2. Do you manifest the word to be righteousness : ' Wisdom should be justified of her children,' Mat. xi. 19. You should evidence it to the carnal world by taking ofi" their prejudices, that the word may be justified. The world hath a suspicion; now evidence it to the conscience that it is a holy rule, a perfect direction for righteous- ness. The world prieth into the conversation of the saints ; they live much by sensible things; therefore declare and evidence it to be a righteous thing.
So much for the title that is given to the word of God, thij judg- ments and rigliteousness.
Secondly, We come now to his act of duty about the word, or the benefit which he desired, ' When I shall have learned.' By learning he means his attaining not only to the knowledge of the word, but the practice of it. It is not a speculative light, or a bare notion of things: John vi. 45, ' Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me.' It is such a learning as the effect will necessarily follow, such a light and illumination as doth convert the soul, and frame our hearts and ways according to the will of God ; for otherwise if we get understanding of the word, nay, if we get it imprinted in our memories, it will do us no good without practice.
Doct. The best of God's servants are but scholars and students in the knowledge and obedience of his word.
For saith David, which had so much acquaintance, ' When I shall have learned.' The professors of the Christian religion were primi- tively called disciples or learners : Actsvi. 2, to ttXtjOo^ tcov fiadrjrcbv, * The multitude of the disciples.' This seems to be the true defini- tion of a church, the genus and difference ; the genus is the community or multitude of men united among themselves, as a corporation, city, or household. The difference or form is disciples, those that gave up themselves to Christ to be taught and governed, and to be instructed in this way and doctrine. So Acts xi. 26, it is said there, * The dis-
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66 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. VIII.
ciples were called Christians first at Antioch.' Christians are dis- ciples, and to difference them from the disciples of other men, they are the disci})les of Christ. (1.) The school, that is, the church, whero there are public lectures read to all visible professors; but the elect getting saving knowledge, they are not only taught of men, but taught of God, they have an inward light. (2.) The book, that is, the scrip- ture, ' which is able to make wise to salvation,' to ' make the man of God perfect,' 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. Some run to tradition, others cry up their own reason to the wrong of the scripture ; tliey make Christ to be their disciple rather than they his, when they will not receive things upon his testimony and revelation, as the Socinians. (3.) The teacher is either supreme or subordinate. The supreme teacher is Christ; he is the great prophet of the church : so it is said, John vi. 45, ' They shall be taught of God.' This is, such a teacher that not only opens the scripture, but ' opens the understanding,' Luke xxiv. 45. The subordinate teachers are the ministers of the gospel, whom God useth for this work ; not out of any indigence, but indulgence ; not, for any efficacy in the preacher, but out of a suitableness to the hearer, as a means most agreeable to our frail estate, to deal with us by way of counsel, God can teach us without men, by the secret illapses of his Spirit ; but he will use those that are of the same nature with our- selves, that have the same temptations, necessities, and affections, which know the heart of a man. He would use them who, if they deceive us, must deceive themselves ; he would use men of whose con- versation and course we are conscious ; we know their walk and way ; he would use them as ' ambassadors' to ' pray us in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God,' 2 Cor. v. 20. (4.) The lesson which we learn is not only to know, but to obey. Science without conscience will not fit our turn, nor suit with the dignity of our teacher. To be like chil- dren that have the rickets, swollen in the head, when the feet are weak ; we do not learn truth as it is in Jesus till we be regenerated, for that is a truth for practice and walking, not for talk, Eph. iv. 21. He is most learned that turns God's word into works: 1 John ii. 4, 5, ' He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.' In this school there is no man counted a proficient, but he that grows in practice. It is not the curious searcher that is the best scholar, but the humble practitioner ; when we are cast into the mould of this doctrine, and have the prints, the stamp and character of it upon our heart; as Rom. vi. 17, 'Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.' In the original it is, ' Whereto ye were delivered.' When we come to a physician, it is not enough to know his prescriptions, but they must be followed. We do not come to Christ as students of physic, to be trained up in the theory, but as patients ; not as one that minds the art, but the cure, to do what is prescribed, that we may know how to get rid of our soul-diseases. Therefore Christ saith, John viii. 31, ' Then are yo my disciples indeed, if my word abide in you.' There are Christ's disciples in pretence, and Christ's disciples indeed ; those that make it their work to get from Christ- a power and virtue to carry on a uniform and constant obedience, these are the