8 SER MON S upon Serm.7. 2. The Cleartiefs of the Scriptures. Chrift knew all the Councils of God, and he hath manifefted his Name to the App(lles. There is a Light fhining ; if we fee it not, it is a fign we are loft. z Cor. 4.3, 4. If our Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lcfb the Light of the glorious Gofpel of Chr f, who is the Image of God, Jhonld thine unto them. What an Advantage have we above the Gentiles, and above the Jews ? r. Above the Gentiles. The Dot-trine of the Eflènce and Will of God cannot be known by the Light of Nature. Somewhat of his Glory fhineth in the Creatures : Rom. t. 20. For the inv fble Things of him from the Creation of the World are clear) feen, being uriderfíood by the things that are made, even his Eternal Potter and Godhead. Some CharaEters there are in Confcience, though horribly defaced ; but alas, the fur - theft reach of Nature cometh (hors of Salvation. Nature is blind as well as lame, in things fupernatural ; there are fome few remains of Light to keep the Law of Nature alive in the Soul, for the advantage of Civil Society, and Moral Bufinefs. When Na- ture putteth on the Speetacles of Art, (till the is blind. There are many Inventions to polifh Keafon; to fharpen Difeourfe, there is Logick ; for. Language, Rhetorick; for Government and Equity, Laws ; for Health, Phyfick ; for Manners, Ethicks ; for Societies of Men, Politicks; for Families, Oeconomicks ; but for Wor(hip, No- thing ; their piercing Wits were there blunt. Man is naturally wife for every thing, but to maintain a refpea between him and God. They knew there was a God, and that this God ought to be worthipped ; but what he was, and how he fhould be wor- fhipped, they knew not ; their Knowledg was rather a Mitt than a Light. His Works told. them, that he was Wife, Powerful, and Good ; but they were unhappy in their determination of his Worfhip; they fat a brood, and proved but Fools : They profiled themfelvestobeWife, but became Fools, Rom. t. 22. While they intended him Ho- nour, they carved td him the greateft contempt : whilfi they would exprefs him in the Image of the Creatures, they dithonoured him. Natural Light is but fmall in it felt, and Corruption maketh it lets. They anew nothing of the mifery of Man, and the Remedy by Chrifl; our Fall in Adam, Original Sin, and the Work of Redemption were Myfteries to them ; they could not dream of thefe things ; when they were re- vealed,they counted them Foolifhnefs. They fptike of Vertue as a moral Perfehion; of Vice, as a ftain of Nature ; but nothing of Righteoufnefs and Sin, as relative to the Covenant of God. God ufed the Heathen as In(truments, to put Nature to the higheft extent. How may we pity them, that they could go no further ! and admire God's Mercy to us, that we, being weaker than they in natural Gifts, are yet ftronger in Grace ! that a Boy out of a Catechifm Ihould know more than they ! Their Mifery was great in abufing the Light of Nature; our Mifery will be greater, and Damnation double, if we abufe the Light of Nature and Grace. 2. Above the Jewes, whom God acquainted with his Statutes above all other Na- tions. They knew little of the Name of God in comparifon of what we know. Therefore Moles deftres to know God's Name, Exod.3.13. And it is Paid, Judges 13. HI. Why ae efi thou after my Name, feeing it is ferret ? The Divine Glory was hidden, and under a Vail. In chofe Appearances of Chrift little was known, in refpea of what Was known at his Incarnation. It is fpoken in reference to the prefent Difpenfation. Some notice they had of this Myftery : God acquainted them with his Name by de- greei; as Exod. 6. 3. I appeared unto Abraham, unto Ifaac, and unto Jacob, by the Name of God Almighty; but by my Name JEHOVAH was 1 not known to them. God had made himfelf known by other Names; to the Fathers, by theName of God Almighty ; the Name JEHOVAH, that Ihotild be an Appellation among his gathered People, giving a Being to his People, and making good his Promifes. Afterwards, I am the Goctxrf..Abrahahs, the God of Iliac, the God of yacob, as more relating to the Co- venant. . Afterwards, Jer. 23. g, 6. I mill ruif up to David a Righteous Branch, this is the Name whereby, he Jhallbecalled, THE LORD OVR WIGHTEO?JSNESS. Then God will be khown by his Grace, juftifying his People, and accepting them for Chrift's fake. But in the NeW Teftament all is open and clear, he is called the God and Father of oar Lord Jefes Chr f, Ephef. r. 5. Then God the Father, and the Mediator, were clearlymade known. Alas ! the Jewifh Church knew little of the Do&rine of the Trinity, the Diflin&ión of the Perkins, the Quality of the Mediator, the Way of Salvation. What they knew was obfcured, and the Dbarine of the Meffiah horri- bly depraved.
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