2$(6 . Of -C'igt M >J >,r ,I o N With And the apoftie declares how this is done, 3 ,Cor. ii, to, 13. He bath re- ,vealed thefe things to us by his Spirit, for we have receivedhim that we might know the things that are freely given us of ,Gech. He fends us his îpirit, as he promifed, to make known his mind unto his faints, and to eäd them into all truth ; and thence the ápoíìle concludm, We have known the mind of Chrifl, v. 16. for he ufeth us as friends and declareth it unto us, Yoh. i. 18. There is not any thing in the heart of Chri(t wherein thefe his friends are concerned, that he doth not reveal to them. All his love, his good will, the fecrets of his covenant, the paths of obedience, the my- f`terÿ of faith is told them. And all this is fpoken in oppoítion to unbe- lieyers, with whom he hath no communion. Thefe knownothing of the Rind of Chrift as they ought, The natural man received; not the things that Ere of God, h Cor. ii. 14. There is a wide difference between underhand.. ann the doftrine of the fcripture as in the letter, and a true knowing the mind of Chrift. This we have by ffecial unflion from Chrift, i Yoh. k4 84. We have an unilion from the holy one, and we know all things, r Joli. 5. left. Now the things which in this communion Chrift reseals to them haat he delights in, may be referred to thefe two heads. Oa,) Himfelf. (2.) His Kingdom. (1.) Himfelf, Yobs xiv. 2r. He that loveth me, fhiall be loved of my fa- ther; and I will love him and will manifefi my felf unto him; manifeft my Pelf in all my graces, defirablencfs and lovelinefs i he (hall know Inc as am, and fuch I will be unto him, a faviour, a redeemer, the chiefeft of tea thoufand. He Than be acquainted with the true worth and value of the pearl of price, let others look upon biro as having neither form nor come- linefs, as no way defirable, he will manifeft himfelf and his excellencies un- to them in whom he is delighted, that they (hall fee him altogether lovely. He will vail himfelf to all the world, but the faints with (a) open fats (hall behold his beauty, and his glory, and fo be tranflated to the Image of the fame glory as by the fpirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. (2. His kingdom; they (hall be acquainted with the government of his fpirit in their hearts, as alfo with his rule, and the adininiftrgtion of os- thority in his word, and among his churches. 1.) Thus, in the firft placeBoth he manifeft his delight in his faints, he communicates his fecrets unto them. He gives them to know his perfon, his excellencies, his grace, his love, his kingdom, hie. will, the riches of his goodnefs, and the bowels of his mercy more and metre, when the world (hall neither fee, not know any fuch thing. 2.) He enables his faints to communicate their mind, its reveal their fowls unto him, that fo they may walk together as intimate friends ; Chtilt knows theminds of all. He knows what is in man, and needs not that any man te- fiify of him, Jot'. ii. 35. He fearcheth the hearts, and tt(esb the reins of all, Revel. ii. 23. But all know not how to communicate their mind to Chri(t. It will not availa man at all, that Chrift knows his mind, for fohe cloth01 every one whether he will or rip, but that a man can make his heart known unto Chrift, this is confolation. Hence the prayers of the faints are (a), inçenfe, odours, and thole of others are (b) Howling, cutting ofa dog's neck,, ofering of fwines blood, an abomination unto the Lord. Now three things are required to enable a tttatt t r cortatirunicate his heart unto the Lord jeftmg (á) Revel. Vii{. 3. (0) Hof: vii. 14. if. Ix,i. 3, Pro,:xx,üi. g. (1. Affiftance
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