OF THE RIND .11Y sig. 145 may be enlightened in the knowledge of God and spi- ritual things. This is intended, Matth. iv. 16. This means is the word of God, and the preaching of it. Hence it is called a light, Psal. cxiaç. 105. and is said to give light, Psal. xix. 8. or to be a light shining in a dark place, 2`Pet. i. 19. And it is so termed, because, it is the outwardmeans of communicatingthe light of the knowledge of God unto the minds of men. What the sun is unto the world, as unto things natural, that the word and the preaching of it is unto men as to things spiritual. And hence our apostle applies what is said of the sun in the firmament, as to the enlightening of the world, Psal. xix. 1, 2, 3, 4. unto the gospel, and the preaching ofit, Rom.-x. 15, 18. Sect. 9. And this darkness is upon many in the world, even all unto whom the gospel is not declared, or by whom it is not received, where it is or bath been so. Some d know have entertained a vain imagination about a saving revelation of the knowledge of God, by the works of creation and providence, objected to the rational faculties of the minds of men. It is not my purpose here todivert unto the confutationof that fancy. Were it so, it were easy to demonstrate, that there is nosaving revelation of the knowledge of God unto sin- ners, but as he is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself: and that so he is not made known, but by the word of reconciliation committed unto the dispensers of the gospel. Whatever knowledge therefore of God may be attained by the means mentioned, as he is the God of nature ruling over men, and requiring obedi- ence from them according to the covenant and -law of their creation, yet the knowledge of him, as a God in Christ, pardoning sin, and saving sinners, is attainable by the gospel only. But this I have proved and con- firmed elsewhere. Sect. 10.It is the work of the Holy Spirit to re- move and take away this darkness, which until it is done, no man can see the.kingdom of God or enter into it. And this he Both by sending the word of the gospel into any nation, country, place, or city, as he pleaseth. The gospel doth not get ground in any place, nor is restrained from any place or people, by accident, or by the endeavours of men, but it is sent and disposed of according to the sovereign will and pleasure of the Spi- rit of God. , -He gifteth, calls, and sends men unto the work of preaching it, Acts xiii. 2, 4. and disposeth Nn them unto the places where they shall declare it, either by express revelation as of old, Acts xvi. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. or guides them by the secret operations of his provi- dence. Thus the dispensationof the light of the gos- pel, as to times, places, and persons, depends on his sovereign pleasure, Psal. cxlvii. 19, 20. Wherefore, although we are to take care and pray much about the continuance of the dispensation of the gospel in any place, and its propagation in others; yet need we not to be over- solicitous about it. This work and care the Holy Ghost bath taken on himself, and will carry it on according to the counsel of God and his purposes, con- cerning the kingdom of Jesus Christ in this world. And thus far the dispensation of the gospel is only a causa sine qua non, of the regeneration of men, and the granting of it depends solely on the will of the Spirit of God. - Sect. 11 It is subjective darkness, which is ofmore direct and immediate consideration in this matter, the nature whereof, with what it doth respect, and the in- fluence of it on the minds of men, must be declared, before we can rightly apprehend the work of the Holy Spirit, in its removal by regeneration. This is that whereby the scripture expresseth the na- tural depravation and corruption of the minds of men, with respect unto spiritual things, and the duty that we owe to God according to the tenor of the covenant. And two things must be premised to our consideration of it; As, Sect. 12. -1. That I shall not treat of the deprava- tion or corruption of the mind of man by the fall, with respect unto things natural, civil, political, or moral, but merely with regard to things spiritual, heavenly, and evangelical. It were easy to evince, not only by testimonies of the scripture, but by the experience of all mankind, built on reason, and the observation of in- stances innumerable, that the whole rational soul of man, since the fall, and by the entrance of sin, is weak- ened, impaired, vitiated, in all its faculties, and all their operations about their proper and natural objects. Nei- ther is there any relief against these evils, with all those unavoidable perturbations wherewith it is possessed, and actually disordered in all its workings, but byysome se. cret and hidden operation of the Spirit of God, such as he continually exerts in the rule and government of the world. But it is concerning the impotency, defect, de- 22
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