The word

to be received and taught.

And these words, which I command thee Duet. this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou vi. 6, 9. shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

For this commandment, which I command Duet. thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, xxx.11. neither is it far off. But the word is very 14. nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayst do it.

9.

And what nation is there so great, that Duet. iv. 8. hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons:

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayst observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Be ye mindful always of His covenant; the word which He commanded to a thousand generations.

Give ear, O My people, to My law: incline your ears to the words of My mouth.

Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goeth, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it

Josh.

i. 8.

1

Chron.

xvi. 15.

Pslm.

lxxviii.

1.

Prov. vi. 21,

23.

DUTY IN RELATION TO TRUTH.

11

Not to add

take from

shall talk with thee. For the commandment
is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs
of instruction are the way of life.

Ye shall not add unto the word which I Duet.

unto, nor command you, neither shall ye diminish ought| iv. 2. the word. from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

Searched and

What thing soever I command you, observe | Duet. to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor xii. 32. diminish from it.

Rev.

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any xxii.18 man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book :

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Search the scriptures.

19.

John

v. 39.

16.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly Col. iii. treasured. in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs.

Rule of

faith and practice.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Jas. i.

21.

As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk 1 Pet. of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in

ii. 2.

Rom.

x. 17.

Jas. i. 22, 24.

Fidelity demanded

a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth
his way, and straightway forgetteth what
manner of man he was.

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren,
and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that
as ye have received of us how we ought to
walk and to please God, so ye would abound
more and more. For ye know what com-
mandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Prove all things: hold fast that which is good. Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

1. Thess. iv. 1, 2.

Heb.

ii. 1.

1

Thess.

v. 21.

2

Thess.

ii. 15.

2. Tim.

i. 13.

9.

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath Tit. i. been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

14.

Nor handling the word of God deceitfully; 2 Cor. but, by manifestation of the truth, commend- iv. 2. ing ourselves to every man's conscience in the

sight of God.

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.

CONGREGATION.
Amen.

1 Pet. iv. 11.

DUTY IN RELATION TO TRUTH.

13

God's doctrine.

The power

SING.

CHANT: Anthem or Hymn.

Receive, I pray thee, the law from His mouth, and lay up His words in thine heart. Seek ye out of the book of God and read.

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it to bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater: So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of God from Jerusalem.

1

Thess.

For our gospel came not unto you in word of truth. only, but also in power, and in the Holy . 5, 6. Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word with much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

13.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye Eph. i. heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye be

The

blessed.

ness of obedience

lieved, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of
promise.

For this cause also thank we God without
ceasing, because, when ye received the word
of God which ye heard of us, ye received it
not as the word of men, but as it is in truth
the word of God, which effectually worketh
also in you that believe.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things

were so.

1 Thess. ii. 13.

Acts

xvii.

11.

25.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of Jas. i. liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

He that

Verily, verily, I say unto you.
heareth My word, and believeth on Him that
sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from
death into life.

If ye continue in My word, then are ye My
disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make

you

free.

But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.

Blessed are they that hear the word of God Luke and keep it.

Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise

xi. 28.

Matt.

vii.

man, which built his house upon a rock; 24, 25.

and

the rain descended and the floods came, and
the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell not for it was founded upon a
rock.