162 CORRUPTION O inChrist Jesus. This is the methodof the gospel, which the apostle Paul observeth in all his epistles. First, he declares the mysteries of faith that are peculiar to the gospel, and then descends unto those moral duties which are regulated thereby. But theprejudice we mentioned inverts the order of these things. Those who are under the power of it, when on various accounts they giveadmittance unto the gospel in general, yet they fix their minds firstly and principallyon the things which have their foundation in the law and light of nature. These they know and have some acquaintance with in themselves, and therefore cry them up, although not in their proper place, nor to their proper end. These they make the foundation ac- cording to the place which they held in the law of na- ture and covenant of works; whereas the gospel allows them to be only necessary superstructions on the foun- dation. But resolving to give unto moral duties the pre-eminence in their minds, they consider afterwards the peculiar doctrines of the gospel with one or other of these effects: For, (1.) Some in a manner wholly des- pise them, reproaching those by whom they are singu- larly professed. What is contained in them, is of no importance in theirjudgment, compared with the more necessary duties of morality which they pretend to em- brace; and to acquit themselves of the trouble of a search into them, reject them-as unintelligibleor unne- cessary. Or, (2.) They will, by forced interpretations, enervating the Spirit, and perverting the mystery of them, square and fit them to their own low and carnal apprehensions. They would reduce the gospel, and all the mysteries of it, to their own light, as -some, to reason, as others, to philosophy, as the rest; and . let them, who complynot with their weak and .carnal notions of things, expect all the contemptuous re- proaches which the proud pretenders unto science and wisdom of old, cast upon the apostles and first preach- ers of the gospel. Hereby advancing morality above themystery and grace of the gospel, they at once reject the gospel, and destroy morality also; for, taking it off from its proper foundation, it falls into the dirt, where- ofthe conversation of the men of this persuasion is no small evidence. Sect. 59.From this prejudice it is, that the spiritual things of the gospel are by many despised and contem- ned. So God apalee of Ephraim, Hos. viii. 12. " J R DEPRAVATION have written to him the great things of the law, but " they were counted as a strange thing." The things intended wererrnn 'an, the great, manifold, various things of the law. That which the law was then unto that peo- ple, that is the gospel now unto us. The Torah was the entire means of God's communicating his mind and will unto them, as his whole counsel is revealed unto us by the gospel. These things he wrote unto then), or made them in themselves and their revelation plain and perspicuous. But when all was done, they were es- teemed by them u ma as is also the gospel, a thing for- eign and alien unto the minds of men, which they in- tend not to concern themselves in. They will heed the things that are cognate unto the principles of their na- ture, things morally good or evil; but for the hidden wisdom of God in the mystery of the gospel, it is es- teemed by them as a strange thing. And innumerable other prejudices of the same nature doth this darkness fill the minds of men withal, whereby they are power- fully, and as unto any light or strength of their own, invincibly kept offfrom receiving of spiritual things in a spiritual manner. Sect. 60.Again, thepower and efficacy of thisdark- ness in andupon the souls of unregenerate men, will be farther evidenced by the consideration of itsespecial sub- ject, or the nature and use of that faculty which is af- fected with it. This is the mind or understanding. Light and knowledge, are intellectual Virtues or perfec- tions of the mind; and that in every kind whatever, whether in things natural, moral, or spiritual. The darkness whereof we treat, is the privation of spiritual light, or the want of it. And therefore are they op- posed unto one another; you were darkness, but arelight in theLord, Ephes. v. 8. It is therefore the mindor un- derstanding which is affected with this darkness, which is vitiated and depraved by it. Now the mind may be considered two ways; (1.) As it is theoretical or contemplative, discerning and judg- ing of things proposed unto it. So it is its office tofind out, consider, discern, and apprehend the truth of things. In the case before us, it is the duty of the mind to apprehend, understand, and receive the truths of the gospel -as they are proposed unto it, in the man- ner of, and unto the end of their proposal. This, as we have manifested, by reason of its depravation it nei- ther doth nor is able to do, John i. 5. 2 Cor. ii. 14.
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