Serra. XXXIV. againfl dangerous Miflakes in Religion. 243 cerning thofe Matters upon which their Eternal Salvation does depend. The :udge 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 poffible either difcern or avoid. Fourthly, God hath made abundant Provifion for oui Security from fatal and dangerous Errors in Religion, by thefe three ways. I. By an Infallible Rule, fufficiently plain in all Things neceffary. II. By fufficient means of Inftru&ion, to help us to underftand this Rule. III. By an Infallible Promife of Security from dangerous Errors and Miftakes, if with an honeft Mind, and due Diligence we will apply our felves to under- ftand this Rule, and make ufe of the Means of Inftrudion, which God hath provided for that Purpofe. L God bath given us an Infallible Rule, fufficiently plain in all things neceffary. He hath given us the Holy Scriptures, which were given at firft by Divine In- fpiration, i. e. by Men infallibly affìfted in the Writing, of them,. and therefore muff needs be an Infallible Ritle; and all Scripture Divinely Infpired, is prof- table for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correélion, for Inflruclion in Righteoufnefs, as St. Paul tells us, 2 Tim. 3. 16. fpeaking there of theBooks of the Old Te" lament and there is the faine Reafon as to the Infpired Writings ofthe New. Now if the Scriptures be an Infallible Rule, and profitable for Doflrine and Intrusion in Righteoufnefs, i. e. to teach us to believe, and do ; it follows ofne- ceffity, that they are fufficiently plain in all things neceffary to Faith, . and a Good Life ; otherwife they could not be ufeful for Doflriwe and by/rut-lion in Righteozfnefs ; for a Rule that is not plain to us in thefe Things, in which it is neceffary for us to be dire&ed by it, is of no ufe to us ; that is in truth, it is no Rule. For a Rule muft have thefe two Properties ; it muft be Perfetl, and it mutt be Plain. The Scriptures are a perfect Rule, becaufe the Writers of them being Divinely Infpired, were Infallible : And they muff likewife be Plain; otherwife, tho' they be never fo Perfe&, they can be of no more ufe to direft our Faith and Practice, than a Sun-Dial in a Dark Room is, to tell us the Hotir of the Day. For tho' it be never fo exa&ly made, unlefs the Sun fhine clearly upon it, we had as good be without it. A Rule that is not plain to us, whatever it may be in it fell, is of no ufe at all to us, till it be made plain, and we underftand it. II. God bath likewife provided fufficient means of Inftrudion to help us to underftand this Rule. It is not neceffary that a Rule fhould be fo plain, that we fhould perfectly underftand it at firft fight ; it is fufficient, if it be fo plain that thofe of better Capacity and Underftanding 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 Inftrudion of a Teacher. Euclid's Elements is a Book fufficiently plain to teach a Man Geometry r but Yet not fo plain that any Man at firft Reading fhould underftand it perfectly; but that by diligent Reading, by a due Application, and fteady Attention of Mind, a Man of extraordinary Sagacity and Underftanding may come to underftand the Principles and Demonffratiens 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 Scriptures are plain in all Things neceffary to Faith, and a good Life, we do not mean that every Man at firft Hearing or Readingof thefe Things in it, ihall perfectly underftand them ; but by diligent Reading and Confderation, if he be of good Apprehenfion and Capacity, he may come to a fufficient Knowledge ofthem ; and if he be ofa meaner Capacity, and be willing to Learn, hemay by the help of a Teacher, be brought to underftand them without any great pains ; and fact Teachers God bath appointed in his Church for this very purpofe, and a Succef iori of them to continue to the end of the World. In a word, when we faythe Scriptures are plain to all Capacities, in all Things neceffary, we mean, that any Man of ordinary Capacity, by his own Diligence and Care, in Conjundion with the Helpsand Advantages which Godhathappointed, and in the due Ufe of them, may attain to the Knowledge ofevery Thing neceffary I i a fo
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