The Glorious Feast of the Gospel, Sermon 3
THE Third Sermon.
ISAIAH 25. 6, 7.
And in this Mountaine ſhall the Lord of Hoſts make unto all people a Feast, &c. And he will deſtroy in this Mountaine the face of the covering caſt over all people, and the vaile that is ſpread over all Nations.
I Have heretofore ſpoken of the Feaſt that God makes to his Church, ſpecially in the later times, which was ſpecially performed at the firſt comming of Chriſt, when the Gentiles came in: But the conſummation and perfection of all will be at the day of judgement, then God will ſpread a Table for his to all eternity.
We have ſpoken heretofore at large of the reſemblance of ſpirituall good things, by this compariſon of a Feaſt, God ſets out ſpirituall things by outward, becauſe wee cannot otherwiſe conceive of them: the beſt things in grace, by the beſt, and ſweeteſt things in Nature. And thus God enters into our ſoules by our ſenſes, as we ſee in the Sacrament.The Spirit of God muſt work us to a reliſh of ſpirituall things.
But wee have ſpoken at large of this: Our care muſt be to have a ſpeciall taſte, a ſpirituall appetite, to reliſh this Feaſt that God provides; naturally wee are diſtaſtfull, we reliſh not ſpirituall, and heavenly things, we ſavor not the things of God. And the ſpirit of God muſt alter our ſavor, and taſte as he doth; whereſoever there is ſpirituall life, there is ſpirituall reliſh of heavenly truths.
Now let me adde this further,We muſt bring ſomething to the Feaſt, though not of our owne. that though it be made by God, yet we muſt bring ſomething to this Feaſt: Chriſt feaſteth with us, as yee have Rev. 3. he ſups with us, not that wee have grace from our ſelves, or can bring any thing, he bringeth his own proviſion, with him when hee ſuppeth with us; But yet by the Covenant of grace whereby he enters into termes of friendſhip with us, we muſt ſup with him, wee muſt have grace to entertaine him, though it is at his owne coſt; yet we muſt have ſomething: he doth not require us to pay our debts, but he giveth us wherewith, ſecretly he bids us come, but giveth a ſecret Meſſenger to draw us; he ſends his ſpirit certainly; certainly hee will have us bring ſomthing when wee come to feaſt, but it is of his owne giving: And that we are to bring, is humble and empty ſoules, (wherein we are to delight our ſelves in ſenſe of our unworthineſſe,)Wee muſt bring empty ſoules, and a ſpirit of Faith, and a ſpirit of Love. and the ſpirit of faith to believe his promiſes; that pleaſeth him when we can honour him with a Spirit of Faith, and then a Spirit of Love, and new Obedience, ſpringing from a Spirit of Faith and Love: theſe bee the things Chriſt requires wee ſhould have. Our ſoules muſt be thus furniſhed that Chriſt may delight to dwell with us: And therefore it is a good importuning of God; Lord I deſire thou ſhouldeſt dwell in mee, and prepare my ſoule as a fit Temple, vouchſafe me the graces thou delighteſt in, and delighteſt to dwell in. So wee may begge of God his Holy Spirit to furniſh our ſoules, ſo as he may dwell, and delight in us.
But we have ſpoken largely of the former Verſe, I will now ſpeak of the next that followeth.
And I will deſtroy in this Mountaine the face of covering caſt over all people, and the vaile ſpread over all nations, to ſwallow up death in victory, the Lord will wipe away teares from all faces, and the rebukes of his people ſhall be taken from the earth, for the Lord hath ſpoken it.
Theſe depend one upon another, being the ſeverall Services of the Feaſt.The ſervices of this Feaſt. He promiſeth a Feaſt in the ſixth Verſe. And what be the ſeverall Services. He will deſtroy in this mountaine, this Church, the face of covering caſt over all people, &c. Hee will take away the vaile of Ignorance, and unbeliefe, that they may have ſpeciall ſight of heavenly things, without which they cannot reliſh heavenly things, they can take no joy at this Feaſt.
And then, becauſe there can be no Feaſt, where there is the greateſt enemy in force and power, he ſwallowes up death in victorie. Death keeps us in feare all our life time, that that ſwalloweth up all Kings and Monarchs; the terror of the World Death ſhall bee, and is ſwallowed up by our head, Chriſt, and ſhall be ſwallowed up by us in victory. In the meane time we are ſubject to many ſorrowes which cauſe teares; for teares are but drops that iſſue from that cloud of ſorrow: And ſorrow we have alwayes in this world, either from our ſinnes, or miſeries, or ſimpathy in teares of that kinde. Well, the time will come that teares ſhall bee wiped away, and the cauſe of teares; all ſorrow for our owne ſinnes, for our own miſery, and for ſimpathizing with the times wherein we live. Our time ſhall bee hereafter at the day of the reſurrection, when all teares ſhall be wiped from our eyes: God will performe that office of a mother to wipe the childrens eyes, or of a Nurſe to take away all cauſe of grief whatſoever, elſe it cannot be a perfect feaſt.
I but there is reproaches caſt upon Religion, and religious perſons, it goeth under a vaile of reproach, and the beſt things are not ſeene in their owne colours, nor the worſt things, they go under vizards here.
But the time will come, that the rebukes of his people ſhall be taken away. The good things as they are beſt, ſo ſhall they be knowne to bee ſo: And ſinne, and baſe courſes, as they are bad, and as they are from Hell, ſo they ſhall be knowne to be; every thing ſhall appear in its owne colours, things ſhall not goe masked any longer. And what is the ſeal of all this? The ſeal of it is, The mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it; truth it ſelfe hath ſpoken it, and therefore it muſt needs be, Jehovah that can give a being to all things, he hath ſaid it.
Wee have heard why the Church is called a Mountaine. He will deſtroy, or ſwallow up, as the word may ſignifie, the face of covering, or the covering of the face; the vaile which is the covering of the face, and particularly expreſt in that terme, alwayes, the vaile that is ſpread over all Nations.
God will take away the ſpirituall vaile that covers the Soules of his people, that is between them and divine truths. It hath alluſion to that of Exodus 34, about Moſes when he came from the Mount, he had a vaile, for the people could not behold him, hee had a glory put upon his face, that they could not look upon him with a direct eye, and therefore he was faine to put a vail upon his face, to ſhew that the Jews could not ſee, as Paul interprets it, 2 Cor. 3. 15. To this day, ſaith hee, when Moſes is read, there is a vaile put upon their hearts; they could not ſee that the Law was a Schoole-maſter to bring to Chriſt, the Ceremoniall Law, and the Morall Law. God had a bleſſed end by the curſe of it, to bring them to Chriſt: They reſted in the vaile, their ſight was terminated in the vaile, they could not ſee through to the end and ſcope of it. Nevertheleſſe, when they ſhall turne to the Lord, the vaile ſhall be taken away.
From the words conſider firſt of all, that naturally there is a vaile of ignorance upon the ſoule.
Secondly, God doth take away his vaile, and God by his Spirit onelyonly can doe it.
Thirdly, that this is onelyonly in his Church: And where this vaile of ignorance is taken off, there is feaſting with God, and ſpirituall joy, and delight in the beſt order: And where it is taken off, there is none of it.
Firſt of all by nature there is a vaile of covering over all mens ſpirits.Obſ. To underſtand this better,There is a vail over all mens ſpirits by nature. let us unfold the termes of vaile a little. There is a vaile either upon the things themſelves that are to bee ſeen, or upon the ſoule which ſhould behold them:A two-fold vaile. The vaile of things themſelves is when they be hidden altogether, or in part, when we know part,1. Of the things themſelves. and are ignorant of part. And this vaile upon the things ariſeth from the weak apprehenſion of them, when they are not repreſented in cleare expreſſions but in obſcurity of words, or in types. When we ſee them onelyonly in types, or obſcure phraſes, which hideth ſometime the ſight of the thing it ſelfe; The manner of Speech ſometimes caſteth a vaile on things; for our Saviour Chriſt ſpake in Parables, which were like the cloud darke on the one ſide, light on the other, darke towards the Egyptians, light towards the Iſraelites: So ſome expreſſions of Scripture have a light ſide, that onelyonly the godly ſee, and a darke ſide, that other men good wit (as naturall men) ſee not.
Againe,2 Of the ſouls not ſeeing, or not beleeving. there is a vaile upon the Soule, and upon the Sight; if the things be vailed, or the ſight vailed, there is no ſight. Now the ſoule is vailed, when we be ignorant, and unbeleeving, when we are ignorant of what is ſpoken and revealed, or when we know the termes of it, and yet beleeve it not.
Now this vaile of ignorance, and unbeliefe, continueth in all unregenerate men, untill grace takes away the vaile. Beſides, before a thing can be ſeene, the object muſt not onelyonly be made cleare, and the eye-ſight too, but there muſt be Lumen deferens, 3 There muſt be a light to make things viſible.a light to carry the object to the eye: If that be not wee cannot ſee. As the Egyptians in the three dayes of darkneſſe, had their eyes, but there wanted light to repreſent the object; And therefore they could not goe neare one to another; it is the light and not ſight; if there be ſight, and no light to carry and convey the object, we cannot ſay there is ſight.
That which anſwereth to this vaile, is the vaile of Scripture, whereby heavenly things are ſet out by a miſtery; a miſtery is, when ſomething is openly ſhewed, and ſomething hidden.
When ſomething is concealed,All things in religion are myſterious. as in the Sacrament, they be myſteries: we ſee the bread, we ſee the wine, but under the bread and wine other things are intended; the breaking of the body of Chriſt, and the ſhedding of his bloud, and in that the love and mercy of God in Chriſt, in giving him to death for us; and Chriſts love to give himſelf to ſatisfie Divine Juſtice: theſe be the things intended, which onelyonly the ſoule ſees and apprehendeth. And ſo all things in the Church indeed are myſteries, the incarnation of Chriſt, the union of both natures, that Chriſt ſhould ſave the world by ſuch a way as he did, that he ſhould bring us to glory by ſhame, to life, by death, to bleſſing and happineſſe, by being a curſe for us; it is a myſtery to bring contrary out of contrary: That ſo glorious a perſon as God, ſhould be covered with our weake and ſinnefull nature: it was a myſtery, the Jewes ſtumbled at it; light came, and the darkeneſſe could not comprehend the light. And as Chriſt was a myſtery himſelfe, ſo the Church is a myſtery, that God ſhould ſo much delight in a company of poore men, the off-ſcowring of the world, to make them temples of his holy Spirit, and heires of heaven, men that were under the ſcorne of the world: this is a myſtery, ſo all is myſticall, the head, the members, the body, the Church, and every particular point of Religion; there is a myſtery in repentance, no man knoweth what ſorrow for ſin is, but the true gracious perſon; no man knowes what it is to believe, but he that hath an heart to believe; no man knoweth what peace of conſcience and joy of the holy Ghoſt is, but thoſe that feele it; ſo that is a myſtery. And therefore great is the myſtery of godlineſſe, ſaith the Apoſtle, not onelyonly in the points themſelves, but even the practice of Religion is a myſtery too. Repentance, and Faith, and new obedience, and love, and the comforts of Religion, are all myſteries; there is a vaile upon them in all theſe points, that a carnall man cannot ſee them.
You ſee then in what ſenſe there is a vaile of the things, and in what ſenſe there is a vaile on mens hearts; that is, either the things themſelves are hid, or if the things be open, they want ſight, and light of knowledge, and they want faith to believe. Beloved, we live in times that the object is cleare to us, the things themſelves are made cleare: as who knoweth not what Chriſt is, and the notion of the incarnation, and of the union with him; wee know them notionally, they be opened and revealed to us very clearely, all the articles of faith, and miſteries of Religion; ſo that there is no obſcurity in the object, the things are cleare, ſpecially in theſe places of knowledge: But yet notwithſtanding there is a vaile upon the ſoule. The ſoule of every man that is not graciouſly wrought upon by the ſpirit of God, hath a vaile of ignorance, and unbeliefe.
Firſt of all, of Ignorance. There is a vaile of ignorance in many,1. Theres a vaile of ignorance on all naturall men. and in all men naturally a vaile of ignorance of ſpirituall things; for unleſſe they be revealed, they can never be knowne to Angels themſelves: The Angels themſelves know not the Goſpell till it be opened, and therefore they be ſtudents in it continually; and the beſt men in the world know nothing in the Goſpell further then it is revealed; but there is a vaile of ignorance upon them that know theſe things notionally,Naturall men know not ſpirituall things in their proper ſpecies. becauſe they do not know them as they ſhould know them; they doe not know them in propria ſpecie, ſpirituall and heavenly things as ſpirituall and heavenly things: they doe not know ſpirituall things as ſpirituall things, they have a humane knowledge of ſpirituall things. Thoſe that want grace, they know the Grammer of the Scripture and Divinity, and they know how to diſcourſe as Schoolemen doe, from one thing to another, and to argue; they know the Logicke and Rhetoricke of the Scripture, but they ſticke in the ſtile, there is ſomething they are ignorant of: That is, they have not an eye of knowledge, as wee call it; they doe not ſee the things themſelves, but onelyonly they ſee things by another bodies ſpirit, and they have no light of their owne: And ſo no man knoweth naturally but the children of God what originall ſinne is, what corruption of nature is, nor knowes ſinne in its owne odious colours, to be filthy, and to be dangerous as it is; to draw the curſe and vengeance of God upon it, this is not knowne, but by the ſpirit revealing the odiouſneſſe of ſinne, that the ſoule may apprehend it, as Chriſt did when he ſuffered for it, and as God doth. A gracious man ſeeth it as God ſeeth it, becauſe by the ſpirit of God hee ſeeth the filthineſſe and odiouſneſſe of it, and the danger it draweth after it.
And ſo in any points of Religion naturally, a man ſees not them ſpiritually, as they are, and as God ſees them, but he ſeeth them by a humane light; hee ſeeth heavenly things by a humane light, notionally, and meerely to diſcourſe of them, he ſeeth not intritively into the things themſelves, he ſeeth them ſub aliena ſpecie, under another repreſentation then their owne; onelyonly a godly man ſeeth ſpirituall things as the ſpirit of God,A godly man ſees ſpirituall things intritively. and ſeeth them as they are, knowes ſinne as it is, knoweth grace to be as it is, and knoweth faith; what it is to believe, what it is to have peace of conſcience, and the pardon of ſinnes: he knoweth theſe things in ſome ſenſe intritively, though not ſo as he ſhall doe when he ſhall ſee theſe things in heaven, when he ſhall ſee face to face. There is a great difference in it, hee ſees them intritively, in reſpect of the knowledge of other men, though he ſees but in a glaſſe, in regard of the knowledge hee ſhall have in heaven: As Saint Paul ſaith, for wee ſee but as in a glaſſe; but he that ſees in a glaſſe ſeeth more life, then he that ſees the dead picture of a man: So though we ſee but in a glaſſe heavenly things, yet wee ſee them better then thoſe that ſee them in a dead notion; though it be nothing to the knowledge wee ſhall have in heaven, yet it is incomparable above the knowledge of any carnall naturall man upon the earth.
Againe, naturally men have vailes of ignorance upon the moſt divine things; of ſpirituall things, ſuch as is union, and as is the communion between Chriſt and us, and the myſtery of regeneration in the new creature, ſuch as is the joy in the holy Ghoſt, the inward peace of conſcience. I will not name the particulars to inſiſt on them, but give you onelyonly an iuſtance; though they know the notion of theſe things, yet they are altogether ignorant of them: their knowledge is a meere outward light, it is a light radicated in the ſoule; It is not as the light of the Moone, which receiveth light from the Sunne, but it is a light radicated and incorporated into the ſoule, as the light of the Sunne is by the ſpirit, it is in the ſoule; it is not onelyonly upon the ſoule, but in the ſoule; the heart ſees and feeleth, and knoweth divine truths: there is a power and vertue in the ſight and knowledge of a gracious man, there is none in the knowledge of a carnall man. The light of a candle hath a light in it, but no vertue at all goeth with it;The light of the godly is a light with influence, the light of the wicked is without it. but the light of the Sunne, and the light of the ſtarres, they have a ſpeciall vertue, they have heate with them, and they have an influence in a ſpeciall kind on inferiour bodies working together with the light; So it is with heavenly apprehenſion and knowledge, it actually conveyeth light but with the light there is a bleſſed and gracious influence, there is heate and efficacy with that light. But though a carnall man know all the body of divinity, yet it is a meere light without heat,Simile. a light without influence: It is not experimentall. As a blind man can talke of colours, if he be a Scholler, and deſcribe them better then he that hath his eyes, he being not a Schollar: but he that hath his eyes can can judge of colours a great deale better.Simile. Oftentimes by booke a Schollar can tell you forraigne countries, better than he that hath travelled, yet the traveller that hath bin there, can tell them more diſtinctly; So he that is experienced in that kind, though a ſtranger, can meaſure another mans ground better then himſelfe, he can tell you here is ſo many Acres;Simile. but he that poſſeſſeth them knowes the goodneſſe of them, the worth of them, and improveth them to his owne good. And ſo it is with many, they can meaſure the points of Religion, and define, and divide them; I but the poor Chriſtian can taſte, can feele them, can reliſh and improve them: his knowledge is a knowledge with intereſt, but other mens knowledge is a knowledge with no intereſt or experience at all: So that there is naturally a vaile of ignorance on the heart of every naturall man.
Chriſtianity is a myſtery; till converſion there is a myſtery in every point of Religion: none know what repentance is, but a repentant ſinner; all the bookes in the world cannot informe the heart what ſin is, or what ſorrow is. A ſicke man knoweth what a diſeaſe is better then all Phyſicians, for he feeleth it; no man knoweth what faith is but the true believer: there is a myſtery alſo in love. Godlineſſe is called a myſtery, not onelyonly for the notionall, but the practicall part of it; why doe not men more ſolace themſelves in the tranſcendent things of Religion, which may raviſh Angels. Alas, there is a vaile over their ſoule, that they doe not know them, or not experimentally they have no taſte or feeling of them.
And ſo there is a vaile of unbeliefe;There is a vaile of unbeliefe over the unregenerate. there is no man without grace, that believeth truly what he knoweth, but he believeth in the generall onelyonly, he beleeveth things ſo farre forth, as they croſſe not his luſts. But when particular truths are inforced on a carnall man, his luſts doe overbeare all his knowledge, and he hath a ſecret ſcorne ariſing in his heart, whereby he derideth thoſe truths, and goeth againſt them, and makes him thinke certainly theſe be not true, and therefore he beleeveth them not. If a man by nature beleeved the truths he ſaith he knoweth, he would not goe directly againſt them: But the ground of this is, there is a miſt of ſinnefull luſts that are raiſed out of the ſoule, that darkens the ſoule, that at the preſent time the ſoule is atheiſticall, and full of unbeliefe; for there is no ſin but ignorance and unbeliefe breatheth it into the ſoule, and maketh way for it; For if a man knew what he were about, and apprehended that God ſaw him, and the danger of it,Ignorance and unbeliefe act in all ſinnes. he would never ſinne. There is no ſinne without an error in judgement, there is a vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe; what creature will run into a pit when he ſeeth it open? what creature will runne into the fire, the moſt dull creature? Man will not run into that danger that is open to the eye of the ſoule, if there were not a vaile of ignorance, at leaſt unbeliefe, at that time upon the ſoule. All ſinne ſuppoſeth error.
And this ſhould make us hate ſinne the more, whenſoever we ſinne, ſpecially againſt our conſcience; there is atheiſme in the ſoule at that time, and there is unbeliefe: we beleeve not truth it ſelf; no ſinner but calleth truth into queſtion: when he ſinneth, he denieth it, or queſtioneth it; and therefore there is a vaile on every man naturally over his heart by ignorance and unbeliefe. The truths themſelves are cleare, God is cleare, and the Goſpel is light, Mens, Lux, you know they know things in the object, but in us there is darkeneſſe in our underſtandings; and therefore the Scripture ſaith not, wee are darke onelyonly, but darkneſſe it ſelfe. The clouds that ariſe, are like the miſts that doe interpoſe between our ſoules, and divine things, ariſing from our own hearts; & the love of ſinfull things raiſe ſuch a cloud, that we know not, or elſe believe not what is ſpoken.
To proceed,2. Obſer. God onelyonly can reveale and take away the vaile of ignorance,God only can take off the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe. and unbeliefe from off the ſoule: I will ſpeake ſpecially of this vaile. The reaſon is, there is ſuch a naturall unſuitableneſſe between the ſoule and heavenly light, and heavenly truths, that unleſſe God opens the eye of the ſoule,Reaſ. and puts a new eye into the ſoule,Becauſe of the unſuitablenes between the ſoule and ſpirituall things. it can never know or diſcerne of heavenly things; there muſt be an eye ſuitable to the light, elſe there will never be ſight of it. Now God can create a new ſpirituall eye to diſcerne of ſpirituall things, which a naturall eye cannot; who can ſee things inviſible? Divine things are inviſible to naturall eyes, there is no ſuitableneſſe: he that muſt reveale theſe, and take away the vaile, muſt create new light within, as well as a light without; now God, and only God, that created light out of darkneſſe, can create light in the ſoule. Let there be light. Hee only can create a ſpirituall eye, to ſee the things that to nature are viſible.
There be four things in ſight.Foure things. required in ſight. 1. The object to be beheld. 2. The light that conveyeth it. 3. The organ that receiveth it. 4. And the light of the eye to meet the light without. So it is in the ſoule together with divine truths, there muſt be light to diſcover them; for light is the firſt viſible thing that diſcovers it ſelfe and all things elſe: And then there muſt be a light in the ſoule to judge of them, and this light muſt be ſuitable. A carnall baſe ſpirit judgeth of ſpirituall things carnally, like himſelfe, becauſe he hath not light in his owne ſpirit: The things are ſpirituall, his eye is carnall, he hath not a light in his eye ſuitable to the object, and therefore he cannot judge of them; for the Scripture ſaith plainly, they are ſpiritually diſcerned. Therefore a carnall perſon hath carnall conceptions of ſpirituall things, as an holy man doth ſpiritualize things by a ſpirituall conception of them.Foure degrees of diſcerning things.
There be degrees of diſcerning things. The higheſt degree is to ſee things face to face as they be in heaven; The next to that is to ſee them in a glaſſe: for there I ſee the motion and true ſpecies of a man, though not ſo clearly, as when I ſee him face to face; therefore We ſoone forget the ſpecies of it in a glaſſe. Wee have more fixedneſſe of the other, becauſe there is more reality: We ſee things put into Water, and that is leſſe; but then there is a ſight of man in Pictures, which is leſſe than the reſt, becauſe we ſee not the motion. It is even ſo, a carnall man ſcarce ſees the dead reſemblance of things. In Moſes time, they ſaw things in water as it were blindly, though true: but we ſee things in a glaſſe of truth, as clearly as poſſibly we can in this world. In heaven wee ſhall ſee face to face, ſhall ſee him as he is: And then will be the joy of this excellent Feaſt, and the conſummation of all ſweet promiſes, which here we can but have a taſte of.
So that is the firſt reaſon of it,Reaſ. 2. that God is onelyonly the taker away of the vaile, which ariſeth from the unſuitableneſſe between the ſoule, and divine Truths. There is nothing in the heart of man, but a contrariety to divine light. The very naturall knowledge, that is contrary, naturall Conſcience that onelyonly checketh for groſſe ſinnes, but not for ſpirituall ſinnes: Obedience and Civill life, that makes a man full of pride, and armeth him againſt ſelfe-denyall, and againſt the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and Juſtification. There is nothing in the ſoule, but (without grace) riſeth againſt the ſoule in divine things.
Againe,Reaſ. 3. there is ſuch diſproportion between the ſoule being full of ſinne,And a diſproportion alſo. and guiltineſſe, and heavenly things, that are ſo great, that the heart of man will not believe, unleſſe God convinceth the ſoule, that God is ſo good and gracious, though they be great and excellent, yet God will beſtow them upon our ſoules, and therefore he ſendeth the Spirit, that over-powers the ſoule, though it bee full of feare, and guilt, that ſinne contracts.
Though we be never ſo unworthy, he will magnifie his grace to poore ſinners, and without that the ſoule will never believe, there is ſuch an infinite diſproportion betweene the ſoule and the things, between the ſinfull ſoule and the ſpirit, ſo that God muſt over-power the ſoule to make it believe.
The Scripture is full of this: As we are naturally ignorant, and full of unbeliefe: ſo God onelyonly can overpower the ſoule, and take away the vaile of Ignorance.
All the Angels in heaven,Reaſ. 4. and all the Creatures in the world,No creature, Angels or men can bring light into the ſoule. the moſt skilfull men in the world cannot bring light into the ſoule, they cannot bring light into the heart; they can ſpeake of divine things, but they underſtand them little, but to bring light into the heart, that the heart may taſte of them, and yield obedience to believe, that they cannot doe. And therefore all Gods children they bee Theodidactoi, taught of God; God onelyonly hath the privilege to teach the heart, to bend and bow the heart to believe.
So that God onelyonly by his Spirit takes away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe.
Now the third thing is,3 Obſ. that this is peculiar to the Church,Its peculiar to the Church to have the vaile taken away. and to the Children of God, to have the vaile taken off. In this Mountaine, ſaith the Scripture, the vail of all Faces ſhall be ſwallowed up, or taken away.
I partly ſhewed in the former point, that it is peculiar to Gods Children to have the vaile taken off. There is a vailin all things, either the things be hid from them, as amongſt the Gentiles, or if the things bee revealed, there is a vaile upon the heart, their luſts raiſe up a cloud, which untill God ſubdue by the holy Spirit, they bee darke, yea darkneſſe it ſelfe. Goſhen was onelyonly light, when all Egypt was in darkneſſe: ſo there is light onelyonly in the Church, and all other parts in the world are in darkneſſe: And amongſt men in the Church there is a darkneſſe upon the ſoule of unregenerate men, that bee not ſanctified, and ſubdued by the Spirit of God. And all godly men are lightſome, nay they be lights in the world. As wicked men are darkneſſe, ſo gracious men by the Spirit of God, are made lights of the world from him that is the true light, Chriſt himſelfe.
It is peculiar to the Church to know the greateſt good,Its peculiar to the Church to know the greateſt good, and greateſt evill. and the greateſt evill. It is no where but in the Church, who are the people of God. None but Gods Elect can know the greateſt evill, that is ſinne, which the Spirit of God revealeth: And the greateſt good, that is Gods mercy in Chriſt, and ſanctifying grace. The ſame Spirit doth both: As light doth diſcover foul things, as well as faire; ſo the ſame Spirit of God diſcovers the loathſomeneſſe of ſinne, and the ſweetneſſe of grace. Where the one is, there is never the other; where there is not truely a deep diſcerning of ſinne, there is never knowledge of grace; there is none but in the Church, thoſe that have the Spirit of illumination, they have ſanctification likewiſe.
We ſhall make uſe of all together. You ſee then what naturally we are, and that Gods grace muſt take away the vaile, and this is from all them within the Church, and in the Church thoſe whom God is pleaſed to ſanctifie.
In the fourth place.4 Obſ. Where this vaile is taken off from any,Where the vaile is taken away, there is ſpirituall joy and feaſting. there is with it ſpirituall joy, and feaſting, as here he joyneth them both together. I will make a feaſt of fat things, and will take away the vaile.
The reaſon of the connexion of this, is that ſame Spirit,Reaſon. that is a Spirit of Revelations, is a Spirit of Comfort:The ſame Spirit is a Spirit of Revelation and conſolation. And the ſame Spirit that is the Spirit of Comfort, is a Spirit of Revelation: All ſweetneſſe that the ſoule reliſheth, commeth from light, and all light that is ſpirituall conveyeth ſweetneſſe both together. Beloved, there is a marvailous ſweetneſſe in divine Truths, in Chriſt is all marrow, and in Religion forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and inward peace, and joy, and grace, fitting us to be like to Chriſt, and for heaven, they be incredibly ſweet, they bee all marrow. I but they are onelyonly ſo to them that know them; now Gods Spirit that revealeth theſe things to us, doth breed a taſte in the ſoule. The Spirit of illumination of Gods Children is a Spirit of ſanctification likewiſe; and that ſanctification alters the taſte, and reliſh of the will and affections, that with diſcovery of theſe things, there is a taſte, and reliſh of them. It is ſapida Scientia, a ſavory knowledge they have: And therefore where he maketh a Feaſt, he taketh away the vaile; and where hee takes away the vaile hee makes a Feaſt: what a wonderfull ſatisfaction hath the ſoule, when the vaile is taken off, to ſee God in Chriſt reconciled, to ſee ſin pardoned, to ſee the beginnings of grace, which ſhall bee finiſhed, and accompliſhed in glory, to diſcerne that peace which paſſeth underſtanding, &c. What a marvellous ſweetneſſe are in theſe things?
They cannot be revealed to the knowledge ſpiritually, but there is a Feaſt in the ſoule, wherein the ſoule doth ſolace it ſelfe; ſo both theſe goe together.
And therefore we ſhould not reſt in that revealing that doth not bring a ſavor with it to the ſoule; undoubtedly, that knowledge hath no ſolace and comfort for the ſoule that is not by divine Revelation of heavenly truths.
We ſee the dependence of theſe one upon another: Then let us make this Uſe of all.
Since there is a vail over all men by nature,Uſe 1. the work of ignorance and unbeliefe,To labour to have this vaile taken off. and ſince God onelyonly taketh it away by his Holy Spirit, and ſince that onelyonly thoſe that be godly and ſanctified have this taken off: While this is, there is a ſpirituall feaſt, joy, and comfort, and ſtrength; then let us labour to have this vaile taken off, let us labour to have the eyes of our underſtandings enlightned to have our hearts ſubdued to believe, let us take notice of our naturall condition. We are drowned and inwarpt in darkneſſe, the beſt of us all: It is not having knowledge what wee are by nature, it is not any knowledge that can bring us to heaven, there muſt be a revelation, a taking away of the vaile. How many content themſelves with common light of Education and traditionary knowledge; ſo they were bred and catechized, and under ſuch a Miniſtery, but for ſpirituall knowledge of ſpirituall things, how little is it cared for; And yet this is neceſſary to ſalvation. There is great occaſion to preſie this, that we reſt not in common knowledge. If Religion be not knowne to purpoſe, its like Lightning, which directs not a man in his way, but dazles him, and puts him quite out of his way. Many have flaſhes of knowledge that affect them a little: but this affection is ſoon gone, and directs them not a whit in the wayes of life; and therefore labour that the will and affections may be ſubject. Beg of God a fleſhy heart, an heart yeelding to the truth. We know eare-truths will harden; as none is harder than a common formall Chriſtian. A man had better fall into the hands of Papiſts, than into the hands of a formall hypocriticall Chriſtian. Why? they pride themſelves in their profeſſion. No Perſecuters worſe than the Scribes and Phariſees, that ſtood in their own light. They were more cruell than Pilate: And therefore if wee bee informed, but not truly transformed; to love the truth we know, and hate the evill we know, it maketh us worſe.
And then it inrageth men the more: The more they know, the more they be enraged. Men when truths be preſt, which they purpoſe not to obey, they fret againſt the Ordinance, and caſt ſtones, as it were in the face of truth. When Phyſick doth raiſe humors, but is not ſtrong enough to carry them away, they indanger the body; And where light is not ſtrong enough to diſpell corruption when it raiſeth corruption, it inrageth it. When men know Truth and are not moulded into it, they firſt rage againſt it, and then by little and little fall from it, and grow extreme enemies to it. Its a dangerous thing therefore to reſt in naked knowledge. Beg then of God that he would take away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe, that light and life may goe together, and ſo wee ſhall be fit to feaſt with the Lord.
Now that we may have true ſaving knowledge, firſt we muſt attend meekly upon Gods Ordinances, which be ſanctified to this end to let in light to the ſoule.
Will we know ſinne and our ſtate by nature,Meanes. and how to come out of it,For this wee muſt attend on Ordinances. then together with this Revelation muſt come an heavenly ſtrength into the ſoule, a heavenly taſte, and reliſh, and therefore attend upon the Ordinances; And labour for an humble ſoule, empty of our ſelves; And doe not think to break into heavenly things with ſtrength of parts, God muſt reveal, God muſt take away the vaile only by his holy Spirit in the Ordinance. The vaile is taken away from the oject, in opening of Truths; but the vaile muſt bee taken away from the object, and from the heart too, there muſt bee knowledge of the object, as well as an object; the object muſt bee ſanctified, and fitted to the perſons, elſe divine Truths will never be underſtood divinely, nor ſpirituall Truths ſpiritually: Labour to be emptied of your ſelves. In what meaſure we are emptied of our ſelf-conceitedneſſe, and underſtanding, wee bee fill'd in divine things: in what meaſure we are emptied of our ſelves, we are filled with the Spirit of God, and knowledge, and grace. As a veſſell in what meaſure it is emptied,Smile. in that meaſure it is fit to be fill'd with more ſupervenient liquor: ſo in what meaſure we grow in ſelf-denyall, and humility, in that meaſure wee are filled likewiſe with knowledge. He will teach an humble ſoule that ſtands not in its own light, what it is to repent, to believe, to love; what it is to be patient under the Croſſe, what it is to live holily, and dye comfortably. The Spirit of God will teach an humble ſelfe-denying ſoule all theſe things, and therefore labour for an humble empty ſoule, and not to caſt our ſelves too much into the ſinnes, and faſhions of the times; As the Apoſtle Rom. 12. Be not conformed to this world, 3. Faſhion not our ſelves after the times.but be yee transformed by the renewing of your minde, &c. When a man caſteth himſelfe into the mould of the times, and will live as the reſt doe, he ſhall never underſtand the ſecrets of God, and the good pleaſure of God; for the world muſt be condemned. The world goeth the broad way: And therefore we muſt not conſider what others doe, but what God teacheth us to do. And adde to this;4. Be carefull to practiſe what we know What we know, let us labour to practiſe, Iohn 7. 17. But he that doth the will of my Father, ſhall know of every Doctrine whether it be of God or no. We muſt doe,Queſt. and we ſhall know: But can wee doe, before we know?Anſw. The meaning is this, that we have firſt, breeding and education, and ſome light of the Spirit turneth it preſently to practice, by obedience to that knowledge. And then you ſhall know more, hee that doth theſe things, hee ſhall know all: They ſhall know that doe practice what they know already. To him that hath ſhall be given; That is, to him that hath ſome knowledge, and putteth in practice what he hath, God will increaſe the talent of his knowledge; hee ſhall know more and more till God revealeth himſelfe fully in the world to come: And therefore be faithfull to our ſelves, and true to the knowledge we have,5 Love what we know. love it, and put it into practice when divine truths are diſcovered, let the heart affect them, leſt God giveth us up to believe lies. We have many given up to this ſinne, becauſe when truths are revealed, they give way to their owne proud ſcornfull hearts, they know not the love of the truth. God knoweth what a jewell the Truth is, and ſince they deſpiſe it, God giveth them up to believe lies: and take heed, practice what we know, and love what we know, entertaine it with a loving affection.
A loving affection is the Casket of this jewell, if we entertain it not in love, it removes from us its Station, and being gone, God will remove us into darkneſſe.
And remember it is God that taketh away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe: And therefore make this uſe of it,Uſe 2. to make our Studies, and Cloſets, Oratories, not to come to Divine Truths,Make our ſtudies and cloſets Oratories for the getting of knowledge. to out-wraſtle the excellency of them with our owne wits; but to pray to God, as you have Pſal. 119. Open mine eyes, and reveale thy truth. And St. Paul prayeth for the Spirit of Revelation, 1 Epheſ. 19. And ſo deſire God to reveale, and take away the vaile from us, that he will open divine Truths to our ſoules; that ſince he hath the Key of David, that opens, and no man ſhutteth, that he would open our underſtandings, to conceive things, and our hearts to believe. He hath the onelyonly Key of the ſoule, we can ſhut our ſouls,We can ſhut, but not open our hearts to divine truths. but cannot open them againe: ſo we can ſhut our hearts to divine Truths, we can naturally doe this, but open them without the help of the Spirit we cannot: He can open our underſtandings, as he did the Diſciples: He can open our Hearts to believe, he can doe it, and will do it. If we ſeek to him, he will not put back the humble deſires of them that feare him; And therefore for heavenly light and heavenly revelation, all the teaching of the men of the world cannot do it. If we know no more than wee can have by Bookes, and men that teach us, wee ſhall never come to Heaven; but wee muſt have God teach the heart, as well as the Braine, hee muſt teach not onelyonly the Truths themſelves, as they bee diſcovered, but the love of them, the faith in them, the practice of them, and hee onelyonly can doe this, hee only can teach the heart, hee onelyonly can diſcover the bent of the heart, and Satans wiles that caſt a cloud upon the underſtanding, the Spirit onelyonly can doe it; and therefore in all our endeavours labour to get knowledge, and joyne holineſſe and divine grace, and pray to God that he would reveale the myſtery of ſalvation to us.
But how ſhall we know whether we have this heavenly light and revelation,Queſt. or no? Whether the vaile be yet upon our hearts or no?How ſhall we know that we have heavenly light. I will not be long in the point. Wee may know it by this: The Apoſtle Peter …aith to expreſſe the vertue of Gods power, he hath called us out of darkneſſe to his marvelous light.Anſw. The ſoule that hath the vaile taken from it,1. By a marvelling at the things of faith, and the goodneſſe of God in revealing them to us. there is a marvelling at the goodneſſe of God, a wondering at the things of faith: And the ſoule ſets ſuch a price upon divine things, that all is dung and droſſe in compariſon of the excellent knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt. Wherefore is it that thou wilt reveale thy ſelfe to us, and not unto the world? as admiring the goodneſſe of God. What are we? what am I? that God ſhould reveale theſe things to me, and not to the world? that many periſh in darkenſſe and ſhadow of death, though they heare of divine things; yet they teaching rebellion and unbeleife, are not moulded to them, and ſo periſh eternally. There is a ſecret admiration of the goodneſſe of God to the poore ſoule, and a wonderment at ſpirituall things. Oh how ſweet is thy law ſaith David. And teach me the wonders of thy law, and joy unſpeakable, and glorious, and peace that paſſeth underſtanding: theſe things be high to the ſoule; by the taſte of what they have, they wonder at that little, and at that they looke for, and are carried with deſire ſtill further and further, which is a farther evidence; they that have any ſpirituall knowledge, they be carried to grow more and more,2. By being carried with deſire to know more and more. and to enter further and further into the Kingdome. Where there is not a deſire ſtill till they come to the full meaſure that is to be had in Jeſus Chriſt, there is no knowledge at all: certainly a gracious ſoule when once it ſees, it deſires ſtill to feele the power and vertue of Chriſt in it, as Paul counted all dung in compariſon of this knowledge to know my ſelfe in Chriſt, and feele the power of his death in dying to ſin, and vertue of his reſurrection in raiſing me to newneſſe of life;3. When the vaile is taken off by ſanctified meanes, which we can juſtifie by our owne experience of them. it was Saint Pauls ſtudy to walk ſtill to the high price of Gods calling, and where that is not, no grace is begun.
And againe, where divine light is, and the vaile taken away, it is the ſanctified meanes; for God works by his owne inſtruments and meanes, and they be able to juſtifie all courſes of wiſdome, Wiſdome is juſtified of her children. By experience they be able to ſay the word is the word; I have found it caſting me downe, and raiſing me up, and ſearching the hidden corners of my heart. I have found Gods Ordinances powerfull, the word and Sacrament. I have found my hope, faith, ſtrength, and ſpirituall comfort, and therefore I can juſtifie them; for I have found, taſted, and reliſhed of theſe things; which worketh that upon the ſoule which Chriſt did on the body. I finde mine eyes, I finde my deafe eares opened. I can heare with another reliſh then before. I finde a life and quickning to good things, though it be weake; I had no life at all to them before. I find a reliſh which I knew not before; So that there be ſpirituall ſenſes whereby I am able to juſtifie that theſe things be the things of God: So that they that have divine truths, can juſtifie all the ordinances of God, by their owne experience. As Peter anſwered when Chriſt asked him, will you be alſo gone? be gone ſaid Peter, Whether ſhould we goe, thou haſt the words of eternall life.
I have found thy words efficacious to comfort and ſtrengthen, and raiſe, and ſhall I depart from thee, who haſt the words of eternall life? And ſo take a ſoule that the ſpirit of God hath wrought upon; aske whether they will be careleſſe of meanes of ſalvation, not to pray, or heare, or receive the Sacrament, by theſe have I eternall life conveyed; God hath let in by theſe, comfort and ſtrength, and joy, and ſhall I leave theſe things? no, I will not; whether ſhall I goe, thou haſt the words of eternall life? Are we able to juſtifie theſe things by the ſweetneſſe wee have found in them? then certainly God hath ſhined upon the ſoule, and together with ſtrength and light,Fourthly, When our knowledge worketh upon us. conveyed ſweetneſſe to the ſoule.
A godly man ſeeth things with life, his ſight worketh upon him; it is a transforming ſight, as the Apoſtle ſaith, wee all behold the glory of God and are changed. Sight of light and life goeth together with a chriſtian; as Chriſt ſaith, he is the light of the world, and the life of the world. Firſt light, for life commeth with light, and light conveyeth life: All grace is dropt into the will through the underſtanding; and whereſoever Chriſt is life, he is light, becauſe true knowledge is a transforming knowledge; but if religion be not knowne to purpoſe, it hardens and makes worſe.
We are now by Gods good providence come to farther buſineſſe,Application of this to the Sacrament. to partake of theſe myſteries; yet it ſhould be the deſire of our ſoules that our eyes may be opened, that in theſe divine and precious myſteries he would diſcover hidden love, which is not ſeen with the eyes of the body; they may ſee and taſte, and reliſh his love and goodneſſe in Jeſus Chriſt: that as the outward man is refreſhed with the elements, ſo the inward man may be refreſhed with his ſpirit, that they may be effectuall to us; that we may juſtifie the courſe God takes ſo farre, as to come charitably, and joyfully to them.