6o6 The ExcellencyandUniverfalityof Vol II. Men cannot entertain the truth, and retain their lulls; and therefore as our Savi- our tells us immediately after the Text, Every one that Both evil hateth the light, neither cometh he to the light, l41 his deeds fhould be reproved. The light of Truth is as grievous to a bad man, as the light of the Sun is to fore eyes ; becaufe it lays open and difcovers the faults and vices of men, and if they entertain it, will urge them; and put them upon a neceffityof reforming their wicked lives ; and becaufe they have no mind to this, therefore they refift the light, and endeavour to keep it out. The vices and lufts of men are fo many difeafes ; and men naturally loath Phyfick, and put it off as longas they can ; and this makes many inconfiderate and wilful men to favour their difeafe , and take part with it againft all counfel and advice ; and when the great Phyfician of Souls comes and offers them a remedy , they flight and reject him, and will rather perifh than follow his prefcriptions. And this was the true reafonwhy theyews rejeaed the Gofpel; theywere vi- cious in their lives, and loath to undergo the feverity of a cure; they were not willing to be favedby fo Tharp and unpleafant a remedy. And this is fill the true reafon at this day, of mens enmity and oppofition to Religion, becaufe it de- clares againft their evil deeds, and proclaims open war againft thofe vices and lulls which they love, and are refolv'd to live in ; fo that they have no other way to jufifie themfelves and their allions, but by condemning and reje&ing' that which reproves and finds fault with them. And here I might Phew more particularly, that there are two accounts to be gi- ven why bad men are are fo apt to refill and reject Divine Truth, even when it is revealed and propofed to them in the faireft manner, and with the clearef E- vidence. T. Becaufe their minds are not fo rightly prepared and difpofed for the recei ving of Divine Truth. And, 2. Becaufe they have an Interef againft it, their defigns and deeds are evil, they have fome worldly Interef to carry on, or they are in love with fome vice or lull which they cannot reconcile with the Truths of God and Religion. But seevot.i. this I have doneat large elfewhere*. I proceed therefore to the Serra. 33, Sixth and Lail particular in the Text, namely, the great Guilt of thofe who re- 34' 35 jell the. Dollrine of the Gofpel. By this very all of theirs they are condemned, nay they condemn themfelves; becaufe they rejectt the only means of their Salva- tion. This is the condemnation, this very thing argues the height of their folly and guilt, that when light is come, they prefer darknefs before it. If any thing will condemn men, this will; and if any thing will aggravate their Condemnati- on, and make it above meafure heavy and intolerable, this will. If it were in a doubtful matter that men made fo ill and foolifh a choice, the thing would ad- mit of fome excufe; but the difpute is between light and darknefs. If the Chri- ftian Religion had not fo plainly the advantage of any other Inftitution that ever was; if that holinefs which the Gofpel commands, and that happinefs which it promifeth, were not infinitely to be prefer'd before the waysof fin and death; the unbeliever and the difobedient might have fomethingto fayfor themfelves: but the cafe is plainly otherwife, fo that whoever having the Chrifian Religion fairly and fully propofed to him, doth not believe it, or profefíing to believe it, doth not live according to it, loath no cloak for his fan; neither the one for his Infidelity, nor the other for his Difobedience : and if any thing will aggravate the condem- nation of men, this will ; for the greater light men fin againft, the greater is their guilt; and the greater any man's guilt is, the heavier will be his doom. The heathen world, that lived for many ages in darknefs and the fhadow of death, (hall be condemned for finning againft that impeded knowledgeof their duty , which they had from the glimmering of natural light; but they shall be beaten with fewpipes, their punifhment fhall be gentle in comparifon : but what pu- nifliment can be fevere enough for thofe obfinate Infidels, that reje& the light, and prefer darknefs before it? for thofe impudent offenders, who admit the light of the Gofpel, and yet rebelagainf it, who do the works of darknefs in the midit of this light, at noon day and in the face of the Sun? This confideration the Scripture frequently urgeth upon thofe who enjoy the light of the Gofpel. I 4 far
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=