But I observed that there is yet further implied in my text, not only that we are destitute of all good in ourselves, but that xve are hicapable of acquir'mg it
e Heb. X. 29. f Rom. iii. 19. e Eph. ii. 3.
h 2 Tim. ii. 2(). ' Eph. ii. 2.
by any pozaer of our orcn. Were not this true, there would, as I have before observed, have been no need that all good should be treasured up in another for us.
Now no one of these fore-?nentioned evils can we remove. Not our ignorance; for we are told that " God alone giveth wisdom •'." The Spirit of God must " open the eyes of our understanding^ : nor can we without his gracious influence, " know the things which belong unto our peace." We must have " a spiritual discernment in order to discern the things of the Spirit™." St. Paul, notwithstanding he had made a greater proficiency in Jewish literature than most of his own age, yet could not comprehend the true import of the Mosaic writings, or see their accomplishment in Jesus Christ, till " the scales, by which his organs of vision had been obstructed, were made to fall from his eyes" :" nor could the imme- diate disciples of our Lord, who had heard all his instructions both in pubhc and private for the space of three years, see the law of Moses fulfilled in him. The end of his death as a sacrifice for sin, the ne- cessity of his resurrection to carry on and perfect his work, and the spiritual nature of his kingdom, were still hidden from them, till " He opened their under- standings to understand the Scriptures"." So must " the Holy Spirit be given unto us also, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God^." Earthly knowledge we may acquire by the powers of intellect and by dint of application : but heavenly knowledge is the gift of God alone, who, whilst he *' takes the wise in their own craftiness V' will reveal to babes " what is hid from the wise and prudent'," Nor can we by any means remove our guilt. Let us go and blot out of the book of God's remembrance all the sins we have ever committed. Vain attempt I We cannot cancel so much as one sin ; nor would rivers of tears suffice to wash away the slightest stain
^ Prov. ii. 6. ' Eph. i. 18. m i Cor. ii. 14.
° Acts ix. 18. ° Luke xxiv. 45. p 1 Cor. ii. 12.
'i 1 Cor. iii. 19. ' Matt. xi. 25.