The Drunkards Character, Section 165
§ 165
FIftly,… Vse the … meanes. he must use the meanes, as well as pray; acquaint himselfe with the Scriptures, for they, and they alone are able to make a man wise unto salvation, Be s…udious in the Scriptures and follow that rule.as St. Paul tells Timothy, 2 Tim. 3. 15. we must not, in the search of heavenly matters, either follow the blind guide, carnall reason; or the deceitfull guide, our corrupt hearts; but the undeceiveable guide of Gods Word, which is truth it selfe.
And great need there is. For, as we cannot see the foulenesse of our faces, unlesse it be told us by some other; or wee take a glasse, and looke our selves therein: so neither can we see the blemishes of our soules (which is a notable degree of spirituall vvisdome) but either God must make it knovvne unto us, by his Spirit; or vve must collect the same out of the Scriptures, that Coelestiall glasse; though this also must be done by the Spirits helpe.
Now if thou wilt truly profit by reading the Scriptures, resolve to make them the rule of thy life. What is the reason many are conversant in those divine and heavenly mysteries, all the dayes, of their life, and yet are neither the wiser nor the better, resembling Wormes in a booke, or fish in the Sea, which though they are bred and nourished therein; yet, the one, is never the more learned, nor the other, one jot the salter: or like some Athenian Gentlemen in our City, who were wont to spend all their time in measuring of Pauls, yet know not the length of it: or some Innes of Court Gentlemen, that studie the Law, but, being borne to great meanes, never intend to practise it: or, rather some Physitians, who learne the use of Physicke, and prescribe it to others, finding sweetnesse and profit thereby, but will not once tast thereof themselves, knowing it unpleasant.
Yea, what is the reason, that in studying the Scriptures, they resemble the rustick Sayler, who sees Gods wonders in the deepe, but so, as they rather appeare his playfellowes, then the stirrers of his zeale? yea, that the very meanes of their reformation, should become the very fuel of their wickednesse? whereas, the story of God, makes others no lesse good then wise, who improve their time by it; as some do at a game at Chesse, who by way of returne, learn both Arithmeticke, and Geometry.
The reason is this, naturall and ungodly men read and heare the Scriptures, and mind not; or mind, and understand not; or understand, and remember not; or remember, and practise not; no, this they intend not, of all the rest; and they which are unwilling to obey, God thinks unworthy to know.
When the Serpent taught knowledge, hee said, if ye eat the forbidden fruit, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall know good and evill, Gen. 3. 5. But God teacheth another lesson, and saith, if ye will not eat the forbidden fruit, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall know good and evil, Rom. 12. 2.
Indeed, an holy submission to the word is the A B C: the Primmer and Grammar, the first lesson and the last lesson of a Christian: so to know the good, and perfect▪ and acceptable will of God, that wee our selves become good, and perfect, and acceptable in Gods sight, Romans 12. 2. is all in all. Touching wisdome, it is the beginning, the middle, and the end; they that observe the Commandements have a good understanding, saith David, Psal▪ 111. 10. and proves it true, by his owne example and experience. I understood, saith he, more then the ancient; and became wiser then my teachers, because I kept thy precepts, Psalme 119. 97, 98, 99, 100. and he was brought up to little else but keeping his Fathers sheep; only his aym was; that the word might make him not witty, but holy, teach him to follow vertue and embrace wisdome, not talk of it; and therefore God gave him both goodnesse, and wisdome, as hee gave Salomon wisdome, and riches, and honour, when his petition was only for wisdome.
Briefly, he that can say with David, I love thy Law, and keep thy precepts, and hate all the wayes of falshood, Ps. 119▪ 79. 104. may follow, with David, I have more understanding then my teachers and know more then the ancient, verse 98. to 107. But, as David could not understand why the wicked prospered, untill he went into the Sanctuary of God, Psalm 73. 17. and as Aaron, might not enter into the sanctuary, where God did answer, untill hee had sanctified himselfe; so, if we will understand mysteries and heare▪ God himselfe speake, we must put off our sins, as Moses put off his shoes, Exodus 3. 5. or else we shall be like images, that have eares, and cannot heare, Psal. 115. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 14.
Wherefore, bee studious in the Scriptures, and follow that rule: adde nothing of thine owne unto it, but obedience and subjection, and thou hast mounted another step to wisdome, entred a fifth room of this Palace.