DIRECTIONS

FOR

EXTRACTING AND APPLYING PROFITABLY THE.

MATTER OF A TEXT;

WITH AN EXAMPLE.

HE Scripture itself teaches us how this is to be done : Rom. xv. 4." Whatsoever things were written aforetime "were written for our learning, that we through patience and "comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."

1 Cor. x. 11. "These things happened unto them for en"famples, and they are written for our admonition."

2 Tim. iii. 16. "All Scripture is given by infpiration of God, " and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

"That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished "unto all good works."

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Hence we learn for what purposes the Scriptures are intended; and confequently, that they are to be used for "doctrine,” ́or teaching; for "reproof; for "correction;" for "inftruction in righteousness; for "comfort," and "admonition."

I. Пpos didaσnahia, for DOCTRINE. The words teach, that we should always be ready to publish the truth of the Gospel. 2. Even though we should lose all by fo doing. 3. Christ and his truth are above all that is in the world, even life itself. 4. That there is eternal punishment for thofe who are tempted to deny him. 5. That we need not fear, because God always hath us under his care, so that none can hurt us till he permits. 6. This we may be fure of, becaufe even the leaft things, the smallest of creatures, seemingly infignificant, have his regard; much more

we.

II. Пpos ελevxov, for REPROOF; i. e. confutation on conviction. 1. Of those who think it fufficient to believe with the heart, but palliate and diffemble with men, as times and interests serveas in perfecution-" with the mouth confeffion is made unto falvation." 2. For the confutation of Epicureans, who remove God from the government of the world. 3. Of Stoics, who govern the world by fate. 4. Against thofe who believe chance and fortune. 5. Those who hold only a general providence, not defcending to minute particulars. 6. Those who trust more to worldly helps, than to the power of God, which made and preferves even the hairs of our heads. 7. Those who cruelly or inconfiderately destroy those creatures, which it is the care of God to preserve.

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III. Προς παιδειαν ad vita morumque inftitutionem.i. Το have the true fear of God before our eyes: to meditate constantly on the torments prepared for those who deny Chrift; that we may amend our finful lives. 2. That we may learn to despise worldly greatness, left we lose our fouls for the preservation of it-therefore to leave all for him and his glorious kingdom. 3. To think of the prefence of God ready at hand to help-to implore his affiftance, and be firmly perfuaded our actions are governed and guided by him—that there is no danger from which he cannot fecure or deliver us.

IV. Προς επανορθωσιν, CORRECTION. 1. Of the negligence of those who seek not by earneft prayer for that pure love of God which will enable them to part with life itself; and for that better fort of fear which is proper to children toward their parent-this to be done more especially in times of danger-that they may endure unto the end and be faved. 2. Of the blindness of fuch as do not fee the care of God's providence in the government of the world. 3. Of the ingratitude of thofe who do not constantly acknowledge it with thankfulness. 4. Of those who abufe any of the creatures of God. Thus we are corrected in our mistakes, and fpurred on to attention and diligence.

V. Προς Παρακλησιν for COMFORT. lation under trials and afflictions, that us; that we and all our concerns are in

Is it not a great consoGod is not unmindful of the hands of him, who

careth for us; and so careth, that not an hair falls to the ground without him?

Let it be obferved that all things in the Scriptures are to be brought home to the present state of the church, kingdom, town, parish, university, college, family, and to the heart of each individual. The Scripture has fomething for every person, condition, fituation, that ever was or ever fhall be.

Thofe of parts and capacity, who defire to learn, find doctrines of heavenly philofophy-thofe who have erred in faith or practice, find fharp reproof-the fimple and the humble, who aspire to no great heights, but are follicitous to live righteoufly, find inftruction, waidelav-thofe who know the truth but are dull and heavy, find exhortations and reproofs those who are in forrow and afflic tion, find confolation-histories of that which is past shew what is to be expected, and so serve apos valɛσav, for warning and admonition of dangers and deliverances. See 1 Cor. x. II,

Doctrine promotes knowledge; reproof reclaims the wanderer, inftruction sets forward in the path of life; correction calls finners to repentance; confolation railes the weak and afflicted to hope and gladnefs. Here is every thing that can be wanted to make the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work. Lord teach our ignorance, reprove our errors, inftruct us unto righteousness, quicken our floth, comfort our forrows-thou art good and gracious; O teach us thy statutes.

ENTHUSIAS M.

1. What it is.

ENTHUSIASM is the vice of a mind falfely fuppofing itself.

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under the immediate infpiration of God. It is above the use of ordinances; and has a near alliance with Schifm, in which it commonly ends. It is the peculiar engine of the devil, by which he does most harm. His kingdom is best advanced, when he can pafs his delufions for the dictates of the Holy Ghost. He has many ways of tempting men to fin: but if any pleases him most, it is when he is taken for the fpirit of God; as of old in the Heathen oracles.

2. The ufual Caufes of it.

Enthusiasm is bred in thefe days from ignorance of the Scripture, and of Chriftian antiquity. The regular way to true piety is by knowledge, by the purifying of the heart by faith (A&ts xv. 9.) and hearing the word of truth rightly divided. There is no real enthusiasm till we are taken off from the word, and have affumed fome other principle of knowledge. Labour therefore in that, and never attempt to fet up without it. They who know not the marks of the true fpirit, and would yet be doing great things in an extraordinary character, are in danger from the evil spirit; who takes advantage of that zeal which is without knowledge, and turns it to his own purposes. Not understanding rightly the means of grace, or thinking them below their attention, they claim the grace of God without the means; which being contrary to his will, who has appointed both an inward and an outward religion, accommodated to the foul and body of man, it is not ftrange if they get something else instead of it. Negligence in Jome of the clergy of the church, and the want of discipline,

gives offence to thofe who are too ready to feek it: in which cafe they run after fome better way, and are eafily made a prey of.

The Marks of Enthusiasm.

It affects great and extraordinary fervours of devotion, above the measure of other men; and difcourages the piéty of sober Christians, as formal and lifeless. The proof of its pretenfions being not in its fruits, but in its feelings, which are evidence only to the person himself; it refuses to be brought to a trial, and so is above conviction. Thus did the Montanists, when the Catholic bifhops would have exorcifed Maximilla. G. Keith accepted the repeated challenges of the Quakers, and would have met them at Turner's-hall; but they fhuffled and refused to come. They are not obliged to answer any thing; having an inward teftimony that they are right, and all others wrong; and to question this, is to quench the fpirit, and despise prophefyings: fo it is impoffible they fhould be reclaimed.

Enthufiafm rarely fails to betray great contempt of the priesthood, hierarchy, government, difcipline, and fucceffion of the church; and depreciates the church itself, as if nothing were meant by it but a building with ftone-walls. It despises the neceffary labour of ftudy. Forty years were requifite to form an Andrews; but an ordinary person, if a gifted enthusiast, shall be far beyond him in a few days. Hence fchools and universities may be laid aside. The enthufiaft has charity for every thing but the church; because the church only has the form of found doctrine, with the history of truth and error from the beginning; and fo can bring to nothing their boasted sanctity and pretended revelations; therefore they cannot fpeak of the church with patience, nor bear with a churchman.

The affectation of fuperior aufterity, is a grand delufion, by which deceivers impose upon the fimple. The Montanifts, in the first centuries, defpifed the Catholics as a carnal people, because they themselves oftentatiously practifed greater mortification and feverity. As to convulfions, roarings, ravings, and falling senselefs on the ground, &c. these ever were the marks of a dæmoniac, not of the fpirit of Chrift, which is first pure, then peaceable. Montanus therefore was reckoned poffeffed; and the Quakers in this country had all the figns of it, as Mr. Leflie has

See Lellie's Warks, Vol. II. 253