z. Doli. The.doetrine of falvation is a hidden thing to the world; and how. Ephefran.r,Chap.3. V fi ß. 3, thethings which were mantledup in darknette, now confpicuous:So this fpirituall light irradiated uponour mindes , the wonders of Gods Law are madeperceiveable. But till the Spirit ofthe Lord come, there is a vayle over our eyes that wecannot difcerne the wifdome of God in hisWord ; Paul. was quick-lighted , and in all the learningof the Pk:rifèer veryexa&, yet he could not difcerne thefe matters. Wherefore wemutt all pray that the vaylemay bee removed from thefe points ofthe Gofpell, that the fpirit ofliberty may be givenus, which where it commeth there is light and understanding. Seewhat wee muft impute our not profiting to, viz. this, that wee havenot got that Eye-bright of the fpirit wherewith our eyes should be cleared. Wedoe many, like the woman, who going to bed firing, and in the night taken blind, waking inthe morning , complained of the Curtaines: So we not difcerning our fpirituall blindnette, we com. plaine ofthe Curtaine, ftrangemannerofteaching , obfctlre (peaking, perplexed fentences, I know not what in the teacher, when the fault is nearerhome, we are too muchin our owne light, not knowing our felves. Hemade knowneunto me the myflery.] Now that he calleth this do- &rinea my/iery, it giveth us to confider, That points offalvation are hidden things to the world;(range riddles to thenatural man. I did be- fore mention the point: now I will only fhew in what regard there things arehidden. Ian!wet. Not in them felves, but to us, notthrough darkneffe in them, but by reafon.of that darkneffe which is inus. Things are lightfome or obfcure in themfelves, orto us: Now to bee madelightfomein themfelves,there needeth but the light oftheSun to Thine upon them: butto makethem lightfome to us, we mull havein- ward light in the eyewherebytodifcerne them : thus the counfell . of ofGod is for the natureof it light it felfe. z. It is made fenfible and viftble, the light of revelation fhining on it. 3. It is fo difcerned wherethere is thefupernaturall eye ofthe Spirit, bybenefit of thisex- ternall light to difcerne it. But ifa thingbright in it felfe, having the beanie oftheSunnefpread upon ir, be a hidden thing, it is not fo in ir felfe,but to this or that perfonwhich doth not , or bath not eyes to difcerne it, 'all is hidde in darkneffe to him. So that wee hadneedto pray withDavid, Pfel. I 19.18. Lord open our eyes thatwee mayfeethe wonders or hidden thingsoftby Law. You fee (beloved) that weare all ofus menofclay, and living hereas it were in the bottome of the chip, waiking uponclay,and thereforeifwe would know the will of God concerning us men here beneath, either God muttbee reveiled from heaven extraordinarily , whereof wee have no warrant, or ordinarily, and thatis by there bookes written and indited by the Spirit of God, tobee feen, read, and underftood. Now this muff (land by great rea- fon, for ifa man were in a minerall or cole-pit, infinite fathomes to- ward the center ofthe earth,wereit poblehefhould know the will ofusmen here above, unlefte weeither defcend our felves,or fend, or at
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