Jickly to the congregation v, yet all forts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves w, and with their families * : to

which

a

17. So then faith cometh by hear- fourth part of the day, and another ing, and hearing by the word of fourth part they confessed, and wor God. Rom. i. 16 For I am not shipped the Lord their God. v. 4. ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for Then stood up upon the fairs of it is the power of God unto salvation, the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, &c. to every one that believeth, to the and cried with a loud voice unto the Jew firit and also to the Greek. Lord Their God. 8. 5. Then the

156. v Deut. xxxi. 9 And Moses Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, &c. wrote this law, and delivered it un. faid, Stand up, and bless the Lord to the prielts the song of Levi, who your God for ever and ever;, and bare the ark at the covenant of the blesed be thy glorious game, which Lord, and unto all the elders of If- is exalted above all bleling and rael. v, 11. When all Israel is come praise. to appear before the Lord thy God, w Deut. xvii. 19. And it shall be in the place which he shall choose: with him, and he shall read therein thou shalt read this law before all all the days of his life: that he may Ifrael, in their hearing. v. 12. Ga- learn to fear the Lord his God, te ther the people together, men and keep all the words of this law, and women, and children, and thy these Natutes, to do them. Rev. i. stranger that is within thy gates, 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and that they may hear, and that they they that hear the words of this promay learn, and fear the Lord your phecy, and keep those things which God, and observe to do all the are written therein; for the time words of this law: v. 13. and that is at hand. Joho v. 39. Search the their children who have not known fcriptures, for in them ye think ye any thing, may hear and learn to have eternal life, and they are they fear the Lord your God, as long as which teltify of me. Ifa. xxxiv. 16.

live in the land, whither ye go Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, over to pofsefs it. Neh. viii. 2. and and read; no one of these mall Ezra the priest brought the law be, fail,--fore the congregation, both of men * Deut. vi. 6. And these words and women, and all that could hear which I command thee this day, with underflanding, upon the first shall be in thine heart: v. 7. and day of the seventh month. v. 3. thou fhalt teach them diligently unand he read therein before the freet to thy children, and shalt talk of that was before the water-gate, then when thou fetelt in thine from the morning until mid-day, house, and when thou walkeit by before the men and the women, and the way, and when thou lielt down, those that could undertand; and and when thou riselt up. v. 8. and the ears of all the people were at

thou thalt bind them for a liga upon tentive anto the book of the law. thy hand, and they shall be as frontNeh. ix. 3. and they stood up in lets between thine eyes.

V. 9. and their place, and read in the book of thou shalt write them upon the posts the law of the Lord their God, one of thy house, and on thy gates, Gen.

.

ye

a

which end, the holy fcriptures are to be tranlated out of the original into vulgar languages y.

Q. 157. How is the word of God to be read?

A. The holy scriptures are to be read with an high and reverend esteem of them z; with a firm persuasion that they are

the xviii. 17. and the Lord said, Shall the understanding also. v. 16 Else I hide from Abraham that thing when thou shalt bless with the fpiwhich I do? v. 19. For I know rit, how shall he that occupieth the him, that he will command his chil. room of the unlearned, say, Amen dren and his houshold after him, at thy giving of thaaks, seeing he and they shall keep the way of the understandelt Bot what thou sayelt ? Lord,-Pfal. lxxviii. s. For he e- V.24. But if all prophely, and there stablished a testimony in Jacob, and come in one that believeth not, or appointed a law in Israel, which he One unlearned, he is convinced of commanded our fathers, that they all, he is judged of all. v. 27. If should make them known to their any man speak in an 'unknown children. v. 6. That the genera- tongue, let it be by two, or at the tions to come might know them, most by three, and that by courle; even the children who should be and let one interpret. v. 28: But if born : who should arise and declare there be no interpreter, let him keep them to their children: v.-7. That silence in the church ; and let him they might set their hope in God, speak to himself, and to God. and not forget the works of God, 157. z Pfal. xix. 10. More to be but keep his commandments. desired are they than gold; yea, y Cor. xiv. 6. Now, brethren, than much fine gold; sweeter also

1 if I come unto you, speaking with than the honey, and the honeycomb, tongues, what shall I profit you, ex- Neh. viii. 3. and he read thereia cept I shall speak to you either by before the treet that was before the revelation, or by knowledge, or by water-gate, from the morning cotil prophefying, or by doctrine ? v.9. mid-day before the men and the So likewise you, except ge utter by women, and those that could unthe tongue words easy to be under. derstand; and the ears of the peostood, how shall it be known what ple were attentive unto the book of is spoken? for ye shall speak into the law. v. 4. and Ezra the scribe the air. v. 11. Therefore if I know stood upon a pulpit of wood, which not the meaning of the voice, I shalt they had made for the purpose, be unto him that speaketh a Barba- v. 5. and Ezra opened the book in rian, and he that speaketh shall be the light of all the people ) for he a Barbarian upto me. v. 12. Even was above all the people) and when so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous he opened it, all the people stood up, of Ipiricual gifts, seek that ye may y. 6. and Ezra blessed the Lord the excel to the edifying of the church. great God, and all the people an. V. 15. What is it then? I will pray swered, Amen, amen, with lifting with the spirit, and I will pray with up their hands : and they bowed the underítanding also: I will fing their heads, and worshipped the with the spirit; and. I will fing with Lord with their faces to the ground,

&c.

the very word of God a, and that he only can enable us to understand them b; with desire to know, believe and obey the will of God revealed in them c; with diligence d, and attention to the matter and scope of them e; with meditation f, applica

tion,

&c. to verse 10. Exod. xxiv. 7. which vail is done away in Chrift. and he (Moses) took the book of v.15. But even unto this day, when the covenant, and read in the audi- Moses is read, the vail is upon their ence of the people: and they said, heart. v. 16. Nevertheless, when All that the Lord hath said, will it shall return to the Lord the vail we do, and be obedieut. 2 Chron. shall be taken away. xxxiv. 27. Because thine heart was c Deut. xvii. 19. And it shall be tender, and thou didA humble thy. with him, and he shall read thereia felf before God, when thou heardst all the days of his life; that he may his words against this place, and a- learn to fear the Lord his God, to gainst the inhabitants thereof, and keep all the words of this law, and humbledit thyself before me, and thele tatutes, to do then. v. 20.' didit rend thy clothes, and weep That his heart be not lifted up above before me; I have even heard thee his brethren, and that he turn not also, faith the Lord. Isa, Ixvi. 2.- aside from the commandment, to But to this man will I look, even to the right hand or to the left: to the him that is poor and of a contrite end that he may prolong his days, spirit, and trembleth at my word. d Acts xvii. 11. These (Bereans)

a 2 Pet. i. 19. We have also a were more noble than those in Ther. more fure word of prophecy, where- salonica; in that they received the unto ye do well that ye take heed, word with all readiness of mind, and as unto a light that thioeth in a searched the scriptures daily, whedark place, until the day dawn, ther these things were fo. and the day-ftar arise in your hearts : e A&s viii. 30. And Philip ran V, 20. Knowing this first, that no thither to him, and heard him read prophecy of the scripture is of any the prophet Efaias; and said, Unprivate interpretation. v. 21. For derstandelt thou what thou readelt? the prophecy came not in old time

and the eunuch answered by the will of man : but holy men Philip, and faid, I pray thee, of of God spake as they were moved by whom speaketh the prophet this? the holy Ghost.

of himself, or of some other man? b Luke xxiv.45. Then opened he Luke s. 26. He faid unto him, What their understanding, that they might is written in the law? how readest understand the scriptures. 2 Cor. thou?

thou? v. 27. and he answering, m. 13. and not as Mofes, who put said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy a vail over his face, that the chil- God with all thy heart, and with all dren of Israel could not Aedfastly thy foul, and with all thy strength, look to the end of that which is abo- and with all thy mind: and thy lished. v. 14. But their minds were Deighbour as thyself. v.28. and he blinded; for until this day remain- faid unto him, Thou hast anľwered eth the same vail untaken away, in right: this do and thou falt live, the reading of the Old Testament : Pfal. i. 2. But his delight is ia

tha

v. 34•

tion g,

self-denial h, and prayer i. 0.158. By whom is the word of God to be preached?

A. The word of God is to be preached only by such as are fufficiently gifted k, and also duly approved and called to that

office

I

the law of the Lord, and in his law lifting up their hands : and they doth he meditate day and night, bowed their heads, and worfhipped Pfal. cxix. 97. O how tore I thy the Lord with their faces to ibe law ? it is my meditation all the ground. 8. So they read in tbe day.

book, in the law of God distinctly, g 2 Chron. xxxiv. 21. Go enquire 158. & 1 Tim, üi. 2. A bifhop of the Lord for me, and for them then mul be blameless, the hui. that are left in Israel, and in sudah band of obe wife, vigilant, sober, concerning the words of the book of good behaviour, given to hospitathat is found : for great is the wrath lity, apt to teach : v. 6. Not a noof the Lord that is poured out upon vice, left being lifted up with pride, us, because our fathers have not he fall into the condemnation of the kept the word of the Lord, to do devil. Eph. it. 8. Wherefore he after all that is written in this book. faid, When he afcended up on high,

b Prov. iii. 3. Trust in the Lord he led captivity captive, and gave with all thine heart, and lean not gifts unto men. v.9. (Now that unto thine own understandiog Deut. he ascended, what is it but that he xxxiii. 3. Yea, he loved the people: also descended first into the lower all his faints are in thy hand; and parts of the earth? v. 1o. He that they sat down at thy feet, every one descended, is the fame alfo that shall receive of thy words.

afcended up

far above all heavens, i Prov. ii. 1. My son, if thou that he might fill all things.) v. 11. wilt receive my words, and hide and he gave fome, apostles: and my commandments with thee; v. 2. fome, prophets : and some, evangeSo that thou incline thine ear to lifts: and some, pastors and teachers. wisdom, and apply thine heart to Hof. iv. 6. My people are destroyed understanding: v. 3. Yea, if thou for lack of knowledge : because thou crieft after knowledge, and lifteft up haft rejected knowledge, I will allo thy voice for understanding: v.4. reject thee, that thou shalt be no I thou seekest her as filver, and priest to me: fecing thou halt for. searchest for her, as for hid trea: gotten the law of thy God, I will fures; v. 5. Then shalt thou under. also forget thy children. Mal. ii. 7. stand the fear of the Lord, and find For the priel's lips should keep the knowledge of God. v. 6. For knowledge, and they fhould feek the Lord giveth wisdom : out of his the law at his mouth : for he is the mouth cometh knowledge and uo- mefferger of the Lord of hofts. 2 derstanding. Pfal. cxix. 18. Open Cor. iii.6. Who also hath made us thou mine eyes, that I may behold able ministers of the New Testament, wondrous things out of thy law. not of the letter : but of the Spirit: Neh. viii. 6. And Ezra blessed the for the letter killeth, but the Spirit Lord the great God; and all the giveth life. people anfwered, Amen, amen, with

I Jer,

ottice l.

Q. 159. How is the word of God to be preached by those that are called thereunto?

A. They that are called to labour in the ministry of the word, are to preach found doctrine m, diligently n, in season and out of season o ; 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 neceflities and capacities of the

hearers;

I Jer. xiv. 15. Therefore thus and being fervent in the spirit, he saith the Lord concerning the pro- spake and taught diligently the phets that prophecy in my name, things of the Lord, — and I fent them not,–Rom. x. 18. 0 2 Tim. iv. 2. Preach the word, and how shall they preach, except be instant in fearon, out of season; they be seat? - Heb. V. 4. and no reprove, rebuke, exhort with ali man taketh this honour unto him. long-suffering and doctrine. Telt, but he that is called of God, Pi Cor. xiv. 19. Yet in the as was Aaron. i Cor. xii. 28. and church I had rather speak five words God hath fet fome in the church, with my understanding, that by my first apostles, secondarily prophets, voice I might teach others also,

thirdly teachers, after that miracles, thap ten thousand words in an unthen gifts of healings, helps, go- known tongue, veroments, diversities' of tongues. q1 Cor. ii. 4. And my speech, V. 29. are all apostles are all pro- and my preaching was not with phets ? are all teachers ? are all enticing words of man's wisdom, but workers of miracles! 1 Tim. iii. 10.

1

in demonstration of the Spirit, and and let these also first be proved : of power. then let them use the office of a r Jer. xxiii. 28. The prophet that deacon, being found blameless. 1 hath a dream, let him tell a dream; Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the gift and he that hath my word, let him that is in thee, which was given speak my word faithfully; what is thee by prophecy, with the laying the chaff to the wheat? faith the on of the hands of the presbytery. Lord. Cor. iv. 1. Let a man fo 1 Tim. v. 22. Lay hands suddenly account of us, as of the ministers of on no man: neither be partaker of Christ, and stewards of the mysteother men's lips, keep thyself pure. ries of God. 2. Moreover it is

159. m Tit ii, 1. But speak thou required in stewards, that a man be the things which become found doc. found faithful. trine. v. 8. Sound speech that can- Acts xx. 27. For I have not not be condemned; that he that is Aunned to declare unto you all the of the contrary part, may be alham- counsel of God. ed, having no evil thing to say of i Col. i. 23. Whom we preach, you.

warning every man, and teaching n Aas xviii. 25. This man was every man in all wisdom ; that we infructed in the way of the Lord; may prefent every man perfect in