4111111 230 Ìhe Sin and Danger Vol. I, which declares Salvation unto Men upon fuchand fuch Terms, and no other. Nov to add any other Terms to thofe, as of equal neceífity with them, is to alter the Condition of the Covenant of the Gofpel, and the Terms of the Chriftian Religi- on, and confequently topreach another Gofpel, by declaring other Terms of Sal- vation, than Chrift in his Gofpel hath' declared, which is topervert she Gofpel of Chrifl. II. No Pretence of Infallibility is fufficient to authorife and warrant the additi- on of any thing to the Chriftian Doftrine, as necef ary to be believed or praftifed, in order to Salvation. After the Deliveryof theGofpel by the Son of God, and the Publication of it to the World by his Apoftles, who were comniillion'd and infpir'd by him to that Purpofe, and the Confirmation of all, by the greateft and molt unqueftionable Miracles that ever were, no Perfon whatever that brought a- ny other Doftrine, and declared Salvation to Men upon anyother Terms than thofe which are declared in the Gofpel, was to be credited, what Pretence foever he Ihould make to a Divine Commiffion, or an Infallible Afíiftance. The Apoftle makes a Suppofition as high as can be, tho' we (fays he) or an Angel from Hea- ven preach any other Gofpel untoyou, than that which we have preacheduntoyou, let him be an Anathema. If the Apoftles themfelves, who were Divinely Coin- miffion'd, and Infallibly Affifted in the Preaching of the Gofpel, should afterwards make any Addition to it, or declare any other Terms of Salvation, than thofe which are declared in the Gofpel which they had already publilhed to the World, theyought not to be regarded. And the Reafon is plain ; becaufe what Claim foever any Perfon may make to Infallibility, and what Demonftration foever he may give of it, we cannot polli- blybelieve him, if he contradift himfelf, and deliver Doftrines which do plainly clath with one another : For if he fpake true at firft, I cannot believe him decla- ring the contrary afterwards : And if he did not fpeak true at firft, I cannot believe him at all ; becaufe he can give no greater Proof of his Divine Commiffion, and Infallible Afíiftance and Infpiration, than he did at first. And the Reafon is the fame, if an Angel from Heaven should come and preach a contrary Do&trine to that of the Gofpel, be were not to be believed neither ; be- caufe he could bring no better Credentials ofhis Divine Coinmiflìon and Authority, than Thofe had who publifh'd the Gofpel, and, confequently, he ought not to be credited in any thing contrary to what they had publifhed before. For tho' a Man were never fo much difpofed to receive a Revelation fromGod, and to fubmit his Faith to it ; yet it is not poffible for any Man to believe God againft Godhimfelf; that is, to believe two Revelations, plainly contradiftory to one another, to be from God ; and the Reafon of this is very obvious ; becaufe every Man doth first, and more firmly, believe this Propofition or Principle, That Contradiflions cannot be true, than any Revelation whatfoever ; for if Contradiftions may be true, then no Revelation from God can fignifie any thing, becaufe the contrary may be equally true, and fo Truth and Falfehood be all one. The Apoftle indeed only makes a Suppofition, when he fays, tho' we or an An- gel from Heaven, preach any other Doflrine untoyou; but by this Suppofition he plainlybars any Man, or Companyof Men, from adding to the Chriftian Religi- on any Article of Faith, or Point of Praftice, as of Neceffity to Salvation, which theGofpel hath not made fo ; I fay, any Man, or Company of Men, whatever Authority or Infallibility they may lay claim to, becaufe they cannot pretend to a clearer Commiffion, and greater Evidence of Infallible Affiftance, than an Apoftle, or an Angelfrom Heaven, andyet the Text tells us, that wouldnot be a fufficient Warrent to preach another Gofpel ; it might indeed bring in queftion that which they had preached before, but could not give Credit and Authority to any thing plainly contrary to it, and inconfiftent with it. III. Chriílians may judge and difcern when another Gofpel is preached, when newArticles ofFaith, or Points of Praftice, not enjoyned by the Gofpel are im- pofed upon Chriftians. This the Apoftle fuppofeth every.particular Church, and for ought I know, every particular Chriftian, , that is duly inftruíted in the Chrifti- an Religion, to be a competent Judge of and to be fufficiently able to di£cern when another
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