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1
Follow a regular plan in reading of them, that you may be
acquainted with the whole; and make this reading a part
of your private devotions. Not that you should confine yourselves
only to a set plan, so as never to read by choice, but ordinarily
this tends most to edification. Some parts of the Bible
are more difficult, some may seem very barren for an ordinary
reader; but if you would look on it all as God's word, not
to be scorned, and read it with faith and reverence, no
doubt you would find advantage.
2 Set a special mark, however you
find convenient, on those passages you read, which you find
most suitable to your case, condition, or temptations; or
such as you have found to move your hearts more than other
passages. And it will be profitable often to review these.
3
Compare one Scripture with another, the more obscure with
that which is more plain, 2 Pet. 1:20. This is an excellent
means to find out the sense of the Scriptures; and to this
good use serve the marginal notes on Bibles. And keep Christ
in your eye, for to him the scriptures of the Old Testament
look (in its genealogies, types, and sacrifices), as well
as those of the New.
4 Read with a holy attention, arising
from the consideration of the majesty of God, and the reverence
due to him. This must be done with attention, first, to
the words; second, to the sense; and, third, to the divine
authority of the Scripture, and the obligation it lays on
the conscience for obedience, 1 Thess. 2:13, "For this reason
we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received
the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it
not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word
of God, which also effectively works in you who believe."
5 Let your main purpose in reading
the Scriptures be practice, and not bare knowledge, James
1:22, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves." Read that you may learn and do, and that without
any limitation or distinction, but that whatever you see
God requires, you may study to practice.
6
Beg of God and look to him for his Spirit. For it is the
Spirit that inspired it, that it must be savingly understood
by, 1 Cor 2:11, "For what man knows the things of a man
except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no
one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God." And
therefore before you read, it is highly reasonable you beg
a blessing on what you are to read.
7 Beware of a worldly, fleshly mind:
for fleshly sins blind the mind from the things of God;
and the worldly heart cannot favour them. In an eclipse
of the moon, the earth comes between the sun and the moon,
and so keeps the light of the sun from it. So the world,
in the heart, coming between you and the light of the word,
keeps its divine light from you.
8 Labour to be disciplined toward
godliness, and to observe your spiritual circumstances.
For a disciplined attitude helps mightily to understand
the scriptures. Such a Christian will find his circumstances
in the word, and the word will give light to his circumstances,
and his circumstances light into the word.
9 Whatever you learn from the word,
labour to put it into practice. For to him that has, shall
be given. No wonder those people get little insight into
the Bible, who make no effort to practice what they know.
But while the stream runs into a holy life, the fountain
will be the freer.
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