Ecumenical Christian Library

  • Loading…

A Godly Man Is a Lover of the Word

166614 min read

  1. A godly man is a lover of the Word,1 Psal. 119. 97. O how love I thy Law.

  2. A godly man loves the Word written. Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a garden set with knots and2 flowers: A godly man delights to walk in this garden, and sweetly solace himself; he loves every branch and parcel of the Word.

  3. He loves the counselling part of the Word, as it is a Directory and Rule of life: The Word is the Mercurial Statue which points us to our duty; it contains in it credendae and facienda, things to be believed and practised: A godly man loves the Aphorismes of the Word.

  4. A godly man loves the Minatory part of the Word: The Scripture, like the Garden of Eden, as it hath a Tree of Life in it, so it hath a Flaming Sword at the Gates of it; this is the threatning of the Word; it flasheth fire in the face of every person that goes on obstinately in wickedness, Psal. 68. 21. God shall wound the hairy scalp of such an one, as goes on still in his trespasses. The Word gives no indulgence to evil; it will not let a man halt between God and Sin: The true Mother would not let the Childe be divided, and God will not have the heart divided: The Word thunders out threatnings against the very appearance of evil; it is like that flying Roll full of curses, Zac. 5. 1.

A godly man loves the menaces of the Word, he knows there is love in every threatning: God would not have us perish, therefore doth mercifully threaten us, that he may scare us from sin: Gods threatnings are as the Sea-mark, which shows the Rocks in the Sea, and threatneth death to such as come neer; the threatning is a curbing bit to check us, that we may not run in a full careir to hell; there is mercy in every threatning.

  1. A godly man loves the consolatory part of the3 Word, the Promises; he goes feeding upon these, as Sampson went on his way eating the honey-comb, Iudg. 14. 8. The Promises; are […], all marrow and sweetness; they are our Bezar-stone when we are fainting; they are the conduits of the Water of Life, Psal. 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my Soul. The Promises were Davids Harp to drive away sad thoughts; they were the breast which milked out Divine Consolation to him.

A godly man shows his love to the Word written:

  1. By diligent reading of it: The Noble Bereans did search the Scriptures daily, Act. 17. 11. Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures, Act. 18. 24. The Word is our Magna Charta for heaven, we should be daily reading over this Charter: The Word is index sui & obliqui, it shows what is truth; and what is error; it is the field where the Pearl of Price is hid: How should we dig for this Pearl! A godly mans heart is the Library to hold the Word of God, it dwells richly in him, Col. 3. 16. It is reported of Melancthon, that when he was young, he carried the Bible always about him, and did greedily read in4 it. The Word hath a double work, to teach us, and to judge us: They that will not be taught by the Word, shall be judged by the Word: Oh let us make the Scripture familiar to us! What if it should be as in the times of Dioclesian, who commanded by Proclamation the Bible to be5 burned; or as in Queen Maries daies, wherein it was death to have a Bible in English; by diligent conversing with Scripture, we may carry a Bible in our head.

  2. A godly man shows his love to the Word, by frequent meditating in it, Psalm 119. 97. It is my meditation all the day. A pious Soul meditates of the Verity and Sanctity of the Word; he hath not only a few transient thoughts, but lays his mind a steeping in the Scripture; by meditation he sucks from this sweet flower, and concocts holy truths in his mind.

  3. He shows his love to the Word by delighting in it, it is his recreation, Ier. 15. 16. Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy Word wa[…] unto me the Ioy and rejoycing of my heart. Never did a man take such delight in a dish that he loved, as the Prophet did in the Word: And indeed, how can a Saint chuse but take great complacency in the Word, because all that ever he hopes to be worth is contained in it: Doth not a son take pleasure in reading over his Fathers Will and Testament, where he makes a conveyance of his Estate to him?

  4. He shows his love to the Word, by hiding it, Psal. 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in my heart: As one hides a treasure that it should not be stoln away: The Word is the Jewel, the heart is the Cabinet where it must be locked up: Many hide the Word in their memory, but not in their heart. And why would David inclose the Word in his heart? That I might be kept from sinning against thee. As one would carry an Antidote about him, when he comes neer an infected place; so a godly man carries the Word in his heart as a spiritual antidote to preserve him from the infection of6 sin: Why have so many been poysoned with error, others with moral vice, but because they have not hid the Word as an holy antidote in their heart.

  5. He shows his love to the Word by defending it: A wise man will not let his Land be taken from him, but will defend his Title. David looked upon the Word as his Land of Inheritance, Psal. 119. 111. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an Heritage for ever. And do you think he would let his Inheritance be wrested out of his7 hands? A godly man will not only dispute for the Word, but die for it, Rev. 6. 9. I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God.

  6. He shows his love to the Word by preferring it above things most precious. 1. Above food, Iob 23. 12. I have esteemed the words of his mouth, above my necessary food. […] Above riches, Psal. 119. 72. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me, then thousands of gold and8 silver. 3. Above worldly honor. Memorable is the story of King Edward the Sixth, who upon the day of his Coronation, when they presented before him three Swords, signifying to him that he was Monarch of three Kingdomes, the King said, there is yet one Sword wanting; being asked, what that was? he answered, the Holy Bible, which is the sword of the Spirit, and is to be preferred before these Ensigns of9 Royalty.

  7. He shows his love to the Word by talking of it, Psal. 119. 172. My tongue shall speak of thy Word. As a covetous man is talking of his rich purchase, so a godly man is speaking of the Word: what a treasure it is, how full of beauty and suavity; they whose mouths the Devil hath gagg’d, who never speak of Gods Word, it is a sign they never reaped any good by it.

  8. He shows his love to the Word by conforming to it; the Word is his Sun-Dial, by which he sets his life, the balance in which he weighs his actions; he copies out the Word in his daily walk, 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have kept the Faith. St. Paul kept the Doctrine of Faith, and lived the life of Faith.

Quest, Why is a godly man a lover of the Word?

Answ. 1. Because of the excellency of the Word.

  1. The word written is our pillar of fire to guide10 us: It shows us what Rocks we are to avoid; it is the card by which we sail to the new Hierusalem.

  2. The word is a Spiritual Optick Glass, through which we may see our own hearts: The Glass of Nature which the Heathen had, discovered spots in their Conversation, but this Glass discovers spots in the Imagination; that Glass discovered the spots of their unrighteousness, this discovers the spots of our righteousness, Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment came, sin revived, and I died: when the word came as a Glass, all my opinion of self-righteousness died.

  3. The word of God is a Soveraign comfort in distress; while we follow this Cloud, the Rock follows us, Psal. 119. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickned me. Christ is the Fountain of Living water, the word is the Golden Pipe through which it runs: what can revive at the hour of death, but the Word of (Phil. 2. 16) Life.

  4. A godly man loves the word, because of the efficacy it hath had upon him, this day-star hath risen in his11 heart, and usher’d […]n the Sun of Righteousness.

  5. A godly man loves the Word Preached; which is a Commentary upon the word written: The Scriptures are the Soveraign oyls and balsoms, the preaching of the word is the powring of them out: The Scriptures are the precious spices, the preaching of the word is the beating of these spices, which causeth a wonderful fragrancy and delight. The word preached is the Rod of Gods strength, Psal. 110. 2. and the breath of his lips, Isa. 11. 4. What was once said of the City Thebes, that it was built by the sound of Amphius his Harp, is much more true of Soul-Conversion, it is built by the sound of the Gospel Harp; therefore the preaching of the Word is called, the power of God to Salvation, 1 Cor. 1. 24. By this, Christ is said, (now) to speak to us from Heaven, Heb. 12. 5. This Ministery of the word is to be preferred before the Ministry of Angels.

A godly man loves the word preached, partly from the good he hath found by it; he hath felt the dew fall with this Manna; and partly because of Gods Institution, the Lord hath appointed this Ordinance to save him; the Kings Image makes the Coyn go currant; the stamp of Divine Authority upon the word preached, makes it an Engine conducible to mens Salvation.

Use. (Vse) Let us try by this Character, whether we are godly: Are we lovers of the word?

  1. Do we love the word written? What sums of money did the Martyrs give for a few leaves of the Bible? Do we make the word our familiar? As Moses had often the Rod of God in his hand, so should we have the Book of God in our hand: when we want direction, do we consult with this sacred Oracle? when we find corruptions strong, do we make use of this Sword of the Spirit to hew them down? when we are disconsolate, do we go to this Aqua vitae bottle for comfort? then we are lovers of the word! But alas, how can they say they love the Scriptures, who are seldome conversant in them? their eyes begin to be sore when they look upon a Bible: The two Testaments are hung by, like rusty Armour, which is seldome or never made use of: The Lord wrote the Law with his own finger, but though God took pains to write, men will not take pains to read; they had rather look upon a pair of Cards, then upon a Bible.

  2. Do we love the word preached? Do we prize it in our judgements? Do we receive it into our hearts? Do we fear the loss of the word preached, more than the loss of peace and trading? Is it the removal of the Ark that troubles us?

Again, do we attend the Word with Reverential Devotion? when the Judge is giving his Charge upon the Bench all attend, when the word is preached, the great God is giving us his Charge, do we listen to it as to a matter of life and death? this is a good sign we love the word.

Again, do we love the Sanctity of the word? Psal. 119. 140. The word preached is to beat down sin, and advance holiness: Do we love it for its spirituality and purity? Many love the word preached only for its eloquence and notion; they come to a Sermon as to a Musick-lecture, Ezek. 33. 31. or as to a garden to pick flowers, but not to have their lusts subdued, or their hearts bettered: These are like a foolish woman which paints her face· but neglects her health.

Again, do we love the convictions of the word? Do we love the word when it comes home to our Conscience, and shoots its arrows of reproof at our sins? ‘Tis the Ministers duty sometimes to reprove: He that can give smooth words in the Pulpit, but knows not how to reprove, is like a sword with a fine hilt, without an edge, Titus 2. 15. Rebuke them sharply: Dip the nail in oyl, reprove in love, but strike the nail home. Now Christian, when the word toucheth upon thy sin, and saith, Thou art the man, dost thou love the reproof? Canst thou bless God that the sword of the Spirit hath divided between thee and thy lusts? This is indeed a sign of grace, and shows thou art a lover of the word.

A corrupt heart loves the comforts of the word, but not the reproofs, Amos 5. 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate. —Igne micant oculi— Like venomous creatures, that upon the least touch spit poyson, Act. 7. 54. When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed upon him with their teeth. When Stephen touched them to the quick, they were mad, and could not endure12 it.

Quest. How shall we know that we love the reproofs of the word?

Ans. 1. When we desire to sit under an heart-searching Ministry; who cares for Physick that will not work? A godly man chuseth not to sit under such a Ministry as will not work upon his Conscience.

  1. When we pray that the word may meet with our sins; if there be any traiterous lust got into our heart, we would have it found out, and Execution done upon it; we would not have sin covered, but cured: we can open our breast to the bullet of the word, and say, Lord smite this sin.

  2. When we are thankful for a reproof, Psa. 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness, and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oyl which shall not break my13 head.

David was glad of a reproof. Suppose a man were in the mouth of a Lyon, and another should shoot the Lyon and save the man, would not he be thankful? So, when we are in the mouth of sin, as of a Lyon, and the Minister by a reproof shoots this sin to death, shall not we be thankful? A gracious soul rejoyceth when the sharp Lance of the word hath let out his Imposthume; he wears a reproof as a Jewel on his ear, Pro. 30. 12. As an ear-ring of gold, so is a reprover on an obedient ear. To conclude, ‘tis convincing preaching must do the soul good; a nipping reproof prepares for comfort, as a nipping frost prepares for the sweet flowers of spring.

Footnotes

  1. 9 Character. ↩

  2. […]. Chrys. Psa. 48. ↩

  3. […]. Chrysost. ↩

  4. Biblia etiam adolescens semper secum circumtu[…]it, avideque legit in templo & alibi. Melch. Adam in vit. Melancth. ↩

  5. Euseb. lib. 8. c. 3. ↩

  6. Verbum Dei alexipharmacum. ↩

  7. Potius ruat caelum quam pereat una mica veritatis. Luther. ↩

  8. […] vocat. Zenoph. ↩

  9. Wolfius lect memorabil. Centur. 16. ↩

  10. […]. Clem. A[…]lexandrin. ↩

  11. […]. Chrysost. ↩

  12. Quales quaeso illi sunt, qui verbi redargutiones accipere nolunt, sed contra, obstinati murmurant, & Ministros verbi Caelestis ob id odio prosequuntur? Nimirum non sunt vasa contrita, sed serrea ac lapidea; & ô utinam malleo legis, hae petrae se concuti Paterentur, sed quia quotidie in duricie sua pergunt, & diabolo se regendos in solidum tradunt, idem Dei malleus tandem in inferni barathrum eos percussione horrenda deturbabit. Glassii ex eg. p. 4. in Johan. ↩

  13. Sermo vulnerans dolorem affert sed salutarem. Mollerus. ↩

Backlinks