answer to Rom. 8. 10. though he quotes not the place but some of the words adding his own gloss The words of the Apostle are these And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness By the body here Rom. 8. 10. cleared in its genuine sense is meant the natural body consisting of flesh blood and bones as appeareth 1. By the scope of the Apostle to comfort them against the Law of death ver 2. 2. From the comfort which he raiseth grant the Body is dead frail corruptible mortal subject to death yet first it is not totally dead for the sting of death which is the guilt of sin is pluckt out ver 2. and the Spirit by the law of opposition here to be taken for the soul of a believer is life or a living soul immortal and shall live gloriously to immortality and may and doth live comfortably here because of righteousness i. e. while it takes up this consideration that Christs own personal righteousness is imputed as the cause of a glorious life and Christs infused holiness is the evidence of Justification-life and Glory-life Secondly the body shall not be always under the power of death v. 11. for he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies which epithete mortal is added to shew he spake of the natural body ver 10. and to strengthen and comfort in that the same spirit dwelling in Christ and true Christians look as he raised up Christs body so he shall raise up theirs This being the genuine sense of the Apostle we may grant a pious truth in something R. F. saith but not as properly grounded on this place The truth is the natural body is mortified in part to the acts of unrighteousness as the habits of sin are mortified in the soul Rom. 8. 10. vindicated from improper and abusive interpretation but the Apostle saith not the body is dead because of sin being destroyed as R. F. hath glossed but because of fin that is the natural body is a mortal dying body hath many partial deaths upon it and will dye at last soul and body will be separated for a time because of sin which remaineth in the soul dwelleth and acteth in and by the body and will not be absolutely and in all degrees rooted out till the body dies a natural death Sin is such a troublesome in-mate or like some old inhabitant pleading prescription that it will not out God suffering it so to be till the House be pulled down over its head therefore the Apostles reason because of sin discovers them to erre who deny sin to dwell in act where Christ reigneth Sin dwelleth in the soul the inward rooms chiefly but it so lodgeth within as it acteth and worketh in the outward room and shop of the body till body and soul be dissolved when this troublesome inmate is cast out totally finally and for ever from the Saints Let not R. F. go on to say here thou art contradicting the Scriptures and opposing the work of Christ which is to take away sin for there is not one Scripture which speaks of a perfect Saint absolutely free from the in-dwelling presence and in-working power of sin in the least degree while he lives here upon the earth and the work of Christ in taking away sin is in a way of Sanctification to carry it on by little and little as was his casting out of the Canaanites Exod. 23. 30. Let not him that puts on his armor boast as he that puts it off What is it for R. F. * Page 15. to reason And such as abide in him sins not then sin acts not he that acts sin commits sin and there Christ reigns not but Antichrist under whose dominion thou art that pleads for him and his work Rep. 1. Sin may and doth act in the Saints not they but sin is acting when as Saints and so far as regenerate they do act against sin This is not committing of sin in Johns sense as hath been cleared before Sect. 14. but as Paul speaking of himself in the name of all the regenerate as hath been proved Sect. 20. Rom. 7. 16 17. If I do that which I would not c. it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 2. Although Christ reigns not where sin is committed in Johns sense yet he reigneth where that in-dwelling principle of sin is mortified in truth and in some degree and where the actings of sin are resistings of sin are hated resisted and unfulfilled Gal. 5. 16. They that walk in the Spirit do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh yet the flesh is lusting and acting what it can against a Christian to make him stumble while he is in a good walk 3. Antichrist reigns in none more then in filthy dreamers who while they preach perfection are found in their pollutions It is Antichrists design to represent a sinners Justification imperfect and his Sanctification perfect that he may glory in himself and not in Christ Antichrist pretendeth as much to Holiness as these men called Quakers but out of order and to a wrong end as they also 4. To plead for perfect inherent Holiness as the Believers Justification as J. Nayler * See Love to the lost p. 21. and 51. and R. F. do is to serve under Antichrists colors and to wear his livery and to make void the obedience and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ 5. He is not under the dominion of Antichrist who pleads against his imaginary perfections is made perfect in his Justification by coming unto Christs sacrifice Heb. 10. 1 14. and in a way of Sanctification presseth after more of the power of Christs death and resurrection to be conformed thereunto But R. F. goes on * Page 15. to mis-apply Scripture and contradict the true scope and sense He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Rep. 1. It is true the words are so and I believe it is so as the Spirit speaketh in that place 1 John 5. 18. what then 1 John 5 18. vindicated Doth not sin dwell and stir therefore in the regenerate Look back to ver 16. and you may conclude That not onely sin is in every Christian Brother but you may sometimes have it visibly acted before your eyes for saith the Apostle If any man see his brother sin c. 2. Although he sinneth yet we know that whosoever is born of God as every true Brother is sinneth not i. e. unto death as every sin is not unto death so no sin of the truly godly is unto death but he keepeth himself as he is kept and he acteth as he is acted by the principle of the new creature by the Spirits and Christs fresh influence against such a sin and that wicked one Satan toucheth him not with his sting nor instills such deadly poison
stick to Christ who are in him and suck vertue from him they sin not yet at that time when they abide in Christ sin dwelleth in them not in the old regency and power but as a troublesom in-mate which they would gladly be quite rid of from the first moment of conversion if the Lord so pleased but it is there and remaineth for their exercise till the combat of flesh and spirit be at an end viz. at the end of our days Section 34. THe Reader may observe that R. F. answereth nothing to this Section wherein having shewed how they cry out against all that teach Sin is not perfectly mortified in this life to be upholders of the Devils kingdom I asked Were Paul John and the Apostles upholders of the Devils kingdom And doth the Scripture uphold the Devils kingdom when it positively asserteth there is sin in every good man while he is doing good according to that Eccles 7. 20. Eccles 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not A Scripture that stands as an impregnable for t un-assaulted by the enemy and impossible ever to be taken or battered down although this generation of Perfectists rank and file the same with them spoken of Prov. 30. 12. should night and day lay siege to it and shoot all their Granado's against it The new gloss * Lip of truth opened p. 18. of Tho. Lawson is but a flash of gun-powder without bullet it will not batter 'T is true saith he there is not a just man upon earth c. for all that dwell on earth worship the beast Rev. 13. 8. but John saw 144000. redeemed from the earth whereas the material earth is understood by Solomon the mystical earth is meant by John set in opposition to the mystical heaven or the true Church ver 6. men redeemed from earthly ways of worship perfectly justified before God sincere in their sanctification and reformation and growing up indeed unto perfect holiness in Gods fear yet not one of them except in Gods account without their inherent failings adherent blemishes and conflicts from their in-dwelling concupiscence or unregenerate part 9. Head of Contradiction to Scripture Concerning Christian Warfare Section 35. HAving noted their denial of Saints to be always in the Warfare R. F. * page 18. returns me his justification of this Doctrine If they do they deny not the Scripture but agree with it How makes he it out Why Such as have overcome are more then conquerors Rep. This is a truth in some sense but proves not that Saints in this life not out of their warfare Saints are past the warfare Every Christian is an overcomer as well as a warrior but how when and in what measure 1. In Christ his Head and Captain he hath overcome 1 Cor. 15. 57. 2. When shall he have a perfect conquest over inherent corruption when the warfare is at an end when is that when his wayfare is at an end not before 3. In what measure is it wrought here In some more in some less as to the conquest of Sanctification of which is the Question in none absolutely and totally A victory the Saint may have to day in some particular combate a foil to morrow Shameful foils some of these men have had who have thought themselves at an end of their warfare if half that which is reported be true That of Atkinson at Norwich was true enough one who cryed up Perfection as loud as his fellows but became as unstable as water and was easily captivated to the act of Fornication I list not to rake in such kennels but I abhor boasting before the final victory That practice which violateth the seventh Commandment is as far from perfection as that Doctrine which contradicteth the seventh Chapter to the Rom. 23. R. F. tells me Thou brings that of Paul in the warfare but thou brings not his after experience where he says The law of the spirit of life in Christ hath made me free Rom. 8. Rep. I flatly deny that Pauls experience Rom. 8. 2. was Rom. 8. 2. vindicated an after-experience to what he speaks of himself and regenerate persons Chap. 7. 14. to the end as his and their present state which was no other then what he was in Chap. 8. and so to the end of the Epistle For Chap. 8. and ver 2. is brought in as a consolation under the combate The words are these to the full For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death What is that Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus but the power and authority of spiritual endless life in him and particularly that habitual frame of holiness in Christs humane nature which from birth and conception he had and which being made meritorious by his Divine person in which the humanity subsisteth is imputed to Paul and every true Believer by reason of which imputation he is made free from the law of sin and death What is that Law of sin The condemning power of sin yet inherent and permanent As if Paul should have said If sin that wars and fights in me hath no power to condemn me then there is no condemnation to me the sentence that is cut off and where no sentence passeth there is no execution according to Law But sin hath no Law no power to condemn me for the Law of grace and holiness in Christs own flesh condemned sin there kept off filth from him and condemned all my guilt charged upon him so as sin is put out of office and cannot so much as serve a Writ of condemnation upon me nor can sin have a commanding power over me while it dwelleth in me seeing the Spirit which dwelleth in Christ brings life and power from him to quicken holiness and kill sin in me and that grace which reigneth in Christ reigneth in me while sin is rebelling And concerning the Law of death the sting of death which is sin being taken away by removal of guilt bodily death can do me no hurt sin may kill and pull down this earthly tabernacle it shall never slay my soul I am already free from the sentence of the second death it shall never have power over me though my present as by-past sin deserves it yet Christ hath freed me from it Thus Paul speaks his own and the Saints victories with their combates at one and the same time while they are warring they are Rom. 8. 37. cleared conquering and have more then earthly conquerors ever attained to How is that for R. F. cannot conceive there can be any warfare continued where there is more then a conquest already gotten To clear this let us take all the Apostles words before us ver 37. in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us He doth not say after all these things but in them during the warfare we have the
in innocency as it was never perfectly revealed nor half so clearly known after he fell till the Lord gave it in writing upon Tables of stone and upon Books Rom. 5. 13. Rom. 5. 13. opened It is granted Vntil the Law in was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no Law Diverse kindes of sins were not known to be sins original guilt and filth was not taken notice of until the Law Albeit God imputed sin yet men would not charge it upon themselves nor did God charge it in this life so closely fully and particularly home either upon the Jews or upon the Gentiles consciences till the written Law came amongst them 8. The covenant of Works was onely at first made or entred with Adam standing as a publique person representing all mankinde It was never made with any else since the state of perfection Distinguish we must between entring or striking this covenant and maintaining or holding of it up God entreth not strikes it not up with any fallen son or daughter of Adam he will never trust any meer man with it upon his single bond when as Adam betrusted with the whole stock broke himself and his posterity but onely he keeps it up with reprobates and with them that insist upon the condition of their own obedience thinking by their own strength to fulfil the Law and by their own righteous and religious performances to make amends to his offended Justice and to attain life in such a way of works Matth. 19. 17. Rom. 2. 13. Gal. 3. 10. These things premised and pondered it will neither be difficult as R. F. imagineth to draw up proofs and Arguments nor yet to believe or be convinced of this Affirmative truth which he J. Nayler and others have formerly Adam in innocency under a covenant of works and stood by the Moral Law Arguments to prove it denied viz. That Adam in innocency was under a covenant of Works and that he stood by the Moral Law written in his heart and by the observation of the positive branches given him in command according to that Law Argument 1. Either he stood under the Covenant of works or was under the Covenant of Grace or he was under no Covenant Under none he could not stand live or breathe He was certainly upon some terms of agreement with God being made in his image and in communion with him and yet a creature under the Law of his Creator The covenant of grace and reconciliation by Christ it was not for there was no variance nor breach of friendship as yet between God and Adam If it was not of Grace except a common-creation favor to be in some sort or other it was a covenant of works Some indeed speak of a covenant of Nature but that is all one with the covenant of Works variety of expressions must not lose us the truth as they do not alter the thing it self 2. He that was under an engagement of personal perfect conformity to Gods holy nature and righteous will every instant and moment of time upon his single bond in his received strength without promise of a surety or superadded abilities was under a covenant of works But this was Adams case and state in innocency he must conform to all that which he had perfect light and strength for A perfect stamp there was of Gods Law which we call the ten Commandments upon his heart they being the perfect beam of Gods holiness and righteousness none stand bound for him all his posterity are bound in him the promise is onely that he shall live if he continues every moment as perfect as he was made which we gather by the threatning if he fails but in the least eats but of the Tree of knowledge a Tree of tryal he shall surely dye And the Moral Law saith the same consider it with its rigor out of the hand of a Mediator Do this and live do it not fail in the least at the last moment of time or sin but at the first moment of being and thou shalt dye the death Therefore he and all in him were under a covenant of works and while he stood he stood upon his own legs given him in the first moment of creation 3. That covenant which he fell under when he fell that he stood under the terms of while he stood But Adam as a publique person and all in his loins fell under the penalties of the covenant of works for as all sinned in him by that one transgression in eating the forbidden fruit a sin both against his inward created principles and against a positive Moral precept so death passed upon all men Rom. 5. 12. And all are born for that sin children of wrath and under the curse of God Ephes 2. 8. Therefore Adam stood under the covenant of works and its legal conditional performance and promise of life no longer then he continued perfect as he was made and sought out no inventions and wanderings from the law of his creation and Creator 4. If the covenant of works was not made with Adam in innocency seeing he was a publique person God could not in justice require satisfaction of his posterity under the fall and in misery But he requireth just satisfaction of Adams posterity under the fall and in misery The just satisfaction that is due to him is not onely the suffering of infinite punishment for the offence against him who is infinite but that perfect obedience due to him from creation which Adam had strength to have performed in innocency viz. strength to have kept in that perfect state and to obey any command that God as a Creator might in a just way give unto his creature This just satisfaction some poor creatures since the fall will attempt to give to God first in a way of suffering partly here partly in a faigned Purgatory and moreover they will undertake to satisfie God in a way of active obedience endeavoring to compound with their offended Creator and to pay a part for the whole and while they attempt impossibilities they are found debtors to the whole Law Gal. 5. 3. Now albeit God makes not nay renews not the covenant of works no not by the death of Christ as some would have it with any man since the fall yet keeping them under the penalties he loseth not his right of exacting the principal debt and he doth require it of those who will be paying a part for the whole to get life thereby Therefore such a covenant Adam was under in innocency as obliged him to pay the whole debt of the Moral Law in its rigor Again suppose a poor soul falls under the conviction that all is due which was given but lost and doth not say to God Take a part for the whole or have patience with me and I will pay thee all but I can do nothing at all I can suffer nothing to satisfaction of an infinite Justice in finite time God now standing
into him as brings him into the sin that shall not be pardoned must not be prayed for which is the sin unto death What hath R. F. more to say nothing but from misapplyed Scripture And he that acteth and doth righteousness is of God but he that acteth and doth unrighteousness is not of God as saith the Scripture Rep. But where he nameth none The Scriptures which he might guess at are 1 John 2. 29. and 1 John 3. 10. In the 1 John 2. 29. cleared former Every one which doth righteousness is born of him the Greek word for doing * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical as if he should say he that makes a trade of righteousness not every one that stumbleth upon an act or two of righteousness but every one that is a constant practitioner of it is born of God In the latter whosoever doth not righteousness is not of 1 John 3. 10. vindicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. God i. e. whosoever doth not make a trade of righteousness or godliness is not of God The Scripture saith not He that acteth unrighteousness is not of God neither there nor any where else Sin 's acting in the Saints doth not argue that they make a common practise of it Let them who make a trade of perverting Scripture and of crossing the minde of the Spirit constantly in almost every place they alledge examine whether they can be of God or no. They that judge the Saints for having sin-dwelling and acting in them not to be of God that is not to be Saints or born of God shall be judged themselves by the Lord for trading with Satan in his common shop and office of accusing the Brethren Section 29. WHat I noted touching J. Naylers denial of perfection of holiness to be reserved till after death R. F. calls Whether perfection of holiness be not reserved till death the Reader to see if there be such words so expressed by James in that page if not c. then let them take notice of my deceitful spirit Rep. 1. I would know whether I may not have liberty to put down the effect of his or any mans words though not just the same and so expressed Although very seldom I have done it yet R. F. could take this liberty himself and much more in his Epistle where he tells his Reader that I say Without the Scripture the word of the Lord could not be spoken or to that effect My words were neither so nor to such purpose as he would have them construed as if the Lord were not above his Scripture All that I said was this Christ teacheth us not to know any thing to salvation but what is in the Scripture Law and Testimony and my plain intent therein I have cleared before in this part of my Reply Sect. 10. 2. J. Naylers express words * Discovery of the man of sin pag. 28. are these I challenge you to bring one Scripture which doth say That Perfection and Holiness are reserved till after death What he propoundeth by way of a challenge I put down as his negative position denying in effect a Reserve of perfect holiness to be given into the soul at the instant of death and to be onely enjoyed in soul and body long after at the resurrection Justification perfect here Sanctification imperfect Perfection of Justification by a most perfect imputed righteousness we have as soon as we believe but perfection in all degrees of Sanctification we have not in life none ever had it till death and then they possess it in their souls ever after He that holds the Saints perfect fulfilling of the Law in all degrees of obedience and conformity to it in this life before death hath drunk of Antichrists cup and contradicts the whole tenor of Scripture and the experience of all the Saints mentioned therein so far as their state of holiness in this life is spoken of J. Nayler * Discovery as above gives the lye to them that say The righteousness of the Law is not fulfilled in this life in any of the Saints and thinks that Rom. 8. Rom. 8 3 4. vindicated by the scope and true sense 3 4. will patronize the Saints perfect fulfilling of the Law in this life which onely speaks of Christs fulfilling of the Law for us and in that nature of man which himself assumed If he saith Christ came for that end to fulfil the Law in the Saints and not in his humanity onely for them still the Apostles words and sense must be regarded and not J. Naylers The Apostles scope is not to prove the Saints Justification by Christs enabling them to fulfil the Law which is J. Naylers scope in pleading for perfect Holiness in this life but to comfort against the want of perfect Holiness which is ever wanting while sin dwells in us What is the comfort this that the inherent sin of our natures is not imputed we who believe are absolved and set free from the guilt and punishment of it by the law of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus Ver. 2. that is by the perfect holiness of Christs humanity reckoned to us A necessity of which appears ver 3. The Law could not justifie any that have sin in-dwelling That which the Law could not do not that which the Saints could not do as J. Nayler reads it in that it was weak through the flesh residing not in the Law but in the best of Saints here God sent his Son that is to justifie us from the guilt of our sinning-natures and how for sin by reason it sticks in us while we live he condemned sin in the flesh of Christ he kept sin from having inherency in Christs humanity And why ver 4. That the righteousness the word signifies the utmost which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could be exacted of the Law absolute holiness of nature as of life and death might be fulfilled in us he doth not say by us or of us that believe in him who all the time he was upon earth had a perfect nature for us and who walk not after the flesh which is in us but after the Spirit which is in us All along the intelligent godly Reader may see that this Scripture makes more against J. Nayler and his associates then for them For if flesh be in all that the Law would have to do with if Christ did not undertake for them and this flesh disableth both us from keeping the Law perfectly and the Law from justifying us our main comfort lays not in the measures of our Sanctification but in our perfect Justification by Christs fulfilling the Law without us and for us which fulfilling of all the Laws exactions for us is said to be in us because the application of it Rom 8. 4. cleared to us is by Faith which is in us and forasmuch as Christ had it for us in that nature of his which he assumed
light yet he is not to be called or accounted as low as some of his workings are But we honor adore and magnifie him as God Christ and the Spirit above his gifts who worketh but such common works though we put them not into his own place nor lift up that natural or common light into the room of a Savior 3. He that witnesseth not Christ and the light of the Spirit of which witnessing he boasteth above the natural light which is given to every man and above the common light though supernatural which is given to some men doth not witness Christ and the light of the Spirit home and close according to the Scriptures Christ as Christ the Lords anointed anointed above his fellows is above all his gifts which he bestoweth on men not onely as he is God viz. natural and common gifts but as he is Christ viz. peculiar and saving gifts And the light of the Spirit is either that which he is essentially with the Father and Son which is above all created and conferred light as high as God is above the creature or that which he gives now the light which the Spirit giveth he giveth in a common or in a saving way There are but natural and common instincts and lightnings of the Spirit and there are special peculiar and sanctifying The God-head and person of the Spirit is more above all these his gifts then the heavens are above the earth This is to witness Christ and the Spirit according to the Scriptures What light R. F. hath about the Spirit the Reader may discern by what past before in the seventh Section But to make good my Charge at the entrance of this I noted from G. Fox that speaking of every mans light he tells all that would know the way This is the true teacher and the Light within is life the Light in Scripture is death Contrary as I said to Ephes 5. 8. Jer. 10. 14. c. For 1. Grant there is some truth in every mans light or as Vniversâ—l light teacheth not the way of salvation Rom. 1. 8. it could not be imprisoned yet it is not the teacher of saving truths That which is but every mans light teacheth the true way to life by a mans own works but it teacheth nothing of the way truth and life that is of Jesus Christ dying for sinners The Ephesians and all the Gentiles were left in the dark for all that natural teaching and the Jews and every man left in a brutish case notwithstanding their natural wisdom I say brutish with that Scripture in Jeremy because the brute beasts are not more below the natural reason of man then the natural minde and reason of every man is below the light of the new creature 2. Grant again as I did in my former piece that the light of the scripture-Scripture-law and bare Commandment is death sentencing the transgressors of it to death yet there is another kinde of light mentioned revealed promised and shining forth in the Scripture called the light of the glorious Gospel and Salvation-light which if it be always death to G. F. or R. F. it is because they are among them that perish All that R. F. in defence of George Fox returns me is Where thou art offended at him for saying the Light of Christ is life it is but to manifest thy envy against the truth and thy contradictions to the Scriptures for the Scripture saith Christ is the light John 1. 9. And he is the life John 14. And such as follow him the true light are led out of darkness error and deceit into the light of life John 8. 12. Rep. 1. I was offended at G. F. and am now at R. F. for defending the offence which is this That the light within every man is said to be life in opposition to the light in the Scriptures which he calls death whereas there is no light to bring men to life and glory but it is taught in the Scriptures 2. The light given to all men John 1. 4 and 9. as I said above is indeed the present life of rational creatures and among men but what is that to the life of communion with God in grace and glory 3. The light of life or Salvation by Christ a Mediator to lead such as by grace follow him out of darkness is not known by the remnants of the old creation-light much less can that old creation-light lead into the redeeminglight of life although men follow it never so close and hard at the heels 4. To equal every mans light as if it were for kinde the same with the choicest light of the Saints is to contradict the Scriptures 1. This do all of the Sect. And 2. this doth R. F. 1. The mouth of them all may be heard speak in one Pamphlet * To all that would know the way to the kingdom Printed Anno 1655. pag. 17. to this purpose They will not endure the distinction of Natural and Spiritual and Special Produce one Scripture say they that speaks of a Natural light I can give them two or three if it may do them any good Rom. 1. 21. When they knew God Rom. 2. 14 15. They do by nature the things contained in the law c. Which shew the effect of the law Written in their hearts Jude verse 10. What they know naturally Here is the natural light given to every man more or less this is the light in every mans conscience which is but Natural though they will not have it so called but we will call a Spade a Spade and no more It shall not be set off for Free Grace and the Saints Teacher and sufficient to lead to salvation c. Yet to this effect will they instruct the people * Pag 8. as above To you that tempt God and say Lord give us a sight of our sins you need not tempt God to give you a sight of your sins for ye know enough c. Praying to have more light then what every man hath with them is tempting of God and other light then that it seems they know none or why must men stand still there and seek no further 2. R. F. in another Pamphlet * Light risen out of darkness pag. 19. hath this passage And here you lie ye proud Priests that say the Apostle did not say to every man Col. 1. 27. That Christ or the Light was in them for ver 28. it 's added Whom we preach warning Col 1. 27 28. vindicated every man and teaching every man Here he would level the light of the Saints with every mans light and with Christs person also Whereas 1. When the Apostle saith He warneth every man he doth not speak of every man that cometh into the world for never did every man live in one Age nor did Paul meet with half the men of the world in that Age. 2. The phrase every man in that place must be interpreted by the 26
who may be for a while in this point seduced I shall open three things 1. What the Covenant of Works and what the Covenant of Grace are 2. Shew the different administration of the Covenant of Grace 3. Give some arguments farther to disprove the Levitical Law from being a Covenant of Works 1. The Covenant of Works is that part of the word or What the Covenant of Works is declaration of his will which is pure Law and a Covenant of Justice which promiseth life to them that personally perfectly and perpetually fulfil it but is the ministration of death to them that break it in the least Iota or Punctilio as we may say of it The Covenant of Grace is that part of the What the Covenant of Grace word or of Gods revealed will in and according to Scripture which is pure Gospel issuing forth from Gods absolute free love wherein he promiseth Christ for righteousness and life or upon condition of Christs satisfaction to give righteousness and all that appertaineth to salvation unto all that are Christs peculiar purchase whether of years or infants These two Covenants are of differing kindes and contradistinct each to other 1. The one is a Covenant wherein Justice bears sway Defferences specified the other wherein mercy and grace or Gods free distinguishing love doth reign though in a righteous way also 2. The one sets forth a promise of life that is of continuance in that which is given the other a promise of salvation from sin and death The former promiseth no salvation mentioneth nothing of a Savior or a surety the latter promiseth restitution or deliverance from a fallen state 3. The Condition and foundation of the one is mans personal obedience of the other Christs obedience and satisfaction thereby to the justice of God on others behalf for whom he freely becomes a surety Hence the Covenant of Grace is called a Testament as well as a Covenant not so the covenant of Works 4. The one admits of no failing upon pain of present death and accepteth of nothing but all or the whole payment of the debt by the party himself the other admits of a surety and though it allows of no sin yet it gives forth a pardon with faith and repentance and accepteth of what is given and acted when first the person is accepted in Christ and a willing minde is wrought by the Spirit This were easie to demonstrate from Scripture but that I study rather to contract then enlarge 2. The covenant of Grace admits of a twofold administration thence it is called the Old and New Testament A covenant yea a Testament or will of Christ it was before his death and since That which the Scripture expresly call's the Old testament or covenant Heb. 8. 20. was but the old administration of the covenant of Grace the old copy of Christs will that which it calls the new The Covenant of Grace covenant is the old is the old for substance though new for the administration the new copy of Christs Will First the old and new is one for the substance one Testament of Grace one Gospel of life and good tidings of salvation One for the substance by Jesus Christ from the first promise to Adam and Eve after the fall to Abraham from Abraham to Moses from Moses to the Prophets from the Prophets to Christs death from Christs death to this day from this present time to the end of time and to all eternity For the clearing of this let the Apostle be heard speak or the holy Ghost rather by him Heb. 13. 8. Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever As Christ-personal so the doctrine of Christ and of salvation by him is the same in essence and substance without change and in his covenant without alteration Heb. 11. 13. The true believing Fathers of the Old Testament did all of them embrace the same promises for the substance that we do Christ then to be exhibited and Christ now exhibited in the flesh and in his grace and Spirit is all one yesterday to day and for ever Adam and Eve had Gospel preached to them Gen. 3. 15. Christ that eminent Seed of the woman which should break the Serpents head i. e. by sufferings and satisfaction to God should overcome all the power of his accusations of the elect the redeemed seed before God Abraham had the Gospel preached to him Gal. 3. 8. concerning justification by free Grace The promise of Christs coming out of his loins contained in it the promise of life and salvation so did the promise of Gods being a God of him and of his seed God holds up the same covenant from Abraham to Moses for he renews it to Isaac Gen. 26. 4. And when he puts a message into Moses mouth he calls himself the God of Jacob as of Abraham and Isaac Exod. 3. 6. 16. which shews he dealt with Jacob after the same covenant and so would he carry it on with his posterity then in Egypt In Moses time it holds in force when the Law is given as the Apostle clears it Gal. 3. 16 17. The moral law was not repeated to disanul the promise but to make way for a discovery of the need of the promise and Moses preacheth the righteousness of faith Deut. 30. compared with Rom. 10 In Davids and the Prophets times the same Gospel-covenant is upheld thereupon we have the account of Christs line and genealogy all along Matth. 1. Luke 3. and many precious promises of him accordingly Rom. 1. 1 2. That which Paul preached was promised before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures and as any believed they were partakers of the saving benefit of this gracious covenant Rom. 3. 21. The righteousness of God or his Rom. 3. 21. opened righteous way of saving sinners by Christ without our personal obedience to the Law and without the Laws discovery as it is a covenant of Works is now manifested by the preachers of the New Testament that before was witnessed by the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets under the old administration The Apostles all of them preached for substance what was in Moses and the Prophets Act. 26. 23. that Christ should suffer c. and be a light and salvation to the ends of the earth Act. 13. 47. Peter professeth Act. 15. 11. this was that he taught and believed that we through the grace of the Lord Jesus shall be saved as they as who as the believers of the Old Testament It was the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that saved then and now and if any mixed Gospel be taught not that which was of pure grace from the beginning the holy Ghost Gal. 1. would have the doctrine and the Doctor accursed Secondly The maner of dispensation of this Gospel-covenant 2 In the maner of dispensation was different from that it is since Christs death 1. It was administred after a legal and servile way urged with legal conditions
covenant with his Creature upon any terms but as there needed no mercy before it was broken so when it is broken there is judgement for the sinner without mercy It is the covenant made with Christ upon his satisfaction to Justice for others that he becomes our Propitiatory and Mercy-seat Many more Arguments might be added I conclude with this 5. and lastly The Levitical Law and all the old administration was a Testament and called the first Testament being the first disposition and discovery of free Grace but a covenant of Works is no Testament nor any where in Scripture so called for a Testament requireth the death of the Testator Heb. 9. 16. Christ of necessity therefore must die to ratifie the Will A covenant of Works exacteth death if it be transgressed but it is the death and blood of the sinner Under the Levitical Law the transgressors did not die but the beast died for the transgressor which plainly shewed it to be a covenant of Grace and gracious Testament wherein the death of Christ is accepted not the sinners as that by which all the Legacies of the Will and good things of the Covenant are both purchased and assured As to the Second particular noted in the beginning of this Section viz. That the Law which Adam had in innocency written in his heart was the moral Law this they deny and R. F. * Page 11 to back J. Nayler addeth for thy saying that Adam was under a covenant of Works and the same then canst not prove it Rep. What he meaneth by and the same I do not well understand it is well if he understands himself If his sense be that I cannot prove Adam to have been under a covenant of Works and the same with the Levitical Law which he holdeth to have been a covenant of Works I acknowledge it is against my judgement and conscience ruled by truth to confound the covenant of Works and of Grace together I have even now disproved the Levitical Law as no covenant of Works for the substantial matter and living form of it and therefore cannot speak daggers or contradictiously say That the covenant which Adam in Innocency was under was the same with that which true Believers of the Old Testament were under If his meaning be that I cannot prove Adam to have been under a covenant of Works and the same which is contained in the moral Law or ten Commandments given on mount Sinai and written in Tables of stone I shall premise a few positions of truth Positions of truth about the covenant of Works in Adam and the Moral Law and then produce a few Arguments for the Affirmative The positions I premise are these 1. Adam was created in the image of Gods goodness holiness justice c. Gen. 1. 27. else his nature had not been perfect Eccles 7. 29. 2. The covenant of Works is a covenant of Goodness Holiness and Justice as is the Commandment moral Rom. 7. 12. ordained to life by the keeping of it but found to be unto death after the breach of it ver 10. 3. Adam stood and fell as a publique person representing all mankinde that were in his loins Rom. 5. 14. 4. The condition of his standing in life to eternity was by the strength of that image of God given him in creation to do all that was written in his heart and to obey any particular positive precept of God as it should be revealed to him 5. The Moral Law contained in the ten Commandments may be considered abstractly and nakedly in the matter or as clothed and formed with circumstances 1. Abstractly It is a bright beam of Gods holy good and righteous Nature and Will and the Idea or express representation of that which was perfectly written in mans heart in the time and state of Innocency 2. As clothed with circumstances and so it is either inservient to Adam standing and his fallen posterity that would rise and stand in and by the covenant of Works or subservient to Adam and Eve and the Seed of the woman Gods chosen who being fallen as others were to be raised ruled and saved in and by the most free covenant of Grace The circumstances that make the Moral Law subservient to a covenant of Grace are 1. The Preface to the Precepts a free Promise so God began with Adam and Eve after the fall as with the Israelites Exod. 20. 2. Gen. 3. 15. 2. It is given in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3. 20. Moses was the Typical Christ the true Mediator who because God loseth not his Justice in the covenant of Grace undertakes as a surety for some the Elect to pay their debt both forfeiture and principal the forfeiture by his Passive obedience the principal by his Active obedience for their justification John 1. 17. and Rom. 3. 31. 3. It is a directory and rule to true Believers as it is also in Christs hand guiding them by his Spirit for the ordering of their sanctification Mat. 5. from ver 17. to the end The circumstances that make the Moral Law serviceable to the covenant of Works made at first with Adam are the ingredients attendants and effects of that Law As 1. The absolute perfection of it 2. The maner of promulgation with thundering fire blackness darkness tempest sound of a trumpet terror of voice c. Exod. 19. Heb. 12. 18 19 20. 3. The rigorous exaction of all the debt at the hands of sinners with threatning of death Gen. 2. 17. and the curse Deut. 27. 26. 4. The tryal of the creatures strength as was that prohibition to Adam Gen. 2. 16 17. Exod. 20. 20. to restrain from sin 5. The discovery of transgressions Gal. 3. 19. increasing of wrath in the conscience Rom. 4. 15. and holding the whole world under guilt and some under the sense of a sinful estate Rom. 3. 19. 6. Although God in giving the Law with all these ingredients attendants and effects had Gospel-purposes to his true Israel yet that the Moral Law clothed with these last mentioned circumstances doth lead to Christ or to the promise of life by him it is onely Intentio agentis the scope of God to work by contraries not Intentio operis properly the work of the Law before Faith but what it doth work upon the Elect it is by accident as the Spirit by his effect of keeping them under bondage a while wearieth them out of conceits of self-righteousness c. that they look after Christ For the Moral Law is not contrary Gal. 3. 21. opened to the promise or so against the promises of God that it can forbid a Mediator or a pardon from another way though it provides none of it self nor so against them but that God can and doth provide a Righteousness in a Surety when the Debtor the Sinner hath none of his own and neither the Law nor Sin can put God besides his purpose 7. The Moral Law was so perfectly written in Adams heart
upon his Justice and he must not let his Justice fall though the creatures righteousness be lost and the sinner fallen so low cannot give life to this poor sinner upon the terms of his father Adams covenant in innocency And if Gods infinite grace his peculiar electing-love findes out another way of life and the onely way of salvation for the way of works by a meer creature as to preservation of Gods image and communion-life is lost and as to salvation i. e. recovery of a lost life that is not to be found by the invention of men or Angels this way that God himself findes out or makes discovery of is in so just and righteous a way that he lays the foundation of the covenant of grace in the satisfaction of a righteous Surety the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ who was not bound to pay the forfeiture or principal for himself nor was he bound to become man or assume our nature but upon supposition of Gods decree he voluntarily undertakes the office and work of redeeming and saving the Elect fallen with others thereupon he stands obliged to assume their nature in which onely he could obey and suffer and he doth assume it for the persons the children of the Election Heb. 2. 14. for their sake and on their behalf according to that Scripture And having taken their nature upon him he is made under Section 1 is the law deeply now in debt for their sakes all which he pays actively and passively and by the meritorious satisfaction given now to Justice accepted by grace at the hands of such a Surety he obtaineth eternal redemption for Gods chosen But I ask of R. F. Why must Christ the Surety pay the Elects debt of obedience to the Moral Law in all perfection of nature and life if they did not owe it How came they to be so indebted if their father Adam was not under the debt broke and run away among the trees of the garden and left them under the obligation wherein he was before he turned bankrupt 5. That whereof every man hath some reliques written in his heart that Adam in innocency had as a perfect bond and obligation written perfectly in his heart But every son of Adam hath some reliques of the Moral Law and ten Commandments with the ingredient rigor of attendant condition and effects of a covenant of works written in his heart viz. That he ought to have a God and a worship and that suteable to the Deity with solemn time for worship and the characters of the second Table are yet more legible in every mans heart with impressions that produce the effect which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 2. 14 15. the work of natural conscience that tells him of an obligation to his Creator and excuseth or accuseth in matter of fact as he acteth according or contrary to the light of the Law written in part upon his stony heart and afterwards perfectly upon Tables of stone these forfeited reliques are given back of Gods common goodness and bounty to mankinde and as the remains and ruines of a stately fabrick they demonstrate what was once standing in beauty The best light in men without the new birth carries them to the repairing of this fabrick by works although that way Gal 1. last to life is shut up and kept as by the flaming sword impassable after every mans best endeavors But when the children of Adam are laboring after life in the way of their working as the condition and cause of life it is strange they should not know what stock their father had in his hands nor upon what terms he and they stood in with God I wish it be not the scope of R. F. and J. N. with others as is the Papists design to extol Adams state in innocency above a covenant of works not to magnifie the grace of God but as holy and blessed * Expos upon Ecclesiastes pag. 163. Mr. Cotton saith to derogate from the grace of Christ Object 1 James * Discovery of the man of sin pag. 23. Naylers Objection is of no force against what I have argued for The covenant of works saith Do this and live but he had the life already while he stood in it and so it was not to be obtained by working He had it while he had it upon condition of working it should have been continued to him upon that condition Life once lost in that covenant for want of working or for bad work cannot be obtained again by the parties themselves that lost it yet if men will be doing for life God permits them to go on and let them see at last how they have lost all their labor as well as their life Object 2 But the Law was added because of transgression which if it had been before the transgression could not have been The quite contrary is more clear if the Law had not been before the transgression viz. of Adam Adam had not been under transgression for what is sin but the transgression of the Law 1 John 3. 4. And it was added not to the Gal. 3. 19. cleared transgression but because of transgressions sins were now multiplied in the world and men would neither charge the first sin nor the last nor any upon themselves as they should to become sensible of the need of the promise and of him to whom the promise of salvation was primarily made therefore the Law was as a glass held before them to shew them their spots and it came with an arrest to self-justifiers as to this day it will come to be clapt upon the backs the consciences of transgressors Object 3 But why stood not Moses by the Moral law J. N. tells us That Law which was given to Adam was Thou shalt not eat of the Tree of knowledge I suppose he means for an absolute prohibition of eating Adam had not but a liberty of eating of every tree that excepted which no where in Scripture is called the covenant of works That was but a positive branch of the Moral Commandment for tryal of his love to God and of his obedience in one kinde but to stand obliged to all kinde of obedience answerable to the written Law with the tag as the Martyr called it at the end of the point death and the curse attending the first transgression is no less then a covenant of works and as hath been shewed and proved as such a covenant was onely then made and entred with all mankinde Object 4 Is R. F. his reason * Page 12. any better Adam had not the Law in which the ten Commandments were given for it was written the Law with the ten Commandments several hundred years after Adam and not given to him in paradise therefore he was not under that Law and Covenant of Works Answ 1. The Law with the ten Commandments is more then the Law of the ten Commandments Although no Law but the ten Commandments was written
righteousness of another the righteousness of him that is God Jesus Christ and not onely that I may live in God but unto God This the Gospel teacheth Paul and us by faith to go out of our selves for life in another in Christ by his imputed righteousnes which when we finde we finde also a heart renewed and quickned in and unto holiness and the desires after sin in a degree mortified and crucified which by way of evidence is enough to quench the fiery dart of Satan cast against me by R. F. and so art an * Page 13. unbeliever and not redeemed So because I pleaded for the right way of justification not in his Popish way For through grace I can say with the Apostle ver 20. I am crucified with Christ i. e. As I was represented in Christ Gal. 2. 20. 21. opened my surety when he was upon the Cross and God was in him reconciling me unto himself not imputing trespasses unto me seeing they were then condemned in Christs flesh and put out of office from ever accusing and condemning me at Gods Bar so I am thus crucified with Christ that I will never look to any other way for the payment of my debts then what my surety hath laid down to Law and Justice and not onely thus that I am conformed to the Patern of Christ crucified by the power of his Cross to make me die to sin and self while Christ liveth in me yet is not that life of Christ so sensible or so perfect in me as if nothing was there but the life of Christ for there is a body of sin and of death dwelling in me also and therefore the life which I now live in the flesh or the weak frail body I live as to my Justification-life by the faith of the Son of God on whom I believe and live also for degrees of Sanctification which his life hath begun in me who loved me and gave himself for me And as the Apostle further Ver. 21. being of this Faith and Judgement I do not frustrate the grace of God as they who would have Justification by their outward or inward conformity to the Law which is all one as to frustrate or make void the death of Christ If R. F. saith I plead for sin because elsewhere Section 29. I said the roots of sin would not be pluckt up perfectly till soul and body part I shall take off his calumny in the due place Section 23. HEre I noted what I had from them in discourse That in Justification all guilt is not only taken away but all All filth not removed where all guilt is pardoned filth of sin Then could there no filth remain upon the Saints performances as there doth by their confession in Scripture Isaiah 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags The defilements of sin in its presence remain when the defilement of sin in respect of guilt is taken away R. F. saith nothing to this Section unless it be answer sufficient to revile and say Sin thou art pleading for while I produced the Saints and justified persons confession of sin and hinted a difference between Justification and Sanctification which these men as Sin confessed is not pleaded for if they would profess themselves members of the man of sin do confound mistaking one thing for another If Saints confess their sin cleaving to their holiest reformations they plead against sin not for it To say we have sin in us is to plead against the Lye of dreamers who think themselves perfectly free from the remnants of filth But to awaken them let R. F. and others of his perswasion before they drink deeper into Babylons cup of fornications perpend and conscionably weigh these differences between a Believers Justification and Sanctification 1. The matter of our Justification is Christs obedience Section 23. Distinguishing notes between Justification and Sanctification inherent in himself and absolutely perfect admitting of no degrees the matter of our Sanctification is wrought within us imperfect as to degrees and admits of wanes and increases The very faith whereby we receive pardon is but as a grain of mustard-seed at first it admits of degrees but the object apprehended Christ and his righteousness is always the same and as much of Christs obedience even all is given to every Believer to the weak as to the strong and hence it is they are once and together perfected in Justification before they have all or half the measures of Sanctification which the Lord will give them in his time Let Francis Howgil put off no such counterfeit ware to Christs disciples and Church-members for it will not be received viz. * The inheritance of Jacob pag. 24. 25. That is not true faith which is imperfect And again The righteousness wrought in the Saints is as it was the righteousness of Faith 2. The form maner and way of our Justification is by Gods free act of imputation reckoning and account of Christs obedience to us the form of our Sanctification is by infusion of holiness by the Spirit of holiness from Christs fulness into our empty hearts 3. Justification causeth a relative change or it makes a change of relation Sanctification worketh in us a change of qualities by the creation of the new divine nature and mortifying of our old corrupt nature 4. The parts of our Justification are Gods not imputing of sin through his imputing of Christs sufferings and his accepting of our persons as righteous by his imputing of Christs active obedience the parts of our Sanctification are vivification or the creating quickning and begetting new divine qualities resembling Gods nature and mortification of the old sinful dispositions and seeds of sin 5. The contrary to Justification is guilt and condemnation wholly taken away Francis Howgil * The inheritance of Jacob pag. 8. either heard some unsound Teachers or mis-relates them as giving it out for Doctrine That sin was taken away by Christ but the guilt should still remain while he lived c. Or whom doth he expostulate with in these words Page 28. What Christ is this you preach What Gospel is this you preach which saves you not from guilt and condemnation For surely Christs blood and obedience reckoned to the believer doth this to purpose and effectually at present and for ever The contrary to Sanctification is in-bred pollution and filth of sin which by Christs power is destroyed as to the regency and hereafter to be removed at our death as to the residence Hence Justification is Gods gracious and just sentence pronouncing us righteous and entitling to life as Condemnation is his charging of guilt and vindictive punishment accordingly Sanctification is Gods special grace shed abroad in the heart called the first-fruits of the Spirit 6. In our Justification Christs obedience stands onely upon account and all our most sanctified works and righteousnesses stand by as cyphers and are to
if he had said the least degree is the greatest degree and the lowest degree is the highest degree which how absurdly contradictious to it self let rational men be judges What hath he further to salve the contradiction Thy imaginations cannot finde out the highest degree that are not subject to the lowest but acts contrary to it and so to be condemned by it Rep. Here are four fresh charges For the first I acknowledge my imagination too shallow to reach unto others attainments but I deny the highest degree of light to be here attainable 1 Cor. 13. I know 't is in heaven to be found I am content to look through Pauls glass and the believers Prospective and to know things here in a Riddle and in a Mystery The Zenith of the Saints light is not to be seen while Saints light not at the highest pitch we are under the Sun when that which is perfect is come which comes not in this life in point of light and therefore not of holines by the way then that which is imperfect shall be done away But this I know that I am more brutish then a man and have not the knowledge of the Holy And how little is the portion of the knowledge of God and Christ that is to be found among all the Saints were it all put together it would haply amount but to the least degree of that which shall be known by every of them hereafter The knowledge of the love of Christ is the highest piece of knowledge and that passeth my knowledge if not R. Farnworths yet this I know that nothing shall be known in heaven nor to eternity but the foundation and subject matter of it is already laid in the Scripture Besides Scripture-knowledge for the matter I do not say for the maner I profess my self to know nothing and the least degree of that light which shineth in the Scripture concerning Christ and him crucified I esteem above the highest degree of the light that every man cometh into the world withal A second charge followeth But thou art not subject to the lowest degree of light Rep. 1. Will R. F. grant the light which every man hath to be the lowest light and Gospel-light to be a higher light and what the Saints have in heaven to be higher then what the Saints have on earth then I hope the least degree of light is not perfect in its measures as in its self as his fellow asserted 2. What if I were perfectly subject to the least and lowest degree of light will that advance me to light of another kinde if not I shall thank free grace for giving light of a higher nature though I never obeyed natural light as I ought and as I might and every man might do more with his natural abilities then he doth A third charge But thou acts contrary to it Rep. This I take to be a third winnowing of Satan What I have done herein the Lord hath known and knows and not R. F. And He knows how to pardon it and hath pardoned it in Christ But if I do not advance every mans light into the place of the Saints light I act not against natural light though above it but for the light of Saints And if I attribute more to true spiritual light then to natural and do not call that spiritual which is not so in the specifical or proper form and being of it but call a Spade a Spade I hope R. F. will bear with me or blame himself for allowing of that distinction as above where he said the light which discovers corruption is not natural but spiritual without explication of himself according to Scripture A fourth charge followeth and so to be condemned by it A sentence I may call it as well as a charge but it is well I shall be condemned by the light not in the dark as R. F. doth adjudge me at his pleasure well I say that I shall be tryed and judged in another Court then his captious judgement and well for me still that I have submitted to the sentence of Gods legal Court for abuse of natural light and yet have made use of my liberty in Christ to appeal unto a higher Court then Gods own Law so far as it holds forth a Covenant of works and sentence of life or death upon my own works even to the throne of Grace and to the Gospel-sentence of Gods free justifying a sinner that believeth in Jesus there I am sure neither R. F. nor the devil himself can lay any thing to my charge as to my condemnation before God It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth But in way of Reply before men I must attend R. F. * Page 27. and desire my Reader to observe how he goes on to make good J. Nayler his assertion For it the light in its least measure is perfect both in respect of its truth and sincerity power and authority and condemns the haters and resisters of it Thus R. F. To which I Reply 1. What is this to perfection of degrees Here is a mighty fall from the highest to the lowest for this kinde of perfection viz. of truth which I had granted is so in the highest degree that it belongs also to the lowest The least drop of Every thing is true and perfect for the kinde as it is Gods work water is true water perfectwater in respect of its truth as all that is in the Ocean so the least beam of light is true light and in that sense perfect whether it be Creation-light or Redemption-light either is true for its kinde in the least degree and perfect as to the true being But 2. The deceit lyeth here when men will put off that for Redemption-light which is but old Creation-light A Bristol stone is a true Bristol stone but if it be put off for a Diamond-spark it is counterfeit there is not truth in it as to the repute and estimation of it so the least degree of old Creation-light as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be Rom 1. 19. known of Gods eternal power goodness and wisedom in and by the contemplation of the creature is true for the kinde and is called truth Rom. 1. 18. which the Gentiles imprisoned in unrighteousness but this hath not the least spark of Redemption-light which Adam had not before the fall and was not manifested after the fall till the first promise Gen. 3. 15. And if it be commended and set off for saving light it proves false light and darkness it self so far is it from perfection of degrees that it hath not the least spark of Gospel-sincerity 3. As for any power and authority that the least or the greatest degree of old-creation-light hath as it is given back since the fall though it be loved and obeyed to lead into the life and power of the Saints comprehensions of the redeeming love of God in Christ which R. F. hinteth at I know none