being that spiritual Light which shineth in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of men He was full of Grace and Truth yet of his Grace hath Mankind received Grace for Grace which is that Grace of God that in all Ages hath appeared for Salvation whose Nature and Property is so plainly described and the Salvation it brings unfolded by the Apostle 2 Tit. 11 12. viz. Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Godly Righteously and Soberly in this present World And so far is that Universal Light and Grace we testifie of from leading us to undervalue Christ and the Scriptures that we cannot but declare to all the World in pure Conscience towards God and every moderate Enquirer that we never had any true Knowledge of God or Christ any right Sence of the Work of Conversion upon our Souls nor any right Sight or Relish of those Heavenly Truths declared in the Scriptures till we came to know and be obedient to the Manifestation of that true Light which enlighteneth every man and the Appearance of that Grace which brings Salvation in our own Souls They are standing Truths That whatsoever may be known of God is manifested in man for God hath shewâ—d it unto him That whatsoever is reproved is made manifest by the Light and that whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Rom. 1. 19. Ephes 5. 13. This cannot be Natural unless of the Divine Nature which reveals to men Divine Things 'T is rare that we meet with any Adversary who denieth it to reprove Evil and to cherish that which is Good And the Wise Man tells us That the Reproof of Instruction is the Way of Life Prov. 6. 23. If the Light reproves for that which is Evil and that Reproof seals up Instruction to Life Everlasting how dare any call it a Natural Light common to yea a part of all men in their Natural Estate especially when the Apostle Paul hath so long since declared That the Natural Man receiveth 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 Our very Case in Defence of the Light Within against the wise Master Builders of this Age. Nay so far is Man in his natural Estate from being acted and guided by this very Light which our Enemies call Natural that Christ himself saith He hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved But on the other Hand He that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Dâ—eds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God where it is evident that the very Manifestation given is Divine much more the Nature of that Light that gives it Indeed how is it possible for Man to know Christ who is Light without Light It was John's Message to preach That God is Light The same Apostle testifies That the Blood of Cleansing is to be found of them that walk in the Light ver 7. If it be objected That this is not that Light wherewith every Man is enlightned The same Apostle in his History saith That in the Word was Life and the Life was the Light of Men and that very Light was the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World 1 Joh. 4. 9. Let such give me as plain a Text against either the Sufficiency or Universality of the Light if they can Its Properties and Effects prove it Divine in that 1st If manifests God Rom. 1. 19. 2dly It manifests Evil Ephes 5. 13. 3dly It is made the Rule of walking by the Apostle See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise ver 15. 4thly It is made the Path to walk in Joh. 8. 12. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Isa 2. 5. Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of the Lord Rev. 21. 23. And so saith the Scripture of the Spirit of God 1st In that it reproveth for Sin Joh. 16. 8. 2dly In that it giveth Vnderstanding of the Things of God Job 32. 8. 1 Cor 2. 10. 3dly That it is a Rule for the Chiâ—dren of God to walk by Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 4thly We are also to walk in the Spirit Gal. 5 16. This I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh I hope none will deny that this Light and this Spirit must be of one and the same Nature But if any shall yet object That this is to be understood of a spiritual Light that ours is but a natural one I shall desire them to do two Things 1st To prove that a Natural Light doth manifest God reprove for Evil and cherish that which is Good since whatever is Part of Man in his Degeneration from God is so far form giving one good Thought that it cannot rightly reprove an evil one and it is granted by our Adverâ—aries that what we call Divine and they call Natural Light can do both 2dly That in Case this Light be Natural and can so manifest and reprove that they would assign us some certain Medium or Way whereby we may truly discern and distinguish between the Manifestations and Reproofs of the Natural Light from those of the Divine Light since they allow the Manifestation of God Reproof of Evil as well to the one as to the other And I challenge them all to give us one Scripture that distinguishes between a Natural and Spiritual Light within reproving Evil c. They may with as much Reason talk of a Narural and Spiritual Darkness within 'T is true there is a Natural Darkness to wit the Night of the outward World and there is a Spiritual Darkness viz. the misty and clouded Understandings of Men through Disobedience to the Light and Spirit of God Let them assign us a third or rather a second Darkness of the Understanding in the things of God if they can Christ never distinguished between Darkness Darkness or Light and Light in any such Sense nor did any of his Disciples I ever read of yet both have frequently spoken of Darkness and Light what Difference doth the Scripture put between spiritual Darkness and Darkness mentioned in these Places Luk. 1. 79. Math. 4. 16. Joh. 1. 5. Joh. 3. 19. Joh. 8. 12 35 46. 1 Thes 5. 4. 1 Joh. 1 6. Act. 26. 18. Rom. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Ephes 5. 8. Col. 1. 13. I find none It is all one spiritual Darkness neither is there so much as one Scripture that affords us a Distinction between Light within and Light within that really are Light peruse Math. 4. 16. Luk. 2. 32. Chap. 16. 8. Joh. 1. 4 5 7 8 9. Chap. 3. 19 20 21. Chap. 8. 12. Act. 26. 18. Rom. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Chap. 6. 14. Ephâ—s 5. 8
Again S. G. to prove that Death destroyes Sin brings Rom. 7. 24 as in the common Translation This Body of Death whereas the Greek has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death which considered with the Context shews it to be metaphorically and spiritually intended which agrees with Ambrose's Interpretation produced by Zegerus on that place and which he approves viz. all Sins J. Capellus sayes It is the Mass of Sin not the Mass of the visible Body And Drusius sayes some do understand it turbam malorum a Multitude of Evils And as for Chrysâ—stom Theâ—doret and all those Protestant Writers he has read who knows who or where you may either believe him upon trust or read all their Books till you find his Interpretation for particular Citation he affordeth us not But he asks how A. P. will prove that the Body of Sin is the same with the Law of Sin a thing easily done after his way of proving things for Grotius saith That the Law of the Members is the strong Affections of the Flesh and the Law of Sin the Veheâ—nency of Affections arising from the Flesh and the Body of Sin ch 6. 6. A Conjunction of many Members that is Vices Col. 3. 5. And indeed the Scripture mentioned shews that one and the same thing is intended And it is but reasonable for any to believe that the Body of Sin gives Law to them that are under the Power of it But S. G. from Gal. 5. 17. where 't is translated The Spirit lusteth against the Flesh so that ye cannot do the thing ye woâ—ld seems thus to infer that therefore men must of Necessity fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh and cannot do otherwise Whereas it should be translated so that ye may not do the things that ye would which is thus interpreted by D. Gâ—ll That the Spirit hinders them that they may not do the Wâ—ll of the Flesh But sayes S. G. Paul saith not Rom. 6. 14. No Sin shall be in you but Sin shall not have Dominion over you I answer Nor doth he say that Sin should be in them and serve them Where men sin Sin hath Dominion But tell me S. G. Is not the strong Man to be cast forth Sin taken away and the Devil's Works destroyed Again saith S. G. Flesh is the Root of Evil Affections and Lusts But if that Doctrine be true say I then God in giving men Bodies of Flesh is the Author of the Root of evil Affections and Lusts consequently the Life of them is not a Blessing but a Curse Further S. G. tells us That the legal keeping of God's Commandments is an universal and perpetual keeping of them but the Evangelical is not so but an Aim and Endeavour Which if I understand any thing is to make God in these New Covenant Times to indulge in man a slacking of Obedience to his Righteous Law At this rate Christ came not that we should fulfil the Law but only that we should endeavour it Strange Gospel Are men under a less Obligation to Holiness now they have more plentiful Assistences to compass it Is this the Way to finish Sin restore Man's Nature and cloath it with Everlasting Righteousness which is so far from deterring man from not observing God's Law inviolably that the teaches that an Endeavour to keep it without exactly keeping â—t is the Priviledge and Obedience of the Gospel Whether this man writes like a Gospel-Minister or Servant of the God of this World let the Conscientious Reader judge But he was not alwayes of this Mind for in pag. 10. he seems to plead for the highest and most exact Obedience not only to the Law as understood by the Jews in point of moral Righteousness but as Christ wound it up to a higher Degree of Righteousness But let us hear what Bp. Sanderson saith in this Matter a Man venerable I suppose in S. G.'s Account The Precepts of Christ in the new Law as the holy Fathers of the Church every where witness are much more excellent as to some Things then the Precepts of Moses in the old Law not only in respect that they are propounded more fully clearly and plainly but also inasmuch as they rise higher and call up Christians to a more eminent Degree of Perfection and that with more efficatious Allurements namely on the one Hand propounding the Example of Christ past and on the other the most ample Reward of the Kingdom of Heaven for the future As in those two great Duties of Christian Life mostly appears of loving Enemies and taking up the Cross commanded in the new Law And they are Commands univerâ—ally obligatory to the Obâ—ervation whereof all that profess the Faith and Name of Christ are bound under Crime of most grievous Sin namely of denying Christ Penalty of Eternal Damnation unless they repent And he himself brings in P. Andrews thus That a Man moved by God's Spirit out of Love to God may be said to fulfil the Law So that here are two Bishops advancing Evangelica Obedience above that of the Law in point of Strictness and Purity against tâ— is Man's libertine Undervaluue and dangerous Diminâ—â—â—n of it But this Adversary thinks he sayes a great deal against us in telling People That it is an Error to think that any can be sâ—ved partly by their own Righteousness And alas whoever said it was not that is rightly called a Quaker We know better and that it is by Grace we are saved yet so as that we must be thereby taught to deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lasts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World which is not our own Righteousness but the Righteousness of God's Grace that is all sufficient for so great Salvation And another Sort of Salvation then that which comes by and in the Way of this Grace is a Satanical Deluusion suited to the corrupt Minds of Men that would be saved from Wrath the Wages but be indulged in Sin the Work However 't is plain by the Verses foregoing That the Law there spoken of is the ceremonial Law which not only they but other Churches in those times had and made some Scruple of relinquishing as may appear in his Epistles all along wherein he dehorts them from any such Observation which they enclined to even upon an Opinion of Necessity And which the said Bp. S. from Gal. 5. 2. observes not only to be dâ—ad but dâ—adly after Augustin's Distinction But that Christians are held to the Law moral not as given by Moses but as declarative of the Law Natural which before he had called Divine He the said Bp. Sand. doth with others agree which as Bp. Andrews well sayes must be fulfilled with the Motion and Power of the Spirit of Christ who was sent that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us by walking after the Spirit whereas the Flesh is weak or a Man in
G. is one of those who rests satisfied with a partial and outward Observation of things making void or at least deâ—lining the weightier Matters of the Law since he suggests that an Endeavour is enough without keeping them But of the Difference of the Times and States under the Law and Gospel in Manifestation and Power he sayes nothing whatever he knows for that would cross his Interest groâ—nded on this Kingdom of Sin in putting an entire â—nd to it But how can he without Hypocrisie say in the Lord's Prayer Thy Kingdom come Thy Wâ—ll be done in Earth as it is in Heaven whilst he is so far from believing it and promoting it that he sets himself to oppose it and dispute against it And how can the doing of God's Will in Earth as it 〈◊〉 Heaven stand with Praying for Forgiveness of Sins all their Life long What doth this but over-turn the whole Condition of the Gospel Unless thou takest up my Cross and follow me thou canst not be my Diâ—iple He is not I perceive for being Baptized with the Baptisâ— Christ was baptized with nor for 〈◊〉 of that bitter Cup he drank of He is rather for 〈◊〉 himself and others asleep in this pernicious Hope That Christ 〈◊〉 taken up the Câ—â—ss been baptized and drank that bitter Cup for them and so they need not do it over again otherwise he would not dare hold and maintain such a Continuance of Imperfection as he doth He is not of the Apostle's Mind that prayed for a Sanctification of the then Believers not in part but throughout in Body Soul and Spirit God will bring down this Kingdom and it shakes already Pag. 11. As to his Reconciliation with God in his Continuation in Sin they are inconsistent considered in the same Degree So that we may truly say Whilst there is no Separation from Sin there is no Reconciliation with God but if there be separation from Sin in some measure there is Reconciliation with God in some measure As separated so reconciled perfectly separated perfectly reconciled As we â—ee in natural things so full of Air so empty of all else But he makes A. P. to say till a Man be perfectly separate from Sin he is altogether out of Reconciliation with God but proves it not nor indeed is such Doctrine provable out of his Book Whereas he sayes God's Commandments do not show Man's Power If he mean the Power that is given of God to Man it is false for that were to make God unjust and an Hard Master for where ever God commands it follows that he hath given Power to do And where he is not obeyed it is a Sign that that Power is withstood lost or taken away and man hardeâ—ed through Disobedience And without that Principle of Faith and Love which only fulfills the Law to think that a Man may be justified by a meer Performance of outward Observations is as impossible and absurd as if a man should think one should rather live by Virtue of outward Rayment or Apparel then by Breath and substantial Nourishment God gave such a Measure of his Spirit to the 〈◊〉 thaâ— if they had loved and followed it and not been stiff necked they might have continued in the Obedience to all things that were written in the Book of the Law to do them unless God commanded Impossibiâ—ties and in that Way that they were commanded them to 〈◊〉 to separate them from the 〈◊〉 And they if they had been thankful and glorified God by their Obedience to what they kneâ— of him had not been given up to a Reprobate Senâ—e and if they had followed the Goodneâ—s of God leading to â—epentance from time to time and had not had an impenitent Heart they had received according to their Deeds Glory Honour and Peace for if it be given to the good Gentile then surely to the good Jew And if the Jews in Christ's Day had not brought forth Wild Grapes and been like their Fore-Fathers that rebell'd against God's good Spirit under Pretence of magnifying the Scriptures and contending for the Faith of their Fathers they had not been blinded like them nor the Vineyard taken from them nor theirs laid waste As for Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained or were already Perfect It proves not that Paul was not clear from Sinning but that he had not yet perfected or finished his Course so as to have kept the Faith to the End to be out of Danger to miss of the Reward as he was afterwards as appears plainly by the Comparison he useth of a Course He doth not say as this man would have him That some that were Perfect were otherwise minded But these that were Perfect had a perfect Understanding of those things that were in Difference among them of which he speaks in that Chapter about the Concifion as he terms it diminutively and Righteousness of the Law and Preheminence sought by it without the Righteousness of Christ which they had perverted and sleighted being Dogs making their Bâ—lly their God and minding Earthly Things and glorying in their Shame being Evil Workers of whom he bid them beware To his Sinning through alwayes needing more Grace He that is capable of receiving more and refuseth resisteth it sinneth but to use his own Similitude A Little One as Christ calls some of his that hath but a little Heart yet if he give it all to God he can do no more he sinneth not but fulfills the Law The Hebrews were chid because they had not improved their time which if they had done they had not sinned Peter and the Rest of the Apostles were in that manner of Speech taught and instructed of the Power and Efficaâ—y of Faith in its extent which they should receive after they were indued with Power from on high which they were commanded to wait for that had they neglected they had sinned and to expect it before the time as for a Child to aspire to the things of a man is the part of much Heat and Confidence and is good to be discountenanced sometimes though not alwayes to be disliked Not to be at present what they are exhorted to be for the future to make that Transgression is to set Transgression in order of time before the Law whereas where there is no Law there is no Transgression for Sin is the Transgression of the Law that is known To him that knoweth to do Good and doth it not to him it is Sin but in the time of Ignorance God winkes The Corinthians were exhorted to be in understanding perfect as the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies To accuse them of Imperfection and so of Sin because then Children and in their Minority though born of God in John's sense were to accuse not only the Saints departed but all the Angels of Sin because they have not attained to that Measure of Wisdom that God is upon