ditating upon the Bible,and in comparing spiritual things with spiritual, one Scrip ture with another, with what we experience in our own hearts, and what we hear and see in the world around us, as we do about matters of far less conse quence. So that probably, should we at any time sit down to a diligent examination of the whole word of God, we should find it a very different book, than we expected. Thus at least it hath been with me, and possibly it may be so with others.

The word of God informs us, that true wisdom, the saving, practical, and experimental knowledge of divine things, is not to be acquired without earnest and diligent seeking, (Prov. c. ii. v. 1, 6.) "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after know. ledge, and lifteth up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as sil ver, and searchest for her, as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge

of God." If then our wisdom has been acquired without any of that eager desire after, and painful diligence in, seeking it, with which the coveteous man desires and seeks for his riches; it is a shrewd conjecture, that it is not of the genuine sort. Once I had in my own esteem a sort of wisdom, which seemed to offer itself to me spontaneously, and to be found with little seeking; but now I am persuaded, it was but a counterfeit, a fair-seeming pernicious foolishness.

But that, which I now esteem to be true wisdom, if I could but attain unto it, is not to be acquired in so easy a manner. When I first began to desire and seek after this wisdom, I set out with the assurance, that it was to be found in the holy Scriptures, and no where else; these alone being able to make us wise unto salvation. I therefore considered myself engaged to make them my study; and, as the whole was given by inspiration from God, and was all declared to be profitable for some purpose or other, according to the various ends, for which the Holy Spirit designed therein; so I made the whole my study without pick

ing and choosing. Thus I learned to look upon the Bible, as my book of instructions, given me along with my ministerial trust by my Lord and Master; that from thence I was to draw all my doctrines, instructions, and admonitions, warnings, examples, rules of duty, mo tives to duty, and encouragement therein; and I also considered it to be the believer's charter of privileges, containing exceeding great and precious promises, and the whole of that, which God saw fit to reveal, concerning those unspeakable and inconceivable good things, which he hath of his infinite mercy prepared for them that love him. In order, therefore, faithfully to declare my message from the Lord Almighty to the souls of men, I found it indispensably needful to be well acquainted with every part, and to take the word of God myself, as well as propose it to others, as the lantern of my feet, and the light of my paths. And not only to attend to the letter, but also to the true meaning of the Spirit of God therein, This I found to be a work, that required much time, great diligence, mature consideration, and an unbiassed, unprejudiced mind.

With this view of the matter partly obtained, and continually more and more unfolding itself to my mind, I studied the word of God, and have now for near four years employed a very considerable part of my time therein, neither rejecting, nor greatly depending upon the assistance of interpreters. I all along sincerely desired to know the truth, and for that end read the Scriptures, not as the word of man, but as the word of God. And though there have been seasons of remissness, when other employments and studies too much interfered with this main business; and though at first I was very far from an unbiassed mind; being blindly and obstinately prejudiced against those doctrines, which I now believe to be the true gospel of Jesus Christ; yet within that space I have read the Bible several times over, in every part, with the strictest attention I was capable of. There are very few passages, which relate to doctrine, that I have not repeatedly and diligently examined, comparing one with another, with all the care and consideration I could; and I seldom ever ceased meditating on any

portion of Scripture, until I had attained to some satisfying conclusion concerning its true meaning, and agreement with other Scriptures. I may truly say, I have filled reams of paper with religious discussions, with sermons, expositions and letters, in all which I ransacked the Bible, to bring as much Scripture evidence for my direction as possible. For these last two years I have scarce opened a book, except upon religious subjects, and from morning till night, nearly every day, all this while, my thoughts incessantly have been employed in meditation upon the great truths of the gospel. Every difficulty and objection, (and difficulties and objections, both from my own meditations, and in the course of my reading, continually crowded upon my mind,) sent me to the word of God, and increased my care and attention in examining and weighing every text of Scripture, respecting the point in question, before I exchanged my old opinion for a

new one.

Thus I may truly say, I have sought in the word of God, (that field, in which alone this precious treasure lies hid,) for