CONTENTS. THE Difficulties and Difcouragements which attend the Study of the Scriptures in the way. of private Judgment. By Bishop Hare. A ferious Inquiry into the Use and Importance of The Complaint of the Children of Ifrael: by An Inquiry into the Behaviour of our great Machiavel's Vindication of himself and his VI. Reafens against reftraining the Prefs. The Difficulties and Difcouragements Which attend the Study of the Scriptures In the way of Private Judgment; Reprefented in a Letter to a Young Clergyman. In order to show, That, fince fuch a Study of the Scriptures is Mens indifpenfible Duty, it concerns all Chriftian Societies to remove (as much as poffible) thofe Difcouragements. By a Prefbyter of the Church of England. To which is annexed, The CENSURE of the Lower Houfe of Convocation upon this Book. And a LETTER written by the Reverend Mr. John Hales of Eaton, to Archbishop LAUD, upon occafion of his Tract concerning SCHISM. From the SEVENTH EDITION. First printed in the Year 1716. The Difficulties and Difcouragements which attend the Study of the Scriptures in the way of Private Judgment ; &c. In a Letter to a Yung Clergyman. SIR, Do not wonder at the furprize with which you received, when we were laft together, I the advice I ventured to give you in rela tion to the Study of the Scriptures. For one who is a clergyman himself, to feem to diffuade thefe of his own order, from a ftudy that has fo many arguments to recommend it; and which, in the opinion of all good men, ought to be their chief business; has, I confefs, the appearance of a strange paradox, and that of the worst fort. It looks like popery and priefi-craft; and therefore young and tender minds may easily. be forgiven, if they startle at the first propofal of it; thofe efpecially, who have a just sense of the excellency and inspiration of the Scriptures, and are eagerly bent on the pursuit of fuch truths, as more immediately tend to the advancement of virtue and religion. As you are of that number, and went into orders with no |