? sesiP?v?t�. [Boor I. divines have confessed that they do not understand. In the notes in the Douay Testament, on the twenty-second chapter of Revelation, we find expressions of titis kind: "Some writers advocate this mean- ing, others that; one father says it has one signification, another de- clares it has another; probably this is the opinion, probably it has a different application." So that here is a virtual confession that their clergy undertake to explain a book, some parts of which they do not understand themselves. If obscurity of the Scriptures warrants their being withheld-or rather, if ability to understand all parts of them be the test of reading and explaining them, the Church of Rome or her clergy ought not to read them, because there are some parts which they cannot understand. In short, their boasting about interpreting Scripture is vain; because they have done comparatively little toward removing the obscurities of the word of God. Indeed, whatever portions of Scripture were obscure to common readers, remain so to this day, as far as the lucid expositions of the Church of Rome are concerned. Their comments and exposi- tions of any value are calculated for the learned only. Many of their interpretations are puerile or contradictory. There is no mode of Scriptural instruction pursued by their clergy calculated to !end the people to accurate or general Scriptural knowledge. There appears to be no authentic commentary on the Holy Scriptures in any language, published by the Church of Rome, and things are asserted in the notes on the Rhemish Testament which are omitted in the Douay. For in- stance, it is taught in the notes of the Rhemish Testament, that subjects may throw off their allegiance to their sox, ereigns. But why do we speak of instructing the mass of the people by the clergy of the Church of Rome ? This is .'altogether foreign to their course. To throw light on the Scriptures does not belong to them; seeing they are more disposed to render what is obscure more so; to make the clear parts dark and mysterious, and to utter disrespect to the word of God. They never put the Scriptures into the hands of their people as the text book of their sal?'ation, and of course the people are not provided for with Biblical instructions. This belongs to Protestants. 9. It is granted, indeed, that we may fall into mistakes as well as into sins; and into errors of ignorance as well as into sins of ignorance. God has dealt with our understandings as h5 has with our wills; he proposes our duty to us with strong motives of obedience; he promises us inward assistance, and accepts of our sincere endearours: and vet this does not binder many from perishing eternally. He deals ?ith our understandings in the same manner; he h? set his will and the knowledge of his salvation before us in writin? that are written in a clear and plain style, in a language that was then common, and is still well understood. The Scriptures were at first designed for common use; they are soon read, and it must be confessed that a great part of them is very clear. Therefore, if any man reads them carefully, with an honest heart, praying to God for direction, and follows what he learns in faith and practice, he will be preserved from all injurious errors, especially if blessed with the aids of orthodox Protestantism. That bad men should fall into grievous errors is no more strange than that they would commit great sins. All the ill use that is made of Scripture, and all the errors that are pretende?l tO be proved by it, do ,Goocle
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