Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

2. There are holy actions externally so, as to come to hear the Word preached, to read and meditate upon the Word: experience teacheth, that men have a natural power to this; witness those many Comments and learned Expositions, that men without any grace have made upon the Scripture. Now it's true, to do any of these holily is Gods act, The natural man perceiveth not the things of God: and, God opened Lydia's heart. But yet God converteth in the use of these means. He will not ordinarily change the heart of any, that doth not wait at the gates of wisdom. Therefore God doth not work upon the heart, as the Artificer useth his instrument, but he commands to read and hear; and this is the organ, or the means by which the Spirit of God will change his heart. Now indeed, when a man readeth or heareth any natural or philosophical truth, he is able by these [Greek or Hebrew], strength left in nature, to comprehend them, but he cannot in the same manner bring forth any thoughts or affections of heart suitable unto those spiritual mysteries laid open before him. But now the patrons of Nature speak otherwise; they say it is, as if a man, almost spent by a disease, should receive physic, and so that physic doth repair and increase strength, not infuse strength: Or, as a bird tied by a string, that hath a power to fly, only is outwardly hindered, so that they ⟨p. 102⟩suppose a latent power in Nature to be excited and stirred up by grace: we say, the power must be first infused.

2. There are holy actions externally so, as to come to heare the Word preached, to reade and meditate upon the Word: experience teacheth, that men have a naturall power to this; witnesse those many Comments and learned Expositions, that men without any grace have made upon the Scripture. Now it's true, to doe any of these holily is Gods act, The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God: and, God opened Lydia's heart. But yet God converteth in the use of these meanes. He will not ordinarily change the heart of any, that doth not wait at the gates of wisdome. Therefore God doth not work upon the heart, as the Artificer useth his instrument, but he commands to reade and hear; and this is the organ, or the meanes by which the Spirit of God will change his heart. Now indeed, when a man readeth or heareth any naturall or philosophicall truth, he is able by these 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, strength left in nature, to comprehend them, but he cannot in the same manner bring forth any thoughts or affections of heart sutable unto those spirituall mysteries laid open before him. But now the patrons of Nature speak otherwise; they say it is, as if a man, almost spent by a disease, should receive physick, and so that physick doth repaire and increase strength, not infuse strength: Or, as a bird tyed by a string, that hath a power to flye, onely is outwardly hindered, so that they