explain them to advantage. Scripture," faid a very learned man," is given to all to learn; but to teach, and to interpret, only to a "few'." Ignorance of the Scriptures," as St. Jerome remarked many ages fince, "is the "mother and nurfe of all error "." But error

is never more widely fpread, or more deeply rooted, than when a familiarity with fcriptural language is mistaken for a knowledge of Scripture: when, (as the fame father defcribes the state of religion in his own time, and would that the description did not apply to ours!) "perfons of whatever age, fex, or condition, all arrogantly claim the privilege of interpreting Scripture; wrest it, mangle it, "teach before they have learned it; and with "a certain facility and boldness of speech loudly proclaim to others, what they them"felves do not understand ":" when, like

1 Hales's Golden Remains, p. 12.

m So quoted by Bp. Ridley. See his Life by Gl. Ridley, book vi. p. 470. The paffage alluded to, appears to be as follows: Propterea errant, quia fcripturas nefciunt; et quia fcripturas ignorant, confequenter nefciunt virtutem Dei, hoc eft Chriftum. Hieron. Comment. in Matt. xxii.

n Sola Scripturarum ars eft, quam fibi omnes paffim vindicant: hanc garrula anus, hanc delirus fenex, hanc sophista verbosus, hanc universi præfumunt, lacerant, docent, antequam difcant:-et quadanı facilitate verborum, immo audacia, edifferunt aliis, quod ipfi non intelligunt.

those rash presumers," of whom St. Austin complains, "in fupport of their ungrounded opinions, they pretend the authority of these "facred books, and repeat much of them even by heart, as bearing witness to what they "hold; whereas indeed they do but pronounce the words, but understand, neither "what they speak, nor whereof they af" firm "."

In order to form "a workman that needeth "not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word "of truth"," not only are much zeal and diligence neceffary in searching the Scriptures, but much study also in preparatory exercises; much care in comparing them; much judgment in applying them; much difcrimination in distinguishing between paffages of a limited, and those of an univerfal and perpetual import; much humility and fobriety of mind.

• Quid enim moleftiæ triftitiæque ingerant prudentibus fratribus temerarii præfumtores, fatis dici non poteft: cum, fiquando de prava et falfa opinione fua reprehendi et convinci cœperint ab eis, qui noftrorum librorum auctoritate non tenentur; ad defendendum id quod leviffima temeritate et apertiffima falfitate dixerunt, eofdem libros fanctos, unde id probent, proferre conantur; vel etiam memoriter, quæ ad teftimonium valere arbitrantur, multa inde verba pronunciant, non intelligentes neque quæ loquuntur, neque de quibus affirmant. Auguft. de Genefi ad literam. lib. i. c, xix. tom iii. p. 130. ed. Bened.

P 2 Tim. ii. 15.

in explaining more myfterious points of doctrine; and especially a freedom from all prepoffeffions, and a steadfast attention to the facred volume, as one great whole; confifting indeed of a variety of parts, but all the various parts of which neceffarily depend on, and harmonise with, each other.

That fuch caution is reasonable will appear to those, who reflect upon the various perfons, by whom; the various perfons, to whom, and for whose use; and the manifold variety of local, temporary, and other circumstances, under which they were written: at the fame time bearing in mind, that they relate to fpiritual things, fome of which it furpaffes the capacity of the human understanding fully to comprehend; but that they all proceed from one, unerring fource, "the Father of lights,

"with whom is no variableness neither fha"dow of turning ;" and that they are all directed to one fimple and harmonious end, "the bearing of witness unto the truth'.

Nor is it only from the reasonableness of the cafe, that I would inforce this falutary caution in examining and interpreting the Scriptures but I feel justified in inforcing it, by the express testimony of an inspired Apoftle, that in the epiftles of St. Paul, or in the

fubjects of his epiftles, (for the fenfe varies with the original text,) "there are fome things hard to be understood, which they

that are unlearned and unftable wreft, (sge*Covo, put to the rack, unnaturally strain "and torture,) as they do alfo the other Scrip"tures, unto their own deftruction'." And this caution I accordingly confider to be, as it were, the anchor of the orthodox belief, which many difregarding" have been toffed to and "fro, and carried about with every wind of "doctrine;" and have unhappily made shipwreck of the true "faith, which was once de"livered unto the faints "."

99

Of fuch importance indeed is this caution to be confidered in fcriptural inquiries in general, and fo peculiarly feasonable in the inquiry, which is proposed for the subject of these lectures; that I beg your attention, whilst, at the risk of anticipating, for the fake of a comprehenfive view, fome remarks which may hereafter recur more in detail, I proceed to enlarge on it to fome extent in this introductory difcourfe; and to lay before you a general statement of the principles, on which I conceive that the charges of our affailants may be repelled, and the evangelical character of our preaching be defended and maintained.

2 Pet. iii. 16.

t

Eph. iv. 14.

u Jude 3.

I propofe accordingly to place before your view feveral rules, which may be regarded of the greatest benefit towards a fatisfactory interpretation of the Scriptures; and, having made an application of them to topics, on which Christians are for the most part agreed, shall subjoin examples of their application to more controverted points.

But here, before I proceed to a particular statement of the rules to be proposed, I muft be allowed to protest most decidedly against a claim, advanced by certain religionists, who affume to themselves exclufively a supernatural illumination in the explaining of Scripture; a claim, which is, if I mistake not, afferted for themselves, and denied to us, by a large proportion of our accufers. It is obIvious, that the admiffion of fuch a claim must at once superfede all rational investigation into any controverted matter; for it were vain to expect, that any argument should weigh with him, who believes himself to be guided by an infallible monitor within him. The claim therefore carries with it a plain proof of its weakness; for it is a claim, which one man may advance as fairly as another; and if they do fo in mutual opposition, where is the criterion that is to decide? How far the weakness of the claim is exemplified in the two great