1. Must we read the Word of God with seriousness? Yes: we must give attendance to reading, 1 Tim. 4:13. And not read it as a common book? No: It is not a vain thing, for it is your life, Deut. 32:47.

2. Must we be diligent to hear the word? Yes: Watching daily at Wisdom's gates, waiting at the posts of her doors, Prov. 8:34. Must we prepare for hearing it? Yes: Lay aside all malice, and guile, and hypocrisy, and filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness, 1 Pet. 2:1. Must we come to it with a spiritual appetite? Yes: as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, 1 Pet. 2:2. Must we set ourselves to receive it? Yes: as Mary sat at Jesus' feet to hear his word, Luke 10: 39. Must we bow our souls before it? Yes: Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears, 1 Sam. 3:9. Must we diligently hearken to it? Yes: Be swift to hear, Jam. 1:19.

3. Must we hear the word with reverence? Yes: When Ezra opened the book all the people stood up, Neh. 8:5. Must we hear it with care? Yes: Take heed how ye hear, Luke 8:18. And with meekness? Yes: Receive with meekness the engrafted word, Jam. 1:21.And with delight? Yes: How sweet are thy words unto my taste: Ps. 119:103. And with a holy fear? Yes: we must tremble at the word, Isa. 66:2. Must we receive it as the word of men? No: but as it is in truth, the Word of God, 1 Thess. 2:13.

4. Must we take heed of sleeping under the word? Yes: Could ye not watch with me one hour? Matt. 26:40. Must we pray for a blessing upon the word? Yes: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law, Ps. 119:18. Must we receive the word with faith? Yes: for it will not profit if it be not mixed with faith, Heb. 4:2. Must we receive men's words with an implicit faith? No: Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, 1 John 4:1. But must we receive God's word with an implicit faith? Yes: for every word of God is pure, Prov. 30:5. Must we receive it with love? Yes: I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food, Job 23:12.

5. Must we remember the word we read and hear? Yes: lest at any time we let it slip, Heb. 2:1. Must we lay it up in our hearts? Yes: Thy word have I hid in my heart, Ps. 119:11. Must we meditate on it? Yes: In that law doth he meditate day and night, Ps. 1:2. Must we practise it in our lives? Yes: be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, James 1:22. Will it suffice to hear, though we do not practise? No: If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, John 13:17.