A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

For it will presently occur unto him, that seeing this way of revealing himself for the Ends mentioned, is good and approved of Himself so to be, if he hath not made it complete for that end, it was either because he could not, and where then is his Wisdom; or because he would not, and where then is his Love, Care, and Goodness; and seeing, he saith, he hath done, what you would have him to believe, that he hath not done, where is his Truth and Veracity? Certainly a man that seriously ponders what he hath to do, and knows the vanity of an irrational fanatical Credo, will conclude, that either the Scripture is to be received as Perfect, or not to be received at all.

For it will presently occurr unto him, that seeing this way of revealing himself for the Ends mentioned, is good and approved of Himself so to be, if he hath not made it compleat for that end, it was either because he could not, and where then is his Wisdome; or because he would not, and where then is his Love, Care, and Goodness; and seeing, he saith, he hath done, what you would have him to believe, that he hath not done, where is his Truth and Veracity? Certainly a man that seriously ponders what he hath to do, and knows the vanity of an irrationall fanatical Credo, will conclude, that either the Scripture is to be received as Perfect, or not to be received at all.

2. Protestants conclude hence, That the Scripture given of God for this purpose is intelligible unto men, using the means by God appointed to come to the understanding of his Mind and Will therein. I know many of your way are pleased grievously to mistake ⟨p. 152⟩our intention in this Inference and Conclusion. Sometimes they would impose upon us to say, that All places of Scripture, all words and sentences in it are plain, and of an obvious sense, and easy to be understood. And yet this you know, or may know if you please, and I am sure ought to know, before you talk of these things with us, that we absolutely deny. It is one thing to say, that all necessary Truth is plainly and clearly revealed in the Scripture, which we do say; and another that every text and passage in the Scripture is plain and easy to be understood, which we do not say; nor ever thought, as confessing that to say so, were to contradict our own experience, and that of the Disciples of Christ in all ages. Sometimes you feign, as though we asserted all the things that are revealed in the Scripture, to be plain and obvious to every mans understanding; whereas we acknowledge that the things themselves revealed are many of them mysterious, surpassing the comprehension of any man in this world; and only maintain that the propositions wherein the Revelation of them is made, are plain and intelligible unto them that use the means appointed of God to come to a right understanding of them. And sometimes you would commit this with another Principle of ours; whereby we assert that the supernatural Light of Grace to be wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, is necessary to give unto us a saving perception and understanding of the Mind of God in the Scripture; for what needs such special assistance in so plain a matter? as though the asserting of perspicuity in the object, made ability to discern in the subject altogether unnecessary: Or that he who affirms the Sun to give light, doth at the same time affirm also that men have no need of eyes to see it withal. Besides