In a pair of sermons titled “On Searching the Scriptures” (John 5:39), Newton explains how four elements inform our approach to the Bible—sincerity, diligence, humility, and prayer. As we might expect, Newton introduces his approach with the language of sincerity. I mean a real desire to be instructed by the Scripture, and to submit both our sentiments and our practices to be controlled and directed by what we read there. Without this, our reading and searching will only issue in our greater condemnation, and bring us under the heavy doom of the servant that knew his master’s will and did it
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