revealed tion to

took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they faid, All that the Lord hath faid, will we do, and be obedient. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 27. Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyfelf before God, when thou heardít his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbleft thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, faith the Lord. If. lxvi. 2.- -But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

a 2 Pet. i. 19. We have alfo a more fure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that fhineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arife in your hearts. V. 20. Knowing this firft, that no prophecy of the fcripture is of any private interpretation. v. 21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man : but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

6 Luke xxiv. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the fcriptures. 2. Cor. iii. 13. And not as Mofes, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Ifrael could not ftedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished. v. 14. But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the fame vail untaken away, in the reading of the Old Teftament; which vail is done aWay in Chrift. v. 15. But even up

with meditation

to this day, when Mofes is read, the vail is upon their heart. v. 16. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail fhall be taken a way.

c Deut. xvii. 19. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: v. 20. That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days,—

d Acts xvii. 11. These (Bereans) were more noble than thofe in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whether thofe things were fo.

e Acts viii. 30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Efaias, and faid, Underftandeft thou what thou readeft? V. 34. And the eunuch anfwered Philip, and faid, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of fome other man ? Luke x. 26. He faid unto him, What is written in the law? how readeft thou? v. 27. And he anfwering, faid, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy ftrength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyfelf. v. 28. And he faid unto him, thou haft anfwered right: this do, and thon fhalt live,

fPfal. i. 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Pfal. cxix. 97. O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day.

g 2 Chron. xxxiv. 21. Go, in quire of the Lord for me, and for then that are left in Ifrael, and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.

h Prov. iii. 5. Truft in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Deut. xxxiii. 3. Yea, he loved the people; all his faints are in thy hand; and they fat down at thy feet; every one fhall receive of thy words.

Prov. ii. 1. My fon, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; v. 2. So that thou incline thine ear unto wifdom, and apply thine heart to understanding: v. 3. Yea, if thou crieft after knowledge, and lifteft up thy voice for understanding v. 4. If thou feekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for her, as for hid treasures: v. 5. Then fhalt thou underftand the fear of the Lord; and find the knowledge of God. v. 6. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. Pfal. cxix. 18. Open thou thine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of they law. Neh. viii. 6. And Ezra bleffed the Lord, the great God and all the people anfwered, Amen, a

Q. 159.

men, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. v. 8. So they read in the book, in the law of God diftinctly,

158. k 1 Tim. iii. 2. A bishop then must be blameless, the huf band of one wife, vigilant, fober, of good behaviour, given to hospi tality, apt to teach; v. 6. Not a novice, left being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Eph. iv. 2. Wherefore he faith, When he a fcended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. v. 9. (Now that he afcended, what is it but that he also defcended first into the lower parts of the earth? v. 10. He that defcended, is the fame alfo that afcended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things). v. 11. And he gave fome, apoftles: and fome, prophets and fome, evangelifts: and fome, paftors and teachers. Hof. iv. 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because thou haft rejected knowledge, I will alfo reject thee, that thou fhalt be no prieft to me: seeing thou haft forgotten the law of thy God, I will alfo forget thy children. Mal. ii. 7. For the priests lips fhould keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the mesfenger of the Lord of hofts. 2 Cor. iii. 6. Who alfo hath made us able minifters of the New Teftament, not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the fpirit gi veth life.

/ Jer. xiv. 15. Therefore thus faith

faith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophefy in my name, and I fent them not.-Rom. x. 15. And how fhall they preach, except they be fent?-Heb. v. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himfelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 1 Cor. xii. 28. And God hath fet fome in the church, firft apostles, fecondarily prophets, =thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. v. 29. Are all apoftles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 1 Tim. iii. ro. And let thefe also first be proved; then let them ufe the office of a deacon, being found blamelefs. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the prefbytery. 1 Tim. v. 22. Lay hands fuddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other mens fins: keep thyfelf pure. 159 m Tit. ii. 1. But fpeak thou the things which become found doctrine. v. 8. Sound fpeech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part, may be a fhamed, having no evil thing to fay of you.

1

n Acts xviii. 25. This man was inftructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the fpirit, he fpake and taught diligently the things of the Lord.

themselves

a 2 Tim. iv. 2. Preach the word, be inftant in feason, out of feafon; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-fuffering and doctrine.

p 1 Cor. xiv. 19. Yet in the church I had rather fpeak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

q 1 Cor. ii. 4. And my fpeech, and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wifdom, but in demonftration of the Spirit, and of power.

Jer. xxii. 28. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him fpeak my word faithfully: what is the chaff to the wheat? faith the Lord. I Cor. iv. 1. Let a man fo account of us, as of the minifters of Chrift, and stewards of the myfteries of God. v. 2. Moreover, it is required in ftewards, that a man be found faithful.

f Acts xx. 27. For I have not fhunned to declare unto you all the counfel of God.

t Col. i. 28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wifdom; that we may prefent every man perfect in Chrift Jefus. 2 Tim. ii. 15. Study to fhew thyfelf approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be afhamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Cor.

v. 1 Cor. iii. 2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. Heb. v. 12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become fuch as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. v. 13. For every one that useth milk, is unfkilful in the word of righteoufnefs: for he is a babe. V. 14. But ftrong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reafon of ufe, have their fenfes exercised to difcern both good and evil. Luke xii. 42. And the Lord faid, Who then is that faithful and wife steward, whom his Lord fhall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due feafon ?

w Acts xviii. 25. This man was inftructed in the way of the Lord: and being fervent in the fpirit, he fpake and taught diligently the things of the Lord,

2 Cor. v. 13. For whether we be befides ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be fober, it is for your caufe. V. 14. For the love of Chrift conftraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. Phil. i. 15. Some indeed preach Chrift even of envy and ftrife; and fome alfo of good-will: v. 16. The one preach Chrift of contention, not fincerely, fuppofing to add affliction to my bonds: v. 17. But the other of

and

love, knowing that I am fet for the defence of the gospel.

y Col. iv. 12. Epaphras, who is one of you, a fervant of Chrift, faluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may itand perfect, and complete in all the will of God. 2 Cor. xii. 15. And I will very gladly fpend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the lefs I be loved.

z 2 Cor. ii. 17. For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of fincerity, but as of God, in the fight of God speak we in Christ. 2 Cor. iv. 2. But have renounced the hidden things of difhonefty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifeftation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's confcience in the fight of God.

a i Theff. ii. 4. But as we were allowed of God to be put in truft with the golpel, even fo we speak, not as pleafing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. V. 5. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetoufnefs: God is witness. v. 6. Nor of men fought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdenfome, as the apofties of Chrift. John vii. 18. He that fpeaketh of himself, feeketh his own glory but he that feeketh his glory that fent him, the fame is true, and no unrighteousnefs is in him.

1 Cor. ix. 19. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more, v. 20. And unto the Jews, I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; V. 21. To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Chrift) that I might gain them that are without law. v. 22. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means fave fome.

6 2 Cor. xii. 19. Again, think you that we excufe ourselves unto you? we fpeak before God in Chrift: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. Eph. iv. 12. For the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift. d 1 Tim. iv. 16. Take heed unto thyfelf, and unto thy doctrine; continue in them for in doing this, thou shalt both fave thyfelf, and them that hear thee. Acts xxvi. 16.

But rife, and ftand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpofe, to make thee a minifter and a witnefs both of thefe things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; v. 17. Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I fend

U

thee, v. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them which are fanctified by faith that is in me.

160. e Prov. viii. 34. Bleffed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the poft of my doors.

f 1 Pet. ii. 1. Wherefore laying afide all malice, and all guile, and hypocrifies and envies, and all evilfpeakings, v. 2. As new born babes, defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Luke viii. 18. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whofoever hath, to him fhall be given; and whofoever hath not, from him fhall be taken even that which he feemeth to have.

g Pfal. cxix. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Eph. vi. 18. Praying always with all prayer and fupplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perfeverance, and fupplication for all faints; v. 19. And for me, that utterance. may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of_the_gofpel.

h Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than thofe in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readinefs of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily whether thofe things were fo.