Idly. It is spoken of the things themselves absolutely, and not with respect unto the degrees of the knowledge of them. They did so know them as that there was no need that any man should teach them unto them, as unto their initial knowledge and substance of the things themselves; and so it may be said of all believers. But yet there are degrees of knowledge with respect unto those very things, which they may and ought to be carried on unto, as the apostle speaketh, Heb. vi. 1 ; and therefore doth the holy apostle himself who writes these things farther instruct them in them. And herein consists the principal part of the ministry of the church, even to carry
148 CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS, ETC. [BOOK VI., PART II.
on believers unto perfection in those things wherein, for the sub- stance of them, they have been already instructed.
3dly. That which is principally intended is, that they need not that any should teach them, so as that they should depend on the light and authority of their instruction. Others may be helpers of their joy, but none can be lords of their faith. " Ye need no such teaching, because of the unction which ye have received."
(2.) For the general nature of the work here ascribed unto this unction, — that is, the Holy Spirit, — it is teaching: " The unction teacheth you." There are but two ways whereby the Spirit teacheth us, nor can any other be conceived. The one is by objective, the other by subjective revelations; for he teacheth us as a "Spirit of wisdom and revelation." The first way of his teaching is by im- mediate inspiration, communicating new sacred truths from God immediately unto the minds of men. So he taught the prophets and apostles, and all the penmen of the Scripture. By him the word of the Lord came unto them ; and they spake as they were acted by him, 1 Pet. i. 11, 12; 2 Pet. i. 21. This is not the way of teaching here intended, for the end of this teaching of the Holy Ghost is only to make men teachers of others, which is not here intended ; nor doth the apostle discourse unto any such purpose, as though God would grant new revelations unto men to preserve them from errors and seductions, which he hath made sufficient provision for in the word, Isa. viii. 20; 2 Pet. i. 19. By this word were they to try all doctrines and pretended revelations, yea, those which were so really before they received them, 1 John iv. 1. Besides, what is here af- firmed is ascribed unto all sorts of believers, under the distribution which they are cast into by the apostle, — namely, of " old men," " young men," and " babes," which had not all ot them received the Spirit of immediate revelation.
His other way of teaching is that which we have insisted on, — namely, his enabling us to discern, know, and understand the mind and will of God as revealed in the Scripture, or as declared in any divine revelation. This alone is or can be here intended. Where- fore, this is the design of the apostle in these words: All divine truths necessary to be knoivn and to be believed, that we may live unto God in faith and obedience, or come unto and abide in Christ, as also be preserved from seducers, are contained in the Scripture, or proposed unto us in divine revelations. These of ourselves we cannot understand unto the ends mentioned ; for if we could, there would be no need that we shoidd be taught them by the Holy Spirit: but this is so; he teacheth us all these things, enabling us to discern, comprehend, and acknowledge them. And this is the whole of what we plead for.
CHAP. III.] SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 149
For a close of our considerations on these words of the apostle, I shall only observe what assurance a man that is thus taught the truth may have that it is the truth which he is taught, and that he is not deceived in his apprehensions of it; for hereon depends the use of this instruction, especially in times of trial,— indeed, at all times and on all occasions. It is not enough that we know the truth, but we must be assured that so we do: see Eph. iv. 14; Col. ii. 2. And there was never a greater artifice in the world than that whereby the Roman church hath imposed an impregnable, obstinate credu- lity on all that adhere thereunto; for it doth first fix this in their minds that itself cannot err, and therefore whatever is by her authority proposed unto them is infallibly true. Hence it comes to pass that they will abide obstinate against all convictions and the highest evidence of truth in all particular instances, whilst this prin- ciple is firmly fixed in their minds, that the church which proposeth these things unto them cannot err nor be mistaken; yea, whilst this persuasion abides with them, they may be, and indeed accord- ■ ingly are, obliged to believe contradictions, things most irrational and absurd, inconsistent with Christian piety and the peace of human society. However, they say well in this, that it is necessary that a man should have good assurance of the truth which he doth profess, or of his own understanding of it and conception about it. This the apostle calleth " The riches of the full assurance of under- standing/' Col. ii. 2 ; whereof we shall speak afterward.