Chrysostom compares the mysteries of Christ, in regard of the wicked, to a written book, that the ignorant can neither read nor spell; he sees the cover, the leaves, and the letters, but he understands not the meaning of what he sees. He compares the mystery of grace to an indited epistle, which an unskilful idiot' viewing, he cannot read it, he cannot understand it ; he knoweth it is paper and ink, but the sense, the matter, he knows not, he understands not. So unsanctified per- sons, though they are never so learned, and though they may perceive ' Cf. Sibbes, vol. i. pages 186, 290.— Q.
188 THE PRrV^' KEY OF HEAVEN. [MAT. VI. 6.
the bark of the mystery of Christ, yet they perceive not, they under- stand not, the mystery of grace, the inward sense of the Spirit, in the blessed Scriptures. Though the devil be the greatest scholar in the world, and though he have more learning than all the men in the world have, yet there are many thousand secrets and mysteries in the gospel of grace, that he knows not really, spiritually, feelingly, efficaciously, powerfully, thoroughly, savingly, &c.
Oh, but now Christ makes known himself, his mind, his grace, his truth, to his people, in a more clear, full, familiar, and friendly way : 2 Sam. vii. 27, ' For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant ;' so you read it in your books ; but in the Hebrew it is thus : * Lord, thou hast revealed this to the ear of thy servant.' Now, the emphasis lieth in that word, to the ear, which is left out in your books. When God makes known himself to his people, he revealeth things to their ears, as we use to do to a friend who is intimate with us : we speak a thing to his ear. There is many a secret which Jesus Christ speaks in the ears of his servants, which others never come to be acquainted with : 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.'
The six several gradations that are in this scripture are worthy of our most serious consideration. Here is.
First, Knowledge ; and.
Secondly, The knowledge of the glory of God ; and,
Thirdly, The light of the knowledge of the glory of God ; and,
Fourthly, Shining ; and.
Fifthly, Shining into our hearts ; and.
Sixthly, Shining into our hearts in the face of Jesus Christ.
And thus you see that the Lord reveals the secrets of himself, his kingdom, his truth, his grace, his glory, to the saints. But,
(3.) Thirdly, There are the secrets of his favour, tJie secrets of his special love, that he bears to them ; the secret purposes of his heart to save them ; and these are those great secrets, those ' deep things of God.' which none can reveal ' but the Spirit of God.' Now these great secrets, these deep things of God, God doth reveal to his people by his Spirit : 1 Cor. ii. 10-12, ' But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit : for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him ? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things" that are freely given to us of God.' Now what are the things that are freely given to us of God, but our election, vocation, justification, sanctification, and glorification ? And why hath God given us his Spirit, but that we should know ' the things that are freely given to us of God.' Some by secret in that 25th Psalm, do understand a particular assurance of God's favours, whereby happiness is secured to us, both for the present and for the future. They understand by secret, the sealing of the Spirit, the hidden manna, the white stone, and the new name in it, * which none knoweth but he that hath it.' And so much those words, ' He will shew them his covenant,' seems to import : for what greater secret
Mat. VI. 6.] the privy key of heaven. 189
can God impart to his people, than that of opening the covenant of grace to them in its freeness, fulness, sureness, sweetness, suitable- ness, everlastingness, and in sealing up his good pleasure, and all the spiritual and eternal blessings of the covenant to them ? Such as love and serve the Lord shall be of his cabinet-council, they shall know his soul-secrets, and be admitted into a very gracious fami- liarity and friendship with himself : John xiv. 21-23, ' He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself unto him. Judas saith unto him (not Iscariot), Lord ! how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world ? Jesus answered and said unto him, If any man love me, he will keep my words : and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.' God and Christ will keep house with them, and manifest the secrets of their love to them that are observant of their commands. And thus you see that the saints are the only persons to whom God will reveal the secrets of his provi- dence, the secrets of his kingdom, and the secrets of his love unto. Christ came out of the bosom of his Father, and he opens all the secrets of his Father only to his bosom-friends. Now what an exceeding high honour is it for God to open the secrets of his love, the secrets of his promises, the secrets of his providences, the secrets of his counsels, and the secrets of his covenant, to his people !
Tiberius Caesar thought no man fit to know his secrets. And among the Persians none but noblemen, lords, and dukes, might be made par- takers of state secrets ; they esteeming secresy a godhead, a divine thing, as Ammianus Marcellinus affirms. But now such honour God hath put upon all his saints, as to make them lords and nobles, and the only privy statesmen in the court of heaven. The highest honour and glory that earthly princes can put upon their subjects is to communicate to them their greatest secrets. Now this high honour and glory the King of kings hath put upon his people ; ' For his secrets are with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant.' It was a high honour to Elisha, 2 Kings, vi. 12, that he could tell the secrets that were spoken in the king's bed-chamber. Oh ! what an honour must it then be for the saints to know the secrets that are spoken in the pre- sence-chamber of the King of kings !