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the Text; for the Prieft's lips fhould keep SERM. knowledge.

The office of the Prieft having already been explained to be fubordinate to the office of the Mediator, which is threefold, viz. Regal, for the government of the Church; Sacerdotal, for the expiation of fins; and Prophetical, for the inftruction of the People: There can be no doubt, but it is the Prief's duty to execute and attend to all of them, fo far as he is concerned in them, with fuch diligence and conftancy, as may become the Messenger of the Lord of hofts. But fince the words in view lead us to confider only the Prophetic part of his office, I shall at prefent confine myself to that. In which, without all question, these two things are included, namely,

1. That he should, by diligent ftudy, endeavour to get himself informed in those points, which are neceffary to qualify him for the due discharge of his office. And

2. That being thus qualified, he should be vigilant and careful to instruct his flock.

1. First, that he should, by diligent study and application, endeavour to get himself informed in those points, which are neceffary to qualify him for the due discharge of his office. Otherwise, neither will his lips keep knowledge, nor will he be able to an

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I.

SERM. fwer them that feek the law at his mouth 3 I. and he, by confequence, will discover himfelf to be a very incompetent Messenger of the Lord of Hofts.

The book of the law was laid up by the command of Mofes in the fide of the Ark of the Covenant *. And after the Babylonish Captivity, when the Ark of the Covenant is faid to have been loft, it is likely enough some other chest might be appointed to the fame purpose; which being kept in the moft holy place, where the High-Priest alone had liberty to enter, has inclined fome to think, the Prophet had it in his view, when he fays here, the Prieft's lips fhould keep knowledge; as if he meant hereby that it was his business to keep the book of the law, from whence the knowledge of their Religion was derived. But there are many exceptions against this interpretation. The Prophet is fpeaking here of Priests in general; he had been blaming the corruptions of the whole order, and therefore must be supposed, in oppofition, to lay down the common duties of that order ; and not to refer to a peculiar office of the High-Prieft. Befides, his lips are said to keep knowledge, which may imply his preaching, and inftruction of the people; but to be

Deut. xxxi. 26. + Huet. Demonftra. Evang. Prop. 4. de Can. lib. facr. § 8.

fure,

fure, muft imply his own learning and un- SERM. derstanding of the Law; and not his bare I. keeping of the book in a cheft; especially in a place where he was allowed to enter only once a year; and then, was permitted but a short stay, without any opportunity for ftudious application.

It ought not from hence to be concluded, with fome Romanists, that the Clergy only should have liberty of examining the Scriptures, and the Laity perfectly debarred from them. The paffages encouraging and exhorting all men to a diligent fearch and study of the Scriptures, are too many and perfpicuous to be thus eluded; and leave us no room to doubt but they were certainly defigned to lye open. for every one's perufal. But ftill, however all have a right to fearch; yet to understand and explain them, is a work, for which all have not capacity, all have not leifure. There are many Texts of Scripture, which indeed are clear and easy to be understood; but then there are many others which are obfcure and difficult. That which is clearly proposed in one place, is perhaps more darkly delivered in another: And furely then, it must be highly convenient, the truth fhould have all its evidence difcovered and fet in open view. Many other things there are, though not abfolutely neceffary, yet very useful to be known, € 4 which

SERM, which are no where clearly propofed at all, I. but wrapt up in dark and intricate obfcurity. Nay there are fuch durvóna in Scripture, as for want of being rightly underftood, have led men into dangerous errors, and which (as St. Peter witneffes) they that are unlearned and unftable have fometimes wrefted to their own deftruction*,

So that the work is but half done in difcovering the truth. Thofe enemies likewife, by which it is attacked on all fides, must be filenced and confuted. The Heretic and Sceptic must be artfully perfued through all their various windings, and receive proper anfwers to their fubtle fallacies. The Ignorant must be inftructed, the Scrupulous refolved, the Erroneous baffled, and the Vicious reclaimed,

But who is fufficient for thefe things +? The far greater part of mankind, have not an education to qualify for them, The study of languages, the knowledge of history, the rules of arguing, the method of inftruction, are what many have neither capacity to attain, nor leifure to attend. In respect of the endowments of the mind, as well as thofe of the body, and other outward advantages of life, it is God that maketh one to differ from another ‡.

2 Pet. iii. 16. † 2 Cor. ii. 16. 1 Cor. iv. 7:

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I.

It is be (fays the Pfalmift) that teacheth men SER M.
knowledge*. And if any man therefore lack
wildom, it is St. James's direction, let him
afk of God. In vain fhall man labour
and ftrive to know, if He with-hold those
gifts and qualifications which are neceffary
for it.

But, suppose all men equally qualified by nature; yet all cannot have leifure to attend to it. The outward neceffities of life must be confulted; and these are fo many and various, that much time and many hands must be employed for their supply. And therefore, if the knowledge of the Scriptures requires fo much labour and fearch, as has been faid, it follows that most Men cannot of themselves attain it, because they want either leifure or abilities to search after it.

I speak not this to difcourage any from the reading and ftudy of the Scriptures; let them, in God's name, ufe the opportunities they have, with due preparation and attention of mind, with due meditation and reflection afterwards; and then, much benefit they will be fure to reap from their own reading and experience. But, I speak it, to fhew the great neceffity of having some more immediately set apart for that purpose, to fupply their defects, and to

Pfal. xciv. 10.

+ James i. 5.

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