on earth. God is willing to produce it in you : look therefore to Him ; and he will be as the dew unto you ; he will heal your backslidings, and love you freely ]
SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE PECULIAR TO GOd's PEOPLE.
Hos. xiv. 9. Who is ivise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them ? for the ivays of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the trans- gressors shall fall therein.
TO guide mankind into the way of peace, and to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation to their souls, is certainly the most pleasant and honourable em- ployment in the world : but it is an employment accompanied, for the most part, with heavy discou- ragements, and those peculiar to itself. If we labour to convey instruction in any branch of science, we find our labours attended with some degree of suc- cess to all : for though all make not the same pro- ficiency, yet all reap some advantage. This however is very far from being the case when we would impart spiritual knowledge : some, blessed be God ! receive benefit ; but the generality of our hearers continue as ignorant and blind as ever. Many indeed get somewhat of head-knowledge ; but as to any saving experience of the things we teach (and that alone is worthy the name of knowledge), few, very few, attain to it. Nor is this unteachableness peculiar to the present age : it is frequently represented in the Scriptures as a subject of lamentation, not only to the prophets, but even to God himself. How often does God call his people foolish and unwise ; and, with a mixture of tenderness and disappointment, say, " O that they were wise, and that they understood these thingsa!" Hence the inspired writers, as though they had no expectation that all should profit from their instructions, express themselves as looking for success only among those who were endued with heavenly wisdom. Thus the Psalmist, after expatiating
a Deut. xxxii. 6, 29.