Owen on the Non-Efficiency of the Bible

Puritan John Owen on why God didn't just "give us a list" of everything we need to know that we could use more easily than the "non-efficient" nature of the Bible:

"Such a systematical proposal of doctrines, truths, or articles of faith, as some require, would not have answered the great ends of the Scripture itself. All that can be supposed of benefit thereby is only that it would lead us more easily into a methodical comprehension of the truths so proposed; but this we may attain, and not be rendered one jot more like unto God thereby.

The principal end of the Scriptures is of another nature. It is, to beget in the minds of men faith, fear, obedience, and reverence of God - to make them holy and righteous...Unto this end every truth is disposed of in the Scripture as it ought to be. If any expect that the Scripture should be written with respect unto opinions, notions, and speculations, to render men skillful and cunning in them, able to talk and dispute...they are mistaken.

It is given to make us humble, holy, wise in spiritual things; to direct us in our duties, to relieve us in our temptations, to comfort us under troubles, to make us to love God and live unto him. Unto this end there is a more glorious power and efficacy in one epistle, one psalm, one chapter, than in all the writings of men...He that hath not experience hereof is a stranger unto the power of God in the Scripture...sometimes an occasional passage in a story, a word or expressions, shall contribute more to excite faith and love in our souls than a volume of learned disputations."