light of the Scripture and endeavour to make odious the teachers of it If they cannot prevail to keep it from men in a strange language they will corrupt it with false glosses if they cannot suppress Preachers they will render them suspected or infamous if they cannot shut out the light of Scripture and Preaching they will set something else in competition with it as the Authority of the Church a Council Pope tradition light within each or some other thing to hide the light from shining forth Therefore it chiefly concerns men in these times wherein men are exceeding busie to pervert and thereby to darken the truth to be very diligent and circumspect in examining by the Scripture what they hear their doctrine is the fruit by which false Prophets are to be known Mat. 7. 15 16. If they speak not according to the Scripture it is because there is no light in them Is. 8. 20. 4. Use should be made of the Ministers appointed to teach us by him who ascended up on high and gave gifts to men Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the body of Christ that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things unto him who is the head even Christ Eph. 4. 11 12 14 15. Certainly nothing more prevents the practices of deceivers then learning from a solid Ministry and associating with sober and stable Christians 2. To move us to make use of Christ as the true light it is necessary that we should become sensible of our own darkness If ye were blinde saith Christ Joh. 9. 41. ye should have no sin but now ye say we see therefore your sin remaineth Because thou faist I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and blinde and naked I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou maist be rich and white raiment that thou maist be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou maist see Rev. 3. 17 18. They that apprehend a light within them without Christ are incurably blind such fond imaginations lock men fast up under invincible ignorance As he said that to be incredulous is the sinews of wisdome so may I say that to be jealous of our own darkness is the readiest way to drive us to Christ the true light Experience will tell us that they who talk as if they knew as much as Preachers can tell them are found when tried the most ignorant sots and those who are so well conceited of their own strength and wisdome as to count the counsel and warning of others unnecessary bidding them not care for them are soon caught by cunning deceivers To become a wise improver of Christs light it is of great moment to discern our own blindeness and then a Christian learns most when he findes his own ignorance Such sense of our own emptiness begets an appetite to wholesome doctrine when such as conceive themselves full have no stomack to the most precious truths of Iesus Christ but are filled with windy vanities 3. It concerns those to Whom the light of Christ is held forth not to shut their eyes against it when held before them For this saith our Lord Joh. 3. 19 20. is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light because their deeds were evill For every one that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved And indeed it is the signe of a man that is filthy and resolved to be filthy of a man incurable and marked to destruction who shuns that light which should direct him to discerne his errour and to learn his way Nor can there be a greater indignity to Christ then when he is come into the world to be one light to have our minds possessed with a resolution not to receive it 4. If the light shine into thy soul from Christ so as that any convictions or discoveries of truth from Christ get into thee take heed that thou hold it not in unrighteousness nor seek to quench it The wrath of God saith the Apostle Rom. 1. 18. is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men that hold the truth in unrighteousness Where lust imprisons light Where corrupt affections put out the Lamp of truth there is no entrance of the light of Christ into that soul. 5. The light must be believed as our Lord Christ saith John 12. 36. While we have light we are to believe in the light that we may be children of light Believing the words of Christ is indeed the reception of Christ as our light When we entertain the Gospell of Christ we do behold with open face as through a glass the glory of the Lord and are transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. The more steddily we eye Christ the more assimilated we shall be to him His Doctrine will fashion our minds his example will direct our practise so as that in a good sense we shall be christed with Christ he will be in us and we in him one with us and we with him not we live but Christ live in us Faith is the Loadstone of the soul which drawes the soul to Christ and makes a man to be as he was in this world crucified risen ascending up with him dead to the world living unto God 6. There must be a love of the light It s the greatest sign of a man willfully evill when he hates the light and its a good sign of a man truly good when he can delight in that light which discovers his own evils Christ hath therefore determined this to be the great condemnation that men love darkness rather then light for that 's the sign they side with the Prince of darkness and that men that do the truth come to the light that their deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God John 3. 19 20 21. The more light is rejected the more purely voluntary any sin is when men are willingly ignorant they are incurably evill But the more love and delight there is in the light of truth the more freely it is chosen and more fully imbraced Light is a most delightfull quality unless it be to illaffected eyes and so is truth to all but such as are of vitiated spirits the more Heavenly the light is the more pure and so the truth of Christ the Lord from Heaven is the clearest truth and most amiable Moses gave a Law but in shadowes Christ the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the
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
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
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
them have Italy and Spain and Austria and France Armies and Navies and swarmes of Fryers and Jesuites at their backs and I take their Liberty and Dominion to be words almost of the same signification But let the Curse of the Almighty Defender of his Church yet follow the underminers of his holy Truth and confound the builders of this Babel And never let the Deliverances in 88 and from the Powder-plot be buried in the ruines of an ungratefull apostatized Land When you hear that among our Rulers it shall be endeavoured that Liberty for Popery shall be granted and secured from interruption from any future Parliaments then remember what I say and let the consciences of those that have betrayed us be awakened and let them see then what friends they have been to our Religion and whither their uncharitable perversnesse hath brought a miserable Land I have already told the Episcopal Brethren that Bishop Usher and I did fully agree in half an hour and therefore it is not long of us that our wound is yet unhealed And though I never treated with Mr. Tombes about such a matter I am confident that he and I should agree in one daiestreaty upon termes of communion charity and forbearance among those of our several waies And therefore if we yet continue unhealed let the shame and horror lie on them that are obstinate in their uncharitable waies And that it should be harder to agree with the Congregational Brethren is incredible Why then is there not long ago a setled concord among all these That yet there should be a frustration of all Assemblies and endeavours to these ends and so easie so necessary so Christian a work should be yet undone yea obstinately resisted after so many years experience and opportunity till we are all ready to be devoured by the common adversary this is our astonishment and Englands shame and especially of some that have been the hinderers and will cost the consciences of some men dear when God ariseth to judge the earth and vindicate his honour which they betrayed by their self-blinding and Church-troubling Pride Reader as I invite thee to the perusall of this Treatise for thy edification so do I most earnestly intreat thee if thou beest a divider to study the nature of holy Charity and Catholick Unity and follow us that desire to lead thee to the Love and Concord of the Saints And to further this work I intreat thee also impartially to peruse Mr. William Allen's Retractation of Seperation which if thou wilt do with a Christian frame of spirit then go on to destroy the Church by divisions and further their work that would betray us to the Papists if thou canst If our wickednesse have not caused God to passe an irreversible Decree of departing from us and leaving England to be a stye of Romish abominations he will yet cause his people to retreat from their divisions and presently to hear the Voice of Peace For which I shall daily pray and groan and labour according to my power and if God deny it me and tell me this is not a world that 's fit for so great a mercy I hope I shall long the more for Heaven and cry and wait for the glorious appearing of the Prince of Peace Come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen Richard Baxter October 17. THE CONTENTS SERM. I. Christ the Light SEct. 1. Of the Evangelists scope method the reading and meaning of Joh. 1. 9. Sect. 2. Christ is the Light and the term Light explained Sect. 3. Christ is Light as the Prince of life Sect. 4. Christ is Light as the Lord of Glory Sect. 5. Christ is Light as cause of Peace and Joy Sect. 6. Christ is Light in respect of his Purity and Wisdome Sect. 7. Christ is Light in respect of Truth and Grace Sect. 8. The application in a double Use to see the estate of men without Christ and to draw our eyes to him SERM. II. Christ the True Light Sect. 1. Christ no counterfeit Light Sect. 2. Christ more then a typical Light Sect. 3. Other Lights not Lights in comparison of Christ. Sect. 4. Christ the Original Light Sect. 5. Christ the perfect Light Sect. 6. Christ the effectual inlightning Light Sect. 7. Christ was the true Light in respect of the Truth of his Word Sect. 8. Application by way of vindication of our selves from the accusation of Quakers as if we denied the Light John 1. 9. and warning to shun false Lights SERM. III. Christ the inlightning Light Sect. 1. Christ inlightens all things with their natural light as Creatour Sect. 2. Christ inlightens the world with the knowledge of God as the Prophet of the Church Sect. 3. Christ as High Priest enlightens with the Light of pea and joy in God Sect. 4. Christ as King of Saints enlightens with the Light of glory Sect. 5. Christ enlightens by his natural power as Gods Son and by special commission as sent of God Sect. 6. Christ enlightens by his Preaching Example Spirit Apostles now in this time by his power and glory in the world to come Sect. 7. Christ enlightens by reason of his own lustre and his Fathers design to shew him to the world Sect. 8. Application by way of inference that we are to bless God for Christs enlightening and all that are Christs are children of Light SERM. IV. Men coming into the world need Light from Christ. Sect. 1. The necessity of Christs enlightening is asserted because of the blindness which is in all at birth Sect. 2. Universal corruption at birth is proved from Joh. 3. 6. Sect. 3. Vacuity of Light without Christ enlightening is proved from Rom. 8. 7 8. Rom. 3. 9 10 11. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Mar. 7. 21 Jam. 1. 14. 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 Sect. 5. Every man needs enlightening by Christ by reason of the many evils consequent on sin Sect. 6. Application to make us sensible of sins evil and the worlds vanity and to provoke us to seek a treasure above and Light from Christ to comfort us SERM. V. Every man hath Light from Christ to make him inexcusable Sect. 1. A natural Light from Christ is yeelded to be in every man and the opinions of Free-willers of its sufficiency are set down Sect. 2. The opinion of the Quakers concerning a Light in each man is enquired into Sect. 3. Some Light is in the most barbarous yet the knowledge of the most refined Gentiles may be conceived to come from some acquaintance with the written Law or Tradition from Adam Sect. 4. The Light without the written Word which was in the Gentiles in the utmost extent of it was imperfect Sect. 5. The Gentiles Light by nature served to restrain from sin and to leave men inexcusable Sect. 6. Application to justifie us against
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
which is the Gospel To which I answer the Gospel is not the light within each person but that word without them which was preached to them of which Paul was a Minister The light within each person is by creation and inward work of the Spirit but the Gospel is the word brought to our ears by Preachers without us which is never received by many of those to whom it is preached And when it is said to be preached to every creature the meaning is not that every particular person heard it but as when Christ bids them preach the Gospel to every creature Mar. 16. 15. the command is not that they must preach it to every particular person even to Infants for that had been an impossible work but that they should preach it to any indefinitely not restraining them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel as he did formerly Mat. 10. 5 6. In which sense the Apostle saith Col. 1. 28. He warned every man and taught every man that is any without difference who occurred whether Iew or Gentile It is often urged that it is said Col. 1. 27 Christ in you the hope of glory therefore it is Christ within a person which is the hope of glory which some of them have made their Saviour and not he who was crucified at Jerusalem and this fancied Christ within them they seem to confound with the light within them and the Gospel But I answer 1. That this is a meer phantastick delusion to imagine a Christ in themselves different from that Iesus Christ born of Mary who is the Saviour of the world nor is there in the words Col. 1. 27. any ground for such a distinction For the term rendered in may as well be rendered to as it is vers 23. If not the meaning is Christ is in them the hope of glory that is Christ who is in them by faith or Christ who is the hope in them that is their hope of glory 2. However this is certain that Christ in them cannot be meant of the light that is in every man for that is by generation but this Christ in them was only in the Saints vers 26. And by Preaching whereby God made it known which had been hid from ages and generations vers 25 26 27 28. It is alledged that Jerem. 31. 34. God promiseth And they shall no more teach every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least unto the greatest of them Therefore every man hath a light in him and needs no Preacher To which I answer 1. That it is manifest from Heb. 8. 10 11. that this is not a declaration of what all men have upon their birth but what some shall have under the new Covenant by special grace and therefore is not meant of the light within each person whatsoever for that was as well under the first Covenant but those who are specially called under the Gospel 2. The meaning is not that they shall have no more teaching at all then Gods word had been broken when Paul taught the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 4. 6. But either the meaning is they shall not teach by such obscure shadows or predictions as they did before but so plainly as that they may with unveiled fact behold the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. which seems the most genuine meaning by Vers. 9 10. Or in a comparative sense their knowledge shall be so abundant as that each person who hears the Gospel and believes it shall be able of himself to know the Lord. It is urged that Isa. 54. 13 it is said All thy children shall be taught of the Lord therefore every man hath a light within him Answ. 1. All thy children cannot be meant of every one that cometh into the world Our Saviour hath taught us Joh. 6. 45. to expound it of one sort of persons those that have heard and learned of the Father not all 2. Nor can it be meant of that teaching which is by the light within a man common to him with every man besides but that peculiar teaching of God by his Spirit and his Gospel whereby a person cometh to Christ that is believes in him which is never by the meer light which each man hath in him by humane birth It is yet further urged that it is said 1 Joh. 2. 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Whence they would gather that each mans light within him or at least each persons light within him who hath the Spirit of God is sufficient to teach him without Scripture or Preacher which is the thing they aime at that there may be some colour to make Scriptures and Preachers seem needless To it I answer The speech is in opposition to those that seduced them Vers. 26. who were the Heretiques of those times whether Ebionites Cerinthians Nicolaitans or Gnosticks whom he terms Antichrists Vers. 18 and 22 23. He mentions their heresie the denying the Father and the Son which was done by pretending a more sublime and refined doctrine then the Apostles taught of another Creatour then the Father of the Son as only in shew and appearance come in the flesh crucified risen again in opposition of whom he tells them they were armed by the anointing and its teaching and so they need not any that is any of those seducers mentioned Vers. 26. should teach them nor that any other doctrine upon any pretence whatsoever should be taught them but that which they had been taught by that anointing Now how did that anointing teach them Undoubtedly by the Apostles as is manifest by Vers. 24. Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning which is expressed plainly to be that which he and other Apostles taught and declared unto them Chap. 1. 1 2 3 5. To which he saith The Spirit beareth witness 1 Joh. 5. 6. And saith 1 Joh. 4. 6. We are of God be that knoweth God heareth us be that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of errour Whence it is apparent 1. That they only not every man have no need that any teach them who have received the anointing 2. That it is not meant that they have no need of any mans teaching any thing at all but that they have no need of the seducers doctrine pretended to be more exact and sublime 3. That the teaching of the anointing was not by peculiar immediate revelation but by bearing witness to what the Apostles taught 4. That they only that receive the doctrine of the Apostles are taught by the anointing 5. That when it is said the same anointing taught them of all things it is
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.
darknesse disguiseth himself puts on the form of a Serpent or Samuel loves to act in the night to keep men in ignorance and blindnesse it being the way most agreeable to his Kingdom which is the Kingdom of darknesse so the Lord Jesus the Lord of glory loved the light his Kingdom being the Kingdom of light His birth was manifested by a Starre Mat. 2. 2. he being the Star that should come out of Jacob as Balaam foretold Numb 24. 17. And there was darknesse over all the Land at his death so that the Sun was darkned Luk. 23. 44 45. Which shewed that then the Sun of righteousnesse was eclipsed His preaching was in the light I spake openly said he Job 18. 20. to the world I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews alwaies resort and in secret have I said nothing His life and practice also was so illustrious and open that he could boldly appeal to his adversaries own testimony of him Which of you convinceth me of sin Joh. 8. 46. 2. Christ was the true light inligntening the world by his Fathers special design 1. Out of special love to his people for whose sake Christ was anointed to preach the Gospel to the poor sent to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised Luk. 4. 18. According to the Prediction Isa. 60. 1 2 3. Arise be inlightened for thy light cometh and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee For behold the darknesse shall cover the earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising Which is applied thus by Paul Ephes. 5. 14. Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light 2. Out of special affection to Christ. For the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand Joh. 3. 35. For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth all things that himself doeth For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will For the Father judgeth no man bus hath committed all judgment unto the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Joh. 6. 21 22 23. To this end it was that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among men and they beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth John 1. 14. And to this end did he appear to John Revel 1. 13. cloathed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle His head and his hairs were white like wool as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire And his feet like unto fine brasse as if they burned in a furnase and his voice as the sound of many waters And he had in his right hand seven Starres and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged Sword and his countenance was as the Sun shineth in his strength ver 14 15 16. His last glorious appearing as it is termed Tit. 2. 13. shall be with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2 Thes. 1. 7 8 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe God having highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Sect. 8. Application by way of Inference that we are to blesse God for Christs inlightening and all that are Christs are Children of Light From that which hath been said it follows 1. That there is much cause that we should blesse God for this incomprehensible benefit to men especially us Gentiles of raising up Christ to be the inlightening light of the world Sure all light which shews to inlighten and not to amaze is a great gift They that have been long blind or kept in darknesse and after recover their sight and see the light how are they over-joyed When blind Bartimaeus received his sight he followed Christ glorifying God Luk. 18. 43. And shall not we glorifie God who receive lightfrom Christ not only to follow him in the way in which he travelled on earth but also in the way in which he passed into glory We sometimes seem to wish that God would send us the light of Heaven and will we not praise God who hath sent his Son from Heaven to be the true inlightening light to guide us to Heaven Zacharias blessed God that by his tender mercy the day-spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace Luk. 1. 78 79. Simeon desired to live no longer after his meeting with Christ in the Temple but blessed God that his eyes had seen his salvation which he had prepared before the face of all people a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel Luk. 2. 28 29 30 31. Herein we are bound to imitate them and to be inlarged in our blessing God and glorifying him for this great injoyment of the true inlightening light 2. Sith Christ is the inlightening light they that are Christs are Children of the light and of the day not of the night or darknesse 1 Thes. 5. 5. They therefore that abide in darknesse and walk in darknesse have no communion with Christ. For what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse And what communion hath light with darknesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6. 14 15. Now he that hateth his Brother is in darknesse and walketh indarknesse and knoweth not whether he goeth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes 1 Joh. 2. 11. And what is their practice but practice of harred of their Brethren whose tongue are still venting reviling speeches against their Brethren as not in the light because they confesse sin in themselves and make not the light in their own consciences a sufficient light to guide them but sollow the light of the holy Scriptures Surely these are not in the light who are so full of self-boasting of their own perfection and Pharisee-like despising others Were we in errour yet in meeknesse those that oppose themselves should be instructed 2 Tim. 2. 25. if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Wherein they failing and following the Prince of darknesse in railing accusations Iude 9. shew themselves not to be
in the light of which they brag but in darknesse And so likewise they do in not coming to the light of the Scriptures taught by Preachers whom they contemptuously term Priests Herein also they shew themselves not to be children of the light in that they will not disclose plainly what they hold but hide their opinions in cloudy misty expressions and when by quistions put to them there is endeavour to find them out they shift in answering and fall to reviling In a word all that walk in hatred pride ignorance intemperance uncleannesse deceit and such like evils shew they are not in the light nor have communion with christ but abide in darknesse You that would approve your selves to be in Christ must cast away the works of darknesse and put upon you the armour of light and have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but reprove them rather Rom. 13. 12. Ephes. 5. 11. But of this more in that which follows Men coming into the world need Light from Christ. SERM. IV. Joh. 1. 9. That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world Sect. 1. The necessity of Christs Enlightening is asserted because of the blindnesse which is in all at birth COming into the world hath a double sense either entering on some action or businesse among men or shewing themselves among men and so false Prophets are said to come into the world or to go out into the world 1 Joh. 4. 1. And in this sense it is a truth that Christ coming into the world as a Prophet Joh. 6. 14. was the true light inlightening But I gave Reasons against this sense Serm. 1. Sect. 1. Or coming into the world is meant of humane birth in the same sense in which it is said that a man is born into the world Joh. 16 21. which I conceive meant by Christs going forth from the Father and coming into the world Joh. 16. 28. And his coming into the world Heb. 10. 5. Grotius it is true annot on Joh. 1. 9. argues from the distinction of being born and coming into the world Joh. 18. 37. that the coming into the world is still by shewing himself to the world But that is not cogent sith the same thing may be meant by two expressions But however it be meant when it is said of Christ that he came into the world yet here where it is said of man coming into the world must be meant of humane birth which seems most probable for the reasons given before and accordingly this point is thence deducible That every that comes into the world needs light from Christ. Which position is true 1. Because every man is born destitute of spiritual light in the things of God concerning his duty and the way of salvation 2. Because every man is liable to death and trouble and wrath and evil from God as he is born into the world and Christ came a light into the world to remove both these sorts of darkness and none else can do it The former of these is to be the more fully confimred because it overthrows the main position of the Quakers that every man hath a light within him sufficient to guide him so as that following it he may please God and be saved without the light of Scripture or preaching of publique Teachers And it also confirms the Doctrine of Original corruption and particular effectual converting grace against universal sufficient grace and power of freewill in the state man is in before conversion which Papists Arminians Socinians Freewillers maintain and the perfection and merit which after conversion Papists and Quakers do assert Sect. 2. Universal corruption at birth is proved from Joh 3. 6. I shall begin with the words of Christ Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit To understand the force of the argument from hence it is to be considered that Christ useth these words in his conference with Nicodemus as a reason of the necessity of new birth by water and the Spirit that a person may enter into the Kingdom of God The Kingdom of God meant Joh. 3. 3 5. is to be understood of the Kingdom of glory or that state of everlasting happinesse which none but those that are clean sincere and really holy shall ever be admitted to in which sense it is taken when conversion obedience humility and such like qualifications are prerequired to it and it annexed to them as Mat. 5. 3 10 20. 7. 21. 8. 11. 18. 3. 19. 14 23 24. 21. 31. Mark 9. 47. 10. 14 15 23 24 25. Luk. 6. 20. 13. 28 29. 18. 16 17 24 25. Act. 14. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. 15. 50. Gal. 5. 21. 2 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 4. 18. James 2. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 11. The visible Church doth admit into it many that are proud and impure in heart and therefore the qualifications of holinesse and purity here prerequired are not necessary for entrance into it Whence it follows that the new birth prerequired as necessary Joh. 5. 3 5. is of the inward man to that reall holinesse which is opposite to uncleannesse or unholinesse which was in the first birth and consequently when it is said That which is born of the flesh is flesh must be thus expounded impure and sinfull or vitious according to that sense which the term hath Gal. 5. 16 17 19 24. which is confirmed by the opposition in the other part of the verse That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit For as to be Spirit is meant of true and reall holinesse which is the genuine fruit and effect of being born of the Spirit so the being flesh which is the consequent of being born of the flesh that is by humane generation Joh. 1. 13. must be meant of sinfull and impure corruption They that expound it only of doing the actions of natural life without sin or of meer weakness without sinfulness such as was in Eve before she sinned reach not to the scope and force of Christs reason for in respect of these there 's no necessity of new birth for entrance into the kingdome of God A person may do the actions of a natural life and be weak without sin and yet not for that reason excluded out of the kingdome of God A person may be spirit and yet flesh in that sense that is weak and do the actions of a natural life whereas here he that is flesh is opposed to him that is spirit and therefore natural life or Infirmity without sin is not all that is meant by flesh there 's pravity and impurity of minde expressed by flesh as well as naturality or infirmity It is true by flesh and blood 1 Cor. 15. 50. which cannot inherit the kingdome of God is meant a humane body in its weakness and imperfection But thus in this life they that are born of the Spirit