first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: This is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely, this, Thou shalt love thy THE NECESSITY OF DIVINE TEACHING. DISCOURSE I. JOHN vi. 45. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. THIS is a sweet promise, full of comfort to the children of God. So soon as he has given them a desire to be taught, the Lord has spoken it by the mouth of his holy prophets, that they may come to him to receive instruction. He, the all-wise God will be their teacher. He will open the eyes of their understanding clearly to discern spiritual things, and will make them wise unto salvation. In the book of Psalms we find frequent prayers for this divine teaching, and among the high and honourable titles of God, this is used to describe his goodness to the children of men-" He that teacheth "man knowledge;" and not man considered merely as ignorant, but also as guilty. "Good and upright is "the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way." |