76 SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. [SeR. CXIII.
the Spirit, who ' seurcheili out the deep things of God,' 1 Cor. ii. 11, leaveth us iu darkness uhout God's mind. The object to be known is fixed in tlie scriptures, but the faculty that knowetli must be enlight- ened by the Spirit. There is a literal understanding of the scriptures and a spiritual understanding, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Now, as to the spiritual understanding of them, there needs the Spirit, ' for the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit;' so that here is a fair cor- respondence between the word and the Spirit.
Object. 3. If the scriptures be so })lain, what need of the ministry?
Ann. 1. I answer — It is God's institution, and we must submit to it, though we could see no reason for it. That it is God's institution i.s plain, for he hath set some in the church, not only apostles and pro- [)hets, but pastors and teachers, to apply scriptures to us ; and, 1 Cor. i. 21, ' It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.' If there were no reason but this, because it is God's institu- tion, we should submit to it.
2. The use of the ministry is to explain and vindicate truth. Men darken coimsel with words, and render plain things obscure by their litigations and unprofitable debates. Now they are set for the defence of the truth, ei? d-noXoyiav, Phil. i. 7. And the ministry must be dvrexofJ^evo^, Titus i. 9, 'Able to convince the gainsayers ;' good at holding and drawing ; it is the human help for weak understandings. The eunuch was reading, and could not tell what to make of it, then God sent him an interpreter. Acts viii. Now God's help should not be despised ; Avlien he will employ men to solve doubts, to guide us in our way to heaven, we should thankfully accept of it, rather than quarrel at the institution.
3. They are of use to apply generals to particular cases, and to teach us how to deduce genuine inferences from those truths laid down in the scriptures. Mai. ii. 7, in tliis sense it is said, ' The priest's lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.' God hath appointed this office to some, to solve the doubts that do arise about particular exigencies and cases, and to make out the mind of God to his people, otherwise they need go no farther than the tables and books of Moses to seek the law ; but God hath appointed some in the church that are skilled in consequences and deductions, to raise matter therefrom, so that it is a minister's work to open and explain scripture.
4. There is a use of the ministry to kee}) doctrines still afoot in the church, and to keep us in remembrance. Ministers are the Lord's re- membrancers ; it is a great part of their ofiice to mind people of their duty. The word is a light, but it must be set in the candlestick of the church ; they are to hold out the light for our direction and guidance.
5. There is a peculiar blessing and efficacy to a Christian from their calling: Mat. xxviii. 20, ' Lo, I am with you to the end of the world.'
Object. 4. It is said, 2 Peter iii. IG, that there are some things hard to be understood, therefore how should it be a clear rule to us ? There- upon many take occasion to tax the scriptures of obscurity, and cry out that nothing is certain in religion, and so hinder and discourage men from the study of the word.
VePv. 105.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 77
Ans. 1. I answer — The apostle saith there are Svcrvorjra, some things hard to be understood, but doth not say there are avorjra, things that cannot be understood ; not there are things impossible to be understood, but there is some difficulty in them, to exercise our dili- gence, to subdue our pride, for the humbling of us, for the prevention of the contempt of things easy and plain, that are soon despised, to excite us to prayer for knowledge, to avoid satiety in this holy banquet.
2. The second thing that I answer is this ; he doth not say there are TroXka, but tlvu ; many things, but some. Though there are some things propounded which are difficult, to exercise our diligence, yet other things are plainly delivered, to invite our search. MuJta sunt aperta et manifesta (saith Austin) iinde aperiuntur, &c. Though there are some things obscure, there are many things will help to clear them, and Afhatsoever is necessary to salvation is clear. There are some things hidden like spots in the moon and stones in the earth, things that serve for plenitude of knowledge and curiosity. He saith these things are hid, but now things necessary to salvation are made obvious to us ; as water and bread, they are not hard to come by, but gold and silver is hid in the bowels of the earth ; and therefore though there be some things hard to be understood, he doth not say they are not to be understood. Now the question between us and the papists is not, whether some things in the scripture be obscure, but whether they be so obscure as that people ought not to read them, or cannot with any profit, and that there can be no certainty thence deduced ? As to the defining things controverted in matters necessary to salva- tion, we say there are some things hard to be understood, to keep us Immble, to quicken us to pray for the Spirit, yet for the most part God's mind is plain and easy to be understood by them that humbly depend upon Christ teaching in the use of the appointed means.