1 60 CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS, ETC. [BOOK VI., PART II.
the ^ock of Christ in the profession of the " faith once delivered unto the saints/' to commit the difference between the word and Spirit on the one hand, and the light within on the other, imto the deci- sion of Jesus Christ at the last day.
2. It is from no other root that the contempt of the mysteries of the gospel, and the preferring of other doctrines before them, is sprung up into so much bitter fruit among us. It is by the " Spirit of wisdom and revelation" alone that our minds are enlightened to " know what is the hoj)e of God's calling, and what are the riches of his glorious grace." What is his work herein upon our minds, and what upon the word itself, shall be afterward declared. At present, from what hath been proved, it is sufficiently evident that without his especial gracious aid and assistance, no man can discern, like,, or approve of the mysteries of the gospel. And is it any wonder if persons who avowedly deny most of his blessed operations should be either unacquainted with or dislike those mysteries, so as to prefer that which is more suited unto their natural understanding and reason above them? for why should men esteem of those things Avhich they do not understand, at least as they ought, nor will make use of the means whereby they may be enabled so to do? Where- fore, if there be persons of such a pride and profaneness as to under- take an inquiry into the Scriptures, to know the mind of God in them, and teach it unto others, without prayers and supplications for the teaching, leading, guidance, and assistance of the Holy Spirit, or, which is worse, who condemn and despise all those things as enthu- siastical} it may not be expected that they should ever understand or approve of the mysteries that are contained therein. Is it not hence that both teachers and hearers make so slow a progress in the knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel, or grow so little in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ? How many are there amongst us who, for the time and outward means, are become as babes, and have need of milk, and not of strong meat ! Whence is it that so many teachers do so little endeavour to go on to perfec- tion, but content themselves to dwell on the rudiments or first principles of our profession? Is there not great studying, and little profiting? great teaching, and little learning? much hearing, and little thriving? Do we abide in prayer, and abound in prayer as we ought, for that Spirit who alone can lead us into all truth? for that unction which teaches us all things with assurance and experience? I fear here lieth our defect. However, this I shall say, that there is no duty which in this world we perform unto God that is more acceptable unto him than fervent prayers for a right understanding of his mind and will in his word; for hereon all the glory we give unto him, and the due performance of all our obedience, do depend.
CHAP. IV.] SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 1 61
CHAPTER IV.
The especial work of the Holy Spirit in the illumination of our minds unto the understanding of the Scripture declared and vindicated — Objections pro- posed and answered — The nature of the work asserted — Ps. cxix. 18; Eph. i. 18 ; Luke xxiv. 45; 1 Pet. ii. 9; Col. i. 13; 1 John v. 20, opened and vin- dicated.
We have, as I suppose, sufficiently confirmed our first general asser- tion, concerning the necessity of an especial work of the Holy Ghost in the illumination of our minds, to make us understand the mind of God as revealed in the Scripture.
That which we proceed unto is, to show the especial nature of his work herein ; and I shall take occasion thereunto from the consi- deration of an objection that is laid against the whole of what we affirm, which was touched on before.
For it is said that there is no need of this endeavour. "All men do acknowledge that the aid of the Spirit of God is necessary unto the study and interpretation of the Scripture ; and so it is unto all other undertakings that are good and lawful. And herein consists the blessing of God upon man's own diligence and endeavours. If this be that which is intended, namely, the blessing of God upon our endeavours in the use of means, it is granted ; but if any thing else be designed, it is nothing but to take off all industry in the use of means, to reject all helps of reason and learning, which is in the end to reduce into perfect enthusiasms."
Ans. 1. Whether, by the assignation of his own work unto the Spirit of God, we take away or weaken the use of the other means for the right interpretation of the Scriptures, will be tried when we come unto the examination of those ways and means. At present I shall only say that we establish them; for by assigning unto them their proper place and use, we do manifest their worth and necessity. But those by whom they or any of them are advanced into the place and unto the exclusion of the operation of the Holy Spirit, do destroy them, or render them unacceptable unto God, and use- less unto the souls of men. We shall, therefore, manifest that the assignations which we make in this matter unto the Holy Spirit do render all our use of proper means for the right interpretation of the Scripture in a way of duty indispensably necessary ; and the princi- pal reason, so far as I can understand, why some deny the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit herein is, because they like not those means whose necessary use doth arise from an admission thereof.