tells the scribes and pharisees, who were some of the most intelligent persons and greatest professors among them, "Ye say that he is your God; yet ye have not known him." The knowledge of God is the delight and the perfection of the gracious soul: it fits him for his service here, and the enjoyment of him bereafter. "It is life eternal to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." It is eternal life begun, secured, and in some measure possessed. Job. xi. 7. John viii. 55. xvii. 3. 2 Cor. iii. 18. iv. 6. 1 John v. 20. 2. A profession of this knowledge is of great importance. It is no light matter to be able to say on good ground, "My God, I know thee." Much depends upon this, and it requires the most serious consideration. With the mouth, confession is made unto salvation; but there must first be a believing with the heart unto righteousness. True faith will produce a good confession, and it will produce it almost involuntarily; for where God has kindled the heavenly fire in the soul, it will break forth in some way or other. But how often does the tongue go before the heart, and even contrary to it, in professions of love to God and knowledge of him. Israel would have spoken more like the truth, if they had said with Pharaoh, "We know not the Lord, neither will we obey his voice." Before we profess to know God therefore, we should seek to be truly acquainted with him; to know him in his real character and the relation he bears to his creatures, in his works and in his word, especially as he is revealed in the person of his Son. It is in him that he is God indeed, and there his glory shines. All other representations of him are faint and partial, when compared with this. "He is the image of the invisible God;" yea, "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person." It is in him that all the divine perfections shine forth in their highest splendour; and all we can know of God in any other way is but little better than speculation, which can neither animate to duty, support in affliction, or arm us against the fears of death. Till we see God in Christ, and worship him as such, it may be said of us as of the Samaritans, We worship we know not what-Let us therefore consider what we say when we profess to know God. It is to own and acknowledge him as our Creator, Lord, and Sovereign; as our Director, Guardian and Guide; as our Redeemer, Saviour and final Judge. Let us see to it also that our acknowledgement of him be accompanied with corresponding affections and dispositions towards him, going to the grounds of our religion, and tracing it up to its source and origin. II. Notice some of the evidences of a true knowledge of God. 1. All saving knowledge proceeds from God only. It is communicated in his word, and by the mind being enlightened properly to understand it. In the glass of scripture, and the works of creation, we see much of the beauty and glory of the Lord; but it is by his shining into the heart, and shining on the sacred page. When the scales fall from our eyes, and the veil is taken from our hearts, a light from heaven breaks in upon us, and in his light we see light. Then we know God as he is, and see him in his true character. All the knowledge we have of him by the unassisted efforts of reason will come to nothing, and the light that is in us will be no better than dark ness. 2. Saving knowledge will produce a humble confidence in God. Humility is one of the first fruits of a good understanding. Other knowledge will puff up; but the tendency of this is to abase. Saints on earth are the humblest of men, and saints in heaven are more humble than they. The clearer our views are of the divine glory, the deeper will be our humiliation. When Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filling the temple, he cried out, "Woe is me, for I am undone -mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts." "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear," says Job; "but now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Right views of God however, while they promote reverence and fear, will inspire love and confidence. "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee." Where, there is no knowledge there can be no trust; for how can we believe in him of whom we have not heard. We can easily trust one whom we know and love, and a true knowledge of God will always be attended with holy affections towards him. When the understanding is enlightened, the heart will burn with love. 3. A spiritual acquaintance with God will be accompanied with a conformity of soul to him. There will be a resemblance of his holy nature, and a subjection to his holy will. By beholding his glory we shall be changed into the same image; and the. brighter our views, the fuller will be our conformity. In heaven we shall see him as he is, and then we shal be completely like him. No one can truly know the Lord without being obedient to him, and the outward change will be as evident as the inward change is real. "The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." A man may have every other ́ kind of wisdom, and yet be a slave to his lusts; but this leads to liberty and real holiness. The sons of Eli served at the altar; but being unholy and profane, it is said of them that they "knew not the Lord." All that knowledge which is inoperative, or does not bring forth the fruits of righteousness, is empty and vain. Mere light in the understanding, without love in the heart, will only aggravate our condemnation, and render our depravity the more inexcusable. CONCLUSION. (1.) It is a great evil to profess to know God, and yet in works to deny him. A wicked professor is a disgrace to religion, a stumbling block to others, and hateful in the sight of God. A profession without corresponding practice, is but solemn mockery: it is like the conduct of the Roman soldiers, who arrayed Christ in a purple robe, and cried, Hail, Master; and then spit in his face! This is adding hypocrisy to sin, and hiding hatred with lying lips, to make it a still greater abomination. "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." Such iniquity and deceit shall at length be detected, exposed to shame, and doom. ed to punishment. Hypocrites shall have their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, and the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever. (2.) Let us beware of the contrary extreme, of withholding an open profession of the truth after we have been brought to understand and receive it. The fearful and faint-hearted, who virtually deny the Saviour, act as much out of character as the bold and self-confident deceiver. "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: but he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God." Luke xii. 8, 9. (3.) The subject shews us the reason why many apostatise from their profession. They have received the truth, but not in the love of it: hence "their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust." The house that is built upon the sand may stand for a time, but sooner or later it must fall. He that believes in Christ, and builds on him as the foundation, shall not make haste, and shall never be confounded; but the overflowing scourge shall pass through, and overwhelm such as have made lies their refuge, and hid themselves under falsehood. Empty professors are like wandering stars, or meteors, that blaze for awhile, and soon disappear: but real christians are like the stars which the Saviour holds in his right hand, and which shall shine for ever. (4.) The enlightening and renewing influences of the holy Spirit are necessary to form the christian character. Spiritual knowledge is the foundation of all true religion, and this can proceed only from his teaching."The spirit of the Lord is the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord-I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldst go." Isai. xi. 2. xlviii. 17. With an illumined eye, The streams of life and peace, And fountain whence they flow, The doctrines which I should embrace, This is a gift divine; Bestow it, Lord, on me! Oh speak the word, 'Let there be light,' And light shall straitway be. Let heavenly wisdom dwell Within this heart of mine; Watch o'er my thoughts, direct my words, And in my actions shine. |