An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

The former are of such things as God will do; the latter, such as Man is either to do or believe: God reveals both to his people. The ordinary way for us is by the Word written, the extraordinary by a word spoken: Thus God opened his secrets to the ancient Prophets and Apostles. The Prophet Amos (Chap. 3.7.) speaks of the secrets of providence, Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets to his Servants the Prophets: And the Lord himself saith of Abraham, Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I am about to do: Now as there is a revealing of Providence, or of the works of God, so there is a revealing of Doctrines and of the holy Truths of God. This he promiseth (Joel 2.28.) I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: Young men, cannot claim to be the first men, they were not before the Hills, yet to them the visions of Heaven are promised: Yet we must not neglect that command of our attendance upon the teachings of the Word, because we have received a promise of the teachings of the Spirit. The spirit usually teacheth by the Word, never against it; and it is a tempting of God, while he gives us means, to linger after immediate Revelations: yea, when the Lord reveals himself immediately, he uses to do it without mans fore-thought or expectations. The Prophets did not set themselves to receive Revelations from God, but his Spirit came upon them with mighty power and irresistible evidence. And though God doth reveal some of his secrets, yet he hath secrets which he will not reveal: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him (Psal. 24.14.) And his secret is with the righteous (Prov. 3.32.) This secret is either the good will and favour of God, of which the World knows nothing, or the good Word and Faith of God of which the World knows as little: Both these sorts of Divine secrets are with the righteous, and men fearing God; but the secrets of his Counsel are reserved in his own breast. He reveals to his people the secrets of his bounty, and of their duty, what he will do for them, and what they must do for him; but many things which himself will do shall never be revealed but by the doing of them: Hast thou heard the secrets of God?

The former are of such things as God will doe; the latter, such as Man is either to doe or beleeve: God reveales both to his people. The ordinary way for us is by the Word written, the extraordinary by a word spoken: Thus God opened his secrets to the ancient Prophets and Apostles. The Prophet Amos (Chap. 3.7.) speakes of the secrets of providence, Surely the Lord will doe nothing, but he revealeth his sacrets to his Servants the Prophets: And the Lord himselfe saith of Abraham, Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I am about to doe: Now as there is a revealing of Providence, or of the workes of God, so there is a revealing of Doctrines and of the holy Truths of God. This he promiseth (