of strengthning them against temptations and corruptions r; of building them up in grace, f, and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort thro' faith unto falvation. Q. 156, correction, for inftruction in rightcoufnefs. v. 17. That the man of God may be perfect,throughlyfurnifhed unto all good works. 3 ing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ: v.6. And havingin a readiness to revengeall difobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Rom. 6. 17. But God t Rom. 16,25.Now to him that be thanked that ye were the fer- is of power to eftablifh you accorvants of fin; but ye have obeyed ding to my gospel,and thepreachfromthe heart that formof doctrine ing of Jefus Chrift,according to the which was delivered you. revelation ofthemyfterywhich was r Mat. 4.4. But he anfwered & kept fecret fince the world began. faid, It is written, Man fhall not I Theff.3. 2. And fent Timotheus live by bread alone, but by every our brother and minifter of God, word that proceedeth out of the and our fellow-labourer in the go mouth of God. v. 7, Jefus faid un- fpel of Chrift, to establish you, & to him, It is written again, Thou to comfort you concerning your fhalt not tempt the Lord thy God. faith; v. 10. Night and day pra v. 10. Then faid Jefus unto him, ing exceedingly, that we might fee Get thee hence Satan; for it is your face, and might perfect that written, Thou fhalt worship the which is lacking in your faith. v. Lord thy God,and him only shalt 11. Now God himself and our Fathou ferve. Eph. 6. 16. Above all ther, and our Lord Jefus Chrift taking the fhield of faith, where direct our way unto you. v. 136 with ye fhall be able to quench all To the end he may eftablish your the fiery darts of the wicked. v. 17. hearts unbleameablein hotinefs be And take the helmet of falvation, fore God even our Father, at the and the fword of the fpirit, which coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift is the word of God, Pfalm 19. 11. with all his faints.Rom.15.4. For Moreover, by them is thy fervant whatsoever things were written warned and in keeping of them aforetime were written for our thereisgreat reward.1 Cor. 10. 11 learning: that we thro' padence Now allthese thingshappened unto & comfort of the fcriptures might them for enfamples : and they are have hope,Rom. 10. 13. For who written for our admonition, upon foever fhall call upon the name of whom the ends of the world are the Lord, fhall be faved. v. 14 How then thall they call on him in come. 1 Acts 20:32.And now, brethren, whom they havenot believed? and I commend you to God,and to the how thall they believe in him of wordof his grace, which is able to whom they have not heard? and build you up, and to give you an how shall they hear without a inheritance among all them which preacher? v, 15. And how fhall are fanctified. 2 Tim. 3.15. And they preach, except they be fent? that from a child thou haft known as it is written, how beautiful, are the holy fcriptures, which are able the feet of them that preach the to make thee wife unto falvation, gofpel of peace, and bring glad tithro' faith which is in Chrift je dings of good things! v. 16. But fus. v. 16. All fcripture is given theyhavenotall obeyed the gofpel, by infpiration of God, and is pro- For Efaias faith, Lord, who hath fitablefor doctrine,for reproof, for believed our report?v, 17. So then faith 156. Is the word of God to be read by all? faith cometh by hearing,and hear ing by the word ofGod.Rom 1.16. For I am not afhamed of the gofpel of Chrift: for it is the power of God unto Salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and alio to the Greek. A. Altho' all are not to be permitted to read the word publicly to the congregation v, yet all forts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves w, and with their fa milies x: To which end, the holy Scriptures are to be tranf. they confeffed, and worshipped the Lord their God. v. 4. Then stood up upon the ftairs of the Levites, Jefhua, and Bani, &c. and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God. y.5. Then the Levites, Jefhua, and Kadmiel, &c. faid, 156. v Deut. 31. 9. And Mofes Stand up, and blefs the Lord your wrote this law, and deliveredit un- God for ever and ever; and bleffed to the priests the fors of Levi, be thy glorious name, which is exwhich bare the ark of the covenant alted above all bleifing and praise. of the Lord,and unto all the elders w Deut. 17. 19. And it fhall be. of Ifrael. v. 11. When all Ifrael with him,and he fhall read therein is come to appear before the Lord all the days of his life: that he may thy God, in the place which he learn to fear the Lord his God,to fhall choofe; thou shalt read this keep all the words of this law, and Jaw before all Ifrael,in their hear- thele ftatutes, to do them. Rev. ing. v. 12. Gather the people to 1. 3. Bleffed is he that readeth, and gether,men and women, and chil- theythat,hearthewords of thisprodren,& thy ftranger that is within phecy,and keep thofe things which thy gates, that they may hear,and are written therein: for the time that they may learn and fear the is at hand. John 5. 39. Search the Lord your God,and obferve to do fcriptures,for in them ye think ye all the words of this law; v. 13. have eternal life, and theyare they And that theirchildren,which have which teftify of me. Ifa. 34. 16. not known any thing may hear & Seek ye out of the book of the learn to fear the Lord your God, Lord, and read: no one of these as long as ye live in the land, whi- fhall fail. ther ye go overto pollefs it Neh. x Deut. 6. 6. And these words 8.2 And Ezra the priest brought which I command theer this day, the law before the congragation, fhall be in thine heart: v. 7. And both of men and women, and all thou shalt teach them diligently that couldhear with understanding, unto thy children, and shall talk upon the first day of the feventh of them when thou fitteft in thine month. v. 3. And he read therein houfe, and when thou walkeft by before the street that was before the way, & when thou lielt down the water-gate, from the morning and when thou rifelt up.v.8. And until mid-day,before the men and thou shalt bindthem fora fign upon the women, and thofe that could thy hand,& they fhall be as frontunderstand; and the cars of all lets between thine eyes. v. 9. And the people were attentive unto the thou fhaltwritethemupon the polts book of the law. Neh. 9. 3. And of thyhoule,and onthy gates Gen. they ftood up in their place, and 18. 17. And the Lord faid, Shall I read in the book of the law of the hidefrom Abrahamthat thingwhich Lord their God, one fourth part of I do? v. 19. For I know him, that the day, and another fourth part he will command his children and tranflated 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 efteem of them, with a firm perfwasion that they his houthold after him, and they fhall keep the way of the Lord, Pfalm 78. 5. For he eftablished a teftimony in Jacob,and appointeda law in Ifrael,which he commanded our fathers, that they thould make them known to their children. v.6. Thatthegenerationstocomemight knowthem,even thechildren which fhould be born: who fhould arife and declare them to their children: 7.7.That they might fet theirhope inGod,and not forget the works of God,but keep his commandments. y 1 Cor. 14. 6. Now, brethren, if I come unto you, fpeaking with tongues, what fhall I profit you, except I fhall speak to you eitherby revelation,or by knowledge,or by prophefying, or by doctrine? v. 9. So likewife you,except ye utter by the tongue,words eafy tobe underftood,how fhall it be known what is Spoken? for ye fhall fpeak into the air. v.11. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice,I fhall be unto him that peaketh a Barbarian, and he that fpeaketh fhall be a Barbarian unto me, v, 12. Even fo ye, forafmuch as ye are zealous of fpiritual gifts, feek 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 understandingalfo.v.16.Elsewhen thou shalt blefs with the fpirit,how fhall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned, fay Amen, at thy giving of thanks,feeing he underftandeth not what thou fayeft? v.24. But ifall prophecy,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 fpeak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the moff by are three, and that by courfe: and let one interpret, v. 28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep fi. lence in the church; and let him fpeak to himfelf, and to God. 157. z Pfalm 19. 10. More to be defired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: fweeter alfo than the hony, & the hony comb, Neh. 8.3, And he read therein bes fore the Itreet that was before the water-gate, from the morning until mid-day before the men and the women,& thofe that could underftand; and the ears of the people were attentive unto the book of the law. v.4. And Ezra the fcribe ftood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpole,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 ftood up. v. 6. And Ezra bleffed the Lord the great God: and all the people an fwered, Amen, amen, with lifting up their hands, and they bowed their heads, & worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground, &c. to verfe 10. Exod. 24. 7. And he (Mofes)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. 34. 27. Be caufe thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thy felf before God, when thou heardst his words against this place, and againft the inhabitants thereof, and humbledit thy felf before me, and didit rend thy clothes, and weep before me: I have even heard thee alfo, faith the Lord. Ifa 66. 2.---But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite fpirit, and trembleth at my word. a 2 Pet. are 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 fcope of them ; with meditation f, application g, felf-denial h, and prayer i. Q. 158. a 2 Pct. 1. 19. We have alfo a more furewordofprophecy,whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light thatfhineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day ftar arife in your hearts:v.20. Knowing this first, that no prophe, cy 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 Ghoft, b Luke 24. 45. Then opened he therunderstanding, thatthey might understand the fcriptures. 2Cor. 3. 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 a bolished. v. 14. But their minds were blinded; for until this day remaineth the fame vail untaken a way,in the reading of the old tefta ment: which vail is done away in Chrift. v. 15. But even unto this day, when Mofes is read, the vail is upon their heart. v. 16. Neverthelefs, when it fhall turn to the Lord, the vail fhall be taken away. c Deut. 17. 19. And it fhall be with him, and he fhall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the Lord hisGod, to keep all the words of this law, and thefe ftatutes, 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 pro long his days, d Acts 17, 11. Thefe (Bereans) weremore noble thanthofe in Thef falonica; in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whether these things were fo. e Acts 8. 30. AndPhilip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Efaias; and faid, underffandeft thouwhat thou readeft? v. 34. And the eunuch anfwered Philip, and faid, I pray thee, of whom ípeaketh the prophet this? of himself, of fome other man? Luke 10. 26. He faid unto him, What is written in the law? how rcadeft 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 withall thymind; and thy neighbour as thy felf. v 28. And he faid unto him, thou haft anfwered right: this do, and thou shalt live. fPfal. 1. 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Pfal.119.97.Ohow love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. g 2 Chron. 34.21. Go,enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Ifrael,and in Judah, con cerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, becaufe our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book. h Prov. 3. 5. Truft in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. Deut. 33. 3. Yea,he loved thepeople; all his faints are in thy hand; and they fat down at thy feet, everyone fhall receive of thy words. i Prov. 2.1. My fon,if thou wilt receivemywords,andhidemycommandments with thee; v. 2. So that thou incline thine ear to wif dom 1 158. By whom is the word of God to be preached? A. The word of God is to be preached only by fuck s are fufficiently gifted k, and allo duly approved and called to that office 1, Q159. How is the word of God to be preached by thofe that are called thereunto? A. They that are called to labour in the ministry of the word, dom, and apply thine heart to un- ed for lack of knowledge: because derftanding: v. 3. Yea, if thou thou haft rejected knowledge, I erieft after knowledge, and lifteft will alfo reject thee, that thou apthyvoicefor understanding:v.4. fhalt be no prieft to me: feeing If thou feekelt her as filver, and thou haft forgotten the law of thy fearcheft for her, as for hid trea- God, I will alio forget thy child fures; v.5.Then fhalt thou under- ren Mal.2.7. For the priefts lips ftand the fear of the Lord, and find fhould keep knowledge and they the knowledge of God. v. 6. For fhould feek the law at his mouth the Lord giveth wifdom out of his for he is the meffenger of the Lord mouth cometh knowledge and un- of hosts. Cor. 3.6. Whoalfobath derstanding. Pfalm 119. 18. Open made us able minifters of the new thou mine eyes,that I may behold teftament,not of the letter, but of wondrous things out of thy law, the fpirit: for the letter killeth, Neh.8.6.AndEzrablefledthe Lord, but the fpirit giveth life. the great God; and all the people 1 Jer,14,15. Thereforethusfaith aufwered Amen, amen, with lift- the Lord concerning the prophets ing up their hands: and they bow- that prophefy in my name, and I ed their heads,and worshipped the fent them not,Rom. 10.15 And Lord withtheirfacesto the ground. how fhall they preach,except they v.8. So they read in the book, in be fent?-Heb. 5.4. Andnoman ta the law of God diftinctly. keth this honour unto himself, but 158. k 1 Tim.3.2.A bifhopthen he that is called of God, as was muft be blamelefs, the husband of Aaron Cor.12.18. And Godhath one wife, vigilent, fober, of good fet fome in the church, first apo behaviour,given to hofpitality,apt ftles,fecondarily prophets, thirdly to teach; v. 6. Not a novice, left teachers, after that miracles, then being lifted up with pride, he fall gifts of healing, helps, governintothecondemnation ofthe devil, ments,diverfities of tongues.. 29. Eph.4,8. Whereforehe faith, When Are all apoftles? are all prophets? he afcended up on high he led caps are all teachers? are all workers of tivity captive, and gave gifts unto miracles?1 Tim.3.10. And letthefe men, v.g. (Now he that afcended allo firft be proved; then let them what is itbut that he alfo defcended ufe the office of a deacon, being first into the lower parts of the found blameless. Tim.4. 14. Neearth? v. 1o. He that defcended glect not the gift that is in thee, up far above all heavens, that he which was giventhee by prophecy, might fill all things.) v. 11, And with the laying on of the hands of he gave fome, apoitles: and fome, the prefbytery. Tim.5.22. (Lay prophets and fome, evangelifts; hands fuddenly on no man) nei and fome, paftors, and teachers. ther be partaker of other mens fins Hof. 4. 6. My people are destroy- keep thy felf pure. I 159. m Tit, |