150 CORRUPTION O tie's proposition, namely, a natural man, every one that is so, that is no more but so, that is, every one who is not a spiritual man, is not one whohath receiv- ed the Spirit of Christ, ver. 11, 12. one that hath the spirit of a man enabling him to search and know the things of a man, or to attain wisdom in things natural, civil, or political. Sect. 26. -2dly, There is in the words a supposition of the proposal ofsome things unto the mindof this na- tural man: for the apostle speaks with respect unto the dispensation and preaching of the gospel, whereby that proposal is made, ver. 4, 7. and these things are Ts es vrnvpar, rs ere; the things ofthe Spirit of God; which are variously expressed in this chapter. ver. 7. They are called the wisdom ofGod in a mystery, the hidden wisdom that God hath ordained. ver. 12. The things that are freely given unto us of God. ver. 16. The mind ofChrist. ver. 2. Jesus Christ and him crucified. And sundry other ways to the same purpose. There are in the gospel, and belong to the preaching of it, precepts innumerable concerning moral duties to be ob- served towards God, ourselves, and other men. And I all these have a coincidence with, and a suitableness unto the inbred light of nature, because the principles of them all are indelibly ingrafted therein. These things being, in some sense, the things of a man, may be known by the spirit ofa man that is inhim, ver. 11. Howbeit they cannot be observed and practised accord- ing to the mind of God, without the aid and assistance of the Holy ,Ghost. But these are not the things peculiarly here intended, but the mysteries, which de- pend on more sovereign supernatural revelation, and that wholly. Things that eye hatla not seen, nor ear heard, nor have they entered into the heart of man to conceive, ver. 9. Things of God's sovereign counsel, whereof there were no impressions in the mind of man in his first creation, see Ephes. iii. vet'. 8, 9, 10, 11. Sect. 27. -3dly. That which is affirmed of the na- tural plan, with respect unto these spiritual things, is doubly expressed: (I.) By s bx,ea,, he receiveth them not. (2.) By 's án,near )'s,a,, he cannot know them. In this double assertion: (t.) A power of receiving spirit- ual things is denied, he cannot know them. He cannot receivethem. As Rom. vii. 8. The carnal mindis not subject to the law ofGod, neither indeedcan be; and the reason hereof is subjoined; because they are spiritually R DEPRAVATION discerned, a thing which such a person bath no power to effect. (2.) A will of rejecting them is implied. He receiveth them not, for the reason hereof is, because they are foolishness unto him. They are represented unto him under such a notion, as that he will have nothing to do with them. (3.) Actually, (and that both because he cannot, and because he will not,) he receives them not. The natural man neither can, nor will, nor Both receive the things of the Spirit of God; is altogether incapable of giving them admission in the sense to be explained. To clear and free this assertion from objections it must be observed: Sect. 28.-1. That it is not the mere . literal sense of doctrines or propositions of truth that is intended: for instance, that Jesus Christ was crucified, mentioned by the apostle, ver. 2. is a proposition, whose sense and importance any natural man may understand, and assent unto its truth, and so be said to receive it. And all the doctrines of the gospel may be taught and de- clared, in propositions and discourses, the sense and meaning whereof a natural man may understand. And in the due investigation of this sense, and judging there- on concerning truth and falsehood, lies that use of rea- son in religious things, which some would ignorantly confound with an ability of discerning spiritual things in themselves, and their own proper nature. This, therefore, is granted; but it is denied that a natural man can receive the things themselves. There is a wide difference between the mind's receiving doctrines no- tionally, and its receiving the things taught in them really. The first a natural man can do. It is done by all, who by the use of outward means, do- know the doctrine of the scripture, in distinction from ignorance, falsehood and error. Hence, men unregenerate are said to know the way of righteousness, 2 Pet. ii. 21. that is, notionally and doctrinally; for really, saith out apostle, they cannot. Hereon they profess that they know God, that is the things which they are taught concerning him and his will, whilst in works they deny Firmissime teneet nullatenus dubire,, possequidem hominem, quern nec ignorantia literarum, nequealiqua prebibet imbecitlitas sue adversi. sus, verba sanctus legis et Evangelii legeresive es ore cujusdum prtedis catoris audire; sed ut quod audit percipiat etiam corde, ut mandata Dei t' ere velit, nemo potent nisi quern Deus gratia sua prmveniret, data divinitus bona voluatate at vtrtute. August de Sale ad Petram sap. 32.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=