the Scriptures in this View, Eternal Life will meet him in every Thought. As they are calculated for this End, fo they abound with Means to promote it. This Motive, once admitted, will grow upon us in every Search; and we fhall foon find that Word, which is to many Foolishness and an Offence, to be Wisdom and Power, Spirit and Life.

But if we drop this View, no matter what other we fubftitute in its room, how shall we be inform'd or improv'd in that Particular to which we have no Eye? If we read the Scriptures, as Books of Entertainment, to waste a tedious Hour, or, which is more plaufible, to criticise on the Language, Poetry or Oratory, to observe upon the Antiquities or Hiftory of them; or, which is more fpecious ftill, to affert their Divine Original and Authority; all these Ends we may answer, and become

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notable Proficients in any of these Particulars, and yet remain the fame Men as to our Moral Nature, and be no more inftructed in the Concerns of Eternal Life, than if we had been studying fome profane Author with the like Purpose. We pass over the Words of Eternal Life, without any Impreffion from them; they fuggeft nothing at all to us, whilst the Intention of our Minds is directed another' way. A various Reading, or critical Obfervation, engages fome Men more than all the Promifes and Terrors of the Lord. The Word of Chrift, as well as his Perfon heretofore, is preft by Multitudes on every Side, but few are they who perceive Virtue to come out of it. We may eat of the Loaves, and admire the Miracles; we may find what we feek, but

are not likely to find what we never fearch after.

Let every one therefore who takes the Word of God in his Hands, recollect within himself, with what View he is going to peruse it. The Design of the Author is Eternal Life; is this ours? otherwise those things which fhould have been for our Wealth, may be unto us an Occafion of Falling.

From what has been faid, a Second Rule offers itself; and that is this; As we are directed in the Scriptures to fearch them, from the Motive of Eternal Life contain'd in them, without any mention of any other Writings whatsoever; fo it is imply'd, That they are fufficient of themselves to answer this End. And there is a kind of tacit Prohibition against subftituting of any other Writings, as abfolutely neceffary in the Discovery of Eternal Life. Should God have propofed an End to himself and us, in his Word, and not have provided

fufficient Means, nor directed us how to come at Those that might be wanting, he had acted below the Wisdom of Men. Had not the Scriptures afferted, in the express manner they do, that they were able to make us wife unto Salvation, we must have concluded it, from their Silence as to any other Means prescrib'd.

The Papifts do roundly deny the Sufficiency of Revelation; the Traditions of the Church must be superadded; befides which they have many other Proposals, in which they cannot well agree amongst themselves, to fupply their Defects. This I need only mention. But should any of us fuffer the most remote Suppofition to lurk in his Breast, that the Scriptures may not be fufficient for the Purposes of Eternal Life; where, under fuch a Suppofition, will he be able to fix the Sole of his Feet? If other Writings are neceffary, who shall ascertain

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the Number, or name the Authors? We know no Perfon fit to fuftain this Character. And if so, then nothing remains, but that we muft, every one for ourselves, fearch not only the Scriptures, but also every Book which can make any Pretence to answer this End; for fhould we omit any, how fhall we know but the supposed neceffary ones may be in the Number of those omitted. This indeed would be a notable Task to fet the World. But in what Particular, relating to Eternal Life, are the Scriptures defective, or from what Fountain can we draw a Proof of fuch Defect? If this cannot be done, we may well fpare ourselves the pains of hunting in the Dark, after the unknown Supplies of unknown Defects. Every Perfon that thinks of Eternal Life, must return to the Scriptures. 'Tis from our antecedent Knowledge of the Scriptures that we judge of the

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