And this concerns the word preached as well as read. Provided, —1. That those that preach it are sent of God; 2. That what is preached be according to the analogy of faith; 3. That it be drawn from the written word; 4. That it be delivered in the name and authority of God.
Obs. II. Divine inspiration, or the authority of God speaking in and by the penmen of the Scripture, is the ground and foundation of our faith, that which gives them authority over our consciences and efficacy in them. This hath been argued elsewhere.
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306 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Iv.
Obs. III. The holy Scripture is an inexhaustible treasury or re- pository of spiritual mysteries and sacred truths. And,—
Obs. IV. Many important truths lie deep and secret in the Scrip- ture, and stand in need of a very diligent search and hard digging in their investigation and for their finding out.
These two propositions are nearly related, and do both arise from the same consideration of the text. How many deep and mysterious truths, and those of great importance and of signal use, hath our apostle found out in the words of the psalm produced by him! and how doth he here, by stating aright the true intention of one single word or expression,—and that gathered from the consideration of all its circumstances, as by whom it was spoken, when it was spoken, and to what purpose,—make the eminent conclusion we have insisted on! And these things are for our instruction.
First, it is hence collected, That the holy Scripture is an inex- haustible treasury or repository of spiritual mysteries and sacred truths. We had never known what had been in the Old Testament had it not been for the New, and the Spirit of it, Luke xxiv. 45; and we should never know fully what is in the New Testament, were it not for heaven and glory, where “we shall know even as we are known,” 1 Cor. xiii. 12. It may be some will say, they can see none of these stores, can find little or nothing of the riches pretended here to be laid up. It may be so; for this treasure is such as men can see little of it, if they have not a guide and a light. Let a treasury that is made deep, or closely immured, be filled never so full with gold and precious things, yet if you turn a man into it in the dark, he can see nothing that is desirable, but rather feel a horror and a fear come upon him. The Jews have at this day the Old Testament, wherein a great part of this treasure is contained, and they have a general faith that it is full of mysteries and truths; but being utterly desti- tute of the Spirit and all heavenly light, they see nothing of it, but search for I know not what ridiculous fancies, rather than sacred mysteries, in the words and letters of the book. This account our apostle gives, 2 Cor. iii. 14, 15, “ Their minds are blinded, for until this day remaineth the veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.’ Poor crea- tures! they put a veil when they read the Scripture upon their hats or their heads, but there is one indeed upon their hearts; whence their minds are blinded, that they can discern no part of the myste- rious treasures that are laid up therein. It is by the Spirit of Christ and light of the gospel that this veil of darkness and blindness is taken away. Wherefore, to make the truth of what we have asserted the more evident, we may consider that the whole counsel of God, _ concerning all his ways and works that are outwardly of him, is con-
VER. 7.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 307
tained in this book, Acts xx. 27. If a wise man, and of great ex- perience in the world, should commit,—if Solomon had committed all his counsels, all the effects of his wisdom unto writing, it would be, it would have been justly valued, and much inquired into. But here we have all the counsel of the infinitely wise God himself con- cerning his ways and works. To give some instances hereof :—
1. Here is expressed and contained the mystery of his love, grace, wisdom, righteousness, and holiness, in Christ Jesus, Now what heart can search into the bottom of these things, what mind can fully receive or comprehend them, what tongue can express them,—the things which God himself delighteth in, and which the angels desire to bow down and look into? This he calls the “riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence,” Eph. i. 7, 8; the “mystery of his will,” verse 9; the “riches of glory,’ verse 18; the “exceeding riches of his grace,” chap. ii. 7; the “mystery which from the beginning of the world was hid in him,” but by the gospel is manifested unto “ principali- ties and powers in heavenly places,” even “the manifold wisdom of God,” chap. i. 9, 10. These riches, these treasures, these myste- rious truths, are rather by us to be admired and adored than fully comprehended in this life; yet here are they deposited, revealed, declared, and laid up safe, for the use, instruction, and edification of the church in all ages. Some men pass by the door of this trea- sury, and scarce deign to look aside towards it. There is nothing that they do more despise. Some look into it superficially and cur- sorily, and see nothing in it that they can much delight in or desire to know more of. But humble, believing souls, whom God by his Spirit leads into the secret stores of divine truth, they behold the riches of God, admire his bounty, and take out for their own use continually. Whilst the mystery of this love and grace is contained in the Scripture, it may well be esteemed a treasure rich and abso- lutely inexhaustible; and our beholding of it, our acquaintance with it, make us partakers of it, 2 Cor. 1. 18.