482 .An Expofition upon condly, the duty of Chriftians, to be careful! Hil! to learn and know more, adding knowledge unto knowledge, as men heap riches and goods together, al. 3. 16.2 Pet. r.5,6,ß. As plants grow to be trees, Lambes to be Ewes, and In- fants to be men: fo Chriftians, ofBabes in knowledge, muff increafe Rill more and more to perfe &ion. Chap. i i; word hath now revealed it, yet till then it was fecret. Alto in what manner they (hall be reftored,, in what time, in what numbers, there things are hidde, tell by the event they be lear- ned. T i M. What profit arewe to mare of this,thatthemaking of she Jewes is called a MY(fery T I M. What doth this word [ My ffery ] S I L. Fiat, to teach us, that therein' fgni fie ? nothinglhall fall out by chance, but all S r L. It cometh of a word, which' things (hall be ordered by Gods pro - fignifieth' to flint or dole the mouth or vidence. Secondly, to ftirre up Chri- eyes; and fo it fignifieth a thing kept ffians to thankefulneffe towards God, fecret, or not commonly known, or in that he will manifeft to them the very which cannot be known, or which ex. ferrets of his heart, as Kings open their ceedes humane reafon,and is contrary to fecrets to few but fuch as be beloved and humane hope. T a M. How many things do you find in Scripture to be called Myf feries ? S r L. Firft,the Union of two Na- tures in Chrift, his humane and divine Natureunited in one perron, x Tina. 3.. 16. Secondly , the conjun &ion be- tween Chrift the head, and Chriftians the members, Rpbef.5, 31, 32. There two are wonderful! great ferrets, for reafon cannot comprehend them, either how the divine Nature of Chrift be- ing immortali and infinite, and the humane nature of Chrift being finite and mortal!, fhould be joyned together to make but one person, without any mixtion of fubftances; or how Chrift and the faithful! fhould be fo knit to- gether, as to be truely one body, flefh of flefh, bone of bone; there being fo much diftance betwixt them as between heaven and earth, and yet we bcleeve both there fecrets,becanle the word teacheth us fo. Thirdly,the Gofpell is called a Myftery, becaufe in whole it is hid from the na- turall man, and in part it is hid from the regenerate man, I Cor.7,p,Fourthly, the vocation of the Gentiles, Rom. 16. 25 . and the refurre &ion from the dead, how they which live at Chrifls coming fhal dye, r Cor. r 5. 51 are called fe- crets, becaufe they cannot be knowne untill the events declare them. In the fame fenfe, and to the fame purpofe is the reftitution ofthe Jewes in this place called a fecret, becaufe howfoever the trufted. Thirdly, to reprove curiofity, and keep men from fearching the rea- Ions of Gods counfell and doings, con- tenting our felves with fo much as God will have us to know, not defiring to learn, when God will not teach. Laftly, to bridle the arrogancy ofthe Gentiles, left they fhould infult over the Jewes rejetaed, rejoycing immoderately in there own ele &ion, and in the Jewes reje&ion. A better remedy of this pride there cannot be, then to know and con- fider this fecret,that even the Jewes (hall again in mercy be vifited and conver- ted to God,and therefore are at no hand to be clef-piled, but pitied rather, and prayed for. T I M. What is. the firft member of tláia my fiery ? S I L. That blindneffe hath happened unto Ifrael in part. T t M. What is meant by lfeael ? S r L. Ifrael is put for thofe which come of Ifrael, or Jacob, that is, the Ifra- elites or Jewes. Here is meant not fpi- ritual 1, but naturals or literati Ifrael;not the Church colle&ed out of Jewes and Gentiles, but only Jewes for whole peculiar confolation, this was written by Paul. T r M. What is meant byblindnefe? S IL. Their hardneffe of heart, or their hearts hardned, obffinately refu- fing, yea, and reje&ing Chrift and his grace out of deep ignorance and unbe- leef; which is as a vaile to hinder, that theme
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