2. If you would have it, you must ask it of God. We can have no sound knowledge till God teach it us. By nature we are all blind, ignorant, vain ; after grace received, though our ignorance be helped, it is not altogether cured ; you must still fetch it from heaven by strong hand. Without his Spirit we cannot discern spiritual things : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned;' that is, chiefly, the main things of the gospel, and universally all things, so far as conscience and obedience to God is concerned in them. It is the unction must teach us all things : 1 John ii. 20, ' But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things ;' the things of God must be seen in the light of his own Spirit. The Si)irit of God first giveth us the desire of these things, and then satisfieth us with them. It is the Spirit of God purifietli this desire, that it may be holy, as having a holy end, that we may avoid whatever is displeasing to God, and do whatever is pleasing in his sight ; and that is the ready way to come to knowledge and sound judgment: John xvii. 17, 'Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy word is truth ;' John iii. 21, 'He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.' Men that have a mind to maintain an opinion, or suffer an evil practice, are prejudiced and biassed by the idol that is in their hearts, and so do not see what may be seen, and what they seem to search after. Therefore David urgeth this as an argument
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ia the latter end of the text, 'I have believed thy commandments ;' that is to say, Lord, I know this word is thine, and I am willing to practise all that thou requirest. The great thing that is to be aimed at about knowledge is, not only that we may know, and be able to jangle about questions, or that we may be known and esteemed for our knowledge, but that we may practise and walk circumspectly, and in evil days and times know what the will of the Lord is con- cerning us ; to desire knowledge as those that know the weight and consequence of these things, as I shall show more fully hereafter. Those that would have good judgment and knowledge must be willing to understand their duty, and practise all that God requireth, that they may neither do things rashly, and without knowledge and de- liberation, for then they are not good, how good soever they be in themselves : Pro v. xix. 2, 'Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good ; ' or doubtingly, after deliberation ; for he that doubtetli is in part condemned in his own mind : Eom. xiv. 23, ' And he that doubteth is damned if he eat.' We must have a clear warrant from God, or else all is naught, and will tend to evil. Then it is the Spirit of God satisfieth these desires, when we earnestly desire of him to be informed in the true and perfect way : John vi. 45, ' They shall be all taught of God.' He hath suited promises to the pure and earnest desire of knowledge. Then it is the Lord who sendeth means and blesseth means ; as he sent Peter to Cornelius, Acts x., and Philip to the eunuch. Acts viii. All is at his disposal, and he will not fail the waiting soul ; he hath made Christ to be wisdom for this very end and purpose, that he might guide us continually : 1 Cor. i. 30, ' But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.'
3. You must seek it in the word ; that maketh us wise to salvation, and by the continual study of it we obtain wisdom and discretion ; there we have the best and safest counsel : ' It maketh wise the sim- ple,' Ps. xix. 7. ■ No case can be put, so far as it concerneth conscience, but there you shall have satisfaction : Col, iii. 16, ' Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom.' You must not content yourselves with a cursory reading, but mark the end and scope of it, that you may be made completely wise, by frequent reading, hearing, meditation upon it, and conferring about it. There you find all things necessary to be believed and practised, therefore you must hear it with application, read it with meditation. (1.) Hear it with application. The Lord blesseth us in the use of instituted means ; both light and flame are kept in by the breath of preaching. Where visions fail, the people perish, men grow brutish and wild. It is a dispute which is the sense of learning, the ear or the eye. By the eye we see things, but by reason of innate ignorance we must be taught how to judge of them : James i. 19, ' Wherefore, my brethren, let every man be swift to hear ; ' take all occasions. And we must still apply what we hear. Nunquid ego talis f Eom. viii. 31, ' What shall we then say to these things?' Job v. 27, ' Lo, this we have searched, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good;' Heb. ii. 3, ' How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' Return upon thine own heart. (2.) Reading scripture is every man's work who hath a soul