Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

Nor is it just to charge the fruits of the lusts and darkness of men, on the good word of God. Nor is it the taking away from men of that alone, which is able to make them good and wise, a meet remedy to ⟨p. 332⟩cure their evils and follies. But these Declamations against the use and study of the Scripture, I hope, come too late. Men have found too much spiritual advantage by it, to be easily driven from it. It self gives light to know its excellency, and defend its use by. But the Book is sacred, he says, and therefore not to be sullied by every hand; what God hath sanctified, let not man make common. It seems then those parts of the Scripture, which they afford to the people, are more useful, but less sacred, than those that they keep away. These reasons jostle one another unhandsomely. Our Author should have made more room for them; for they will never lie quietly together. But what is it, he means by the Book? the Paper, Ink, Letters, and Covering? His Master of the Schools will tell him, These are not sacred; if they are, the Printers dedicate them. And it's a pretty pleasant Sophism, that he adds, That God having sanctified the Book, we should not make it common. To what end I pray, hath God sanctified it? Is it, that it may be laid up, and be hid from that people, which Christ hath prayed, ⟨p. 333⟩might be sanctified by it? Is it any otherwise sanctified, but as it is appointed for the use of the Church of all that believe? Is this to make it common, to apply it unto that use, whereunto of God it is segregated? Doth the Sanctification of the Scripture, consist in the laying up of the Book of the Bible, from our profane Utensils? Is this that, which is intended by the Author? Would it do him any good to have it granted, or further his purpose? Doth the mysteriousness of it, lie in the Books being locked up? I suppose, he understands this Sophistry well enough, which makes it the worse.

Nor is it just to charge the fruits of the lusts and darkness of men, on the good word of God. Nor is it the taking away from men of that alone, which is able to make them good and wise, a meet remedy to ⟨p. 332⟩cure their evils and follies. But these Declamations against the use and study of the Scripture, I hope, come too late. Men have found too much spiritual advantage by it, to be easily driven from it. It self gives light to know its excellency, and defend its use by. But the Book is sacred, he says, and therefore not to be sullied by every hand; what God hath sanctified, let not man make common. It seems then those parts of the Scripture, which they afford to the people, are more useful, but less sacred, than those that they keep away. These reasons justle one another unhandsomly. Our Author should have made more room for them; for they will never lie quietly together. But what is it, he means by the Book? the Paper, Ink, Letters, and Covering? His Master of the Schools will tell him, These are not sacred; if they are, the Printers dedicate them. And it's a pretty pleasant Sophism, that he adds, That God having sanctified the Book, we should not make it common. To what end I pray, hath God sanctified it? Is it, that it may be laid up, and be hid from that people, which Christ hath prayed,