370 / 808
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 mantled
up in
darknette,
now confpicuous:So
this fpirituall light irradiated upon
our
mindes ,
the wonders
of
Gods
Law
are
madeperceiveable.
But till
the Spirit
of
the Lord come, there
is a
vayle
over our
eyes
that
we
cannot difcerne
the wifdome of God
in his
Word
;
Paul. was
quick-lighted
, and
in
all
the learning
of
the
Pk:rifèer
veryexa&, yet
he
could
not
difcerne thefe
matters.
Wherefore
we
mutt
all
pray
that the vayle
may bee removed
from
thefe points
of
the Gofpell, that the
fpirit
of
liberty
may be given
us,
which where
it
commeth there
is
light
and understanding.
See
what
wee muft impute our
not
profiting
to,
viz.
this, that
wee
have
not got that Eye-bright
of
the
fpirit
wherewith our
eyes
should
be cleared.
We
doe many,
like
the woman, who going to
bed
firing,
and in
the night
taken blind, waking in
the
morning
, complained
of
the
Curtaines: So we
not
difcerning our fpirituall blindnette, we
com.
plaine
of
the Curtaine, ftrange
manner
of
teaching
, obfctlre
(peaking,
perplexed
fentences, I
know not what
in
the teacher,
when
the
fault
is
nearer
home,
we are
too much
in
our
owne light,
not
knowing
our
felves.
He
made knowneunto me
the myflery.]
Now
that
he
calleth
this
do-
&rine
a
my/iery,
it giveth
us
to confider,
That
points
of
falvation
are
hidden
things
to
the world;
(range
riddles
to
the
natural
man. I
did be-
fore mention the
point:
now
I
will only
fhew
in
what
regard
there
things
are
hidden. Ian!
wet.
Not
in
them felves, but
to
us,
not
through
darkneffe
in
them,
but by reafon.of that
darkneffe
which
is
inus.
Things
are lightfome or obfcure
in
themfelves,
or
to
us:
Now
to
bee
made
lightfome
in
themfelves,there
needeth but
the
light oftheSun
to
Thine
upon
them:
butto makethem lightfome to
us,
we mull have
in-
ward
light
in
the
eye
whereby
to
difcerne
them
:
thus
the
counfell
.
of
of
God
is
for the
nature
of
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
the
fupernaturall eye
of
the Spirit,
by
benefit
of
this
ex-
ternall light to difcerne it. But
ifa thingbright
in it
felfe,
having
the
beanie
of
the
Sunnefpread upon ir,
be a hidden
thing, it
is
not
fo
in
ir
felfe,but to this or that
perfon
which
doth not
,
or bath not
eyes
to
difcerne it, 'all
is
hidde in darknef
fe
to him. So
that
wee had
needto
pray with
David,
Pfel.
I
19.18.
Lord
open
our
eyes
that
wee
may
feethe
wonders or
hidden
things
of
tby
Law.
You
fee
(beloved) that
we
are all
of
us
men
of
clay, and living here
as
it were
in
the bottome of
the
chip,
waiking upon
clay,and therefore
if
we would know the
will
of
God
concerning
us
men here
beneath, either God mutt
bee
reveiled
from
heaven
extraordinarily
,
whereof
wee have no warrant,
or
ordinarily,
and
that
is
by
there bookes
written
and
indited by the Spirit
of
God,
to
bee feen, read, and underftood.
Now
this muff (land
by great
rea-
fon, for
if
a man
were in
a minerall
or
cole
-pit,
infinite
fathomes
to-
ward the center
of
the earth,were
it
poblehe
fhould
know
the
will
of
usmen here above, unlefte weeither defcend our felves,
or
fend, or
at