the ntmoft degree of evidence that words are capable of, yet they are expreffed that an honeft impartial mind cannot well mifs the fenfe of them. 158 Had all points of doctrine been fo minutely explained, as to fhut out the poffibility of any mistaken meaning, the Bible would have been too volumnious in bulk, and too fubtle in its nature for common ufe. 158 The difputes concerning the meaning of feveral of the most important texts, no argument against the clearnefs of them. 159 They that reject revelation on account of its obfcurity, must reject natural religion, nay atheifm itself, on the fame account. 160 2. The obfcurity of feveral paffages in fcripture does not prove the neceffity of an infallible Judge to determine the meaning of them, because none of those points that are obfcure, are neceffary to be determined. 162 3. Lefs reafonable ftill, to make fome dark paffages in fcripture, a pretence of locking it up all at once from the generality of Chriftians. d 2 163 Upon Upon the fame grounds the people in the Romifh church are denied the liberty of reading fcripture, they might have been debarred the privilege of our Saviour's converfation while he lived on earth. 163 4. The ill ufe of the doctrine of the text being removed, the moft proper ufe we can make of it, is, to form in ourfelves deep humility, and lowlinefs of mind, when we perufe the facred oracles. SERMON XI. On the fame Text. 165 The latter part of the text explained, in which the apoftle mentions the ill impreffions which the difficult parts of fcripture made on the minds of weak Chriftians. To ftate the juft bounds, and vindicate the reasonablenefs of St. Peter's affertion, it is to be confidered, 167 1. That to wreft the fcripture, doth not in ftrictness of fpeech fignify to mifunderstand it through weakness and ignorance, but wilfully to per vert it, to make it fall in with our corrupt opinions and prejudices. 169 2. That the paffages fo perverted, were fuch as were hard to be understood, and therefore not neceffary to be understood. 170 And farther, were fuch as did not treat of points indifferent, but of the greatest moment. 170 171 3. That this forced interpretation of obfcure paffages, was in oppofition to other plain evident ones." Those that wreft fcripture, with all these aggravating circumftances, may juttly be faid to wreft them to their deftruction. 172 From the fcriptures being turned to ill purposes in the apoftles days, we learn, not to wonder if they were fo in aftertimes. . 173 And if fuch unexceptionable interpreters of their own writings could not fecure thein from mifreprefentation, the great expediency of an infallible judge is not fo clear as is pretended. 174 From St. Peter's affertion we learn, that we ought to bring with us a right intention of mind, when we read the holy fcriptures. 174 And And an humble temper of mind, rightly difpofed and qualified to pursue that To moderate our curiofity, by keeping this maxim in mind, that there's no place hard, which is needful to be un- Never to expound hard places of fcripture fo as to oppofe clear ones. If there is fo much danger in perverting obfcure paffages of fcripture, a higher SERMON XII. 2 COR. xiii. 5. The exhortation of the text directed to the Some marks or tefts propofed, by which a man may try his own fincerity, viz. If his refolutions of obedience are uni- 2. If an even tenor of goodness is visible 3. If he is not content with any deter- mined proportion of goodness, which he has already attained, but aims at a farther degree of proficiency in it. 189 5. If he acts not on by-aims and private intereft, but upon a true zeal for the honour of God, the intereft of virtue, 6. The doubts that good men entertain concerning their own condition, are, if they had but the heart to think |