This is the first way whereby the Holy Spirit dwelling in us gives guidance and direction. Fundamentally, habitually, he enlightens our minds, give us eyes, understandings, shines into us, translates us from darkness into marvellous light, whereby alone we are able to see our way, to know our paths, and to discern the things of God: without this men are " blind, and cannot see afar off," 2 Pet. i. 9.
There are three things which men either have or may be made partakers of without this, — this communication of light by the in- dwelling Spirit: — •
[L] They have the subject of knowledge, a natural faculty of un- derstanding. Their minds remain; though depraved, destroyed, per- verted, yea, so far that " their eye and the light that is in them is darkness," yet the faculty remains still. Matt. vi. 23.
[2.] They may have the object, or truth revealed in the word. This
' Col. i. 13; 1 Pet. ii. 9; Eph. v. 8; Luke iv. 18; 1 Cor. ii. 14.
344 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [CHAP.
is common to all that are made partakers of the good word of God ; that is, to whom it is preached and delivered, as it is to many wliom " it doth not profit, not being mixed with faith," Heb. iv. 2.
[3.] Tlie ways and means of communicating the truth so revealed to their minds or imderstandings, which is the literal, grammatical, logical delivery of the things contained in the Scriptures, as held out to their minds and apprehensions in their meditation on them. And this means of conveyance of the sense of the Scripture is plain, obvious, and clear, in all necessary truths.
A concurrence of these three will afford and yield them that have it, upon their diligence and inquiry, a disciplinary knowledge of the literal sense of Scripture, as they have of other tilings. By this means the light shines <pa'mi, sends out some beams of light into their dark minds; " but the darkness comprehends it not," receives not the light in a spiritual manner, John i. 5, There is, notwith- standing all this, still wanting the work of the Spirit, before men- tioned, creating and implanting in and upon their understandings and minds that light and power of discerning spiritual things which before we insisted on. This the Scripture sometimes calls the "open- ing of the understanding," Luke xxiv. 45 ; sometimes the " giving an understanding" itself, 2 Tim. ii. 7, 1 John v. 20; sometimes "light in the Lord," Eph. v. 8. Notwithstanding all the advantages for- merly spoken of, without this men are still " natural men and dark- ness, not comprehending, not receiving the things of God," — that i.s, not spiritually; for so the apostle adds, " Because they are spiritually discerned," 1 Cor. ii. 14. Receiving spiritual things by mere natural mediums, they become "foolishness" unto them. This is the first thing that the Spirit dwelling in us doth towards guidance and direction : he gives a new light and understanding, whereby, in general, we are enabled to " discern, comprehend, and receive sj^iritual things."
(2.) In particular, he guides and leads men to the embracing par- ticular truths, and to the walking in and up unto them. Christ promised to give him to us for this end, — namely, to lead us into all truth: John xvi. 13, " He will guide you into all truth." Tliereis more required to the receiving, entertaining, embracing, a particular trutli, and rejecting of what is contrary unto it, than a habitual illumination. This also is the work of the Spirit that dwells in us; he works this also in our minds and hearts. Therefore the apostle secures his " little children" that they shall be led into truth and pre- served from seduction on this account: 1 John ii. 20, " Ye have an imction from the Holy One" (or, ye have received the Spirit from the Lord Jesus), "and ye shall know all things." Wiiy so? Be- cause it is his work to guide and lead you into all the things whereof I am speaking. And more fully, verse 27, " The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any
VIII.] THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT. o45
man teach you : but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him/' It is received as promised ; it doth abide, as the Spirit is said to do ; and it teacheth, which is the proper work of the Spirit in an eminent manner.
Now, this guidance of believers by the Spirit, as to the particular truths and actings, consists in his putting forth of a twofold act of light and power : —
[1.] Of light; and that also is twofold: —
^st Of beauty, as to the things to be received or done. He repre- sents them to the soul as excellent, comely, desirable, and glorious, leading us on in the receiving of truth " from glory to glory," 2 Cor. iii. 18. He puts upon every truth a new gloiy, making and render- ing it desirable to the soul ; without which it cannot be closed withal, as not discoveriug either suitableness or proportion unto the minds and hearts of men. And, —