FAMILIAR EPISTLES ON A SERMON, 'OFFICE & OPERATIONS OF HOLY SPIRIT': 4 by JOHN BYROM

THE gospel's simpler language being writ,
Not for the sake of learning or of wit,
But to instruct the pious and the meek;
When its intent mere critics come to seek,
We find, on plain intelligible text,
The @3variorum@1 comments most perplex'd.

Such is the text before us; and so plain
The Saviour's promise which the words contain,
That men, for modern erudition's sake,
Must @3read@1 and @3study@1 to @3acquire@1 mistake;
Must first observe the notions that prevail,
Among the famous in their church's pale;
Firm in the prejudice, that all is right
Which books or persons, most in vogue, recite;
@3Then@1 seek to find how scripture coincides
With each decision of their knowing guides.

Without some such preparatives as these,
How could the forc'd interpretation please,
That makes a sacred promise,—to bestow
Perpetual aid,—exhausted long ago?
In one short age?—For God's abiding Guide
Withdrew, it seems, when the apostles died;
And left poor millions ever since to seek
How dissonant divines had constru'd Greek.

In graver writers one has often read
What in excuse of bookworship is said;
"It is not @3ink@1 and @3letter@1 that we own
"To be divine, but @3scripture sense@1 alone;
"We have the @3rule@1 which the apostles made,
"And no occasion for @3immediate@1 aid."—
Suppose for once the gross delusion true;—
What must a plain and honest christian do?
The Spirit's aid how far must he extend,
To bring his Saviour's promise to an end?
This he perceives discourse to dwell upon;
And yet—@3for ever to abide@1—has none.
He, for the sake of safety, would be glad
To have that Spirit which th' apostles had;
Not one of them has writ, but says @3he may@1;
That @3'tis the bliss for which he ought to pray:@1
That @3God will grant it him@1, his Saviour said,
@3Sooner than parents give their children bread.@1
If @3reading@1 scripture can improve a soul,
This is the sum and substance of the whole,
And gives it value of such high degree:
For tho' as sacred as a @3book@1 can be,
'Tis only so because it best revives
Thought of that Good which animated @3lives@1;
Because its authors were inspir'd to write,
And saw the truth in its own heav'nly light;
Because it sends us to that @3promis'd@1 source
Of light and truth, which govern'd their discourse,
The @3Holy Spirit's@1 ever present aid,
@3With us@1 and @3in us@1—so the Saviour pray'd—
That when he left the world, the @3Holy Ghost@1
Might dwell with christians, as an @3inward host@1;
That teaching, truth, and comfort in the breast,
Might be secur'd by this abiding Guest.

"Yes, with apostles"—sunk, by such a thought,
Th' inestimable treasure down to nought!
A history of sunshine may as soon
Make a blind man to see the shining noon,
As writings @3only@1, without inward light,
Can bring the world's redemption into sight.
@3Jesus@1—the @3Christ@1—the very book has shewn,
Without the Holy Spirit none can own;
In @3words@1 they may, but,—what is plainly meant,—
They cannot give a real @3heart consent.@1
What friend to scripture, then, sir, can displace
This inward Witness of redeeming grace;
And rest the @3gospel@1 on such outward view,
As any @3Turk@1 may rest his @3Koran@1 too?
Nay, he can own a written word or work
That @3Christians@1 do, and yet continue @3Turk.@1

Why do the christian disputants so fill
The world with books of a polemic skill,
When 'tis the sacred and acknowledg'd @3one@1
That all their jarring systems build upon,
But that the @3Spirit@1 does not rule their wit,
By which at first the @3sacred one@1 was writ?
Of whose support great scholars stand in need,
As much as they who never learnt to read:
Unhappy they! but for that living guide,
Whom God himself has promis'd to provide,
A Guide,—to quote the blessed text again,—
@3For ever to abide@1 with christian men.

Fond of its books, poor learning is afraid;
And higher guidance labours to evade:
Books have the Spirit in @3supreme@1 display!
Men, but in lower, @3ordinary@1 way!
This strange account of men and books is true,
It seems, @3according to the promise@1 too!

Such wild conceits all men have too much wit,
Or learned or unlearned, to admit;
But when some @3interest@1 or @3custom@1 rules,
And chains obsequious wills to diff'rent schools,
The wisest, then, sir, will relinquish thought,
And speak, like Parrots, @3just@1 as they are @3taught.@1
What this should be, what spends in vain the fire
Of brisker tempers—let us next enquire.

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