vancement of its perfection. As we conspire in fincerity of intention, so do we approach in correspondence of opinion; as we conform to the practical instructions of religion, fo fhall we coalefce in the acceptance of its fpeculative doctrines. SERMON SERMON VI. 2 TIM. iii. 16. All Scripture is given by infpiration of God; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in Righteousness. THE great and important principle of the fufficient and exclufive authority of the Scriptures, to be refpected as the unerring guide in all matters of faith and religious inftruction, was the leading ftar which conducted our Reformers to the discovery and acknowledgment of truth; as indeed the glory of revelation, which had fhone around those who abode in darkness on the Continent, had roufed their attention to the voice which proclaimed the Saviour who was to guide their feet into the way of peace *." * See Matt. ch. ii. Luke, ch. i. ver. 79. ch. ii. A difregard ན་ A difregard to revealed wifdom, it was perceived, and a fubftitution of human for Divine authority, had been in every age the caufe of error. The exifting evils could never have been so fuccefsfully maintained, had not the facred Volume been withheld from the general claffes of fociety; and the removal of them could not be completely effected but by its restoration to general notice. To the people who had been feduced by the abominations of idolatry, or misled by the fuggeftions of earthly councils, to whom religion had become a reproach;" the prophets of ancient times had " spread out their hands," and exclaimed, "Stand ye in the 66 66 ways, and fee and afk for the old paths, "where is the good way, and walk therein, " and ye fhall find reft *." To the mifguided and deluded Jews, who cavilled at the teftimonies of the Gofpel, our Saviour commanded that they fhould "fearch the Scriptures; for in them they thought they had eternal life, and from ignorance of which they had often erred †. To the fame permanent and undeviating rule did the primitive Christians refer on every difficulty, as to 66 *Ifaiah, ch. lxv. ver. 2, 3. + Matt. ch. xxii. ver. 29. indifputable indifputable, and the only fure authority by which," whatever was concealed under the "fhade and cloud of error, might be opened Similar were the "to the light of truth *." exhortations of those who fought to bring back the presence of undefiled religion to our country. Poffeffing themselves at once of that firm and tenable ground, "other foun"dation than which no man could lay;" they determined on it, as on the established rock, to restore the Church, which was to exhibit, with renovated character, the integrity of the Christian faith †. The translation of the Scriptures into the language of this country, had opened the first glimmerings of the restoration of true religion; and though we refer the æra of the commencement * Cyprian. Epift. 74. Chryfoft. Hom. 49. in Oper. imperfect. Theophilus, &c. + See the eloquent Treatife on the Scriptures, compofed from Jewell's Sermons, among his works. Wickliffe effected a tranflation of all the Scriptures. It was made from the Vulgate; which Coverdale pronounced to be fo greatly corrupt, as he thought none other translations were. See Epif. dedicated to Henry VIII. Some parts of Scripture had been before tranflated; but the Anglo-Saxonic verfions were become not only unintelligible as to the words and fpelling, but illegible as to the letter and character, to the people, and even to many of the learned. See Caxton's Life, and Lewis's Differt. prefixed to his History of Translations. In the reign of Henry VI. Reginald Peacock, Bishop of Chichester, who |