A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

which in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons of Men, as it is now revealed unto his Holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit. Col. 1.26, 27. Even the Mystery which hath been hid from Ages, and from Generations, but now is made manifest to his Saints. To whom God would make known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in them the Hope of Glory. But God suffered them to serve their own Lusts, and to carry on that Religion which they had feigned to themselves. But then he left not himself without a Witness, for they had many corporal Blessings, from whence they might easily collect, that they should not worship Stocks and Stones, and dead Men, but the living God, by whose Providence those Blessings were dispensed. Though he gave them not the Gospel, yet he gave them the Light of Nature, and the Looking-glass of the Creatures. There is much ado, whether this were auxilium sufficiens Gratiae, a sufficient Help to convert them, or to bring them to such a Condition, that they might gain the Grace of God. It was enough to oblige them to seek after God, and to convince them that they did ill in worshipping the Creatures, but it was not sufficient to find out the true God, and enjoy him. Saving-Grace is not granted by any Promise to the improvement of Nature. Well then, though the whole Earth be full of the Goodness of the Lord, that is, of the Fruits and Effects of his common Bounty, yet nothing of his Saving-Grace is known, till it appeared and broke out in the Gospel.

(2.) To the Jews this Grace began to dawn, but it was veiled in Figures and Shadows, that they could not see clearly. The Substance of their Doctrine was the same with ours, but there is a great deal of difference in the manner of Dispensation; they had the dark Text, and we the Exposition. There was Grace and Shadow by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ, John 1.17. because here all the Types were revealed, and we have the Substance it self. Christ is the Light of the World. The Sun, the farther off it is from rising, the less Light it gives. Christ was not then risen, therefore there was but Twi-light and full of Shadows: Grace is opposed to the Condemnation of the Moral Law, and Truth to the Shadows of the Ceremonial Law. Christ's Offices, his Benefices, his Person, were but darkly propounded to them. Take but one place for all: Of all the Ministers of the Legal Dispensation, John Baptist saw the clearest; yet, saith Christ, the least of Gospel-Ministers knows more than he,