by the late Bishop Ryle
(continued from page 233)
“Search the Scriptures” — John 5, 39. “How readest thou?” —
- In the third place, no book in existence contains such important matter as the Bible.
The time would fail me if I were to enter fully into all the great things which are to be found in the Bible, and only in the Bible. It is not by any sketch or outline that the treasure of the Bible can be displayed. It would be easy to fill this volume with a list of the peculiar truths it reveals, and yet the half of its riches would be left untold.
How glorious and soul-satisfying is the description it gives us of God’s plan of salvation, and the way by which our sins can be forgiven! The coming into the world of Jesus Christ, the God-man, to save sinners — the atonement He has made by suffering in our stead, the just for the unjust — the complete payment he has made for our sins by His own blood — the justification of every sinner who simply believes on Jesus — the readiness of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to receive, pardon, and save to the uttermost — how unspeakably grand and cheering are all these truths! We should know nothing of them without the Bible.
How comforting is the account it gives us of the great Mediator of the New Testament — the man Christ Jesus! Four times over His picture is graciously drawn before our eyes. Four separate witnesses tell us of His miracles and His ministry — His sayings and His doings — His life and His death — His power and His love — His kindness and His patience — His ways, His works, His words, His thoughts, His heart. Blessed be God, there is one thing in the Bible which the most prejudiced reader can hardly fail to understand, and that is the character of Jesus Christ!
How encouraging are the examples the Bible gives us of good people! It tells us of many who were of like passions with ourselves — men and women who had cares, crosses, families, temptations, afflictions, diseases, like ourselves — and yet “by faith and patience inherited the promises”, and got safe home. (Heb. 6, 12). It keeps back nothing in the history of these people. Their mistakes, their infirmities, their conflicts, their experience, their prayers, their praise, their useful lives, their happy deaths — all are fully recorded. And it tells us the God and Saviour of these men and women still waits to be gracious, and is altogether unchanged.
How instructive are the examples the Bible gives us of bad people! It tells us of men and women who had light, and knowledge, and opportunities, like ourselves, and yet hardened their hearts, loved the world, clung to their sins, would have their own way, despised reproof, and ruined their own souls for ever. And it warns us that the God who punished Pharaoh, and Saul, and Ahab, and Jezebel, and Judas, and Ananias and Sapphira, is a God who never alters, and that there is a hell.
How precious are the promises which the Bible contains for the use of those who love God! There is hardly any possible emergency or condition for which it has not some “word in season”. And it tells men that God loves to be put in remembrance of these promises, and that if He has said He will do a thing, His promise shall certainly be performed.
How blessed are the hopes which the Bible holds out to the believer in Christ Jesus! Peace in the hour of death — rest and happiness on the other side of the grave — a glorious body in the morning of the resurrection — a full and triumphant acquittal in the day of judgment — an everlasting reward in the kingdom of Christ — a joyful meeting with the Lord’s people in the day of gathering together; — these, these are the future prospects of every true Christian. They are all written in the book — in the book which is all true.
How striking is the light which the Bible throws on the character of man! It teaches us what men may be expected to be and do in every position and station of life. It gives us the deepest insight into the secret springs and motives of human actions, and the ordinary course of events under the control of human agents. It is the true “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. (Heb. iv. 12). How deep is the wisdom contained in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes! I can well understand an old divine saying, “Give me a candle and a Bible, and shut me up in a dark dungeon, and I will tell you all that the whole world is doing.”
All these are things which men could find nowhere except in the Bible. We have probably not the least idea how little we should know about these things if we had not the Bible. We hardly know the value of the air we breathe, and the sun which shines on us, because we have never known what it is to be without them. We do not value truths on which I have been just now dwelling, because we do not realize the darkness of men to whom these truths have not been revealed. Surely no tongue can fully tell the value of the treasures this one volume contains. Well might old John Newton say that some books were copper books in his estimation, some were silver, and some few were gold; — but the Bible alone was like a book all made up of bank notes.
This is the Book about which I address the reader of this paper this day. Surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the Bible. It is no light matter in what way you are using this treasure. I charge you, I summon you to give an honest answer to my question — What art thou doing with the Bible? — Dost thou read it? — How Readest Thou?
Gospel Privileges and Responsibilities
Dearly Beloved in Our Lord.
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, be multiplied unto you.
I long exceedingly to hear of your ongoing and advancement in your journey to the Kingdom of God. My only joy, out of heaven, is to hear that the seed of God sown among you is growing and coming to a harvest. For I ceased not, while I was among you, in season and out of season (according to the measure of grace given unto me), to warn and stir up your minds: and I am free from the blood of all men, for I have communicated to you the whole counsel of God. And I now again charge and warn you, in the great and dreadful name, and in the sovereign authority of the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and I beseech you also by the mercies of God, and by the bowels of Christ, by your appearance before Christ Jesus our Lord, by all the plagues that are written in God’s Book, by your part in the holy city, the New Jerusalem, that ye keep the truth of God, as I delivered it to you, before many witnesses, in the sight of God and His holy angels. For now the last days are come and coming, when many forsake Christ Jesus: and He saith to you, Will ye also leave Me?
Remember that I forewarned you to forbear the dishonouring of the Lord’s blessed name, in swearing, blaspheming, cursing, and the profaning of the Lord’s Sabbath; willing you to give that Day, from morning to night, to praying, praising, hearing of the Word, conferring, and speaking, not your own words but God’s words, thinking and meditating on God’s nature, word, and work: and that every day, at morning and at night (at least), ye should sanctify the Lord by praying in your houses, publicly in the hearing of all. That ye should in any sort forbear the receiving of the Lord’s Supper but after the form that I delivered it to you, according to the example of Christ our Lord, that is, that ye should sit as banqueters at one table with our King, and eat, and drink, and divide the elements, one to another. (The timber and stones of the church-wall shall bear witness, that my soul was refreshed with the comforts of God in that supper!) And that crossing in baptism was unlawful, and against Christ’s ordinance. And that no day besides the Sabbath (which is of his own appointment) should be kept holy, and sanctified with preaching and the public worship of God, for the memory of Christ’s birth, death, resurrection, and ascension; seeing such days so observed are unlawful, will-worship, and not warranted in Christ’s word. And that everything, in God’s worship, not warranted by Christ’s Testament and word, was unlawful. Also, that Idolatry, worshipping of God before hallowed creatures, and adoring of Christ by kneeling before bread and wine, was unlawful. And that ye should be humble, sober, modest, forbearing pride, envy, malice, wrath, hatred, contention, debate, lying, slandering, stealing and defrauding your neighbours in grass, corn or cattle, in buying or selling, borrowing or lending, taking or giving, in bargains or covenants; that ye should work with your own hands, and be content with that which God hath given you. That ye should study to know God and His will, and keep in mind the doctrine of the Catechism, which I taught you carefully, and speak of it in your houses, and in the fields, when ye lie down at night, and when ye rise in the morning; and that ye should believe in the Son of God, and obey His commandments, and learn to make your accounts in time with your Judge, because death and judgment are before you.
And if ye have now penury and want of that word, which I delivered to you in abundance (yea to God’s honour I speak it, without arrogating anything to myself, who am but a poor empty man, ye had as much of the word in nine years, while I was among you, as some others have had in many), mourn for your loss of time and repent. My soul pitieth you, that ye should suck dry breasts, and be put to draw at dry wells. Oh that ye would esteem highly the Lamb of God, your well-beloved Christ Jesus, whose virtues and praises I preached unto you with joy, and which He did countenance and accompany with some power; and that ye would call to mind the many fair days, and glorious feasts in our Lord’s house-of-wine, that ye and I have had with Christ Jesus!
But if there be any among you that take liberty to sin because I am removed from amongst you, and forget that word of truth which ye heard, and turn the grace of God into wantonness, I here under my hand, in the name of Christ my Lord, write to such persons all the plagues of God, and the curses that ever I preached in the pulpit of Anwoth, against the children of disobedience! And, as the Lord liveth, the Lord Jesus shall make good what I write unto you. Therefore, dearly beloved, fulfill my joy. Fear the great and dreadful name of the Lord. Seek God with me. Scotland’s judgment sleepeth not: awake and repent. The sword of the Lord shall go from the north to the south, from the east to the west, and through all the corners of the land, and that sword shall be drunk with your blood amongst the first; and I shall stand up as witness against you if you do not amend your ways and your doings, and turn to the Lord with all your heart.
I beseech you also, my beloved in the Lord, my joy, and my crown, be not offended at the sufferings of me, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, I am filled with joy and with the comforts of God. Upon my salvation, I know and am persuaded it is for God’s truth, and the honour of my King and royal prince Jesus, I now suffer. And howbeit this town be my prison, yet Christ hath made it my palace, a garden of pleasures, a field and orchard of delights. I know likewise, albeit I be in bonds, that yet the word of God is not in bonds. My spirit also is in free ward. Sweet, sweet, have His comforts been to my soul: my pen, tongue, and heart have not words to express the kindness, love, and mercy of my Well-beloved to me, in this house of my pilgrimage.
I charge you to fear and love Christ, and to seek a house not made with hands, but your Father’s house above. This laughing and white-skinned world beguileth you; and if ye seek it more than God, it shall play you a slip, to the endless sorrow of your heart. Alas! I could not make many of you fall in love with Christ, howbeit I endeavoured to speak much good of Him and to commend Him to you; which as it was your sin, so it is my sorrow! Yet, once again suffer me to exhort, beseech, and obtest you in the Lord, to think of His love, and to be delighted with Him, who is altogether lovely. I give ye the word of a King, that ye shall not repent it.
Ye are in my prayers night and day. I cannot forget you: I do not eat, I do not drink, but I pray for you all. I entreat you all and every one of you, to pray for me. Grace, grace be with you.
Your lawful and loving pastor,
SAMUEL RUTHERFORD.
Aberdeen, Sept. 23, 1637.