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 oâ—… 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
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
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
teach not from the Light of God in them all books writ not from the light are unprofitable vaine But though the outward teachings which proceed from the light are truly profitable yet are they not of such absolute necessity as if God Christ could not be knowne where the outward occasions of hearing are wanting Besides either this consequence is grossly false and impertinent or John was under a grosse mistake when he wrot to the Christians even to the little children in Christ that they had received from the holy one an unction which was so sufficient that it so taught them of all things that they needed not as an absolute necessary thing that any man should teach them 1 Jo. 2. 27. And yet himself did frequently teach them by word and writing as particularly in that Epistle not onely in generall to abide in that unction and learn of it in all things but many other particular things he exhorts them to and plainly tells them these things he writes not because they had not light sufficient or were in the dark as to them but v. 8. because the true light now shineth in them and because they know the truth v. 21. So far is he from imagining that this would render his writing or preaching vain that he makes use of the consideration thereof as an incouragement why he should and why he did write unto them Object 27. Men receive this Light but as a gift of nature by their naturall birth-right or descent from Adam and our naturall parents Therefore c. Answ. That is false For it is not any gift of nature but of the free grace love and mercy of God neither doth it come unto us by naturall birth right from Adam or our naturall parents but from Jesus Christ the second Adam by whose obedience and righteousness it is come upon all Rom. 5. Object 28. But if that which is sufficient be communicated then it is needless or in vain to depend upon God for the dayly and hourely in comes communications and influences of his Spirit Light and life Answ. What crooked consequence is this who ever said that every measure of life or light communicated is so sufficient for all times states and conditions that there needs no ampliation for times to come we onely say and that truly that there is a measure sufficient given to every man to begin with which doth suffice for the present occasion and the soule that improveth the same well may warrantably expect more and more new and renewed communications and influences of Light and life from the fountain dayly and hourely who is always to be depended upon for them and will give them sufficiently in their season Object 29. This Doctrine that all men may be saved say they hinders Prayer Which they indeavour to evince thus Because David and divers others prayed that God would incline his heart to his Testimonies and unite his heart unto him which signifies that they prayed for such motions of the grace and Spirit of God as should irresistibly produce the very effect and not for such as it might be in their power to resist and render ineffectuall Which is just as if they should pray on this wise Lord so move my heart as that I may be left to my own liberty to chuse whether I will follow thy motion or not Yea according to this Doctrine say some it is in vain to pray at all For what should a man pray for for Grace that 's given him already that sufficient For what then for irresistible motions of the Grace of God Such are utterly inconsistent with this Doctrine Answ. Many words as inconsequentiall and to as little purpose as all the rest The Doctrine of truth is so far from being a hinderance to prayer that 't is a great incouragement to it and the contrary Doctrine no small impediment For if God hath passed by the far greater part of mankind and absolutely decreed to deny them the least measure of his Grace doth not this discourage people in seeking his Grace Seeing if they be of those that he hath so passed by decreed to deny his grace unto prayers wil be to no purpose the decree of God being unchangeable And seeing they do not know but that they be of that great number it is sufficient to make them doubt yea a man cannot but doubt of that which he doth not certainly know and doubting hindereth prayer But secondly if all motions of the Spirit of God be irresistible come by an absolute decree of God why should a man pray for them seing they must and will come whether he pray yea whether he will or not Again though we say grace and that sufficient is given unto all and the Spirit of God moves upon the hearts of all men in a day of visitation yet there is still roome left for prayer that more grace may be given and the motions thereof dayly more and more increased But as concerning praying for motions and drawings of the Spirit to incline and unite the heart to God we are to pray for them as his own Spirit teacheth and moveth us and in submission to his will whether the motions and drawings he is pleased to put forth in us be more or less strong according to his good pleasure Nor do I deny but the Lord can so move the hearts of men as to leave no place for resistance but all his motions are not after that manner As for example a man is assaulted with a temptation he prays to the Lord either to remove it or preserve him from yielding to it And the Lord answereth him as he did Paul my grace is sufficient for thee ought not this man to acquiesce in this answer And if he find grace sufficient given to withstand the temptation so that if he be on his part diligent to use it he shall certainly be preserved it is a good return of his prayer But again we are to consider that 't is one thing to pray that the Lord would give us such motions of his Spirit Grace as we cannot resist and would so preserve us from the temptations that we cannot yield unto them And quite another thing to pray for the motions of the grace Spirit of God that I doe not resist them nor yield to the temptations For actually not to resist and not to be able to resist are things very different from each other And this we may very warrantably pray that the Lord would so assist us by his grace and good Spirit that we resist not the good nor yield to the bad and so do not sin against the Lord in which prayer thâ—…re is an act of resignation in the soule freely resigning up that propriety of its will by which it might will any thing contrary to the will of God And for as much as an unpeccable state is attainable we may pray for it as we do for other good things
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
forth some remote Glimpses and flashes as it were but giveth not it selfe to be enjoyed by the soule that is not turned from iniquity and the love thereof unto Righteousnes purity and holines for without these No man can see the Lord in the sweet and comfortable manifestations of himselfe And Lastly these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be understood of men themselvs which very word the Apostle useth to signifie men Eph. 2. 10. And may be applied both to the Saints and to others who are but under convincement and judgement and those preparatory works which goe before a through-conversion who are the workmanship of God in whom or by whom or to whom the Invisible things of God are clearly seene and understood And thus however these words be translated I have shewne that no proof can be gathered from them that the manifestation here mentioned is only that of naturall Illumination I have found my heart drawn forth the more largely upon this place for that it is much misunderstood and wrested by the corrupt glosses of men Argument 4. From Romans 2. Chapter THe same Apostle in this 2. Chapter proceeds yet more fully to hold forth the Priviledges of the Gentiles which they had of God and that they were not so left of him but whoever among them did that which was good a Reward of glory honour and peace was provided for them of the Lord no lesse then for the Iewes and who ever did that which was evill a punishment also was ordained unto the one no lesse then unto the other Tribulation and anguish upon every soule that doeth evill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile but Glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with God vers 9. 10. 11. Then hee comes to answer a weighty objection which might be propounded against what hee said as thus How can the Gentiles be either rewarded or punished seing they have had no Law given them for all reward is in relation unto obedience of the Law of God and all punishment is in relation unto the disobedience thereof To this the Apostle answers that they had the Law inwardly though not as the Iewes had it in an outward administration and according to this Law they should be judged and accused or excused according to their evill or well doing vers 12. 13. 14. 15. Now let it be considered that the Apostle in both these Chapters is speaking of the Gentiles who were under no outward administration either of Law or Gospell as appears by his answers that hee givs unto the Objections aforsaid wherin hee grants that they had not the outward administration of the Lawes and oracles of God but affirms they had that inwardly made manifest in them which God had shewed unto them wherby they were condemned who did evill and justified who did well Now say our Adversaries the Law here mentioned which the Apostle grants that the Gentiles had was but only the Law and light of a mans owne nature and not any principle of light or life that was of a spirituall and saving nature To which I answer The contrary is very demonstrable from the Apostles words as may appear from these following Reasons 1. There was such a Principle in them whereby they did the things contained in the Law Therefore it was a principle of the very saving light and life of Iesus Christ which is that Divine nature mentioned 2. Pet. 1. 4. for by a mans owne nature hee cannot doe the things contained in the Law becaus it is corrupted in the fall and is that evill tree which cannot bring forth good fruit till it be renewed and healed by the vertue of this Divine nature and principle 2. It is evident that this inward principle was the very principle of the Gospell in them in that Paul sayth that God will render to every man according to his deeds in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell i. e. the gospell which hee preached Now if the Gentiles shall be judged according to the Gospell then the gospell behoved in some measure to be manifest unto them for no man shall be judged according to that which is not made manifest it being a most certaine Maxime a law not promulgate doth not oblige and the Law which doth not oblige doth not condemne the transgressors therof and the law that doth not condemn the transgressors thereof can not be a Law according to which they shall be judged But say they By a mans owne nature and the light and power therof though corrupt and degenerat hee may doe somthings required in the Law which are good materially though hee cannot doe them well nor so as to be justified in the doing of them or to receive the reward of eternall life To which I answer But these Gentiles did the things containâ—…d in the Law so that they were excused yea and justified and did receive the reward of Glory Honour and Peace in so doing for said the Apostle even concerning these same Gentiles Glory Honour and Peace to every man that worketh good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile which importeth that some of these Gentiles did work good and also received Glory c. as the Reward therof Now see how abundantly the Apostle clears this matter not the hearers of the Law said he but the doers of the Law are justified vers 13. and vers 14. The Gentiles were doers of the Law forasmuch as they did the things contained in the Law and therefor it followes that they are justified And againe vers 15. hee sayeth they were excused in their minds who did that which was good as they were accused who did evill yea hee proceeds so farre to hoâ—…d forth the Iustification of some of these Gentiles that hee plainly affirmes though they were not Iewes outwardly and outwardly circumcised yet they keeping or as it is in the greek fulfilling the Law their uncircumcision is counted for circumcision and they were Iewes inwardly having the circumcision in the heart and spirit though not in the letter and so had praise of God though not of men By all which it is plaine that the nature here spoken of cannot be mans owne nature which is corrupt but that Divine nature aforsaid wherof such of the Gentiles who were obedient to the Truth inwardly made manifest were partakers and so were justified through faith though they were the uncircumcision as the circumcision was justified by faith also And herein was that great errour of Pelagius that hee affirmed the Gentiles were justified by their owne Nature without the Grace of Christ judging the Nature here mentioned to be mans owne Nature wheras it was that Divine Nature aforsaid that is the very Grace or Gift of Christ. But that the Gentiles could not be justified by their doing the things contained in the
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
it selfe is not so improved as it should be yet there is no man but it teacheth them somewhat of God and Godlines and revealeth in them from heaven the wrath of God in some measure not only against all unrighteousnes but all ungodlines also as it is Rom. 1. 18. So that they are without excuse who have not the knowledge of God and Godlines for what might be knowne of God was manifest in them And that most men are so ignorant of the knowledge of God and Godlines doth not inferre that there is no Principle in them which can or would give it wer it improved but this is the matter they hide their Talent in the earth and doe not improve it and put their Candle under a bushell and so it s no wonder that they doe not see or know what otherwise they might if they did not imprison this light of truth in themselvs and yet they cannot so imprison it but it shines forth to give them some discoveries of things to render them inexcusable Now some things lye more near and obvious and are discerned with a lesse degree of light others are more remote and lye deeper and so require a further degree of light to reach unto them and yet the light in the nature of it is one and the same and thus the things pertaining immediatly to the worship of God as to the true way and manner of it are more remote and profound then those which pertaine unto common equity and moderation among men Agreeable here unto is that Scripture 1. Cor. 12. 7. The manifestation of the spirit is given unto every man to profit with all which profit is to be understood in an inward and spirituall sence Viz. unto the salvation of his soule otherwise what can it profit him to gaine the whole world and loose his soule And if it be said that by every man here is to be understood every man within the Church but not every one both within and without also I answer the Apostle doth not so Limit it and wher hee doth not limit wee are not to limit neither And besides it is evident that it is to be understood not onely of every one within the Church for that the manifestation of the Spirit must be given them to lead into the Church who were once out of it and are now brought into it for who are now in the Church were once out of it in the world Now they needed a Light or manifestation of the Spirit when they were in the world to let them see the misery they were in and to light and direct them unto the true Church to be as it were a light unto their feet and a lanterne unto their path in their travell betwixt the world and the Church the Kingdome of darknes in which all men are by Nature and the Kingdome of Gods dear Son and to this the Light which appeared unto the Israelits in Egypt was a Type before they came into the promised land the light was given them of God which directed them the way from Egypt to Canaan through the wildernes and so the Lord has given a light to the people who sat in darknes and are in spirituall Egypt to direct and lead them unto the spirituall Canaan and that not to Iewes only but to Gentiles also a light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of his people Israell Therfore the Lord is said to give light unto them that sit in darknes and in the shadow of death Luk. 1. 79. Now who are these who sit in darknes and in the shadow of death Even they who are out of the Church for they of the true Church are not in darknes as it is said 1. Thess. 5. 4. but are delivered from the power of it as Col. 1. 13. Argument 8. From a Collation of divers Scriptures which hold forth the In-being of the Heavenly Gift in Men before they beleeved as Eph. 3. 8. Col. 1. 27. and 23. and 28. 1. Tim. 3. 16. Gal. 3. 1. 1. Cor. 2. 1. 2. 2. Cor. 5. 19. Acts. 17. 27. 28. Luc. 17. 21. 1. Ioh. 5. 10. 11. Acts. 26. 18. 23. Ioh. 16. 7. 2. Cor. 13. 5. THE great obstruction that is in the way unto many that they doe not acknowledge this Heavenly Gift to be universall is becaus they doe not conceive How it can be in Unbeleevers and in them who are not converted Now here are divers Scriptures which in a most excellent harmony bear a testimony hereunto most of them also holding forth the thing universally As Eph. 3. 8. Unto me said Paul who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ but according to the Greek it is thus That I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ in the Gentiles Now when Paul first preached unto the Gentiles they were not Beleevers and yet hee preached the unsearchable riches of Christ in them hee told of the mony that would make them rich forever that it was in themselvs to be found in their owne house as the parable declares of the lost peece of mony Coloss. 1. 27. To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory whom wee preach warning every man and teaching every man c. But according to the Greek it is thus Which is the riches of the glory of this mystery in the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory so that Christ was in the Gentiles both Beleevers and Unbeleevers but in Beleevers hee was the hope of glory i. e. gave them hope but in the Unbeleevers he was the mystery hid as the piece of mony or treasure that is hid in the house or field according to which Paul saith vers 23. That the Gospell was preached in every creature for so it is in the Greek i. e. in every man Now this was it that the Apostle preached Viz. Christ warning every man and teaching every man and he preached him not afarre off but near even so near as in them the riches of the Glory of the mystery in them which is Christ. 1. Tim. 3. 16. And without controversie great is the mystery of Godlines God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seene of Angels preached in the Gentiles for so it is in the Greeke so when the Apostles preached Christ first unto the Gentiles they preached him in them yea and hee preached himselfe in them so that al had heard but all had not obeyed the Gospell as is above shewed on Rom. 10. Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ bath beene evidently set forth crucified among you But according to the Greek it is crucified in you this was in the time of their unbelief 1. Cor. 2. 1. 2. And I
creatures it cannot be said they are the offspring of God but of men it is said they are his offspring Now God is more to be knowne in his offspring that in these creatures which are not his offspring in so much that men may feel after God whose offspring they are But say they God is a spirit and cannot properly be felt To which I say as bee is in himselfe simply hee cannot be felt but as hee is in his expressed image or word hee may to wit in his owne seed wherby the Saints have a most precious feeling and tasting of his love goodnes and mercy and the Wicked when hee pleaseth to touch them have a most sharp peircing feeling of his wrath and indignation against them yet qualified with the mercy of God so long as the day of their visitation remains through which they may seek him and find him unto the salvation of their soules Luke 17. 21. Neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdome of God is within you This Christ spoke to the very Pharisees who were unbeleevers and so is such a plaine proof as a plainer could not be desired yet our adversaries goe about to darken it with their corrupt glosse saying By the Kingdome of God is means the reaching or declaration of the Kingdome and the words within you may be translated among you Answer This glosse cannot hold 1. Becaus no where in all the Scripture can it be demonstrated that by the Kingdome of God is to be understood the externall declaration or preaching of the Kingdome They may alledge some places but to the spirituall mind it will appear that they are not so to be understood 2 Becaus the Pharisees did not question him of the Kingdome of God in relation to this understanding of it as if they had said to him when shall the preaching of the Kingdome of God come for they knew that was come already forasmuch as they did daily hear Christ and the Disciples preach of the Kingdome of God for this was it that they preached as the maine thing and hee gave his Disciples charge mostly concerning this that they should preach the Kingdome of God as near at hand and come and yet more abundantly coming and this Kingdome was also mostly the subject or theame of Christs owne preaching which for most part hee held forth under Parables and figures in great plenty which gave occasion to the Pharisees to have many thoughts of the Kingdome of God as also becaus the Prophets had spoke great things of this Kingdome of God the Iewes and Pharisees were in great expectation of it and conceived it to be some very great and glorious earthly and outward Kingdome that they should enjoy under the Messiah which should come with great observation and outward shew and even the Disciples themselvs had some such apprehensions of this Nature till their understandings were further opened Now Christ here doth plainly declare that the Kingdome of God was not such a thing as they understood nor to come in such away as they expected who looked for it to come without in some great outward appearance but hee pointed them inwards unto it in themselvs That it was to come from within and not from without That it was to spring up from a seed which was sowne in their hearts and according to the coming up and raising and appearing and growth of this seed in mens hearts so should the Kingdome of God come arise appear and be made manifest and so these who waited for it outwardly were disappointed but who waited for it inwardly and sought after it in the divine seed of regeneration came to find it and be partakers thereof therefor Christ taught plainly that the way for people to find the Kingdome and to enter into it was by being borne againe of that divine seed and not by going abroad after them who cry lo here or lo there for the Kingdome of God said hee cometh not with observation or outward shew neither shall they say lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdome of God is within you And wheras they say the words may be translated among you I say the words most properly signifie within you as they are rendred in our English translation now wee are to keep to the most proper signification wher no cogent reason movs to the contrary as here none doth but leads indeed to understand them in you For this Kingdome being an inward and invisible thing and not of this world but of heaven it can no wayes be understood to be among people but in so farre as it is in them the hearts and spirits of men being the proper place of this Kingdome even as the Kingdome of darknes and of Sathan is within and hath its place inwardly in men so the Kingdome of Gods dear Son that is contrary thereunto is within also and through the destruction of the one cometh the other to be built up But say they wee can not conceive how the Kingdome of God it selfe which is righteousnes peace and joy in the Holy Ghost can be within Unbeleevers Answer It can not be within them as sprung up and arisen in the power and glory of it but it can be with in them in a seed and thus the seed of the Kingdome was in them which seed Christ calleth the Kingdome of God very frequently and held it forth much under the figure of a seed The Kingdome of Heaven said he Math. 13. 31. is like unto a graine of mustard seed which a man tooke and sowed in his field which is indeed the least of all seeds c. Now it is very fitly called the Kingdome of God becaus it hath in it what ever is in the universall Kingdome of God incorporated and is a most rich and pure extraction thereof containing therein a measure of all the powers virtues spirits qualities and properties of the whole universall Kingdome which as it springeth up and attaineth unto its due stature in man it doth bring forth and manifest in most wonderfull and excellent variety but of this seed and the figures and parables under which it is represented more afterwards Now when it is said The Kingdome of God is righteousnes peace and joy c. this is to be understood of the Kingdome as it is sprung up from a seed bearing its heavenly fruit which is righteousnes peace and joy c. which wee acknowledge cannot be in Unbeleevers but the seed may be in them yea no man who is an Unbeleever can become a Beleever but through this seed which is sowne in him when hee is an Unbeleever thereby hee becoms a Beleever as hee doth joine to it cleave unto the appearance of God therein 1. Joh. 5. 10. 11. Hee that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witnes in himselfe hee that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyar becaus hee beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son
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
deale of yea nought elce but ill-will destruction yet thus malicious do the crooked conceits of some men render Wisedome but I had rather beleeve the Testimony which the Apocrypha givs of wisedome That she is not subject to hurt ready to do good and kind to man sted fast and sure the very breath of the power of God a pure streame flowing from the glory of the Almighty into which therefore no such defiled thing as cruelty or dissimulation can fall And this I am sure is most agreeing to the Testimony which the Evangelists and Apostles give of Christ that he came not to do hurt to any but good to all not to condemne primarily but to save So let every man mind that which convinceth him of his folly in secret expostulats with him about it saying how long wilt thou love this evill way of thy owne heart and lovingly adviseth him kindly woeth him to turn at the Reproofs of instruction if he intends to get in to the way of life or witness the out-pourings of the spirit of wisdome upon him Consonant to this is Amos. 4. 13. Loe he that formeth the mountains and createth the wind or the spirit and declareth unto Man what is this thought c. The Lord the God of Hosts is his Name He that created the spirit for so the Hebrew word also signifies and so the Septuagint renders it the spirit of man the same upholdeth it to this day dwelleth within it in his owne divine seed and principle and in it it is that Man lives and moves and hath his being This is he who sheweth unto Man unto Man indefinitly that is to Mankind to every Man his thought what it is what his heart soule mind spirit runs out after and the Lord God of Hosts saith the Prophet is his Name Now the thoughts of man are within him hid from every eye save that which is so inwardly present every where that all things are naked and bare before him and the thoughts being thus within can not be shewne unto man but by an inward conviction even there where his thoughts are and he that doth thus convince man within of that which is within must be within and there exercise and manifest his convincing power and every man that cometh into the world having that in him that thus sheweth him his thoughts as there is no man that lives that hath it not and the Prophet asserting that he which doth thus shew unto Man his thoughts is no other then God himself the Lord God of Hosts who created Man and his spirit out of which his thoughts arise and consequently knoweth them all It doth most necessarily follow that this God who searcheth the heart and tryeth the reines is in every man that cometh into the world This is so cleare and consequentiall that no reasonable Man that considereth it in an un-prejudicate mind can deny it But this Doctrine is further confirmed by God himself 6. Genesis 3. My spirit shall not always strive judge plead or contend in man for that he is flesh c. Thus is it in the Hebrew and thus it ought to be rendred rather then with Man and it being so what 's more plain from these words of God himself concerning the wicked old world Then first that even to this unbeleiving ungodly generation who by their impenitency had provoked God to repent that ever he had made man and to resolve now to cut of mankind He God had first given them a day of visitation in which he did strive plead and contend with them by his spirit in them before he gave them up to destruction And secondly which naturally flowes from this that that which strives and judges for God in Man and pleads Gods righteous cause with man in the secret of his heart and conscience is not a bare meere naturall light as the dark dreaming Divines of our days do say which can not save but onely condemne destroy and leave without excuse But is the very salutiferous spirit of God himself which created man and alone hath power to save or destroy him as he answereth the long-sufferance and goodness of God which the Apostle saith leads to Repentance or despiseth it and sets it at naught But as plaine as this Testimony of God himself is in the case yet because it thwarts the preconceived opinion of these men and overturns the whole fabrick of their Divinity and Analogy of their faith so called it must not be suffered to passe under a double vayle First of an ambiguous translation of the words Secondly of a misty meaning put upon the words so ambiguously translated on purpose to make way for it viz. That God did not strive with this ungodly world by his spirit in themselvs but onely by the ministry and preaching of Noah And for both these they have their somewhat-to-say First as to their translation they say The Hebrew language is concise and so by one word in it many words in other languages are often times expressed and that particularly this word by me precisely rendred in signifies also with from among by and sometimes into Answer The Hebrew language is not so concise but that it hath proper words for every one of those English words and in the Greek and Latin languages how copious soever they be the same Word hath divers significations yet it follows not but that both in those languages and in the Hebrew these words have their most naturall and proper signification which must be kept to unless some weighty Reason requires an other word to be used so that as to the traslation this is First plaine from their owne concession that the word doth signify in as well as with in the Hebrew language and so I have as much ground from the Hebrew to render it in as they can have to render it with And Secondly I do assert and any man that is but a little skild in the Hebrew Grammar knows that in is the very proper most naturall signification of the word and consequently if the sence doth not command another word to be used as it doth not here in is to be kept to although with be as good grammaticall sence and as proper a word if it were not ambiguous to express the mind of the spirit of God by in this place for when the Lord striveth in any man by his spirit he striveth with him But becaus with seems to leave some scope for their gloomy glosse That God onely strove with them outwardly therefore in which puts it out of all controversy that the spirit of God strove with them in themselvs is to be kept to in being as much the proper signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew as it is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke or of in in Latin when the sence doth not necessarily require another word And thus the Septuagint The Vulgar and Interlineary Versions whose opinions in Religion did not sway
their judgments in Translating have rendred it and thus much for the translation Now as to their glosse that God onely strove with them by the ministry of Noah who is called a Preacher of righteousnes I answer that granting them that their Ambiguous translation which is calculated to accommodate this their misty meaning yet it dothnot follow that the words must be understood of any outward striving with man by outward preaching to them but may be still understood of that inward striving of the spirit of God by which God did strive with them to convert them that they might not be destroyed but saved much lesse doth it speake of a bare outward striving for though we grant and deny not but that God did outwardly as it were strive with them by Noah a Preacher of righteousnes in his day and hath in all ages and at this day doth so strive with the wicked by the Preachers of righteousnes of his sending forth who preach in and by and from the immediate Revelation motion and guidance of the spirit of God whence it may be said that the sâ—…irit of God in his Ministers strives with them because they preach from and in the demonstration of the spirit power yet this secludes not this striving with them also by his spirit in themselvs Without which all outward preaching is unsufficient to conversion according to the Doctrine of these gloomy glossers themselvs in favour and honour of whose soule-merchandizing trade this translation and interpretation is framed But alas what is the Chaff to the wheat What the Ministers of unrighteousnes to the Preachers of righteousnes how much so ever transformed to the deceiving of many simple ones as the Ministers of righteousnes what are the quaint Orations of these Academick Oratorian hirelings to the immediate ministry of the spirit of God in and through his Servants these are they and they alone by whom God works his good pleasure and no self-running hireling hath any part or portion in this ministry or service If then we prove that this striving of the spirit of God with them was in order to their conversion and seriously and uprightly so intended on Gods part then it will necessarily follow from these mens owne Doctrine that God must also have strove inwardly with them by his spirit in them as well as outwardly by his spirit in Noah For all such outward striving is even according to them insufficient to effect or procure the salvation or conversion of one man and Reason shews that the Wisedome and Iustice of God requires that he must needs use meanes at least sufficient on his part for the effecting of what he really intended and not onely feignedly pretended That God then really intended the Good the Conversion the Repentance and saving of these men I prove from the Testimony of Peter 1. 3. 20. where he saith the long suffering of God waited upon these disobedient men in the dayes of Noah and that Christ then by the spirit preached unto them which is no more then what God himself here presupposeth when he saith his spirit shall no longer strive in them which I say presupposeth that it had strove with them and wayted upon them and if so for what did it strive with them was it that they might be converted and become righteous or that they might grow more wicked Surely nay the pure spirit of God strives neither outwardly nor inwardly with any to make them more wicked but to bring them out of their wicked ways 't is the wicked spirit of Satan that strives to bring forth such effects and naturally doth where the spirit of God being long resisted doth but once cease to strive The long sufferance of God saith the Apostle waited What waited it for He that waits doth earnestly expect and hope for some thing as the issue of his wayting Now what was it God hoped to effect by his long sufferance their conversion from their evill to himself that they might be saved or their confirmation and obduration in sin that they might be damned This would not to be wayt to beare with long-sufferance to strive that he might spare them and not finally cut them of which God was loath to do but to watch for their haltings to lye upon the catch with them to insnare them to pretend one thing and intend another towards them by sending Noah amongst them to aggravate their condemnation Oh! for shame away with these blasphemous conceits of the mercyfull and true God But I know rather then yee will yield to the truth ye will assert those horrid cruel hypocriticall conceits concerning the holy God which if any man should but suggest concerning any of your selvs yee would with indignation flee in his face But if it be as yee will have it right or wrong that God from the beginning onely intended their temporall and eternall perdition and damnation What needed he have wayted for that what need of striving and labouring for occasion against them had not one sin by them committed been ground enough for him to have taken the forfeit if that were it he onely eyed yea according to your owne desperate Doctrine the one sin of Adam alone although they had never committed any in their owne persons had been enough What need then all this wayting striving sending of Noah to them c When will yee cease this senceles prattle when will yee leave accusing God to Man and heightening the enmity between God and Man when will you learne to think well and speak the thing that is right concerning the righteous God to unrighteous Men that they may be perswaded to imbrace the word of Reconciliation which God hath put in them that in and by it they may be reconciled to him But who sees not that your interest as hirelings lyes on the other side the way You and your work are seen yee boast your selvs to be the Ministers of Christ and of the Gospell but of Antichrist yee are and the Anti-Gospell of evill tydings to poore mankind yee preach and not good will to men on earth Your work is to dethrone Christ and enthrone your selvs in the hearts and consciences of men and women by keeping them under a necessity of your ministry and from the immediate ministration of the pure Iudgements of God from his spirit and witnes in their inward parts therefore is the Lord discovering your nakednes and laying open your shame dethroning you and re-inthroning himself recovering his Iudgment seat Authority and Dominion his slain witnes is he raising up again power hath he given unto it more than in the days of old to judge the inhabitants of the earth Thousands have already bowed to his Scepter and ten thousands submitted to its Iudgment and have there-through in their measures known Redemption and witnessed cleansing and under his Banner are they travelling on untill Iudgment be brought forth into perfect Victory and your Authority Esteem and
Dignity is falne and falling and shall fall before the Iudgment of the spirit of God in every heart and conscience in every Nation Kindred and Tongue that submiteth to the Judgment of God This is it of which David in the spirit prophesyed Psalms 9. 97. and 98. saying The Lord hath prepared his Throne for Iudgment shall judge the world in Righteousnes and minister Iudgment to the people in righteousnes He cometh behold he cometh to judge the earth the world he shall judge with righteousnes and the people with truth and equity This is the everlasting Gospell which the Angell whom Iohn saw fly through the midst of heaven had to preach to them that dwell on the earth even to every Nation Kindred and Tongue saying with aloud voice Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his Iudgment is come Which is now fullfilled and fullfilling and therfore is Babylon falne and falling in Nations Kindreds and Tongues even so oh Lord let her and hir Merchants fall never more to rise Amen Deuteronomy 30. 14. But the Word is nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst do it These words are to be understood of the Word of Faith which is Christ as Paul doth expound and apply it both to the Jew and Gentile Rom. 10. as is above shewed Now these words that thou mayst do it are very observable as holding forth an ability or Power given them in the Word as it is received by faith wherby they may do whatever it commands and consequently that it is sufficient unto salvation see Argum. 6. where this place is at large opened Deuteronomy 32. vers 43. compared with Rom. 15. vers 10. c. Rejoice O yee Nations or Gentiles with his People c. and why should the Nations rejoice with his people even becaus they had the same mercy of God as to what was the maine and substantiall thing bestowed upon them Paul in his Epistle to the Romans cap. 15. vers 10. takes notice of these words of Moses and makes use of them to shew that the Gentiles were not so cast off of God but that they had the same mercy as had the Iewes in relation unto the chiefe and substantiall thing as he expresly saith vers 9. Let the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy and this hee confirmeth out of the Psalmes Moses and Isaiah out of the Psalmes hee bringeth these Testimonies first Psal. 18. 49. For this cause I will confesse to thee among the Gentiles but in the Gentiles it is in the Hebrew and Greek and sing unto thy name so that the Lord was among and in the Gentiles and had a Name in and among them which was a Name of mercy The second Testimony is from Psal. 117. O praise the Lord all yee Nations praise him al yee people for his mercifull kindnes is great towards us and the truth of the Lord endureth forever praise yee the Lord. Now what us is this to whom his mercifull kindnes is great even the Nations and Gentiles that all of them no lesse then to the Jewes who are also in this Psalme called to praise the Lord becaus of the mercy bestowed upon them and becaus of the truth which endureth forever And that the Mercy in these places aformentioned is Christ himselfe without which nothing is a mercy is plaine both from the intent and scope of the Apostles words who is speaking of Christ and also from the other citation out of Isaiah 11. 10. There shall be a root of Iesse which shall stand for an ensigne of the people and hee that shall rise to reigne over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust which Scriptures as they hold forth the more abundant manifestation of Christ unto the Gentiles after his coming in the flesh so doe they point unto some manifestation of him in and among the Gentiles in all ages sufficient unto salvation for that Moses in his day and David in his required the Nations even all of them to glorifie God with the Iewes for his mercy the Riches of the glory of this mistery in the Gentiles which is Christ as is above declared Iob. 24. 13. They are of those that rebell against the light they know not the wayes thereof nor abide in the pathes thereof This Job spake of the wicked and oppressors Now what light is this that they rebelled against but the light of Gods holy Spirit Which witnessed against their evill deeds For that it was not the light of mans owne corrupt nature is manifest becaus it s said they know not the wayes thereof wheras the wayes of the naturall light or understanding they did know for wicked men can digg deep in that naturall light and find out the pathes thereof but the pathes of this Divine and Supernaturall light they cannot find out Job 28. vers 12. compared with vers 28. But wher shall wisdome be found and wher is the place of understanding This is answered First Negatively The depth saith it is not in me and the sea saith it is not with me c. Secondly Positively And unto Man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding That is to say that which enclineth the heart to fear the Lord and to depart from evil is Wisdom and Understanding Now what Man is this to whom God hath so said was it only unto Iob surely none will say it Or was it only unto the Iews nor can this with Truth be said For Iob neither lived among the Jews nor was he of the Jewish Nation Was it then only unto some particulars of the Gentiles Neither can this be said for there is no place of Scripture that calls only a few Gentiles by that large indefinite Name Man By Man then we must understand Mankind as comprehending every Individual and particular man in the World as it is most usually taken in the Scripture Parralel to this place is Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed unto thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with thy God This is more then the Light of Nature can shew Psalm 2. 12. Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wroth is kindled but a little c. This is a most sweet and joyful call unto the Gentiles no less then to the Iews even to these who were combining against the Lord and his anointed or Christ. Now that they are bid to kiss the Son doth plainly import that the Son was held forth and given unto them of the Father in true love that they might kiss him i. e. that they might enjoy him which doth again inferre that there was such a manifestation of the Son let forth into them which was sufficient unto salvation elce how could they be required to kiss him if he were not offered and made manifest
unto them and how could he be offered unto the Gentiles to kiss him if it were impossible for them so to do this were contrary to that righteousness and sincerity that is in God so that in these Words is plainly held forth a day or time of visitation wherein it was possible for them to be saved and escape the wrath of God Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish from the way Psalm 50. 1. The mighty God or the God of Gods even the Lord hath spoken and called the Earth from the rising of the Sun unto the going down thereof This is an universal call unto all Nations Psalm 98. 2. The Lord hath made known his salvation his righteousness hath he openly shewed or revealed in the sight of the Heathens Now what was this but the Gospel in which as said Paul the Righteousness of God is revealed c. And Christ in Scriptureis called the salvation of God which was in some measure made known or manifest in them though not as to the outward Name yet the power light and life thereby signified was made manifest in them Proverb 8. 1. Doth not Wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice vers 4. Unto you O men I call and my voice is to the Sons of men verse 5. O ye simple understand Wisdom and ye fools for to these she also calleth none excepted be ye of an understanding heart verse 6. Hear give Ear or hearken there in the heart for I will speak of excellent things And verse 31. She tells us she rejoiceth in the habitable part of Gods earth yea that her delights are with the Sons of men Who of all the Creatures alone are created capable of her inhabitation cohabitation fellowship and Communion in the Spirit And therefore unto them alone she speaketh on this wise Verse 32. Hearken unto me O ye Children for blessed are they that keep my ways Verse 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the ports of my doors Why so what shall he reap thereby doth thy appearance Wisdom in and unto the Sons of Men even to fools and simple ones tend to their blessedness to bring them to a blessed State Yes Verse 25. for who so findeth me findeth life life indeed life eternal and shall obtain favour of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me that doth not love and receive me but rejecteth my instruction wrongeth his own Soul all they that hate me which none can be said to do to whom she hath never appeared seeking their love love death What can be spoken more plain to the holding forth a day of visitation for good not watching only for evil as some Apostles of darkness speak to the Sons of men indefinitly Tantamount to this is Proverb 9. 1. 4. Wisdom hath builded her house she hath hewen out her seven pillars She crieth who so is simple let him turn in hither turn in whither to whom to what let him turn in saith wisdom hither to me who am within cry within call within lift up my voice within Therefore to the simple she saith let him turn in hither and as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him c. What! doth wisdom appear speak to visit such Yes she doth if we may believe her Who is then this man that wanteth understanding is he a Saint or a Sinner a believer or unbeliever a Regenerate or unregenerate one I think none will be so sottish as to say that the Saints the Believers the Regenerate are these fooles that are void of understanding It necessarily follows then that they are the unconverted the unbelievers the unregenerate and consequently that to such while such Wisdom appears and speaks and what saith she to them why Verse 5. Come eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled Verse 6. forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding For thee then though a foole though void of understanding without the knowledge of God and so without God and without Christ in the World for thee even for thee I say Wisdom taketh care for thee even for thee she hath prepared bread and mingled wine and to thee she saith come eat of my bread the bread of life and drink of the wine which I have mingled Behold the Visitation the loving the kind visitation and tender of wisdom to those that know her not that heed her that regard her not that believe not in her But who or what is this Wisdom here spoken of is it not some common gift some natural thing that 's common to all elect and Reprobates only Common restrayning but not saving grace which convinceth and condemns but converts not nor hath power so to do No no this Wisdom of which the holy Scripture here treats is the highest wisdom the wisdom of the most high even Christ Iesus the wisdom of God the Son and wisdom of the Father whom he hath given to be a light to the Gentiles and his Salvation to the ends of the Earth who calleth and cryeth unto all directing and pointing all men to turn in to with in themselves that they may hear his voice live Whose Ministers then are all those that would perswade the greatest part of mankind that Christ appears not to them intends nothing for them but doth all that he doth with them in them towards them only to augment their Damnation Surely these are not the maydens that wisdom nor Ministers that Christ hath sent forth though they pretend to come in his Name but are the right ministers of Antichrist The same truth is again confirmed Isaiah 42. 6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousnes will hold thine hand and will keep thee give thee for a Covenant of the people for a Light to the Gentiles c. The like place follows Isaiah 49. 6. It is a Light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Iacob to restore the preserved of Israël I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou may be my salvation to the end of the earth Many other places might be produced to shew the same thing but these are testimony sufficient that not onely the Apostles but Moses and the Prophets declared of this universal dispensation of Light given unto all men for salvation Argument 10. From a Collation of divers Parables given forth by Christ clearly pointing at the same thing Matth. 13. From Verse 3. To the 24. Here is the Parable of the sower expressed at large the interpretation of it given by Christ himself holding forth that it was one and the same seed that was sown in all the foure grounds though onely One ground brought forth the fruit WHich foure grounds do signify and represent all men in whom the seed which is called the Word of God hath been sown even that Word before mentioned the very seed of Regeneration for
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
all to be saved absolutly but conditionally ex parte Objecti upon their beleeving And whereas it is again by them objected Either God willeth them to beleeve absolutly or conditionally Answ. We say conditionally Yet not so as if God required any thing to be done by them previous to their beleeving But upon their non-resistence of his operation when he worketh in them For when the Lord appeareth in that divine seed which he hath sown in all men to produce in them the very act of beleeving and to draw the will of man along with him to concur therin some do resist even when their bands are so far released that they might yield Thus we say that God willeth all men to beleeve upon their non-resistence of him when he works in them to the producing faith which is a being passive and not active For before faith they cannot be active to any thing that is good Hosea 11 4. Object 10. This doctrine seems to hold forth that all men even the unconverted have free will whereas according to the Scriptures testimony all unconverted men are in bondage and captivity so that they cannot do the things that are good Answ. Any freedom that men wholly unconverted may be said to have must be understood passively not actively For indeed in that state they cannot act that which is good but they can forbear to resist that which works in them towards their conversion And yet even this passive freedome is not of or from themselvs but of and from the Grace of God But some will perhaps infer from hence that they have an active freedome because beleeving is a being active and according to your Doctrine say they they may beleeve Answ. None can beleeve but as faith is wrought in them by the operation of the Spirit of God in his own seed by which they not resisting it faith would certainly be begot in them And in this sence it may be truly said they may or can beleev And though the soule be truly active in its faith afterwards yet at its first beleeving it may rather be said to be passive then active For what is its first beleeving but a suffering the seed of faith to cleave unto and unite with it And thus the first step of beleeving in Christ is called a receiving him which may be taken passively Now at the souls first beleeving it receivs power to be active and to act from a free will that which is good which freedome it doth not receive all at once but it groweth in the soule according as its faith groweth which beginneth in a very small thing nor can the soule beleeve at all times but only at such times as the Lord by his Spirit in his own seed breaths and movs upon the heart Object 11. By this Doctrine it seems that the reason why one man is converted and another not is to be imputed unto man himself and so he should make himself to differ from another contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4. 7. Answ. No such thing The reason being always to be imputed to the principall cause which is God and man at best but the instrument in his own conversion whatsoever he doth so as an instrument it is all from God and not of himself So that as for him the difference is to be imputed to God for man neither hath nor doth any good but what he hath received from him Object None have saving Light and Grace but the Elect all others being by God passed by and reprobated from all eternity Answ. That there is a decree of election and reprobation and that from everlasting we grant but in another sence then the Nationall teachers do assert it The understanding whereof the Lord by his spirit hath given us on this wise There are two seeds one elect and of God the other Reprobate and of the Divell the divine seed which is elect is that seed of which we have said that God hath sown it in every man that comes in to the world who so now cleave to this elect seed in true faith and persevere so to do to the end of the day of their tryall and temptation these are the elect of God who are chosen of him before the foundation of the world as fore knowing and fore seeing them in unity with this seed which is Christ in whom they are therefore said to be chosen Ephes. The reprobate seed is that seed of darkness and unrighteousness in men which is of the Divell They now which cleave thereunto and continue in unity therewith till the day of their visitation from the Lord expire they are the Reprobate whom God from everlasting did fore know would reject his elect and cleav unto this Reprobate seed to the very end of their day and so accordingly did reprobate them Thus then though the decree of Election and Reprobation be from everlasting yet it respects men not simply as men but as finally adhering and cleaving to the elect or reprobate seed So that none are at first passed by but all are once visited with a day of mercy and grace wherin it is possible for them to be saved But this their odd Doctrin that God hath altogether passed by all those that perish without ever making salvation so much as possible to them they indeavour to prove from these Scriptures Rom. 8 29. Rom. 9. Act. 13 48. Jud. 4. John 6 37. Which Scriptures they wofully wrest and wring to that purpose as I shall shew in the vindication of each of them And first to the first Rom. 8 29 30. From whence they would infer that none are called with a call sufficient to salvation but who are predestinat and justifyed because the Apostle saith for whom he did predestinat them he called and whom he called them ho did Iustify c. Ergo none are called Viz. Sufficiently c. But who are Iustified Answ. There is a more generall call whereby unconverted are called unto faith and renovation And there is a more speciall call and Vocation proper onely unto the converted wherby they are called unto the glorious liberty of the children of God being called the Sons and Daughters of the living God and so called unto such things as do pertain to such a state of which calling many Scriptures do speak as Rom. 9. 26. Eph. 4. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Hebr. 9. 15. Jud. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 10. of which speciall calling this place by them adduced is to be understood For whom he predestinated them did he thus call his people the children of the living God his Sons and Daughters and all these he justified Yet according to that Generall call many are called who are not predestinate for it s said many are called but few are chosen Yea I have already proved that all are called by God in their dayâ—… and to say that God calls any insufficiently is to reflect both upon his goodnes power and righteousness The next
3. 35. and there is a more speciall giving which is onely applicable to the Saints Who are his children and these cannot but come unto him as Peter said Lord to whom shall goe but unto thee c. There are other places urged by them but these adduced are the most usuall and the answers given unto them will being rightly applyed suffice to any other so that who judge of this matter according to the witness of God in their hearts and do therein ponder the Scriptures will find the Doctrin of the Nationall Teachers concerning Election and Reprobation not to be according to the truth nor Scripturall but indeed a most pernicious Doctrine to the hindring of the growth and spreading of piety in the world as may appear from what is already said I shall now descend to weigh the few small Reasons they have and usually give for their adhering to so absurd an Opinion First then they say if election be according to faith foreseen then it is not free Answ. It followeth not at all for election is free though it be not without respect to faith even as justification is free which themselvs say is not without respect to faith They must then either deny justification to be free or say that it hath no respect to faith or confess that election is free not withstanding its respect to faith Secondly they argue if Election and reprobation be according to faith foreseen then something in the creature was the moving cause of Gods decree Answ. Nor doth this follow For though men beleeving be the object of the decree of Election yet they are not the moving cause thereof in like manner men unbeleeving are the object but not moving cause of reprobation Unbeleef is indeed a cause of the Destruction of the wicked which destruction is decreed so is also faith an instrumentall cause of the salvation of the Saints which is also decreed but not of the decree of God which hath no cause without himselfs And by these Answers any other reasons they bring may be confuted Object 13. If saving grace andilight were given unto all then all should be saued otherwise grace were not effectuall as not having its efficacy Answ. It followeth not grace is effectuall and hath its sufficient efficacy in that in its own nature it is able to save all who do not resist it even as Physick may be very effectuall to cure such and such diseases if duly applyed and yet if it be not permitted to have its due operation it may not onely not cure but kill But more over grace hath its efficacy in all in that it makes all inexcusable who do resist it and persist in their gainstauding And thus it tendeth to the glory of God in their condemnation But say some a morall suasion is sufficient to leave men without excuse Answ. I deny it For nothing can render men unexcusable but that which being improved can excuse which no morall suasion can doe Object 14. Saving light and grace is irresistible therefore it must have its effect to salvation Answ. That the Lord may work irresistibly in some we deny not but that he doth so work in all that are or may be saved is the meer brain-sick fancy of these men and contrary to the tenor of the whole Scriptures which complain of mens resisting the holy Ghost withstanding the truth holding it under in unrighteousness crucifying the Lord of glory in themselvs doing despite unto the Spirit of Grace oppressing and choaking the good seed c. What is more effectuall then the sun and then fire unto which Christ the word of grace and tru light is compared yet what more easily resisted then the light of the sun without all pains by the bare wink of the ey And fire though suffered to break out to a flame can be quenched To divers other naturall powerfull causes which have efficacy enough in them to procur their proper effects if not impeded is this word of grace compared Object 15. It s said of some that they could not beleeve Jo. 12. 39. Ergo c. Answ. True but no where is it said that from the begininng they could not beleeve Yea the very reason why they could not at that time beleeve is expressly rendred by Matth. 13. 13. because they had closed their eys and in seing did not see for which cause the Lord being provoked gave them up read v. 14. 15. to hardness of heart that they could not beleeve Object 16. God so hardned Pharoahs heart that he could not obey the Lord and let the people goe Answ. True again but where is it said that Pharoahs heart was so hardned from the beginning of the time that he was capable of understanding no where Pharoah had provoked the Lord by his cruell oppressing the Israelites causing their male children to be killed a just provocation of the Lord thus to give him up to obduracy of heart so that he could not obey Now we never said that all men may beleeve and obey the Lord at all times but onely at such times and seasons as the Lord breaths and moves upon them within the day of their visitation Object 17. It s said of the People of Israell Deut. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eys to see and ears to heare c. Therefore he had not given them all saving light and grace Answ. It follows not for the perceiving heart seing eyes hearing ears are the effect of this saving light and grace onely in those in whom it is not resisted Now God had given his good Spirit to instruct them Nehem. 9 v. 20. but they rebelled against and vexed his holy Spirit Isayah 63 verse 10. But some would fain limit these words only to those who prophesied or at least to the faithfull unto whom God gave his good Spirit to in struct the people which they rebelled against not in themselvs but in the faithfull who did instruct them Answ. This cannot be for it had been to no purpose to give his good Spirit unto the teachers to instruct the people if no measure of the same had been given to the people to learn For as none can sufficiently teach the things of God without the Spirit so can none can truly learn them without it Again so far as any man resists the Spirit of God in another he first resists it in himself yea it is said expresly they tempted God in their hearts Psa. 78. verse 18. And it is already proved that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall Object 18. Some are said to have no light in them Isayah 8. 20. Answ. According to the Hebrew even as the margent intimates it is thus because they have no morning in them Now its true all have not the morning light in them which imports the day star to be arisen but with many it is as it were midnight for darkness yet the light
good what is That famous Athenian Generall Pericles haveing been upon a time all the day long reviled by a certain man who followed him even to his house at night railing at him was by this noble man so meekly borne that he not only reviled him not again but commanded his servant with his lanterne to light him home Phocion that noble Athenian being unjustly condemned to dye by the drinking after the manner of that countrey a cup of poyson being asked what he would leave in charge to his son answered Nothing but this that he should never so remember this cup as to avenge his death Aristides an Athenian noble and righteous man being banished out of Athens and in order therunto by the magistrats led out of towne a certaine ill-nurtured person ran after him and spit in his face Wherupon the meek man only desired the Magistrats to teach that man for the future to be more mannerly And after he was through envy thus unjustly banished seing his countrey in perill secretly helped it against King Xerxes being the chief occasion of that victory Solon being by one abused who spit in his face nothing moved therat said If a fisher man to catch a small fish bear the sea-water why should not I to catch a man beare this Just so Aristippus when having reproved Dionysius who for it spat in his face said If a fisher man be not afraid of being wet to catch a small fish why should I to catch a whole salmon feare a little sprinkleing The same Aristippus being railed at held is tongue and went his way the Reviler following him said What! Dost thou runn away Aristippus replyed Thou hast power to speak evil and I to forbeare hearing or â—…eding it Dion going from a feast was followed by one railing at him to whom not replying any thing this ill-bred man said to him Dost thou not answer me No quoth Dion not one word So Lentulus spitting in Cato's face the patient man said nothing to him but o Lentulus I must aver to all that deny it that thou hast a mouth Crates having rebuked Nicrodomus the Comaediant he took it so ill that he not only abused Crates in word but so smote him with his sist in the face that he bore the signe of it But Crates did nothing to him onely hung this inscription upon his fore head Nicrodomus made this Euclides being once got into contention with his brother his brother said in truth I shall dye if I doe thee not some mischief or ill turn And I quoth Euclides shall dyâ—… if I be not reconâ—…iled to thee Very noble and savoury was that act of that noble commander Pisistrates towards certain drunken fellowes who once fell upon his wife abusing her with Lascivious words and actions who they coming next day to begg pardon of him for their mistake was so far from avenging this brutish incivility acted towards his wife that he pardoned and dismissed them onely with this sober piece of advice that they should take heed they were no more so drunk All these examples we find alledged by a Calvinist preacher in Rotterdam to the shaming of his pretended Christians by the vertuous examples of these pretended heathens and meer naturall men wherupon he intitles his book Den beschaamde Christen For which the man wee confesse had a great deal of reason for certainly these men shall rise up in judgment against the Christians of this age and fill their faces with shame and confusion enough But how to reconcile these things to their doctrine of natures being so corrupted so defiled that all naturall men are blind and darkened in their understandings dead in trespasses and sinâ—… and unvisited by any new visitation of evangelicall grace is past our skill Surely that doctrine is false these things not good the relations not true or they must say Christ was out when he said Men gather not grapes on thornes nor figs on thistles and that an evill tree can not bring forth good fruit nor corrupt fountain send forth sweet streames G. KEITH B. FURLY Reader IT was my intent to have given the at the end of this treatise the testimonies of severall if not most of the Ancient Fathers of the church so called concerning the universality of the divine spirituall saving illumination imparted by Christ as the eternall Word wisedome and Image of the father to all mankind with not a few testimonies out of many Authors of note of later ages both before and since the Refortion And more especially to have shewed what many of them thought concerning that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiraculum vitarum breath of lives said 2 Genes 7. to be breathed into man by which he became a living soule viz that it is not the soule nor the naturall life thereof but the divine life something of God even the Divine Spirit which finally constituted man the image of God and without partaking of which he could never properly not truely be said to be the image of God of which breath of life many have excellently writ some stiling it the Spirit of God others something of God in man some the Divine soul in contradistinction to the vegetative animall and Rationall soules others the pars or portio superior animae others fundus animae the supream part or portion the fund bottome or center of the soule the guide and director thereof I had also intended to have given here some account of many vitiously translated places of Scripture darkening the Doctrine of the inward light grace Spirit and kingdome of God in the soule so plentifully attested to by the holy penmen of Scripture as also to the establishing the doctrine of the necessity of sin every day houre and moment of this Naturall life which never entered into the soules of these holy men to thinke or publish but these being not at present so perfected as is requisit and this work having layn long on hand I was unwilling to detain it longer So these may upon some other occasion be communicated meane while if any shall please to read Aâ—…hanafius in his booke de Definitionibus and in his 3 Dialogue de Trinitate and 4 Oration against the Arrâ—…ns And Cyrillus Alexandrinus in his treatise upon John lib. 2 cap. 3. lib. 8. c. 47. And in his Thesaurus lib. 4 c. 1. Together with Procopius Gazeus in his Comment on Genesis he will see that our Testimony in that point of the breath of life is no novell doctrine and unheard of but many hundred years since zealously defended by as grave Authors among the Christians as any extant which may serve as a sufficient check to that impudent clamour of Novelty so ordinarily objected by every Ignoramus that never once looked into Antiquity B. F. FINIS Errors to be mended Pag. 11. lin 26. read Argument 1. p. 4. 4. l. 33. r. than p. 45. l. 5. r. preaching p. 49. l. 1. r. Argument 9. p. 71. l. 30. r. or p. 75. l. 15. put out that p. 77. l. 27. put out as l. 35. feeding p. 78. l. 27 r. thy p. 81. l. 28. r. beleev p. 85. l. 30. r. though p. 97. l. 2. r. principle p. 108. l. 2. r. potter power p. 109. l. 1. beleeved p. 112. l. 3. till p. 135. l. 10. r. Reformation * Concerning this image of God in man or Breath of life breathed into man by which he became a living soul see the Testimonies of the Antients especially of Athanasius Cyrillus Alexandrinus Procâ—…pius Gazaus c. some of which may possibly be given at the end of this booke a noble saying and as noble a practise of a great Prinâ—…e