Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	certain_a	desire_v	great_a	110	3	2.1561	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47193	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 [sic] 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 it, answered / by George Keith.	Keith, George, 1639?-1716.; Furly, Benjamin, 1636-1714.	1671 (1671)	Wing K228; ESTC R13258	128,214	140

that hee appeared in them when unbeleevers and turned them therefrom to beleeve in himself but many resist the operation of Christ in them and so remaine in unbeleef Argument 8. From a Collation of divers Scriptures in the OldTestament so called answering to those above cited out of the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles holding forth the self-same thing as Deuteronomy 4. 29. 30. Amos 4. 13. Provs 1. 21. 22. 23. Genes 6. 3. Deut. 30. 14. 32. 43. Job 24. 13. 28. 12. Psal. 2. 12. 98. 2. 117. Prov. 8. 1. 9. 1. Isai. 49. 6. Deuter. 4. 29. 30. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him in all thy heart and in all thy soule And if thou turn to the Lord thy God and hearken in his voice THE words being thus truly rendered as they are word for word in the Hebrew do most plainly hold forth that God is in the wicked and unbeleevers that have forgot him days without number as the Prophet saith concerning Israel Apostate of whom Moses spake these words who had forgotten God and his Covenant made graven images and likenesses worshipping the works of mens hands and serving other Gods for which God was provoked to scatter them among the Heathen Yet to this people thus Apostatized from and punished by God scattered from God in the heathenish imaginations of their hearts doth Moses say If they shall from hence even from hence seek the Lord aright where he is to be found that is in their whole heart and in their whole soule and turn to him which presupposeth his being there to be turned to and hearken in his voyce which necessarily argues his in-speaking to be hearkned to they shall surely find him Is it not hence evident that the Reason why so many that have sought God affectionatly and zealously without in their self-Righteous acts performances Applications of promises c. have not found him is because they have not sought him where he is even within as Augustine the great Antient Father of the Church so called lamenteth his mispent time and paines in so seeking saying I sought thee o God and sound thee not because I sought thee without and thou wert within I was abroad from thee and thou wert within me yea more inwardly within me then my most inward parts Thus may many a one say now and smite upon their heart and turn to the Lord and seek him in their whole heart and in their whole soule Had the Translators been but more inwardly minded and knowne the manifestation of the spirit of God in their inward parts to have given them a sence of the mind of the spirit in the words of Scripture how might they have been instrumentall to have directed peoples minds where they were to wayt for seek and turn to God as well as to inform them that they must seek him but they spake or translated according to the misty understanding they had and so have by their defective translations cast a vaile of thick darknes upon the Scriptures in many places as may in due time God assisting be shewn at large where of some instances may be given at the end of this Treatise The day is now dawned and the light broken forth and the vayle of thick darkness that hath been over the Tabernacle of God is rent and rending and he hath discovered his habitation where he will be found and his Temple where he will be worshipped and honoured to be even in the hearts and soules of men and women where he hath been lost and how But by their minds being extroverted and averted from him and converted to perishing objects that perish with the using by which the Lord hath been forgotten even days without number and is become a stranger in the earth to men and Women and they estranged from the life of God although they live move have their being in it Even in Christ the Word and Power and Wisdome of God which Proverb 1. 20. 21. 22. 23. Lifteth up her voice in the streets and crieth in the chief places of concourse in the openings of the gates of the City which is the heart of man where the throng and press of thoughts pass to and fro saying How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and scorners delight in scorning and fooles hate knowledge What more plain from hence then that Christ who is the eternall Word and Wisdome of the Father lifteth up his voice unto all men even to the simple ones that love simplicity to the Scorners that delight in scorning to fooles that hate knowledge and worse cannot be found unbeleevers unbeleevers with a witnesse and wherefore doth she this to what purpose what doth she intend by and in this her visitation and cry unto them onely to boast her self against them onely in scorne to upbraid them onely tauntingly to triumph over them onely to harden them that she might destroy them onely to aggravate their sins that she might increase their damnation Nay Nay surely Nay for wisedome as a certain writer saith is a holy spirit living cleare undesiled plain not subject to hurt loving the thing that is good ' ready TO DOE GOOD AND KIND TO MAN preventing them that desire her in making her self first knowne unto them that so they may seek her for unless she prevents all mankind first and cals unto them and makes her self first known unto them they cannot desire nor seeke her but when she lifteth up her voice if they hearken and then they may they shall have no great travell saith this Author for they shall find her sitting at their DOORES to think upon her saith he is perfection of wisedome for she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her sheweth her self favourably unto them IN THE WAYES and meeteth them IN EVERY THOUGHT Lo here is a description of wisdome of THE DOORES of THE GATES of THE WAYS the STREETS in which she lifteth up her voice and to what end with what good purpose intent and meaning towards man this is consonant to the testimony which Solomon himself gives of her in her calling upon and crying out to these simple scornefull fooles to wit that they may turn turn to what to her at her reproofs and to what purpose that they may grow wise through the out-powrings of the spirit of wisedome upon them For lo this is her counsell to them having reproved them for their folly and expostulated with them about it Turne you at my reproofe and this is her promise if they do Behold I will powre out my spirit the spirit of wisdome upon you And did she give them this Counsell and not heartily and unfainedly desire that they might receive it and did she promise this and not truly and really intend and resolve to perform it what did she onely mock onely dissemble onely pretend a great deale of good will and intend a great

Gentiles together shewing that the Gentiles were not so cast off but that as to what was the maine and principall thing To wit the word of faith the Gentiles did share with the Iewes and that whoever among the Gentiles did beleeve and call upon the name of the Lord were saved no lesse then the Iewes for said he there is no difference betwixt the Iew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him and whoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed Now in the 3. and 4. Chapter hee giveth the Reason why the Iewes who sought after Righteousnes did not attaine it even becaus they sought it not in Christ but in the Law and the legall ministration wheras God had not appointed that for Righteousnes but to point unto Christ who is the end of it for Righteousnes unto every one that beleevs vers 5. And this hee proveth Viz. that Christ is the end of Law for Righteousnes from Moses words Deuter. 30. shewing that by that word of faith which Moses said was nigh unto the Iewes and in their heart so that they needed not say who shall ascend into heaven for it or descend into the deep is understood Christ. Otherwise hee could not have brought Moses words as the Reason or proof why Christ was the end of the Law as here hee doth Againe hee affirmeth for a man to say in his heart who shall ascend into heaven were to bring downe Christ from above or to say who shall descend into the deep were to bring him up from the grave which cannot be wherby it is manifest that by the word he understands Christ whom hee calls the word of faith which hee and his Brethren did preach And so they preached him nearer unto men then either Heaven or the grave The word is nigh unto thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth Some may say how is Christ to be understood to be in the mouth I answer It may be in Relation unto his being given unto men for the food of their soules according to what Christ said hee that cateth me shall live by me Now the food is put in the mouth that it may be nourishment unto the body so here is an allusion unto that as if Moses and Paul had said thou needs not perish for want of Christ the food and the life of thy soule for hee is as nigh unto thee as thou canst desire him as the very meat when it is in thy mouth yea hee is yet noarer Even in thy heart for now the meat may be put into the mouth and yet becaus of weaknes or some Impediment in the body the vertue strength of it may be hindred to goe unto the heart for the strengthning comforting or quickning of the same so though it wer in the mouth yet a man might die as being so weak that hee could not draw the vertue of it into his heart and indeed so it is with us men in the unconverted state wee are in such an impotent condition to doe any thing for our selvs that if life and vertue from God were not brought so near us as to be put in our very hearts wee could not live for wee are not only weak and sick but wee are dead in sins and trespasses and this is the wonderfull mercy of the Lord that hee hath brought this bread of life as near us as is possible for our quickning and salvation hee hath put it not only in our mouth but in our heart yet if the heart doth not kindly receive it nor suffer it to have its operation therein notwithstanding it is brought so near it will not give life unto the heart but be a savour of death unto death thereunto But wher the heart doth receive it so as to unite therwith it not only becometh life unto the heart soo as to fill it with pure Heavenly refreshment and joy and with most excellent and Heavenly breathings thoughts desires and meditations concerning the Mercy Goodnes Power and Love of the Lord and of his Wisdome Righteousnes Purity and Holines or whatever else it tasteth of and enjoyeth in him but also becometh a most abundant wellspring of life unto the mouth wherby it is opened after a marvelous manner to utter and expresse the thoughts and feellings and joyes of the heart in living words which are spirit and life having of the very vertue of the divine life in them which as they are a most sweet and acceptable favour unto God so are they of great use and service unto men both for quickning the dead and for refreshing and building up the living yet more abundantly in the power of that life which has quickned them And thus the word springeth up from the heart into the mouth but here it as it were descendeth from the mouth into the heart therfore it is first said to be in the mouth the word is near thee in thy mouth and in thy heart Now that this was the priviledge of the Gentiles no lesse then of the Iews to have this word so near unto them as to be in the mouth and in the heart The Apostle doth plainly affirme and so that the Gentiles who beleeved were saved no lesse then the Iewes for saith hee There is no difference betwixt Iew or Greeke but the same Lord is rich unto all that call on him And that these Gentiles who did call upon the name of the Lord and were saved were not under any outward administration of the Gospell is most evident from the Objection framed by the Apostle vers 14. 15. and his Answer thereunto The Objection is occasioned by Pauls saying that the Gentils who called upon the name of the Lord were saved Now it might be objected How shall the Gentiles call on him in whom they have not beleeved And if it should be replyed that some of them did beleeve The Objection is How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard And if it be replyed they have heard the Objection remains How shall they hear without a Preacher and if it be replyed they have had a Preacher the Objection in the last place is who or what Preacher hath beene sent to them for how can they preach unlesse they be sent As it is written How beautifull are the feet c. Hereunto the Apostle doth not reply that Preachers have beene outwardly sent unto them for at this time The Gospell as to its outward administration had not gone over all the world but this hee givs for the direct and positive Answer But they have not all obeyed the Gospell c. So then faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God So hee grants that they could not beleeve without hearing and that they could not hear without a Preacher which Preacher hee doth not say was any man sent unto them by whom they did hear but thus So then saith he Faith cometh by hearing and

and this is the record that God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Son Now what US is this to whom God ha●…h given eternall life Surely both hee who beleevs and hee who beleevs not for thus hee who beleevs bears a true witnesse and testimony unto the record of God holding forth that eternall life which is given him in a true beleef thereof and confession thereunto in word and deed but the Unbeleever is a lyar and why so becaus that God has given him eternall life but his unbeleeving heart saith No hee hath not given it unto me As now if I should give a thing unto a man to make use of and hee burieth it in some place and denyeth that hee ever had such a thing from me hee would be a lyar so the Unbeleever by his unbeleef denying the gift of God which is given unto him hee lyeth But now if this gift which is eternall life had never beene given unto him hee could not be called a lyar for to lye is to deny that which is true therefor it is true that God hath given him eternall life viz. in the seed which would have brought forth life in him had hee beleeved And thus the slothfull servant who hid his masters mony in the earth was a lyar in that hee said his Lord was a hard Master and that what hee had given him was not sufficient enough so did not beleeve the record viz. that God had given him eternall life Acts. 26. 18. 23. Paul saith he was sent of God to turne the Gentiles from darknes unto light even unto Christ who lighteth every man that cometh into the world whom Paul here preached that hee did suffer and rise from the dead and did shew light unto the people and to the Gentiles and yet when Paul first came unto them they were in unbeleef and darknes Now it is great ignorance and darknes for man to say that this light which Paul turned them unto was not within them for they might as well say that the darknes and power of Sathan from which he was to turn them to God was not in them and seeing hee turned them to God sure it was that they might find him and his light and li●… in them for wee cannot find God to the salvation of our souls but in our selvs becaus the light which gives the knowledge of the glory of God shines in the heart 2. Cor. 4. 6. And wee never find that Paul directed the Gentiles to seek God on his light otherwise then a●… near even in their hearts Morover out adversaries confesse that which is meerly outward is not sufficient unto salvation Hence I thus argue The Apostle was to turne them to that which was sufficient unto salvation Therfor it was the light which is of a saving nature that was in them the consequence is plaine from our adversaries confession aforsaid that nothing meerly otward is sufficient unto salvation the Antecedent is proved from this that he turned them to that wherby their eves might be opened and they niight receive forgivenes of sins c. Againe the Apostles wer able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the spirit and so they directed people unto that which was sufficient for salvation they both ministred from the spirit in themselvs and directed the people to whom they preached unto a measure of the same spirit and to the light and life thereof in themselvs Joh. 16. 7. I will send the comforter unto you and when hee is come hee will reprove the world of sin of righteousnes and of judgement of sin becaus they beleeved not in me c. This answereth unto what is said immediately above as the Apostles did preach from the Spirit of God and of Christ in themselvs so they directed the world unto a measure of the same spirit in themselvs which was given to the end their ministry might prevaile in the world for had not the spirit beene given to convince the world and bear testimony unto the truth published by the Apostles they could have had no encouragement to preach but this was their encouragement that the spirit was sent into the world wherby the whole world should be convinced and so either saved or left without excuse Now it is very observable that hee saith hee shall reprove the world of sin becaus they beleeved not in Christ wherby it is manifest that the great sin of the world is unbeleef for which it is reproved But if the world be reproved for that they did not beleeve in Christ then certainly they ought to have beleeved in him and if they ought to have beleeved in him hee hath beene given and held forth unto them in such a way as was sufficient unto salvation for no man can be bound to beleeve in that which coms not in a sufficient way and under what smaller terms could hee be held forth unto them then as making salvation possible unto them which yet is only possible through an inward principle 2. Cor. 13. 5. Know yee not your owne selvs how that Christ is in you unles yee be reprobats This Scripture holds forth that Christ is in all men unto salvation who are not Reprobats Now none are simply Reprobats but whose day of visitation is past and their house left desolate its true the state of unbeleef and impenitence is a state of of reprobation and so those who are in it may be said Secundum quid or in so farre to be reprobate but none are or can be said to be simply Reprobats but who remaine in unbeleef and impenitency after their day of visitation is expired for while their Day remains in which salvation is possible unto them and wherin the Lord visits them and strives with them for their recovery they cannot be called simply Reprobates for reprobate is as much as left or rejected of God whom the Lord hath ceased to deal with in order unto their salvation yea and even our adversaries affirme that all Unbeleevers and unconverted are not reprobated Hence I thus argue that therefor at least Christ is in some unbeleevers and uncoverted becaus hee is in all who are not Reprobats and that unto salvation for otherwise hee is in the very Reprobats viz. unto condemnatiom and yet they deny that Christ is in any unto salvation who are unbeleevers and unconverted which is proved against them Now if people wer convinced that Christ wer in any unbeleevers and unconverted unto salvation this would be a great step unto their being convinced that hee is in all unto salvation within a day or time of visitation given them of God for that the greatest objection they commonly make is that Christ is in none in a saving way but who beleeve which is here proved false for hee is in them who beleeve not in a way to save them from unbeleef as many can witnes who now beleeve but were once unbeleevers and

it Now how can they be glad tydings to any except through a speciall and immediat revelation but from this ground that they are so to all If it be replyed it may to some be knowne through their effectuall calling the Lord secretly persuading them by the secret operation and influence of his Spirit to apply the grace of the Gospell ontwardly held forth To this I answer How shall they in what manner can they be assured of the efficacy of their calling and that their beleef of it is not a meer presumption and groundless imagination for this again must either be knowne by its having an objective evidence of its owne or from the evidence of the Scripture If the first that I affirm to be as it indeed is immediat Revelation exparte objects Which thing these men utterly deny in this age For that secret operation influence or impression of Gods Spirit they will allow to be onely subjective and not objective Which therefore I may justly call as they understand it a blind impulse or impression From whence consequently they cannot infer the certainty of the Gospels belonging to them If they say the evidence is from the Scripture Then certainly it must be from the Scriptures holding forth the Gospell universally to all as glad tydings and so by consequence to them Because there is no Scripture that holds any such thing forth particularly as to them more then to others For as is already shewed that it is held forth as glad tydings to some gives no man firm ground to conclude it so to him as one of those some But waving now this principle of theirs that immediat revelation is ceased through most true it is that there is at this day immediat revelation and that no man can truly apply the Gospell to himself but by immediate revelation yet this Argument is of great weight and force As for example First it cannot be denyed that the truth of the universall being knowne and beleeved is a great and comfortable confirmation to the strengthening of mens faith in the particular application For if the Gospell hold forth good will unto all then certainly unto me So Secondly As I can savingly beleev the Gospell no other way but as held forth unto me by immediat revelation So by this immediat revelation it is not any singular or particular principle that is thus held forth unto me but that which is the universall the common salvation Viz the Light the word the seed which I sind revealed and made manifest in me reproving sin in heart word and deed and secretly drawing me from it unto righteousness which principle is revealed in me to be the grace of the Gospell not I say as any particular principle given unto me and not unto others but as that which is universally given and works so to speak universally answering every where to me in others and to others in me And so it is both outwardly preached and inwardly manifested to be that universall principle which is the grace of the Gospell Through closing with which peace with the Lord is obtained And because it is an universall principle and is so inwardly revealed therefore is my heart the more persuaded to close with it especially at first or in my first entrance For coming to hear that that which secretly reprovs for sin and appears against it in every conscience is the very grace of the Gospell and finding the same thing revealed in my particular this is an occasion or ground for me to beleev it Wheras if the principle were not universall and that there were two principles reproving and convincing of sin the one universal not saving the other particular and saving I might have much reason to question whether what I have be the saving and speciall principle or no. Thus I say The principle being in the first place declared so to speak as an universall thing it is a great help unto the poor soule at its entrance to facilitate its belief Of which thing I have had experience in my own particular who witnessed it revealed in me as universall and so closed with it not that I durst say that there was any speciall principle revealed or given to me For such was the darkness confusion and inclearness that was over my mind that I could not have distinguished it but yet I manifestly felt in my heart that which reproved all sin and weighted me for it working as fire against it But this I knew to be nothing but what was common to others For the same that made me know it in my self made me know and feel it in others And now this universall thing being by Gods faithfull messengers preached unto me as the very grace of the Gospell and the very saving Light of Iesus Christ. O! how glad tydings was it to my soule which closed with the truth thereof by the secret operation of Gods holy Spirit And truly in that day I must needs say that the greatest most manifest and clear prop or ground of my faith that was visible unto my mind that I had in my heart what was saving was even because I found in me that little universall common despised thing the least of all seeds which is at this day more precious unto my soule and more excellent then all the mountains of prey seing that was held forth to be the saving grace wich was universall which I found in mee answering to it in others yea when it was the least of all seeds in me it did wonderfully answer to its self in others in whom it was grown up to be the greatest of all herbs full of heavenly fruit and vertue and while it was yet burthened and oppressed and imprisoned in me it answered to the same the same I say for nature and kind in others where it was in Dominion and perfect liberty over all that oppressed it whereby I was exceedingly reached strengthened and confirmed to beleeve that it was of a saving nature conceiving a blessed hope that it would in due time be raised in me into the same Dominion victory and liberty that I felt it to be in in them which now in a measure I do witness all glory and praise be unto the Lord for ever So I say feeling that universal Principle in me and being perswaded of the Lord that it was universally saving I was thereby helped to beleeve that it was saving in me And indeed that immediate revelation by which faith at first is usually or commonly wrought in the heart is not so much given in a distinct form of words particularly saying this or that thing to the soule as in a manifestation of the divine power and vertu of Gods Spirit in that little seed which the heart is made to feel secretly working in it as sire soap and water as an hammer and two edged sword as a magnet or Load stone drawing the heart to it self And thus is faith at first wrought by the word of God speaking forth

reprovs the Devills for sin works not in them savingly therefore that which reprovs men for sin doth not work savingly in them which followeth not at all For Devills and men are of different kinds and the way of the Lord towards them differing in kind For though it be the same Spirit of God and Christ which reproveth Divels and men yet in the way or manner thereof is great difference For the Devills he reproveth onely in wrath without any mixture of love and mercy and therefore we never read that he calleth upon them to repent and turn as he doth upon men or mankind Nor do we affirm that which reproves men for sin to work for their salvation Viz. onely because it reprovs them but because it so reproves them i. e. in a way of gentleness tenderness mercy not onely reprovs but calls moves draws allures strives with o●… leads them to repentance as Peter saith waiting with long-sufferance as in the days of Noah as is already largely proved Object 23 But mans own nature as corrupt as it is teacheth him some things as the Apostle saith doth not even nature it self teach you Nature teaches a man not to defile himself with abeast or with mankind so that bestiality sodomy c. are sins against the very nature of man though corrupt Answ. True it is the nature of man though corrupt teacheth him some things yet so as but naturally and there are some things so bad that the very nature of man abhorreth them as bestiality sodomy c. being against nature But it is most certain both from Scripture and universall experience there is a more high and Noble principle in man then that of his own Nature even universally which reproveth men not onely for those grosse and abominable sins but for other things which mans corrupt nature not onely reprovs him not for but prompts and inclines him to And besides though man in his own thoughts and reasonings may prove himself guilty in divers things after a sort convince reprove himself therefore in and by his own thoughts and reasonings yet there is still a principle in man which over and beyond all his own thoughts and reasonings doth convince him of evil and reprove him for it and this most manifestly of all in the deepest silence of a mans own thoughts and reasonings neither is there any man living but may observ a manifest difference betwixt those convictions and reproofs which proceed from the Light and Spirit of God and Christ in his own seed and those that proceed onely from a mans owne naturall Spirit in his own thoughts and reasonings For when the Spirit of God and Christ reproveth and convinceth a man he doth it livingly and in such power that it pricketh the heart and worketh in it as a fire hammer or sword whereas the naturall Spirit of man doth it but in a dead and cold manner And though this be the way of many to work convictions upon themselvs meerly by and through their own naturall Spirit in their thoughts and reasonings and hammerings there with upon their hearts calling in the ayd and help of the Letter of the Scriptures for that effect yet they do not proffit themselvs in so doing but indeed do greatly hurt themselvs For this is all but the sparks of their own kindling and their own works which they should cease from which if they did they would in that cessation and stilness find the Light and Spirit of Christ as their minds are turned towards it to work mightily in them the tru and reall convictions for sin which tend to work tru contrition and tenderness of heart towards God and the tru and godly repentance never to be repented of And so if the Spirit of the Lord make use of the Scripture testimonies in bearing in convictions of guilt upon the soule they are very usefull which otherwise as used meerly by mans own naturall Spirit are but a killing letter Object 24. It s said the Lord gave his Laws unto Iacob and his statuts unto Israell but that he had not dealt so with every nation therefore every nation hath not that in them which would teach them his Laws and statuts It is also said in Iudah is God knowne therefore not in other places Answ. I deny these wild consequences For though the Lord dealt not so with other nations as with Jacob Israell and Judah as to the outward Laws statutes and outward occasions afforded them of knowledge c. Yet he left not the other nations destitute of the main and principall thing even the manifestation of the light and Spirit of his Son in their hearts and consciences which would have given them the knowledge of God and of all his Laws and statuts needfull to be known by them had they improved the same aright And those that did improve it did both know the Lord and his Laws and were justified through faith in him who outwardly were neither of Jacob Israell nor Judah but Gentiles in other Nations as hath been shewed and seing it hath been so in times past why may it not be so now Object 25. If the Light wherewith Christ hath inlightned every man be sufficient unto salvation then the coming of Christ in the outward with his obedience sufferings and death were in vaine Answ. This is also a false and senceless consequence grounded upon a meer mistake as if the sufficiency of the Light and Grace of Christ within did make void the use and benefit of his outward coming obedience death and sufferings or were to be set in opposition thereunto which is utterly false for they are not to be set in opposition to each other as if the one did hinder the sufficiency or usefullness of the other both being sufficient and usefull and necessary each in their own kind and way consummating and being consummated in one another Besides this Objection lyes as much against the Scriptures For either the manifestation of God to the children of men before the Scriptures or any part of them were written was sufficient unto salvation or it was not If it were not no man before the Scriptures living could be saved If it were then was the giving of the Scriptures by this Argument in vain a superfluous and useless thing Object 26. But if the Light within be sufficient to teach and give the knowledge of God unto salvation then the Scriptures are in vain and it is in vaine to make use of outward teachings by men or books or any outward means what soever Answ. The vanity and unreasonableness of this consequence I have already shewn above and so need say the less to it here Indeed the plain contrary is the truest and most ingenuous consequence Viz that because the Light within is sufficient therefore the teachings of men and books are proffitable which can only proffit as in the Light they are received and made use of and from the Light do proceed And therefore all men who

in which thou art happy and rich wanting nothing all thy life long quiet injoying much rest But what shall I do who cohabit with continuall slaughters c. who if I would live in the desert my Lievtenants would not suffer me and though they would being in this state it is not lawfull for me to quit them for how shall I defend my selfe before God who hath assigned me this Lott But thou reverend old man and servant of God for these words of wisedom where with thou hast helped and rejoyced me dehorting me from war receiv thou my presents and despise me not I am affected with kindness honouring wisedom so commanded his servants to bring forth gold severall sorts of array bread and oyle Which Dandamis beholding laughed saying to Alexander Perswade if thou canst the birds about the woods to receive thy gold and sing the better for it but if thou canst not perswade them nor shalt thou ever perswade me to be worse then they I therefore receive no unprofitable present which I can neither eat nor drink nor do I serve soule-hurtfull riches c. Here 's nothing in this desert to be bought with gold For God gives me all things freely c. selling nothing for gold but freely bestowing all good things and even the mind on those that freely accept it c. But the oyle he took and walking about the wood gathered some sticks and kindling a fire he said The Brachmanns have all things being fed by providence into the fire he powred the oyle till it was all consumed sang a hymne unto God Oh God immortall I givethee in all things thanks For thou rulest in all things giving all things abundantly unto thy creatures for their food Thou creating this world dost preserve it expecting the soules which thou hast sent into it that thou mayst as God justify those that have lead a pious life and condemn those that have not obeyed thy laws For all righteous judgment is with thee life eternall prepared by thee Who with eternall goodness shewest mercy unto all He that can doubt from whence these streames and from what Spirit these Doctrines and exhortations slow Whether from Nature or grace and that Evangelicall seems to me to have little skill in things that differ he that can ascribe it to Nature can surely not beleeve nature to be so vitiated and degenerate as it is in mankind he that shall say it proceeds from the devill or enemy of mankind is certainly worse then blind It were worth the while then to know where the Calvinists that acknowledge the cortuption of nature and deny the universality of grace will place it He that shall read Hermes Trismegistus his Divine Pimander translated out of Arabick by the famous Dr. Everard printed in english 1657. and especially his booke or secret sermon in the mount of Regeneration and the profession of silence if he understand what he reads shall without all hesitation say the things there uttered transcend the reach of naturall wisedome and proceed from a more profound source As also his Doctrine in his 12. Booke called Crater or Monas where he doth not darkly preach the Baptism of Christ i. e. of the Spirit which he in his dialect calls the mind Lieupang Emperor of China taught that 't was the part of a great mind to forgive injuries and that the greatnesse of the mind n●…ver shines cleare●… then where opportunityes of revenge are neglected Demonax taught that we ought not to be wroth with offenders but endeavour to become their amenders to sin saith he is humane but to amend the faults of others is the part of God or of men most near unto him Claudianus taught that we ought to be ready to forgive offenders of our own accord and more ready to lay aside anger then to stirr it up and not refuse reconciliation with any that seek it King the Emperor of China said there is nothing that encreaseth vertue more then the slighting of all sustained injuries Now that these things they taught not out of vain-glorious ostentation nor to be seen and admired of men or for any self-end but purely out of conscience sincere love to God and faith unfeigned may further appear by what follows A certain Indian monk or secluse an ancient man living in a chappell in the Island Calempluy which certain Portugals having robbed of no small treasure they were by this old man sharply reproved and advised if they would escape the just iudgment of God and find mercy and pardon of their sins that their souls might not perish eternally to restore the spoyl they had taken away to pray with tears for forgiveness and as freely to give almes as they would bestow any thing upon themselves Which they promised to do but fearing least their prey might be taken from them they asked him whether there were no arms upon the Island the old man replyed no adding that all that would go to heaven stood more in need of patience to bear injuries then arms to revenge themselves See Ridderus his shamed Christian. The same author gives further an account of the doctrine of one Bertri Herrou an Indian Bramine whom he thus quotes saying when the wicked see a man live well they say he doth it to be honoured of men when they see one that is pure of heart they say it is nothing but deceit and hypocrisy if a man be still and silent these blasphemers say he is mute and dumb if he be but a litle retired from the multitude they say he is a varlet or villain if he sustain injuries they call him coward if he bear ill language they say he is of a base offspring thus turning all good into evil Thus far concerning bearing injuries Now concerning riches hear what he saith if thou pursue not worldly things thou shalt have much satisfaction but if thou do hunt after them thou shalt have much trouble why art thou to no purpose buried in the world Forsake thy love unto the things of this world and place thy love on God if thou could get all that thou canst desire what is it it shall verily have an end And in his soliloquy to his own heart he saith o my heart thou sometimes wanderest through the whole universe becaus thy will is not fixed seeking every where and what 's the reason thou findest not that God that is in thy own heart by which thou mayst attain to salvation the world must have an end what will then be mans life the rich are never satisfied but alwayes covet more and in time they wax old ther 's nothing therfore better then to mind God Though I should loose my honour my money my friends my servants my youth and should have nothing to give any man 't is no matter best then it is for me to have my thoughts upon God alone Thus also taught Seneca saying a great mind never revengeth an injury becaus it is no