have fufficient reafon to receive fomething that is not in our present Canon. Now I have examin'd those things, which it may be pretended we have fufficient reafon to receive; and I have prov'd, that we have no fufficient reafon to believe, that God has reveal'd any particular things, befides what the Scriptures do teach us: and therefore the present Canon of Scripture (which contains all the Revelations that we have juft reafon to receive) do's contain all things neceffary to Salvation; because 'tis granted on both fides, that God has reveal'd all thofe things that are neceffary to Salvation. Let us fuppofe therefore, that fome Books which were once in the Canon, are now certainly loft: yet it do's not follow that we muft fupply the fuppos'd want of them by receiving uncertain Traditions. Efpecially if it be obferv'd, 3. That if any part of the ancient Canon be now loft, God will not require the Contents of it at our hands. We fhall not be punish'd for not obeying, what we never cou'd read or learn. Nor are thofe things neceffary. to the Salvation of Chriftians, which no Chriftian can attain to the knowledge of. To this I may add, 4. That our Adverfaries cannot argue, that we ought to receive unwritten Traditions, because fome of the Canonical Books are loft; unless they can fhew, that by receiving unwritten Traditions, we may supply the want of thofe Books. Now this cannot be made appear, unless it be fhewn; First, What the Contents of thofe Books were. Secondly, That thofe Contents are preferv'd in unwritten Traditions. But how is it poffible for them to prove that the Contents of any Book are preferv'd, when the Book is fo utterly loft, that they are not fure of one Page of the Contents of it?

CHA P.

CHAP. XI.

The Second Objection, that the Scriptures are obfcure, answer'd.

Econdly, 'Tis objected, that whatever the Scri

fo very obfcure, that ordinary perfons cannot underftand them. To this I anfwer, 1. That our prefent Question is not concerning the obfcurity of the Scriptures, but concerning the perfection of them. And therefore it is fufficient for my prefent purpose, if all things neceffary to Salvation are contain'd in the Scriptures; whether they be plainly taught, or no. But 2. for the full fatisfaction of our Adverfaries I fhall fhew, that the Scriptures are by no means obfcure in those points which are neceffary to Salvation. There are indeed fome knotty Texts, fome dark Paffages, which even the Learned are puzl'd with: but our Adverfaries will never be able to fhew, that the understanding of thofe parts of the Bible is neceffary to Salvation. Nay farther, perhaps fome Texts may contain things neceffary to Salvation, tho' the meaning of thofe paffages be not obvious to every capacity, or to a careless Reader. But then, when they meet with Intricacies, Men ought to ufe greater application and induftry, and to take advice of their Spiritual Guides. Such Methods will enable them to furmount all the difficulties of the Sacred Pages, as far as is neceffary in order to their Happiness: and fince the welfare of their Souls depends upon it, certainly they ought not to be fparing of their labor. Now if fuch Texts may be underftood

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at all (tho' it coft a Chriftian fome little trouble) the charge of Obfcurity is fairly remov'd. The eafieft,and moft certain Demonstrations in the Mathematics, do require fome confiderable attention; and yet none can object against the clearness of them. Even fo thofe neceffary Points (if any fuch be lefs plainly deliver'd) may with due care be well understood.

Now that the Holy Scriptures are in this fenfe fufficiently plain and intelligible, will appear if we confider the following particulars.

First, That all Men are to be judg'd by the Scriptures, Rom. 2. 16. Now can it be imagin'd that Men fhall receive the Sentence of Condemnation to eternal Fire, for not practifing thofe Rules or believing thofe Doctrines of the Gofpel, which were fo very obfcurely laid down, that they could not poffibly understand them?

Secondly, Tis a reproach caft upon the Wisdom of God, to fuppofe that he wou'd fend forth a Book containing his Divine Will; and yet fuffer it to be fo myfterious, that Men fhou'd not be able to unriddle the meaning of it, even in those matters which do fo nearly concern them. Certainly, when God undertook to inform us by writing, and was fo well able to fute his Expreffions to our capacities; he wou'd by no means leave us utterly in the dark.

Thirdly, Thofe who ftudy the Bible, do learn feveral things which are not neceffary to Salvation; and can it be thought that God wou'd make those things which are not neceffary to Salvation,plainer 'than those that are ?

Fourthly, The Scriptures are defcrib'd as very plain and intelligible. But if our Gospel be bid,

Gofpel be bid, faies the fame Apoftle (2 Cor. 4.3,4) it is bid to them that are loft; in whom the god of this World has blinded the eyes of them which believe not. So that the Scriptures cannot be faid to be obfcure in neceffary points; but those who disobey and do not underftand them, are blind. If any Mari teach otherwife, and confent not to wholesome words, even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness; he is (not weak, but) proud, &c. and will not be inform'd; 1 Tim. 6.3, 4. Thy Word (faies David, Pfal. 119. 105.) is a lamp unto my feet, and a light un to my path. The way of the Lord is perfect, converting the foul: the Teftimony of the Lord is fure, making wife the fimple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoy cing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightning the eyes; verf. 7, 8. But certainly the Word of God wou'd not deferve these Characters, if it were fo obfcure as our Adverfaries pretend. It is alfo able to make Men wife unto falvation, 2 Tim. 3. 15. and therefore it must be plain enough in things neceffary to Salvation. Timothy knew the Scriptures from a Child, as we read in the fame place; and furely then they were not fo very dark. Nay, how can we be obliged 'to prove all things, and hold fast that which is good, I Theff. 5. 21. and how can we be commanded to judge what the Apoftle faies, 1 Cor. 10. 15. if the Scriptures, which are our rule, be fo very obfcure even in neceffary matters, that we cannot judge or prove things by them? Fifthly, We ap peal to experience, whether the Scriptures be not very plain in fuch neceffary matters. Let our Adverfaries fhew us, if they can, any one thing ne ceffary to Salvation, which is not fairly intelli gible to thofe, who will beftow a little pains,

E

and

and have but an ordinary understanding. They tell us indeed, that the Doctrines of the Trinity, Incarnation, &c. are very obfcure; but we reply, that tho' they are obfcure to our conceptions, yet they are very plainly deliver'd to us. We know that there are fuch truths; but we fhall never be able to comprehend them. Nor is it neceffary to Salvation, that we fhou'd determine all the School-queftions concerning them. 'Tis enough, if we acknowledge the things themselves: and fo much may be eafily gather'd from plain Scrip

tures.

Well, but our Adverfaries fay, the Scriptures do affirm themselves to be obfcure. Now to this anfwer, that feveral paffages in the holy Scrip tures are confefs'd to be obfcure: but the queftion is, whether the Scriptures are not fufficiently plain in matters neceffary to Salvation. If our Adverfaries wou'd prove any thing, let them make out this Propofition, that the Scriptures do declare, that fome things necessary to faluation are so obfeurely deliver'd in them, that even by the help of industry Men cannot understand them. This I am perfuaded, they will never evince by thofe Arguments which are produc'd, as any Perfon may perceive by the following examination of them. For,

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1. When David praies, Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law, Pfal. 119. 18. Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments, v. 73. Teach me thy ftatutes, N. 26, 135, &c. it must be fuppos'd that he do's not pray for the knowledge of things neceffary to Salvation, in fuch a manner as wou'd fuppofe him utterly ignorant of them because he who was an infpir'd Perfon at the time of his Writing,