porcli I sliould take for the first vital essential necessary truths that concern faith and practice : those are obvious to every one that looketh into the scriptures. The inner cliambers are those more abstruse points, that do not so absolutely concern the life of grace, but yet con- duce ad 'plenitudinem scienticc, serve for the increase of knowledge. Those that are in the porch, and have not as yet pierced into the depths of scripture, may yet have so much light as to direct them into solid piety.
[2.] Every door hath a key belonging to it, so hath this a key to open it, which Christ hath in his keeping : Eev. iii. 7, ' He hath the key of David, which openeth and no man shutteth ; and shutteth, and no man openeth.' The officers of the church are in part intrusted with it for the good of the church. Christ saith, Luke xi. 52, ' The lawyers had taken away the key of knowledge, and entered not into the kingdom of God themselves, and them that were entering in they hindered.' Such unfaithful ones hath every age almost afforded ; that shot the door of knowledge against the people. Papists, that lock up the scriptures in an unknown tongue, are grossly guilty of it. Others that hinder plain and powerful preaching, cannot excuse themselves from being accessory to this guilt ; yea, those that obscure the plain word of God by philosophy, traditions of men, or careless handling : Tertullian complained long ago of those, qui Flatoniciim et Aristo- ielicum Christianismum lyrocudunt Christianis.
[3.] By this door opened there is entrance, and so cometli in our word. This entrance may be understood actively or passively ; when the word entereth into us, or we enter into it.
(1.) Actively, when the word entereth upon a man's heart, and maketh a sanctified impression there ; as the expression is, Prov. ii. 10, ' When wisdom entereth into thy heart, and knowledge is pleasant to thy soul' This entrance of the word bringeth light with it. The first creature God made was liglit, so in the new creature ; therefore it concerns us to know what manner of entrance the word had upon us : 1 Thes. i. 9, ' For they themselves know of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God.
(2.) Passively, when men do first enter upon the study of the word. It may be read ' the entrance into thy word,' as well as ' of thy word.' When once acquainted with it, and the first rudiments of knowledge, we should soon discern the Lord's mind in the necessary truths that concern faith and practice.
2. The other question is, what is meant by the simple ? The word is sometimes used in a good sense, sometimes in a bad.
[1.] In a good sense. (1.) For the sincere and plain-hearted : Ps. cxvi. 6, ' The Lord preserveth the simple : I was brought low, and he helped me ;' 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you- wards.' (2.) For those that do not oppose the presumption of carnal wisdom to the pure light of the word : so we must be all simple, or fools, that we may be wise : 1 Cor, iii. 18, ' If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this
348 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXLIIL
world, let liim become a fool, that he may be wise ; ' that is, iti simplicity of heart submitting to God's conduct, and believing what he hath revealed. The Septuagint in the text, ^(OTi^et koX o-vveTi^ev v7]7rLov<;, it cnlighteneth and giveth understanding to the babes ; and so they often translate this word, babes or little ones : thence Christ's saying, Mat. xi. 25, ' I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.'' Not to worldly wise, but babes in comparison ; not to conceitedly wise, but those that are sensible of their own ignorance.
[2.] In a bad sense, for the ignorant. (1.) In the general, every man is naturally dull and ignorant in divine things : Job xi. 12, ' Vain man would be Avise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt ; ' for grossness as well as untamedness. So every man is simj^le. (2.) Those that are naturally weak of understanding, or of mean capacity : Prov. i. 4, ' To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion ; ' Prov. viii. 5, ' 0 ye simple, under- stand wisdom, and )^e fools, be ye of" an understanding heart.' In all these senses may the text be made good. I take the last chiefly intended.
Observations.
1. Observe somewhat from that word ' the entrance.'
Doct. 1. That in getting knowledge there is a porch and entrance that we must pass through before we can attain to deeper matters.
As in practice there is a gate and a way : Mat. vii. 14, ' Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life.' An entrance and a progress. An entrance by conversion to God, and a progress in a course of holy walking. So in knowledge there are ra (noL-)(ela t/";? upxV'^ ''"^^ Xoylcov rov ©eov, ' the first principles of the oracles of God ; ' or some elements and afterwards deeper mysteries, milk for babes as well as meat for stronger men : Heb. v. 12-14, ' For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteous- ness ; for he is a babe : but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.' There is an order in bringing men to knowledge.