A Guide to Godliness, Book 5 · Chapter 31
CAP. XXXI.
That reading is a notable meanes to further vsus in the duties of a godly life.
§. Sect. 1 That reading is a moſt profitable exerciſe.
THe ſecond maine poynt which I propounded, is, that reading of the Scriptures, and other holy and religious bookes, is a notable helpe and furtherance vntounto a godly life. The which may eaſily be vnderſtood by that which is already ſpoken, and needeth not any large diſcourſe to proue it. And yet it will not bee amiſſe to ſay ſomething of it, not ſo much to informe or conuince the iudgement of the truth, as to perſwade the heart to put it in practice. And firſt, generally it may be ſaid, that to what vſes ſoeuer the Scriptures are profitable and neceſſary, to the ſame purpoſes reading of them, which is the meanes whereby we deriue from them theſe benefits, is neceſſary and profitable; ſeeing though they be a moſt rich treaſury of all goodneſſe, yet they will doe vsus little good, if they be locked vp, and not by reading and preaching opened vntounto vsus. So that we may truly ſay, that reading of the Scriptures doth nouriſh our ſoules, ſeeing it conueyeth vntounto them the food whereby they are nouriſhed; that it cureth vsus of all our ſpirituall ſores and ſickneſſes, ſeeing it conueyeth and applyeth vntounto vsus the ſoueraigne ſalues and medicines whereby wee are recouered; that it guideth vsus in the way of truth, becauſe it openeth vntounto vsus the light, which ſerueth to direct vsus. Yea, it ſerueth to all vſes and purpoſes, whereby we may be furthered in all duties of godlineſſe, ſeeing it diſcouereth vntounto vsus that diuine brightneſſe of the ſupreme and vncreated wiſedome, the reading whereof (as one Hieronym. ad Celant. de Inſtit. matrisfam.ſaith) ſharpeneth the ſenſe, inlargeth the vnderſtanding, heateth our lukewarmeneſſe, rowzeth vp our ſloth, extinguiſheth the darts of luſt, moueth mourning, draweth from vsus teares, maketh vsus to approch neere vntounto God, who when we reade, conferreth with vsus by his holy Spirit. In which reſpects he perſwadeth in another place, that it ſhould bee our chiefe care to ſtudy and know the diuine Law, wherein we may ſee the examples of Gods Saints as preſent before our eyes, and by the counſell thereof, learne what is to be done, and what auoyded. For it is a great helpe vntounto holineſſe and righteouſneſſe of life, to repleniſh the mind with the diuine Oracles, and to be alwayes meditating in our hearts vponupon thoſe things, which we deſire to practiſe in our liues.
§. Sect. 2 That by reading, the mind is much inlightened in the knowledge of Gods will.
More eſpecially this exerciſe of reading doth ſingularly further vsus in a godly life, as it doth inlighten our vnderſtandings in the knowledge of Gods will, vntounto which we are to yeeld obedience, and ſheweth vntounto vsus the way in which we muſt walke. To which purpoſe, no exerciſe whatſoeuer is ſo vſefull and effectuall. For howſoeuer the preaching and hearing of the Word, hauehave a ſuperiour priuiledge in the worke of our Regeneration and conuerſion, and for the working of ſauing graces in vsus; as faith, repentance, and the reſt; yet for the inlightening of the mind with the full knowledge of the truth, after wee are conuerted and illuminated in ſome meaſure, this exerciſe of reading hath many ſpeciall priuiledges. For firſt, wee may vſe it as oft as wee will, and hauehave any deſire to gaine knowledge; but the other can be had but at certaine times, nor then neither in eueryevery place. Secondly, by reading, we may in ſhort time, if we be ſtudious and diligent, be thorowly inſtructed in the whole body of Diuinity, and in all the ſeuerall parts thereof, which by preaching we cannot come to know, but in long time, though our Paſtour take the beſt, and moſt direct courſe of ioyning Catechizing with Preaching, nor in our whole liues in any great perfection, if this be neglected; ſeeing in a Sermon ſome few of innumerable poynts are vſually deliuered, and they rather preſſed vponupon the affection for vſe and practice, then ſufficiently cleared to the vnderſtanding. Thirdly, becauſe by reading we may helpe our vnderſtanding, by reuiewing ouer and ouer againe, that which at firſt we conceiued not, and by the ſame meanes alſo may recall to our remembrance the things which after once or twice reading wee hauehave forgotten: the which helpes hearing affoordeth not, eſpecially when wee moſt ſtand in need of them. Finally, becauſe we may at our owne pleaſure fit our reading for our owne occaſions, and furniſhing vsus in the knowledge of thoſe poynts, wherein we are moſt defectiue, for the reſoluing of our particular queſtions and doubts, and for the informing our iudgements in all poynts whereof for the preſent, and vponupon eueryevery occaſion, wee hauehave ſpeciall vſe: whereas the Preacher ſpeaking generally for the good of the whole Congregation, and not being acquainted with our defects in knowledge, ſeldome or neuer ſpeaketh of all thoſe poynts wherein we need inſtruction, and often of ſuch as we know already. In all which reſpects it is hard to finde a Chriſtian thorowly grounded in all poynts contained in the body of Diuinity, though hee be neuer ſo diligent in hearing the Word preached, and may hauehave ſome competency of knowledge neceſſary to ſaluation, and ſome good meaſure of faith, and other ſauing graces, if he vtterly neglect this duty of reading.
§. Sect. 3 That reading bringeth with it many other benefits.
Againe, as reading ſingularly inlighteneth the mind, ſo alſo it affoordeth many other helpes of a godly life; for it is a ſpeciall meanes to relieue the memory, and to mooue the will, inclining it powerfully vntounto good, and withdrawing it from euill, though not in that degree of efficacy as the Word preached. It worketh vponupon the hart, for the mollifying & ſoftening it, and vponupon all the affections, for the purging and ſanctifying of them, inflaming our louelove towards God and all good things, and our hatred againſt all that is euill; it kindleth our zeale when it groweth lukewarme, and ſtirreth vp our deuotion when it is cold and ſluggiſh. It much increaſeth all Gods graces in vsus; as faith, affiance, repentance, patience, peace of conſcience, and the reſt, by imparting vntounto them that ſpirituall food whereby they are nouriſhed. It amendeth our liues, and maketh vsus (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) perfect vntounto eueryevery good worke. It ſpecially inableth 2. Tim. 3. 13, 17.vsus to the fruitfull hearing of the Word of God, when as we can, with the Bereans, ſearch the Scriptures, whether the things we heare be ſo or no; and try Act. 17. 11.the ſpirits of thoſe wee heare, whether they be of God or no, by examining their doctrines according to the touch-ſtone of this Truth: beſides that, it maketh vsus well acquainted with the Scriptures, both for matter and hiſtory, ſo that when they are cited, they are familiar vntounto vsus. Whereas without this benefit of reading, we cannot tell whether the teſtimonies quoted be in the Canonicall Scriptures or no, or if we take this vponupon our Teachers word, yet we cannot tell where they are, nor eaſily turne to them vponupon the ſudden. It teacheth vsus to manage the Sword of the Spirit, whereby we are enabled to defend our ſelues, and repell the tentations of our ſpirituall enemies, as we ſee in the Eph. 6. 17. Math. 4. 3. 4, &c.example of our Sauiour Chriſt. Finally, if we vſe this exerciſe carefully and conſcionably to profit by it, we ſhall be aſſured of euerlaſting bleſſedneſſe; For bleſſed is he that readeth, and they that heare the Words Apoc. 1. 3.of Gods Booke, and keepe the things which are written therein. Bleſſed is Pſal. 1. 1, 2.the man who delighteth in the Law of the Lord, and meditateth therein day and night. All which being duly conſidered, ſhould be effectuall motiues to make thoſe diligent in reading, who are able to performe it, and greatly to humble thoſe who are not, in the ſight and ſenſe of this great defect, and either to labour that yet they may attaine vntounto this skill, if they be capable and hauehave meanes, or elſe to ſupply their wants, by reſorting often vntounto others, that they may reade vntounto them the euidences of their ſaluation and heauenly inheritance, which themſelues for want of skill are not able to peruſe.