stinguished from the Vulgar, it is necessary that grave and skilful Expositors produce the true senses of them, and shew the particular Reasons why they are dictated under such and such words. And this is a Doctrine so true and common amongst Divines, that it would be superfluous to produce any attestation thereof.
Hence me thinks I may with much more reason conclude, that the same holy Writ, when ever it hath had occasion to pronounce any natural Conclusion, and especially, any of those which are more abstruce, and difficult to be understood, hath not failed to observe this Rule, that so it might not cause confusion in the mindes of those very people, and render them the more contumacious against the Doctrines that were more sublimely mysterious: For (like as we have said, and as it plainly appeareth) out of the sole respect of condescending to Popular Capacity, the Scripture hath not scrupled to shadow over most principal and fundamental Truths, attributing, even to God himself, qualities extreamly remote from, and contrary unto his Essence. Who would positively affirm that the Scripture, laying aside that respect, in speaking but occasionally of the Earth, of the Water, of the Sun, or of any other Creature, hath chosen to confine it self, with all rigour, within the bare and narrow literal sense of the words? And especially, in mentioning of those Creatures, things not at all concerning the primary Institution of the same Sacred Volume, to wit, the Service of God, and the salvation of Souls, and in things infinitely beyond the apprehension of the Vulgar?
This therefore being granted, methinks that in the Discussion of Natural Problemes, we ought not to begin at the authority of places of Scripture; but at Sensible Experiments and Necessary Demonstrations: For, from the Divine Word, the Sacred Scripture and Nature did both alike proceed; the first, as the Holy Ghosts Inspiration; the second, as the most observant Executrix of Gods Commands: And moreover it being convenient in the Scriptures (by way of condescension to the understanding of all men) to speak many things different, in appearance; and so far as concernes the naked signification of the words, from absolute truth: But on the contrary, Nature being inexorable and immutable, and never passing the bounds of the Laws assigned her, as one that nothing careth whether her abstruse reasons and methods of operating be, or be not exposed to the Capacity of Men; I conceive that that, concerning Natural Effects, which either Sensible Experience sets before our eyes, or Necessary Demonstrations do prove unto us, ought not, upon any account, to be called into question, muchless
