Polhill - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .P7 1675

nPCÍDto Nit!). 23 oó.3.12. I pray, what earthly things did our Saviour tell them ? was not he there preaching on that divine Theme of Regeneration ? Very true, but Chrift fpake to them of Regeneration under the fhadow of a birth and a wind, and not according to the heavenly and fpiritual na- ture thereof in it felf. Thus the words and pbrafes in Scripture, being of common ufe, are as it were humane types and fhgdows, but the myfteries and fpiritual things themfelvcs are altogether divine. Now to apply this diflin -' &ion, reafon improved, reaching to the things of man as its proper line, may know the words and fentences in Scripture, and fo gather up a great notion of Divinity : But, unlefs inlightned by the holy Spirit, which fearcheth the things of God, it goeth not beyond its own line, it knows not JJiritual things ffiritualÿ. Reafon without the light of faith, Take it in a lea, at a Sacrifice, and it faw the type only, and not Cbrijl in it. Take it in a Chriftian at the holy Supper, and it fees only the outward elements, and difcerns not the Lords body. Take it in the greatelt Rabbi fitting with the Scriptures before him, and it fees them only in the (hell or letter, and not in the myftery. And no wonder, for even in common Sciences it may be fo ; a man may confirue and know the Gram- mar of a principle in Euclide, and yet be igno- rant of the Mathematical fenfe of it; much more in divine truths may a man be fpiritually igno- rant, who knows a great deal literally. There- fore all Scholars may do well in their fiudies tó C 4, do

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