the Ufc of the Holy Scriptam. Smmdly, We may obfcrve in the Text, the manner how we ought to be Converfant in the Scripture_s, and that is fet forth very fignificantly. Firft, Let the VVord of Chrift dwell in you. Do not _only ~ive it the hearing, as a ftrange and marvellous Story: Let not the memory of it vamfh out of your Minds as foon as the found of the Words vanifhetb out of your Ears, but lay it up and lodg~ it in your Hearts, make it Familiar and Domeftick to you; that it may be as well known to you, as thofe that Jive in the fame Houfe with yoU. Read it, ponder and meditate upon it, till you have tranfcribed the Bible upon your Hearts and faithfully printed it in your Memories. ' SecBndly, Let it dwell i11 you Richly or Copioufiy, which may be taken either Ohjetl:ivcly, or SubjeCtively: Objectively, and fo the Senfc is, that all the Word of God lhould dwell in m. Content not your felves with fome part of it; that you read the Gofpel, or new Teftament, but negleCt the Old, as is the pral'\:ice of fame flufh Notionifts. Or that you know the Hiftorical part of both, but negleCt the DoChina.l, which is the fond and childilh Cuftom of fame, who read the Scrip~ tu re as they would Romances, skipping over the moral Difcourfes as impertinent to the Story. But when we receive the whole DOCtrine contained in it, and are diligent in revolv ing the Prophets, Evangelifts, Apoftles, every part and p.arcel of the Heavenly revealed Truth. · Again, the Word of Chrift may dwell in us richly in the l:tttcr Scnfe, or Subje~ ltively. And fo it doth when not only every part of it dwell~ in us, but when it dwells alfo in every part of 11s. In our Memories to retain it, in our Minds to meditate on it, in our Affections to love it, and in our Lives to prattife it . Then doth the Word of Chrift dwell richly and abundantly in us. Thirdly, Let it dwell richly in all \Vifdom. The higheft Wifdom is truly to know, and to ferve God in order to eternal Life. Now faith the Apoftle, fo acquaint your felves with the Scriptures, tl1at you may from thence learn true Wifdom, the faving knowledge both of ,vhat is to be believed, a!)d what is to be done, in order to the obtaining of cverlafting Happinefs. To be converfant in it only, to know what it contains, is not Wifdom but Folly, But then it dwells in you in. Wifdom, when you ftudy it, to prattife it, when you endeavour to know the Rule that ye may obey it. This is Wifdom here, and ~ill end in }-lappinefs hereafter. And thus you have the Words of my Text explained. . In handling this Subjea, I !hall only purfuc the Defign of the Apoftle, and endeavour to prefs thofe Exhortations upon you. And indeed I need not !Jlany Ar- · guments to perfuade thofe who have already any acquaimance with thefe facrcd Oracles, frill to be converfant in them. Have you not your [elves found fuch clear Light, fuch attratl:ive Swcetnefs, and pe1 fualivc Eloquence in the Word of God, that all that the Tongue of Man can utter for it, falls infinitely lhort of what it fpeak's on in its own behalf? Who of us have not found direCiion from it in Cafes of Difficulty, Solution of Doubts 1 Support under Affiic:tions, Comfort under Sadnefs, ~trength againft Temptations, Quicknings of Grace, \Varmth of AffeCtion; and in brief, whatfoever we could expeCt from the Mercy of God have we not found it in the Scriptures? And fuall we nted further to commend it to you by Arguments, fince it bath commended it felf by manifold Experiences? But fo it is that the Devil knows we are difarmed and difabled if once he can wreft the Sword of the Spirit from us, as the Apoftle cal1s it, and therefOre l:lbours all he can to !hike the Bjble out of our Hands: Or if we do read it, he ftrives to put on fuch falfe SpeCtacles as !hall mifreprefent every thing to us, and poffcfs us with Prejudice and Obje(hons againft it - I fhall therefore before l proceed any'farther, encounter with fomc of thofe prejudiced Opinions, which make this a Clafp'd and Sealed Book to many. Firft, Some may fear left the ftudy and knowledge of the Saiptures, lhould only aggravate their Sin and Condem11ativn. On the one Hand the Precepts of the Law are fo variou~, the Duties fo difficult, !Od Flefh and Blood fo infirm and oppofite; that they caft a defpairingLook at them, as impoffible to be fulfilled. On the other Hand they have been told that Knowledge without Pradice will expofe them to 'Oamnation without e:x:cufe. They have read, 'Jam. 4-· 17. To him that kTTowuh to do U u u u U 2 good,
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