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4. Want of Care, in avoiding little Faults. All these Things hinder our Union with God, and prevent that divine Relith we fhould otherwife find in our Devotions. For ordinarily we are fuch in our Prayers, as we approve ourselves in the Course and Conduct of our Lives. ~

CHAP. XV.

FOR MONDAY.

Reading the Holy Scriptures, and other Books of Piety.

THAT the Soul fhould be without Knowledge, the wife Man tells us, is not good. Now how is this to be attained, but by fearching into thofe Fountains, from whence it flows? In order to the regular Practice of our Duty, it is neceffary our Minds fhould be acquainted with the true Principles of Religion and Virtue, which are laid down in the holy Scriptures, and farther explained and enforced by the judicious Writings of wife and good Men; fo that they who neglect to apply themfelves ferioufly to acquire neceffary Knowledge, render themfelves incapable of discharging

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difcharging their Duty both to God and Man. The Goodness of God has manifefted itself to us in fo large a Measure, that we are not abandoned to the dim Light of our own Reafon; but he has given us his holy Word to guide and direct us in the Path that leads to everlafting Life: thefe Revelations contain what is neceffary for us to believe and practife, and therefore we are obliged to learn and digeft them. This appears,

1. From the Nature and Design of them. The great End and Design of writing the holy' Scriptures, was to inftruct Man in the Knowledge of true Religion, and to perfuade and engage him to the Practice of it. Whatever Things were written aforetime, were written for our Learning and our Admonition, that we might earneftly contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints. But how can the Writing of it contribute to thefe Ends, if we do not seriously and frequently peruse them? How fhould our Minds be informed in the Nature of that Salvation which is purchafed for us, if we do not acquaint ourselves with what is revealed concerning it? How can we be stirred up to Remembrance, if we do not read what it fuggefts to our Memory? How can we be preferved from offending God but by Motives and Perfuafions? But how can Motives and Perfuafions effect ourMinds, if we do not confult and understand them? How can we contend for the Faith once delivered

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delivered to the Saints, if we do not learn from the Scriptures what that Faith is, and what thofe Reasons are which oblige us to contend for it? All other Difcourfes of Piety, compofed by devout and judicious Men, have the fame End in their View, to enlighten our Underftandings with the Discovery of our Duty, and to inflame our Affections with the Love of it. But in order to make them effectual, we must feriously confider them, and diligently read them; the best Arguments can have no Influence upon us, till we weigh their Force, and are convinced of the Goodnefs of them; the strongest Motives can never affect us, except we attend to them.

2. From the Dignity and Excellency of them. Nothing can have greater. Authority than thofe Things which come from God: And when he is pleased to speak, nothing can more raise the Worth of what is fpoken. It is a great Perverseness in our Nature, that we fhould be fo apt to refign our Underftandings to Men, who though they may have great Parts, are yet fallible; and at the fame Time to fhew any Backwardness to rely and depend upon what God affirms, who is Goodness and Truth itself. And when we receive the Dictates of our Superiors here upon Earth with Awe and Refpect, furely we fhould not flight and neglect the Oracles of God, the great King of all the World. Befides, this

divine Authority of the Scriptures is accompanied with infinite Wisdom, which affures us of the Fitnefs of all thofe Means which are prescribed in order to our Happnefs; with infinite Truth, which is a Guard against Deceit and Impofture; with infinite Goodnefs and Kindness to us, which fhould convince us of the Importance of what is enjoined: And yet these holy Writings do not only recommend themfelves to us by their Authority, but by the Excellency of the Matter they treat about; the Knowledge of God, and his Attributes, and the various Manifeftations of himself to Mankind; the Way and Manner of paying Him our most acceptable Services, and the Means of attaining thofe everlasting Rewards He has been pleased to promife: And if thofe Motives will not prevail upon us to read and confider, we muft be very ftupid and negligent in relation to that which is of the greatest Concernment

to us.

3. From the dreadful confequences of neglecting them. Many Things we may be ignorant of without Blame, and confequently without Guilt. It is no Reflection upon us, if we do not understand the Principles of Philofophy, nor the Problems of the Mathematicians, when we make neither of thofe Studies our Profeffion; but when we own ourselves Chriftians, not to know the Will and Pleasure of our Lord and Mafter Jefus Chrift, is an an

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pardonable Neglect. This Matter is 'not indifferent in itself, neither is it left to us to choose or refuse it; but fince the Christian Law is fufficiently promulged, we cannot be ignorant of it without the utmost Hazard and Danger to ourselves. In the Scriptures are the Words of eternal Life, which is not to be attained without the Knowledge and Practice of them: In the Scriptures are the Threatenings of eternal Death, which is not to be avoided without obferving that Method our Saviour has prefcribed to free us from it: So that if we neglect to inform ourselves in thofe neceffary Truths that are offered to us, our Condeinnation will be unavoidable, 'because our Ignorance can have no juftifiable Excufe.

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That the Reading the holy Scriptures may turn to your Benefit and Advantage;

I. Read with an entire Submiffion of your Understanding to what God reveals. Being fatisfied once that the Revelation comes from God, you ought readily to embrace what he propofes for the Object of your Faith. We muft not interpret Scripture by our prepossesfed Opinions, but govern all our Notions by that Manifeftation God has made of his Will. You must remember, that God is incomprehenfible in nis own Nature; that his Perfections are infinite, and therefore above our Reach; and though our Faculties are not able to comprehend his divine Perfections,

yet

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