3. Read the Bible with child-like faith and humility. Open your heart - as you open God's book, and say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Resolve to believe implicitly whatever you find there, however much it may run counter to your own desires and prejudices. Resolve to receive heartily every statement of truth - whether you like it or not. Beware of that miserable habit into which some readers of the Bible fall - they receive some doctrines because they like them; and they reject others because they are condemning to themselves, or to some relation, or friend. At this rate, the Bible is useless. Are we to be judges of what ought to be in God's Word? Do we know better than God? Settle it down in your mind - that you will receive all and believe all, and that what you cannot understand - you will take on trust. Remember, when you pray - that you are speaking to God, and God hears you. But, remember, when you read Scripture - that God is speaking to you, and you are not to "dictate," but to listen.

4. Read the Bible in a spirit of obedience and self-application. Sit down to the study of it with a daily determination that you will live by its rules, rest on its statements, and act on its commands. Consider, as you travel through every chapter, "How does this affect my thinking and daily conduct? What does this teach me?" It is poor work to read the Bible from mere curiosity, and for speculative purposes - in order to fill your head and store your mind with mere opinions; while you do not allow the book to influence your heart and life. That Bible is read best - which is practiced most.

5. Read the Bible daily. Make it a part of every day's business to read and meditate on some portion of God's Word. Private means of grace are just as needful every day for our souls - as food and clothing are for our bodies. Yesterday's food will not feed the laborer today; and today's food will not feed the laborer tomorrow. Do as the Israelites did in the wilderness. Gather your manna fresh every morning. Choose your own seasons and hours. Do not scramble over and hurry your reading. Give your Bible the best, and not the worst part of your time. But whatever plan you pursue, let it be a rule of your life to visit the throne of grace and God's Word every day.

6. Read all of the Bible - and read it in an orderly way. I fear there are many parts of the Word which some people never read at all. This is to say at the least, a very presumptuous habit. "All Scripture is profitable." [2 Timothy 3:16]. To this habit may be traced that lack of well-proportioned views of truth, which is so common in this day. Some people's Bible-reading is a system of perpetual 'dipping and picking'. They do not seem to have an idea of regularly going through the whole book.

7. Read the Bible fairly and honestly. Determine to take everything in its plain, obvious meaning - and regard all forced interpretations with great suspicion. As a general rule, whatever a verse of the Bible seems to mean - it does mean. Cecil's rule is a very valuable one, "The right way of interpreting Scripture is to take it as we find it, without any attempt to force it into any particular theological system."

8. Read the Bible with Christ continually in view. The grand primary object of all Scripture, is to testify of Jesus. Old Testament ceremonies are shadows of Christ. Old Testament judges are types of Christ. Old Testament prophecies are full of Christ's sufferings, and of Christ's glory yet to come. The first coming and the second; the Lord's humiliation and His glorious kingdom; His cross and the crown shine forth everywhere in the Bible. Keep fast hold on this clue, if you would read the Bible aright.

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