Evid. 4. The natural man is void of the saving knowledge of spiritual things. He knows not what a God he has to deal with; he is unacquainted with Christ; and knows not what sin is. The greatest graceless wits are blind as moles in these things. Ay, but some such can speak of them to good purpose: and so might these Israelites of the temptations, signs and miracles, their eyes had seen, (Deut. xxix. 3.) to whom nevertheless the Lord had not given an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto that day, ver. 4. Many a man that bears the name of a Christian, may make Pharaoh's confession of saith, Exod. v. 2. I know not the Lord, neither will they let go when he commands them to part with. God is with them as a prince in disguise among his subjects, who meets with no better treatment from them, than if they were his fellows, Psal. l. 21. Do they know Christ, or see his glory, and any beauty in him for which he is to be desired? if they did, they would not slight him as they do: a view of his glory would so darken all created excellency, that they would take him for, and instead of all, and gladly close with him, as he offereth himself in the gospel, John iv. 10. Psal ix. 10. Matth. xiii. 44, 45, 59. Do they know what sin is, who hug the serpent in their bosom, hold fast deceit, and refuse to let it go? I own indeed they may have a natural knowledge of those things, as the unbelieving Jews had or Christ, whom they saw and conversed with: but there was spiritual glory in him, perceived by believers only, Joh i. 14 and in respect of that glory, the (unbelieving) world knew him not, ver. 10. But the spiritual knowledge of them they cannot have; it is above the reach of the carnal mind, 1 Cor. ii. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned. He may indeed discourse of them; but no other ⟨p. 51⟩way than one can talk of honey or vinegar, who never tasted the sweetness of the one, nor the sourness of the other. He has some notions of spiritual truths, but sees not the things themselves, that are wrapped up in the words of truth, 1 Tim. i. 7. Understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. In a word natural men fear, seek, confess, they know not what.
Evid. 4. The natural man is void of the saving knowledge of spiritual things. He knows not what a God he has to deal with; he is unacquainted with Christ; and knows not what sin is. The greatest graceless wits are blind as moles in these things. Ay, but some such can speak of them to good purpose: and so might these Israelites of the temptations, signs and miracles, their eyes had seen, (Deut. xxix. 3.) to whom nevertheless the Lord had not given an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto that day, ver. 4. Many a man that bears the name of a Christian, may make Pharaoh's confession of saith, Exod. v. 2. I know not the Lord, neither will they let go when he commands them to part with. God is with them as a prince in disguise among his subjects, who meets with no better treatment from them, than if they were his fellows, Psal. l. 21. Do they know Christ, or see his glory, and any beauty in him for which he is to be desired? if they did, they would not slight him as they do: a view of his glory would so darken all created excellency, that they would take him for, and instead of all, and gladly close with him, as he offereth himself in the gospel, John iv. 10. Psal ix. 10. Matth. xiii. 44, 45, 59. Do they know what sin is, who hug the serpent in their bosom, hold fast deceit, and refuse to let it go? I own indeed they may have a natural knowledge of those things, as the unbelieving Jews had or Christ, whom they saw and conversed with: but there was spiritual glory in him, perceived by believers only, Joh i. 14 and in respect of that glory, the (unbelieving) world knew him not, ver. 10. But the spiritual knowledge of them they cannot have; it is above the reach of the carnal mind, 1 Cor. ii. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned. He may indeed discourse of them; but no other ⟨p. 51⟩way than one can talk of honey or vinegar, who never tasted the sweetness of the one, nor the sourness of the other. He has some notions of spiritual truths, but sees not the things themselves, that are wrapt up in the words of truth, 1 Tim. i. 7
