we may apply the direction of the son of Sirach. "Seek not out those things which are too hard for thee, neither search the things that are above thy strength. But what is commanded thee, think upon with reverence; for it is not needful for thee to see with thine eyes the things, which are in secret. Be not curious in unnecessary matters; for more things are showed unto thee than men understand."

I will add but one more observation, which is indispensable to be remembered by every one who hopes to understand the scriptures, and drink from them the sincere milk of the word. It is that you must bring to your study of the Bible, a serious, impartial, honest mind. This will give you the best commentary on every doubtful passage, and without it you may wrest the plainest parts of the scriptures, as well as the most difficult, to your own destruction. We must bring to this study a deep conviction of its importance; a recollection that it is for the truth which God himself has revealed, that we are inquiring; and that each of us has a personal and eternal interest in this truth. Let us not examine religion as a curious theory which has no bearing on our own conduct; but as a system of truth by which our lives here are to be governed, and our conduct is to be judged hereafter at the bar of Christ. Let us not, as we read, inquire how this or that passage applies to our neighbour, but ask what it teaches to ourselves; what duty

does it point out to us, of what sin does it convince us, against what danger does it warn us, what change in our lives does it require of us? Let us bring to our inquiries a disposition to submit to the teaching and will of God. Let us lay aside all previous biasses, all preconceived opinions, all favourite prejudices, and inquire not what is orthodox, or what is liberal, but what is true. Let us come with humble, candid, docile minds and with the prayer of David upon our lips; "Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea I shall keep it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments, for therein is my desire."

SERMON XIV.

BOOK OF JOB.

JOHN, V. 39.

Search the Scriptures.

In a recent discourse on the best mode of studying the scriptures, one rule was mentioned as of particular importance, and some farther illustrations of it were promised. The rule related to the necessity of attending to the subject of the different books of scripture, and the connexion in which each passage quoted from them stands; or in other words of regarding the general scope and tendency of all the sacred writings. The importance of observing this rule, in opposition to the common practice of considering each of the little fragments or verses into which these writings have been broken as a distinct and independent aphorism, was illustrated by several considerations.

In addition to what was then said we now remark, that if this division had been ever so carefully made, it would still have a tendency to de

stroy the connexion and coherence of the various parts of the discourses of the sacred writers. But in truth it was made with a degree of negligence, which on a subject of so much importance is quite surprising. It may not be a fact familiar to you all-that it is wholly a modern invention; that in the ancient manuscripts of the scriptures the present arrangement of chapters and verses was unknown; and that it was originally made by the second printer who ever published an edition of the New Testament, while he was performing a journey. The consequence of the negligent manner in which this was done is, as might be supposed, that these divisions often begin and end at the wrong place; and if they are regarded in studying the scriptures, they will often interrupt and misrepresent the meaning of the writers. Indeed if the Bible should always and only be quoted by these verses, there is scarcely any absurdity for which you would not find the appearance of support in it.

It is therefore obviously necessary, if we would understand aright the sacred writings, that we should inquire after the whole scope and meaning of them, and of course for every thing which can throw light upon them. This, it is true, is not equally necessary for all; and the humble and merely practical christian may read them very profitably without engaging in these difficult inquiries. But if you must form opinions on those subjects on which christians are divided—and this is

the right, and, where there is the requisite leisure and facilities, the duty of every every christian-you must qualify yourselves for it by going through the requisite researches.

I propose to give a general idea of the manner in which this should be done by selecting a particular book, and giving an outline or analysis of its contents. I have chosen the Book of Job, as one by no means the most difficult, and one on which the observations to be made may be brought within a small compass. Let us then inquire who was the author of this book; what there is peculiar in the manner of its composition; and what are the general truths, which it is intended to inculcate.

This book is by some critics supposed to be the oldest of the whole canon of the scriptures, and is certainly, by the confession of all, of very great antiquity. From the length of Job's life, which seems to place him in the patriarchal times; from the general air of antiquity which is spread over the manners recorded in this poem; from the fact that no piece of history later than the time of Moses is mentioned in any part of it; from the allusion made by Job to that species of idolatry alone, the worship of the sun and moon, which is undoubtedly the most ancient; from certain customs referred to of the most remote usage, such as the mode of writing by sculpture, and the circumstance of reckoning riches by the number of cattle; from these and other particulars, the great