244 Honefly the belt Prefèrvative V ol. I. to his Salvation i and that there is no Book in the World more plain, and better fitted to Teach a Man any Art or Science, than the Bible is to Dire& and Inftruit Men in the Way to Heaven; and it is every Man's fault if he be ignorant of any Thing neceifary for him to believe, or do, to order to his Eternal Happinefs. III. Good Men are, likewife fecured from Fatal Errors in Religion, by the In fallible Promife of God, if fo be that with honeft Minds and due Diligence they apply themfelves to the underftanding of this Rule, and make ufe of the Means of lnftruition whichGod hath provided for that purpofe. God bath promifed to Guide and Teach the Humble and Meek that is fuch as are of a Submiffive and Teachable Temper, defirous and diligent. to be inftruaed in the Truth. Prov. 2. > 3> 4, '5. If thou incline thine Ear to Wifdom, acid apply thine Heart to Un- derfanding ; yea, if thou cryeft after Knowledge, and liftefl up thy Voice for Underflanding, if thou feekeft her as Silver, and fearcheft for her, as for hid Treafures; then fhak thou inderfand thefear of the Lord, andfind the Knowledge ofGod. And here in the Text our Saviour affures us, that If any Man he de- firous to do his Will, he (hall know of the Dotlrine, whether it be of God or whether he fpake of himfelf; i. e. he fhall be able to difcem the Doctrines which are from God. This is the Provifion which Godbath made for our Security from Fatal Miftakes in Religion ; and this is in all Refpeits a better Security, and more likely toGuide and Conduit us fafely to Heaven, than any Infallible Church, and that for thefe Reafons. Firft, Becaufe it is much more certain that God hath made this Provifion which I have mentioned, than that there is an Infallible Church appointed and affifted by him to this Purpofe. That the Scriptures arean Infallible and Adequate Ride, and fufficiently plain in all Things neceflary, I have already. proved ; and I add further, that this was the confiant Judgment of the Ancient Church, and fo declared by the Unanimous Content of the. Fathers of it for many Ages ; and that all Councils in their Determination of Faith, proceeded upon this Rule, till the Second Council of Nice. I have likewife proved, That God bath provided a Succeflìon of Paftors and Teachers in his Church, to Inftruft us in this Rule ; and that we have God's In- fallible Promife for our fecurity from dangerous Errors and Miftakes, if with an honeft Mind and due Diligence we apply our felves to underftand this Rule, and make ufe of the Means of Inftruition which God hath provided for that Purpofe. But that there is an Infallible Church Appointed and Affifted by God, to De.. clare and Determine Matters of Faith, and to be an Infallible Interpreter of Scripture, is not, certain, becaufe there is no clear and exprefs Text of Scripture to that Purpofe, that any Church whatfoever, much lefs that the Church ofRome -hath this Power and Priviledge. Nay, I add further, That it is Impoffible, according to the Principles of the Church of Rome, that this fhould be proved from Scripture; becaufe, according to their Principles, we cannot know either which are the true Books ofScripture, br what is the true Senfe of Scripture, but from the Authority and Infallible De- claration of that Church. And if fo; then the Infallibility of the Church muff be firft known, and proved, before we can either know the Scriptures, or the Senfe of them ; and yet till we know the Scriptures, and the Senfe of them, nothing can be provedby them. Now to pretend to prove the Infallibility oftheir Church by Scripture, and at the fame time to declare, that which are the true Books of Scripture, and what is the true Senfe of them, can only be proved by the In- fallible Authority of their Church, is a plain and fhameful Circle, out of which there is no way of efcape ; and confequently that God hath appointed an In- fallible Church is Impoflible, according to theirPrinciples, ever to be proved from Scripture, and the Thing is capable ofno other Proof. For that God will Infallibly Affift any Society of Men, is not to be known, but by Divine Revelation. So that unlefs they can prove it by foine other Revelation than that of Scripture (which they do not pretend to) the Thing is not to be proved at all. Yes, they fay, by the Notes and Marks of the True Church; but what thofe Marks are, muff
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