make thee Ruler over many things Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. Then he which had received One Talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art an hard Man Reaping where thou hast not sown and Gathering where thou hast not strawed and I was afraid and went and hid thy Talent in the Earth Lo there thou hast that which is thine His Lord answer'd and said unto him Thou Wicked and Slothful Servant thou knewest that I Reap where I sowed not and Gather where I have not strawed Thou oughtest therefore to have put my Money to the Exchangers and then at my Coming I should have received mine Own with Usury Take therefore the Talent from him and give it unto him which has Ten Talents For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have Abundance but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he hath And cast ye the Unprofitable Servant into utter Darkness there shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth when the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with Him then shall He sit upon the Throne of his Glory and before Him shall be gather'd all Nations and He shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats and He shall set the Sheep on his Right Hand but the Goats on the Left Serious Reader I have the rather repeated the Scripture at large because of that great Strength it carries methinks to the Conviction at least Confusion of that Narrow Spirit which confines the infinite Goodness of God and renders him whilst he is an Universal Creator but a particular Benefactor shutting up his Gifts within the straight compass of a FEW representing him thereby as partial as some Parents who they know not for what beside their own unequal Wills do frequently bestow their Favour indeed the whole of their Affection upon an Elected Dareling to the manifest though causeless Neglect of the rest But to speak the Truth of the matter the Over-fondness some bear to their own Opinions joyn'd with the Envy raised towards those who conform not to them has so emptied them of all natural Affection that looking upon God in that condition they dare to think him as unnatural as themselves For my part I have not a great while believ'd but that it rather rise from an Unwillingness in some that Dissenters from them should be saved thereby endeavouring a Compliance upon Necessity then that God had not been propitious unto all his Creatures For who sees not who can or will see that God is this Soveraign Lord that he made Mankind to be his Servants that these Three are representative of the whole and to the End they might not be Unprofitable Ones that he gave them Talents to improve against his Return that is against the Day of Recompence for which they are accountable that who improve their Talents may be rewarded and they who make no improvement of their Talents may be punisht with Eternal Separation from the Presence of God and all his Holy Angels I will conclude with these Five Observations 1. That God though it be his Soveraign Prerogative what he will give has given a Talent out of his Celestial Treasury unto every Man and Woman 2. That this Talent is in it self Sufficient but as the best Corn so this Talent put up into a Napkin must needs be Unprofitable yet that the Fault is in the Party Neglecting or Hiding of it not in it self 3. That those who improve not their Talent are most apt to charge God with Reaping where he Sows not as do those Professors we have to do with who make God to require an Account of all and yet deny in order to rendring up this Account with Joy that he has given all a Talent Sufficient thereunto 4. That the Eternal Estate of Men and Women as Sheep and Goats purely depends upon their Improving or not Improving of that Heavenly Talent wherewith God has indu'd them Lastly Neither is there any Shelter for these Parsimonious Men or their Hide-bound Faith under the Inequality of the Number of the Talents for it is not how many Talents are given but what Improvement is made of what is given Wherefore greater is his Reward who makes one Talent Three then his who of Ten advances but to Fifteen since the one makes but Half whilst the other makes Treble Improvement Blessed therefore are you all and will you assuredly be in the Day of the Lord's Recompence who disregarding the Vanities Pleasures Cares and Fleshly Religions of the World diligently mind your own Talent and are in the Pure Wisdom and Holy Counsel of the Lord making your daily Improvement of the same laying up Treasure in the High and Heavenly Place that is Durable and Everlasting V. This reasonable Truth is yet further manifest from the weighty Words of our Lord Jesus Christ For every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither comes to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved To which I would add that of the Apostle Whatsoever is reproved is made manifest by the Light Certainly then unless Men will be so Unjust to God as to think contrary to Scripture and Reason He should let Millions of Men and Scores of Generations live in Sin without a Light to shew it them or a Law to limit them it must be yielded that they had Light and Law in their Hearts and Consciences by which they were Convicted of Sin and such as obey'd it led to work Righteousness since their Refusing to bring their Deeds to the Light was not an Act of Ignorance but Design because they knew their Deeds would be Condemn'd and they for them which loudly asserts that they both had a Light and knew they had it though they Rebell'd against it And if I should grant that whatever was reproveable was not made manifest unto them yet this will no wayes hinder the Capacity of the Light to do it 'T is evident That some things which the Gentiles did were reprov'd therefore they had the Light And if they had it not in all the Extent of its Revelation the Light was no more to be blamed then that Guide whose Passengers therefore could not arrive at their Journey 's End because they never would begin at least proceed Had the Heathens been Faithful to what they had of God in themselves and not been blinded by the Vain Idolatries and Superstitious Traditions of their Fathers they had more fully known and learn'd the Mind and Will of their Creator which some of those Gentiles notwithstanding did as will yet further appear VI. Thus the Apostle Paul teaches us to believe in that remarkable Passage of his in the first Chapter to the Romans For I am not Asham'd of the Gospel of Christ For it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek For therein is
throughout all the Generations of the Righteous since the World began being the Rock of Ages that spiritual Rock whereof all Israel drank 1 Cor. 10. 4. who said before Abraham was I am this great and most eminent Prophet God promised to raise up unto Israel of their Brethren which was in a more familiar Appearance even in the Flesh though his spiritual Out-goings were before from of old and he was called the faithful and true Witness the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3. 14. who faith behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me ver 20. Now I ask what and where is that Door that he so universally knocks at And is not this the true Christ that thus knocketh And was not his Light or Word in Israels Hearts and his Spirit in the Holy Prophets by which they fore-saw his Coming in the Flesh his Sufferings and Glory that should follow Now though the pure Light and Glory of the Father was more fully eminently and signally then ever before manifest and shining forth in him as coming in the fulness of time to consummate and end the Types and Shadows of the first Covenant whereby he gave a more eminent and signal Testimony of God's Universal Love and Power to man this is no Argument to prove that either the true Christ or his Universal Light was not in being and in some degree discovered before for without this no Soul could ever be saved it was his divine Light that could minister Life unto the Soul and not Shadows Sect. IX The Dipper plung'd in a Laborinth of self-Contradictions and the Light within proved a Rule above the Scriptures T. H. IT will be our Wisdom yea our Duty not only to attend the Light within but specially to those Revelations of God's Mind and Will in the Holy Scriptures p. 13. Answ. In thy granting its part of our Duty to attend to the Light within thou hast plainly contradicted thy Blasphemy in opposing it in other places as a mis-guiding Light and comparing it with the Man of Sin Mahomet c. and judging our following its Conduct as a subverting and anihilating the Covenant of Grace and that this Light doth directly oppose it and ought to be rejected as appears p. 38. Is it part of our Duty to attend upon that that subverteth and opposeth the Covenant of Grace O! that thou wouldst consider and see thy Blasphemy and what a Laborinth of Contradictions thou art fallen into as also in thy Concession of attending to the Light within thou art defective whilst thou dost not place the special Attention to be upon it but upon the Scriptures whereas the Light within is specially to be attended to as that which both opens the Understanding in the Scriptures and discovers the several Conditions which they relate to otherwise men are apt to pervert and mis-apply the Scriptures to their own Destruction turning the Truth of God into a Lye as they did who turned their Backs upon the Manifestation of God in them Rom. 1. 19 21 25. T. H. I conceive enough hath been said to evince that the Light in every man neither is the true Christ nor a sufficient Rule to guide us unto Salvation p. 13. Answ. While Thou are following thy own Conceptions thou dost not follow the Guidance of the Light of Christ within and therefore conceivest amiss of it for it is a true and perfect Rule unto which he that loveth doth truth cometh and bringeth his Deeds that they may be manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. it is a convincing Rule that pure and inward Law or Light which converts the Soul It doth not onely convict man of Sin but upon Repentance evidenceth unto him Remission And this doth not the Scriptures without to men particularly though they testify of the several Conditions which the Light guides the Soul through The Scriptures testifie against all Sin but do not shew unto men their particular Sins many read the Scriptures who over-look the Deceits of their own Hearts but if they Eye this Light of the Son of God within it will manifest unto them their particular Evils and shew them their Thoughts Motions and Actions and the Tendance of each so do not the Scriptures they cannot of themselves convince any as the divine Light can And this divine Light within discovers all the Temptations and mysterious Workings and Depths of Satan to that Soul that waits in it as they are met withall and as Satan attempts to insnare that the Soul may shun his Snares and Wiles upon all Occasions and in all Tryals and this does not the Letter without This Light within also as a perfect and immediate Rule of Faith directs the Soul in all the Operations of Faith against all the Innumerable Temptations and Tryals and Besetments of the Enemy and it opens an Inward Eye of Faith and is the Immediate Guide to see him who is Invisible through all but so is not the Scripture All which being seriously considered the Light within is the Rule of Faith and not the Scripture But if it be objected That the Scriptures being the Rule of Faith is not intended without the Help of the Spirit or divine Light in the Soul I answer This granteth that the Scriptures are not the Rule of Faith alone therefore that they are not to be taken as the Intire Rule of Faith they not being effectual without the Spirit whereas the Spirit is effectual without the Scriptutes and able of it self to lead into all Truth The Spirit or Heavenly Unction considered as a higher Degree Gift or Effusion of divine Life than that degree of Light that is given in common to all is attained unto only by those that faithfully improve the Life or Light in its less Appearance which in some degree appears in every man's Conscience T. H. I query whether all the Generations of Christians since Christ's time until within these very few Years be not eertainly lost and damned forasmuch as they acknowledged not this Light within as the true Christ p. 12. Answ. This shews thou hast very little Sense of all the Christians and their Acknowledgments who thus queriest of them Did not they acknowledge Christ in them the Immortal Word of Life and Light in them And was not Christ both their Life Light and Salvation And was not the Apostle Paul sent to turn the Gentiles from Darkness to Light And did not all the true Ministers preach Christ as God's Covenant given for a Light and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth But in thy dark Thoughts thou seest not the Drift of rheir Testimony but queriest whether all the Generations of Christians till within these few Years be not certainly lost and damned And yet thou wouldst be accounted a Christian in this thy Unchristian Work Sect. X. The Subject Understanding and Obeying
witnessed in order to bring forth this justified State If in the latter Sence as thy Words import then all must be in a justified State for whom Christ dyed If their Justification was wholy wrought without them in his Person and then all men must be in a justified State for Christ dyed for all men and then what hast thou to do to revile or condemn any as thou hast done those whom thou severely opposest must be in as justified Estate as thou canst think thy self But if men receive the Pardon of Sin through true Repentance and Justification through living Faith in the Name of the Son of God and by his Vertue and Blood then are not all men justified nor the Justification of any effected nor fulfilled wholy in his Person without them for First Men are not in a justified State while their Sins are unremitted 2. They are not in a justified State while the Wrath of God abides upon them And mens Sins are unremitted while they impenitently persist in Transgression and the Wrath of God abides upon them who bclieve not the Son Again we do not affront either the Grace or Wisdom of God in adding what more Light he pleases to any measure that he hath given while we are witnessing against mens affronting that measure of Light and Grace which he hath already given to Man-kind T. H. This Light within directs not our Actions to those Holy and Spiritual Ends which the Scripture does Alas whereto do the best of mens Actions naturally tend p. 37 and 38. Answ. Here like a dull and dark Opposer still thou endeavourest to confound the Light within with man's corrupt Nature whereas thou hast confest it to be not only such a Light as can discover God and that he is to be worshipped but also that Christ is the Life and Light of men and also that it can discover morality that its serviceable to its end and that God's Soveraignity over man and man's Inferiority to God ought to be acknowledged And doth not this extend to the same holy and spiritual Ends which the Scriptures direct to What more holy then God's Soveraignity over man and man's Subjection to and Adoration of God But according to Scripture is it not an holy and spiritual End truely to â—…ear God work Righteousness and do Good which in every Nation he that doth is accepted And this the Light teacheth and Glory Honour and Peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of Persons with God Rom. 2. 10 11. Besides 't is most natural and proper to a spiritual and divine Light to direct to sacred and spiritual Ends. And if thou didst not vary and waver in thy Confusion from thy Concession to the Divinity of the Life and Light of the eternal Word which is the Light of men thou wouldst have spared much of thy Babylonish Work to the contrary who in thy 39 pag. sayst that thou oppâ—…sest not the Scriptures to the holy Spirit but to the Light within And why dost thou oppose the Scriptures to the Light within Or imply such a Difference between the Spirit and the Light within while thou hast granted that the Light within is not only serviceable but ought to be improved as that which chccks for many Evils and excites to Good And does not this agree with the Testimonies of the Scriptures And will thy reviling of G. Whitehead as dealing deceitfully for but asking a sober Question excuse thee in thy Malice and Confusion The Question being By what Rule shall we be convinced that the Scripture is the Rule and hath Preheminnece above the Spirit Apology pag. 48. which instead of answering directly to thou revilest me as in pag. 39. not at all telling me by what Rule shall we be so convinced but asks this Question By what Rule shall we be convinced that the Light within is the Rule and hath Preheminence above the Scriptures pag. 39. Answ. Every one that doth Truth brings his Deeds unto the Light which Light within being divine is sufficient to evince it self as supream Rule in the Conscience And as it is so manifest where it is not withstood but obeyed it s own Brightness Vertue and Operation sufficiently discovers it self but where Enmity is lived in and Darkness loved rather than Light the Excellency of it cannot be known Concerning the Rule that the Patriarchs or Holy Men had before the Scriptures thou tellst us they were instructed by Dreams Visions and Angels pag. 40. But were these the standing Rule Had they these Dreams and Visions to instruct them in the sole Course of their Lives or rather on particular Occasions Surely these were neither the standing nor yet their chief Rule They had a Rule to know the Truth of those Visions and whether those Angels were good Angels or no a Rule of divine Light to discover whether they were good Angels or evil Angels transforming themselves into Angels of Light which nothing but that which is divine can discover for the Saints in this Light shall judge Angels And Peter James and John had both a Vision and Voice when in the Mount from Heaven yet Peter himself testifieth We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy â—…nto ye do well that you take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. Though the former Vision and Voice were true yet not so universal and abiding as this shining Light was That Vision and Voice was only seen and heard by a few the other was seen and known by all who attained to the dawning of the Day and the arising of the Day Star in their Hearts for it did shine as in a dark Place for that end It s evident that this Light or Word so shining was a Light of the same holy Ghost which moved the holy men of God to speak forth Scriptures ver 21. and therefore the Apostle prefers it before the Scriptures as the Cause of their being given forth Sect. XVIII The Baptist's Quarrel against S. Crisp removed THou makest a great Pudder against S. C. about knowing the Beginning and Date of thy Christ whom to confute thou pleadst his Deity p. 44 45. having before told us of expecting to be saved by Jesus as being in a Person without what Scripture hast thou for this Creed Is Christ the Object of Faith only as a Person without But dost thou believe in thy Conscience that he could intend any such thing with reference to the Deity of Christ Why art thou so wilfully quarrelsom And though the Appearance of Christ in the Flesh or as man when upon Earth was within the Compass both of time and date that is as to his coming into the World and going out at his Ascension yet still the same man Christ is in being glorified with the Father in the same Glory that he had with him before the
Dignity of our Lord Jesus More particularly we have made Confession of those reigning Abominations in our own Souls and in the Churches of that light Spirit living short of the true Sight and Sense of God's Majesty in his Churches and among his Saints from whence proceeds that Vanity and Carelesnes which doth so much attend them We have bewailed that wretched worldly Spirit that plucks down the Saints from their Excellency and leaves such Blackness upon them which renders them so uncomely in the Eyes of Men. We have bewailed that Coldness and Deadness that is upon our selves and upon the Churches that Formality in holy Duties that Indifferency and that Laodicean Spirit that is fallen in upon us while we have been crying let him make Speed and hasten his Work that we may see it let the Counsel of the Lord come that we may know it and all this while we have been drawing Iniquity with Cords of Vanity having been in a great Measure as without the Sense of the Work so without the true Travil of Soul which this Work should put us into the Crown is fallen from Sion's Head by Reason of her Iniquity we have been bewailing personal Iniquity Congregational Iniquity National Iniquity Family Iniquity Closet Iniquity we have by Search found poor Sion as it were without Soundness from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot ful of Bruises and putrified Sores your own poor Souls are in Distress Heaven and Earth seem to frown Oh! come down sit in the Dust and weep bitterly before the Lord for all your Abominations you have but as it were played with God you have not trembled in his Presence you have been wanton before him having been without the Terrour of his Majesty therefore you have confessed and have delighted to word it out with the Lord Oh! how often have you mocked God It appears already how God takes it at your Hands We have begged him to save us yet this once more and truly we tremble the Hope that is in Israâ—…l lies in your putting from you that accursed Thing Oh! now if you would pursue this Worldliness this Coldness and Sloathfulness your personal Neglects your Family Neglects how doth the World as a Canker eat out your Affections to the Lord Jesus eat out your Time your Strength your Zeal while you have been asleep in the Lap of this Daâ—…ilah your Locks have been cut off and you are but as other Men whoever beholds you may say what singular thing do ye Now then lay to Heart these crying Abominations the World is too beautiful this hath bewitched you have fallen before your Enemies this Iniquity hath been apparently written upon your Fore-heads witness your Remissness in Meetings your Neglect or the poor Saints Ministers of Christ whose daily Complaints and Addresses are living Monuments of this reigning Abomination your Cruelty to Servants Children exacting all their Labours but take no Time to counsel them instruct them that are without Christ that miserable Estate wherein they are this hath made Professors Families so dry useless and unprofitable this Sin eats out all of that divine Sweetness of regenerating sanctifying Grace We have mourned in that we have had so great a hand in this Trespass in not bearing so faithful a Testimony against it in our Ministry but slavish Fear of being accounted selfish or the like hath stopt our Mouth until the Mouth of this Iniquity hath almost devoured the poor Churches of Christ That of Sloathfulness and Carelesness another reigning Evil They are Evils rooted deeply in the Heart it is hard to get them out They are Sermon-Proof and Epistle-Proof so strong that they have wrested all Weapons out of the hands of Saints and Ministers that have been formed against them Now we desire we may no longer rest in a Testimony of Words but proceed to take some effectual Course that Sin or Sinners may be purged out of the house of God in order to this we desire the Churches that they would set some day or dayes a part wherein they may bewail the Iniquities and Pollutions oâ—… Zion before the Lord also that the Ministring Brethren would without Respect of Persons bear their constant Testimony warning every one to fâ—…ee from these Abominations Another Evil we had Thought to have spread before you for want of Opportunity we shall now omit yet desire you to lay it to Heart THE Presbyter's Antidote TRYED Or Stephen Scandret with his Antidote against Quakerism Proved a PHYSICIAN of No Value AND The Truth plainly asserted and vindicated in divers Weighty Points against both the Imperfect and corrupt Work of S. S. and his Masters the Assembly of Divines so called who sat at Westminster in the long Parliament's Time and of the general Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland about their Confession of Faith which was first printed at Edenburg and after reprinted at London Anno 1651. G. W. Ye are all Physicians of no Value Job 13. 4. Printed in the Year 1673. THE Presbyter's Antidote TRYED c. CHAP. I. A Comprehensive Account concerning the Rule the Light and Scripture Explaining both â—…ur sense of the terms and S. Scandret's together with the Assemblies Confession about the Scriptures BY the word RULE we understand 1st The Power of Government and Authority to order and rule in the Sense that in the first Creation the greater Light was set to rule the Day Gen. 1. 16. or for the Rule and Order of the Day So in the new Creation the divine Light of Christ the Son of Righteousness doth govern and rule in the Order of his Everlasting Day in the Souls of the Righteous the Path of the Just being this shining Light which shineth more and more until this perfect Day 2ly So this divine Light is truly the only Rule for its being most eminent above all outward Rules and Prescriptions â—…or its Power Glory Virtue Order and Government as Rule of Life in all the Children of Light The only trying and discovering Rule for its manifesting whatsoever things are reproveable Ephes. 5. 13. whether they be Spirits Works or Words and he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made maniâ—…est that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. 3dly By only Rule An universal manifest publick Standard â—…or Truth and Righteousness in the Consciences of all People and Nations and against all Sin Wickedness and Unrighteousness and so is the S piritual and Divine Light of the Son of God in whom was Life and the Life was the Light of Men Joh. 1. 4. whose Life is Supernatural Increated and Incorruptible Christ the divine Word being that true Light that inlightens every Man coming into the World vers 9. 4thly Concerning that heavenly Gift or divine Manifestation within which was the Saints Rule of Life the Apostle Paul thus speaketh 2 Cor. 10. 13. But
this World who had crept into the Outward Forms of Religion then as now and in that employ'd many Emissaries to decry that Pure Heavenly and Invisible Life of Truth and Righteousness which was then and is now begotten in the Hearts of many to the ending of the Idolatries of the Gentiles and Formality and Outward Services of both Jews and Carnal Christians And I affirm in the Name of God and with the Reason of a Man That it is most preposterously absurd for any to charge the Rebellion of Men to be Insufficiency in the Light For if men are Wicked not because they will not be better but because they neither see nor know nor are able to do better How Heavy how Black and how Blasphemous a Charecter doth the Consequence of these Mens Opinion fasten upon the Righteous God of Heaven and Earth since it supposes him Not to have given either Inwardly or Outwardly unto Men Means sufficient to do that which he requires from them and for the not doing of which they are to be sentenced to Eternal Misery But I confess How deep soever this may stick with Impartial Spirits I almost despair of entering our Adversaries whose Souls are pinch'd up within the narrow Compass of a most Detestable Kind of Predestination making the Eternal God as Partial as themselves like some Ancients That because they could not Resemble God they would make such Gods as might Resemble them I say what else can be the tendency of this kind of Doctrine against the Sufficiency of the Light Within then that the Gift of God is not Perfect or able because Men don't Obey it and that the Talent God has given to all is therefore Insufficient for the End for which it was given because Man hides it in a Napkin Again Let them tell me Would it be a good Argument that if the same Corn should be sown in a Fertile and Barren Soile that growing in one and not in the other the Fault should be in the Seed and not rather in the Ground Who knows not how Tradition and Custom have eaten out much of Conviction blinded the World and that it is through Lusts and Pleasures become stupified as to the Invisible Things of God Alas there had never been so much Need of many Exteriour Dispensations and Appearances in reference to Religion so much preferred by the Professors of this Day had not Mens Minds been departed from the Inward Light and Life of Righteousness so that they being abroad God was pleased to meet them there with some External Manifestations yet so as to turn them home again to their first Love to that Light and Life which was given of God as the Way to Eternal Salvation Nor could any of those cleanse as concerning the Conscience wherefore God still by his Servants and Prophets admonished and warned the People of Old To Put Away the Evil of their Doings and to Wash themselves and to Cleanse themselves for that all their Exactness in Outward Services was otherwise but as the Cutting off a Dog's Neck a Sacrifice equally pleasing wherefore the Abrogation of all Outward Dispensations and Reducing Man to his first State of Inward Light and Righteousness is called in Scripture The Times of Refreshment and of the Restitution of all things In short Though there have been External Observations and Ordinances in the World by God's appointment either to prevent the Jews from the Outward splendid Worship of the Idolatrous Gentiles that he might retain a Peculiar Soveraignity over them or to show forth unto them a more Hidden and Invisible Glory this remains sure forever That Light there was and that the Ancients saw their Sins by it and that there could be no Acceptance with God but as they walk'd up to it and were taught to put away the Evil of their Doings by it suitable to that Notable Passage The Path of the Just is a shining Light that shines clearer and clearer unto the Perfect Day What was this Day but compleat Salvation Can there be any Imperfection or Darkness in the Day Surely no What if their Light was not so large Was it not therefore Saving Yes surely But as where much is given much is required so where little is given but little is required If the Light was not so Gloriously manifested before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Flesh less was then required at that time then since yet it follows not that there was Two Lights or that the Light was not Saving before the Visible Appearance of Christ to as many as lived in an Holy Conformity to it And if it be agreed that Blindness in Men can be no Argument against the Light of the Sun neither is the Light Insufficient because the People of any Nation remain Blind through their Vain Customs Nay should any such Doctrine be admitted what would become of our Adversary's Opinion That the Light of Scripture is Sufficient of it self to give Men the Knowledge of God For if those People who have the Scriptures do not so Know Believe and Obey God as T. Hicks says they ought to do will it not follow upon his Principles that the Defect is not in such as if they were Ignorant and Rebellious but in the Scriptures Certainly the Consequence will hold as well against the Scriptures as the Light If then such wrong the Scriptures who so dispute Let T. Hicks I intreat him endeavour to Right the Light and not longer maintain a Position that being admitted would equally overturn his Notion of the Scriptures without Belief of the Light Within CHAP. VII Another Objection against the Lights Sufficiency to manifest what ought to be done though it were able to discover what should be avoided It is answerd The Lights not telling man all it knows or man may know in time to come is no Argument to prove it knows not all things Men know more then they do let them first Obey what they know and then what is convenient will be further Reveal'd It is proved from the Reason of Contraries because it shows what ought not to be done From Scripture at large that it does instruct what to do And that there is Vertue in it to the Salvation of all that Believe and Obey it That there is no Essential Difference between the Seed Light Word Spirit Life Truth Power Unction Bread Water Flesh and Blood onely so denominated from the various Manifestations Operations and Effects of one and the same Divine Principle BUt there is a Second Objection That there seems to be a manifest Insufficiency in the Light For though several things are Revealed by it yet several necessary matters are not nor cannot So that though it should manifest all that is Reproveable yet cannot it Discover all that is Necessary to be either Believed or Done I Answer this is but a peece of the former Objection already considered I perceive the Pinch lies here that because Men do not Do what they should or don't Know
Ignorance and Idolatry against the Truth of its Discoveries and Efficacy of its Power If we had not desended the Light 's Sufficiency from these Authorities then our Assertion had been declared infirm with no small Shew of Triumph and Insult and now we have made good our Ground against their Objections the next News I expect to hear from such as are Perverse among them will be our Heathening â—…r turning Heathens But as all they could do would not make us Christians if Heathens so neither can their Prejudice being True-Spirited Christians render us in their Sense Heathens with Sober and Impartial Persons CHAP. XII That this was not only the Doctrine and Faith of the Gentiles but the very Primitive Doctors or Fathers both so held and so exprest themselves Eight Testimonies produced for Proof thereof BUt as I have hitherto made evidently appear both that the Gentiles Believed in One God and had a very clear Apprehension of the Light or Divine Principle placed in Man from whom all Heavenly Knowledge was to be derived and that this Divine Light or Spirit or Principle was by them asserted to be the most certain Guide and infallible Rule of Faith and Practice And further that the Scriptures produced abundantly verifie their Doctrines as that due Comparison of them will evidence so to the End these angry Men I have to do with should not count it a Prophaning of holy Writ or think that I am the only Man that ever had that favourable Apprehension of these Gentile-Doctrines I am willing to instance some of the most Primitive and Approved Fathers of the Christian-Church And by a short view of what they believed in reference to the present Subject with their way of phraising such Belief we may the more clearly perceive how far those Gentiles are by them Reprehensible either with respect to their Soundness in Judgement or Expression that if it be possible we may remove all Pretence for Objection against the Universality and Sufficiency of this Blessed Light I. JUSTINUS MARTYR whom I therefore chuse to begin with because from a Learned Philosopher becoming an Honest Christian and Constant Martyr from whence he was sirnamed Martyr he could the better tell us the Difference of the Change But so far was he from reputing the Principle of God within Men Hetrodox or Inconsistent with the Purity of the Christian Religion that with no small Earnestness he therefore pleads against all Coercive Power upon Conscience and the Pompous Worship of the Heathens in their Temples as his Apologies will inform us because saith he GOD HATH BUILT TO HIMSELF A NATURAL TEMPLE IN THE CONSCIENCES OF MEN as the Place wherein he would be Worshipped and that there Men ought to look for his Appearance and Reverence and Worship him or to that purpose II. To this doth CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS that Earnest Contender against the Apostate Gentiles plainly assent who often but more particularly in these few Places following recommends to us the Light or Word Within It is the Voice of Truth saith he that Light will shine out of Darkness Therefore doth it shine in the hidden Part of Mankind that is in the Heart and the Rayes of Knowledge break forth making manifest and shining upon the inward Man which is hidden Christ's Intimates and Coheirs are the Disciples of the Light He further expresseth himself in another Place Man cannot be void of Divine Knowledge who Naturally or as he comes into the World partaketh of Divine Inspiration as being of a more Pure Essence or Nature then any other Animals And as assenting to the Doctrine of some Ancient Philosophers and other Heathen Authors for against the Gentiles of his time I suppose he may make use of no less then about Two Hundred and Fifty he doth very frequently attest the Truth of the Doctrine of the Divine Light in Man as Man's Concomitant to all good Works as one Passage eminently proves I earnestly exhort thee because I would have thee saved and that would Christ also who offers thee Life in one Word But thou mayst say What is it IT IS THE WORD OF TRUTH THE INCORRUPTIBLE WORD WHICH REGENERATES MANKIND AND LEADS HIM AGAIN TO TRUTH the Spur that pricketh on to Salvation who expelleth the Destruction chaseth away Death and hath BUILT A TEMPLE IN MANKIND THAT IT MAY PLACE GOD IN MAN I know not any of the Ancients more profoundly read in the Doctrines of the Gentiles then this Clemens Alexandrinus and who to prove the Verity of the Christian-Religion against them doth numerously cite and insert the Writings of the more Venerable Heathens and with the very Books of their Admired Ancestors doth he accutely argue the Unreasonableness of their Opposition to Christianity the very top of Vertue and Perfection of Goodness as did Christ to prove himself the True Messiah urge the Scriptures to those pretended great Believers in them as an Aggravation of their Incredulity III. TERTULLIAN then whom there was not any I ever read more sharp against the Dissolute Gentiles of his time as his most quaint Apology for the Christians and in it his severe Charge against their Enemies doth particularly assure us thinks it to be neither Heresie nor Heathenism as it is commonly understood to believe and assert That a Life subject to the Holy Guidings of the Universal Light in the Conscience is a kind of Natural Christianity or to be Naturally a Christian. And though in his Apology he stabs with the sharpest Points of Wit Reason and Truth the Cause of Degenerated Philosophy or rather those that were unmeritedly called Philosophers yet he lays it still on the side of their great Apostacy from that Noble Principle which worthily Renowned their Predecessors the Being of whose Stock and Assuming whose Titles alone they Vainly esteem'd Warrant enough for their so great Pretensions to Real Science not unlike the Pharisees of the Jews as hath already been observed IV. ORIGEN who I may say was twice a Christian first by Education and next by Choyce a strong Defender of Christianity as his notable Books against Celsus and others do abundantly witness treating of that Divine Light with which God has illuminated Mankind as his Universal Endowment calls it AN IMMUTABLE LAW WHICH WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL IS ENGRAVEN UPON THE HEART AND GRAFTED INTO THE SOUL OF MAN V. LACTANTIUS Scholar to Arnobius who writ smartly against the Apostate Gentiles esteemed a good and acute Man thus delivers himself about the Matter in hand THE LAW OF GOD saith he is made known unto us WHOSE LIGHT like the STARS TO THE MARINER in the Night Season clearly discovers to us THE PATH OF WISDOM That Law is Pure and Unspotted Reason not inconsonant with nor unintelligible by Nature DEFUSED THROUGH ALL THE WORLD in it self UNCHANGEABLE and ETERNAL which that it may deter Man from Vice doth faithfully by its INJUNCTIONS and PROHIBITIONS DECLARE UNTO MAN HIS
Neglect as the Imperfection of them is either of his Insufficiency or Unwillingness that made them to do otherwise What is this but to say God expects Homage from Men as their Soveraign Lord and that they live uprightly in the World yet he has given them no Ability in order to do it He pronounces such Miserable who conform themselves not to an Holy Life but gives no Power to avoid the Curse In short though Reason tell us he made none purposely to Destroy them but rather that he might be glorified in their Salvation which he is also said to invite Men to yet that he designs nothing less by leaving any or all Mankind under the Faâ—…ntings of an Impossible Success But as such Dismal Consequences belong not to the Truth what ever share such kind of Calvinistical Predestinarians may have therein so we are well assured that the Light of which we speak has ever been Sufficient to the End for which it has been given in every Age both to Manifest Evil Condemn for it and Redeem by the Holy Inclinings and Operation of its Power those who are the Diligent Disciples of it For it seems most Unreasonable that the Spirit of Darkness should be sufficient to draw into and Destroy by Sin and yet the Spirit of Light not be sufficient to Redeem and Save from it Since therefore we cannot admit of any Insufficiency in the Light within but we must suppose that whilst God would be rightly worshipt he has too darkly discovered the Way how to do it aright that bis Gift is Impotent that Man is required to do what he has no Power to perform and that whilst God requires Man to serve him he hath not so much as shown him what way he ought to do it All which Consequences are most Unworthy of God We rather chuse to sit down contented with this Belief that God who made Man and has given him a Soul Capable of Knowing and Serving his Maker hath also endued him with Divine Knowledge by a SUPERADDED LIGHT AND POWER and enabled him thereby to live subservient to that Knowledge That God's Gift is perfect and sufficient for that Work and that such as are led by it must needs be led to God unto which that Divine Light naturally tends and attracts as that from whom it came which is certainly a State of blessed Immortality In short accept these few Arguments Comprehensive of these two Chapters and indeed most of what goes before 1. God requires no Man to do any thing he has nog given him first to Know and theâ—… Power to Do. But God requires every Man to fear him and work Righteousness Consequently He has given every Man both a Discovery of his Will and Power to do it 2. No Man ought to worship the true God Ignorantly But every Man is commanded to worship God therefore He is to do it Knowingly 3. No Man can know God but He must â—…over it to him and that cannot be without Light therefore every Man has Light 4. This Light must be Sufficient or God's Gifts are Imperfect and answer not the end for which they were given But God's Gifts are perfect and can perform what they are designed to therefore since the Light is his Gift it must be Sufficient The Sum is this Every Man ought to Fear Worship and Obey God No Man can do it aâ—…ight that knows him not No Man can know him but by the Discovery he makes of himself No Discovery can be made without Light Nor this Light give that Discovery if imperfect â—…r Insuffecient in Nature Therefore all have a Sufficient Light to this great End and Purpose viz. To Fear Worship and Obey God CHAP. XXV The 〈◊〉 Who He or They are that obey the Light c Considered and Answered being a Character of a true Quak r. AS I took Occasion to begin this Discourse from the late Dialogue so shall I end so much of it as immediately concerns the Light with my Answer to the third Query made by T. Hicks Wâ—…o this He or They are that obey this Light and in obeying attain Sâ—…lvation ' If I should take his Question as personally directed I mean what Man or Men they be I should decline to answer for the Controversy is not now of Person but Principles I rather take this to be his Meaning What are the Qualifications of those that obey this Light Not what are their Names but what kind or manner of People are they In short what is it to obey the Light I think I have so fully exprest my self already in this Matter that with an 〈◊〉 Adversary I might be saved the Pains of any further considering it But that nothing may be thought to be 〈◊〉 as Unanswerable which is so easy to be answered I tell him and all Men and that not without some Knowledge experimental of what I say That such 〈◊〉 the Light who 〈◊〉 all that it manifests to be Evil and inclines to perform all that it requires to be done For Example When the Light shows that it is Inconsistent with a Man fearing God to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proud Covetous Backbiting Envious Wrathful Unmerciful Revengeful Prophane Drunken Voluptuoâ—… 〈◊〉 which with such like are called in Scripture the Fruits of the Flesh and Works of Darkness and Persons so qualified the Children of Wrath such as delight not to retain God in their Knowledge c. I say when the Light discovers these things to be Inconsistent with a Man fearing God He who truly Obeyes the Light denyes and forsakes them however Cress it be to Flesh and Blood and let it cost him never so dear Though Relations do both threaten and entreat the World mâ—…ck and he be sure to become the Song of the Drunckard and a Deâ—…ision to his Ancient Companions No he dare not conform himself any more to the Fashions of the World which pass away and that draw out the Mind into vain and unprofitable Delights by which the 〈◊〉 in him had been 〈◊〉 neither to gratifie the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life which are not of the Nature of his Father who has begotten better Desires in him He rejects the Conversation he once had in the World and in the Eye of its Children seems a Man Forlorn and Distracted he takes up the Cross despâ—…ses the Shame and willingly drinks oâ—… the Cup of bitter Mockings and yields to be baptized with the Baptism of deep Tryals Christ Jesus his Lord 〈◊〉 of and was baptized with He is as well taught to deny the Religions as Cares and Pleasures of the World Such as prosess Religion from what they have either been taught by others or read and gathered with their Carnal Minds in the Scriptures intruding into the Practices of either Prophets or Apostles as to External and Shadowy things not being led thereto by the same Power they had he can have no Fellowship with He
corruptly and disingenuously against the Light within but I ask T. H. if the Light within him doth not at some times reprove him for his Passion Envy and Railing which ill becomes a Man professing the Patience and Sufferings of Christ No Man can have a sufficient Light to guide him to Salvation that hath not the Spirit of God because no man can understand the things of God but he that hath the Spirit of God but all men have not the Spirit of God therefore all men have not a sufficient Rule to Salvation because all Men have not the Spirit Answ. By this he hath granted the Spirit of God and Light of it to be a sufficient Guide and Rule to Salvation and to bring man to understand the things of God but how well this agrees with their Doctrine That the Scriptures are the only Rule of Faith and Practicâ—… and not the Spirit nor Light in man and that the Bible is the means of knowing God I refer to the understanding Reader to judge of And what though all men have not the Spirit either in the Union or Possession of it as their Rule can no man have it that thus hath it not already Seeing he concludes that no man can have a sufficient Light to guide him to Salvation that hath not the Spirit what can no man have it Is it not then to be had and yet 't is granted to be the Saint's Rule whenas that which is the Saint's Rule ought to be every man's Rule because every man ought to be a Saint wherefore God hath afforded some divine Light to every man whereby he may be led out of Darkness call upon God obtain Life receive the Spirit which he giveth to them that ask and become Saint for God is ready to give the Spirit to them that truely ask it which only man can do by a Light of it His Argument that all men have not the Spirit is no Proof that every man is not enlightened by Christ for those are said not to have the Spirit who live not to God in it but in Sensuality Jude 19. and yet such were said to be twice dead ver 12. which they could not have been if they had never been quickened yet being twice dead pluckt up by the Roots they are become sensual having not the Spirit i. e. in the Knowledge Rule Exercise and Union of it But whether shall I go from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy Presence Psa. 139. 7. and upon whom doth not his Light arise when every man that cometh into the World is enlightened by Christ. The Light within cannot be ae sufficient Rule because it is made the Character of a wicked Man to do what is right in his own Eyes and to walk after his own Imaginations then that which they do account their Duty may be their Wickedness highest Wickedness and an Argument of God's severe Curse upon them it s said he gave them up to strong Delusions to believe a Lye Answ. Doth then the wicked man follow the Light within him as his Rule in doing what 's right in his own Evil Eyes and in walking in his own Imaginations Or doth God bring such a severe Curse â—…pon any as the giving up to strong Delusions for walking after or following the Light within How horribly blasphâ—…mous is it either to suppose or imply these things against the Light within to prove it an Insufficient Rule as this man argues placing not only Uncertainties the various Opinions Thoughts and Imaginations of wicked men upon the Light within but their Wickedness and highest Wickedness if they own it their Duty his Argument blasphemously places it upon the Light within most blindly confounding wicked men's Imaginations Wickedness which the Devil is the Author of with the Light in every man without distinction wherein Ranter like he puts Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness which wo is to them that doth Isa. 5. 20. Whereas they that follow their own vain Imaginations and are given up to strong delusions to believe a Lye as T. H. doth are such as have rebelled against the Light rejected the Truth have not glorified God as God nor liked to retain him in their Knowledge see Job 24. 13. Rom. 1. 21. 28. because they obeyed not the Gospel noâ—… received the Love of the Truth that they might be saved God gave them over to strong Delusions and took Vengeance on them 2 Thes. 1. 8. and Chap. 2. 10 11. Therefore God did afford both a sufficient Light Rule and tendred the Love of the Truth to them as he doth to all else how should they be left without Excuse seeing it is a Righteous thing with God to recompence and render Vengeancâ—… on them that know him not for their disobedience It cannot be consistent with his Righteousness in Judgment to bring Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul that doth Evil or to judge the Secrets of Men by Christ according to the Gospel without ever affording them a Lght of the Gospel or Gospel Nature sufficient to discover Evil and direct to Good and how can Indignation and Wrath come upon them that are Contentious and obey not the Truth but obey Unrighteousness if the Truth did never reach to or enlighten them or how should their not obeying the Truth but Unrighteousness be charged upon them if the Truth were never afforded them Therefore by the same Reason that its confest that God wil render to every man according to his Deeds that there is no Respect of Persons with God it ought to be also confessed or owned that he doth afford to every man a Light of Truth Righteousness sufficient for a Rule to escape Sin and Evil and the Wrath that 's due for it and to direct man unto patient continuance in Well doing to seek for Glory and Immortality that he might obtain eternal Life Glory see consider Rom. 2. throughout which sufficiently signifies 1. The Goodness of God to Man 2. His dispencing of his Grace and Truth to all 3. How Impartial he is Righteous in his Judgment against the disobedient and rebellious who despise his Goodness and thereby bring Wrath upon themselves 4. The acceptance of the Gentiles who obeyed that Law or Light given them though they had not the Law in the Letter of it Wherefore now moderate Reader take notice that the very Ground of our asserting the universal Extent of Saving Grace sufficient Light to Man-kind is 1. The unspeakable Love and Goodness of God as in himself he being Love in the highest 2. His unwillingness that Man should either live or die in Sin he having no Pleasure in the Death of Sinners but rather that they should return and live 3. That he so loved the World that he sent his Son into the World that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have Everlasting Life in that he sent not his Son into the World to condemn
his Prologue prefixt in some Bibles he saith thus viz. W. Tindal unto the Christian Reader If ought seem Changed or not altogether agreeing with the Greek let the Finder of the Fault consider the Hebrew Phrase or Manner of Speech left in the Greek Words whose Preterperfect Tense and Present Tense is oft both one and the Future Tense is the Optative Mood also and the Future Tense is oft the Imperative Mood in the Active Voyce and in the Passive evâ—…r likewise Person for Person Number for Number and Interrogation for a Conditional and such like is with the Hebrews and Common usage and he further adds if I shall perceive either by my self or by the Information of others that ought be escaped me or might be more plainly Translated I will shortly after cause it to be amended howbeit in many places me thinketh it better to put a Declaration in the Margâ—…nt then to run too far from the Text. Now from hence considering the Difficulty of truly translating the Scriptures from the Hebrew both as to Time Manner Voice Person Number and Condition c. how easily herein may the Sense be greatly changed and how this ingenuous Translator himself doth not place Infallibility upon his Work or Translation from the Hebrew but ingenuously proffereth Amendment of it if either by himself or an others Information he shall perceive a Deficiency in which he hath done and also considering what Irreconcileable Controversies have been among many counted Learned about the Translations in divers Places of Scriptures and how many Amendments have from Time to Time been made upon them and even how many various English Translations we have what Dubiousness and Uncertainty are both Priests and People in both as to Rule Faith and Foundation of their Religion who neither know nor own the Principle of true Knowledge and divine Understanding which is God's Gift while they have no regard to divine Illumination as the Rule of Faith before the Scriptures but do cry and set up one while a meer Translation or Reading which to them may be dubious as their only highest infallible Rule of Faith another while their own uncertain Meanings private Conceptions and fallible Interpretations upon the Scriptures they set up as the Rule and Judge over them as their Phrase hath been to Reconcile the Scriptuâ—…es which as given by divine Inspiration cannot be broken And while still their Work tends to divert peoples Minds from depending upon the Spirit of Truth and its Inlightning as the chief and only infallible Guide and Rule where will they center and what a Babylonish Structure do they erect upon their uncertain Conjectures and dubious Interpretations from their fallible Spirits and Judgments And to place Infallibility upon the Letter or Writing or English Translation whereas W. Tindal a Translator himself did not attribute this to his Translation nor divers others in their putting many marginal Notes upon some English Bibles as from the Hebrew and Greek and even their learned D. Ceâ—…l set forth a large Book in Folio entituled An Essay to the Amendment of the Last English Translation of the Bible whâ—… he finds fault with and corrects several noted Places and what less is signified in their ample Annotations and manifold Notes upon some Bibles And moreover when some of the Clergy have made that of Job 2. 9. their Texit viz. that Job's Wife said unto him Curse God 〈◊〉 dye they have told People that that Hebrew Text signifieth Bless God and dye and some take it so as to desire humbly of God that he might dye which arguing Impatiency was reproveable others that it was Curse God and dye which was much more reproveable not only as Foolishness but Wickedness And concerning that of Saul and the Witch of Endor his bidding her bring him up Samuel it 's said And when the Woman saw Samuel ver 12. and Saul know that it was Samuel vers 14. And Samuel said unto Saul why hast thou disquieted me c. ver 15. then said Samuel ver 16. So the matter runs in Samuel's name Whereas those of the Clergy have told us it was Satan and that Saul spake according to his gross Ignorance not considering the slate of the Saints after this Life and how Satan hath no Power over them it was Satan who to blind Saul's Eyes took upon him the Form of Samuel c. Now seeing this Interpretation is so plainly contrary to the Words themselves for which I blame them not in this though in many others I do I query how theâ—… agrees this with their placing Infallibility upon the Scriptures not only on the Doctrinal but on the Historical Part when they are minded to oppose the Sufficiency of the Light of Christ within Many more Instances might be brought to shew their vast Variations from the Letter of the Scriptures in their Interpretations By the Tenor of all which Discourse before of this Import it 's evident that their Confession at least of many of them is that aâ—…l the Scriptures are not Infallible but some Corrupted in the various Translations â—…hers not to be taken meerly as the Words import Howbeit for all this many Priests and Professors for their own Ends if they be about to oppose the Light within or divine Illumination and the Sufficiency of the holy Spirit 's Teaching denying it to be either the Rule of Faith or Life or sufficient to guide to Heaven without the Scriptures which argues their gross and carnal Diffidence and sinful Unbelief then in plain Contradiction they place all the Infallibility and sole Sufficiency therein upon the Scriptures as the only highest Rule of Faith and Life the only Rule and Way to Heaven and Glory the only Rule totry both Doctrines and Spirits by And here they most Idolatrously and in a most preâ—…sterous Manner prefer the Scriptures before Christ and set them up above the Spirit that gave them forth while they slight and cry down the Light of Christ within as not any Rule c. though it both manifests all things reproveable and be the Prover of Deeds whether they are wrought in God for which End he that doth Truth bringeth his Deeds to the Light Joh. 3. 19 20. But as Christ said to the unbelieving Jews so it may justly be said to these Opposers of his Light within now Ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me but ye will not come to me that you might have Life Joh. 5. 39 40. Mark ye will not come to Christ that ye might have Life and now the Scriptures do not direct Men to themselves for Life and Salvation but to the Son of God who is both the Life the Foundation the Way and so the only Rule Guide and Teacher and not the Scriptures But why do the Presbyters of our Times so often exalt their own divers Meanings and Interpretations as the Rule above the Scriptures contrary to the great
the Righteousness of God reveal'd from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them For the Invisible Things of Him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the Things that are made even his Eternal Power and God-head so that they are without Excuse because that when they knew God they Glorified him not as God neither were Thankful but became Vain in their Imaginations and their Foolish Hearts were Darken'd And even as they did not like to Retain God in their Knowledge God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind to do those things which are not Convenient These Notable Lines of that Great Apostle give an apparent Overthrow to all Objections against either the Universality or Sufficiency of the Light within which will be further manifest if the Reader be but pleas'd to observe these few Particulars 1. That in the Gospel of Christ is the Righteousness of God revealed and that from Faith to Faith 2. That this Faith the Just have ever lived by for he quotes a Time past as it is written which Writing was about 700. Years before he wrot that Epistle 3. That many had degenerated from the Righteousness of God to wit the Gentiles into Ungodliness against which the Wrath of God was revealed from Heaven 4. That they however once knew the Truth 5. That they came to the Knowledge of this Truth from the Manifestation of God who is Light within since what might be known of God was manifested in them because God had shewed it unto them 6. That the Cause of their after Darkness was their Rebelling against that Manifestation or Light not Glorifying the God that shewed it to them when they both saw it and knew him so to do Consequently that God had given them Light Sufficient both to know and obey him And since they liked not to retain God in their Knowledge the Deficiency was theirs and not the Light 's 7. If therefore their foolish Hearts were darkned that is by Disobedience it follows that therefore that Darkness came by Sin into their Hearts they had Light in their Hearts or a Light within 8 Lastly If the Wrath was therefore revealed because the hold the Truth in Unrighteousness and when they knew God by that Manifestation of Light within they glorified him not as God but became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish Hearts darkned Then certainly had they kept to that Principle call'd the Truth and the Manifestation of God within and preserv'd their Faith in God as he had reveal'd himself to them So glorifying him as God and delighting to retain him in their knowledge Not Wrath but Mercy â—…nd Peace had been revealed from Heaven as saith the same Apostle in his following Chapter to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality ETERNAL LIFE In short This we may safely conclude that the Righteousness 〈◊〉 in the Gospel of Christ of which Paul was not ashamed from Faith to Faith by which Faith he 〈◊〉 the Just Ancients lived or were accepted is One in Nâ—…ture though not in Degree with that TRUTH the Gentiles Apstatized from and therefore lived without Faith Righteousness or God in the World for which the Wrath was revealâ—…d which had they lived up unto glorifying God as God â—…ccording to the Manifestation of himself in their Hearts and Consciences they would have had not the Revelation of Wrath but of the Righteousness of Faith by which the Just in all Ages have liv'd â—…cceptably with God For without Faith can no Man please God in any Age as without Holiness that flows from true Faith to Man shall ever see the Lord. VII And Lastly I do earnestly intreat the Unprejudic'd Reader to observe these two notable Passages which with my Consideration of them shall conclude the Scripture-Proofs I have urg'd for the Universality of the Light and Spirit of God antecedent to Christ's Appearance in the Flesh. Then Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation He that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him For not the Hearers of the Law are Just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Works of the Law written in their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while Accusing or Excusing one another in the Day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Châ—…ist according to my Gospel These Scriptures are a severe Check to our Adversaries undervaluing Apprehension of the blessed Light of God and that will appear in several particulars 1. God is no Respecter of Persons in any Nation from whence I honestly conclude that all Persons and Nations were inlightned as well Gentiles as Jews 2. That here are Men not of the Circumcision made with hands who fear God work Righteousness and are Doers of the Law not from any outward Obligation â—…or they had none but the inward Work of the Law writ upon 〈◊〉 Hearts which is a Demonstration that they had not only 〈◊〉 Light as a Reprover but as a Teacher and Leader whereby thâ—…y came to fear God and work Righteousness which is else-where said to be the Sum of the Matter and whole Duty of Man 〈◊〉 then no 〈◊〉 that fears God works Righteousness and keeps the 〈◊〉 Law of God as the Scriptures testifie some Gentiles to hâ—…ve done can be said to do so and yet worship false Gods or not riâ—…htly Worship the true one be void of the true Light the most part of T. Hicks his 9th page where he objects the 〈◊〉 Ignorance of the true God against the Sufficiency of the Light within and a Challenge to us to produce one Instance amonâ—… the many Thousands of Mankind that from the Light within hath been reproved for not believing Jesus to be Christ 〈◊〉 as the smoak For though perhaps he thinks he may have done a great deal in making that bold Demand of 〈◊〉 yet I shall briefly tell him that such as lived up most sincerely to the Light in their own Consciences acknowledged most readily that glorious Appearance of Light in â—…hat Body then in the World They were the great Pretenders to Scriptures that would not come to Christ the Traditional Literal and Ordinance-Men that Rejected and Crucified him and that had not both Cornelius and the Centurion with many others been upright Livers to the Light within neither 〈◊〉 Peter been so received by the one nor Christ so follow'd by the other But that measure of the Divine Light which they had thitherto obey'd as the more sure Word of Prophecy lead
Wicked who are Rebellious against him and reject his Grace by rebelling against his gracious Light and Spirit in them And also it was said unto Esau as 〈◊〉 the Wicked of his Posterity or the earthly Edonites and carnal envious Persecutors Shall I not saith the Lord even destroy the wise Men out of Edom and the Understanding out of the Mount of Esau Obed. 8. That every one of the Mount of Esau may be cut off ver 9. For the Violâ—…ce against thy Brother Jacob Shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off forever ver 10. Thou shouldst not have looked on the Day of thy Brother c. neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the Day of Distress See ver 12 13 14. to the End Are not here plain Causes shâ—…wn why God hated Esau Arg. 6. God knows his Elect from others and this not only after but before they are called 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Foundation of God standeth sure The Lord knoweth who are his Joh. 13. 18. I know whom I have chosen Joh. 10. 14. I am the good Shepherd I know my Sheep ver 16. Other Sheep I have that are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice Therefore are they particular Persons These and not others that the Lord hath chosen Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Answ. This Argument signifies nothing at all sor his Purpose nor would it help him one whit if it were all granted for who questions God's Omnisciency God knows all alike considered meerly as Persons but in a near peculiar Relation to himself he knows his Elect he knows who are his Christ knows them both Men and Women whom he hath chosen out of the World and he saith I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and am known of mine Joh. 10. 16. But these latter Words and I am known of mine S. S. is pleased to leave out and quietly to pass by for that Christ is known of his Elect his Sheep but surely he could not be known of them before they were born or had a Being and as for those other Sheep which are not of this Fold which Christ foretold the Gathering or bringing home of they were such as had a Remainder of Innocency in whom Jacob was not wholy destroyed through Rebellion and Wickedness but such as had been seeking Rest where they could not find it but when the Truth and Way of Life came to be manifest to them they were ready to receive and comply with it and hear the good Shepherd's Voice and obey him There were such lost Sheep both among Jews and Gentiles who when the good Shepherd appeared were so well disposed as willing and ready to come to him receive and follow him and obey his Voice which were distinguished from the Murtherers of the Just one in themselves who were Wolves and Persecutors of Christ his Witnesses as he the good Shepherd was distinguished from the Hireling that fleeth Joh. 10. 13 14. And they that come to Christ out of a true Hunger and Desire after him as the Bread of Life are those whom the Father hath given to him who come to him in that which is given to him of which he looseth nothing but will raise it up at the last Day Joh. 6. 37 39. And they whom the Father giveth to the Son are given in a true Desire Willingness and Love in themselves to the Truth to follow obey Christ the Father's Drawings not being resisted by them but having an Influence and Prevalency with them and upon their Spirits for that End as he said Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Joh. 6. 45. so the Father's Teaching or Instruction was the Way of his drawing to the Son and this was not a Forceing them whether they will'd or nill'd to the Son but a gentle Perswading them to hear and learn of God in his Light that thereby they might come and in a sence of his Love therein be given to the Son Arg. 7. This appears from the very Nature of Election for sect 5 where all are taken or all are left there can be no Election Answ. Election rightly considered and truly stated according to Scripture I never questioned the Nature of which as is by this Opposer implied here is a being chosen out of or from imong and so the Elect or true Believers are chosen out of the World from among Men chosen out of Kindreds Nations and People as the Royal Offspring and Priesthood of Christ But what proves this of a Personal Election and Reprobation particularly decreed and designed from all Eternity But still the quite contrary far from the Nature of Election or chusing a Church or People out of the World or from among Men and that through the Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of that Truth it follows that they were first in the World in the Unbelief and scattered among Men and People before this Act of Election or chusing out was fulfilled in them He hath chosen us that we should be Holy and wâ—…thout Blame that we might partake of Salvation by Jesus Christ Ephes. 14. 1 Thes. 5. 9. and those thus choâ—…en for this end were the Saints the Faithful in Christ Jesus Ephes. 1. 1. who first trusted in Christ ver 12. who alter they believed were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise ver 13. their Faith was in the Lord Jesus and Love unto all Saiâ—…ts ver 15. who believed according to the working of his mighty Power ver 19. Aâ—…d that thâ—… Estaâ—…e might be attained Faith is offered to all the Power of Believing is given in the free Grace and Giâ—…t of God's eternal Spirit and universal Light of his Son It beiâ—…g the World's Sin that they do not believe in Christ of which the Spirit reproves them sor which they would not be chargeable or reproved if he had not afforded them Light and Power sufficient â—…or them to believe and obey Christ. S. S. Jacob have I Loved and Esau have I hated Though these last Worâ—…s were spoken when Esau's Posterity was the Border of Wickedness Mal. 1. yet what ever G. W. saith were they spoken to 〈◊〉 the free Choice that God long before had made os Jacob and his 〈◊〉 pag. 112. Answ. As he intends Jacob after the Flesh and so his Seed who was called by the Name of Israel this is still grounded upon his Mistake and doth not at all make for his Opinion but against him For though I grant a free Love to and Choice of Israel so of the Seed of Jacob as a peculiar People yet this did not secure them as to their eternal States without their Perseverance in the Way of God Neither was the Seed of Jacob as after the Flesh under an absolute Decree of Election to Eternal Life that being known only in the Seed after the Spirit for the contrary was and is manifest