This incomparable book!
(Thomas Brooks, "Apples of Gold" 1660)
The whole of Scripture is but one entire love
letter, dispatched from the Lord Christ, to
His beloved spouse!
Oh! the mysteries, the excellencies, the glories
which are in this incomparable book! There
are none so useful, none so needful, none so
delightful, none so necessary to make you
happy and to keep you happy--as this!
Ah! the Word of the Lord is . . .
a light to guide you,
a counselor to counsel you,
a comforter to comfort you,
a staff to support you,
a sword to defend you,
a physician to cure you!
The Word is . . .
a mine to enrich you,
a robe to clothe you,
a crown to crown you.
bread to strengthen you,
wine to cheer you,
a honeycomb to feast you,
music to delight you,
a paradise to entertain you!
Oh! therefore, before all and above all:
search the Scripture,
study the Scripture,
meditate on the Scripture,
delight in the Scripture,
treasure up the Scripture!
There is . . .
no wisdom like Scripture wisdom,
no knowledge like Scripture knowledge,
no experience like Scripture experience,
no comforts like Scripture comforts,
no delights like Scripture delights,
no convictions like Scripture convictions,
no conversion like Scripture conversion!
I exhort you to a speedy, serious, diligent,
and constant study of the Scripture.
Ah! you do not know how soon . . .
your blind minds may be enlightened,
your hard hearts may be softened,
your proud spirits may be humbled,
your sinful natures may be changed,
your defiled consciences may be purged,
your distempered affections may be regulated,
and your poor souls may be saved . . .
by searching into the Scriptures,
by reading the Scripture, and
by pondering upon the Scripture.
Ah! if you do not in good earnest,
give yourself up . . .
to the reading,
to the studying,
to the pondering,
to the believing,
to the practicing,
to the applying, and
to the living up to the Scripture--
Satan will be too hard for you,
the world will be too hard for you,
your lusts will be too hard for you,
temptations will be too hard for you,
deceivers will be too hard for you,
and in the end you will be miserable!
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