414, Knoruledge and `Fraïlice necej[ary in Religion. Vol. I may know their Duty, and yet not do it, and that this is very frequent, which is the Keafon why our Saviourgives this Caution. Thirdly, That the Practiceof Religion, and the doing of what we know to be our Duty, is the only way toHappinefs ; Ifye know thefe things, happy areye if ye do them. I begin with the Firfi of there, namely, That the Knowledge of God's Will and our Duty, is neceffary in order to the Praaice ofit. The truth of this Propofition is fo clear and evident at firft view, that nothing can obfcure it, and bring it in queflion, but to endeavour to prove it ; and therefore inftead of fpending time in that, I (hall take occafion from it, juftly to reprove that prepofterous Courfe which is taken, and openly avowed and juftified by fome, as the fafeft and bets way to make Men Religious, and tobring them to Happinefs; namely, by taking away from them the means of Knowledge as if the befit way to bring Men to do the Will ofGod, were to keep them from knowing it. For what elfe can be the -mean- ing of that Maxim fo current in the Church of Rome, that Ignorance is the Mo- ther of Devotion ? or of that ftrange and injurious pra&ice of theirs of Locking up Blom the People that great Store-houfe and Treafury of Divine Knowte ge, the Holy Scriptures, in an unknown Tongue ? I know very well, that in justification of this hard ufageof their People;"it is pretended that Knowledge is apt to puff Men up, to make them Proud andGoìä- tentious, Refra&ory and Difobedient, and Heretical, and what not ? and par- ticularly, that the free and familiar ufe of the Holy Scriptures permitted to the People, bath miniftred occafion to the People, of falling into great and dange- rous Errors, and of making great disturbance and divifions among Chriftians. For anfwer to this pretence, I delire thefe-four or five things may be Confidered. Firfi, That unlefs this be the Natural andNeceffary effe&of Knowledge inRe- ligion, and of the free ufe of the HolyScriptures, there is no force in this Kea- fon ; and if this be the proper and natural effeEt of this Knowledge, then this Reafon will reach a great way farther, than thofe-who make ufe of it are willing itfhould. Secondly, That this is not the natural and neceffary effe& of Knowledge in Re- ligion, butonly accidental, and proceeding from Men's abufe of it ; for which the thing it felf is not to be takenaway,, Thirdly, That the proper and natural Effe&s and Confequences of Ignorance, are equally pernicious, and much more certain and unavoidable, than thofe which are accidentally occaloned by Knowledge. Fourthly, That if this Reafon be good, it is much ftronger for withholding. the Scriptures from the Priefts and the Learned, than from the People. Fifthly, That this danger was as great, and as well known in the Apoftles times, and yet they took a quite contrary Courfe. Firff, I defire it may be confider'd that unlefs this be the natural and neceffary effe& Of Knowledge in Religion, and of the free ufe of the Holy Scriptures, there is no force in this Keafon ; for that which is neceffary, or highly ufeful, ought not to be taken away, becaufe it is liable to be perverted, and abufed to ill purpofes. If it ought, then not onlyKnowledge in Religion, but all other Knowledge ought to be reftrained and fuppreft ; for all Knowledge is apt to sniff up, and liable to be, abufed to may ill purpofes. At this rate, Light, and Liberty, and Reafon, yea and Life it Pelf, ought all tobe taken away, becaufe they are all greatly abufed bymany Men, to Come ill'p}trpofes or other , fo that unlefs there ill effe&s do naturally and neceffarily fpring from Knowledge in Re- Jigion, tlieObje&ion from them is of no force; and if they do_neceffarily flow from it, then this Reafon will reach a great way further than thofe that make ufe of it are willing it fhould, for if this be true, that the Knowledge of Religion, as it is Revealed in the Holy Scriptures, is of its own Nature fo pernicious, as to make Men Proud and Contentiousand Heretical, and Difobedient to Aùthórity, then the blame of all this would fall upon, our bleffed Saviour, for revealing Ça.pernici- ous a Doflrine, and upon his Apoftles, for publifhing this Do&rine in a known Tongue
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