Psalm 23 Devotional:

GNV: 1 Because the Prophet had proved the great mercies of God at divers times, and in sundry manners, he gathereth a certain assurance, fully persuading himself that God will continue the very same goodness towards him forever.

A Psalm of David.

23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou dost anoint my head with oil; and my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

We saw previously the manner in which God doth anoint the heads of His people, even by granting them His Spirit and adopting them into His family. For believers are blessed with no common and ordinary gift when God bestows on them the blessings of salvation. And this is one remarkable reason why God is so liberal towards the wicked in outward gifts, heaping upon them good things in this life, which ultimately end in their destruction. For by keeping the things concerning His law, His worship, His gospel, His doctrine from them, He is keeping them from salvation, seeing He has reserved it for only His elect. Therefore may we rejoice, and give God exceeding praise for His goodness towards us, inasmuch as the gifts He hath bestowed upon us by the Spirit are so incomprehensibly marvelous. He has anointed us with oil, and not His enemies. Therefore David doth conclude in the Psalm that He is now more assured that God will deal kindly with Him throughout all his days, saying, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” For this is the end of all those blessed with the dew of heaven, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God, even to dwell in God’s house forever, in the full enjoyment of His presence. And this we cannot enjoy or be persuaded of unless the work is begun here. It will not do to rest contented that we are members of a church, or have been exposed to the word, or even have been enlightened in some measure by it. But we must be fully persuaded of the divine efficacy of the word, and zealously follow after it to the end of our days, as it is written, “And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” and again, “When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” and again, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and make a mock of him.” Therefore neither members of the visible church, nor those who have heard the preaching of the word, nor those who have but tasted in a measure the truths revealed therein shall be saved, but only those who have been regenerated by the power of the Spirit and made new and living creatures, enabled to understand sound doctrine and apply it, to love God with their whole being, and love their neighbor as themselves. Then by these signs we may know that we have been anointed with the oil of heaven, and are assured of life everlasting with the Father.

Henry,
How confidently he counts upon the continuance of God’s favours, Psalms 23:6. He had said (Psalms 23:1), I shall not want; but now he speaks more positively, more comprehensively: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. His hope rises, and his faith is strengthened, by being exercised. Observe, (1.) What he promises himself–goodness and mercy, all the streams of mercy flowing from the fountain, pardoning mercy, protecting mercy, sustaining mercy, supplying mercy. (2.) The manner of the conveyance of it: It shall follow me, as the water out of the rock followed the camp of Israel through the wilderness; it shall follow into all places and all conditions, shall be always ready. (3.) The continuance of it: It shall follow me all my life long, even to the last; for whom God loves he loves to the end. (4.) The constancy of it: All the days of my life, as duly as the day comes; it shall be new every morning (Lamentations 3:22, 23) like the manna that was given to the Israelites daily. (5.) The certainty of it: Surely it shall. It is as sure as the promise of the God of truth can make it; and we know whom we have believed. (6.) Here is a prospect of the perfection of bliss in the future state. So some take the latter clause: “Goodness and mercy having followed me all the days of my life on this earth, when that is ended I shall remove to a better world, to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, in our Father’s house above, where there are many mansions. With what I have I am pleased much; with what I hope for I am pleased more.” All this, and heaven too! Then we serve a good Master.

Note, How resolutely he determines to cleave to God and to his duty. We read the last clause as David’s covenant with God: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (as long as I live), and I will praise him while I have any being.” We must dwell in his house as servants, that desired to have their ears bored to the door-post, to serve him for ever. If God’s goodness to us be like the morning light, which shines more and more to the perfect day, let not ours to him be like the morning cloud and the early dew that passeth away. Those that would be satisfied with the fatness of God’s house must keep close to the duties of it.

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Therefore may the Christian ever delight in his God who provides so richly for us, with such abundance and plenty, and moreover the blessing of the Spirit which sanctifies it so that we perish not with the abuse of it, but in grateful sincerity give God thanks. Let us therefore give thanks to God for the best and rarest gifts, even the word of God revealed to us, which is His Son.

Opening Prayer.

Intro. Thomas Manton’s Sermon on the Parable of the Ten Virgins.

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.—

MAT. 25:3–4.
Not only the openly wicked, those that eat and drink with the drunken, are rejected, but those that have some show of godliness; yea, hopeful beginnings, but not improved, is the drift of this parable. We have considered wherein the ten virgins agree; now, wherein they differ: they had so much wisdom to take their lamps with them, but so much folly as to take no oil in their vessels. These vessels were annexed to their lamps, or that part of the lamp which was kindled and lighted. By the lamps are meant outward profession, Mat. 5:16; by the oil, the Spirit, called ‘the anointing which abideth in us,’ 1 John 2:27. Now the foolish virgins are such inconsiderate Christians as content themselves with the name and blaze of outward profession, neglecting the great work within; namely, an inward principle of grace, which should maintain their profession before men, and their uprightness before God; they had only some transient motions of the Spirit, or inclinations to that which is good, enough to keep up their present profession, but not to hold out and suffice at Christ’s coming. But the wise virgins, that had oil in their vessels,
with their lamps, are sound and solid Christians, who, with the lamps of external profession, are careful to be furnished inwardly with the graces of the Holy Spirit.
Doct. 1. It is not enough to have oil in our lamps, but we must have oil in our vessels also.
Doct. 2. This will be found to be our true wisdom, and the other to be the greatest folly.
For the first point, that it is not enough to have oil in our lamps, but we must have oil in our vessels also, let me explain this point in these propositions:—
1. Profession must not be neglected: both the wise and the foolish
took their lamps with them. Burning profession is twofold—vocal and real. Vocal: Rom. 10:9, ‘If thou shalt confess with thy mouth, and believe with thy heart.’ Christ will be owned by those that are his. Christ’s followers need not be ashamed of avowing their master. Faith should not, and love cannot be smothered and hidden; therefore profession is as necessary as believing in its kind. Again, there is a real profession, not so much by word of mouth as by constant practice and conversation; so Christians are bidden to ‘shine as lights,’ Phil. 2:15. This is for the glory of God, Mat. 5:16, and the honour of Christ that it should be so; therefore the apostle prayeth, 2 Thes. 1:11, 12, ‘Wherefore we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of Faith with power, that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you.’ It is not meant of the illicit acts, but the fruit that it produceth; and it is for the honour of the truth. Suitable practice joined with profession puts a majesty and splendour on the truth, and recommendeth it to the consciences of beholders: Titus 2:10, ‘Adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.’ It is not so much by good words and expressions that Christians do put a loveliness and beauty upon the ways of God, as by ordering their ways with all strictness and gravity; so that this fair profession is of great use, especially the real part; it is an evidence that all is right within, for the breaking out of sin and folly in the life clearly evidenceth the power and prevalency of unmortified lusts in the heart; therefore we must keep our lamps burning; the foolish and the wise did both well in that.
2. A profession of godliness, though never so glorious, should not be rested in without a saving work of grace upon the heart to maintain it. There was the folly of one sort of virgins, that they were contented with having oil in their lamps for their present use, without looking further; and the wisdom of the other, that their vessels were furnished as well as their lamps. Grace must flow forth, but withal it must have a bottom within. As a fountain or spring sending forth streams to water the ground about it, or the heart sendeth forth life and spirits to every faculty and member, so the graces of the Spirit in
believers flow forth in their carriage and behaviour, to make their tongue drop that which is savoury, their actions orderly and even, their carriage in all relations and affairs grave and serious. It is well when all this hath a bottom, that there is a principle of life within, to diffuse this virtue into every part of their conversations, and to keep them mindful and respective to all the commands of God. Now this is required—(1.) Partly because this glorious profession and practice will not serve the turn for the present; for God looks not to outward appearance, but regards the frame of the heart; it is internal holiness that is lovely in his eyes, Ps. 51:6, and without which the external is loathsome to him, Mat. 23:17. A Christian hath more in the vessel than in the lamp: Ps. 45:13, ‘The king’s daughter is all glorious within.’ That which is outwardly professed is inwardly rooted and cherished by them who worship and serve God in spirit and truth. Knowledge, faith, love, hope, zeal, courage, patience, these adorn the heart, as well as the fruits of them appear in the life, and this maketh us beautiful in the eyes of him that seeth in secret. It would help us to discover our mistakes if we did make God our witness, approver, and judge; for the present studying to approve him in the frame of our hearts, which is hidden from all others. And (2.) Partly because the lamp will not long hold burning unless there be a stock of oil to feed it; so that if it could suffice for the present, yet without grace in the heart, for the future, we shall miscarry when the slender provision and store is spent. A Christian is to provide for the time to come such grace as may endure and hold out in all trials, and bear weight in the day of judgment. We are often pressed to set ourselves in such a state, and put ourselves into such a frame, as will endure the glory of
Christ’s presence; and to think of that time, and what we shall do, or how we shall be found when he appeareth. He only believeth aright in Christ that will not be ashamed at his appearance: Luke 21:36, ‘That ye may stand before the Son of man;’ and 1 John 4:17, ‘That we may have boldness at the day of judgment;’ and 1 John 2:29, ‘When he shall appear we may have confidence, and not be ashamed of him at his coming.’ 3. A saving work of grace is an inward principle of life, and that in such a degree and measure, which the unsound, though the most glorious professors of the gospel, do not attain unto. Some slight and insufficient touches upon their hearts many professors may attain unto that yet never had this rooted principle of grace, which may properly be called oil in the vessel. It differeth in radication and efficacy, as I showed before. They are enlightened, but the day-star doth not arise in their hearts, 2 Peter 1:19, and Eph. 5:8. A flash of light they may have, but are not light in the Lord. Are affected with the truths of the gospel, but not changed or transformed by it, 2 Cor. 3:18. Sin may be restrained or benumbed, but it is not subdued and mortified, Gal. 5:24; we cannot say it is crucified. They are half loosed, but are still in bonds; make some show of escape from Satan, but are surprised by him again; worse hampered than before, Matt. 12:45; urged, excited to some good, but not enabled and inclined to love God with all the heart, and seriously and constantly to set about the things that please him, and to avoid the contrary. They have not the grace the apostle prayeth for, Heb. 13:12, that grace ‘that may make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ.’ Have you this grace, to be always working that which is pleasing in his sight? Their fire is like a straw fire, soon in and soon out; so that there is a difference. The gifts they have are not of an abiding and everlasting nature, not secured by God’s covenant and promise; there is not that solid, rooted piety. Therefore, it is not enough for Christians to see that the lamp burneth, but to look what there is in the vessel, to feed the flame. It is not sudden affections on our part, nor the transient motions of the Spirit on God’s part, that will amount to a constant principle of life. 4. This constant, abiding state of grace or principle of life may be known partly by the terms by which it is set forth in scripture, and partly by the effects of it. First, By the terms by which it is expressed in scripture.
1. It is expressed sometimes with respect to the original author, pattern, and fountain of it, which is God; and so it is called the divine nature, 2 Peter 1:4; whereby is not meant the infinite essence of God, which can neither be divided, or communicated to any creature, but of those holy and heavenly qualities and dispositions whereby we resemble God. The heart of this Christian is so stamped with God’s own image and character, that he beginneth to look like God for wisdom, holiness, purity, pity. So sometimes it is called the life of God, Eph. 4:18: that spiritual life that is begun in regeneration is so called; not as God is the first original author of life natural, but the pattern of it. From both these places it appeareth we must first be partakers of such a nature as God hath, before we can live such a life as God doth. 2. It is sometimes expressed with respect to the meritorious and procuring cause, or the immediate head and fountain of it; and so Christ is said ‘to live in us,’ Gal. 2:20; ‘to dwell in us,’ Eph. 3:17; ‘to remain in us as the hope of glory,’ Col. 1:27. That Christians may live the life of grace, they must first be united to Christ; for he liveth in us as the head in the members, or the root in the branches: we must be united to Christ, and receive influence from him as branches from the root. Through faith Christ is perpetually present in virtue, grace, and spirit. We must first partake of Christ himself, being most strictly united to him, as members to the head, from whence they receive sense and motion: he taketh up a fixed and immovable habitation in our hearts, John 14:23, not for a visit and away; but keepeth a perpetual residence in the heart. 3. With respect to the immediate author and fountain, which is the Spirit given to us, to dwell in us, by some special way of operation, Rom. 5:5; and 1 Cor. 2:12, ‘Now we have not received the spirit of world, but the Spirit of God, that we may know the things that are freely given us of God;’ and Rom. 8:11, ‘If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you.’ A believer’s body and soul is the Spirit’s mansion-house; and those that have the Spirit to dwell in them, not to come upon them at times, are in an abiding state of grace. The Spirit came upon Balaam at times, Num. 24:2; but in his people he makes his abode. He doth act in others as a spirit assisting, but not as a spirit inhabiting: he dwelleth in his people. The Spirit is often promised to dwell in our hearts, not only for a season, but for ever: John 4:14, ‘The water that I shall give him shall be a well of water springing up to everlasting life.’ Mark, the Spirit doth not give a draught, but the spring; not a dash of rain that is soon dried up, but a well; not a pond, that may be dried up at length, but a fountain that ever keepeth flowing, so that we shall never thirst more. It shall quench his thirst after worldly vanities and delights: these things grow tasteless the more of the Spirit we have. The Spirit of Christ, as the fountain, doth make this grace enduring in itself and in its effects, a well of inexhaustible fulness and refreshment. So John 7:38, ‘He that believeth in me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’ Not a petty refreshment for a season, but his Spirit to dwell in us as a full fountain, to flow forth for the refreshment of himself and others. Though the ocean be in God, yet there is a river in the saints. In Christ there is plenitudo fontis; in us, plenitudo vasis. If we find any remission of the comforts of this spring, it is through our own pride and unbelief and idleness: John 14:16, 17, ‘I will give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.’ The Spirit will not change his dwelling-place. This is such a degree of grace as the unregenerate world cannot receive. 4. This inward principle is expressed with respect to the instrument, which is the word of God; so it is called λόγον ἔμφυτον, James 1:21, ‘The ingrafted word.’ The root of the matter is within; it is not the word heard only, or the word obeyed only will save us, but it must be an ingrafted word. It is not bound on, but ingrafted; it is not enough to yield some present obedience to it, but it must be rooted in us. So in that notable promise, Heb. 8:10, ‘I will put my laws in their minds, and write them upon their hearts.’ The writing is the law of God, the tables are the minds and hearts of men; that is the understanding and will and rational appetite; and this is written by the finger of God; there where is the source and original of all moral operations, of all thoughts and affections, and inward motions, there is the law of God written; in those parts of the soul where the directive counsel and the imperial commanding power of all human actions resideth, there will God write his laws in lively and legible characters. And what is the effect? A man becometh a law to himself, he carrieth his rule about with him, and hath a ready and willing mind to obey it: Ps. 37:31, ‘The law of God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.’ The truth is rooted in him, and his heart is suited and inclined to it; he unfeignedly loveth what is commanded of God, and hateth what is forbidden by him. 5. The work itself is sometimes generally expressed by these notions. It is called καινὴ κτίσις, ‘The new creature,’ 2 Cor. 5:17, when a man is thoroughly framed anew in all his faculties; and 1 John 3:9, it is called σπέρμα, ‘The abiding seed;’ not a vanishing affection, but a remaining seed; and it is called ‘A good treasure,’ Mat. 12:35. There is a stock that supplieth holy thoughts, words, and actions. As a man that hath a bad treasure of corruption, the more he spends, the more it is increased; so a man that hath a good stock, he bringeth forth holy thoughts, words, and actions. And it is called ‘A new heart, and a right spirit,’ Ps. 51:10; Ezek. 36:26, 27; and it is called ‘A sound heart,’ Ps. 119:80. There is a slight heart, and a sound heart, which is not only opposed to the shows of hypocrites, but to the sudden pangs and half-dispositions of temporaries, when grace beareth a universal sovereignty over us, inclining the heart to love, and please, and serve God. 6. Sometimes the work is particularly expressed by the several graces of the Spirit, all which are comprised in faith and repentance: Acts 20:21, ‘Teaching them repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Repentance towards God, because by it we return to the duty we owe to our creator; and faith, in the gospel notion, doth principally respect our Redeemer, and his mediation for us. By repentance we return to the duty enjoined by the law, from whence we are fallen; and by faith we apprehend the love of Christ, and what he hath done for us. By repentance we are set in joint again as to our obedience to the lawgiver; and by faith we close with, and are united to our Redeemer, without which we cannot be accepted with God. Both are the principles of all sincere obedience and subjection to the gospel-law or covenant.

—

The Westminster Confession of Faith.

Lesson 6. Introduction. [6] The Use of Knowledge in Spiritual Warfare.

As we cannot but with grief of soul lament those multitudes of errors, blasphemies, and all kinds of profaneness, which have in this last age, like a mighty deluge, overflown this nation; so, among several other sins which have helped to open the flood-gates of all these impieties, we cannot but esteem the disuse of family instruction one of the greatest. The two great pillars upon which the kingdom of Satan is erected, and by which it is upheld, are ignorance and error; the first step of our manumission from this spiritual thraldom consists in having our eyes opened, and being turned from darkness to light, Acts xxvi. 18. How much the serious endeavours of godly parents and masters might contribute to an early seasoning the tender years of such as are under their inspection, is abundantly evident, not only from their special influence upon them, in respect of their authority over them, interest in them, continual presence with them, and frequent opportunities of being helpful to them; but also from the sad effects which, by woeful experience, we find to be the fruit of the omission of this duty. It were easy to set before you a cloud of witnesses, the language of whose practice hath been not only an eminent commendation of this duty, but also a serious exhortation to it. As Abel, though dead, yet speaks by his example to us for imitation of his faith, &c., Heb. xi. 4; so do the examples of Abraham, of Joshua, of the parents of Solomon, of the grandmother and mother of Timothy, the mother of Augustine, whose care was as well to nurse up the souls as the bodies of their little ones; and as their pains herein was great, so was their success no way unanswerable. We should scarce imagine it any better than an impertinency, in this noon-day of the gospel, either to inform or persuade in a duty so expressly commanded, so frequently urged, so highly encouraged, and so eminently owned by the Lord in all ages with his blessing, but that our sad experience tells us, this duty is not more needful, than it is of late neglected. For the restoring of this duty to its due observance, give us leave to suggest this double advice. The first concerns heads of families in respect of themselves; That as the Lord hath set them in place above the rest of their family, they would labour in all wisdom and spiritual understanding to be above them also. It is an uncomely sight to behold men in years babes in knowledge; and how unmeet are they to instruct others, who need themselves to be taught which be the first principles of the oracles of God, Heb. v. 12. Knowledge is an accomplishment so desirable, that the devils themselves knew not a more taking bait by which to tempt our first parents, than by the fruit of the tree of knowledge; So shall you be as gods, knowing good and evil. When Solomon had that favour shewed him of the Lord, that he was made his own chuser what to ask, he knew no greater mercy to beg than wisdom, 1 Kings iii. 5, 9. The understanding is the guide and pilot of the whole man, that faculty which sits at the stern of the soul: but as the most expert guide may mistake in the dark, so may the understanding, when it wants the light of knowledge: Without knowledge the mind cannot be good, Prov. xix. 2; nor the life good, nor the eternal condition safe, Eph. iv. 18. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, Hos. iv. 6. It is ordinary in scripture to set profaneness, and all kind of miscarriages, upon the score of ignorance. Diseases in the body have many times their rise from distempers in the head, and exorbitancies in practice from errors in judgment: and indeed in every sin there is something both ignorance and error at the bottom: for did sinners truly know what they do in sinning, we might say of every sin what the Apostle speaks concerning that great sin, Had they known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; did they truly know that every sin is a provoking the Lord to jealousy, a proclaiming war against Heaven, a crucifying the Lord Jesus afresh, a treasuring up wrath unto themselves against the day of wrath; and that, if ever they be pardoned, it must be at no lower a rate than the price of his blood; it were scarce possible but sin, instead of alluring, should affright, and instead of tempting, scare. It is one of the arch devices and principal methods of Satan to deceive men into sin: thus he prevailed against our first parents, not as a lion, but as a serpent, acting his enmity under a pretence of friendship, and tempting them to evil under an appearance of good; and thus hath he all along carried on his designs of darkness, by transforming himself into an angel of light, making poor deceived men in love with their miseries, and hug their own destruction. A most sovereign antidote against all kind of errors, is to be grounded and settled in the faith: persons unfixed in the true religion, are very receptive of a false; and they who are nothing in spiritual knowledge, are easily made any thing. Clouds without water are driven to and fro with every wind, and ships without ballast liable to the violence of every tempest. But yet the knowledge we especially commend, is not a mere speculation; this may be in the worst of men, nay, in the worst of creatures, the devils themselves, and that in such an eminency, as the best of saints cannot attain to in this life of imperfection; but an inward, a savoury knowledge, such as was in the martyrs. This is that spiritual sense and feeling of divine truths the Apostle speaks of, Heb. v. 1,1, Having your senses exercised, &c. But, alas, we may say of most men’s religion what learned Rivet speaks concerning the errors of the fathers, “They were not so much their own errors, as the errors of the times wherein they lived!’ Thus do most men take up their religion upon no better an account than Turks and Papists take up theirs, because it is the religion of the times and places wherein they live; and what they take up thus slightly, they lay down as easily. Whereas an inward taste and relish of the things of God, is an excellent preservative to keep us settled in the most unsettled times. Corrupt and unsavoury principles have great advantage upon us, above those that are spiritual and sound; the former being suitable to corrupt nature, the latter contrary; the former springing up of themselves, the latter brought forth not without a painful industry. The ground needs no other midwifery in bringing forth weeds than only the neglect of the husbandman’s hand to pluck them up; the air needs no other cause of darkness than the absence of the sun; nor water of coldness than its distance from the fire; because these are the genuine products of nature.

The nature of deceit and spiritual warfare.
Intro. The necessity of valor. The devil seeks whom he may devour. He has legions at his command. There is never a time but we must be on guard.
1. Knowledge pertaining to scripture is not in every case saving.
i. Profession vs possession.
ii.The bare facts of scripture history (evangelicalism) vs the purpose of the incarnation (original sin).
iii. Men by nature take up the false religion of their present culture (whatever is advantageous). What is religion? Do all men possess it? The profession of true religion is tried with fire.
iv. They are not consistent in their principles. (even those hypocrites who profess the true religion deny it by their actions and corrupt conclusions)
v. True knowledge of the word keeps us from the snare of the devil which is the hypocrisy of the world and false church. (How rare a thing for a Christian to be armed with true faith/ knowledge in times of general apostasy.)
vi. Obj.Knowledge puffs up? Context of 1 Cor. 8.
vii. Spiritual knowledge is profitable to our neighbor.
App. There is no doctrine in scripture that is not followed by application.
viii. Different kinds of knowledge.
a. Knowledge of things natural,
b. knowledge of God,
c. knowledge of the gospel.
x. Gospel knowledge must be supernatural because it teaches men who by nature love themselves to loathe themselves.
xi. Knowledge that reaches the affections vs knowledge not applied or misapplied.
xii. True knowledge is consonant and whole. Do we believe all of scripture?
xiii. Natural knowledge results in pride and error.
2. Natural knowledge is often a precursor to destruction.
3. Knowledge of the truth is ever accompanied by love for the truth. The first and great commandment. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
App. Continue in the exercise of knowledge.
a. Read scripture daily. Read godly literature daily. There is no alternative but to strive for the heavenly kingdom.
b. True knowledge must be cultivated and zealously obtained.
c. The antithesis between neglect of the means and Christian zeal which seeks after knowledge. (Abide in me) read John 15.

Conclusion.

Closing Prayer.

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