I!ilut therefore who had profited fo much in rhe]tws R.eligion,-.GaJ. r. ''fo pro• feffcth, Phit. 3· 8. that he aci:ounred all drofs and dung for this excellent know– ledge of Chri!l. He might weH fay Rom. I'.16. He wasnot ·ail)amedof the Gof– pel of Chri!l for he makes his knowledge therein his chiefe!l excellency, Ephtf 3' '4· ' there is a Paremhefts wherein you would thihk he bda!.led fpeakin!j ' of his own writeiogs, Whereby whm:;•ou read, .(faith he, ) ; :ott mqy U11dtrjftittd my knowledge 111 the Myj/trJ' of Chrr(l. · ·'·' What do l fpeaking of the fiudy , and glory of Prophets and Apofiles; it is the fiudy of the Angels, which they think worthy of their greate!l intention, look into both thefe places, I Ptt. I. ID. Epht{ I.'"· Which thi11gs thi Angds dtjirt to pry into; thefe glorious Creatures that know God in his Legal Covenant and work of Creation more fully than ever.'Adrzm did, that have the immediate · participation of God himfelf, have his face to read Lectures in, Day and Night, ~od yet glad if ther canrget butiafeepe and glimpfe of the way of faving men by Chrift, as being a knowledge o greater excellency than otherwife they have any, yea, and fo defirous are therto learn it, that they are content to go to School to the Church, Ephef l· g.ro. That to Principa!itits andPcwersmight 6e m,ltft known 6y tht Church, f!)c. But what need I fpeak of Angels, Prophets and Apofiles, it is the great fiu– dy (if I may fo fpeak with reverence,) the Wifdom and great learning of God himfelf, who was the fir{\ profefforof it, called fo ,.. T£~"'1,. r Cor.2, 7· !peaking of the Gofpcl, fays he, WeJPeak 'the wrfdom&f God 111 a JJ!;fler;•,and that a hid· den wifdom before the World was, hid in God, Ephef. 3· 9· God's ad and pecu– liar to himfelf; whereas other knowledge Men and Angels have common with us infufed at fir{\ Creation to attain to, and pick out of themfelves. But this is his Wifdom which he alone had fiudied,110d which none knows but thofe to whom he reveal'd it, which hath brought me to the firll part ofmy Text; Setting forth thttKcttlmcyof the GofPel, that it-is a Myfiery which God only makes known 1 and that to Saints for th'e 'riches of glory that are revealed in it. No\v, To fhew you the Original and the intent of frameing this Mifiery, you have it expreft in this frame follo"'ing. Our aiJ.wife and infinitely bleffed Lord who had from everlalling riches of glo– rious perfections of Holincfs, Jufiice, Wifdom, Mercy, in him, which rho he himfelfknew and was infinitely bleffed in the knowledge of them, though no Saint or Angel had ever been, or ever knew them, yet all thefe his glorious per– fections being crowned with goodnefs, both made him willing· to make known what riches ofglory were in him unto fome Creatures which yet were in Chrill; his goodoefs moved him to it, for Bonum ejlJui Commtmzcativum, and it is the Nature of Perfection alfo to be Mmzifeflativum ji1i, and that not becaufe any perfection is added to it when made known, ( which makes us deftre to manifell our imperfections, as being perfeCted when made known, ) but that they might perfect others : This fet him upon fame ways to make known his Riches, and his glory, to fame that fhould be made happy by it, and to that cod he would have Saints, his Saints as being beloved of him, unto whom he might as it were unbofom himfelf and difplay all the Riches of glory which are in him,into whofe laps he might, withal, poure out all his Riches, that they might fee his glory, and be glorified in feeiog of it, Johll 17. 3. 14. And one way he began to manifell his glorio11s backpart! to Angels and m~n in the fir'{\ Creation; In the Law, Covenant of Works, and works of Creation which he had done, lis his eternal Power, and Godhead, and Goodnefs, in the glorious workmaolhip of Heaven and Earth, and of fuch glorious Creaturts as they themfelves were, Rom. I, 20. His wifdom in the ordering governing and guiding fogreatan Hofi, ·and Armies of feveral Creatures, to feveral ends lly feveral Laws his Jufiice in his Legal Covenant, giving them life whill\ they llwuld obey; threatoing Damnation to the difobeyers of it: His infinite ho!inefs in that perfect and exad R.ule of R.ighteoufnefs, the Copy of his own Will writ• reo in their hearts. Here
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