DIRECTIONS FOR PROFITABLE READING THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
SEEING the diversity of men's tempers and understandings is so
exceedingly great, that it is impossible that any thing should be
pleasing and suitable to some, which shall not be disliked and
quarrelled with by others; and seeing in the Scriptures there are many
things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest
to their own destruction, 2 Pet. iii. 16; and the word is to some the
savour of death unto death, 2 Cor. ii. 16.;[47] you have therefore
need to be careful in reading it. And as Christ saith, "Take heed how
you hear," Luke viii. 18; so I say, Take heed how you read.
_Direct._ I. Bring not an evil heart of unbelief. Open the Bible
with holy reverence as the book of God, indited by the Holy Ghost.
Remember that the doctrine of the New Testament was revealed by the
Son of God, who was purposely sent from heaven to be the light of the
world, and to make known to men the will of God, and the matters of
their salvation.[48] Bethink you well, if God should but send a book
or letter to you by an angel, how reverently you would receive it! How
carefully you would peruse it; and regard it above all the books in
the world! And how much rather should you do so, by that book which is
indited by the Holy Ghost, and recordeth the doctrine of Christ
himself, whose authority is greater than all the angels! Read it not
therefore as a common book, with a common and unreverent heart; but in
the dread and love of God the author.
_Direct._ II. Remember that it is the very law of God which you
must live by, and be judged by at last. And therefore read with a full
resolution to obey whatever it commandeth, though flesh, and men, and
devils contradict it. Let there be no secret exceptions in your heart,
to balk out any of its precepts, and shift off that part of obedience
which the flesh accounteth difficult or dear.
_Direct._ III. Remember that it is the will and testament of your
Lord, and the covenant of most full and gracious promises; which all
your comforts, and all your hopes of pardon and everlasting life, are
built upon. Read it therefore with love and great delight. Value it a
thousandfold more than you would do the letters of your dearest
friend, or the deeds by which you hold your lands, or any thing else
of low concernment. If the law was sweeter to David than honey, and
better than thousands of gold and silver, and was his delight and
meditation all the day, oh what should the sweet and precious gospel
be to us!
_Direct._ IV. Remember that it is a doctrine of unseen things,
and of the greatest mysteries; and therefore come not to it with
arrogance as a judge, but with humility as a learner or disciple; and
if any thing seem difficult or improbable to you, suspect your own
unfurnished understanding, and not the sacred word of God. If a
learner in any art or science, will suspect his teacher and his books,
whenever he is stalled, or meeteth with that which seemeth unlikely to
him, his pride would keep possession for his ignorance, and his folly
were like to be uncurable.
_Direct._ V. Remember that it is a universal law and doctrine,
written for the most ignorant as well as for the curious; and
therefore must be suited in plainness to the capacity of the simple,
and yet have matter to exercise the most subtle wits; and that God
would have the style to savour more of the innocent weakness of the
instruments, than the matter. Therefore be not offended or troubled
when the style doth seem less polite than you might think beseemed the
Holy Ghost; nor at the plainness of some parts, or the mysteriousness
of others; but adore the wisdom and tender condescension of God to his
poor creatures.
_Direct._ VI. Bring not a carnal mind, which savoureth only fleshly
things, and is enslaved to those sins which the Scripture doth
condemn: "For the carnal mind is enmity against God, and neither is
nor can be subject to his law," Rom. viii. 7, 8. "And the things of
God are not discerned by the mere natural man, for they are
foolishness to him, and they must be spiritually discerned," 2 Cor.
ii. 14: and enmity is an ill expositor. It will be quarrelling with
all, and making faults in the word which findeth so many faults in
you. It will hate that word which cometh to deprive you of your most
sweet and dearly beloved sin. Or, if you have such a carnal mind and
enmity, believe it not, any more than a partial and wicked enemy
should be believed against God himself; who better understandeth what
he hath written, than any of his foolish enemies.
_Direct._ VII. Compare one place of Scripture with another, and
expound the darkest by the help of the plainest, and the fewer
expressions by the more frequent and ordinary, and the doubtfuler
points by those which are most certain; and not on the contrary.
_Direct._ VIII. Presume not on the strength of your own understanding,
but humbly pray to God for light; and before and after you read the
Scripture, pray earnestly that the Spirit which did indite it, may
expound it to you, and keep you from unbelief and error, and lead you
into the truth.[49]
_Direct._ IX. Read some of the best annotations or expositors;
who being better acquainted with the phrase of the Scripture than
yourselves, may help to clear your understanding. When Philip asked
the eunuch that read Isa. liii. "Understandest thou what thou readest?
he said, How can I except some man should guide me?" Acts viii. 30, 31.
Make use of your guides, if you would not err.
_Direct._ X. When you are stalled by any difficulty which
over-matcheth you, note it down, and propound it to your pastor, and
crave his help, or (if the minister of that place be ignorant and
unable) go to some one that God hath furnished for such work. And if,
after all, some things remain still dark and difficult, remember your
imperfection, and wait on God for further light, and thankfully make
use of all the rest of the Scripture which is plain. And do not think
as the papists, that men must forbear reading it for fear of erring,
no more than that men must forbear eating for fear of poison, or than
subjects must be kept ignorant of the laws of the king, for fear of
misunderstanding or abusing them.
[47] Mark iv. 24.
[48] Read chap. iii. direct. i. And against unbelief, part. i.
[49] 1 Cor. ii. 10, 12; xii. 8-10.