THE Universall free grace of the Gospell asserted OR THE LIGHT Of the Glorious Gospell of JESUS CHRIST Shining forth universally and enlightning every Man that coms into the World and therby giving unto every Man a day of visitation wherin it is possible for him to be saved Which is glad tydings unto all People BEING Witnessed and Testifyed unto by us the People called in derision Quakers And in opposition to all Denyers of it of one sort and another proved by many infallible arguments in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit of Truth according to Scripture Testimonies and sound Reason With the objections of any seeming weight against it answered BY GEORGE KEITH Printed in the Year 1671. THE PREFACE THER be two maine and principall things held forth by us which are as it wer the two hinges and fundamentall principles upon which all other things relating either to Doctrins or Practises affirmed by us doe hang and depend The first is that ther is no saving knowledge of God or the things of his Kingdome attainable but by the Immediate revelation of Iesus Christ who is the Image Word and Light of the invisible God in which alone he can be manifest unto the Salvation of men The second is that this Image Word and Light which is Jesus Christ the Son of the Fathers love doth shine forth in some measure universally and enlighten every man that coms into the World and therby giveth unto him a day of visitation wherin it is possible for him to be saved Both which 〈◊〉 they are indeed in the truth are generally denyed but affirmed by us which two not withstanding I may truly say as they are indeed known and witnessed in the truth ar the cheife and principall veins and arteries which convey the very Blood Life and Spirit of the Christian Religion into the true members of that body wherof Jesus Christ is the head And the Lord hath made me plainly to see why the whole body of every Sect professing the Christian Religion up and downe the world is so leane barren dead and emptie of that Life and Spirit which becoms the true Church to have and which the true Church had in the Primitive times even becaus of their ignorance of and opposition unto these two blessed testimonies of truth and I may boldly say it never any society of people did flourish or ever shall or can with excellent induements of either piety or knowledge which denyeth these two testimonies of truth seing they are the very principall means and Ordinances of God which hee hath appointed as through conduits to convey both Piâ—…y and knowledge and all other hevenly gifts and blessings unto men and seeing these are denyed the blessed effect which would follow upon the using of them cannot but be much wanting as where there is an obstruction or stop in the principall veins arteries and nervs of the naturall body that body cannot flourish but must needs be a very sick Paralitick diseased body and near unto death And for this cause it is that the whole body of Christendom so called is in a most lamâ—…table condition and death reigns in it and a thick cloud of darknes fills it and very few there be who know by sensible experience the life kernell and substance of the Christian Religion among all the many professions in it and that small remnant who doe know any thing thereof it is very weakly and faintly and their sight of the things of God is but like the poor blind mans halfe sight after Christ had a little cured him who saw men walking as trees the Reason of all this has beene the ignorance of and opposition unto these two testimonies aforsaid for the ignorance of the true manner of receiving either Piety or pious and Godly wisedome which is by way of immediat Revelation from the Father by Jesus Christ through the holy Spirit this hath hindred and stopped the growth and encrease of holines and piety and the Wisedome and knowledge there unto appertaining as to the Intension i. e. measur or degree of it in the particular which otherwise by this time might have been like the waters of the Sanctuary at a great height and againe the ignorance of that other blessed testimony of truth concerning the universality of the Light word Grace and spirit of God towards and upon all in a day of visitation for the saving and endueing them with holines and holy knowlegd and wisedom hath been a most mischeivous hindrance and lett unto the Extension or spreading of tru piety and knowledg abroad among people in the world The ignorance of the One I say hath hindred the Intension of it and the ignorance of the other its Extension as may be manifest to any who will consider these things wer it but with halfe an eye For what can tend so much to the universall gathering of all the nations Kingdoms languages and kinreds of the earth as to hold forth this universall principle unto them all the Light which lighteth all and every one of them and to informe them that therby and therthrough salvation is attainable by every one and peace reconciliation with God in their beleife of the light and obedience therunto And what can more hinder this universall gathering then that particular narrow straitning limiting principle of men of a pettish narrow heart and spirit who say that salvation never was is nor shall be possible unto the most part of men That God by an eternall decree hath wholly passed them by and left them in darknes without any light to shine in their darknes that can possibly at any time lead them out of it Doth not this discourage people and rather lay a block in the way of their Faith then to point ordirect them unto a pillar and ground of it Yea doth not this Doctrine that other being added to it viz. that immediate Revelation is ceased lay a much more probable foundation for any mans unbeleif and distrust in the Lords mercy and willingnes to save him then for his faith therupon For when any man comes with a call unto them to beleiv that they may be saved and therwithall tells them that God hath left most men without providing them any power by which it is possible for them to beleiv may not all begin to doubt or question with more ground then to beleive whether they be the persons that are thus passed by of the Lord yea or nay When the Lord said but to his disciples one of you shall betray me they wer exceeding sorrowfull all of them and began 〈◊〉 Question Master is it I. How much more then occasion have they to be sorrowfull and to question the very mercy of God for their salvation if it be told them that this mercy is denyed not only to a few but most of men and to many under the visible profession of the Christian Religion And for asmuch as they say immediate Revelation is ceased this shuts
that men should doe unto you doe yee also the same unto them For this said he is the Law and the Prophets So here is first Adam Secondly Moses Thirdly the Prophets unto Iohn who is a burning and shining light and a Voice crying in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lord. And Moses the Prophets and Iohn or Elias are the forerunners of the Lord in Spirit who cometh after them and yet is befor them all and in them all but as it wer vaild even as Moses outwardly put a vail befor his face becaus the people could not behold his Glory so Christ Iesus both when hee came outwardly into the World and now when hee cometh inwardly in mens hearts in his first appearance putteth on a vail and his Flesh is called that vail and as hee had his Flesh in the outward which was a vail so he hath his Flesh in the inward which is a vail also The Word became Flesh and dwelt in us said Iohn And this inward appearance of Christ in Flesh is his appearance in Weaknes as Naturall and yet Spirituall the Mystery hid within the vail of Flesh or naturall Spirit The Treasure hid in the field the least of all Seeds And this Christ doeth becaus of mens weaknes in the naturall state they are naturall their eye is naturall their ear naturall their understanding naturall And how can that which is naturall apprehend or receive that which is spirituall but as it appeareth in or clotheth it selfe with a naturall medium For Unum quodque quod recipitur ad modum recipientis i. e. Every thing that is received is received according to the manner of the Recipient And this is the body of Christ that is indeed spirituall but for our cause descendeth into a naturall forme or appearance and changing us by and with it selfe ascendeth againe into its spirituall appearance of glory Thus it is sowne naturall but is raised spirituall and thus also wee become changed therby both in the soul and body so as being sowne naturall we come to be raised spirituall And indeed ther was no other way that wee could be made spirituall who were naturall but that Christ Iesus who was and is spirituall should become so to speak naturall Hence hee is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The word in-naturalised or become naturall in us which in it selfe is spirituall This is for our weaknes he must descend that wee may ascend And according to this acceptation of the word naturall wee should not contend with those who call this inward divine light naturall if they did not call judge it so naturall as if it were only a meer naturall humane thing as a property or quality of mans corrupt nature becaus of which their error our controversy is just with them The consideration of this twofold appearance of Christ even inwardly in men should stirre all up not to rest in the first but to presse forward into the second so as to know a dying through his first appearance unto our naturall which is the first Birth and a putting on the spirituall wherin the rising with Christ is witnessed and a 〈◊〉 downe in him in heavenly plases This first appearance or ministration of Christ in men is as a Law-giver answerable unto Moses which Law requireth of men obedience unto it without letting them see or propounding unto them the Seed wherin the ability is received to fulfill the Righteousnes of the Law And indeed at first Man hath no inclination to look after the Seed which is the Elect and promised Seed But he aspireth to doe what is required of him through the Seed and birth of his naturall being But after al that hee so doth or can doe the Law which is light discovers the emptynes and imperfection of it it being not only a shining but a burning light and here man is sore discouraged afflicted and grieved under the sence and sight of his weaknes vanity misery and unrighteousnes This divine and heavenly light in him doth not only discover his best Righteousnes to be imperfect and an unclean thing but it burneth as fire against it to consume and destroy it Therfor is a man to give up the first birth and all the Righteousnes wisdome and glory of it unto death and burning that this divine and heavenly fire may mortifie and burne it to the end that the second or new birth may be attained by which also that which dyed that was naturall and corrupt cometh to be quickned and raised up pure and spirituall And this Christ himselfe taught expressly that a man must deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily and follow him if hee wold be his Disciple And this Selfe that hee is to deny is his first birth whether of unrighteousnes or righteousnes the first birth even with all its Glory Wisdome Righteousnes hee must give up to the crosse which crosse is the very light or life of Christ in him even in its very first appearance which crosseth the naturall birth with its Righteousnes Will and Wisdome and is not given to cherish and strengthen it but indeed to weaken kill and mortifie it and then to raise it up againe not any more bearing the image of the naturall and earthly but of the spirituall and heavenly This denyall and giving up of a mans selfe and the righteousnes thereof unto death is attained by Faith in the Light Life and Spirit of God and Christ the Word and Spirit of Faith 4. And as concerning the sufficiency of this light unto salvation wee doe not understand it in opposition to either the necessity or usefulnes of the outward coming of Christ and his sufferings and death for our sins nor in opposition unto the service and use of any teachings in the outward that come from the Spirit of God or any outward things to be done or practised which his spirit leadeth unto all which is more largely shewed in the third Section which answereth the particular objections wher diverse others things serviceable for clearing the state of the controversy are treated of 5. Nor do we assert that by this light the will of all men nor of any man in his naturall state at all times is so posited liberated or freed from the Power and Captivity of the Devill whose Servant and Vassall man is become in the fall and degenerate state through a voluntary giving up of his members as servants to iniquity as that he can at all times at his owne will and pleasure avert himself from the service of the Devill rescue himself from under his Power and convert himself to and seek God so as to find him but onely then and at such speciall and particular times and seasons as it pleaseth the Lord in the riches of mercy to touch stir and move him by a visitation from on high upon in and through this light both enlightning his understanding inclining his will in the strength power and vertue of which
divine touch the soule and will is so far liberated and freed that it can follow that which draweth it without which drawings of the Father Christ saith No man can come unto him The which the Lord is no ways bound to continue for ever 6. And therefore neither do we assert that men that have received this Light and Spirit of God and have given themselvs up unto it to obey it and so are becom Servants of Righteousnes doe receive at once a full and sufficient measure for the whole course of their Lives but onely sufficient for the present state condition opportunity and case to preserve protect and defend them from all evill so that the Creature must be continually exercised in a perpetuall dependance and wayting upon the Lord to receive the renewed and fresh influences of this divine Light and Life according as its present State Condition and Necessity may require there being no security of the soule out of this dependant wayting receiving frame SECTION I. Holding forth the Arguments according to Scripture Testimonies and a vindication of them from the corrupt Glosses of our Adversaries Argument 2. from Ioh. 1. cap. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 c. IN this Chapter wee have a full and clear Testimony both from Iohn the Evangelist and Apostle of our Lord Iesus Christ and also from Iohn the Baptist his forerunnor concerning this matter Iohn the Evangelist saith concerning him that he was the Word which was in the beginning and was with God and was God that all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made and that in him was life and the life was the light of Men. In which words hee declareth two things 1. That generall Relation hee hath towards all the Creaturs that he is their Maker All things were made by him Secondly that speciall Relation hee hath towards Men in asmuch as hee is not only their Maker as of other things but hee is their light In him was life and the life was the light of Men Which words doe import very plainly that hee is the Saviour of Men and given unto them for the light of Salvation to renew and restore them out of their fallen condition which is a State of death and of darknes and so Iohn here doeth the work of a true Evangelist in preaching glad tydings to lost Men they ar dead but in him is life they ar darkned through the fall yea and Darknes as it is Eph. 5. 8. But the life is the light of Men and the light shineth in darknes Now Christ was the Life and Light of Men befor the fall in a more near Relation then of any other visible Creatures so as that hee lived in them and shined in them to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in his owne face which is his image in which man was made so hee was the life light of Men before men became darknes and also he is the Light Life of Men which shineth in them while they are darknes to bring them out of it into his owne life and light But now this darknes doth not apprehend the light doth not embrace it nor enjoy it hath not fellowship with it so much doth the word comprehend import neverthelesse by the workings of the light in the darknes men may be changed from being darknes to become light in the Lord. and many have witnessed this blessed charge and so when men are become light through the workings of the originall light in them they can apprehend the light and enjoy it Light can apprehend light though darkâ—…es cannot by all which it may plainly appear that Iohn is in this place holding forth Christ to be the Light and Life unto Men more then simply according to naturall Illumination for that had not been to doe the work of an Evangelist or to preach the Gospell unto Men simply and barely to tell them that Christ doth enlighten them naturally as with naturall Reason and understanding The Gospell wherof Iohn was a Minister and of which this is a most comfortable declaration holds forth Christ to be the Life the Word and the Light in a much more deep and comprehensive signification not excluding the more inferiour kinds and degrees of life communicated unto the Creatures in their capacities but superadding a more excellent degree of Light and Life communicable unto Man from Christ then that which is naturall unto him simply as a naturall Man for indeed every degree of life which Man hath as 1. the Life of Vegetation 2. of Sensation 3. of Reason 4. of Grace is from Christ the universall fountain and spring of Life and hee is justly called the Life in all these considerations But now to limit this universall signification of Light and Life to the 3 inferiour degrees of it exclude the fourth which is the Supreame doth plainly manifest a partiall spirit which is prejudiced against the Truth Let all the Scripturs be searched and it will never be found that Christ is called the Light and the Life simply and barely in Relation to the naturall quickning and Illumination of the Creaturs excluding the spirituall but rather that the spirituall quickning and enlightning is alwayes mostly pointed at not excluding the other as Joh. 11. 25. I am the Resurrection the Life hee that beleeveth in me though hee â—…r dead yet shall hee Live and Joh. 14. 6. I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me in which places Christ is held forth principally in Relation to his influence of spirituall Life upon Men and Joh. 8. 12. I am the Light of the world hee thâ—…t followeth me shall not walk in darknes but shall have the Light of Life Which cannot be understood thus hee that followes me as I enlighten naturally shall have the Light of Life which is false but thus hee that followes me as I enlighten spiritually hee shall have the Light of Life Againe in that hee is called the Light of Men this is not to be understood particularly of some men viz. beleevers but of all men both beleevers and unbeleevers within the day of their visitation 1. Becaus it is not said the Life is the Light of some men but of men indefinitly now an indefinit term signifyeth mostly universally and is alwayes so to be understood where no sufficient reason moveth to the contrary 2. Becaus Iohn the Evangelist and Iohn the Baptist much agree in their testimony now Iohn Baptists testimonie was that hee enlightneth every man 3. Becaus this is not only the Light of Beleevers that they may more and more believ but hee is the Light of or unto Unbeleevers in a day of visitation that they may become Beleevers for many Unbeleevers have become Beleevers And how but by the Lighting wherby the Light did lighten them in their unbeleef for when the light first lighteth a man it findeth him in
is the Word of faith in men answers to the things of Faith and therfor the true Ministers of the Gospell offer Faith unto all men there being in all men some measure of illumination by which they are capable to receiv it Now Iohn saith further hee was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not by the World it is manifest hee understandeth Men for that hee maks it a culpable thing that hee being in the World yet the World did not know him and so it cannot be understood of the outward frame of Heaven and Earth which are not in a capacity to know him Therefor according to Iohn hee was in men who knew him not and so in them who did not beleive in him nor receive him He came to his owne and his owne received him not viz. Those who wer his owne 1. by the Right of Creation 2. by the Right of Donation all men yea and all things wer delivered unto him of his Father and they to wit all men wer given him that hee might enlighten them as hee is given unto them for the same and so distributeth unto them their severall Talents that they might putt them to usury and at his coming to Iudgement might give an account of them Now here some reply That by these words in the 10. 11. vers is understood his coming outwardly in the land of Iudea but I answer as hee came there and was a light in the outward which shined gloriously and yet they did neither know him nor receive him so hee did come in the inward in some measure both then unto them and to all others yea and from the beginning forasmuch as hee hath ever beene the light of the world enlightning every man that coms into it therefore Iohn bears testimony unto him not only in what hee was at present but in what hee had been from the beginning both what hee then was and what hee was to be afterwards So by his being in the world and coming unto his owne cannot be simply understood his coming in the outward excluding his inward coming And bâ—…sides his coming IN THE OUTWARD excluding his inward coming could not so enlighten them that they might beleev But hee came enlightening them so that they might beleve Therfore his coming outwardly is not simply nor principally here understood For to his outward coming the following verses doe rather relate Morover John bare testimony of him saying The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ by which it is evident that Iohn is here preaching Christ as an universall Light unto all not according to a naturall illumination but according to that which is saving and spirituall Grace and Truth saith he cometh by Iesus Christ. And of his fulnes said hee have we all received Grace for Grace Now what ALL is this only the Saints and Beleevers No for if Saints and Beleevers only received Grace from Christ then no Unbeleevers could ever become Saints and also no Saints ever were Unbeleivers which is false For now when Grace first cometh unto men from Christ out of his fulnes it findeth them Unbeleevers and it is given them while they are such to the end that they may be converted from their unbeleef So then Unbeleevers receive Grace that they may beleeve and Beleevers receive it that they may beleeve more and more yet now some yea many and most Unbeleevers suffer not this Grace which they have received to have its operation in them which would change them and make them Beleevers but like the slothfull Servant hide their Masters mony in the earth in a napkin therefore it doth not encrease nor bring forth the fruits of Grace which it doth in them who yeeld submitt unto its operation But some may say if they had received Grace they had received him and so they should have become the Sons of God according to vers 12. I answer the Word receive hath divers significations 1. If a thing be put in such a place it is said to be received as if Seed be sowne in barren earth So the slothfull Servant which hid his Masters mony in the earth is said to have received it Math 25. 24. But 2. a thing is said to be received when it is suffered to have its due operation in that wher it is put and if not it is said to be rejected so the Earth may be said not to receive the Seed which though sowne in it yet it suffers it not to spring up and the Body which receivs good Physick into it yet resisting the operation thereof it may be said not to receive it but reject it And thus many words in Scripture have divers significations which in one is true in another false and so all men of his fulnes received Grace but some receiâ—…e it no otherwise then the barren Earth or Womb receivs the Seed or as the slothfull Servant his Talent and so it proves their condemnation even as the body which receiving good Physick resisting it and working against it is killed thereby Others receive it so as to yeeld to its operation and so they are as the good Ground which receiving the good Seed bringeth forth fruit some 30 some 60 and some 100 fold Argument 2. From Ioh. 3. vers 16. 17. c. to 22. compared with Ioh. 8. 12. IN these words Joh. 3. from v. 16. to 22. Our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ doth from his owne mouth bear a large and plaine Testimony unto this Truth God said he so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Wherby hee doth shew forth the cause of mans perishing and misery to be from mans owne selfe and not from the Lord for the Lord so loved men that hee sent his Son to save them but men did not beleeve in him whom the Father had sent Now that this love of God is universall towards all men and that the Son is come into all to be a Saviour unto them is manifest in that hee saith God so loved the World that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish But here also they have sought out an evasion to darken and corrupt this clear Testimony by the World say they hee means not all men but only the Elect. In opposition to which I say 1. It s but a meer allegation without any ground for they can shew us no place in all the Scripture wher only the Elect are called the World Indeed evill men and unbelievers are oft called the World and sometyms all men are called the World but no wher the Elect alone But 2. supposing the World wer sometyms understood to be only the Elect yet it cannot be so understood here for that it would render these words of our blessed Lord void of sence and nonsensicall which were blasphemous to think For according to that acceptation the words would
run thus God so loved the Elect that whosoever of them Elect beleevs should not perish which is void of sence forasmuch as none of the Elect but must beleeve and yet the Particle whosoever distributeth those who are understood here by the World into Beleevers and Unbeleevers shewing that God so loved all that hee gave an opportunity unto them to be saved by beleeving and if they did not beleeve their perishing was not for want of the Love of God towards them but because they did not beleev in him whom God had sent 3. In that he sayes God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved And yet many are condemned it is manifest that even these who are condemned had an opportunity once to be saved and so the Love of God reached once towards them or elce it might be said God sent his Son even mainly and principally to them for their condemnation Againe in that hee sayes This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and man loved darknes rather then the light These two things are plainly held forth 1. that whoever are condemned it is for loving the darknes rather then the light 2. That the light is come and hath appeared unto them all who are condemned for how can any be condemned for not loving that which never came nor appeared unto them Againe it is plaine that every evill Door hath had the light appearing unto him becaus hee is said to hate it Now hee could not hate that which never appeared nor was manifest and that is the light which reproveth his evill deeds Moreover it is also evident that the light did come unto them in a way wherin they could have been saved becaus their condemnation was that they did not beleeve in his Name but loved the darknes rather But they could not be condemned for not beleeving in that which coms not in a saving way Againe If every one who beleeveth not is condemned for unbelief then they have had a Law commanding them to beleev for wher no Law is there is no transgression which Law could be no other then the Law according to the Grace of spirituall and saving Illumination and not according to a meer Naturall enlightning for no light of a mans owne nature can ever give him a Law to beleeve And farther This Illumination can shew if a mans work be wrought in God therefor it is spirituall and sufficient to salvation Againe Iohn 8. 12. He hears a Testimony to the same Truth I am said hee the light of the World he that followes me shall not walk in darknes but shall have the light of life Now that he is the light of the world lighting it according to a spirituall and saving Illumination is hence manifest and not according to that which is but naturall onely for hee alone that followes him as hee doth spiritually and savingly enlighten hath the Light of Life or is saved And as to their evasion that by the World is meant only the Elect that which is aforsaid doth refute it and besides Christ said to the Jewes many of whom did perish and so were Reprobats While yee have the light beleev in it that yee may be the children thereof But that I may overturne the foundation of this evasion I say none are the Elect of God but in relation unto beleeving in the light and loving thereof and none are Reprobate but in Relation unto their unbelief hating and rejecting it for the Lord never reprobated or rejected any but who rejected the Gift of his Love offered unto them so that whoever are elected they are elected according to the foreknowledge of God who did foreknow or foresee that they would beleev and embrace the offer of his love which is Iesus Christ and whoever are Reprobated are Reprobated according to the foreknowledge of God who did foreknow or foresee that they would reject the offer and not believe yet I doe not say that either the Faith of the one or the unbelief of the other was the cause of Gods Eternall decree which hath no cause without himself but this I say men beleeving are the Object of Election and men disbeleiving and rejecting Iesus Christ are the Object of Reprobation not the moving but the terminating so that their unbelief is not the cause of Gods Decree but the cause of their Condemnation and destruction which is decreed And so in Scripture this gift of the Fathers love the Lord Iesus Christ is said to be disallowed or rejected of men Now they could not have rejected him if hee had not come a light unto them and been truly offered for none can reject that which is not offered And if hee was offered hee could be offered under no lesse Terms then making salvation possible to them for the offer of the Lord doth proceed from a true and reall willingnes to give that which is offered who-ever dare say the contrary doe charge the Lord with hypocrisy and dissimulation which is blasphemous but if the Lord hath a true and reall willingnes to give his Son unto all who reject him Then it was possible for them at sometime to have received him for the Lord willeth nothing that is Impossible and it is below that infinite Goodnes and Nobility of the Lord to offer unto poor men that which it is Impossible for them to receive as now it were below all Ingeunity and Humanity in us to offer Alms unto a poor man in such a way as hee could not receive it as if he were bound in fetters and we should stand at a distance and hold it forth unto him but so as hee could not reach it Argument 3. From Rom. 1. v. 18 19 20 21 c compared with Col. 1. 23. THe Apostle Paul whose Ministry was mostly unto the Gentils and therfore is called the Apostle of the Gentils doth in this Epistle hold forth many things concerning the Gentiles both as touching the Priviledges which they had received from the Lord and also the use that they made of them some improved them to advantage but others and that for the most part did misimprove them for which the Lord was provoked against them to give them up to a Reprobate mind And this hee doeth according to the Wisdome given him of God to make way for the more abundant Reception and spreading of the Faith among the Nations which becaus of the want of these outward Priviledges that the Iewes had wer looked upon by the Jewes as out-casts and rejected of God to whom the preaching of the Doctrine of Salvation did not belong which was even the error of Peter and his brethren generally till the Lord convinced him thereof by a vision from Heaven Acts 10. Now in this Epistle among divers other things of importance hee declareth these two things 1. That though the Iewes had Priviledges in the outward above the Gentils as the Law and
Brethren when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdome declaring unto you the testimony of God for I determined not to know any thing among you save Iesus Christ and him crucified but according to the Greek it is thus not to know any thing IN YOU save Iesus Christ and him crucified so Paul preached a crucified Christ both in Iewes and Gentiles when hee came among them which is understood of the seed which suffered in them by their unbelief and disobedience which is the principle in which Christ doth manifest his life and his glory as it comes to rise and spring up and in so far as IT suffers HEE is said to suffer and in so farre as it is crucified hee is said to be crucified even as what that blessed seed and body in the outward suffered is said to be his sufferings Now that was it that Paul laboured and travelled for when hee came among any people not to tickle and please their carnall ears with pleasant words and excellency of speech but in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit and of power to reach unto the suffering seed in them that it might come to be acquainted with it and with the vertue and power that is therein for the salvation of their souls But some may say what vertue or power is there unto salvation in that which is crucified Unto this Paul answers 1. Cor. 1. 22. 23. 24. 25. For the Iewes require a signe and the Greeks or Gentiles seek after wisdome But wee preach Christ crucified unto the Iewes a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishnes but unto them who are called both Iewes and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God becaus the foolishnes of God is wiser then men and the weaknes of God is stronger then men So that Christ even inwardly crucified is both the wisdome of God and the power of God unto them who beleeve though in a weak and foolish appearance to that eye which is but naturall and therefor is called the foolishnes of God and the weaknes of God but which is wiser and stronger then men and thus it hath pleased the Lord to send his Son into the world both in the outward and inward in a low and weak appearance that hee might shew forth the more abundant glory in that which was so low and weak in appearance to prevail over the greatest power that stood in his way for thus doth the seed of the woman bruise the serpents head 2. Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation but according to the Greek it is and hath put in us the word of reconciliation which is understood not only in relation to the Saints but even the world for it is said God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe wheras the Saints are reconciled through this Word already but the world is not yet the word is put in them wherby they may be reconciled therefor it s said God was in Christ reconciling the world but of the Saints it is said vers 18. all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himselfe so then they are reconciled Now say our adversaries these and such places are to be translated among or unto for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie so at somtimes Answer though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth somtimes signifie among or unto yet the most proper and usuall signification of it is in Now wee are alwayes to take the most proper and usuall signification of the word where no cogent reason movs to the contrary as none doeth here whatever they pretend yea the very intent and scope of the places doe prove that it is to be translated in and so to be understood for Christ was not crucified outwardly either among the Galathians or Corinthians and the Riches of Christ that Paul told the Gentiles of was not any outward thing which they were to find outwardly nor did he bid them goe any where without to find these Riches but preached God and Christ and the Kingdome and the Word near even in themselvs Acts. 17. 26. 27. 28. God hath made the world all things therein c. hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him though hee be not far from every one of us for in him wee live and move and have our being as certaine also of your owne Poets have said for wee are also his off spring Now by this speech hee calleth off the Athenians from seeking to find the Lord or to worship him in Temples made with hands or images of gold and silver to seek and find the Lord in themselvs as being the off spring of God in which hee insinuats that near relation which all men have unto God which is nearer then that of the visible Creatures who are the Creatures of God but not his offspring whereas men are not only the Creatures but the offspring of God forasmuch as man was made after the image of God which was put in him in which he was to know and find the Lord and feel after and worship him But now through the fall it is true this Heavenly and Divine image of God in man is staine yet the Lord is more to be felt and found in this slaine image of himselfe in man becaus of the breathings of his life therein then in all images that men can grave or in any of the visible Creatures yea this is the Tabernacle of David that is fallen downe which the Lord cometh to raise up in every man and will certainly raise it up in every one for a Temple for himselfe to manifest his eternall love and mercy in unto them who beleeve but his eternall wrath and displeasure in them who remaine in unbeleef and so in regard of this near relation which every man hath unto God that hee is his off-spring through his image which is in him though it doth not live in every one even as a dead Child is the offspring of his Father though hee bear not his living image thus the Apostle doth preach God near unto the Athenians even so near that they might feel after him and find him to wit in his owne image in them which though crucified and slaine in them yet as is said there is more of God to be knowne and felt even therein then in Temples made with mans bands gold and solver graven by art and mans device or in any visible creature so that it is great ignorance in them who affirm that the Apostle is here onely holding forth that knowledge of God which the Athenians might gather simply from the creatures without them for of these
it selfe simply in power vertue Light and life rather then in words for that the soule being in confusion darkness and unacquaintedness with the way of God cannot so easily apprehend it so as to discern it from an imagination as it can apprehend the vertue and life it self and distinguish it from any other thing but afterwards when the ear is well opened and formed words are given and that very distinctly heard and apprehended which are very precious and excellent full of heavenly vertue and glory Argument 5. From the exceeding great usefulness of this truth in order to the gathering of people into the true faith of Christ even to the universall conversion of all Nations As also from the great prejudice of the contrary Opinion in order thereunto THE Scriptures Testimony is Very large and ample that in the latter days there shal be a very great and so to speak universall gathering of the children of men in all nations unto the faith of Iesus Christ and that is it which all true Christians find themselvs much concerned in to pray travell and labour for even the gathering and turning people unto the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and that holyness and vertue and righteousness may spread and abound in and among them Now what is more usefull and conducible to this universall gathering then this universal principle and what more pernicious and prejudiciall therunto then the contrary hence I thus argue That Doctrine which is most conducive of that universall gathering and conversion of all Nations to faith and holyness is to be imbraced And that which is most prejudiciall and impeditive of it is to be rejected But this Doctrine which holds forth an universal sufficient Evanlic principle is most conducive c. and the contrary most impeditive c. Therefore The first proposition is so clear that nothing needs be added for proof of it And the second is thus proved That Doctrine is most usefull and conducive of holyness c. which informeth unholy and unbeleeving people universally of a principle given them of God through which they may come to beleeve and be made holy And that Doctrine which not onely informeth people of no such thing but plainly denyes any such principle as to the greatest part of men is most prejudiciall and impeditive of holyness c. But so are respectively the aforesaid Doctrines Therefore c. And the thing is indeed most plaine with little reasoning about it For let a man or company of men go forth to preach to a multitude and bid them beleeve in God and Christ become holy righteous and pure and not point at direct them to nor imform them of any principle capacity or power given them whereby it is possible for them to come to beleev to become holy and righteous yea perpetually to be inculcating upon the minds of their hearers in their preachments that they being the messengers of God Ministers and Amdassadors of Christ do certainly know and assure them in the name of God that there is not onely no such principle power or capacity given by God to the greatest part of mankind but that there never shal be any such given them from all eternity God haveing of his owne free-will and pleasure irrevocably determined never to give them any such thing without which it is impossible for them ever to become beleevers holy just and good men And this because they might remaine unholy unjust unrighteous and that remayning so he might magnify his justice in damning them for ever and ever to endless torments without intermission or ceasing Is it not apparent to the weakest understanding that this is no great ready or probable way to become instrumentall to bring people to faith holyness c. but really and indeed to hinder discourage and turn them back would not this be as unreasonable and ridiculous as for a Physitian to come into an hospitall of sick men and tell them he was come to cure them and mean while never produce nor direct them to any medicament that is able to cure them but on the contrary tell them the greatest part of them are incurable and to say the right of it though he beleevs severall of them may be cured yet he knows not which of them nor indeed certainly whether any of them to whom he speaks or no. And yet still cry upon them to be whole to be whole What think yee would not these poore people think this man rather a foole then a Physitian out of his wits rather then a rationall man except they should take him to be some scoffing varlet that made himself merry at their misery and could they possibly take any delight to heare him talk or in the least beleeve that he were like to do them any good This is plainly the case of the nationall Ministers who are still crying to their people be holy be holy be righteous be pure who generally are in their naturall unconverted condition though they have lived all their days under their ministry For these very men that thus cry to them to be holy c. often tell them at the same time that there is no sufficient principle of grace given to any one unconverted or naturall man so far are they from saying it is universall wherby it is possible for him to be converted Pray then what is their ministery good for are they sufficient ministers of any thing but unbelief that turn people who are in darkness to no sufficient thing to lead them out of it Physitians of no value they may wel be called Surely there is no Doctrine more prejudiciall to the setting up of Christs Kingdome among men and none more advantagious for the upholding and propagating the divels then this Doctrine of theirs But they who bring the contrary Doctrine to the nations who ly in darkness wickedness as having received it from the Lord Viz. That Christ the Light of the world hath enlightned them and given them a principle sufficient whereby they may be led out of that state of darkness and wickedness and be quickned and sanctifyed unto God These are indeed messengers of glad tydings to the nations whose feet are beautifull upon the Mountains as not onely bidding them be holy but pointing them to a principle in their own hearts whereby they may so become these bind no heavy burdens upon them as do those that deny this universall principle for what more grievous burden then to put people upon impossibilities They that bear testimony unto this universall principle from the vertue of it felt in their own hearts are like unto those skilfull Phisitians who coming to a company of diseased people should tell them of a substance hid underground even in their own house that is able to cure them if found and duly applyed helping them to dig for it and informing them how they shall find and know it telling them what it is and how they are to use it which whosoever
shineth in this darkness even as the darkest night hath some light and that from the sun at least by the reflection of its beams Object 19. It s said Matth. 6. 23. If thine ey be evill thy whole body shal be full of darkness if therefore the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness That it is said the whole body is full of darkness where the eye is evill that is where the heart is false hinders not but that the true saving light in a seed may be in that body according to the very concession of our adversaries who although it besaid if the Eye be single the wholy body is full of Light do earnestly contend that the most single hearted and best of all the Saints that ever lived upon the earth have still some darkness in them in a seed And more over the word in in this place signifieth as in other places union enjoyment c. Now most certain it is that all that which men of corrupt minds do take for their light rule and guide so as there with to unite and thereby to be lead is but Light falsly so called and reall darkness For there is a generation that call reall darkness light and true light darkness to whom the day of the Lord is said to be darkness Amos 5 18. against whom the Spirit and true light pronounceth a Woe That Christ here speaketh of the woefull state of such people is plain whose light is darkness For it is utterly impossible that the true light even in its least measure should really be darkness The light then which is darkness in whomsoever upon the face of the earth is not the tru light but a false thing by them taken on and set up in them instead of the true light as the most pleasant thing to the blinded eyes of their minds But what doth this hinder but that the true light may be in them a reprover and condemner of them and their false light which because they joine not to nor improve it is as it were not in them but in order to their further condemnation as it is written Jo. 3. 19. Yea that the tru and saving light hath been in them whose body was full of darkness ey evill is most palpably evident from this That the Light indeed in them as they were turned towards it by the Ministry of Gods faithfull servants hath proved an eye-salve to make the eye single which was evill by which in process of time the darkness hath been wrought out and dispelled and the soule and its body filled with light as the bright shining of a candle gives light to the eyes as it is written Luke 11. 36. Object 20. It s said Jo. 5. 37. 38. Yee have neither heard his voice nor seen his shape at any time And ye have not his word abiding in you Answ. That 's the voice by which he speaketh unto his children which is full of heavenly sweetness joy and refreshment which is spoke from mount Sion which comes after the wind the fire and the Earthquake c. But there is also a voice from mount Sinai which is a voice of reproof and correction of judgment and condemnation which yet hath some mercy as it were secretly in it wherby God speaketh unto all men both Jews and Gentiles as it is Ps. 50. 1. The mighty God even the Lord hath spoke and called the earth from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof And Rom. 10. 18. have they not heard yes Verily c. And so according to the various states and conditions of men the Lord hath divers voices wherby he speaketh unto them they as men have an ear to heare And this voice the Lord formeth or frameth sutable to the ear he speaks to Now the Saints and children of God have an ear and ey formed in them in the divine birth which others have not yet God can speak unto them according to the eare which they have Deus loquitur linguâ filiorum hominum i. c. God speaketh in the language of the Sons of men Yea he hath a voice wherby he speaketh unto the most unsensible creaturs so as that they obey him Thus hath the Lord also a speciall peculiar and singular way of manifesting himself unto the Saints by them to be seen in his image raised and formed in them which may be called his shape And thus none but such can see him Yet he maketh his invisible things even his eternall power and God-head clearly to be seen in some measure even by them who beleeve not so that they are without excuse And wheras it s said that they have not his word abiding in them That is not springing up and bringing forth fruit in them as a seed which being sown in the earth is not permitted to take root in it by reason of some impediment and so is not said to abide in it for the word abide signifyeth union as Jo. 15. 3. Abide in me i. e. keep in union with me c. otherwise the word was nigh unto them in their mouth and in their heart Rom. 10. Object 21. This universall Light can lead no further then heathenish morality i. e. morall righteousness of temperance and justice between man and man and therefore is not a saving and Evangelicall Light Other such objections also there are that may fitly be taken in here As that it cannot discover all sin nor the root of sin called originall sin nor the remedy Viz. the Lord Iesus Christ nor the right way of worshipping God Ergo not saving And all this they thinke they sufficiently demonstrate when they say the Gentiles that had not the Gospell outwardly preached to them know no more but heathenish morality as being Idolaters and worshipping false Gods or the true God in a false way Answ. This is a miserable way of concluding voyd of all reason to argue from the non-existence of the effect to the non sufficiency or inability of the cause And servs equally to the accusing of the Scriptures insufficiency in discovering the will of God because many that own and profess the Scriptures are found worshipping of Idols and of the true God in a false manner and practising many enormities against the Testimony of the Scriptures and witness of God in their own consciences So that though all the Gentiles had been universally ignorant of these things that will not prove the light to be insufficient to salvation because their ignorance proceeded not from the insufficiency and inability of the light but from their not being faithfull unto it nor diligent improvers thereof I am saith Christ the Light of the world he that follows me shall not walk in darkness importing that those that do not follow him though he lighten them shall remain in darkness But secondly how do they prove that none of the Gentiles did know sin nor the root thereof nor the Lord Jesus nor the tru worship of God
They instance indeed many that knew not all these things quoting Scriptures that speak so of many of them but not of all Now to argue from the particular or particulars to the universall is but an unreasonable way of argumentation and no better then to conclude all men to be blind because some are so Thirdly I have already shewed in Argument 3. 4. and 6. from Rom 1. 2. and 10. Chapters that some of the Gentiles who were under no outward administration of the Gospell did call upon the Name of the Lord and were saved and so consequently knew both sin and the remedy thereof the Lord Jesus But what though they knew not the outward Name if they knew the Nature the Spirit the life which slays sin and cures the soule It is not the meer outward name that saves but the life the power of Christ that quickens cleanses purifies and by this they might besaved For it is the life that saveth Rom. 5. 10. I also shewed from Rom. 2. That some of these Gentiles did so fulfill the Law of God that they were accounted the Iews and circumcision in heart before the Lord had praise of him and were iustifyed And this was a great error among the Jews that the Lord had not a people among the Gentiles who were accepted of him yea it was even the mistake of the Apostles themselvs till the Lord convinced Peter by a vision from heaven Acts. 10. But after he was convinced both by the heavenly Vision as also by meeting with Cornelius a Gentile and uncircumcised and yet a just and devout man one that feared God and all his houshold he broke forth with these words of a truth I now perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that fears God and worketh righteousness is accepted Which plainly imports that there were some in divers Nations who both feared God wrought righteousness and were accepted And what do those words Acts 10. 28 call thou no man unclean import but that God hath not absolutly passed by any man without giving him an opportunity by which he might be saved But say they Paul said he had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 7. wheras you say the light by which he might have kown sin was with him from his child hood again he saith when the commandement came sin revived and he dyed how can this be understood of that Light which was with him from his child hood Answ Very well yea how can it be understood of any thing elce but that Light which now so wrought in him that he saw that which before he saw not For though the Light was with him from his child-hood yet his mind was not turned in towards it and so he did neither see nor know sin so distinctly as was needfull for him to be saved from it And so though the Law in the light and the commandement came unto him from his child-hood yet it came not in that power and force as afterwards when his mind came to be turned towards it For the power of the Light is then onely sufficiently felt in its discovery of sin and the remedy thereof as the mind is turned towards it Besides this Argument lies much more forcibly against the Scriptures being this Law and commandement not onely because he had the outward Law and commandements in the Scripture from his childhood and was always directed to it as his rule and trained up at the foot of Gamaliel a Doctor of this Law But also because the Law never said more at one time then at another to him or any man so that the change that was made in him cannot be ascribed to the Law which he was always a very zealous Professor of but to that light which opened his mind to the understanding of the things of God by which he might understand the Scriptures But they urge further this Light cannot discover the Birth Sufferings death Resurrection and Ascention of the Lord Iesus in the outward the knowledg of which is essentially necessary to salvation Therefore c. Answ. Our own experience teaches us the contrary for we never came to know the mistery of his birth death sufferings as to the true and comfortable use thereof till our minds were turned to the Light And how did the wise men from the East know him Surely the star which outwardly appeared unto them had never been sufficient had not his starre i. e. his Light shined in their hearts Also how did the Centurion and the Canaanitisch woman know and acknowledge him in the outward had greater faith in him then the very Jews And how did the disciples themselvs know him For his outward appearance simply was not sufficient to convince them yea he forbad them to judge according to the outward appearance Of this matter John gives a clear account who first declares him as he is as the light that lighteth every man before he declareâ—…h of him in the outward Forasmuch as he could be known onely by the Light even what he was outwardly By this it was that they beheld his Glory as the Glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth But the unbeleevers who beleeved not in the Light wherewith he had enlightned them and whose minds were turned from it in to their own carnall reasonings did not know him though they had the Scriptures that testifyed of him and saw and heard of miracles that he did for they neither knew him nor the Scriptures being gone from his inward appearance in his own Light in their hearts which would have discovered both him in the outward and the Scriptures testimony concerning him But that the knowledge of him as in the outward is of necessity unto salvation we grant not save onely where it is revealed and there it is very usefull and comfortable Yea our very adversaries do not affirme that all who ever were saved had or absolutly behoved to have an express and distinct knowledge of his outward coming For they grant that children may besaved who by reason of their infancy cannot have that knowledge Now if so why may not also some men who are as it were but children infants even babes in Christ as to Spirituall knowledg be saved without that cleare distinct knowledge of his outward coming being borne of his Spirit and sucking in the sincere milk thereof Surely such can never perish Yea the very disciples themselvs were for a season ignorant of the mystery of his death sufferings Resurrection and Ascention Object 22. The Divell or Sathan hath that in him which reprovs him of sin but yet works not at all in him any possibility of being saved Therefore that which reproveh for sin is not universally saving Answ. This is a fallacy called transitio de genere in aliud genus i. e. a passing from one kind to another As to argue from the Devill or Devills to men That because that which