"Grace of Baptifm, by which they who are flain by "Sin, are reftored to Life.

Now for the undeceiving and establishing of the People,there may come forth fhort Tracts in order upon feveral Points of Popery, in which the Places of Scripture, wrefted and perverted, in thefe and other Popish Books, will be fully vindicated from their abufive Gloffes, and restor❜d to their true Sense and Meaning. For the Clergy of the Church of England, in fuch Things as concern the Holy Scriptures, are not apt to imitate thofe of the Church of Rome, who, if they have the Key of Knowledg, forbear to put it to its proper ufe; whilft they keep others out, and either go not in themselves, or, at least, to us, do not appear to do fo.

THE END.

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The TEXTS which Papifts cite out of the Bible, for the Proof of Their Doctrine,

CONCERNING

The Obfcurity of the Holy Scriptures,

EXAMINED.

By Dr. Edward Forilir.

IMPRIMATUR.

Mart. 1. 1687.

JO. BATTELY.

T

Hat the Romanifts are much more concerned for the Intereft of their Church, than for the Credit of our common Christianity, doth too manifeftly appear by not a few of their avowed Doctrines; but by none more than that of the Obfcurity of the Holy Scriptures. In order to their Churches advancement to the highest pitch of Glory imaginable,'tis the moft fundamental of all the Articles of their Faith, that she is Infallible. And that the Holy Scriptures themselves may be fubjeЯted to her Authority, they refolve their belief of them into it ultimately; They found their Judgment of Canonical Books wholly thereon; and, not content herewith, they make their Church the only Judg of the true Senfe of Scripture, and do their utmost to perfuade the World of its great Obfcurity, even in the most necef

fary

4

fo that it will not coft us much pains to inform our felves truly concerning them. But particular Cafes that may fall out are infinite, and confequently cannot be exprefly determined in any Writing; and therefore 'tis unreafonable to expect to find them fo in the Holy Scriptures. Yet they contain fuch general Rules, as by the use of our Reason, and Prayers to God for Direction, and good Advice, we may either understand how to govern our felves in fuch Cafes; or if, after faithful Endeavours, in the use of the beft means, to know our Duty, we are mistaken, we are fure, upon a general Repentance of all our Faults known and unknown, of God's Pardon. But yet,

7. We do not affert the Scriptures fo plain in the moft neceffary Points, as to be uncapable of being mifunderftood and perverted to an ill Senfe: If we did, we fhould think Citations out of the mott primitive Fathers, and thofe Councils which beft deferve to be called General, wholly needlefs for the clearing of thefe; both which we have a great esteem of as excellent good Witneffes, tho not as Judges. And we need no greater Evidence for the Scripture's being capable of being mifunderstood in fuch. Points, than what the Roman Church hath given us. Nothing can be more plainly revealed, than what is in Scripture against the Worship of God by Images, or by any other Mediator befides Christ Jefus, against Prayers in an unknown Tongue, against Chrift's being again properly facrificed in his Supper, against denying the Cup to the Laity, and too many other Particulars to be now mentioned. But we fee, that Church underftands all thofe Scriptures which most exprefly contradict the lawfulness of thofe Practices, in fuch a manner, as to reconcile them to them. And what think we of that great Bone of Contention, The Judg in Controverfies?

Hath

2. We are as far from thinking, that all Perfons are in a Capacity of understanding all Scripture. But we know that, according to Mens Educations, and Parts, and other Circumftances, they are capable of knowing the true meaning of more or lefs of it.

3. We acknowledg, that there are not a few places of Scripture fo obfcure and difficult, as that those who are furnished with the best, both natural and acquired Advantages for the understanding of Scripture, cannot be certain of their having attained to the true fenfe of them. And we know,

4. That a great part of Scripture is now very easy, that was once as difficult; and that many things therein contained are now extreamly difficult, which Time will make as easy. For Inftance; many of the Types and Prophecies of the Old-Teftament which relate to the Meffias, were perhaps till his Coming, at least as to their chief Intention, unintelligible to all who were not infpired for the understanding of them, that fince his Coming are to us Chriftians as plain and perfpicuous. And feveral Predictions in the Book of Daniel, and the Apocalyps, which we fee accomplisht, are as plain to us as they were before obfcure; and thofe that are to be accomplifhed, are now as obfcure, as they fhall be plain. And 'tis evident that the Types and Prophecies were defigned by Providence chiefly for the Benefit of after-Ages; for their greater Confirmation in the Chriftian Faith, as they came to be fulfilled: And divers of them might probably be defigned wholly for their Benefit. But,

5. We are abundantly affured, that all Things neceffary to be rightly understood in order to our Salvation, are in the Holy Scriptures delivered with great Perfpicuity. That the meaning of thofe Words and Phrases by which the Effential Points of Chriftianity (whether they be C 2

Mat

Scripture to be the Word of God; that it was written by Divine Infpirrtion: But 'tis unreasonable to expect, that this should be fatisfactorily proved by Scripture; there being no more reafon to believe this meerly, because the Scripture tells us fo of it self, than to believe any Peon to be infpired barely upon his own Word. Our Saviour himself faith, If I bear witness of my felf, my Witness is not true: i.e. If you had no other reason to believe me to be the Son of God, than that I affirm this of my felf, you ought not to think me fo. Our meaning therefore is, that all Chriftians (and that Name fuppofeth the believing of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures) may find all things necessary to Salvation delivered therein with great Perfpicuity.

These things being premifed, 'tis the easiest thing to fhew, that the Cardinal and others have been moft fhamefully impertinent in their Citations of Scripture, for the proof of its Obfcurity, against the Proteftant Doctrine touching its Perfpicuity: Or, for the proving it fo obfcure, as that we cannot be fecure of rightly understanding it, so far as is neceffary, without the Affiftance of an Infallible Judg. And now we come to speak,

First, To the feveral Texts which are pretended to give Testimony to the Obfcurity of Scripture.

The Cardinal begins with three Verses of the 119th Pfalm, which contain three Petitions of the Pfalmift; tho two of them differ only in Words, viz.

Verf. 73. Give me understanding, that I may learn thy Commandments.

Verf. 18. Open thou mine Eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. Or, the wondrous things of thy Law.

Verf. 135. Make thy Face to fbine upon thy Servant, and teach me thy Statutes. But,

1. King