from duties or Ordinances either by taking up all thy time or by pleading that thou art unworthy to come into the presence of God when and upon that account hinders thee from coming when hee calls thee all sorrow as to these effects is to bee mortified 3. If the sight and sorrow for thy sins discourage thee and makes thee to think that it is in vain thou shalt never overcome such corruptions such sorrow is not from God The Apostle sayes that hee forgot the things that were behinde in this sense wee must forget our sins and forget our graces that is wee must not look upon our former sinful life from thence to draw such sad conclusions that our sins are too great to bee pardoned or of too deep a dye to bee cleansed or our corruptions too strong to bee conquered neither must wee look upon our former duties and graces as if now wee might slack our pace CHAP. VI. Of letting the Truths of God lie loose upon us THe first great impediment of holiness is that we let the truth of God lie loose upon us they are not fastned by the Master of the Assemblies as nailes in a sure place few there are that take up their Religion upon any other grounds than because their Parents and the Nation in which they were born and brought up have and do profess it But I shall not prosecute this any further since it is done in that singular book Pinks Tryal of our sincere love to Christ few there are that do truly and really believe what they profess they are rather asham'd to deny those truths which all amongst whom they live profess than that they in their hearts do believe them to bee true which appears partly by this that when Sects and Heresies are multiplied and abundance fall off from the truth so that the sname of holding such errours is taken off than they do own those errours which before they believed but were ashamed to profess but especially by this that they deny those truths by their lives and conversation which they profess with their tongues it is true that there may bee conviction without conversion nor can the understanding make the will love those truths as good which it self believes as true yet though conviction cannot work conversion yet doubtless generally it would work Reformation the way to gain firm and strong perswasions of the truth of God is to build our faith upon strong and irrefragable grounds the chief if not the onely is the Word of God there are too few Christians that if they were ask'd how they could prove the fundamentals of Religion could not bring one Text of Scripture to prove them Therefore I do advise all Christians to get two or three plain and evident places of Scripture to establish themselves in every truth they hold to which purpose I cannot but commend that singular and invaluable though low priz'd book the Assemblies Confession of Faith and larger Catechisme for in the margent thereof are set down the choicest places of Scripture for proof of the several truths therein specified The second advice for the getting of a firm perswasion of the truths of Religion is to begin with fundamentals it is the devils policy to set us upon the Pinacle truths of the Temple at first as some now do as soon as they think of Religion they enter upon the points of Election and Reprobation by this means they are dazled and grow giddy and fall headlong into perdition There are scarce any Arts Trades or Sciences but there is a method in teaching of them the rudiments are first to be learned and afterwards the higher truths or practises as whosoever intending to learn upon the Lute should begin with the difficult'st lesson at first would bee discouraged and disinabled from proceeding any farther so in the truths of Religion the plainest and most fundamentals are first to bee learned and then those which are less fundamentall The third advice is to venture something upon the truths you know and would strengthen your faith in them nay may I say unto you though you do not believe them to bee true but onely think that they may be true do as those do who are desirous to know the mysteries of nature if the experiment will cost them but little and bee of great concernment to him hee will make experiment of it So in the mysteries of Religion would you know whether the Doctrine of the Gospel bee true or no our Saviour tells how you may make the experiment keep the Commandments of God it will cost you but little so to do and then you shall know c. John 7.17 So if you will know whether that saying be true Mark 10.30 make a tryal of it leave something for Christ if ever occasion bee leave lands houses c. but though extraordinary times of persecutions fall not in thy daies so that thou shalt have no opportunity to make such an experiment yet leave thy lusts and unlawful games and pleasure the esteem of the world when the truths of the Gospel require it of thee and try whether it shall not bee an hundred fold advantage to thee even in this World it is true it may bee God will pay thee in Diamonds which thou layest out in farthings in peace of conscience in spiritual graces or comforts whereas that which thou didst part with for his sake was it may bee some worldly profit pleasure or credit or that which is much worse some filthy lust But concerning further directions for the begetting and strengthening of our faith and to preserve us from errours I refer the Reader to the Preface of my Annotations upon the 4 5 6 7 Chapters of Matthew CHAP. VII The next Impediment is want of consideration THe second great Impediment of Holiness is want of consideration There are many truths not only such glorious truths as the Gospel but even such truths that even the very Heathen themselves did and do believe the bare knowledge whereof though it hath little excellency in it self yet if they were truly considered and improved would bee of singular use and advantage to us who is there amongst us that knows not that hee must die yet how few do consider and improve this plain truth wee let the truths of God lie by us and store them up as divers Ladies do their rarities and curiosities in their closets onely to shew them to those that come to see us so wee make use of the truths of God to discourse of them and rather as matters of ostentation to boast of and pride our selves in than as things by the improvement whereof wee may gain everlasting life or as great persons do of their gardens sometimes to walk in them and enjoy the pleasure of the beauty and sent of the flowers that grow there than as the Bee doth to draw honey from them There was a certain Kingdome that revolted from their Prince and stood in open defiance against him
take a journey when such an one called upon us as hee rid by if our friend told us that hee was come whom wee expected wee would not go to see but put on our garments and prepare for our journey c. So those things that wee know by experience as that things that are unisons or diapasons if you strike the one the other moves 't is true wee may enquire after the reason to satisfie our selves of the why which Mercenius Martinius hath set down but wee do not enquire whether it be so or no nay whatsoever reason contradicts the being so wee discard as spurious and false so we should do in Faith whatsoever contradicts the Truths of God ought to be supprest or rejected so did Abraham The second high Act of Faith is to believe truths when carnal reason is and experience also seems to be against it and it is a question whether is hardest to believe the truths of God firmly because God hath said them when reasons are for or against them Little question it is but it is an easier thing to give our assent when reason is for them but such assent that flowes from reason is not Faith For it is not alwayes a divine assent that is given to divine truths in this case more blessed is hee that sees not and yet believes as our Saviour saith as the Martyr said I cannot dispute but I can die for the truth 'T is singular when Faith can lead reason captive and ride in triumph Certainly that of the Apostle is singular in this case that wee have a sure word of Prophecy Thus also did Abraham The truth is there were two main objections that reason might bring against Abrahams having a son one was the weakness of his own body the other was the deadness of Sarahs For Sarah was not only barren by reason of some distemper but dead by reason of age but Abraham did not onely not yeeld to these objections of humane reason but did not think them considerable when they spoke one thing and Faith another for so 't is said that Abraham did not consider Rom. 4.19 And as it is evident that when the Sun shines in its brightness the light of a candle addes not to its light nay though a room had many candles in it the room is not sensibly the lighter when the Sun shines full into it So though many reasons do give light to a revealed truth yet when once the authority of God gives testimony to it the brightness and clearness of his testimony is so great that wheresoever it hath its full efficacy reason neither addes nor takes from the certainty and evidence of those truths so revealed and so believed CHAP. IX In high Acts of Hope FOr the high Acts of Hope may bee guest at by that which hath been said of Faith for as hee whose Faith is above all but Scripture Arguments bee they never so strong to prove the truth hee believes and victorious over all objections are against it and believes no more because of those arguments nor less because of those objections so his hope anchors upon the true rock who trusts God no more when hee hath abundance nor less when hee hath no meanes nay when all meanes are against that which hee hopes for it is a hard thing to decide whether of these two are most difficult viz. for him to trust that God will give him the victory that hath an Army of ten thousand to fight against a hundred for him that hath an army but of a hundred and is to fight against an army of ten thousand there is but little question but hee that hath a vast army against a handful of men will be more confident of getting the victory but not that God will give him the victory for it is very hard to have an arme of flesh and not to trust in it therefore we are not to judge of our hope by the measure but by the ground of our confidence and the question we should put to our selves is not how much but why wee believe wee should have such a mercy nay the more confident wee are the less wee may bee said to hope in a Scripture sense if our confidence bee built on a carnal foundation the greater such our confidence is when we have abundance of means as our hope is less even then when wee are most secure so it will appear when means fail for as hypocrisie ends in Apostacy so security and presumption in dispair whosoever believes in hope must believe against hope as Abraham Rom. 4.18 those things that are against carnal hope hinders not a Saint from true hope The second thing whereby wee may discover the strength of our hope is when we can trust God in the midst of the highest discoveries of his wrath and displeasure and when wee have not the least sense of his love Our blessed Saviour the King of Saints not onely in this respect that hee governs but that hee excels them also as much in the Acts of Holiness and riches of his Grace and treasures of his wisdome as Solomon in all his glory did the meanest of his Subjects in riches and wisdome I say this our blessed Saviour gives us a rare example of an high act of hope in this respect for when hee was under the sharpest sense of the wrath of God and of Gods forsaking him yet even then hee commends his spirit into the hands of God Into thy hand I will commend my spirit for so is the original and it is as if Christ should say Father though thou seemest to forsake me and that thou wilt not own me yet I will commend my spirit I dare I do I will commend my spirit into thy hands though thou seem'st to forbid mee as much as sense of wrath can do and though by thus forsaking of mee thou seem'st as though thou would not receive my spirit though I commend it into thy hand yet I will commend it this was the highest act of hope that ever was since the world began and fully to trust God when as to our sense and feeling God rejects us and not to cast away our confidence when God seems to cast away us is an argument of an high degree of confidence CHAP. X. In the love of God in four particulars AS for the love of God the high acts of that are 1. Not much to relish the love that any bears us except it be for Gods sake for wee must not bee content that any one should terminate his love in us no more than his praise wee should in this case say as the Angel did to John mutatis mutandis See thou doest it not I am thy fellow servant love God The love which is borne us not for Gods sake offends God why should it not offend us For it is our duty to love God in all things for all things and above all things The truth is wee may delight in these because it is
vindicate God from those aspersions that his providences seem to cast upon them Sometimes they serve for both as Revelations 6.10 The Holiness and the truth of God serve to strengthen their Faith in believing that God would deliver his people from their persecution for hee was ingaged in point of Holiness not to prosper the wicked against the Saints and in point of truth to perform his threatnings against the wicked therefore if thou canst not because thou wantest the sense of it praise God for his love yet praise him for his loveliness Suppose hee should do nothing for thee must not hee have the praise that is due to his Name Suppose some learned wise holy man should seeing a Toad crawling in his bed-chamber cause it to bee put out of doors but would not have it killed should hee loose the glory of all his wisdome and the love and praise due to his holiness because hee would not suffer the Toad to continue still in his Chamber nay rather was not his meekness to bee wondred at that hee should forbid the destruction of such a creature or have any regard what became of it So though God should never suffer thee to see his face that art more odious in respect of sin to God than a Toad can bee to us shall God therefore want the glory of his Excellencies because hee takes no more care of such an inconsiderable thing as thou art With this saying I shall conclude That the very damned in the midst of their torments though God bee powring forth the vials of his wrath upon them yet they ought to give God the glory of his Excellencies and they do ill to blaspheme him So it is also in the matter of repentance though thou canst not finde thy heart affected with the sinfulness of sin therefore thou thinkest vain for thee to confesse thy sins but it is not vain for thou must confess thy sinnes that thou mayest bee sensible of them and though thou canst not confess with sense of sin confess without it But this caution is to bee observed lest I bee mistaken When I wish thee to confess sin though thou hast no sense of sin I wish thee to use such confession as a meanes not to rest there and this is not to do as wicked men do for they do outward actions and duties not as a meanes and a help to do more for they do not desire to do more but whosoever useth this as a meanes to attain to higher performances do certainly that which God requires and accepts for hee that saith Lord here are my two mites though I owe ten thousand talents and though this be far from being all that I owe yet it is all that I have and God will accept according to what wee have and not according to what we have not CHAP. XX. The next impediment is that wee are not convinced of and affected with the vanity of the things of the world ANother impediment is that wee are not convinced of and affected with the vanities of the world Of things that are seen God hath done abundantly enough to satisfie us There are two things of which it hath pleased the Spirit of God to write two whole books that we might bee satisfied viz. the vanity of the creature and the love of Christ And what Argument almost can bee greater to convince of the difficulty and necessity of believing these truths than this that the Spirit of God hath been so industrious if I may so say in clearing these two truths Surely all the wayes whereby any thing can bee made manifest to us these truths are made out all things subject to the trial of the senses wee evidently discern the vanity of them for the eye is not satisfied with seeing and for the other senses 't is evident their delights are more bruitish but not more satisfactory and 2. reason doth abundantly convince us that riches which is the golden Image that Satan hath set up and all Tongues Languages and Nations fall down and worship I say as for the insufficiency of riches the very Phylosophers as Epictetus Seneca Aristotle c. have seen by the light of reason 3. As for experience as far as ever our own went wee cannot but set our seal to it whether it bee pleasure profit or honour wee must needs set our seal to it that all is vanity and vexation of spirit How often do wee nauseate those things when wee have them which wee impetuously desir'd until we had them And 4. for the experience of others since the beginning of the world to this day it hath not been heard of any whose desires have been satisfied with the creature and 5. as for the Word of God that is so clear that they that run may read it But is not this wonderful that notwithstanding sense reason experience faith show us so clearly the truth of it yet not one of an hundred of those that call themselves Christians live as men convinc'd of this truth but their whole love joy delight endeavours are plac'd upon and run out after these things and yet whensoever they read in any book or hear in any Sermon a discourse concerning this matter they think it to bee a moral discourse much below them but they should know that whatsoever truth they have not practised is rather above them Let no man nor your own heart deceive you with vain words it is as much sense to say there goes a godly Drunkard there goes a godly Harlot as to say there goes a godly covetous man And bee not deceived one may as truly say such a man drinks every day while his tongue faulters his feet reel c. but hee is no drunkard such a man never speaks as hee thinks nor doth as hee speaks and yet hee is a true Nathanael an Israelite in whom there is no guile as truly you may say all this as to say such a man hath a great estate and yet is as earnest to get more as if hee had not to buy bread gives not the fortieth part of his incomes to the poor nor of his time to God such a man will ride many score of miles to a Fair but will not go cross the street to a Sermon hee will talk with a great deal of understanding of the things of the world but either is silent or speaks ignorantly of the things of God but yet hee is not covetous Though the substance of this Chapter been neer of Kin to something that hath been spoken before yet the love of the world is such an Epidemical evil that though it bee some labour yet I hope it will not bee lost I think fit to inculcate the same again and again And so I shall now come to the means and helps of a godly life but as it is in recovering of health food nourisheth not unlesse the peccant humours bee removed by Physick so unlesse these impediments bee taken away the following meanes will not
the Prince out of his great clemency sent a Proclamation wherein hee signified his free pardon of all those that would return and own and obey him as their Soveraign divers did magnifie the rareness of the hand and the sublimity and graciousness of the expressions of this writing many took Copies of it and publish'd it and expounded it to others but returned not but continued and perish'd in their rebellions It is not having Bibles in our houses or the bare believing of the truths in them no nor the publishing or explaining of them in our Pulpits without the practising of them in our lives and conversations can save us wee must consider how far these truths concern us God hath not given us those glorious truths to gaze on but to practise O that they were wise saith God and that they would consider their latter end Who is there that know not they must die but who is there that considereth it and the great concernment of it to themselves and lives accordingly this is the singular benefit of meditation which not onely strengthens our faith in the truths wee consider but shews us how much they concern us and apply them to our own behoof as is further express'd and explain'd in that small Treatise of Meditation which by the assistance of God I have publish'd to which I refer the Reader CHAP. VIII The next impediment is putting off God with solemn duties ANother great impediment is that wee put off God with solemn duties as if wee set a part so much time to spend every day in meditations and prayer c. many think if they do not neglect them but are constant to their times and set duties all the rest of the day is their own to do as they please whereas the truth is our morning and other solemn duties the chief end of them is to set our hearts in tune that all our words thoughts may be such as may make sweet musick in the ears of God and wee must not think that as soon as wee have tun'd our Harps wee may hang them upon the Willowes It is true as I have elswhere said solemn duties are acts of communion with God for the present but especially helps for the communion with God for the future as when wee are at a feast wee finde relish and delight in the very act of eating but the main end of our eating is growth and strength one speaking of the solemn duties of morning prayer and of keeping communion with God by ejaculatory prayers all the rest of the day well observes that the want of the solemn morning prayer in case that some necessary work of charity do hinder us may bee supplied by some frequent ejaculatory prayers and frequent inward spiritual admirings and adorings of God but the want of these cannot be supplied by the other CHAP. IX The next impediment is carnally to think that God will be contented with any thing TO think that God will be contented with any thing and bee grudging every minute that wee spend in his service this proceeds from an erronious judgement and from a base heart Suppose it were so that God would bee content with any thing suppose God should not bee angry though thou should'st not pray to him or hear a Sermon or read a Chapter in the Bible any more than once a year but he should withall give thee leave to spend as much time in these duties as thou would'st I say if God would bee content would'st thou be content Dost thou do so in any other thing A friend in whose power it is to do thee a courtesie dost thou satisfie thy self in this that hee will not bee angry though thou dost not ask it of him If a great Monarch should bid you ask what you would of him would you therefore ask nothing because you were assur'd hee would not bee angry though you ask'd nothing Doth this make thee not to add to thy estate when thou hast got enough to live competently and comfortably because that God doth not command thee so to do but thou may'st justly think that hee is rather angry with thee for joyning house to house and being insatiable in thy desires Suppose God should give the spirits of just men made perfect leave to dwell on earth again and to give over their songs of joy and praise which they give unto him would they account it a priviledge would they not rather account it an argument of the abatement of Gods love and their happiness Suppose a Law should bee made that whosoever should kill their children should not bee punished would any loving Mother think that such a Law could bring any advantage unto her Nay suppose a Law should bee made for the rewarding of those Mothers that were careful for the good of their children would the reward promis'd in that Law heighten her love and care to her little ones So neither doth the promise of Gods pardoning of sin incourage the people of God to sin against him but they rather fear God and his goodnesse it argues neither love to God nor to thy self to put God off with any thing though hee would bee content with it it is a base slavish question to say what must I do and put the Emphasis in must a son and a friend say What may I do to please my father or my friend to cure this base distemper you must understand the excellency of the duties you perform do you know what it is to have communion with God to praise admire and adore him is the happiness of heaven 2. You must know the greatness of the rewards that God gives to them that serve him and that not one minute spent in his service nor one thought of love shall bee forgotten hee that numbers the hairs of thy head doth also keep an account of the smallest and slenderest performances in his service and will certainly reward them 3. Above all get the love of God for love thinks nothing enough our Saviours body was imbalmed with an hundred pound of spices and odours yet Mary Magdalen thinks hee had not enough shee brings hers also it is a question that love never puts What need I do so much but her saying is alwayes How may I do more If you should ask mee how you may get the love of God I answer that if it were not for our base corruptions I might rather ask you how you can chuse but love him Sometimes of a sudden it hath come into my minde that if one could but speak with the devil one might perswade him not to go about doing mischief damning soules as hee doth I know it is a vain thought for the Angel himself that disputed with him about the body of Moses was fain to refer him to the Lord to rebuke him and if the Angel could not perswade him to leave off his idolatrous attempt much less can wee It is true if men were not spiritually dead or mad it were
profit if wee love the impediments more than the things they keep us from as if wee love a multitude of worldly imployments more than grace How justly may God give us up to our owne hearts desires And it were better for us bee given up to Satan by way of excommunication for that is but for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may bee saved in the day of the Lord But whosoever is given up to his owne hearts desires is given up to them both for the destruction both of body and soul THE THIRD PART Wherein are set down Severall meanes and helps For attaining The Power of Godlinesse CHAP. I. The first thing that is necessary for a godly life is faith THE first thing that is necessary to an holy life is Faith for without that 't is impossible to please God 't is the foundation of things hoped for and the foundation of our love I have many times seriously thought what is the true reason why so few believe the Scripture assuring my self that if they did firmly believe it were impossible that their lives should bee so contrary to it For although as I have said conviction does not necessarily work conversion yet it would work reformation or at least it would not suffer them to go on with so little fear and dread upon their spirits as they do Now though divers pretend that it is because divers speculative truths that are set down in the Scripture are so contrary to or at least above their reason that they cannot assent to them yet I am very confident that it is the practical truths of the Scripture that they stop at which they being loth to obey they are fain to pretend or by the just judgment of God they are dis-inabled to believe those truths that are more speculative that this is the reason seems to me evident because that they cannot but confess if not all most of the practicals of the Scripture not to bee against nor above reason but such as whosoever shall obey and live according to them that their very enemies cannot but approve of their lives And this was it that made the Christians both in respect of their charity and love one among another and to their enemies to bee admired and commended even by their persecutors amongst whom they lived The very Heathen could see a beauty in Holiness therefore since the glorious light and lustre of the holiness of the commands of God in Scripture is so clear that men cannot but be convinc'd and yet will not obey no marvel that those saving truths of the Gospel which cannot bee seen by the light of nature I say 't is no marvel that God does not give them of that light which is supernatural since they resist and make no better use of their natural light living quite contrary to those things that teacheth them And it is observed that one reason why God has not made all his truths so clear and demonstrative as mathematical natural truths are is that he would order matters so that those that were of corrupt mindes might finde some pretences for not believing of them for to such people God may justly send strong delusions and it may bee it is much better even for the people of God that all wicked men are not fully convinced of divine truths for that would make them much more outragious and malicious for those whom the truths of God convince but not convert they do inrage as they do Satan who believes and as it does those who commit the sin against the Holy Ghost who hating the truth they know are the greatest and most malicious persecutors nay and indeed 't is a mercy in some kinde even to the wicked also for it is better that they should not know the truths of God since if they did know them they would not obey them therefore if thou wilt believe obey that is if thou wilt believe the mysterious truths of the Gospel obey the holy commands of the Gospel do what thou knowest and thou shalt know what as yet thou art ignorant of I have also considered with my self what truth is the most difficult to believe and to mee it seems that to believe that God hath given his only beloved Son to die for sinners is that truth which we hardliest yeeld to For first our pride is utterly against it for by nature we love to go to heaven by our own merits and to bee justified wholly from another and for our own works not so much as to bee one ingredient in our justification and our own free will to have no hand in our regeneration and our own good works in our glorification by way of merit the pride of man will not stoop to And then secondly it is utterly against humane reason partly because wee think with our selves that God might have forgiven us our sins without so much ado as to have his own son suffer so much for us but wee little consider that wee many times do many things our selves with a great deal of trouble out of love which may bee done as well without us so the mother nurseth her own childe and dresseth it and doth many other things which shee might have done by others as effectually though shee were only a Spectator And further wee must understand that there are two special reasons why God gave his Son and Christ gave himself to die for us chiefly to satisfie his justice as also to satisfie us of his love and it is not easie to say which are hardest to bee satisfied for 't is true that hee that injures forgives not wee therefore having so much offended God can hardly forgive him that is believe that hee will forgive us hee therefore to satisfie and cure our infidelity gives us his only son to die for us to give us an infallible testimony of his love the sufferings of Christ did satisfie the Justice of God by way of merit and our infidelity by way of motive the sufferings of Christ did reconcile God to us and the Spirit of Christ doth reconcile us to God It was necessary that hee that satisfied Gods Justice should bee God and it is as necessary that hee that satisfies us of Gods love should bee God also Another thing that hinders our belief of this mystery is because the goodness and love of God is so exceeding great that wee cannot believe it for wee are subject to judge of God by our selves and therefore because we should never suffer our onely beloved childe to die a miserable shameful death to save an enemy therefore wee judge that God cannot do so neither Hence it is that the more patient meek long-suffering wee grow by the grace and Spirit of God the more easily do wee believe his love to us but if wee truly consider that which makes this mystery of love incredible should make us believe it viz. the greatness of it for since God hath said in his Word that herein
is for their sakes that are simple Prov. 1.4 Psalm 19.7 Psalm 119.130 3. The way that they would have simple people take is far more intricate for they would have them believe the Church but the marks whereby the Church is to bee known as Antiquity visibility c. one cannot know except one reads over the Fathers Centuries c. which requires more time and learning a thousand-fold than that which they pretend is too difficult for them viz. reading the Scriptures They take away the Scriptures which is the Word of Truth and give them images which they call Lay-mens books which God himself faith are Teachers of lies and for their saying that hence all our errours and heresies come that every one is suffered to read the Scripture they speak contrary to that of Christ Mat. 22.29 And for this reason learned men should rather bee forbidden to read the Scripture than others since generally all Hereticks have been learned men dare they blaspheme God and say as they must if this were true Lord thou hast commanded us to read the Scriptures and hast said that they are able to make us wise to Salvation and that the cause of errour is the ignorance of the Scripture yet we finde that it is the cause of all errours and heresies and therefore though thou hast strictly commanded it wee do as strictly forbid it But I must crave pardon that I mix any thing of controversie in a Treatise that I intended to bee purely devotionary therefore I must crave pardon also that I have handled this controversie rather in a popular than Scholastical way since my main end of publishing this Treatise is not for the wise and prudent but for babes in our Saviours sense Mat. 11.25 therefore I shall now return to my former way of more practical matter and shall set down some spiritual directions for reading the Word of God with profit Directions how to read the Scripture 1. REad it as the word of God there is abundance in this very direction for if wee consider the incomprehensible Attributes of God they would all inflame us with fervent desires to read it and infallible demonstrations to believe it and strong endeavours to obey it and indeed would inable us in all other respects to read it as wee ought to read it for did we believe it to bee the Word of God as John his Revelation or Daniel his wee should doubtless read it according to these several following directions For though it is true Daniel and other of the Prophets and Apostles were more sure that their Revelations were the Word of God than wee are that the Scripture is yet not then they were that the Scripture was and is 2 Pet. 1.17 18. and indeed wee ought to take heed that is read mark and consider it until the Spirit of Christ shall arise in our hearts and make us as certain of the divine truth of it as they were therefore the first great thing is to confirm our selves of this truth that the Scripture is the Word of God But this caution I must give that wee must take heed to go about this work meerly by the strength of humane reason without craving the assistance and light of the Spirit of God not but that there are such invincible arguments and demonstrations that except one bee resolved to finde out cavils wee cannot but yeeld to this truth yet God is such an enemy to the pride of humane reason that God doth hide his truths from those that come to discover them with a carnal eye Mat. 11.25 Therefore the second direction is to read the Word of God prayingly and thou art to pray not only that God would convince thee that this is his Word but that thou mayest read it with these several following qualifications 3. Thou art to read it reverently not as other books not as books of Phylosophy and History c. but there ought to bee upon thy Spirit the awe and fear of God I do not mean that this reverence that I speak of should bee shown to the paper on which the Word of God is printed though these also as the dead bodies of Saints are not to bee used with dishonour and despight but this reverence is to bee shown to the truths promises and commands c. the sense of the Scripture do not account them as light and trivial things but read them with fear and trembling as both the matter and author of the Scripture require 4. Read the Scriptures attentively exceedingly observing and marking what is writ in them as a man that is try'd for his life diligently observes the witnesses and sentence of the Judge because his life lieth at stake so do thou mark and observe the Word of God for it is thy life Deut. 32.47 5. Read the Word of God understandingly for to read and not to understand is like looking on a sealed book therefore when thou readest mark those places verses of whose truth or meaning thou doubtest and enquire the next opportunity thou hast of some faithful Minister and enquire the meaning of them what passages thou dost not understand at the first reading upon further examination or enquiry thou mayest understand it The Virgin Mary what shee did not understand but wonder at when shee first heard shee laid up and pondered in her heart that shee might afterward understand So the vision that was shown to Peter Acts 10. though hee understood not what it meant at the present yet hee did seriously consider what God meant by it It were an excellent work if there were a clear Comment upon the Bible that might only fill up an ordinary margent and yet explain the Text so fully that wee might have a competent understanding of it I commend the Annotations commonly called The Assemblies Annotations on the Bible Dixon and Hutcheson what they have done this way and those that shall think it too great a labour to read the Scripture over with these Comments may make use of them only for the understanding of those places that are difficult to them but it is a great pity and shame that several of the Gentry spend their time either in vain and sinful recreations or in such studies as Histories Mathematicks c. and let the Bible lie by as a book not worthy to bee understood by them especially since they profess themselves to bee Christians and confess that it is the Word of God As if a Lawyer by profession should spend his whole time in other studies and understand nothing or very little of the Laws of the Land People generally think that it belongs onely to a Minister as a Minister to study and understand the Scripture but it generally proceeds from their undervaluing of the mysteries and their distasting the holiness of its commands 6. You are to read it believingly for when once you understand it the next thing is to believe which is not so in any other writing in the world for
what book soever you read or Minister you hear when you do understand what they mean you are to examine whether it be a truth or no which they teach but as for the Scripture you are not to say How can this be but whether this bee the meaning of the words for the sense of the Scripture when once known is not to bee examined any further since there is no truth more evident by which the Scripture it being taken for the Word of God can bee tryed for since it is Gods Word it is as true as that God is true for since truth is essential unto God it is all one to deny that God is true as to deny that God is as since roundness is essential to a circle it is all one to say it is not round as to say it is not a circle 7. Wee are to read it applyingly Indeed divers commands were personal divers are in respect of their Office as to Ministers Magistrates divers were typical those that were personal as the command to Abraham to offer his Son so is not to bee applyed to any other save only to the equivalency of it viz. that nothing should bee so dear unto us but though in case God do require it wee should bee willing to part with it As for those commands that are typical they are ceased those that belong to any one as having such an Office are not to bee applied to any but of that office but as for the promises wee must not think that they were made to those to whom they were made because they were such or such but because they were so qualified viz. the promises were not made to Abraham as Abraham but to Abraham as believing Abraham and that promise which was made personally to him and confirmed with an oath was not made or confirmed by an oath that Abraham should have strong consolation only but that all the heirs of promise should have strong consolation also Heb. 6.14 17. compared together 8. Thou must read it frequently But because I have spoken more largely in that little Treatise viz. Directions to Christian Perfection I shall proceed to nominate what other books I would advise you to read CHAP. V. Wherein is set down a Catalogue of several books for the ignorant and poorer sort who in respect of their poverty cannot buy and of their ignorance cannot understand books of greater value and depth AFter my commending of the constant daily serious understanding reverent applying believing and conscionable reading of the holy Scriptures to all persons whatsoever 1. Bee they never so learned since the very Angels themselves desire to look into those mysteries though they despise the learnedst book that ever were writ by men as wonderfully below them 2. Though they bee the holiest knowingest and most experienc'd Saints since the Prophets and Apostles who themselves were pen-men of Scripture did read and meditate on and admire and study the Word of God as David Daniel Peter c. and did account it not less sure than the Revelations that God gave them Wee have a surer word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1.19 and the more experience wee have of Gods goodnesse should not make us abate at all of our earnest desires of the Word of God for if wee have tasted how good the Lord is wee should still as much desire the sincere milk of the Word that wee may grow thereby delighting and being affected with it as wee were with that Sermon or that truth of Gods Word by which wee were converted as wee were the first day that wee were born of God 1 Peter 2.2 3. I say after such reading of the Scripture that the truths therein contain'd may be better understood and the commands thereof better practis'd to those specified in the title of this Chapter I commend these books following 1. The Plain-mans Path-way to heaven a book which partly because it goes by way of Dialogue as also because it answers the common objections of simple people against Religion as also because it writes very plain and stoops to the capacitie of the meanest I do highly commend it to such people to read The next is The Practice of Piety These two books I think next to the Scripture have done as much good as any two books in the Christian world The next book I shall commend is Mr. Balls Catechisme a book of great use and much solidity The next which is of super-eminency in its kinde is The Confession of Faith the larger and shorter Catechismes of the Assembly of Divines Another book of small price and bulk which after you are wel grounded in the principles of Religion set down in the former is a book called The fiery Pillar which hath very much in a little You may add to these for the better stirring you up to holiness and discovering of your spiritual condition Mr. Wheatleys New birth and his Sermon of the Redemption of time and Fenner of final impenitence and Mr. Shepherds sincere convert and sound believer Mr. Scudders daily walk is also a solid and very useful book Mr. Perkins his six principles and Mr. Dod upon the Commandments I am not willing to omit For those that are of a troubled conscience Doctor Sibbs his Bruised Reed and Souls Conflict As also Simmons his Deserted Souls case and cure are very good of which the two former are the plainest Mr. Baxter of the same subject 2. For those who in respect of their estates and capacities are able to buy books of greater price and understand books of higher knowledge FOr those that desire to encrease further in knowledge let them read Amesius his Medulla and Cases of Conscience and Calvins Institutions which are all translated into English for those that have large families especially of children I shall commend Bâ—ards Theatre of Gods Judgments as also Clerks Martyrology not but these two last books as well as the rest are fit for men of riper Judgements to read but because they are most fit for children and others of weak capacity for examples are easily remembred and understood and take deeper impression generally than precepts The Theatre of Gods Judgements sets down the Judgements of God upon blasphemers murderers swearers drunkards Sabbath-breakers disobedient children and therest of the sins against the ten Commandments and the Martyrology setting down the innocence holiness constancy of the Martyrs as also the mighty supports comforts that God gave unto them in their sufferings it will exceedingly provoke them up to an holy resolution to suffer for his sake who never leaves his comfortless nor forsaken and that which I very much intend in the reading of Martyrology is that they may bee brought to an utter hatred and detestation of Popery for they shall finde that there have been more massacred and butchered and greater cruelties and breaches of oaths vowes covenants by the Papists than ever were used since the world began by all the enemies of God and for a further