The grof efl Self -murder. prefixed, it followes now, that I lay down the Grounds of this neceffary truth.(Scil.) The reafon why a wicked man doth not turne unto Cod, is not becaufe he cannot (though he cannot) but becaufe he will not. He cannot fay this at the day of judgement, Lord, thou k ooweft, I left every fin that I could, and I took all the belt courfes that I could to become a new creature, but I could not. A wicked man (hall not be able to fay thus without lying. The man in the Gofpel that had not on the wedding-Garment, could hee fay, Lord, I was not able to go to the Jbop of the Go' Pei to reek one ? No, He Was fÿeechlefe, Mat. ax. I 2. God finds out the hy- pocrite, though but one, and when once difcovered, he is confounded and filenced with the guilt of his own wilfulneffe. The firft Ground. THe firft Ground is this which is obferved by our learned Divines at the Synod of Dore, namely, Every man can do more good then he doth, and Jhun more evil then he does : though I confer%, not in a gracious manner. If I can prove this to be true, it will neceffarily follow, that the reafon why a wicked man doth not re- turn, is not becaufe he cannot, but only becaufe he Will not, Arguments to prove it. I. Confider, If a man can do more then he doth, no- thing can hinder him from doing more then he does, but his will: when the fire can burn more, it doth burn more; becaufe it hath no will to come between the power of bur- ning,and theabl of burning, to.fufpend it. The fire is a natural agent, and therefore burns as much as it can : but a man is a voluntary agent, and therefore when he can do a thing, and does not, 'tis becaufe his Will comes between Art.;. Q'9' 4411 refut;.4.error. pállit. I Con/id. Every man can do more good then he Both.
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