Sect. V. p. 54. The last section of this chapter contains motives to moderation, three in number; land I suppose that no man doubts but that many more might be added, eveiy one in weight outdoing all these three. The first is that alone which Protestants are concerned to look unto; not that Protestants oppose any motive unto modera- tion, but knowing that in this discourse moderation is only the pre- tence, Popery (if I may use the word without incivility) the design
56 ANDIAD VERSIONS ON A TREATISE
and aim, it concerns them to examine wliicli of these pretended motives, that any way regards their real principle, doth tend unto. Now this motive is, " the gi-eat ignorance our state and condition is involved in concerning God, his works and providence ;" a great motive to moderation. I wish all men would well consider it; for I must ac- knowledge that I cannot but suppose them ignorant of the state and condition of mortality, and so consequently their own, who are ready to destroy and exterminate their neighbours, of the same flesh and blood with them, and agreeing in the main principles of religion that may certainly be known, for lesser differences, and that by such rules as Avithin a few years may possibly reach their nearest relations. Our author also lays so much Aveight on this motive, that he fears an an- ticipation by men sapng, " That the Scripture reveals enough unto us;" which, therefore, he thinks necessary to remove. For my part, I scarce think he apprehended any real danger that this would be in- sisted on as an objection against his motive to moderation. For to pre- vent his tending on towards that which is indeed his proper end, this obstacle is not unseasonably laid, that, under a pretence of the ignor- ance unavoidably attending our state and condition, he might not prevail upon us to increase and aggravate it, by enticing us to give up ourselves by an implicit faith to the conduct of the Roman church. A man may easily perceive the end he intends, by the objections which he foresees. No man is so mad, I think, as to j)lead the sufficiency of Scripture revelation against moderation ; when, in the revelation of the will of God contained in the SA'ipture, moderation is so much commended unto us, and pressed upon us. But against the pretended necessity of resigning ourselves to the Romanists, for a relief against the unavoidable ignorance of our state and condition, besides that we know full well such a resignation would yield us no relief at all, this plea of the sufficiency of Scripture revelation is full and unanswerable. This put our author on a work which I have formerly once or twice sxlvised him to meddle no more ; being well assured that it is neither for his reputation nor his advantage, much less for his soul's health. The pretences which he makes use of are the same that we have heard of many and many a time: — the abuse of it by some, and the want of an infallible interpreter of it as to us all. But the old tale is here anew gilded with an intermixture of other pretty stories, and application of all to the present humours of men ; not forgetting to set forth the brave estate of our forefathers, that had not the use of tlic Scripture: Avhich what it was avo knoAV well enough, and better than the prejudices of this gentleman will give him leave to tell us. But if the laAvful and necessary use of any thing may be decried be- cause of its .■ilnise, Ave ought not only to labour [for] the abolishing of all Christian religion in general, and every principle of it in particular,
ENTITLED FIAT LUX. 57
out of the world, but the blotting out of the sun, and moon, and stars, out of the firmament of heaven, and the destruction of the greatest and most noble parts, at least, of the whole creation. But as the apostles continued in the work of preaching the gospel, though by some the grace they taught " Avas turned into lasciviousness;" so shall we abide to plead for the use of the Scripture, whatever abuse of them by the wicked lusts of men can be instanced in. Nor is there any reason in the world why food should be kept from all men, though some have surfeited, or may yet so do. To have a compendi- ous narration of the story and morality of the Scripture in the room of the whole, which our author allows of, is so jejune, narrow, and empty a conception, — so unanswerable to all those divine testimonies given to the excellency of the word of God, with precepts to abide in the meditation and study of it, to grow in the knowledge of it and the mysteries contained in it, the commendations of them that did so in the Scripture itself, — so blasjohemously derogatory to the good- ness, love, and wisdom of God in granting us that inestimable benefit, — so contrary to the redoubled exhortations of all the ancient fathers, — that I wonder any one who dares pretend to have read it, or to be a Christian, can own and avow such a notion. All the fine stories, allusions, and speculations about madness, that he is pleased to flourish withal in this matter, are a covering too short and narrow to hide that wretched contempt of the holy word of the great God which in these notions discovers itself. Men who by corrupt principles have been scared from the study of the Scripture, or by their lusts kept from its serious perusal, or attendance unto it, — that value not the authority of God, of Christ, or his apostles, commanding and requir- ing the diligent study of it, — that disregard the glorious mysteries revealed m it, on set purpose that we might all come to an acquaint- ance with them, — and so, consequently, that have had no experience of the excellency or usefulness of it, nor lie under any conviction of their own duty to attend unto it, — may perhaps be glad to have their lusts and unbelief so far accommodated, as to suffer themselves to be persuaded that there is no need that they should any farther regard it than hitherto they have done; but " in vain is the net spread before the eye of any thing that hath a wing." For them who have tasted the sweetness of the good word of God, who have attained any acquaintance with its usefulness and excellency, who have heard the voice of God in it, making the knowledge of his will revealed therein of indispensable necessity to the salvation of their souls ; believe me, sir, all your rhetoric and stories, your pretences and flourishes, will never prevail with them to cast away their Bibles, and resolve for the future to believe only in the pope. Of the interpretation of the Sc]-ipture I have spoken before, and showed sufficiently that neither