[1.] That we discern, assent unto them, and receive them, under an apprehension of their conformity and agreeableness to the wisdom, holiness, and righteousness of God, 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. The reason why men receive not Christ crucified, as preached in the gospel, is because they see not a consonancy in it unto the divine perfections of the nature of God. Neither can any receive it until they see in it an expression of divine power and wisdom. This, therefore, is required unto our receiving the things of the Spirit of God in a due manner, —
' " Firmissime tene et nullatenus dubites, posse quidem hominem, quern nee igno- rantia literarum, neqiie aliqua prohibet imbecillitas vol adversitas, verba sanctte legis et evangelii sive Icgere sive ex ore cujusquam proedicatoris audire; sed diviuis man- datis obedire ncniiuem posse, nisi quern Deus gratia sua prtevenerit, ut quod audit corpore, etiam corde percipiat et acccpta diviuitus bona voluutate atque virtute, mau- data Dei facere et velit et possit."— August, de Fide ad Petrum, cap. 34.
CHAP. III.] OF THE MIND BY SIN. 261
namely, that we spiritually see and discern tlieir answerableness unto the wisdom, goodness, and holiness of God ; wherein lies the principal rest and satisfaction of them that really believe. This a natural man cannot do.
[2.] That we discern their suitableness unto the great ends for which they are proposed as the means of accomplishing. Unless we see this clearly and distinctly, we cannot but judge them weakness and foolishness. These ends being the glory of God in Christ, with our deliverance from a state of sin and misery, with a translation into a state of grace and glory, unless we are acquainted with these things, and the aptness, and fitness, and power of the things of the Spirit of God to effect them, we cannot receive them as we ought; and this a natural man cannot do. And from these considerations, unto which sundry others of the like nature might be added, it appears how and whence it is that a natural man is not capable of receiving the things of the Spirit of God.
(2.) It must be observed that there is, or may be, a tiuofold capa- city or ability oi Teceiying, knowing, or understanding spiritual things in the mind of a man : —
[1.] There is a natural power, consisting in the suitableness and proportionableness of the faculties of the soul to receive spiritual things in the way that they are proposed unto us. This is supposed in all the exhortations, promises, precepts, and threateuings of the gospel; for in vain would they be proposed unto us had we not rational minds and understandings to apprehend their sense, use, and importance, and [were we not] also meet subjects for the faith, grace, and obe- dience which are required of us. None pretend that men are, in their conversion to God, like stocks and stones, or brute beasts, that have no understanding; for although the work of our conversion is called a "turning of stones into children of Abraham," because of the great- ness of the change, and because of ourselves we contribute nothing tli^reunto, yet if we were everyway as such as to the capacity of our natures, it would not become the wisdom of God to apply the means mentioned for effecting of that work. God is said, indeed, herein to "give us an understanding," 1 John v. 20; but the natural faculty of the understanding is not thereby intended, but only the renova- tion of it by grace, and the actual exercise of that grace in appre- hending spiritual things. There are two adjuncts of the commands of God: — 1st. That they are equal; Idly. That they *are easy, or not grievous. The former they have from the nature of the things commanded, and the fitness of our minds to receive such commands, Ezek. xviii. 25; the latter they have from the dispensation of the Spirit and grace of Christ, which renders them not only possible unto us, but easy for us.
262 CORRUPTION OR DEPRAVATION [BOOK III.
Some pretend that whatever is required of us or prescribed unto us in a way, of duty, we have a power in and of ourselves to perform/ If by this power they intend no more but tliat our minds, and the other rational faculties of our souls, are fit and meet, as to their na- tural capacity, for and unto such acts as wherein those duties do consist, it is freely granted ; for God requires nothing of us but what must be acted in our minds and wills, and which they are naturally meet and suited for. But if they intend such an active power and ability as, being excited by the motives proposed unto us, can of it- self answer the commands of God in a due manner, they deny the corruption of our nature by the entrance of sin, and render the grace of Christ useless, as shall be demonstrated.
[2.] There is, or may be, a power in the mind to discern spiritual things, whereby it is so able to do it as that it can immediately exercise that power in the spiritual discerning of them ujDon their due proposal unto it, that is, spiritually ; as a man that hath the visive faculty sound and entire, upon the due proposal of visible objects unto him can discern and see them. This power must be spiritual and supernatural; for whereas to receive spiritual things spiritually is so to receive them as really to believe them with faith divine and supernatural, to love them with divine love, to conform the whole soul and affections unto them, Rom. vi. 17, 2 Cor. iii. 18, no natural man hath 230wer so to do : this is that which is denied in this place by the apostle. Wherefore, between the natural capacity of the mind and the act of spiritual discerning there must be an interpo- sition of an effectual work of the Holy Ghost enabling it thereunto, 1 John V 20; 2 Cor. iv 6.