The Way to the Tree of Life, Part 1 · Chapter 8
CAP. VIII. Of the choice of fit Times and Seaſons for Reading the Scriptures.
THere is a ſeaſon to every purpoſe under the Sunne (ſaith the wiſe man, Eccl. 3.) the obſervation whereof, not onelyonly addes grace unto every good action, but many times facilitates the work it ſelfe, which we have in hand, and makes it more eaſie to be compaſſed. The conſideration whereof ought to move us, in ſuch a weighty work as is the ſtudy of the Scriptures, to enquire what times and ſeaſons may be moſt conveniently choſen out, and ſet apart, for the exerciſing of our ſelves in this ſo holy a duty.No time limited by God for the ſtudy of the Scriptures but the Sabbath.
It is true that, beſides the Sabbath day, God hath limited to men no certain time for the duties of Prayer and ſtudy of the Scriptures, only we have generall commands to be frequent and continuall in Prayer, Eph. 6.18. 1 Theſſ. 5.17. and diligent in meditation of the Word, Ioſh. 1.8. of both which we have examples in the practiſe of holy men, Only in generall the often exerciſing of our ſelves therein is required.Pſalme 58.17. Dan. 6.10. Pſal. 119.97. But the particular times for either duty, which are impoſſible to be directed by any generall rule, are left to be determined by Chriſtian wiſdome.
Now times, either for Prayer, or Reading, may be either conſtant and ſet, Times for ſtudying the Scriptures are, 1. Occaſionall.or uncertain and occaſionall. For there are times wherein God calles us extraordinarily to Prayer, Iſa. 22.12. either in afflictions felt, Iames 5.13. or feared, Pſalme 116.3.4. and 50.15. or for mercies expected, Dan. 9.2, 3. or already received, Pſal. 18.1. and 116.12, 13. The like occaſions we may meet withall for ſearching the Scriptures, to reſolve us in doubts, Pſalme 73.17. To comfort us in afflictions, Pſalme 119.50. To direct us in matters of advice, Pſalme 119.24. To guide us in our way, verſe 105. To aſſiſt us in temptations, Eph. 6.17. Such or the like occaſions, may cauſe us to have recourſe to the word extraordinarily, beſides the ordinary ſtudies of it, to make us wiſe unto ſalvation and furniſh us to every good work, 2 Tim. 3.15.17.
For the conſtant and daily ſtudy of the Scriptures is required, 2. Set and conſtant. And that for All men,not onelyonly of the Miniſters of the word, Tim. 4.15, 17. & Magiſtrates, Deut. 17.19. (although indeed it concernes them above others) but beſides of all: John 5.33. and that by a kind of neceſſity, conſidering mens ignorance in matters appertaining to godlineſſe, Pſal. 73.22. Prov. 30.21. the difficulty of underſtanding things that never entred into mans heart, 1 Cor. 2.9. and the great neceſſity of attaining the knowledge of thoſe things, which are the grounds of Faith, the Rules of practice, and the power of God to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16.
Nay, Even ſuch as have attained ſome good meaſure of knowledg.if we had attained to ſome good meaſure of the knowledg of the Myſteries of godlineſſe, by the Word, yet how we ſhould be ready in the uſe thereof, either for directing our own waies, Pſal. 119.50.105. for admoniſhing others, Col. 3.16. for defence in time of temptation; with our Saviour, Mat. 4.4.7.10. for comforting our Brethren, 1 Theſſ. 4.18. for examining our teachers doctrine, with the Bereans, Acts 17.11. unleſs beſides the knowledge of the Scriptures, we keep them freſh in memory by continuall meditation and often peruſing of that volume, which being ſo large as it is, muſt of neceſſity take up ſome reaſonable portion of time daily for this exerciſe.
In limiting this time for Reading the Scriptures, reſpect muſt be had, both to Order, In chooſing times for reading Scriptures we muſt reſpectand Proportion. For the former, godly men have accuſtomed to begin the day with religious exerciſes, as with Prayer, Pſal. 5.3. and 88.13. and Pſal. 55.17. 1. The Order. 1. The morning is a ſit time, for Prayer & Reading.the Morning was one of the three times wherein David preſented his prayers unto God. Now although Prayer and Reading of the Word be two diſtinct exerciſes, yet that they mutually help one another, is moſt manifeſt, and conſequently are fit to be joyned together. For the Word miniſters matter of Prayer, and is the ground of our Petitions, who have no promiſe to be heard, unleſs we ask according to Gods wil, 1 Io. 5.14. which is no where revealed but in the word, which therefore ſtrengthens our faith in Prayer. Again Prayer muſt needs awe us with the reverence of Gods Majeſty, and conſequently prepare our hearts to tremble at Gods word in reading it, which God is well pleaſed withall, Iſaiah 96.2.
The fitneſſe of the Morning for theſe exerciſes is evident: 1. As it is fit to honour God with the firſt of our time.not only becauſe the firſt of our time, as of all things elſe, belongs unto God, whoſe ſervice ought to be our ſpeciall and chiefeſt care: but beſides, 2. The heart in the morning is freeſt from worldly thoughts.becauſe the heart, being then moſt free from worldly thoughts, is fitteſt for holy meditations. And withall when in the beginning of the day the heart of a man is ſeaſoned with holineſſe, and with the feare of God, he findes himſelf the better fitted, to walk humbly with him all the day after.
It is very fit to cloſe up the day with theſe duties wherewith we began it. 2. It is good to cloſe up the day with theſe, holy exerciſes.The Evening was one of Davids times for Prayer, Pſalme 55.17. and 141.2. and Iſaaks, as it ſeemes, Gen. 24.63. Then indeed it is fit to paſſe our accompts with God, concerning our carriage the day before, that having made all our reckonings even with him, we may with aſſurance lay down our ſelves to reſt in peace. Now, we have already intimated, how fit it is to joyne Prayer and Reading together, ſo that if the Evening be a fit time for Prayer, it muſt be acknowledged to be fit for Reading alſo.
The Mornings then and Evenings, 2. The proportion of time to be allowed for holy duties: wherein we muſt reſpect, 1. The Duty; and therein, 1. What muſt be done. We muſt ſtudy the whole Scripture.are our fitteſt times for Prayer. As for the proportion of time to be allotted for this exerciſe, it muſt indifferently reſpect both the Duty, and the perſon that undertakes it. In the exerciſe it muſt be conſidered both, what muſt be done, and in what manner. For the former, ſeeing all Scriptures were written for our Inſtruction, 1 Cor. 10.11. not onelyonly the Laws, and Commandements which we are to doe and obey, Deut. 29.29. but Examples too, not only the New Teſtament, but the Old alſo: it muſt needs be our duty to know, and conſequently to ſtudy them all: wherefore we muſt ſo proportion our time for this exerciſe, that we may often goe over, by reading, the whole body of the Scriptures.
The manner of Reading the Scriptures, 2. In what manner, With great deliberation as holding out, 1. Things weighty,muſt be with great deliberation, and that not onelyonly becauſe the matter contained in them is weighty, and of a myſterious nature, the Phraſes ſignificant, the expreſſions briefe, and ſometimes by the propriety of the language wherein they were written unuſuall, and therefore not eaſie to be underſtood of the vulgar; 2. And nearly concerning our ſelves.but alſo becauſe that which we read ſo nearly concerning us, and muſt be carefully laid up in our hearts, and written there, Pro. 2.5. and 7.1. and be hidden in them, Pſ. 119.11. that it may be our continuall meditation, ver. 97. and dwelling in us, Col. 3.16. may not onelyonly furniſh us for every good work, 2 Tim. 3.17. but alſo enable us to inſtruct our friends and neighbours, talking unto them, upon all fit occaſions of wiſdome and judgement, Pſal. 37.30, 31. and at home our families, as we ſit in the houſe, and walke by the way, Deut. 6.7.
This time allotted for the reading of the Scriptures muſt not onelyonly be proportioned to the worke, And allot time accordingly:but to the perſons too that ſtudy them, and that with due reſpect had, Having reſpect 1. To mens abilities;both to their abilities, and employments. The weakneſſe of mens abilities, whether of naturall underſtanding and memory, or of knowledge gotten by learning, which muſt needs be weak, in young beginners eſpecially, impoſeth on them neceſſarily the more labour and paines in ſtudy, and conſequently requires more expence of time in reading. If the Iron be blunt, and one whet not the edge, he muſt put to the more ſtrength, ſaith Solomon, Eccl. 10.10.
As for mens callings, 2. And emploiments. 1. Requiring more ſtudy by Miniſters, Magiſtrates, Husbands, Parents.and employments, Miniſters who need to be furniſhed with all knowledge, are required to give themſelves wholly to this ſtudy, 1 Tim. 4.13.15. Magiſtrates to have the book with them, to read in it all the dayes of their life, Deut. 17.19. Ioſh. 1.8. Husbands, who muſt teach their wives at home, 1 Cor. 14.35. Parents, who muſt bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6.4. and talke of the Law in their family, Deut. 6.7. As they need a greater meaſure of knowledge, 2. More time to be allotted where mens callings are eaſie.for the neceſſary diſcharge of their duties, ſo muſt they allow the more time that they both attaine it, and have it ready for daily uſe.
Again, ſeeing all mens Employments are not alike, but ſome are more toileſome, and others being more eaſie, afford more leaſure for the attending of thoſe holy duties, it muſt be conſidered how much may be conveniently ſpared, from ſuch neceſſary buſineſſes, as their callings caſt upon them, ſeeing God requires Mercy, and not Sacrifice, Mat. 9.13. Howſoever, Yet all muſt ſet a part ſome time for this duty;even thoſe who are moſt ſtraightned by the buſineſſe of their imployments, muſt notwithſtanding ſo order their affaires, that they ſpare ſome fit portion of time for theſe duties of Gods ſervice: who can eaſily recompence it unto them by proſpering their labours, and aſſures us that he will be no mans debtor for the leaſt ſervice done for him, Mal. 1.10.
Of two things men are to be admoniſhed. Firſt, Three caveats, to avoid, 1. Negligence. 2. Incombrance with too much buſineſſe.that they bring not themſelves into ſtraights of time, either by negligence in their callings, which often puts them to labour at unſeaſonable times, or by loading themſelves unneceſſarily with multiplicity of buſineſſe, and worldly imployments, which when they have undertaken, being not able to diſpatch in convenient times, they take liberty to make uſe of thoſe times for worldly affaires that are fit to be ſet apart for holy duties. By either of theſe wayes, men being drawn to omit theſe duties at the firſt, at laſt by diſuſe of practiſe loſe withall the very deſire and reſolution to performe them. Theſe muſt know that God, in matters of his ſervice, diſpenſeth with inevitable, but not with voluntary neceſſities. He will indeed have Mercy, and not Sacrifice, but neither negligence, nor covetouſneſſe, rather then Sacrifice.
Secondly, 3. Not to miſtake ſuſpenſion for a diſcharge frō the duty.men muſt take heed that they miſtake not a diſpenſation for ſuſpending theſe duties, for a full diſcharge from them. Employments in ſecular affaires are not better then holy duties, neither is the ſervice of men, better then the ſervice of God. Conſequently the one ought not to be left for the other: OnelyOnly, whereas our affaires are ſo limited to their ſeaſon, that they muſt ſometimes be done at preſent, or not at all, whereas holy duties ſuſpended for a time, may be performed afterwards, God is pleaſed that his Services ſhall give precedence to our urgent neceſſities, not that they ſhall be excluded by them. Wherefore he that by inevitable neceſſity is enforced to omit Prayer or Reading in the time appointed, muſt redeeme the firſt opportunity for the performance of them, as ſoone as he may afterwards.
This holy exerciſe of Reading the Scriptures daily being every way ſo neceſſary, ſo comfortable, ſo profitable, let all that deſire to grow in knowledge, Faith, and Obedience, that expect Gods bleſſing upon their ſoules, and labours, attend daily at the gates of Wiſdome, Pro. 8.34. encouraged by that gratious promiſe, We ſhall know the Lord if we follow on to know him, Hoſ. 6.3. Eſpecially in theſe times under the Goſpell, wherein it is promiſed that all the earth ſhall be filled with knowledge as the waters cover the Sea: Hab. 2.14.