They hear Christ's Voice, his Word and Doctrine, understandingly; He that heareth the Word, and understandeth it, &c. Some, tho they hear it, yet they are ignorant, and know not the Nature, 1Power, and divine Excellency of it. The sacred Scripture is as a sealed Book to some that are learned with Humane Arts and Sciences; they see but the outside of the Book (as it were); and others they are ignorant Persons, neither have Humane nor Divine Teachings: then he opened their Understandings, that they might understand 2the Scriptures. See how Christ does honour the holy Scriptures: He did not open their Understanding without the Scriptures, he sends them to that because they testify of him; but he knew the Scripture would not sufficiently give them the knowledge of himself, without the Influence and Illumination of his Spirit. Sirs, they hear Christ's Voice aright, who are taught of God, and by his Spirit, to understand his Word. Some Men are so far cheated by the Devil, that they cry up the Light of natural Conscience, and magnify that above the Holy Scripture. He persuades them to cast away the Scriptures as a dead Letter, in expectation of the Spirit's Teachings; whereas the Spirit teacheth by, not without, nor contrary to the Sacred Scripture. The Word of Christ is full of Mystery; its holy and sublime Doctrine is not easily understood, nor can it be without the Spirit helps the Understanding. In a right and saving manner it is given to ⟨p. 88⟩Christ's Sheep to understand the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to others it is not given.
They hear Christ's Voice, his Word and Doctrine, understandingly; He that heareth the Word, and understandeth it, &c. Some, tho they hear it, yet they are ignorant, and know not the Nature, 1Power, and divine Excellency of it. The sacred Scripture is as a sealed Book to some that are learned with Humane Arts and Sciences; they see but the outside of the Book (as it were); and others they are ignorant Persons, neither have Humane nor Divine Teachings: then he opened their Vnderstandings, that they might understand 2the Scriptures. See how Christ does honour the holy Scriptures: He did not open their Understanding without the Scriptures, he sends them to that because they testify of him; but he knew the Scripture would not sufficiently give them the knowledg of himself, without the Influence and Illumination of his Spirit. Sirs, they hear Christ's Voice aright, who are taught of God, and by his Spirit, to understand his Word. Some Men are so far cheated by the Devil, that they cry up the Light of natural Conscience, and magnify that above the Holy Scripture. He perswades them to cast away the Scriptures as a dead Letter, in expectation of the Spirit's Teachings; whereas the Spirit teacheth by, not without, nor contrary to the Sacred Scripture. The Word of Christ is full of Mystery; its holy and sublime Doctrine is not easily understood, nor can it be without the Spirit helps the Understanding. In a right and saving manner it is given to ⟨p. 88⟩Christ's Sheep to understand the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to others it is not given.
- 1Mat. 13. 23.
- 2Luke 24. 45.
