grace hereby Do they hold that common supernatural light outward and inward objective and inherent is given to many at least of the unsanctified that live under the preaching of the Gospel And who contradicteth them in this Do they hold that as the Sun is appointed in nature to be the light of every man that cometh into the world though some parts of the earth were never illuminated by it and blind men partake not of its light and the night or shutting our eyes or windows may exclude it so Christ is by office the Sun in the world of grace giving men actually all the gracious light they have and being sufficient himself to enlighten all and giving them an illuminating Word which is sufficient in its own kind to do its own part though many are blind and many for their sin are deprived of the communication of this light Why all this we maintain as well as they Do they say that all this light within us and without us is to be hearkened to and obeyed Why what man did they ever speak with that 's a Christian that denieth it But if they make mans Reason in faculty or act or any of this inward light to be Christ personally within us and deny any Christ but such a one that is essentially one with such a light that is with every wicked man we abhor this Infidelity and blasphemy and marvell that such hellish darknesse should have the face to assume the name of light If they maintain that the common Reason of the world is sufficient to bring men to the Faith of Christ without any other kind of light from the Spirit or written or preached Word I would fain be resolved in these few Questions Q. 1. How comes it to passe that all Nations that never heard the Gospel are utterly void of Faith in Christ when the Nations that have the Gospel do generally know him more or lesse Q. 2. Why did not the world believe in Christ even generally before his coming if Reason was then a sufficient Light Q. 3. Why did Christ preach himself while he was on earth if the people had all sufficient Light before Q. 4. Why did he send his Apostles to preach through the world if the people had sufficient Light before Q. 5. Why did he set Pastours and Teachers in his Church if all have a sufficient Light within them Q. 6. Why do the Quakers go up and down teaching men their own Doctrines if all men have sufficient Light already Q. 7. Why do they cry out against us as being in darknesse when all men have sufficient Light within them Q. 8. Will they pray for more light and grace or not If not they are impiously proud If yea then it seems they have not yet light and grace sufficient Q. 9. Whereas they say the light within is sufficient if obeyed Our Question is Whether it be sufficient to make men obey it For that 's the grace that we are speaking of that causeth men to hearken believe and obey For Faith is not of our selves but it is the gift of God And mens hearts must be opened as Lydia's was Act. 16. to hear and receive the truth revealed Now to say that the Light or Grace which is given to cause us to Believe and Obey is sufficient if we will believe and obey is ridiculous as if Christ should have said to Lazarus I will raise thee if thou wilt first raise thyself Q. 10. But how can any Light be sufficient were a man never so obedient to reveal that which is not manifested by it or by any Revelation that doth accompany it No Light or Revelation among the Heathens in America doth tell them that Christ was incarnate dyed rose ascended or intercedeth for us or is the King Priest or Teacher of the Church or will raise the dead and judge the world How then can their light be sufficient to help them to the belief of this I think it 's past controversie that no man hath sufficient Grace for salvation till his last breath For if God adde not more for his preservation excitation and perseverance all will be lost But this point which Quakers most insist on the Reverend Author hath very judiciously handled in this Treatise and therefore I shall say no more of it The truth is here opened to the shaming of their errours with great Scripture evidence which impartially considered may easily convince all that believe the Scriptures and make it appear that the Light that is in these men is Darknesse Luk. 11. 35. Though the difference and too-eager Disputations between the Reverend Author and my self about the point of Infant-Baptism be too well known yet it is our desire that it be as much known that we desire to hold the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace as Members of the same Head and Body uniting our force for the common Truths against the pernicious adversaries thereof And though we own not in each other or our selves the discerned errours of doctrine or life which through humane frailty we may be guilty of Neverthelesse whereto we have already attained we desire to walk by the same Rule and mind the same things hoping that if in any thing we be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto us Phil. 3. 15 16. I think it is time for men that have any sense of the common interest of Christianity and Reformation to lay by those contentions that have brought us so low and almost made us a prey to the common Romish adversaries The Lord grant it be not too late The two great works of the Jesuites in England are to procure Liberty for the Profession of Popery and to weaken if not take down a fixed able Ministry They cannot do this work of themselves without the help of men professing a zeal for Reformation But how much they have promoted it by such hands and how much they are likely further by them to promote it I had rather lament with daily tears than open to a generation of deluded souls that will not believe they are doing the work of the Devil and the Pope till they find themselves in Rome or the Inquisition It astonisheth me to foresee if a wonder of mercy do not prevent it how these contetious souls will be worryed by their consciences and ready even to eat their flesh when they see by the conjunction of forreign and Domestick Papists the Cause of Christ once trodden down in the hand and see how they betrayed the Gospel of their Posterity into the hands of tyrannous Idolaters and how the familistical Juglers of these times made use of them to set up Popery Which â—ow is the work that is already so farre carried on that all our endeavours if united are like to be little enough to prevent We are not so childish as 'to fear lest Quaking should become the National Religion We know these squibs will soon be out But those that animate
through small hints Daniel is said to have light and understanding and wisdome found in him in that he was able to interpret dreams and shew hard sentences and dissolve doubts Dan. 5. 11 12. But beyond all the Lord Christ was light the Spirit of the Lord did rest upon him the Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of counsel and might the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord Isa. 11. 2. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. 27. Jesus knew all men neither needed he that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man Joh. 2. 24 25. He knew the thoughts of the Seribes Mat. 9. 4. He knew Judas would betray him afore Judas had conceived the treason Joh. 6. 70 71. He opened the secret counsels of God foretold the future troubles of the Jews persecutions of his Disciples his own death and resurrection the preaching of the Gospel and gathering of his Church over the world which are accomplished and the resurrection of the dead at his return to the final judgement which will be undoubtedly brought to pass in the day of the Lord So that of him it is true which we read Dan. 2. 22. He revealeth the deep and secret things he knoweth what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth with him Sect. 7. Christ is Light in respect of truth and grace 6. By Light is meant truth Isa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them that is no truth in them or no comfort to them say others He that doth the truth saith Christ. cometh to the light Joh. 3. 21. Light and truth are either the same or very like and helpfull to each other Psal. 43. 3. Oh send out thy light and thy truth Now light well agrees to Christ under this notion sith he is the way the truth and the life Joh. 14. 6. All his words were words of truth his Gospel the Gospel of truth Jam. 1. 18. Col. 1. 5. If ye continue in my Word saith Christ Joh. 8. 31 32. then are ye my Disciples indeed And ye shall knew the truth and the truth shall make you free 7. By Light favour and grace and goodness and love are meant Numb 6. 35. Job 29. 3 Psal. 4. 7. Prov. 16. 15. In the light of the Kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain Lightsomeness in the face is a sign of goodness and love in the heart as on the other side a lowring grim visage is a sign of a tyrannical and imperious spirit Light is the most diffusive and communicative of all qualities and so fitly resembles grace and love And so it is said of Christ Psal. 45. 2. Thou art fairer then the children of men Grace is powred into thy lips therefore God hath blessed thee for ever Cant. 5. 16. His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely 1 Pet. 2. 3. If ye have tasted how gracious the Lord is Luk. 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath aneinted me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of fight to the blind to set at liberty them that are braised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And the eyes of all them that were in the Synagegue were fastened on him And he began to say unto them This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And all bare him witness and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Vers. 22. All his words looks deeds except when he had to do with proud hypocrites and incurably wicked persons did evidence a dove-like spirit harmeless compassionate kinde patient full of love and goodness He went about like the Sun doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil Act. 10. 38. And therefore in this respect is to be termed the Light by excellency The Word dwelt among us full of grace and truth Of his fulness we have all received grace for grace Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ John 1. 14. 16 17. 2. This attribute of light is given to Christ both in respect of his divine nature in respect of which it is said Joh. 1. 4. In him was life and the life was the light of men and in respect of his humane concerning which it is said Joh. 9. 5. As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world Which I shall shew when I speak of his enlightening Sect. 8. The Application in a double Use to see the estate of men without Christ and to draw our eyes to him For present we may hence infer 1. That they who are unacquainted with Christ are in darkness Ye were once darkness saith the Apostle Eph. 5. 8. minding them of their estate antecedent to their being in Christ. A man without Christ preached and believed is like a person in darkness 1. He is in respect of his estate as a man in the dark in that he cannot discern his own condition how unclean he is what danger is near him what way to avoid it what help to use He that is out of Christ and sees not by his light discerns not the filth of sin nor the keeneness of Gods anger nor how to remove the one or to asswage the other 2. A man without the light of Christ doth neither know God truly nor his precepts or counsel and so knows not how to address himself to God nor how to observe Gods eye on him nor what gifts he tenders to him nor what directions he gives him 3. A man without Christ his light is like the Syrians who were led to Samaria when they imagined they were in Dothan It 's easie for Satan or any deceiver to lead them hell-ward when they pretend to direct them heaven-ward Any cheat any errour or delusion may be put on him that wants Christ to be his light 4. He that wants light from Christ is as he that walks in the dark one while he stumbles here another time he wanders there If he be in the way yet it is more then he knows and therefore is uncertain whether it be best to go forward or backward or stand still How full of uncertainty have been the most witty Philosophers the most skillfull Rabbins the most acute Papists in their way following their own reason or tradition of men How miserably do they stumble and fall and hurt their souls How sadly do they wander out of the way when they think they are in it 5. Want of light from Christ leaves men in fears and perplexities what shall befall them The light of Christ secures
True Old Light EXALTED ABOVE Pretended NEW LIGHT OR TREATISE OF Jesus Christ He is the Light which enlightens every one that comes into the world 〈◊〉 the sense both of the Quakers Arminians and other Assertors of Universal Grace whose Light is proved to be Darkness Delivered in Nine Sermons by JOHN TOMBES B. D. And commended to publick view By M r Richard Baxter PSAL. 43. 3. 〈◊〉 thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacle LONDON by A. M. for Thomas Underhill at the Sign of the Anchor and Bible in Pauls Church-yard 1660. To the Honourable S r THOMAS WIDRINGTON Knight Serjeant Teril Serjeant Fountain Lords Commissioners of the Great Seale of ENGLAND THe incessant and importunate inculcation of this monition by the miserably deluded Quakers look to the light within you not distinguishing but confounding it with Christ giving thereby cause to conceive that they acknowledg no other Christ as their Saviour but such a fancied one as they have imagined to be in them being sadly resented by me as causing one of the most pernicious Schismes of our dayes in drawing many weak though perhaps well meaning soules to neglect Scriptures Ministry of setled Teachers Christian-Church-Communion which tends to Atheisme irreligion and perdition moved me at first to Preach and since to compose for the Press these ensuing Sermons In which I have endeavoured to shew Christ to be and how he is the true universall lighting Light and the insufficiency of that magnified Light in each which those forenamed erring persons with the assertors of universall grace and selfedisposing freewill of man have avouched It is charged hotly by many on those whom they term Anabaptists though not rightly as if they were Authors or Fautors of this delusion of Quakers and much to that purpose was objected against my self by that Reverend Brother whose Epistle is prefixed to these Sermons in his Letter to me which is Answered by me in the 63 d. Section of the 3 d. part of my Review intitled Antipoedo baptism But I hope that by our Declaration Printed Decemb. 12. last to which I find two Quakers have made injurious Answers and by my Answer in that Section together with the reading of these Sermons the truth will be cleared and my self with those other Brethren who joyned with me in that Declaration will be discharged from those evill surmises and insinuations which heighten our devisions for the taking away or lessening of which if I were offered upon the sacrifice and service of the faith of Gods Elect I should count my self happy The Author of the Epistle hereto annexed imputes the rise or spreading at least of the errors of Quakers and divisions of the godly to a Popish Jesuiticall practice for the undermining and ruine of the Churches of Christ in those Nations and this Commonwealth and he feares nothing so much as a toleration of Popery in England as the meanes to destroy the Protestant Churches now near an utter destruction by the union of Popish Princes and plots of Romishs Agents I hope the Lord will not so desert the Parliament your Honours or any other of the assertors of our just Liberties as to allow such a Liberty as will bring the whole State and all the Churches of God into the servitude of the Roman man of sinne We have had experience of their and Satans devices by them their implacable hatred of all that Idolize not the Pope and a piece of Bread to make us wary how we permit such Serpents to lye in our bosomes Their activity subtility perfidiousness cruelty beyond any sort of men that ever yet appeared in the world especially to really godly Persons should alarm and awaken us to bethink our selves afore it be too late of preventing their intrenching among us And sith Quakerism is but a posterne to let in Popery which English Protestants would undoubtedly fight against to the death if it marched under its own Colours and Leaders it is necessary that such an eye be had on Quakers as that the Preaching of the Gospell be not hindred by them nor their growth such as may oppress those whom they revile and hate without a cause To shew the falsehood of the chief foundations of Popery the supposed Cathoticism of the Roman Church the Supremacy of the Pope and the truth of their unwritten traditions I have written a Book now in Press which hath an Epistle of the same Reverend Brother whose Epistle is here Printed prefixed by which appeares our union and concurrence in the common cause of Christ against oppugners of it And having regard to your Honours and the esteem which is due to you as being a constellation of the first magnitude in this our Commonwealth I presume to offer this Writing to your Honours for your use and to subscribe my selfe Your Honours humble Servant in Christ John Tombes Lemster in Hereford shire the 3 d day of the last Moneth vulg Febr. 1. 1659 To the Reader Reader IF thou live in England it 's like thou hast heard of if not seen that new and strange generation of people called Quakers And if thou be one that hast not lost thy faith and wit I may presume that thou art grieved for their folly and impiety and wonderest at their brazen-faced impudency and lamentest the dishonour which they bring upon the Christian name and blushest at them as the Nations shame But all understand not their originall and tendency who sends them forth and what is their designe Had there been no other discovery of these they are legible enough in their doctrines and their workes He that is no stranger to Popery and is conversant in the writings of the Fryars and Jesuites may perceive who taught them their doctrine of universall sufficient light of Perfection against imputed righteousness of the necessity of an infallible judge that concupiscence antecedent to consent is no sin their undervaluing the Scriptures and many the like The principal work of the Papists and Quakers is to take off the people from the holy Scriptures and from the Reformed faithfull Ministers This is none of the work of Christ who teacheth his Discipies by his Spirit Word and Ministers conjunctly He that would have no Ministry would have no Church and no Christ And he that would have another Church and Ministry in reason should tell us plainly which is the Church and Ministry which he would have If it be the Papal why do they not speak out and say so doth jugling suit with matters of eternall life or death If it be not the Papal but the Quakers it cannot be the Church and Ministry of Christ. For the Church and Ministers of Christ have been not only conspicuous since his Ascension and sending the Holy Ghost but also have been that part of the world which providence hath tendered and for which the earth hath been sustained and for whose happinesse all things do conspire But
the Quakers Church if they have any is but about ten or twelve years old at utmost unless the Weigelians Paracelsians Behmenists and the rest of the Fanaticks in Germany or the Familists in England and New-England may be accounted their progenitors And yet their Church will not be found to be of two hundred years continuance Indeed Stubbe Sir H. Vane's egregious Vindicator had neither wit nor modesty nor fear enough to restrain him from telling the world in his malice pag. 36. that it was ignorantly said of me that The Quakers had no being in the world till a few years ago and the Gnostick adds that as to the generality of their opinions and deportment he doth AVOW it out of as sure and good records as any can be produced that they can plead more for themselves from the first two hundred seventy years then Mr. Baxter for the present orthodox Religion laid down in the Saints Everlasting Rest or the Confession of the Assembly But when will the undertaker produce these Records Such a heart and face might have served him to avow that the holy Apostles were railing lying Quakers or whatever filthiness had come into his thoughts Some of their abominable opinions and practices have troubled the world since the Romish iniquity did abound but no times were freer from them then the first and none more unlike to them then Christ and his Apostles however Satan would gain credit to his impieties or discredit to the Gospel by his apish imitations The witness of their late Leader James Nailor is regardable who in his Recantation saith that they are Unclean Spirits gene out from the unity of the truth and light by which we have been called and gathered into one Christ Jesus the Head over all his blessed for ever whose name hath been greatly dishonoured by many wilde actings and his innocent Spirit grieved and many simple souls deceived and that the work of the murderer and devourer is therein against the life of God in his Temple which though they seek entrance under pretence of humility promising some great things and more holiness in that way to steal into simple minds yet being got in exalts himself above the seed of God and tramples the meek spirit under foot And by this saith he you shall all perceive that Spirit whatever it pretends it will secretly withdraw your entire love from the flock of God already gathered and cool your affections and zeal towards their present meetings and if you judge it not there it will grow on with an evil eye to spie out for their failings and to delight to hear of them with an hidden joy whispering them to others and adding thereunto with a desire to see them broken and their nakedness laid open if anything be amiss And thus it hath wrought in a mystery of wickedness in some unjudged untill it be seated in the throne of open enmity and strife against the Lambs of Light preferring the society ef the prophane before them and taking part therewith against them joyning to any who seek to scatter them And whatever pretence this Spirit covers it sellf with this I declare against it having been kept by the good hand of God to see it revealed in its ground and end that it is the old Spirit of the Ranters which now in a new way makes head against the Light of Christ and life of the Cross which is the only thing that stands in its way by condemning its filthiness in every conscience Thus speaks James Nailor after his lamentable experience and the Papers he hath written against me and others for their way And yet his followers will not be undeceived nor follow him in his Recantation Had they their will against the Ministry in this Land would it promote the Gospel and the salvation of the people Who would instruct them publikely and privately As constantly and diligently and soundly as now they are instructed If there were joyin Hell what joyfull tidings would it be to the infernal Spirits to hear of the accomplishment of the desires of the Quakers and their partakers The accusations against us which the grand accuser of the Brethren hath put into their mouthes are partly from our hearts unknown to them and partly from our duties imputed to us for our crimes and partly from our afflictions in which they should rather compassionate us then reproach us Yesterday in the Congregation and the streets a stranger that never saw my face before cryed out The judgement of the Lord is gone out against thee thou hypocrite thou painted Sepulcher that hast an outside of humility but an inside of pride an outside of godliness but within is envy wrath malice and all wickedness in the day of thy misery thou shalt remember me When I heard the man I blessed God that had caused me to be contented with his own approbation and given me the testimony of my conscience that my soul and life and all that I have is devoted to him and that I have a most just heart-searching Judge that yet hath the compassions of a Father And I wondered that sin should ever prevail so far with men as to harden them to so open and impudent an usurpation of the prerogative of God while they pretend to know the hearts of men as soon as they see their faces And I thought with compassion on the state of weak unsetled consciences that are like young Horses among Drums and Guns that are frightened meerly by a noise As if any man that could but repeat a Scripture-threatning and speak terribly and counterfeit himself a Prophet should frighten us from our peace and faith And it is our very preaching and labours for our peoples souls that is the principal thing they hate us for And the more laborious and faithfull any man is the more maliciously do they oppose him being incomparably more patient with a Whoremonger or Drunkard or prophane Worldling then with such So that our diligence so strictly commanded us by God is with them our crime That we do not as the old worldly Readers did follow the Plow and Cart and labour about earthly business when we should be doing the spiritual work that we are engaged in and that our peoples souls require though we are commanded to meditate upon these things and give our selves wholly to them 1 Tim. 4. 15. A good Minister of Jesus Christ being one that is nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine whereto they do attain vers 6. The great word by which they think to make us odious to the people working on their carnal minds and interests is that we are Hirelings because forsooth we bargain for so much or else we will not preach But Satan is a liar By Gods assistance we will preach while we have life and strength and liberty though instead of maintaining us they spit in our faces But we dare not encourage our people to be ungratefull Monsters nor sacrilegious
Mar. 7. 21. makes evil reasonings thoughts and folly to come from within out of the heart of man he surely makes mens hearts void of light till they be enlightened with his light And when James Chap. 1. 14 15. makes every mans sin the issue of his own lust as every good gift from the Father of lights who of his own will begets us again with the word of truth Jam. 1. 17 18. he intimates there 's not light in us to avoid sin till the Father of lights begets us again with the word of truth Sect. 4. Vacuity of light without Christ enlightening is proved from Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. Job 14. 4. 15. 14. 25. 4 5 6. 11 12. Psal. 51. 5. Jer. 10. 14. 17. 9. and experience To these Texts in the new Testament I shall adde more out of the old As first the words Gen. 6. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination or the whole imagination or frame of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually or every day which speech is with little alteration repeated Gen. 8. 21. the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth which speech is not a censure only of the Giants that werein the old world but of all men even from the youth of man without any exception of any and therefore is from their generation Nor is it to be conceived to be an excess of speech expressing more then was true for Gen. 6. 5. it is given as a reason of the great wickedness of man and Gods intended severe punishment and set down as the object of Gods view on his inquisition in the later to set out the greatness of his patience by the greatness of mans sinfulness to which ends those speeches had been impertinent if they were understood as expressing more then was true For then they had not expressed a true inquisition or a just reason of a severe judgement which is alwayes to be expressed as befits a Judge whose judgement is according to naked truth Rom. 2. 2. not with Rhetorical amplifications after the manner of Oratours or a right reason of Gods patience if the provocation were not as great as the words intimate Now this being supposed true we may hence argue thus If every imagination or the whole imagination or frame of the thoughts of mans heart be only evil continually or every day from his youth or childehood then every man till he be enlightened by Christ wants light to guide him in the knowledge of his duty and the way of salvation for if the thoughts be not right the actions are not right nor the light sufficient if men stumble and fall it is an argument they want light but such is the imagination of mans heart as the Texts do express Therefore every man that cometh into the world wants light to rectifie his thoughts about the things of God And that this pravity of mens imaginations is an hereditary and not meerly voluntary or an acquired disease by use custome or imitation the speech of Job doth intimate Job 14. 4. where to deprecate Gods bringing him into judgement with him in a bemoaning plight he thus speaketh Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Wherein Job expresseth that it is no marvel that all mens lives are so short and so full of trouble because all being unclean naturally none by natural generation can beget a clean childe And if all are unclean morally as they come into the world then all are void of light for that 's a chief part of moral uncleanness till Christ enlighten them The same is confirmed by other passages in the Book of Job as Chap. 15. 14. What is man that he should be clean and he which is born of a woman that he should be righteous Job 25. 4 5 6. How can he be clean that is born of a woman Iob 11. 12. Vain man would be wise though man be born like a wild Asses colt Which speeches do plainly assert mans uncleanness and unrighteousness and ignorance as he is born into the world by natural generation To which may be adjoyned that speech of David concerning himself Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me which is not likely to be meant of any special sin of his mother of whom no such thing is related nor is it likely that he would mention it to her reproach nor would it be pertinent to his confession of his own sin nor is likely to be an Hyperbole or excess of speech as Psal. 58. 3. Joh. 9. 34. For those Hyperbolical expressions are descriptions of a man notoriously and openly ungodly in the course of his life whereas David however he sinned in the matter of Urijah yet in respect of the constant course of his life was a man after Gods own heart and therefore it seemes to me to note his original corruption by natural conception as the cause of his great enormity in the matter of Urijah and to aggravate his sin as springing from himself Now of such corruption want of light to guide us in our way to happiness is a chief part That which the Prophet Jeremiah speaks Jer. 10. 14. Every man is brutish in his knowledge and Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked or incurably sick who can know it do express such a destitution of light truth and rectitude as shew that the heart of man is very evil Which being spoken of men universally as they are unchanged can be well imputed to no other reason or cause then the derivation of sinfull corruption to all mankinde by natural generation To all which allegations from Scripture experience addes abundant confirmation sith the ignorance unteachableness frowardness untractableness of persons especially in duties of Religion and the worship of God untill by Catechizing Preaching Discipline Government and other meanes whereby the wildeness of mens spirits is tamed they be brought to some sense and conformity to their duty And even then when by such meanes the hearts and lives of men are somewhat fashioned yet upon every new provocation of fear or hope they quickly draw back from any good course and embrace any errour unless by the Ministery of the word help of Government and work of Gods Spirit they be strengthened do fully shew that of themselves persons want light to guide them and power to uphold themselves in any thing that is good but on the contrary are prone to receive impressions and ro hatch devices of sin and errour till Christ do enlighten them Sect. 5. Every man needs enlightening by Christ by reason of the many evils consequent on sin As for the second reason of mans needing light from Christ by reason of the evils consequent on our natural darkness which are not to be removed but by Christs enlightening it is in like manner manifest by
sin as none durst commit no law therefore was made against it by Salon Tully pleads for Sextus Roscius Amerinus that he could not be guilty of it because he was sleeping at the time of his Fathers death which the fury of his conscience would not have permitted if he had been guilty of parricide And yet self-murther to avoid tyrants rage was applauded theft if cunningly acted was allowed by Lycurgus drunkenness and whoredome and murthering in fence-playes and duels either made religious services or matter of glory 9. They might and did by natural light know that God did discover and avenge secret murthers adulteries perjuries sacriledge and other evils that he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an avenging eye and hence was there much fear of thunder-claps stormes earthquakes plagues and many means used to pacifie the anger of the Deity Yet they were not sensible of the eternal judgment to come though they imagined punishments to be awarded to Malefactors after death The Barbarians of Melita Act. 28. 4. when they saw the Viper hanging on Pauls hand said among themselves No doubt this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffereth not to live 10. They might and did imagin that God was a rewarder of good deeds in defence of their Countrey in doing justice and such like acts and some counted it their chief good to do vertuous acts But they knew nothing of the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting prepared for them that believed and obeyed the truth of the Gospel In these and many more things the Gentiles which knew not God had some natural light in some it was more clear then in others in some so dusky and dimme that it was scarce discernable but in none such as that it could be a constant universal Rule to direct them in what they were to do or Warrant to justifie them in what they had done or means to shew them how to come to God and enjoy communion with him and to save them from wrath to come Sect. 5. The Gentiles light by nature served to restrain from sin and to leave men inexcusable Neverthelesse this light though insufficient to direct for justification and salvation yet was usefull for two ends 1. To restrain men from such excesse of sinne as would otherwise have destroyed humane society It being the contrivance of God to let men live together though very evil till their iniquities be full and when sins are ripe then to put in the sickle and cut wicked men down either by a particular or an universal judgment In the mean time as he gave the Law to the Jews because of transgressions Gal. 3. 19. either to restrain them or to abate punishments till the seed came to whom the Promise was made that there might be a people among whom the Messiah should appear so to other people he gave a Law in themselves to prevent the extirpation of the Nations by bridling mens lusts through conscience of sinne and fear of punishment till the time should come of their calling into the Church 2. Besides this end God hath another in respect of himself that they might be inexsusable who sinned against the light in them and God might be justified in his sentence and judgment upon them Therefore it is said Rom. 1. 20. That the eternal power and Godhead was made known from the Creation of the world by the things that are made that they might be without excuse who held the truth in unrighteousnesse and when they knew God glorified him not as God neither were thankfull but were filled with unrighteousnesse though they knew the judgment of God that they that commit such things are worthy of death ver 29 31. Whence it is that Gods judgment is proved to be according to truth Rom. 1. 2. and God found to be true though every man be a lyer as it is written That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged Rom. 3. 4. Ignorance of the Law being not to be pleaded by them who did evil against the innate light of their own spirits forasmuch as that fact must needs be voluntary which is done against the knowledge and judgment of a mans own conscience Sect. 6. Application to justifie us against Quakers and to warn us that we act not against our Light From this which hath been said we may infer 1. A plea for our selves against the clamorous but unjust accusation of the Quakers who use with loud vociferations even to hoarsnesse and with continual printed pamphlets to charge publique Preachers with denying the light within each man whereas such light is not at all denied by them but is acknowledged to be a great benefit to mankind That which is denied is That the light within each person is alone of it self without the Scripture a sufficient direction to bring us to God and instate us in his savour or a sufficient warrant of it self to to justifie our actions It is usefull but not in such a measure as the Quakers make it as if persons were to look to it and no other Rule and that they might well enough be without Scripture Preachers Church-discipline Ordinances of the New Testament and such other helpes as God vouchsases to guide his people by into the way of peace Wherein how much they are mistaken shall be shewed in that which follows 2. In the mean time each person is to make use of the light within him so farre as it is indeed light and usefull Certainly it concerns every man so farre to look to the light within him that he do not as it is said of some Job 24. 13. rebell against the light A mans own conscience is so farre a Law to him that though it cannot of it self justifie yet it may condemn My meaning is a mans own light cannot warrant of it self without the Scripture a mans actions to be lawfull which he doth according to that light Our Saviour tells there are some that shall think they do God service in killing the Apostles Joh. 16. 2. Paul told Agrippa Act. 26. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth So that herein he followed the light within him and yet he counted this his great sinne 1 Tim. 1. 13. The Quakers accuse often falsly and revile most abominably others who are no whit inferiour to themselves and they say they follow their light within them and yet he that reads and believes such Scriptures as these 1 Cor. 5. 11. 1 Cor. 6. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Jude 8. 9 10. cannot but think their practice to be from the Devil and not from Gods Spirit If following the dictate of a mans own conscience could warrant his action the most horrid acts of misted Idolaters Papists Pagans Mahometans fanatiques should be free from censure and controul Yet if a man do that which he
darknesse and that they knew not the true light nor received him Whence we thus argue They had not a light within them sufficient to be a safe rule and guide to direct and warrant them in their way for pleasing God who were darknesse when the true light shined who knew him not nor received him for sure they that are such must be destitute of that light which might safely guide them who were so dark and ignorant as not to know the true light which enlightens every man But so it was with many even of the Jews themselves when Christ was in the world Therefore they had not sufficient light in them and consequently none much less every man hath a sufficient light to guide him safely in his way to God without the Scripture and the Spirit of God over and above the common light of reason and understanding which every man by nature and study attains to without them 4. Arg. From those Texts of Scripture which do expresly tell us that afore the preaching of Christ and his Apostles the people to whom they were sent were darkness sate in darkness and in the shadow of death Such are Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were once darkness Mat. 4. 16. The people that sate in darkness have seen a great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death hath the light sprung up Whence I argue They had not a sufficient light within them to be a safe and compleat rule and guide to direct them in their way to please God and to warrant their actions if they followed it who were darkness and who sate in darkness and in the region and shadow of death unless we will imagine that darkness is light and as the Quakers do put darkness for light and light for darkness to whom the Prophet denounceth wo Isa. 5. 20. But some there were afore Christs and his Apostles preaching to them who were darkness who sate in darkness and in the region and shadow of death Therefore every man had not a sufficient light within him to be a safe and compleat rule and guide to direct him in his way to please God and to warrant his actions if he followed it And if not then neither have we now 5. Arg. From Luk. 16. 8. where our Saviour saith The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light The opposition of children of light to the children of this world shews that the children of this world are not children of light and if they were the same the speech of Christ would be foolish in preferring one sort before the other as wiser in their generation Hence therefore I thus argue If every man had a light within him sufficient to be his rule and guide of it self to direct him how to please God then every man should be a childe of light for to be a childe is all one as to be a person that hath light in him to guide him so as to please God But every man is not a childe of light Therefore every man haâ—h not a light safe and sufficient within him to guide him in his way to God and to be the compleat rule of his actions Godward 6. Arg. Is from Act. 26. 18. where Paul saith Christ sent him to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Eph. 5. 14. Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light From whence I argue They who are to be turned from darkness to light called by God out of darkness into his marvellous light who are to awake and stand up from the dead that Christ may give them light had not a light within as a sufficient safe guide to direct them in their way to God unless we suppose darkness to be light men among the dead fit to guide themselves But so it is said of both Jews and Gentiles in those Scriptures Therefore sure they had not such a light within them as Quakers say is in all If they had such a light they should have been directed to follow it not turned from it the Apostles should have called them as the Quakers do to follow the light in them and not have called them out of darkness nor required them to awake and stand up from the dead that Christ may give them light Nor should we do as the Apostles did bid men leave the darkness in them but as the Quakers do look to the light in them 7. Arg. From Rom. 10. 14 17. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Whence I argue That is not a sufficient guide in our way to God which cannot of it self make us believers for that is not sufficient to guide us to God that is not sufficient to beget faith sith there is no coming to God without faith as is told us Heb. 11. 6. But the light within us cannot of it self make us believers sith the Apostle saith How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they bear without a Preacher So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God which were vain speeches if there were another ordinary way by a light within us to beget faith Therefore the light within us is not of it self without preaching a safe sufficient guide in our way to God 8. Arg. From Rom. 12. 2. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Eph. 4. 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your minde Col. 3. 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Whence I argue They who must not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of their minde that they may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God who must put off the old man and be renewed in the spirit of their minde who must put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge had not a light within them antecedent to this renewing which might enable them to prove what was Gods acceptable will nor be a sufficient safe rule to guide them to God For if they had what need such transforming renewing non-conformity to the world putting off the old man But all that
not meant of all things simply for then they should have been omniscient they should have known the day and hour in which the Son of man cometh whereas Christ saith the Father only knowes it Mar. 13. 32. but of all those things concerning the Father and the Son of whom the Hereticks pretended a deeper knowledge then the Apostles had Now these things being premised this Text is against the Quakers not for them for it asserts not a light in every man but only in those in whom the anointing was nor a teaching of that anointing by peculiar immediate revelation but by the Apostles preaching which is the same with the doctrine of the Scriptures and so proves the Quakers not of God who hear not the Apostles are not guided by the Scriptures but by a peculiar light within them falsely ascribed to the anointing of the Spirit of God and teach other doctrine then what is received from the Apostles and so is a warning to us that we should not hear them and justifies the Preachers who preach the doctrine which the Apostles delivered and shews those only to have the anointing and to be rightly taught by it who receive their doctrine which is in the Scriptures Sect. 3. The opinions of Gods obligation to the user of natural abilities well and of universal calling are errours pernicious It remains that I should say something of the other opinions mentioned Serm. 5. concerning the certainty of Gods communicating that which shall be of saving import to every man that useth his natural abilities faithfully and carefully and universal calling by that which is termed objective grace For though my purpose was only to examine the Quakers opinion about a light in every man yet sith these two opinions do come very near the Quakers opinion and did either beget it at first or do much serve to confirme it and are the high way to the opinion of the Gentiles salvation who lived vertuously though the Gospel were not taught them by any Preachers sent to them and of those who hold that every man may be saved in his own Religion if he live honestly which tends to make Christs coming in the flesh unnecessary Christian Religion and the preaching of the Gospel more then is simply necessary to salvaiion which quencheth zeal in propagating the Gospel professing of Christ resormation of Religion and suffering for the Christian doctrine and fills the Land with luke warm Neutralists meer Moralists and Atheists I shall briefly examine them The opinion of Gods engagement to him that useth faithfully and carefully natural abilities doth suppose 1. That there may be if there never were a faithfull and carefull use of natural abilities by every person of mankinde under heaven This use is to be conceived to be for the finding out of the knowledge of the true God his will and counsel and the observing them Now this cannot be conceived to be in any who hath not a heart to be subject to God if he might know his will and to worship him if he could understand how he should do it and doth carefully study to finde out these and enquires diligently after them But the Scripture tells us Vers. 1. that the minding of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 7 8. Now all they are supposed to be in the flesh who are not in the Spirit Vers. 9. those two members comprehending all men Now no man is in the Spirit who is not in Christ Vers. 9 10. and he that hath only natural abilities is not in Christ till a man believes in him he is not in Christ Therefore no man that hath only natural abilities hath a heart to be subject to God if he might know his will nor to worship him if he could understand how to do it nor will carefully study to finde out these and enquire diligently after them and therefore the supposition of a faithfull and carefull use of natural abilities by every or any person of mankinde to come to God is a supposition of an impossibility as the state of mankinde now is To this Argument may be added that our Lord Christ tells us Mat. 7. 16 17 18. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Which speech though it be understood of the most diminute impossibility that is a moral impossibility only yet in that sense it will evince that none of those men who have only natural abilities by which they can never be made any other then corrupt trees have or can have an inclination to use faithfully or carefully their natural abilities for God but only for themselves so that if they do at any time enquire after God it is by reason of some kinde of preventing work of God not by any application of themselves faithfully and carefully to seek after God I omit the Arguments which I have used Serm. 4 th and 6 th before to prove destitution of spiritual light and imperfection of natural light to guide us to God which prove that it is vainly supposed that any man much less every man either will or can in his meer natural estate use his natural abilities faithfully and carefully to seek after God 2. It is supposed that he that doth thus use his natural abilities shall receive from God yet further that which shall be of saving import and consequence For quicker dispatch I omit the search both into what a man must do that he may be said to have thus used his natural abilities and what that is of saving import and consequence which he shall receive and say that if it were supposed a man did use his natural abilities thus yet there is no assurance that he shall receive from God that which is of saving consequence which I prove thus 1. If those Jewes and Gentiles who have used as well as they could their natural abilities have not received from God that which is of saving import and consequence then there is no assurance given of every mans receiving from God that which is of saving import and consequence who shall faithfully and carefully use his natural abilities of reason and conscience But the antecedent is true Therefore also the consequent The consequence is of it self manifest and the antecedent is proved by instances The young man mentioned Mar. 10. 20. that observed all the Commandments from his youth insomuch that it is said Christ loved him Vers. 21. And that he was not far from the kingdome of God And Israel that followed after the law of righteousness but attained it not Rom. 9. 30. used as well as they could their natural abilities and yet received not that which was of saving
Father he hath declared God and his will without obseurity He was full of grace and truth then which nothing is more lovely and therefore the more the averseness is from the Gospel of Christ the more estrangedness there is from the life of God and the more the light of Christ is entertained the more of the love of God dwels in that person 7. That a man have light from Christ it is needfull he should awake out of sleep Eph. 5. 14. A careless soul that 's heedless of what truth is held forth that snorts securely and dreams sweetly of peace when there is no peace is no more capable of benefit by the light of Christ then a man that 's of a drousie sleepy head that folds his hands and mindes nothing but his bed and pillow Of using bodily light not only sore eyes but also drousie heads are offended with light Watching is necessary to the use of Christian light which being neglected the Prince of darkness easily bindes the hands and shaves the hair as Dalilah did Sampsons which makes his strength depart from him To keep our soules safe it is needfull we keep our eyes waking and to pray with the Psalmist Lighten mine eyes that I sleep not the sleep of death Ps. 13. 3. 8. To this must be joyned standing up from the dead Eph. 5. 14. Graves and Vaults for dead bodies are not fit receptacles of light To be among men who have no spirituall life in their soules to be associated with meer carnall worldlings voluptuous Epicures proud selfish men is as inconsistent with the injoyment of the light of Christ as for a seeing man to lye among the dead which are cut off from Gods hand A child of light will have little but darkness from such unholy soules as are full of darkness yea doubtless such company will by their own reasonings and Satans sophistry blow out the light of Christ that it shine not where they are Hence it is that among such persons all discoveries of sin or duty Gods counsell or Covenant Christ and his Church Heaven and Hell are tedious No talk or action among such is more acceptable then that which proceeds from an earthly spirit Scripture truth holy Sermons spirituall experiences are unsuitable to that mirth they delight in those contents that please them those ends they aim at Whence it is that they put out that light which crosseth their designes and wish that neither God did see them nor Christ judg them nor Preachers teach them nor any Saint converse with them Doubtless then a soul that affects these cannot long endure such quench-coales nor joyn with such extinguishers but as he is made a child of light so chooseth to be with them in whom is light 9. It will concerne those who own Christ as their light to judg themselves and their wayes by his light It is the great benefit of light that it doth not make manifest Eph. 5. 13. And thus by the light of Christ the evill of our wayes is reproved the wayes of God approved we know the righteousness of God and our unrighteousness Now this is no small benefit to have light to discerne our own errors which without light from Christ we should never have unstood It is our advantage that God covers our sins and we discover them He that is ignorant of them cannot correct them but walks on in them without shame or sorrow as a man that walks in the night neither sees how foul his cloathes are nor knowes how to make them clean Hence it comes to pass that for want of light the carriage of most is so unhandsome and unlike the Gospell that they not only shame themselves but also cause others to stumble A wise Christian therefore will be often judging himself by the light of law discovering his transgressions and the light of the Gospel shewing his estate in Christ. 10. It will be needfull not only to use the light of Christ to judg our selves by but also to order our actions by I am the light of the world saith Christ John 8. 12. be that followeth me shall not walk in darkness There cannot be unsafe walking by Christs light there is no danger when Christ our light goes before Walk in the light saith Christ while ye have the light lest darkness come upon you John 12. 35. How many millions are there of soules perplexed and tortured all their life with feares and doubts for want of walking by the light of Christ in Scripture and chosing rather to walk by a light and sparkes of their own kindling which in the end either goes quite out or burnes so dimme as to leave them in darkness of spirit and horrour of conscience And no marvell sith it is Gods just judgment that such as neglect the light Preached should follow the mares of humane reason the examples customes dictates of men and in conclusion lye down in sorrow Isai. 50. 11. such foolish fires will lead to nothing but bogs and praecipices But Christ the true light when his Gospell is followed guides the feet of men into the way of peace Luke 1. 79. Oh that then all that talke of the light within them would follow the light about them even the light of Christs Gospel and example whereby the greatest security is obtained and the surest advancement with God sith he that followes Christ his light shall be where he is Then would men walk honestly or decently in good fashion not in banquetings and drunkennesses not in chamberings and wantonnesses not in strife and envying if they would put on the Lord Jesus Christ and not make provision of the flesh unto lusts Rom. 13. 13 14. 11. The light of Christ is to be used as our weapons or tooles to defend our selves or to work with The night is over the day hath approached let us therefore put off the workes of darkness and put on the armour of light Rom. 13. 12. The truth is light is the chiefest instrument for safety and work If a man be without light he can neither defend himself nor offend an enemy If any man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him saith christ John 11. 9 10. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work John 9. 4. As the bodily light is given us by God to fight and work so spirituall light is given us by Christ to fight the good fight of Christ and to do the workes of God He then that would make use of Christs light must be armed with his Doctrine that he may be able to repel Satans fiery darts and expel him as Christ did by the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God Eph. 6. 17. And he that would improve the light must be doing that business which the word of Christ directs him to and to that end it must dwell richly in him in all wisedome Col. 3. 16. Their own light in men makes them rather wranglers with others sometimes the best as is seen in Quakers then contenders against their own lusts and moves them to disturb others in their work and to be busie bishops in anothers diocese rather then to lookinto their own charge but the light of Christ directs us to steddy to be quiet and do our own business 1 Thess. 4. 11. 12. And Lastly Make use of the light of Christ for thy comfort and rejoycing The light of the eyes rejoyceth the heart Prov. 15. 30. Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is to behold the Sun Eecl 11. 7. But the light of Christ his Gospel doth far more rejoyce the heart and is much more delightfull to the soul then bodily light can be to the eyes It is it which removes doubts griefs fears despair in life and at death Oh how sweetly might men live how comfortably might they dye if they did make use of it Light within you whatever Quakers tell you will leave you in perplexity when you shall have most need of comfort But if you believe in the light of Christ as it is held out to you in the Gospel you shall see the light of life Be perswaded to disclaime the pretended new light within you as your sufficient guide to God and choose the light of Christ from Heaven in his Gospel to walk by and it will guide and comfort you surely and sweetly to eternal life FINIS 2 Pet. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 2. 4. 2 Cor. 4. 2.