will fay with David, "Thy word have I hid "in my heart, that I may not offend against "thee. It is a light unto my feet, and a lamp, 66 unto my path. I have chofen the way of "truth: thy judgements have I laid before. "me."

S.ER

SERMON X

The fame Subject continued..

JOHN V. 39

Search the Scriptures..

HAVING in the foregoing difcourfe ftated the advantages which may be derived from fearching the Scriptures, I now proceed, in the fecond place, to fuggest some directions for fearching them in fuch a manner as to reap thofe advantages.

The word wlrich our Lord has chofen, marks with precifion the outward act which: is required of Chriftians. To fearch the:

Scriptures is not to read them haftily, without attention, upon fome rare occafion; it is to read them frequently, ftatedly, and delibe-rately. None will fay that this is an impracticable duty. The bufieft may, by a proper difpofition of their affairs, fet apart a portion of their time for this employment; and the idle may well fpare fome of thofe hours, which. with all their anxiety to find different amufe-ments, they often know not how to difpofe of. To every one of us God hath given the H:6. Sabbathi

Sabbath as a returning feafon of religious recollection. A part of it ought always to be fpent in reading the Scriptures; and if we account the day of the Lord honourable, we will not want leisure for obeying the command in my text..

The rules of facred criticism cannot be fuppofed to enter into a popular difcourfe. I prefume not to addrefs myfelf to thofe who are led, either by inclination, or by a fenfe of duty, to employ their literary talents in the profecution of theological ftudies. But, after the example of that Society before whom I fpeak, whofe inftitutions are calculated for the benefit of the great body of the people in certain diftricts, I wish to affift those who have no peculiar advantages for study, in deriving information, comfort, and inftruction from the fearch of the Scriptures: And to them I fay, that, if they would not with this employment to be "bodily exercife, which profiteth

little," they muft read with good intention, -with humility, -with application to their own cafe, and with prayer..

1. In order to profit by fearching the Scriptures, it is neceffary to read them with good in

tention.

In bodily tasks, the difpofition of the workman's mind is not of great importance. Provided the work be done, his wages are earned, and his mafter is fatisfied: But the usefulness of thofe exercifes which minifter to the improvement of the mind, depends. very much upon

upon the fentiments and views with which they are performed. Here the manner of do. ing the work is often of more importance than the work that is done; and a wrong intention in the agent often prevents him from reaping the fruit of his toil.

If you fearch the Scriptures in order to make a difplay of your acquaintance with them, you may have your reward. By the readiness of your quotations, and the acutenefs of your critical remarks, you may astonish the ignorant, and obtain praise from those who value fuch refearches. But your own heart will not be the better for "that know. "ledge which puffeth up." If you search the Scriptures in order to be learned in controverfy, you may know the grounds of all the different opinions refpecting certain difputed points; you may be able to convince the adverfaries, and to defend your own tenets with dexterity. But there is a danger of your turning afide from the weighty matters of the law, to" queftions and ftrifes of words;" and in your zeal to establish what you account the truth, you may make fhipwreck of faith and a good confcience. Once more, if you fearch the Scriptures with a captious fpirit, defirous of raifing objections, of finding matter of cenfure or of ridicule, you may fucceed beyond your expectation. You may puzzle both yourselves and others; you may derive from the venerable phrafeology of Scripture much

aid to the barrennefs of your wit; by a fneer at what you do not understand, you may please those who know as little as you do; and by a ludicrous application of folemn expreffions, you may excite laughter amongst those who care not at what expence they are made merry. But your fearch of the Scriptures will, in this cafe, degrade in your eyes the great truths of religion, and, while it confounds your understanding, and tends to efface every ferious impreffion from your hearts, it will produce in your difcourfe a multitude of idle words, for every one of which, your Mafter hath faid, you shall give account in the day, of judgement.

Think it not enough, then, that you spend a portion of your time in reading your Bibles; but examine yourselves, that you may know the intention with which the work is done. Do not fearch the Scriptures for oftentation, for contention, or for fport; but fearch them as the book given by God to convey to you the most important knowledge, to comfort your hearts, and to direct your lives. Keep thefe great purposes of this book in your eye when you read it. "As new born babes, defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may, "grow thereby:" And if, "with good and if," "honeft hearts," ye feek the profit which the Scriptures were given to adminifter, through the bleffing of God, ye shall obtain it.

2. In...