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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 theme; with meditationf, applicationg, felf-denial b, and prayer i.

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 xxiv. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the fcriptures. 2 Cor. iii. 13. And not as Mofes, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Ifrael could not stedfaftly look to the end of that which is abolished. v. 14. But their minds were blinded; for until this day remaineth the fame vail untaken away, in the reading of the old teftament: which vail is done away in Christ. v. 15. But even unto this day, when Mofes is read, the vail is upon their heart. v. 16. Nevertheless, when it fhall turn to the Lord the vail fhall be taken away.

c Deut. xvii. 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 his God, to keep all the words of this law, and thefe ftatutes, to do them: v. 20. That his heart he not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not afide from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days,

d Acts xvii, 11. Thefe (Bereans) were morenoble than thofe in Theffalonica; in that they received the word with all readinefs of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whe ther these things were fo.

e Acts viii. 30. And Philip ran thi ther to him, and heard him read the prophet Efaias; and faid, Understandest thou what thou readeft?

Q. 158.

V. 34. And the Eunuch anfwered Philip, and faid, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of fome other man? Luke x. 26. He taid unto him, What is written in the law? how readeft thou? v. 27. And he answering, faid, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyfelf. v. 28. And he faid unto him, Thou haft anfwered right: this do and thou fhalt live.

f Pfal. i. 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Pfal. cxix. 97. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

g2 Chron. xxxiv. 21. Go enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Ifrael, and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.

h Prov. iii. 5. Truft in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. Deut. xxxii. 3. Yea, he loved the people; all his faints arein thy hand; and they fat down at thy feet, every one fhall receive of thy words.

i Prov. ii. 1. My Son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandinents with thee; v. 2. So that thou incline thine ear to wif dom, and apply thine heart to underftanding: v. 3. Yea, if thou crieft after knowledge, and lifteft up

Y 3

thy

Q. 158. By whom is the word of God to be preached?

A. The word of God is to be preached only by fuch as are fufficiently gifted k, and alfo duly approved and called to

that office /.

Q.159. How is the word of God to be preached by those that are called thereunto?

A. They that are called to labour in the miniftry of the

thy voice for understanding: v. 4. If thou feekeit her as filver, and searchest for her, as for hid treafures; v. 5. Then fhalt thou underItand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. v. 6. For the Lord giveth wifdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. Pfal. cxix. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Neh. viii. 6. And Ezra bleffed the, Lord the great God; and all the people answered Amen, amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. v. 8. So they read in the book, in the law of God distinct ly,

158. k 1 Tim. iii. 2. A bifhop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hofpitality, apt to teach; v. 6. Not a novice, left being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Eph. iv. 8. Wherefore he faid, When he afcended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. v. 9. (Now that he afcended, what is it but that he alfo descended first into the lower parts of the earth? v. 10. He that defcended, is the fame also that afcended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) v. 11. And he gave fome, apoftles: and fome,

word,

prophets: and fome, evangelifts: and fome, paftors and teachers. Hof. iv. 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou haft rejected knowledge, I will alfo reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: feeing thou haft forgotten the law of thy God, I will alfo forget thy children. Mal. ii. 7. For the priests lips fhould keep knowledge, and they fhould feek the law at his mouth: for he is the meffenger of the Lord of hosts. 2 Cor. iii. 6. Who also hath made us able minifters of the new teftament, not of the letter, but of the fpirit: for the letter killeth, but the fpirit giveth life.

Jer. xiv. 15. Therefore thus faith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophefy in my name, and I fent them not,-Rom. x. 15. And how thall they preach, except they be fent?-Heb. v. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 1 Cor. xii. 28. And God hath fet fome in the church, first apostles, fecondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diverfities of tongues. v. 29. Are all apoftles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? I Tim.iii. 10. And let these alfo first be proved: then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the gift

that

word, are to preach found doctrine m, diligentlyn, in season and out of season o; plainly p, not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonftration of the Spirit, and of powerq; faithfully r, making known the whole counsel of God/; wifely t, applying themfelves to the neceffities and capacities of the hearers v; zealously w, with fervent love to God

that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. I Tim. v. 22. Lay hands fuddenly on no man: neither be partaker of other mens fins, keep thyself pure.

159. m Tit. ii. 1. But fpeak thou the things which become found doctrine. v. 8. Sound fpeech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part, may be ashamed, having no evil thing to fay of.

you.

n Acts xviii. 25. This man was inftructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the fpirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord,

• 2 Tim. iv. 2. Preach the word, be inftant in feafon, out of feafon; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-fuffering and doctrine.

Cor. xiv. 19. Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others alfo, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

q 1 Cor. ii. 4. And my speech, and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wifdom, but in demonitration of the Spirit, and of power.

Jer. xxiii. 28. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him fpeak my word faithfully; what is the chaff to the wheat? faith the Lord. 1 Cor. iv. 1, Let a man fo

account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and ftewards of the mysteries of God. v. 2. Moreover it is required in ftewards, that a man be found faithful.

Acts xx. 27. For I have not fhunned to declare unto you all the counfel of Cod.

Col. i 28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may prefent every man perfect in Chrift Jefus. 2 Tim. ii. 15. Study to fhew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be, afhamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

VI Cor. iii. 2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither, yet now are ye able. Heb. v. 12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become fuch as have need of milk, and not of flrong meat. v. 13. For every one that uleth milk, IS unskilful in the word of righteoufnefs: for he is a babe. v. 14. But ftrong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even thofe who by reason of use have their fenfes exereifed to difcern both good and evil. Luke xii. 42. And the Lord said, . Who then is that faithful and wife fteward, whom his Lord fhall make ruler over his houfhold, to give them their portion of meat in due feafon? Y 4 w Acts

God and the fouls of his peopley; fincerely z, aiming at and their converfion, edification c, and

his glory a, falvation d.

Acts xviii. 25. This man was inftructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he pake and taught diligently the things of the Lord,-→→

x 2 Cor. v. 13. For whether we be befides ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be fober, it is for your caufe. v. 14. For the love of Chrift constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. Phil. 1. 15. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and ftrife; and fome alfo of good will. v. 16. The one preach Chrift of contention, not fincerely, fuppofing to add affliction to my bonds: v. 17. But the other of love, knowing that I am fet for the defence of the gospel.

y Col. iv 12. Epaphras, who is one of you, a fervant of Chrift, faluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may ftand perfect, and compleat in all the will of God. 2 Cor. xii. 15. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, tho' the more abundantly I love you, the lefs I be loved.

z 2 Cor. ii. 17. For we are not as many, who corrupt the word of God: but as of fincerity, but as of God, in the fight of God speak we in Chrift. 2 Cor. iv. 2. But have renounced the hidden things of difhonesty, not walking in craftinefs, not handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifeftation of the truth, commending ourselves to every mans confcience in the fight God.

1 Theff. ii. 4. But as we were allowed of God to be put in truft

Q. 160.

with the gofpel, even fo we speak, not as pleafing men, but God, who trieth our hearts. v. 5. For neither at any time uled we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousnefs; God is witnefs. v. 6. Nor of men fought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burthenfom, as the apoftles of Christ. John vii. 18. He that fpeaketh of himself, feeketh his own glory: but he that feeketh his glory that fent him, the fame is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

b 1 Cor. ix. 19. For though I be free from all men, yet I have made myfelf fervant unto all, that I might gain the more. v. 1o. And unto the Jews, I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; v. 21. To them that are without law, as without law (being not without law to God, but under the law to Chrift) that I might gain them that are without law, v. 22. To the weak, became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to ali men, that I might by all means fave fome.

e 2 Cor. xii. 19. Again, think you that we excufe ourfelves unto you? we fpeak before God in Chrift: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. Eph. iv. 12. For the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift.

d1 Tim. iv. 16. Take heed unto thyfelf, and unto thy doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou fhalt both fave thyfelf, and them

that

Q. 160. What is required of those that hear the word preached?

A. It is required of those that hear the word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence e, preparation ƒ and prayerg; examine what they hear by the fcriptures h; receive the truth with faithi, lovek, meekness /, and readiness of mind m, as the word of God n; meditate o and confer of it;

that hear thee. Acts xxvi. 16. But rife, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister, and a witness both of these things which thou haft feen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; v. 17. Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I fend thee, v. 18. to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them who are fanctified by faith that is in me.

160. Prov. viii. 34. Bleffed is the man, that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the pofts of my doors.

f 1 Pet. ii. 1. Wherefore laying afide all malice and all guile, and hypocrifies, and envies, and all evil speakings, v. 2. as new born babes defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Luke. viii. 18. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whofoever hath, to him fhall be given; and whofoever hath not, from him fhall be taken even that which he feemeth to have.

g Pfa. cxix. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Eph. vi. 18. Praying always with all prayer and fupplication in the fpirit, and watching thereunto with all perfeverance

and fupplication for all faints; v. 19. And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.

b Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than thofe in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily whether those things were fo.

i Heb. iv, 2. For unto us was the gofpel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

k2 Theff. ii. 10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, in them that perifh; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be faved.

1 James i. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthinefs, and fuperfluity of naughtineis, and receive with meeknefs the ingrafted word, which is able to fave your fouls.

m Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than thofe in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readinefs of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whether those things were fo.

n1 Theff. ii. 13. For this caufe alfo thank we God without ceafing, becau.e when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God,

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