lickly to the congregation v, yet all forts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves w, and with their families x: to 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the ward of God. Rom. i. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Chrift, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 156. v Deut. xxxi. 9 And Mofes wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the fons of Levi, who bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Ifrael. v. 11. When all Ifrael is come to appear before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose: thou shalt read this law before all Ifrael, in their hearing. v. 12. Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: v. 13. and that their children who have not known any thing, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land, whither ye go over to poffefs it. Neh. viii. 2. and Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the feventh month. v. 3. and he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate, from the morning until mid-day, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. Neh. ix. 3. and they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God, one which fourth part of the day, and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God. v. 4. Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, &c. and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God. v. 5. Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, &c. faid, Stand up, and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever; and blesled be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. w 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. Rev. i. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand. John v. 39. Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. Ifa. xxxiv. 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read; no one of these shall fail, x Deut. vi. 6. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: v. 7. and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sintest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou lieft down, and when thou risest up. v. 8. and thou shalt bind them for a fign upon thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. v. 9. and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Gen. which end, the holy scriptures are to be trandated out of the original into vulgar languages y. Q. 157. How is the word of God to be read? A. The holy fcriptures are to be read with an high and reverend esteem of them z; with a firm perfuafion that they are xviii. 17. and the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? v. 19. For I know him, that he will command his children and his houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, Pfal. Ixxviii. 5. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Ifrael, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children. v. 6. That the generations to come might know them, even the children who should be born: who should arife and declare them to their children: v. 7. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. 1 Cor. xiv. 6. Now, brethren, if I come unto you, speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophefying, or by doctrine? v. 9. So likewife you, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. v. II. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a Barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian unto me. v. 12. Even fo ye, forafmuch as ye are zealous of fpiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. v. 15. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding alfo: I will fing with the spirit, and I will fing with the the understanding also. v. 16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned, say, Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandest not what thou sayest? v. 24. But if all prophely, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. v. 27. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. v. 28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep filence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 157. z Pfal. xix. 10. More to be defired are they than gold; yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than the honey, and the honeycomb. Neh. viii. 3. and he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate, from the morning until mid-day before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of the people were attentive unto the book of the law. v. 4. and Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose,v. 5. and Ezra opened the book in the fight of all the people) for he was above all the people) and when he opened it, all the people stood up, v. 6. and Ezra blessed the Lord the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground, the very word of God a, and that he only can enable us to understand them b; with defire to know, believe and obey the will of God revealed in them c; with diligence d, and attention to the matter and scope of theme; with meditationf, application, tion g, felf-denial b, and prayer i. &c. to verse 10. Exod. xxiv. 7. and he (Moses) 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 obedieut. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 27. Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardst his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee alfo, faith the Lord. Isa, 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 also a more fure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: v. 20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture 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 spake as they were moved by the holy Ghoft. b Luke xxiv. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. 2 Cor. iii. 13. and not as Mofes, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Ifrael could not Redfastly 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 Testament: which vail is done away in Chrift. v.15. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. v. 16. Nevertheless, when it shall return to the Lord the vail shall be taken away. v. 20. 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. That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not afide 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 those in Thef. salonica; in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were fo. e Acts viii. 30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Efaias; and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? v. 34. and the eunuch answered 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 readest thou? v. 27. and he answering, faid, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself. v. 28. and he faid unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do and thou shalt live. Pfal. i. 2. But his delight is in tha Q. 158. By whom is the word of God to be preached? A. The word of God is to be preached only by fuch as are fufficiently gifted 4, and also duly approved and called to that Q. 159. How is the word of God to be preached by those 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 enquire of the Lord for me, and for them 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. 3. Trust 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 shall receive of thy words. i 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 to wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding: v. 3. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftet up thy voice for understanding: v. 4. If thou seekest her as filver, and fearchest for her, as for hid treafures; v. 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. v. 6. For the Lord giveth wifdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. Pfal. cxix. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law, Neh. viii. 6. And Ezra blessed the Lord the great God; and all the People answered, Amen, amen, with office 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 distinctly, 158. k 1 Tim. iii. 2. A bithop then must be blameless, the hufband of one wife, vigilant, fober, of good behaviour, given to hofpitality, apt to teach: v. 6. Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Eph. iv. 8. Wherefore he said, When he afcended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. v. 9. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? v. 10. He that descended, is the fame also that afcended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) v. 14. and he gave some, apostles: and some, prophets: and some, evangelifts: and some, 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 shalt be no priest to me: feeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Mal. ii. 7. For the priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should feek the law at his mouth: for he is the messerger of the Lord of hofts. 2 Cor. iii. 6. Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter: but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. / Jer. office 1. that are called thereunto? A. They that are called to labour in the ministry of the word, are to preach found doctrinem, diligently n, in season and out of season 0; plainly p, not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power q; faithfully r, making known the whole counsel of God/; wifelyt, applying themselves to the necessities and capacities of the hearers; 1 Jer. xiv. 15. Therefore thus faith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophecy in my name, and I fent them not, - Rom. x. 15. and how shall they preach, except they be sent? - Heb. v. 4. and no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. Cor. xii. 28. and God hath set some in the church, first apoftles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. v. 29. are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles! 1 Tim. iii. 10. and let these also first be proved: then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 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 men's fins, keep thyself pure. 159. m Tit. ii. 1. But speak thou the things which become found doc trine. v. 8. Sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part, may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. I n Ats xviii. 25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, @ 2 Tim. iv. 2. Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-fuffering and doctrine. p1 Cor. xiv. 19. Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others alfo, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. q 1 Cor. ii. 4. And my speech, and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. r Jer. xxiii. 28. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully; what is the chaff to the wheat? faith the Lord. 1 Cor. iv. 1. Let a man fo account of us, as of the minifters of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. v. 2. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. Acts xx. 27. For I have not hunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 1 Col. i. 28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in ! |