may truly fay with St. Paul, Heb.t xi. 32. That the time would fail

me to talk of Gideon, and of “Barak, and of Sampfon, and of "Jeptha, of David alfo, and of Sa"muel, and of the prophets," (I may) add alfo) of Stephen, and of Paul, and of Silas, and of Peter, and of the Apostles, "Who through faith "fubdued kingdoms; wrought righ

teousness; obtained promises; ftop

ped the mouths of lions," &c. But, far above all these, of the blessed Jefus, "who endured the crofs, defpifing the fhame, and is fat down on the right hand of the throne of "God."

All parts of the holy feriptures, as they relate more or lefs to the doc trine of a future flate, are juftly to be

recommended to the perufal of a Chriftian; but if I may be allowed to prefer any one part to another, I would take upon me more particularly to recommend you to the xvth chapter of St. Paul's ift epistle to the Corinthians; and to the eleventh chapter of his epiftle to the Hebrews; in the former of which the whole mystery of the resurrection is openly revealed, and its reality established on invincible arguments; and in the latter is fet down a long (though imperfect) catalogue of worthies, who fealed their faith with their deaths, and left us fo many animating examples of piety, courage and patience; as cannot fail to ftrengthen our faith, and comfort us under the feverest trials and afflictions.

And

And this, that great apoftle affures us, was the principal intention of all the fcriptures: "Whatsoever things were

written aforetime, were written for our learning; that we, through pa"tience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.”

Having thus confidered the fcriptures relative to this one point, a future ftate; I cannot think of dif miffing you, without some short inftructions for your profitable reading of them, with the fame view, extracted from the collect for the fecond Sunday in Advent. And,

Firft, we should premise, that it is neceffary for you to read them, according to that facred injunction,

"search the scriptures ;" and with all that diligence and attention that you would naturally apply to the inveftigation of the most interesting truth; "for in them ye think" (or are fure) that "ye have eternal life :" a point of the greatest consequence to a rational foul.

2dly. We fhould not only read, but mark what we read; more particularly those paffages which contain not only the clearest discoveries, but even the remoteft hints of this important truth; that the light collected from all parts may blaze out into a clearer conviction.

3dly. After reading and marking, be diligent to learn, or retain what you have read; that ye may be able

to

to produce, upon every occafion, arguments of comfort for yourself, or others; and to convince, or confute all gainfayers.

4thly. What ye have thus read, marked, and learned, take all the pains you can to digeft, or to put into fuch order in your memories, or in writing, that one part of fcripture may follow and agree with another.--For as in the human body, if the ftomach be loaded with food of difagreeing qualities, a dangerous fickness must necessarily enfue, through the want of a due concoction :-so, if various doctrines, be not properly distinguished, and reduced to method and order and consistency, the like confufion and diftemperature may affect our fpiritual health, our eternal falvation.