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,…

3. Its Obscurity is another thing insisted on, and highly exaggerated by our Author. And this is another thing that I greatly wonder at: For as wise as these Gentlemen would be thought to be, he that has but half an eye, may discern, that they consider not with whom they have to do in this matter. The Scripture I suppose, they will grant to be given by inspiration from God; if they deny it, we are ready to prove it at any time. I suppose also that they will grant, That the end why God gave it, was, that it might be a Revelation of himself, so far as it was needful for us to know him, and his mind, and will, so that we may serve him. If this were not the end for which God ⟨p. 95⟩gave his Word unto us, I wish they would acquaint us with some other. I think it was not, that it might be put into a Cabinet, and locked up in a Chest: If this were the end of it; then God intended in it, to make a Revelation of himself, so far as it was necessary we should know of Him, and his Mind, and Will, that we might serve him. For that which is any one end of any Thing, or Matter, That he intends, which is the Author of it: Now if God intended to make such a Revelation on of Himself, his Mind, and Will, in giving of the Scripture, as was said; he hath either done it plainly, that is, without any such Obscurity, as should frustrate him of his end, or he hath not; and that because either he would not, or he could not: I wish I knew which of these it was, that the Roman Catholics do fix upon; it would spare me the labour of speaking to the other: But seeing I do not; that they may have no evasion, I will consider them both. If they say, It was because he could not make any such plain Discovery and Revelation of himself, then this is that they say: That God intending to reveal Himself, his Mind, & ⟨p. 96⟩Will, plainly in the Scripture to the sons of men, was not able to do it, and therefore failed in his Design: This works but little to the glory of his Omnipotency, and Omniscience. But to let that pass, wherein men (so they may compass their own ends) seem not to be much concerned: I desire to know, Whether this plain sufficient Revelation of God, be made any other way, or no? If no otherwise, then, as I confess we are all in the Dark; so it is to no purpose to blame the Scripture of Obscurity, seeing it is as lightsome as any thing else is, or can be.