SECT. V. Of Reading the Holy Scripture.
Q. IS it Lawful for all Persons to Read the Scripture?
A. Jesus Christ Recommends the Rea∣ding of it indifferently to all, John, 5.39. Search the Scriptures, and Deut. 17.18, 19. God Commandeth Kings to have the Book of the Law, and to read therein every day; and the Apostle St. Paul, 1 Thess. 5.27. Charges that his Epistle be read to all the holy Brethren, and 2 Tim. 3.15. he praises Timothy, because Page 15 from a Child he had known the Holy Scri∣ptures: And the Eunuch of Queen Candace did Read in the Chariot, Esaias the Prophet, Acts 8.28. And in all the Synagogues the Law and the Prophets were read every Sabbath-day, Acts 15.21. & 17. The believing Bereans having heard the Doctrine of St. Paul compared it with the Scriptures to know if it was as he had said: And tho' the Reve∣lations be the most obscure Book in the Scri∣pture, yet the reading of it is recommended to all, Rev. 1.3. Blessed be he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie.
Q. It seems notwithstanding, that it would be expedient to hinder the simple People from the reading thereof. St. Peter tells us that there are in the Epistles of St. Paul, things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own de∣struction.
A. Upon the contrary, the simple and ignorant are to read the Scriptures that they may become wise to Salvation, and Jesus Christ tells us that the ignorance of the Scri∣ptures is cause of Errors: You Err not knowing the Scriptures, said he to the Sadduces, Mat. 22.29. And David, Psal. 19. says, That the Law en∣lightens the Eyes, and maketh wise the simple; And tho' there be some ignorant and unstable, that wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, Page 16 yet it hinders not St. Peter from recommen∣ding in the same place to Believers, the Epistles of St. Paul. And in the first Chapter of the same Epistle, he tells us That we have a sure word of Prophesie, whereunto we do well to take heed, as to a Light that shineth in a dark place. For because those that are Prophane abuse the Word of God and his Graces, the Children of God must not be forbidden the Use thereof.
Q. What Profit then do Believers receive from the Reading of the Scriptures?
A. By them they are instructed in the Knowledg of God, fortified in the Faith and Expectation of their Salvation, comforted in their Afflictions, furnished against Temptati∣ons of Satan, the World, and the Flesh; For whatsoever things were written afore-time, they were written for our Learning, that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope. Rom. 15.4.
