Spirit. Men who have a high opinion of their own reason, are ever ready to bring the word of God to their bar, and to pass judgment on it as true or false, according as it agrees with, or opposes, their own preconceived opinions. They are not contented to let reason judge, whether the revelation itself be from God or not ? (that is its proper office) but, having acknowledged it to be from God, they proceed to determine on the points that are revealed, exactly as if they were able with their shallow reason to fathom the depths of Divine wisdom.
This disposition must be mortified ; and men, how- ever learned or wise in the estimation of themselves and others, must submit to ^'be taught of God^." The only use of reason, as applied to revelation, is to ascertain. Whether the revelation, purporting to be from heaven, be indeed of Divine authority ; and. What is the true import of that revelation in all its parts. These two points being ascertained, it is not the province of reason to judge whether a thing con- fessedly revealed, be true or not : there faith steps in, and supplies the defects of reason ; and assures the mind, that the point itself is true, because it is re- vealed ; and that if its truth do not appear evident to the eye of reason, it is not from any irrationality in the point itself, but from a want of clearness in our reason to discern it, and a want of purity in our hearts to receive it.
Thus, to become a fool, is to take the word of God with the simphcity of a little child ; to acknowledge our inability to comprehend it ; and to implore of God the influences of his Spirit, that " the eyes of our understanding being enlightened, we may be able to comprehend the heights and depths^" of his re- vealed will. In short, it is to " receive with meekness the engrafted word-V and to pray with Job, " What I see not, teach thou meV or with David, ''Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law^"
f John vi. 45. e Eph. i. 18. and iii. 18. ^ Jam. i. 21.
i Job xxxiv. 32. ^ Ps. cxix. 18.