Believing God's Mysteries (1)

How can we come to know the mysteries of God?
(1) Whenever we take the Bible in our hands, when we come to hear the word, hear of God the Spirit, we must remember what God said, "My house will be called the house of prayer' (Isa. 56:7). His house is not only to be the house of hearing divine truths but also the house of prayer. It is impudence and presumption to come to these things without lifting up our souls to God. There is so little profit under the hearing of these glorious mysteries because there is so little prayer and lifting up the heart to God. We should go to Christ, who opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens' (Rev. 3:7). Go to him, therefore, that he would both open the mysteries and open our hearts, that they may understand.
In Revelation 5:4, John wept when the book with seven seals could not be opened. He wept that the prophecy was so obscure, that it could not be understood; but then Christ takes the book and opens it. When we cannot understand divine mysteries, let us groan and sigh to Christ.
He can open the book and he can lay open all the mysteries as far as it concerns us to know.
From this also comes the necessity of the ministry; for if the gospel be a mystery then there must be some to help make it known. God has therefore established an office in the church, with which he joins his own Spirit, that both ordinance and Spirit joining together, the veil may be taken off. "How can they understand without a reacher?" (Rom. 10:14). To us is committed the grace to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ,' said Paul (Eph. 3:6-8). Profane people think they know enough, they need not be taught. This spirit argues a profane and wicked heart. Sometimes God denies his Spirit in hearing because he will have us read; and denies it in that because he will have us confer and practice the communion of saints; to apprehend this glorious, excellent mystery.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Fountain Opened, Works, vol. 5, pp. 468-70
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