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bout things not neceffary. For while we are in this imperfect state, we know but in part, and fee many things very imperfectly but when we fhall come in-. to a more perfect ftate, that which is imperfect shall be done away; the light of glory fhall scatter all those mifts and clouds, which are now upon our under-, standings, and hinder us from a clear fight and judge. ment of things; we fhall then fee God, and other things as they are; and be freed from all that ignorance, and thofe many childish mistakes, which we are liable to here below; and till then, it is not neceffary that we should be fecured from them. Humility, under a fenfe of our ignorance, is better for us than infallibility would be.

Secondly, This temper and difpofition of mind which I have been fpeaking of, is a certain fecurity a gainst fatal mistakes in religion, and a final continuance in fuch errors as would prove damnable; and this is all that this difcourfe pretends to, or our Saviour hath promifed in this text. And confidering the goodness of God, nothing is more improbable, than that an honeft mind that feeks impartially after truth fhould mifs of it, in things that are fundamentally neceffary to falvation. And if we could fuppofe fuch a man to fall into fuch an error, either it would not be fundamental to him, having not been, perhaps, propofed to him with fufficient evidence, and would be forgiven him, upon a general repentance. for all fins and errors known or unknown; or he would not be permitted to continue in it; but the providence of God would find out fome way or other to convince him of his error, and to bring him to the acknowledgement of the truth, that he might be faved. God would rather fpeak to him immediately from heaven, (as he did to St Paul), than fuffer him to continue in fuch an error as would infallibly carry him to hell.

Thirdly, There is no fuch depth of judgement, and fubtilty of wit required to difcern between grofs and damnable errors in religion, and neceflary and faving truth, but that an ordinary capacity may be able to do it. There is fo plain a line drawn be

tween

tween great truth and grofs errors, that it is vifible: to every capacity; and an ordinary understanding that is not under a violent prejudice, or blinded by fome vice or fault of the will, may easily difcern it. Indeed, in matters of leffer moment and concernment, and which have no fuch confiderable and immediate influence upon the practice of an holy life, the difference betwixt truth and error is not always fo grofs and fenfible, as to be obvious to every unprejudiced eye. But we have all the reason in the world. to believe, that the goodness and juftice of God is fuch, as to make nothing neceffary to be believed by any man, which, by the help of due instruction, may not be made fufficiently plain to a common underftanding. God hath fo tender a care of good men, who fincerely love him and his truth, that we may reasonably prefume, that he will not leave them under an unavoidable mistake concerning thofe matters upon which their eternal falvation does depend. The judge of all the world will do right; and then we may certainly conclude, that he will not condemn any man for no fault, and make him for ever miferable, for falling into an error, which, with all his care and diligence, he could not poffibly either difcern or avoid.

Fourthly, God hath made abundant provifion for our fecurity from fatal and dangerous errors in religion, by these three ways

1. By an infallible rule, fufficiently plain in all things neceffary.

2. By fufficient means of inftruction, to help us to understand this rule.

3. By an infallible promise of fecurity from dan gerous errors and mistakes, if with an honeft mind and due diligence we apply ourselves to understand this rule, and make ufe of the means of instruction which God hath provided for that purpose.

1. God hath given us an infallible rule, fufficiently plain in all things neceffary. He hath given us the holy fcriptures, which were given at first by divine infpiration, i. e. by men infallibly affifted in the writing of them, and therefore muft needs be an in

fallible

fallible rule; and all fcripture, divinely inspired, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction, in righteoufnefs, as St Paul tells us, 2 Tim. iii. 16. fpeaking there of the books of the Old Teftament; and there is the fame reafon as to the infpired writings of the New.

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Now, if the fcriptures be an infallible rule, and profitable for doctrine and inftruction in righteousness, i. e. to teach us to believe and do; it follows of neceffity that they are fufficiently plain in all things neceffary to faith and a good life; otherwife they could not be useful for doctrine and inftruction in righteouf nefs for a rule that is not plain to us in these things, in which it is neceffary for us to be directed by it, is of no use to us; that is, in truth it is no rule. For a rule must have thefe two properties; it must be perfect, and it must be plain. The fcriptures are a perfect rule, because the writers of them, being di vinely inspired, were infallible. And they must likewife be plain; otherwife, though they be never fo perfect, they can be of no more ufe to direct our faith and practice, than a fun dial in a dark room is to tell us the hour of the day: for though it be never fo exactly made, unless the fun fine clearly upon it, we had as good be without it. A rule that is not plain to us, whatever it may be in itself, is of no ufe at all to us, till it be made plain, and we understand it.

2. God hath likewife provided fufficient means of inftruction to help us to understand this rule. It is not neceffary that a rule fhould be fo plain that we fhould perfectly understand it at first fight; it is fufficient, if it be so plain that those of better capacity and understanding may, with due diligence and application of mind, come to the true knowledge of it ; and thofe of a lower and more ordinary capacity, by the help and instruction of a teacher. Euclid's Elements is a book fufficiently plain to teach a man geometry, but yet not fo plain that any man at reading fhould understand it perfectly; but that by diligent reading, by a due application, and steady attention of mind, a man of extraordinary fagacity and understanding inay.come to understand the principles

firft

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and demonftrations of it; and thofe of a more ordinary capacity, with the help of a teacher, may come to the knowledge of it. So, when we fay that the fcriptures are plain in all things neceffary to faith and a good life, we do not mean, that every man, at first hearing or reading of these things in it, fhall perfectly understand them; but by diligent reading and confideration, if he be of good apprehenfion and capacity, he may come to a fufficient knowledge of them; and if he be of a meaner capacity, and be willing to learn, he may, by the help of a teacher, be brought to understand them without any great pains; and fuch teachers God hath appointed in his church for this very purpofe, and a fucceffion of them to continue to the end of the world.

In a word, when we fay the fcriptures are plain to all capacities, in all things neceffary, we mean, that any man of ordinary capacity, by his own diligence and care, in conjunction with the helps and advantages which God hath appointed, and in the due ufe of them, may attain to the knowledge of every thing neceffary to his falvation; 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 direct and inftruct men in the way to heaven; and it is every man's fault if he be ignorant of any thing neceffary for him to believe, or do, in order to his eternal happiness.

3. Good men are likewife fecured from fatal errors in religion, by the infallible promife of God, if fo be that with honeft minds, and due diligence, they apply themselves to the understanding of this rule, and make use of the means of instruction which God hath provided for that purpose. God hath promised to guide and teach the humble and meek: that is, fuch as are of a fubmiflive and teachable temper, defirous and diligent to be inftructed in the truth. Prov. ii. 2. 3. 4. 5. If thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine beart to understanding; yea, if thou crieft after knowledge, and lifteft up thy voice for understanding; if thou feekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for her as for

bid treafures; then fhalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. And here in the text our Saviour affures us, that if any man be defirous to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether he spake of himself; i. e. he fhall be able to difcern the doctrines which are from God.

This is the provifion which God hath made for our fecurity from fatal mistakes in religion; and this is in all respects a better fecurity, and more likely to guide and conduct us fafely to heaven, than any infallible church; and that for these reasons :

First, Because 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 purpose. That the fcriptures are an infallible and adequate rule, and fufficiently, plain in all things neceffary, I have already proved; and I add further, that this was the conftant judgement of the ancient church, and fo declared by the unanimous confent of the fathers of it for many ages; and that all councils, in their determination of faith, proceeded upon this rule, till the fecond council of Nice.

I have likewife proved, that God hath provided a fucceffion of paftors and teachers in his church, to inftruct us in this rule; and that we have God's infallible promife for our fecurity from dangerous errors and mistakes, if with an honeft mind and due diligence we apply ourselves to understand this rule, and make ufe of the means of inftruction which God hath provided for that purpose.

But that there is an infallible church appointed and affitted by God, to declare and determine matters of faith, and to be an infallible interpreter of feripture, is not certain, because there is no clear and exprefs text of fcripture to that purpofe, that any church whatfoever, much lefs that the church of Rome, hath this power and privilege.

Nay, I add farther, that it is impoffible, according to the principles of the church of Rome, that this. fhould be proved from fcripture; because, ac

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