Bookii. TH£ HOLY SPIRIT A TEACHER. sos TEA C 1-I ER. V. A divine and able Teacher by this means greatly enlighteneth the World, and caufeth Darknefs and Ignorance to fly away, enrich– ·ing Men's Minds with the preci– ous Knowledge of f.1cred Truths. ·vr. An able Teacher infiruft– -eth ignorant Perfons by degrees, 11s they are able to take in, con– ceive and apprehend Things, firfr to read the a, b, c, and then the !3ible, and afterwards the Gram· mar, or any · other Things of Learning they defire to be in– frruCI:ed in. PARALLEL. V. The Holy Ghofl: infpiring, and teaching the Prophets and Apofl:Jes (wilD were rbe holy Pen-men of the facred .Scripture) bath greatly en– lightened the Inhabitants of the Earth, where their Record is known, and alfo when he hath opened the Eyes of the Underfl:andings of Men in thofe profound and glorious Myfreries contained in the holy Scripture, how are their Minds enrich– ed with the Knowledge of divine Truths! VI. The Holy Ghofl: teacherh and infl:rufteth poor Sinners graclually, fir(\ the a, b, c, of Heli– gion, viz. the Knowledge of Sin~ and their loft and undone Condition thereby ; the Vanities of this World, together with ·the Neceffity of a Savtor: And then in the fecond Place, he infl:ruCI:– eth them in higher Mvtleries, opening and ex– plaining the Covenant of Grace, as alfo the glori– ous Mytlcry of Union and Communion with God, the My!lery of the Trinity, the Incarnation of Chri!l, his Priefl:hood, and other Thing• relating to him as Mediator; together with many dark Sayings and Prophecies of the Scripture, which thofe who are unlearn– ed, (viz. who have not the Spirit's Teachings) wrefl: unto their own Defl:ru<'lion : I have many 'lhings to Jay unto )'OU, but ye cannot bear them now, t Pet. iii. 16. VII. Some Teachers teach their VII. So the Holy Ghofl: teacheth Sinners the Scholars out of a Book; their great Knowledge of the Scriptmes: For as the Spiric 'llufinefs is to help them rightly, gave them forth, fo he is the befl: Interpreter of and dittin<'lly to underfl:and that. them : '!hen opened he their Underflandings, that they might undetj/mzd tbe Scriptures, Luke XXIV. 45· He jhall teach you all 'lhings, cwd jhall briNg my Words to )'OUr Remembrance; he Jhall lake ofmine and jhew it unto you, &c. John xiv. 26. that is, he fhall open and explain my Word and DoCI:rin~ to you. How ignorant are fome Men of the Scriptures, and of thofe glorious My!leries contained therein? Notwithfranding all their human Learn– ing (or that Knowledge they h•ve of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin) for want of the Spirit's Tcaching. · VIII. A Teacherexercifeth much Patience towards them whom he infl:ruCI:eth; efpecially when he meets with fuch that are very dull and unapt to. learn, he is forced to take much Pains with them. IX. Some Teachers though very deferving, have been greatly t1ight– ed by thofe very Perfons they have fhewecl much Love to, and taken great Pains with for their goon, which hath forely grieved them, X. Some Teachers, after they have found thofe, whom they were employed to teach and enfl:ru<'l, grown to fuch a great. Degree of Stubbornnefs and Obfbnacy, that they have utterly defpifed and re– fufed to be taught by them, and r.ave caft all Counfel behind their Racks; then they have left them, and wholly given them up as hope– ltfs Pertons. VIII. So the H olv Ghofl: exercifeth much Pa– tience towards Sinne.rs, whom he comes to teach . and infl:ruCl in the Way of Salvation ; Mankind being generally very dull and unapt tO learn the Knowledge of themfelves, Sin, Chritl, and Sal– vation; therefore he drops now a Word, and then a \oVord for their CooviCI:ion. IX. So many Men that the Holy Ghofl: hatl1 fhewed much Love unto, and Jabored greatly with, have notwithfl:anding fiighted and difre– garded all his Counfel and Jnfhucrion ; like as Ifrael did of old : 'lhou gaveft them thy good Spirit to inftruft them, aud withheldefl nor thy !Vfannafron• their Mouth, &c. Neh ix. 20. X. So the Holy Ghofl:, who labored to in– ftrucr the old World, finding they were grown to a fearful Degree of Hardnefs, Rebellion, and Obttinacy, utterly rtfufmg to return or be re– formed, after he had waited many Years upon them, left them to perifh in their Sins, God declaring fometimes before the Flood came upon them, 'fhat his Spirit Jhould not always flrive with Man, Gm. vi. 3· and in like manner the Spirit deals with trubborn, obftinate Sinners; for af1er long-waiting and abu(ed Patience, he 6 N leaves
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