It is a dangerous thing to study the word with a prejudicate
opinion; and to bow or wire-draw the word and make it speak what we
would have it speak, for the confirmation of our opinions and
sentiments. For this is but to mock God and his law, and to say, let his
law speak what it will, I will maintain this opinion, and so make the
word speak as we would have it, or else lay it by. This is to walk by
some other rule than the word, and to make the word serve our lusts and
confirm our errors, than which a greater indignity cannot be done to the
Spirit of truth speaking in the word.

7. In reading and studying of the word there should be much single
dependence on the Spirit for light; waiting for clearness from him whom
Christ hath promised to lead us into all truth. An earnest wrestling
with him for his assistance, enlightening the mind with divine light to
understand the truth, and inclining the soul to a ready embracing and
receiving of the truth declared in the word.

8. Though one place of scripture be enough to confirm any point of
truth, and ground sufficient for us to believe what is there said, there
being nothing in scripture but what is truth; yet, in such a time of
abounding errors, and when many are going abroad speaking perverse
things to lead the simple away, it were spiritual wisdom to be comparing
scripture with scripture, and not be lightly embracing whatever may seem
probable, and fairly deducible from some one passage or other of
scripture, but to be comparing that with other passages and see what
concord there is; for this is certain, whatever point contradicteth
other clear and manifest testimonies of scripture cannot be true;
however a cunning sophister may make it seem very probably to flow out
of such or such a passage of scripture. The testimony of the Spirit is
uniform, and free from all contradictions; and therefore we must see, if
such an assertion, that some would draw from such a passage, agree with
other plain passages, and if not, be sure that is not the meaning of the
place. When the devil did wrest and abuse that passage of truth, Ps.
xci. 11. "He shall give his angels charge concerning thee," &c, and from
thence would infer, that Christ might cast himself down, Matt. iv. 6,
Christ shews that this inference was bad, because it did not agree with
other divine testimonies, particularly not with that, Deut. vi. 16,
"Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." And thereby he teacheth us to
take