"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Bible is God's book, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore free from error; Holy men of God wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
It contains God's law, the church's history, and Christ's gospel.
It reveals God, opens heaven, and directs man.
It makes known God's thoughts, the world's doom, and the church's blessedness.
It unfolds eternity to time, brings heaven to earth, and makes invisible realities known.
It was written for sinners, has been preserved by a special providence, and is the godly man's treasure.
Infidels scorn it, angels study it with wonder, and the saints delight in it.
It is a token of God's love, a proof of His regard, and a display of His concern for our welfare.
This Word of God contains the Law - commanding, condemning,and cursing; the Psalms - disclosing, elevating, and praising; the Gospel - unfolding, inviting, and directing; the Prophets - predicting, exhorting, and denouncing.
It contains a rich variety, a divine fullness, and is exactly adapted to meet the case and condition of sinners.
Its histories are true, instructive, and impartial. Its precepts are just, holy, and good. Its cautions are beneficial, wise, and useful. Its exhortations are judicious, adapted, and profitable. Its reproofs are kind, solemn, and suitable. Its directions are merciful, practical, and plain. Its instructions are deep, spiritual and extensive. Its corrections are loving, just, and glorious. Its doctrines are divine, sublime, and glorious. Its descriptions are vivid, correct, and impartial. Its invitations are general, attractive, and gracious. Its promises are great, numerous, and invaluable. Its warnings are solemn, preventing, and tender. Its threatenings are dreadful, alarming, and just. Its parable are simple, instructive, and edifying. Its types are significant, impressive, and suitable. Its examples are bright, winning, and worthy. It is in every part, and every way, worthy of a God!
We have this blessed book as God's free gift, procured for us by our adorable Redeemer, and bestowed upon us through the Holy Spirit. Its revelations were delivered, first orally, then written, then printed: first given to a few, then written for many, then printed for all: first freely bestowed, then hard to be obtained and now easily to be gotten. Given by God, opposed by the devil, blasphemed by many, rejected by more, unknown to thousands - but highly prized by a few. Many study it, all Christians believe it - but none fully comprehend it.
This divine testimony is exceedingly useful; for it produces morality in the world, spiritually in the church, and good in all who believe it. It enlightens the dark, instructs the ignorant, comforts the desponding, directs the lost, encourages the seeking, assures the waiting soul, warns the wayward, threatens theunruly, condemns the impenitent, invites the weary, strengthens the weak, consoles the dejected, alarms the careless, accuses the indifferent, confounds the worldly-wise, cautions the venturesome, reproves the heedless, gives promises to thediligent, frowns on the thoughtless, curses the profane, damns the hypocrite, urges the halting, exhorts the obedient, rewards the persevering, debases man, exalts the Saviour, glorifies God, astonishes angels, confounds infidels, delights perishing sinners.
The Bible is God's will, the saints treasure and the devil's eye-sore!
~James Smith~
(continued with # 2)
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