avowed infidel : and he must be ignorant indeed, who does not know, that in these pretended believers of the Scriptures there is generally found the most acrimonious hostility against the truth itself, and against all who maintain it.]
3. By entertaining doubts of its utility to the
poor —
[Would to God that Papists alone had broached this im- pious sentiment ! But, alas ! it is found amongst Protestants also : nor are there wanting those who have given it as their decided opinion, that it would have been better for the world if St. Paul had never written one of his Epistles. To put the Scriptures into the hands of the poor, they think highly inex- pedient ; because they apprehend that the poor are more likely to be led into error by them, than into truth. But what a reflection is this upon God himself, who gave them by inspira- tion, and declared them to be "profitable for men's instruction in righteousness b ;" and commanded every man to "search" them, in order to the finding of eternal life c ! To soften down this impious notion, some would select a few parts to circulate among the poor, and would keep back the rest : in other words, they would do exactly what Jehoiakim did ; they would cut out page after page, and suffer none to be read which was dis- tasteful to their minds. Jehoiakim was afraid that his people would make a bad use of Jeremiah's roll, and therefore he burned it : and these have the same fears about the greater part of the sacred volume ; and therefore they would keep it out of the hands of the poor. The acts of the two are dif- ferent ; but their dispositions are the same.]
4. By setting its precepts at defiance —
[Strange as it may appear, there are many, who, whilst they believe the Scriptures to be from God, and assent to the doctrines contained in them, are yet determined to go on in sin : they know they are wrong, and perhaps intend at some future period to amend their doings ; but proceed they will in their own ways, whatever may be the consequence. The world, the flesh, and the devil have such a hold upon them, that nothing can prevail upon them to seek after God. They despise alike the mercies and the judgments of their God; and say in their hearts, " As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not regard it." In short, they live in the very spirit of Jehoiakim ; believing the word to be inspired, and yet " casting it behind them," with a de- termination to fulfil their own desires in opposition to it.]
5. By reviling and persecuting those who embrace it—
b 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. c John v. 39.