works; because the scripture as plainly fays, This do, and you fhall live. Whereas, in fact, neither one opinion, nor the other, is agreeable to the whole tenor of fcripture; nor are these texts, nor any other that are ufually brought to prove thefe opinions, at all to the purpose, unlefs we read them as connected with thofe paffages from whence they are taken; or compare them with the general tenor of fcripture. The ftrefs in fcripture is laid both on faith and on works: they are infeparably united; and we may fay of them, what Chrift faid on another occafion, what God hath joined, let no man put afunder.The true way, therefore, of interpreting every difficulty in fcripture, is to confider what goes before and what follows; and if this does not lead you to the fenfe, compare it with the whole tenor of the gofpel. Thus, for instance, you are ordered in fcripture to take no thought, what you shall eat, nor what you shall drink; nor wherewithal you fhall be clothed. It is evident this cannot be meant in a literal sense; because it is abfolutely neceffary that we must take thought about these things, in a proper degree. Read on, therefore, and you will presently fee what is the true fenfe of these words. In the next

verfes you read, but feek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things fball be added to you. Here then you fee plainly, that you may take thought about meat, and drink, and clothes; but you must seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, first, and on them lay the principal stress. Then again, fome people have believed, that God Almighty, in an arbitrary manner that is, without having any respect to the actions of men, hath elected fome people to falvation, while he has doomed others to damnation. And, no doubt, many texts of fcripture may be brought, which in mere words feem to have this meaning; nor may it be easy for those, who are not skilled in scripture, to clear them of this difficulty.In these cases, then, compare fuch harsh doctrines with the general fenfe of fcripture: there you will find it univerfally declared, that Jefus Chrift came to redeem all mankind, and not this or that person; and alfo, that we must all work out our own falvation, with fear and trembling. So that it is plain, if the gospel have any intention, these doctrines cannot be true. Why was it given to all man. kind, if all could not profit by it.

The last rule I shall give you for the profitable reading of fcripture, is, to read it with a fenfe of piety and devotion. If you have not a mind defirous of the truth, and wishing to be rightly informed in the will of God, you may read fcripture as unprofitably as you may read any other book. It is not reading a great deal of fcripture it is not reading it frequently, that will improve you in holy habits; unless you read it with a humble, devout mind, prepared to learn. It is the humble, devout mind, which our bleffed Saviour calls an honest and good heart, which keeps the word, and brings forth fruit with patience. A mind thus difpofed, readily fees in fcripture what God would have us do it enters into the fenfe of fcripture; and feels the force of what our Lord fays— If any man will do the will of God, he fhall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. Not but that, with our best 'endeavours, we may have errors; and many good people, no doubt, though they read the fcriptures piously, will have errors; but they who read them pioufly, can never have any errors that will hinder their falvation. This pious frame of mind will be accompanied with devo

tion,

tion. The word of God abounds with fubjects fitted to excite devotion: it will administer frequent occafions to a pious mind, not only of fet forms of prayer, but of fhort ejaculations, arifing from the fubject: -Affift me, O God, by thy holy Spirit, in attaining this heavenly mind, of which I have here an example :-or, Grant, O Lord, I may ever feel the abhorrence I now feel of that felf-deceit, [or of that wicked practice, whatever it may be,] of which I have now an inftance before me! Devout prayer, thus intermingled with reading fcripture, brings the great truths of it home to our hearts; and claims that gracious promise from God, that he will give his holy Spirit to them that ask him. It is of this kind of heavenly wisdom, of which St. James speaks particularly, when he tells us, that if any man lack wifdom, let him afk of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. They who read the fcriptures without any devotion of heart to God, need not wonder if they continue ftill unregenerate in heart, and still under the influence of their bad habits.

To conclude then, from the whole, confider, my brethren, the great end for which this facred book

P4

2

book was given you- to make you wise unto

falvation

to fhew

to teach the you way to please Godyou what your Creator, what your Redeemer, and what your Sanctifier have done for you; and what you are to do for yourselves. All these things, which are the most important concerns you can have, (if we are only wife enough to think fo,) this holy book will teach you. Let us then take it in our hands, as an adviser in all our difficulties, and a comforter in all our diftreffes. While we liften to its hea venly inftructions, we cannot err. It will teach us both how to live, and how to die how we may pass, most comfortably to ourselves, through this state of trial and how, after this pilgrimage

is over, we may attain eternal life,