Chap.VIII      eſſential to the Chriſtian Religion.   211

is expreſſed by the world---were made, by
the world was made. They, however have
found out the ſecret to ſet theſe expreſſions
at a prodigious diſtance one from another:
underſtanding by all things, all that per-
tain to the goſpel; and by the world the
world to come, heaven, or the ſociety of men;
by, all things were made, all things were
formed or produced, and by, the world was
made, the world was renewed. It is plain,
from this different way of explaning ſy-
nonymous paſſages, that their main deſign
is to ſupport their own ſentiments; how
perplexed ſoever they may render the ſacred
text.

Of this we have a further proof by their
aſſerting, that the term world is uſed in
three different and remote ſenſes, in the ſame
verſe: that is, for the ſociety of men ; for
heaven ; and for carnal or profane men.
But if we muſt take one term in three dif-
ferent ſenſes in the ſame place; who, with-
out a ſpirit of divination, can be certain that
he underſtands any part of the ſacred Re-
cords; or that, in any inſtance, he has diſ-
covered the meaning of the Holy Ghoſt? So
to treat the inſpired writings is, not to in-
terpret, but to accommodate them to our
own erroneous opinions.

But beſides that variety of interpretations,
which they give to the ſame expreſſions,
                                                            they