and to live a true Christian Life, from true Chriftian Principles, fuch as the Light of Nature alone cannot teach us, but the Gospel only reveals to us.

Quest. What are the peculiar Articles of the Christian Faith, as they are diftinguish'd from Natural Religion?

Ans. They are fuch as concern the Doctrine of the Trinity, of three Perfons and one God; the Incarnation of the Son, both God and Man in one Perfon; his meritorious Death upon the Cross, his Resurrection from the Dead, and his bodily Afcenfion into Heaven, and his fitting on the Right Hand of God, and his Interceffion for us there, and his vifibly coming again from thence at the general Refurrection at the laft Day, to judge the Quick and the Dead, 1 John v. 7. John i.

14.

Queft. Is fuch a Faith as effential to Christianity as a good Life?

Anf. Yes. For Christianity contains in it Matters of Faith, as well as of Practice. And one great Defign of Chriftianity is, to give us right Notions of the Nature of God, and of the Person of Chrift, and of his Performances as our Mediator and Redeemer, our Prophet, Priest and King; that as we believe. in God, we may believe alfo in Chrift, John xiv. I. and as we honour the Father, we may also honour the Son, John v. 23. And fuch a Chriftian Faith is neceffary, in order to a Christian Life, and must in order of Nature neceffarily go before it: For without Faith it is impoffible to pleafe God; or to do thofe Things that will pleafe him, Heb. xi. 6. And our Works without Faith are dead, as well as our Faith B 3 without

withoet Works, James ii. 18. And there are damnable Herefies, as well as damnable Sins, fome even denying the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet, ii. 1.

Queft. What are the peculiar Precepts and Inftitutions of Jesus Christ?

An. They are our worshipping God, through Jefus Chrift, the Mediator between God and Man; and Faith in his Blood, as outwardly fhed for the Remiffion of our Sins; and his outward Baptifm, and Supper; and Communion with his Church, and Obedience to our Spiritual Rulers and Teachers.

Queft. What are the true Chriftian Princi ples of a true Chriftian Life?

Anf They are not only the Love of God, and Faith in him as Creator, and doing all to his Glory; but the Love alfo of Chrift, and Faith in him as our Saviour, and doing all in his Name; depending on him both for his Affiftance to do it, and on his Mediation for its Acceptance when done; and the Hopes and Fears of the future Rewards and Punish⚫ments in another World, which he has exprefly promised and threatned in his Gospel.

Queft. Is not a Chriftian bound to perform all the Duties of the Law of Nature, as well .as to obferve the Precepts of the Gospel?

Anf. Yes; he is indifpenfibly obliged to it: For Chrift came not to deftroy the Law of Nature, which is the Law of God as well as his written, revealed Law; and is of perpetual Obligation, as being founded in the Reason and Nature of the Things themselves which it. commands and forbids. And though Chriftianity enjoins us other Sorts, and Kinds of Duties than could be known from the mere Light of Nature, yet it contains in it alfo all

the

the Duties of the Law of Nature, as an ef fential Part of it. And it fhould very much recommend the Scripture to us, that whatever wife Rules of Morality and Virtue, all the wifest Men of all Sects and Ages among the Heathen, with their greatest Industry, and the higheft Improvement of their Reafon, were ever able to discover; we may find them all now with very little Pains in the Holy Scripture. And what was but obfcurely delivered by them, with a great mixture of Ignorance and Superftition, is all now more plainly and fully, without any fuch Mixture, delivered to us in the Scripture.

And Christianity and the Scriptures require of us alfo, higher Degrees and Inftances of all the feveral Branches of natural Duties; whether with refpect to God, our Neighbour, or our felves, proportionable to thofe greater Helps and Motives, which the Gofpel affords us; according to our Saviour's Rule, Unto whomsoever much is given, of him much fhall be required. Luke xii. 48.

And we turn these natural Duties into Christian Graces, when we obferve them as enjoined us by the Law of Chrift, and in Obedience to him as our Lord and Lawgiver, and depend on him for their acceptance, as our Mediator and Redeemer, whereby they will entitle us to the Reward of Chriftians.

Quest. What are the greater Helps which the Gofpel affords us, for the Performance of our Duty, than could be had from the mere Light of Nature?

Ans. They are the Advantages of a standing, written, divine Revelation; containing a greater, and clearer, and more certain Difcovery of the Being and Nature, and Will

of God, and of the Happiness of Man, and his way of attaining it, than could be had from the mere Light of Nature: And the Advantages alfo of a Chriftian Church or Society; and of a fettled Order of Pastors and Teachers, to teach us out of the Scriptures; and of the religious Obfervation of the Lord'sday; and of folemn Affemblies for publick divine Worthip and Chriftian Inftruction; and of entring into a folemn Covenant with God at Baptifm, and of frequent renewing it at the Lord's Supper; and above all, the Advantage of the inward gracious Affiftance of the Holy Spirit of God, accompanying all thefe outward Helps and Means.

Quest. What are thofe greater Motives which the Gofpel affords us for the Performance of our Duty, than could be had from the mere Light of Nature?

Ans. They are, Our having Life and Immortality brought to light to us through the Gofpel; or the clear undoubted Revelation of the fpiritual Nature, and Immortality of the Soul, and of the Resurrection of the mortal Body, to partake together with the Soul, in its eternal Happinefs or Mifery; and the clear Discovery also of the Creation of the World, and of the Origin of Mankind; and of the true Original of the Corruption of our Natures, by the Fall of our first Parents from their primitive Innocence, through the Temptation of the Devil; and of God's hatred of Sin, that he would not pardon it without fuch an attonement for it, as the Death of his own Son; and of his Love to us, in giving his own Son to die for us, to deliver us from eternal Death, and to purchase for us eternal Life, upon the gracious Terms of our Repentance for our past

1

Sins, and our fincere Obedience for the Future; for the Performance whereof, he promifes and affords us the fufficient Affiftance of his Spirit.

SECT. II.

Queft. Is not Chrift the Word, the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World? And does he not therefore enlighten every Man with a divine, fpiritual and fupernatural Light within him, fufficient to teach him all the Effentials of Christianity, without the Scripture or any outward Teaching? John i. 9.

Anf. No; this is a mere precarious Affertion, that would make the Scripture, and all outward Teaching of no neceffary use, nor the outward ordinary Means of enlightning us with the Effentials of Christianity, for which there is no colour nor ground, neither in this, nor in any other Text of Scripture; tho' it be the very Foundation of Quakerifm, and their great and fundamental Error, that has led them into fo many more, by their taking their own vain Imaginations for the Teachings of Chrift the Word, as the Light within them; whereas it is not faid, that Chrift the Word was a Light in every Man; nor can it be inferr'd from his being the true Light that lighteth every Man, that he therefore inwardly enlightens every Man with a divine, fpiritual, and fupernatural Light within him, fufficient to teach him all the neceffary and effential Truths of Chriftianity,. without any outward Teaching; which is only the Quakers falfe Meaning put to St. John's Words.

For