But as the Holy Spirit, in the exercise of this office, has respect to us, it will be proper for us to contem- plate it,
•^ Isai. xlix. 5. "= Exod. xiv. 17. '' Exod. xv. 6.
e Lev. X. 2. '" llev. xvi. 5 — 7. and xix. 2. s 2 Thess. i. 10.
•> Matt, xxii. 1-2.
II. As exercised by him in reference to us —
" He searcheth all things," as the Apostle intimates, on purpose to reveal them to us. He searcheth them,
1. As a Teacher, to reveal them to us —
[It is the Holy Spirit who revealed this hidden mystery to prophets first", and tlien to the Apostles of our Lord*^: and the whole of the written word was penned by inspii'ation from
him But in the sacred volume there is much that is
beyond our comprehension : indeed, if it were all level with our capacity, we should have reason to doubt whether it 'were really from God ; seeing that it would be totally unlike to his other works of creation and providence, in which there is con- fessedly much that no human being can explain. But the Spirit having searched the deep things of God, is perfectly acquainted with them all, and has revealed to us nothing but wiuit lie knows to be true. We, therefore, must receive by faith all that he has declared. Our only concern is, to know what the Holy Spirit has spoken in his word : and tliat once ascertained, we must receive it with childlike simplicity ; say- ing, ' What I know not now, I shall know hereafter.' That we cannot comprehend it, should be no objection to us : for, if God had explained the whole ever so clearly, there must be many things which we could not comprehend. Let a philoso- pher declare to an uninstructed peasant some of the more hidden depths of astronomy, could the peasant comprehend them ? or could the philosopher, by all the clearest demon- strations, enable him to comprehend them ? And if such a distance exist between men, may we not well suppose that an infinitely greater distance will be found between God and man? I say, it is our wisdom to submit our understandings to the word of God : and there is no juster lesson afforded us in all the Scriptures, than that of the Apostle, " If any man will be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise^"]
2. As an Instructor, to reveal them in us —
[To Him we are directed to look for that spiritual discern- ment, whereby alone we can comprehend the truths of God'". The Apostles themselves, after they had heard our Lord's instructions for nearly four years, were unable to understand the Scriptures, till " he opened their understandings to under- stand them"." So it is with us: we must have a " spirit of wisdom and revelation given to us," before we can attain " the
i 2 Pet. i. 21. ^ John xvi. 13, 14. i 1 Cor. iii. 18.
'" ver. 11. " Luke xxiv. 45.