1. Because spiritual things are against nature. Every thing in religion is antipodes to nature. There are in religion two things, credeiida et facienda, and both are against nature. — I. Credenda, 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
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against nature. — 2. Facicyida, matters of practire : as, (1.) Selt-tlenial, — for a man to deny his own wisdom, and see liiniself blind, — bis own will, and have it melted into the will of CJod, — plnelunfi^ out the right eye, beheading and crucifying that sin which is the favourite, and lies nearest to the heart, — for .a man to be dea<l to the world, and in the midst of want to abound, — for him to take up the cross, and follow Christ, not only in golden, but in bloody paths, — to embrace religion, when it is dressed in night-clothes, all the jewels of honour and preferment being pulled of, — this is against nature, and therefore must be learned. (2.) Self-examination ; for a man to take his heart — as a watch — all in pieces, — to set up a spiritual inquisition, or court of conscience, and traverse things in his own soul, — to take David's candle and lan- tern, Ps. cxix. 105. and search for sin, — nay, as judge, to pass the sentence upon himself, 2 Sam. xxxiv. 17., this is against nature, and will not easily be attained to without learning. (3.) Self-reformation. To see a man, as Caleb, of another spirit, walk- ing antipodes to himself, the current of his Jfe altered, and running into the channel of religion, — this is wholly against nature. When a stone ascends, it is not a natural motion, but a violent ; 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 na- ture. There are some things in nature that are hard to find out, as the cause of things, which are not learned without study. Aristotle, a great philosopher — whom some have called an eagle fallen from the clouds — yet could not find out the motion of the river Eurij)us, and therefore threw himself into it ; what then are divine things, which .ire in sphere above nature, and beyond all human dis(|uisition, — as the Trinity, — the hvpostatieal union, — the mvsterv of faith to believe against hope ? Only God's Spirit can light our candle here. The apostle ui'.^s these "the deep things of (Jod," 1 Cor. ii. 10. The gospel is full of jewels, but they arc locked up from sense and reason.
The angels in heaven are searching into these sacred depths, 1 Pet, i. 22.
Uxe. Let us beg the Spirit of God to teach us ; we must be diviiiitus edocti ; the eunuch could read, but he could not under- stand, till Piiilip j(»in('d himself to his cha- ri(»t, Acts viii. 29. God's Sj)irit must join himself to our chariot ; he must teach, or we cannot learn. " All thy children shall be taught of the Lord," Isa. liv. 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 : we may read the Bible over, but we cannot learn to purj)ose, till the Spirit of God shine into our hearts, 2 Cor. iv. 6. O implore this blessed Spirit ! It is God's prerogative-royal to teach. " I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit," Isa. xlviii. 17. Ministers may tell us our lesson, God only can teach ns ; Ave have lost both our hearing and eye-sight, therefore are very unfit to learn. Ever since Eve listened to the serpent, we have been deaf: and since she looked on the the tree of knowledge we have been blind ; but when God comes lO teach, he removes these impediments, Isa. xxxv. 5. We are naturally dead, Eph. ii. 1,, who will go a- bout to teach a dead man ? Yet, behold, God undertakes to make dead men to un- derstand mysteries ! God is the grand teacher. This is the reason the word preach- ed works so differently upon men ; two in a pew, — the one is wrought uj)on effectually, — the other lies at the ordinances as a dead child at the breast, and gets no nourish- ment. Wiiat is the reason ? Because the heavenly gale of the Spirit blows upon one, and not upon the other; one hath the anointing of God, which teacheth him all things, 1 J(»hn ii. 27., the other hath it not. (iod's Spirit speaks sweetly, hut irresistil)Iy. In that heavenly doxology, none could sing the new song, but those who were sealed in their foreheads. Rev. xiv. 2., rej)rohate9 could not sing it. Tliose that are skilful in the mysteries of salvation, must have the seal of tlie Spirit upon them. Let us make this our prayer : Lord, breathe thy Spirit into thy word; and we have a pro- mise, which may add wings to prayer, Luke xi. 13., " If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children
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