intellectual food, and prize a Iccdiro move than a feast, will be highly pleased with the truths the gospel brings to light, being such rare mysteries that they can find in no other book; yet we see that the gospel as little' pleases this rank of men, as any other. Had it been filled with flowers of rhetoric, chemical experiments, philosophical notions, or maxims of policy, how greedily woidd they have cmln-aced it ! But it is wisdom in a mystery : ' We speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought,' 1 Cor. ii. G, 7. Bradwardine, a great scholar, before he was meekencd by the grace of the gospel, slighted Paul's epistles, (as afterward he confessed,) because he did not express imjenium mela- physicim, — a metaphysical head in his discourses. Secondly, It shews us the reason why the gospel and its professors are not only slighted, but hated and persecuted ; for the gospel is a mystery which the world knows not, and there- fore opposed by it. Ignorance is the mother of persecution ; 'Father, forgive them ; tliey know not what they do.' The greatest enemies the gospel ever had, were not the sensual, and openly profane, but the superstitious and ignorantly devout; these are they who have shewn most fury against the gospel. Paul tells us of the devout persons that cruelly persecuted him. Acts xiii. TjO. No one was more inveterate against the truth than Paul himself, who was a strict Pharisee. What reason, then, have we to pray for the increase of gospel-light ! The more the gospel is known, the more kindly will it be entertained. Again, the professors of the gospel are hated, because they partake of its mysterious nature. They are high-born, but in a mystery ; you cannot see their"birth by their outward breeding; arms they bear, and revenues they have to live on, but not such as the world judges the greatness of persons and families by : no, their outside is mean, while their inside is glorious ; and the world values them by Avhat they know and see of their external part, and not by their inward graces ; they pass as princes in the disguise of some poor man's clothes through the world, and their entertainment is accordingly. Had Christ put on his robes of glory and majesty. when he came into the world, surely he had not gone out of it with so shameful and cruel a death. The world would have trembled at his footstool, which some of them did, when but a beam of his Deity looked forth upon them. Did saints walk on earth in those robes which they shall wear in heaven, then they would be feared and admired by those who now scorn and despise them. But as God's design in Christ's first coming would not have been fulfilled, had he so appeared ; neither would his design in his saints, did the world know them, as one day they shall ; thei-efore he is pleased to let them lie hid under the mean coverings of poverty and infirmities, that so he may exercise their suftering graces, and also accomplish his wrath upon the wicked for theirs against them. Thirdly, The gospel is a mystery. This shews us the reason why carnal men do so bungle, when they meddle with matters of religion ; let them speak of gospel truths, what ignorance do they shew ! Do we not see that those who in worldly afi'airs will give you a wise answer, in the truths of the gospel speak like babes ? Yea, even those that have some knowledge of the Scriptures, how dry and imsavoury is their discourse on spiritual things ! They are like a parable in a fool's mouth. When they engage in any duty of religion, — pray, hear the word, or meditate upon what they have heard, you had as good give a workman's tools to him that was never of the trade ; they know not how to han- dle them. Every trade hath its mystery, and religion above all other callings, which none but those that are instructed in it, know how to manage.
CHAPTER VI.
SEVEIl.\r. DUTIES PRESSED FROM THE NATURE OF TUE GOSPEL ; AND AN EXHORTATION TO THE SAINTS.
Section I. — Be thankful that ever God revealed the mystery of the gospel to thee. O, what a mercy is this, that thou hast life and innnortality brought to light, that thy ears hear this joyful sound! Never came such joyful news tons, as the gospel brings. What a poor nation was this, before the gospel-day broke among us ! Bless God that thy lot is cast where the sun is up. The gospel was indeed early preached in the world ; Adam had it soon after his fall ; but it was
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gQg THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL.