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be sufficient that you read the Scriptures and other good books at home in private, when by so doing you neglect the hearing of the word read and preached in public. For God has not appointed, that reading alone, or preaching alone, or prayer, or sacraments should singly and alone save any man, where all, or more than one of them may be had; but he requires the joint use of them all in their place and time. And in this variety of means of salvation, God has in his holy wisdom ordained such order, that the excellency and sufficiency of one shall not, in its right use, keep any from, but lead him unto a due performance of the other; each serving to make the other more effectual to produce their common effect, namely, the salvation of man's soul.

Indeed, when a man is necessarily hindered by persecution, sickness, or otherwise, that he cannot hear the word preached, then God does bless reading with an humble and honest heart, without hearing the word preached. But where hearing the word preached, is either contemned or neglected, for reading sake, or for prayer sake, Prov. xxviii. 9, or for any other good private duty, there no man can expect to be blessed in his reading, or in any other private duty, but rather cursed. Witness the evil effects, which by experience we see do issue from thence, viz. self-conceitedness, singularity in some dangerous opinions; and schism, and too often a falling away into damnable heresies and apostasy.

SECT. 3. OF MEDITATION.

When you are alone, then also is a fit season for you to be employed in holy meditation. For according to a person's meditation such is he. The liberal man devises liberal things; the covetous man the contrary, Isa. xxxii. 8. The godly man studies how to please God, the wicked how to please himself

In meditation, the mind or reason of the soul fixes