I shall choose out one particular from among many as an instance for the proof of this thing, and that is this; Christ reveals his secrets, his mind unto his saints, and enables them to reveal the secrets of their hearts to him. An evi- '. dent demonstration of great delight. It was Sampson's carnal delight in Delilah, that prevailed with him to reveal unto her those things which were of greatest concernment unto him; he will not hide his mind from her, though it cost him his life. It is only a bosom friend unto whom we will unbosom ourselves. Neither is there possibly a greater evidence of delight in close communion, than this, that one will reveal his heart unto him whom he takes into society, and not entertain him with things common and vulgarly known. And therefore, have I chose this instance from amongst a thousand that might be given of this delight of Christ in his saints.

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He then communicates his mind unto his saints, and unto them only; his mind, the counsel of his love, the thoughts of his heart, the purposes of his bosom for our eternal good. His mind, the ways of his grace, the workings of his Spirit, the rule of his sceptre, and the obedience of his gospel. All spiritual revelation is by Christ. He is the true light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;' John i. 9. He is the day spring, the day star, and the sun. So that it is impossible any light should be but by him; from him it is, that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he shews them his covenant;' Psal. xv. 14. as he expresses it at large, John xv. 14, 15.o Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you; henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth, but I have called you friends, ford all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you.' He makes them as his friends and useth them as friends, as bosom friends, in whom he is delighted. He makes known all his mind unto them; every thing that his Father hath committed to him as Mediator, to be re

b Mal. iv. 2. Luke i. 78. 2 Pet. i, 19.

c Voluntatem Dei nosse quisquam desiderat? fiat amicus Deo, quia si voluntatem hominis nosse vellet, cujus amicus non esset, omnes ejus impudentiam et stultitiam deriderent. August de Gen. Cont. Man. lib. 1. cap. 2.

d Vox wávra ex subjecta materia, restrictionem ad doctrinam salutis requirit. Tarnov. in loc.

vealed; Acts xx. 24. And the apostle declares how this is done, 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11. He hath revealed these things to us by his Spirit, for we have received him that we might know the things that are freely given us of God.' He sends us his Spirit, as he promised, to make known his mind unto his saints, and to lead them into all truth; and thence the apostle concludes, we have known the mind of Christ,' ver. 16. for he useth us as friends and declareth it unto us; John i. 18. There is not any thing in the heart of Christ wherein these his friends are concerned, that he doth not reveal to them. All his love, his good-will, the secrets of his covenant, the paths of obedience, the mystery of faith, is told them.

And all this is spoken in opposition to unbelievers, with whom he hath no communion. These know nothing of the mind of Christ as they ought; the natural man receiveth not the things that are of God;' 1 Cor. ii. 14. There is a wide difference between understanding the doctrine of the Scripture as in the letter, and a true knowing the mind of Christ. This we have by special unction from Christ; 1 John ii. 27. ' we have an unction from the Holy One, and we know all things;' 1 John ii. 20.

Now the things which in this communion Christ reveals to them that he delights in, may be referred to these two heads.

(1.) Himself.

(2.) His kingdom.

(1.) Himself. John xiv. 21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him and will manifest myself unto him;' manifest myself in all my graces, desirableness and loveliness; he shall know me as I am, and such I will be unto him, a Saviour, a Redeemer, the chiefest of ten thousand. He shall be acquainted with the true worth and value of the pearl of price; let others look upon him as having neither form nor comeliness, as no way desirable, he will manifest himself and his excellencies unto them in whom he is delighted, that they shall see him altogether lovely. He will veil himself to all the world, but the saints with open face shall behold his beauty and his glory, and so be translated to the image of the same glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord; 2 Cor. iii. 14.

(2.) His kingdom. They shall be acquainted with the government of his Spirit in their hearts, as also with his rule and the administration of authority in his word, and among his churches..

[1.] Thus, in the first place doth he manifest his delight in his saints, he communicates his secrets unto them. He gives them to know his person, his excellencies, his grace, his love, his kingdom, his will, the riches of his goodness, and the bowels of his mercy more and more, when the world shall neither see, nor know any such thing.

[2.] He enables his saints to communicate their mind, to reveal their souls unto him, that so they may walk together as intimate friends; Christ knows the minds of all. He knows what is in man, and needs not that any man testify of him;' John ii. 25. He searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of all;' Rev. ii. 23. But all know not how to communicate their mind to Christ. It will not avail a man at all, that Christ knows his mind; for so he doth of every one whether he will or no; but that a man can make his heart known unto Christ, this is consolation. Hence the prayers of the saints are incense, odours, and those of others aref howling, cutting off a dog's neck, offering of swine's blood, an abomination unto the Lord. Now three things are required to enable a man to communicate his heart unto the Lord Jesus.

1st. Assistance for the work, for of ourselves we cannot do it. And this the saints have by the Spirit of Jesus; Rom. viii. 26, 27. Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.' All endeavours, all attempts for communion with God, without the supplies of the Spirit of supplications, without his effectual working in the heart, is of no value nor to any purpose. And this opening of our hearts and bosoms to the Lord Jesus is that wherein he is exceedingly delighted. Hence is that affectionate call of his unto us, to be treating with him on this account, chap. ii. 14. O my dove, that art in the secret f Hos. vii. 14. Isa. lxvi, 3. Prov. xxviii. 9.

• Rev. viii. 3.

places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely.' When the soul on any account, is driven to hide itself, in any neglected condition, in the most unlikely place of abode, then doth he call for this communication of itself by prayer to him, for which he gives the assistance of the Spirit mentioned.

2dly. A way whereby to approach unto God with our desires. This also we have by him provided for us; John xiv. 5, 6. Thomas saith unto Jesus, Lord we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' That way which we had of going unto God at our creation, is quite shut up by sin. The sword of the law which hath fire put into it by sin, turns every way to stop all passages unto communion with God. Jesus Christ hath consecrated a new and living way' (for the saints) ⚫ through the veil, that is to say the flesh;' Heb. x. 20. He hath consecrated and set it apart for believers, and for them alone. Others pretend to go to God with their prayers, but they come not nigh him. How can they possibly come to the end, who go not in the way? Christ only is the way to the throne of grace, none comes to God but by him. By him we have an access in one Spirit unto the Father;' Eph. ii. 18. These two things then the saints have for the opening of their hearts at the throne of grace, assistance and a way. The assistance of the Spirit, without which they are nothing, and the way of Christ's mediation, without which God is not to be approached unto.

3dly. Boldness to go unto God. The voice of sinners in themselves, if once acquainted with the terror of the Lord, is, Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall inhabit the everlasting burnings? Isa. xxxiii. 14. And no marvel; shame and trembling before God are the proper issues of sin. God will revenge that carnal, atheistical boldness which sinners out of Christ do use towards him. But we have now, boldness to enter into the holiest

8 Vera via vitæ. Bez.

h Via nullius ante trita solo. πpóparov naì Çãoav, recens interfectam ; tamen vi i Gen. iii. 8, 9.

ventem.

by the blood of Jesus: by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say his flesh, and having a high-priest over the house of God, we may draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith;" Heb. x. 9. 20. The truth is, such is the glory and terror of the Lord, such the infinite perfection of his holiness, that on clear sight of it, it will make the soul conclude, that of itself, it cannot serve him, nor will it be to any advantage, but add to the fierceness of his destruction, once to draw nigh to him. It is in Christ alone, and on the account alone of his oblation and intercession, that we have any boldness to approach unto him. And these three advantages have the saints of communicating their minds unto the Lord Christ, which he hath provided for them because he delights in them.

To touch a little by the way, because this is of great importance, I will instance in one of these, as I might in every one, that you may see the difference between a spiritual revealing of our minds unto Christ, in this acceptable manner, and that praying upon conviction which others practise: and this shall be from the first, viz. the assistance we have by the Spirit.

(1st.) The Spirit of Christ reveals to us our own wants, that we may reveal them unto him: 'we know not what to pray for as we ought;' Rom. viii. 26. no 'teachings under those of the Spirit of God are able to make our souls acquainted with their own wants, its burdens, its temptations. For a soul to know its wants, its infirmities, is a heavenly discovery. He that hath this "assistance, his prayer is more than half made before he begins to pray. His conscience is affected with what he hath to do; his mind and Spirit contend within him, there especially where he finds himself most straitened. He brings his burden on his shoulders, and unloads himself on the Lord Christ. He finds (not by a perplexing conviction, but a holy sense and weariness of sin) where he is dead, where dull and cold, wherein unbelieving, wherein tempted above all his strength, where the light of God's countenance is

* Josh. xxiv. 19. Exod. xx. 19. Deut. v. 24. xviii. 16. Isa. xxxiii. 14. Mich. vi. 6, 7. Isa. xxxviii. 14.

m 'TwigEVTUYXável, est advocatorum qui clientibus desideria dictant.