I. Shew that man, though of himself he cannot find what is right, can yet form a good judgment of what is right, when once it is fairly proposed for his consideration —
[Man, doubtless, could not of himself devise a way in which he might obtain reconciliation with God. This it was
not within the reach of any finite capacity to conceive —
Nor could he tell how to render acceptable service to his God. The nature and extent of perfect holiness were far beyond the utmost stretch of his imagination
But when God had revealed a way of salvation for man through the mediation of his only-begotten Son, and through the operation of his blessed Spirit, man, though he could not comprehend such a mystery, must say at once, ' This, if true, is worthy of God, and fully adequate to the necessities of man :' and the more deeply he considered it, the more fully would this conviction flash upon his mind. He would say, ' I can never atone for one sin ; but here is a sufficient atonement for the sins of the whole world. I can never work out a right- eousness wherein to appear before God; but here, in the obedience of my incarnate God, I see a perfect righteousness, clothed in which, I may stand before God without spot or blemish. I can never restore to my soul that likeness to God, in which it was at first created ; but the Holy Spirit, the Third Person in the ever-blessed Trinity, is able to effect it, and to transform me into the Divine image in righteousness and true holiness. I see then, that, supposing this revelation to be from God, there is in the salvation there proposed, a suitableness, and a sufficiency, that commends it to my judg- ment, and must for ever endear it to my soul.'
In answer to this, that affirmation of Scripture may be adduced, " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discernedb." But this is not owing to his incapacity to judge, provided he would judge with candour; but to his prejudices and passions, which pervert his judgment: for, of those who believe not, it is said, " The god of this world hath blinded their eyes, through the instrumentality of their own prejudices and passions, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them c." Hence the rejection of the Gospel is always represented as aggravating the guilt of persons, " who would have had, comparatively, no sin, if they had not heard itd." And hence was that solemn warning given, "This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world ; and men loved
b 1 Cor. ii. 14. c 2 Cor. iv. 4. d John xv. 22.