AN EXPLICATION Of the following DIRECTION For the reading of the BIBLE over in a year. With an EXHORTATION to the necessary Use and Practice thereof.  
THE scope of this Direction is, to guide thee in the Annual reading of the holy Scriptures. The way of it is plain and familiar, because it most concerns the weak. Each page hath the figures for the day of the Month set in the first place, which serve for the three Months that are in that page. Each day's task is three Chapters: two in the old Testament, and one in the New, so long as the New doth last. And this order is constant, excepting in the Psalms: where, because some are so very short, there is sometimes two, sometime more to be taken together at one reading. Only the Hundred-nineteenth, because it is too long for one reading, is divided into four Portions: Six parts a piece for the two former, and Five a piece for the two latter: which Portions exceed not the length of an ordinary Chapter.  
As for the day which is supernumerary in the Leap-yeares (that is, which is above 365.) I rather leave it to thy Discretion and Piety how to employ it to God's glory, and thy own solace, then prescribe any thing.  
2. For the time: It is very requisite to observe it strictly; that is, to read one Chapter in the morning, another at noon, and the third at night: so thou shalt never want heavenly matter to take up thy thoughts. But, what ever is omitted in the day time, must be made out at night. If it so fall out, that some days or week's task be omitted, (as by sickness or the like) when thou comest to it again, double the daily task till the loss be repaired. And whereas the Lordsday is here made only equal to other days, in its task and service; thou must ever make it a Feast of Fat things, by adding to it a Portion in some Book or other which thy soul most affecteth: be it Isaiah, or the Epistle to the Romans, or any of the Gospels, etc. But the Psalms in this respect, may not wholly be omitted; this day being a singular day above others, forsinging and rejoicing.  
3. For good success, and proficiency in this holy employment; pray constantly to him that hath the Key of David, to unlock thy Understanding, and use such helps as the Lord affordeth thee. And when thou Doubtest, fail not to go to the Master of the Assembly, Eccles. 12.11. Seek the Law at his mouth, for so thou oughtest to do, Malac. 2.7.  
To help a bad memory, do this; read with Leisure and Intention; Meditate with Delight, (this feeds the soul) Confer with others at all opportunities, especially with those whom God hath set near thee, or given thee in Charge, as Psal. 34.11. Deut. 6.6, 7, 8, 9 & ch. 11.18, 19, 20.  
Apply the Promises to thyself with joy. Consider the Threaten with Fear and Trembling, Isaiah, 66.5. Psal. 119.120. But above all Helps, if thou wouldst have thy profiting appear indeed, whensoever God hath taught thee any Duty, fall strait way in hand therewith, to Practise it thence forward.  
4. This course (if carefully observed) will speedily bring thee acquainted with God and his whole Council, revealed in his Word. It will inform thee of his good will towards thee, and what great things he hath done for thy soul; & likewise, what duties he requires at thy hand. It will forewarn thee of all the enemies that Way-lye thee: and of their great wrath, malice, subtleties and power: and not only so, but (which is all in all) it will furnish thee with Wisdom, to foresee, with Courage, to stand, and Power, to withstand, and Armour, (even the whole Armour of God, Ephes. 6.10,— 17.) wherewith to encounter and overcome, the World, the Devil, and the Flesh. It will inform thee of the endless joys, and ineffable Treasures of Heaven, that thou mayest cover them earnestly, and inherit them: and also, of the insupportable Torments, and unquenchable Fire of Hell, to avoid them. By this thy Conscionable Practice, the work of the Minister shall be more profitable unto thee, and less grievous to him: the Word of God shall dwell richly in thee; and also thou shalt be able to render a reason of the Faith that is in thee, whereas without this Diligence, he that is Ignorant, doth often live and die so, even under a Powerful Ministry.  
By this means (God blessing it to us) Christ's Kingdom shall come into our hearts with Power, and his Sceptre (which is his word) will bear Sway, and Rule in all Private Families amangst us: even in those Families which hitherto have forgotten the Name of their God, and walking on still in Darkness, as without God in the World, Have counted those great things of God's Law, as a strange thing, Hos. 8.12.  
5. If these Motives avail not to win thee to a liking of the Word, and the Practiceing of it; consider further, what need thou hast of it, and what it is which thou despisest, in rejecting it. Thy heart is as hard as a stone in thee, but this Word is as a hammer, that breaketh the Rock in pieces, Jer. 23.29. It is also a salve, to heal and cure a broken and contrite Heart, Psal. 107.20. All holy Zeal and Spiritual desires, are extinction thee, but this Word is a Fire to kindle How Affections in thee: it is his Furnace to purge out the dross of thy Natural Corruptions: Yea it is as water to wash away uncleanness, John, 15.3. In a word, the Virtues and Operations of it are innumerable: and for it's worth, man cannot utter it. It is strengthving as Bread: quenching thirst after sin, as Drink: Cheering as Wine: Sweet as Honey: Enriching as Gold. Quicke and Powerful, sharper than any two-edged-sword. It is the Word of God's power, even The power of God unto Salvation, to every one that believeth, Rom. 1.16.  
6. Up then and be doing. Work out thy salvation. They that stand all the day idle, receive no wages: and the ignorant have no promise of life: but they that are wise, that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever The hand of the Diligent maketh rich: but the field of the man void of Understanding, is all grown over with Thorns. Ignorance of the Scriptures, is the mother of Error, Math. 22.29. leaveing a gap open to all Lewdness, Riot, and Exorbitancy  
Thinkest thou to have Eternal life in the Scriptures, and yet art not acquainted with them? The Promise is, Seek and you shall find. And that thou mayest seek Eternal life, and jesus Christ (the Author and giver of Life,) where he is to be found he commands thee to Search the Scriptures, john, 5.39.  
To go further yet; our Saviour intimates to us, that the jews would never have troubled him so often with sleight questions, if they had used to read the Scriptures as diligently as they ought. And when they posed him, he usually sent them to read the Scriptures for their answer. So Luke, 10.26. He returns one to learn his Duty, What is written in the Law? How readest thou? And so others of them, Math. 12.3. Have ye not read what David did? And vers. 5. Have ye not read in the Law? etc. So likewise Math. 21.16.  
So that the reading of the Holy Scripture, is a Duty that our Saviour pressed often. And his exhortation (before quoted) john, 5.39. is to all. Neither should thy worldly employments hinder thy performance of this Duty, for even the King (though he might plead the greatest hindrances of any whatsoever, even the weighty affairs of his Kingdom) was not exempted from this daily task, the reading of the Word of God. Deut. 17.19.  
Here is both Precept and Promise. Yea, this Practice hath a Blessing, Rev. 1.3. Blessed is he that readeth. etc.  
7. And that thou may●st not be discouraged, either through thy own incapacity, or its obscurity; know, that this course of exerciseing in the word of God, is blessed with happy success from the first medleing with it, and that even to the Weakest, Psal. 119.130. The entrance of thy words giveth light: it giveth understanding to the simple. But if after all these Incitements, thou count thyself unworthy of eternal Life, and wilt not lay hold of it; I must also put thee in mind ( I leave thee) that where these Blessings take no place, there the Curse enters. When they that search the Scriptures find Eternal life, they that neglect them will find Eternal Death. When the Wise and Diligent enter into their Master's joy, the Slothfall and Foolish will be thrust into Hell.  
Consider what the Scripture saith, and the Lord give thee Understanding in all things. So prayeth  
Thine in the Lord, Randall Sanderson, F. of Q. C. Oxon.   

Directions to read The Bible in a year.  
 January. A. February. D. March. D. 1 Gen. 1,2. Mat. 1. 13,14. 4. 2,3. 16. 2 3,4. 2. 15,16. 5. 4,5. 17. 3 5,6. 3. 17,18. 6. 6,7. 18. 4 7,8. 4. 19,20. 7. 8,9. 19 5 9,10. 5. 21,22. 8. 10,11. 20. 6 11,12. 6. 23,24. 9 12,13. 21. 7 13,14. 7. 25,26. 10. 14,15. 22. 8 15,16. 8. 27,28. 11. 16,17. 23. 9 17,18. 9 29,30. 12. 18,19. 24. 10 19,20. 10. 31,32. 13. 20,21. john, 1. 11 21,22. 11. 33,34. 14. 22,23. 2. 12 23, 24. 12. 35,36. 15. 24,25. 3. 13 25,26. 13. 37,38. 16. 26,27. 4. 14 27,28. 14. 39,40. Luke. 1. 28,29. 5. 15 29,30. 15. Leu. 1,2. 2. 30,31. 6. 16 31,32. 16. 3,4. 3. 32,33. 7. 17 33,34. 17. 5,6. 4. 34,35. 8. 18 35,36. 18. 7,8. 5. 36. Deut. 1. 9 19 37,38. 19 9,10. 6. 2,3. 10. 20 39,40. 20. 11.12. 7. 4,5. 11. 21 41,42. 21. 13,14, 8. 6,7. 12. 22 43,44. 22. 15,16. 9 8 9 13. 23 45,46. 23. 17,18. 10. 10,11. 14. 24 47,48. 24. 19,20. 11. 12,13. 15. 25 49,50. 25. 21,22. 12. 14,15. 16. 26 Exod. 1,2. 26. 23,24. 13. 16,17. 17. 27 3,4. 27. 25,26. 14. 18,19. 18. 28 5,6. 28. 27. Num. 1. 15. 20,21. 19 29 7,8, Mark. 1,   22,23. 20. 30 9,10. 2.   24,25. 21. 31 11,12. 3.   26,27. Acts, 1.  April. G. May, B. June, E. 1 28.29. 2. 5.6. 4. 12.13. 3. 2 30. 31 3. 7.8. 5. 14.15. 4. 3 32.33. 4. 9.10. 6. 16.17. 5. 4 34. Iosh. 1. 5. 11.12. 7. 18.19. 6. 5 2.3. 6. 13.14. 8. 20.21. 7. 6 4.5. 7. 15.16. 9 22. 2 King. 1. 8. 7 6.7. 8. 17.18. 10. 2.3. 9 8 8.9. 9 19.20. 11. 4.5. 10. 9 10, 11. 10. 21.22. 12. 6, 7. 11. 10 12. 13. 11. 23.24. 13. 8.9. 12. 11 14.15. 12. 25.26. 14. 10.11. 13. 12 16.17. 13. 27.28. 15. 12.13. Gal. 1. 13 18.19. 14. 29.30. 16. 14.15. 2. 14. 20.21. 15. 31. 2. S● 1. 1. Cor. 1. 16.17. 3. 15 22.23. 16. 2.3. 2. 18.19. 4. 16 24. judg. 1. 17. 4.5. 3. 20, 21. 5. 17 2.3. 18. 6.7. 4. 22.23. 6. 18 4.5. 19 8.9. 5. 24.25. Eph. 1. 19 6.7. 20. 10.11. 6. 1 Chr. 1.2. 2. 20 8.9. 21. 12.13. 7. 3.4. 3. 21 10.11. 22. 14.15. 8. 5.6. 4. 22 12.13. 23. 16.17. 9 7.8. 5. 23 14.15. 24. 18.16. 10. 9.10. 6. 24 16.17. 25. 20.21. 11. 11.12. Phil. 1. 25 18.19. 26. 22.23. 12. 13.14. 2. 26 20, 21. 27. 24. 1 King. 1. 13. 15.16. 3. 27 Ruth 1.2. 28. 2.3. 14. 17.18. 4. 28 3.4. Rom. 1 4.5. 15. 19.20. Colos. 1. 29 1 Sam. 1.2 2. 6.7. 16. 21.22. 2. 30 3.4. 3. 8.9. 2 Cor. 1. 23.24. 3. 31   10.11. 2.    july G. August C. September, F. 1 25,26. 4. 12,13. 9 25-29. 6. 2 27,28. 1 Thes. 1. Esther 1,2. 10. 32-35. 7. 3 29. 2 Chr. 1.2. 3,4. 11. 37-38. 8. 4 2,3. 3. 5,6. 12. 41-44. 9 5 4 5. 4. 7,8. 13. 47-50. 10. 6 6,7. 5. 9,10. Jam. 1. 53-56. 11. 7 8,9. 2 Thes. 1. job. 1,2. 2. 59-62. 12. 8 10,11. 2. 3,4. 3. 65-68. 13. 9 12,13. 3. 5,6. 4. 69.70. 14. 10 14,15. 1 Tim. 1. 7,8. 5. 72-74. 15. 11 16,17. 2. 9,10. 1 Pet. 1. 76-78. 16. 12 18,19. 3. 11,12. 2. 79-82. 17. 13 20,21. 4. 13,14. 3. 86-89. 18. 14 22,23. 5. 15,16. 4. 90-93. 19 15 24,25. 6. 17,18. 5. 97-102. 20. 16 26,27. 2 Tim. 1. 19,20. 2 Pet. 1. 104-106. 21. 17 28,29. 2. 21,22. 2. 107-109. 22. 18 30,31. 3. 23,24. 3. 112-116-119. 1. p rt. 19 32,33. 4. 25,26. 1 joh. 1. 7. p. 13. p. 18. p. 20 34,35. Tit. 1. 27,28. 2. 120-125-130 21 36, Ezr. 1. 2. 29,30. 3. 135-137-140 22 2,3. 3. 31,32. 4. 144-147. Prov. 1. 23 4,5. Phil. 1. 33,34. 5. 2, 3, 4. 24 6,7. Heb. 1. 35,36. 2 joh. 1. 5, 6, 7. 25 8,9. 2 37,38. 3 joh. 1. 8, 9, 10. 26 10. Neh. 1. 3. 39,40. jude 1. 11, 12, 13. 27 1, ●. 4. 41,42. Revel. 1. 14, 15, 16. 28 4,5. 5. Ps. 1. to 5. to 2. 17, 18, 19 29 6,7. 6. 9 to 11. to 3. 20, 21, 22. 30 8,9. 7. 15-18. 4. 23, 24, 25. 31 10,11. 8. 19-22. 5. 0 0 0  October, A. Novemb. D. Decemb. F. 1 26, 27, 28. 2, 3, 4. 35, 36, 37. 2 29, 30, 31. 5, 6, 7. 38, 39, 40. 3 Eccl. 1, 2, 3. 8, 9, 10. 41, 42, 43. 4 4, 5, 6. 11, 12, 13. 44, 45, 46. 5 7, 8, 9 14, 15, 16. 47, 48. Dan. 1. 6 10, 11, 12. 17, 18, 19 2, 3, 4. 7 Cant. 1, 2, 3. 20, 21, 22 5, 6, 7. 8 4, 5, 6. 23, 24, 25. 8, 9, 10. 9 7, 8. Isai. 1. 26, 27, 28. 11, 12. Host 1. 10 2, 3, 4. 29, 30, 31 2, 3, 4. 11 5, 6, 7. 32, 33, 34. 5, 6, 7. 12 8, 9, 10. 35, 36, 37. 8, 9, 10. 13 11, 12, 13. 38, 39, 40. 11, 12, 13. 14 14, 15, 16. 41, 42, 43. 14. joel, 1, 2. 15 17, 18, 19 44, 45, 46 3. Amos. 1, 2. 16 20, 21, 22. 47, 48, 49. 3, 4, 5. 17 23, 24, 25. 50, 51, 52. 6, 7, 8. 18 26, 27, 28 Lament. 1, 2, 3 9 Obad. 1. jon. 1. 19 29, 30, 31. 4, 5. Ezek. 1. 2, 3, 4, 20 32, 33, 34. 2, 3, 4. Mic. 1 2, 3. 21 35, 36, 37. 5, 6, 7. 4, 5, 6. 22 38, 39, 40. 8, 9, 10. 7. Nah. 1, 2. 23 41, 42, 43. 11, 12, 13. 3. Habac. 1. 2. 24 44, 45, 46. 14, 15, 16. 3. Zephan. 1, 2. 25 47, 48, 49. 17, 18, 19 3. Haggai, 1, 2. 26 50, 51, 52. 20, 21, 22. Zach. 1, 2, 3. 27 53, 54, 55. 23, 24, 25. 4, 5, 6. 28 56, 57, 58. 26, 27, 28. 7. 8, 9 29 59, 60, 61. 29. 30, 31. 10, 11 12. 30 62, 63, 64. 32, 33, 34. 13, 14. Mal. 1. 31 65, 66. jer. 1.    2, 3, 4.   

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