The Word of God is the instrument, the Spirit of God is the agent, in this great work of illumination.

The Word of God is the instrument, the Spirit of God is the agent, in this great work of illumination. The Bible is the textbook, but the Spirit is himself the teacher. He is not only the author of that book, but the interpreter of it also, who guides us into a knowledge of its truths. He puts the Bible into our hands, as a ‘light unto our feet and a lamp unto our path;’ but, knowing that we are naturally blind, and cannot see afar off, he opens our eye and shines into our heart. All the truth which the Spirit ever teaches is in the Word; but never would it find entrance into our hearts unless he put it there. The Word is a sword — a sharp two-edged sword; but its efficacy depends on this — that it is the sword of the Spirit. The Word is alight; but it is ‘in his light we see light.’ ‘The entrance of his Word giveth light;’ but it obtains entrance only when ‘he openeth the heart.’ Hence the prayer of the Psalmist, ‘Open thou mine eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of thy law;’ and the still more remarkable prayer of the apostle, ‘For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.’ Here is a powerful work of the Spirit on the soul; it must be strengthened with might. And for what end? ‘That ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God.’ Here no new truth is said to be revealed; but what is contained in the Word is made known by the inward enlightening of the Holy Spirit

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