2. It is wonderful for the matter and depth of mystciy, which cannot be found elsewhere, concerning God and Christ, the creation of the world, the souls of men, and their immortal and everlasting- condition, the fall of man, &c. Here God is set forth to us in the clearest representation that we are capable of in this mortal state. God is in part seen in the creatures : Rom. i. 20, ' For the invisible things of liini from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being- imderstood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.' Everything that hath passed his hand discovereth some- what of the author and maker of it. But as imjierfectly as God is discovered there, we camiot behold him without wonder and reverence, if we use never so little of (ui attentive mind ; those strictures of God that arc seen in man's body — Galen wondered when he saw a man's hand — the sun, moon, and stars ; yea, a gnat, yea, a pile of grass : but these discoveries are not to be compared with the scriptures revealing the glory of God in the face of Christ: 2 Cor. iv. G, ' For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.' If we wonder at so much of God as we find in a gnat, shall not we wonder much more at so much of God as we find in his law, in his gospel, in the whole economy and frame of his gracious dispensations ? Bes'des that, the scriptures help us to interpret the book of the creatures: they show forth more of God than all the creatures can do ; the book of nature is an imperfect piece in regard of the book of scripture. You cannot look upon the book of the creatures, but in every page and line of it you will lind this truth presented to your eyes, that there is an infinite eternal power that made all things ; this is enough to leave the world without excuse. But in the book of the word, you mny see more of God, and the way how to enjoy him. In the 19 th psalm David doth first admire the glory of God by the beauty of the heavens, then by the light of the word. By reason the heathens found out vrpcoTov airiov rod Koafiov koI tT)^ ra^efw? vracrT^?, a first mover and a first cause ; but when and how the world was made they were left in uncertainties, which was first, the egg or the hen, the oak or the acorn : Heb. xi. 3, ' Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear.' A child is taught more than they could find out by their profound researches. So concerning the fall of man, conscience will inform us of a distinction between good and evil ; and heathens, by the light of nature, could speak of virtue and vice as moral perfection and a deordination ; but nothing of sin and righteousness relating to a covenant ; and whence this mischief began they knew not. They complained of nature as of a stepmother, observed an inclination to evil more than to good, that vices are learned without a teacher, that man is born into the world crying, beginneth his life with a punishment ; but the first spring and rise of evil was a secret to them, but clearly discovered to us: Rom. V. 12, ' Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
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.sinned.' Man's restitution and redemption by Clirist is wonderful indeed : 1 Tim. iii. 16, 'And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.' This could not be found by man ; how could they know the free purposes of God's grace unless God revealed them ? This is the mystery of mysteries, which angels desire to pry into, 1 Peter i. 12. So excellent and ravishing a mystery is this plot of salvation of lost sinners by Christ incarnate, that the very angels cannot enough exercise themselves in the contemplation of it. So union with Christ, and connnunion with him, a mystery that nature could never have thought of. God's keeping a familiar correspon- dence with his creatures, God's dwelling in us, our dwelling in God : 1 John iv. 13, ' Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.' Words we should not dare to have used if God had not used them before us ; it would have looked like blasphemy to speak so, if we had not the warrant of scripture. So the resurrection of the body, and life eternal, they are all wonders : 2 Tim. i. 10, ' But is now made manifest by the appearance of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel.' Heathens might dream of a life after death, but could never under- stand it distinctly. It is brought to light. Their wise men saw it, like the blind man who saw men walking like trees, or a spire at a distance, no clearness, no certainty : Lord, ' thy testimonies are wonderful.'