The subject stated — Preliminary remarks.
The principal design of that discourse whereof the ensuing treatise is a part, is to declare the work of the Holy Ghost in the illumination of the minds of men, — for this work is particularly and eminently ascribed unto him, — or the efficacy of the grace of God by him dispensed, Eph. i. 17, 18; Heb. vi. 4; Luke ii. 32; Acts xiii. 47, xvi. 14, xxvi. 18; 2 Cor. iv. 4; 1 Pet. ii. 9. The objective cause and outward means of it are the subjects at present designed unto consideration; and it will issue in these two inquiries:—
1. On what grounds, or for what reason, we do believe the Scripture to be the word of God with faith divine and supernatural, as it is required of us in a way of duty?
2. How or by what means we may come to understand aright the mind of God in the Scripture, or the revelations that are made unto us of his mind and will therein?
For by illumination in general, as it denotes an effect wrought in the minds of men, I understand that supernatural knowledge that any man hath or may have of the mind and will of God, as revealed unto him by supernatural means, for the law of his faith, life, and obedience. And this, so far as it is comprised in the first of these inquiries, is that whose declaration we at present design, reserving the latter unto a distinct discourse by itself also. Unto the former some things may be premised:—
First, Supernatural revelation is the only objective cause and means of supernatural illumination. These things are commensurate. There is a natural knowledge of supernatural things, and that both theoretical and practical, Rom. i. 19, ii. 14, 15; and there may be a supernatural knowledge of natural things, 1 Kings iv. 31–34; Exod. xxxi. 2–6. But unto this supernatural illumination it is required both that its object be things only supernaturally revealed, or as supernaturally revealed, 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10, and that it be wrought in us by a supernatural efficiency, or the immediate efficacy of the Spirit of God, Eph. i. 17–19; 2 Cor. iv. 6. This David prays for, Ps. cxix. 18, גַּל־עֵינַי, “‘Reveal,’ or uncover mine eyes, bring light and spiritual understanding into my mind, ‘that I may behold’ (ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ), “with open face,” or as in the Syriac, באפא גליתא, “with a revealed or uncovered face,” the veil being taken away, 2 Cor. iii. 18) ‘wondrous things out of thy law.’” The light he prayed for within did merely respect the doctrine of the law without. This the apostle fully declares, Heb. i. 1, 2. The various supernatural revelations that God hath made of himself, his mind and will, from first to last, are the sole and adequate object of supernatural illumination.
Secondly, This divine external revelation was originally, by various ways (which we have elsewhere declared), given unto sundry persons immediately, partly for their own instruction and guidance in the knowledge of God and his will, and partly by their ministry to be communicated unto the church. So was it granted unto Enoch, the seventh from Adam, who thereon prophesied, to the warning and instruction of others, Jude 14, 15; and to Noah, who became thereby a preacher of righteousness, 2 Pet. ii. 5; and to Abraham, who thereon commanded his children and household to keep the way of the Lord, Gen. xviii. 19. And other instances of the like kind may be given, chap. iv. 26, 5:29. And this course did God continue a long time, even from the first promise to the giving of the law, before any revelations were committed to writing, for the space of two thousand four hundred and sixty years; for so long a season did God enlighten the minds of men by supernatural, external, immediate, occasional revelations. Sundry things may be observed of this divine dispensation as, —
1. That it did sufficiently evidence itself to be from God unto the minds of those unto whom it was granted, and theirs also unto whom these revelations were by them communicated: for during this season Satan used his utmost endeavours to possess the minds of men with his delusions, under the pretence of divine, supernatural inspirations; for hereunto belongs the original of all his oracles and enthusiasms among the nations of the world. There was, therefore, a divine power and efficacy attending all divine revelations, ascertaining and infallibly assuring the minds of men of their being from God; for if it had not been so, men had never been able to secure themselves that they were not imposed on by the crafty deceits of Satan, especially in such revelations as seemed to contain things contrary to their reason, as in the command given to Abraham for the sacrificing his son, Gen. xxii. 2. Wherefore, these immediate revelations had not been a sufficient means to secure the faith and obedience of the church if they had not carried along with them their own evidence that they were from God. Of what nature that evidence was we shall afterwards inquire. For the present I shall only say, that it was an evidence unto faith, and not to sense; as is that also which we have now by the Scripture. It is not like that which the sun gives of itself by its light, which there needs no exercise of reason to assure us of, for sense is irresistibly affected with it; but it is like the evidence which the heavens and the earth give of their being made and created of God, and thereby of his being and power. This they do undeniably and infallibly, Ps. xix. 1, 2; Rom. i. 19–21. Yet it is required hereunto that men do use and exercise the best of their rational abilities in the consideration and contemplation of them. Where this is neglected, notwithstanding their open and visible evidence unto the contrary, men degenerate into atheism. God so gave out these revelations of himself as to require the exercise of the faith, conscience, obedience, and reason of them unto whom they were made; and therein they gave full assurance of their proceeding from him. So he tolls us that his word differeth from all other pretended revelations as the wheat doth from the chaff Jer. xxiii. 28. But yet it is our duty to try and sift the wheat from the chaff, or we may not evidently discern the one from the other.