Head 1•. The Cot'ruption of the JVU!. 51 ' ~er:e jilfed; He not only comes not to Chrift, but he cannot come, John vi. 44~ ~nd wnat can one do acceptable to God, who believeth not on him whom ·- the Father hath fent ? To e·vidence this inability for good in the unregenerate• coofid·er t.hefe two thicgs.. , Evidence r. How often does the light fo fhine before mens eyes, that they cannot but fee the. good they fhould · chufe, and the evil they ffiould refufe; and yet their hearts have no mor·e powe.r tQ comply with that light than if they were arre!l:ed by fome invifible hand ? ' They fee what 'is . : i.ght; yet they follow.alild cannot but follow,what is wrong. Their confciences tell them the right way, and approve . of it too; ·ye-t cannot their will be brought up to lt: thtir, . corruption fo chains them, that they · cannot embrace it; fo thiy figh, and go backward, over the belly of their light. And if it be not thus 1 how;is1t that the word, and WiJY of holinefs meet with fuch entertainment in the world? · How is it .that clear arguments ' and reafon on the · fide of · piety and a holy·life, which. bear in themfelves even on the caroal mind, do-- not bring men over to that fide ? Altho• the being of ~- heaven and hell, were but a may· be, it were fuffieient to determine the will to the choice of holi· . nef!, were it cap~ble tq be dete·rmined thereto by mere rea~ fon: but mea k!io..Wing the judgment of God, (that t!Jey ·which com~it fuch things .are •uJorthy if death) not only dl} the fame, but have pleafure ·in them that do thfm, R,om. i. 32. And how .is it that :lhefe' who magnify the power of free-will, do not coniirm their opinion befdre the world by an ocul.ar demonfi:ration, in a praC1:ice as far above others in holinefs, as the opinion of their natura] ability is above that of others ? Or, is it maintained only for the proteCtion ·· of luits, which men may hold [aft as I~ng a:s they p1eafe; and when they have r.o more u!c for them, , can throw them ofF in a moment, and leap out of Deliah's lap into Abraham's bofom ? \\' hatever ufe fome make of that principle; it: does of itfelf, and in its own nature, calt a bro,ad fh.adow Jor a lhelter to wickednefs of heart and life. And it mav be ob– ferved, that the generality o! the he.arers of the g~.fpel, of ;~ll denominations, are plagued with it : for it is a root of ~'~ tternefs, natural to al! men; f1-om whe:nce fpring fo much fearldfuefs about.. the fo1.1l!s et~.roal fl:ne; fo-ma:ny delays· and
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