§. III.
[53] Antequam progrediar.
Object.They say, The Greek Word [Greek: psychikos: ψυχικος] ought to be translated animal, and not natural; else, say they, it would have been [Greek: physikos: φυσικος]. From which they seek to infer, that it is only the Animal Man, and not the Rational, that is excluded here from discerning the Things of God. Which Shift, without disputing about the Word, is easily refuted; neither is it any wise consistent with the Scope of the Place. For
Answ. 1.The Animal Life is the same with Natural. First, The Animal Life is no other than that which Man hath in common with other living Creatures; for as he is a mere Man, he differs no otherwise from Beasts than by the Rational Property. Now the Apostle deduceth his Argument in the foregoing Verses from this Simile; That as the Things of a Man cannot be known but by the Spirit of a Man, so the Things of God no Man knoweth but by the Spirit of God. But I hope these Men will confess unto me, that the Things of a Man are not known by the Animal Spirit only, i. e. by that which he hath in common with the Beasts, but by the Rational; so that it must be the Rational that is here understood. Again, the Assumption shews clearly that the Apostle had no such Intent as these Men’s Gloss would make him have, viz. So the Things of God knoweth no Man, but the Spirit of God. According to their Judgment he should have said, The Things of God knoweth no Man by his Animal Spirit, but by his Rational Spirit: For to say, The Spirit of God, here spoken of, is no other than the Rational Spirit of Man, would border upon Blasphemy, since they are so often contra-distinguished. Again, going on, he saith not that they are Rationally, but Spiritually discerned.
Answ. 2.Secondly, The Apostle throughout this Chapter shews how the Wisdom of Man is unfit to judge of the Things of God, and ignorant of them. Now I ask these Men, whether a Man be called a Wise Man from his Animal Property, or from his Rational? The Rational Man in the Natural State excluded from discerning the Things of God.If from his Rational, then it is not only the Animal, but also the Rational, as he is yet in the Natural State, which the Apostle excludes here, and whom he contra-distinguisheth from the Spiritual, Ver. 15. But the Spiritual Man judgeth all Things. This cannot be said of any Man merely because Rational, or as he is a Man, seeing the Men of the greatest Reason, if we may so esteem Men, whom the Scripture calls Wise, as were the Greeks of Old, not only may be, but often are Enemies to the Kingdom of God; while both the Preaching of Christ is said to be Foolishness with the Wise Men of the World, and the Wisdom of the World is said to be Foolishness with God. Now whether it be any ways probable that either these Wise Men that are said to account the Gospel Foolishness, are only so called with respect to their Animal Property, and not their Rational; or that the Wisdom that is Foolishness with God is not meant of the Rational, but only the Animal Property, any Rational Man, laying aside Interest, may easily judge.