SERM. And the plain Account of this Matter IX. is, that, though the Scripture was writ

ten by Men, under the Immediate Infpiration and Guidance of the Holy Ghoft, yet were thofe Men, at the Time of this Inspiration, left to the free Use of their own Natural Faculties and Powers; and to exprefs themselves, every one after their particular Fashion and Manner. The Holy Ghoft, though it prefided over the Minds and Pens of the Apoftles, fo far as to preferve them from Error, yet doth not feem to have dictated to them, what they were to fay, Word by Word, but in that to have left them, in good measure, if not altogether, to themselves. Which appears plainly from hence, in that we find, the Several Writers of the New Teftament always in their feveral Proper and Peculiar Characters; and as different in their Styles, almost, as One Human Author is from Another.

For what is left to Men to exprefs, placed only under an Over-ruling Power, which neceffitates them to speak no

thing but Truth, muft needs be ex- SERM. pressed, though always Truly, yet, af- IX. ter the unequal, imperfect Manner of Men, fometimes more darkly, and fometimes more clearly. I fay therefore, that the Apostles, and Evangelists, making use of their Natural Faculties and Ways of Speech, in committing to Writing the Truths delivered to them, it could not be expected, that they fhould speak always with the fame Degree of Perfpicuity, because no other Writer does fo.

Further, The Nature of fome Things they delivered was such, so high and heavenly, so obscure and altogether unknown to Men, that the Language of Men could not but fail under them, when they were to exprefs them. They were of Neceffity fometimes to fall fhort, in what they Said, of what they Imagined and Conceived; and, for want of fit and adequate Terms, to cloathe their Thoughts in uncqual and improper ones. Particularly as to S. Paul, who had been in

the

SERM. the Third Heaven, and there heard IX. things unutterable; was it to be expected, that, when he came down from thence, he should have fpoke of those Mysteries, after a clear and fatisfactory Manner? No, Thofe, to whom he fpake, must have been in the Third Heaven too, thoroughly to have underftood his Meaning.

It is no Wonder therefore, that there fhould be Paffages in Scripture of a doubtful and uncertain Meaning, even to Thofe, who lived at the Time when that Scripture was penned. It is yet less a Wonder, that there fhould be many more fuch, with regard to Us, who live at this Distance from the Age of the Apostles.

For confider we with ourfelves, what manner of Men the Apostles were, in their Birth and Education; what Country they lived in; what Language they wrote in; and we fhall it find rather Wonderful, that there are so few, than that there are fo many Things, that we are at a loss to Understand. They were

Men

Men all (except S. Paul) meanly born SER M.. and bred, and uninftru&ted utterly in IX. the Arts of Speaking and Writing. All the Language they were Masters of, was, purely what was Neceffary to express themselves, upon the Common Affairs of Life, and in Matters of Intercourse with Men of their own Rank and Profeffion. When they came therefore to talk of the Great Doctrines of the Cross, to preach up the Aftonishing Truths of the Gospel, they brought to be fure their Old Idiotifms, and Plainnefs of Speechalong with them. And is it ftrange then, that the deep Things of God fhould not always be expreffed by them in Words of the greatest Propriety and Clearnefs?

The Eastern Manner of Thinking and Speaking, at that time especially, when the Scripture was wrote, was widely different from Ours, who live in This Age,and This Quarter of the World. The Language of the Eaft fpeaks of nothing fimply, but in the boldeft, and moft lofty Figures, and in the longest

and

İts

SERM. and moft ftrained Allegories.
IX. Transitions, from One thing to Another,

are Irregular and Sudden, without the
least Notice given. Its Manner of ex-
preffing things is wonderfully fhort and
comprehenfive, fo as to leave much
more to be understood, than is plainly
and directly fpoken. And this allo
cannot but contribute, to make the Ho-
ly Writings feem, in fome Parts of
them, Obscure, to fuch as are used to
throw their Thoughts, and their Words,
into a quite different Mould.

Beyond all this, We, at this Distance, cannot be exactly acquainted with the Occafions, upon which fome Parts of Scripture were written; which neverthelefs are the true and proper Keys, that open the Meaning of them. We fee not the frequent Allufions to Cuftoms then known, and in use. We are in the dark to many of the Objections made to the Apoftles Doctrine, which are tacitly obviated and answered by them, in their Epiftles, without being mentioned. Under thefe, and ma

ny