228 CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS, ETC. [BOOK VI., PART II.
3. We say, therefore, that the sole use of ecclesiastical means in the interpretation of the Scripture is in the due consideration and im- provement of that light, knowledge, and understanding in, and those gifts for the declaration of, the mind of God in the Scripture, which he hath granted unto and furnished them withal who have gone before us in the ministry and work of the gospel ; for as God in an especial manner, in all ages, took care that the doctrine of the gos- pel should be preached viva voce, to the present edification of the body of the church, so likewise, almost from the beginning of its propagation in the world, presently after the decease of the apostles and that whole divinely-inspired society of preachers and writers, he stirred up and enabled sundry persons to declare by writing what their apprehensions were, and what understanding God had given them in and about the sense of the Scripture. Of those who design- edly wrote comments and expositions on any part of the Scripture, Origen was the first, whose fooleries and mistakes, occasioned by the prepossession of his mind with platonical philosophy, confidence of his own great abilities (which, indeed, were singular and admirable), with the curiosity of a speculative mind, discouraged not others from endeavouring with more sobriety and better success to write entire expositions on some parts of the Scripture : such among the Greeks were Chrysostom, Theodoret, Aretine, G^cumenius, Theophylact ; and among the Latins, Jerome, Ambrose, Austin, and others. These have been followed, used, improved, by others innumerable, in succeeding ages. Especially since the Reformation hath the work been carried on with general success, and to the great advantage of the church ; yet hath it not proceeded so far but that the best, most useful, and pro- fitable labour in the Lord's vineyard, which any holy and learned man can engage himself in, is to endeavour the contribution of farther light in the opening and exposition of Scripture, or any part thereof.
Now, all these are singular helps and advantages unto the right understanding of the Scripture; of the same kind of advantage, as to that single end of light and knowledge, which preaching of the word is, used with sobriety, judgment, and a due examination of all by the text itself. [As] for the exposition of the fathers, as it is a ridiculous imagination, and that which would oblige us to the belief of contradictions and open mistakes, for any man to authenticate them so far as to bind us up unto an assent unto their conceptions and dictates because they are theirs; so they will not be despised by any but such as have not been conversant in them. And it is easy to discern from them all, by the diversity of their gifts, ways, and designs, in the exposition of Scripture, that the Holy Spirit divided unto them as he pleased ; which as it should make us reverence his presence with them, and assistance of them,
CHAP. IX.] MEANS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE MIND OF GOD. 229
so it calls for the freedom of our own judgments to be exercised about their conceptions. And [as] for those of latter days, though the names of the principal and most eminent of them, as Bucer, Calvin, Martyr, Beza, are now condemned and despised by many, mostly by those who never once seriously attempted the exposition of any one chapter in the whole Scripture, yet those who firmly de- sign to grow in the knowledge of God and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, both do and always will bless God for the assistance he gave them in their great and holy works, and in the benefit which they receive by their labours. These are the outward means and advantages which are requisite, and to be used as any one's calling, opportunity, ability, and work do require, as helps to attain a right understanding of the mind of God in the Scripture. Now, concern- ing them all I shall only say, that the Spirit of God makes them useful and prosperous according to the counsel of his own will. Some are prone in the use of them to lean unto their own under- standings, and consequently to wander in and after the imaginations of their own minds, corrupting the word of God, and endeavouring to pervert his right ways thereby. Others he leaves in the shell of the text, to exercise their skill about words, phrases, and expressions, without leading them into the spiritual sense of the word, which is its life and power. In some he blesseth them to the full and pro- per end; but not unless they are in a compliance with the spiritual means and duties before insisted on.
From what hath been discoursed concerning the work of the Spirit of God in revealing unto believers the mind of God in the Scriptures, or the sense of that revelation made of it therein, two things will seem to follow, — First, That those who have not that assistance granted to them, or that work of his wrought in them, cannot un- derstand or apprehend the truth or doctrine of faith and obedience therein revealed ; for if that work of the Spirit be necessary there- unto, which they are not made partakers of, how can they come to any knowledge or understanding therein? Secondly, That those who are so influenced and guided must understand the whole Scripture aright, and be freed from all mistakes in their conceptions about the mind of God ; — both which are contrary to the experience of all men in all ages, seeing many persons visibly destitute of any saving work of the Holy Ghost upon their minds, as is evident in that no renovation of them or reformation of life doth ensue thereon, have yet attained a great acquaintance ivith the truth as it is re- vealed in the word, and many who are truly enlightened and sanctified by him do yet fall into sundry errors and mistakes, which the differ- ences and divisions among themselves do openly proclaim; and the Scripture itself supposeth that there may be diversity of judg-