2. As instructed by God himself—
[This also is peculiar to them, and abundantly vindi- cates theijr title to the character given them in the text. To them universally, and to them exclusively, does that promise belong, "They shall all be taught of GodV They are taught of God, who by his Spirit has " opened the eyes of their understanding''," and " brought them out of darkness into the marvellous light of his Gospel V To them he has given a spiritual discernment, whereby they are enabled to discern the things of the Spirit"^. He has given to them such views of Christ as " flesh and blood could never have revealed to them"." *' Wonderful things are they enabled to behold in God's law"." They see — what others have no conception of — the spirituality of that law, extending to every thought and desire of the heart They see in that glass the unsearch- able wickedness of their own hearts P; their just desert of God's wrath and indignation; their utter need of a Saviour; the suitableness of Christ to their extreme necessities, and his sufficiency for all their wants. " They have an under- standing given them to know Him that is true ; and, in con- sequence of that, they are in Him that is true, even in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true God and eternal hfe''." To them are made known things which from all eternity were hid in God; and things which the natural man, whatever be his endowments, cannot receive or know"": yea, though they be in every other respect mere " babes, to them God has re- vealed what he has hid from the wise and prudent' :" so that, whilst the man of learning, that is wise in his own conceit, looks down upon them with contempt as weak and foolish, they see
the
' Isai. xlvii. 10. ^ Eccl. ix, 3. '' Dent. iv. 6. ' John vi. 45.
" Eph. i..J7, 18. ' 1 Pet. ii. 9. '" I Cor. ii. 9— J2.
"Matt. xvi. 16, 17. ° Ps. cxix. IS. r- j Kin. viii. 38. ' 1 Joha v. 20.
'1 Cor. ii. 7,8,14. ' Matt. xi. 25.