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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	natural_a	nature_n	supernatural_a	1,381	5	10.6365	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86612	The pagan preacher silenced. Or, an answer to a treatise of Mr. John Goodwin, entituled, the pagans debt & dowry. Wherein is discovered the weaknesse of his arguments, and that it doth not yet appear by scripture, reason, or the testimony of the best of his own side, that the heathen who never heard of the letter of the Gospel, are either obliged to, or enabled for the believing in Christ; and that they are either engaged to matrimonial debt, or admitted to a matrimonial dowry. Wherein also is historically discovered, and polemically discussed the doctrin of Universal grace, with the original, growth and fall thereof; as it hath been held forth by the most rigid patrons of it. / By Obadiah Howe, A.M. and pastor of Horne-Castle in Lincolnshire. With a verdict on the case depending between Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Howe, by the learned George Kendal, DD.	Howe, Obadiah, 1615 or 16-1683.; Kendall, George, 1610-1663.	1655 (1655)	Wing H3051; Thomason E851_16; ESTC R207423	163,028	140

Piscator in loc The Lord is Jesus Christ the servants are Christians chiefly those that bear office in the Church the talents are spiritual graces but especially those offices in the Church Neither doth he lead the way in this but follows the steps of many Interpreters Jerome by the talents understandeth the preaching of the Gospel and he interpreteth the text thus (c) Pater-familias est Christus post resurrectionem ascendens vocatis doctrinam Evangelicam tradidit Jerom. in loc The Master of the Family is Christ who after his Resurrection ascending to heaven his servants being called communicateth to them the Gospel And this way run Erasmus in his Paraphrase and Tossanus in his Commentary so that any may plainly see that Interpreters are not unanimous in any interpretation Some think these talents to signifie Election others the regenerating grace of God a third sort the offices in the Church a fourth the preaching of the Gospel but none of them saith any thing for natural abilities and yet Mr. Goodwin would perswade the world that Interpreters are unanimous for natural gifts and abilities But he produceth a testimony or two which because I will not be guilty of strengthning the authority of his cause by my silence I shall examine them and see how cleerly they make for him he brings a four-fold testimony one from Chamter a second from Calvin a third from Musculus a fourth from Ambrose First Chamier he quoteth saying thus (d) Talenta cuique distributa non possunt significare vitā aeternam quia dantur servisomnibus frugi nequam sed necesse est referri ad gratias temporales quas Deus commun●cat non tantùm piis electis sed impiis reprobis chamier in loc The talents cannot signifie eternal life because they were given to all the servants both good and bad but they are referred to temporary graces which God giveth to good and elect as also to the bad and the reprobate And doth not Mr. Goodwin well to begin with this cleer testimony But whether for us or for him there is the Question what one syllable is there extant in all this testimony that giveth the least hint that by talents are meant natural gifts it is not that part of it wherein he saith by talents cannot be meant eternal life for there are intervening graces betwixt natural abilities and eternal life hence Mr. Goodwin saith that natural abilities are not immediatly saving so that it may not be eternal life and yet not natural gifts nor yet is it that expression wherein he saith that these talents are given to all the servants for the supernatural graces of God are given to reprobate as well as the elect as before I shewed Now besides this he saith (a) Dominus indies locupletat novis suae gratiae dotibus servos suosaccumulat quia opus quod in illis coepit gratum habet in illis invenire quod majori gratiâ prosequatur atque huc pertinet sententia illa Habenti dabitur fateor expectandum esse fidelibus quò meliùs usi fuerint superioribus gratiis ut novis majoribus augcantur Calvin Instit lib. 2. c. 3. §. 11. they are gratiae temporales temporary graces now in that he calls the talents graces he overthroweth Mr. Goodwin who will have them to be natural abilities and in that he calleth them temporary he helpeth him not for supernatural grace being afforded promiscuously ad tempus for a time only may be called temporary but such is given to the Reprobates so that this Quotation though it grace the margin yet it dishonoureth the text 2 The second Protestant Writer whom he suborneth for his Cause is Mr. Calvin but we do not hear Calvin speaking From Mr. Goodwin therefore I shall produce his words upon this very text he saith thus The Lord doth every day enrich with and accumulate upon his servants new gifts of his grace every day because he accepts the work which he hath begun in them and findes that in them which he will follow with more grace and hitherto doth that sentence belong Habenti dabitur To him that hath shall be given and I profess this That believers may hence expect that the more they use the grace that is given the more they shall be endewed with further grace And is not Calvin a probable testimony for Mr. Goodwin who in even express words calleth the talents graces not nature I would not have Mr. Goodwin to injure the living works of dead Interpreters 3 The third testimony is out of Musculus in this he would have us acted by an implicit faith for he doth not produce his words and because he doth not I will This Proverbe Habenti dabitur is used in in two places Matth. 13. and Matth. 25. To the first text he saith thus (b) Quod múdus facit malè hic fit benè meritò ii qui gratiam regni Dei oblatam suo vitio repudiant a●feretur ab ii dabitut aliis qui sunt magis cupidi ut fiant abundantiores Musenlus in Matth. 13. What the world doth badly is here done well and deservedly that those who by their own fault refuse the grace of the Kingdome of God it should be taken away from such and given to those that are more desirous of it that they be more abundant And upon Matth. 25. saith thus (c) Per talenta significari officia illa quae servi sui gerunt in Ecclesia Musculus in Matth. 25. By these talents are understood any of those offices which his servants do bear in the Church And can he think Musculus his testimony can stand him in any stead except he will say that natural abilities may be called the grace of the Kingdom of God 4 The sourh Writer whom he produceth for his Cause is Ambrose whose words indeed he produceth in the margin but in that Edition those works which pass under the name of Ambrose which I have by me I finde not the words which he inserteth but take it as it lyeth The dint of the testimony lyeth here in that he saith The servant that hid his talent in a napkin was he that hid (d) Rutionem quae nobis data ad imaginem similitudinem studio voluptatis obruit quasi fo●tâ carnis abscondit That reason which is given to us according to the similitude and image be burieth it in the study of pleasure and hideth it in the pit of the flesh Now here is the difficulty what is meant by this Ratio data nobis ad imaginem similitudinem how will it be proved that by these words is understood this light of nature and natural abilities it is not corrupta ratio corrupt reason that rendreth us according to the image of God but our right and perfect reason in integrity or renewed in the state of regeneration Hence the Apostle saith Renewed in knowledge according to the image of him that

created us Col. 3.10 And hereby we are changed into the same image 2 Cor. 3.18 so that this is not reason as it is by nature or abilities meerly natural but as they are elevated by the supernatural grace of God and I am induced to think so because I finde other Fathers speaking of the same business to the same purpose as Chrysostome though not in his original language yet as Anianus and other uncertain Interpreters lay it down thus (d) Abscondit autem talentum in terrâ qui accipiens notitiam Christi contemnit vitam spiritualem in tervenis actubus deliciis conversans obruit illam in carne suâ mundi solicitudinibus quasi spinis suffocat suaefidel bonum fructum non fert Chrysost Anian Interpr in Loc. He hideth his talent in the earth that hath received the knowledge of Christ and yet contemneth a spiritual life and being conversant in earthly actions and delights overthrows it in the flesh choaks it by the cares of the flesh as so many thorns so that he brings forth no good fruit of his faith And why may not that Ratio data nobis ad imaginem which Ambrose speaketh of be all one with that notitia Christi which Chrysostome gives us but however how weakly is Mr. Goodwins assertion fortified with authority when in the midst of many flourishes there is not any thing that so much as looks towards him but one testimony excepted which is yet left in a dubious sense and may be fairly carried quite another way And this is the height of his authority But because he seems to look also at colour of reason and pretendeth that there is neither colour nor ground of reason for any man to think that the talents signifie any thing but natural abilities I shall in the next place produce severall particulars which to my understanding carry some colour of reason by them I intend to prove that by the talents are not meant natural abilities 1 To understand the talents of natural abilities takes away all pertinency and aptness either to the persons spoken to or the occasion of speaking from the words of Christ which yet we are upon very necessary principles to grant to them the persons to whom these words were spoken were Jews who had the letter of the Gospel preached to them and the occasion of speaking these words was immediately upon the preaching that parable of the sower the seed being the Word it fell on all grounds good and bad the stony thorny highway ground but these mysteries our Saviour spake in Parables the reason being asked he returns this answer in both places To him that hath shall be given but from him that hath not shall be taken away that which he hath Now let Mr. Goodwin shew the pertinency of this answer in his sense either to the persons or occasion for taking talents for natural abilities then this is the sense of the place Because the unbelieving Jews have not that is use not the light and abilities of nature well therefore they had not the clear understanding of the mysteries of heaven given to them but our Saviour gives the reason in the Parable because the Gospel in its glorious discoveries fell upon their hearts as upon stony high-way thorny ground therefore he spake to them in Parables and therefore adviseth them to take heed how they heard viz. the letter of the Gospel For to him that hath shall be given c. now to interpret the talents by the light of nature is very much irrelative to the occasion of Christs words which was their not using of the Gospel-light in the letter of it and what an incoherency doth it introduce into Christs words Luke 8.18 Take heed how ye hear For to him that hath shall be given c for then the sense must run thus Take heed how ye hear the Gospel for from them that use not the light of nature well shall be taken away the light of nature even that which they have the very words of taking heed how they hear seem to carry it hither that the talents did signifie the preaching of the Gospel 2. This very sense destroys his standing course of providence for clear it is that as Christ applyeth this proverbiall sentence the Jews did not use their talents well Now if by talents be to be understood naturall abilities then the unbelieving Jews did not use their naturall abilities well and yet they had the letter of the Gospel and God did not fail to reveal his Son Christ to them else how could they be unbelieving and if he revealed his Son to such as did not use their natural abilities regularly where is Mr. Goodwins standing Course of providence of revealing or hiding his Son Christ according to mens exercising or not exercising their naturall abilities regularly 3 Their talents that were given were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own goods that is the proper goods of their Master which he had in dispose to distribute to his servants and that as Mediator but where shall we finde that he received naturall abilities to bestow upon his Church or that he is said to give such as mediatour True he is that light that enlightens every man to wave all other commodious interpretations that are given how will Master Goodwin prove that those are spoken of Christ as Mediatour but rather as Creatour John 1.9 10. the text saith not he is the true light but he was the true light yea also he was in the world and the world was made by him He was that enlightening light when he was in the world creating the world and so endewing them with the light of reason and this way hath much countenance from Interpreters When Christ ascended on high Ephes 4.9 10 11 12. he distributed those gifts that he had received but what were they shall we so far mistake as to judge them natural abilities the text will explode such a sense because they are not pertinent for the perfecting of the Saints the work of the Ministery the edifying of the body of Christ the Apostle saith Ephes 1.3 John 1.16 That in him we are blest with all spiritual blessings and that of him we receive grace for grace but where shall we finde that his Church receiveth from him the abilities of nature and that from him as Mediatour Now he must prove this before it can be clear that these talents signifie naturall abilities 4 Those talents that were given were in a various degree to diverse men some five some two some one talent but how can Mr. Goodwin make his to agree with the light of nature if he consider his own words Pag. 10. Pag. 10. That all men by the light of nature may make out the conclusions of the Gospel and that an attonement is made for sin if all men can do thus much and no man any more where is this variety that the Parable speaketh of 5 These talents

been more becoming him to produce Scriptures where it is said that that which is given to every man is called grace But he produceth something that pretendeth towards reason and therefore I must leave Arminius and speak in a word or two to Corvinus And in the first place to tell him that it is much prejudicial to their cause to wave Scripture and from reason onely to seek for stabiliment in their own obscure deductions which are very obnoxious to scruple which in the next place I shall examine 1. He saith Ibidem Neminem relinqui sine testimonio none are left without witnesse but it is as obscure for us to know what testimony or witnesse he meaneth I suppose he understandeth that witnesse mentioned Acts 14.16 wherein God is said not to leave himself without witnesse which text is so much insisted upon by them but then could not Corvinus his acute reason tell him that this is no satisfaction to Molineus charge except he had also proved that this testimony is supernatural grace the testimony there spoken of is by those fruitfull seasons showres and filling their hearts with gladnesse but this is far short of that supernatu●al grace pretended by them Those that are given over to a reprobate sense and so natural as that they are without all knowledge of God and so certainly without all assisting grace yet they had that testimony of the Deity in showres and fruitfull seasons 2. He saith Secondly some Talents are given to all men Omnibus aliqua talenta dari ibidem And what then will it therefore follow that assisting grace is given I think not Assisting grace is none of the Talents that God gives so generally but rather that natural light and reliquiae and scintillae luminis the Law written in their heart Dantur incrementa gratiae rectè utenti lamine naturali peradjutorium gratiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The grace of God is not by themselves said to be a Talent but principium quo utuntur talenta that principle by which the Talents are used as Corvinus saith God gives increase of grace to him that useth the light of nature well by the grace of God assisting him now if the assisting grace of God be not one of those Talents it is no plausible argument to urge assisting grace is given to all because Talents are given to all except he say that where God gives natural gifts he alwaies gives assisting grace to enable them to use them well which is not to prove the question in hand but to beg it Ista gratia quae data est ad hoc ut Deum ●olamus non potest non esse supernaturalis ibid. 3. That which is most plausible is this That grace of God which is given to that end that we may worship him cannot be lesse then supernatural This is true but nothing to the businesse in hand because the question is not this Whether that grace given by God to that end that men may worship him be supernatural but whether that grace be given or no to all men without exception this we demand a proof of in all the Scripture true indeed the light of nature and works of providence discover that there is a God and that he is to be worshipped thus far men by groping after God may come to know but this is far short of this ut Deum colamus for the actual worship of God cannot be without a rule by the help of which we may worship him according to his own will and this is the height of the Doctrine of Universal grace They dare not call nature grace lest they should come too near the Doctrine of Pelagius and that God gives principles of assisting grace they have not yet proved but onely by these few infirm arguments and all the world may yet take notice that the proof yet remaineth to be made on their parts and till they give us some Scriptures wherein that which God gives to every man without exception is honoured with the name of grace we shal judge them more abundant in assertions then in proofs And besides the want of proof which lies as a ponderous stone in the way against that Doctrine There is also the validity of an argument or two to take away before they can pass for plausible Defenders of that faith I shall therefore addresse my self to urge them with some few arguments to prove that that which God giveth to every man cannot be called grace neither doth God give to every man that assisting grace whereby they may and to that end that they might use the light of nature well Arg. 1 If God to many in the world be but paratus faccre gratiam ready to give divine grace then he doth not actually give assisting grace to every man in the world without exception but it is as frequent as their pages to use this expression Deus aut gratiam facit aut facere paratus est God doth either give grace or is ready to do it which Salvo they need not so cautelously to provide if they can prove that God giveth to every man divine assisting grace to that end that they might use the light of nature well Arg. 2 All grace given to man since the fall in tendency to his recovery comes to us through Christ and is called the grace of Christ But the grace of Christ is not exhibited to all men without exception Therefore no Supernatural grace All grace comes to us by Christ therefore it is called the grace of Christ Eph. 1.3 John 1.16 and we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in him Eph. 1.3 and we are said to receive grace for grace from him John 1.16 But that the grace of Christ is not exhibited to every man without exception I need not produce Scriptures to prove for the Remonstrants will surrender it up to us without any hostile progresse for speaking of the natural law inscribed in the heart of all men they say thus as I have formerly quo●ed from them Not to that end that by that onely they should be immediately saved but that by that they should be rendred fit hearers of the Gospel wherein there is the Sermon of the grace of Christ Whence I conclude that the grace of Christ hath no place till that natural light be actually improved and that so high as that thereby they make themselves fit hearers of the Gospel and so to receive the grace of Christ now if any may receive the grace of Christ to that end that they may use nature well and so by consequence before they do use it well then the words of these great disputers want weight to ballast them Cornel. à lapid in loc Besides let them consult with the interpreters of their own side who thus expound this text Eph. 2.12 wherein it is said the Gentiles were without Christ one saith thus without Christ that is without the knowledge of Christ the law the grace

be done without the faith and grace of Christ And the Remonstrants themselves as Corvinus saith expresly (b) Non enim contendimus Ethnicos legem Dei perfectè implere sed in eo acquiescimus quod probamus eos saltem aliquid legis f●cisse Corv. in Molin cap 34. § 2 We do not contend that the heathen do perfectly fulfill the Law of God but we rest in this that wee prove that they do something that the Law commands And this the Text it self evinceth because they have their consciences both excusing and accusing But there is no place for accusing consciences where they improve all abilities according to the rule of the law The worshiping of God (c) Si per rectitudinem intell●gas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verum est neminem posse rectè Deum colere citra fidem sed quaeritur an non possit citra fidem quanquam non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliquâ tamen ratione imperfectè Deum colere ●39 sect 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the rule Saith Corvinus It is most true that in this sense it is not possible that any man can serve God without faith But it is questionable whether without faith a man cannot worship although not according to the rule yet in some way and manner although but imperfectly Then certainly Mr. Goodwin walketh in a very unsafe and difficult way in contending for an ability in the heathen to improve their natural abilities according to the rule or law of nature Beside to walk according to the light and law of Nature is to walk according to the rule of Conscience for the law of Nature is nothing but the law of God engraven in the hearts and consciences of men and here Master Goodwin joynes them together regular and conscientious improvement But then I hope hee must meane a rightly guided and informed conscience else how should it be a rule A crooked rule will never bring men to the straight way of holinesse I hope that neither Master Goodwin nor any Arminian will say that the use of Naturals according to the dictate of a misguided and erring Conscience leads either to a further degree of grace or glory But then consider also That men not having their consciences rightly informed and disposed cannot be said to walke so regularly as to fetch from God increase of grace but such is the case of all men by nature without the grace of Christ To consider this a little more distinctly Mr. Goodwin I hope well knoweth that to the regular improvement of every heathen man there is required both a Rule and Practice and they are to afford both not only to do those things contained in the law but they are to be a law to themselves Rom. 2. Now seeing that they are to afford the law and rule within them I hope they will say it must be a right and straight rule a rightly disposed and a good conscience otherwise to walk after the rule of an evill conscience will not be found an improvement or use but rather an abuse of naturall gifts An evill conscience is such from which we are to be cleansed Hebr. 10.22 But from an improvement of naturall gifts or from the right rule leading thereunto there is no need of being washed Now where is this rightly guided and good conscience amongst the heathen All men are divided into two ranks by the Apostle into the Pure and Impure the pure have all things pure the impure and unbelieving all things impure Tit. 1.15 having their minds and very consciences impure Tit. 1.15 Hence the Casuists tell us that a Amesius Cas Cons p. 102. Conscience is but a subordinate rule as it is directed by the Word of God Men have not improved their abilities by walking according to their consciences Paul was a persecuter and many come to kill and put to death the tru● disciples of Christ John 16.2 John 16.2 and both by the dictate of their conscience they thought they did God good service And as for the light of the heathen whereby they may be directed to the observance of God in a way of obedience Alas what is it Well may the Remonstrants say it is relicks of life and sparks of knowledg and that they have aliquam cognitionem Dei some kind and measure of the knowledg of God but alas what is it not so high as to be a rule of an acceptable improvement of their Abilities I would that Mr. Goodwin had put forth some Discourse of naturall light that wee might examine the subject of it and the penetrative vigour thereof True indeed the Heavens declare the glory of God and the Invisible things of God are to be seen in the visible creatures But here the glory of God is in the creatures but as light is in the Sun which yet is not actually seen by blind men To the act of sight there is not only required a visible object but there must be a well disposed organ and the eye must be open Now true it is that the heavens declare the glory of God as the Sun displayes his light but the heavens do not open the eys or give light to the simple Psal 19.4 5 6 7. What improvement can Mr. Goodwin produce that ever was made by the rule of natural knowledg The Apostle telleth us that the Gentiles are alienated from the life of God Ephes 4.18 2 Pet. 1.9 and that through the ignorance that is in them having their mindes darkened Man now in the state of corruption whatever the light be that shines in the creatures hee is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purre-blinde man and their height is but to groape after him palpare Deum Acts 17.27 as blinde men by which they are capable of so much as to render themselves inexcusable if they fall to idolatry and forsake the true God but that thereby they may know how to worship the true God and serve him or that their light is or can be a rule of a right and true Improvement of natural ability I leave as Master Goodwin's task to prove either by Scripture or good reason especially such an Improvement upon which all the administrations of God to men tending to salvation shall proceed Now until that Master Goodwin cleareth these two things First that the Heathen can afford within themselves the rule of a right Improvement of their abilities or Secondly that suppose they have the rule within them yet that they can exercise such a regular Improvement according to the rule in a perfect Obedience for he that faileth in any one thing walketh not according to rule and maketh not a regular Improvement I shall conclude that no Heathen man can make a regular Improvement of his abilities that is neither according to the rule of Conscience or Law of Nature and as for any Law of the Gospel or Positive Law of God there is no need that any dispute proceed upon these because

in the very foundation of this discourse it is supposed that those are not revealed to the Heathen But ere I pass I shall urge one only argument to prove that a Heathen man cannot make any regular Improvement of his natural abilities and it is thus If the natural man be enmity against God and neither is nor can be subject to the Law of God then he cannot make a regular Improvement of his natural abilities But the former is true Rom. 8.6 7 8. Therefore the latter in true also Now to this Argument I for the present conceive that two things chiefly may be replied First he may say that text Rom. 8.7 speaks of the Positive and Moral Law of God but we are treating of the Law of Nature Now to the Laws of Nature we yield Obedience by Nature but to the Positive Law of God by Grace If Master Goodwin please to urge this or any thing like it then I refer it to him to prove that the Law of Nature and Positive Law of God be different in substance and not in that respect one and the same save only in the manner of discovery the one internally inscribed the other externally manifested Again he must consider that the dint of the Argument is in this that the natural minde is enmity against God the enmity of natural men is originally against God and so by consequence against any Law of God whether internally inscribed or outwardly given the Law of Nature is as well the Law of God as any of his Positive Lawes and so equally occasions the enmity of a natural man For Quae conveniunt in aliquo tertio conveniunt inter se both these Lawes being the Lawes of God and the natural mans Enmity being originally against both these Laws agree in this that the natural man cannot be subject to them Rectè quidem concluditur hominem qui merè naturalis est omnis divinae cognitionis expers qui instar brutorum naturaliter secundùm sensum vivit Corvin in Molin c. 33. §. 1. Secondly I finde Corvinus thus replying to us Rightly it is concluded that a natural man cannot be subject to the divine Law but that is such a man as is meerly natural void of all the knowledge of God and that liveth according to sense like to brute beasts Be it so then we must enquire whether the Heathen men be not so Ephes 4.18 Secondly their gloss overthroweth their doctrine their gloss supposeth many Heathen to be without all knowledge of God When yet their whole Doctrine in this point urgeth so much of Divine Knowledge in every man that they may improve their natural abilities and are sufficiently enabled thereunto Thirdly they would have man considered in his meer corrupt estate that is without all knowledge of God and assistance of the Spirit so that in their doctrine to have the knowledge and assisting Spirit of God is to reduce them from the corrupt and natural estate which knowledge and grace they pretend that every man in the world hath without exception and hence we come to see that this is the summe of their Doctrine that now no man is in his corrupt estate or can be called a natural man which will render the Apostles words very vain and empty Fourthly this answer is grounded upon that exotick tripartition of the World which we finde in all their works They say man is either meerly natural or natural yet disposed to regeneration or thirdly regenerate it matters not what our corrupt mindes may suggest to us to the maintenance of our opinions when Molin saith that The fear of God doth not agree to those that are unregenerate Corvinus thus replyeth Si per irregenitos intelligis eos qui animum planè à Deo aversum habent verum dicis sed si per irregenitos eos intelligis qui nondum sunt regeniti erras cap. 34 §. 4. If by unregenerate thou meanest those that have their mindes altogether averse from God thou sayest true but if by unregenerate thou meanest those that are not yet regenerate thou errest in so speaking But can the acuteness of Corvinus discover a way whereby a man unregenerate may not be taken for a man not yet regenerate as if a man unregenerate and a man not yet regenerate be not terms equipollent and of the same signification or where can he in Scripture give us the least testimony of Scripture that presents us with a man not yet regenerate that hath not his minde wholly averse from God we should be glad to see any of those proofs or will they enable us to finde such Distinctions in the Scripture as of natural men such as are meerly natural and such as are disposed to regeneration and so likewise of men having the Spirit Some are such as are by the assisting Spirit only prepared to be regenerate Others are by the Spirit regenerate and born again Let them make it appear that these notions are not the issue meerly of wanton and luxuriant brains the Scripture thus only divideth All man are either born of the flesh or born of the Spirit Joh. 3.6 either live after the flesh or after the Spirit Rom. 8.4 5 6. Either carnally minded or spiritually minded Verse 6. and it saith in general As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God Rom. 8.14 that is so many as are led by the sweet ducture of the Spirit of God to do any thing in tendency to salvation are the sons of God and so born again and of such it cannot be said they are unregenerate But more shall be said to this purpose when I see Master Goodwins replyes to this argument and till I see them I shall conclude a Heathen man cannot improve his abilities regularly because the natural man is enmity against God and cannot be subject to his Law In the next place I am to consider the second main Pillar upon which this pretended method stands and that is whether a Heathen man by the light of nature can by his Improvements or any other thing quit himself to a degree of well-pleasing to God Master Goodwin affirms it I in this second particular counter-argue him thus That no Heathen man can please God by any such Improvement as he is able to make of his natural abilities If it appear that man cannot by nature improve his natural gifts upon that defect I know Master Goodwin himself will grant that man cannot please God so that till he can make good the first particular we are safe enough here but I shall go a little further Suppose man could improve his natural abilities yet could he not be said to please God what complacency can any man discover from Scripture if God takes in the performances and persons of men without faith before they be born again become his sons in Christ the Apostle saith Ephes 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the beloved Ephes 1.6 Now I shall give