nd it the most
profitable plan to meditate with my pen in my hand, writing down the
outlines, as the Word is opened to me. This I do, not for the sake of
committing them to memory, nor as if I meant to say nothing else, but for
the sake of clearness, as being a help to see how far I understand the
passage. I also find it useful afterwards to refer to what I have thus
written. I very seldom use any other help besides the little I understand
of the original of the Scriptures, and some good translations in other
languages. My chief help is prayer. I have NEVER in my life begun to study
one single part of divine truth, without gaining some light about it, when
I have been able really to give myself to prayer and meditation over it.
But that I have often found a difficult matter, partly on account of the
weakness of the flesh, and partly also on account of bodily infirmities
and multiplicity of engagements. This I most firmly believe, that no one
ought to expect to see much good resulting from his labours in word and
doctrine, if he is not much given to prayer and meditation.

3. Having prayed and meditated on the subject or text, I desire to leave
myself entirely in the hands of the Lord. I ask Him to bring to my mind
what I have seen in my room, concerning the subject I am going to speak
on, which He generally most kindly does, and often teaches me much
additionally, whilst I am preaching.

In connection with the above, I must, however, state, that it appears to
me there is a preparation for the public ministry of the Word, which is
even more excellent than the one spoken of. It is this: to live in such
constant and real communion with the Lord, and to be so habitually and
frequently in meditation over the truth, that without the above effort, so
to speak, we have obtained food for others, and know the mind of the Lord
as to the subject or the portion of the Word on which we should speak. But
this I have only in a small measure experienced, though I desire to be
brought into such a state, that habitually "out of my belly may flow
rivers of living water."

That which I have found most beneficial in my experience for the last
fifty-one years in the public ministry of the Word, is, expounding the
Scriptures, and especially the going now and then through a whole gospel
or epistle. This may be done in a two-fold way, either by entering
minutely into the bearing of every point occurring in the portion, or by
giving the general