claimed and expofed it, if he could have detected any falfhood in the Hiftory of the Gospel, or found the leaft ground to queftion the Matter of Fact published by Chrift and his Apoftles. The Number and Evidence of the Miracles done by our Saviour and his Followers, by the power and force of Truth bore down this mighty and accomplished Emperor and all his Parts, in his own Domi nions. He durft not deny fo plain Matter of Fact; Which being granted, the truth of our Saviour's Doctrine and Million unavoidably follows; notwithStanding whatfoever. Artful Suggestions his Wit could invent, or Malice should offer, to the contrary.

To those who afk, What need was there of a Saviour? What Advantage have we by Jefus Chrift? Ibid. Mr. Lock replies, It is enough to justify the fitness of any thing to be done, by refolving it into the Wisdom of God, who has done it; Whereof our narrow Underftand

P. 255.

ings,

ings, and foort Views may utterly incapacitate us to judge. We know little of this Vifible, and nothing at all of the State of that Intellectual World (wherein are infinite numbers and degrees of Spirits out of the reach of our ken or guess,) and therefore know not what Tranfactions there were between God and our Saviour, in reference to his Kingdom. We know not what need there was to fet up a Head and a Chieftain, in oppofition to THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD, THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, &c. whereof there are more than obfcure intimations in Scripture. And we shall take too much upon us, if we shall call God's Wisdom or Providence to Account, and pertly condemn for needlefs, all that our weak and perhaps biaffed UNDERSTANDING, cannot account for. And then he fhews at large the neceffity there was of the Gospel- Revelation,

to deliver the World from Ibid. 260. the miserable State of Darkness and

Ignorance that mankind were in 1. As to the true knowledge 257. of God, 2. As to the Worship 264. to be paid him, 3. As to the

282.

duties to be perform'd to him. To which he adds the mighty Aids

and Encouragements to the per284. formance of our duty, 1. From the Affurance the Gofpel gives of future Rewards and Punishments;

and 2. From the Promise of

289. the Spirit of God to direct and

affift us.

Comment.

The Holy SCRIPTURES are every where mentioned by him with the greatest Reverence. He calls Pref. to them the Holy Books, the Sacred Text, Holy Writ, and Divine Revelation; and exhorts Chriftians to betake themselves Ibid. p. 24. in earnest to the study of the way to Salvation, in thefe Holy Writings, wherein God has reveal'd it from Heav'n, and propos'd it to the World; feeking our Religion where we are fure it is in truth to be found, com

paring

paring Spiritual things with Spi

ritual.

And in a Letter written the year before his death, to one Pofth. who had afked this Queftion, Works, What is the Shortest and fureft 344° way, for a young Gentleman to attain to a true knowledge of the Chriftian Religion, in the full and juft extent of it? his anfwer is, Let him ftudy the Holy Scripture, efpecially the new Teftament. Therein are contained the words of Eternal Life. It has God for its Author; Salvation for its End; and truth without any mixture of error, for its Matter. A direction that was copied from his own Pofth. practice, in the latter part of Works, his Life and after his Retire- P. 20. ment from bufinefs; when for fourteen or fifteen years, he applied himfelf especially to the study of the Holy Scriptures, and employed the last years of his Life hardly in any thing elfe. He was never weary of admiring the great Views of that Sacred Book, and the juft relation of all its parts. He

every day made difcoveries in it, that gave him fresh caufe of Admi

ration.

Comment. P. 16.

Of St. Paul in particular, upon feveral of whofe Epiftles he drew up a most useful Commentary, he fays, That he was miraculouf ly call'd to the Miniftry of the Gospel and declared to be a chofen Vef fel;- That he had the whole doctrine of the Gospel from God by immediate Revelation That for his Information in the Chriftian Knowledge, and the Myfteries and depths of the difpenfation of God by Fefus Chrift, God himfelf had condefcended to be his Inftruc tor and Teacher ------ That he had receiv'd the light of the Gospel, from the Fountain and Father of Light himself

and, That an exact obfervation of his reafonings and inferences is the only fafe guide for the right understanding of him, under the Spirit P. 17. of God, that directed thefe Sacred Writings.

And