may be much selfish righteousness even in such who live not according to the course of the world This was the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and this was Pauls righteousness whiles he was a Pharisee and when in his zeal he persecuted the Church for he tells us that touching the righteousness which is in the Law he was blameless Phil. 3.5.6 And that it was a selfish righteousness or a righteousness of his own the ninth verse of that Chapter makes it very clear when being convinced of his own filthy or dunghil righteousness he desires onely to be found in Christ not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by saith And how greatly does he find fault with his Brethren the Israelites as he calls them whose salvation he did so affectionately desire and pray for for that they had a zeal of God but not according to knowledge And for that they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness did not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God Rem 10.1 2 3. And I wish from my foul that you your selves whatever your pretences are of love unto Christ being too much ignorant I fear of Gods righteousness or the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ whose name and whose memorial for ever is THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESS Jerem. 23.6 and in whose righteousness both you and I and all others must be found cloathed and arrayed in if ever we think to stand before him at the last day Rev. 19.8 That you I say do not go about to establish a selfish righteousness or a righteousness of your own in opposition to the righteousness of God But know and consider well That Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10 4. And as he was made of God unto us Wisdom and Righteousness c. 1 Cor. 1.30 So also was he made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Our righteousness is onely in Christ and in beleeving in him But does not your Question imply clearly that you go about to establish and set up another righteousness then the righteousness of Christ even a righteousness of your own when you say Is not all righteousness selfish while c. man beleeveth not in the light that comes from Christ Gods righteousness What are we to beleeve in the light that comes from Christ and will such a faith entitle us unto a righteousness that is not selfish Surely if this be not an establishing of our own righteousness even that selfish righteousness which you seem to find fault with I know not what is are these wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness 1 Tim. 6.3 Is this the faith of the Gospel which we are exhorted to strive together for 1 Phil. 2.7 or is it the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints which we are to contend earnestly for Jud. 3. Surely these are wholesome words and the doctrine which is according to godliness when we perswade men to beleeve in God and to beleeve also in the Lord Jesus Christ Joh. 14.1 To beleeve in the light that is in Christ the light Joh. 12.35 36. The light that came into the world Vers 46. The true light Joh. 1.9 Yea the light of the world Joh. 8.12 And in this faith alone are we to expect the imputation of righteousness Rom. 4.22 And not in the beleeving in the light which comes from Christ which whether it be this or Christ which you call Gods righteousness I know not But this know that that which I am to beleeve in must be my righteousness and my salvation and this is not in the light that comes from Christ but in Christ himself The bright Morning Star Rev. 22.16 The Day spring from on high Luk. 1.78 The Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 The Fountain of Light The foundation of my Reconciliation Justification Sanctification and Salvation Act. 4.12 For him hath God given not onely to be a Light unto the Gentiles but also to be his Salvation to the end of the Earth Isa 49.6 FINIS
power of God Yea. 16. Doth not Christ enlighten every man that comes into the world with a true light Before I give an Answer unto this Question I might ask you what you mean by a true light If you mean the light of Nature or the light of a natural Conscience that may not altogether improperly I suppose be said to be a true Light and with this every man is lighted by Christ that comes into the world either more or less For Paui speaking concerning the Gentiles tells us That the work of the Law was written in their hearts their Conscience also hearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another Rom. 2.15 which must be upon the account of doing well or ill And surely every man hath naturally in himself an acquitting or condemning conscience Joh 8.9 For what conscience is there so feared that hath not at one time or other some convictions for sin But yet the natural Light comparatively to the spiritual mâ—â—s Light is but a dimn Light and the natural Conscience at the best is a dark impure and defiled Conscience The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2 14. And unto them that are undefiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled T it 1 15. So then there is another kind of Light wherewith the spiritual man is inlightened by Christ which is cleerly distinguished from the Light of Nature or mans natural Light Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of the light Eph. 5.8 Who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2 9. So God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 What a clear distinction is here betwixt the one and the other Iohn saith also That the darkness is past and the true light now shineth 1 Iohn 2.8 And speaking of him that hateth his Brother saith that he is in darkeness and walketh in darkeness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkeness hath blinded his eyes And very remarkcable is that of our blessed Saviour who saith If the light that is in thee be darkeness how great is that darkeness Matt. 6.23 So then understanding by the true Light the Light of the new Creature or the spirituall mans Light which gives unto us the knowledge of God in the sace of Iesus Christ Then I do affirme That Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the world with this true Light For such as have not the spirit of Christ as all men have not Rem 8.9 Jud. 19. Such have not the spirits Illumination I mean as to a through conversion and change of the whole man Paul bids the beleeving Hebrewes To call to remembrance the former daies in which after they were illuminated they endured a great fight of Affliction Heb. 10.32 And to conclude with what David speaks in Psal 18.28 Thou faith he meaning the Lord wilt light my Candle the Lord my God will lighten my darkeness And in 36 Psal verse 9. For with thee saith he is the fountain of Life and in thy Light shall we see Light 17. Shall he that beleeveth in the Light abide in darkeness yea or nay I answer Nay supposing that by light you understand the Lord Jesus Christ then he that beleeveth in that Light abides not in Darkeness For this is the Lord Christs own Affirmation Ioh. 12.46 I am come a light into the world that whosoever beleeveth in me shall not abide in darkeness 18. Is there any vnity but in the Light or any friendship but in the Light I answer if Christ be the Light you meane there is no true unity or friendship but in him if wee speake of a unity that is spirituall divine and heavenly For Faith doth unite ingrast and as it were incorporate us into the Lord Iesus Christ and brings us into a State of friendship and communion with him But out of Christ the Light there is nothing but disvnion strife disagreement and confusion The Carnall mind is Enmitie against God For it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can bee Rom. 8.7 What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath Light with Darkeness 2 Cor. 6.14 Yet there may be a unity and league in sin a covenant with Death and an agreement with Hell Esa 28.18 Your covenant with Death shall be disanulled and your agreement with Hell shal not stand 19. Is there any true beleife but who do beleeve in the Light I answer there is no true beleise but as we beleeve in Christ who is the true Light But it is possible for men to beleeve a Lye For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a Lye 2 Thes 2.11 20. Are not all in the Error who doe not beleeve in the Light and not know the Scriptures nor the power of God Yea the not beleeving in Christ the Light and the ignorance of the Scriptures and the power of God is the ground of all Error Christ hath told us that Hee is the way the truth and the Life and no man cometh unto the Father but by him Ich. 14.6 And it was he that said unto the Sadduces Ye dee-Erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Math 22. 29. Mark 12.29 To the Law and to the Testimony saith the wisdome of God if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no Light in them Esa 8.20 21. Did God command that Infants should be sprinckled and if he did shew his command by plain Scripture I answer I doe not find in Scripture that God did ever command that Infants should be sprinckled nor do I find that there is either a command or example in all the Scriptures for to justifie such a practise How justly then may this Nation fall under that sharp reprehension of the Lord VVho hath required this at your hands Esa 1.12 And in vaine they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Math. 15 9. 22. Shall not all them that be gathered together with the Scripture though they be Elders Members or gathered people and not gathered together with the Spirit of the Lord be broken by the Spirit of God I answer can any be gathered together with the Scripture I meane the Scripture of Truth so called Dan. 10 21. and not be gathered together with the Spirit of the Lord is there any such disproportion or disagreement betwixt the Scripture and the Spirit of the Lord as your Question seemes to imply Or is there not a Sweet harmony and consent between them both so that the gathering togeather with the one
cannot truly and properly exclude the other When our blessed Saviour saieth VVhere two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 Are we to understand by the name of Christ there such a gathering togeather by his Spirit as that the Scripture the word of God is not to be understood also Is it not the word of God which effectually worketh in them that beleeve 1 Thes 2.13 Is not the Scripture profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished to all good workes 2 Tim. 2â— 16.17 Is it not the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 And is it not able to build us up and to give us an inheritance among all them who are sanctisied Acts 20.32 And shall we then imagine that such as are gathered together by the power of this word shall be broken in sunder by the Spirit of God Indeed there is an Association or a gathering together but not by the Lord which shall assuredly be broken in peeces Esa 54.15 And as there are the Assemblyes of the Saints who are of the true Circumcision which worship God in Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Philip. 3.3 So there are many formall and false worshipers of God in the world who gather together upon pretence of Scripture and say perhapps they are Jewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan as those in Rev. 2 9. who cry up themselves for good Christians and yet are strangers to the Life of Christ having onely a forme of Godliness but deny the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.5 These also in time shall be broken in peeces For every plant saith Christ which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Matth 15.13 But the speech of Gamaliel me thinkes is very considerable herein which I desire you will seriously mind as to your own gatherings together If this Councell or this work saith he be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God yee cannot overthrow it Acts. 5.38 39 So say I if such gatherings together be of men that is of meer humane authority or mens Invenâ—ious and Imaginations perverting the Scriptures as some do to their own destruction assuredly then in a while they will vanish and come to nought But if they be of God I mean of divine Authority and according to the mind of God as al such are who are congregated and gathered together by the power of the Scripture the word and spirit of God then certainly they will not they cannot be overthrown Indeed the malice and persecutions of men may breake them or rather scatter them asunder for a while but the living and eternall truth of God which dwelleth and abideth in them shall stand firme and inviolable and that for ever and ever Even your Wood Hay and Stubble and all such Combustible matter which shall be found amongst you and which you have built or shall build as you pretend upon Christ that sure foundation being revealed and tryed by fire shall be burnt unto your loss although your selves be saved yet so as by fire Let every man then take heed how he buildeth thereupon 1 Cor. 3.10.11.12.13.14.15 23. And whether every man that cometh into the world hath not a light which will condemn him if he doth not beleeve in it I Answer That every man that commeth into the world hath a light that is a natural light or a light that God hath placed in nature being the work of the Law written in their hearts by the help whereof men may come to the understanding of the invisible things of God even his eternal power and Godhead and the not living up to this light may leave men without excuse Rom. 1.20 and thereby also they may come to be condemned in their own consciences Rom. 2 15. But this light though it may discover much of God yet it will never bring us to the true knowledge of God in Christ And as it is no less then eternal life to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent John 17.3 who is the true light in which we are commanded to beleeve if wee will approve our selves the children of light Joh. 1 9. Joh. 12.36 In which light also if we do beleeve we shall never perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3.19.36 So the not beleeving in this light will assuredly be the great condemning sin He that beleeveth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 And he that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3.36 It follows then that mens condemnation unless we understand a being condemned as before in their own consciences will not be so much for not beleeving in that light which they bring with them into the world but for their rejection of and not beleeving in Christ who is the true light Joh. 3.19 This is the condemnation c. 24. May not a man have the Scripture and not see the door as the Pharisees had Yea. 25. May not a man have the Scripture and not see the hope of Glory which is Christ the mistery as the Pharisees did who had the Scripture that spoke of him that was to come Yea. 26. May not a man have the Scripture and be a stranger to the life of God Yea. 27. May not a man have the Scripture and not know the blood of Jesus and have the Scripture and not know the sanctification and the redemption nor the justification Yea. 28. Are not these who be in the life of the Scripture different from all the worlds fashions worships and gatherings and is not all worship in the will without the Spirit of God Yea. 29. Is not all humility fained without the Spirit of God Yea. 30. And is not all righteousness selfish while man lives according to the course of the world and beleeveth not in the light that comes from Christ Gods righteousness To this last Query I shall give you this Answer and shall refer you to my answer unto your Fifth Query as to the rest I do not find that any men or women in Scripture do fall under the denomination or account of righteous persons in any sence whatsoever so long as they live according to the course of the world for they that live so they live in sin and in all licentiousness and unrighteousness In the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience as you may see in Ephes 2.1 2 3. And what selfish righteousness can there be in such The Apostle John saith That he that doth righteousness is righteous even as Christ is righteous But whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God 1 Joh. 3.7 10. But yet notwithstanding there