Crumbs of Bread for the Dove in the Clefts of the Rock, Section 16 – Section 18
SECT. XVI. Of Spirituall feasting on Chriſt.
CHriſt Jeſus his body broken, and his bloud ſhed, affords ſpirituall nouriſhment, with plenty, life, and ſweetneſſe to the ſoule, that is intereſted in him, Joh. 6.51, to 63.and lives upon him. There is a Spirituall and a Sacramentall feeding on Chriſt. For the Spirituall, ſee Joh 6.54. for the Sacramentall, ſee 1 Cor. 11.23.
1. As often as you can, receive and improve the Sacrament. There are many good and Books to direct: as, Roberts, Dike, Bolton, Pemble, Bradſhaw, &c.
2. When you cannot Sacramentally, ſee that ſpiritually you feed on this body and bloud of Chriſt. For Directions take theſe. 1. Rom. 3.2, 3.Conſider your neceſſities, ſins, wants, and weakneſſes, to ſharpen Hunger and Thirſt for Chriſt. Joh. 17.3.2. Call forth at ſolemne times for that purpoſe your know ledge of Chriſt, eſpecially in his death; Zach. 12.10. Iſ. 53. tot. Pſ. 22. Math. 27.1 Cor. 2.3. 3. Let …aith ſet a dying Chriſt before you in your thoughts and meditations, with your ſins, and God's wrath upon him.
4. Put in practice by godly ſorrow what is ſet before you, Zach. 12.10Zach. 12. while you look on him whom you have pierced: let ſin then appear exceeding ſinfull, becauſe beſmeared with the bloud of Chriſt.
5. Apprehend and apply by faith the love of God, and the love of Chriſt in dying for you. Gal. 2.20.Rom 5.6, Gal. 2.2. and John 3.16. and 1 Joh. 3.16.
6. Look upon Chriſt in dying as your ſurety, Heb. 7.22. Eph. 5.2.and as your ſacrifice in your name and ſteed. Rom. 6:
7. Gal. 3.13. Rom. 3.25. Dan. 9.24.Look on Chriſt in his death as anſwering the Law, ſatisfying juſtice, taking away ſin, bringing in everlaſting righteouſneſſe, eſtabliſhing the covenant of Grace, and making a purchaſe of grace and glory, Heb. 9.15. Eph. 1.14. Rom. 6.6.giving a deadly ſtroke to ſin, and breaking the Serpent's head &c. Heb. 2.14.
8. Draw by faith all manner of virtues from him, to mortify ſin, to quicken grace, to ſtrengthen faith, and refreſh your ſouls.
9. Eph. 1.3, 4.Be much in thanſgiving to God for his Son, and adore the Love.
10. 2 Cor. 5.14.Improve all to Argument againſt corruption, temptation, and the world. See Rom. 6.3. Titus 2.14. 2 Cor. 15.14.
11. 1 Cor. 6.20Give up your ſelves again in an everlaſting Covenant to be the Lords, to live to him, and if need be to dy for him.
12. Depend upon the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, Heb. 9. ult.and expect the vertues of his Death, till he come again in glory, and take you up with himſelfe, that you may be for ever with him. Long for his immediatee preſence, and haſten to it. See Bp Taylor, Rev. 22.20latter end of his treatiſe on the Sacrament.
SECT. XVII. Of reading the Scriptures.
1. SEttle your faith in the Divinity, 2 Pet. 1.19Authority, and Ʋerity of the Scriptures. And for that conſider 1. that God is: 2. that God in his name, 2 Tim. 3.16. Joh. 1.1. &cnature, and will cannot be known, without revelation of himſelfe: 3. ſuch is his goodneſſe (not to ſay his juſtice) that he will not expect that we ſhould know him, believe in him, worſhip and ſerve him, not having given the world a ſufficient diſcovery of himſelfe. 4. there is no other, Act. 4.12.but this of the Scriptures, ſufficient for that purpoſe. Heb. 1.1. 2 Tim. 3.15, 16, 17.5. This hath been delivered from God, from time to time: and 6. is a ſufficient diſcovery of God, and of his will. 1. The Scriptures affirm it. 2. Nothing rationall can be objected againſt it. 3. The Contents prove it, it carries ſelfe-evidence with it, and all divine characters neceſſary to it: Heb. 2.4.4. It hath been ſealed from heaven by a continued ſeries of Providence; by miracles, by the powers of the Holy Ghoſt upon the firſt writers and publiſhers, Heb. 4.12.by ſpirituall and divine operations on Hearers, ſome to Converſion and Conſolation, on others to Conviction and Confuſion. 5. It hath been confirmed and ſealed by the bloud of Chriſt and many thouſand Martyrs. Heb. 9.15.6. It is wonderfully preſerved in the world; 1 Tim. 3.15and handed in the Church from one generation to another, and is ſtill the ſame, notwithſtanding all attempts to deface it. 7. 1 Joh. 5.10Every true Believer hath the witneſſe to it within himſelfe, lives upon it, Rev. 12.11and would dye many a death rather then deny it, looſe it, or the comforts of it.
2. Be converſant with it, Pſal. 1.1, 2.and much in reading it, hearing it, and meditating upon it. Ioh. 5.45. Pſ. 1. & 19. & 119. 2 Pet. 1.19. 2 Tim. 3.15. Rev. 1.4. &c: with faith, love, humility, diligence, obedience, conſtancy.
3. Read ſometime occaſionally, Act. 8.28, 29.for your inſtruction and conſolation, as you ſhall be guided to it by God's ſpirit and providence, and your beſt underſtanding: but often ſolemnely, have your ſet times for it in your retirements, beſides the family and publick opportunities: ſit cloſe at it, be not long abſent from it. Read for ſpirituall refreſhment as God ſhall direct you: be much acquainted with the Pſalmes, Eſay, the N: Teſt: Read for particular purpoſes on ſpeciall places: Read for the generall knowledge of the Scripture, the Bible in order; and for quantity at a time, as your opportunity will give leave.
4. when you are to read ſolemnly, 1 Pet. 2.1.lay aſide ſinfull luſt, and worldly thoughts, quicken your affections to the duty, ſet your ſelf in Gods preſence, beg his ſpirit, take the Book in hand with reverence, read with faith, fear, diligence, and underſtanding: and that you may the better underſtand it, Act. 8.30, 31.uſe ſuch helps as God hath afforded. 1 Conſider the connexion and ſcope, comparing it with other places: 2. Refer it to an enquiry, when you meet with a good Annotator, or an able Miniſter: 3. Paſſe on to what you may more eaſily underſtand, and remember, that places concerning ſalvation, and the neceſſaries to it for ſaith and life, are generally plaine, and eaſy to be underſtood. What you underſtand, conſider, Pſ. 119.that it may affect your heart, and take place in your memory, and give you ſuch obvious obſervations, as it naturally affordeth for inſtruction or conſolation: take ſpeciall notice of what may increaſe your ſpirituall knowledge, rebuke your corruption, direct and quicken you to duty, anſwer temptations, and refreſh your ſoules: and more eſpecially, of what the ſpirit of God in reading ſets home upon your hearts, with evidence and power. If you would not willingly looſe the obſervations, ſet a note upon the place, and if need be refer it to your Note-book for that purpoſe. When you have done, reflect upon the whole by meditation, and commend it to God in prayer, bringing forth the fruits of it, in an holy life and converſation.
Helpes to the underſtanding of the Scriptures may be ſuch as theſe. 1. Read books directing you about the Scriptures, as Ambroſe Middle things. Whites Directions for Reading. Roberts Key to the Bible.
2. When you meet with a difficult place, Note it, referre it for an enquiry when you meet with an able Miniſter, or a good Expoſitor.
3. Have ſome choice Annotations on the whole Bible, and on particular books: if the Engliſh Annotations in Folio be coſtly, Get Biſhop Halls Paraphraſe, or Deodates Annotations: For the perticular books; there are ſeverall, as Caryll on Jobe. Burroughes on Hoſea. Greenhill on ſome part of Ezekiel. Hutchenſon on the leſſer Prophets. Dickſon on the Pſalmes. 1. Dixon on Matthew and Hebrewes, and all the Epiſtles. Hutchenſon on St Johns Goſpell. Manton on James and Jude. Jenkins on Jude. Sclater on Theſſalonians. Baine on Epheſians. Bifield on Colloſſions, &c. Ainſworth on Pentatench, Pſalmes, and Canticles, with many others: if you cannot get all, get ſuch as you can.
4. Acquaint your ſelves with the Generall Contents of the ſeverall books. In Scritpure the Five Books of Moſes, ſhew the Creation of the World, and the foundation of the Church; at length ſetling it on Abrahams family, with Gods proceeding with them in Egypt, and the wilderneſſe, under the conduct of Moſes, &c. Joſhua, and other Hiſtoricall Books ſhew the progreſſe of God and his providence towards the Church, in ſeverall waies, and perſons, and times. The Pſalmes are full of ſpirituall Meditations: Proverbs full of inſtructions for Holy Wiſdome. Eccleſiaſtes ſhewes the vanity of the creature. Canticles communion between Chriſt and his Church, and that as ſome think Prophetically. The Prophets containe not only Prophecies, that concerned the Jewes and other Nations, but many promiſes of Chriſt and Grace, &c. The Evangeliſts give you the Hiſtory of Chriſt his perſon, doctrine, miracles, life, death, reſurrection and aſcenſion. The Acts ſhew the foundations of the Chriſtian Church, among Jewes and Gentiles. The Epiſtles are for the edification of thoſe Churches, and our inſtruction, occaſioned moſtly by Hereſies and perſecutions. The Revelations, Prophetically ſet forth the ſtate of the world in generall, and the Church in ſpeciall, from St Iohns daies till the end of the World.
Be moſt converſant in plaine and practicall Scripturess neglect not others Doctrinall, or Hiſtoricall. For the propheticall, eſpecially Daniell, and the Revelations, they are beyond the reach of famous Divines, much more common Chriſtians: Providence is the beſt expoſitor on Prophecies: and to a good underſtanding in them, there needs much knowledg of Hiſtory and Chronology, yea the moſt profound and abſtruſeſt parts of learning: only ſomethings in generall may be eaſily underſtood, as that ſuch and ſuch places concerne the deſcription and condition of the Church, in her pure or degenerate, in her proſperous or ſuffering condition; and ſuch and ſuch the enemies of God and of his people: and ſo may be read with profit. In ſumme, believe the truth of the Scripture, Adore the Majeſty of God in them, acquaint your ſelves with their matter, make them the ground of your faith, and the rule of your life and practiſe, bleſſe God for them, and wait till Heaven give an abſolute and perfect underſtanding of the whole.
SECT. XVIII. Of Reading good Books.
IT hath been Gods wonderfull care of his people to provide, as the Scriptures, ſo good books for them; there are many ſuch, both doctrinall and practicall. Get and read the beſt, but in a good method, and with diligence. 1. For Books Scripturall: they are ſuch as theſe. 1. Expoſitors as before: Sermons, of them make choice. Concordances: Newmans and Cottons are large but uſefull, Downhams are briefe, and it may be may ſerve a private Chriſtian. A Book of Scripture references perhaps in Engliſh may be wanting, the Catechiſme in quarto with the Scripture references may be a preſent ſupply till a larger may be had. Directive, for reading of the Scriptures you had in the former Section, as Ambroſe and Bifield, &c. And for the reading of expoſitors; ſome, as the briefe Annotations muſt be conſulted on difficulties, others, as larger expoſitors may be read in order throughout, as other choice books.
Doctrinall, Biſhop Uſhers Body of Divinity. Downhams ſum. Leighs Body of Divinity. The morning exerciſe at Giles, and the Aſſemblies larg Catechiſmes with other Catechiſmes, will be a good introduction, to them you may referre your other reading. From ſome good Catechiſme underſtand the principles of Religion, and then having gotten a knowledg of the heads in Divinity, proceed to other books: obſerving the point of doctrine, with its proofe from Scripture, and ſound reaſon, It's ſeverall branches for Amplification, and it's uſes in Application. For ſentences and illuſtrations, you may look upon them as profitable or pleaſant, but not ſo neceſſary.
For Controverſall you need not trouble your ſelfe with moſt of that nature: get advice for ſuch from an able miniſter. For practicall, there are many on particular ſubjects: I have referred you to not a few. Others are on mixed ſubjects: get and read the beſt. Such as theſe I would commend, beſides others you may meet with, and at preſent I may let ſlip. Shepheards ſound convert and believer, and others of his. Hookers works. Baxters, Gurnhalls, Loves, Preſton, Sibbes, Perkins, Downham, Harris, Tomas Goodwins VVorks, Reynolds, Symonds, Mor…i Exerciſes both Ball. Read well Ambro… looking unto Ieſus, &c.
In reading practicall books, obſerve theſe directions. 1. Acquaint your ſelf with … beſt books. 2. With the generall conte… of the book. 3. Then read it over in … der; for time, as opportunity gives lea… 4. Obſerve the principall heads more … enlargements. 5. Incorproate the ma… ter into your underſtanding. And 6, the… get it wrought into your hearts, and upon your affections by meditation. 7. take ſpeciall notice of what particularly concernes you, eſpecially what is ſet home upon your hearts by the ſpirit of God in your reading, either by way of conviction, inſtruction, or conſolation. 8. make an end with one good book before you begin with another in your ordinary courſe. Let your books be few, choice, ſufficient and read them well. Get a well choſen and compoſed cloſet of books: A faire Bible, Deodates Annotations: a Concordanc… Uſhers Body of Divinity: and for practic… Books, as you can procure them.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Tickell, Crumbs of Bread for the Dove in the Clefts of the Rock (1652)