be drawn from the Obfcurity of the Ch. 3. Language in favour of the irrational Hypothefis: for all Men are fuppos'd to understand the daily Ufe of their Mother-Tongue; whereas the Stile of the Learned is unintelligible to the Vulgar. And the plaineft Authors that write as they fpeak, without the Disguise of pompous Elegance, have ever been accounted the beft by all good Judges. It is a vifible Effect of Providence that we have in our Hands the Monuments of the Old Teftament, which in the New are always fuppos'd, quoted, or alluded to. Nor is that all, for the Jewish Service and Customs continue to this day. If this had been true of the Greeks and Romans, we fhould be furnish'd with those Helps to understand aright many unknown Particulars of their Religion, which make us Rulers and Teachers in Ifrael. Befides, we have the Talmud, and other Works of the Rabbins, which, however otherwife ufelefs, give us no fmall Light into the antient Rites and Language. And if after all we should be at a lofs about the Meaning of any Expreffion, we ought rather to charge

Sect.II. it upon Distance of Time, and the want of more Books in the fame Tongue, than to attribute it to the Nature of the thing, or the Ignorance of the Author, who might be easily understood by his Country-men and Contemporaries. But no Truth is to be establish'd, nor Falfhood confuted from fuch Paffages, no more than any can certainly divine his Fortune from the found of Bow-bell.

24. If any object, that the Gospel is penn'd with little or no Ornament, that there are no choice of Words, nor ftudi'd Expreffions in it; the Accufation is true, and the Apoftles themfelves acknowledg it: nor is there a more palpable Demonftration of their having defign'd to be understood by 1 Cor.2.1. all. I came not to you, fays Paul, with Excellency of Speech, or Wisdom, declaring unto you the Teftimony of God. Ver. 4. My Speech and my Preaching was not with enticing Words of Humane Wisdom, but in Demonftration, or Conviction of the Spirit or Mind, and in Power or Efficacy. This he speaks in reference to the Philofophers and Orators of thofe Times, whofe Elocution, 'tis confefs'd,

was

was curious, and Periods elaborate, Ch. 3. apt to excite the Admiration of the Hearers, but not to fatisfy their Reafons; charming indeed their Senses whilft in the Theatre, or the Temple, but making them neither the better at home, nor the wifer abroad.

14

25. Thefe Men, as well as many of their modern Succeffors, were fond enough of their own ridiculous Syftems, to count the things of God Foolishness, 1 Cor. 2. because they did not agree with their precarious and fenfual Notions; because every Sentence was not wrapp'd up in Mystery, and garnifh'd with a Figure: not confidering that only false or trivial Matters need the Affistance of alluring Harangues to perplex or amufe. But they were Enemies and Strangers to the Simplicity of Truth. All their Study, as we took notice, lay in tickling the Paffions of the People at their Pleasure with bombaft Eloquence, and apifb Gefticulations. They boafted their Talent of perfwading for or against any thing. And as he was efteem'd the beft Orator that made the worft Cause appear the most equitable before the Judges, fo he was the

E 3

best

Sect.II. beft Philofopher that could get the W wildeft Paradox to pafs for Demonftration. They were only concern'd about their own Glory and Gain,which they could not otherwife fupport, but (according to an Artifice that never fails, and therefore ever practis'd) by impofing upon the People with their Authority and Sophistry, and under pretence of inftructing, dexterously detaining them in the groffeft Ignorance.

26. But the Scope of the Apostles was very different: Piety towards God, and the Peace of Mankind, was their Gain, and Christ and his Gospel their Glory; they came not magnifying nor exalting themselves; not impofing but declaring their Doctrine: they did not confound and mislead, but convince the Mind; they were employ'd to difpel Ignorance, to eradicate Superftition, to propagate Truth, and ReLuk.4.18. formation of Manners; to preach Deliverance to Captives, (i. e.) the Enjoyment of Chriftian Liberty to the Slaves of the Levitical, and Pagan Priesthoods; and to declare Salvation to repenting Sinners.

27. I fhall add here fome of the Ch. Characters which David gives of the Law and Word of God, that we may admit nothing as the Will of Heaven but what is agreeable to them: The Law of the Lord, fays he, is perfect, converting the Soul. The Teftimony of the Lord is fure, making wife the Simple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the Heart. The Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightning the Eyes. The Fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever. The Judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. I bave more Understanding than all my Teachers, for thy Teftimonies are my Meditation. I understand more than the Antients, because I keep thy Precepts. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet, and a Light unto my Path. The New Teftament is fo full of this Language, and the Contents of it are every where fo conformable to it, that I fhall refer the Reader to the particular Difcuffion of the Whole in the fecond Difcourfe. But I muft remark in the mean time that not a Syllable of this Language is true, if any Contradictions feeming or real be admitted in Scripture. As much E 4 may

3: