cross to the penitent. The Lamb of God died a substitute for guilty men. The Also condemned the curiosity Preacher that asks whether the Lord is at hand, or a million y ears? away. He condemned the Millerites who set His return in t~e year 1842, and fanat- ically abandoned their business and goods and robed themselves for the ascension. But the fault of the Millerites was not tLat they searched the Scriptures to learn the times and seasons, but that they did not rightly divide the Scriptures, and drew conclusions that were false. Interrogating the prophets is "inquiring of tne Lord," and the prevailing want of " c u r i o s i t y" as to what the predictions mean is ono oi our great faults and weaknesses today. But we should not "be wise above what is written." If you use helps, prove everything by the Word. Isa. 8:20l Obey all you understand and you will learn more. Jno. 7:17. Let your eye be single and your heart will be full. Matt. 6:22. THE WORD OF GOD. Made flesh and dwelt among us.- Jno. 1:14. He that heaneth and believeth hath life. Jno. 5:24. He that is of God heareth God's words. Jno. 8:47. The Word shall judge him in the last day. Jno. 12:48. If a man love me he will keep my words. Jno. 14:23. Sanctified by the truth, the Word. Jno. 17:17. Able to build believers up. Acts 20:32. Many corrupt the Word of God. 2 Cor. 2:17. Cleansing by the Word. JnoV 15:3. The Word is quick and powerful. Heb. 4:12.
In nothing has the Holy Spirit been more' explicit than in unfolding the meaning of the Atonement, from one end of the Book to other. Has
3' All the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain,"
all the priestly and sanguinary ceremonies; all the inspired reasoning of the apostles, failed to explain how the cross explains how God can be just and justify him that believeth in Jesus? (Rom. 3:6; 4:5). If certain theologians and scholars wilfully reject the inspired explanation, is the "anxious inquirer" after the meaning of the cross t o . be told, "What is that to thee?" It is rank superstition to trust an unexplained atonement, and such a cross can give no lawful peace to guilty souls. Our first duty is. to expound the
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Study it prayerfully. The Author is the only interpreter. Jno. 16:1.3. Don't study it to f o r t i fy your own opin- ions. Mark 7:13. Search; do not skim over it, but dig till you find water. Jno. 5:39. Don't try to harmonize Scripture, God has done that. Luke 24:27. If you meet with seeming contradictions study further, for remember it is all true and can not contradict itself. Find out what every book says on the subject. Psa. 119:160. itead all that is written before you make a decision. Rightly divide it, put things where they belong. 2 Tim. 2:15. Was it written for the Jew, the Gentile, or the Church of God? Study the dispensations. Distinguish between Law and Grace. Find the general scope or design of the Book. To whom, by whom, and for what it was written. . . Compare not the letter, but spirit. 1 Cor. 2:13. J Get the best concordance. With your Bible it makes the full library.
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