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things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them un"to babes."

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Secondly, It is not opposed to all light, and knowledge, in spiritual truths. A man may have a true understanding of the fcriptures, give an orthodox exposition of them, and enlighten the minds of others by them; and yet the gospel may be hidden from himself, Mat. vii. 22. "Many will fay unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy name?” So, Rom. ii. 19. "And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light to them that fit in darkness," &c. A man may fhew others the way to Chrift, and falvation, whilft both are hid from himself.

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Thirdly, It is not opposed to all kind of influences upon the affections; for, it is poffible, the gofpel may touch the affections themfelves, and caufe fome fweet motions and raptures in them; and yet be an hidden gospel to the foul, Heb. vi. 5, 9.

But if these three things may confift with fpiritual blindness, unto what then is it oppofed? To which I anfwer, that fpiritual blindness ftands only oppofed unto that faving manifeftation of Jefus Chrift in the gospel, by the Spirit, whereby the foul is regenerated, and effectually changed, by a real converfion unto God: Wherever the gospel thus comes, in the demonftration of the Spirit, and of power; producing fuch an ef fect as this in the foul; it is no longer an hidden gospel to that foul, though fuch perfons do not fee clearly all that glory which is revealed by the gofpel; though they know but in part, and fee darkly, as through a glafs; yet the eyes of their underftandings are opened, and the things which belong to their peace are not hidden from them.

Secondly, But though this be the happiness of fome men, yet it is demonftrable, that the eyes of many are blinded by the God of this world, and the gospel is an hidden gofpel from them; for,

First, Many that live under the gospel are so entirely swallowed up in the affairs of this world, that they allow themselves no time to ponder the great concernment of their fouls in the world to come; and judge you, whatever the gifts and knowledge of these men are, whether the god of this world hath not blinded their eyes. If it were not fo, it were impoffible that ever they should thus waste the most precious opportunities of falvation, upon which their everlasting well-being depends, and fpend time, at the door of eternity, about trifles which fo little concern them. Yet this is the cafe of the greatest number that go under the Christian name. The earth hath opened her

mouth and swallowed up their own time, thoughts, ftudies, and ftrength, as it did the bodies of Corah and his accomplices. The first, the freeft, yea, the whole of their time, is devoted to the fervice of the world; for even at that very time, when they prefent their bodies before the Lord, in the duties of his worship, their hearts are wandering after vanities, and "going "after their covetoufnefs," Ezek. xliii. 31. Judge whether the god of this world hath blinded these men or no, who can fee fo much beauty in the world, but none in Chrift, and put an abfolute neceffity upon the vanities of this world, but none-upon their own falvation. If this be not fpiritual blindness, what is?

Secondly, The great ftillaefs, and quietnefs of mens confciences, under the most rouzing, and awakening truths of the gospel, plainly proves that the god of this world hath blinded their eyes. For, did men fee, and apprehend the dangerous condition they are in, as the word reprefents it; nothing in the world would quiet them but Chrift. As foon as mens eyes come to be opened, the next enquiry they make, is, "What fhall we do to "be faved?" It is not poffible, that a man should hang over hell, fee Chrift, and the hopes of falvation going, and the day of patience ending, and yet be quiet. O! it cannot be, that confcience should let them be quiet in fuch a cafe, if it were not blind. ed and ftupified; but whilft the god of this world, "that strong man armed, keepeth the house, all his goods are in peace,' Luke xi. 21. If once your eyes were opened by conviction, a man may then fay, be quiet if you can; fit ftill, and let the hopes, and feafons of falvation, pafs quietly away, if you can. Suppose one should come into the congregation, and whisper but fuch a word as this in your ears, your child is fallen into the fire, and is a dying, fince you came from home; will it be in the power of all friends you have, to quiet you, and make you fit till after fuch an information? much lefs when a man apprehends his own foul in immediate danger of everlasting burnings.

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Thirdly, The ftrong confidences, and prefumptuous hopes men have of falvation, whilst they remain in the state of nature, and unregeneracy, plainly fhew their minds to be blinded by the policy of Satan. This prefumption is one of thofe açar deyil, falfe reafonings, by which Satan deludes the understanding, as the apoftle calls them, James i. 22. It is the cunning fophiftry of the devil, fathered by felf-love, Prov. xxi. 2. "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes," and partly VOL. III.

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by felf-ignorance, Rev. iii. 17. "Thou faidft I am rich, and "have need of nothing, and knoweft not that thou art poor." You have no fears, no doubts, no cafe to propound that concerns your future ftate; and why fo? but because you have no fight; your confciences are quieted, because your eyes are blinded.

Fourthly, The trifling of men, with the duties of religion, plainly difcovers the blinding power of Satan upon their minds and understandings, elfe they would never play, and dally with the ferious, and folemn ordinances of God, at that rate they do; if their eyes were once opened, they would be in earnest in prayer, and apply themselves with the closest attention of mind to hearing the gofpel. There are two forts of thoughts about any fubject of meditation. Some think at a distance, and others think clofe to the fubject. Never do thoughts of men come fo clofe to Chrift, to heaven, and to hell, as they do immediately upon their illumination. When John's miniftry enlightened the peoples minds, it is faid, Matth. xi. 12. "From the days of John "the Baptift until now, the kingdom of heaven fuffereth vio"lence, and the violent take it by force." Surely these men were more in good earnest, that would receive no repulse, take no denial, but even force themfelves through all difficulties into heaven; and fo would it be with you. If the god of this world had not blinded your minds, you would never pray with so much unconcernedncfs, nor hear with fo much negligence, and carelesnefs; pray, as if you prayed not, and hear as if you heard not. It is with many of your hearts, as it was with Ariftotle, who after a quaint oration made before him, was afked how he liked it; truly, faid he, I did not hear it; for I was thinking all the while of another matter.

Fifthly, This alfo is a plain evidence, that the god of this world hath blinded many mens eyes among us, for that they fear not to commit great fins, to avoid small hazards and troubles, which all the world could never perfuade them to do, if they were not hood-winked by the god of this world. Those that have feen fin, as fin, in the glafs of God's law," will chufe as "Mofes did, to fuffer any affliction with the people of God, ra"ther than enjoy the pleafures of fin, which are but for a fea

foo," Heb. xi. 25. Thofe that have feen, and felt the evil of fin in the deep troubles of their spirits for it, will account all reproaches, all loffes, all fufferings from men, to be but as nothing to the burthen of fin.

Sixthly, The pride, and felf-conceitednefs of many thousands, who profess Christianity, plainly fhew their minds to be blinded

by the fophiftry of Satan, and that they do not understand themfelves, and the woful ftate of their own fouls. Thofe that fee God in the cleareft light, abhor themfelves in the deepest humility, Ifa. vi. 5. John xliii. 5. If ever the Lord had effectually opened your eyes, by a clear difcovery of your ftate by nature, and the courfe of your life, under the efficacy and influence of continual temptations, and corruptions, how would your plumes fall? None in the world would rate you lower, than you your. felves would. By all which it appears, that multitudes are blinded by the god of this world.

Thirdly, In the third place, we are to confider, what policies Satan ufeth to blind the minds of them that believe not, and we shall find there are three forts of policies practifed by the god of this world upon the minds and understandings of men, which he darkens, by

1. Hindering the reception of gofpel-light,

2. Obstructing the efficacy of it when received.

3. Making mifapplication of it to other purposes.

It is a great policy in Satan, to blind the understandings of men, by hindering, and preventing the reception of gospel-light, which he doth especially thefe five ways;

First, By tempting the difpenfers of the gospel to darken the truths thereof, in the delivering of them, to shoot over the heads of their hearers, in lofty language, and terms of art, fo that common understandings can give no account, when the fermon is done, what a preacher would have; but, however, commend him for a good fcholar, and an excellent orator. I make no doubt but the devil is very bufy with minifters in their ftudies, tempting them, by the pride of their own hearts, to gratify his defign herein; he teaches them how to paint the glass, that he might keep out the light.

I acknowledge, a proper, grave, and comely ftile, befits the lips of Christ's ambajadors; they would not be rude, and careless in their language, or method. But this affectation of great fwelling words of vanity, is but too like the proud Gnoftics, whom the apoftle is fuppofed to tax for this evil, Jude, ver. 16. "This is to darken counfel, by words without "knowledge," Job xxxi. 2. To amufe, and bemift poor ignorant fouls, and nullify the design of preaching; for every thing is accounted fo far good, as it is good to the end it is ordained for. A fword, that hath an hilt of gold, fet thick with diamonds, is no good sword, if it hath no edge to cut, or want a good back to follow home the ftroke. O that the minifters

SERM. XXXIV. of Christ would chufe rather found, than great words, fuch as are apt to pierce the heart, rather than fuch as tickle the fancy; and let people beware of furthering the defign of Satan against their own fouls, in putting a temptation upon their ministers, by defpifing plain preaching. The more popular, plain, and intelligible our difcourfes are, so much the more probable they are to be fuccefsful; that is the most excellent oratory, that perfuades men to Chrift,

Secondly, Satan hinders the accefs of light to the understandings of men, by employing their minds about impertinent things, while they are attending upon the ordinances of God; thus he tempted them in Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32. "And they come unto "thee as the people cometh, and they fit before thee, as my "people; and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; "for with their mouth they fhew much love, but their heart "goeth after their covetousness. And lo! thou art unto them as a very lovely fong of one that hath a pleasant voice." The modulation of the prophet's voice was very pleasing to their ears, but mean while their fancies, and thoughts were wandring after their lufts, their hearts were full of earthly projects.

Thirdly, Satan binders the accefs of light to the understand. ings of men, by raifing objections, and picking quarrels with the word, on purpose to shake its authority, and hinder the affent of the understanding to it, and fo the word makes no more impreffion than a fable, or a romance would do. And never did this design of Satan obtain more than in this atheistical age, wherein the main pillars and foundation of religion are shaken in the minds of multitudes. The devil hath perfuaded many, that the gospel is but a cunningly devifed fable; fabula Chrifti, as that blafpheming pope called it; that minifters must fay fomething to get a living. That heaven and hell are but fancies, or at moft, things of great uncertainty, and doubtful credit. This being once obtained, the door of the foul is fhut against truth. And this defign of Satan hath profpered the more in this generation, by the corrupt doctrines of feducing fpirits, "Which have overthrown the faith of fome," 2 Tim. ii, 18. And partly from the fcandalous lives of loofe and vain profeffors, the gofpel hath been brought into contempt; but efpecially by Satan's artificial improvement of the corrupt natures of men, in an age wherein confcience hath been fo much debauched, and Atheism thereby spread as a gangrene in the body politic.

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They who fpeak in a popular, plain, and fimple manner, are the best inftructors of the people, Bucholtz.

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