Chap. 34. An Expofztion upon the Book of J o 8. Verf.16. SecondlyNoté. YVhat oever wehear is loft, andbut fcattered in theIre, fwe ds not atrder-flsnd ir. Though we have it in our books, yea though we have it in our memories, 'ris loll, if we underfiandit not we read of a book, fealedwithin, andon the back-fide, with fever Peals, (Rev. 5. a.) we read alto (v. 4.) that John wept much, becaufeno man was. found worthy toopen and to read thebook : That fealingof the book was nothing elfe.but theamain,' of it up from the underflanding; and when Chrift opened the book, he gave the underflanding of it : thewhole book of God is a fealed book; unlefs we have an underflanding, or a faving knowledge of the truths thereincon- tained. WhatJohn faid (Rev. 13. IS.) of counting that myfte- nous number of the Beal}, muff be faid in its proportion o ,;the whole "tnyflerie of godlinefs , let him that hath underfing count and confider them. NoteThirdly. Everyunderflanding is not fit to receive the Truths of God. An unregenerate man is not fitto receive any of the Truths of God ; The natural man (that is, the man who hath nothingbut nature in him)percetveth not the thingsofGod, hehath not a futable faculty for them ; and as a natural mans underflanding cannot at all receive the things of God,fo everydegreeof a fpiritual under- !landing cannot receiveall the truthsof God,or not all the things of God in all their truth. The Apoftle diflributes perfons into feveral degrees, acid calls fome'babes, and othersgrown or perfeft men ; thatis, fuch as have an underflanding fit to take in and di- geft thehighef: and deepefl things of God; and hence it is,that Chrift told his difciples ,(John i6. is.) who had a renewed un- clerftanding, only'twas in alow degree, Ihavemany things tofay unto you, but ye cannot bear them now ; T fuppofe the reafon why Chrift faith they could not bear thofe many things, was not be- caufe being many, they were too great aburden for,their memo- ries, (though potlibly theremight be fomwhat in that) but their inability of bearing thofe many things, was chiefly in their under- 1-landing. There areforne truths, which though a man can remem- ber,yet hecannotbear them; and the more he remembers them, the
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