Chapter 22: The Necessity of Divine Teaching means for obtaining knowledge. To those who have the opportunity, "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." If any man keeps away from the means within his reach, he can expect illumination in no other way.
Whereas, if he is shut out from the use of means, as God is true to his promises, we must believe that he can be illuminated without means, to any extent he needs.
4. Another reason why many do not receive that illumination from the Spirit of God which they need is, because they grieve the Spirit in many ways.
They live in such a manner as to grieve, or offend, the Holy Spirit, so that he cannot consistently grant them his illuminating grace.
5. Another reason is, that they depend on the instructions and means, as available without divine influence.
How many rely on the instructions they receive from ministers, or commentaries, or books, or their own powers of inquiry, not feeling that all these things, without the Spirit of God, will only kill, but can never make alive can only damn, but never save. It seems as though the whole church was in error on this point; depending on means for divine knowledge, without feeling, that no means are available, without the Spirit of God. Oh! if the church felt this if they really felt that all the means in creation are unavailing without the teaching of the Holy Ghost, how they would pray, and cleanse their hands, and humble their hearts, until the Comforter would descend to teach them all things that they need to know of religion.
6. Self-confidence is another reason why so little is experienced of divine illumination.
So long as professing Christians place confidence in learning, or criticism, or their natural ingenuity, to learn the things of religion, rely on it, they are not likely to enjoy much of the illumination of the Spirit of God.
VI. I am to show that men are responsible for what they might have of divine illumination.
This is a universal truth, and is acknowledged by all mankind, that a man is just as responsible for what light he might have, as for that he actually has. The common law, which is the voice of common reason, adopts it as a maxim that no man who breaks the law is to be excused for ignorance of the law, because all are held bound to know what the law is. So it is with your children, in a case where they might know your will you consider them so much the more blameworthy, if they offend. So it is in religion: where men have both the outward means of instruction, and the inward teachings of the Holy Spirit, absolutely within their reach, if they sin ignorantly, they are not only without excuse on that score, but their ignorance is itself a crime, and is an aggravation of their guilt. And all men are plainly without excuse for not possessing all the knowledge which would be available for their perfect and immediate sanctification.