I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

Though the great matters of our Salvation, be expressed plainly and literally; yet if the literal sense of any Scripture, be contrary to common sense, or reason, or to modesty, honesty, and good manners; then we are to balk the literal sense: For example, our Saviour saith, This is my Body, in the Lords Supper; if these words be taken literally, it is against common sen•e and reason; therefore you must balk the literal sense, and understand them otherwise. Again, the Lord commanded the Prophet to go naked; if this be understood literally, it would be against common modesty. So when our Saviour saith, If thine eye offend thee, pull it out; if thine hand offend thee, cut it off: If this be understood Literally, it would fight with that Commandment, Thou shalt not kill: therefore the Literal sense is sometimes to be balked.

Though the great matters of our Salvation, be expressed plainly and literally; yet if the literal sense of any Scripture, be contrary to common sense, or reason, or to modesty, honesty, and good manners; then we are to bawk the literal sense: For example, our Savior saith, This is my Body, in the Lords Supper; if these words be taken literally, it is against common sen•e and reason; therefore you must bawk the literal sense, and understand them otherwise. Again, the Lord commanded the Prophet to go naked; if this be understood literally, it would be against common modesty. So when our Savior saith, If thine eye offend thee, pull it out; if thine hand offend thee, cut it off: If this be understood Literally, it would fight with that Commandement, Thou shalt not kill: therefore the Literal sense is somtimes to be bawked.

Though we are not always to adhere to the bare Letter, for the meaning of the words;¹ yet if the words be applied mystically, ye are not to make a force upon the History; Mystery doth not destroy the History. The History of the two women, Hagar and Sarah, is by the Apostle applied to the two Testaments; yet this doth not destroy the History: For as words are the Substractum of the History; so History is the Substractum of the Mystery. Some when they have attained to the Mystical application, do deny the History; but remember, that though the words of the Scripture be applied mystically, yet the Mystery is never to destroy the History.