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ftrong foever, could not for a Moment maintain their Ground.

The Rules I have laid down for our common Instruction in Reading the Scriptures, are thefe: First, That we should make eternal Life our chief End, not only because it is our higheft Concern, but because it is the great Design of all Revelation. Secondly, That in order to promote this End, we fhould feck our Inftructions intirely in the Scriptures as abundantly fufficient to answer it. Thirdly, That whereas, the Scriptures lay an uncommon Stress upon some particular Virtues or Duties, we fhould not fuffer any Interpretation of Scripture to pafs upon us, which is not strictly reconcileable with these clear and exprefs Affertions of Scripture.

From what has been faid I would obferve firft, the heinous Sin of prohibiting the Scriptures, of with-holding the Bread of Life from the Souls

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of Men. If the Scriptures are the only Writings which have in them an abfolute Affurance of eternal Life, and they are with-held from us: This must be an Injury fo much greater than all others, as the Souls of Men are more precious than their Bodies, eternal Life than the present.

Secondly, It may be doubted, whether ridiculing the Scriptures, be not a Sin more heinous in it felf than the former, howsoever it may prove in its Confequences to others. To make a Jeft of that awful Volume which was wrote by the Finger of God, which was defigned for our highest Improvement and Happiness; what is this but to bid defiance to the Almighty, and throw off all Regard to Virtue and its Rewards? How fhall we escape if we neglect fo great Salvation; how indeed, if we ridicule it!

Thirdly, Mifinterpreting Scripture, especially in the immediate Concerns G

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of eternal Life, should not pafs without its Cenfure. It is more nearly related to the two former Sins, than we may at firft imagine. 'Tis a prohibiting as as far as in us lies, the true Sense of Scripture, and furnishing the bufy Mockers with the Materials they want, who, would they confine themfelves to the Follies of Men, a Harveft plentiful enough, might do the World a confiderable Service; but to make the Word of God, and the abfurd Comments of Men one Subject of Ridicule, is the most unreasonable and audacious Injustice. In many things we may err innocently; a critical Mistake is of finall Confequence; but Mifinterpretations in things effential to eternal Life, are of too fatal a Tendency both to our felves and others, to admit of Extenuation. In this cafe, we take and give a Stone instead of Bread; instead of Fish, Scorpions. A Reason this, why every Teacher as

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well as Hearer of God's Word should keep his Foot, when he cometh into his House, left he give the Sacrifice of Fools, who confider not that they do. Evil.

I would obferve, Fourthly, That in fearching the Scriptures, from the Motive of eternal Life, and by the Rules laid down, we shall avoid many Difficulties and Perplexities, which the Man whofe Eye is not fingle to this Point, will inevitably fall into. How clear foever the Scriptures may be in the Concerns of eternal Life, they are known to be very abftruse and difficult, deep and mysterious in other things. Our Vanity and Curiosity are apt to lead us into these Researches, in which we are often foil'd and offended. 'Tis to be feared, that many have been induced to disbelieve and reject all Revelation, upon Account of the Difficulties of fome Parts of it. This prefent Time is a Time of uncommon Trial, in

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which the Grounds and Reasons of Christianity are attacked in the most artful and fubtle manner, and in which the Advocates for it are not likely to agree amongst themselves. But to take occafion from hence, to reject the Faith of eternal Life, and neglect to use the proper Means of attaining it, (things which we cannot do without offending our natural Confciences, and defeating our highest Happiness) would not be less abfurd and unreasonable, than if we should refufe to make use of the Fruits of the Earth for our Suftenance and Pleasure, because we cannot account for all their different Qualities. When our Lord entertained his Followers with that mysterious Difcourfe of eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood, we are told, that many of his Difciples could not bear the hard Saying, but departed from, and walked no more with him: Upon this, he asks the Twelve, Will ye alfo

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