The Life ofFaith. 6. Vnderffand the different-forts of Evidence, which are re. quitte to the differentmatters in the holy Scriptures. The mat- ters offact require bifforical evidence (which yet is made in- fallible by additional miracles.) The miracles which were wrought to confirm our hiftory, arc brought to our know- ledge only by other hiffory. The Doctrines which are evident in nature, have further evidence of fupernaturalrevelation, only to help us whofcnatural fight is much obi-cured. But it is the jupernatural D,Iirines, Precepts and Promifes, which of themfelves require fupernatural revelation, to makp, them credible toman. 7. Miffal. a not the trueVje and End of the holy Scriptures. r. Think not that the Gofpcl as written was the firft Con- ffitutive or Governing Law of Chrift,for the Chriflian Churches. The Churches were conflituted, and the Orders, and Officer, andGovernment of it fettled, and exercifed very many years together, before any part of the New Tettament was written to them ; much morebefore the writing of the whole. The Apofiles had long before taught them what was commanded themby Chrift; and had fettled them in the order appointed by the Holy Ghoft : And therefore you are not to look for the firft determination of fuch dot`rines or orders in the Scripture as made thereby; but only for the Records ofwhat was done and eflablithed before: For the Apoftics being to leave the world, didknow the flipperinefs of the memory of man, and the danger of changing and corrupting the Chri- (lian Dosrinc and Orders, if there were not left a fure'record of it : And therefore they did that for the fake ofpoficrity. 2. You muff not thinktbat all it effential to the Cbriffian Re* ligion, which is contained in the holy Scriptures : Nor that they arc only the adequate form or record of that which is ftriily and primarily called our &V on or Chriflianity. For there are divers rticular Books of-theNew Teftamcnt, which contain much ore than is eff'cntial to Chriftianity : And many appurttna ces, and hifories, and genealogies, and cir- cumftances are there recorded, which are indeed fubfervient helps to our Religion ; but arc not ftridly our Religion it felt. 8. As the ufe of the Scripture mutt thus be judged of, N according 1
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