ry reflection upon the most important truths; 'tis not a fleeting, rambling, irregular, and defultory meditation of them that will poffefs us with fuch a kind of knowledge. To imprint a truth in lively notions upon our minds, to digeft it into nourishment and ftrength, and make it mix it felf with all our affections and all our actions, it is neceffary that we dwell upon it with conftancy and delight. And accordingly we find, that excellent and elevated fouls, both under the Old Testament and the New, have been daily, nay, almost hourly converfant in the Book of God: they have been paffionately devoted to the study of it, and delighted more in it, than in treasures or honours, than in the most profitable employments or engaging diverfions of life. "Tis this kind of meditation on God, on Jefus, the world, and our felves, that can alone acquaint us thoroughly with each: 'tis this kind of meditation on death and judgment, heaven and hell, that can make us wife unto falvation. The fum of all that I have faid on this rule amounts to this: that illumination is not to be attained without labour and travel. It is indeed the gift of God: but fuch a one as he will never beftow, but upon thofe who ask, and feek, and knock. Divine bounty and human industry do here very well accord: the Spirit of God ge nerally nerally joins them together; and 'tis boldnefs and impiety in man to go about to divide them, Prov. ii. 4, 5, 6. If thou feekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for her as hid treasures; then fhalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. Nor will any one furely think it much to devote his time and labour to the attainment of illumination. For what is there that can more justly challenge, or better deferve both? Can pleafure? There is none but what flows from wisdom, that is either pure, great, or lafting. Can bufinefs? What business can be of greater importance, than what fecures ourfalvation, our eternity? Wisdom then is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding, Prov. iv. 7. for without this, the most desirable poffeffions and pleasures of life are but cheats and illufons, mischiefs and fnares. For the turning away of the fimple fhall flay them, and the profperity of fools fhall deftroy them, Prov. i. 32. 3. That we act conformable to those meafures of light which we have attained. The more fpiritual we grow, the fitter we are for the refidence of God's Spirit, and the more capable of his influences. The more we fubdue all inordinate affections, the clearer does the understanding grow, and the O 4 more more abfolute its authority: The grace of God, if it be complied with and obeyed, while it renders us more like God, renders us more dear to him too: and one favour, if it be not our own fault, qualifies us for another. Whoever fhall obferve the fcriptures, will find that holiness and illumination advance with equal fteps, and grow up by the fame degrees of maturity: that as we país on from the infancy to the manhood of virtue, fo do we from the first rudiments of wisdom to the heights and myfteries of it. But on the other hand, luft obfcures and eclipfes the light within: fin depraves and corrupts our principles: and while we renounce our virtue, we quench or chafe away the Spirit: Into a malicious foul wisdom fhall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is fubject unto fin: for the holy Spirit of difcipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding; and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in, Wifd. i. 4, 5 4. We muft frequently and conftantly address our felves to God by prayer, for the illumination of his grace. There is nothing that we do not receive from above: and if the most inconfiderable things be the gift of God, from what fountain but from him can we expect illumination? The raptures of poets, the wifdom of law-givers, the nobleft pieces of philofophy, and indeed all all heroic and extraordinary performances were by the Pagans themselves generally attributed to a divine infpiration. And the Old Teftament afcribes a transcendent skill even in arts and trades to the Spirit of God. It is not therefore to be wondered at, if illumination be attributed to Him in the New. Wisdom and understanding are essential parts of fanctity; and therefore muft proceed from the fanctifying Spirit. We must therefore conftantly look up to God, and depend upon Him for illumination; we muft earneftly pray in the words of St. Paul, That the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of glory, would give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation, Eph. i. 17. This dependance upon God, in expectation of his bleffing on our Search after knowledge, puts the mind into the beft difpofition and frame to attain it; because it naturally frees and difengages it from thofe paffions, prejudices, and diftractions, which otherwife entangle and difturb it, and render it incapable of raised, fedate, and coherent thoughts. But what is more than this, there are repeated and exprefs promifes made it; fo that it can never fail of fuccefs: Ask, and it shall be given you, feek, and ye shall find, knock, and it Thall be opened to you. The reafon of which is added; If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more more fhall your Father which is in heaven give good things (or as it is Luke xi. the Holy Spirit) to them that afk him? Mat. vii. 7, 11. If any of you lack wifdom, let him afk of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him, Jam. i. 5.、 nor do I doubt but every good man has thefe promises verified to him. There are fudden fuggeftions, unexpected manifeftations, extraordinary elevations of mind, which are never to be accounted for, but by a divine principle. Nor does this doctrine of Spiritual illumination or irradiation in the leaft diminish the power and excellence of the gospel of Chrift, no more than the infruction of the gospel does fuperfede that of the Spirit. For we must not think that the Spirit does now reveal any new truth of general use or importance; fince the canon of fcripture would on this fuppofal be but a defective rule of faith and manners. But, first, The Spirit may affift us in making a fuller difcovery of the fenfe of fcripture. Secondly, The Spirit may help us to form clearer and diftincter notions of those things we have yet but an imperfect and general knowledge of; and to fix and imprint them in more lafting, as well as more legible characters in our minds: or it may recall to our remembrance fuch things as are obliterated and forgot ten: |