The True Treasury, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
SEcondly, is it God that ſpeakes in the Scriptures and Writes to us theſe great things of his Law, mee thinkes we ſhould not need be exhorted, 1. To reade it diligently: 2. To reſt upon it confidently for inſtruction and comfort.
Sect. 1.
REade it firſt,Quid eſt S. Script niſi quaedam Epiſtola omnipot. Dei ad creaturam ſuam? Greg. Ovid. for it is Gods Epiſtle for our ſakes Written, 1 Cor. 9.10. for our Admonition, 1 Cor. 10.11. and Conſolation, Rom. 15.4. quid Epiſtola lecta nocebit? Study it, for it is Gods Statute Book: Peruſe it, for it is our Fathers Will and Teſtament, wherein we may find our owne names written, as David did,Pſal. 40 7. In the Ʋolume of thy Booke it is written of mee, that J ſhould doe thy will O God: and as the Church in Hoſea did, Hee found Jacob in Bethel,Hoſ. 12 4. and there he ſpake with us. So, what was ſaid to Joſhua, Ioſh. 1.8.J will not leave thee nor forſake thee, was ſaid to every good ſoule, Heb. 13.5. that ſhall reade in the booke of the Law, as he did day and night: that ſhall eſteeme it above their neceſſary food with Job, Iob 23.12.who had rather miſſe a meale, then not reade his taske: that ſhall exhale and ſpend his ſpirits, fainting and panting in continuall ſallyes as it were,Pſal. 119.97. and egreſſions of affection to Gods Word, as David did: that ſhall underſtand Gods Will by bookes as Daniel, Dan. 9.2.who had learn'd the number of the yeares, out of Jeremy, and got light to the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dreame out of Ezechiel. Dan. 2. with Ezek. 31.3, &c.Chriſt himſelfe hath honoured Reading with his owne Example: for he came to Nazareth, and,Luk 4.16. as his cuſtome was, ſtood up to reade the Scriptures. He hath alſo bidden us, Search the Scriptures, ſearch here as for hid treaſures, with delight and diligence, as thoſe noble Bereans. Not careleſly and curſorily, as the moderne Jewes,Sr. Edw Sands. who are as reverend in their Synagogues,Sic ut poſſet quivis animo advertere quod ſervet illam pro con…uetudine potius quam pro… religione, reverentiam. Epiſt. 1. lib. 1. Nil obiter. as Grammar boyes are at Schoole when their Maſter is abſent. Not cuſtomarily, and of forme onelyonly, as Sidonius reports of Theodoricus, that he did his devotions more of cuſtome then of conſcience. Not ſuddenly or in haſt; but with preparation, pauſe and deliberation, ever having oculum ad ſcopum (which was Lud: Ʋives his Motto) an eye to the maine intent of that Text we read.foreign. Not with hearts and thoughts diſtracted and diſſipated, but called in and concentred on the buſineſſe in hand; as the Sun-beames in a glaſſe, or as the lines in the middle of a circle: Beſeeching God to fix our quickſilver, and to hold our hearts to the good abearance;Pſal. 119.12. that wee may hide Gods Word therein with David, melt at it as Joſiah, lay it up as the Ʋirgin Mary; Sabellicus.who is ſaid to have ſpent a third part of her time in reading the Scriptures. Sure it is, ſhee was excellently well verſed in them, as appeares by her Song. Neither ſhee onelyonly,Contra Appl. on. lib. 2. but any one of us Jewes, ſaith Joſephus, being asked about any point of the Law, can anſwer as readily as tell you his owne name.Celebrantur ſeduli in lectitandis ſacris. Malcolm. in Act. 6.5. Among thoſe ſeven firſt Deacons, Acts 6. Prochorus, Nicanor, and Timon, are famous for their diligence in reading the Scriptures. Of Anthony the Hermite it is reported, that though he knew no letter on the book, yet he could readily repeate the whole Scripture by heart:Aug de doct. Chriſt. And of Johannes Gatius, a certaine Divine of Sicily, Alſted Chronol. p. 267.that he was ſo well skilled in the Bible, that he thought, if it were utterly loſt out of the world, he could (for a need) reſtore it. Of Nepotian S. Hierom teſtifieth, that by much reading and meditation of the Scriptures,Pectus ſuum Bibliothecam Chriſti …ffec…ſſet. he had made his boſome that Library of Chriſt. As of Cecilia it is ſaid, that ſhee carried alwaies the Goſpell of Chriſt in her breaſt.Euſeb. l. 6. c 3. Origen was from his cradle inured to remember and recite the holy Scriptures;Baſil. epiſt. 74. and Baſil was taught them of a child by his nurſe Macrina. Didymus Alexandrinus. (though blind from his child-hood, yet) was not onelyonly a good Artiſt, but an able Divine; and wrote certaine Commentaries on the Pſalmes,Hieron, in Catalo. vir. illuſtrium. Initio dial. cum Tryphone. D. Prid Lect. and Goſpels; being now, ſaith S. Hierom, above 83 yeares of age. Juſtine the Philoſopher, and Cyprian the Necromancer (as ſome conceive it) were converted by reading. So were S. Auſtin, and Fulgentius; and of late Franciſcus Junius was turned from Atheiſme by reading the firſt Chapter of S. Johns Goſpell,In vita operibus praefixa. as himſelfe confeſſeth in his life. Others have hereby beene notably prepared for converſion, as the Bereans, Acts 17.11.and other Jewes; who were more eaſily wrought upon by the Apoſtles preaching, becauſe ſo well acquainted with the Scriptures, there was no need of quoting the places to them; it was ſufficient to name the words onelyonly. Reading with attention and application, breeds both knowledge and conſcience,Mat. 24.15. Dan. 9.2. teacheth Gods holy feare, and transformeth us into the ſame image: as the pearle by the often beating of the Sun beames upon it becomes radient as the Sun; and as Moſes by converſing with God, came downe from the holy Mount with his face ſhining. It ſeaſons the heart that it be not drown'd in earthly vanities, illightens the judgement, helpes the memory, comforts the conſcience, compoſeth the affections, keepes the King himſelfe (who hath more temptations) from pride and ſelfe-confidence;Deut. 17. It keepes out worldly cares, dulls carnall delights, ſtrengthneth faith, inflameth love, directeth the whole life ſecretly, yet ſweetly drawes a man above the world, above himſelfe, ſo that he converſeth with God, is in Heaven afore-hand, he eates, and drinkes, and ſleepes eternall life. S. Jerome writes of certaine holy Women ſo devoted this way,In regula ſa…ct. ut caro eſſet paenè neſcia carnis; they ſeemed in place onelyonly remote, but in affection to joyne with that holy company of Heaven.Hoſcus de Expr. verb. Dei Cyril. Alex. lib 6. Cont. Iulian. What meaneth then that foule-mouthed Cardinall to affirme that a diſtaffe were fitter for a woman then a Bible. Julian indeed the Apoſtate upbraideth the Chriſtians, that their women were medlers with the Scriptures. But Jerome highly commends it in his Euſtochium, Salvina Celantia, Paula, and her maidens, whom ſhee ſet to learne the Scriptures. And S. Chryſoſtome calles upon his hearers to ſearch the Scriptures, and ſharply reprooves them for that they could not ſay Pſalmes,Hom. 3. in Mat. and other portions of Scripture by heart. It is a lamentable thing that moſt people have either ſo much, or ſo little to doe, that they can never find time to looke into the Scriptures, to any purpoſe. If they reade, yet they profit not; either becauſe they are carnall, and ſavour not the things of the Spirit;Among Iewes, the Rabbi ſate, termed foreign the Scholler foreign that lies along in the duſt, at the teachers ſeet. Pſal. 25.9. or their hearts are yet ſtuft with pride and paſſions, or cares and luſts; or they ſit not at Gods feet, as Paul at Gamaliels, as Mary at our Saviours to receive his Word; or they reade but now and then, or but here and there, and not in order and with due obſervation; or they pray not, or they propound not their doubts, and ſeeke ſatisfaction. Some thinke it ſufficient to ſay they are not book-learn'd, neither can they skill of this Scripture-learning.foreign. Chryſ. ibid. This was the old excuſe in Chryſostomes time, I am no Monk, I have not beene bred a ſcholler, I have wife and children to take care for, &c. But what ſaith he to this? Audite, obſecro, ſeculares omnes, Homil 9. in ep. ad Coloſſ.comparate vobis Biblia, animae pharmaca; Hearken ye lay-men, get yee Bibles, the phyſicke for your ſoules. If you cannot read, get others to reade them to you, as yee will do your deeds and evidences. Bleſſed are they that read & (in caſe they cannot reade) heare the words of this Prophecy. Rev. 1.3.The Scriptures are called the Word, as if all the uſe of our eares were to heare this Word. Get you Bibles therefore; and if you count it a ſhame not to have fit furniture for your houſes, decent attire for your bodies, or attendance for your perſons; thinke it much more ſhame to be without Bibles; or having them, to caſt them into corners, or toſſe them up and down the houſe,Blunts voyage into the Levant. as old Almanacks. The Jewes in their Synagogues carry the Law in proceſſion, uſually all about, at the end of Service, with many ornaments of Crownes and Scepters, the children kiſſing it, as it paſſeth by them. In their private houſes they never lay any other booke upon the Bible: they waſh their hands before they touch it, they will not ſit upon the bench where it lies; as often as they open and ſhut it, they uſe to kiſſe it, and if it but fall to the ground they inſtitute a faſt for it. Surely their exceſſive reverence to the Word will riſe up in judgement againſt our heatheniſh prophaneneſſe, and hatefull heedleſneſſe. The very Turkes at this day doe ſo admire Moſes, Parei proleg. in Geneſ.that if they light upon looſe or torne papers, wherein any thing of his is written, they take it up and kiſſe it. Their owne Alchoran is to be read in Arabike under paine of death, not to miſtake a letter,Lightſoots Miſcell. p. 127. which is as eaſily done in this tongue, as in any. And amongſt thoſe Mahometans of Morocco, Rel. of entert. of Mor. Emb. pag 36.the Talby or prieſt that cannot reade the Alchoran all over on their Good-Friday at night, is held unworthy of his place, and preferment. Indeed they require none to heare them but ſuch as can well awhile.Turk. Hiſt. But S. Chryſoſtome (beſides what's done at home) will have his hearers make a while to attend to the publike reading of the Word,Hom. 28. in Gen. Obſecro ut ſubinde huc veniatis, &c. bringing their Bibles with them. See for this, Nehem. 8.3, 9. 2 Chron. 34.30. Act. 13.15. & 15.21. 1 Theſſ. 5.27. Coloſſ. 4.16. The Epiſtle to the Coloſſians muſt be read in the Church of the Laodiceans; and not onelyonly ſo, but the Coloſſians muſt reade the Epiſtle from Laodicea.
But what Epiſtle was that, Queſt. may ſome ſay, and where is it?
Some think the Laodiceans wrote to the Apoſtle, Anſw. and propounded their doubts, unto which he hath anſwered in that Epiſtle to the Coloſſians: Bifield in coloſſ.and therefore required that his anſwer may be compared with their doubts. Other good bookes then may be read and publikely too: but eſpecially the Scriptures.foreign The ſame word in Hebrew ſignifies reading and a Convocation or Aſſembly. And another word in that tongue ſignifies to reade and meditate: to ſhew that we muſt not read the Scripture as we doe a Hiſtory for delight, nor run it over onelyonly as an Ephemeris or day-book, nor turne it over the thumbe as a taske, but with pauſe and deliberation;foreign Coloſſ. 3.16. never giving over, till it dwell richly in us, become familiar to us, and be as well knowne of us, as thoſe of the ſame houſe, yea as our owne brethren and ſiſters. Say unto Wiſedome, thou art my ſiſter, and call underſtanding thy kinſwoman, Prov. 4.7. He that knowes not his own fleſh and blood, we count him a ſingular ideot; ſo doth the Lord all ſuch, as are unskilled in his Word. Who would not thinke ſhame to be counted and called as rude as a horſe, as ignorant as an aſſe? Behold God eſteemes no better of ſuch as are not skilfull in the Scriptures, Pſal. 32.9. Eſay 1.3. be they otherwiſe never ſo profound and politique. Wherefore read and let him that readeth underſtand, Mat. 24.15. And that you may, take theſe directions in reading.
Sect. 2.
FIrſt reade though thou underſtandeſt not,Chryſoſt. ser. 3. de Lazaro. God may graciouſly drop ſome further light into thee (as he ſent Philip to the Eunuch) even whiles thou art reading, or ſome other time, when thou leaſt look'ſt for it. Joſeph underſtood not his owne dreames at firſt, till he ſaw his brethren proſtrate before him.Gen. 42.9. Then Joſeph remembred the dreames that he dreamed of them. J remember, ſaith Jehu to Bidkar, when thou and I rode after Ahab,2 King 9.25. the Lord laid this burden upon him. Theſe things underſtood not his Diſciples at firſt; but when Jeſus was glorified, then remembred they that theſe things were written of him, and that they had done theſe things unto him.Ioh. 12.16. Ioh. 2.22. The Spirit came not upon Saul in the annoynting, but afterwards, when he was departed from Samuel. 1 Sam. 10.1, 6, 5.My Beloved was gone, ſaith the Spouſe, my ſoule failed when he ſpake, or becauſe of his ſpeech, that he had uttered,Cant. 5.2-6. but ſhe for preſent either heard not, or heeded not; Open unto mee my ſiſter, &c. Gods Word lies ſometimes as the ſeed under a clod, or as the Sun under a cloud, it appeares not, affects not for the preſent (as John Baptiſts preaching wrought not for diverſe yeares after it was delivered, and then it did) till it be ſeconded by ſome powerfull Sermon,Ioh. 10 4…, 41. as there, or ſome piercing croſſe, as Joh. 14.26. or unexpected accident, Acts 10.34, &c. Goe on therefore conſtantly in thy Chriſtian courſe of reading as Job did, Chap. 23.12. and be not diſmayed with any difficulties, as David, who when he underſtood he ſhould be put upon hard and hot ſervice, it pleaſed him well. 1 Sam. 18.2…. foreign Luk. 1.3.OnelyOnly as S. Luke wrote, (ſo muſt you reade) in an orderly manner; beginning at the beginning of the booke we undertake, and ſo continue reading till you come to the end of it. Account not any part of this venerable Volume to be ſuperfluous or ſuper-vacaneous, not inſcriptions, ſaith Chryſoſtome, not iterations, ſay we, or expletives or any the leaſt jot or tittle, ſaith our Saviour, but all pure, precious and profitable.foreign. For if Hippocrates could ſay of his faculty of phyſick, that there was nothing to be accounted little in it, nothing contemptible;Platonici in corporibus coeleſtibus quendam veluti florem, in hiſce inferioribus quandam veluti …ae…em eſſe dicebant, &c. Mureti Orat. how much more may we ſay the ſame of the holy Scriptures. The Platoniſts affirme that in the heavenly bodies is a certaine flower, and quinteſſence, in theſe inferiour bodies a kind of dregs and ſediment. Sure it is, that all ſciences whatſoever are but droſſe and dregs to the doctrine of Divinity contained in the Scriptures: there's not a leafe nor a line, not a ſyllable nor a particle, ſaith S. Jerome, but hath its ſenſe and ſubſtance well worthy to be weighed and obſerved.
Here ſome make queſtion whether it be their part to reade on in Chronicles, Ezra and other places, where are nothing but names and Genealogies, which they conceive to be to us (now) of no great uſe?
The reſolution is,Pemble of the Perſ. Monar. that they muſt reade on, if it be but to ſhew their obedience to God, in reading over all his ſacred Word. But beſides, there is much to be had out of the Genealogies, and Chapters full of names to a wiſe and diligent Reader. And what if we underſtand not, can pick nothing out of ſome ſuch Chapters; yet we muſt know that thoſe places have in them an immanent power to edifie, though as yet it be not tranſient, conveighing the profit of it to us, till in ſome meaſure we doe underſtand it.
Sect. 3.
SEcondly, make the beſt of that you reade, by ſerious and ſet meditation thereupon.Pſal. 119 98, 99, 100. David hereby became wiſer then his Teachers, Elders, Enemies. And why?Pſal. 62.11. when the Lord ſpake once he heard him twice: to wit, by an after-meditation. Reading and meditation are both expreſſed by one and the ſame word in the holy tongue, pointing us to what we muſt doe, if we will either underſtand what we reade, or retaine what we underſtand. Meditation is a ſtudious act of the minde, ſearching the knowledge of an hidden truth by the diſcourſe of reaſon. A moſt ſweet exerciſe to thoſe that are any whit acquainted with it; who could even wiſh themſelves pent up (as Anchorets) in the voluntary priſon-walles of divine meditation. This, this is that, that makes a man ſee farre into Gods ſecrets, and enjoy both God and himſelfe with unſpeakeable comfort. We reade of Socrates that he would ſtand plodding of points of Philoſophy,A. Gellius. in the ſame poſture of body, for divers houres together, not ſenſible of any thing that was done about him. And of Chryſippus, that he was ſo tranſported at his ſtudy, that he had periſhed with hunger, had not his maid Meliſſa thruſt meate into his mouth.Democ. junior. Crede mihi in Mathematicarum ſtudijs etiam mo ri, dulciſſimum eſſet. 'T were a ſweet thing, ſaith one, to die ſtudying the Mathematicks, as Archimedes did.Ʋir ingenioſa & proſunda meditatione, &c ſine cibo & ſomno niſi que… cubito innixus capiebat, per triduum totum. Thuan Thuanus writes of one Franciſcus Ʋieta Fontaneio a Frenchman, ſo cloſe and conſtant a ſtudent, that he would ſit many times three whole daies together in a deepe muſe, without food or ſo much as ſleepe, but what he took a little now and then leaning on his elbow. Ʋalere eſt Philoſophari, the ſtudy of Phyloſophy is truly health, ſaith Seneca, who therfore ſalutes his freind Lucilius thus, ſi Philoſapharis bene eſt. Epiſt. 15.But I ſay the onelyonly true health is to meditate with David, Horum meditatio valetu…o mea, vita mea. Scultet Anno…. in Marc.day and night on the Word of God. S. Bernard ſaith, that he had once no other maſters but oakes and beech-trees;Author vitae Bern. lib. 1. …. 4. that among them he had got that skill he had in the holy Scriptures, that he had profited more therein by meditation and prayer,Aſcendamus meditatione & oratione veluti duobus pedibus, &c. Bern. then by reading the largeſt Commentaries. Theſe two were the wings, whereby he flew into Heaven, and had his hearts deſire to be taught of God. Therefore ſhall yee lay up theſe my words in your heart, Luk. 2.13.and in your ſoule, &c. Deut. 11.18. as the Virgin Mary did laying up what ſhee underſtood not, and chewing upon it: And as David did,Pſal. 16.7. Pſal 4 4. Pſal. 119.24. Act. 109, 10. Eſay 6.1, 2. Anno a d…uvio 1540 Ʋide, quaeſo quàm di verſa ſiant …oc anno in Eccleſia & extra Eccleſiam. Ethnici in Graecia ſpectant ludos …uos. Eſaias in Iudea contemplatur revelatä Dei gloriam, &c. Buchol. Chron. 541. whoſe reynes inſtructed him in the night ſeaſon, whilſt he communed with his owne heart upon his bed, and adviſed with Gods ſtatutes as the men of his counſell. So Eliah on Mount Carmel, Daniel by the river Ʋlay, Peter on the leads, Iſaac in the fields, Eſay among the Seraphims, ſeeing and ſetting forth the Lord ſitting upon his throne high and lofty, when the vaine Graecians were at the ſame time tumultuating & triumphing at their Olympick games. O quàm ſordeant huius mundi foreign & foreign animo ad coelum erecto; *D. Prid Lect.O how vile are the taſtleſſe foolerics of earthly pleaſures, or the beſt contents that Philoſophy can affoord, to a mind lift up in heavenly meditation. Such a mans thoughts feed hard upon the faireſt objects: ſuch as are thoſe, ſet downe in that briefe of the Bible,Iam. 1 21. foreign Plutarch ſaith that Corio…anus had ſo uſed her weapons, foreign that they ſeemed foreign. In vita Cor. Philip. 4.8. till he hath turned them in ſuccum & ſanguinem, till the Word become an ingrafted Word, ſetled on his ſoule, as the ſcience on the ſtock, and cloſe applyed as the playſter to the ſore, that will ſurely heale.
Sect. 4.
THirdly, to Meditation joyne hearty prayer to the Father of lights for the Spirit of Revelation, that unction from on high, that ſpirituall eye-ſalve, that ſo plowing with his heyfer we may underſtand his riddles. No man knowes the things of a man ſave the ſpirit of a man that is in him, Prov. 20.27. 1 Cor. 1.11. Rom. 8.27.(which is therefore called Gods candle ſearching all the inward parts of the belly) Even ſo the deepe things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. But as God underſtandeth the mind of the Spirit, ſo doth the Spirit underſtand the meaning of God, and we by the Spirit have the mind of Chriſt. 1 Cor 2. ult.Reade not therefore but pray firſt and laſt, that God would give us his Spirit to inſtruct us; that he who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkeneſſe, would ſhine into our hearts, that he would beate out windowes in theſe dark dungeons, and let in the light of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. 2 Cor. 4.6.Prayer is as the Merchants ſhip to fetch in heavenly commodities,Prov. 31.14 2 Sam 1.22. 2 Sam. 18.27. as Jonathans bow that never returned empty of ſpoile, as Ahimaaz, that alwaies brought good tidings. When ever therefore you take up the Bible and open it, cry,Pſal. 119. Lord open mine eyes that J may ſee the wondrous things of thy Law. When you are reading, thinke you ſee written over every line,Zach. 14.20. Sancte liber, venerande liber, liber optime, ſalve. Holineſſe to the Lord, and lift up ſome good requeſts. As when you ſhut the booke againe, ſay, Lord who am I that thou ſhouldſt ſhut up thy myſteries in ſuch an earthen veſſell,O animae noſtrae Biblia, dimidium. put ſuch a precious pearle in a leatherne purſe, commit ſuch a rich talent to me who am of ſaints the leaſt, of ſinners the greateſt. Thus as Moſes prayed devoutly both when the Arke removed, and likewiſe when it reſted againe. And as Paul begins, continues, and concludes his Epiſtles with holy prayers,Hoc primum repetas opu…, hoc poſtremus omittas. ſo muſt we our reading of the Scriptures if we meane to make any thing of it. No ſacrifice was without incenſe, ſo muſt no ſervice be without prayer.Mar. 9.24. Yea let us pray with teares, as he in the Goſpell did, and ſped. They are effectuall Oratours with Chriſt, who found time to looke upon the weeping women, when he was in the midſt of his agony, and in his way to the tree. Jacob wreſtled with him and prevailed by prayers and teares. The Prophets uſually received their Revelations beſides rivers.Eſay 62.4. Cant 1.15. Cant. 4.1. The Spouſe (Chriſts Cheptſibah) is ſaid to have doves eyes, glazed with teares. John the beloved Diſciple wept and ſo obtained that the booke ſhould be opened.Revel. 5.4. Like as when Gods bottle was filled with Hagars teares, he opened her eyes, and ſent his Angell to ſhew her where ſhe might fill her bottle with living water. Luther (that great inſtrument of Gods glory for the bringing of life and immortality to light by the Goſpell) was a man of prayer,2 Tim, 1.10. and ſo ardent therein, that (as Melancton writeth) they which ſtood under his window, where he was praying, might ſee his teares falling and dropping downe.Scultet. Annal. George Prince of Anhalt, though he ſaw ſomething by Luthers light, yet being not throughly convinced of divers points then in controverſie, beſought God with many teares to bend his mind to the truth, uſing often thoſe words of David, Pſal. 119.124.Deale with thy ſervant according to thy mercy and teach me thy ſtatutes. This was the firſt and the onelyonly Prince of Germany that himſelfe taught his ſubjects the way to Heaven,Ibid. both by lively voice, by printed bookes, and by his daily prayers for his people, that he might ſave himſelfe and thoſe that heard him. Luk. 6.12.Our Saviour, when he was to ſend forth his Apoſtles, ſpent a whole night in prayer with ſtrong crying and teares for a bleſſing on their Miniſtery, and was heard in that he requeſted. The harp yeelds no ſound till toucht by the hand of the Muſitian: nor can Paul prevaile with Lydia till God open her heart. Rebeccah may cook the veniſon, but it is Iſaac that muſt give the bleſſing: Paul may plant, &c. but God gives increaſe. The cauſe why the Word workes no more upon many mens hearts, when they reade of heare it, is becauſe they reſt too much upon it (as that Idolatrous Micah, who ſaid,Iudg 17. J know God Will be mercifull unto me, becauſe J have got a Levite) and cry not earneſtly to God to come himſelfe unto them in the fullneſſe of the bleſſing of the Goſpell of Chriſt, Rom. 15.29.to ſtrike a holy ſtroke by his powerfull Spirit, to give us right judgement and underſtanding, that we may approove things that are excellent. Pray therefore with S. Paul, Phil. 1.that the God of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of glory, would give unto us the Spirit of Wiſdome and revelation, the eyes of our underſtanding being enlightned, &c.Epheſ. 1.17, 18 Rev 3. Rev. 5. Pray him that hath the key of David, and was found only worthy to open the ſeven ſeales, to open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law, to irradiate both Organ and Object to give us ſight and light: not that outward light onelyonly that is in the Scriptures themſelves, but that inward alſo of his Spirit, the light of faith in our hearts.Aug de Civ. Dei. The Platoniſts could ſay that the light of our mindes, whereby we learne all things, is no other but God himſelfe, the ſame that made all things; ſay therefore with David; Pſal. 119.12.Bleſſed be thou, O Lord, teach me thy ſtatutes. And with Zuninglius, I beſeech Almighty God to direct our waies;Deum O. M. precor ut vias noſtras dirigat ac ſicubi ſimus Beleami in morem veritati pertinaciter obluctaturi, &c. Epiſt lib. 3…. fol. 118. and if Balaam-like, we ſhall wilfully withſtand the truth, to ſend his holy Angell, who, with the dint of his drawne ſword, may ſo daſh this Aſſe (our blindneſſe and boldneſſe, I meane) to the wall, that we may feele our feet (that is, our carnall affections) to be cruſht, and our ſelves kept from ſpeaking ought amiſſe of the God of Heaven.Omnipotent ſempiterne ac mi…ericors Deus, cujus verbum, &c. Scultet. Annal p. 328. His publike Lectures on the Bible he alwaies began with this prayer. Almighty, everlaſting, and mercifull God, whoſe Word is a lanterne to our feet, and a light to our pathes, be pleaſed to open and enlighten our minds, that we may both underſtand theſe thine Oracles piouſly and holily, and alſo be transformed into that we rightly underſtand, ſo that we may not in any thing diſpleaſe thy Majeſty, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Amen.
Sect. 5.
FOurthly, conferre with thoſe that are better able: propound to them your doubts, and ſeeke ſatisfaction as the Diſciples did, Joh. 16.16. and the Eunuch, Acts 8.34. and the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 7. But ever doe this with a deſire to be reſolved, and to yeeld to the truth revealed, Not like that None-ſuch Ahab, 2 Chron. 18.14. or thoſe perverſe Phariſees,Ioh 18.38. Mar. 8.12. or Pilate, that asked what is truth? but cared not to heare an anſwer; or Herod who was deſirous of a long ſeaſon to ſee our Saviour,Luk. 23 8. as hoping to have ſeene ſome miracle done by him (as by ſome baſe juggler) but would never ſtirre out of doores to fee him.Ier 42.19. Not like Jeremies hearers that had made their concluſion before they came to enquire of him, and were reſolved upon their courſe: nor like thoſe tatling women in Timothy, 2 Tim 3.7.that are ever learning, but never knowing the truth.Luk. 24. But with an humble and honeſt heart, as thoſe two going to Emaus: for ſuch ſhall know all Chriſts mind, as they: Such ſhall be of his Court and Counſell,Gen. 18.17. as Abraham: to ſuch will he looke,Eſa. 66.1, 2. even to ſuch with ſpeciall intimations of his love and good liking,Luk. 23.28. as he did to the devout women; and ſpake kindly to them, when proud Pilate could hardly get a word of him. The ſtiffe-necked Jewes might aske our Saviour what he meant by that ſaying, After a while yee ſhall ſee me, &c. and receive no ſatisfaction: but let his Diſciples propound the ſame queſtion to him,Ioh, 16.18, 19. and he anſwers them to the full. So ready is Chriſt to ſatisfie the hungry with good things, whereas the rich he ſendeth empty away. When therefore you come in company of Gods abler ſervants, (Miniſters or others) trifle not out the time in idle curioſities, nice and needleſſe queſtions, unprofitable and endleſſe diſputes, &c. but ask good things with the Diſciples, ſeek with the Spouſe in the Canticles, knock at the doore of their lips for a ſpirituall almes, who as liberall houſe-keepers feed many.Prov. 10.21. This is a high point of heavenly wiſdome, and a courſe of incredible profit: ſuch as may beſeeme a Paul, (who would both give and receive ſome ſpirituall gift from the beleeving Romanes) or an Apoll…, Rom. 1.11.who though an eloquent m…n and mighty in the Scriptures, yet was taught the way of God more perfectly by a couple of poore tent-makers.Acts 18.26. Let our civill converſation be in Heaven,foreign Phil. 3.20. 1 Cor. 11.17. and our meetings be for the better, not for the worſe, that if Chriſt ſhould ſuddenly chop in amongſt us, and aske us as he did thoſe two going to Emaus, what manner of communications are theſe ye have one with another, Luk. 14.wee may give him a good account of that we have beene talking of: and our very ſpeech may bewray us, as it did Peter, to be of his number and retinue; good ſtewards of the manifold grace of God.1 Pet. 4.10.
Sect. 6.
LAſtly, deſpiſe not prophecying, but plant thy ſelfe under the droppings of the preaching Miniſtery: for there (if any where) the doctrines of the Scriptures are beaten out (as ſpices to the ſmell) and made familiar and plaine to us. Wait therefore daily, duly, diligently, at theſe poſtes of wiſedomes gates, Prov. 8.34.weare out the threſhold of Gods Houſe, ſeeke to the Sanctuary for ſatisfaction in your doubts: as David did, when he met with a matter that was too hard for him, he went to the houſe of God, and by the helpe of the publike Miniſtery, he got the right underſtanding of Gods providence, righteouſneſſe and wiſedome in ordering the diſorders of the world, which by private reading or meditation he could never attaine to,Pſal. 73 13. though himſelfe were a Prophet. They are fooles that ſay they know as much as ere a Preacher of them all can teach them:Ioh. 4. for the Law is a deep well, as Jacobs, and we want a bucket, and the Goſpell is a myſtery, yea the wiſedome of God in a myſtery. 1 Cor. 2. Col. 1.26.So that as a man may look on a trade, and yet never ſee the myſtery of it, he may looke on artificiall peeces, as pictures, watches, clock-works, that wonderfull globe of ſilver ſent by Ferdinand King of Romanes to Solyman the Turke for a preſent, that did daily expreſſe the hourely paſſing of the time, the motions of the planets,Turkiſh Hiſt. p 713. the change and full of the Moone, the wonderfull motions and converſions of the whole coeleſtiall frame. This rare and curions deviſe, ever moving by certaine wheeles and weights conveighed within it, and exactly keeping due time and motion, a man might have lookt on long enough, or ere he could conceive the art whereby it was deviſed and perfected. So it is in reading many places of Scripture. A man may looke upon the letter, and never underſtand the ſenſe, any more then the Philiſtins did Sampſons riddles: there may be a well of water hard by him, and he perceive it no more then Hagar did, till God had opened her eyes. Have you not read? Mat. 12.3 & 19.14. & 21.16, 42.and did you never reade? ſaith our Saviour to the Scribes. Yes: none more: But they ſearched not into the heart of the ſenſe, but ſtuck in the back of the letter, and died in their ſinnes, becauſe they would not hearken to his Sermons and Expoſitions of the Law. The Mathematikes are not learn'd without a teacher,Mathemat… quòd ſine praeceptore percipi nequeant, dicta ſunt. and thence have their names no more are many Scriptures. How can I underſtand, ſaith the Eunuch, except ſome man guide me? Act. 8.31.Our Saviour expounded to thoſe two, in all the Scriptures,Luk. 24.27. the things concerning himſelfe. And ſhortly after, at his ſolemne inauguration into his heavenly kingdome, when he aſcended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. The Holy Ghoſt, in that expreſſion, ſeemes to allude to the manner of the Romane triumphs; wherein (beſides the captives driven before the Chariot of State, bound and pinnion'd) the Generals uſed, in token of their bounty, to caſt abroad certaine new peeces of coyne to be pickt up by the people. Semblably, our bleſſed Saviour triumphing gloriouſly over finne, death, and hell on the chariot of his Croſſe, and having ſpoy…ed principalities and powers, minds an open ſhew of them, he alſo gave gifts to men, and what are thoſe? ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Prophets, &c. See therefore that ye deſpiſe not prophecying, 1 Theſſ 5.20.leſt ye wiſh you had not; as Saul did, who ſleighted Samuel while alive, and would faine have heard him, and adviſed with him when he was dead: like ſome drowning man that ſtretcheth out his hand to that bough, which he contemned ſtanding ſafe on the banke. But now (alaſſe) it was all too late. As he loſt his kingdome by not diſcerning his time to ſacrifice, and not ſtaying for the Prophet; ſo hee loſt his life (if not his ſoule) by not hearkning to the Prophet. Saul enquired of the Lord, but the Lord anſwered him not, 1 Sam. 28 6.neither by dreames, Ʋrim, Flectere ſi nequeo ſup…ros Acher…ta movebo. Neſcis quid ſerus veſper vehat.nor Prophets. The divell muſt now be his ghoſtly father, his Vrim darkneſſe, his refuge a Witch, his Prophet a Sprite. Walke therefore and work too, while the light laſteth. Today heare his voice, whiles it is called to day, Prov. 27.1.for who knowes what a great-bellied day may bring forth? Harden not your hearts, but haſten to Gods houſe, as the waters to their place, as the doves to their windowes. Come, ſay yee, Eſa. 60.8. Zach. 8.21. Eſay 2.2.and let us goe ſpeedily to the houſe of the Lord, I will goe alſo. And he will teach us there of his waies, and we will walke in his pathes. Neglect not any opportunity of hearing: thou knoweſt not what light thou looſeſt, what a prize thou forgoeſt. Thomas was abſent but once from the holy meeting (and perhaps about ſome weighty buſineſſe) but we all know how wofully he was thereupon be-blinded and hardned,Joh. 20.24. to incredulity he ads obſtinacy, to weaknes wilfullnes, Joh. 20.24.foreign Heb. 10.25. Forſake not therefore the aſſemblies of Saints as the manner of ſome is, but cling cloſe to Chriſt, as the chickēs do to the hen that clucks them: ſuch an alluſion there ſeemes to be in the Originall. Come carefully to the publike reading of the Word, there's a ſpeciall bleſſing annexed, & to be expected. Come to the preaching of the Word, that yee may heare and underſtand,Mat. 15.10. Eſay 55.3. 1 King. 19.11, 12. yea that ye may heare & live. God was in the ſtill voice, to ſhew that he had ſanctified a voice to be the ordinary meanes of comming to his creature.Dieſtius de rat. ſlud Theol. Neſcio quid in auſcultatione divinum eſt, ſaith one. I know not how, but there is ſome divine and extraordinary matter in hearing the Word, for informing the judgement, helping the memory, and reforming the life. Eſpecially if we bring Bibles to Church and turne to the proofes, as the noble Bereans did:Act. 17. whereas otherwiſe we may be ſhamefully ſeduced. Socrates telles us of one Sabbatius a Novatian Biſhop, that reading this Text of the Goſpell,Luk. 22.1. Now the feaſt of unleavened bread (which is the Paſſeover) drew neare, he added of his owne head,Socrat lib. 5. cap. 21. Curſed is every one that keepeth the Paſſeover, without unleavened bread. And by this falſification, many of the more ſimple Novatian Hereticks were carried away from the faith. Whereas on 'tother ſide, when by comparing the Text and the gloſſe, we perceive the Preacher delivering nothing for truth, but what is grounded upon the Word of truth, our hearts will be the better ballaſted, bottomed, rooted and ſtabliſh'd in the faith, like thoſe trees planted by the river of waters, and not like chaffe which the winde driveth away, Pſal. 1.3, 4. whiffled and toſſed too and fro with every wind of doctrine, Epheſ. 4.14.Mat 13.44. 1 Theſſ. 2.23. Ier. 6.16. Coloſſ. 2.2. We ſhall grow to a certainty in what we hold, yea we ſhall perſevere and hold faſt that we have learn'd and heard, we ſhall obey what we know, and find reſt to our ſoules. Come therefore to Gods houſe, and come betimes, to be there with the firſt, ſtriving to out-runne one another, as Peter and John did not the Sepulcher of our Saviour.Homericum Neſtoris ſacrificium, ſuit matutinum. Ac omnino matutinum tempus, quod foreign, Antiqui ſacrificijs idoneum putabant, quo guidē Deos aſſidere templis opinabantur. Stuchi. us de ſac…. gentil. The Philiſtines flock betime to the Temple of their god, ſo did other Heathens beſides. What a ſhame is it then for us to come lag to ours? doth it not ſpeake us careleſſe, if not contemptuous? Being there, ſet thy ſelfe reverently as in the preſence of God with Cornelius, looke him full in the face with David, ſay, This is the houſe of God, the gate of heaven, with Jacob. Keepe ſilence before him, as ye are bidden,foreign. Eſay 41.1. and as the watch-word was in the Primitive times among Chriſtians, yea anciently among Heathens. Sleepe not therefore, talke not, reade not, gaze not.Hoc age. Origen chides his hearers for nothing ſo much as for their ſeldome comming to the publike meetings,Eraſmus in vita Orig. operibus praefixa. and their careleſſe hearing that which they ought to liſten too as for life.Pſal. 45.10. Prov. 2.2. Divina eloquia tanto altius quiſque intelligit quāto altius in ea intendit. Greg; foreign Luk. 19.48. Cant. 1.1. Hearken O daughter and conſider, incline thine eare, &c. And Cauſe thine eare to hearken, incline thy heart to wiſdome and underſtanding. Hang upon the Preachers lips (which are appointed to preſerve knowledge, and to drop as honey-combes) as the people did upon our Saviours: covet theſe kiſſes of Chriſts mouth with his Spouſe: ſay, Speake Lord for thy ſervant heareth. All that the Lord ſhall ſay unto me, that will I doe. I come hither reſolved to denie mine owne reaſon,Mar. 10.2. profit, pleaſure, credit, friends, all, for the words ſake: loving what God by the Preacher promiſeth, fearing what he threatneth, hating what he rebuketh, embracing what he commendeth, lamenting what he aggravateth,De doctr… Chriſtian… 4. ca. 12 as Auſtin ſweetly adviſeth. Thus if we dance when wee are piped unto, weepe when we are mourned unto,Acts 20.31, with 37 as thoſe Elders of Epheſus: If we lay down our ſelves at Chriſts feet, ſubmitting to the Scepter of his Kingdome,Iſa 16.1. and ſending a Lambe to the Ruler of the whole Earth. God will give us the meeting in that Ordinance, and teach us things great and high that we knew not before. Ieremy 33 3.OnelyOnly wee muſt bring with us good and honeſt hearts, free from every roote of bitterneſſe; ſuch as are thoſe mentioned, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. The pure in heart only ſee God, as tranſparent bodies only let in light, and as the eye, unleſſe it be well affected, cannot diſcerne the object.Pſalme 25.14. Ezek. 46.9. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that feare him, and he will ſhew them his Covenant. But then they muſt not unmannerly turne their backs upon the propitiatory, but ſtay out the laſt. Judas by departing afore all was done, met the Divell at the doore. The carnall Capernaites conclude it was a hard ſaying of our Saviour, and went their way; whereas had they ſtaid out the Sermon, they might have heard that doubt reſolved, that his meaning was ſpirituall, John 6.60, 63. The multitude thought Zachary long, yet,Luke 1. though they could but ſee a farre off, they would not away, till he returned to bleſſe them. In the Councell of Agathon it was decreed,Canon: 32 that people ſhould not preſume to go out of the Temple before the Miniſters had bleſſed the Congregation. And in the 24. Canon of the fourth Councell of Carthage, it is ſaid, Let him that goeth forth of the Auditory, when the Miniſter is ſpeaking to the Congregation be excommunicated. Among the Romanes, none ſtirred out of the Temple, till the Prieſt had finiſhed and cryed Ex Templo; Becman: de Originibus ling: Lat.which becauſe it was ſoon done, (every man haſting out upon the word ſpoken) therfore is that word uſed to ſignifie ſuddenly, quickly. This argues deadneſſe of heart and diſaffection, when men are ſo weary of well-doing, when they are ſo ſoone ſated, and ſoe eaſily intreated to depart.Pſalme 16. Pſalme 84. Theſe are farre from Davids deſire to dwell in the houſe of the Lord, all the dayes of their life: Neither would they be forward to beg his office out of his hand of being ſome doore-keeper there.Revel. 4. And what would ſuch men doe in Heaven, Where they reſt not day nor night prayſing God, but ſerve him unceſſantly without intermiſſion. The Jewes when they ended one Section of the Law in their publike reading, they ever began another, that they might ſhew themſelves unſatisfiable in ſerving God: And when they had read thorough Moſes, and began Joſhua they called that Section, Haphtorah latitiae legis, &c.