life. When you open this blessed book, let this always
be the sincere inquiry of your heart: "Lord, what wilt thou have _me_ to
_do_?" Come to it with this childlike spirit of obedience, and you will
not fail to learn the will of God. But when you have learned your duty
in God's word, _do it without delay_. Here are two very important points
of Christian character, quite too much overlooked. (1.) An earnest
desire to know present duty. (2.) A steadfast and settled determination
to _do it as soon as it is known_. Here lies the grand secret of high
spiritual attainments. A person who acts from these principles may make
greater progress in a single day than a tardy, procrastinating spirit in
a long life. The pressure of obligation rests upon the present moment.
Remember, when you have ascertained present duty, the delay of a single
moment is _sin_. With these remarks, I submit a few practical directions
for the profitable reading and study of the Holy Scriptures.

1. _Read the Bible in your closet, or under circumstances which will
secure you from interruption, either by the conversation of others, or
the attractions of other objects._ Do not attempt to fill up little
broken intervals of time with the reading of God's word. Leave these
seasons for lighter reading. Remember, the reading of the Scriptures is
nothing less than conversing with God. When any one pays so little
attention to your conversation as not to understand what you say, you
consider it a great breach of politeness. God speaks to you whenever you
read his holy word. His all-seeing eye rests upon your heart; and he
knows whether you are engaged in solemn trifling. If you read his word
so carelessly as not to understand its meaning and drink in its spirit,
you treat him as you would disdain to be treated by an earthly friend. O
the forbearance of God, who suffers such indignity from those who call
themselves his children! Never approach the word of God but with
feelings of reverence and godly fear.

2. _Come to the work with a preparation of heart._ If you were going to
visit some person of great consequence, whose favor and esteem you
wished to secure, you would take care to have everything about your
person adjusted in the most becoming manner. So let it be with your
mind, when you come to converse with God. Shut out all worldly thoughts.
Strive to bring yourself into a tranquil, holy, and tender frame, so
that the truths you contemplate may make their pro