They shall never commit the sin against the Holy Ghost, as is the meaning of that place (1John 5:16-18). There is a sin unto death, and there is a sin not unto death.—He that is born of God sinneth not, but keepeth himself; and that wicked one, (mark, that wicked one, the sin unto death,) toucheth him not: But they that are born of God notwithstanding, do daily sin, as it is evident (John 3:2). "In many things we offend all," saith he, I and you, all of us. And again, if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and (instead of having no sin) the truth is not in us (1John 1:8). And who can say, my heart is clean? There is none righteous, no not one. And again, "There is not a must man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Eccl 7:20). And I am confident, that while some would persuade others that they have no sin, their own consciences tell them they lie; and if it be not so in the rest, it is because they are hardened, and given to believe a lie.
As to the latter part of your query, I answer; The new birth is wrought through hearing of the word preached. And yet not by conscience, nor by the obedience to the law, or dictates of nature; but by the Spirit coming into the soul, and shewing its lost condition without the obedience of the Jesus of Mary, the Son of God; and his freeness and willingness to communicate, or give himself, and all his things unto it; which being done, the man is thereupon given up to god, and is become a new creature. I might spend much time in speaking to this, but I forbear, because of itself it is enough to fill up a small volume.
Query 4. "If Christ hath enlightened all men as he is God (as thou confessest) then hath he not enlightened all men as he is the Son of God? and is not the light of God sufficient in itself, to lead to God all that follow it, yea, or nay?"
Ans. (1.) Christ as he is God, doth enlighten every man that comes into the world, which light is conscience, or otherwise nature itself, which doth also convince of sin (John 7:9). Yet Christ as he is God; doth not give unto every man that spirit that doth lead to eternal life, for all men have it not (Jude 19). (2.) Christ as he was and is the son of God before the world was, being one in power, and being with his Father, hath enlightened every one that comes into the world, as aforesaid; but hath not so neither given them his spirit. "Some are sensual," &c. (3.) Christ as God-man, or as he came into the world to die for those whom before as God he knew and loved; I say, he doth not in this way neither enlighten every man with the saving light of life, or give unto them his holy Spirit. No, they that have been, and now are believers, do know and can remember, that all the time of their unregenerate state, they were without Christ (Eph 2:12). so that here is no way or room for your doctrine, take it how you will, Christ hath not given to every one his Spirit.
Second Part of the Query. Is not the light of God sufficient in itself, to lead to god all that follow it, yea, or nay?
Ans. (1.) As I said before, some are sensual, and have not the Spirit of Christ. (2.) No man can come to God as a Father by adoption, but by Jesus Christ; then it must needs be that all men, though they do follow that light which is given to every man, it is not able to lead to God as a Father in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ye this light that every man hath, will shew a man there is a God, and that this God is eternal; and also will clear out something of him, to them, by the things that are made. But now, if this light would lead to everlasting life, then might the devils also be delivered from everlasting damnation; seeing they also do know god as a creator and revenger of sin, more perfectly than any natural man in the world, though not as a Father by adoption.
But you say, Doth it not lead to God all that follow it? Answ. (q.) Not to be saved, though to be condemned, through the weakness and unprofitableness of that light, or conscience, or the law, call it either, and I clear it thus: Because, if that light that every man receives, were able by our following it, to save us, then Christ needed not to gave suffered, seeing all men had that light. (2.) If that light that every man hath, which is conscience, were able to lead a man to justification by following it; that promise was made in vain by Jesus the Son of Mary, when he said, "I will send you; [Mark, I will send you] the Spirit, and he shall lead you into all truth:" for they had a light before. But it is evident, that that was not sufficient, because they must have another sent them by Jesus Christ, and that must be that Spirit.
Query 5. "Whether is not the same light in him that hates it, as it is in him that loves it (John 3). If there be a difference in the light, show it wherein; whether in the nature, or otherwise?"
Answ. (1.) That scripture quoted in John 3. "Light is come into the world," &c., is not meant of that light, or conscience, that every man hath; but the Man Christ Jesus is speaking there of himself, as God-man, come into the world, born of the Virgin, if thou compare verses 19-21 with 14-18 of the same chapter, it is clear, for they all do speak of the same thing; namely, the Son of Mary. And again, saith he, "I am the light of the world." Now the man Christ, though he was then in the world, and walked up and down in the same, yet he was not within any man in the world as man, (though he calls himself the light thereof) though he was in some; I say, in some, as God by his Spirit. Now the light, which was the Man Christ, was the very same, whether loved by some, or hated by others; but if you conclude every man hath Christ, or that light spoken of there (John 3), within him; that I deny, having proved the contrary. But (2.) Whether is there a difference in the light? Answ. There are more lights than one, there is a light that may be suspected to be darkness, where he saith, "If the light that is in thee be darkness," &c. Again, there is the light of the law (Prov 6:23). Again, conscience also will convince of sin. Now there is none of these that can save a sinner from the evil of his ways. Take the best of them, which is the righteous law of God, that cannot. For had there been a law given, which might have given life, then verily righteousness had come by the law: But if you conclude that righteousness, or everlasting life cometh by the law, you must conclude this again; that Christ did die in vain (Gal 2:21). So then these things being not able to save the soul, the next thing is, the Son of God, the Son of righteousness arising with healing under his wings; he is also a light, and indeed the saving light, for surpassing all the other mentioned.
Now though Christ doth not differ in himself, yet there is a difference in the power of these lights; the law and Christ, the one not being able to save, the other being able. And again, there is also a difference in the nature of them; the one being a condemning light, the other a saving light. It is Moses that accuseth you (saith Christ) even Moses in whom ye trust: But do not think, saith Christ, that I will accuse you to the Father: No, saith he, it is Moses, or the law given by him. But again, where Christ speaks for himself as a Saviour, he saith "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:17). So that I say, (a.) That light spoken of (John 3), which is the Man Christ, is not in every man that comes into the world. (b.) That the Man Christ, or the light spoken of there, is not against himself. (c.) There is the light of the law, conscience, and nature itself, which are in all men, which things are altogether insufficient to save a man from death, by his seeking of justification thereby. again, there is Jesus Christ, he is the Saviour, but not in all men. And again, neither is the Man Christ Jesus the condemning light.