Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 165
§ 165
FIftly, 5 Vſe the meanes.he muſt uſe the meanes, as well as pray; acquaint himſelfe with the Scriptures, Be ſtudious in the Scriptures and follow that rule.for they, and they alone are able to make a man wiſe unto ſalvation, 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.