The goffiellfens by god. advice ofGamaliel; Ifthiscounfell or worke beeofmen, it will come to nought; Bat ifit bee ofGod , icecannot overthrow it , lea haply yee bee found even to fight againfl God. For towith [land the power or progreffeof ' the Gofpell, is to let a mans face againfi God himfelfe. Secondly , in as much as the Gofpell is fent foith by God, that is , revealed and publifbed out ofSion wee may obferve , That Evangelical' learningcame not into the world by humane difcovery or obfervation, but it is utterly above the compaffe ofall reafonor natural' dif- _ quilition , neither men nor Angels ever knew it but by divine revelation.And therfore the ApoRle every where calleth it a Myflery,agreatandahidden Myflery,which was kept secret fince the world began. There is a Na- tara117heologie without the world, gathered out ofthe workes ofGod,out oftherefolutionofcaufes and erfe6ts into their firli originals , and out of the Law ofnature written in the heart. But there is nonatorall Chrifiianity. Nature is fo farre from finding it out byher owne inqui- ries , that Thee cannot yeeld unto it when it is revealed without a Spirit of faith to affill ir. The Iewes flumbled at it as di (honorable to theirLaw, and the Gentilesderi- ded it, as abfurd in their Philofophy ; It was a Hidden and ferret wifedome , the execution and publication whereofwas committedonelyto Chrifi. In God it was an Eternall GollIell , for Chriit was a Jambe fla'n2 from before the foundationsofthe world , namely in thepre.. determinatecounfell & decreeofhisfather; but revealed it was not till the difpenfation of the faineffe of time, whereinhe gathered together in oneall things in Chriff. The purpofe and ordination of it was eternal), but the ,-reaching and manifcaationofit referved until' the time ofChriftsfolemne inauguration intohis Kingdom; add ofthe obainacy ofthe Iewes, upon wholedefeaion the Gentiles were called in. Which might teachus to adore theunfearchableneffe S 3 of 261 VERSE 2. Rom.r6,25. Cor.2.7.9. Rorn.rAo. t ReveLz4a6 Per.1.2o. r Cm2.7 x 0. Eph. r.9 ro. Eph.3.9.1r 30.
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