possesses all things, by cleaving to thee whom all things serve, is indisputably better than the most knowing natural philosopher upon earth, who lives in the neglect of thee.' CHAPTER II. THE INFLUENCE OF PRACTICAL HOLINESS ON HOLY tempers, and a holy conduct, are essential to our attaining the wise and great end, the happy experience, and the true enjoyment of divine knowledge. No natural talents, nor any acquired learning can supply the place of Christian graces, or be a substitute for them. As the first sin was preferring knowledge to obedience, and the effect was a darkened understanding and a sinful and miserable life, so it is now. Sin produces ignorance as well as misery. The consideration of this subject is seasonable and important, as many have asserted, that man is not accountable for his belief; but the Bible shows us that the origin of infidelity is the wickedness of the heart, (Johu iii. 18, 19.) Our moral character has an immense influence on our opinions. A humble Christian, who desires to please God above all things, and who seeks, by a diligent and devout study of His word to know his will, in order that he may do that will, has in these holy dispositions the very elements of the highest wisdom and usefulness; and, as these dispositions are maintained and increased, he will find them continually to assist and correct his views, and make all his acquirements really valuable, profitable, and sanctifying. However a man may have attained a clear systematic divinity; yet, if he be seriously defective in Christian graces, he will, in proportion to the extent of that defect, not know divine truth in its use and enjoyments; and his knowledge will be imperfect. In some cases he will turn aside to vain speculations which have a show of wisdom, and, as he thinks, promote his own importance or even usefulness; but the result will be unprofitable to himself and others: and in other cases, like Solomon of old, and Lord Bacon in later times, he will be very wise for others, and yet very foolish for himself. There is, indeed, an extended connexion in all parts of the divine system, and especially in each branch, of divine truth. It resembles a rich and magnificent chain of gold, in which not only each separate link is exquisitely finished and wrought, but it is united to similar links, and thus is made subservient to farther ends, as were the chains of gold on the neck of Aaron, supporting on his breast that breast-plate, in which were the Urim and Thummim, the lights and perfections of the church. There is also a beautiful re-action arising from our own conduct. One thing affects another, and the impression made returns again, so that there is a reciprocal and endless progression of good or evil, according to the conduct of the moral agent. This makes sin a tremendous evil; this makes holiness infinitely desirable; for the influence of either will never be exhausted, but will affect immortal beings through eternal ages. Nor is there any remedy for the evil of sin, but in that great salvation, which stops the contagion, and imparts the counteracting and healthful spirit of divine grace. This moral reaction is always at work, and in seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, we are most effectually securing every other good. As Solomon, by seeking wisdom rather than riches, gained both; so by that which is the beginning of wis dom, even, by humility and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honor, and life. It is a remarkable part of the Divine wisdom, that revealed truth is not given to us in an accurately arranged system, or in an orderly and minute statement of its different ramifications in one lengthened discussion, but in history, and in promises, and precepts given as occasion arose from time to time; the aim of all which is to promote practical holiness, in attaining which we fail not to obtain saving truth, and without which we cannot know God; for without holiness no man shall see the Lord. God is to be known by the life and experience of the Christian, rather than by bare study. O taste and see how good the Lord is! All SIN HAS A BLINDING INFLUENCE UPON THE HUMAN MIND. When men's deeds are evil, it causes them to love darkness rather than light. It hinders the just perception of spiritual things. None of the wicked shall understand. The too eager pursuit of even lawful occupations engages and distracts the mind of the worldly man, and leaves him no time for the calm, and patient, and steady application of his mind to the discovery of divine truth. If he asks, what is truth, even from the first source of truth, he has no patience to wait for the answer. To such a one, invisible things appear distant and uncertain, and if of a superior nature, yet so remote as rather to be admired, than desired or pursued. The gratification of the lusts of their own hearts led the heathen to change the truth of God into a lie. (Rom. i. 25, 26.) The indulgence of unholy tempers and affections, such as pride, envy, malice, impurity, ambition, gives a real distaste to the opposing truths of Christianity. And when these sins break out in the life, and lust has conceived and brought forth sin, then, even if truth had been previously acquired, it is held or confined and detained in unrighteousness. (Rom. i. 18.) When they knew God and glorified him not as God, they be ་ came vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened, and one sin led on to another, till they sunk into the very depths or idolatry. Archbishop Usher says, All sins are in the epistle to the Hebrews termed ignorances (Heb. ix. 7, compared with Lev. xvi. 16, 17), and sinners ignorant and erring persons (Heb. v. 2); because, however, in the general the understanding may be informed rightly, yet when particular actions come to be resolved upon, men's perverse wills and inordinate affections cloud their minds, and lead them out of the way. That, therefore, is to be accounted sound knowledge which sinks from the brain into the heart, and from thence breaks forth into action (setting head, heart, hand, and all a-work), and so much only must thou reckon thyself to know Christianity, as thou art able to make use of in practice.' He quotes James ii. 18, iii. 13, and 1 John ii. 3, 4, to illustrate this.* Here, then, we see where the Christian will bend his main strength he must not cultivate gifts, rather than graces; attainments in knowledge, rather than attainments in holiness; studies must not come before or displace prayer; conferences for acquiring knowledge, before conferences for acquiring spirituality of mind and Christian experience. But let us endeavor to illustrate these general remarks, by a particular consideration of the influence. of holiness on knowledge. These do indeed mutually influence and promote each other. His divine power hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. (2 Peter i. 3.) We cannot attain to holiness without a measure of knowledge, and every step in that attainment prepares for increasing knowledge. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know * See a Sermon appended to the 4th edition of his Answer to a Jesuit, p. 27. the Lord. We cannot limit the mode in which the Holy Spirit either commences or carries on His work within us as He divides to every man severally as He will; ; so He works in various ways, and in such order as pleases Him: sometimes by first convincing the intellect, sometimes by exciting the imagination, and sometimes by touching the affections; but the result is one, to be renewed after the divine image. There is a general tendency;-the tendency of all truth is to promote holiness-and of all error to famish the soul. The ways of false prophets are lascivious ways, (2 Peter ii. 2.) The tendency of all holiness is to enlighten the mind, and of all sin to darken and obscure the truth. Holiness, the work of the Spirit in the heart of man, (1 Thess. ii. 13,) is a term of large meaning, implying in its full import, entire purity from all sin, and entire dedication to God, and conformity to his will. In a sinful creature like man, it can only be attained by faith in Christ, and through his Spirit, and it is continued by constant exercises of the same lively faith, and communications of the same Spirit. It has various parts and degrees, and its influence on knowledge may be seen in each of these. CONVERSION TO GOD (John iii. 3-5) is a first step in Christian holiness. It implies a total change in the inner man; a commencement of a new life; and our Lord declares, that without it a man cannot see the kingdom of God. St. Paul also asserts, 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; but he that is spiritual (avaxgives) discerneth all things. Regeneration is then indispensably necessary for a full view and a true taste and relish of divine truth. As a blind man cannot discern or delight in colours, so an unregenerate is incompetent to discover and delight in the true glories of revelation. He wants that sense |