if it be, where is the fault? Elfe, if men are so, not because they would not be better, but because they neither fee, nor know, nor are able to do better, how heavy, how black, and how blafphemous a character doth the confequence of fuch an opinion faften upon the good and righteous God of heaven and earth; fince it fuppofes him not to have given means sufficient to do that which he requires of them, and for not doing of which they are to be sentenced to eternal mifery? But I confefs, how deep foever this may ftick with impartial fpirits, I almoft defpair of entering fome of our adverfaries, whofe fouls are pinched up within the narrow compass of a moft unmerciful kind of predestination; making the eternal God as partial as themselves; like fome ancients, that because they could not resemble God, they would make fuch gods as might resemble them.

I fay, what else can be the tendency of this kind of doctrine, against the sufficiency of the light within, than that the gift of God is not perfect, or able, because men do not obey it: and that the talent God has given to all, is therefore infufficient for the end for which it was given, because man hides it in a napkin?

Again, Let them tell me, would it be a good argument, that if the fame corn fhould be fown in a fertile, and a barren foil, that growing in one, and not in the other, the fault should be in the feed, and not rather in the ground?

Who knows not, how tradition and cuftom have overlaid much of conviction, and benumbed the world, and that it is, through lufts and pleasures, become blind and ftupid as to the invifible things of God. Alas! there had never been fo much need of many exterior difpenfations and appearances of God, in reference to religion, fo much preferred by the profeffors of this day, had not mens minds been departed from the inward light and life of righteoufnefs: fa that they being outward and abroad, God was pleased to meet them there in fame external manifestations;

yet

yet fo, as to turn them home again to their first love; to that light and life which was given of God, as the way and guide to eternal falvation.

Nor could any of thofe things cleanfe, as concerning the confcience; wherefore God ftill, by his fervants and prophets, admonished and warned the people of old, "to put away the evil of their doings,

and cease to do evil, and learn to do well, and to "wash themselves, and to cleanse themselves;" for that all their exactness in outward fervices was otherwife but as the "cutting off a dog's neck:f" a facrifice equally pleafing. Wherefore the abrogation of all outward difpenfations, and the reducing man to his first state of inward light and righteoufnefs, is called in fcripture," the times of refreshment, and the reftitution of all things."

In short, though there have been external obfervations and ordinances in the world, by God's appointment, as figures and fhadows of the good things to come, either to prevent the Jews from the outward fplendid worship of the idolatrous Gentiles, that he might retain a peculiar fovereignty over them, or to fhew forth unto them a more hidden and invisible glory; this remains fure for ever, that light within there was, and that the ancients faw their fins by it, and that there could be no acceptance with God, but as they walked up to it, and were taught to put away the evil of their doings by it: fuitable to that notable paffage, "the path of the juft is a fhining light, that

fhines clearer and clearer unto the perfect day." I would fain know what this day was, if not that of falvation? Can there be any night or darkness in the day? Surely no. What if their light was not fo large, was it therefore not faving? Yes furely. But as, where much is given, much is required, fo where little is given, but little is required. If the light was not fo gloriously manifefted before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh, lefs was then required

• Ifa. i. f Chap. lxvi.

than

than fince; yet it follows not that there were two lights, or that the light was not faving, before the vifible appearance of Chrift, to as many as lived in an holy conformity to it.

And if it be agreed, that blindness in men can be no argument against the light of the fun, neither is this light infufficient, because the people of any nation remain blind through their vain cuftoms and evil practices. Nay, fhould any fuch doctrine be admitted, what would become of our adverfaries opinion, that the light of mere fcripture is fufficient of itself to give men the knowledge of God?' For if those that have the fcriptures do not know, believe, and obey God, as they ought to do, will it not follow upon fuch a principle, that the defect is not in them, but in the fcriptures? Certainly, the confequence will hold as well against the fcriptures, as against the light within. If then fuch muft wrong the fcripture, who fo difpute, let them that think fo endeavour to right the light, and no longer maintain a position, that, being admitted, would overturn the authority of the fcripture, as well as that of the light within.

CHA P. IV.

Another objection against the light's fufficiency to manifeft what ought to be done, though it were able to discover what should be avoided. It is anfwered, the light not telling man all it knows, or man may know in time to come, is no argument to prove it knows not all things. Men know more than they do; let them first obey what they know, and then what is convenient will be farther revealed. It is proved from the reason of contraries; because it fhews what ought not to be done, from fcripture at large, it does inftruct what to do; and that there is virtue in it, to the falvation of all that believe and obey it. That there is no effential difference between the feed, light, word, fpirit, life, truth,

power,

power, unction, bread, water, flesh and blood: only fo denominated from the various manifeftations, operations, and effects of one and the fame divine principle in man.

UT there is a fecond objection, viz. 'that there feems to be a manifeft infufficiency in the light, becaufe though feveral things are revealed by it, yet feveral neceffary matters are not, nor cannot; fo that though it fhould manifeft all that is reproveable, yet cannot it discover all that is neceffary to be either believed or done.'

I answer, This is but a piece of the former objection already confidered. I perceive the pinch lies here, that becaufe men do not what they fhould, or do not know all that may be fit for them to know, therefore the light is infufficient. The first will be anfwered by what I have already faid, the reason being the fame for the fufficiency of the light, against fuch as charge it with defect, because they do not what they fhould, as against those who fo impeach it, because they do thofe things which they fhould not.

As for not knowing by this light all that is fit to be known, I deny it utterly: for things are neceffary in reference to their proper times: that may be requifite to-morrow, which is not to-day. It is fit for children to learn to read, yet it is moft neceffary that they should begin first to fpell. If a fchoolmaster fhould be charged with infufficiency, because he tells not little children as foon as they come all that he knows, or all at once, when he initiates them in the firft principles of learning, he would think himself unreasonably dealt with. What then must we conclude, but that the mafter may be very capable to teach, were his fcholar fo, and willing to learn? That if the fcholar obferves and obeys his master, he will increase in his learning: that the defect of the scholar fhould not be laid upon his mafter: that to tell or amufe him about things unfuitable to his prefent ca

pacity, were the ready way to overcharge and wholly fpoil him: and confequently that the tutor not telling his pupil all that is fit to be known at once, implies no defect or ignorance of those things in the tutor : which, to apply fcripturally, is in brief thus: If you do my will, you fhall know (more) of my • doctrine: "I have yet many things to fay, but you " are not able to bear them now." If to fay, that the light of the gospel is to be charged with infufficiency, because it difcovered not to every believer all thofe ineffable things revealed to the apoftle, be both falfe and antichriftian, to what an extremity of zeal are they led against the bleffed light of the Son of God, as he is the Enlightener of mankind, who charge it with insufficiency, because it reveals not at once to every individual, in every age, all that he shall ever know, or that fhall be known to others in future times.

The light then is not infufficient, though it does not tell me all at one time, which may be a duty to the end of the world, especially in extraordinary cafes, whilft it informs me, or any man, of daily duty. Yea, the light is fufficient in point of difcovery, whilft it fhews people much more than they do, and yet what they ought to perform. If fuch will fay, and can prove, that they are come to the upshot of the light's teaching, and that they have learned whatever it is poffible for the light of Christ to teach them, and yet are able to make appear, that there is fomething farther wanting, they will prove themselves not only above men, but God alfo, who is the "Fountain of all light, that fearcheth the heart, and "trieth the reins of men by the infhinings of his "manifefting light, and which, as obeyed, lead to "God, who is the fulness of all light and life." But indeed, this light is the favour of death, the wages of fin, to all that rebel against it; and the favour of life to thofe only who are obediant to it: for fuch