The Second Branch of the Text
2. To learn Christ, is to believe in him—"my Lord, and my God,"
(John 20:28) when we do not only believe God—but in God, which is the actual application of Christ to ourselves, and as it were—the spreading of the sacred medicine of his blood upon our souls. You have heard much of Christ, and yet cannot with a humble adherence say, "my Jesus;" do not be offended if I tell you—the devil can say his creed as well as you!
3. To learn Christ, is to love Christ. When we have Bible-lives, our lives like rich diamonds cast a sparkling luster in the church of God, and are, in some sense, parallel with the life of Christ, as the transcript with the original. So much for the first notion of the word.
The Second Branch of the Text.
This word, "I have learned," is a word which imports difficulty. It shows how hard the apostle came by contentment of mind; it was not bred in nature. Paul did not come naturally by it—but he had learned it. It cost him many a prayer and tear, it was taught him by the Spirit. Whence our second doctrine—that good things are hard to come by. The business of true religion is not so easy as most imagine. "I have learned," says Paul. Indeed—you need not teach a man to sin; this is natural, (Psalm 58:3) and therefore easy. It comes as water out of a spring. It is an easy thing to be wicked; hell will be taken without storm; but matters of piety must be learned.
The trade of sin needs not to be learned—but the art of divine contentment is not achieved without holy industry. "I have learned."
There are two pregnant reasons why there must be so much study and exertion:
1. Because spiritual things are AGAINST nature. Everything in piety is opposite to nature. There are two things in true religion, and both are against nature.
(1.) Matters of faith. As, for men to be justified by the righteousness of another, to become a fool that he may be wise, to save all by losing all—this is against nature.
(2.) Matters of practice. As, self-denial. As for a man to deny his own wisdom, and see himself blind. As to have his own will, and have it melted into the will of God. As to be plucking out the right eye, beheading and crucifying that sin which is the favorite, and lies nearest to the heart. As for a man to be dead to the world, and in the midst of need to abound. As for him to take up the cross, and follow
Christ, not only in golden—but in bloody paths. As to embrace religion, when it is dressed in rags, and all the jewels of honor and preferment are pulled off. All this is against nature—and therefore must be learned.
Likewise with self-examination; for a man to take his heart, as a watch, all in pieces; to set up a spiritual inquisition, and traverse things in his own soul; to take David's candle and lantern, (Psalm
119:105) and search for sin; nay, as judge, to pass the sentence upon himself! (2 Sa. 34:17) This is against nature, and will not easily be attained to without learning.
Likewise with self-reformation; to see a man, as Caleb, walking opposite to how he once walked, the current of his life altered, and running into the channel of piety—this is wholly against nature.
When a stone ascends, it is not a natural motion—but a violent. Just so, the motion of the soul heaven-ward is a violent motion, it must be learned; flesh and blood is not skilled in these things; nature can no more cast out nature, than Satan can cast out Satan.
2. Because spiritual things are ABOVE nature. There are some things in the world that are hard to find out, which are not learned without study. What then are divine things, which are in sphere above the world, and beyond all human learning? Only God's
Spirit can light our candle here. The apostle calls these "the deep things of God." The gospel is full of jewels—but they are locked up—
away from sense and reason. The angels in heaven are searching into these sacred depths. (1 Pe. 22) USE. Let us beg the Spirit of God to teach us. We must be
"divinely taught." God's Spirit must must teach—or we cannot learn.
"All your children shall be taught of the Lord". (Is. 54:13) A man may read the figure on the dial—but he cannot tell how the day goes, unless the sun shines upon the dial. Just so, we may read the Bible over—but we can not learn effectually, until the Spirit of God shines into our hearts. (2 Cor. 4:6) O implore this blessed Spirit! "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit." (Is. 48:17) Ministers may tell us our lesson, God alone can teach us.
We have lost both our hearing and sight, therefore are very unfit to learn. Ever since Eve listened to the serpent, we have been deaf; and since she looked on the tree of knowledge we have been blind. But when God comes to teach, he removes these impediments. (Is. 35:5)
We are naturally dead. (Ep. 2:1) Who can teach a dead man? Yet, behold, God undertakes to make dead men to understand mysteries!
God is the grand teacher. This is the reason the preached Word works so differently upon men. There are two men in one pew—the one is wrought upon effectually by the Spirit; the other lies at the ordinances as a dead child at the breast, and gets no nourishment.
What is the reason for this? Because the heavenly gale of the Spirit blows upon the one, and not upon the other. One has the anointing of God, which teaches him all things (1 John 2:27) the other has it not. God's Spirit speaks sweetly—but irresistibly. In that heavenly doxology, none could sing the new song—but those who were sealed in their foreheads, (Re. 14:2) reprobates could not sing it. Those who are skillful in the mysteries of salvation, must have the seal of the Spirit upon them. Let us make this our prayer: "Lord, breathe your
Spirit into your Word!" We have a promise, which may add wings to prayer; "if you then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask him?" (Lu. 11:13) And thus much of the first