Give me a clear and enlarged apprehension.

Posted : 28 Apr, 2013 05:19 AM

Psalm 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge; for I have believed Your commandments.





If the perception of the Lord's merciful dealings with my soul is

obscure- Teach me good judgment and knowledge. Give me

a clear and enlarged apprehension, that I may be ready with

my acknowledgment-"All the paths of the Lord are mercy and

truth." Or even with an enlightened assurance of His wise and

faithful dispensations, still would I urge this petition before

Him, as needful for every step of my path. Indeed this prayer

illustrates the simplicity and intelligence of Christian faithalways desiring, asking, and expecting the most suitable

blessings. For what blessings can be more suitable to an

ignorant sinner, than good judgment and knowledge:

knowledge of ourselves, of our Savior, of the way of

obedience-and good judgment, to apply this knowledge to

some valuable end? These two parts of our intellectual

furniture have a most important connection and dependence

upon each other. Knowledge is the speculative perception of general truth. Judgment is the practical application of it to the

heart and conduct. No school, but the school of Christ-no

teaching, but the teaching of the Spirit-can ever give this good

judgment and knowledge. Solomon asks it for himself-Paul for

his people. Both direct us to God as the sole fountain and

author.

We cannot fail to observe a very common defect in

Christians;-warm affections connected with a blind or loose

judgment. Hence, too often, a lightness in religion, equally

unsteady in profession and in practice-easily satisfied with a

narrow compass in the vast field of Scripture, instead of

grasping a full survey of those truths, which are so intimately

connected with our Christian establishment and privilege.

Much perplexing doubt, discouragement, and fear; much

mistaken apprehension of important truth, much coldness and

backsliding of heart and conduct, arises from the want of an

accurate and full apprehension of the scriptural system.

This prayer has a special application to the tender and

sensitive child of God. The disease of his constitution is too

often a scrupulous conscience-one of the most active and

successful enemies to his settled peace and quietness. The

faculty of conscience partakes, with every other power of

man, of the injury of the fall; and therefore, with all its

intelligence, honesty, and power, it is liable to misconception.

Like a defect of vision, it often displaces objects: and, in

apparently conflicting duties, that which touches the feeling, or

accords with the temper, is preferred to one, which, though

more remotely viewed, really possessed a higher claim. Thus

it pronounces its verdict from the predominance of feeling,

rather than from the exercise of judgment-more from an

indistinct perception of the subject presented to the mind, than

from a simple immediate reference "to the law and testimony."

Again-matters of trivial moment are often insisted upon, to the

neglect of important principles. External points of offence are more considered, than the habitual mortification of the inward

principle. Conformity to the world in dress and appearance is

more strongly censured than the general spirit of worldliness

in the temper and conduct of outward non-conformists; while

the spirit of separation from the world, is totally disregarded.

Thus are non-essentials confounded with fundamentals-things

indifferent with things unlawful, from a narrow misconception

of what is directly forbidden and allowed. Conscience,

therefore, must not be trusted without the light of the word of

God; and most important is the prayer-Teach me good

judgment and knowledge.

The exercises of this state of feeling are both endless and

causeless. In the well-intended endeavor to guard against a

devious track, the mind is constantly harassed with an overanxious inquiry, whether the right path is accurately

discovered; and thus at once the pleasure and the progress of

the journey are materially hindered. The influence therefore of

this morbid sensibility is strenuously to be resisted. It renders

the strait way more strait. It slows down the work of grace in the

soul. It is usually connected with self-righteousness. It savors

of, and tends to produce, hard thoughts of God. It damps our

cheerfulness in His service, and unfits us for the duty of the

present moment. What however is more than all to be

deprecated, is, that it multiplies sin; or, to speak more clearly,

it brings on another species of sin, besides the actual

transgression of the law of God. For opposition to the dictates

of conscience in any particular is sin, even though the act

itself may be allowed by the law of God. We may therefore sin

in the act of doing good, or in obedience to the liberty and

enjoyment of the gospel, as well as in the allowed

transgression of the law. Indeed, under the bondage of a

scrupulous conscience, we seem to be entangled in the sad

necessity of sinning. The dictates of conscience, even when

grounded upon misconception, are authoritative. Listening to

its suggestions may be sinning against "the liberty, with which Christ has made us free," and in which we are commanded to

"stand fast." No human authority can free from its bonds.

Resistance to its voice is disobedience to God's viceregent,

and therefore, in a qualified sense at least, disobedience to

God Himself. And thus it is sin, even when that which

conscience condemns may be innocent.

The evil of a scrupulous conscience may often be traced to a

diseased temperament of body, to a naturally weak or

perverted understanding, to the unfavorable influence of early

prejudice-to a lack of simple exercise of faith, or perception of

the matters of faith. In these cases faith may be sincere,

though weak; and the sin, such as it is, is a sin of infirmity,

calling for our pity, forbearance, prayer, and help. In many

instances however, willful ignorance, false shame that will not

inquire, or a pertinacious adherence to deep-rooted opinion, is

the source of the disease. Now such persons must be roused,

even at the hazard of wounding the conscience of the more

tenderly scrupulous. But as the one class decidedly sin, and

the other too frequently indulge their infirmity, the excitement

will probably be ultimately useful to both. Both need to have

the conscience enlightened; and to obtain "a right judgment in

all things"-by a more diligent "search in the Scriptures"-by

"seeking the law at the mouth of the priest"-and, above all, by

earnest prayer with the Psalmist-Teach me good judgment

and knowledge. Thus they will discern between what is

imperative, and what is indifferent; between what is lawful,

and what is expedient. If "whatever is not of faith is sin," then

the only prospect of the removal of the doubt will be increase

of faith-that is, a more full persuasion of the Divine warrant

and instruction. "Howbeit there is not in every one this

knowledge:" yet the exhortation speaks alike to all-"Grow in

grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus

Christ." Indeed the most favorable symptoms of scrupulosity

(except where the disease originates in external causes)

partake of the guilt of willful ignorance; because none can be said sincerely to ask for good judgment and knowledge, who

do not diligently improve all means of obtaining it. If therefore,

the scrupulous shrink from honestly seeking the resolution of

their difficulties in private conferences (where they are to be

had) with Ministers or experienced Christians, so far they

must be considered as wilfully ignorant. We would indeed

"receive them," "bear with their infirmities," and encourage

them to expect relief from their hard bondage in the way of

increasing diligence, humility, and prayer. While their minds

are in doubt concerning the path of duty, their actions must be

imperfect and unsatisfactory. Let them therefore wait, inquire,

and pray, until their way be made plain. This done, let them

act according to their conscience, allowing nothing that it

condemns, neglecting nothing which it requires. The

responsibility of error (should error be eventually detected) will

not be-the too implicit following of the guidance of consciencebut the want of due care and diligence for its more clear

illumination. Generally, however, the rule will apply-"If your

eye be single, your whole body shall be full of light."

But, besides the scrupulous conscience, the imperfectly

enlightened conscience presents a case equally to be

deprecated. Often does it charge to a sinful source those

incessant variations of feelings, which originate in bodily

indisposition, or accidental influence of temptation. Sins of

infirmity are confounded with sins of indulgence: occasional

with habitual transgressions of duty. Only a part of the

character is brought under cognizance: and while shortcomings or surprisals are justly condemned: yet the exercise

of contrition, faith, love, and watchfulness, is passed by

unnoticed. Thus the gospel becomes the very reverse of the

appointment of its gracious Author. It brings ashes for beauty,

mourning for the oil of joy, and the spirit of heaviness for the

garment of praise. If this evil is "not a sin unto death," it is "a

sore evil under the sun," which may often give occasion for

the prayer-Teach me good judgment and knowledge; that, in the simplicity of faith, I may be blessed with a tender

conscience, and be delivered from the bondage of a

scrupulous, and from the perplexity of an unenlightened,

conscience. Let my heart never condemn me where it ought

not. Let it never fail to condemn me where it ought.

But, alas! the perception of our need of this good judgment

and knowledge, is far too indistinct and uninfluential. We need

to cry for these valuable blessings with deeper earnestness,

and more diligent and patient waiting upon God. Divine

wisdom is a treasury, that does not spend by giving; and we

may ask to be enriched to the utmost extent of our wants, "in

full assurance of faith." But this faith embraces the whole

revelation of God-the commandments as well as the

promises. And thus it becomes the principle of Christian

obedience. For can we believe these commandments to be as

they are represented-"holy, just, and good," and not delight in

them? "In those is continuance"-said the prophet-"and we

shall be saved." Convinced of their perfection, acknowledging

their obligations, loving them, and living in them, we shall

"come to full age" in the knowledge of the Gospel, and, "by

reason of use have our senses exercised to discern both good

and evil."



by

Charles Bridges

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