and, acknowledging our need of a Teacher from heaven, cast ourselves unreservedly into the hands of God to be taught, sanctified, and saved by his all-sufficient grace. We need not fear that he will leave us in darkness. The love that provided an infinite sacrifice to redeem us from guilt, which caused the Bible to be written for our learning and comfort, which invites us to come to the Lamb of God for eternal life, will doubtless show us the way, and make us wise unto salvation.

64

CHAPTER II.

ON THE DIFFICULTIES TO BE ENCOUNTERED IN THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE.

Ir is a favorite doctrine of the Roman Catholics, that the Bible is so obscure and difficult to be understood, that it is not only useless, but dangerous for the common people to read it for themselves, and therefore that they must receive with implicit faith the interpretations of Christian doctrine, alledged to be infallible, which are furnished by their church.

We cannot admit the truth of this representation respecting the utter obscurity of the sacred Scriptures, and the arrogant claim founded upon it, without directly denying many very intelligible passages of the word of God, and the testimony of thousands who have made it the man of their counsel, and found it to be spirit and life to their souls.

The Bible itself claims to be a plain and

sufficient guide to all who will come to it for instruction, in a proper state of mind. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3: 16, 17. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." "The entrance of thy word giveth light." Ps. 119: 105, 130. which sat in the region and death, light is sprung up."

"To them

shadow of

Math. 4: 16.

Now to talk of a teacher that cannot be understood by those who desire to be instructed, and of a light that cannot be seen by all who have eyes, would be an absurdity which we dare not charge upon inspired men.

The Scriptures, therefore, we maintain, are in general plain and easy to be understood, in respect to all things pertaining to the duty and salvation of man; so that all who enjoy the light of reason, and will make suitable efforts, may understand

every thing contained therein which it is important for them to know.

At the same time it is not to be denied that there are portions of the Bible which the most diligent students may find embarrassing, and which the indolent may plead as an excuse for unbelief or disobedience in respect to the whole revelation. The Apostle Peter, referring to Paul's Epistles, says, that there are some things in them that are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 2 Peter 3: 16. This ought not to surprise nor discourage us. No human work ever was, or can be so written as not to be more or less obscure to many readers. And how was it possible for God to give us a revelation in human language, without passages which must ever be difficult of interpretation?

It is highly important that every reader of the Bible should be fully aware, not only of the existence, but of the nature and source of these difficulties, so that he may

be prepared by a suitable mental and moral discipline to meet them wisely and safely.

We shall find by a patient and careful examination, that a very considerable portion of the obscurity about which so much is said, is to be attributed to the human mind, and not to any fault in the Bible. itself.

A book may in all respects be perfect, clear, intelligible, in itself, and yet the reader may be incapable of understanding it in consequence of some moral defect. The Bible is obscure to many by reason of the deep spiritual darkness in which sin has shrouded their minds. "If our Gospel is hid," says the Apostle, "it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them." 2 Cor. 4: 3, 4. In this case, men either see nothing, or see every thing discolored and distorted by the prevailing corruption of their hearts, so that the most certain and necessary truths