Mark xvi. 66, &c. dear Tutor and Mafter, that he relates it with fome particular Circumftances and Aggravations, which the other Evangelifts take no Notice of. Q. What may we learn from the Obfervation of this Festival? A. That a good Chriftian ought to inftruct by his Example, as well as by his Difcourfe. That when God tries his Servants with extraordinary Sufferings, he fupplies them with a proportionable Affiftance for their Support. That the Light of the Gospel, though admirably fitted to conduct us into the Paths of Happinefs, yet will certainly increase our Condemnation, if we do not govern our Lives by the Maxims of it. That we ought to be very thankful to God, for having inftructed his Church with the heavenly Doctrine of this Evangelift, and to fhew our grateful Senfe of this valuable Treasure, by reading his Gospel frequently and attentively, and fo firmly believing thofe Things which he relates, that we may reap all thofe Advantages God defigned us in that Revelation of his holy Will. Q. Ought all Chriftians to read the Scriptures? A. The very End and Defign for which they were writ does fufficiently prove this, because they contain the Terms and Conditions of our common Salvation; without the Knowledge and Practice of which we can never attain Happiness. The Articles of our Faith propofed in Scripture, and the Precepts for the Direction of our Lives, neceffarily affect all the Members of the Chriftian Church; and therefore ought they carefully to be read and ftudied by all People. Befides, we find thefe holy Writings addressed to Chriftians in general. Our Saviour's Sermons were preached to the Multitude as well as 1 Cor. i. 1. to his Difciples. The Apofiles direct their Epiftles to all the Saints, which implies all the Profeffors of Christianity'; 11. 2 Christianity; and to the Twelve Tribes fcattered Jam. i. 1. abroad; which were the Jewish Chriftians difperfed over the World. The Bereans are commended Acts xvii. for fearching the Scriptures; and Timothy praised for having known them from a Child. And as they Tim.iii. are the Power of God unto Salvation, fo they are a Rom.i.16. fure Word of Prophecy, to which all People are 2 Pet. i. bound to have a Regard, that value the Things 19. which belong to their eternal Peace. Q. What was the Practice of the Jews and the Primitive Church in this Matter? 15. 27. A. It was the conftant Custom of the Jews, not only to read and preach their Law every Sabbathday in their Synagogues; but it is made the Cha- A&ts xiii. racter of a good Man among them, to meditate P upon it Day and Night. The Primitive Fathers prefs the reading of the Scriptures upon the People as a Matter of indifpenfable Obligation; as the best Prefervative against heretical Opinions, as well as a bad Life; and in order to this Purpose, the ancient Church took care to have the Bible tranflated into all Languages; which fufficiently fhews they thought it ought to be read by the Faithful of all Nations. And there is a notorious Matter of Fact preferved as an Evidence, that the Scriptures were then common to all People. Among other Methods to deftroy Chriftianity, one was to force from Christians their Bibles, and to burn them; and there were many of both Sexes, and all Degrees, who chose rather to die, than deliver up thofe facred Records; and they who through Fear of Death complied, were ftyled Traditors, as a Mark of Infamy; which could not have been, if they had had no Bibles to deliver up. Q. Are not the People apt to wreft Scriptures to O 2 John iv. 40. vii. 16. Rom. x. 14, &c. 13. Rom. xv. 16. 13, 14, 26. A. This only proves, that the best Things may be abused; and though this very Inconvenience happened in the Time of St. Peter, yet, for the Cure of it, he no where forbids the Reading of them. And as to Herefies, they generally owe their Rife to Men of Learning and Parts, who have not Humility and Modefty enough to fubmit to the univerfal Belief of Chriftians, and who are ambitious to distinguish themselves from the rest of Mankind. Q. But how doth it appear that the Scriptures are the Word of God? A. That the Scriptures were revealed by God, and that the Things contained in them were not invented by Men, is evident from what the Authors of the Books of Scripture affert themselves. They profefs that the Doctrine they taught was received 1 Thell. ii. from God himfelf: The Word fpoken by them is Col. i. 25. ftyled the Word of God: The Witnefs they bear is 1Cor. ii. 1. called the Teftimony of God; their Preaching, the Gospel of God. And that the Apostles might not John xvi. err in delivering to others what they had received from our Saviour, he promised them his Holy Spirit to guide them into all Truth; and that the Holy Ghost fhould bring all thofe Things he had taught them to their Remembrance. And accordingly the Holy Ghoft did defcend upon the Apoftles in miraculous Gifts and Graces upon the Day of Pentecoft. St. Peter affirms of them all in general, that they preached the Gospel by the Holy Ghoft fent down from Heaven. St. Paul is pofitive, that the great Things belonging to the 1 Cor. ii. Gofpel God revealed to them by the Spirit. And declares moreover, that God had made known this Revelation, not only to him, but to the Apostles and Prophets, by the Spirit. Now, that the Books of Scripture were written by those Persons whofe Names they bear, and that they were received by the Church as infpired Writings, in the Age wherein they were A&s ii. 4. 1 Pet. i. 12. 10. Eph. iii. 3.5. writ, we have a general and uncontrolled Teftimony of all Ages tranfmitted down to us, which is the utmost Proof a Thing of that Nature is capable of. And farther, to evidence that they who wrote thofe Books were faithful Hiftorians, and unquestionable Witneffes, they reported the Things they had seen and heard, and gave the utmost Proof Men could do of their Integrity, in laying down their Lives in the Confirmation of the Truth of what they related. And, to fhew that they were no Impeltors, they wrought fuch Miracles as were Teftimonies from Heaven, that they were divine Perfons, and that what they faid was to be credited. As to the Old Teftament, the Authors of the New atteft the Divinity of it; particularly St. Paul, who affures us, that all Scripture is given by 2 Tim. iii. Infpiration; the Books of the Old Teftament being 16. called fo by Way of Eminency. Q. Wherein confifts the Perfection and Perfpicuity of the Holy Scriptures? A. In that whatever is neceffary for us to know and believe, to hope for and practife in order to Salvation, is fully contained in thofe holy Volumes. And that thofe neceffary Things are there treated with fo much Plainnefs and Clearnefs, as to be fufficiently understood by those who make a right Ufe of their Reason, and bring a fit Temper and Difpofition of Mind for the understanding of them. Q. With what Preparation of Mind ought we to read the Scriptures, who acknowledge the divine Authority of them? A. With that Refpect and Reverence which is due to the Oracles of God; with Humility and Modefty, from a Senfe of our own Weaknefs, and God's Perfection; and with earnest Prayer for the divine Affiftance, with Minds free from Prepoffeffion and Prejudice, from Vanity and Confidence in our own Abilities; and with an honeft and pious Difpofition of 03 Soul; John vii. Soul; for that he doth God's Will, shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God. .17. Q. How may we make the Reading of the holy Scriptures moft beneficial to us? A. By diligently confidering the Design of the Author of each Book of Scripture; and what is the Subject he chiefly handles, with the Occasion of his Writing. By explaining difficult Places by those that are more clear; diftinguishing between literal and figurative Expreffions; and never having Recourfe to Metaphors and Figures, but when fomewhat abfurd refults from their being taken in a proper and literal Senfe. By confining ourfelves to the natural Signification of Words, the ufual Forms of Speech, and the Phrafeology of Scripture. By acquainting ourselves with the common Ufages and Cuftoms of thofe Times in which they were writ, to which many Expreffions allude. Not to make either Side of the Queftion in Difpute the Reafon of our Interpretation, for this is to make it a Rule of interpreting Scripture, not a Question to be decided by it. And again, by applying general Rules to particular Cafes; it being impoffible Scripture fhould comprehend all fpecial Cafes, which are infinite: And where there is any Difficulty, nothing adds greater Light than the confulting thofe ancient and faithful Witneffes, who learnt the true Senfe of Scripture from the Authors themfelves. Without fome fuch Method, no Author can be well understood; and to this Purpose we have many Helps in our English Tongue. The |