Care for the Heathen in giving his Son a Covenant of Light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and that he will give him the Heathen for his Inheritance and the ends of the Earth for his Possession And as some Heathen or Gentiles of old who had not an outward Law condemned the Jews by their Righteous Conversation by vertue of God's inward Law in their Hearts so many called Heathen now will rise up in Judgment against titular Christians And it will be more tollerable or easie in the Day of Judgment for such Gentiles then for those And thou sayest Where the Scriptures are not among People they have no Knowledge of their future Escate In this thou speaks but a Conceit or Divination of thy own Brain shewing thy Ignorance of the Fountain of all true Knowledge for there was Knowledge among men necessary to Salvation before the Scripture was written and from this Knowledge the Scriptures proceeded men were Holy before the Scriptures were written men feared God before the Scriptures were written and the Secrets of God were with them that fear'd him and surely they knew him before they feared him And some talked and walked with God before the Scriptures were writ Abraham was a Friend of God and saw Christ's Day and this is Eternal Life so such knew their future Estate for Eternal Life includes a future Estate And God is the same and Christ is the same and as he hath revealed himself before the Scriptures were so he is as able ready and willing to reveal himself now the Scriptures are and where the Scriptures are not and when they shall be no more for they were not from Eternity neither will they continue to Eternity And those that had the Scriptures in former Ages and wanted the true Knowledge of God which was before the Scriptures were knew neither the Scriptures nor the Power of God nor their own Estates at that time nor their future Estates but were ignorant of both yet could boast of the Scriptures as thou and many do now and call themselves Children of Abraham and say that God was their Father though he of whom the Scriptures testified whom they knew not told them They were of their Father the Devil whose Works they did So thou and all may see that the Scriptures did not give them a true Knowledge of their present nor future Estate though 't is said they read them every Sabbath Day and were as conversant in them as many Sects in Christendom are now and thought to have Eternal Life in them and cryed them up and magnified them while they cryed him down and crucified him of whom they bore witness and from whom they proceeded So 't is very evident that the true Knowledge Fear and Secrets of God were with men before the Scriptures were writ and when they were writ men that had them were void of the Understanding or true Knowledge of them as it hath been so it may be and is now men may talk much of the Scriptures with their Tongues and carry the Bible in their Pockets and yet the Devil may rule in their Hearts And People that have not the Scriptures nor never heard of them may be nearer the Kingdom of Heaven then some that have them as some Heathen who had not Moses's Law did by Nature the things contained in the Law which was the Effect of the Law written in their Hearts this hath been is and may be For we say and affirm That God affords to all men a Day of Visitation and puts them into a Possibility of being saved else how would he be clear when he judgeth Opinion All the Light in men could never teach them discover or reveal unto them That Christ was born of a Virgin and that he suffered c. It may tell them that Blasphemy and Drankenness c. is Sin but could never tell that God would save them Answ These are Thoughts and Imaginations of thy own Head and shew thy Ignorance and Unbelief of the Light of God and Christ in men and the Operation of it in those that do believe love and walk in it and indeed no other knows the Efficacious Power and Vertue of it to their Salvation though they may and shall to their Condemnation for was it not the Light of God in men that shewed them that Christ was to be born of a Virgin and that told some the very place where also long before the time and why may not the same Light shew things that are past as well as things to come To whom this Light did not reveal him when he came they could not know him but took him to be the Carpenter's Son and some said one thing and some another of him though they had the written Prophecies in the Holy Scriptures concerning him yet they were as ignorant of him as he was the Christ of God as the very Heathen that never saw the Scriptures and Christ plainly told them That they neither knew him nor his Father And it was by the Light of God and Spirit of Revelation in that day and not by the Scriptures that any came to the true Knowledge of him Flesh and Blood did not reveal him Many that talked and walked eat and drank with him and saw his Mighty Works and Miracles did not see him nor know him nor the Power of his Father which wrought in him And this the Holy Scriptures whom we dearly own and honour in their Places bear full witness to and the same is now He that can receive it let him And the same Light which convinceth People that Blasphemy and Drunkenness is Sin is no less nor no other then the Spirit of Truth which Christ promised to send which should convince the World of Sin Righteousness and Judgment and this is the Condemnation of the World in whom this Light shineth appeareth and convinceth that they do not love this Light nor believe in this Light nor bring their Deeds unto it so they never know it lead them to their Saviour from whence it comes and so know not that the Reproofs of a Friend are better then the Kisses of an Enemy or that that which convinceth reproveth smiteth woundeth and killeth is the same or one with him which converteth reformeth healeth bindeth up and maketh alive So through Unbelief and Disobedience man brings Destruction upon himself and God and Christ is clear of the Blood of all Men. Opinion I do deny that every man is lighted with the Light of Christ for the Scripture saith That many are in Darkness and stumble because there is no Light in them Answ Thy Denyal or Unbelief is contrary to the Testimony of the Evangelical Apostle John who said That Christ is the true Light which lighteth every man coming into the World Joh. 1.9 A plainer Proof if Scripture will serve need not be sought for Another like it is The Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appear'd to
reproved yet the Light cometh to such and follows such and finds them out as it did Adam in the beginning And none can be said to hate that which they have not nor never had no Sense nor Knowledge of nor be justly reprehended for not loving it and not coming to it and not bringing their Deeds to it if they have not Ability or are not in a Capacity so to do Therefore thy comparing Natural things with Spiritual will not hold true every way nor thy Conclusions therefrom Some indeed are said to stop their Ears and to close their Eyes and to stumble and grope like blind men for the Wall yet God is not the Author of this neither did he make Mankind in this Estate but this is come upon him through his own Transgression and Disobedience to the Law which is Light which was before Books or an outward Law was written which while he obeyed and walked in he enjoyed the Presence of God who gave it and lived in the Light of his Countenance but when he transgressed he dyed as to that Enjoyment though be lieved and remained in the Body as a man and here began Mankind to hate the Light and to walk in Darkness and to endeavour to hide himself for Fear and to cover his own Nakedness with the Works of his own Pands Now was laid the Foundation of all Self-Will Self Works Self Righteousness Self-knowledge and Imagination from this Foundation Christ the Lamb of God was slain he that reads let him understand And Mankind in this Estate is accounted Dead â—eaf Blind and Naked because that Life Eye Ear and Covering be hath is of his own ordering and making and he is truly Dead whill be thinks he Lives â—eaf and Blind while he thinks he Hears and Sees and Naked nâ—twithstanding his Invented Artificial Coverings And Darkness he may truly be called notwithstanding there is a Light that shineth in him in this Dead Dark and Blind Estate wherewith also he is lighted in some sheastre and by it may see his lost Estate And Mankind in Transgression may hear the Voice of God now as Adam did in the beginning but how men do hear the Voice of God while Shiners and how they are afraid of his Appearance or Presence and how Light shines in Darkness though Darkness comprehends it not and how men are lighted with a saving Light of Christ and yet walk in Darkness and are not saved by it and how the Word is as Milk and Honey and Bread to ome and as a Hammer Fire and Sword to others is a Mystery to the carnal Mind though plain to the Children of Light and evidently declared in the Holy Scriptures For the same Light which is the Condemnation of the World whom it lighteth which it hates and believes not in is the Salvation of those that believe leve and walk in it Now that which leads men to do the Will of Christ gives them the Knowledge of his Doctrine and reveals his Secrets to them but the Wiâ—e and Prudent in the selfish â—ensual Widem which believes not in the Light of Christ wherewith every man is lighted remains ignorant thereof Opinion I will stick by the present Translation of the New Testament which was effected by Twenty or Thirty Learned Wise Men by the King's Authority and if I understood Greek never so well it would be unmannerly to contradict them Answ Surely if thou hadst been so mannerly and so full of Reverence and Respect to Learned Wise Men who were countenanced with the National Authority when thou first tookest up thy Religion or turned Baptist and thereby contradicted the Opinions and Meanings of more then Twenty or Thirty Wise Learned Men who in their Wisdoms had setled Church-Government and Doctrine as they thought according to the Scriptures thou wouldst never have adventured to question their Work though thou knewest better things I judge thou hadst more sincerity Zeal and Knowledge then and less of this kind of Mannerliness when thou didst judge they erred in their Meanings put upon the Scriptures translated though they were reputed Learned and Wise And why may not the Translators commit an Error also and be short in giving every Word its sull Signification according to the Mind of the Spirit from whence it came though the King's Authority be with them Doth the Knowledge of Naturel Tongues make men Insallible May not a Peter and John who know not a Letter know the Mind of the Spirit in the Scriptures or understand them better then the Scribes Pharisees and Hypoerites Indeed Jeremiah I must tell thee This Mannerliness would have kept thee out of thy Religion and will now if thou follow it lead thee to out-live it or to differ nothing from those thou comest out from but in Name and Profession only Opinion The Light that is come into the World was designed of God to enlighten every man but Thousands are not enlightened by it Answ It s something that thou grantest so much Truth viz. That God designed all men a Benefit by the Light though Thousands receive it not 'T is true the Love of God is Universal and his Call is to all men every where to Repent and his Gospel which Paul was a Minister of Coll. 1.23 was and is preached in every Creature under Heaven his Sun shines and his Rain falls upon the Just and Unjust But many though they hear his Call Repent not and though the Gospel be sounded in their Ear obey it not and the Wicked may become like a Parched Heath that knows not when Good comes though the Dew of Heaven descend upon it and the Seed of the Kingdom be sown in it yet it grows not to Perfection The Seed is sown in Bad Ground as well as in Good and Christ is as truly the Light of the World as he is the Light of the Saints who are chosen out of the World the Difference is in its Operation it reproves and condemns the World because its Deeds are Evil and it justifies and consolates the Saints who believe in it and walk in it c. Now how it can be said that every man is lighted or enlightened with the Light of Christ notwithstanding they remain Darkness seems a Riddle and Paradox to the Learned and Unlearned Professors and Prophane And if that Scripture which saith The Light shined in the Darkness and the Darkness comprchended it not cannot be understood I cannot speak plainer to this Spirit that stumbles at the Light For if Light shineth in a People who were and are Darkness how can it be said that that People are not enlightened by it though they love the Darkness rather and so chuse Death and Darkness and refuse Life and Light And how can it be said That Mankind makes a Choice except he hath some Knowledge of both So which he joyneth to and walketh in that he becomes a Child of whether of Darkness or Light And the Condemnation of those who hate the Light and
love the Darkness will be just and God and Christ will be clear in the Day of his Judgment Opinion George Whitehead and William Gibson are not enlightened with the Light of Christ though I grant that there is a Light in every man which is Divine yet not the Light of Christ Aas If J. Ives did believe in the Light were obedient to the Light of Christ wherewith he himself is lighted he would be of another Mind but this sore Evil is very nigh him to concludâ— as the Jews did of Christ in another Case If this Man were of God he would keep the Sabbath Joh. 9.16 So it seems to be in this Mans Mind to conclude that these Men are not enlightned with the Light of Christ because they are not Baptistâ— as he is and are not one with his Profession and Fellowship for it is the Nature and Property of every Sect to meaâ—ure and judge all by their own narrow Spirits and Notions the Righteous met with this Mea ure and Judgment in all Ages from Abâ—l to Zacharias and from Zacharias to John the Divine and down to this Age. Mâ—ltitude of Examples might be produced and a Cloud of Witnesses found throughout the holy Scriptures to witness to this Thing But G. W. and W. G. are not only men come into the World and therefore lighted with the Light of Christ according to the Testimony of John the greatest Prophet that was born of a Woman but also are Men chosen out of the World to bear Witness to the true Light and have turned the Minds of many from Darkness to the true Light in which they walk and dwell and are Children of Therefore thy Opinion or Conceit is judged to be the Off-spring of that Darkness in which thou dwellest notwithstanding thou talkst of Light and supposest thy self to be a Child of it but see whether the Spirit of God or the Manifestation of it in thee bears Witne's to thy Spirit that thou art indeed what thou thinkest and professest thy self to be This Counsel if by thee taken can do thee no Harm As to the latter part of this Notion I have spoken to it already Opinion I dâ—ny that the Light of God is one with the Light of Christ the Father and Son are Relatives but not one the Light of the Father Son and Spirit are Divine but not one If thou hadst the Mind of Christ as the primitive Christians had thou wouldst not speak after this manner Christ's Testimony was John 14.9 10 11. That he and his Father were one And what signifies thy Denyal And that the Father was in him and he in the Father And John's witnesseth John 1. That the World was made by him and without him was nothing made that was made And he was in the Beginning with the Father from Everlasting glorified with the Father before the World began manifested in the fulness of time in a prepared Body but was before it and seen and prophesied of by the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah to be the Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the Emanuel God with us In these Scriptures their Names are one their Work one their Nature one then how comes their Light to be two and yet both Diâ—ine And they are such Relatives as differ more in Manifestation and Despensation then in Light Life Nature and Being but these things are too high for thee for what thou knowest of them is Natural and Traditional and hadst thou Acquaintance with a Measure of the same Spirit of Prophecy which was in Isâ—iah thou wouldst be ashamed of thy nice and carnal Distinctions yet the least in the Kingdom is greater then he Opinion That which is Divine in God becomes Natural when given to men Answ I know not but thou mayst be called the Father of this Whin sey or Vain Conceit Whisher will the Deceitfulness of thy foolish Heart carry thee 'T is strong Delusion indeed to believe Lyes so contrary to Scripture and Right Reason Where didst thou learn that the Gifts of God which are Perfect Divine and Spiritual become Natural when given to Men I suppose by men thou meanst not all men but wicked men and not the righteous that would be gross and absurd indeed so I am willing to take thy Notion by the best End But what Scripture is thy Rule for this Did the Talent the Sloathful Man had given him change its Nature and Property by being ty'd up and hid in the Earth Did his Good Spirit which he gave to those that rebell'd against it become Natural Doth the Light which is the Gift of God and Spiritual which shineth in Darkness become Natural or Darkness in it self or alter its Nature and Property Doth the Spirit of Truth which Christ sends to Comfort his Disciples and to convince and reprove the World for Sin change its Nature from being the Spirit of Truth because sent and given into the World Surely thou mayst see it a vain Imagination of thy own Head that neither the Scriptures thy pretended Rule nor thy own Experience can justifie For that holy Manifestation of the Spirit in thee which searcheth thy Heart and tryeth thy Reins and consenteth not to thy vain Thoughts idle Words and sinful Actions is the Gift of God to thee and is perfect pure divine and spiritual and hath kept its Nature pure and uncorrupt and will remain so as a Witness for God against thee if thou joyn not to it and become one with it and so be born of it This is the Word of Truth to thee whether thou wilt receive it or no. Opinion Some in the World are without Christ therefore some in the World are without the Light of Christ Answ This is answered already in what goes before yet a few words more Christ is said to stand at the Door of mens Hearts and Knock Is not the Door of men's Hearts within them And if he stands there he is not far off them yet they not opening to him are said and that truly to be without him and in the World and they do not know that Christ is in them therefore they are Reprobates Yet in this state of being without Christ in the World in Darkness and Reprobation the true Light shineth as hath been already signified at large and the Darkness is so far enlightened by it as that the Worker of Iniquity cannot hide himself And though some are without God in the World yet God is not so far without them but that he searcheth their Hearts and tryeth their Reins and sheweth unto man his Thoughts and God Christ is in the World but this is the Misery of the World that it knows him not Blessed are those that believe in the Light which revealeth him and leads to the Knowledge of him in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge to whom be Glory forever Amen W. S. Forasmuch as J. Ives and some others judge we put more Weight and strain that Saying in the first of John vers the 9th beyond what it is able to bear this following is added OUr Proof of what we affirm in matter of Doctrine is not from the Etymology of Words nor barely from the Testimony of the Holy Men recorded in the holy Scriptures though they bear witness thereto And our Doctrine Practices and whole Conversation as we walk in that Light Grace and Spirit of God from whence holy Men wrote them is born witness unto by them and therein we have Unity with the Holy Scriptures and receive the Comfort of them they being written for our Learning who have believed in and received the Gift of God of whom they testifie And others who receive not this Gift of God though they may read and profess the Scriptures and cry them up in words c. yet have they not Unity with them nor with the Spirits of those Just Men that wrote them neither do receive the Comfort of them nor are learned and made wise unto Salvation by them This is a Word of Truth that may and doth concern all Sects in Christen dom to confider And that we do not over-strain the Words of John's Testimony in the first Chapter and 9th Verse when we say write print and preach Lighten Enlighten Enlighteneth or Giveth Light to every man coming into the World I have here set before thee how that Verse is read in divers Natural Tongues or Languages The Latin Version to the Syriack hath it thus the Syriack word is Manhar Erat enim is lux veritatis quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in mundum The English For even he was the Light of Truth which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World The Latin Version to the Porsiack thus Lux vera venit unicuique qui in muâ— do est lumen praebeat Thus in English The true Light is come to give Light to every one that is in the World Elias Huter in his Novum Testamentum Harmonicum useth the word Illuminat Enlighteneth And in Hs Doctionary the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Photizein to give Light or lighten The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haer to give Light or lighten The High Dutch Leuchten to gave Light or lighten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heir to Enlighten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphainein to Enlighten Illuminare to Enlighten High-Dutch Erleuchten to Enlighten In the Arabick thus Neque vero erat ipse lux sedut testaretur lumini qued erat lumen verum quod â—lluminat 〈…〉 The word is Pasijo illuminat enlighteneth or doth enlighten or giveth Light In English thus Neither was he himself the Light but that he might witness to the Light which was the true Light which enlighteneth every man The Ethiopick has it thus the word is Zajabarh Et is est lux justitiae quae illuminat omâ—â—m hominem veniontem in mundum In English And he is the Light of Righteousness which enlighteneth or doth â—â—lighten every man that cometh into the World Multitudus of Examples might be produceed out of other Translations but sufficient being extant already by another Pen I forbear to enlarge I have ravelled in Europe Africa and Amcrica and never met with any Priest or other except one called a Baptist in Rhed-Island in New-England that made any Cavil or Contention about using the word enlighten or enlighteneth or giveth Light c. instead of lighteth J. S. THE END
THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE LIGHT Which shines in Darkness ASSERTED AND THE Notions Opinions OF JEREMIAH IVES Divulged the 24th of the 2d Moneth 1674. in the Market-Place at Crayden in the County of Surrey DETECTED c. Written and Published for the Information of all that desire to know the Way of Truth and to walk in it By William Shewen He taketh the Wise in their own Craftiness and the Counsel of the froward is carried head-long They meet with Darkness in the day time and grope in the Noon-day as in the Night Job 5â—…13 14. This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men love darkness rather because their deeds are evil John 3.19 Printed in the Year 1674. TO THE READER FRIEND I Being present and noting these Opinions of Jeremiah Ives after some time I sent the following Letter with a Copy of them inclosed to him which I understand he received with his own Hand and having received no Line from him to signifie whether he at the second View or more mature Deliberation will disown any of them I have now discharged my Mind in a brief Answer to them not being Conscious in my self that I have wronged him in a Word I am not doubtful as thou readest in an Even Impartial Spirit and in a Mind void of Prejudice but that thou mayst reap Profit hereby So commending thee to the Grace Love and Light of God which is able to teach thee to profit and preserve thee from Evil present and to come in a Measure of it I remain thy Friend W. S. Jeremiah Ives I Here-with send thee some of thy Notions or Opinions My End in so doing is two-fold First That thou mayst take a second view of thy Notions and Conceits and see whether I have noted them right before I communicate them further And Secondly If thou standst by them I have something in my Mind to commit to Paper concerning them in order to shew thee if possible thy Darkness and ignorance in the Things of God though thou hast been a long Professor and pretended Minister of them And indeed thou didst behave thy self more like a cunning Sophister with craâ—ty Sleights to gain upon the Ignorant at that time then like a Grave Conscientious Disputer for the Principles of the Christian Religion And whether thou leanest or trustest more upon thy Acquired Cunning and Artificial Reasoning in thy Disputes and other thy pretended Services for God and the Good of People then upon the immediate Assistance Guidance and Motion of the Spirit of God I do desire thee seriously to consider and leave it to his Witness in thy own Conscience to answer The Things of God are very weighty and ought to be spoaken of and medled with by a bridled Tongue and clean Hands and in a weighty and serious Spirit which is seasoned with Grace Wisdom and enabled to divide the Word aright which Word is compared to Milk Strong Meat Bread a Hammer Fire Sword c. Now he that professeth himself a Minister of Christ Jesus and is not seasoned and endued with thiâ— Wisdom to divide this Word aright deceives himself and others Consider thy Standing and Work thy latter Day approacheth lest the Sun set upon thee or the Spirit of God leave striving with thee and thy Candle be put out and thy Day be turned into Darkness over thee This is a Warning in Love to thee from one who believes the Principles of the true Christian Religion professed by these in Scorn call'd Quahers and loves all that walks in them and lives according to them which Principle and People I have known thee to be an Opposer of this 15 or 16. Years but the God whom they Fear and Serve hath hitherto blasted thy Endeavours together with all the rest of the Champions of Mystery Babylon and hath caused the Knowledge of his precious Truth to encrease and hath established many Thousands in it and furnished them with Strength and Wisdom to contend for that one Faith which was once delivered to the Saints which Faith purifies the Heart and gives Victory over the World which Faith and the Work of it is much wanting among all the Sects in Christendom though they have made to themselves many Faiths every one contending for the Work of their own Hands and walking in the Light of their own Sparks in the End lie down in Sorrow out of which Estate the Lord hath redeemed many and his Hand is stretched out still to redeem and deliver more which is also the earnest Desire and Expectation of him who desires the Temporal and Eternal Good and Welfare of all Mankind and remains thy Friend Southwark the 5th of the 3d Moneth 1674. William Shewen Some of the Opinions of Jeremiah Ives divulged in the Market-Place at Crayden in the County of Surrey the 24th of the 2d Moneth 1674. THe same-Body that is now the Habitation of the Soul and Spirit shall rise again and enter with the Soul united into everlasting Joy or Torment It may be in the great Day of Judgment God may receive the Heathen to Glory but it is more then they know whether he will or no For those People that have not the Scriptures among them in common have no Knowledge of their future Estate All the Light in men could never teach them discover or reveal unto them That Christ was born of a Virgin and that he suffered c. It may tell them that Blasphemy and Drunkenness c. is Sin but could never tell that God would save them I do deny that every man is lighted with the Light of Christ for the Scripture saith That many are in Darkness and stumble because there is no Light in them That the Light which lighteth every man is not the Light of Christ yet it is a Divine Light There is a Natural Light in all men which may shew them Sin and this Natural Light is Divine for every Gift of God is perfect therefore Divine Men may sin out all Sense of Sin and become Darkness and have no Light in them The Sun may shine and some men may shut their Eyes and will not see it and some are blind and cannot see it Are they therefore enlightned by it So likewise c. I will stick by the present Translation of the New Testament which was effected by Twenty or Thirty Learned Wise Men by the King's Authority and if I understood Greek never so well it would be unmannerly to contradict them The Light that is come into the World was designed of God to enlighten every man but Thousands are not enlightened by it George Whitehead and William Gibson are not enlightened with the Light of Christ though I grant that there is a Light in every man which is Divine yet not the Light of Christ ☞ I deny that the Light of God is one with the Light of Christ the Father and Son are Relatives but not one the Light of the Father Son and Spirit
all men the true Christians were taught by it others walked despightfully to the Spirit of Grace and turned from it into Wâ—ntonness Also A Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal One Talent at least is given to improve though Thousands answer not the End of the Lord who is the Giver thereof Life and Death Good and Evil is set before all men and the Lord is present and ready with his Wisdom and Power to enable men to chuse Life and Good and to eschew Death and Evil. But how men are said to be Darkness and to walk in it notwithstanding the True Light shines in them is a Mystery to the cunning Wit of men which cannot comprehend the Possibility thereof and are ready to cry out If all are lighted with the Light of Christ which is in it self a saving Light then why are not all men saved If all have a measure of this Light in them how can any be said to be Darkness And if this Light in it self be sufficient to lead to the true Teacher what need hath Christ to send forth a Ministry and what 's the End of your Preaching and Printing of Books c. if all men have a Light sufficient in them This hath been the Cry of the Spirit of this World which savours not the Things of God Now such Ministers which Christ sent and sends forth were and are sent to open the Eyes of the Gentiles and to turn their Minds from the Darkness to the Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God that they might receive Forgiveness of Sin and Inheritance among the Saints c. They had Eyes before though shut and Light before though their Minds were not turned to it nor exercised by it but by the Darkness and by the Power of Satan and so walking in this Darkness they stumbled and Mankind being in this State joyned to the Power of Satan and to Darkness is called Darkness notwithstanding the Light shines in it as the holy Scriptures fully evidence Now this Darkness and Power of Satan was and is inward within People and this Light and Power of God was also inward within People For it would be very absurd and ridiculous to imagine that Christ's Ministers were sent to turn the Minds of People from outward Darkness to an outward Light the Darkness and Power of Satan was spiritual and inward and the Light and Power of God was spiritual and inward and the pure Mind they were to stir up was within People Now though they walked in Darkness and sat in the Region and Shadow of Death and saw no Light by Reason that the Eye was shut and the Mind turned another Way though it was nigh they did not see it so as to have the Benefit of it or to believe in it because the Clouds of Error Ignorance and Unbelief were so thick and gross in them that though the light shined so far in them as to convince and reprove them for Evil yet they could not comprehend it or believe in it as a Light in that State but rather accounted Light Darkness and Darkness Light as many in this Age do Now when this Light shined out of Darkness and dispersed the Clouds and gross Fogs that were before their Understandings by means of Christ's Ministry then begun the Work of Regeneration then they became as new-born Babes desiring the sincere Milk of the Word then the Work of Christ's Ministers was as Fathers to cherish them and feed them with Food convenient and as it were lead them by the Hand till they grew strong Men c. And to effect this they travelled among them from City to City and from one Country to another to confirm them and establish them in the Light Power and holy Truth or Gospel of Christ Jesus which their Minds were turned to And this is the Work and End of Christ's Ministry now which we are made Partakers of And this is the End we have in writing printing and preaching for though all have one Talent at least yet Exhortation is needed that Improvement may be made according to the Ability given and that Men receive the Grace and Love that â—s tendered and make use of the Means given and appointed of God to lead to Salvation and this was and is the Work of the Ministry even to perswade Men to be reconciled to God who is Light and dwells in the Light and is not far from every one as a Light ready to lead them out of the Paths of Darkness though till their Minds are turned from the Darkness to which they are joyned and in which they walk and dwell they cannot see him Opinion That the Light which lighteth every man is not the Light of Christ yet it is a Divine Light This is a Piece of Ignorance and Contradiction not of the east Magnitude It is common with the Builders of Mystery Babylon grosly to err and mistake and be confused in their Language and the clamorous Woman pulls down her House with her own hands What! Grant that every man is lighted with a Divine Light but not with the Light of Christ How many sorts of Divine Light are there Is not the Light of Christ Divine What thou mayst form as a cunning Artificer by way of Argument to prove this Nice Carnal Corrupt Distinction will prove like a Castle built in the Air or vain Imagination and fall upon the Head of him that builds it For the whole Current of the Scriptures comprehends things under two Heads Good and Evil Light and Darkness Life and Death Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual and Natural Old and New Holy and Polluted Divine Nature Sinful and Corrupt Nature c. Now Divine Nature is the same with Divine Light Holy Heavenly Pure and Spiritual And it was by this Nature the Gentiles did those things contained in the Law c. they did them not by the corrupt Nature for that leads all that are in it further into Transgression and Breach of all the Law of God and as that is given way unto razeth out and demolisheth the Law in the Heart And how J. I. can set forth a Divine Holy Heavenly Spiritual Light wherewith men are lighted and shew that this Divine Light is not the Light of Christ I judge is a Mystery to himself unknown for I cannot find neither in the Scripture nor among Holy Men a President for the like Doctrine so for ought I know he may be called the Father of this Vain Conceit or Notion Opinion There is a Natural Light in all men which may shew them Sin and this Natural Light is Divine for every Gift of God is perfect therefore Divine Ans This Conceit or Opinion differs not much from the former only in this thou acknowledgest that this Light wherewith every man is lighted is able to shew or convince men that Sin is Sin now what that is that makes manifest and convinceth of Sin the Scriptures
bear witneâ—s in that of John Chap. 16. That which convinceth the World of Sin c. is the Saints Comforter even the Spirit of Truth it hath many Names in the Holy Scriptures but is one thing So this Light which is Divine Holy Heavenly and Spiritual is one with the Spirit of Truth in Nature and Operation and is the Gift of God to all men though some rebel against it and hath Power in it not only to shew and convince of Sin but to destroy Sin and convert to God those that love its Appearance and turn at its Reproof I perceive thou hast read That every Gift of God is Perfect and that the Light is the Gift of God therefore Perfect and Divine thou hadst better know it so and prove it by the Experience of its Vertue and Operation in thy self then by a Syllogism then thou mightest be a true Witness of its Divine Perfectio till then however I will take thy Argument for as good a Proof as thou canst give that the Light is Perfect and Divine Opinion Men may sin out all Sense of Sin and become Darkness and have no Light in them Answ Men through long Custom of sinning may have their Hearts hardened to that Degree that they may be compared to a Stone and to a Deaf Adder which will not hear the Voice of the Charmer c. And men may be so ignorant of the Law and Mind of God even while they profess him that they may think they do him good Service while they are serving the Devil and doing his Work yet there is Means of Redemption and a Possibility of Deliverance appointed of God out of this State and the stony Heart may be it be made soft and become changed into a Heart of Flesh and the deaf Ear and Eye may be unstopped and the ignorant unsensible spirit removed and done away and this State is upon men while the Light shines in Darkness which Darkness they are and cannot comprehend it c. But now after the Light comes to shine out of Darkness and men come to receive it and for a time to walk in it and to be so enlightened by it as that they may in some measure know God and Jesus Christ which he hath sent which is Eternal Life and may taste of the Power of the World to come and witness a Translation from Death to Life and from Darkness to Light and a cleansing from the Pollutions of the World over which their Faith in Christ had given them Victory and their House may be swept and garnished c. yet after all this they may fall into a worse Estate then that above mentioned out of which they may never come to witness Redemption nor Deliverance seeing after they knew God they did not like to retain the Knowledge of him nor to Glorifie him as God And seeing they make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and turn like the Dog and Swine to the Mire and Vomit again and crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and for want of Watchfulness let seven worse Devils enter the latter end of such will be worse then their beginning And it s such that are compared to Trees twice dead plucked up by the Roots and their Consciences are said to be seared as with a hot Iron c. for such it s said there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin this Estate is lamentable and little short of the utmost Hell seeing the Spirit of God hath ceased striving with such for their Salvation and that which they hate will be their Condemnation And there is none that ever did or shall sin themselves into such a state of Hardness and Unsensibleness as that they shall not feel the Reward of Sin sooner or later neither shall they escape the Biting or Gnawing of that Worm that never dyes nor the Anguish of that Fire which the Breath of the Lord kindles if the Wicked that hate the Light could dwell in such Darkness where the Light could not find them or if they could destroy this Gnawing Worm and extinguish or put out this Fire which the Breath of God kindles then should their Sensibleness of Pain and Anguish for Sin be at an end but as they cannot do the one so they cannot escape the other The Wages of Sin is Death even a dying Death a sensible Death where the Gnawing Worm will be felt and the Wicked shall be able to lift up their Eyes in Hell as Dives did when he saw Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom and cry for Help in the Sence of their Torment when it is too late the Gulf being fixed c. Opinion The Sun may shine and some men may shut their Eyes and will not see it and some are blind and cannot see it Are they therefore enlightned by it So likewise c. Answ The Strength of this Opinion of thine by way of Similes I take to be thus That though the Sun doth shine yet some are not willing and some are not able to see the Light of it and so are not or will not be lighted by it and from hence wouldst conclude notwithstanding thy former Concession viz. That every man is lighted with a Divine Light That some men have no Light in them nor are not in a Capacity to receive Benefit by the Light because blind And others will not come out of the dark Câ—lls of the Earth where they have taken up their Habitation to behold it Now the Scriptures bear witness That the Seers or Prophets saw Christ the Gift of God to be the Light of the Gentiles and to be his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and there was and is a Call to all the Ends of the Earth to look unto him and be saved and the Gentiles and Ends of the Earth looking unto him have had have and may have Salvation by him And the Lord desires not nor wills not the Death of him that dyes nor the Blindness of him that is blind but would have all men walk in the Light and come to the Knowledge of his Truth and be saved He bids or commands no men to Hear See or Walk when he hath not given them Ears Eyes and Ability so to do He calls to all men every where to Repent and he hath afforded them Light and Grace sufficient to enable them so to do if they would believe in it and obey it He shuts no man's Eyes neither is he the Author of any man's Blindness Wilfulness and Stubbornness It 's man's own Sin that separates man from his Maker and blinds his Eye and strengthens his Will that he cannot and will not see the Light when it shines in him so as to be saved by it and to walk in it though he hath in this blind sinful State so much Sight Sense and Knowledge of it as to feel its Reproofs and Convictions John 3.20 So every one that doth Evil hates the Light and cometh not to it lest his Deeds should be