John Wesley's Counsel for Reading the Bible
Set apart a little time, if you can, every morning and evening for that purpose.
At each time, if you have leisure, read a chapter out of hte Old, and one chapter out of the New, Testament. If you cannot do this, take a single cahpter, or a part of one.
Read this with a single eye, to know the whole will of God, and have a fixed resolution to do it. In order to know His will, you should have a constant eye to the analogy of faith, the connection and harmony there is between those grand, fundamental doctrines of original sin, justification by faith, the new birth, inward and outward holiness.
Serious and earnest prayer should be constantly used before we consult the oracles of God; seeing "Scripture can only be understood thorugh the same Spirit whereby it was given." Our reading should likewise be closed with prayer that what we read may be written on our hearts.
It might also be of use if, while we read, we were frequently to pause and examine ourselves by what we read, both with regard to our hearts and lives. This would furnish us with matter of praise, where we found God had enabled us to conform to His blessed will; and matter of humilation and prayer, where we are conscious of having fallen short. And whatever light you receive should be used to the uttermost, and that immediately. Let there be no delay. Whatever you resolve, begin to execute the first moment you can. So shall you find this word to be indeed the power of God unto present and eternal salvation.
(John Wesley, Preface to the Old Testament, Edinborough 1765)
At each time, if you have leisure, read a chapter out of hte Old, and one chapter out of the New, Testament. If you cannot do this, take a single cahpter, or a part of one.
Read this with a single eye, to know the whole will of God, and have a fixed resolution to do it. In order to know His will, you should have a constant eye to the analogy of faith, the connection and harmony there is between those grand, fundamental doctrines of original sin, justification by faith, the new birth, inward and outward holiness.
Serious and earnest prayer should be constantly used before we consult the oracles of God; seeing "Scripture can only be understood thorugh the same Spirit whereby it was given." Our reading should likewise be closed with prayer that what we read may be written on our hearts.
It might also be of use if, while we read, we were frequently to pause and examine ourselves by what we read, both with regard to our hearts and lives. This would furnish us with matter of praise, where we found God had enabled us to conform to His blessed will; and matter of humilation and prayer, where we are conscious of having fallen short. And whatever light you receive should be used to the uttermost, and that immediately. Let there be no delay. Whatever you resolve, begin to execute the first moment you can. So shall you find this word to be indeed the power of God unto present and eternal salvation.
(John Wesley, Preface to the Old Testament, Edinborough 1765)
"O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: Here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be a man of one book. Here then I am, far from the busy ways of men. I sit down alone: only God is here. In His presence I open, I read His book -- for this end, to find the way to heaven."
(from John Wesley, "Preface to Sermons on Several Occasions," 1747)
(from John Wesley, "Preface to Sermons on Several Occasions," 1747)