GREATER
REGARD FOR THE SCRIPTURES
The spirit that operates in such a manner as to cause in men a greater regard for the Holy Scriptures, and establishes them more in their truth and divinity, is certainly the Spirit of God.
The apostle gives us this rule in verse 6: “We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us: hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” We are of God; That … .”
The apostle’s argument here equally reaches all that in the same sense are of God; That is, all those that God has appointed and inspired to deliver to his church its rule of faith and practice; all the prophets and apostles, whose doctrine God has made the foundation on which he has built his church, as in Ephesians 2:20 – in a word, all the penmen of the Holy Scriptures. The devil would never attempt to beget in people a regard for that divine word which God has given to be the great and standing rule for the direction of his church in all religious matters, and all concerns of their souls, in all ages. A spirit of delusion will not incline people to seek direction at the mouth of God. “To the law and to the testimony” is never the cry of those evil spirits that have no light in them; for it is God’s own direction to discover their delusions. “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:19–20). The devil does not say the same as Abraham did – “They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them” – nor the same as the voice from heaven did concerning Christ – “Hear ye him”. Would the spirit of error, in order to deceive people, beget in them a high opinion of the infallible rule, and incline them to think a lot about it, and be very conversant with it? Would the prince of darkness, in order to promote his kingdom of darkness, lead men to the sun? The devil has always shown a mortal spite and hatred towards that holy book the Bible; he has done all in his power to extinguish that light, and to lead people away from it. He knows it to be that light by which his kingdom of darkness is to be overthrown. He has had for many ages experience of its power to defeat his purposes, and baffle his designs; it is his constant plague.
It is the main weapon which Michael uses in his war with him; it is the sword of the Spirit, That pierces him and conquers him. It is that great and strong word with which God punishes Leviathan, That crooked serpent. It is that sharp sword that we read of in Revelation 19:15, That proceeds out of the mouth of him that sat on the horse, with which he smites his enemies. Every text is a dart to torment the old serpent. He has felt the stinging dart thousands of times; therefore he is against the Bible, and hates every word in it; and we may be sure he will never attempt to raise people’s esteem of it or feeling for it. And accordingly we see it common in enthusiasts, That they depreciate this written rule, and set up the light within or some other rule above it.