But the meaning of the psalmist will the better appear if we con- sider the communication of the grace which he prayed for unto others. This is expressed, Luke xxiv. 45, " Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures;" — a needless work if some men maybe believed; but our Lord Jesus Christ thought not so. The truths concerning him were revealed in the Scripture, that is, in the law, and the prophets, and the psalms, verse 44. These they read, these they were instructed in, these were preached unto them every Sabbath-day; and probably they were as
CHAP. II.] SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 133
well skilled in the literal sense of Scripture propositions as those who pretend highest amongst us so to be. Howbeit they could not understand those "wonderful things" in a way of duty, and as they ought to do, until the Lord Christ " opened their understandings." There was needful unto them an immediate gracious act of his divine power on their minds to enable them thereunto; and I cannot yet much value those men's understanding of the Scripture whose under- standings are not opened by the Spirit of Christ.
If we need the opening of our understandings by an act of the power and grace of Christ, that we may understand the Scriptures, then without it we cannot so do, namely, so as to believe and yield obedience, according unto our duty. The consequence is evident; for if we could, there was no need of this act of Christ towards those dis- ciples, who were not destitute of any rational abilities required in us thereunto. And the act of Christ in " opening their understand- ing" is openly distinguished from the proposition of the doctrine of the Scripture unto them. This was made two ways: — first, In the Scripture itself; secondly, In the oral discourse of our Saviour upon it. Distinct from both these is that act of his whereby he " opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures." Wherefore, nothing but a real internal act of grace, in the illumi- nation of their minds, can be intended thereby ; the nature whereof shall be farther explained afterward.
But there is an eminent place that must be pleaded distinctly to this purpose: Eph. i. 17-19, "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your under- standing being enlightened ; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe."
This is the whole of what we would assert, and nothing else. And if men would acquiesce by faith in what is here declared, we [would] need to plead this cause no farther, for the words and expressions of the truth here used are more empkatical unto a spiritual under-" standing than any others we can find out; and I shall only show in the opening of them how our position and sense are contained in them. And, — 1. What the apostle doth here for others, it is unquestionably our duty to do for ourselves. We are, then, to pray that God would enable us by his Spirit to know and understand his mind and will as revealed in the Scripture. This, therefore, without especial aid and assistance from him by his Spirit, we cannot do. And the aid he gives us consists in the effectual illumination of our minds, or the enlightening of the eyes of our understandings. These things are
134 CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS, ETC. [BOOK VI., PART II.
plain, and not liable, as I suppose, to any exception ; and these are all we plead for. Let them be granted without any other distinc- tions or limitations but what the Scripture will justify, and there is an end of this difference. But some particular passages in the words may be considered, for the better understanding and farther confirma- tion of the truth contained therein : —
1. It is a revelation that the apostle prays for, or a Spirit of re- velation to be given unto them. This greatly offends some at first hearing, but wholly without cause; for he understands not a new immediate external revelation from God. Believers are not directed to look after such revelations for their guide. Ever since the Scrip- ture was written, the generality of the church was obliged to attend thereunto alone, as their only rule of faith and obedience. And al- though God reserved unto himself a liberty under the Old Testament, and until the completing of all the books of the New, to add new revelations as he pleased, yet he always bound up the faith and obe- dience of the present church unto what he had already revealed. And he hath now, by the Spirit of his Son, put an end unto all ex- pectation of any new, of any other revelations, wherein the faith or obedience of the church should be concerned ; at least, we take it for granted in this inquiry that infallible inspirations in the dis- covery of things not before revealed are ceased in the church. Nor do the Papists extend their infallibility thereunto, but only unto things already revealed in the Scripture or tradition. What some among ourselves do ascribe of this nature unto their light, I do not well know, nor shall now inquire.