1. It is known and easy. Psal. 19. 78. It is compared to a light, and a Lantern to our feet; Nor will that evasion of the Papists serve their turns, that it is lumen or light in it self, but not quoad nos (as if the Scripture were a light under the bushel; God should then do that, which our Saviour saith no man doth,) for that the Scripture is light effective as well as formaliter, appears by the addition, giving understanding to the simple. Besides, to be a light in it self, but not quoad nos, is a kind of contradiction, seeing the light it hath is for us. It is true indeed, there is a two-fold obscurity, one of matter, which sometimes is so excellent and perfect, that our understandings cannot reach it, and so in this sense it is said, the natural man perceiveth not the things of God: [Greek or Hebrew], a natural man, one that doth excolere animam, such as Aristotle and Tully; but this blame is to be cast upon our understanding, not the Scripture, for as we say, Sol est maxime visibilis, & Deus est maxime intelligibilis, the Sun is most visible, and God most easy to be known, because the one hath the greatest motive of seeing which is light; and the other of being understood, which is verity; so are these truths most full ⟨p. 4⟩of light, if our understandings were opened. The second obscurity is of the phrase, and that the Scripture useth not in things essential to salvation, and commonly what is obscurely set down in one place is clear in another; and shall not the Spirit of God which giveth a clear understanding and expressions unto men be clear? See the Papists folly, they hold it possible to fulfil the Law, but not to understand it; for when we urge that place, Deut. 30. 12. The Word is not hidden from thee, and it is very nigh thee; Oh, say they, this is to be understood of the fulfilling of the Law, not the knowing it; we conclude then, the holy Scriptures are the holy Ladders, whereby we climb up into heaven, and know Gods meaning.
1. It is known and easie. Psal. 19. 78. It is compared to a light, and a Lanthorn to our feet; Nor will that evasion of the Papists serve their turnes, that it is lumen or light in it selfe, but not quoad nos (as if the Scripture were a light under the bushell; God should then doe that, which our Saviour saith no man doth,) for that the Scripture is light effective as well as formaliter, appeares by the addition, giving understanding to the simple. Besides, to be a light in it selfe, but not quoad nos, is a kind of contradiction, seeing the light it hath is for us. It is true indeed, there is a two-fold obscurity, one of matter, which sometimes is so excellent and perfect, that our understandings cannot reach it, and so in this sense it is said, the naturall man perceiveth not the things of God: 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a naturall man, one that doth excolere animam, such as Aristotle and Tully; but this blame is to be cast upon our understanding, not the Scripture, for as we say, Sol est maxime visibilis, & Deus est maxime intelligibilis, the Sunne is most visible, and God most easie to be known, because the one hath the greatest motive of seeing which is light; and the other of being understood, which is verity; so are these truths most full ⟨p. 4⟩of light, if our understandings were opened. The second obscurity is of the phrase, and that the Scripture useth not in things essentiall to salvation, and commonly what is obscurely set down in one place is cleare in another; and shall not the Spirit of God which giveth a cleare understanding and expressions unto men be cleare? See the Papists folly, they hold it possible to fulfill the Law, but not to understand it; for when we urge that place, Deut. 30. 12. The Word is not hidden from thee, and it is very nigh thee; Oh, say they, this is to be understood of the fulfilling of the Law, not the knowing it; wee conclude then, the holy Scriptures are the holy Ladders, whereby we climbe up into heaven, and know Gods meaning.
