b John xvii. 2, G, 9, 11, 12, 24. c Col. ii. 9.
d Col. iii. 3, 4. e John i. 16. f Rom. iv. 16.
g 1 John ii. 27. h Eph. i. 17, 18. '1 Cor. ii. 9, 10.
k 1 Cor. ii. 11, 12.
perform its office in the one ; and then only is the end answered for the illumination of the soul in the other. Till that take place, " the natural man, how learned soever he be in other respects, will never discern aright the things of the Spirit of God : they will be no better than foolishness unto him."
The believer, thus taught of God, has a knowledge of the Deity, of which he had scarcely the slightest notion before. What astonishing views has he of the wisdom of God in devising such a plan, whereby God's own justice might be duly satisfied, and his mercy flow down to man in perfect consistency with all his other attributes ! When he contemplates the goodness of God, thus exercised; the holiness of God, thus honoured ; and the truth of God, thus kept inviolate ; and all the perfections of God, thus har- monizing and glorified; and all this for him; he is perfectly astounded; he knows not how to believe it; it seems to him all as " a mere parable1." But seeing how suited all this is to his necessities, and how sufficient for his wants, and that, in any other way than this, he could find no more ground of hope for himself than for the fallen angels, he is forced to believe it ; he sees that it is revealed in the Bible as with a sun-beam, and established by evidence that admits not of the slightest doubt : and when he sees further, that it has a transforming efficacy upon all who receive it, he is constrained to receive it as the very truth of God, and to say, " Lord, to whom else shall we go ? Thou, even thou only, hast the words of eternal life;" and "we believe and are sure, that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living Godm."
I merely give these things as samples only of what the Holy Spirit will effect in the believing soul as a Teacher ; for the same powerful agency is extended to every part of divine truth, and every part, also, of christian experience, seeing that he is expressly pro- mised to "guide us into all truth11," that so, by his effectual teaching, " we may know all things0."
i Ezek. xx. 49. m John vi. 68, 69.
» John xvi. 13. ° 1 John ii. 20.