IX.

SERMON will reft upon you. And this introduces the last Head, which was to fhew how the great Mystery of our Salvation by Jefus Chrift is made manifeft to us. :

Tho' it be a great Bleffing to have the facred Scriptures in our Poffeffion, as they are a profitable Means of Knowledge and a precious Teftimony to that Eternal Word who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, yet the written Relation of what we are to believe and know of Him, without the Revelation of it to our Hearts by his Spirit, is not fufficient to make us wife unto Salvation: And therefore St. Paul to the Ephefians, prays, that "the God of our Lord

Jefus Chrift, the Father of Glory, might "give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and "Revelation in the Knowledge of Him, "that the Eyes of their Understanding

being enlightened, they might know "what was the Hope of their Calling, and "what the Riches of the Glory of his In"heritance in the Saints," For want of "turning to God in Prayer, and an humble teachable Difpofition for this Manifeftation of his Spirit, it was, that the Jews stuck in all the perplexing Uncertainty of a literal Knowledge concerning the Meffiah,

for

IX.

for tho' they had the Words that fpake of SERMON Him, yet they knew not Him of whom they spake, the Vail being upon their Hearts when they read the Law and the Prophets, and therefore their Eyes were blinded; and the fame Vail remaineth until this Day untaken away, in the reading of the New Teftament, from the Hearts of all who read the Scriptures as they did, and fuch Knowledge, be it of a Chrift to come, or of a Christ already come, availeth not to the faving of the Soul. But what the fame Apostle fays concerning Ifrael, Never 2 Cor. iii. thelefs, when it shall turn to the Lord, the 16. Vail shall be taken away, is equally appli cable to us: If we turn to Him who is the true Light, then in his Light shall we fee Light, and He will open our Underftanding that we may understand the Scriptures: Now, adds the Apostle, the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty: that is, Jefus Chrift is the Source and Giver of this Spirit of Wifdom and Revelation, and all they that are fitly prepared to receive it, are thereby fet at Liberty from every Bondage that keeps the Mind in Darkness, whether they be vain Reasonings, doubtful Difputations,

IX.

SERMON the learned Criticifms of Man's Wisdom, or other unprofitable Speculations concerning Truth, for being Chrift's Difciples indeed, they have that Promise fulfilled in them, that "they fhall know the Truth, and "the Truth fhall make them free." And as the Spirit of the Lord enlarges the Capacity of the Soul by bringing it into a glori ous Freedom for the Contemplation of Divine Truth, fo does it by an affimilating Power, bring us into fpiritual Union with Him who is Truth itself, and fo we become joined to the Lord in one and the fame Spirit: And therefore the Apostle, fpeaking of the Confequence of this Liber ty, faith in the following Verfe: We all with open Face bebolding as in a Glafs the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the Jame Image from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. *, bluco This Divine Light opening to the Understanding the Knowledge of the Scrip tures; and this fpiritual Union with the Light fhining in our Hearts to give us "the Knowledge of the Glory of God in

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the Face of Jefus Chrift;" are set forth by St. Peter in the following Words: We bave also a more fure Word of Prophecy, where

I

whereunto

ye

do well that ye take Heed, as SERMON unto a Light that fhineth in a dark Place, until the Day dawn, and the Day-Star arife 2 Pet. i. in your Hearts.

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That by the more fure Word of Prophecy in this Place we are not to understand the bare Letter or literal Senfe of the Prophecy, but the Interpretation of it as given by the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, appears from the two following Verfes: Knowing this first, that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation, for the Prophecy came not in old Time by the Will of Man, but boly Men of God Spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost: Giving us hereby to understand, that the Knowledge of the Scriptures ftands not in Man's Will or Wisdom, and that no less than the fame Divine Teacher who gave the Prophecies, could give unerring Clearnefs and Application in the Knowledge of them; and confequently, that no Man's private Opinion or Judgment, however eminent for his Learning and Sagacity, is of fufficient Authority in this Matter; for without this Heavenly Instructor we may read the Law and the Prophets to as little Purpose as thofe Jews and their Rulers are faid to have S 2 done,

19.

SERMON done, who knew not Him who was the IX. Subject of thofe Writings, "nor yet the Acts xiii." Voices of the Prophets which were read every Sabbath Day."

27.

But then this more fure Word of Prophecy, tho' it be an inward Divine Testimony to the Truth of the facred Writings, and, as fuch, a more convincing Evidence than an audible Voice, or any other Report of the Senfes, yet as the Seat of its Operations is Man's natural Understanding, therefore the Apoftle fpeaks of it, as a Light Shining in a dark Place, especially when compared to that far more glorious Manifeftation of Christ in the Soul, which he describes by the Day-dawn, and the Day-Star arifing in the Heart, and fo fhining more and more unto the perfect Day. Here the Word of God's Truth co-operates with the Word of his Power, and with the Word of his Grace, both to the Illumination and the Sanctification of the Soul. The former may be confidered as a Divine Light reflected to us from the Teftimony of the infpired Writers; this, as an Emanation of Glory direct and immediate from the Fountain of Light within us, infomuch that they who are brought into this happy Expe

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