to profess and acknowledg their Ignorance Non Pudor est Nescire aliquid sed Discere Nolle Et Pudor Scelus est 4. The Saints are very desirous to know the Reason of Christs Actions Why speakest thou unto them in Parables 5. Beginnings of Grace and Knowledg are very earnest after more Good hearts are very Inquisitive and diligent to ask and understand the Mysteries of Heaven Dub. 1. And indeed it is a wonder that Christ who loved souls so dearly and thirsted after their Salvation who was sent into the world by his Father to Vnmask the way to Heaven and who had before Explained the Law and taken the Vizor off from the face of it and convinced the Proud and Preached so home to the heart that he Preacht with Authority He Preached plainly when he said Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand He preached plainly when he said Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven c. and now to cloathe his Sermons with such dark Parables it is a wonder Resp To this the Lord Jesus Answers That he therefore preached in Parables i. e. darkly and obscurely Because he preached in Judgment unto some that were present He preacht that they might not understand him Dub. 2. But why should his Disciples admire that he preached now in Parables seeing it was always his custom to do so And Parables do illustrate and clear things more to the understanding than plain phrases Resp Christ was wont to preach in Parables and therefore that is not the Disciples Query at least not the meaning of it why he did now use Parables for he did ordinarily use them but when he did use them he did Explain them Luk. 15. 4-7 and 16. 1-8 9. But now Christ did preach in Parables and not Explain them as he was wont to do And before we leave this Query of the Disciples Why speakest thou unto them in Parables Observe further First Their Charity Secondly Their Modesty 1. Their Charity and love to the souls of others Why speakest thou to them in Parables They understand thee not they first ask Christ why he spake to them in Parables before they ask him to Explain the Parables to them Obs Good hearts desire the Salvation of others as well as their own aeque though not aequaliter 2. Their Modesty towards Christ They do not question Christ's Doctrine or manner of Teaching in publick but ask him in private to Explain himself When he was alone Mar. 4. 10. and Mat. 13. 36. Obs People ought not to question and move doubts against their Ministers Doctrine in publick but in private lest they should by their importunity create stirs and tumult and give to others occasion of doing any thing unseasonably and out of due time Therefore his Disciples move questions in private We shall now descend to the words of our Text To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance To you The word to you hath Emphasis in it Vobis vestri similibus To you and such as you 1. To you Elect for Christ speaks of the Elect under the Apostles Persons To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Vobis amantibus videlicet Sicientibusque veritatem To you Guilliandi who love and thirst after Truth to you that are godly and gracious the Spirit gives to you not only to hear and see these things but to know them and believe and feel them in your hearts And therefore these are no mysteries to you but Salvation and truth Revealed 'T is given that is it comes to pass 1. Not Casu by chance 2. Nor Necessitate by necessity 3. Nor Natura by nature or natural industry That you know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven But 't is given He discovers the gift and Grace of God For O man What hast thou which thou hast not received Obs The knowledg of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven is a Supernatural gift a gift from above None can understand the mysteries of Heaven but they to whom it is given The gifts of God are two-fold 1. The gifts of Nature 2. The gifts of Grace It was given them by Nature that they could hear or see But it was given them by Grace that they should hear the Gospel and see the Miracles and Face of Jesus Christ but more Grace yet that they could Receive the Gospel and Believe in Christ and know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven It was outward Grace to have the Gospel given them to hear it and Christ given them to see him It was inward Grace to have knowledg to see into the Mysteries of the Gospel and to have Faith to distinguish and apprehend Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory There 's the Gospel of Grace and the Grace of the Gospel To have the Gospel of Grace preached to them and to have Grace to receive the Gospel is a double Grace The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Is a Periphrasis of the Gospel and of those things which lye hid in the Gospel Obs The Gospel is a mystery The Doctrines of the Gospel are mysteries Mysterium significat secretum aliquod quod remotum est ab oculis atque absconditum praecipuè vero in verbis ut cùm aliquid dicitur quod obscurum est intellectu difficile Solemus dicere hoc mysterium est Subest his verbis tectum aliquid abstrusum Mysterium sic enim consuevit appellare Scriptura quae praeter spem praeter humanam fiunt Opinionem Ecce mysterium vobis dico Omnes quidem c. Guilliandus in Loc. 1 Cor. 15. The mysteries of God therefore are Faith and the Gospel concerning Christ nay Christ himself is called a mystery because he is a Spiritual thing and remains hid and covered till the Spirit unvail him For whatever the Gospel preacheth they Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 2. 6 7 8. are remote from sense and reason that the whole world cannot apprehend them till they are Revealed by the Spirit You shall see many preach and many hear that Christ was delivered for us to Redeem us but these words are only in ore in the mouth not in corde in the heart For 1. Neque ipsi suis verbis credunt neither do they themselves believe their own words 2. Neque gratiam hanc aliquatenus sentiunt neither do they feel the Grace of the Gospel But to them it is not given Luke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark hath Luke 8. 10. Mark 4. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui for is sunt sive exteris To them that are without By which he understands not only them that are strangers all their time from the Kingdom of God as the Gentiles but also all those that have been for a time the children of the
Kingdom and by their wickedness and unbelief deserved that a bill of Divorce should be given to them and cast Mat. 8. 12. out of the Kingdom To them that are without i. e. Who only hear with the outward Guilliandus Ear who hear with the outward Ear as well as you but want Faith and care not for the Truth seeking rather their own than Gods glory their earthly rather than heavenly Treasures For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance c. 1. To him that hath Faith shall be given the knowledg of Hilarius sic Exponit qâ—d Habens fidem mysteria fidei percipiet at Judaei fidem non habentes Legem quoque quam habue rant Perdiderunt the mysteries of the Kingdom of God for these cannot be known without Faith As if he should say To you Apostles who believe in me as in the Messias to you it is given daily to hear and clearly to understand of me the mysteries of Heaven But from the Scribes and Pharisees that have not i. e. Faith will not believe in me as the Messias God will take from them That which they have i. e. That slender knowledg of God and sense of Heaven which they have their Church Kingdom Priest-hood Temple Sacrifices Country he will take from them and make them no people no Church no not in outward Profession 2. To him that hath i. e. That hath an hearing ear Mat. 13. 9 12. and Mark 4. 24. That is that bring with them an humble and sincere affection namely a pure desire of Faith and Truth which the Apostles by the gift of God have to them shall be given i. e. I will Explain and clearly open to them The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven I will increase their knowledg and add beams to their Light but they that have not i. e. this pure desire of truth but are indulgent to their lusts and to the pride of their own understanding as the Scribes and Pharisees from them the little knowledg which they have shall be taken away and they shall be made blind and therefore it is that I speak not clearly to them but obscurely in Parables Dub. But doth not this prove a power in man to do something naturally that he may gain something that is supernatural To do something morally to attain the gift of Grace that is spiritual And are not these words a promise Faecienti quod in se est Deus non denegat gratiam Res I answer no It argues no such thing it doth not speak a passage out of Morality through the use of natural gifts into the state of Grace As it appears 1. From the 11th Ver. To you it is given to know the mysteries Mat. 13. 11. of the Kingdom of Heaven to you i. e. To you my Apostles and Disciples who have more than good nature in you who have blossoms of heaven already in you to you it is given To know i. e. to know further to know more of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven to you that have the buddings of knowledg in you to you shall be given the ripeness of knowledg in the mysteries of Heaven And then he adds in the 12th Ver. For whosoever hath to him shall be given i. e. Whosoever hath the infant and young workings of grace and knowledg as you have to him shall be given that is an higher stature of grace and knowledg shall be given him 2. From Ver. the 10th The Disciples when they heard the Parable said to Christ Why speakest thou unto them in Parables i. e. Why dost thou preach so Obscurely and Aenigmatically to them Why dost thou not open thy self more plainly to them They are never the better for what thou saiest neither they nor we understand thy meaning And therefore they without doubt Mar. 4 10-13 asked Christ in private to unlock the Cabinet of the Parable to them and shew them the Jewel or meaning of it Now saith Christ to you i. e. Who desire of me spiritual knowledg it shall be given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven For whosoever hath i. e. Such holy desires as you have to inquire and move after the knowledg of heavenly-Heavenly-mysteries to him it shall be given as it is to you and he shall have more abundance 3. Jesus Christ in the 13th Ver. gives his Disciples an account why he spake to the Pharisees in Parables Because they seeing see not i. e. They are wilfully blind they see the wood and yet will not see the trees they see my Works and yet will not see me to be Christ In seeing they see not i. e. They have seen me and believe not Joh. 6. 36. They see me and my Miracles with the eye of sense and yet will not see me with the eye of faith And hearing they hear not i. e. They hear with the sense of Audientes corporis sensu non audiunt cordis assensu August the ear but hear not with the assent of the heart they hear and are convinced but will not be converted as you have it in the 15th Ver. They perceive but will not receive the knowledg of the truth For to hear is to receive and submit to what we hear It implies the affection with the Organ Now in opposition to them saith the Lord Christ to his Disciples Ver. 16 Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear Your eyes see me and are taken with the sight of me your eyes see me and your hearts are in love with me your sight of me hath wounded you with the love of espousals to me And your ears hear and suck in the truths you hear from me You hear and submit to the Authority of the Word you hear from me You see with an amorous eye and you hear with a believing ear And therefore to you saith Christ it shall be given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given i. e. It shall not be given For whosoever hath that is whosoever hath a Believing eye and an Obediential ear to him shall be given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven And he shall have more abundance of knowledg and grace added to him 4. So that the sense and mind of the Text is this Whosoever hath by the gift of God any true beams of Light to him shall be given further Revelations God will give him higher degrees Whosoever hath to him shall be given i. e. He gives after he hath given as a Spring runs when it hath run So that the words speak not a word of the Improvement of Nature but of the gifts of Grace both in the beginning and in the increase Whosoever hath it is by gift and whosoever hath more it is by further gift So that this phrase whosoever hath speaks a gift in that he hath For what hath any man 1 Cor. 4. 7. which
he hath not received The meaning is not then whosoever hath the improvement of Nature to him shall be given true Grace but whosoever hath true Grace given to him to him still it shall be given and he shall have more abundance God will heap favours on them i. e. The beginning of Grace is a pawn of more Grace and every former Grace shall be a pledg of future First God gives Grace therefore we have it whosoever hath then he adds more to it to him it shall be given 1. The words are a Reason why Christ said to the Apostles Vnto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven For or because whosoever hath to him shall be given I pray mark it I say It is a Reason not why natural men should have Grace given them but why the Disciples should have Grace given them 2. Having or not having is to be understood of Saving Grace Therefore speak I in Parable to them because they seeing see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand Ver. 13. Here Christ gives the Reason clearly which he toucht in Ver. 11 But to them it is not given why he spake to the Scribes and Pharisees in Parables because hearing Christ before preach plainly the Kingdom of Heaven they would not understand nor believe nor obey him Hearing they would not hear And seeing his Holiness and his Miracles they would not believe nor receive him for the Messia Thus seeing they would not see And therefore they deserved that Christ should now preach in obscure and cloudy Parables to them We see then the cause of Christ's preaching in Parables was the obstinacy of some who were present and they were not meer simple men unlearnd men but the Scribes and Pharisees and Priests who follow Christ only to carp at and catch him 2 To deride him and he was not to give holy things to Dogs From these the mysteries of Heaven were justly vailed because in seeing and hearing they did not and would not see nor hear and understand Observe hence Obs Such minds as hearers bring to Christ such Sermons doth he preach to them Because they would not understand they shall not When they will not understand those things that are clear and manifest Christ involves his speeches in darkness because the Disciples do plainly and honestly receive what is given they are worthy i. e. counted worthy to whom more secret mysteries should be Communicated Obs As it is the mercy and gift of God that some hear and understand what they hear so it is the dreadful judgment of God that some in hearing hear not nor understand Having travel'd thus far in the Explanation of our Text we now arrive at the several Theses or Doctrines contained in it upon which we will lay the Structure of the following Discourse 1. Doct. The matters of the Kingdom of Heaven are Mysteries 2. It is a matchless aend blessed Priviledg to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven 3. The Divine knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is given to some not to others 4. Where there are beginnings of true Graece though never so weak God makes rich additions of more Of these we will treat in order as they lye before us 1. Doct. The matters of the Kingdom of Heaven are Mysteries 1. Jesus Christ is a great Mystery The Creator became a Creature He who made Man was made Man He was born of the Virgin-Mother and yet made his Mother He that was the Father of Eternity was born in time He never offended his Father and yet was the greatest offender in the world A sinner and no sinner For he knew no sin and yet was made sin for us He was David's Son and yet David called him Lord. Mat. 22. 42 43. 2. Justification by Jesus Christ is a great Mystery There is a Curse denounced against them that break the Law Gal. 3. 10. and yet the Saints are not cursed though they never kept the Law The Saints cannot be Justified by the Law and yet the Law Gal. 5. 23. cannot but Justifie them There 's nothing hinders Acceptance but Sin yet Sin doth 1 Tim. 1. 13. not hinder their Acceptance 3. Faith is a Mystery The Apostle saith Faith is the substance Heb. 11. 1. or subsistence of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen See and not see things not seen and yet Faith sees them Things to come and yet makes them present and gives them present Being It is a Mystery Christ was born some thousand years after Abraham and yet Abraham saw John 8. 56. his Day By Faith Moses saw him that is Invisible saith the Text Invisible and yet saw him It is a Mystery He saw him by Faith who could not be seen by Sense It is said of Abraham that against hope he believed in Rom. 4. 18. hope 4. Regeneration is a Mystery That a man should be born again and yet not enter into his Mothers Womb it is a Mystery How can a man be born when he is old saith Nicodemus John 3. 4. Can he enter the second time into his mothers Womb and be born So Conversion is a Mystery That a man should be the same and not the same the same man for soul and body and yet not the same in regard of supernatural Life and Being put into him It is a Mystery To see a mans Judgment and Affections turned backward He that was proud before now turned humble and he that was ambitious before now despise the vain World it is a strange Mystery The men of the World stand wondring at it as 1 Pet. 4. 4. the Israelites did at Saul Is Saul also among the Prophets And the Church admired at Paul Act. 9. 21. 5. Humility is a Mystery The Saints know themselves to be Kings and yet refuse not to be every mans Servant To lye lowest is the only way to rise highest Whosoever shall humble himself the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Matth. 18. 4. Matth 23. 12. August de Temp. heaven But whosoever doth exalt himself shall be abased Videte magreum miraculum c. saith Austin See here a great miracle God is on high and yet the higher thou liftest up thy self the further thou art from him and the lower thou humblest thy self the nearer thou art to him The Angels those great Courtiers and Princes of Heaven such is their humility they become Ministring spirits to the Saints surely the Angels humility is a Mystery Again That a man should use the World as if he did not 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30 31. use it weep as if he did not weep weep and not weep rejoyce as though he rejoyced not rejoyce and not rejoyce And they that buy as though they possessed not buy and not buy that they that have Wives he as though they had none married and yet unmarried it is a Mystery 6. Self-denial is a
Mystery For take a Saint there 's no man denieth himself so much as he and yet there 's no man 1 Cor. 9. 27. seeks himself so much as he 7. Affliction is a Mystery That God should kill his people and yet love them and put them in his bosom it is a Mystery Again Persecution for Jesus Christ is a Mystery That whosoever Matth. 16. 25 will save his life should lose it save and not save and whosoever will lose his life for my sake should find it lose and not lose it it is a Mystery That a man should hate himself and yet love himself nay love himself best when he hates himself most for God it is a Mystery 8. Patience in Affliction is a strange Mystery for a man to sit down cheerfully and be content with his Condition in all changes and varieties is a Mystery That a man should be tossed and moved up and down and yet be unmoveable it is a Mystery To be at home and yet to be a Stranger and a Pilgrim in his own House and among his own Children is a Mystery And therefore saith St. Paul I know both how to be abased Phil. 4. 12. and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Instituor in sacris i. e. I am instructed in this Mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodor. Siculus Instituo in sacris Pasor I am instructed in this Holy Mystery both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need 9. When God is destroying his Church he is multiplying his Church when he is pulling her down he is setting her up As when you see a man pulling down an old or deformed house you say surely he is building up a fairer when a Taylor is ripping the Cloath and cutting it into shreds and pieces he is making a comely Garment Again Sometimes when a Sinner is galloping in the high way of Sin and Hell he is in his way of pardon and salvation God meets him in the way and makes his way from Heaven his way to Heaven As Paul when he was going to Damascus Acts 9. went in his Intention to undo the Saints but went in Gods Intention to be made a Saint Doct. 2. It is a matchless and blessed priviledg to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven In my Discourse upon this subject I shall through Divine assistance shew you 1. What are the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Why it is such a Priviledg to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven 1. What are the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven 1. They are Latent and secret things they are hidden treasures and therefore are they called Mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some derive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Claudo to shut up under secrecy For secret things are not spoken but lockt up in the heart But I rather think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose root is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hide or keep close And from the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came Saturnus who hid himself in Italy as the Poets Fable which was therefore called Latium Upon this account are the matters of the Kingdom of Heaven called Mysteries because they are unknown to Nature they are hidden till they are revealed Man could never have known them had God never revealed them And though they are revealed yet they are still Mysteries to carnal men who hear the Gospel and yet do not understand it 2. They are excellent and stately things because they are the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven They are high Mysteries for they are Mysteries of a Kingdom and of the highest Kingdom too for they are the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Never were there any such Mysteries of State as these and truly they that are acquainted with them are of Gods Privy-Council Thus you see why they are called Mysteries But what are they They are the Plot or Design of Gods wisdom which he hath contrived in order to Mans salvation the sacred Principles and Doctrines of Christian Religion the Plat-form and Draught of his Will according to which he will save Man For the Church is stiled a Kingdom and Jesus Christ is the King and the Laws of this Kingdom are Mysteries because it is a spiritual Kingdom the Kingdom of Heaven they are Laws of an higher and more sublime nature than the Laws that any worldly Kingdom hath If the Common Law of England be a Mystery to silly Countrey-men what are the Imperial Laws of the Crown of Heaven More particularly 1. The Incarnation of Christ is called a Mystery Without controversie great is the Mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh This is a Mystery not only not known by Nature to humane 1 Tim. 3. 16. Reason but being known and revealed far transcends the conception thereof We do not so much believe it by our understanding as understand it by our belief This is the Mystery of all the Mysteries the Master-piece and flower of all the rest 2. The Vnion and conjunction of Christ and the Church Paul saith This is a great Mystery and I speak saith he concerning Christ and the Church that Christ and his Church should be Man and Wife that there should be a conjugal oneness between them that a person of such Majesty and Distance should marry so poor a Bride and make her his Queen 2. Why is it such a Priviledg to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Reas 1. Because Knowledg is wondrous desirable and satisfactory to the Nature of man for man is a rational creature and therefore desires to know all things that are knowable There 's a rational desire in man breathing after Knowledg Knowledg is as it were mans Element wherein he breathes and lives as sense is the Element of bruits and beasts they wallow in sense and walk within the circumference of sense higher they cannot go so Knowledg is the Element of man his native air as it were wherein he is born and bred and which he sucks in delightfully The air of Knowledg is wondrous pleasant to man and therefore he loves to take the air read Books and search after Knowledg Reas 2. The Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is a Knowledg that will save thee It is Scientia scientiarum the science of sciences the Knowledg of all Knowledges it is a Knowledg that will save thee and do thee most good and stand thee in the greatest stead it is a Knowledg that will do thy soul good a Knowledg that will put thee into Heaven It is the Object that makes the Knowledg Knowledg derives its Excellency from its Object Therefore saith Paul I count all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord that I may be found in him The Knowledg
the Sun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 En. 1. l. 6. unless it be Sun-like and hath the form and resemblance of the Sun drawn in it so neither can the soul of Man behold God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless it be God-like hath God formed in it and made partaker of the Divine Nature As in the natural body it is the heart that sends up good blood and warm spirits into the head whereby it is best enabled to its several Functions So in the spiritual fabrick 't is the heart that sublimates the head and stores it with pure influences the affections beget imaginations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Iliad T. v. 44. As the Treasurers of an Army give out Corn and Provision to the Soldiers Some men have too bad hearts to have good heads they cannot be good at Theory who are so bad at the Practice Our Lord Christ hangs all true acquaintance with Divine Truths upon the doing of Gods will If any man will do his John 7. 17. will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God Such as set themselves to do the will of God shall know the Doctrines and Mysteries of God Corrupt passions and earthly affections are apt of their own nature to disturb all serene thoughts to precipitate our Judgments and warp our Understandings There is an inward sweetness and deliciousness in Divine Truth which no sensual mind can taste or relish And therefore the Platonists solicite so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A separation from the body in all those that would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purely understand truth The more our souls dive into our bodies the more will reason and sensuality run into one another and make up a most unsavoury and muddy kind of Knowledg And therefore wicked men let them imagine what they please have no true Knowledg of God Such as men themselves are such will God himself seem to be It is the Maxim of most wicked men that the Deity is some way or other like themselves their souls do more than whisper it though their lips speak it not That Idaea which men generally have of God is nothing else but the picture of their own complexion 6. Know things as God doth know them God to exercise the wisdom that he hath given to man hath planted a difference in the Creatures and hath given a faculty to man to know and make a right choice in those differences and then man doth know things aright when he knows them as God knows them and then man makes a right choice when he chuseth as God chuseth Now God knows that riches are but little things and that credit in the world is but a shadow and that honours in high places are but like leaves on the top of a tree And who would climb a tree to fetch a leaf But God knows that pardon of sin is a choice rarity 7. Know things and judg of them as they are in another world Whilst thou livest in the world and hast all things before thee know and judg of them as thou wilt when thou art going out of the world and hast all things behind thee ah my Beloved when thy last sand is run out thou wilt have a far different opinion of the World from what now thou hast Vse 7. As I desire you to know the Mysteries of Heaven so I would have you to know your selves that you have an Interest in these blessed Mysteries that they are yours Salvation is a Mysteries but if you know that salvation is yours and the way to salvation is a Mystery but if you know that you are in the way Ah! this is the soul and sweetness of the Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaveb This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greece of Greece the wheel in the wheel the Heaven of that heavenly Knowledg It is to no purpose to know that these things are Mysteries unless we know they be for us and for our good that Christ is ours and that God is reconciled to us Vse 8. You Saints and Children of God who enjoy this great priviledg Oh! go you and bless God For unto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Would it not have greatly ravisht your hearts had you been the persons present to whom Christ spake these words Surely it would But though Christ be in Heaven yet he hath left this Text behind him to speak to you and to tell you It is given unto you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given Observe here two things 1. It is a gift To know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven saith Christ it is given to you Dear souls Flesh and Hath 16. 17. blood hath not revealed these things unto you but your Father which is in heaven Now gifts are received with thankfulness even small gifts are taken thankfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom Odys Plutarch de Artaxcrxe Longimen It is said of Artaxerxes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was no gift so small which he received not kindly I say we take small gifts thankfully how much more spiritual gifts Such gifts as have Heaven and Salvation wrapt up in them Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Eph. 1. 3. Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ These gifts are blessings and for such blessings Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Being is a gift but grace added to it is a blessing to be born is a gift but the new birth put to it is a blessing otherwise It had been good for that man saith Christ if he had never been born To have Understanding and Knowledg is a great gift but to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven is a great blessing Blessed are the eyes which see the things that Luke 10. 23. ye see 2. They are Mysteries and will ye not bless God that he should make Mysteries known to you They are Mysteries of his bosom and is it nothing to be Gods bosom-friends They are the Mysteries of his secret wise and eternal Counsels And is it nothing to be Gods Privy-Counsellors They are the Mysteries of eternal life And is it nothing to know the Rolls and Records of eternity Saints God hath made ye his Cutodes Rotulorum is not eternal life a delicate flower to smell at Is it nothing to see within the vail Surely it is a great priviledg therefore you may rejoyce in it and bless God for it And this leads us to the third Doctrine which is this Doct. 3. The Divine Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is given to some not to others In this Doctrine there are three things clear and obvious 1. The Knowledg of Divine Mysteries is a gift To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven What is given is a gift Divine Knowledg is a
Divine gift The Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is a gift from Heaven To know God it is from God Christ is the gift of God and to know Christ is another gift And therefore the Apostle saith That faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Psal 119. 125. And therefore saith David Give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies To understand the Divine Testimonies is a gift God must not only give us the Objects of Knowledg but also the Knowledg of those Objects Man lost his Knowledg and therefore must be created again and renewed in Knowledg after the image of him that Col. 3. 10. created him God must set him up again with a new stock of Knowledg else Man can know nothing The Mysteries of Heaven in themselves are intelligible they are glorious and radiant Objects they sparkle with splendour in our eyes but blind men cannot see light without a light we are dark within while the Mysteries of Heaven shine like the light round about us And therefore God must give the opening of the eye to see the out-breaking of the light upon us 2. The Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is given to some To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth Job 19. 25. Vers 26. and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Job knew the Mystery of Redemption and in that glass he saw the Mystery of the Resurrection He knew one Mystery in another In that he knew he was redeemed he knew he should rise again Our redemption implieth our resurrection Job though he lived in dark times yet he knew these Mysteires because to him it was given to know them I know Psal 119. 5. O Lord saith David that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me He knew First The judgments and dispensations of Divine Providence Secondly And he knew that those Judgments were right Thirdly And he knew the mystery and meaning of them That God in faithfulness had afflicted him Christ saith That his sheep know his voice I am the good John 10 14. shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine They are gifted with discerning that they know the voice or Doctrine of Christ they are so well acquainted with the Mysteries of Heaven that they know what is the Doctrine and what is not the Doctrine of Jesus Christ When it pleased God saith Paul to reveal his Son in me Gal. 1. 15 16. There was a time when the Mysteries of Heaven were vailed from Paul and afterward were revealed to Paul God in his time gave him to know what he did not know before Thus you see the second point That the Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is given to some 3. The Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is not given to others Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in Deut. 29. 2. the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and to all his land The great temptations which thine eyes have Vers 3. Vers 4. seen the signs and those great miracles yet the Lord hath not GIVEN you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day They saw much and yet they saw little They saw great things and yet they saw nothing nothing to purpose they had not a spiritual apprehension and use of the great works they did see In Psal 82. 5 They know not neither will they understand Psal 82. 5. they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the earth are out of course The Psalmist speaks of such as were great men the Judges of the earth they knew not how to administer Justice uprightly and impartially In Isa 1. 3 The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his masters Isa 1. 3. crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider They are more brutish than the brutes Asses indeed more sottish than the Ass they eat and drink and seed upon Gods Provisions and yet know not God who provides all for them The Papists in their Legends abuse this place and coyn a Fable that an Ox and Ass being in the stable where Christ was born took notice of him and did cherish him with their warm breath as he lay in the manger The story is meer Fiction but Sinners are so brutish that they do not what the others fained the Ox and Ass to do The Lord Christ is come into the world but they take no notice of him he is laid in the Manger of the Gospel but they know him not Did Christ lye in a Manger for you and shall he not lye in your bosoms Ah Sinners more brutish than the Ox and more silly than the Ass In Acts 14. 1 2 There 't is said that Paul and Barnabas Acts 14. 1 2. so spake that a great multitude of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed but the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles Here to some was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to others 't was not given In the 17th of the Acts at the 32 34 verses When they Acts 17. 32. heard of the resurrection of the dead some mocked but others 34. clave to Paul and believed Here to some was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to others 't was not given In Acts 28. 24 'T is said That some believed the things Acts 28. 24. which were spoken and some believed not Here to some was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to others it was not given The Heathens could observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Hliad That God doth not give all things to all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To one man God gives Martial skill for War to another the Art of dancing to another that of singing and of musick but to another he gives a wise and prudent mind In this dispensation of God wherein to some he gives the Knowledge of Divine Mysteries to others he doth not I say in this dispensation there is both Soveraignty and Justice First In that he gives not to some the Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven there appears Soveraignty For in another Text the Lord Christ saith Father thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Mat. 11 25 26. Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Here Jesus Christ gives no other reason why the Mysteries of Heaven were hid from the wise and revealed to babes but only his Fathers good will and pleasure Secondly In this dispensation of God wherein the Knowledg of Divine Mysteries is not given to some the Justice of God appears Which
greatnotice of her little strength Christ makes much of a little grace As the Father dandles his little child so Jesus Christ dandles a little grace upon the lap of his Commendation Though thy grace be but low yet he hath an high esteem of it 3. God's giving some grace engages him to give more Hath God given thee a little grace His giving thee that little puts an engagement upon him to give thee more one of his gifts bind him to give another When God went about to destroy Sodom saith God Shall I Gen. 18. 17 18. Hide from Abraham that thing which I do seeing I mean to make him a great and mighty nation As though one kindness did bind him to give another with God the bestowing of one favour binds him to add another If God begin to give thee grace he is engaged to go on and give thee more grace not for thy sake but because 't is his own work and therefore if he should not carry it on he should lose what he had begun If God hath pardon'd thee some sins and should not pardon thee all the rest all his former Pardons would be thrown away like precious water spilt upon the ground If God hath begun to give thee some grace he is engaged to give thee more for the sake of the former I say he is engaged to give thee more for the sake of the former and to give thee more yet nay more yet for the sake of that grace that went before As man that ploughs a piece of Land counts himself engaged to sow it and if he sow it he counts himself engaged to fence it and make it thrive because one work is for another the former for the latter plowing is for sowing and sowing is for growing and growing is for reaping and therefore one labour calls for the help of another So when God puts a little grace into thee it is for another to bring on another and that the former grace may not be in vain one gift calls for the help of another 4. A little grace is a pledg of more I say the little grace thou hast is a sure pledg of more as a little piece of money is an earnest of the whole sum God speaking of the effusion of his gifts and graces saith I will pour out my spirit God gives his spirit as freely as he gives rain now you know first it rains small drops and after greater and the small are the signs of the great 5. Jesus Christ makes intercession for a little grace Peter saith Christ I have pray'd that thy faith fail not thou hast but a little faith and I have prayed for thy little faith for thy weak faith that it fail not if any man sin we have an 1 John 2. 2. advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Vse 2. What saith this Principle to Sinners that are without grace Surely Sirs it should much deject you and make you smite upon your hearts When Christ saith It is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to others it is not given should it not make those tremble that have not the gift that have not this special gift To know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven When our Lord saith To him that hath shall be given should it not shake the heart of the man that hath not so much as the first gift of grace yet bestowed upon him Sinner thou hast not so much as the Foundation the first stone of the building yet laid in thee Lord what a sad case am I in whilst thou art promising the addition of grace to others thou hast not planted so much as the beginnings of grace in me 1. While the saving-work in others is going on it is not yet begun in thee While others are upon their growth thou art not yet born I say not born again Sinner thou hast not yet so much as the first preparation of Heaven in thee while others are upon their Progress thou art not as yet in the Race while others are running to the Gole thou lyest dead while others are raised and enlivened thou hast not yet set out toward Heaven while others are a great way upon their Journey to Glory thou art left sleeping in Sodom till the sparks of fire and brimstone fall down from Heaven and fly about thine ears while the Lots are carried out by the Angel of the Lord Oh Sirs see your misery 2. Sinners you are ugly and mis-shapen Creatures without grace you want the Image of God upon you Holiness is our comeliness and Grace is the only handsom garment What are thy sins but thy deformities and thy lusts but thy leprosies Thou carest not what thou art in the eye of the godly but carest thou not what thou art in the eye of God Thou feest no unhandsomness in sin thou seest not thy self ugly but art thou therefore the less ugly A Toad or a Snake hath no odious apprehensions of it self it is above their reach to apprehend what they are so Sinners cannot discern their own deformities their Judgments follow their Natures and Dispositions 3. If Jesus Christ doth not conquer you he 'l slay you In Rev. 6. 2 there saith John I saw and behold a white horse Rev. 6. 2. and he that sate on him had a bow and a crown was given to him and he went forth conquering and to conquer 1. Here John saw an horse which is mystically the Gospel because of its swiftness The Apostles and Apostolical Preachers of the Primitive times were Horses for their nimble and swift Preaching of the Gospel through the World 2. This is a white horse to signifie 1. The Purity of the Gospel or Divinity of its Doctrine 2. to signifie the joy and peace it offers to the Sons of Men it is called glad tidings and the Gospel of peace A white Flag is an Ensign of Peace 3. To signifie the Glory of Christ white robes are Emblems of Glory Princes and Nobles did go in white 4. To signifie the Triumph of Christ white horse in sign of victory and Triumph The Romans when they rid in Triumph had white Horses to ride on or to draw their Chariots The Lord Christ will get the day he will triumph over souls either in their submission or destruction And therefore it is said 3. That he that sate on the white horse had a bow given him This Horse-man or Prince the Lord Christ had a bow in his hand and a Bow presupposeth arrows that is terrors and threatnings against his Enemies that will not submit to his mercy he hath his Arrow prepared upon the string and will shoot at the rebellious Sinner It may be thou hast some of Christ's Arrows sticking in the ribs of thy Conscience and art wounded for some sins thy very heart is galled with the threatnings that fly like Arrows out of the Bow of the Ministry but thou frettest instead of being converted
Mysteries of Heaven to you there may be a great deal of Riches wrapped up in a Treasury but this opens and unlocks the Treasury The Ministry of the Word is ordained to lay open the Treasure to Gods People that they may know what Riches they have by Jesus Christ There be rich Mines in the Scripture but they must be digged up The Ministry serves to dig up those Mines and lay them open above-ground that the Saints may see them and be in love with them 2. The Preaching of the Gospel casts the sweet savour of the Mysteries of Heaven abroad the World and renders them lovely As the Woman that brought her Box of Oyntment to anoint the Lord Jesus with it when she opened the Box the room was filled with the Odour of the Oyntment were not the Box opened the Oyntment would not smell so the preaching of the Word is the opening of the Box. The Gospel which is a rich compound made up of the Fragrant spices and Mysteries of Heaven I say the Gospel is a Box of sweet Oyntment and the Preaching of it is the opening of the Box if it be not opened it casts not its sweet savour abroad the World The publishing of the Word is the opening of the Box and the casting of the perfume of it abroad the World Hence saith the Apostle Now thanks be unto God 1 Cor. 2. 14. which always causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the SAVOVR of his Knowledg by us in every place 3. The preaching of the Gospel applies the Mysteries of Heaven to mens Souls in particular It distributes the portion to every Child of God The Ministers of God are the Stewards of God to distribute the Mystery of comfort and the Mystery of pardon and peace to whom they belong Now where there is an equal and convenient distribution of the portion to every one this makes the Ordinance of God so beautiful and the Mysteries of Heaven so delicious this makes the people taste them taste the Mystery of comfort and the Mystery of peace and pardon when the Waters of Life are derived from the spring of the Scriptures to every mans particular use they taste them and relish them And 't is this that makes the Word in the Application of it so sweet a thing I say the Word in the Application of it is a sweet thing for good things the nearer they are brought home the more delightful they are as a Rose on the Tree is a sweet thing whether you smell it or smell it not 't is sweet but if it be brought home to you and put into your bosom then you smell it sweet So the Mystery of peace and pardon as it grows upon the Tree of the Promise is a sweet thing but if the Hand of Application bring it home to you and put in thy bosom there thou art sweetned with it Vse 2. England See thy priviledg God hath revealed to thee the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Ah London See thy priviledg Thy Fleece is wet with the dew of the Mysteries of Heaven Thou art Goshen when the greatest part of the Kingdom is Egypt dark Egypt And the rather oh England see and prize thy priviledg The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven lest God remove them lest God depart from us The Glory of God departed out of the Temple before the Destruction of Jerusalem so the Glory of God departs from a Church the Beauties and Excellencies of God remove when we esteem them not And if any thing in the World make God to leave a Church as he left the Jews and as he may leave any particular Church it is because there is not a prizing of the Heavenly Mysteries we have For however we esteem these things God sets an high price upon them and if we do not God will deprive us of them and of the Power and Beauty of them Vse 3. Oh the love of God that will communicate the Knowledg of himself unto us that is not content we should know any thing unless we know him 1. He knows himself to be our chiefest good and therefore knows that the Knowledg of all other things would do us no good without the Knowledg of himself All the Creatures are but his Servants the Sun Moon and Stars are but the Creatures and Servants of the High God and to know them and all their motions would not advantage us unless we know their Master As a man that is ambitious of Honour and high places he useth acquaintance with a Kings Servants but as an Introduction to acquaintance with their Lord and Master He knows that the Donation of Honours and Collation of places and offices is in the hand of the King and therefore to know his Servants will do him no good only the Knowledg of the King himself So God is the Fountain of Honour and Glory all the Creatures have but a Glory Derivative from God they can confer no Glory on their fellow-Creatures and they will part with none of their own There 's no Creature will part with its Glory or lose its Glory to confer it on thee The Sun will not lose its Light and Place in the Heavens to translate it to thee if they would it is not their own to dispose of Besides the Sun may shine upon thee but cannot shine Peace of Conscience into thee The earth may afford thee Wine and Oyl but cannot yield thee the grapes of saving joy and the Oyl of gladness to anoint thy soul with To know any thing the Knowledg of Jesus Christ would be of greatest worth unto thee and yet to know Christ would not advantage thee but as a means and door to let thee in to acquaintance with God himself The Knowledg of Christ would not save thee did not the Knowledg of him lead thee into the Knowledg of and acquaintance with God himself And therefore saith Christ I am the way not the end no man John 14. 6. comes unto the Father but by me Thou must not terminate the Knowledg of Christ in Christ himself but use it as a Medium and Way to bring thee to the Father Therefore saith the Text Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from 1 Pet. 1. 21. the dead and gave him Glory THAT YOVR FAITH AND HOPE MIGHT BE IN GOD. 2. It is a wondrous priviledg that any man affords us to let us know him and to be intimate with him What can he do more than to unvail himself to us and let us see his inside and let us peep into the Cabinet of his secrets and make us acquainted with all his Excellencies It is the greatest love that can be A man may invite us often to his Table and make us sit down with him and yet not let us know himself nay you may live with him all your days and converse with him and yet he not let you know his inward self nor what is in himself Hee
in God because he keeps promise with me he makes me know goodness and mercy in God because he bears with my slothfulness and sins Ninthly This leads me to another much like it true Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is experimental A man never stands firm and solid and constant in the Faith till he hath in himself some experience of that which he knows and believes And 't is certain That he holds so much firmness as he holds of experience in himself and no more It befalls us in believing and knowing the Gospel as it doth in knowing at first some wise and godly Man As long as we know the Wisdom and Godliness of such a man only by the relation of other men we are so disposed that other men coming and making a contrary relation we change our opinion we had of him at least doubt of it till at last having strict familiarity with him our selves we know by experience that the relation of him is true which was made to us and then no man is able to perswade us to the contrary So long as we believe the Gospel and the Mysteries of Heaven only by the relation of Preachers we believe it till other Preachers come and tell us the contrary and then we believe the other way or at least doubt of the Truth we had from the first Preacher till by having experience of that which is preached in the Gospel we stand firm and constant in that which we know and believe and then all the men in the World are unable to unsettle or change our Faith and Knowledg after 't is confirmed by our own experience As for example here 's a Gospel-Mystery That God hath punished all our sins upon Christ and redeemed us from wrath if we believe in him Now thy great work and design should be to get the experience of this Mystery in thee that God hath punished thy sins in Christ and redeemed thee from wrath Quest You will say how is the experience of Faith gotten Answ Then a man hath experience of that which he believes when he hath peace in his Conscience when he hath the fruit of that which he believes in himself being assured in himself that he can appear in the Judgment of God with that self-same security wherewith he would have appeared if he had lived with that innocency wherewith Christ lived and had by Gods will fuffered that which Christ suffered Vse 5. If it be such a transcendent priviledg to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Oh then act your souls with disires and endeavours after the Knowledg of these Divine things For 1. Our souls are made for these things What are our souls made for but for excellent things And what is excellent but the Mysteries of Heaven Is the soul made to lay her mouth to the breasts of the World and suck in wealth and riches which she must spit out again I tell you these are but dunghils to a soul 2. They put Glory upon the soul They are glorious and make us glorious The Knowledg of God in Christ is a glorious Knowledg and the Gospel is called a glorious Gospel these things put a Glory upon our souls VVhat a glorious thing is it when by the Mysteries of Heaven a weak man shall have power againsta a strong Devil VVhen a poor Creature flesh and blood shall by some virtue distil'd through the Mysteries of Heaven into him have such a strong Faith in the promise of forgiveness of sins and such a mighty Faith in the promise that all shall turn to his good that all the gates of hell shall not prevail over that weak soul VVwhat a glorious thing is this And what a glorious thing is it when an impotent and unable soul shall by an Ordinance of God have strength over those corruptions and sins which others are slaves to That mean men of low and cheap education and parts should not be taken with those things that others are besotted with that are of more excellent natural parts than they VVhat a glory of grace is this 3. Did ye know the Mysteries of the heavenly Kingdom ye would wonder at nothing in the world besides VVhat is the reason that silly men are taken up with admiration of small and poor things here below but because their thoughts are not employed nor raised up to these high and great Excellencies The Poet saith Nil admirari prope res est una numici Hor. Epist 1. Epistol 6. Solaque quae possit facere servare beatum To wonder at nothing is the only thing to make us happy VVhilst men stand wondring at the glory and foolish lustre of the VVorld Oh! this honour and that greatness is a goodly thing they are undone they are taken with it and so undone This makes those whose names are not written in the book Revel 17. 8. of life to wonder at the beast as it is in the Text saying Oh! what a godly order have they among them one under another And this makes them worship him as it is in another Text All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him Revel 13. 8. whose names are not written in the book of life As the Philosophers speaking of the Knowledg of Causes say That the Knowledg of the cause takes away admiration O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that wonders seems to be ignorant Arist 1. Metaph cap. 2. As Countrey-men that wonder at the Eclipse of the Sun or at a Blazing-star or at an Earth-quake it is from their Ignorance of the Causes a Philosopher wonders not at these things And therefore Pythagoras said That the end of Philosophy is that we should wonder at nothing So They that wonder at the Glory of the World and of earthly Dignities Oh! It is a fine thing to be rich and to shine in greatness it springs from their Ignorance It is the nature of shallow men to wonder at the things of this World A wise man wonders at nothing because he knows greater things he hath seen greater matters than those the world can shew Do you think a wise Christian will stand wondring at great and rich men at great places and honours and such things Alas He hath had greater matters in the eye of his soul and what can be great in this world to him to whom the World it self is not great What is great in this world to him that hath seen Christ and conversed with God Oh! come then and know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven These will so dazle your eyes with their glory that you shall wonder at nothing in the world besides To dwell in the favour of men and to rise up into high places and have the world smile upon you are these the things ye wonder at Truly Sirs If we would wonder let us come to Religion there we have him whose name is Wonderful that is Jesus Isa 6. Christ There we have his Laws and Testimonies
which are wonderful Thy testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my soul Psal 119. 129. keep them There is peace that passeth all understanding joy unspeakable and full of glory There we have the ways of his Wisdom and his dealings with the Saints which are wonderful as Job saith Things too Job 42. 3. wonderful for me which I knew not To bring us to life by death to glory by shame to perfect his work in abasement to bring it low that he may raise after But how may we know these Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven 1. You must use all means you must read and hear and discourse you must study the things of God and converse with the Saints to whom God hath revealed these Mysteries The Ministry of the Word is the golden pipe through which these Divine Mysteries flow down into your Knowledg And then meditate of these things till the heart be warmed fasten your thoughts on them every day It is your Wisdom to spend consideration on them Oh that my people were wise that they would consider their latter end I say it is your wisdom to consider the Excellency of these Mysteries of Religion the Beauty of them in themselves the fruit and sweetness of them in this world and in the world to come An ingredient in the use of means after this Knowledg is that you must search for it The promise of finding Knowledg is only to such as search for Knowledg It is such a precious treasure that it lyeth deep in the bowels of Scripture Thou Prov. 2. 4. shalt find wisdom if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures There are two places two veins especially where wisdom is to be found there is the Book of Gods Word and the Book of Gods Works the Book of Scripture and the Book of Providence In these two Books we are to search and study out the Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven The Word reveals them the hand of Providence doth dispense them The Word unfolds them Providence makes all things to further them in the soul And let me tell you One great means to irradiate your Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is to know that Mystery of sinfulness that is in you and that Mystery of misery that lieth upon you It is not to be conceived as Jeremy saith How deceitful the heart is and how desperately wickea what a depth of corruption lyeth there The cursed and woful state we are in by nature is not to be conceived Man's apprehension is too little to take in all the Dimensions of it to lye under the eternal wrath of God what head can comprehend it VVhat created soul can fathom in her widest thoughts the wrath of an infinite God Who can tell what Hell is And how hot the fire is which Gods Almighty wrath hath kindled to all eternity As eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for those that love him so neither hath eye seen nor ear heard nor can the heart of man conceive those depths and treasures of misery that men are in by nature Here we may cry out Oh the depths Therefore the more transparent Knowledg we have of the Mystery of Corruption and of the dreadful misery we are in by sin the more we shall wonder at the unparalell'd goodness of God in the Mystery of our salvation the one will sharpen the appetite of the other Truly Sirs if you are yet in the state of sin consider how little there is between you and eternal Death you are ready to drop into Hell immediately and irrecoverably Did these things sit sadly and seriously upon your spirits how would it advance the Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven 2. That you may know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven bring Humility and self-denial Humble reason and make her give place to Faith for the humility we here speak of is a Denial of our own Parts and Wits though they be never so capacious In this case the Intellectus must be rasa tabula I say the understanding must be as a Table scraped all the Writings and Notions of humane Wit and Reason must be scraped out It must be like the Wax that hath no Character that it may receive the Impression of the Seal That which reason should do in supernatural things is to stoop to Faith to believe the things of God upon the sole Authority of God Here it is the greatest reason to yield to Faith In Divine Mysteries Faith is the reason of reason and the highest reason is to yield to God that hath revealed them And therefore Faith stands with the greatest reason that can be for is it not the greatest reason in the world to believe him that is Truth it self Reason it self saith It is the greatest reason to believe God who is the first Truth 3. Wait upon the spirit Give the spirit that Honour to reveal these Mysteries to you For your eyes are blind you have an inward darkness upon you the Gospel takes away the Vail from the things but the spirit takes away the Vail from our souls The Jews had a Vail of types and shadows thrown over the things themselves now I say Our Gospel takes away the Vail from the things but the spirit must take away the Vail from our hearts In Nature there is need of a double light that we may behold Objects 1. A light someness upon the Object it self through the Medium and therefore men cannot see in the night because the air which is the Medium is dark 2. A light besides in the Organ that is the eye and therefore blind men cannot see in the day because though the Sun shines and things may be seen in themselves yet they want a light in the eye So though the former darkness which lay upon the Mysseries of Heaven be taken away those legal shadows and curtains are removed and the Sun of the Gospel shines full upon our faces yet we are blind within there lyeth an inward darkness upon our faculty and the spirit must open our eyes and give us a vital light to joyn with the outward light 4. Send up your prayers to Heaven The holy Vapours of Prayer ascending the spirit comes down in showres upon the soul The earth must send up Vapours before the Clouds can give down rain And therefore Paul prays for the Ephesians That God would give them the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1. 17 18. that the eyes of their understanding being enlightned they might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints 5. He that would find the knowledg of Divine Mysteries must seek it with a sanctified mind That which enables us to know and understand aright the things of God must be a living principle of Holiness in us As Plotinus saith The eye cannot behold
is to you is laid down as an Argument to believe as a Motive to believe and therefore did belong to them before they did believe for the Cause is before the Effect Yes you will say to them to the Jews but not to us mark the next words And to all that are afar of even to as many as the Lord our God shall call Object But God gives not Grace to all and that 's the thing that fears me Answ What is that to thee As Christ said unto Peter Peter asked Christ such a question Lord what shall this man do Joh. 21. 21 22. saith Christ to him What is that to thee follow thou me So God gives not grace to all What is that to thee follow thou me believe thou in me saith Christ Object Oh! but I am a great sinner and will he pardon me and give grace to me Answ 1. The Covenant of grace is a free Covenant from the Lord 's free favour without any respect to any thing in thee it looks at nothing in thee no worth in thee can procure it The Covenant is not only a Covenant to grace but a Covenant of grace not only a Covenant to grace to give more grace where it is but a Covenant of grace to give grace where is none 2. The greatness of thy sinfulness will manifest and set out the greatness of his mercy For his names sake he pardons iniquity Isa 43. Now the greater and the more thy sins have been the greater will be the name of his mercy Quest But how may we attain the Knowledg of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Answ 1. Let not sin stand between you and the glorious light of the Mysteries of Heaven Cease love to sin if you would have an Heaven upon Earth a glorious Presence of God in you Render your spirits free to God let them not be ensnared with any lust such entanglement spoils your Glory pure hearts shall see the face of God Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God You poor souls who are purging your selves will you believe your Saviour then you shall see God Purity makes capacity of Heaven The holyest men ever had the most glorious visions as Daniel and John A man may see Hell in his sin but shall never see Heaven 2. Would you have the Knowledg of these Mysteries Then get upon some hill the air of the lower region is thick and misty I mean live above abstract your selves as much as may be from the world God chuseth his place to make Heaven he makes Heaven above in Jerusalem that is above in souls that are above above the vanities of this World he makes an Heaven and there the Mysteries of the Kingdom like so many stars shine Moses is led up to a mount to see Canaan Christ upon a mount had his glorious Transfiguration he had his Heaven upon a mount Love must mount above all these low things ere the soul can see Heaven enjoy glorious Presence It falls out unhappily still with man when he goes about to make an Heaven here when he sets love at work to take her fortune to make her Glory and Felicity here below as she can This checks the working of a glorious light in any heart it sets a Divine Power a working another way to whip the man with vexation of spirit for seeking Heaven in Earth in glorious vanities No man shall have two Heavens or but very few 3. Let thy heart be Crystal The Mysteries of Heaven shining upon such an heart reflect gloriously I mean an heart that is a pure glass clear from all hypocrisie God descended like a Dove upon a Dove sweetly and gloriously upon him In whose mouth there was no guile It was upon Jesus Christ there came a voice from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased God never proclaims himself well-pleased in that heart which makes not him his pleasure A heart and a heart hath none of Gods heart Divine Power works not gloriously where the heart works basely An hypocrite hath least of Heaven of any man and most of Hell 4. As men draw near to God so they see him near to him in Quality and near to him in Duty Sirs We see Heaven best upon out knees At the Throne of grace we find grace Heaven at Gods feet When most in his Presence most in Heaven A man must live in Heaven to have Heaven live in him much going to Heaven brings Heaven at last down along with one Vse last Then Oh ye Saints bless the Lord Admire the Lord that hath revealed his Mysteries to you not to others that ye know those things which others do not Oh! fall admiring God and Free-grace The fourth and last Doctrine Doct. 4. That where there are beginnings of true grace though never so weak God makes rich Additions of more grace Whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance Now to evince this I will give you the Testimony of Scripture And 1. In Phil. 1. 6 Paul cheers up their hearts by telling them that he was confident i. e. assured That God who Phil. 1. 6. had begun a good work in them would perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ The Apostle writing to the Thessalonians praiseth God for them Because saith he your faith grows exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth 2 Thes 1. 3. Where God plants he makes to grow and where he sows he watereth into an increase 2dly John 10. 10 I came saith Christ that they might have John 10. 10. life and that they might have it more abundantly or that they might have abundance So Musculus reads it Et abundantiam habeant For it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Abundantius but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth Abundantiam copiam affluentiam i. e. Qui vivere dedit dabit reliqua ad vitam hanc caelestem necessaria Nec dabit parce sed liberaliter opulente Musculus in Johan Quid dat formam dat consequentia formam He that gives life will give all things necessary to this Divine life to maintain it richly an abundance and affluence of spiritual and heavenly Additions to the least grace 3dly Isa 42. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break and the Isa 42. 3. smoaking flax shall he not quench The Negative here implieth an Affirmative A bruised reed shall he not break i. e. he shall strengthen it and the smoaking flax shall he not quench i. e. he shall be so far from quenching that he shall make it flame and blow it up into a blaze He shall bring forth judgment unto truth which Matthew following the Septuagint Matth. 12. 20. saith He shall bring forth judgment unto victory And this is the meaning of that Text Of his fulness have John 1. 16. we all received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉