the Propofitions of it, are all at first SERM. Sight ftrange and uncouth, and make X. no bright Impreffion upon the Mind. They Amaze, they Puzzle, but they do not Enlighten us; till by repeated Views, we have made them familiar and easy to us. And why then should we expect, that Divine Myfteries, and the Things of another World should more eafily be taught and learnt, than Human Arts and Sciences? The Obfcurity of the Subject, whatever it be, must needs caufe a proportionable Obfcurity in the Expreffion of it; and no Wonder then, if Scripture be dark in fome Places, where it speaks of things fo remote from Human Knowledge and Apprehenfion.

Dark it must needs be, unless God, who miraculously enlightened the Minds of the Prophets and Apostles, when they were to write it, fhould miraculously also open the Understanding of every one that comes to read it. So that the Difficulties occurring in some Paffages of a Divine Revelation, are so

SERM. far from being an Argument against its X. coming from God, that on the contrary, it were not reasonable to think it to be a Divine Revelation, if there were nothing Abftruse and Difficult in it.

Should it be further objected, that the Defign of Scripture is, to Reveal God's Nature and Will to Mankind, to be a fure Guide, and an Easy Rule of our Belief and Practice; and it ought therefore, in order to the Attainment of this End, to be in every refpect plain and clear: For to no purpofe would it be given us by God, as a Guide and a Rule, if it be Obfcurely and Doubtfully expreffed.

To this the Anfwer is ready: That the Scripture, being intended by God, as a Rule of Faith and Manners, must needs be, and certainly is, fo far clear, as to reach the End it is intended for ; so far, as to enlighten our Minds in all neceffary faving Truths, and to afford us in plain intelligible Terms, all that Knowledge that is requifite to carry us to Heaven. And thus far we affirm the

not

Scripture to be clear and easy. But it SERM. follows, that it ought, on this Account, X. to be plain and clear, in every Part and Paffage of it. If there be enough in it eafy to be apprehended, it fufficiently answers the End, for which it was defigned, though there be fome things in it, which are not fo. And therefore the Objection fails in this, That it fupposes Scripture to be written perfe&ly for this End, and for no Other, the affording us an Easy familiar Rule of Faith and Manners. This indeed was the Chief, but it was not the only End, propofed in writing it.

Befides this, it was intended, (as you have heard) fo to be written, as to humble the Pride of Men, and confound the Wisdom of the Wife: So as to try our Probity, and to exercise our strictest Attention, and to employ our Industry, fo as to create a Reverence and Awe in us of the Divine Revealer; and to give us an Inkance of the mighty Power of God, in making thofe plain Men, the Apostles, utter fuch great and fublime Truths,

S 4

SERM. Truths, as thofe of the most improved X. Understandings among the Heathen, by

the mere Light of Nature, never did, nor could do. In a word, fo as to give us a Light Taste and Glympfe only of those Truths, that were fully to be Revealed to us in another World; and by that Means, to make us the more earnestly reach out our Thoughts to, afpire after, and long for, the future and full Enjoyment of them. And, in order to attain thefe Ends, it was fit and requifite, that fome Parts of it fhould be involved in Obfcurity; as I difcourfed to you the last Opportunity. And therefore it must not be Argued, that the written Word of God, being defigned for a Rule of Faith and Action, must be perfpicuous throughout; because there were Other Ends befides this, to which fome Parts of it were defigned; and to the attaining which, the Dark and Difficult Places in Holy Writ contribute as much, as the plain and most intelligible Paffages do, towards build

ing us up in those Doctrines that are ne- SERM. ceffary to Salvation.

But then it is further Objected, That this Way of accounting for the Obfcurity of Holy Writ in fome things, fupposeth it to be Evident in all things neceffary to Salvation; A Suppofition which will not easily be granted by those we have to deal with. For, fay they, are not the Doctrines of the Divinity of Christ, and the Holy Ghoft, and those of the fame Rank with these, neceffary to Salvation? And yet they are not plainly and clearly contained in Scripture; for then reafonable Men, upon reading Scripture, could not have doubted, whether they were contained there, or not; much lefs in good Earnest believed, that they were not contained there.

Now the true Account of this Matter is this.

First, It is not pretended, that these Doctrines are plainly contained in Every Text of Scripture, which fpeaks of them; but only that, in fome one Text

or

X.