tures to them, and therefore the Scriptures are obfcure.

But at most, by his Favour, it can only follow from bence, that thofe Scriptures which our Lord expounded to them at this time were fo, viz. the things relating to Himself in the Law of Mofes, and in the Prophets. And yet neither doth it follow that these were obfcure; at leaft now he was come, and had fuffered Death, and was rifen again. Nay our Saviour plainly intimates that they were far from being obfcure now, feeing He upbraided them immediately before with Folly and dulness of Apprehenfion, for not understanding them; Viz. ver. 25, 26. Then he faid unto them, O Fools, and flow of Heart to believe all that the Prophets have (poken: Ought not Chrift to have fuffered these things, and to enter into His Glory? As if he fhould fay, Is not this most manifeft from the Prophecies concerning the Meffias? and therefore what egregious Stupidity are you guilty of, in not perceiving it?

His Third Text is, Acts 8. 31. Where the Ethiopian Eunuch, reading in his Chariot that place in Ifaiah, He was led as a Sheep to the Slaughter, &c. And Philip asking him whether he understood what he read? Replied, How can I, except fome Man fhould guide me? But,

1. He doth not reply, How can I, except I am guided by fome Infallible Interpreter? whether a fingle Perfon, or a Church. And his Reply fpake no more, than that he needed fome few that understood the Prophets better than himself was in Circumftances to do, to interpret this place to him. Who, tho he was a Profelyte, lived at too great a distance from Judea to be mightily skilled in the moft obfcure part of the Jews Bible. And,

2. Whereas Bellarmin here adds, to take as much as he could of this Paffage, that St. Jerom (in his Epiftle

to

to Paulinus, concerning the study of the Scriptures) faith, That this Eunuch did diligently read the Scriptures, and was Sanctus, Pins & Humilis, an Holy, Godly and Humble Man; furely he understood all things that were necessary to Salvation before Chrift's Coming, while he was ignorant of the meaning of this place in Ifaiah, if he were fuch an excellent Perfon before this his meeting with St. Philip, as he would have us believe he was from St. Ferom.

His Fourth (and laft) Text is, thofe Words of St. Peter concerning St. Paul's Epiftles, viz. In which are fome things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do alfo the other Scriptures, to their own Destruction. 2 Pet. 3. 16. Where Bellarmin faith, it ought to be obferved that St. Peter did not fay that there were fome things hard to be understood by the unlearned and unstable, as the Hereticks expound it, but that there were fome things abfolutely difficult. Now it is not worth our while, to enquire whether any of his Hereticks do fo expound it; but he must needs have been conscious to himself of a great Untruth, in saying this indefinitely of them. We acknowledg therefore that St. Peter doth by Some things hard to be understood in St. Paul's Epiftles, mean hard abfolutely, or in themselves: But what Service will this do our Cardinal? Since,

1. St. Peter doth not fay that his Brother Paul's Epifiles (and much less that the Scriptures in general) are hard to be understood, but only fome things in them. And two or three things are fome things. And in faying only fome things, is implied that all the other things contained in those Epiftles are not hard to be understood.

2. Had he faid that there were in them many things hard to be understood. How doth it follow that any of thofe Things are Points neceffary to Salvation? Áno

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These are all the Texts of Scripture that are produced by the Cardinal; and if he could have met with fuller Evidence for the Scriptures Obfcurity from any other Texts, no queftion he would not have fatisfied himfelf with thefe: Efpecially fince he doth not here treat of this Argument by the by; but 'tis the whole business of this and the next Chapter, to demonftrate the Scriptures to be fo obfcure, as that all may be convinced of the abfolute neceffity of that Infallible Judg, which is the fubject (as I faid) of all the fucceeding Chapters of this Third Book. And his citing fuch Texts as thefe for fuch a purpose, is as pregnant an Inftance as well can be, to fhew what Little Things Great Men make themfelves, when they zealously engage in an indefenfible Caufe.

But there are other Texts preft to serve this Caufe, by other of the Popish. Authors, which must next be confidered; and I need look but into one Book for them, viz. The Touchstone of the Reformed Gofpel, lately Reprinted, and (as the Title Page tells us.) made more correct. And I cannot think but that we have bere all thofe Scriptures muftered together, which are brought in any other Books to prove the Obfcurity of Scripture; tho one fingle one to the purpofe would have fignified much more than

all of them.

To thofe of Bellarmin here are added no fewer than ten Texts, befides two which I am not unwilling to think mifquoted, as great care as was taken in the Correction of this Edition. Thofe are Apoc. 2. 5. And from Fefus Chrift, who is the faithful and true Witness, &c. And Luke 2. 50. Glory to God in the Higheft, on Earth Peace, Good Will towards Men. I fay I fufpect a Mifquotation in thefe, except they think that our Saviour could not be a Faithful and True, if he were a Clear Witness: And

that

that he could not bring Peace on Earth, or exprefs Good Will to Men, unless he had brought with him an obfcure Gofpel. And as to the other ten, it will be but Good Manners to beg the Reader' Pardon, for troubling him with more than the bare Recitical of them.

The First is, Apoc. 5. 4. And I wept much, because no Man was found worthy to open the Book, and to read the Book, neither to look thereon: viz. in regard of its great Obfcurity. Now our Author tells us, That the Angel, Speaking of the Book fealed with feven Seals, wept much: And adds, A ftrange Cafe to read in Scripture it felf, that the Book of Scripture should be shut up with fo many Seals. But much more strange that even in St. John's time none could be found, neither in Heaven, nor in Earth, able to open the fame, nor to look thereon: Which every Apprentice now a-days, without any Difficulty, will undertake to do. But,

1. Hath their Infallible Interpreter told them, that 'tis the Angel that is here faid to weep much? And fhall we believe him, when 'tis as clear as the Light that 'tis St. John that faith, I wept much?

2. Did their Infallible Fudg of the Senfe of Scripture tell them, that the Book fealed with feven Seals is the Book of Scripture, viz. the Bible? If fo, How dare their very Bishops, or Cardinals, or the Pope himself to look thereon, and, much more, to open it, and read therein, if he ever does? When even in St. John's time, none could be found neither in Heaven, nor in Earth, able to open the fame, nor to look upon it. One would conclude from hence, that the Church of Rome hath been abundantly too Liberal in the Liberty she hath granted to read the Scriptures. But many of our Apprentices can tell them, that these two are but flender Inftances of their being better enabled to understand the Scriptures than other Folk, in

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regard of their Infallible Judg. For their mere MotherWit doth infallibly affure them, that, as it was St. John that faid I wept much, not the Angel, fo 'tis only that particular Book of Scripture of which thefe Words are a part, which is here fpoken of, not the Book of Scripture in General. We fee by these Inftances, that 'tis not neceffary that things fhould be hard to be understood to put them into a poffibility of being wrested, or mifunderftood, by fome fort of People. For here is as eafy a Text as any in the Bible, moft fhamefully wrested by one at leaft, who would take it very ill to be call'd Unlearned. And fo are abundance more, as eafy as this, by him and his Fellow Catholicks.

3. Whereas thefe Words fpeak the Apocalyps to be a. very difficult Book: who ever thought otherwife of it? Tho a great part (as hath been already faid) is now much plainer, than it was when 'twas first written, viz. fo. much of it as is accomplisht; and the rest will every Age be plainer and plainer, viz. as 'tis accomplisht. And in due time, we doubt not but the Infallible Interpreter and Fudg of Controverfies, will find little Service done to his (or her) Infallibility, by the fulfilling of the Prophecies of this Book.

4. I add, that 'tis far from being necessary to our Sal vation, to understand so much of this Book as is intelligible by us; the matters therein contained, which are not to be found in other Books of Scripture, being only in the number of things, in higher or lower degrees, profitable, not abfolutely neceffary.

As to the following Text, our Author is fo civil to his. Readers, as only to cite the Chapters and Verfes, and I would be as civil to mine too, were we not to deal with a fort of Men, whofe Humour 'tis, to cry up the abfurdeft Arguments and Objections, as Unanswerable, if they be not Answer'd..

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