so weak and small being onely a very small remnant or Relict of what man had before the fall To this I reply and say Answ. That this very Answer then grants it to be still of a saving nature in so much that if it save not this or that man in whom it is it is not any defect in the nature but onely in the degree or quantity of it But others that foresee the consequence of this concession will not allow it For if it be saving in the nature of it though it be the least of all seeds yet it may save as Christ compared the tru seed of Regeneration unto a Very little thing even the least of all seeds But that they say this universall pricciple is only som relict of that supernaturall Light which Adam had before the fall and nothing de novo or of a new superadded is not to be granted For if by supernaturall Light they understand the image of God in man that image did wholly dye the light thereof become wholly extinguisht and so the image remayned indeed in man but as a dead body without life or as a candle whose light is blown out and extinguished for the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world and by the fall Christ came to be crucifyed in man Viz. according to the life of the expressed word which being crucified he is said to be crucified though according to the life of the word as it is immanent or dwelling in God and not externally emanant or expressed in man he could never suffer or be crucified And thus as that supernaturall principle became crucified in man through the fall the light thereof came to be wholly extinguished for the light proceedeth from the life An example whereof we have in every naturall thing which liveth Which so soone as they are slain or mortified send forth no more vertu till quickened again And thus a live coale after it is killed giveth no more light till it be revived again by somewhat that is living administred and communicated de novo to it That supernaturall light then which is in all men since the fall is not any relict as aforesaid but some what given of a new to quicken and enlighten the dead body of the divine image and thereby and there through the soule of man which onely can live unto God be a partaker of his life through that life which he breaths into this slain image in which man onely hath fellowship with God according to which man was made in the beginning and because of which he excelled all the other visible creatures for that this divine image expressed or breathed into him whereby he became a living soule i. e. did partake of a life that in the very nature and kind of it excelled the life of all other Visible creaturs which did represent God and give the knowledg of him unto man so far as he was capable of it Now in the last place we have to doe with Arminians and Papists who deny this universall principle to be the grace Evangelicall and consequently that the true seed of Regeneration is sowne in every man which is sufficiently refuted from what hath been said For if this Light or principle be given a new to quicken and raise up the divine image which dyed and was slain by mans fall what can it be but the tru seed of Regeneration For any other principle would be altogether Heterogeneous and so could not serve to quicken or raise it up Let also the many excellent Scripture proofs adduced and opened in the 2 Section and elce where be but well weighed and considered and it will plainly appear that the grace they declare of is truly Evangelicall being called the word of faith and the Gospell Rom 10 8. v. 16. compared and Colossians 1. 23. 27. As also John 1. 9. 7. c. where it s called the tru light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world that all through him might beleeve c. SECTION III. The objections of any seeming weight answered Object 1. NAturall and unconverted men are said Ephes 5. 8. to be darkness how then can saving light be in them Answ. It may be in them notwithstanding in a seed as well as darkness by your own principles is said to be in the Saints so long as they are in this body who yet are in that place said to be Light in the Lord. Why may not then as well light be in them that are called darkness as darkness according to your principles be in them that are called Light in the Lord yea it must have been in them while darkness or they could never have been brought out of that state to be light in the Lord for t' is by the shining of the true light in such that those that resist not its operation come to be so changed Object 2. All men have not faith therefore all men have not saving light Answ. I deny the consequence For faith is the effect of this saving light onely in those that resist not its meek and gentle operation not in those that resist it for in them it produceth not faith but condemnation so we grant all men have not faith hope love nor any of those blessed effects and Vertues of the spirit mentiond Galat. 5. 22. 23. which the Saints alone or the converted onely have but this hinders not but that all might have them the seed which would bring forth these fruits in them did they not oppress it being in them Object 3. Some are said Jude 19. Not to have the spirit Therefore such have no saving light Answ. The word have hath various significations sometimes it signifyes possession enjoyment union and thus all have not the spirit Yea thus none but the Saints have it Other whiles it signifies the presence or in-being of the Spirit in men according to that influence of light and life which prepareth for union and enjoyment and thus all men have the spirit so long as the day of their Visitation remaineth Object 4. It 's said the World cannot receive the spirit of truth because it sees him not neither knows him Therefore c. Answ. The same answer servs For the word receive as well as have is of Various acceptations Thus the World can neither receive nor know the spirit of truth as to union possession and fruition of it But the world that is worldly naturall carnall men may receive the spirit according to that influence which prepareth for union c. for many a wordly and naturall man hath become a child of God But how could any man witness such a change but by receiving the word and spirit of truth while naturall and carnall as it s said as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God By which receiving here is understood beleeving but there is a more generall receiving of the Spirit by which unbeleevers may come to beleeve
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
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
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
unbeleef and darknes and it lighteth him that hee may beleev and come out of it and so 4. If by men here wer only understood Beleevers then Iohn could not have said the Light shineth in darknes and the darknes apprehended it not for Beleevers are not darknes but light wheras Unbeleevers are darkned and unbelief is darknes now the Light shineth in this darknes to change men who are darknes to be Light in the Lord. Now followeth Iohn Baptist his testimony of him Ther was a man sent from God whos name was Iohn the same came for a witnes to bear witnes of the Light that ALL through him might beleiv and this was his testimony that hee was the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world His words are such a plaine proof that Christ enlightned every man so as that hee might believ and so be saved that no words could be desired more plainly to evidence it and yet what miserable evasions have men made who are prejudiced against this precious Truth to darken it by their corrupt Glosses 1. Some will have it only to be understood of the light of nature or a naturall light And if we reply the words speake of Christ and Christ is not naturall but spirituall they answer its true but yet Christ who is spirituall hath diverse manners of enlightnings hee enlightneth some only naturally say they and others spiritually to which I reply Granting that hee doth enlighten after divers manners as naturalâ—…y and spiritually but notwithstanding all men whom hee doth lighten naturally hee doth also lighten spiritually for that as is said hee is called light in no place of scripture simply and Barely in Relation to a naturall inlightning excluding the spirituall I challenge the adversaries to produce one plaine and evident proof for it And againe this wer not to doe the work of an Evangelist to preach him to every man as inlightning but naturally wheras the Apostle received his Commission from Christ to preach the Gospell to every Creature i. e. every man But besides these reasons prosecuted above Iohn the Baptists plaine words doe evince it that hee enlightens every man spiritually and so as that hee may beleve wherfor this is an inlightning of a saving or salutiferous Nature For Iohn came to bear witnes of him that all through him might beleeve Hence I thus argue That enlightning which hath a speciall Relation to beleeving is of a spirituall and salutiferous or saving nature But this enlightning here mentioned hath a speciall Relation to beleving Therfor c. The first Proposition is manifest becaus the enlightning which is but naturall hath its speciall Relation not to faith but to naturall Reason The second Proposition is proved from Iohns Testimony who said Hee cam to bear witnes of the Light that all might beleeve through him Secondly I thus argue That lightning by which all men might bâ—…leev is of a spirituall and saving nature But this lightning is such Therefore c. The first Proposition is clear becaus by no other inlightning but that which is spirituall and saving CAN any beleev The second Proposition is proved from Iohns words Hee came to bear witnes of the light that all through him MIGHT beleeve Therefor it was such an enlightning that all through him MIGHT beleeve and so I desire the Reader to take notice of the word MIGHT Which Imports a Power or ability to beleeve so in somuch as Iohn said all might beleev its evident its possible for all to beleev Now to evade this some reply that it s said through him to wit Iohn and not through Christ simply as hee enlightens them To which I answer 1. Supposing it were to be understood so through Iohn yet this doth not in the lest prove that this enlightning of all men is only naturall wherof I give this most evident Reason Because by the most powerfull naturall enlightning and Iohn both neither all nor any man are putt into a condition that they might beleev for no Ministry of the best of men with a bare naturall inlightning concurring is sufficient to put men into a condition that they might beleev But secondly for them to say that through him is to be understood through Iohn is but a begging of the thing in Question and it is more agreeable to the words to be understood of Christ through whom all might beleeve without Iohn but to understand it of Iohn would Imply as if hee were an universall Instrument so as none could beleev but through him wheras many have beleeved both without the Ministry of Iohn or any men on Earth Others againe finding the strength of these Arguments which prove the enlightning here mentioned to be spirituall and of a saving nature betake themselvs to another evasion but as groundles and weak as the former By every man say they is to be understood not Singula generum but Genera singulorum i. e. not all particular men but some of all sorts of men for the words every and all doe sometimes so signify in Scripture To which I answer 1. That the words all and every doe somtimes signify so in Scripture doth not prove that they so signify here unles they could prove that they doe alwayes so signify which is so far otherways that wher in one place they signify some of all sorts in one hundred of places they signify al particulars Now would our Adversaries think it faire to put this their Glosse upon these words In Adam all die i. e. not all particulars but some of all sorts But 2. according to that generall Maxime of understanding Scripture which is that Scripture words are to be understood in their whol Latitude and Extent where no cogent Reason movs to the contrary The words then all and every are to be understood of every particular becaus no cogent Reason movs to the contrary It s true our Adversaries pretend to divers cogent Reasons the weaknes of which wee may come afterwards to shew And 3. its evident they are to be understood of all particulars becaus Iohn and other Ministers of the Gospell sent of God preached to all particulars as they had occasion whose day of visitation was remaining and did not offer it unto some and refuse it to others which they should have done if Christ had enlightned but some and not others for how could they preach to them wher there was no enlightning from Christ to answer them or the end of their Ministry As now it wer a most ridiculous thing for any men to offer the things of humane Reason to Beasts becaus there is no Rationall Capacity in them wherby they can receive them so were it as ridiculous a thing for man to offer the things of faith and salvation to any men where there is no illumination that is saving and spirituall wherby they can receive them And as the Principle of Reason answers in men to the things of Reason so the principle of Faith which
is the Word of faith in men answers to the things of Faith and therfor the true Ministers of the Gospell offer Faith unto all men there being in all men some measure of illumination by which they are capable to receiv it Now Iohn saith further hee was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not by the World it is manifest hee understandeth Men for that hee maks it a culpable thing that hee being in the World yet the World did not know him and so it cannot be understood of the outward frame of Heaven and Earth which are not in a capacity to know him Therefor according to Iohn hee was in men who knew him not and so in them who did not beleive in him nor receive him He came to his owne and his owne received him not viz. Those who wer his owne 1. by the Right of Creation 2. by the Right of Donation all men yea and all things wer delivered unto him of his Father and they to wit all men wer given him that hee might enlighten them as hee is given unto them for the same and so distributeth unto them their severall Talents that they might putt them to usury and at his coming to Iudgement might give an account of them Now here some reply That by these words in the 10. 11. vers is understood his coming outwardly in the land of Iudea but I answer as hee came there and was a light in the outward which shined gloriously and yet they did neither know him nor receive him so hee did come in the inward in some measure both then unto them and to all others yea and from the beginning forasmuch as hee hath ever beene the light of the world enlightning every man that coms into it therefore Iohn bears testimony unto him not only in what hee was at present but in what hee had been from the beginning both what hee then was and what hee was to be afterwards So by his being in the world and coming unto his owne cannot be simply understood his coming in the outward excluding his inward coming And bâ—…sides his coming IN THE OUTWARD excluding his inward coming could not so enlighten them that they might beleev But hee came enlightening them so that they might beleve Therfore his coming outwardly is not simply nor principally here understood For to his outward coming the following verses doe rather relate Morover John bare testimony of him saying The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ by which it is evident that Iohn is here preaching Christ as an universall Light unto all not according to a naturall illumination but according to that which is saving and spirituall Grace and Truth saith he cometh by Iesus Christ. And of his fulnes said hee have we all received Grace for Grace Now what ALL is this only the Saints and Beleevers No for if Saints and Beleevers only received Grace from Christ then no Unbeleevers could ever become Saints and also no Saints ever were Unbeleivers which is false For now when Grace first cometh unto men from Christ out of his fulnes it findeth them Unbeleevers and it is given them while they are such to the end that they may be converted from their unbeleef So then Unbeleevers receive Grace that they may beleeve and Beleevers receive it that they may beleeve more and more yet now some yea many and most Unbeleevers suffer not this Grace which they have received to have its operation in them which would change them and make them Beleevers but like the slothfull Servant hide their Masters mony in the earth in a napkin therefore it doth not encrease nor bring forth the fruits of Grace which it doth in them who yeeld submitt unto its operation But some may say if they had received Grace they had received him and so they should have become the Sons of God according to vers 12. I answer the Word receive hath divers significations 1. If a thing be put in such a place it is said to be received as if Seed be sowne in barren earth So the slothfull Servant which hid his Masters mony in the earth is said to have received it Math 25. 24. But 2. a thing is said to be received when it is suffered to have its due operation in that wher it is put and if not it is said to be rejected so the Earth may be said not to receive the Seed which though sowne in it yet it suffers it not to spring up and the Body which receivs good Physick into it yet resisting the operation thereof it may be said not to receive it but reject it And thus many words in Scripture have divers significations which in one is true in another false and so all men of his fulnes received Grace but some receiâ—…e it no otherwise then the barren Earth or Womb receivs the Seed or as the slothfull Servant his Talent and so it proves their condemnation even as the body which receiving good Physick resisting it and working against it is killed thereby Others receive it so as to yeeld to its operation and so they are as the good Ground which receiving the good Seed bringeth forth fruit some 30 some 60 and some 100 fold Argument 2. From Ioh. 3. vers 16. 17. c. to 22. compared with Ioh. 8. 12. IN these words Joh. 3. from v. 16. to 22. Our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ doth from his owne mouth bear a large and plaine Testimony unto this Truth God said he so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Wherby hee doth shew forth the cause of mans perishing and misery to be from mans owne selfe and not from the Lord for the Lord so loved men that hee sent his Son to save them but men did not beleeve in him whom the Father had sent Now that this love of God is universall towards all men and that the Son is come into all to be a Saviour unto them is manifest in that hee saith God so loved the World that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish But here also they have sought out an evasion to darken and corrupt this clear Testimony by the World say they hee means not all men but only the Elect. In opposition to which I say 1. It s but a meer allegation without any ground for they can shew us no place in all the Scripture wher only the Elect are called the World Indeed evill men and unbelievers are oft called the World and sometyms all men are called the World but no wher the Elect alone But 2. supposing the World wer sometyms understood to be only the Elect yet it cannot be so understood here for that it would render these words of our blessed Lord void of sence and nonsensicall which were blasphemous to think For according to that acceptation the words would
clear sight of God being not Intuitive but abstractive and so the Creaturs cannot administer or afford unto us the clear sight of God becaus they cannot exhibit or emit unto us the image of God but only some Prints and footsteps of him but the clear sight of God which is the Intuitive knowledge of him can only bee had in the Son as hee is manifest in the expressed Word and Image which is the Light that giveth with open face only to behold him Now though the Invisible things of God may be clearly seene i. e intuitively in the Creatures yet if the Creaturs have no Causality hereof this knowledge cannot in the least be imputed unto the Creaturs and so not unto any naturall illumination which is either acquired or encreased by them And this is a manifest Reason why the Creaturs of this visible world can not be said to be the cause of this knowledge here mentioned becaus no knowledge wee can receive by them though but as by Instruments is a clear seing of the Invisible things of God wheras this here mentioned is a clear seeing of them which might be in the Creaturs but not by them So that if all Creaturs wer removed yea and turned to nothing save only that Creature which hath this clear sight yet the Invisible things o God could be seene As now if I should see clearly some Excellent Object in or through Glasse which if the Glasse were removed I could see as well without it I could not impute any thing to the Glasse as having influence upon my sight So it is as to this sight of God the Creaturs are as it were a Christall Glasse in and through which the Beauty and Glory of the Lord doth shine which those who are of a pure mind can see in them and through them so that they are no Vail nor hinderance in themselvs and yet they are no cause of this sight neither for if they were removed yet the Lord could be seene Now I shall not say that all these Gentiles had such a sight of the Invisible things of God as to have these Immediate manifestations of his Love Ioy Peace Goodnes and Excellency which the Saints have but there is a Manifestation of God which is in a mixture of Wrath and Mercy Iudgement and Compassion that the Lord administers unto men befor their conversion in order thereunto through which hee appears in them as a Consuming fire and yet not wholly to destroy but to purifie them and consume the iniquity Which Manifestation cannot be imputed unto the Creatures without but is inwardly felt and seene And such a Manifestation had these Gentiles and in some measure every man that coms into the world otherwise hee could not be left without excuse if he had not clearly seene somewhat of the Invisible things of God even his Eternall Power and God head revealing his wrath from Heaven against all ungodlines and unrighteousnes which is called a clear sight in respect of the Wrath and Iudgement of God made manifest in them becaus of sin And thus farre every Eye shall see him who have pierced him that is to say caused the Seed to suffer in their owne particulars But 3. By the things that are made if any man will so translate the words may be understood those things which are inwardly made those marvelous works of the Lord which are wrought in mens hearts both of Judgement and Mercy through the appearance of God and the Revelation of his almighty arme and power in that Heavenly and Divine Principle of his owne Seed by which indeed the Invisible things of him are clearly seen And untill a man come to see the Lord in the things that are made of him in himselfe hee can never see him in the things that are made without him which gave occasion to many of the Gentile Philosophers to bid people seek God within themselvs as Seneca said Intra te quere Deum i. e. Seek God within thy self But now if a man would seek God within himselfe and desire to see him clearly and enjoy him hee must seek him in the Divine Seed and in the things that are made therin and thereof hee must seeke him in the righteousnes purity holines meeknes and temperance which spring up in the Divine Seed and are the works of God and the things which are made by which hee is clearly seene and also enjoyed and possessed for this Seed and the Birth thereof by the springing up of these Heavenly powers and vertues which issue there from Can and doth truly represent the Divine Pâ—…wer aâ—…d God head being the expresse Image of God This hath beene the Lamentable losse of many who have sought God even within themselves that they might see him and enjoy him but have sought him in the naturall illumination and in the perishing and corruptible thoughts and imaginations willings runnings of their owne hearts which are a Vail to darken and blind the Eye instead of helping it to see him wheras they should have sought him in the Divine Seed which generally they set at naught for it has beene the stone that the builders in all ages have despised and trode upon and held it in unrighteousnes but to us who beleeve it is precious and therein and thereby wee have seen those things of God which are too wonderfull for us to declare Now where these heavenly and Divine works of Truth and Righteousnes and Holines are made and brought forth in the Divine Seed there the Lord hath his Throne which is as it were built of these heavenly materialls these Saphirs and Carbuncles and Precious stones according to which it is said Psal. 89 14. Iâ—…stice and Iudgement are the habitation of his Throne and Mercy and Truth shall goe before his face For here doth the Glory of the Lord manifest it selfe as the Heavens here is the Lord seene and tasted and enjoyed as hee is all sweetnes all love all meeknes and gentlenes his Anger and Wrath and severity being turned away which was manifested in the day when Iniquity had power in the heart But as David said If I goe up to Heaven thou art there also Now as the heart where Righteousnes and Holines Purity and humility have place doth represent Heaven wherin God dwelleth and revealeth himselfe in most sweet and comfortable manifestations so the heart where unrighteousnes unholines pride and impurity c. have place doth fitly represent Hell yet even in this Hell God is and doth make his Invisible power and God-head clearly to be seene therin but not in the sweet and comfortable manifestations aforesaid but in such as are very dreadfull and terrible as a consuming fire to devour the Adversary As an angry and Jealous God all anger all wrath all severity and Iustice and no otherwise to be Immediatly seene till iniquity be turned from only unto whom the day of their visitation yet remains the mercy and Compassion of the Lord doth let
Law they thus argue 1. Becaus the Apostle saith by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified To which I say By Law there is understood the Law of the first covenant which came by Moses and its true no Justification is by that Law whether it be understood of Moses his outward ministration or of the same ministration of Moses in the spirit wher the Law is writ but in tables of stone till the Seed be raised by which the Law is fulfilled But in divers of these Gentiles the Seed was raised which is that Divine Nature or Birth by which they did the things contained in the Law and so were justified by him who gave them power to fulfill it which if it had not beene there could have beene no Iustification 2. They argue that Paul saith he has proved all both Iewes and Gentiles to be under sin and therfore they could not be justified Answer That is all those both Jewes and Gentiles who did not seek righteousnes in Christ the true light and life inwardly manifested but sought it in other things as the Jewes in their outward performances and the Gentiles in their naturall wisdome Nor can our adversaries deny but that divers Jewes were justified even then and in all ages before there were among the Iewes who were the true Saints and Children of God and sought after righteousnes in the True Principle where it was to be found but its true they were but few in respect of them who had confidence in the flesh and fleshly performances Now if these words of Paul aforesaid that hee had proved all to be under sin hinder not but that some Iewes were justified neither doe they hinder but that some Gentiles were justified also 3. They argue there can be no Iustification without faith in Christ. But these Gentiles had not faith in Christ. Therfore c. Answ. I deny the second proposition for if they did cleave unto and beleeve in the light they beleeved in Christ for hee is the light nor is the outward name that which saves but the inward nature vertue and power signified theirby which was made manifest in them and thus is Christ even that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may or must be knowne of God for Christ is only that which may or is to be knowne of him becaus no man knoweth the Father but as the Son reveals him and no man can know more of the Father then hee makes knowne unto them If any object that formerly I understood that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the Gospell and now I understand it of Christ and say how doe these hang together Is Christ the Gospell I answer The Gospell is either taken objectively or declaratively i. e. either as that Divine Principle which is both the object of what is declared and also the spring from which it floweth or as the living declaration therof issuing from that spring And so Christ is the Gospell objectively or that which is declared of by the Gospell and is its object and spring and thus the Apostle saith the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation Inasmuch then as the Divine Power is manifest unto any for Salvation wee doe justly say there is the Gospell preached for that Power doth declare it selfe both in words and works where it is kindly received to be glad tydings which Evangile signifieth and to be the Word of God which Gospell an old Saxone word doth signifie in that language Argument 5. Erom Romans 5. vers 18. IN this Chapter the Apostle doth hold forth a parallell in divers particulars betwixt the first Adam and Iesus Christ the second Adam of whom the first Adam was a figure as it is said vers 14. which parallell doth not run in Relation unto the things which are come upon us through both for they are contrary but in Relation unto the Persons upon which the things are come viz. That as universally as the first Adam hath brought a disadvantage and losse upon all the Children of men so universally hath Christ the second Adam brought a free gift upon them wherby it is possible for them to recover all that they lost in or by Adam and be delivered from any and all the evills which accompanied that losse But as the first Adam brought on the evill upon men by his disobedience on the contrary Christ the second Adam hath brought on the good and free gift of God upon us by his obedience And this is clearly proposed and affirmed in this 18. vers Therfore as by the offence of one said hee Iudgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnes of one the free gift came upon all men unto Iustification of life Where note that the word Iudgement is not in the Greek nor any word for it but there is something understood as neither the free gift in this vers But it is manifest the free gift is to be understood as is clear from vers 15. 16. Now what can be more evident for this truth then these words which are as plaine and full a Testimony as any can be desired for this which wee plead for And yet our Adversaries betake themselves to their old corrupt glosse to get an evasion affirming that by ALL in the latter part of the verse is understood not Singula Generum but Genera Singulorum i. e. not all particulars but some of all sorts To which I answer This sheweth their prejudice against the truth who passe from the sence which the words plainly import and seek out another sence to the words not from any necessity but becaus it pleaseth not their corrupt judgement Now what is above said upon the words all and every in the first Argument might suffice here but I shall ad somewhat more which the very place it selfe here adduced giveth an occasion for affording us very good ground to refuse this their corrupt glosse For beside that the word ALL being understood by themselvs in the first part of the verse Universally for all particulars is a good Reason to evince that it should be so understood in the latter part there being no Cogent Reason to the contrary This following consideration doth evidently prove that the second All must be understood as Universally as the first becaus otherwise the Parallell could not hold and the Apostles words would be impertinent as if hee had said as by the offence of one somwhat is come upon all men to condemnation So by the Righteousnes of one somwhat viz. the free gift is come not upon all men nor upon the most of men but upon the fewest unto Iustification of life who cannot but see that this cannot be the sence of the Apostles words for that it quite destroyes the Parallell which is made in Relation to the persons who as they suffered a losse Universally by the first Adam so by the second the grace or gift of God is come upon them wherby they may recover
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
pearl of great price he vvent and sold all that he had and bought it The explication of which is clear from the above said here 't is again very observable that he found the pearl before he sold all for it and bought it which signifies that men may be convinced of the truth and find it in them in the state of Non-Conversion and Non-Resignation which our adversaries deny but in that state they cannot enjoy it but must first sell all Again Luke 15. 8. 9. We have another Parable holding forth the same thing under the similitude of a piece of silver lost in the house Which piece of silver betokeneth that Divine principle which by man's fall from God came to be lost in man's heart through the abounding of sin which covered this noble Pearl and made it to disappear as if it had not been But though it be lost it still retains it's Existence and is to be found in the house where it was lost that is in mans heart Now this piece of mony is said to be lost in divers respects it is lost unto Man and it is lost so to speak unto God being so smothered and buryed under the filth and impurity of sin in mans heart that the Lord hath not that use of IT so as to appear and shine forth therein and convey the maniâ—…estations of his glory there through unto man's soule And thus it may be said to be lost unto God Who is here signifyed by the woman that lights a Candle and sweeps the house and seeks dilâ—…gently till she finds IT And if man would find this piece of mony he must seek IT in the Light of this Candle which God hath lighted him with and not in the Light of his own kindling and he must concur with the Lord to sweep the house and seek IT diligently in the vertue and Power of that true Light of God which hath inlightned him and so he will find it in the house where it was lost even in his own heart Again though this piece of mony doth remain as it were in many men lost unto God yet certainly the Lord will not give over the seeking of it till he find IT in ALL and raise IT up in ALL to have that use in them which he hath appointed in which he will appear in everlasting joy peace and refreshment unto the soules of them who have beleeved and been obedient but eternally be revealed in flames of fire taking Vengeance on all them who have continued in unbelief and disobedience till the day of their mercifull visitation be over Matth. 25. From Verse 19. to 31. Compared with Luke 19. Verse 12. to 19. These two Parables are much of a kind most evidently and truly pointing at the same thing with these already mentioned For what elce do these Talents which the Lord gave unto ALL the servants of his house signify but the divine Grace or Gift which Christ hath received of the Father and given unto every man to profit with all to the salvation of his soule And is it ought elce but partiality and prejudice against the Truth in our Adversaries to say that the One Talent which the one received was not in kind and Nature one and the same with the other Talents and so not of a saving nature For from the Words of Scripture they have not the least occasion to thinke and judge so As if the one had not been sufficient enough for him to have traded with and increased it and consequently have been accepted of God as well as the others True it is one of the Parables holds forth a difference in respect of the Quantity but not at all of the Quality nature or kind Now least some might yet think the slothfull servant had not received what was sufficient the singular providence of God gives us another Parable declaring that the slothfull servant had his Pound given him as the other Every one their Pound Which imports that some may have not onely the same grace given them as others but even the same measure and yet prove slothfull servants Besides that this Talent was not any Natural gift but indeed supernaturall spirituall and sufficient to salvation is most evident from these ensuing Reasons c. 1. Because the Kingdome of heaven is held forth by this Parable but no meer naturall gift hath relation thereunto Therefore this Talent is no meere Naturall gift 2. Because the slothfull servant is said to have hid his Talent in the Earth and made no use therof But there is no meer Naturall man but doth more or less use the naturall gift of Wisdome or knowledge that is given him Yea the worst of men have very much used the naturall light and abused it to serve their lusts Wheras this is hid in the earth and not used at all 3. Because otherwise the slothfull servant might have had an excuse Viz. that his Talent was not sufficient with all his industry to procure any increase that might be accepted of his Lord. But the slothfull servant himself pleads not this onely charges the Lord though falsly too with hardness and austereness Thus I have the more briefly ran through these Parables not insisting upon the many circumstances but onely pointing at the main thing intended in them as knowing that the scope of a Parable is mostly to be heeded SECTION II. Holding forth the same thing in divers Arguments from the intrinsick evidence of the Truth it self consonant to sound Reason 1. Argument From the Righteousness of God GOD the righteous Judge of the whole earth hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in Righteousness and give unto every man according to his deeds done in the body whether good or evill Now the sentence of his righteous judgement against all workers of iniquity will be for their disobedience to his righteous will and Pleasure For God having made all men to dwell upon the earth and been good unto them 't is a righteous thing in him to require of them all service and obedience even to love him above all to fear and worship him and do the things that are well pleasing in his sight But as it is righteous with the Lord to require this of all men so is it also as righteous that he should give unto every man of whom he requires this obedience such a manifestation of his will as is sufficient to give them the knowledg of all that he requireth of them and also administer to them that power ability whereby it is at least possible for them so to do the things required of them as to be accepted of him Seing then that men can neither sufficiently know nor be able to do the will of God without an inward principle of light life from God sufficient to that effect Therefore it is manifest that there is such a Principle given to them Even to every man that cometh into the world Object To this our Adversaries object