Part 31 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to Part 30 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Part 32 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
[1.] First, For antiquity. Moses is found more ancient than all those whom the Grecians make most ancient, as Homer, Hesiod, and Jupiter himself, whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their divinity.
[2.] Secondly, For rarity.
[3.] Thirdly, For brevity. Here you have much wrapped up in a little space: here you have Homer's "Iliads" comprised in a nutshell.
[4.] Fourthly, For perspicuity. The foundations of true religion and happiness are so plain and clear, that everyone may run and read them. It was a true saying of Augustine, "That God has bowed down the Scriptures to the capacities even of babes and sucklings."
[5.] Fifthly, For harmony. Though there may seem to be a contrariety between scripture and scripture—yet there is a blessed harmony between all the parts of Scripture; the contrariety is seeming, not real. As when a man is drawing water out of a well with two vessels of a different metal, the water at the first seems to be of a different color—but when he draws up the vessels nearer to him, the diversity of colors vanish, and the water appears to be of one and the same color; and when he tastes them, they have one and the same relish. Just so, though at first sight there may seem to be some contradictions in the Scriptures—yet when we look more nearly and narrowly into them, and compare one place with another, we shall find no contrariety, no differences in them at all—but a perfect harmony, and a full and sweet consent and agreement between one place and another, between text and text, scripture and scripture.
[6.] Sixthly, For verity. The Scriptures are most sure and certain; heaven and earth shall pass away before one jot or tittle of the Scripture shall pass unfulfilled.
[7.] Seventhly, For variety. There are no varieties, compared to those which are to be found in Scripture. As in Noah's ark all sorts of creatures were to be found—so in this heavenly ark, the Scriptures, all varieties are to be found. Here you may find a remedy for every disease, and balm for every wound, and a plaster for every sore. Here the lamb may wade—and here the elephant may swim. Here is milk for babes—and here is meat for strong men. Here is comfort for the afflicted, and support for the tempted, and solace for thedistressed, and ease for the wearied. Here is a staff to support the feeble—and a sword to defend the weak. That which a Papist reports lyingly of their sacrament of the mass—namely, that there are as many mysteries in it as there are drops in the sea, dust on the earth, angels in heaven, stars in the sky, atoms in the sunbeams, or sands on the sea-shore, etc.—may be truly asserted of the holy Scriptures; there are many thousand thousand varieties in this garden of paradise, the Scripture.
[8.] Eighthly, For fullness. The Scriptures are full of light; and full of life; and full of love; and full of righteousness; and full of holiness; and full of all goodness. It was a weighty saying of Tertullian, "I adore the fullness of the Scripture."
Many men talk much of the philosopher's stone—that it turns copper into gold; and of cornucopia—that it had all things necessary for food in it; and of the herb panaces—that it was good for all diseases; and of the drug catholicon—that it can cure anything; and of Vulcan's armor—that it was full armor against all thrusts and blows. But that which they vainly attribute to these things for bodily good—may safely and honorably be attributed to the blessed Scriptures in a spiritual manner. The Scriptures turns hearts of copper into hearts of gold; it is a paradise that is full of the trees of life, and these trees of life are both for food and healing; here is all manner of fruit to feed you and fill you, to delight you and satisfy you, and the very leaves of these trees are singular medicines to heal you and cure you, Rev. 22:2. The Scripture prescribes the choicest drugs to heal you, namely, repentance and the blood of Christ. And it is the Scripture which furnishes you with the best armor against all principalities and powers, and against all spiritual wickednesses in high places, Eph. 6:11, 18.
Oh, how should the consideration of all these things work you to be much in reading of the holy Scriptures! If you will but make trial, you should be sure to find in them, stories more true, more various, more pleasant, more profitable, and more comfortable than any you will find in all ancient or modern writers. Ah, friends, if you would but in good earnest set upon reading of the holy Scriptures, you may find in them so many happinesses as cannot be numbered, and so great happinesses as cannot be measured, and so copious happinesses as cannot be defined, and such precious happinesses as cannot be valued! If all this won't draw you to read the holy Scriptures conscientiously and frequently—I know not what will.
It is said of Mary, that she spent the third part of her time in reading of the word. Caecilia, a Roman maiden of noble parentage, carried always about her the New Testament, and spent much time in reading it. Alfred, once king of England, compiled psalms and prayers into one book, and called it a Manual, which he always carried about him, and spent much time in the perusal of it. Augustine caused David's penitential psalms to be written upon the walls of his bedchamber, that he might read them as he lay in his bed; he read and wept, and wept and read.
Well, if all this will not prevail with you to be much in reading of the Scriptures, consider that Agesilaus, an excellent king of Sparta, would never go to bed, nor rise up, before he had looked into Homer, whom he called his sweetheart; but what was Homer's books to God's book, which is the book of books, as Charles the Great did signify when he crowned it with his own crown. Scipio Africanus usually had in his hands the books of Xenophon. But oh, how much more commendable will it be for you to have always in your hands the book of God! Alphonsus had always in his bosom the Commentaries of Caesar, and he was so much delighted with the history of Titus Livius, that he once commanded certain musicians, that were very skillful in that art, to depart his presence, saying that he could read a more pleasant story out of Livius. Alas! what are Livius' stories, compared to the blessed stories that are in the Bible! O sirs, if Lipsius, when he did but read Seneca, thought that he was even on the top of Olympus, above mortality and human things; and if Julius Scaliger thought twelve verses in Lucan better than the German empire—oh, then, of what infinite worth and value is the blessed Scripture! Shall heathens take such pleasure in reading of the works of heathens, and shall not Christians take as much pleasure in reading of the holy Scriptures, wherein there is so much of the Spirit, hand, and heart of God? Shall they set so high a price upon the books of heathens, and shall we so slight and undervalue the book of God as not to think it worth a-opening once a day? Truly, I am afraid, I am afraid, that there are some among us, who hardly open their Bibles once a week, and others, who hardly open their Bibles once a month, and not a few who hardly open their Bibles once a quarter, etc. Certainly as the rustiness of some men's gold will be a witness against them in the great day of the Lord, so the mustiness of some men's Bibles will be a witness against them in that great day! James 5:1-3.
Back to Part 30 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Part 32 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness