SECTION III.

The objections of any feeming weight answered.

Object. 1.

Anfw.

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Aturall and unconverted men are faid Ephes 5.8. to be darkness, how then can faving light be in them?

It may be in them notwithstanding in a feed as well as darkness, by your own principles, is faid to be in the Saints fo long as they are in this body, who yet,are in that place faid to be Light in the Lord. Why may not then as well light be in them that are called darkness, as darkness, according to your principles,be in them that are called Light in the Lord! yea, it must have been in them while darknefs, or they could never have been brought out of that state, to be light in the Lord: for, t'is by the shining of the true light, in fuch, that thofe that refift not its operation, come to be fo changed.

Object. 2. All men have not faith: therefore all men have not faving light.

Anfw. I deny the confequence. For faith is the effect of this faving light onely in thofe that refift not its meek and gentle operation, not in thofe that refift it, for in them it produceth, not faith, but condemnation: fo, we grant all men have not faith, hope, love, nor any of those bleffed effects and Vertues of the fpirit mentiond, Galat. 5. 22. 23. which the Saints alone, or the converted onely; have 5.22.23. but this hinders not but that all might have them, the feed (which would bring forth these fruits in them, did they not opprefs it) being in them.

Object. 3. Some are faid Jude. 19. Not to have the spirit. Therefore fuch have no faving light.

Anfw. The word [have] hath various fignifications, fometimes it fignifyes poffeffion, enjoyment, union, and thus all have not the fpirit. Yea, thus none but the Saints have it. Other whiles it fignifies the prefence, or in-being of the Spirit in men, according to that influence of light and life, which prepareth for union and enjoyN 2

ment;

ment; and thus, all men have the fpirit fo long as the day of their Vi

fitation remaineth.

• Object. 4. It's faid the World cannot receive the spirit of truth, becaufe it fees him not neither knows him. Therefore &c.

Anfw. The fame anfwer servs: Fór, the word[receive]as well as[have] is of Various acceptations. Thus the World.can neither receive nor know the fpirit of truth, as to union, possession and fruition of it. But the world, that is, worldly, naturall, carnall men may receive the spirit according to that influence which prepareth for union &c. for, many a wordly and naturall man hath become a child of God; But how could any man witnefs fuch a change, but by receiving the word and fpirit oftruth, while naturall and carnall? as its faid, as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the Sons of God; By which receiving here, is understood beleeving, but there is a more generall receiving of the Spirit by which unbeleevers may come to beleeve, and fo become the Sons of God who were not.

Object. f. Unconverted men are faid to be without God and without Chrift in the World.

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And Rom. 18. 10. Its faid If Chrift be in you the body is dead &ċ. Therefore Chrift is not in all, nor any of the unconverted in a Saving

way.

Anfw. The former anfwer fuffices here again, Chrift is not in the unconverted by faith, by union, and enjoyment &c. this being the properftate of the Saints. But he is in them according to that inbeing and prefence which by his influence upon them prepareth for union &c. For how is elce any unconverted man, ever converted, but by the in-being of Christ, and his coming to them while unconverted? he vifits men while in fpirituall Egypt, and coms unto them in that state, to lead them out of it, but many do not follow him as the words of Chrift do moft plainly import. I am the light of the world be that follows me shall not abide in darkness but &c.

So, fome follow, and fome follow not, yea, he faid to the very unbeleevers, while ye have the light beleve in it. Jo. 12.36. And the flothfull fervant is faid to have RECEIVED his Talent. Though he hid it in the Earth, according to which Chrift faid, from him that hath not shall be taken away that which he hath, How could he be faid

to have received it; and how could he again be faid not to have it, if the words have, and receive ] did not admit of Various fignifica

tions?

Object. 6. Its faid, the naturall man receivs not the things of the fpirit of God. neither can be know them. Therefore &c.

Anfw. The things which the Apostle here speaks of,are relative to the things mentiond 1 Cor. 2.9, which eye hath not feen, nor eare heard, neither have entred into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that love him; which things (Viz. the peace and joy of the holy Ghoft,and fweet fellow ship of the Saints with God, & things thereunto pertaining) the naturall man, or man in his naturall ftate receiveth not, nor can he, fo much as know them; And what wonder while he is in a state uncapable of them. But; there are other things, and thofe of God too, which they may receiv and know, Viz. the things of his Judgment, qualified with mercy, which are preparatory to their converfion and reftoration, which are proper to their state and condition. But the conditions of the Saints, and things thereunto appertaining none can know, till they come to be Saints themfelvs. And then they will have an eye to fee, and heart to understand even thofe deep things of God.

Object. Its faid unto the Saints Heb. 10.32. after ye were enlighted, yee indured a great fight of afflictions, which imports that once they were not, and onely the Saints are enlightned.

Anfw. No fuch matter, it onely denotes a two fold, enlightning and that the unconverted are not fo, or in that fence, faid to be enlightned as the Saints. For there are diverfity of illuminations, miniftrations and operations, but one fpirit, one word, one power, one faving light and grace,common to, and working in,all, according to their refpective states and conditions. Thus the Saints are inlightned to fee and know the things proper to their ftate, and others to fee and know the things proper to theirs, but not the conditions, attain ments and enjoyments, of which at prefen they are utterly uncapable, being onely capable of knowing their own conditions, and things that are preparatory, and often ency to their fanctification, or becoming Saints.

Object. Chrift faith, he prayeth not for the world, therefore he doth not favingly enlighten them.

Anfy.

Anfw. The word (World is either understood relatively,” as a fociety and fellowship of men whole Government, Dominion and courfe of life, is directly contrary to the Government, Dominion, & way of Chrift, and the courte of life and converfation of his Saints. And thus the world, and the Church, are diametrically oppofit to each other. So that in this fence Chrift prayeth not for the world; for that were to pray for the upholding and continuance of wickednefs, which is, as it were the band which knits the World together into a body incorporate against Christ. But this, nor he nor his do pray for but againft.

Or the [world is fingly understood, of men living in the world in a naturall condition, and thus he prayeth for them that they may be converted and beleeve as John 17 21. and he prayed for his ene mies, when he fuffered upon the croffe.

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But they fay. If he prayed for the world, then the whole world should be converted, for the Father heareth him alwayes.

Anfw. He prayeth for the world in a submission to the will of God, who willeth all men to be faved, not abfolutly, but in relation to their beleeving, by which will of God to fave them, all men are vifited, with fuch an houre and power of the love, mercy and grace of God, that they may beleeve; And for this Chrift prayed, and all the Saints do pray; even for all men, that they may be more and more fo vifited, for this is good and acceptable unto God. 1 Tim. 2: 1, 2, 354:

Object. 9. Chrift dyed not for all men therefore, &c. & Anfw. I may well form the contrary Argument, Chrift dyed for all men, therefore he hath favingly enlightned them. For, that Christ dyed for all, is most expresfly affirmed. 2 Cor. 5. 2. Hebr. 2:9. compared with 1 Tim. 2:6,

But fay they, the word [all] is here to be taken not for fingula generum, but genera fingulorum, ie, not for every particular, but for fome of all forts.

Anfw. For the refutation of this fond fancy I refer the reader to the above Arguments, efpetially to Argument 1.5.7.Pag.12.31.32.38.39. Where it is at large proved that by [all] is to be understood all particulars.

But they further Object, If Chrift had dyed for all, then all should

be

be justifyed and saved, or elce his death would be in vaine and of no effect unto many. And Rom. 8:34. its faid who is he that condemneth, it is Chrift that dyed.

Anfw. We fay not, nor ever did, that all the benefits of Chrifts death come upon all, for the benefits of Chrifts death are many whereof fome come onely upon fome, others upon all. Viz. Juftification and the things accompanying it do come onely upon them that beleeve, but the free gift or grace is come upon all, not whereby all are actually juftified, but whereby they might beleeve and be justified. Nor doth the unbeleef of fome make the death of Chrift of none effect; For it hath its effect to render them without excufe, as guilty of the body and blood of Christ.

And thus is that other cavill answered, If God willed all men to be faved, then his will should be ineffectuall, because many are not faved. For God willeth not all to be faved abfolutly, but conditionally (ex parte Objecti) upon their beleeving. And whereas it is again by them objected.

Either God willeth them to beleeve abfolutly, or conditionally.

Anfw. We fay conditionally. Yet not fo, as if God required any thing to be done by them previous to their beleeving. But upon their non-refiftence of his operation when he worketh in them. For, when the Lord appeareth in that divine feed, which he hath fown in all men, to produce in them the very act of beleeving and to draw the will of man along with him to concur therin, fome do refift even when their bands are fo far released that they might yield. Thus we say that God willeth all men to beleeve, upon their non-refiftence of him when he works in them, to the producing faith; which is a being paffive, and not active. For, before faith they cannot be active to any thing that is good. Hofea 11:4.

Object. 10. This doctrine feems to hold forth that all men even the unconverted have free will, whereas according to the Scriptures teftimony, all unconverted men are in bondage and captivity fo that they cannot do the things that are good.

Anfw. Any freedom that men wholly unconverted may be faid to have, must be understood paffively not actively. For indeed, in that ftate they cannot act that which is good, but they can forbear to refift that which works in them towards their converfion.

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