Chapter V
The reasons why an unregenerate man cannot spiritually discern spiritual things,
because there is so great a disproportion between the object and thefacuity ; because an ability to know such things was part of the image of God in Adam, which being lost utterly by sin, cannot be restored but by a renewing of the mind itself in regeneration.
I have explained how defective the mind is in the apprehension of things which are spiritual. I shall now assign the reasons why things of such a nature cannot be conceived nor discerned by a man in his unregenerate condition.
1. The first reason may be drawn from the vast distance and difference that there is between the object and the faculty. The things are spiritual, and so above the reach of mere nature, and the man without grace is purely natural, and if so, he hath then but natural abilities ; and therefore there must be an addition of an higher power, to raise the understanding to con
ceive of them in that manner as they ought to be apprehended. For, nihil
agit ultra suam spJieram, nothing acts beyond the sphere of its activity ; and
therefore what is natural cannot mount up to spiritual things, they being so much above it. And besides, it is an axiom which holds good even in
nature, that between the object and the faculty there must be a proportion ; and it is for this reason that bodily eyes cannot see and discern a spirit in its own spiritual nature, unless it be clothed with some bodily shape, because
there is no proportion between a body and spirit. Though indeed a bodily eye may be elevated, and helped to see that which is afar off and out of
sight, as by optic-glasses we do, and Stephen s eyes, by extraordinary optics, saw Christ in heaven, Acts vii. 53, yet still it must be a body which is so seen ; but that bodily eyes should see a spirit, unless presented in some
152 AN UNREGENEBATE MAN*S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BOOK III.
bodily shape, this cannot be. No more can a man s understanding, being but natural, see spiritual things, there being not only a vast distance between
them (as Solomon says of wisdom, that it is above the reach of a fool : Prov.
xxiv. 7, Wisdom is too high for a fool ; he openeth not his mouth in the
gate ; ) for this might be helped ; but there is a disproportion in the very nature of the things themselves, because those which are spiritual are of a
higher sphere and order of beings, and therefore there must be higher prin
ciples than what are purely natural to understand them spiritually, i . e. in
their native life, and colour, and lively representation, as spiritual. Clothed
they may be under similitudes, and pictured out, and by this help a natural man may view them. And Christ, expressing the mysteries of grace by such
sensible metaphors, says that he spake earthly things to them, as conde
scending in his way and form of speech to their earthly minds and appre hensions: John iii. 12, If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe
not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things ? The things themselves were spiritual and heavenly, for he had been discoursing of re
generation ; but he calls them earthly, because he expressed them by such
similitudes as here in this chapter he represents to Nicodemus that change of nature which the Spirit of God works under the notion of a new birth : John iii. 3, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God, which Christ did to assist the understanding of Nicodemus in this
matter. And the apprehensions of godly men are helped by such representa tions ; but they farther penetrate the deep and mysterious nature of the
spiritual things themselves, whilst others look no further than the picture, the outward shape and colour which is laid over them ; but the things them
selves in their heavenly nature they never see, nor can see. If I speak
earthly things (says Christ) you hardly understand them, as Nicodemus did
not, much less will it then be possible to understand those which are
heavenly (as Christ argues there), i.e., in an heavenly manner, or spiritually. And really in that Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 14, puts in so carefully this distinction between natural and spiritual, this argues evidently a new power to be re
quired in the natural man that may be suitable to spiritual things. Nay, he doth not only name a different object materially, i. e., spiritual things, but a
different act about such objects, and the formal manner in which they are to be apprehended, which is spiritually
: 1 Cor. ii. 14, But 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 discerned. This great difference, then, not only in the objects but in the acts, infers a
difference between the faculties or powers, for potential distinguuntur per actus
et objecta, powers are distinguished by their objects and acts; and as a
natural faculty exerts natural actions about natural objects, it is a spiritual
faculty which is conversant in a spiritual manner about spiritual things.
2. That a man remaining in his state of nature cannot duly understand
spiritual things, is also evident from this reason, because such an understand
ing is part of that image which was lost in Adam, and utterly lost, and there
fore cannot be in any man till it be restored, and he be renewed in his mind. As Adam could not have had it at first, if God had not created it, so now,
being lost, it cannot be in any man till it be anew created in his mind : Col.
iii. 10, And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after
the image of him that created him. The new man is said to be created after God s image, tig sKtyvuffiv, in knowledge, or unto knowledge, so that there must be a new creation of an understanding power, that we may know God and spiritual objects. Now if those sparks of knowledge which are left in human nature, and are struck into it before any renovation, were of the same
CHAP. V.J IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 153
kind, and gave an ability to know God, and the things of God, as we ought, then there would need no more but adding new fuel to these sparks by
bringing new objects, and throwing them in to enkindle them, and make them blaze. But the apostle says plainly, that there is need of a new
creation, and therefore that knowledge or power of knowing which regenerate men have is not of the same kind with those little sparks which glimmer in
unregenerate men. Yea, and therefore Christ, when he would assign a reason of Nicodemus his ignorance, and witbal shew an absolute need of the new birth, he plainly asserts an impossibility of ever seeing God without
it: John iii. 3-7, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old ? can he enter the second time into his mother s womb, and be born ? Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is bom of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Christ affirms a man not regenerate, to be so far from entering into the kingdom of God, that unless new dispositions be conveyed into his mind, he is incapable of
seeing it. For, says he, that which is born of the flesh is but flesh ; and what is spirit must be born of the Spirit. Now by spirit is meant a new
radical power in the soul, from which actions proceed, and on which fruits do grow: Gal. v. 17-22, For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the
spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other ; so
that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led by the spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these : adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witch
craft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envy-
ings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like : of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Flesh and
spirit are there opposed as two opposite principles, producing contrary
effects, and bring forth such different iruits as those there mentioned. Now
flesh is a principle rooted in a natural man, and therefore so must spirit be
too in one who is spiritual. And being such inward radicated principles, they clog and obstruct one another s actions, as contrary habits use to do, that you cannot do what you would. And that this spirit is new powers put into the soul, is evident also from this, that acts are ascribed to this
spirit, and there are fruits of the spirit enumerated, as well as of the flesh. Now in the soul there is nothing but either acts, or habits, or dispositions. A new act is not that spirit which is new born in a man, for all acts come from the Spirit, and therefore presuppose it ; and therefore it must be a new
principle and root, and power put in.
Now, therefore, for a man to be born again in his understanding, is to have such a spirit, that is, a new principle of spiritual knowledge wrought in his soul, which if he want, he cannot see God s kingdom, or the things which belong unto it, for they are spiritual and heavenly, and require an
heavenly spiritual eye. Yea, and this may be added, that if that which is
called spirit be wrought by regeneration in any faculty, it is in the under
standing, for that is part of the reason of its name ; why it is called spirit ? that it is seated in the spirit of the mind, and that this is renewed : Eph. iv. 23, And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
? S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BOOK III.
AN UNREGENERATE MAN