Secondly, But now it is a full direction, for David speaks it of liis feet and path.
1. In general observe this: it is not a light to our brains to fill us with empty notions, but a light to our feet to regulate our practice and to guide our actions, Jer. vi. IG. He doth not say, hearken after the true religion, but luulk therein. For a man to study the scripture only to satisfy curiosity, only to know what is right and good, and not follow it with all his heart, is but to make a rod for his own back, and doth but cause his own condemnation to be sore and terrible, Luke
VeR. 105.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 73
xii. 47. To I)G able to dispute for truth and not lie under the power of it, to avoid heresy and live in vice, will never brinti; him to heaven, Gal. vi, 16. It is not them that are able to talk of it, but to ' walk accordin<^ to this rule ;' not to play with it, but to work with it. Know- ledge and practice must be joined together ; they do never well asunder, but excellent together.
2. In our practice.
[1.] Our path, our general choice. A man that consults with Grod's word, ' The Lord will teach him the way that he shall choose,' Ps. XXV. 12. Everything appointed to an end must have all things abso- lutely necessary to that end, else it is not perfect in its kiiid ; though perfect to guide us to eternal life ; therefore it must contain all things that belong or conduce to that end. It is not a rule given us to be rich or safe, but to be eternally happy.
[2.] As it is a light to our path,' so to our feet. How? In the particular actions that we perform, and in the particular conditions that we pass through,
(1.) In the particular actions that we ])erform. Every action we go about must be guided by the word. Wiiy ? Because obedience in particular actions we are most apt to miscarry in. Many are wise in generals, but in particulars they quite nn'slake their way. We have general notions that w^ nuist be holy ; ay ! but we are not ' holy in all manner of conversation,' 1 Peter i. 15. In every creek and turning of our lives, in all our actions of eating, drinking, sleeping, and waking, we are to be mindful and respect the connnand of God in all these. No path of a Christian's conversation but ought to savour of grace and holiness ; not only his religious, but his common and civil actions. Every action is a step to heaven or hell, for this life is compared to a walk, and in a walk every step brings us onward in our way. Briefly, in every act, either sin or grace intei-poseth, therefore we had need look to every step, and still to walk according to rule.
(2 ) It guides us in all the conditions that we pass through. In every age ; here is milk for the weak, and strong meat for men of ripe age. In every calling, from the king to the lowest beggar. In every state of life, adversity, prosperity, still here is light for you.
There are two parties whose interest it is to decry the clearness of scripture, papists and libertines. Papists, they are afraid to stand to this trial, they would bring all to the judgment of the church ; there- fore, it is for their interest that the scri})tures were not a clear, safe, and a full direction. Libertines, they decry the clearness of scripture upon several grounds. Those that plead for a boundless toleration, what is their great argument ? Nothing is certain in religion. If the word be a clear rule, then, &c.
74 SERMONS uroN PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXIII.
SEKMON CXIII.
The icord is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. —
YVr. 105.
Here I shall answer five objections that are made by cavillers.
Object. 1. First, If it be so clear a light, why do men so often mis- take that have the scriptures, and consult with them? yea, wliy is there such differences among good men ?
Ans. I answer, in general, there is light in the scriptures, but there is darkness in men that are conversant about them. The object may be well represented when the faculty is not well disposed. There are defects in them to whom this discovery is made ; though they have light, yet they want eyes. The sun giveth light enough, though blind men cannot see it ; the word doth whatsoever is necessary on its own part. To the beholding of anything by the outward sense, there must not only be light to make the object conspicuous, but also a faculty of seeing in the eye ; blind men cannot see at noonday, nor the sharpest- sighted at midnight. There is light in the scriptures surely, for God would not deal hypocritically with us that are liis people ; if he hath given us a rule, he would not wrap it up in darkness, so as we should not know his meaning ; so that the defect is in us. This in general.