PREFACE

то

THE SIXTH EDITION.

THESE pages contain the substance of some Sermons on the Devotional Study of Holy Scripture, which were formerly delivered to my young congregation in the Chapel of Rugby School. My connexion with the School has long since ceased; and it would be easy to obliterate from the work all trace of the circumstances under which it was originally composed. But I prefer leaving those traces, if it were only for "Auld lang syne;" and, as the main argument has in it nothing of a local character, and is quite as much adapted to Adults as to Youth, I trust the general reader will excuse my doing so.

I wish this little Treatise to be regarded as part of a larger Work ("THOUGHTS ON PERSONAL RELIGION"), which has been more recently published, in which I have attempted to give some

suggestions for the performance of Religious Exercises in general. Among these, the Study of the Holy Scriptures does not find place, because I have felt it to be of such transcendent importance as to require a separate treatise. In proportion to the richness of the fruits which may be gathered from this study, are the difficulties which devout Christians find in the pursuit of it. That this book may be the means, under GOD's Grace, of helping some souls over those difficulties, is the prayer with which I send forth this Sixth Edition.

E. M. G.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE POSITION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES IN THE

SCHEME OF THE MEANS OF GRACE.

"Abide in Me, and I in you."-JOHN xv. 4.

Need of a treatise giving hints for the devotional study of Holy

Scripture Distinction between such a treatise and a practical

Commentary-Difficulty of reading the Scriptures so as to derive

edification from them-Subject of the Chapter proposed-Union

with God (the end of all Ordinances) cemented by Baptism, and

maintained by the Lord's Supper-It involves the access of man

to God (Prayer and Praise), and that of God to man (the Word

spoken or written)-The objection, Why is not more said in the

Bible about the Bible? considered and answered-The Preaching

of the New Testament and Modern Preaching not co-extensive—

Conclusión

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CHAPTER II.

OF ATTENTION AND THOUGHT, AND THE DISTINCTION

BETWEEN THEM.

"In His Law doth he meditate day and night.”—PSALM i. 2.

Subject of the Chapter proposed-The Holy Scriptures the food

of the mind-Analogy between Thought and Digestion-Thought

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and Attention confounded by many-Attention fills the memory

with the points of a narrative-Thought raises questions upon it,

and pursues them to an answer-Speculative Thought, and the diffi-

culties which it proposes to solve, illustrated-Devotional or Prac-

tical Thought illustrated by a meditation upon Matt. xv. 21, &c.—

Attention analogous to the reception of food-Portions of Scrip-

ture in the Church Service lengthened at the Reformation, and

why-No time for Meditation in Divine Service-The Pause

in the Ordering of Priests

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CHAPTER III.

THE NECESSITY OF MEDITATION EVINCED BY THE

GENERAL CHARACTER OF HOLY SCRIPTURE.

"With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”-

ISAIAH xii. 3.

Subject of the Chapter proposed-Analogy between God's works

and His Word-Resources exist in a crude state in Nature-have

to be developed, and applied to the relief of man's condition, by

Art and Industry-Exertion of Thought upon Scripture required,

because Scripture is a Book, 1. of Principles rather than Rules-

the difference between Principles and Rules exemplified—the ab-

sence of certain Rules accounted for-2. of Examples rather than

Precepts The Sacred Writers do not comment upon their narra-

tives-The absence of a Moral to certain Narratives accounted for

-3. The character of Scripture is unsystematic-analogy of Na-

ture the bane and antidote not always found together-no method

or arrangement in the stars-difference between admiring Scripture

and profiting by it. Points for meditation in reading Holy Scrip-

ture-1. Draw morals from examples-2. Extract Principles from

Rules-3. Frame Rules from Principles-the necessity of Rules

for the satisfactory performance of divers duties-The sweetness

and freshness of Holy Scripture to him who reflects on it for

himself

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