2. As the gifts and abilities Church-officers have, are from God, so the right understanding of the Scripture, and believing the sense contained therein, is in a more particular manner a gift of Gods Spirit. For although the Spirit of God doth not give us the sense and meaning of the Scripture in an extraordinary manner, viz. without the knowledge of the tongues, the comparing of places together, &c. yet in and by these means the Spirit of God doth help us to understand the Scripture. I do not here speak of a saving knowledge of the sense of the Scripture, but a mere literal knowledge of the meaning thereof. This is plain by the Apostle, No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 12 3 The very historical believing of Scripture truths is from the Spirit of God. So that here is required a more peculiar and particular assistance of Gods Spirit in ministerial abilities, for the opening of the Scripture, then for any humane Author; because the matter for the most part is spiritual and supernatural; and partly, because as the Prophets and Pen-men spake or wrote, as they were moved by the holy Ghost, even to every syllable and word; so the same Spirit of God is required, though not in such a measure to the understanding of it. Hence the Spirit of God is promised, To lead us into all truth, John 16.13. Alas the greatest men of parts and learning have many times been the greatest Heretics, and most ignorant of the Scripture, because destitute of the Spirit: Yet on the other side, you must not run into another extremity, as if the Spirit alone, without those helps God hath required, would lead us into truth: for that were to tempt God, and to expect a miracle. For give a Bible in Hebrew or Greek to a man, though enjoying Gods Spirit, yet he is not able to understand this or that Text, without the interpretation of the language. I have been more large on this, because it's necessary to show, with how much prayer and earnest application to the throne of grace the Ministers of God should address themselves to their work: without the Spirit of God guiding and leading of them, they are the ship that wants a wind; yea, though they have many excellent gifts, and much humane learning: They are but as a swift horse without a rider, while they want Gods Spirit; and the faster they run, the more they are out of the way.
2. As the gifts and abilities Church-officers have, are from God, so the right understanding of the Scripture, and believing the sense contained therein, is in a more particular manner a gift of Gods Spirit. For although the Spirit of God doth not give us the sense and meaning of the Scripture in an extraordinary manner, viz. without the knowledge of the tongues, the comparing of places together, &c. yet in and by these means the Spirit of God doth help us to understand the Scripture. I do not here speak of a saving knowledge of the sense of the Scripture, but a meer literal knowledge of the meaning thereof. This is plain by the Apostle, No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 12 3 The very historical believing of Scripture truths is from the Spirit of God. So that here is required a more peculiar and particular assistance of Gods Spirit in ministerial abilities, for the opening of the Scripture, then for any humane Authour; because the matter for the most part is spiritual and supernatural; and partly, because as the Prophets and Pen-men spake or wrote, as they were moved by the holy Ghost, even to every syllable and word; so the same Spirit of God is required, though not in such a measure to the understanding of it. Hence the Spirit of God is promised, To lead us into all truth, John 16.13. Alas the greatest men of parts and learning have many times been the greatest Heretiques, and most ignorant of the Scripture, because destitute of the Spirit: Yet on the other side, you must not runne into another extremity, as if the Spirit alone, without those helps God hath required, would lead us into truth: for that were to tempt God, and to expect a miracle. For give a Bible in Hebrew or Greek to a man, though enjoying Gods Spirit, yet he is not able to understand this or that Text, without the interpretation of the language. I have been more large on this, because it's necessary to shew, with how much prayer and earnest application to the throne of grace the Ministers of God should addresse themselves to their work: without the Spirit of God guiding and leading of them, they are the ship that wants a winde; yea, though they have many excellent gifts, and much humane learning: They are but as a swift horse without a rider, while they want Gods Spirit; and the faster they runne, the more they are out of the way.
