary to Salvation; if they can prove that the whole Canon do's not contain them: as they endeavor to make appear, by fhewing, that the prefent Canon of Scripture is imperfect; becaufe diverfe Books which formerly belong'd to it, are now faid to be loft. To this I answer, 1. That we can prove, that not one Book, that was once truly Canonical, is now loft; and that feveral of thofe Books which they inftance in, are now exftant in our Canon, tho' under different Titles. But 'tis not neceffary for me to enter upon that difpute, because this Objection will appear to be of no force, if it be confider'd, 2. That the Queftion at prefent is not concerning the Number of Canonical Books; whether any of them be loft, or no: but concerning the certainty of Revelation; whether we have fufficient reason to receive any particular Doctrin not contain'd in the Scriptures, as reveal'd by Almighty God. Therefore our Adverfaries ought not to urge, that our present Canon is imperfect but they ought to prove that we

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