they can say with David, " I esteem thy commandments con- cerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way;" that is, " My soul approves the way of duty, therefore would I walk in it, and not for the sake of the reward : I hate sin, and therefore would I avoid it to the uttermost, and not merely because I am afraid of punishment: I would not be excused from my duty, if I might ; nor would I practise sin, though I might do it with impunity." On the other hand, this ver}- excellency is one reason why none but the wise and prudent can know these things. A weak and disordered eye cannot bear the light. This is true with respect to spiritual light, as well as to the light of the sun. Our Lord says, that the un- godly <( hate the light, neither come to the light ; they love darkness rather than light." If we draw a picture of morality, the amiableness of it will commend itself to them ; but if we set before them a life of godliness, they are dazzled by it; they are hurt with it; its splendour, like that of the sun, over- whelms them : it is so high above them, that they cannot com- prehend it : not having a spiritual discernment, they account it foolishness : it appears to them more like the ravings of enthusiasm, than the words of truth and soberness : they know not how to annex a proper meaning to our words : being low and carnal in their apprehensions, they cannot rise above a carnal sense of our expressions. We see therefore, that the very excellency of these things is one reason why the true knowledge of them is peculiar to the wise and prudent. Thus it was in our Lord's time : he told his hearers, that the reason they murmured at his words was, that their apprehensions were carnal, whereas his words were spiritual : " Doth this offend you ? The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." At another time he said, " Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my words."
The other reason assigned by the prophet is taken from the use which different persons make of spiritual truths : " The just," he observes, " will walk in them, but the transgressors will fall therein."
Now the just and righteous, as far as they are acquainted with the ways of God, will endeavour to walk in them : they desire to reduce every truth to practice, and wish to have even " the thoughts of their hearts brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ :" and their knowledge is wonderfully fur- thered and advanced by this disposition : their apprehension is quickened by the previous disposition which they feel to embrace the truth ; and their memory is strengthened by the love which they bear towards it, when once it is discovered. Hence unenlightened persons, who have studied the Scriptures critically for many years, are often not half so well acquainted