THE INTRODUCTION. A S, in Matters of Speculation and Philofophical Inquiry, the only Judge of what is right or wrong, is Reafon and Experience; fo in Matters, either of humane Teftimony or divine Revelation, the only certain Rule of Truth is the Teftimony or the Revelation itself. The Chriftian Revelation, is the DoArine of Chrift and his Apoftles; that is, the Will of God made known to mankind by Christ, and by Those whom Christ intrusted with infallible Authority to teach it. For the right apprehending of which Doctrine, men are (as in other matters of the greatest importance to them) fincerely to make use of their best Understanding; and, in order thereunto. to take in all the Helps they can find, either from living Instructors or an tient tient Writers: But this, only as a Means to affift and clear up their own Underflanding, not to over-rule it; as a Means to afford them Light to fee what Christ has taught them, not to prejudice them with fuppofing that Chrift has taught any thing, which, after the strictest inquiry and most careful examination, they cannot find to be delivered in his DoStrine If in all things abfolutely neceffary to be believed and practifed in order to Salvation, the Revelation of Chrift was not in it felf fo clear, as that every fincere perfon, ufing the beft Helps and Affiftances he can meet with, could fufficiently understand it; it would follow, that God had not at all made fufficient provision for the Salvation of men. For the Doctrine of Chrift and his Apostles being the only Foundation we have to go upon, and no man fince pretending to have had any new Revelation; 'tis evident there can never poffibly be any Authority upon Earth, fufficient to oblige any man to receive any thing as of divine Revelation, which it cannot make appear to that Mans own Understanding (fincerely ftudying and inquiring after the Truth,) to be included in That Revelation. For if any man can by any exter nal nal Authority be bound to believe any thing to be the Doctrine of Chrift, which at the fame time his best Understanding neceffitates him to believe is not that Doctrine; he is unavoidably under the Abfurdity of being obliged to obey Two contrary Masters, and to follow Two inconfiftent Rules at once. The only Rule of Faith therefore to every Chriftian, is the Doctrine of Chrift; and That DoArine, as applied to him by his own Understanding. In which matter, to preserve his Understanding from erring, he is obliged indeed, at his utmoft peril, to lay afide all Vice and all Prejudice, and to make use of the best Affiftances he can procure: But after he has done all that can be done, he muft of neceffity at laft understand with his own Understanding, and believe with his own, not anothers, Faith. For (whatever has fometimes been abfurdly pretended to the contra ry,)tis evidently as impoffible in Nature, that in these things any one perfon fhould fubmit himself to another, as that one man fhould fee or tafte, fhould live or breathe for another. 3 Wherefore in every Inquiry, Doubt, Question or Controverfy concerning Religion, every man that is follicitous to avoid erring, is obliged to have recourfe (accor (according to the best of his Capacity) to the Rule itself, to the original Revelation. Ufing (as is before faid) all the Helps and Affiftances he can obtain; But ftill taking care to use them, only as Helps and Affiftances; not confounding and blending them with the Rule itself. Where That Rule is to be found by every fincere Christian, is very evident. Whatever our Lord himself taught, (because his Miracles proved his divine Authority,) was infallibly True, and to Us (in matters of Religion) the Rule of Truth. Whatever his Apoftles preached, (because they were infpired by the fame Spirit, and proved their Commiflion by the like Teftimony of Miracles,) was likewife a part of the Rule of Truth. Whatever the Apoftles wrote, (because they wrote under the Direction of the fame Spirit by which they preached, ) was in like manner a part of the Rule of Truth. Now in the Books of Scripture is conveyed down to us the Sum of what our Saviour taught, and of what the Apoftles preached and wrote! And were there as good evidence, by any certain means of Tradition whatfoever, of any other things taught by Chrift or his Apoftles, as there is for thofe delivered down to us in thefe Writings; it could not be |