156 CORRUPTION 0 coulddo no otherwise, when the gospel was proposed, declared, and preached unto them. They did not, they could not, receive, give assent unto, or believe the spi- ritual mysteries therein revealed. (4.) This preaching of the gospel unto them, was accompanied with, and managed with those evidences mentioned; namely, the testimonies of the prophecies of scripture, miracles, and- the like, in the same way and manner, and unto the same degree, as it was towards them by whom it was received and believed. In the outward means of reve- lation and its proposition, there was no difference. (5.) The proper meaning of & 84x4:at rcceiveth not, is given ns in the ensuing reason and explanation of it; 4 0'e,a, he cannot knots, tTtem; that is, unless he be spirit- ually enabled thereunto by the Holy Ghost. And this is farther confirmed in the reason subjoined, because they are spiritually discerned. And to wrest this unto the outward means of revelation, which is directly de- signed to express the internal manner of the mind's re- ception of things revealed, is to wrest the scripture at pleasure. How much better doth the description given by Chrysostom of a natural and spiritual man, give light unto and determine the sense of this place. Y'vxwos áv9ea,<o5, Ó.a Tag. 9e rlo9ets Tog 55V 8ta 911111,401.0', á0a tcouaa 55V 449:v oat xr9gams,v o ,.oiv izo,, v ^..Vass ets,eaO s ä, Bntus,;ios. ss A natural man istbe who a lives in or by the flesh, andhath not his mind as yet .cf enlightened by the Spirit; but only bath that inbred " human understanding which the Creator bath endued " the minds of all men withal." And-it vroli¡ca:lxes; ó 81a vroq a 4a, 4T104ft5 T V YSV, Ate vtVnofsee.s,, K fcovev osp iaUTOv avlpuortsryv own,. ixe,Y 401e I2aTOY us, xaglç.gElsavornolGa:txpv, hot, vrleso suxeo itspa00s To i uov s-vevaa. " The spiritual " man is he wha liveth by the Spirit, having his mind " enlightened by him; having not only an inbred bu- " man understanding, but rather a spiritual sunder- "standing bestowed on him graciously; which the e6 Holy Ghost endues the minds of believers withal." But we proceed. Sect. 43.Having cleared the impotency to discern spiritual things spiritually, that is in the minds of na- tural men by reason of their spiritual blindness, or that darkness which is in them; it remains that we consider what is the power and efficacy of this darkness to keep them in a constant and unconquerable aversation from God and the gospel. To thispurpose some testimonies R DEPRAVATIO.ro of scripture must be also considered: for notwithstand ing all other notions and disputes in this matter, for the most part compliant with the inclinations and affections of corrupted nature, by them must our judgments be determined, and into them is our faith to lie resolved. 1 say then, that this spiritual darkness bath a power over the minds of men to alienate them from God; that is, this which the scripture so calleth, is not amere pri- vation, with an impotency in the facultyensuing there- on; but a- depraved habit, which powerfully, and as unto them in whom, it is, unavoidably infiuenceth their will's and affections into an opposition unto spiritual things; the effects whereof the world is visibly filled . withal at this day. And this I shall manifest firstin ge- neral, and then in particular instances. And, by the whole, it will be made to appear, that not only the act of believingandturning unto God, is the sole work and effect of grace, which the Pelagians did not openlydeny, and the Semi-pelagians did openly grant; but also that all power and abilityfor it, properly so called, is from gracealso. Sect. 44. (I.) Col. i. 13. We are said to be deli- vered io : s ieTtas Te owes; from the power of darkness. Theword signifies such a power as consists in authority or rule, that bears sway, and commands themwho are obnoxious unto it. Hence the sins of men, especially those of a greater guilt than ordinary, are called works of darkness, Ephes. v. 11. not only such as are usually perpetrated in the dark, but such as the darkness also of mensminds doth incline themunto and naturally pro- duce. That also which is here called the power of dark- ness, is called the power of Satan, Acts xxvi. 18. For I acknowledge that it is not only or merely the internal darkness or blindness of the minds of men in the state of nature that is here intended, but the whole state of darkness, with what is contributedthereunto by Satan and the world. This the prophet speaks of. Iss. lx. 2. ss Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross " darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon " thee." Such a darkness it is as nothing can dispel, but the light of the Lord arising on and in the souls of men; but all is resolved into internal darkness: for Satan bath no power in men, nor authority over them, but what he bath by means of this darkness. For by this alone doth that prince of the power of theair work ef- fectually in the children of disobedience, Ephes, ii. 2.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=