A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

140 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFOI.TINGJerome, writing to many even of her sex whom as I toldyou before much reading of scriptures and other good booksmade mad, if the extremest malice of the most mortal enemiesto the ways of God may be credited, doth stir themup with extraordinary earnestness to a diligent, industrious,and fruitful reading of God's book, in many passages of hisepistles.In that toGaudentius, about bringing up a young maiden," he would have her at seven years old, and when she beginsto blush, learn the Psalms of David without book ; anduntil twelve make the books of Solomon, the gospels, theapostles, and prophets, the treasure of her heart."To one he speaks thus :" This one thing above all othersI would foreadvise thee ; and inculcating it I will admonishagain and again, that thou wouldst possess thy mind withlove of reading scriptures."To another ": Let the book of God be ever in thy hands.—And after the Holy Scriptures read also the <strong>treatise</strong>s oflearned men."To another :" Let the sacred scriptures be ever in thinehands, and revolved continually in thy mind."" Reading scripture," saith Origen, " daily prayers, theword of doctrine, nourish the soul, even as the body isstiengtliened by dainty fare. The spirit is nourished, growsstrong, and is made victorious by such food, which if youuse not, do not complain of the inhrmity of the flesh ; donot say, we would, but cannot." ^cc.Those reverend men that made the homilies seem to apprehendthemselves, and they commend to us the excellentsweetness which may be sucked from the breasts of consolationin meditating upon the scriptures, by this theiremphatical and effectual expression :" Let us ruminate,"say they*, "and as it were chew the cud, that we may havethe sweet juice, spiritual effect, marrow, honey, kernel,taste, comfort, and consolation of them."I have said all this upon purpose, lest melancholic menshould be misled or disheartened by the cursed counsel ofcarnal friends and wicked clamours of the world, from turningtheir sadness into sorrow for sin, and from using God'sblessed book and the powerful ministry thereof, the onlywell-spring of all true lightsomeness and joy ; and able, asI said before, if they will be converted and counselled, todispel the very darkness of hell out of their hearts. Methinksthey, above all others, should be encouraged hereunto,(1.) Because they have a passive advantage, if I* Homily for Readina^ of Scriptures.