of revelation are of equal importance; because they are not stated in scripture to be so: but none can be wholly unimportant; and we are not always competent to decide upon their comparative value. Some things are more obvious than others; and such as are more hard to be understood, are not so well adapted to those persons "who are unstable and unlearned" in the school of Christ; yet we are not authorized to reject, or even to doubt any of them. We may indeed demur as to the true interpretation of them; whilst in humble, reverent teachableness, we wait for clearer light upon the subject; and we must remain for some time in partial ignorance or error; because we cannot at once become acquainted with all the truths which are revealed to faith, even when we have got a disposition implicitly to believe them. There are some things which relate to the very life and essence of true religion; others are rather necessary to our stability, comfort, and holy conduct: these we must by no means reject or treat with indifference; but it is possible, that, to the last, we may be mistaken in, or ignorant of some of them; and yet be found among the heirs of salvation.

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The importance of revealed truth may be shown in another way; for it is the seed or principle in the soul whence all inward and real holiness proceeds. "Sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth" (John xvii. 17-19). " Beholding as in a glass" (namely in the doctrine of Christ) glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image" (2 Cor. iii. 18; iv. 3—6). "Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh," &c. This doctrine was, in the judgment of the apostle," the great mystery of godliness ;" and indeed all holy dispositions and affections towards God, all the genuine spiritual worship, all the willing obedience of filial love, and all the cheerful acquiescence in the divine

will, and affiance on the divine truth and mercy, which have been found in the world since the fall of man, have arisen from a proper perception of this great truth, and the doctrines connected with it. Spirituality (or a delight in and supreme valuation of the holy excellency of spiritual things, and a disposition to seek pleasure and satisfaction in religion) is intimately connected with a believing dependence on the promised influences of the Holy Spirit; and that view of the worth of the soul, the evil of sin, the justice and mercy of God, the vanity of the world, and the believer's obligations to a Saviour, who loved him, "and redeemed him to God with his blood," which the doctrine of the cross communicates, is fundamental to deep repentance, genuine humility, gratitude, patience, meekness, forgiveness of injuries, love of enemies, and other parts of the Christian temper and character. Without this, a proud morality, and a pha.. risaical task and form of godliness, will comprise the sum-total of man's religion; except as he is brought under those impressions and leadings, which will in time influence him to embrace "the truth as it is in Jesus." This will appear more fully, and be proved more at large, in the subsequent essays. The importance of revealed truth, therefore, may be evidently perceived, both from the authority of Him who speaks to us in the scripture; the various methods he has taken to confirm the words of his servants; and the tendency and efficacy of sound doctrine to produce spiritual affections and holy obedience.

Indeed the doctrines of scripture may be received by a dead faith into the understanding as true, whilst the heart does not embrace them as good; and then they will be " held in unrighteousness." But a real and living belief of the great doctrines contained in the Bible is the proper root of true holiness. "A whited sepulchre" is the emblem of

all that can be attained to, where they are proudly rejected or treated with indifference; and every man's spirituality, piety, humility, and enlarged, disinterested, unostentatious philanthropy, will bear proportion to the degree in which he knows and cordially embraces the great truths of the holy scriptures.

It must therefore be evident, that every person to whom the scriptures are sent ought to study them, and get acquainted with their contents. For if God, in compassion to our ignorance and love to our souls, as well as in regard to the honour of his own name and government, hath given us a book, penned under the inspiration of his Holy Spirit; and if the truths revealed in it be of the greatest importance, it must be most reasonable that we should bestow pains to acquire the knowledge of them. Whether we consider the scriptures as a revelation which the Lord hath made to us of himself, that we may know, worship, and glorify him; or of his law and government, that we may submit to and obey him, or learn from them our true condition as sinners; or of his mercy and salvation, that we may find acceptance with him; or of the privileges of his children, in this life and that which is to come in every view of the subject, the duty of searching them must be manifest. Nor can we neglect it without avowing, that we despise the knowledge of God and heavenly things; that we do not desire to serve our Creator; that we neither value his favour nor fear his frown; or that we can discover the way of peace and happiness without his instruction. Nothing, therefore, can be more expressive of our ingratitude, rebellion, and alienation from God, than the general neglect of the Bible which prevails among those that profess to believe it to be his word.

Doth he then speak from heaven to us sinners about the way of eternal salvation; and shall we

refuse to hear his gracious words? Does he give us a book to teach us to be happy, in this world and for ever; and shall we not study it? Does he make known to us mortals those glories which angels adore with unceasing rapture; and shall we turn away with contemptuous aversion? Hath he provided for us sinners such a redemption as sinless "angels desire to look into;" and shall we think the subject unworthy of our notice? Who can pretend to justify this conduct? Yet how much more pains do lawyers, physicians, and other students who desire to excel in their professions, bestow in poring over voluminous authors, than men called Christians do in searching the scriptures? Yea, how many give a decided preference to amusing and ingenious trifles, or political discussions (not to say publications suited to corrupt their principles and morals), above the sacred word of God? They would be ashamed not to have read some admired or popular author, though the work perhaps be wholly useless (if not worse); yet they remain, year after year, unacquainted with the holy scriptures! "Surely in vain is the word of the Lord given to them; the pen of the scribes is in vain" (Jer. viii. 8, 9).

It cannot be necessary, in such a compendious essay, to show particularly how the study of the scriptures is inculcated in every part of the sacred volume. Let the more attentive reader turn to what Moses spake to Israel (Deut. vi. 6-9.; xi. 18, 19.), what the Psalmist teaches (Psalm i. xix. exix.), and Solomon (Prov. ii. 1-6), and what is contained in the following passages of the New Testament (John v. 39, 40; Acts xvii. 11; 2 Tim. ii. 15-17). Indeed the apostles and evangelists always reasoned from and appealed to the scriptures of the Old Testament, and supposed the Jews to be acquainted with them; and the penmen of the New assure us, "Those things were writ

ten, that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing we might have life through his name" (John xx. 31).

The case then is plain, that our obligation to search the scriptures is indispensable; and that it is a duty of the greatest importance. Every person, therefore, who allows them to be the infallible word of God, must be convicted in his own conscience of acting in an unreasonable and criminal manner, if he do not diligently study them: and the general neglect of men in this great concern, manifestly proves them not to be fully satisfied that the Bible was given by inspiration from God, and that it reveals the only way of peace and salvation. We do not urge men to believe without evidence; but we call upon them humbly and seriously to examine the proofs afforded them, that the scriptures are the word of God; and then to bestow pains to learn the religion contained in them, and to compare the doctrine we propose with that unerring standard from which we profess to have learned it. Nor can we doubt but they will be left speechless at the day of judgment who will not comply with such requisitions, whatever exor pretences they may make at present. This being determined, it may be useful to give a few directions to those who are convinced of their duty in this particular, and desire to attend to it with profit to themselves, or those placed under their care.

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I. Examine the whole of the sacred scriptures. 1 do not mean, that the same degree of attention and time should be employed about every part of the Bible: some things are but more remotely useful to us; some are easily understood and applied; others require more close and frequent investigation; whilst the obscurity of some passages (especially to unlearned readers) renders them less adapted to their edification. Yet every part of the