4. Beg the light of the Spirit. What will your arguings reprove ? David saith, Ps. xxxvi. 9, ' In thy light we shall see light.' We shall never else have any certainty : 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 ; ' ver. 15, ' But he that is spiritual judgeth all things.' The Spirit in the heart discerns the Spirit in the scriptures, as the sun is seen by its own light.
5. Till you have certainty by the light of the Spirit, practise what the scripture enjoins, upon these rational inducements ; John vii. 17, ' If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it: be of God, or whether I speak of myself.' You will say. What is the meaning of this promise ? before doing the will of God, we must of necessity know it. Ans. It is true, before you know it certainly. Tliere are degrees of knowledge ; first we know the scriptures to be the word of God by rational inducements, and some foregoing light of the Spirit, as those that are bred in the church. They that would know, not to wrangle but to practise, shall have new light, till they grow up to a greater certainty. It concerneth chiefly weak and doubting christians. Do that you may believe, believe that you may do. They that set their hearts to fear and obey him shall be clearly resolved of the christian faith.
Use 2. It teacheth us these duties : —
1. To make the word the judge of all controversies. There God speaketh to us. A father having many children, while he lives he governeth them himself, and needeth no will and testament ; but a little before he dieth, that his children may not fall out, he calleth witness, maketh his will. Voluntatem suam de pcctore morituro transfert in tahulas diu duraiuras. If any controversy happen, No7i iiur ad tmmdum, sed quceritur testamentum, saith Optatus. In this testament he speaketh his mind as if he were alive. God tauglit by oracle. Christ, when bodily })resent, taught his disciples by word ; but his will and testament is written : Isa. viii. 20, ' To the law, and to the testimony ; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.'
2. Make it your direction and constant rule of faith and manners. All other rules are uncertain, the traditions and opinions of men : P~,
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cxix. 152, ' Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever/ Among men, ra ScKala Kivovfieva, saitk Aristotle ; what one age counteth just and good, another counteth vain and frivolous, but God hath given us a settled rule. Not providence ; it is to be observed, but it doth not always speak by way of approba- tion, nor point out the best way. Not impulse of spirit ; this is to be regarded with other circumstances of a known duty : Acts xvii. 16, ' His spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry ; ' Acts xviii. 5, ' Paul was pressed in spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.' Not necessity ; man never was necessitated to sin. David's eating the shew-bread in necessity does not prove it ; for ceremonials must give place to moral duties. But now observe the word, as if God himself spake from heaven : Gen. iii. 3, ' God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.' What the word saith, God saith : Ps. cxix. 105, ' Tiiy word is a light unto my feet, and a lamp unto my paths.'
SERMON XXX.
As tliou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them " into the ivorld. — John XVII. 18.
In the context our Lord had prayed for conservation and sanctifi- cation; first he saith, ' Keep them through thine own name,' ver. 11 ; then, ' Sanctify them through thy truth,' ver. 17. In this verse is the reason of the latter request, why he prays for sanctification for the apostles ; and the argument which he uses is, ' I have sent them into the world.' It was at hand, and therefore it is spoken of a thing done, I am about to send ; or it referreth to his election and choice, I have called them, that I may send them to preach the word. The same office which thou hast put upon me as a prophet I have put upon them, and therefore 'sanctify them.' They that are sent abroad to preach the gospel need special preservation and special holiness ; their dangers are great, and so are their temptations. So much holiness as will serve an ordinary christian will not serve a minister. The measures of the sanctuary were double to other measures, and so should the graces of ministers be double to the graces of others. It is not enough that ministers excel in gifts, but they must also excel in holiness ; they are to bear forth 'the name of Christ before the world, and therefore they should resemble Christ more than others do. This is the reason of the context : ' Sanctify them through, or by, thy truth ; for I have sent them into the world, as thou hast sent me into the world.' In the text there are two things : —