Thomas Watson - Of Peace

OF PEACE.

1 Pet. 1. 2. Grace unto you, and Peace be multiplied.

Having spoken of the first fruit of sanctification, assurance; I proceed to the second, viz. peace, 'Peace be multiplied.'

Q. What are the several species or kinds of Peace?

Ans. Peace, in Scripture, is compared to a river, Isa. Ixvi. 12.' this river parts itself into two silver streams.

1st, There is an external peace, and that is either, 1. Economical, peace in a family. 2. Political, peace in the state. Peace is the nurse of plenty, Psal. cxlvii. 14. 'He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.' How pleasant is it when the waters of blood begin to assuage, and we can see the windows of our ark open, and the dove returning with an olive branch of peace? 3. Ecclesiastical peace in the church. It is Unity in Trinity is the greatest mystery in heaven, and Unity in Verity the greatest mercy on earth. Peace ecclesiastical lands in opposition to schism and persecution.

2ndly, a Spiritual peace, which is twofold; peace above us, or peace with God; and peace within us, or peace with conscience: this is superlative; other peace maybe lasting, but this is everlasting.

Q.2. Whence comes this peace?

Ans. This peace hath the whole Trinity for its author, (1.) God the Father is the God of peace, 1 Thess. v. 3. (2.) God the Son is the 'Prince of peace,' Isa. ix. 9. (3.) Peace is said to be the 'fruit of the Spirit,' Gal. v. 22.

1. God the Father is the God of peace. As he is the God of order, 1 Cor. xiv. 33. So the God of peace, Phil. iv. 9. This was the form of the priest's blessing the people, Numb. vi. 27. 'The Lord give thee peace.'

2. God the Son is the purchaser of peace. He had made peace by his blood. Col. i. 20. 'Having made peace by the blood of his cross.' The atonement Aaron made for the people, when he entered into the holy of holies with blood, was a type of Christ our high-priest, who hath by his Sacrifice pacified his angry Father, and made atonement for us. Christ purchased our peace upon hard terms; his soul was in an agony, while he was travailing to bring forth peace to the world.

3. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. He seals up peace to the conscience: The Spirit clears up the work of grace in the heart, from whence ariseth peace. There was a well of water, near Hagar, but she did not see it, therefore wept. A Christian hath grace, but doth not see it, therefore weeps. Now the Spirit discovers this well of water, it enables conscience to witness to a man that hath the real work of grace, and so peace flows into the soul. Thus you see whence this peace comes, the Father decrees it, the Son purchaseth it, the Holy Ghost applies it.

Q. 3. Whether such as are destitute of grace may have peace?

A. No. Peace flows from sanctification; but they, being unregenerate, have nothing to do with peace, Isa. Ivii. 21. ‘There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.' They may have a truce, but no peace. God may forbear the wicked a while, and stop the roaring of his cannon; but though there be a truce, yet no peace. The wicked may have something which looks like peace, but it is not. They may be fearless and stupid; but there is a great difference between a stupefied conscience, and a pacified conscience, Luke xi. 21. ' When a strong man keeps his palace, his goods are in peace.' This is the devil's peace; he rocks men in the cradle of security; he cries, peace, peace, when men are on the precipice of hell. The seeming peace a sinner hath, is not from the knowledge of his happiness but the ignorance of his danger.

Q. 4. What are the signs of a false peace?

 A. 1. A false peace hath much confidence in it, but this confidence is conceit. The sinner doth not doubt of God's mercy from which presumptuous confidence ariseth some kind of quiet in the mind. The same word in the Hebrew, cafal, signifies both confidence and folly, indeed a sinner's confidence is folly; how confident were the foolish virgins?

2. False peace separates those things which God hath joined together: God joins holiness and peace, but he who hath a false peace separates these two. He lays claim to peace, but banisheth holiness, Deut. xxix. 19. 'I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. 'The wicked are loose and vain, and yet thank God that they have peace: a delusion. You may as well suck health out of poison, as peace out of sin.

3. False peace is not willing to be tried; a sign they are bad wares which will not endure the light; a sign a man hath stolen goods, when he will not have his house searched. A false peace cannot endure to be tried by the word: the word speaks of an humbling and refining work upon the soul before peace; false peace cannot endure to hear of this: the least trouble will shake this peace; it will end in despair. In a false peace, conscience is asleep; but, when this lion of conscience shall be awakened at death, then it will roar upon a man, he will be a terror to himself, and be ready to lay violent hands upon himself

Q. 5.. How shall we know that ours is a true peace?

Ans. 1. True peace flows from union with Christ; Communio fundatur in unione. The graft or scion must first; be inoculated into the tree before it can receive sap and nourishment from it; so, we must first be ingrafted into Christ, before we can receive peace from him. Have we faith? By holiness we are made like Christ; by believing we are made one with Christ; and being in Christ we have peace, John xvi. 33.

2. True peace flows from subjection to Christ; where Christ gives peace, there he sets up his government in the heart, Isa. ix. 7. ‘Of his government and peace there shall be no end.' Christ; is called ‘a priest upon his throne,' Zech. vi. 13. Christ as a priest makes peace; but he will be a priest upon his throne, he brings the heart in subjection to him. If Christ be our peace, he is our prince, Isa. ix. 6. Whenever Christ pacifies the conscience, he subdues the lust.

3. True peace is after trouble. First, God lets loose a spirit of bondage, he convinceth and humbleth the soul; then he speaks peace. Many say they have peace, but is this peace before a storm, or after it? True peace is after trouble. First, there was the earthquake, and then the fire, and then the still small voice, 1 Kings xix. 11, Thou who never hadst any legal bruisings, mayst suspect thy peace; God pours the golden oil of peace into broken hearts.

Q. 6. Whether have all sanctified persons this peace?

Ans. They have a title to it; they have the ground of it; grace is the seed of peace, and it will in time turn to peace; as the blossoms of a tree to fruit, milk to cream. They have a promise of it, Psal. xxix. 11. ' The Lord will bless his people with peace:' they may have peace with God, though not peace in their own conscience; they have the initials and beginnings of peace. There is a secret peace the heart hath in serving God; such meltings and enlargements in duty as do revive the soul, and bear it up from sinking.

Q. 7. But why have not all believers the full enjoyment and profession of peace? Why is not this flower of peace fully ripe and blown?

Ans. Some of the godly may not have so full a degree of

peace. 1.Through the fury of temptation; the devil, if he cannot destroy us, he will disturb us; Satan disputes against our adoption; he would make us question the work of grace in our hearts, and so troubles the waters of our peace: Satan is like a subtile cheater, who, if he cannot make a man's title to his land void, yet he will put him to many troublesome suits in law. If Satan cannot make us ungodly, he will make us unquiet: Violent winds make the sea rough and stormy; the winds of temptation blowing, disturb peace of spirit, and put the soul into a commotion. 2. The godly may not enjoy peace, through mistake and misapprehension about sin. They find so much corruption, that sure, if there were grace, there would not be such strong workings of corruption: whereas this should be so far from discouraging Christians, and hindering their peace, that it is an argument for them. Let me ask, Whence is it that you feel sin? No man can feel sin, but by grace. A wicked man is insensible: lay an hundred weight upon a dead man, he doth not complain: but the being sensible of corruption, argues a gracious principle, Rom. vii. 21. Again, ‘Whence is it that there is a combat with sin, but from the life of grace?' Gal. v. 17. Dead things cannot combat. Whence is it that the Saints weep for sin? what are these tears but seeds of faith? The not understanding of this, hinders a Christian's peace. 3. The godly may not enjoy peace, through remissness in duty: they leave their first love. When Christians abate their fervency, God abates their peace: If you slacken the strings of a viol, the music is spoiled; if a Christian slack in duty, they spoil the sweet music of peace in their souls. As the fire decays, so the cold increaseth; as fervency in duty abates, so our peace cools. 

Use. Labour for this blessed peace, peace with God and conscience. Peace with neighbour-nations is sweet. Pax una triumphis innumeris melior. The Hebrew word schalom, peace, comprehends all blessings, it is the glory of a kingdom; a prince's crown is more beautiful when it is hung with the white lily of peace, than when it is let with the red roses of a bloody war. O then, how sweet is peace of conscience! It is a bulwark against the enemy, Phil. iv. 7 it shall keep you as in a garrison; you may throw out the gauntlet and bid defiance to the enemies: it is the golden pot and the manna ; it is the first fruits of paradise. It is still music; for want of this a Christian is in continual fear, he doth not take that comfort in ordinances. Hannah went up to the feast at Jerusalem, but the wept, and did not eat, 1 Sam. i. 7. So, a poor dejected soul goes to an ordinance, but doth not eat of the feast; he weeps and doth not eat. He cannot take that comfort in worldly blessings, health, estate, relations; he wants that inward peace, which should be a sauce to sweeten his comforts. O therefore labour for this blessed peace. Consider the noble and excellent effects of it. 1. it gives boldness at the throne of grace: guilt of conscience clips the wings of prayer, it makes the face blush, and the heart faint; but when a Christian hath some lively apprehensions of God's love, and the Spirit whispering peace, then he goes to God with boldness, as a child to his father, Psal. xxv 1. ' Unto thee, O Lord, I lift my soul.'  Time was when David's soul was bowed down, Psal. xxxviii. 6. ‘I am bowed down greatly;' but now the case is altered, he will lift up his soul to God in a way of triumph, whence was this? God hath spoken peace to his soul, Psal. xxvi. 3. ' Thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes’ 2. This divine peace fires the heart with love to Christ. Peace is the result of pardon; he who hath a pardon sealed, cannot chuse but love his prince. How endeared is Christ to the soul! Now Christ is precious indeed. ‘O, saith the soul, how sweet is this rose of Sharon! Hath Christ waded through a sea of blood and wrath to purchase my peace; Hath he not only made peace, but spoke peace to me? How should my heart ascend in a fiery chariot of love! How willing should I be to do and suffer for Christ?’ This peace quiets the heart in trouble, Mic. v. 5. ‘This man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land, and tread in our palaces.' The enemy may invade our palaces, but not our peace; this man Christ, shall be the peace. When the head aches, the heart may be well; when worldly troubles assault a Christian, his mind may be in peace and quiet, Psal. iv. 8. ‘I will lay me down in peace, and Deep.’ 'Twas now a sad time with David, he was fleeing for his life from Absalom: it was no small affliction to think that his own son should seek to take away his Father's life and crown: David wept and covered his face, 2 Sam. xv. 30. Yet at this time, saith he, ‘I will lay me down in peace, and sleep.' He had trouble from his son but peace from his conscience; David could sleep upon the soft pillow of a good conscience: this is a peace worth getting.

Qu. 8. What shall we do to attain this blessed peace?

Ans. 1. Let us ask it of God; he is the God of peace, he beats back the roaring lion, he stills the raging of conscience; if we could call all the angels out of heaven, they could not speak peace without God. The stars cannot make day without the sun; none can make day in a dark deserted soul, but the Sun of righteousness. As the wilderness cannot water itself, but remains dry and parched, till the clouds drop their moisture; so our hearts cannot have peace, till he infuse it and drop it upon us by his Spirit. Therefore pray, ‘Lord, thou who art the God of peace create peace, thou who art the Prince of peace, command it. Give me that peace which may

sweeten trouble, yea, the bitter cup of death.’

2. If you would have peace, make war with sin; sin is the Achan that troubles us, the Trojan horse, I Kings ix. 22. ‘When Joram saw Jehu, he said, is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her witchcrafts are so many  What peace as long as sin remains unmortified? if you would have peace with God, break the league with sin; give battle to sin, it is a most just war, God hath proclaimed it: nay, he hath promised us victory, 'Sin shall not have dominion,' Rom. vi. No way to peace but by maintaining a war with sin. Pax nostra bellum contre dæmonem, Tertul. When Samson had slain the lion there came honey out of the lion: by flaying sin, we get this honey of peace.

3. Go to Christ's blood for peace. Some go to fetch their peace from their own righteousness, not Christ's, they go for peace to their holy life, not Christ's death; if conscience be troubled, they strive to quiet it with their duties. This is not the right way to peace: duties must not be neglected, nor yet idolized. Look up to the blood of sprinkling, Heb. xii. 24. That blood of Christ which pacified God, must pacify conscience; Christ's blood being sucked in by faith, gives peace, Rom. v. I. ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.' No balm to cure a wounded conscience, but the blood of Christ.

4. Walk closely with God. Peace flows from purity, Gal. vi. 16. 'As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them.' In the text, grace and peace are put together; grace is the root, and peace is the flower. As balm-water drops from the limbec, so divine peace comes out of the limbec of a gracious heart. Walk very holily; God's Spirit is first a refiner before a comforter.

Branch 2. You who have this peace, peace above, peace within, labour to keep it: it is a precious jewel, do not lose it it is sad to have the league of national peace broken, but it is worse to have the peace of conscience broken: O preserve this peace. First, Take heed of relapses ; hath God spoken peace? do not turn again to folly, Psal. Ixxxv. 8. Besides the ingratitude, there's folly in relapses. It was long ere God was reconciled and the breach made up; and you will again eclipse and forfeit your peace? hath God healed the wound of conscience, and will you tear it open again? will you break another vein? will you cut a new artery? this is returning indeed to folly. What madness is it to meddle again with that sin, which will breed the worm of conscience! Secondly, Make up your spiritual accounts daily; see how matters stand between God and your souls, Psal. Ixxvii. 6. 'I commune with my own heart.' Often reckonings keep God and conscience friends; do with your hearts as you do with your watches, wind them up every morning by prayer, and at night examine whether your hearts have gone true all that day, whether the wheels of your affections have moved swiftly toward heaven: Oh call yourselves often to account ; keep your reckonings even, and that is the way to keep your peace.

Thomas Watson - Settled In The Faith

"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled."-Col 1:23.

Intending next Lord's day to enter upon the work of catechising, it will not be amiss to give you a preliminary discourse, to show you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the grounds of religion. "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled."

First. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith.

Second. The best way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded.

First. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith. It is the apostle's prayer, 1 Pet. 5:10, "The God of all grace establish, strengthen, settle you." That is, that they might not be meteors in the air, but fixed stars. The apostle Jude speaks of "wandering stars" in verse 13. They are called wandering stars, because, as Aristotle says, "They do leap up and down, and wander into several parts of the heaven; air being but dry exhalations, not made of that pure celestial matter as the fixed stars are, they often fall to the earth." Now, such as are not settled in religion, will, at one time or other, prove wandering stars; they will lose their former steadfastness, and wander from one opinion to another. Such as are unsettled are of the tribe of Reuben, "unstable as water," Gen. 49:4; like a ship without ballast, overturned with every wind of doctrine. Beza writes of one Belfectius, that his religion changed as the moon. The Arians had every year a new faith. These are not pillars in the temple of God, but reeds shaken every way. The apostle calls them "damnable heresies." 2 Pet. 2:1. A man may go to hell as well for heresy as adultery. To be unsettled in religion argues want of judgment. If their heads were not giddy, men would not reel so fast from one opinion to another. It argues lightness. As feathers will be blown every way, so will feathery Christians. Triticum non rapit ventus inanes palae jactantur. [Wheat that is not gathered, the wind blows into chaff.] Cyprian. Therefore such are compared to children. Eph. 4:14, "That we be no more children, tossed to and fro." Children are fickle, sometimes of one mind, sometimes of another, nothing pleases them long; so unsettled Christians are childish; the truths they embrace at one time, they reject at another; sometimes they like the Protestant religion, and soon after they have a good mind to turn Papists.

1. It is the great end of the word preached, to bring us to a settlement in religion. Eph. 4:11, 12, 14, "And he gave some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the edifying of the body of Christ; that we henceforth be no more children." The word is called a hammer. Jer. 23:29. Every blow of the hammer is to fasten the nails of the building; so the preacher's words are to fasten you firmly to Christ; they weaken themselves to strengthen and settle you. This is the grand design of preaching, not only for the enlightening, but for the establishing of souls; not only to guide them in the right way, but to keep them in it. Now, if you be not settled, you do not answer God's end in giving you the ministry.

2. To be settled in religion is both a Christian's excellence and honour. It is his excellence. When the milk is settled it turns to cream; now he will be zealous for the truth, and walk in close communion with God. It is his honour. Prov. 16:31. "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." It is one of the best sights to see an old disciple; to see silver hairs adorned with golden virtues.

3. Such as are not settled in the faith can never suffer for it. Sceptics in religion hardly ever prove martyrs. They that are not settled hang in suspense; when they think of the joys of heaven they will espouse the gospel, but when they think of persecution they desert it. Unsettled Christians do not consult what is best, but what is safest. "The apostate (says Tertullian) seems to put God and Satan in balance, and having weighed both their services prefers the devil's service, and proclaims him to be the best master: and, in this sense, may be said to put Christ to open shame." Heb. 6:6. He will never suffer for the truth, but be as a soldier that leaves his colours, and runs over to the enemy's side; he will fight on the devil's side for pay.

4. Not to be settled in the faith is provoking to God. To espouse the truth, and then to fall away, brings an ill report upon the gospel, which will not go unpunished. Psalm 78:57, 59, "they turned back, and dealt unfaithfully. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel." The apostate drops as a wind-fall into the devil's mouth.

5. If you are not settled in religion, you will never grow. We are commanded "to grow up into the head, even Christ." Eph. 4:15. But if we are unsettled there is no growing: "the plant which is continually removing never thrives." He can no more grow in godliness, who is unsettled, than a bone can grow in the body that is out of joint.

6. There is great need to be settled, because there are so many things to unsettle us. Seducers are abroad, whose work is to draw away people from the principles of religion. 1 John 2:26, "These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you." Seducers are the devil's agents; they are of all others the greatest felons that would rob you of the truth. Seducers have silver tongues, that can put off suspicions; they have a sleight to deceive, Eph. 4:14. The Greek word there is taken from those that can throw a dice, and cast it for the best advantage. So seducers are impostors, they can throw a dice; they can so dissemble and subtly twist the truth, that they can deceive others. Seducers deceive,

1. By wisdom of words. Rom. 16:18: "By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple." They have fine elegant phrases, flattering language, whereby they work on the weaker sort.

2. Another sleight is a presence of extraordinary piety, so that people may admire them, and suck in their doctrine. They seem to be men of zeal and sanctity, and to be divinely inspired, and pretend to new revelations.

3. A third cheat of seducers is labouring to vilify and nullify sound orthodox teachers. They would eclipse those that bring the truth, like black vapours that darken the light of heaven; they would defame others, that they themselves may be more admired. Thus the false teachers cried down Paul, that they might be received, Gal. 4:17.

4. The fourth cheat of seducers is, to preach the doctrine of liberty; as though men are freed from the moral law, the rule as well as the curse, and Christ has done all for them, and they need to do nothing. Thus they make the doctrine of free grace a key to open the door to all licentiousness.

5. Another means is to unsettle Christians by persecution, 2 Tim. 2:12. The gospel is a rose that cannot be plucked without prickles. The legacy Christ has bequeathed is the CROSS. While there is a devil and a wicked man in the world, never expect a charter of exemption from trouble. How many fall away in an hour of persecution! Rev. 12:4, "There appeared a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns; and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven." The red dragon, by his power and subtlety, drew away stars, or eminent professors, that seemed to shine as stars in the firmament of the church.

6. To be unsettled in good is the sin of the devils, Jude 6. They are called, "morning stars," Job 38:7, but also "falling stars." They were holy, but mutable. As the vessel is overturned with the sail, so their sails being swelled with pride, they were overturned, I Tim. 3:6. By unsettledness, men imitate lapsed angels. The devil was the first apostate. The sons of Zion should be like mount Zion, which cannot be removed.

Second. The second proposition is that the way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded. "If you continue grounded and settled." The Greek word for grounded is a metaphor which alludes to a building that has the foundation well laid. So Christians should be grounded in the essential points of religion, and have their foundation well laid.

Here let me speak to two things: 1. That we should be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals. 2. That this grounding is the best way to being settled.

1. That we should be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals. The apostle speaks of "the first principles of the oracles of God." Heb. 5:12. In all arts and sciences, logic, physics, mathematics, there are some rules and principles that must necessarily be known for the practice of those arts; so, in divinity, there must be the first principles laid down. The knowledge of the grounds and principles of religion is exceedingly useful.

(1.) Else we cannot serve God aright. We can never worship God acceptably, unless we worship him regularly; and how can we do that, if we are ignorant of the rules and elements of religion? We are to give God a "reasonable service." Rom. 12:1. If we understand not the grounds of religion, how can it be a reasonable service?

(2.) Knowledge of the grounds of religion much enriches the mind. It is a lamp to our feet; it directs us in the whole course of Christianity, as the eye directs the body. Knowledge of fundamentals is the golden key that opens the chief mysteries of religion; it gives us a whole system and body of divinity, exactly drawn in all its lineaments and lively colours; it helps us to understand many of those difficult things which occur in the reading of the word; it helps to untie many Scripture knots.

(3.) It furnishes us with armour of proof; weapons to fight against the adversaries of the truth.

(4.) It is the holy seed of which grace is formed. It is semen fidei, the seed of faith, Psalm 9:10. It is radix amoris, the root of love. Eph. 3:17. "Being rooted and grounded in love." The knowledge of principles conduces to the making of a complete Christian.

2. This grounding is the best way to becoming settled: "grounded and settled." A tree, that it may be well settled, must be well rooted; so, if you would be well settled in religion, you must be rooted in its principles. We read in Plutarch of one who set up a dead man, and he would not stand. "Oh," said he, "there should be something within." So that we may stand in shaking times, there must be a principle of knowledge within; first grounded, and then settled. That the ship may be kept from overturning, it must have its anchor fastened. Knowledge of principles is to the soul as the anchor to the ship, that holds it steady in the midst of the rolling waves of error, or the violent winds of persecution. First grounded and then settled.

USE 1. See the reason so many people are unsettled, ready to embrace every novel opinion, and dress themselves in as many religions as fashions; it is because they are ungrounded. See how the apostle joins these two together, "unlearned and unstable." 2 Pet. 3:16. Such as are unlearned in the main points of divinity are unstable. As the body cannot be strong that has the sinews shrunk; so neither can that Christian be strong in religion who wants the grounds of knowledge, which are the sinews to strengthen and stablish him.

USE 2. See what great necessity there is of laying down the main grounds of religion in a way of catechising, that the weakest judgment may be instructed in the knowledge of the truth, and strengthened in the love of it. Catechising is the best expedient for the grounding and settling of people. I fear one reason there has been no more good done by preaching, has been because the chief heads and articles in religion have not been explained in a catechistical way. Catechising is laying the foundation, Heb. 6:1. To preach and not to catechise is to build without a foundation. This way of catechising is not novel, it is apostolic. The primitive church had their forms of catechism, as those phrases imply, a "form of sound words," 2 Tim. i. 13, and "the first principles of the oracles of God," Heb. 6:1. The church had its catechumenoi, as Grotius and Erasmus observe. Many of the ancient fathers have written for it, as Fulgentius, Austin, Theodoret, Lactantius, and others. God has given great success to it. By thus laying down the grounds of religion catechistically, Christians have been clearly instructed and wondrously built up in the Christian faith, insomuch that Julian the apostate, seeing the great success of catechising, put down all schools and places of public literature, and instructing of youth. It is my design, therefore (with the blessing of God), to begin this work of catechising the next Sabbath day; and I intend every other Sabbath, in the afternoon, to make it my whole work to lay down the grounds and fundamentals of religion in a catechistical way. If I am hindered in this work by men, or taken away by death, I hope God will raise up some other labourer in the vineyard among you, that may perfect the work which I am now beginning.

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Thomas Watson - A Godly Man is a Lover of the Word

"O how love I your law." (Psa. 119:97)

Part A: Godly Man Loves the Word Written

Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a garden set with ornaments and flowers. A godly man delights to walk in this garden and sweetly solace himself. He loves every branch and part of the Word:

1. He loves the counselling part of the Word, as it is a directory and rule of life. The Word is the direction sign which points us to our duty. It contains in it things to be believed and practiced. A godly man loves the directions of the Word.

2. He loves the threatening part of the Word. The Scripture is like the Garden of Eden: as it has a tree of life in it, so it has a flaming sword at its gates. This is the threatening of the Word. It flashes fire in the face of every person who goes on obstinately in wickedness. "God will wound the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses." (Psa. 68:21). The Word gives no indulgence to evil. It will not let a man halt half-way between God and sin. The true mother would not let the child be divided (I Kings 3:26), and God will not have the heart divided. The Word thunders out threats against the very appearance of evil. It is like that flying scroll full of curses (Zech. 5:1).

A godly man loves the menaces of the Word. He knows there is love in every threat. God would not have us perish; he therefore mercifully threatens us, so that he may scare us from sin. God's threats are like the buoy, which shows the rocks in the sea and threatens death to such as come near. The threat is a curbing bit to check us, so that we may not run in full career to hell. There is mercy in every threat.

3. He loves the consolatory part of the Word - the promises. He goes feeding on these as Samson went on his way eating the honeycomb (Judges 14:8,9). The promises are all marrow and sweetness. They are reviving to us when we are fainting; they are the conduits of the water of life. "In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul." (Psa. 94:19). The promises were David's harp to drive away sad thoughts; they were the breast which gave him the milk of divine consolation.

A godly man shows his love to the Word written:

(a) By diligently reading it. The noble Bereans "searched the Scriptures daily" (Acts 17:11). Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:12). The Word is our Magna Carta for heaven; we should be daily reading over this charter. The Word shows what is truth and what is error. It is the field where the pearl of price is hidden. How we should dig for this pearl! A godly man's heart is the library to hold the Word of God; it dwells richly in him (Col. 3:16). It is reported of Melanchthon that when he was young, he always carried the Bible with him and read it greedily. The Word has a double work: to teach us and to judge us. Those who will not be taught by the Word shall be judged by the Word. Oh, let us make ourselves familiar with the Scripture! What if it should be as in the times of Diocletian, who commanded by proclamation that the Bible be burned? Or as in Queen Mary's days, when it spelled death to have a Bible in English? By diligent conversing with Scripture, we may carry a Bible in our heads.

(b) By frequently meditating on it: "It is my meditation all the day" (Psa. 119:97). A pious soul meditates on the truth and holiness of the Word. He not only has a few transient thoughts, but leaves his mind steeping in the Scripture. By meditation, he sucks from this sweet flower and ruminates on holy truths in his mind.

(c) By delighting in it. It is his recreation: "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." (Jer 15:16) 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 choose but take great pleasure in the Word? All that he ever hopes to be worth is contained in it. Does not a son take pleasure in reading his father's will and testament, in which he bequeaths his estate to him?

(d) By hiding it: "Your word I have hidden in my heart" (Psa 119:11) - as one hides a treasure so that it should not be stolen. 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 enclose the Word in his heart? "That I might not sin against you." As a man would carry an antidote about him when he comes near an infected place, so a godly man carries the Word in his heart as a spiritual antidote to preserve him from the infection of sin. Why have so many been poisoned with error, others with moral vice, but because they have not hidden the Word as a holy antidote in their heart?

(e) 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: "Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart." (Psa 119:111) And do you think he will let his inheritance be wrested out of his hands? A godly man will not only dispute for the Word but die for it: "I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God." (Rev 6:9)

(f) By preferring it above things most precious: (1) Above food: "I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food." (Job. 23:12). (2) Above riches: "The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver." (Psa. 119:72). (3) Above worldly honour. Memorable is the story of King Edward the Sixth. On the day of his coronation, when they presented three swords before him, signifying to him that he was monarch of three kingdoms, the king said, "There is still one sword missing." On 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 of royalty."

(f) By talking about it: "My tongue shall speak of your word." (Psa. 119:172). As a covetous man talks of his rich purchase, so a godly man speaks of the Word. What a treasure it is, how full of beauty and sweetness! Those whose mouths the devil has gagged, who never speak of God's Word, indicate that they never reaped any good from it.

(g) By conforming to it. The Word is his compass, by which he sets his life, the balance in which he weighs his actions. He copies out the Word in his daily walk: "I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7). St Paul kept the doctrine of faith, and lived the life of faith.

Question: Why is a godly man a lover of the Word?

Answer: Because of the excellence of the Word.

1. The Word written is our pillar of fire to guide us. It shows us what rocks we are to avoid; it is the map by which we sail to the new Jerusalem.

2. The Word is a spiritual mirror through which we may see our own hearts. The mirror of nature, which the heathen had, revealed spots in their lives, but this mirror reveals spots in the imagination; that mirror revealed the spots of their unrighteousness, this reveals the spots of our righteousness. "When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died" (Rom. 7:9). When the Word came like a mirror, all my opinion of self-righteousness died.

3. The Word of God is a sovereign comfort in distress. While we follow this cloud, the rock follows us. "This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life." (Psa. 119:50). 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 life (Phil. 2:16)?

Part B: A Godly Man Loves the Word, Because of the Efficacy it has had upon Him

A godly man loves the Word preached, which is a commentary upon the Word written. This day-star has risen in his heart, and ushered in the Sun of righteousness. The Scriptures are the sovereign oils and balsams; the preaching of the Word is the pouring of them out. The Scriptures are the precious spices; the preaching of the Word is the beating of these spices, which causes a wonderful fragrance and delight. The Word preached is "the rod of God's strength" (Psa. 11O:2) and "the breath of his lips" (Isa. 11:4). What was once said of the city of Thebes, that it was built by the sound of Amphius' 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" (Rom 1:16). By this, Christ is said (now) to speak to us from heaven (Heb. 12:25). This ministry of the Word is to be preferred before the ministry of angels.

A godly man loves the Word preached, partly from the good he has found by it - he has felt the dew fall with this manna - and partly because of God's institution. The Lord has appointed this ordinance to save him. The king's image makes the coin current. The stamp of divine authority on the Word preached makes it an instrument conducive to men's salvation.

Application: Let us test by this characteristic whether we are godly: Are we lovers of the Word?

1. Do we love the Word written? What sums of money the martyrs gave for a few pages of the Bible! Do we make the Word our bosom friend? As Moses often had 'the rod of God' in his hand, so we should have 'the Book of God' in our hand. When we want direction, do we consult 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 bottle of the water of life for comfort? Then we are lovers of the Word! But alas, how can they who are seldom conversant with the Scriptures say they love them? Their eyes begin to be sore when they look at a Bible. The two testaments are hung up like rusty armour which is seldom 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 would rather look at a deck of cards than at a Bible.

2. Do we love the Word preached? Do we prize it in our judgments? Do we receive it into our hearts? Do we fear the loss of the Word preached more than the loss of peace and trade? Is it the removal of the ark that troubles us?

Again, do we attend to the Word with reverential devotion? When the judge is giving his charge from 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 that we love the Word.

Again, do we love the holiness of the Word (Psa. 119:140)? The Word is preached 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 performance (Ezek. 33:31,32) 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 who 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? It is the minister's duty sometimes to reprove. He who can speak smooth words in the pulpit, but does not know how to reprove, is like a sword with a fine hilt but without an edge. "Rebuke them sharply" (Titus 2:15). Dip the nail in oil, reprove in love, but strike the nail home. Now Christian, when the Word touches on your sin and says, "You are the man", do you love the reproof? Can you bless God that "the sword of the Spirit" has divided between you and your lusts? This is indeed a sign of grace and shows that you are a lover of the Word.

A corrupt heart loves the comforts of the Word, but not the reproofs: "They hate the one who rebukes in the gate." (Amos 5:1O). "Their eyes flash with fire!" Like venomous creatures that at the least touch spit poison, "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth." (Acts 7:54). When Stephen touched them to the quick, they were mad and could not endure it.

Question: How shall we know that we love the reproofs of the Word?

Answer 1: When we desire to sit under a heart-searching ministry. Who cares for medicines that will not work? A godly man does not choose to sit under a ministry that will not work upon his conscience.

Answer 2: When we pray that the Word may meet with our sins. If there is any traitorous lust in our heart, we would have it found out and executed. We do not want sin covered, but cured. We can open our breast to the bullet of the Word and say, "Lord, smite this sin."

Answer 3: When we are thankful for a reproof: "Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked." (Psa. 141:5). David was glad of a reproof. Suppose a man were in the mouth of a lion, and another should shoot the lion and save the man, would he not be thankful? So, when we are in the mouth of sin, as of a lion, and the minister by a reproof shoots this sin to death, shall we not be thankful? A gracious soul rejoices when the sharp lance of the Word has pierced his abscess. He wears a reproof like a jewel on his ear: "Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise reprover to an obedient ear." (Prov. 25:12).

To conclude, it is convincing preaching which must do the soul good. A nipping reproof prepares for comfort, as a nipping frost prepares for the sweet flowers of spring.