not but that in its own nature it is fufficient, being
the fame with that which groweth up and profper-
eth in the hearts of thofe who receive it. So that
though all are not faved by it, yet there is a feed of
falvation planted and fown in the hearts of all by
God, which would grow up and redeem the foul, if
it were not choked and hindered. Concerning this
parable Victor Antiochenus on Mark iv. as he is cited
by Voffius, in his Pelagian Hiftory, book 7. faith,
"That our Lord Chrift hath liberally fown the
"divine feed of the word, and propofed it to
"all, without refpect of perfons; and as he that
"foweth diftinguifheth not betwixt ground and
"ground, but fimply cafteth in the feed without
"diftinction, fo our Saviour hath offered the food
"of the divine word fo far as was his part, although
"he was not ignorant what would become of many.
"Laftly, He fo behaved himself, as he might juftly
<c fay, What should I have done that I have not
"done?" And to this answered the parable of the
talents, Mat. xxv. he that had two talents was ac-
cepted, as well as he that had five, because he used
them to his mafter's profit: and he that had one
might have done fo; his talent was of the fame
nature of the reft; it was as capable to have pro-
portionably brought forth its intereft as the rest.
And fo though there be not a like proportion of
grace given to all, to fome five talents, to some two
talents, and to fome but one talent; yet there is
given to all that which is fufficient, and no more is
required than according to that which is given :
For unto whomsoever much is given, from him shall
much be required, Luke xii. 48. He that had the
two talents was accepted for giving four, nothing
lefs than he that gave the ten: fo fhould he also that
gave the one, if he had given two; and no doubt
one was capable to have produced two, as well as
five to have produced ten, or two four.

§. XXIII. Thirdly, This faving fpiritual light Pr. III. is the gofpel, which the apoftle faith exprefly is

M 3

preached

the gospel, the power of God

every crea

heaven.

The light is preached in every creature under heaven; even that very gofpel whereof Paul was made a minifter, Col. i. 23. For the gofpel is not a mere declaration of preached in good things, being the power of God unto falvation ture under to all thofe that believe, Rom. i. 16. Though the outward declaration of the gospel be taken fometimes for the gofpel; yet it is but figuratively, and by a metonymy. For to fpeak properly, the gospel is this inward power and life which preacheth glad tidings in the hearts of all men, offering falvation unto them, and feeking to redeem them from their iniquities, and therefore it is faid to be preached in every creature under beaven: whereas there are many thousands of men and women to whom the outward gofpel was never preached. Therefore the apostle Paul, Romans i. where he faith the gospel is the power of God unto falvation, adds, that therein is revealed the righteoufnefs of God from faith to faith; and alfo the wrath of God against Juch as bold the truth of God in unrighteousness: for this reason, faith he, because that which may be known of God is manifeft in them; for God hath fhewed it unto them. Now that which may be known of God, is known by the gospel, which was manifeft in them. For thofe of whom the apostle speaks had no outward gospel preached unto them; fo that it was by the inward manifeftation of the knowledge of God in them, which is indeed the gospel preached in man, that the righteoufnefs of God is revealed from faith to faith; that is, it reveals to the foul that which is juft, good, and righteous; and that as the foul receiveth it and believes, righteoufness comes more and more to be revealed from one degree of faith to another. For though, as the following verse faith, the outward creation declares the power of God; yet that which may be known of him is manifeft within: by which inward manifeftation we are made capable to fee and difcern the Eternal Power and Godhead in the outward creation; fo were it not for this inward principle,

we

ward crea

fuafion in

or

we could no more understand the invifible things of God by the outward vifible creation, than a blind man can fee and difcern the variety of shapes and colours, or judge of the beauty of the outward creation. Therefore he faith, firft, That which may be known of God is manifeft in them, and in and by that they may read and understand the power and Godhead in those things that are outward and visible. And though any might pretend that the outward creation doth of itself, without any fupernatural or faving principle in the heart, even declare to the natural man that there is a God; yet what would fuch a knowledge avail, if it did not alfo communicate to me what the will of God is, and how I fhall do that which is acceptable to him? For the outward The outcreation, though it may beget a perfuafion that tion maybethere is fome eternal power or virtue by which the get a perworld hath had its beginning; yet it doth not tell man of an me, nor doth it inform me of that which is juft, eternal holy, and righteous; how I fhall be delivered from Power of my temptations and evil affections, and come unto righteousness; that must be from fome inward manifestation in my heart. Whereas thofe Gentiles of whom the apostle speaks knew by that inward law and manifestation of the knowledge of God in them to distinguish betwixt good and evil, as in the next chapter appears, of which we fhall fpeak hereafter. The prophet Micah, fpeaking of man indefinitely, or in general, declares this, Mic. vi. 8. He bath fbewed thee, O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? He doth not fay God requires, till he hath firft affured that he hath fhewed unto them. Now because this is fhewed unto all men, and manifeft in them, therefore, faith the apostle, is the wrath of God revealed against them, for that they bold the truth in unrighteoufnefs; that is, the measure of truth, the light, the feed, the grace in them: for that they hide the talent

in the earth; that is, in the earthly and unrighteous part in their hearts, and fuffer it not to bring forth fruit, but to be choked with the fenfual cares of this life, the fear of reproach, and the deceitfulnefs of riches, as by the parables above mentioned doth appear. But the apostle Paul opens and illuftrates this matter yet more, Rom. x. where he declares, That the word which he preached (now the word which he preached, and the gofpel which he preached, and whereof he was a minifter, is one and the fame) is not far off, but nigh in the heart and in the mouth; which done, he frameth as it were the objection of our adverfaries in the 14th and 15th verfes, How fhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how fhall they hear without a preacher? This he anfwers in the 18th verfe, faying, But, I fay, have they not heard? Yes verily, their found went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world; infinuating that The divine this divine preacher had founded in the ears and preacher, hearts of all men: for of the outward apostles that nigh, hath faying was not true, neither then, nor many hunfounded in dred years after; yea, for aught we know there may hearts of all be yet great and fpacious nations and kingdoms that never have heard of Chrift nor his apoftles as outwardly. This inward and powerful word of God is yet more fully described in the epistle to the Hebrews, chap. iv. 12, 13. For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged fword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of foul and fpirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a difcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The virtues of this fpiritual word are here enumerated: it is quick, because it fearches and tries the hearts of all; no man's heart is exempt from it: for the apoftle gives this reason of its being fo in the following verfe, But all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do: and there is not any creature that is not manifest in

the word

the ears and

men.

Before

whom all

things are manifeft.

intent ofthe

bis fight. Though this ultimately and mediately be referred to God, yet nearly and immediately it relates to the word or light, which, as hath been before proved, is in the hearts of all, elfe it had been improper to have brought it in here. The apoftle fhews how every intent and thought of the heart is dif- And every cerned by the word of God, because all things are na- thought and ked before God; which imports nothing elfe but it heart. is in and by this word whereby God fees and difcerns man's thoughts; and fo it must needs be in all men, because the apostle faith, there is no creature that is not manifeft in his fight. This then is that faithful witness and messenger of God that bears wit- The faithnefs for God, and for his righteousness in the hearts ful witness. of all men: for he hath not left himself without a witnefs, Acts xiv. 17. and he is faid to be given for a witness to the people, Ifa. lv. 4. And as this word

and com

beareth witness for God, fo it is not placed in men only to condemn them: for as he is given for a witness, fo faith the prophet, he is given for a leader A leader and commander. The light is given, that all through mander. it may believe, John i. 7. for faith cometh by hearing, and bearing by the word of God, which is placed in man's heart, both to be a witness for God, and to be a means to bring man to God through faith and repentance it is therefore powerful, that it may divide betwixt the foul and the fpirit: it is like a two-edged fword, that it may cut off iniquity from A two-edg him, and feparate betwixt the precious and the vile; ed fword. and because man's heart is cold and hard like iron naturally, therefore hath God placed this word in

him, which is faid to be like a fire, and like a bam- A fire and a mer, Jer. xxiii. 29. that like as by the heat of the hammer. fire the iron, of its own nature cold, is warmed, and foftened, and by the strength of the hammer is framed according to the mind of the worker; fo the cold and hard heart of man is by the virtue and powerfulness of this word of God near and in the heart, as it refifts not, warmed and foftened, and receiveth an heavenly and cœleftial impreffion and

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