1. Will we know sin and our state by nature, and how to come out of it ; then together with this revelation must come an Iwmienly strength into the soul, a heavenly taste and relish; and therefore attend upon the ordi- nances, and labour for an humble soul, empty of ourselves ; and do not think to break into heavenly things with strength of parts. God must reveal, God must take away the veil only by his Holy Spirit in the ordinance. The veil is taken away from the object, in opening of truths ; but the veil must be taken away from the object, and fi'om the heart too. There must be knowledge of the object, as well as an object. The object must be sanctified and fitted to the persons, else divine truths will never be under- stood divinely, nor spiritual truths spiritually. Labour to be emptied of yom'selves. In what measure we are emptied of our self-conceitedness and understanding, we be filled in divine things. In what measure we are emptied of ourselves, we are filled with the Spirit of God, and knowledge, and gi-ace. As a vessel, in what measure it is emptied, in that measure it is fit to be filled with more supervenient liquor ; so in what measure we grow in self-denial and humility, in that measure we are filled likewise with knowledge. He will teach an humble soul that stands not in its own light, what it is to repent, to believe, to love ; what it is to be patient under the cross ; what it is to live holily, and die comfortably. The Spirit of God will teach an humble, self-denying soul all these things ; and therefore
468 THE MAKEIAGE FEAST [SeRMON III.
labour for an humble, empty soul, and not to cast ourselves too much into the sins and fashions of the times, as the apostle, ' Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,' &c.,. Roin. xii. 2.
2. Whe7i a man casteth himself into the inoidd of the times, and ivill live as the rest do, he shall never understand the secrets of God, and the good pleasure of God ; for the world must be condemned. The world goeth the broad way. And therefore we must not consider what others do, but what God teacheth us to do.
3. And add to this, what ive Jaww, let us labour to practise. ' But he that doth the will of my Father, shall know of every doctrine, whether it be of God or no,' John vii. 17. We must do, and we shall know.
Quest. But can we do before we know ?
Ans. The meaning is this, that we have, first, breeding and education, and some light of the Spirit* turneth it presently to practice, by obedience to that knowledge. And then you shall know more. He that doth these things, he shall know all. They shall know that do practice what they know already. ' To him that hath shall be given,' Mat. xiii. 12 ; that is, to him that hath some knowledge, and putteth in practice what he hath, God will increase the talent of his knowledge ; he shall know more and more, till God revealeth himself fully in the world to come.
4. And therefore be faithful to ourselves, and true to the knowledge ive have, love it, and put it into practice. When divine truths are discovered, let the heart affect them, lest God giveth us up to believe lies. We have many given up to this sin. Because when truths are revealed, they give way to their own proud scornful hearts, they know not the love of the truth. God knoweth what a jewel the truth is ; and since they despise it„ God giveth them up to believe lies. And take heed, practise what we know, and love what we know, entertain it with a loving affection.
A loving affection is the casket of this jewel. If we entertain it not ia love, it removes from us its station, and being gone, God will remove ua into darkness.
And remember it is God that taketh away the veil of ignorance and un- belief. And therefore make this use of it.
2. To wake our studies and closets, oratories,^ not to come to divine truths, to out-wrestle the excellency of them with our own wits ; but to pray to God, as you have Ps. cxix. 18, ' Open mine eyes, and reveal thy truth.' And St Paul prayeth for the * spirit of revelation,' Eph. i. 17. And so desire God to reveal and take away the veil from us, that he will open divine tniths to our souls ; that since he hath the key of David, that ' opens, and no man shutteth,' Rev. iii. 7, that he would open our understandings to conceive things, and our hearts to beheve. He hath the only key of the soul. We can shut our souls, but cannot open them again. So we can shut our hearts to divine truths, we can naturally do this ; but open them without the help of the Spirit we cannot. He can open our understandings, as he did the disciples'. He can open our hearts to believe ; he can do it, and will do it. If we seek to him, he will not put back the humble desires of them that fear him. And therefore for heavenly light and heavenly revelation, all the teaching of the men of the world cannot do it. If we know no more than we can have by books, and men that teach us, we shall never come to heaven ; but we must have God teach the heart, as well as the brain. He must teach not only the truths themselves, as they be discovered, but the love of them, * Qu. ' of the spirit ; turn, &c. ? ' — Ed, f That is, ' places of prayer.' — G.