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SERMON V.

2 TIM. iii. 16, 17.

All Scripture is given by Infpiration of God: and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inftruction in Righteousness: that the Man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good Works.

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HAVE fhewn you, in feveral Discourses on this Text, the Divine Authority of Scripture, its complete Ufefulness to all the Purposes of Religion, and the confequent Duty of reading it. Yet ftill I am fenfible an unhappy Objection may remain with too many, that they have tried, and do not experience this Usefulness; and why it fhould be their Duty to perfift in reading what they do not find attended with any good Effects, they cannot apprehend. But if they have not read as they VOL. VI. ought,

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ought, their whole Argument falls to the Ground. Nothing is to be expected from the wrong. Performance of any Duty and therefore I propofed originally

IV. To give Directions for the right Performance of this.

Many proper ones, I hope, have been intimated to you not obfcurely, under the former Heads: Part of which however I fhall now repeat amongst others. For to fay again the fame Things, to me is not grievous, and for you it is fafe.

That we fhould come to the Word of God with ferious Minds, is a Requifite, that one fhould hardly have thought needful to mention, if there were not fome, who give little other Proof of ever having looked into it, than perverting the Expreffions of it to ludicrous Purposes, and fo extracting. Poifon from the Bread of Life. You need not be told, that fuch can receive no Improvement from it: but only be warned against fuffering them to infect you with the fame Diftemper: for to Men of a gay and lively Turn it is often very catching. But reflect: Every Book in the World, of every Sort, may cafily be turned into Matter of Di

Phil. iii. 1.

verfion,

verfion, if People are refolved to fhew at any Rate, fome their Ability, and others, (which is far the more ufual Cafe) their Defire only, of being witty. But especially on facred Subjects, the Corruptnefs of Mens Hearts difpofes them both to invent and receive fuch Kind of Entertainment with peculiar Eagerness: for this very Reafon principally, that they know they ought not. And befides, the Old aud New Testament do lie fomewhat opener to profane Abuse, than many other pious Compo→ fitions, from the Difference of Stile and Manners in diftant Ages and Countries, from the fcrupulous Exactness of our Tranflation, and the Changes in our Language, that have happened fince it was made. But furely there are Arong Motives, of Religion, of Prudence, of common Decency, to reftrain Men, from taking Such unfair Advantages, to fo bad an End; if this contemptible Affectation of appearing ingenious, by forcing a Laugh out of every Thing, did not fo effectually destroy, as it doth, all Regard to Rightness of Behaviour and true good Senfe. A Scorner feeketh Wisdom, and findeth it not: but Knowledge is eafy to him, that confidereth.

Prov. xiv. 6. It is wrongly tranflated, underftandeth.

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Let us therefore never permit ourselves to make, either in Thought, at the Time of reading the Scripture, or in Difcourfe afterwards, a light and burlesque Application of any Text: for how little Harm foever we may intend, the Practice is plainly unfit and irreverent: befides that we are foon led on from fmall Freedoms to greater. And let us never be influenced to think ill or meanly of the least Part of God's Word from any fuch Applications made by others for they prove nothing against Scripture, but much against those who invent or ufe them. Or if we find, that, notwithstanding, they do in Fact begin to make Impreffions upon us, as they may imperceptibly, if we are not on the Watch; let us avoid, as carefully, yet as inoffenfively, as we can, the Company of those, who delight in such dangerous Conversation: according to Solomon's excellent Rule, Ceafe, my Son, to hear the Inftruction, that causeth to err from the Words of Knowledge. For as to any Hope of Good from arguing with them, no People upon Earth are so incapable of being convinced or filenced by Reason, as they that are conceited of a libertine Wit. And therefore, however entertaining their Talk may be

c Prov. xix. 27.

otherwise,

otherwise, yet being effentially faulty in this Respect, let us confider it only in the ftrong, but just Light, in which St. Paul places the idle Discourse of fome in his own Days, when he faith, But shun profane and vain Babblings: for they will increase unto more Ungodliness; and their Word will eat, as doth a Canker. They, whose Learning and Judgement and Taste and Worth are the most universally acknowledged, have, in all Times down to our own, fpoken and thought of the Bible with the highest Degree of honourable Regard. And it is no less abfurd, than impious, to be hurried into defpifing and ridiculing it, either by the extravagant Flights of any Man's wild Fancy, or the graver Authority of Judges fo evidently prejudiced, as the self-sufficient, or the diffolute, merely because they are grown of late more numerous and less modeft. Let us at least observe a little firft, what good Effects this new Kind of Wifdom produces in the Lives and Families of those, who are fo fond of it; and wait a while to fee, (if indeed it be not too visible already,) what Sort of Figure they themselves, and a Nation composed of them, or led by them, make and

d 2 Tim. ii. 16, 17.

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