Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

834 Oft he Oyes ofhearten. and hauing donewhat he inioyneth vs, wholly to referre the wages to his owne bountie. Whereas if there were a deere anddiffina knowledge ofthofe heauenly excellencies,and furpafling ioyes in cuery one of vs, it were not thankfwor- thie to be a chrifiian, neither had we any occauion of apero- uing our faith,loue,and willing obedience unto God,feeing theywould rauifh vs with their beautie and excellencie,and make vs refpeétiue of our dutie,ifnot for loue towards God,, yet at lead for the reward fake. And this caufe the Apofile ,Çor.t s.4 Paul feemeth to intimate,where he. faith, that bee was raker vpInto paradf ,andthere heard wordr,which could notagain 6e fpoken by him,and which 'Were not lawfull -forma++ to 0wtter;.as being fecretsofState, the knowledge whereof was - appro- priatedtothofe who were admitted citizens &free burger- fes of that glorious kingdome. Another caufe may bee our imperfedtion inknowledge,which is afruirand punifhment of our finne, accompanying vs as long as wee continue in Z Cor e;.y.t i. this life. For the Apofile telleth vs, that wee know but in part, and fee as through agla ffe darkely : and that to fee face to face, and to know as we are known, is referued for the life to come. So thatwhen we haue fought out as much as wee can thee lei) ;414. infcrutableand hidden myfleries,we may crie out with lob; Lo thefe are porc of his watts ;but boa' little a portion heart wee of him ?and who can vuderffandhis fearefull power? Neither need this to feeme ftrange vntoany, if wee doe but confider th&c our knowledge and vnderfianding hath receiued fo greata maimebyouroriginallftnne, that wee are ignorant for the mot} part of the things appertaining to this life, knowing them not in theirtrue nature, formes, andcffence, but onely in their figures.,qualities,andproperties rand that not by a prefent,.immediate and deere vnderffanding,but. onely -by fenfe, obferuation,indu6ion, and experience. In which refpe6i it is impoffible to make a blind man by de- feriptions.cleerely to know the nature of colours, and to conceive of thebrightneffe of the funne, becaufe hee wan - te+th thole organs and infituments of knowledge which- fhbuldtonueigh it to the common fenfe, phantafie, and vn-.. ticrfanding :or to make a manperfectly to conceiue of the fweetneffe.