sought for from any other source. Indeed " all wisdom" is to be " drawn from these wells of salvation." The person whose mind is cast into the mould of the Scripture, will view every thing as God views it : he will have the same practical judgment as God himself has. " Good and evil, light and darkness " will not be confounded in his mind, as they are in the minds of ungodly men : he will distinguish them with ease, except in cases that are very obscure and complicated : by means of the spiritual discernment which he has obtained, he will be able to judge of the conduct of others, whilst they are not able to appreciate his1: and as far as his actions are regulated by his principles, he will be a light to all around him ; and they shall be constrained to " acknowledge that God is with them of a truth." Indeed it is for this end that God sets up a light in his people's souls ; " not that it may be put under a bushel, but that it may be set on a candlestick, and give light to all that are in the house ;" and that the person possessing it may be able to say to all around him, " Whatso- ever ye have seen and heard in me, do ; and the God of peace shall be with you."]
That we may enforce the exhortation in our text, we would remind you, that a love to the Scrip- tures is,
1. An inseparable attendant on true piety —
[Look at the most distinguished saints, and see how they regarded the inspired records. Job esteemed the words of God's mouth more than his necessary food"1: Jeremiah found them the "joy and rejoicing of his heart":" and to David they were " sweeter than honey and the honey-comb0." Let not us then think that we have any title to be classed with those holy men, if we do not resemble them in this par- ticular ]
2. A necessary means of advancement in every part of the divine life —
[Have we been only just quickened from the dead? we cannot but love that which has been the means of giving us lifep. Are we as new-born babes? we must of necessity " desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby*1." Are we arrived at the strength and stature of youth ? " that word must abide within us, in order that we may be able to overcome" the great adversary of our souls r. In a word, whatever state we be in, it is " by them that we are to be furnished for every good word and work8."]
i 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15. m Job xxiii. 12. " Jer. xv. 16.
0 Ps. xix. 10. P Ps. cxix. 93. i 1 Pet. ii. 2.
* 1 John ii. 14. s 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.