Doct. God's best servants think they can never enough beg divine illumination.
David doth often enforce this request.
Beason 1. Our blindness in the matters of God is a great part of our spiritual misery : Eph. v. 8, ' Ye were sometimes in darkness.' There is a veil lying upon our hearts, not easily removed and taken away. All the mischief introduced by the fall is not cured at once, but by degrees ; as spiritual strength incrcaseth we grow up into it ; so spiritual light. The maim of the understanding, as well as the will, is not wholly cured till we come to heaven, for here we know but in jiart ; till God give us understanding, we are utterly blind ; the best of God's servants have cause to acknowledge it in themselves, the rem- nants of ignorance and incredulity. The apostle biddeth them to add to faith virtue, to virtue knowledge ; that is, skill to manage the work of our heavenly calling.
Reason 2. None are so sensible of this blindness as they. It is some proficiency in knowledge to understand our ignorance : Prov. xxx. 2, 3, * Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the under- standing of a man.' I neither learned wisdom, nor have the know- ledge of the holy.' The most knowing see they need more enlightening. The best of our knowledge is to know our imperfections, 1 Cor. viii. 2. He that thinketh he know^eth anything, knoweth nothing as he ought to know.
Beason 3. There is room for increase; for in the best we never know so much of God's ways but we may know more : Hosea vi. 3, ' Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord ; ' Prov. iv. 18, ' But the path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.' True sanctified knowledge is always growing. If we sit down with measures received, it is a sign we do not know things as we should know them. Christ grew in knowledge, not in grace, for the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily. Practical knowledge is never at a stand ; though a man may see round the com- pass and light of saving truth, yet he may know them more spiritually and more feelingly.
VeE. 125.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX, 295
Beason 4. The profit of divine revelation as to these three things : —
1. A clear discerning of the things of God, not a confused notion ; as the blind man in the Gospel saw men as trees walking. So 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ ; ' and 1 John v. 20, ' And hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true.' Every degree of knowledge is God's gift. What other men see con- fusedly, we see more distinctly in this light.
2. Firm assent. Then ' shall I know thy testimonies ; ' know them from others that have not divine authority. It is the spirit of wisdom and revelation that openeth our eyes to see the truth and worth of heavenly things contained in the promise : Eph. i. 17, 18, ' The father of glory may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the know- ledge of him, the eyes of your understandings being enlightened, that ye may know the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the saints in light ; ' and Mat. xvi. 17, ' Flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee.' Human credulity we may have upon the report of others, the evidence of the truths them- selves ; but this firm assent is the fruit of divine illumination.
3. Hearty practice. Let thy testimonies not only strike my ear, but affect my heart, command my hand, let me know them so as to do them, for otherwise our knowledge is little worth. God doth so direct, that he doth also enable us to approve our obedience to him sincerely and faithfull}^ There is a knowledge that puffeth us up, 1 Cor. viii. 1, which yet is a gift, and floweth from the common influence of the Spirit : Jer. 5xii. 16, ' Was not this to know me ? saith the Lord.' But there is a greater efficacy in practical knowledge, such as warmeth the heart with love to the truths known, John iv. 10, ' If thou knewest the gift,' &c. Such a light as proceedeth from the gracious influence of the Spirit.
Use 1. Let us be often dealing with God in prayer, that our judg- ments may be enlightened with the understanding of the word, and our affections renewed and strengthened unto the true obedience of it ; beg for that lively light of the Spirit.
1. We need it. In how many things do we err in the things which we know ! how weak are we both as to sound judgment and practice ! The apostle saith, ' We know but in part,' 1 Cor. xiii. 9 ; ' We are but of yesterday, and we know nothing,' Job viii. 9. Therefore we have need to go to the Ancient of days, that he may teach us knowledge, and kindle our lamps anew at the fountain of light. Alas ! we take it in by drops, or by degrees, as a tender and sore eye must be used to the light. We have but little time to get knowledge in, and do not im- prove that little time we have.