ESSAY VIII. Of the Dculties in Scripture, and the Different Opinions of Christians in Things less Necessary. SECTION 1. -A short Account of these Difficulties. CONCERNING the doctrines and duties which peculiarly belong to the New Testament, 1 have generally concluded this to be a good rule of judgment,- that according to the degree of their importance or necessity to salvation, such is commonly the degree of their evidence; and the frequencyof their repetition is, for the most part, proportionable to their usefulness., Those great truths of our religion, and those practices of christianity, without which we cannot be saved, are described in the word of God, in large and fair characters, so that " he who runs may read them." The visions and revelations of the mind and will of God our sovereign, are written and made plain upon the tables of the evangelists, or of the apostles ; Heb. ii. 2. they are not mentioned once and briefly, but many pages explain and repeat them ; they stand in a divine and convincing light, and may easily be understood by those whowith a humble and teach able spirit, enquire what they must believe and do, in order to please God. This remark is much confirmed by that promise which assures us that it should be so in gospel -times. The high-a way to heaven is so plain, that the way-fining men, or strangers, though they befools in understanding, shall not err therein; Is. xxxv. 8. A man that labours in his daily calling, in the city or the field, or a servant in the lowest rank of life, may, with due application in their vacant moments, be acquainted with the ne- cressary truths and duties of our religion ; besides that the Spirit of God is promised to sincere and diligent seekers, to faithful and humble enquirers, and shall be bestowed sufficiently to inform them of the sure' way to eternal life ; Prov. ii. 1, 6. If thon cried after knowledge, and lftest up thy voicefor understanding, if thou seekest her as silver, and searchestfor her as for hid trea- sures, then shalt thou understand the fier of the Lord, andfind the knowledge ofGod; Luke xi. 13. Your heavenly Fathershall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. And theSpirit is sent to guide the faithful into all truth.; John xvi. 13. The wisdom, the equity and the goodness ofGod seem all to concur in fixing matters of necessary belief and practice in this situation, that is, that they shouldbe often and plainly expressed. 1f there be any particular doctrine or duty which I find written
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