Lectures Upon Psalm 51, Part 7 · Lecture 100
Lecture C. On Psalme 51.6. Octob. 14. 1628.
IT followeth now that wee proceed to direct you unto the Meanes whereby this found and sanctified knowledge may be attained.Meanes to attaine to sound knowledge.
This then wee must now understand, that God hath appointed meanes whereby the simplest of his people may attaine unto knowledge in religion, yea unto a cleare, and certaine, and sanctified knowledge, if they shall use them diligently. For this wee have Gods expresse promise. Prov. 2.4, 5. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures (if thou seekest grace and piety diligently, and desirest it more then any other thing) then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. And Hos. 6.3. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. As if hee had said, If we give not over the diligent use of those meanes, that God hath sanctified to breed and worke it in our hearts, we shall certainely attaine to a cleare, and certaine knowledge of God, and of his will. Now these meanes that God hath sanctified, to bring us to saving knowledge by, are seven principally; whereof the first two are but preparatives unto the rest.
Means 1First. He that would attaine to saving and sanctified knowledge in the matters of God, must first discerne his owne ignorance and blindnes in these things. This is the Apostles rule, 1 Cor. 3.18. Let no man deceive himselfe, If any man among you seemeth to bee wise in this world, let him become a foole, that hee may bee wise. As if hee had sayd, Hee must first become in his owne sense and apprehension, a foole, hee must discerne how ignorant a foole hee is, that hee may become wise. These are the onelyonly persons whom the Lord calleth and receiveth to be his schollers to be taught of him. Prov. 9.4. Who so is simple, let him turne in hither. And these are the onelyonly persons that are capable of heavenly and spirituall knowledge. The testimony of the Lord is sure (saith David, Psalme 19.7.) making wise the simple. And whom meaneth the holy Ghost by these simple ones? Surely not so much such as want understanding, as such as doe discerne, and feele their owne ignorance, and want of understanding, in heavenly things. Let no man then that is in this case, bee discouraged, or despaire of attaining unto knowledge; Nay, let him comfort himselfe in this, that though it commeth from the corruption of his nature, that hee is so ignorant; yet the sight and sense of his ignorance commeth from grace, and not from corruption, and maketh him more apt to bee taught of God, then another man is. On the other side, The conceit that most men have, that they have knowledge enough, is a maine hinderance of their salvation, and barre unto saving knowledge; As is plaine by that speech of our Saviour unto the Pharsees that had asked him, Are wee blind also? Iohn 9.40, 41. If yee were blind (saith hee) yee should have no sinne, but now yee say, wee see, therefore your sinne remaineth. Why, were they not blind and ignorant? Yes verily, and so our Saviour calleth them, Matth. 23.26. but hee saith here, they were not blind, because they discerned not their owne blindnesse, and therefore their case was so fearefull; So that I may conclude this first point, with that speech of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 8.2. If any man thinke that hee knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as hee ought to know. As if hee should say, If any man bee conceited of his owne knowledge, and cannot discerne, and bewaile his ignorance, certainely hee neither hath any saving knowledge at all, nor is capable of it.
Means 2Secondly. Hee that would attaine unto saving and sanctified knowledge, must first see, and be truly humbled for his sins. Till men have a true sight and sense of their owne sins, they can never attaine unto any cleare, and certaine, and comfortable knowledge in the matters of God. That which is said in generall of all grace, Iames 4.6. God giveth grace to the humble, must needs be true of this, God useth to give the saving knowledge of himselfe and of his will, unto the humbled soule, and unto it only, God will teach sinners in the way, saith David, Psalme 25.8. that is, such as know, and feele themselves to bee sinners. And in the next words, verse 9. The meeke (that is, such as by sight, and sorrow for sins are made meeke and humble, as our Saviour also describeth the meeke, Matth. 5.5.) will hee guide in judgement. As if he had said, VntoUnto such God will give a good, and sound judgment to guide them by, in their whole conversation. As the earth cannot receive the seed till it be plowed up; no more can the heart of man receive the seede of the Word, till the Lords plough have first bin in it. It is the comparison that the Lord useth, Ier. 4.3. Breake up your fallow ground, and sow not among thornes. Marke two things in this speech of the Prophet. 1. It is to no purpose to sow good seed among thornes, to heare, and read, and use the best meanes of knowledge, while our sinnes remaine in us unrepented of. 2. That these thornes will never be gotten out till our hearts be plowed, and broken up, by an effectuall sense and sorrow of heart for sin. A kind of knowledge I will not denie, may be in many a man that liveth securely in sin and never knew what true sorrow of heart and trouble of mind for sin doth meane, but a cleare and setled, a sanctified and comfortable knowledge of religion, was never knowne to bee in any such man. See an example of this in the woman of Samaria mentioned in the fourth of Iohn verse 10—29. How ignorant did she shew her selfe, yea how blockish and uncapable of any thing Christ had said, till Christ did effectually discover unto her the foule sin she had so long lived in? Yea the maine cause why she was so blockish, and unable to understand the words of Christ, was because she lived securely in so grosse a sinne; But after Christ had once touched her conscience with sight and sense of her sin, see how the scales fell from her eyes presently, how desirous she was of knowledge, how savoury and profitable questions she propounded to our Saviour, yea how capable and apt to understand and beleeve whatsoever Christ taught her. And certainely this is a chiefe cause at this day why most men are so ignorant and unsetled in religion, because there are so few to whom the Lord did ever yet effectually discover their sins and give them hearts to bee truly humbled for them. The soft and tender heart, is the onelyonly teachable heart, the heart that is secure and senslesse can never be capable of heavenly and sanctified knowledge. Perceive yee not, neither understand (saith our Saviour to his owne Disciples, Marke 8 17.) have ye your heart yet hardned? As if hee had said Even Gods owne children unlesse they be carefull to keepe their hearts soft and tender, shall never be able to understand well what they read and heare, nor to profit by the best meanes of knowledge that they do enjoy.
Thirdly,Means. 3 He that would attaine unto sanctified and saving knowledge must attend diligently and conscionably upon the sound ministery of the Word preached. He that loveth instruction (saith Solomon, Pro. 1….1) loveth knowledge. As if he should say, He and none but he hath any love to knowledge, or desire to attaine unto it, that loveth instruction, which is the meanes to bring him to it. Therefore the Holy Ghost having earnestly exhorted Gods people, Pro. 4.5—12. to get understanding and heavenly wisdome, addeth this as the chiefe meanes of it, verse 13. Take fast hold of instruction, let her not goe, keepe her, for she is thy life. As if he had said, Forsake not in any case, be not drawne away, neglect not this meanes of knowledge. And Chap. 15.32. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule. As if he had said, He hath no care of his owne soule, but neglecteth and despiseth it, careth not what becommeth of it, that careth not for instruction. As there is no art, and science that a man can get knowledge and skill in, unlesse he have some to teach him; so may no man hope without teachers and instructours, to attaine to this knowledge, this heavenly and supernaturall knowledge especially. But though he have never so good capacity and naturall parts in him, and use his best endeavour by reading and study to get it, he shall still have cause to say with the Noble Eunuch, Acts. 8.31. How can I understand what I read in the holy Scriptures except I had some to guide me?
But what is this (may some say) to prove the necessity of depending on the ministery of the Word preached?Object. May not a man have helpe enough in good Commentaries and printed Sermons, to guide and instruct him in the meaning of the holy Scriptures, though he heare no Sermons?
I answer,Answ. It is very true that God giveth his people (in this age especially) much helpe that way. But the instruction the Holy Ghost sendeth us to, and calleth upon us to regard so much, is that that is gotten not by reading, but by hearing. Heare instruction (saith the Holy Ghost, Pro. 8.33.) and be wise, and refuse it not; yea by hearing and attending constantly upon the publique ministery of the Word, as appeareth in the next words, verse 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me (saith Christ the wisedome of God) watching daily at my gates, and giving attendance at the posts of my dores. The frequenting of the house of God to heare Christ in his ordinances there, is the instruction that the Lord so much commendeth to us, & promiseth such a blessing unto. God revealeth his will and teacheth his people no where so clearely and effectually as he doth in his house in the publique ministery. Thy way O God, is in thy Sanctuary saith David, Psal. 77.1…. As if he should say, It is no where so clearely and comfortably seene and learned as there. There David learned to know and understand aright the doctrine of Gods providence, of his wisedome and righteousnesse in ordering all things that fall out in the world, when he could learne it no where els, nor by any other meanes. When I thought to know this (saith he, Psal. 73.16, 17.) it was too painefull for me, untill I went into the Sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. And there it is that God saith, Esa. 2.3. his people should exhort and stirre up one another to seeke the true knowledge of God and of his wayes, Many people shall goe and say, Come ye and let us goe into the mountaine of the Lord, to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teach us his waies, and we will walke in his paths. There is I confesse a kind of knowledge in religion, which a man may attaine unto, and to a great measure of it also by his owne study and reading, though hee never frequent Gods Sanctuary, nor regard the publique ministery of the Word at all; but a sanctified and saving knowledge that man shall never be able to attaine unto. That which the Apostle saith of faith, Rom. 10.17. Faith commeth by hearing; he saith in another place of every saving grace of Gods sanctifying spirit, and consequently of saving knowledge, Gal. 3.2. This onelyonly would I learne of you, received ye the spirit by the workes of the law, or by the hearing of faith (that is, the doctrine of faith) preached? The ministery of the Gospell is the ministration of …he spirit, as the Apostle calleth it, 2 Cor. 3.8. So that in this respect the old sentence holdeth true auditus est sensus disciplinae; of all the senses God hath given to man, hearing (even hearing of the Word preached) is the sense whereby we get knowledge, saving knowledge especially. In which respect we shall find, that when the Prophet speaketh of Gods mighty worke in the conversion of a man who was by nature both blind and deafe, he useth to joyne these two workes together the opening of the eyes, and opening of the eares too, Esa. 35.5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the eares of the deafe shall be unstopped. Yea he oft putteth the opening of the eare, before the opening of the eyes. In that day shall the deafe heare the words of the booke (saith he, Esa. 29 18.) and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darknesse. And 42.18. Heare ye deaf, and looke ye blind that ye may see; To teach us two things. 1. That God doth never use to open his eyes and to give him saving knowledge, whose eares he doth not also open and make both willing to heare, and able also to heare profitably. 2. That he usually openeth the eare first and maketh a man a hearer, a conscionable hearer before he open his eyes, and bring him to any cleare and saving understanding of his will. Certainely even we that are preachers (though we have greater helps to bring us to knowledge then other men) yet shall we never attaine to a cleare, a certaine, a sanctified knowledge of the things we teach, if we dispise the ordinance of God; if God have not as well opened our eares, as either our eyes or our lips; if he have not made us both willing and able to heare conscionably. In which respect also we find that (though the Apostles had both their calling and gifts immediately from God, yet) Christ thought it fit to have them with him during the whole time of his ministery▪ that they might bee continuall and constant hearers of his Sermons, as well as eye-witnesses of his workes and miracles, of his passion and resurrection, and saw it good even by this meanes, to bring them to knowledge, and to prepare them and make them fit to preach well. And the Apostle noteth this for the credit of their doctrine and ministery, Hebrewes 2.3. that they were hearers of Christ themselves. At the first (saith he) it was spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him. Two reasons there bee given for this why the frequenting of a sound ministery is the chiefe mean of all other, to bring a man to saving knowledge.
First, In respect of the gifts God hath bestowed on his Ministers; that is to say, the gift of interpretation and application of the Word which are great and effectuall helps to breed knowledge in men. The manifestation of the spirit (saith the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 12.7.) is given to every man, to profit withall. As if he had said, There is not the meanest faithfull Minister in the Church, but some gifts of Gods spirit doe manifestly appeare to be in him; which as hee ought to use to the profit of the Church; so the Church may receive profit by them. Nay there is not the best preacher of us all, but wee may profit by hearing of the meanest of our brethren, if the fault be not in our selves.
Secondly, But the chiefe reason of the point is this, that God hath beene pleased to ordaine this to be the meanes whereby hee will worke all saving grace (and consequently this) in the hearts of his elect; and to promise to worke with and blesse this above all other. It hath pleased God (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.21.) by the foolishnesse of preaching, to save them that beleeve. And even as God under the law promised his people that he would meet them in the Sanctuary, and declare himselfe to be present there, in a more comfortable manner then in any other place in the world, Exod. …9.42. And David saith, Psal. 6….1, 2. his soule thirsted to see God so as he had seene him in the Sanctuary; So hath God promised to be present in a speciall manner in the publique ministery of his Gospell, and meet his people there. I will be with you (saith Christ, Matth. 28.20) to the end of the world. And to blesse them in their hearing, Pro. 8.34. Blessed is the man that heareth me; and Esa. 55.3. Heare and your soule shall live; and Mar. 4.24. To you that heare, more shall be given. And these promises of God, every conscionable hearer that commeth so prepared to this ordinance of God, as you have heard, with sense of his owne ignorance, and with an humble heart, may and ought to beleeve and expect the performance of them, to himselfe and even claime and challenge them at the hands of God. And although, alas, many that heare much (because they come not thus prepared nor heare conscionably) receive no good by it at all, and so discredit this holy ordinance; yet wisedome is justified of her children, Luk. 7.35. and daily experience proveth that the onelyonly men that attaine to a sound and setled knowledge of the truth, whom no Papist nor other seducer can pervert, are they that have beene constant, and conscionable frequenters of a sound ministery. And of them that have beene seduced it may bee said for the most part, as the Prophet speaketh, Ezek. …4.…. they were scattered (and divided from the rest of the flocke) because there was no shepheard, they had no sound and ordinary ministery to depend upon.
This being so, Let me exhort every one of you beloved. 1. To know your owne happinesse,Applic. such of you as doe enjoy the benefit of a sound ministery, prize it, be thankfull for it. Though God should give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction (as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 30.20.) yet so long as your teachers are not removed into a corner any more, but your eyes may see your teachers in the solemne and publique assemblies, count your selves happy men. 2. Resolve with your selves as David doth, Psal. 23.6. that you will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever; you will never live where you may not frequent Gods house, where you may not enjoy the comfort of a sound ministery. 3. While ye enjoy this blessing, make your best use of it. When the Apostle had said, Iames 1.18. Of his owne will begat he us with the word of truth; As if he had said, That saving grace that is in any of us, was wrought in us by the ministery of the Word. He inferreth, verse 19. Wherefore my beloved brethren, Let every man be swift to heare. For who can tell how soone this blessed liberty will have an end? And though I cannot say to you as our Saviour did to the Iewes, Iohn 12.35. Yet a little while is the light with you, I cannot certainely say you shall enjoy it but a little while; yet his next words I may boldly apply to you, Walke while ye have the light, lest darknesse come upon you. Make your best use of this ordinance of God, while ye have it lest ye be deprived of it, before you be aware. The foure other meanes whereby saving knowledge is to bee attained, I will but name onelyonly because of the time.
Means. 4The fourth meanes to come to this knowledge by, is the reading of good bookes and of the holy Scriptures especially; As is evident by the commandement given to the King not onelyonly for the private reading of it, Deut. 17.19. but also for the publique reading of it unto all the people, Deut. 31.11, 12. and the reason given for the commandement in both places.
Means. 5Fiftly, Meditation and serious thinking and considering with our selves, of that which we have heard and read is a speciall meanes to breed knowledge, and without it indeed neither hearing nor reading will doe us much good. I have more understanding (saith David, Psal. 119.99.) then all my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation.
Means. 6Sixtly, Conference and making use of other mens gifts, and moving our doubts to such as are able to resolve us, would also much increase our knowledge, and settle our judgements in the truth. This was the course that Christs Disciples (by his direction no doubt) tooke for the increase of their knowledge, Iohn 16.17—19. first to conferre among themselves of that which they heard, and then also to move their doubts to Christ himselfe.
Means. 7Seventhly and lastly, Prayer is a principall meanes to make all other meanes of knowledge effectuall to doe us good, Pro. 2.3, 5, 6. If thou cryest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice (to God he meaneth) for understanding, Then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisedome, out of his mouth commeth knowledge and understanding.
The use of reproofe I purposely omit, because the summe of it is intermingled with this use of exhortation.