Goodness or Usefulness of any other Writings, with refpect to this End; their Goodness arifing wholly out of their Conformity to the Scriptures.

The Scriptures, confidered as the Rule of Eternal Life, were fufficient long before they were enlarg'd to their prefent Bulk. What is laid of the Path of the Fuft, may be well apply'd to those Writings which lead us into it; They are as the fhining Light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect Day. If they were fufficient before the marvellous Light of the Gospel, they must fince that be abundantly fo. There is now more than Line upon Line, and Precept upon Precept; the Land overflows with Plenty; there is Bread enough, and to Spare; it falls round about the Hoft; we find it at our Tent Doors, and every Man may gather according to his Eating.

Those

Those Persons who are incapable of reading the Scriptures in their Original Languages, by far the greatest Part of Mankind, nevertheless know and feel their Sufficiency. The worst Translation will answer the Purposes of Eternal Life. He who at first found Inftruments to deliver his Word by, and afterwards others to preferve it thro' fo many Ages, has alfo found those who have reduc'd it into the Languages of all Nations. Divine Revelation ever has, and will be, a proper and effectual Means to convey Eternal Life to every one that is defirous of it.

I would not derogate from the learned and useful Labours of others, useful in their Place; but am nevertheless bold to affert this Truth, That the Man, who interprets Scripture by itself, comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual, from the Motive of Eternal Life, is engag'd in a more wife and

excellent Employment, than any other whatsoever poffibly can be where this View is not; let it confift in the vain Jangling of Opinions, or the Strife of Tongues, or any other Particular. As this Second Rule arofe out of the First, so it suggests to us a Third, in the fame easy and natural manner. If Scripture be the best Interpreter of Scripture, in the Concerns of Eternal Life, then fhould we in this way of Interpretation, have a most especial Regard to those Dispositions and Duties which are fignaliz'd in Scripture, as the principal and fundamental Points, upon which this Concern turns. There are fome initiatory Duties, which, like the first Rudiments in a Science, are abfolutely neceffary in themselves to the understanding and practising the Precepts that follow. Thus Repentance, which is nothing elfe but a forfaking our known Sins, is the first introductory Duty; what

is plainly necessary, in the Nature of things, to prepare the Way of the Lord. He who will not attempt this Difficulty, cannot poffibly advance one Step in the Imitation of Jesus Christ. There are again fome Declarations fo ftrong and exprefs, and fo frequently repeated in the Scriptures, without any Limitation or Referve; fuch as, Love is the fulfilling of the Law; the End of the Commandment. By this fhall all Men know that ye are my Difciples, if ye love one another. Neither Circumcifion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcifion, but Faith which worketh by Love. Pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father is this, to vifit the Faberlefs and Widow in their Affliction, &c. What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do Faftice, love Mercy, &c. and the like. That thefe fhould be received as certain Axioms or Criterions, to which other Parts of Revelation, not fo clear, should be brought and prov'd by as

their common Tefts. The deceitful Heart of Man is always ready to lay hold of any Passage of Scripture that feems to favour its Corruptions; 'tis very artful and fubtil in its Errors; it makes false Tests, and by means of these, interprets away the whole Defign of Revelation. Innumerable are the Miscarriages which have proceeded from this Fountain; fome of which, from Perfonal, have become National. Some have made Perfecution, not Love, the Teft of their Dif cipleship; Antichriftianism the Characteristick of their Chriftianity. Others have rely'd upon the Perfonal Decrees of God; fome upon Faith exclufive of Works; others on the Reverfe. Had we any Eye to these Capital Articles, did we give them their proper Weight and Distinction, Revelation could not be liable to fuch monftrous Abuses; these, and a thoufand other fuch-like Delufions, how

ftrong