... . rteB Y. . ' -~rhe Corruption of the Underflanding. 41 yethow fn1_all a portion have they of the 'knowledg~ of di~ vine things ! what ignorance and confufion· do Hill remain in' their ~inds ! How often are they mired, even in the matter of practical ,truths, andrfpeak as ~ child in thefe . things! tl is a pii!ful we~knefs that we cahnot perceive the ' things whiCh G<;>d has revealed to us: and it mull: nc:eds be a finful weaknefs, !i'nce tqe law of God tequites us to know and believe them. ·(3.) Wh;,lt dangerou,s mtffakes are to be. found amongfl.rnen, in their. concern's of greatell: we!ght! what woful ·deluGons prevail over them ! do we not often fee thofe, who, otherwife are the wifeft of men 1 the mod: not~rious fools with refpeet to ' thei·r foul'~)nt~refi, Matth. xi. 25. 'Thou hafl hid theft things from-the rw~{e andpru~ dent. Many that are ·eagle-eyed in the trjfles of ,tiniel ~re like owls and bats i'n the light of life. '· Nay t·ruly, the life of everypatural man is but one co~tin-ue.d drea1!l and de– JuGon, out ofwhich he neveraw~kes, till either, by a new light dat ted ·from heaven into his foul, he come to himfelf, Luke xv. 17. or, in·helt he_lift ufJ his eyes.- ch<~p. xvi. 23. ' And therefore in fcripture· account, be he never fo wife~ he·is a fool ' and·'jl fimple one. ·. · , · Se'condly,"Man's underfianding is natura11y ·o-y:erwhelmed with grofs darknefs in fpiritual things . .JVlan at the inHiga .. , -.. tidn of the'devjJ, 4Jttempting to break out ·a new light in his mind'(Gen.iii. s.) infiead ofthat, broke up the doors of d1~ bottomlefs pit: fo, as by the fmoak the~eo,f, he was bu– :ried in darknefs. · When ·God at fi'r{~ had made mars:,; his mi'nd was a Jamp oflir,pt: but now when he comes to·maki llim over again, in regeneration, he finds it darknefs, ' Epno :v. ·s,. Ye 'l.Uefe fonutime· darlwifs. Sin nas clofed the v.lin– do.ws of the foul ~ daiknefs is over all that region. It' is the hnd ·of darknefs 'and fhadow of death) where the Ji.gnt is as dai-knefs. The prince of d'a-rknefs reigns there, and nothi~g bu't the works of darknefs are framed there. \Ye are born. fpi'ri!uaily blind> and cannot be refiored without a miracle· of- 'grace. This is thy cafe whofoever ··thou art, that art not born again; And that you may be convinced in this– matter, take ' thefe .following evidences of it. · Evid,(nce ' r. The darknefs that was upo.n the face,of the wolld before, and at the time .when Chrilt came, a\ifing 25 ;Ji·ejiw ifrighte?ufnefs upon the earth. ' \V.hen/ldamby his . D ·3 . :· . iit':, ·"
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