Psalm 119:33

Verse 33. — Teach mc, O Lord, the way of thy .statutes and I sluill keej) it unto the end.

The man of God had promised to run the way of Gods connnandmcnts; but being conscious of many swcrvings, beggetliGod further to teach him. In the words two things are observable: —

I. Prayer for Grace.

II. A Promise made upon supposition of obtaining the grace asked. He promiseth, —

1st, Diligence and accuracy of practice, “I will keep it.”
2ndly, Perseverance, “unto the end.”
First, In the i)rayer for grace, observe, —

1. The person to whom he prays, “O Lord.”

2. The person for whom, “teach me.”

3. The grace for which he prayeth to be taught.

1. The ol)ject of this teaching, “the way of (iod’s statutes.” The teaching which he beggeth, is not speculative, but practical, to learn how to walk in the way of (Jod.

1. David, a man after God’s own heart, maketh this prayer: the more love any have to (Jod, the more they desire to know his ways. Carnal men are of another spirit; they say, “Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways” (Job xxi. 14). Tlic more ignorant, the more •juiel; they that love liieir lusts, cannot heartily desire the knowledge of those truths which will tiouble them in the following of their lusts. Wc often consult with our affections about our opinions; and where we have a mind to hate, we have no desire to know. Ordinary professors, a little knowledge serveth thiir turn, some few obxious truths, but others, such as Dalid, follow on to know the Lord. David, that had a singular niea.sure of knowledge already, yet there is no end of his desire in this Psalm, and shull we be contented as if we needed no more?

2. ConsitltT David a proplut, a teaclu r, a penman of S(rii)ture. There pva8 some knowledge which the prophets got by ordinary means, and some

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by immediate revelation, as Daniel by vision, and Daniel by reading of books (Dan. vii. 2), either by a new revelation, or by the study of what was ali-eady revealed; and if extraordinary men were bound to the ordinary duties of God’s service as the means or their improvement and growth in grace, such as reading, prayer, hearing, meditation, use of seals, &cc., surely none can plead exemption, or conceit themselves to be above duties. Now that they were thus bound we find by David’s jjrayer for knowledge, Daniel’s reading of books, namely that of Jeremiah, and all of them meditating or inquiring diligently what manner of salvation should ensue: “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1 Peter i. 10, 11); meditating and prying into the meaning of that salvation, which by the motion of the spirit they held forth to others, labouring to make these truths their own, and to get their hearts affected therewith. In their prophetic revelations they were (fttpojuti’oi, (1 Peter i. 11), foi’cibly moved by the Spirit, and carried beyond their intention, and the line of their natural strength, but in other things they get knowledge by the same means that we do, and as believers were to stir up the gifts and graces which they had in the ordinary way of duty, waiting and crying for the influences of the Lord’s grace. You must distinguish then of what they did when they acted as prophets, and when they acted as believers.

3. David, that had means external sufficient to direct him in the way of God, as the Scriptures then written, and the ordinances of the law, the expositions of the Scribes, yet beggeth God to teach him. So must we beg God to teach us whatever means we have. It is true we have an advantage above the Old Testament church, as we have their helps and more, and the doctrine of salvation is now clearer, and the gifts and graces of the Spirit more plentifully dispensed since the price of redemption is actually paid, than before, when God gave out grace and glory only upon trust; yet still we are to go to God for his teaching, because the means are not successful unless he join his influence, especially to give us this practical knowledge, teaching in order to keeping the way of God’s statutes, I say, though we have the word, and many pastors and teachers better gifted than in the Old Testament (Eph. iv. 11), yet, God must be our teacher still, if we mean to profit; for Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but God giveth the increase (1 Cor. iii. 6). To seek knowledge in the means with the neglect of God, will never succeed well with you: as we ministers must not rest upon our work, but pray much for success (bene orasse est bene stitduisse, Luther), so you, hearers, must not rest in the fruit of our studies, but still beg God to teach you every truth.

But all this will be more evidently made out in the following points: —

Doctrine I. — Divine teaching is necessary for all those that would walk in the way of God’s statutes.

1. We have lost our way to true happiness; Adam lost it, and all mankind in him; ever since we have been wandering up and down: “They are all gone aside”’ (Psalm xiv. 3), that is, gone out of the way of holiness as it leadeth to true happiness: “God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions” (Eccl. vii. 29); wander in a maze. Man at first that had perfect wisdom to discern the way to true happiness, and

31 G SERMONS OX rSALM CXIX.

ability to pursue It, now is full of crooked counsels, being darkened with ignorance in his mind, and abominable errors and mistakes, and seconded with lusts and passions.

2. We can never find it of ourselves till God reveal it to us. “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good” (Mic. vi. 8). It is well for man that he hath God for his teacher, who hath given him a stated rule by which good and evil may be determined.

(1.) Because there are many things which nature would never reveal to him; as the whole doctrine of redemption by Christ; the book of the creatures discovereth the mercy of God, but givcth not the least hint of the way how that mercy should come unto us, speaketh nothing of God incarnate; two natures in Christ’s j)erson, the two covenants, the way of salvation by Christ’s death, kc, these could never be known by natural reason, for all these things proceed from the mere motion of God’s will without any other cause moving tht reunto than lii>. own love and compassion: “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”’ (John iii. IG). And how could any man divine what God purposed in bis heart, imless he himself revealed it?

(2.) Because those things that nature teaches, it teacheth but darkly, and with little satisfaction without the help of Scriptures: as that there is one God tlic first cause of all, omnipotent, wise, righteous, good, and that it is reasonable he should be served; that reasonable creatures have immortal souls, and so die not as the beasts; that there is no true happiness in these things wherein men ordinarily seek it, that since virtue and vice receive not suitable recompenses here, there must be punishment and reward after this life, that men live justly, do as they would be done to, be sober and temperate, that reason be not enslaved to sensual api)cfite, all which nature revealeth but darkly, so that the wisest men that have lived according to this light, in one thing or other have been found fools: “Professing themselves to be wise they became fools” (Rom. i. 22); but all these things are clearly revealed in Scripture, which discovers the nature and way of worshipping tiic true God, what that reward and punishment after this life is, and the right way of obtaining the one, and eschewing the other, with weighty arguments to enforce these things.

(3.) That we may have assurance that the worslnp which we give to God is jjleasing to him, theie must be a revelation of his will, otherwise when we have tired ourselves in an endless ina/e of superstitions, he might turn us off with “Who hath recpiired these things at your hands?” (Isa. i. 12.) Therefore, for our security and assurance, it concerneth us to hale a stated rule under God’s own hand, and (j(k must be both author and object of worship.

.’y. Besides the external revelation there must be an inward teaching, they shall all be taught of God (John vi. 4.0), not all the prophets that wrote Scripture, but all that come to Christ for salvation, and this is prophesied of that lime when the canon and rule of faith should be most comj)lcte, then there will be still a need that they should be taught of God before their hearts be drawn into Christ. As the book of the Scriptures is necessary to expound the book of the creatures; so and much more is the light of the Spirit to expound the book of the Scriptures. Others teach the ear, but God oi)eneth the heart. The rule is one thing, and the guide is another. The means were never intended to take off our dependence upon Gud, but to engage it ratlitr, that we may look up for his blessing: “I have planted, Apolios watered, but God giveth the increase” (1 Cor. iii. 6): 6 elwiliv, “God, that commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. iv. 6). Though the Gospel hath enough in it to evidence itself to the consciences of men, yet God must make use of his creating power before this light can break in upon our hearts with any efficacy and influence: “The law is light” (Prov. vi. 23), yet not comprehended by darkness. “The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not” (John i. 5); which rests in the hearts of all men that remain in their natural condition. It is not enough to see any object to have the light of the sun, unless we have the light of the eye, the Scripture is our external light as the sun is to the world; the understanding is our internal light. Now the eye is become blind in all natural men, and in the best it is most imperfect, therefore the eyes of the understanding must be opened by “the spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Eph, i. 17, 18). Though truths be plainly revealed by the Spirit of God in Scripture, yet there must be a removal of that natural darkness and blindness that is upon our understandings. Outward light doth not make the object conspicuous without a faculty of seeing in the eye; a blind man cannot see at noon-day, nor the sharpest sight at midnight; the work of the Spirit is to take off the scales from our eyes, that we may see clearly what the Scripture speaketh clearly. Now Scripture is perfected, that is the great work to strengthen the faculty.

4. This inward teaching must be renewed and continued from day to day, or else we shall soon miscarry by our mistakes and prejudices. David is often pressing God with this request, “Lord teach me,” which plainly showeth that not only novices, but men of great holiness and experience, need new direction every day. The shameful miscarriages of God“s wisest people are enough to show the necessity of this, and the many cautions in the word of God do abundantly confirm it: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov. iii. 5, 6). There is nothing that keepeth up our dependence upon God, and should quicken us in our daily prayers, as the sense of this. Many times we come to God in the morning, and pray coldly and drowsily, because we go forth to the occasions of the day in the presumption of our wit, but it is a thousand to one but we smart for our folly before the evening come. Alas! such is the inconstancy and uncertainty of man’s undei’standing, that unless we have continual light and direction from God, and he lead us by the hand through all our affairs, passion or unbelief, or some carnal affection will make us stumble and dash against one divine precept or another. This concerneth all Christians, much more those in public station, whose good or eljl is of a more universal influence, such was David. Men of place and power, and interest, had need have this often in their mouths and hearts, “Lord, teach me the way of thy statutes.” Homer has a notable saying in his Odysses:

(See Causabon, Ep. 702.) A most divine sentence from a Heathen poet, that mortal man should not be proud of his wit, for he hath no more understanding of his affairs than God giveth him from day to day. A sentence so admired by the Ilratlicns, that many of them transcril)cd it in their writings with admiration, asClemens Aloxandrinus speaketh of Archilochus, who, as he took other things from Homer, so his j)utiing into his verse thus: —

Augustin de Civitate Dei, telleth us (lib. v. cap. 8), Cicero rendered it into Latin verse thus, though with some loss of the sense: —

“Tales sunt hominum mcntcs qualcs Pater ipse,
Jupiter auctiferas lustravit lumine terras.”

I quote all this to show you how precious such a hint was to Heathens, as expressing a great deal of reason, and shall not we Christians wait upon God for the continual direction of his Spirit.

Now there is a twofold reason for this: —

1. liecause this actuateth our knowledge, which would otherwise lie asleep in the habit; and then, though we are wise in generals, we should be to seek for direction in particular cases, or at least not have such a lively sense of God’s will as to check the present temptations we meet with in the course of our affairs, and do too often induce us to miscarry. The temptation being dexterously managed by Satan, and entertained by our present thoughts, will easily overbear a latent principle long ago received, uidess it be afresh revived and set a work by God’s Spirit; therefore we need that the Spirit should be our monitor, and cause truths formcrlv delivered to return with fresh force upon the heart. And indeed it is his main work to bring things to our remembrance (John xiv. 20’), and to blow up our light and knowledge into an actual resistance of whatever is contrary to the will of God, or to furaish us with seasonable thoughts in every l)usiness and temptation.

2. We have but a glimmering light when we are blinded with passions, and are in some sort ignorant of what we know, cannot deduce those conclusions which are evidently contained in known and avowed principles. Hagar could not see the well before her eyes by reason of her passion and grief, till God opened her eyes: “And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water’’ (Gen. xxi. 19). The ground was not opened to cause the fountain to bubble up, but her eyes were opened to see it. And Cahin giveth the reason why she saw it not, because, Dolitrc attoiiila <ju(id cxposituni era, oculis non cCDiehat .• things at hand cannot be seen when the mind is diverted by the impression of some strong passion; and it is true of the eyes of the mind, we do not see what we see being oxercome by love, or fear, or hope, or anger, or some cloud that interposeth from the passions. As David, when he fumbled about God’s providence beiiiti; blinded by the prospering of the wicked, callith himself a beast for not discerning his duty in so plain a case: “So foolish was I and ignorant, and as a beast before thee” (Psalm lxxiii. 22). In the peri)lexities of his mind he cotdd not see clear priiieiples of f.iith which before lie had sutlieiently learned, but could not then make use of for the settling and composing his heart.

UsF. I — is for information.

I. The dilference betwet’u the way of God and the way of sin. We hale ni I d of none to teach us to do evil, l’’ilia ctiain sine nun/istro liis-CUntt(i% we have that from nature; but in the way of God Ave must be taught and taught again; God must be our teacher and daily monitor.

2. It mforms us that as to knowledge and direction there must be much done. Poor man, lying in the darkness and shadow of death, it was necessary for him, —

(1.) That some doctrine should be revealed by God, by which he might understand how God stood affected towards him, and he ought to be affected towards God.

(2.) That this doctrine being revealed by God it should be kept safe and sound, free from oblivion and corruption, in some public and authentic record, especially in these last times, when not only the canon is enlarged, but the church propagated far and near, and obnoxious to so many calamities, and men are short-lived, and there are not such authentic witnesses to preserve the credit of a Divine revelation.

(3.) That this writing and record be known to come from God’s own hand by some infallible proof, to the end that it may be entertained with the more reverence.

(4.) To own his authority, and discern God’s mind, we need a suitable faculty, or a heart disposed by the Holy Ghost to receive the proof which God offereth, namely, that we should be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and open our eyes.

(5.) It is not enough to own our rule, but we must be continually excited to study it, that we may come to a saving measure of the knowledge of God’s mind in the word.

(6.) After some knowledge, our ignorance is apt to return upon us, unless the Holy Ghost do still enlighten us and warn us of our duty upon all occasions.

Use II. — In the sincerity of your hearts go to God for his teaching.

God is pleased with the request, “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing” (I Kings iii. 9, 10). Oh, beg it of God.

1. The way of God’s statutes is worthy to be found by all.

2. So hard to be found and kept by any.

3. It is so dangerous to miss it, that this should quicken us to be earnest with God.

1st, It is so worthy to be found, it is the way to eternal life, and escape eternal death, and in matters of such a concernment no diligence can be too much, “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from Hell beneath” (Prov. xv. 24). It is the way that leadeth to life and true happiness.

2ndly, It is so hard to find and keep, it is a narrow way, “Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat. Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. vii. 13, 14). There is defect, here excess; a gracious spirit that would keep with God in all things is sensible of the difficulty; there are many ways that lead to Hell, but one way to Heaven.

3rdly, It is so dangerous to miss it in whole or in part; in whole, you are undone for ever; in part, in every false religion such disadvantages, so little of God’s presence and the comforts of his Spirit, “If any man”s work

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shall he hurnotl, he shall sufTcr loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire” (! Cor. iii. 15). A man should look after the most clear and safe way to Heaven.

DocTUiNK II. — That Divine teaching is earnestly desired by God’s children.

How often dolii David repeat this request? These expressions are strange to us who as soon as we have gotten a little knowledge, think we know as much as we need to know, and are wise enough to guide our way without further direction, but they arc not so to the people of God.

1. It is a hard matter to understand a thing spiritually, and as it ought to be understood; there is an understanding of things literally, and a sjjiritual discerning: “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” (1 Cor. ii. 14). There is a knowing things at random, and by a general knowledge, and a knowing things as we ought to know: “If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know” (1 Co. ‘n. 2): there is a knowing the truth as in Jesus: “If so be that ye have heard him, and have been been taught l)y him, as the truth is in Jesus” (Kph. iv. 21). It is not every sort of knowledge that is saving; a man may go t(j Hell with speculative light, that never reacheth the heart; such as is practical and operative, the Scripture presseth knowledge, and the modus of it.

2. God’s children are sensible of their own insufficiency, and so of the need of a constant dependence upon God; sound and saving knowledtje is ever humble, they have clearer light than others, and so best see their own defects: “Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man” (Prov, xx.v. 2); and are too most sensible of corruptions, and see most of the excellency of the object, “If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know” (1 Cor. viii. 2): they study their own hearts, and are so conscious to manv weaknesses, they know how easily they are misled by the wiles of Satan, and the darkness of their own hearts, whereas a presumptuous formalist ffoeth on boldly, and in the confidence of his own wit runneth headlontr into temptations.

‘^. Their stron,’ affection to knowledge; they desire to know more, for there is more still to be learned in the word of God, though taught in part they see what a small measure of knowledge they have attained unto, till they atftain the beatifical vision they are never satisfied: “Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord” (IIos. vi. 3), still iucrea.sing and bettering their notions concerning the things of God.

4. Their great care that they may not go astray, nor offend in matter, or manner, or principle, and end; they whose hearts are set upon exact walking woidd fain know what God would have them to do in everv action, and in every cirounstanee, “Lord teach me, let thy holy Spirit guide me, and direct me in performing acceptable obedience to thee.” It was David’s resolution, “I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart” (verse 32). Now we have his prayer for direction in this verse, “Teach me, O Lord, the w.iyof thy statutes;” I would know it that I m:iy keep it. It is a very troublesome condition to a child of («od when he is in the dark, and knoweth not what to do, and is forced to walk every step by guess, and cannot find the gromid sure untlcr him. The conflict l)elween duly and danger doth not trouble so nunh a.s between duty and duty: “He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth” (John xii. 35). Oh, it is a sad judgment to wander in a maze of confusions, and to be like those that thought to go to Dothan, and found themselves in Samaria (2 Kings vi. 20).

Well then, the Use is. Have we this temper of God’s people? do we look after spiritual knowledge, such as will not only store the head with notions, but enter into the heart ‘? are we sensible of our weakness, and Satan’s wiles, and that God that hath begun the work must perfect it? do we make it our happiness to grow rich in knowledge, and better our apprehensions concerning God and the things of God? would we understand every point of duty that we may fulfil it? As face answereth to face in water, so should heart to heart, the heart of one child of God to another.

Doctrine HI. — All that teaching that we expect or get from God, must still be directed to practice. “Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end.”

1. This is God’s intention in teaching, therefore should be our end in learning. The end of sound knowledge is obedience: “Behold I have taught jou statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded nie, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom” (Deut. iv. 5, 6). Others do little more than learn them by rote, when they know them only to talk of them, or fashion their notions and plausible opinions that they may hang together.

2. It is not the knowing but obeying will make us happy. We desire to know the way that we may come to the end of the journey; to inquire the way and sit still, will not further us; “Blessed are they that hear the word and keep it” (Luke xi. 28). “He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction” (Prov. x. 17). None but desire to be happy; walk in God’s way; he goeth on right that submitteth to the directions of the word.

3. All the comfort and sweetness is in keeping: “In keeping thy commandments there is a great reward” (Psalm xix. 11), many sweet experiences. Notions breed a delectation when they are right, but nothing comparable to practice.

4. He that will do shall know: “If any man will do his will, he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God” (John vii. 17). Such as truly fear God, and make conscience of every known duty in their practice, have God’s promise that they shall be able to discern and distinguish between doctrine and doctrine: others provoke God to withhold light from them. Not that the godly are infallible, alas! the best men’s humours and fleshly passions do often mislead them, but this is the fruit of their careless walking.

Use I — is to reprove them that desire knowledge, but only to inform their judgments, or satisfy their curiosity, not to govern their hearts in the fear of God, or to reform their practices: such are foolish builders: “Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall of it” (Mat. vii. 26, 27). These do but increase their own condemnation: “That servant which knew his Lord’s will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes” (Luke xii. 47). Like

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many that study maps not to travel, but only to talk and under.-tand how countries are situated.

il. — It directeth us in our desires of knowledge, what should he our scope; come with a fixed resolution to obey, and refer all to practice. Knowledge is the means, doing is the end: “I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments which thou shall leacli them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it” (Deut. v. 31). Alrdia accipiuut auuihililatrin, ordmt’tn ct iiii’tisurttm a fine: — the desire, measure, ord»T of the means, are to be esteemed as regulated by the end; therefore still prize this knowledge, so far forth as it directs to practice.

DorxRiNK IV. — In this practice we must be sincere and constant, “I will keep it.”

1. Having such a help as this continued direction.

2. Such an engagement as this condescension to direct and warn a poor creature. And “to the end,” that is to the end of my life; there is no other period to our obedience but death. The Greek has it, Ani iravThq, “continually.” The word doth properly signify the heel or soul of the foot; by traduction thence, the end of a thing, and sometimes a rewartl and recompense.

(1.) It is not enough to begin a good course, but we must go on in it if we mean to reach the goal, else all our labour is lost; the end crowneth the work.

(2.) God that made us begin doth also make us to continue to the end. Is the beginning from God, the end and perfection from us? This is to ascribe that which is less perfect to God, and that which is more perfect to us.