Graphautarkeia, or, The Scriptures sufficiency practically demonstrated wherein whatsoever is contain'd in Scripture, respecting doctrine, worship or manners is reduced to its proper head, weighty cases resolved, truths confirmed, difficult texts illustrated and explained by others more plain.

Secondly, Reading, teaching, and preaching of the word of God, Prophesying.

Thou shalt set a King over thee, &c. he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, &c. he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord, Deut. 17. 15, 18, 19, 20. 2 Kings 22. 11.

When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall chuse, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing: gather the people together, men, and women and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates; that they may hear, and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: and their children who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord, &c. Deut. 31. 11, 12, 13.

Joshua read all the words of the law, the blessings and curses according unto all which is written in the book of the law: there was not a word of all which Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers who were conversant a∣mong them, Joshua 8. 34, 35.

Jehoshaphat sent to his Princes, to Benhail, &c. to teach in the cities of Judah, and with them Elishama, &c. Priests, and they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them: and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people, 2 Chron. 17. 7, 8, 9.

And Ezra the Priest brought the law before the Congregation, &c. and he read therein, &c. from the morning until the mid-day, &c. Allo Joshua and Bani, &c. and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law, and the people

stood in their place: so they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading, Nehem. 8. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. ch. 13. 1.

He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children, &c. that they might set their hope in God, &c. Psal. 78. 5, 6, 7.

Blessed is the man who heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors: for whoso findeth me, findeth life, Prov. 8. 34, 35.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who bringeth good tydings, who publisheth peace, &c. and publisheth salvation, &c! Isa. 52. 7. Nahum. 1. 15.

The Prophet who hath a dream, let him tell a dream: and he who hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully; what is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord? Jer. 23. 28, 29.

They shall wander from sea to sea, &c. to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it, Amos 8. 12.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, &c. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, Matth. 28. 19, 20.

Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust from under your feet for a testimony against them, Mark 6. 11. Luke 10. 16.

Jesus, &c. as his custom was, he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and stood up to read: and there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaias; and when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The spirit of the Lord is upon me, &c. and he closed the book, and gave it again to the minister, and sate down, &c. and he began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears, &c. and all, &c. wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, &c. Luke 4. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 31, 32.

Jesus said, &c. Ought not Christ to have suffered, &c? And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself, &c. then opened he their understandings, &c. Luke 24. 26, 27, 45.

I pray, &c. for them also who shall believe in me through their word, John 17. 20.

When the Apostles were commanded not to preach Christ, they said, whe∣ther it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you, more than unto God, judg ye, Acts 4. 18, 19. ch. 5. 28.

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach, and to preach Jesus Christ, Acts 5. 42.

The Eunuch reading the Prophet Isaias, Philip came to him, &c. and opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus; he believed, &c. Acts 8. 27, 28, to the 38.

We are here all present before God to hear all things that are commanded

thee of God: while Peter was preaching Christ, the holy Ghost fell on all them who heard, Acts 10. 33, 44.

Call for Simon, &c. who shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved, Acts 11. 13, 14.

When Paul and his company came to Antioch, he went into the Synagogue, &c. and after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhorta∣tion for the people, say on: Then Paul stood up, and preached, &c. Acts 13. 13, 14, 15, 16, &c.

Then spake the Lord to Paul, &c. speak, and hold not thy peace, for I have much people in this City: and he continued there, &c. teaching the word of God among them, Acts 18. 9, 10, 11.

Paul went into the Synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and perswading the things concerning the kingdom of God: but when divers were hardned, and believed not, &c. he separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus, and this continued by the space of two years: so that all they who dwelt in Asia, heard the word of the Lord, Acts 19. 8, 9, 10.

Now brethren, I commend you to God, and the word of his grace, which is able, &c. Acts 20. 32.

I have appeared unto thee, &c. to make thee a minister, &c. the Gentiles to whom I now send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, Acts 26. 16, 17, 18.

And Paul dwelt two years in his own hired house, and received all who came in unto him: preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 28. 30, 31.

I am ready to preach the Gospel, &c. for I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation, &c. Rom. 1. 15, 16.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent, &c? so then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, Rom. 10. 14, 15, 17.

Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel, &c. for the preaching of the cross is to them who perish, foolishness: but unto us who are saved, it is the power of God, &c. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them who believe, &c. 1 Cor. 1. 17, 18, 21, 23, 24.

My preaching was not with the inticing words of mans wisdom, &c. but that which the holy Ghost, &c. 1 Cor. 2. 4, 5, 13.

In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel, 1 Cor. 4. 15.

Every man praying or prophecying having his head covered, dishonoureth his head, 1 Cor. 11. 4.

He who prophecyeth, speaketh unto men to edification, exhortation, and com∣fort, &c. he edifieth the Church, &c. 1 Cor. 14. 3, 4.

Who hath made us able ministers of the new Testament, &c. if the mini∣stration

of death written and engraven in stones, was glorious; so, &c. how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious, &c? 2 Cor. 3. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

—The ministry of reconciliation: to wit, that God was in Christ, &c. we are Embassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20.

And he gave some Apostles, &c. for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body, until, &c. Ephes. 4. 11, 12, 13, 14.

The Apostle rejoyced that Christ was preached, although some did it not uprightly, Phil. 1. 15, 16, 18.

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, &c. 1 Thess. 2. 13, 16.

Despise not prophecyings, 1 Thess. 5. 20.

Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, 1 Tim. 4. 13.

I charge thee, &c. preach the word: be instant in season, and out of season: reprove, &c. 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3.

If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast, &c. how shall we escape if we neg∣lect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them who heard, &c? Heb. 2. 2, 3.

For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them who heard (or, because they were not united by faith to) it, Heb. 4. 2.

I beseech you brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have writ∣ten, &c. Heb. 13. 22.

Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, &c. wherefore my be∣loved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, &c. receive with meekness the ingraffed word, which is able to save your souls: but be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, &c. James 1. 18, 19, 21, 22, 23.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, &c. and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you, 1 Pet. 1. 23, 25.

As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2. 2.

If any man speak, let him speak as the Oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4. 11.

I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance always of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth: yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remem∣brance, 2 Pet. 1. 12, 13. chap. 3. 1, 2.

That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly, our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ, 1 John 1. 3.

Blessed is he who readeth, and they who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein, Revel. 1. 3.

See Ministers of the Gospel in general, Chap. 26.

See gifts of the members of Churches before.

See of the word of God, chap. 1.