Secondly, There are the secrets of his Kingdom, and these he reveals to his people, Matth. 13. 11. Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but unto them it is not given. So Matth. 11. 25. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 1Let us not think (saith Hierom.) that the Gospel is in the words of Scripture, but in the sense; not in the outside, but in the marrow; not in the leaves of ⟨p. 80⟩words, but in the root of reason. Augustin humbly begged of God, That if it were his pleasure, he would send Moses to him, to interpret some more abstruse and intricate passages in his Book of Genesis. There are many choice, secret, hidden 2and mysterious Truths and Doctrines in the Gospel, which Christ reveals to his people, that this poor, blind, ignorant world are strangers to. There are many secrets wrapped up in the plainest truths and doctrines of the Gospel, which none can effectually open and reveal but the Spirit of the Lord, that searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. There are many secrets and mysteries in the Gospel, that all the learning and labour in the world can never give a man insight into. There are many that know the Doctrine of the Gospel, the History of the Gospel, that are mere strangers to the secrets of the Gospel. There is a secret power, a secret authority, a secret efficacy, a secret prevalency, a secret goodness, ⟨p. 81⟩a secret sweetness in the Gospel, that none experience, but those to whom the Lord is pleased to impart Gospel secrets to, Isa. 29. 11, 12. Seal my law among my Disciples. The Law of God to wicked men is a sealed book, that they cannot understand, Dan. 12. 9, 10. 'Tis as blotted paper, that they cannot read. Look as a private letter to a friend contains secret matter that no man else may read, because it is sealed. So the law of grace is sealed up under the privy seal of Heaven, so that no man can open it or read it, but Christs faithful friends, to whom 'tis sent. The whole Scripture (saith Gregory) is but one entire letter dispatched from the Lord Christ, to his beloved Spouse on earth. The Rabbins say that there are four keys that God hath under his Girdle.
Secondly, There are the secrets of his Kingdom, and these he reveals to his people, Matth. 13. 11. Ʋnto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but unto them it is not given. So Matth. 11. 25. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 1Let us not think (saith Hierom.) that the Gospel is in the words of Scripture, but in the sense; not in the outside, but in the marrow; not in the leaves of ⟨p. 80⟩words, but in the root of reason. Augustin humbly begg'd of God, That if it were his pleasure, he would send Moses to him, to interpret some more abstruce and intricate passages in his Book of Genesis. There are many choice, secret, hidden 2and mysterious Truths and Doctrines in the Gospel, which Christ reveals to his people, that this poor, blind, ignorant world are strangers to. There are many secrets wrapt up in the plainest truths and doctrines of the Gospel, which none can effectually open and reveal but the Spirit of the Lord, that searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. There are many secrets and mysteries in the Gospel, that all the learning and labour in the world can never give a man insight into. There are many that know the Doctrine of the Gospel, the History of the Gospel, that are meer strangers to the secrets of the Gospel. There is a secret power, a secret authority, a secret efficacy, a secret prevalency, a secret goodness, ⟨p. 81⟩a secret sweetness in the Gospel, that none experience, but those to whom the Lord is pleased to impart Gospel secrets to, Isa. 29. 11, 12. Seal my law among my Disciples. The Law of God to wicked men is a sealed book, that they cannot understand, Dan. 12. 9, 10. 'Tis as blotted paper, that they cannot read. Look as a private letter to a friend contains secret matter that no man else may read, because it is sealed. So the law of grace is sealed up under the privy seal of Heaven, so that no man can open it or read it, but Christs faithful friends, to whom 'tis sent. The whole Scripture (saith Gregory) is but one entire letter dispatcht from the Lord Christ, to his beloved Spouse on earth. The Rabbins say that there are four keys that God hath under his Girdle.
- 1Hierom. ad Eph. lib. 1.
- 2Joel 2. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 9, 16. Col. 1, 26, 27. 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12. Eph. 4. 21.
