The Way to the Tree of Life, Part 1 · Chapter 1
CAP. I. Of the neceſsity of preparation thereunto.
THat the reading of the Scriptures is nothing elſe but a kind of holy conference with God, Preparation in the reading of the Scriptures,wherein we enquire after, and he reveals unto us himſelf, and his will; we ſhall manifeſt more fully hereafter, when we ſhall ſhew that theſe holy writings are the Word of God himſelf, who ſpeaks unto us in and by them. 1. Inforced 1t Frō the preſence of God with whom we confer in reading.Wherefore when we take in hand the Book of the Scriptures, we cannot otherwiſe conceive of our ſelves, then as ſtanding in Gods preſence, to hear what he will ſay unto us. So much the Prophet ſeems to imply, Pſal. 73.17. when he expreſſeth his conſulting with Gods Word, by that phraſe of going into the Sanctuary of God, (for there indeed was Gods Word kept) that is, going in unto God, as going into the Sanctuary is tearmed, 2 Sam. 7.18. theſe kinds of expreſſion ſeem to imply, that when we betake our ſelves to the reading of the Scriptures, we come in unto God, or ſtand in his preſence, to enquire at his mouth.
Now with what reverence it becomes us to ſtand in Gods preſence, Requiring therefore of us due reverence in performing that duty. 1. From the Majeſty of God.appears not onelyonly by Jacobs fear after he knew God was in the place where he lay, Gen. 28.16, 17. but farther, by the caveat given by Solomon, to take heed to our feet, when we enter into Gods houſe, Eccleſ. 5.1. and that upon a double ground; partly, becauſe God is in heaven, ver. 2. that is, high, and full of Majeſty, and conſequently to be attended with reverence, 2. From the ſenſe of our defilements and inabilities.and fear; and partly, becauſe we have ſhooes on our feet, which God warns Moſes to put off, Exod. 3.5. when he ſtood in his preſence; that is, (to ſpeak in S. James his phraſe) we have filthineſſe, and ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe in our hearts, which muſt be laid aſide, that when we come unto God to be taught by him, we may receive his word with meekneſſe, James 1.21. So that both the Majeſty and Holineſſe of God, whoſe eyes are purer then to behold evill, Hab. 1.13. and the corruptions and defilements of our own hearts neceſſarily require an heedfull, 2ly Frō the inconveniences that follow neglect of ſuch preparation.and carefull preparation of our ſelves, before we enter into Gods preſence, to enquire at his mouth, and look into his word.
The neceſſity of this preparation, when we read the Scriptures, will be yet more evident, if we obſerve the ill conſequents which follow the neglect of this duty, in ſuch perſons as either wholly, or too often omit it; who boldly entring into Gods preſence, 1 Unfruitfulneſſe in our ſelves.and handling the holy things of God with unwaſhen hands, that is, reading his word with unſanctified and unprepared hearts; as they come unto the work without due reverence, ſo they return for the moſt part without fruit, 2 Diſcredit of the word it ſelf.and by that means bring up an ill report upon the ſacred ordinance of God, as if it were a dead letter without any quickning power at all, unſavoury food without nouriſhment, unfruitfull ſeed that yeelds no encreaſe. Secondly, 3 Diſcouragement to others.by the ſame means they weaken the hearts of ſuch as might be encouraged to undertake this holy exerciſe, from the uſe whereof they are much deterred, when they obſerve ſome of thoſe that are frequent in the practiſe of this duty, remain ſtill ignorant, unfruitfull, dead-hearted, and diſconſolate. And laſtly, 4 Diſcomfort to our ſelves.they occaſion diſcomfort to themſelves, when, notwithſtanding the uſe of this means, they finde themſelves ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth, remaining ſtill either in ignorance, or in diſobedience of heart, at leaſt in much deadneſſe of ſpirit, without zeal, life, or activity in holy duties.
Thus we cannot but obſerve with grief of heart, an exerciſe in it ſelf every way uſefull, fruitfull, and comfortable, if it be duly and conſcionably performed; by the neglect of carefull preparation become not onelyonly unfruitfull, and unprofitable, but beſides by neceſſary conſequent, unpleaſant, diſtaſtefull, and burthenſome to thoſe that uſe it. To manifeſt the neceſſity of due preparation in reading the Scriptures, much more might be ſpoken, and many more ill conſequents might be obſerved, that are occaſioned by the neglect thereof: But the conſiderations already mentioned, are ſufficient to evince the uſefulneſſe and neceſſity of ſuch a preparation. Taking that therefore for granted, that this duty of preparation, when we undertake the reading of holy Scriptures, muſt be performed, our next work muſt be to give directions for the manner, and order how the Readers heart muſt be fitted to the performance of this task, which cannot well be done without taking knowledge of the nature of that word which is to be read, and of the end and ſcope at which it aims.
That the obſervation of the nature of Gods word which we read, 2 Directed by conſidering, 1. the nature of the Scriptures.may much farther us in this duty of preparation to the reading, and ſtudy of the Scriptures, is evident by our uſe and cuſtome in ordinary things of this life. We chuſe and husband our grounds according to the nature of the ſeed wherewith we intend to ſow it; and according to the nature and condition of that matter wherewith we fill our Veſſels, wee make choice of them, appointing ſome for dry things, and others for moiſt, and fit them diverſly for foul or clean. In like manner muſt we conſider the nature of the Word, if we mean to order our hearts aright, which are the grounds that muſt receive this holy ſeed, the Veſſels that muſt contain this precious balm. We muſt therefore conſider that the word is a pure word, Pſalme 119.140. that we may cleanſe and purifie our hearts for the receiving of it. We muſt know that the Law is ſpirituall, Rom. 7.14. and heavenly, James 3.17. that we may labour for ſpirituall and heavenly mindes to entertain it; we muſt apprehend it as a word of power and authority, the voice of God, that mighty Creator of Heaven and Earth, before our hearts can be ſubdued to receive and entertain it with that meeknes, Jam. 1.21. and trembling of heart, Iſa. 66.2. which is required. We muſt be perſwaded that it is a ſure word, 2 Pet. 1.19. a faithfull word, Tit. 1.9. a viſion that will not lye, Heb. 2.3. as proceeding out of the mouth of him that cannot lye, Tit. 1.2. or elſe we ſhall never be prepared to embrace it with faithfull and beleeving hearts, without which the word cannot profit us at all, Heb. 4.2.
In the next place, 2 By obſerving the end wherat the Scriptures aim.we muſt take knowledge of the end wherefore the word was given, if we mean to uſe and apply it as we ought: ſeeing we know one cannot uſe an inſtrument aright, unleſſe he know for what uſe it was made. Now the principall ends for which the Scriptures were given, were; Firſt, the manifeſting of God unto us, 1. Making God known to us. 2. Directing our ways.that we may honour him as God. Secondly, the directing of us in the courſe of our converſation, not onelyonly by informing our judgements, but by obliging our conſciences, to guide our ſelves by the rules propoſed therein, in the courſe of our practiſe. Wherefore the Prophet David uſed Gods Law as a lanthorn to his feet, Pſal. 119.105. thinking on his ways, that he might turn his feet to Gods teſtimonies, v. 59. remembring that the things which are revealed, 3. Yea converting the ſoul.belong to us to do them, Deut. 29.29. So that as the power of the Scriptures is to purifie the ſoul, 1 Pet. 1.22. and convert it, Pſ. 19.7. ſo the uſe of it beſides is, to make the man of God perfect unto every good work, 2 Tim. 3.17. that ſo it may prove the power of God every way, both to ſanctification and ſalvation, as the Apoſtle affirms it to be, Rō. 1.16. Without the knowledg of this principall ſcope whereat the word aims, it will be impoſſible either to obſerve what we ought in reading the Scriptures, or to apply them aright.
That we may therefore give fit directions for the profitable reading of the Scriptures, it manifeſtly appears to be neceſſary to enquire, firſt, both into their nature, and ſcope: And as for their nature, it cannot well be opened, unleſſe we conſider the Author by whom the Scriptures were given, (from whom withall flows their authority) the inſtruments by which they were conveighed to the Church, and the matter or ſubject which they handle: wherewith if we take in the ſcope at which they aim, their neceſſary uſe unto us, their power to command us, and ability to work effectually in us; and laſtly, their infallible and undoubted truth and righteouſneſſe will evidently appear. So that we ſhall have juſt occaſion to handle in order theſe four points:
1. The Author from whom ariſeth the authority of the Scriptures.
2. The Penmen by whom they were written.
3. The matter or ſubject which they handle.
4. The ſcope or end at which they aim.