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
through small hints Daniel is said to have light and understanding and wisdome found in him in that he was able to interpret dreams and shew hard sentences and dissolve doubts Dan. 5. 11 12. But beyond all the Lord Christ was light the Spirit of the Lord did rest upon him the Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of counsel and might the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord Isa. 11. 2. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. 27. Jesus knew all men neither needed he that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man Joh. 2. 24 25. He knew the thoughts of the Seribes Mat. 9. 4. He knew Judas would betray him afore Judas had conceived the treason Joh. 6. 70 71. He opened the secret counsels of God foretold the future troubles of the Jews persecutions of his Disciples his own death and resurrection the preaching of the Gospel and gathering of his Church over the world which are accomplished and the resurrection of the dead at his return to the final judgement which will be undoubtedly brought to pass in the day of the Lord So that of him it is true which we read Dan. 2. 22. He revealeth the deep and secret things he knoweth what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth with him Sect. 7. Christ is Light in respect of truth and grace 6. By Light is meant truth Isa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them that is no truth in them or no comfort to them say others He that doth the truth saith Christ. cometh to the light Joh. 3. 21. Light and truth are either the same or very like and helpfull to each other Psal. 43. 3. Oh send out thy light and thy truth Now light well agrees to Christ under this notion sith he is the way the truth and the life Joh. 14. 6. All his words were words of truth his Gospel the Gospel of truth Jam. 1. 18. Col. 1. 5. If ye continue in my Word saith Christ Joh. 8. 31 32. then are ye my Disciples indeed And ye shall knew the truth and the truth shall make you free 7. By Light favour and grace and goodness and love are meant Numb 6. 35. Job 29. 3 Psal. 4. 7. Prov. 16. 15. In the light of the Kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain Lightsomeness in the face is a sign of goodness and love in the heart as on the other side a lowring grim visage is a sign of a tyrannical and imperious spirit Light is the most diffusive and communicative of all qualities and so fitly resembles grace and love And so it is said of Christ Psal. 45. 2. Thou art fairer then the children of men Grace is powred into thy lips therefore God hath blessed thee for ever Cant. 5. 16. His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely 1 Pet. 2. 3. If ye have tasted how gracious the Lord is Luk. 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath aneinted me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of fight to the blind to set at liberty them that are braised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And the eyes of all them that were in the Synagegue were fastened on him And he began to say unto them This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And all bare him witness and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Vers. 22. All his words looks deeds except when he had to do with proud hypocrites and incurably wicked persons did evidence a dove-like spirit harmeless compassionate kinde patient full of love and goodness He went about like the Sun doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil Act. 10. 38. And therefore in this respect is to be termed the Light by excellency The Word dwelt among us full of grace and truth Of his fulness we have all received grace for grace Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ John 1. 14. 16 17. 2. This attribute of light is given to Christ both in respect of his divine nature in respect of which it is said Joh. 1. 4. In him was life and the life was the light of men and in respect of his humane concerning which it is said Joh. 9. 5. As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world Which I shall shew when I speak of his enlightening Sect. 8. The Application in a double Use to see the estate of men without Christ and to draw our eyes to him For present we may hence infer 1. That they who are unacquainted with Christ are in darkness Ye were once darkness saith the Apostle Eph. 5. 8. minding them of their estate antecedent to their being in Christ. A man without Christ preached and believed is like a person in darkness 1. He is in respect of his estate as a man in the dark in that he cannot discern his own condition how unclean he is what danger is near him what way to avoid it what help to use He that is out of Christ and sees not by his light discerns not the filth of sin nor the keeneness of Gods anger nor how to remove the one or to asswage the other 2. A man without the light of Christ doth neither know God truly nor his precepts or counsel and so knows not how to address himself to God nor how to observe Gods eye on him nor what gifts he tenders to him nor what directions he gives him 3. A man without Christ his light is like the Syrians who were led to Samaria when they imagined they were in Dothan It 's easie for Satan or any deceiver to lead them hell-ward when they pretend to direct them heaven-ward Any cheat any errour or delusion may be put on him that wants Christ to be his light 4. He that wants light from Christ is as he that walks in the dark one while he stumbles here another time he wanders there If he be in the way yet it is more then he knows and therefore is uncertain whether it be best to go forward or backward or stand still How full of uncertainty have been the most witty Philosophers the most skillfull Rabbins the most acute Papists in their way following their own reason or tradition of men How miserably do they stumble and fall and hurt their souls How sadly do they wander out of the way when they think they are in it 5. Want of light from Christ leaves men in fears and perplexities what shall befall them The light of Christ secures
not Christ did in his Name cast out Devils Luk. 10. 49 50. And by this he refuted Luk. 11. 19. the Pharisees who imputed his casting out Devils to an assistance of the Prince of the Devils 2. By the concomitants and consequents of his lifting up which was his death on the crosse Joh. 11. 32 33. For 1. The prediction of it with the fulfilling thereof shewed he spake from God whose property it is to foretell future contingents as certain 2. The things themselves proved him to come from God 1. The wonderfull accidents that hapned at his death Mat. 27. 54. the renting of the Vcil of the Temple and of the rocks and the quaking of the earth and opening of the graves made the Centurion and his Souldiers say Truly this was the Son of God 2. His Resurrection not withstanding all the obstruction used by Pilate and the Jews with the rising of many bodies of the Saints which slept and appeared to many in Jerusalem manifest by the many and undoubted signs thereof to many persons many times proves his descent from God 3. The giving of the Spirit on the great day of Pentecost in the sight of Proselytes from all Countries which was also done by Apostles in other places together with many Miracles in his Name proved that he taught the truth he received from the Father 4. The dispossessing of Satan of his Empire in the worship of Idols and the giving of Oracles as from them and the drawing of the Gentiles to him as he foretold Joh. 12. 31 32. in which was part of the great mystery of Godlinesse 1 Tim. 3 16. which we at this day see accomplished together with many other Prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem its treading down of the Gentiles the Preaching of the Gospel over all the world the calamities of the Jews the persecution of the Christians with other things Matth. 24. Luk. 21. and elsewhere abundantly demonstrate that he was the true light which came down from Heaven in respect of the Doctrine he taught and words he spake His words also appear to be the true light from the matter of them and the ends whereunto they tend and the effects of them For 1. The matter of them is pure like God containing holy Precepts not amorous Poems or sophistical quirks of wit or curious devices of art or cunning maxims of State policy or glorious atchievements of war or any thing that tends to exalt man but such Precepts and Revelations as make man spiritual heavenly wise like unto God There is nothing vain and fabulous like to the frothy wit of men nor deceitfull like to the wily old Serpent but solid and weighty concerning peace with God conversion unto him denying our selves taking up our Crosse following of Christ in patience contentednesse meeknesse humility and such like things as shew faith in God and hope of a reward in Heaven all plain without flattery of men to induce them to follow him in hopes of earthly preferment and worldly wealth or pleasure or praise of men but the clean contrary yet are they such things as when declared appear so necessary for sinners so full of goodnesse and congruity to Prophetical Predictions that the conscience of men not listed up with pharisaical concei's of self-righteousnesse nor obstinately addicted to their own lusts will assent to and embrace them 2. The ends of them and the effects are the salvation of man and the glory of God All that Christ spake it was to comfort the humble and afflicted soul Luk. 4. 18. to ease the burthened Matth. 11. 28. to direct them to God to reform the evils in Gods worship to take men off from covetousnesse hypocrisie and such evils as are pernicious to believe in God to love each other to lay up our treasure in Heaven not to be excessively carefull for the things of this life with whatever else might bring men nigh to God and alienate them from this present evil world And accordingly so were and are the effects regeneration or new birth rejoycing in God mortification of the deeds of the body comfort in tribulation a life of faith love to the Brethren in Christ and everlasting consolation and good hope through grace All which with inumerable other Characters and Symptomes of Christs Doctrine and Testimony do shew that he was the true light and that what he spake to Pilate Joh. 18. 37. was right To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth every one that is of the truth heareth my voice Lastly That in respect of his sincerity or moral truth he was the true light it is manifest in that as he said to the Jews he sought not his own will but the will of the Father which sent him Joh 5. 30. That he sought not his own glory Joh. 8. 50. Which appears in that he sometimes forbad the spreading of his fame withdrew himself when they would have made him King Joh. 6. 15. was content to be deprived of ordinary conveniencies Luk. 9. 58. In a word made himself of no reputation or emptied himself and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even to the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 7 8. that he might give Testimony to the truth 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 From that which hath been said 1. It may appear that those who go under the name of Quakers do unjustly accuse publique Preachers as if they did deny the true light which inlighteneth every man that cometh into the world that they deny Christ the light for so in their speeches and books they do frequently charge them None that I have seen is more profuse and frequent in these charges then G. F. that is George Fox in his Catechism who saith p. 7 Toat neither the Jews nor Christians do believe in the light which doth inlighten every man that cometh into the world though they professe some of Christs and the Apostles words which the Jews do not P. 9. he saith Teachers by the will of man meaning publique Preachers in England and Professors say that Christ doth not inlighten every one that cometh into the world and they deny Christ. P. 13. That none can confesse Christ but who confesse the light which every man is inlightened withall But frequently in the same paper he terms such as acknowledge not the light which he imagins every one hath Antichrists Deceivers not Teachers of Christ but deniers of him p. 15. But this crimination is but the raving of men that are used to make clamours and outcries without any proof Though the text plainly enough distinguisheth the light inlightening and the light in every man from that true
that by a faithfull and carefull use of those natural abilities that light of reason conscience and understanding which every person of mankind under heaven receiveth from God he may and shall receive from him yet further that which shall be of saving import and consequence to him Not much short of these is that French divine of much note who maintains universal grace objective though not subjective that is though there be not such an universal working by illumination or other operation of the Spirit of God so sufficient or effectual as to beget saith in every one yet there is so much revealed to every man even those that have not heard of Christ as might if they would apprehend it beget faith in God to salvation Sect. 2. The Opinion of the Quakers concerning a Light within each man is inquired into Out of the Principles of these men whether instilled by Popish Emissaries which have crept into the English Armies and Churches or some other way that sort of people who now go under the name of Quakers from their usual quaking before they began to speak thereby deluding the people as if they waited for a Revelation from God though most of their speeches of all of them have been their usual invectives against Preachers and pressing men to follow the light within them these people I say have drawn their tenet of an universal light in every man that cometh into the world without Bibles Preachers Church-communion Christian Ordinances to know his duty so as that he may be perfect which is indeed the reviving of old Pelagianism or worse and tends to the making of Christian Religion if not all Religion whatsoever unnecessary Those who heretofore or at this day maintain this universal sufficient light besides these Quakers are many of them subtile disputants and do set down their opinion distinctly and argue for it acutely though they decline the expresse owning of Pelagius his grosser expressions and Puccius his natural faith and Hurberus his universal election But the Quakers as they are for the most part destitute of that art of reasoning so they decline all conference in which they may be pressed to state the point in difference distinctly and to deliver their proofs and answer objections but instead thereof by clamour and reproaches which please their silly followers they reject all motions tending to a fair debate of the point in controversie Being desirous to know what they held one of them brought to me James Nailors Book termed A salutation to the seed of God and Love to the Lost which being in many passages obscure I delivered to him that brought me the Book fifty five Queries to be answered by them yea or no as the person had required of me to answer his Queries The Answer though made by one formerly known to me as a person of some ingenuity and learning yet was framed otherwise then I required declining to answer affirmatively or negatively to the Question as by me propounded but shifting off a plain Answer and instead thereof venting personal invectives Yet to my third Question which was thus Do you believe that those men who were never taught the Doctrine of the Law or of the Gospel of Jesus Christ have commonly a light within each of them which may guide them to the true knowledge of God and his waies unto everlasting life Omitting his words of obloquy thus he answered The Law is spiritual and there is no Nation or people into which the sound of it hath not come and the Gentiles which had not the letter were a law to themselves shewing the effect of the Law written in their hearts And Christ is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world with a spiritual light the one loves this light and brings his deeds to it and by this light is led from his evil deeds into the knowledge of God who is life eternal in Christ to know the other hates the light because his deeds are evil and loves darknesse rather then light and there is his condemnation And their sound who were Ministers of this truth went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 18. In which Answer there is not an expresse resolution of the Question but sundry shifts to avoid a plain Answer as 1. Whereas he asserts that the Law is spiritual Rom. 7. 14. which is the Law of the ten Commandements or the last Precept of the ten and the Apostle ver 9. saith I was alive without the Law once which intimates that he was once without the Law that is without the right knowledge and understanding of it And Rom. 2. 14. the Gentiles of whom my Question was are said twice not to have the Law yet this Answerer asserts There is no Nation or people into which the sound of it hath not come and to avoid the objection arising from the words useth this expression And the Gentiles which had not the letter whereas the words are expresse they having not the Law 2. He patcheth together different Scriptures Joh. 1. 9. Joh. 3. 19 20. as if the light communicated by Christ coming into the world were the same with that with which in his sense he lighteth every man that cometh into the world not heeding that if every man that cometh into the world had a light sufficient to guide him and that even the Gentiles of whom Paul saith Gal. 4. 8. that they knew not God had a spiritual light and that thereby some were led from their evil deeds into the knowledge of God who is life eternal in Christ to know then none were in darknesse contrary to Paul Ephes. 5. 8. none were without Christ or without God in the world contrary to Paul Ephes. 2. 12. then Christ need not come into the world to inlighten men nor sond Ministers of this truth into all the earth sith they had this light before Christ was come into the world to inlighten them with spiritual light and if Christ doth inlighten with this spiritual light every one that cometh into the world there are none but come to the light they having it within them and it doth reprove their deeds whether they will or no. But it is no marvell that men that boast so much of light within them shew so much darknesse of mind in their expressions it being true of them as Christ said of the Pharisees Joh. 9. 41. Because ye say We see therefore your sin or blindnesse remains However it may be hence gathered that this is their conceit That every man that cometh into the world even the Gentiles that had not the letter by which he meanes the holy Scriptures or Bible or any Preacher or Teacher to instruct them out of it yet had from Christ a spiritual light and that one loves this light and brings his deeds to it and by this light is led from his evil deeds into the knowledge of God who is life eternal in
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
the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ. Hence in the setting down the great mystery of godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. this is one chief point that God was manifested in the flesh Preached to the Gentiles and believed on in the world For which reason it is said Tit. 2. 11. that the saving grace of God hath appeared or shined to all men and so Christ inlightens every man that cometh into the world with spirituall saving light Sect. 3. There is not sufficient direction in the acts of Gods common providence to lead men to the knowledg of Gods grace in Christ. How all spirituall light is derived from Christ and how he inlightens all sorts of men with it hath been shewed before in some measure Yet it is to be observed that he inlightneth Jews and Gentiles differently the Jews by his own personall Preaching and example the Gentiles by his Apostles and the gift of his Spirit instead of his personall Preaching There is another way which as I said before hath been conceived by some that God vouchsafed to the Gentiles before Christs comming in the flesh and in like manner he doth now to those who never heard the Gospell in an universall calling to the knowledge of his grace in Christ by his beneficence and patience towards all men and by the ordering of the Heavens and other Creatures in the world which are objects fit to induce men to enquire after a Mediator and the Gospel and that thereby men men might find out that which might lead them to faith and this hath been styled universall objective grace Against this opinion besides what is before said may be objected 1. That it is said Acts 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life which shews that they gathered that God had granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles in that the Gospel was sent to him and not by any thing that before was vouchsafed to them therefore they judged not that repentance was granted to life by an universall calling in the view of Gods providence before If any say Cornelius was a praying believer before it is granted But 1. he was but a single person 2. he was a Proselyte of the gate and came to the knowledg of God not meerly by use of naturall abilities but by the Law and the Prophets which acquainted him with the promise of Christ. If it be said that Rom. 2. 4. it is said Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance it is granted but it doth not follow therefore that the bare observation of Gods goodness patience and forbearance was a sufficient direction to lead them unto repentance unto life which could not be without the intervention of that Mediator and sacrifice who could not be discerned by that direction alone 2. If there had been such a direction to come to God the mystery of the Gospel and the grace of God could not be said to be kept secret since the world began and made manifest to all Nations then by the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 25 26. it had not been the hidden wisdome of God in a mystery as it is termed 1 Cor. 2. 7. Which was from the beginning of the world hid in God Eph. 3. 9. From ages and generations Col. 1. 26. but had been revealed before by his patience goodness and forbearance and the frame and ordering of the Creatures contrary to those texts If it be said that the Apostle saith Rom. 10. 18. But I say have they not heard yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of the word It is answered that though the words as they are Psal. 19. 4. are meant of the motion and illumination of the Heavens yet the Apostle by way of allusion makes use of them only to shew that since the Apostles Preached the Gospell the Word of God was made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith as it is Rom. 16. 26. and this to be his meaning appears from v 14 15 16 17. whence the hearing mentioned v. 18. appears to be of the word of faith by Preachers sent who bring the glad tidings of good things Preach the Gospel of peace and their feet are therefore beautifull If it be said that Col. 1. 23. the Gospel is said to be Preached in every Creature under Heaven I grant that the particle in the Greek is which commonly is translated in but there it is to be translated to being redundant as not only by the use of the phrase Mark 16. 15. to which it is likely the Apostle had reference but also by the words may appear sith the Gospell Preached is said to be heard by them of which Paul was a Minister and were it to have the sense which those which read in would have it should not be restrained to every Creature under Heaven sith in the Heavens according to their sense the Gospell is as much if not more Preached as in every Creature under Heaven 3. If there had been a sufficient direction in the ordering of the Creatures and acts of divine providence to bring us to God then the counsell of God might have been found out by man if he had used his naturall abilities faithfully and carefully But the Apostle doth expresly deny this 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. saying not only that they have not entered into the heart of man but also that they are the deep things of God revealed by his Spirit not to be known but by it as no man knowes the things of man but the spirit of man that they are freely given of God and we receive his Spirit to make them known to us 4. If there had been a sufficient direction in the acts of divine common providence towards all men to lead us to the enquiery and knowledg of Gods grace in Christ then there had been an universall calling thereby But the Apostle denies mens calling to the communion of Gods grace to be universall 1 Cor. 1. 9 24 26. therefore there is not an universall objective grace or sufficient direction in acts of common divine providence to lead us to Gods grace If it be objected that it is said that the Gentiles held the truth in unrighteousness because that which ought to be known of God was manifest in them or to them for God hath shewd it unto them I answer it is true and the next v. 20. shews that if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be to be read not what may be known but what ought to be known of God as that Author would have it yet v. 19. it is not said all that ought to be known of God was revealed to them not the counsell of Gods grace in reconciling