offered, hee could be offered, under no leffe Terms, then making falvation posfible to them, for the offer of the Lord doth proceed from a true and reall willingnes,to give that which is offered; & who-ever dare fay the contrary,doe charge the Lord with hypocrify and disfimulation, which is blafphemous; but if the Lord hath a true and reall willingnes to give his Son, unto all, who reject him. Then it was posfible for them, at fometime to have received him, for the Lord willeth nothing, that is Imposfible, and it is below that infinite Goodnes and Nobility of the Lord to offer unto poor men, that which it is Imposfible for them to receive, as now it were below all Ingeunity and Humanity in us, to offer Alms unto á poor man, in fuch a way, as hee could not receive it;as, if he were bound in fetters, and we should ftand at a diftance, and hold it forth unto him, but fo as hee could not reach it.

Argument 3.

From Rom. 1. v. 18, 19, 20, 21, &c, compared with Col. 123.

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He Apoftle Paul whofe Miniftry was moftly unto the Gentils and therfore is called the Apoftle of the Gentils, doth in this Epiftle hold forth many things concerning the Gentiles, both as touching the Pri viledges which they had received from the Lord, and alfo the ufe that they made of them, fome improved them to advantage,but others, and that for the most part did mifimprove them, for which the Lord was provoked against them,to give them up to a Reprobate mind. And this hee doeth,according to the Wifdome given him of God, to make way for the more abundant Reception and fpreading of the Faith among the Nations, which, becaus of the want of thefe outward Priviledges, that the 7swes had, wer looked upon by the Jewes, as outcafts, and rejected of God to whom the preaching of the Doctrine of Salvation, did not belong, which was even the error of Peter, and his brethren generally till the Lord convinced him thereof, by a vifion from Heaven. Acts 1o. Now, in this Epistle among divers other things of importance,hee declareth these two things, I. That though the fewes had Priviledges, in the outward, above the Gentils, as the Law and Circumcifion,yet the Lord had not wholly paffed by,the Gentils, and left them deftitute of the Truth, or of what might be knowne of him, 2.That thofe of the Gentiles who improved what was given them inward'y from the Lord and kept the Law, inwardly delivered unto them, were more acceptable unto God,then the Jeres, who had the outward priviledges of the Law and Circumcifion and did not rightly use them, fo that the Uncircumcifion,was counted Circumcifion, and the Circumcifion, Uncircumcifion, and hereby hee takes occafion to beat downe the Pride and conceitednes of the Jemes, as if they were the only people of God, and God were only their God,wheras the Apoftle faith, is hee the God of the Fewes only,is hee not alfo the God of the Gentiles? yea of the Gentilee alfo. 3. Rom. 29. And alfo by this means hee encourageth the Gentiles and preacheth

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preacheth Glad tydings among them, to take away all ground of defpaire, or unbeliefe from them, as if the Lord had utterly rejected them, becaus of the want of thefe outward Priviledges beftowed upon the fewes. With which glad tydings hee begins this Epiftle; shewing Firjt,that hee had received Grace and Apoftleship, to his Brethren, for obedience to the Faith among all nations, i. e. that all nations might give obedience to the Word of Faith, which hee preacheds which imports a Call from God unto all nations to beleeve, Secondly hee fayeth that hee was a Debter, both to the Greeks and Barbarians, which holds forth the obligation that was upon him, from the Lord,who had called him,to preach the Gofpell unto them; then he proceeds to declare, what the Gospell was, and what was revealed therein,both to believers and unbelcevers,to the juft and to the unjuft, whether fewes or Gentiles; as to them who believed it was the power of God unto Salvation, and therein was the righteoufnes of God revealed unto the juft, from Faith to Faith, but to them who believed not, but wer unrighteous, and held the Truth in unrighteoufnes, herein was the wrath of God revealed against all their ungodlines and unrighteousnes. Now in the 19. verfe hee anfwereth fecretly an Objection, which is to this purpose, How is it Paul, that thou fayeft,in the Gospell is revealed, the righteoufnes of God from Faith to Faith, unto the juft, and alfo that the wrath of God is from heaven revealed therein against the unrighteous, seing the Gentiles have not bad the Gospell preached unto them,all this tyme by paft in which they have lived in their ungodlines and unrighteoufnes. To this Paul anfwers, That which might be knowne of God was manifeft in them, for God had shewed it unto them, which is as much as to fay,though the Gofpell came not unto them outwardly, by the miniftry of man, yet it came unto them inwardly by the miniftry of God himselfe, becaus, That which may be knowne of God is manifeft in them, for God hath shewed it unto them. So that it is manifeft, that by this expreflion, That which may be knowne of God,and as it is in the Greek ò gogor & h, is underftood the Gofpell, which is a very fignificant way of exprelling it, the Gospell is that which may be known of God, by men, being that which hee hath made manifeft,and hath shewed unto them, The Word that was in the begining with God,in which was life,and the life is the light of men, which is the true light which ligteth every man that cometh into the world, that all through him might beleeve. This is that which may or can be browne of God, and no more can be knowne of him, but what the Goffell, which is the Word of God,doth reveal; and this Word is the Light of men, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,which is not only the Power of God, unto Salvation unto every one that beleeveth, but is the Power of God unto every one, that they may beleeve,in the day of their vifitation. Agreeable, unto this is that the fame Apoftle writeth unto the Colossians 1. cap. 23. that the Gofpell has beene preached unto every creature,which is under heaven, but according to the Greek it is, which is preached in every creature under heaven, co non tn ulice, in every creature i. e. in every man, as when Chrift faid to his Difciples, preach the Go fpell to every creaturesi. e. to every man, in which Gospell,has the righteousnes of God, beene revealed unto men, in all ages and Generations, even among the very

Gentiles, both the just and the unjust to the juft, therein hath beene revealed from heaven, the righteoufnes of God from Faith to Faith, to the unjust therein hath beene revealed the wrath of God from heaven,against all their ungodlines and unrighteousnes,who held the Truth in unrighteoufnes,and this was a righteous thing with God fo to doe, fo that none of the Gentiles but have had the righteoufnes of God revealed unto them, in rewarding the Juft and Well-doers, and in punishing with wrath from heaven,the unrighteous and evill-doers,as it is Rom.2. 9, 10. Tribulation and anguish upon every foule of man that doth evill, both few and Gentil, but glory, honour and peace to every man that worketh good, both to Few and gentile alfo

But by this manifestation of God, in the Gentiles our Adverfaries deny, that the Gofpell, or any manifeftation,that is of a faving nature is understood, and it hath paffed generally among them, that it is but fome naturall illumination which they have called the light of nature, and the Law of nature which flowes, from a mans owne mind and understanding,as a meer naturall man,which is woefull ignorance & darknes in them fo to doe,as may appear from what is already faid,if no more should be added to refute this their corrupt Gloffe. Yet I find it with me to ad fomethings further, for the clearing of this matter, and here I give notice to the Reader that whatever this manifeftation of God be, there is no queftion,or debate betwixt our adverfaries and us,concerning theUniverfality of it,for they grant,that it is given to every man only they deny,that it is Evangelicall, and of a faving and spirituall nature, which I prove it to be; for r. if it wer not Evangelicall, and the very Gofpell it felfe, in an inward miniftration, it would quite render the words of the Apofile, impertinent and contrary to the purpofe hee treats of: for Paul is here shewing, what the Gospell was, and what was revealed in it,both to the juft and the unjust,and becaus the unjuft among all the Gentiles and Nations,had not the Gospell outwardly adminiftred hee shewes, they had it inwardly; God having shewed it unto them; and this hee gives as the caufe of what hee had affirmed of the Gospell. Now if Paul had understood this inward manifeftation, to have beene only the naturall Illumination of mans owne underftanding hee could not have given it as a caufe of what hee affirmed, or defined the Gospell to be. For the naturall illumination is no part of the Gofpell,nor doth reveal any part of it, and fo cannot be given as a caufe, of what hee affirmed of the Gofpell. Let the Judicions Reader weigh and ponder this;in the true Ballance, and hee wil find it weighty. But 2. the naturall Illumination cannot res weale from heaven, the wrath of God against all ungoodlines and unrighteousnes of men, But, the manifeftation here spoken of, doth fo, Therefore, this manifeftation is not the naturall Illumination. The first Propofition is proved, from our Adverfaries owne concellion, who affirme that the naturall illumination which is in all mens doth not discover all fins,but fome onely, & efpecially thofe againft the fecond Table as unrighteoufnes betwixt men and men,for if it did difcover all fin,then it would difcover all duty, becaus by the fame, that I know fuch a thing to be fin,I know the contrary to be a duty and if it did difcover al duty, then it would C 3 discover

things pertaining to the true Faith and Worship of God. Which the meer naturall Illumination cannot doe therefore I fay, our Adverfaries grant,that the naturall Illumination cannot difcover all fin,and if it cannot difcover all fin, then it cannot difcover, the wrath of God, against all fin, for that which difcovers the one, difcovers the other,yea in fo far is fin knówne to be fin, as the wrath of God is revealed against it. The fecond Propofition is proved from the Apostles words, for (faith hee) the wrath of God is revealed from heaven,against all ungodlines and unrighteoufnes of men, now thefe two, all ungodlines and unrighteousnes, comprehends all fin. 3. This Manifeflation is faid to be a Revelation from heaven, Therefore it hath a higher rife, then mans owne naturall understanding. 4.This Manifestation is faid to be that which may be knowne of God, which hee had shewed unto them. Therefore it is of an Evangelick and faving nature; for fo is that, which may be knowne of God,wheras the naturall Illumination,is not that which may be knowne of God nether defervs it fuch a high name, for that which may be knowne of God, Imports all that can be knowne of him, for all that can be knowne of him, is but TOYTOYT that which may be knowne of him; Now the naturall illumination is but a very small discovery of him, and very darkly, fo that in these words is plainly held forth, that whatever may be known of God, of his light, life, glory, goodnes, mercy, and faving power, is manifeft in men, in a feed or principle, which as it is permitted to fpring up, in them, gives them the knowledge of all that is needfull,or may be knowne of him, and fo the words may be tranflated that which is needfall or ought to be knowne of God is manifeft in them, Quod eft cognofcendum,to vaso, but the naturall Illumination difcovers neither that which may be knowne of him, or ought or is needfull, to be knowne of him, &c. 5. By this Manifeftation here mentioned, they did clearly fee the Invisible things of God,even his eternall Power and Godhead, as it is faid, therefor it was not the naturall manifeftation or illumination, which givs not clearly to fee the invifible things God, but very dimly and darkly to apprehend them; all the knowledge of mans naturall light or reafon,concerning the invifible things of God, being but an abtractive knowledge gathered from things vifible by Inferences and Deductions of the Reafoning Part which is farre from a clear feing of them, which is the Intuitive knowledge which the revelation of the Son only giveth. 6. By this Manifeftation they were left without excufe, Therefore it was nota meer naturall illuminations I prove the Confequence, becaus a meer natuxall illumination is not fufficient to render any man without excufe, which I thus evince, That is only fufficient to render a man without excufe, which is fufficient if it wer duly Improved,to render him excufable, and acceptal le unto God. But the natural Illumination is not fuch ac cording to our Adverfaries own confeffion. Therfor the firft Propofition is manifeft, to any of found Judgment, for if it wer not hee should have an excufe, Viz. the infufficiency of the thing, As now,ifa Mafter should give to his fervant a piece of Mony, to improve,among Marchands and Exchangers,ifthe Mony wer not fufficient enough,fo that hee Could not improve it and be approved of his Mafter, when his Mafter called him to give an account of his Mony Hee could not be

without

without excufe, but would have an excufe fufficient, Viz. the Infufficiency of the mony. But of this more afterwards. This manifeftation here mentioned is the Truth, which they ar faid to have held in unrighteousnes verf. 18. for which the wrath of God was revealed against them. But The naturall Illumination is no where in Scripture called the Truth;nor indeed doth it deferve fuch a Name; for that it is corruptible, and become very Corrupt and Impure through fin; wheras the truth is eternally pure and incorruptible. Now by [Truth] in Scripture, is fometimes understood Chrift himfelfe, fometimes the Spirit of Chrift as John faid, the Spirit is truth, 1. Joh. 5.6. And fometimes that heavenly and Divine Seed of Regeneration is cal led the truth in which the Son, and the Spirit is manifeft; and fo it is underflood Pfal. 85. 11. Truth fhall fpring out of the earth, Now, what earth is this? but the hearts of the children of men, which is the field where this Divine and heavenly Seed is fown,which through the prevalence of Error,& unrighteoufnes hath long beene choaked, and fuppreft, and laine barren,but here is a Prophecy that it shall Spring up,yea and elfe where it is promised that it shall fill the Earth, and Righteousnes shall looke downe from heaven, 1. e. the Spirit, Light and Life of righ teoufnes shall influence it from heaven,and caufe it to grow up,anddoofe it out of its bonds, wherin it hath beene fo long detained; As it is here Rom. 1.18. they had the truth given them,but they held it in unrighteousnes, were not obedient to it, as Rom. 2. 8. received it not in love, As 2. Theff. 2. 10. but refifted it as 2. Tim. 3.9. and in many other places of Scripture, the Truth is held forth to be the very Saving Gift of God,which Sanctifieth and begetteth unto God,and fetteth free from fin, and it is joined, with things of a heavenly and faving nature as Grace and Truth, Mercy and Truth, Peace and Truth, Righteoufnes and Truth, and they who fear God are called Men of truth, Exod. 18.21. and faid Chrift, every one that is of the truth heareth me. Joh. 18. 37. And for this end (faid he). came I into the world, to witnes unto the Truth, by all which cannot be meant the naturall Illumination, and indeed as concerning the naturall Illumination, the Gentiles could not be faid to detaine IT for they gave but too much way unto IT. And Thereby,fought to find out Wisdome, but could not; for fince the fall, the naturall light or illumination of man,is exceedingly corrupted, and yet men have loved IT, and fet IT up above the Gift of God, and fed upon IT, as if IT had beene the Tree of life. And IT hath beene permitted to grow, and become a very large Tree but the fruit of IT, is corrupt and Impure,in all naturall men,and not good for food; fo unrighteousnes cannot be faid to detaine or hinder the growth of the naturall Illumination,as it is corrupt, for many men, who are very unrighteous and wicked have much of it,and many times more then the Righteous; fo that Chrift faid. The children of this world are wifer in their generation, then the children of God. Now, the naturall Illumination, as it was pure, before tranfgreflion,fo in them,who come to be purified from tranfgreffion it doth become pure; for the Truth purifieth it,and it groweth up under its shadow, and is good unto men,for divers ufes, and fo unrighteoufnes hindreth its growth as its pure,but not as it is impure. And this has been the generall Loffe of men, in

that