refurrection and afcenfion, and an easy and unlaboured representation of his character and temper; together with many particulars relative to the religious and political state of the Jews, which it was of great importance for us to know. The agreement of these four lives of Chrift, if I may fo term the gofpels, in the main facts and incidents which they relate, although in a somewhat different language, order and manner, affords a strong prefumption of the honefty and veracity of the facred biographers; while their different narratives, in other refpects, are fupplemental to, and perfective of each other; fome relating the fame facts in longer detail, and with more circumstances than others, and fome recording what the others have entirely omitted: So that from the whole we are enabled to gather a very comprehenfive, though concife history of the life of Chrift. But what is of greatest moment, these four together, and perhaps each of them feparately, have written the fubftance of the gospel of Chrift, or all the neceffary and effential parts of that covenant of grace established between GOD and man: So that had all the new teftament, excepting the four gofpels, or perhaps excepting any one of them, been entirely loft, and had this alone been handed down to us with fufficient certainty, there is no reason to believe that we should have been at any loss to have known the will of our mafter, and the way of falvation through him; these gospels together, and each of them feparately, containing in themselves all the doctrines neceffary to be believed, and all duties neceffary to be performed in order to falvation. This feems neceffarily

neceffarily implied in the words of St. John, compared with the four first verfes of St. Luke's gofpel, and the first verse of the Acts of the apostles*.

*IF this therefore be true, it ought to banish the fears of fome timorous Chriftians, who, by the fophiftry of infidels as well as papifts, may be brought to doubt that many infpired books of the new teftament are now loft, and that many errors are crept into thefe books which we ftill poffefs; and that, confequently, the Chriftian revelation, even fuppofing it to be true, is yet far from being perfect, and therefore can by no means, at this day, anfwer the ends for which it was published.

For

although these premifes fhould be granted, yet the conclufion drawn from them will by no means follow; feeing, the fame providence which gave this revelation and intended its perpetuity, is equally concerned to preferve its integrity, fo far as that is neceffary to answer its general defign. Now fuppofing the genuine facts on which the truth of Christianity is founded, together with the effential articles of that covenant of grace which Chrift came to publish, are handed down to us, with no material alterations; the faith of Christians still stands secure, and we have still canonical fcripture enough in our hands to direct us in all the neceffary branches of our faith and practice.-If any fhould object, that this is to advance the gofpels to the prejudice of the other canonical books of the new testament; that by making them abfolutely fufficient, the others of confequence must be fuppofed fuperfluous and redundant, which implies a reflection on the wisdom of GOD, who cannot be fuppofed to do any thing in vain. To this I anfwer, we muft diftinguish between abfolute neceffity, and expediency or utility. I am

far

BUT now although there may be a bare fufficiency in the four gofpels for all the purposes of our faith and practice, in order to falvation, yet it hath pleafed Chrift, for the farther eftablifhment of our faith, and for the more particular and circumftantial direction of our Christian practice, to make a large addition to His original gofpel, by the writings of his apoftles, which compleat and close the canon of the new teftament fcriptures. No one who firmly believes, and attentively confiders the gofpel of our Lord, as recorded in the four evangelifts, can hesitate a moment to pronounce

far from infinuating, that because the gofpels have a bare fufficiency, the reft is therefore vain and fuperfluous. As, in the bleffings of providence, GOD has not only confulted our neceffities, but also provided for our pleasure and conveniency; fo he alfo feems to act with regard to the bleffings of grace: He gives line upon line, and precept upon precept in condefcenfion to our weakness. He not only reveals all neceffary truths and duties, but often repeats them, and that in a variety of lights, that he who runneth may read, and he who readeth may certainly understand. Duties laid down in general maxims in one place, are applied to particulars in another. So that although the four gofpels, or even any one of them, may contain all things neceffary to our faith, practice and falvation, yet the fubfequent books of the new teftament, are of great utility and conveniency to the Chriftian church. All scripture is profitable, though it may not be abfolutely neceffary; and although the acts and epiftles may not be ne ceffary to the very-being of Chriftianity, yet they are neceffary to its well being, and are highly expedient to illuftrate the gofpels, and to confirm the faith and animate the practice of Christians. e

VOL. I.

the

the apostles abundantly qualified for this work For, befides the integrity and fimplicity of their lives, and the intimate acquaintance the most of them had with their divine mafter, and his doctrines during his abode with them, they had the largest and the most express promises of the prefence and guidance of his spirit to enlighten their minds, to refresh their memories, to teach them all things, to guide them into all truth, to teftify of himself unto them, to shew them things to come, to put words into their mouths, and to abide constantly with them as their comforter and directory. For this promise of the fpirit they were commanded by their master tó wait at Jerufalem, and accordingly ten days after his afcenfion it was poured out upon them in a moft public and fignal manner, accompanied with the power of speaking all kind of languages, and of working all manner of miracles, even equal to those which he wrought himself. And now do not fuch promises received from Chrift, and fuch powers exerted in his name, entitle the doctrines and writings of these apostles to a due degree of credit and veneration from all who fincerely believe the divine mission of Chrift? And can it be thought that after all they were left to error, fanaticism and delufion in their fermons and epifties to the Chriftian churches? As to the expediency and

y Matth. x. 19, 20. Luke xxiv. 49. John xiv. 16, 17, 26. xv. 20, 27. xvi. 7, 13. xx. 21. Acts 4, 5.

i.

ż i uke xxiv. 49. Acts i. 45. ii. 1.

* A certain late nobleman, c: known candor and penetration in theological matters, has, in one of his

and utility of the additions they have made to the original gospel of their mafter, it may be fairly inferred

his rambling effays, employed a good deal of his eloquence in endeavouring to fhew, not only the profaneness and unintelligibility of St. Paul's gospel (as he terms the epiftles) but also its oppofition and contrariety to the much complimented gospel of Chrift. The gofpel of Chrift, it seems is one thing, and the gofpel of Paul another. Chrift is a republisher of natural religion; Paul a vender of abfurd, profane and trifling nonfenfe. In what manner his lordship has made good this affertion may be feen in his fourth effay. It is by making St. Paul the teacher of paffive obedience and fupralapfarian-predeftination, doctrines no where to be found in his writings. His lordship is at great pains to fhew us the abfolute compleatnefs and fufficiency of the gospel of Chrift, who is the finisher as well as the author of our faith, without the addition of St. Paul's gospel, or any other. In order therefore to cut up the roots of all artificial theology at one blow, he fhews us the abfurdity and almoft blafphemy of admitting any other revelations than that which Chrift made in his own perfon: This, fays he, is to fuppofe that Chrift executed his commiffion imperfectly; that he left his followers without fufficient grounds of faith and obedience; that those who were converted by him, and who died before the fuppofed imperfection of his revelation had been fupplied by the apoftles, especially by St. Paul, lived and died without fufficient means of falvation. A revelation made by GoD, it seems, must be compleat and perfect from its first promulgation. The covenant of grace must have been made all at once; otherwife every new article of belief or duty muft change the covenant. Ergo, all fubfequent revelations are fpurious productions, Paul and all other gofpel writers are villainous impoftors for impofing

Q 2

their