2. We have leave to ask it : James i. 5, ' If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God ; ' and why do we not, seeing we have a liberty to ask it ?
3. God hath promised to bestow it; he will give his Spirit to them that ask it, Luke xi. 13. And to beget faith in us : ' If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ? '
296 SERMONS UPON rsALM ex IX. [Ser. CXXXVlll.
Here is a notable ar2;umcnt; lie rcasonetli and promiseth. And Prov. ii. 3, "we must cry for knowledge. Well, then, let us be earnest, that we may not miss that which is to be had for asking ; beg for a heart to know, Jer. xxiv. 7, ' I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord.'
Use 2. It informeth us that there is somewhat more than the word necessary to give us knowledge. God must not only reveal the object, but prepare the subject. David having a law, beggeth understanding that he might know God's testimonies. The literal sense and mean- ing of the words may be understood by common gifts and ordinary industry, unless men be exceedingly blinded and hardened by their own prejudices. But to have a s|)iritual understanding of them, so as to pro- lit and increase in sanctification,that is from the Lord. These things may be drawn into a system, wherein there will be nothing that exceedeth the understanding ot" a man. But to understand it so as to be affected with and changed by it, that is from the Spirit : 1 John v. 20, ' And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understand- ing, that we may know him that is true ; ' and Eph. v. 8, ' Ye were darkness, but now are yc light in the Lord.' He is the purchaser and author of that liglit.
Use 3. Is rei)roof to those that presume on their own wit to under- stand divine mysteries. IMany think they have eyes in their head, and can see into matter as far as other men, and conceive and judge of a thing as soon and as well as others can do ; and so will not acknow- ledge their dulness and blindness in heavenly things, take it ill to be told of it : John ix. 4, ' Are we blind also ? ' In a rage scoff at those that talk of the enlightening of the Spirit, and being taught of God. Alas ! you must be blind and be fools before you be wise, 1 Cor iii. 18, in your own conviction and feeling.
SERMON CXXXVIIL
It is time for thee, Lord, to icorl: ; for tlieij have made voidihy laio. —
A^ER." 12G.
In the words we have — (1.) A prayerful suggestion, it is time for thee, Lord, to u'orJi. (2.) The reason of it, for the// have made void thy laiv. In the first branch take notice of —
1. The person to whom the address is made, /or thee, Lord.
2. The ijuggestion itself, what and when ; what they would have the Lord to do, to work; and when, even now, it is time to icork.
To open these, I begin with —
1. The person to whom the address is made, the Lord. Some read the words. It is time to work for thee, 0 Lord, because they have made void thy law. It is time indeed to work for God, when so many work against him, in an evil generation ; lest the law should perish and fall to the ground, some should keep up the authority of it, and the}- that fear God are to encourage one another, Mai. iii. IG. The Chaldee paraphrase reads it, ' It is time to do the will of the Lord.' But the
VeR. 126.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 297
Hebrew on'giual carries it as we do, it is time for Jehovah to do. The Septuagint, Katpo^ rov irotfjaat, tu> Kvplu). The vulgar Latin, Tempus faciendi, Domine.
2. Here is the suggestion itseU — (1.) What they woukl have God to do. It is expressed by a general word, work ; as also Jer. xiv. 7, 'Do, for thy name's sake.' What should he do? Temjnis miitendi Filium Dei, saith Augustine ; to set about the work of redemption, to send the Son of God. But that is a work rather to exercise and show forth his justice, power, and truth, both in punishing his enemies and delivering his people, to work his own proper work of justice, as becometh the judge of all the world to do ; namely, to punish the wicked, and help his servants out of their hands. (2.) When it is time. Then it seemetli to be a time when man's wickedness is grown to the height : Gen. xv. 16, ' In the fourth generation they shall come again, for the sins of the Amorites are not yet full.' Good men are put to the uttermost of their patience, and God's glory abused beyond mea- sure, Isa. lii. 5. Lord, it is time to work ; they are as bad as bad may be ; thy people have quite spent all their faith and patience ; when thine ordinances and word are despised and affronted, and thy people trodden under foot, it is time for thee to work.