SERM. Or more, they are proposed to us conX. vincingly, and clearly; and if a Truth

be once delivered fo clearly, as to leave no Doubt, 'tis the fame thing to us, who acknowledge the Divine Authority of all Parts of Scripture, as if it were many times there repeated. For Example, were there no other Text for the Proof of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, in the Sense, in which the Church of God hath always profeffed to believe it, but that only where our Saviour com Matth. mands his Difciples to Baptize in the xxviii.19. Name of the Father, the Son, and the

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Holy Ghost: Or that where S. John 1 Joh. v. fpeaks of the Three Witnesses in Heaven; either of these Texts would be fufficient to make that Doctrine an Evident Part of Scripture, though in all the other Palfages ufually produced for it, it fhould be allowed to be expreffed obfcurely.

Again, Neither is it pretended, that these Doctrines are any where, throughout the whole Bible, expreffed with the utmost Degree of Evidence and Clearnefs, which Words are any ways pof

Gibly capable of: But only that they are SERM. fo expreffed, that an honeft impartial X. Mind cannot well miss the Sense of them. It might have been faid indeed, in fo many Words, that Chrift, and the Holy Spirit were, from all Eternity, distinct from the Father, and, together with him, one God bleffed for Ever; and equally the Objects of our Religious Worship and Service. But though this be not faid there in fo many Terms, it is said however in fuch, as an unbyaffed well-meaning Man cannot mistake; and he that is not fo, though it fhould have been faid in these very Terms, would perhaps have found a Way to have mistaken, or rather wilfully to have perverted the Sense of them.

The Truth is, God never defigned to give us an Account of the Mysteries of Christianity, in Expreffions every way so bright and clear, as fhould prevent all poffible Wreftings and Misconstructions. For this had been to do too great Force to our Affent, which ought to be free and voluntary. This had been to rob

us

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SERM. us of the Rewards due to Believing, and to take away the proper Teft and Tryal of Sincere and Ingenuous Minds.

Befides, had all Points of Doctrine been delivered with fuch a Degree of Exactness, been so minutely explained, fo ftrictly and cautiously guarded on all Sides, as to fhut out the Poffibility of any mistaken Meaning, the Bible had been too Voluminous, and too fubtle a Book for common Ufe. And though to fome few distinguishing Heads, it might have given better Satisfaction, yet to the moft, that is, to the Unlettered part of Mankind, it would have been ten times more Obfcure, and Unintelligible, than even now it is reprefented to be. So that upon the whole, it was extremely fit and proper, that thefe Doctrines fhould be delivered, with that Degree of Clearnefs as to be easily understood; not fo, as to be perfectly incapable of being misunderstood. It was requifite, that they should be afferted fhortly and plainly, not that they fhould be fenced about with all thofe nice Diftinctions,

which could any way guard them from SERM. the Attempts of the most Captious and X. Unreasonable.

And with this Degree of Clearness we affirm, that all neceffary Truths are delivered in Scripture, i. e. with fuch a Degree of Clearness, as is necessary. Nor does it weaken the Strength of this Affertion to fay, that the Senfe of those Paffages in Scripture, which We think plain to this Purpose, is difputed by some, and absolutely denied by others; and therefore is not fo plain as we imagine. For at this rate, there would, perhaps, be never a plain Text left in the whole Book of God. Since what Text almoft is there, that has not been the Subject of different Interpretations and Opinions?

There is scarce any thing fo abfurd, fays an Ancient, in Nature or Morality, but fome Philofopher or other has held it. And there is fcarce any thing fo extravagant in Divinity (may we fay) but that fome obftinate Opinionative Man or other, has maintained it; and made a wretched

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SERM, wretched Shift to countenance his Opinion by the Authority of Scripture, miferably wrested and perverted to his Purpose. But what then? This makes no more against the Perfpicuity of the Holy Writings, in all neceffary Doctrines, than the Wild Opinion of that Old Philofopher, who affirmed Snow to be black, difproves the Clearness and Certainty of thofe Informations which proceed from the Senses.

Let not a Man therefore fay, that the Scripture is not plain in those things, in which we pretend it is, because in those very things, the Church of God hath Understood it one way, and Arius, Socinus, or some fuch Broacher of Heresy, another. For this proves nothing, but that there have been Men hardy enough to deny fomewhat, which all the World before them allowed: But it is by no means an Argument of the Obfcurity of Scripture Expreffion, unless we could know certainly, that these Men were honeft and upright in their Searches, acted with no By-defigns, had no Vain End