Reason. The reason of the connection of this, is, that same Spirit that is a Spirit of revelations, is a Spirit of comfort ; and the same Spirit that is the Spirit of comfort, is a Spirit of revelation. All sweetness that the soul relisheth cometh from light, and all light that is spiritual conveyeth sweet- ness, both together. Beloved, there is a marvellous sweetness in divine truths. In Christ is all marrow, and in religion forgiveness of sins, and inward peace, and joy, and grace, fitting us to be like to Christ, and for heaven. They be incredibly sweet, they be all marrow. Aye, but they are only so to them that know them. Now God's Spirit, that revealeth these things to us, doth breed a taste in the soul. The Spirit of illumina- tion to God's children, is a Spirit of sanctification likewise ; and that sanctification alters the taste and relish of the vnW and affections, that with discovery of these things, there is a taste and relish of them. It is sapida scientia, a savoury knowledge they have. And therefore where he maketh a feast, he taketh away the veil ; and where he takes away the veil, be makes a feast. "What a wonderful satisfaction hath the soul, when the veil is taken- off", to see God in Christ reconciled ! to see sin pardoned ! to see the beginnings of gi-ace, which shall be finished and accomplished in glory ! to discern that ' peace which passeth understanding,' &c., Philip, iv. 7. "What a marvellous sweetness is in these things !
They cannot be revealed to the knowledge spiritually, but there is a feast in the soul, wherein the soul doth solace itself; so both these go together.
And therefore we should not rest in that revealing that doth not bring a savour with it to the soul. "Undoubtedly, that knowledge hath no solace and comfort for the soul, 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 :
Use 1. Since there is a veil over all men by nature, the work of ignorance and unbelief, and since God only taketh it away by his Holy Spirit, and since that only those that be godly and sanctified have this taken off : while this is, there is a spiritual feast, joy, and comfort, and strength ; then let us labour to have this veil taken of; let its labour to have the eyes of our understandings enlightened, to have our hearts subdued to believe ; let us take notice of our natural condition. We are drowned and en\\Tapt in darkness, the best of all. It is not having knowledge what we are by nature ; it is not any knowledge that can bring us to heaven ; there must be a revelation, * Qu. ' is not ? '—Ed.
IsA. XXV. 6, 7.] BETWEEN CHRIST AXD HIS CHURCH. 467
a taking away of the veil. How many , content themselves with common light of education, and traditionary laiowledge ! So they were bred and catechised, and under such a ministry ! But for spiritual knowledge of spiritual things, how little is it cared for ! And yet this is necessary to salvation. There is gi'eat occasion to press this, that we rest not in common knowledge. If religion be not known to purpose, it is like lightning, which directs not a man in his way, but dazzles liim, 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 ways of life. And therefore labour that the will and affections may be subject. Beg of God a ' fleshy heart,' 2 Cor. iii. 3, an heart yielding to the truth. We know ear-truths will harden, as none is harder than a common formal Christian. A man had better fall into the hands of papists, than into the hands of a formal hypocritical Chi'istian. Why ? They pride themselves in their profession. No persecutors worse than the Scribes and Pharisees, that stood in their own light. They were more cruel than Pilate. And therefore if we be infonned, but not truly transformed, to love the truth we know, and hate the evil we know, it maketh us worse.
And then it enrage th men the more. The more they know, the more they be enraged. Men when truths be pressed, which they pm-pose not to obey, they fret against the ordinance, and cast stones, as it were, in the face of truth. When physic doth raise humours, but is not strong enough to carry them away, they endanger the body ; and where light is not strong enough to dispel corruption when it raiseth corruption, it enrage th it. When men know truth, and are not moulded into it, they first rage against it, and then by little and little fiill from it, and gi'ow extreme enemies to it. It is a dangerous thing, therefore, to rest in naked knowledge. Beg then of God that he would take away the veil of ignorance and unbelief, that light and hfe may go together, and so we shall be fit to feast with the Lord.
Means. Now that we may have true sa^dng knowledge, first, we miuft attend meekly -upon God's ordinances, which be sanctified to this end to let in light to the soul.