140 CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS, ETC. [BOOK VI., PART II.
mysteries of the gospel, lie hath it by free gift or donation from God. He hath received it, and may not boast as if it were from himself, and that he had not received it, as the apostle speaks, 1 Cor. iv. 7.
Again, the properties ascribed unto him, as thus communicated for this end, are " wisdom and revelation."
He is the " Spirit of wisdom." So in the communication of him in all fulness unto the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church, he is called " The Spirit of wisdom and understanding," Isa. xi. 2, and that because he was to make him of " quick understand- ing in the fear of the Lord," verse 3. He is a " Spirit of wisdom" essentially in himself, and causally or efficiently unto others; and these things do mutually demonstrate each other. That he is the cause of all wisdom in" others, is a demonstration that he is essentially wise in himself; for "he that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?" And because he is essen- tially wise, he must be the author of all wisdom unto others; for all good must come from that which is infinitely, eternally, unchange- ably so, James i. 1 7. He is, therefore, called " The Spirit of wisdom" on both these accounts, — as he is essentially so in himself, and as he is the efficient cause of all wisdom unto others ; and it is in the latter way immediately that he is here so termed. And this property is peculiarly ascribed unto him, as thus given unto us to " open our eyes," with respect unto the work which he is to do; for wisdom is required hereunto, — that wisdom which may deliver us from being really fools ourselves, and from judging the things of God to be folly.
There is a wisdom required hereunto : " Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them : but the transgressors shall fall therein," Hos. xiv. 9. Want of this wis- dom is the cause that Avicked men take offence at and dislike the ways of God, because they do not spiritually understand them, and so cast themselves into destruction. And it is of the same things that the prophet affirms, that "none of the wicked shall under- stand, but the wise shall understand," Dan. xii. 10. And it is called " The wisdom of the just," Luke i. 17.
This wisdom is not in us by nature. Men are naturally " wise in their own conceit ;" which if continued in is a hopeless frame of mind, Prov. xxvi. 12: and in nothing doth it more evidence itself than in apprehensions of their own ability to comprehend spiritual things, and in their contempt of what they do not so as folly, 1 Cor. i. ] 8, 23. And with respect hereunto doth the apostle give that ad- vice unto us as our duty, " Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool,
CnAP. II.] SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 141
that he may be wise/' 1 Cor. iii. 18. This is a matter wherein men are very apt to deceive themselves, even to conceit themselves wise, and to trust thereunto in the things of God ; whereof alone he there treats. Whereas, therefore, the especial promise of God is, to teach the meek and the humble, there is nothing that sets men at a greater distance from divine instruction than a proud conceit of their own wisdom, wit, parts, and abilities. Wherefore, this wisdom, which is the daughter of natural darkness and the mother of proud spiritual ignorance, the Spirit of wisdom freeth the minds of believers from, in the way that shall be afterward declared; and therein is he unto us a " Spirit of wisdom." Moreover, he gives us that "wisdom which is from above," which we are directed to "ask of God," James i. 5. Without this wisdom, which he works in us, no man can understand the wisdom of God in the mystery of the gospel ; whoso is thus made wise shall understand these things, and none else. There is, there- fore, a gift of sjriritual wisdom and understanding necessary here- unto, that we may discern the " wonderful things " that are in the word of God. To whom this is not given, they know not the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Let men please or pride themselves whilst they will in their own wisdom and learning, and explode the consideration of these things in our inquiries after the mind of God, the meanest believer who hath received this wisdom from above, according unto the measure of the gift of Christ, knoweth more of the mind of God in a due manner than they do.
When our Lord Jesus Christ affirmed that he came into the world " that they which see not might see," or to communicate spiritual, saving light unto the minds of men, the Pharisees, who had great apprehensions of their own wisdom and understanding in the law, re- plied with scorn, " Are we blind also?" John ix. 39, 40. It proved no otherwise, and that to their eternal ruin. Yet do I not judge all them to be practically blind who do not doctrinally own the re- ceiving of this wisdom and light from above; for although we make not ourselves to differ from others, nor have any thing in a way of spiritual ability but what we have received, yet are some apt to glory as if they had not received, as the apostle intimates, 1 Cor. iv. 7. Wherefore, the Holy Spirit, as given unto us, is said to be a " Spirit of wisdom," because he maketh ws wise, or worketh wisdom in us. This wisdom we have not of ourselves ; for to suppose it, ren- ders the word of God of none effect. And this spiritual wisdom, thus to be bestowed upon us, thus to be wrought in us, is necessary, that we may know the mysteries of the gospel, or understand the mind of God therein ; which is all that we plead for.