then his Vicar is much more fo; for the enlightning of the dark Bible. But however this is, we have heard of fuch Burning and Shining Lights as have scarce had their Fellows, either fince or before St. John the Baptift.

The Tenth and (for our Comfort) the laft Text is, Pfal. 119. 34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law, yea I fball obferve it with my whole Heart. But what is this more than a fecond Repetition of Bellarmin's Citation, as to its Senfe, out of this Pfalm, tho a different Verfe? But I have too much exercised my Reader's Patience to repeat my Answer.

And now, if all thefe 14 Texts can't comince us, that 'tis impoffible for Proteftants to understand the Scripture, we are like to preferve in our Heretical Notion of its Perfpicuity, in all neceffary Points efpecially, for all that Texts of Scripture do fay to the contrary: And ftill to think our felves in no need of being affifted by Rome's Infallibility in our Enquiries after the true Sense of it. For certainly no mortal Man can imagine any of thofe Scriptures pertinent to the purpofe for which they are produced, but fuch as dare not look upon them with their own Eyes, and believe themselves void of all Judgment of Discretion in matters of Religion, because they are told fo by the Church of Rome. But as for fuch as thefe, there is not a Text from the Beginning of Genefis to the End of the Revelation, but may as well convince them of the Obfcurity of Scripture, if their Church fhall be pleased to tell them that this her Doctrine is proved by it. And therefore to what end is it to fetch Teftimonies from Scripture to prove its Obfcurity, were it not, in pursuance of their Churches prohibiting them to look into a Bible, to affright them from reading any more of it, than fuch Texts? Which it seems are perfpicuous enough to be understood both by Catholicks

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and Hereticks, because they affure them that the Scriptures in general are not to be understood by them. And as for us Hereticks, who have no fuch Deference for this Church's Authority, it seems the idleft thing in Nature, to go about to perfuade us of the Obfcurity of the Scriptures, by Teftimonies taken out of them: For if they be fo obfcure as we are told, and themselves fay they are, we shall not fo much believe it becaufe they tell us fo, as because we find them fo. As, on the other hand, if they should tell us that they are Perfpicuous, we could not believe it, if we found them to be Obfcure.

But this Doctrine of the Obfcurity of Scripture in Matters neceffary, is as great an Impofition upon our Experience, as is that of Tranfubftantiation upon our Senfes. And therefore we do more than believe, we know, that 'tis an impious Slander upon the Holy Scriptures, and a blafpheming of the Author of them.

But fince thofe who fo much defpife the Scriptures, as Papifts are well known to do, can quote Texts out of them, to ferve their own turn (as one whom I will not name long before them did, who had as little Respect for them as they can have, and was far more cunning in his Quotations, than we have now feen they are) we can furnish them with Texts good store that infinitely more clearly affert the Perfpicuity of the Scriptures,than any one of theirs does it Obfcurity. And this we would do were it needful, as we have fhewn it is not: But thefe four are enough for our Adverfaries to compare with their fourteen: Viz. Deut. 30. 11, &c. 2.Cor. 4. 2,3,4. 1 Tim. 6. 3. John 7. 17.

Mofes faith in Deut. 30. 11, &c. This Commandment which I command thee this day, is not hidden from thee,neither is it far off; it is not in Heaven, that you shouldst say,

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who shall go up for us to Heaven, and bring it down to us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the Sea, that thou shouldft fay, Who shall go over the Sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it and do it? But the Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy Mouth and in thine Heart, that thou mayst do it. See, I fet before thee (or plainly before thine Eyes) Life and Good, and Death and Evil. Bellarmin takes notice of this Text among others, as urged by Proteftants for a proof of the Perfpicuity of Scripture; and gives us this Remark of Brentius upon it, viz. Thefe Words fhew, that there is no need of palling over the Mountains, and going to Rome, for the interpretation of Scripture. And in his Reply to it, of two Answers he prefers this: That Mofes here fpeaks only of the Precepts of the Decalogue, which are natural, and eafy to be understood. Fairly confeft! and we thank him. But left this Senfe fhould feem to thwart his Expofition of thofe Verses he quoted out of the 119th Pfalm for the Obfcurity of the Scriptures, he faith, That by the Law which David there confeffeth was difficult to be understood, (tho, as we fhewed, he confeffeth no fuch thing) he did not mean the ten Precepts only, but all the Holy Scriptures. But if he did not mean those ten only, but all the Holy Scriptures, he muft needs furely mean them, tho not them only; and therefore Bellarmin is more concerned to reconcile Mofes and David, though if they had been at odds he is far from doing it,than not to contradict himfelf. But fince he here acknowledgeth the ten Commandments to be fo very plain, and easy to be understood, we shall make some earnings of this Acknowledgment. For no less than 19 parts in 20 of the Præceptive part of the New Testament, are but fo many Branches of the Me ral Law, and therefore they must also be as plain and

eafy. And 'tis very pertinent to our purpose to obferve, that St. Paul doth apply thefe fame Words of Mofes to the Precepts of the Gospel, Rom. 10.6, &c. Saying, The Righteousness of Faith fpeaketh on this wife, Say not in thine Heart, Who fball afcend into Heaven, &c. And Verf. 8. afs ter the repetition of the 4th Verfe of that 30th of Deuteronomy, viz. The Word is nigh thee, even in thy Mouth and in thine Heart, he adds, That is the Word of Faith which we preach. And the fame Apostle fums up all,that the Grace of God,which bringeth Salvation to all Men,teacheth, in living foberly, righteously and godly. Or, in behaving our felves, as becomes fuch Creatures, towards our own Selves, our Neighbour, and Almighty God: which furely are all Duties enjoyned by the Moral Law. And besides what is exprefly commanded and forbid in the Ten Commandments, or is plainly deducible from them, and our Saviour's more perfect Expofition of feveral of them, which he calls Fulfilling, or Filling up, the Law; there are but two or three more diftinct Precepts contained in the Gospel, viz. That of Believing Chrift to be the Saviour of the World, and Son of God (and confequently believing whatsoever he delivered, and confirmed by innumerable Miracles, Wonders and Signs, to be true, whether we truly understand it or no) and Faith in his Undertakings for our Deliverance both from the Punishment and Power of Sin; together with the Inftitutions of Baptifm and the Lord's Supper; in none of which we have any reason given us to complain of Obfcurity. Tho the Church of Rome hath been pleased to make the last of thefe, not only moft difficult, but impoffible to be underftood; and to be also not disbelieved by thofe who cannot digeft the greatest Contradictions in the World, both to their bodily Senfes, and the Reafon of their Minds. In

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deed the Quakers from one of those Inftances of our Saviour's Filling up the Law, prove all Swearing to be unlawful; when 'tis evident enough by comparing this place. with Hebrews 6. 16. and those three places in which St. Paul upon most weighty occafions swears, that only Swearing by Creatures, and all customary and unneceffary Swearing, is forbid. But tho thus to understand thofe Words, Swear not at all, be neceffary upon fome other accounts, yet I prefume none think it of absolute neceffity to Salvation: Or, that, tho cuftomary and unneceffary Swearing be a Mortal Sin, refufing to fwear at all from a no more culpable Principle than a mere Perfuafion of our Saviour's having forbidden it, can be worfe than a Venial one. And as to the mighty Motives our Saviour hath given us to the observation of his Precepts: Namely his exceeding great and precious Promifes,and his fearful Threatnings; one would in Charity hope that no Papift can for fhame fay, that these are fo expreft, as that 'tis impoffible without an infallible Interpreter to know their true meaning.

In our Second Text, viz. 2 Cor. 4. 2, 3, 4. The Apoftle faith, We have renounced the hidden things of difbonefty, or all Myfteries of Iniquity, that make Godliness a mere matter of Gain, and Religion a State Trick; not walking in Craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, by making Additions of our own thereto (And O that their pretended only Succeffors could fay fo too!) but by manifeftation of the Truth, commending our felves to every Man's Confcience in the fight of God, (and therefore no doubt fpeaking to all Mens Understandings.) But if our Gofpel be hid, it is bid to them that are lost; in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that› believe not left the light of the glorious Gofpel of Chrift,

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