CONCLUSION
ON the whole, I
observe, there are some other things, besides arguments, in Dr. T.’s
book, which are calculated to influence the minds, and bias the judgment, of
some sorts of readers. Here, not to insist on the profession he makes, in many
places, of sincerity, humility, meekness, modesty, charity, etc. in
searching after truth; and freely proposing his thoughts, with the reasons of
them, to others [See his Preface, and p. 6. 237, 263, 267, 175. S.]; nor on his
magisterial assurance, appearing on any occasions, and the high contempt
he sometimes expresses of the opinions and arguments of very excellent
divines and fathers in the church of God, who have thought differently from
him [Page 110, 125, 150, 151, 159, 161, 183, 188. 77. S.] — both of
which, it is not unlikely, may have a degree of influence on some of his readers
— I would take some notice of another thing, observable in the writings of Dr.
T. and many of the late opposers of the more peculiar doctrines of Christianity,
tending (especially with juvenile and unwary readers) not a little
to abate the force, and prevent the due effect, of the clearest scripture-evidences
in favor of those important doctrines; and particularly to make void the
arguments taken from the writings of the apostle Paul, in which those
doctrines are more plainly and fully revealed, than in any other part of the
Bible. What I mean, is this: These gentlemen express a high opinion of
this apostle, and that very justly, for his eminent genius, his admirable
sagacity, strong powers of reasoning, acquired learning, etc. they speak of him
as a writer of masterly address, of extensive reach, and deep design, everywhere
in his epistles, among in every word he says. This looks exceedingly specious:
it carries a plausible appearance of Christian zeal and attachment to
the Holy Scriptures, to bear such a testimony of high veneration for that
great apostle, who was not only the principal instrument of propagating
Christianity, but with his own had wrote so considerable a part of the New
Testament. And I am far from determining, with respect at least to some of these
writers, that they are not sincere in their declarations; or, that all is
mere artifice, only to make way for the reception of their own peculiar
sentiments. However, it tends greatly to subserve such a purpose; as much as if
it were designedly contrived, with the utmost subtlety, for that end. Hereby
their incautious readers are prepared the more easily to be drawn into a belief,
that they, and others in their way of thinking, have not rightly understood many
of those things in this apostle’s writings, which before seemed very plain to
them. Thus they are prepared, by a prepossession in favor of these new
writers, to entertain a favorable thought of the interpretations put
by them upon the words and phrases of this apostle; and to admit in many
passages a meaning which before lay entirely out of sight; quite foreign to all
that in the view of a common reader seems to be their obvious sense; and most
remote from the expositions agreed in by those who used to be esteemed the
greatest divines, and best commentators. As to this apostle, being a man of no vulgar
understanding, it is nothing strange if his meaning lies very deep; and
no wonder then, if the superficial observation of vulgar Christians, or indeed
of the herd of common divines, such as the Westminster Assembly, etc.
falls vastly short of the apostle’s reach, and frequently does not enter into
the true spirit and design of his epistles. They must understand, that the first
reformers, and indeed preachers and expositors in general, for fifteen or
sixteen hundred years past, were too unlearned and short-sighted,
to be capable of penetrating into the sense, or fit to make comments on the
writings, of so great a man as this apostle; or else had dwelt in a cave of bigotry
and superstition, too gloomy to allow them to use their own
understandings with freedom, in reading the Scripture. But, at the same time, it
must be understood, that there is risen up now at length, in this happy age of
light and liberty, a set of men, of a more free and generous turn of mind, of a
more inquisitive genius, and of better discernment. By such insinuations, they
seek advantage to their cause; and thus the most unreasonable and extravagant
interpretations of Scripture are palliated and recommended: so that, if the
simple reader is not very much on his guard, if he does not clearly see with his
own eyes, or has too much indolence, or too little leisure, thoroughly to
examine for himself, he is in danger of being imposed on with delusive
appearances.
But I humbly conceive, that
their interpretations — particularly of the apostle Paul’s writings, though
in some things ingenious — are in many things extremely absurd, and
demonstrably disagreeable, in the highest degree, to his real design, to
the language he commonly uses, and to the doctrines currently taught in his
epistles. Their criticisms, when examined, appear far more subtle, than
solid; and it seems as if nothing can possibly be strong enough, nothing
perspicuous enough, in any composure whatever, to stand before such liberties
these writers indulge. The plainest and most nervous discourse is analyzed
and criticized, till it either dissolves into nothing, or becomes a thing of
little significance. The Holy Scripture is subtilized into a mere mist; or made
to evaporate into a thin cloud, that easily puts on any shape, and is moved in
any direction, with a puff of wind, just as the manager pleases. It is not in
the nature and power of language, to afford sufficient defense against such an
art, so abused; as, I imagine, a due consideration of some things I have had
occasion in the preceding discourse to observe, may abundantly convince us.
But this, with the rest of
what I have offered on the subject, must be left with every candid reader’s
judgment; and the success of the whole must now be left with God, who
knows what is agreeable to his own mind, and is able to make his own truths
prevail; however mysterious they may seem to the poor, partial, narrow, and
extremely imperfect views of mortals, while looking through a cloudy and
delusory medium; and however disagreeable they may be to the innumerable
prejudices of men’s hearts: — and who has promised, that the gospel of
CHRIST, such as is really his, shall finally be victorious; and has
assured us, that the word which goes out of his mouth, shall not
return to him void, but shall accomplish that which he pleaseth, and shall
prosper in the thing whereto he sends it. — Let GOD arise, and plead his
own cause, and glorify his own great name. AMEN.
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