and other Duties, recommended. 279 fuch importance in his doctrines and pre- SE x rvt. cepts as is pretended. The chriftian reve- XI. lation is far from requiring the affent and obedience of men without inquiring; on the contrary, the firft teachers of it always ad- dreffed themfelves to the underílandings of men, and appealed to their reafon, defiring every one candidly to examine, and to judge for himfelf; and particularly in the xviith of the As and 11th verfe, the Bereans are greatly commended, as (hewing a more na- ble fpirit than others, in that they received the word with all readinefs of mind, that is, not without examination, but upon a full trial, and after fearching carefully whether thofe things were fo as the apof}le reprei fented them. 2dly, Hearing fignifieth a fubmiffive dif- pofition, receiving with a fuitable deference what our heavenly Father is pleafed to re- veal to us, giving it fuch an entertainment as the nature of the things revealed feverally requireth. To hear, is to turn at the re.. proofs of wifdom, to tremble at the threat-. nings of God, to hope in his promifes, and pratife what he enjoineth ; and, in general, that we may give fuch a becoming enter- tainment to every declaration of his will, we, waft believe them all : No; is this a blind; T 4 waci
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