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
as that which raiseth up the Soul into a Sensible Communion with God above the World which the Mind of Man is prone to slug or bemire it self withal And adds PLOTIN a Famous Platonist God is the very Root or Life of the Soul Again Man hath a Divine Principle in him which maketh the true and good Man And the Platonists in general held Three Principles to be in Man the first they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mind Intellect Spirit or Divine Light The Second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul of Man The Third they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul's Image which say they is her vital Energy upon the Body and the Feminine Faculty of the Soul By all which it is evident though I could more abundantly prove from their many Writings that they believ'd and held Divine Illumination and Inspiration and that such a Principle resided in Man even the Eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mind which is to say in proper English God Himself by which alone the Soul could become what it ought to be to God VII CLEANTHES the Stoick alloweth not Mankind to be govern'd of right by the Dictates of their own Nature which barely renders them Men but by that Divine Infinite and Eternal Nature which is God universally defus'd or sown through the whole Race of Man as the most sure and infallible Guide and Rule To live saith he according to this Knowledge and Direction is truly to live according to Vertue not doing any thing that is forbidden The Vertue and Happiness of a Man depends upon the close Correspondence of his Mind with the Divine Will of him who governeth the Universe Again saith the same Cleanthes THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS IMPRINTED UPON THE MINDS OF MEN. VIII MENANDER signifying God to be Good saith Every Man hath a good Daemon as soon as he is born an Holy Instructor in governing of the Life as that I may confess him to be an Evil Daemon who hurts the Life of a Good Man Then subjoyns he That a Good God is in all that God is perfectly Good and that he is Good in all Again on another Occasion saith he God who is alwayes near sees this for God is not a God afar off IX PHILO though a Jew born yet a very Serious and Refin'd Philosopher gives us his Judgment in this Particular very positively and to purpose How should the Soul of Man saith he know God IF HE DID NOT INSPIRE HER AND TAKE HOLD OF HER BY HIS DIVINE POWER Again That the Divine Reason we have from God is an Infallible Law not a Mortal Rule given by this or that Mortal NO LIFELESS PRECEPTS WRITTEN IN PAPERS OR UPON PILLARS BUT IMMORTAL being ingraven by the Eternal Nature IN THE MINDS OF MEN. This is an undeniable Testimony to the Law written in the Heart as a more Excellent Dispensation then that which is written in Paper or engraved on Pillars But further X. Nor is PLUTARCH wanting to the Proof of this Assertion on the behalf of the Gentiles Divinity who thus delivers himself speaking of the Principle of God in the Conscience It is a Law saith he not written in Tables or Books but dwelling in the Mind ALWAYS AS A LIVING RULE which never permits the Soul to be destitute of an interiour Cuide Again To debase this Ancient Faith of Mankind and Natural Belief which is planted in all Reasonable Souls is to Overthrow the Strong and Everlasting Foundation of Vertue Doubtless very Peremptory Zealous and Sensible doth Plutarch show himself on the behalf of an Internal Divine Principle XI But be pleased to hear what * EPICTETUS says in this Matter whose Vertue was admirable in its time and whose Memory is preserv'd in great Respect among many who would think themselves much wrong'd if they should not be accounted Christians When you have shut your Gates saith he and made it all Dark Within that is to say are retired to your own Dwelling as alone do not say that you are alone for you are not alone but GOD IS WITHIN What need then is there of outward Light to discover what is done or to light to good Actions who have God or that Genius or Divine Principle for your Light as the following words do further import But above all the Gentiles that have been mention'd I mean in Point of plain and Positive Expression for I will prefer the Life of none before that Self-denying Martyr Socrates let us hear with great Attention what kind of Lecture SENEC A will read us upon the Subject handled truly something very weighty XII The Multitude saith SENECA is the worst Argument Let us inquire what is best to be done not what most usually is done and that may settle us in the Possession of Everlasting Happiness not what is allotted by the Vulgar the worst Interpreters of Truth I have saith he a clearer and more certain Light by which I may judge the Truth from Falshood that which appertains to the Felicity of the Soul the Eternal Mind will direct to that was the Light doubtless Seneca meant Again It is a foolish thing for thee to wish what by thee cannot be obtained God is near thee and HE IS IN THEE The Holy Spirit SITS OR RESIDES WITHIN US the Observer of our Good and Evil Actions as he is dealt with by us HE DEALS WITH US But yet further we have this great Gift saith Seneâ—… That Vertue meaning the Principle or God hath sent her Light before into the Minds of all for even they that follow her not SEE HER. Where observe Reader how he confesseth to the Universality of the Light yet lays the Fault of Rebellion against it not as T. Hicks doth upon the Light but such as refuse to follow it implying their voluntary Rejection of its Heavenly Discoveries Again Wonderest thou that Men go to God God comes UNTO Men nay which is more near he cometh INTO MAN and he makes the Heart of every good Man his Habitation Yet again hear him Nothing is closed from God he is within our Souls and he Cometh INTO THE MIDST OF OUR THOUGHTS And lastly Every Man saith he has God indued with that which if he forsake it not HE SHALL ARISE LIKE GOD. How much more weighty O Sober and Impartial Reader are these inward Doctrines of the Vertuous Gentiles then the Vehement Clamours and Uncharitable Exclamations of Empty Christians against them Men that seem as if they were aâ—…raid of nothing more then inherent Holiness though of Christ's working reputing it a kind of Undervalue of his Blood to feel the Only I mean the Inward Benefit of it accounting us the greatest Hereticks for assenting to the greatest Truth to wit The Sufficiency of his Universal Light in the Hearts of Men to Salvation challenging us to prove it by Scripture or any Credible History objecting the Heathens
Consideration that Men perish for Want of it and can no more arrive at Truth without it then the distressed Mariner can gain his Port who sailes without either Star or Compass I shall begin with an Explanation of the Terms Rule and Faith of which we shall first treat that we may as well express what we intend by the one as what we mean by the other which will be a proper Introduction to the whole Discourse By General Rule c. we understand that Constant Measure or Standard by which Men have been in all Ages enabled to Judge of the Truth or Error of Doctrines and the Good or Evil of Thoughts Words and Actions By Faith we understand an Assent of the Mind in such manner to the Discoveries made of God thereto as to resign up to God and have Dependence upon him as the Great Creator and Saviour of his People which is inseparable from good Works That Men in all Ages have had a Belief of God and some Knowledge of him though not upon equal Discovery must be granted from that account that all Story gives us of Mankind in matters of Religion several have fully performed this Ofold Justin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Augustine and others of later times Du Plessy Grotius Amiraldus L. Herbert with many more And indeed the reliques we have of the most ancient Historians and Authors are a Demonstration in the Point Now the Scripture tells us that no Man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him And as none knows the things of Man save the Spirit of Man so the things of God knows no Man but the Spirit of God Hence we may safely conclude that the Creating Word that was with God and was God in whom was Life and that Life the Light of Men who is the Quickning Spirit was He by whom God in all Ages must have been revealed consequently that Light or Spirit hath been the General Rule of mens Knowledge Faith and Obedience with respect to God And thus much Pythagoras that liv'd about Six Hundred Years before those Words were spoak or writ laid down for a Maxim viz. That no man can know what is agreeable to God except a man hear God himself that is within for that was his Doctrine To which the Apostle and Prophet thus agree 1. In that whatever makes manifest is Light 2. That whatever might be known of God was manifest within for God who is Light 1 Joh. 1. 5. had shewn it unto them And God hath shewn unto thee O Man what is good and acceptable c. which could not be without his Light shining in Man's Conscience Therefore the Light of God in the Conscience must needs have been the general Rule c. It was by this Law that Enoch Noah Abraham Melchisedeck Abimeleeh Job Jethro c. walked and were accepted as saith Irenaeus Tertullian They were Just by the Law written in their Hearts then was it their Rule to and in that just State Obj. It seems then you deny the Scripture to be the General Rule c. Answ. How can they be the General Rule that have not been General That which was both before and since they were in being must needs be more general then they But that was this Light in the Conscience the Law and Guide of those Patriarchs for the Scriptures began long after in Moses consequently that must be the general Rule c. Obj. But granting that the Light within were so before Scripture was extant yet since the Writing of holy Scripture the Scripture and not the Light hath been the general Rule Answ. That cannot be unless Palestina or Canaan a little Province of Asia was the whole World and the Jews a particular People all Mankind For at what time the Writings were among the Jews other Nations were only left to the Law and Light within This the Apostle confirmeth in that Passage For the Gentiles which have not the Law that is the outward Law or Law written do by Nature the things conteined in the Law which sheweth the Work of the Law written in their Hearts And the Gentiles themselves called it the immutable Law the everlasting Foundation of Vertue no liveless Precepts but immortal a sacred Good God the Overseer the living Rule the Root of the Soul that which makes the Good Man Thus Thales Pythagoras Socrates Plato Plotin Hieron Philo Plutarch as cited And saith Sophocles God grant that I may alwaies observe that venerâ—…ble Sanctity in my Words and Deeds which these noble Precepts writ 〈◊〉 Mans Heart requâ—…re God is their Father neither shall they ever be abrogated for there is in them a GREAT GOD that never waxeth Old More reverent Epithetes then John Faldo and T. Hicks can afford as their Books too openly witness yet would go for Christian-men though manifestly short of Heathens Thus is it evident that the Scripture was not the general Rule aâ—…ter it was given forth Obj. But hath it not been since and is it not now the general Rule c Answ. There hath been since and is now the same Impediment for before Christ's coming in the Flesh and since where the Scriptures never reach d there hath been the same Light And though Nations through not glorifying God as God when they have known him have bin so given up to all manner of Impieties as that their Understandings have been greatly vail'd yet did not the Light within so wholely loose its Ruling Exercise among them as that they lived without any Sence of such thing Therefore still the Scriptures have not been neither are the General Rule no not so much as of any Age since in no Age can it be prov'd that the whole World was furnished with them But had they been so for some one or two Ages as they never were yet the granting it will not reach our Question where the Word General implieth the Nature of the Thing it self respecting Mankind from the Beginning to this Day and so to the End Obj. But is not the Scripture the Rule c. of our Day Answ. If The Rule then the General Rule for whatsoever is The Rule of Faith and Life excludeth all other from being General they being but particular in respect of it self Therefore not The Rule of Faith and Life But besides their not being Cenetal I have several Reasons to offer why they cannot be The Rule of Faith and Life c. 1. If now the Rule then ever the Rule But they were not ever the Rule and therefore they cannot now be the Rule That they were not ever the Rule is granted But that they are not therefore now the Rule may be by some denyed which I shall prove If the Faith of God's People in all Ages be of one Nature then the Rule but of one Nature But clear it is Heb. 11. The Faith has been but of one Nature Consequently the Rule but of one Nature
in Fundamentals Answ. First we thought that Water-Baptism had been a fundamental Point with the Baptists and do they and Presbyterians agree therein 2. Have not the Baptists whom Presbyterians call Anabaptists been accounted Hereticks by the Presbyterians Why do they now joyn against the Quakers so called 3. Dare he say there are no good People among the Quakers that he makes good People's being among Presbyterians a Reason of his joyning with them against us Is it not easy to see a manifest Dissimulation and feigned Confederacy therein among these our Opposers If our Opposer saith we have not inserted his Explications upon his Assertions Answ. That 's his Work he hath Liberty to do it himself But he hath not done it nor vindicated these his Assertions in his Pamphlet Christ's Light within asserted as it is Divine and therefore a sufficient Rule of Life unto Salvation to all that truely obey it and vindicated from Tho. Hicks his dark Exceptions fallasious and impious Arguments consisting of manifest Ignorance Confusion and Ranterism which are here inserted as they were exhibited in a Paper afterwards owned and signed by him HIs harge against G.W. That George Whitehead affirmed that there was that Light in every Man if followed that was sufficient to Salvation T. Hick's Assertions against this 1. In Answer to which it is asserted that the Light in every Man could not understand the Doctrine of Instituted Worship 2. That the Light in every Man could not understand the Doctrine of Jesus Christ concerning his coming to save Sinners 3. The Light in every Man could not bring him to the Understanding how Sin came into the World 4. The Light in every Man cannot acquaint him with the Knowledge of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead Reply G. Whitehead still affirms that God hath gratiously afforded that Light to every Man which he ought to follow and is sufficient to guide him to Salvation To his four first Assertions I query Is that Life which is the Light of Men John 1. 4. divine in it self the Light of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word able to apprehend and bring Man clearly to see the Invisible things of God even his Eternal Power and Godhead as confessed from Rom 1. 19 20. And yet is this Light neither able to understand the Worship that 's due to him the Doctrine of Christ Jesus concerning his coming to save Sinners how Sin came into the World nor yet to acquaint Man with the Knowledge of the Resurrection can the Light apprehend or bring men to see God's Eternal Power and yet neither bring them to understand the Cause of Man's Separation and Death from God nor his Duty or Restoration to God again How manifestly in consistent and contradictory are these and how plainly doth he charge men's Ignorance and Defects for want of Obedience upon the Light within And then what is it given for and what can it do But these Assertions are grounded upon his taking it for granted that it is not a Light of Grace but of Nature when that Life which is the Light of Men is granted to be divine in its own being able to discover the Eternal Power and Godhead then which there is not a higher Power but how this divine Light should become Natural as a Creature we are still to enquire as that which neither T. H. â—…or his Brethren have ever yet proved That the Light within every Man could not be a Rule for it must be a Light of Nature or of Grace This Light cannot be understood the Light of Grace because the Scripture doth suppose a time when Men are without it It is said after those Dayes I will put my Laws in their Hearts and they shall know me that must be the Light of Grace Answ. Where doth the Scripture say that the Life of Christ which was with and in the Father which is the Light of men is the Light of Nature and not a Light of Grace The man in taking this for granted most filthily begs the Question and that contrary to his own Concession before neither doth the Scripture suppose a time wherein Men have no Light of Grace in them as he insinuates but a time when they are out of the New-Covenant and Strangers in their Minds to it as not being come into that Agreement with God or Union with his Light which this Covenant doth import And because the State and Tenour of it is both the having God's Laws written in his People's Hearts and Minds their knowing him to be their God and they to be his People and it s a Covenant of Mercy and Forgiveness of Sins past It doth not therefore follow that none of his Law is in them before they come to this Holy Attainment and Blessed Agreement though his Laws are not so universally written or deeply engraven in their Hearts before for it s now granted by divers of our Opposers who are of the more moderate 1. That the pure or holy Law which God placed in man's Hearts before Transgression was never wholy abliterated though much clouded by man's Disobedience 2. Some of these Anabaptists do confess to a Light in man which reproves for Evil and excites to good which they say is the Substance of the morral â—…aw or first Covenant which enjoyns Man truely to love and worship God and to love our Neighbours equally with our selves to do justly c. That this the very Heathens or Gentiles have in them And then I ask if this Law doth not appertain to the New-Covenant as one principle Law thereof also and never intended to be destroyed by Christ but fulfilled and renewed in his Followers who have Union with it as having a more deep impression and being more fully discovered in the Hearts of Men when become Children of this Covenant then before Was not Love the fulfilling of the Law and was not this preached by Christ's Ministers and was not love one to another both the Old and New Commandment yea the Old Commandment renewed and established If not a Light of Grace in every Man then it must be the Light of Nature but the Light in every Man cannot be sufficient to Salvation Acts 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their Peace and glorifyed God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance to Life then they had it not before Answ. His Argument still depends upon his former Fallacy that 't is not a Light of Grace but a Light of Nature that is in every Man as also in putting Repentance for the Light of Grace he puts the Effect for the Cause as if no man had saving Grace or a Light thereof before Repentance or Conversion whereas his Argument doth not at all prove that those Gentiles who received the Word of God had not a Light of Grace but only of Nature in them before Peter preached Jesus Christ to them but rather the contrary that it was a Light of Grace a
of Conscience and so consequently from Wrath which thou art yet highly guilty of and from which thy Water-Baptism has not washt thee T. H. You express your selves with great Varity sometimes you say 't is Christ another time its only a Measure of Christ anon its only of the Divine Essence this is a very uncertain Sound p. 3. Answ. Thou shewest thy self a dull cavilling Baptist must we be tied up to one Word to express a Principle by when the Scriptures allow of Varieties for Demonstration to divers Capacities which doth not alter the Matter This divine Light in man is exprest in the Scripture with as much Variety of Words as we do As it s called the Life the Light a Gift Manifestation Seed Kingdom of Heaven within a measure of the Gift of Christ the Grace of God c. yet one and the same spiritual and divine Life or Light T. H. Notwithstanding thy most diligent Attendance to the Light in thee that which thou callst the Light in thee hath in many things mis-guided thee p. 3. Answ. Now thou beginnest to be mad again the Light within that which I call the Light within is the very same that Christ and his Witnesses did witness to to wit In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men therefore thou hast blasphemously accounted this a misguiding Light And in thy 7th pag. hast plainly contradicted thy self herein where thou appealest to the Light in me and grantest it ought to be obeyed See how thou hast broke the neck of thy corrupt cause if it were a mis-guiding Light how dost thou for Proof appeal to it as Rule and grantest it ought to be obeyed ought that which is mis-guiding to be obeyed But the Light within ought therefore it will not mis-guide T. H. saith G. W. in his Discourse upon it urged that text Joh. 1. 4. In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men If the Life said he be the divine Essence my Words were If that Life be of the divine Being the Light must be so also Answ. This Argument thou didst never answer to purpose yet but cavillest and draws what Absurdities thou pleasest upon thy own Forgeries as will further appear only sillily thou argued against it thus viz. T. H. That the Life or Light spoken of Joh. 1. 4 9. is not supernatural because it is the Light of the Word as a Creator Answ. To which was answered that its false and inconsistent Doctrine For the Light of the Eternal Word is supernatural because the Light of the Eternal Word the Creator See here the Reason thou rendrest for its not being supernatural proves it super-natural for because it s of this divine Relation it must be divine And thou shifts but very sorrily to come off here when thou tellest me that the Life and Light commnuicated to every man from that Eternal Word is not supernatural Eternal and Divine But for this we have only thy Say-so contrary to what thou hast granted before to wit as being the Light of the Eternal Word Neither could thy other Shift serve thy turn viz. T. H. That the Life which is in God which is the Light of Men Joh. 1. 4. is divine as it is in God but natural as it is in man Answ. The Conclusion of this is Blasphemy for that divine Life is Immutable because divine it did not loose his Divinity by being given to man for being divine 't is no more subject to mutation than God is Remember here how thou wast nonplust and how thou art in a Laborinth and of this thou dost not clear thy self in all thy perverse cavilling against us Sect. II. The Life which is the Light of Men not a Creature or meer Effect c. WHereas on the Behalf of God's immediate Illumination or Shining in man's Heart for the Divinity thereof I alledged that the Cause thereof being divine this Effect thereof must needs be divine and supernatural as in my Narrative But instead of taking notice of the Words his Immediate Illumination or Shining thou art pleased to quarrel upon the Words such as is the Cause such the Effect must be and thus thou proceedest upon it viz. T. H. From this kind of Reasoning we may conclude not only the Light within but every Creature both Beasts and Trees are God these being the Effects of Infinite Wisdom dost thou not tremble at this Consequence p. 4. Answ. How causlesly dost thou quarrel Are both Beasts and Trees Immediate Effects of God's Power Did he not cause both Plants and Trees to grow out of the Earth 2ly Were these Immediate To be sure I never affirmed so many Gods as there are Effects of Infinite Wisdom But be it remembred that I never called the divine Life which is the Light of men a meer Effect but admitted of the Word Effect with reference to the Immediate Illumination or Shining of God in the Heart as being of a divine Nature because God is the Enlightener and Shiner And thou denying the Light to be of the divine Essence because communicated I urged this Argument That if the Life be divine or of the divine Being then the Light in man must be divine because the Life that was in God was that Light and such as is the Cause such is the Effect in some sence holds true in all the Effects of Infinite Wisdom true in all Creatures as they were made good God the Cause being the chiefest Good who beheld all that he had made that it was very good And God who is Light is the Fountain of Life and Light whose divine Life or Light it self which is the Light of men I never intended to be a meer Effect strictly taken as an Act of Power or thing made or created but as the Illumination or Immediate Shining in man immediately and naturally flowing from God the Fountain of Light its Envy makes thee carp and cavil and was not the Effect of the Law written in the Gentiles Hearts of the Nature of the Law Canst think thou art Ingenuous Dost think that I do not own Varieties of Effects from the Infinite Wisdom and Power of God as not only supernatural but natural both mediate providential and immediate Effects as well as Increated Immediate Products of Life Light and Vertue flowing naturally from him Yet though divine Illumination as manifested in man be an Immediate Act or Effect the Light or Life which doth illuminate is greater for it is the Cause which is more then the Effect though this Illumination hath a Living Vertue and Resemblance of the Cause in it and they are inseparable So that the Life which is the Light of Men Joh. 〈◊〉 4. being divine and of the Being of God himself who is Light it is not proper to call it a meer Effect as a thing made or a Creature as thou blindly calls it and would have it wherein thou dost meerly beg the Question and builds a false Structure thereupon Again thou
4. 1 Tim. 1. 1. and 4. 10. Jude 25. But how doth H. G's Confession and these Scriptures agree with the Discription he gives of Jesus Christ as Saviour and as the only true Christ viz. That he consists of a Body of Flesh and Bone human Nature being finite weak subject to passion as we are saith he p. 94. Let the Reader judge how gross and confused he is in these matters and whether the true Christ and Saviour doth either consist of an earthly Nature or finite being or was subject to Passion as fallen men are The Truth of it is this Man hath confest more to the Deity and divine Power of Christ and so to save and beget men to himself as God alone more then most of the Baptists that I have met withall before for one of his Brethren to wit W. Burnet a Preacher saith That Christ as he was the Word which was God was not a Saviour as he was God he could not save Man in his Book stiled the Capital Principles p. 35. which denyes the Omnipotency of God but this Baptist H. G. grants that it is the Power and Spirit of God himself or God alone that doth regenerate and make men his Children whence it follows that then it was not meerly the outward Body of Jesus that was the Saviour though he was a Saviour in that Body but it was by the Divine Power or Holy Spirit of the Father in him XI His Erroneous Distinction about the Light BUt whereas H. G. accounts the Light and Knowledge of God as Creator that was given to the Gentiles Rom. 1. 19. and Chap. 2. 14 15. But the Light of the Moon to guide their Paths and so much inferior to that of a crucified Jesus as that it leaves them utterly void of the saving Knowledge of the Gospel and of a crucified Jesus p. 68 69. Mark here how he hath undervalued the Light and Knowledge of the glorious Creator whom before he has in Words exalted above all in the Work of Regeneration and Christ as man but as finite weak c. But now alass with him the Light and Knowledge of the glorious Creator is but the Light of the Moon in comparison of the Light and Knowledge of Christ as man though in that Weakness as crucified how egregiously he is involved in gross Consusion and self-Contradiction in these things he that runs may read and no such distinction nor contrariety between the Light of God and the Light of his Son is owned in Scripture â—…or I and my Father are one saith Christ and the Father Word and holy Spirit are one And the same Life which was in him was the Light of Men Joh. 1. 4. and this Life which in due time was manifested was the same eternal Life which was with the Father 1Joh 1. 1. 2. which Light or Life they that obey aâ—…d follow in its Appearance and Guidance it brings them to a Fellowship with the Father and with the Son and this is not the Light of the Moon as our Opposer blindly and unscripturally terms it But seeing he saith this Law or Light is given to guide their Paths by which the Gentiles are taught their Duty to God in Morals I ask him whether will this Light guide their Paths if not in the Way to Salvation And whether will they go and to what End if they obey and follow it Does not the Apostle for a Proof of a justified State instance it in the Gentiles shewing the Effects of the Law written in their Hearts Rom. 2. 13 14 15 16. And what Nature was that by which those Gentiles did those things contained in the Law surely it was not the corrupt Nature for that is inconsistent the Law being holy just and good and though these Gentiles had not the Law in the Letter of it as many now have not the litteral Discription or histotical Relation of Christ's outward Sufferings must they therefore be damned to Hell What Cruelty were this to condemn Nations for want of the Scriptures But as those Gentiles who had not the Law in the Letter and yet had and obeyed it in the Spirit were both therein a Law to themselves and excused in the Sight of God in the day when he judgeth the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel Rom. 2. 16. So those Gentiles and Peoples who obey the Light and Life of the Son of God in them though they have not the historical Knowledge and Profession of Christ as he was Man and suffered Death in the Flesh c. Yet they are truely accepted of God and more real Christians inwardly then many of you that have the Scriptures and an historical Faith and Profession of the Man Christ and of Christianity outwardly for in all Nations every one that fears God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Depart from Evil and do Good and dwell for evermore And this the Light of the Son of God implanted in the Hearts of all Nations teacheth and herein the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all Men Tit. 2. 11. But it is the Error and Mistake of these Men to put their historical Notions and Profession of the Man Christ for the Light of Christ in Man whereas their Notions and Professions are neither any real Knowledge of the Man Christ nor the Principle of his Light in Man for the one is traditional and acquired by Man and so but dark the other is the immediate and divine unchangeable Gift of Christ in Man which indeed is the Light of the Eternal Word the glorious Creator but as these men's pretended Light and Knowledge of the man Christ is what they get out of Scriptures with their own private Interpretations on them so they hereby render Christ and his Light as limitted only to such Places and People as have the Scriptures opposing his divine Omni-presence and denying him his Right which is the Heathen for his Inheritance and the uttermost Parts of the Earth for his Possession Psa. 2. Now as for that Morality as he calls it which the Law of the first Covenant and Light implanted in the Heaâ—…ts of all Man-kind teacheth in the true Nature and Intenâ—… thereof it falleth no more short of Christianity then Godliness doth for this Law and Light teacheth Man to love the Lord God with all his Heart and Soul c. and his Neighbour as himself this do saith Christ and thou shalt live in answer to the Question what shall I do to inherit Eternal Life Luke 10. 25 26 27 28. This is the highest Morality or Duty of Man-kind even this Love to God and one another which is the fulfilling of the Law And this is both taught by the Light within and Power given by the Grace of God to fulfil it which the Law without in the Letter cannot do Now if the Jews Way to inherit Eternal Life was through the Grace or Help of God to fulfil what was written as before then
true Union with him and Knowledge of him to experience his Indwelling as he dwelleth in us and we in him if we keep his Commandments and thus the true Believer hath the Witness in himself which that thou mightst experience was thy Sister 's wholsom Advice to thee to believe in the Light that reproves for Sin which enlightens every one that cometh into the World and so thou mightst in Love and Humility have received the Witness in thy self which if thou hadst obeyed thou durst never have prayed so wickedly as God forbid that ever I should own their Principle of the Light in all contrary to thy pretended Praises and Hallelujah to God for the Witness within neither coâ—…ldst thou have opposed the Witness in the Believer to the Light which reproves for sin which enlighteth every man as thou hast done H. G. This Witness through Grace I in measure do Experience not that I believe in that Light which every man that cometh into the World is inlightened with for Life and Salvation that is insufficient c. pag. 19. Answ. If thou rejectest the Gift or Measure of the Light or Life of Christ within thou rejectest the saithfull Witness Christ the Giver and canst not know him to be thy Saviour while thou art disobedient to his Light within and Christ and his Light in man are so inseperable that he who obeys and believes in his Light within he and his Faith must needs have a dependance upon Christ the Enlightner who is the Object Author and Finisher of Faith and so upon God who is the Fountain of Light who shineth in man's heart to give the knowledge of his Glory in the Face of his Son and hereby is the benefit of him as the one Offering and the vertue of his Blood known that both Sanctifies and makes Perfect XII His Groundless Comparison and Distinction between the Light of God in Man and the Light of Christ or Gospel further Refuted ANd whereas in thy other Book from Rom. 1. 19. and Chap. 2. 14 15. thou callest the Law or Light of God in men The Law or Light of the Moon to Guide their Paths by which they are taught their duty to God in morrals but understand nothing of the glorious Mystery of the Gospel pag. 6â—… To this I Answer 1. Those Gentiles mentioned in Rom. 1. had a Sight and Knowledge of the Invisible things of God even his Eternal Power and God-head ver 19 20. was this but the Light of the Moon and was there nothing of the Gospel or Mystery of it in this whereas the very reason of their becoming foolish vain in their Imaginations darkned and reprobated in their minds was that because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God ver 21. they did not like to retain God in their knowledge ver 28. Therefore if they had continued in the Light given them glorified him as God and retained him in their knowledge they had been preserved unto Salvation out of that dark reprobate state and out of those gross evils which they fell into 2. Those Gentiles mentioned Rom. 2. 15. were accused or excused according to that Light or Law of God in their hearts and the secrets of them and all men to be Judged by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel but could this be or were it Just if there were no Law nor Light of Jesus Christ and Gospel given men are they and their secrets to be judged by a Law or Light which they never had in secret for my Part I know none so gross and partial as to affirm it on any serious Thoughts or Consideration 3. If the Light of God and his Knowledge be but the Light of the Moon and the Light of Christ the Light of the Sun how doth he demonstrate this difference between God and Christ and the Light of each and wherein the Glory of the one so far exceedeth the other or can any suppose there is a Light proceeding from Christ as man that so far excels the Light flowing from him as he is God or the Eternal Word as the Light of the Sun doth the Light of the Moon what Scripture hath H. G. for this distinction are not God and Christ and holy Spirit One and one Eternal Light and Fulness in their own Being and so the Light immediately shining or flowing thence unto man's Heart and Conscience one Divine Light though manifest by degrees and in several measures being still one in kind in man And this which H. G. calleth the Law or Light of the Moon is granted to be 1st The Light of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word 2dly That which may be known of God manifest in men 3dly That Light which gives the Light and Knowledge of God and his Eternal Power 4dly The Law written in the Gentiles hearts who were a Law to themselves to which I add If men truely believe in and obey the Light of the Eternal Word in them and retain the sence and Knowledge of God as therein they receive it they will find Preservation and Acceptance with God for is the Improvement of any more then what 's given required XIII His belying us with denying the Man Christ Jesus to cloak his own Absurdity and Ignorance of Christ and his Being AGain H. G. To prove thy slanders 1. That we deny the man Christ Jesus 2. That we are found daily in the Sight of all Persons denying that man to be Christ who was born of the Virgin c. pag. 20 21. Thou judgest us insolent for saying we are falsly accused and guilty of this If it be absurd as we judge it is to say Christ doth Consist of a human Body of Flesh and Bone pag. 21. which is thy own absurdity To these I say Though we never deny'd the man Christ Jesus nor him to be Christ that was born of the Virgin according to the Flesh yet I must still count it absurd to say That Christ doth Consist or is made up of a human Body of Flesh and Bone for that 1. because Christ the Son of God was and had a Being before he took upon him that Flesh or Body in the Virgin 2. Because that when he took upon him that Body and even in the dayes of the Flesh he was spirit as well as had Flesh. 3. In that he is ascended up where he was before and far above all Heavens and is glorified with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the World began 4. He was before all things and by him all things consist this is truely our Christ and Saviour But If your Christ doth consist of a human or earthly Body of Flesh and Bone our Christ who consisteth of quickning spirit and heavenly Body of divine Life and Light a spiritual and glorious body is above you and yours so we must leave you Anabaptists with your earthly Christ consisting of a human Body of Flesh and Bone together with your empty and lifeless Shadows
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
whence it came Or because of God s ondescension for a time to Externals shall they turn the Light and Spirit out of the Office of Rule and Judge by being perpetuated the Rule and Judge Or is it to lay down instituted Religion as some ignorantly talk to press after that which was beâ—…ore and ends those temporary things The Law outward as a Rule was but as Moses till the Son came The Servant abideth not in the House forever The written Law held its place but till the inward rise in more Glory and Brightness oâ—… rather till they became more capable of being turned to it and living with it In those Dayes I will write my Law in their Heart c. They who say otherwise of Scripture do pervert and abuse it for there is nothing more clearly laid down in it from Beginning to End then the Rule and Reign of the Spirit My Kingdom said Christ is not of this World Again The Kingdom of God is within I will write my Law in their Hearts and place my Fear in thâ—…ir inward parts All thy Children shall be taught of the â—…ord and in Righteousness shall they be established I will pour out my Spirit on all Flesh. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching c. Obj. But if the â—…aw engraven and delivered to Moses was a Rule to the Jews why should not the Law deliverd by Christ and written by his Apostles be the Rule to Christians Answ. Christ left nothing in writing as the Rule that we hear of and it is not to be thought he was less faithful in his House then Moses And doubtless had he intended the Rule of his Followers to have been a written Rule he would have left it upon record with all Punctuality This must be believed and that done on Pain of eternal Death Nor did his Followers write in the Method of a Rule as the Law was written nor did they so call or recommend what they writ But this leads me to my 8th Reason why the Scriptures cannot be the Rule under the New Covenant c. For admitting the Law written by Moses were the Rule A Rule I grant it was to the Jew outward yet Christ the spiritual Leader of a spiritâ—…al Israel writeth his spiritual Law in the Heart as Moses the outward Israel's Leader writ the Law upon Tables of Stone This was God's Promise the Priviledge and Blessing of the new Covenant that as the outward Jew had an outward Law for a Directory the inward Jew should have an inward Law for his Directory And as the outward Jew had an outward Priest at whose Mouth he ought to seek the Law so the Jew inward and Circumcision in Spirit has an inward and Spiritual High-Priest whose Lips preserve Knowledge at whose Mouth he is to receive the Law of Life And this is his Rule who is the Ruler of his People Israel who reigneth in Righteousness and of the Increase of whose heavenly Government there shall be no End The King Ruler Judge Law-giver High-priest Law Rule Temple are all Spiritual so the Scriptures inform us My Kingdom said Christ is not of this World Again The Kingdom of God is within I will write my Law in their Hearts and place my Fear in their inward Parts They shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established The Tabernacle of God is with Man He will dwell with them I will pour out my Spirit on all Flesh. The Grace hath appeared to all Mâ—…n teaching c. A Measure of the Spirit is given to all Men to profit withal The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Whatsoever may be known of God is manifest within walk in the Spirit If ye walk in the Light c. Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord. And there needed neither Sun nor Moon to shine for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb was the Light thereof As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and the whole Israel of God c. What Rule Not that of the old legal Creation that passed away but the Rule of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or new Creation as it may be rendred And as Drusius cites one to have interpreted it and Grotius also interprets it which is the Way of Life Isaiah spoak of An High-Way there shall be and it shall be called the Way of Holiness the Unclean shall not pass over it and wayfaring Men though Fools shall not eâ—…r therein There shall be no Lyon there nor ravenous Beast go thereon but the redeeâ—…d shall walk there which Way Teachâ—… Guide Rule Light Spirit andholy Unction that directs keepeth in steady Paths of Truth is Christ Jesus our Lord. Obj. But do you not turâ—… the Scriptures off sor an uncertain unâ—…rviceable Writing and as good as reject and deny them altogether Answ. There is a late Author or two who to depaint us as ugly as their Malice could invent have rendered themselves so ridiculous as so to infer But it is not my Business at this time to medle with particular Controversie that followeth in the second Part and shall therefore attend to answer the general Objection The Scriptures are uncertain upon your Foundation but not upon ours Doth our maniâ—…esting your Faith concerning them to be grounded upon your own Imaginations or human Traditions make void or render uncertain the Scriptures By no means but we would have you come to receive them upon the Spirit 's Testimony and Evidence that gave them forth And though we cannot allow them to be the Rule of Faith and Life under the Dispensation of the Gospel which is Power and Life it self yet are they to be read believed and fulfilled under the Gospel For notwithstanding the Law written upon Stone was not Paul's Rule after the Son of God was revealed in him yet the Son of God taught Paul to fulfil the Righteousness declared by that Law If it were to deny and reject as some Persons enviously say of us yea to vilifie the Scripture because we cannot allow it to be the Rule c. Paul must be said to deny reject and vilifie the Law written at what time the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus became his Rule There is a great Difference in asserting that the Spirit is the Rule and casting away vilifying of Scripture And indeed it is but an old Fetch of the Devil 's to pretend Honour to the Letter that he might the more unsuspectedly oppose the bringing in of the Dispensation of the Spirit which the Letter it self testifies to They that come to be led of the Spirit arrive at the End for which Scripture was given forth the Apostle John did as good as say the same thing when he told them to whom he wrote That the Anointing which they had
received and abode in them would lead them iâ—…to all Truth and that they needed not that any man should teach them To deny this to have been the Saints Teacher is to deny as plain a Proposition as is in the whole Scripture and that one Age of Christianity should have one Rule and another Age another Rule that the Spirit we but the Letter is more then any Man can prove yet did John's so writing invalid the Scripture or vilifie his own Epistle Certainly none will talk so idly How then doth our lifting up the Light and Spirit of Christ which fulfils the Scriptures by bringing such as are led thereby to enjoy the good things therein declared reject and vilifie the Scriptures Does our living up to them by an higher Rule make us to deny and reprobate them Erasmus and Grotius think them then most to be valued when men are Witnesses of them see on 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. I do acknowledge they contain an Account of several heavenly Prophecies godly Reproofs and Instructions that ought to be obeyed Obj If so Then how are they not a Rule of Faith and Life Answ. A Rule and the Rule are not one and the same thing By the Rule of Faith and Life I understand the living spiritual immediate omnipresent discovering ordering Spirit of God And by a Rule some Instrument by and through which this great Rule may convey its Direction Such a subordinate secondary and dâ—…claratory Rule we never said several parts of Scripture were not yet the Reason of our Obedience is not meerly because they are there written that were legal but because they are the eternal Precepts of the Spirit in Mens Consciences there repeated and declared Iâ—… is the Tâ—…stimony of the Spirit that is the true Rule for believing and understanding of any or all the Scripture therefore not the Scripture but the Spirit of Truth must be the Rule for mens believing understanding c. Thus held the Ancients Tâ—…rtullian saith Worldly Wisdom the Lord calls Foolishne ss he hath chosen the soolish things of the World to the confounding of Philosophy for that is the Matter of Worldly Wisdom a divine Interpreter of the divine Nature and Disposings Justin Martyr in Exposit. â—…id The Interpretation of the Scriptures is to be a commodated to the Will of the Doctrine of the Spirit and not to human Reasonings Hieron saith The Scriptures musâ—… be opened with spiritual Exposition Epiphanius saith Only â—…o the Children of the holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and cleâ—…r Nor were the most approved Protestants of any sort who have been so reputed in Opposition to Popery of another mind It is the Substance of the sourth Article exhibited against the Lutherans in the Council of Trent as an Erroneous Doctrine they held That to understand the Scripture neither Gâ—…oss nor Comment is necessary but only to have the Spirit of a Sheep of Christ's Pasture Erasmus tells us What Man sets forth by Man's Deâ—…ice may be received by Man's Wit But the thing that is set forth by the Inspiraâ—…ion of the Holy Ghost requireth an Interpreter inspired with the like Spirit and without the Inspiration of it the Secrets of God cannot be known Luther giveth us his Mind thus The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very Spirit by which they were writ Peter Martyr that famous Italian Protestant teacheth us The Spirit is the Abettor by which we must assure our selves for understanding of the Scriptures that thereby we must discern between Christ's Words and a Strangers quoting Christ's Words My Sheep know my Voice and several other places of Scriptures Again The Spirit of God revâ—…aleth the Truth in the Scriptures H. Bullinger Decad. 4. Serm. 8. Men â—…etch the Understanding of Heavenly Things and Knoâ—…ge of the Holy Ghost from NOWHERE ELSE but from the same Spirit John Bradford answerd to the Arch-Bishop of York thus We know the Scriptures as Christ's Sheep by the same Spirit that wrote and spake them being thereby assured c. Calvin teacheth thus in his Institutes It is necessary the same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophâ—…ts should pierce into our Hearts to perswade us that they faithfully delivered that which was committed to them of God Beza saith That the Way of understanding Prophecies and referring them to the right Scope must be sought or fetcht from the same Spirit which dictated them to the Prophets themselves and more to that purpose W. Tindal call'd the English Apostle by J. Fox saith It is impossible to understand in the Scriptures more then a Turk for any that hath not the Law of God writ in the Heart to sulfil it Bp. Jewel thus against Harding The Spirit of God is bound neither to Sharpness of Wit nor to Abundance of Learning Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without SPECIAL REVELATION Without this SPECIAL HELP and PROMPTING OF GOD's SPIRIT the Scripture is to the Reader be he never so Wisâ—… and well-Learned as the Vision of a sealed Book D. Ames a great Father of the Independents saith upon Bellarmin's wordâ—… The Anointing of the Holy Spirit doth teach the Faithful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles therefore to understand the Scriptures in those things which are necessary to Salvation with more to that purpose Vatablâ—…s on Job 32. 8. with Drusius Clarius and others speak to the same effect G. Crâ—…dock a famous Independent Preacher preacht That the Scripture is a Speechless thing without the Spirit Ch. Goad an eminent Separatist's Works styl'd B. D. of K. Colledge in Cambridge and an Independent Pastor thus taâ—…ght There is no Knowledge of Christ nor of the Scripture but by Revelation D. J. Owen a man of greatest Fame among the present Independents saith The publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of the holy Scripture is HE who is the AUTHOR of them from the BREATHING OF WHOSE SPIRIT IT DERIVETH ALL ITS VERITY PERSPICUITY AND AUTHORITY So that we see upon the Judgment of many considerable Persons the Scripture is no Rule for our believing and understanding of it self therefore not The Rule of Faith and Practice coâ—…cerning the things therein declared I will give a short Instance in Christ's words about Regeneration He taught and strange it was no doubt to wise Nicodemus That unlâ—…ss a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This is as plain a Proposition as can be laid down and may be credited Historically But what is that to any â—…s New Birth that they are never like to 〈◊〉 â—…formed of there Nor can that Scripture be my Rule in that Heavenly Travail respecting the many and wonderful Tryals and Exercises that are to be met with in it neither can any other Writing whatever This only is the Office of that Spirit Word immortal by which I am anew
the Body of Man c. 7. The Resurrection 8. The Light the Sufferings and Work of Christ. 9. The Baptists Ordinances Shadows c. 10. Knowing Christ and his Coming Reign and Deity 11. Their Erroneous and Groundless Distinction between the Light of God and the Light of Christ. 12. Turning to the Light within 13. Christ as at the Right hand of Power 14. Perfection 15. The Light within distinguished from an Historical Knowledge 16. The Baptist's unlearned Question TO THE READER Serious Reader THe implacable Enmity of divers Baptist Teachers against us our present Liberty and Prosperity is very obvious by their several perverse confused Pamphlets although the sad Experience and Fruitlesness of Coertion has not been shewn by their Valour They have Cause rather to be abased and humbled for their timerous obscuring themselves many of them in the late stormy times then now either to boast or thus come croaking out in warm Weather with Blasphemy and Revilings against the Light of Truth or us its Children As also for their many Divisions among themselves contrary to this Man's pretended Order and Communion of him and his Brethren of their baptized Churches as in pag. 53. being divided about Principles and Doctrines as some of their Leaders and Chieftains preaching up a personal Election others general Redemption some for Christ's dying for all others for his dying but for a few some for the Jews Seventh-Day Sabboth others opposing it some holding the Souls mortality with the Body others the Immortality They should have been reconciled among themselves before they had thus appeared in Print against us called Quakers for as yet we have no consistent matter from them to deal withall Lux Exorta Est OR THE LIGHT SPRUNG UP IN THE Despised Quaker With Evident Testimony against the Darkness and Prejudice of the Old Anabaptist I. Concerning the Light within THe Light or Life of the Eternal Word which is the Light of men Joh. 1. 4. is spiritual and divine as is that Word and therefore able to direct man his Way out of Sin and to give him Power against it what Cruelty and Partiallity doth he therefore like the partialminded Electioners reflect upon God in saying that this Light or Illumination of the Eternal Word leaves man like the Priest and Levite in his Blood and Wounds and yet how manifestly is this contradicted in his granting That by this Light Mankind may come to understand there is a God and also their Duty as he is their Creator Now this their Duty is both truely to love obey and sear him as also the man grants the Light to convince them of Sins and teach them to do unto all men as themselves would be done unto and that if the Heathens do follow the Light they are enlightened withal by the glorious Creator they would shine forth in the Principles of Morality and just Living p. 9. Now then it appears that this Light in all men can both teach them their Duty to God and one another so then it would teach them both to begodly and just Then the Question is whether all that are so taught and are such be they called Heathens or others be not in Reality Christians Can a man be godly and not a Christian Surely if the Heathens do mind and follow so much Light as God has given them they shall be saved for is there any more required then what is given Or doth God condemn Men for not improving more then he gives them How can they then be inexcusable or left without Excuse before him Observe again that this Opposer is not only cruel in leaving men in their Blood and Wounds though they follow so much Light as is given them but he is greatly confounded about the Light in all men one while calling it The Substance of the Law of the first Covenant p. 11. another while saith That Law was a more glorious Ministration and did convince of Sin more clearly then this Light p. 10. whereas the inward Convincement or Conviction does not arise from the Law meerly as written without but from the Law or Light as received from God in the Heart another while he calls it the Spirit that God has formed in man Zach. 12. 1. The Candle of the Lord p. 9. Let the ingenuous Reader judge how this man is shattered in these his Contradictions Inconsistencies and Variations and how plainly he hath broke the Neck of his own Cause in confessing that the Lord Jesus as the eternal Word enlightneth all men for Jesus Christ and his Light as the eternal Word is the divine and highest Light II. Concerning Redemption Justification c. HE is very inconsistent in his Saying that Redemption and Justification have been fully compleated and finisht by our Lord Jesus for â—…s once for all and that the Debt is paid and Satisfaction made p. 14. while yet he grants that Ignorance and Unbelief as Chains and Fetters bind many in Satan's Kingdom p. 14. for did you ever know of any so fully in a redeemed and justified Estate while so actually under Satan's Chains and Fetters in his Kingdom Or that any should be thus detained in Prison so long after the Debt is paid and Satisfaction made as he imagines But in this Notion of Satisfaction he appears very short and shallow though it be not a Scripture Phrase as T. Danson grants Synops. p. 19. and though it depends but upon some Notions of Law as Dr. Owen saith Declar. p. 150. Now that all mens Debt should be so strictly payed or such a severe Satisfaction made to vindicate Justice by Christ in their Stead which God never imposed upon the Son of his Love and that for Sins past present and to come as some say how inconsistent is it Besides the gross Liberty this gives to Sin how agrees it with his teaching them to pray Forgive us our Debts Math. 6. 12. for what needed that if they be all fo strictly paid in their Stead Howbeit that Christ in another or more acceptable Sence was a most satisfactory Offering and Sacrifice for Man-kind for a sweet smelling Savour to God Ephes. 5. 2. this we confess and own and that he tasted Death not only for some but for every Man and is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World And that Men are not justified nor all their Debt payed in their Stead while they are actually in Chains in Satan's Kingdom see this Man's Concession to his own Confutation touching the Power of true Conversion that is taught by Christ and his Ministers viz. That a man must repent that true Repentance is a through Change of the mind and that it consists in 1 A clear Sight and Sence of Sin 2 Godly Sorrow in the Sence and Burthen of it 3 In utter Abhorrence and forsaking of it And also Faith is required and must be wrought with Power in the Hearts of the Penitent c. p. 15. 16. Mark then here is some Debt for men to pay
if a Heathen that hath not this Law outwardly written should ask the same Question what shall I do to inherit Eternal Life He may truely be answered Obey the Light or Law of thy Maker in thy Heart which tells thee Thou must love and honour him above all and do Injury or Wrong to no Man this do and thou shalt inherit eternal Life for this End the Grace of God is free for thee XII Our Doctrine for turning People to the Light within justified H. G. NOne of the true Gospel-Preachers did ever teach such a Doctrine as this is which the Quakers preach namely bid People turn to the Light within p. 63. 64. H. G. Contra. That God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts 2 Cor. 4. Concession Who doth deny that Holy Men did endeavour to turn Men and Women from Darkness to the Light to leave their Sins to turn from all their wicked Abominations and Unfruitful Works of Darkness to God and Christ p. 67. What may be known of God is manifest in Men Rom. 1. pag. 68 69. Anim. If God hath shined in our Hearts and what may be known of God be manifest in Men must they not turn to his Shining and Illumination For God is Light whose inward Light which we testifie to is become the main stumbling Block and Rock of Offence to these dark Opposers And where was the Darkness which holy Men endeavoured to turn others from was it not within And the Light shines in Darkness the Light of God and Christ which their Minds were to be turned unto it was not an outward created or natural Light but inward and Spiritual and so rceived God hath shined in our Hearts see 2 Cor. 4. 6. his Concession to this overturns him And if the Quakers do not prove these very bare Words in Scripture to wit turn to the Light within it doth not therefore follow that they cannot prove the Matter of such a Doctrine as turn to the Light within see Deut 30. 1. 2. both in Tindal's Translation and in the Bible in folio London printed in the Year 1576. Thou shalt turn into thy Heart and shalt return unto the Lord thy God c. As also to the Question wherewith shall a young Man cleanse his Wayes the Answer and Direction is saith H. G. pag. 64. by taking Heed thereto according to thy Word Psalm 119. 9. And did not David hide this Word in his Heart that he might not sin against God And both Moses and the Apostle say the Word is nigh thee in thy Heart Deut. 30. Rom. 10. And did not Jesus say There is yet a little Light in you as some Copies have it Joh. 12. 35. And while you have the Light believe in the Light that you be the Children of the Light ver 36. Many other Instances of this Doctrine might be urged XIII Of Christ as at the Father's right Hand c. I May not well omit one Passage of H.G. which had like to have been buried in the bulk and heap of his Rubbish that is after he denies the Spirit to be Saviour though present to prove the Saviour absent he saith He is ascended into Heaven and hath a real outward Existence at the Father's right Hand p. 46. an outward glorified Existence in the Kingdom of his Father or Glory above p. 47 To which I say The Saviour is not absent from them that are saved for Christ said He that is with you shall be in you His ascending into Heaven yea and far above all Heavens was not that he might remain absent from his Church but rather that being departed from them in his outward Presence or Body he might be the more present with them and in them in the Spirit and Power of the Father And Christ being exalted at the Father's right Hand is no Proof that he is remote separate or absent from his People and Members any more then that the Father's right Hand of Power is absent and remote from them though we see what gross Apprehensions some Men have of God and Christ who thus would exclude limit or circumscribe them yea God and his right Hand of Power only to a Place distant from his People and Children which doth not only strengthen gross Apprehensions in the Ignorant to keep them in Ignorance dark Thoughts and carâ—…al Imaginations concerning God and his right Hand as if he were a Body or Person like themselves but also opposeth his Infiniteness and Omnipresence and so Christ's Divinity whereas the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him We may in a Sence be said to be absent from the Lord while at home or Strangers in the Body in Comparison of that Enjoyment of him hereafter to be had which yet proves not him nor his right hand absent as circumscribed or only far distant from us his right hand of Power is where he is and Christ inseparably with and in the Father glorified with the Father 's own self even with the same Glory which he had with him before the World began which Glory is divine invisible and incomprehensible and therefore human or Earthly Nature is not capable of that divine Glory and Power wherewith the Son of God was anointed dignified and exalted at God's right hand And David said O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their Trust in thee and thy right hand hath holden me up Psa. 17. 7. and 18. 35. and 20. 6. and 60. 5. and 63. 8. and 73. 23. So that neither the infinite God nor his Son nor his right hand of Strength can be circumscribed or limitted into a Separation or Remoteness from the Children of Light who are saved by the right hand of God whose Hand and Power is spiritual And if Saul was struck down and blinded by the Light that shone from Heaven above the Brightness of the Son which he calls the heavenly Vision in Acts 26. 13 19. In which Jesus did speak unto him whose Voice the Men with Saul heard not Ch. 22. 9. How much further doth Jesus himself in the Father's Divine Glory transcend this Vision though glorious And how far is his own Being his spiritual and glorious Body beyond the reach of these Men's earnal Thoughts and mean Conceptions as this Man represents Christ at God's right hand in Glory as consisting of Flesh and Bone human Nature outward Existence c. And so to have appeared to Paul at the time of his Conversion p. 46. and which John saw in that Vision p. 56. Rev. 1. 13 14 15. Whereas Paul and John gives no such account of Christ's Appearances to them as that it was in a human Body of Flesh and Bone much less that he consisted meerly of Flesh and Bone but the Cause of the Martyr Stephen his seeing Jesus standing on the right hand of God was his being full of the holy Ghost Acts 7. 55 56. And it is in the same holy Ghost that the truely sanctified and
remit or pardon Offences past without such a severe Payment and Satisfaction as is implyed because as some say he dispenseth not with the Act of Law If he could so punish his Innocent Son to the full who never offended was not this a Dispensing with the Act of Law when the Law was made for Offenders and added because of Transgression and to punish such for it was not made to punish an Innocent or Righteous Man against whom there is no Law But if to pardon former Transgression upon true Repentance and to save Man from Sin and Wrath be not inconsistent with the infinite Goodness and Mercy of God himself and to be both a just God and a Saviour were not Inconsistent then his divine Justice consisted not in such Severity as to obliege him from shewing Mercy withoâ—…t such a rigid Satisfaction and Payment as that of punishing his Son to the full and pouring out his Wrath upon him for the Sin of Mankind Whereas where Remission of Sin is obtained there is both a Relaxation of the Severity of the Law and a manifest Effect of the Propitiation or sweet smelling Sacrifice of Christ as Mediator and Advocate and not as the Object of Wrath Revenge and full Punishment from God that is due to Sin and that to acquit the Sinners continuing therein And his not sparing his own Son but delivering him up for us all and his being made a Curse for us was neither equivalent to that of Eternal Death Curse and Damnation which Sin and Sinners have deserved nor doth it absolve Man from his Obedience to the Law of the new Covenant or Spirit of Life in Christ though it was for a Relaxation of the Law as to the Bondage thereof and in order to abolish and end the first Covenant and the Curse thereof yet not to pardon or justifie Men in Sin against the second Nor is it any Loosening but a Reinforcing of the Terms thereof for he took away the first that he might establish the second he removed â—…nd ended the Shadows that he might exalt the Substance that was vailed under them he blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinances nailed it to his Cross that he might reinforce the Law of the new Covenant written in the Heart that we might not be without Law to God but under the Law to Christ He did both fulfil the Law in hs Person and doth fulfil the Righteousness of it in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit he did not only remove the shadowy Part of the Law and the Curse thereof through his Suffering and Sacrifice but also he actually deliveâ—…s the Soul from the inward Terrors Condemnation and Wrath of the Law upon true Repentance and Contrition of Heart in Remission and Pardon through Faith in his Blood being virtuously felt and efficaciously evidenced by his holy Spirit unto the Soul that hath a Part in Christ as the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World whose Blood bears Record in the Earth agrees in one with the Spirit sprinkleth the Consciâ—…nce from dead Works speaketh forth Mercy and Forgiveness better things then that of Abel Besides Christ was as well exemplary as propiriatâ—…ry or gracious in his Sufferings which had both a blessed Accepâ—…ance and Effâ—…ct with Gâ—…d and a spiritual Influence upon them that follow him in Spirit further then the Historical Faith and Relation thereof as he said If any Man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant bâ—… Jâ—…h 12. 26. And thus far is his Example spiritually fulfilled in them that follow him as namely Jesus Christ was outwardly câ—…rcumcised baptized crucified put to Death as concerning the Flesh buried quickned raised up by the Power of God c. His Followers or Servants are spiritually circumcised baptized into his Death or crucified with him buried with him by Baptism as Partakers of the Fellowship of his Suffâ—…rings quickned by his Spirit raised up by his Power into the Likeness of his Resurrection and having suffered with him shall reign with him And now in Opposition to the Doctrine of such a rigid and Severe Satisfaction as is by divers asserted 〈◊〉 must tell my Opposers that though the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and by his Stripes we are said to be healed this is neither of the Nature of Revenge from God Wrath or Punishment to the full that is due for Sin nor doth it exempt or free them who come to be his Followers from being liable at all to God's Chastisement or Correction in their own particulars when there is Cause for it for whom he loves them also he doth correct which is not Revenge as 't is said If my Children forsake my Law and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes nevertheless my loving Kindness will I not utterly take from them c. Psa. 89. 30 31 32 33. This concerned David and his Seed who notwithstanding did so undergoe the Chastisements of the Lord that he went often in a bowed down and mournful State as when he complained My God my God why hast thou forsaken me c. Psa. 22. which were the same Words Christ uâ—…tered in his deep Suffering Mat. 27. 4â—… plainly iâ—…timating how he took upon him the Sufferings and Burâ—…en of his People and his bearing the Sin and 〈◊〉 of many wherein it 's evident that they that â—…ollow Christ through the Work of Regeneration and obtain the new Birth do spiritually pass through the Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings and do partake of their due Shares thereof both for their Remission and to obliege them to follow him in his own Way of Light and Life whereby they who are faithful to him witnes the Blood Coveâ—…ant the Coverant that cleanseth from Sin and an Interest in that everlasting 〈◊〉 This is the Way aâ—…d Passage of the Raâ—…somed oâ—… the Lord who through his Judgment and Chastisâ—…ments have 〈◊〉 a Ransom received the Attonement and an Interest in the Everlasting 〈◊〉 of Liâ—… and Glory Having thuâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Matter in general I come further to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particular Passages that chiefly concern me to 〈◊〉 S. S. Thâ—… Laâ—…â—…ver aâ—…ows us to sin if at ten Years of Age a Person commits Mâ—…er aâ—…d then lives according to the Law of the Land in evâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…rty Years then arraigned for this the Judge cannot proâ—…ounce him Innocent and so acquit him because the Law did not allow him to commit Murther any Part of his Life p. 93. Answ. A Truth in both 1st The Law never allows us to sin no more doth Grace or the Gospel Shall we sin because we are no more under the Law but under Grace God forbid for how can we that are dead unto Sin live any longer therein 2dly Justice cannot pronounce a Guilty Person Innocent upon the Cessation from the meer Act of Unrighteousness but God's lovinâ—… Kindness and
them naturally unto the Rising of the Day-Star which though a more glorious manifestation yet not of another Light Life or Spirit then had ever been for there are not two Lights Lifes Natures or Spirits in God he is ONE for ever in himself and his Light one in kind how ever variously he may have declar'd himself or manifested it at sundry times of the World His Truth is one his Way is one and his Rest one forever But last of all that which greatly joyes is this that the Narrowness of some Mens Spirits in this World will not be found able to exclude vertuous Gentiles from their Reward in the other But maugre all the Heat Petulancy Conceitedness and Fleshly Boasting of Carnal Christians such as fear God and Work Righteousness and are Doers of the Law we are assured shall be accepted with and justified of God in the Day that he will judge the Secrets of all men by Jesus Christ according to Paul ' s Gospel and if any man bring another let It be accurst Amen I have here on purpose overlookt many very pregnant Instances both in the Old and New Testament so call'd for Brevities sake in which the Righteousness of the Gentiles hath in several Cases more evidently appeared then that of some of the Jews and which undeniably testifies to the Sufficiency of that Light they had both to manifest that which was Good from that which was Evil and give an Ability to such as truly minded its Illumination whereby they were enabled to do the one and to reject the other Such were Abimelech Cyrus Darius the Ruler that came to Christ and many others which I shall omit to mention more particularly the chief Bent of my Mind being to demonstrate the Truth of my Assertion from their own Writings CHAP. X. That the Gentiles Believed in One God That He inlightned All Men with a Saving Light That Men ought to live Piously That the Soul is Immortal That there is an Eternal Recompence The Whole call'd Gentile-Divinity The First Point prov'd by Sixteen Testimonies HAving prov'd briefly but truly from the Scriptures that the Gentiles in general were Illuminated with a Divine Light I shall now make it my Business to evidence the Truth thereof by most undeniable particular Instances out of their own Writings And because I am willing my Defence of both the Light within and Those of them who obey'd it should turn to the clearest and best Account I will endeavour to resolve the Whole into as plain a Method as the Matter and their Way of delivering it will allow me First then from their own Authorities I am taught to affirm that the Gentiles Believed in One Holy Infinite and Eternal God Secondly That they did therefore so believe because God had imprinted the Knowledge of himself in their Hearts or in our Language that he had Illuminated all Mankind with a Divine Light which as conversed with and obey'd would lead to Eternal Happiness Thirdly That they held and practised high Sanctity of Life Fourthly That they affirmed an Immortality of Souls and Eternal Rewards of Felicity or Misery according to Man's Obedience to or Rebellion against the Eternal God his Creator which Excellent Principles true and clear being the Result of their Discourse on those Subjects do worthily deserve in my esteem the Style of DIVINITY which shall be the Denomination I hope I may without Offence bestow upon them in this Discourse That the Gentiles did acknowledge and believe There was but One Supream God that made all things who is Infinite Almighty Omni-present Holy and Good forever I shall produce some of those many Authorities that aver the same and accommodate it to such Scripture as the Truth of them as well as Practice of very Ancient Fathers will bear me out in I. ORPHEUS as Old as more then One Thousand Two Hundred Years before Christ thus expresseth his Belief of God His Hand reaches to the End of the Sea his Right-hand is everywhere and the Earth is under his Feet He is only One begot of himself and of Him alone are all things begot and God is the First and the Last Hereby not only telling us there was a God but attributing that Almighty Power and Omni-presence which show he meant no Statuary Deity but the God that made the Heavens and the Earth II. HESIOD Of all which do not Dye thou art King and Lord none can Contend with Thee concerning Thy Power This Emphatically proves God to have been but One and Omni-potent in their Belief III. THALES a very Ancient Greek Phylosopher tells us That there is but One God that he is Glorious forever and ever And he openly confesseth That he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HE WHO KNOWS HEARTS Thales being demanded what God was That saith he which has NEITHER BEGINNING NOR END Another asking If a Man might do Ill and conceal it from God How saith he WHEN A MAN THAT THINKS IT CANNOT Men ought to believe saith Cicero in his Name that God sees all things IV. SIBYLLA There is One God who alone is Infinite and without Beginning Again Who can see with Fleshly Eyes the Heavenly True and Immortal God whose Seat is in the Highest of Heaven This Sibyll is Aged above Two Thousand Years The Question implies her Faith that God was a Spirit as Christ himself also testifies V. PYTHAGORAS a Modest but Diligent and Retired Man in his Search after Heavenly things saith That it is Man's Duty to believe of the Divinity that it is and that it is in such a manner as to Mankind that it overlooks them and neglects them not for we have need of such a Government as we ought not in any thing to Contradict such is that which proceeds from the Divinity For the Divinity is such that to it doth of Right belong the Dominion of all Again God resembleth LIGHT and TRUTH In another place God himself inhabits the Lowest and Highest and the Middlemost there is no Being nor Place without God God is One HE IS NOT as some conceive OUT OF THE WORLD but entire within himself as in a Compleat Circle surveying all Generations HE IS THE SALT OF ALL AGES the Agent of his own Powers and Works the Principle of all things One Heavenly Luminary or Light and Father of all things Only Wise Invisible yet Intelligible Which very Pathetical Account of the Divine Being so correspondent with Scripture yet he a Stranger to it I mean the Words only for the Matter in this Point he weightily hits deserves very Serious Consideration and Acknowledgment from all especially those who would not Narrow God's Mercies to their own Time or Party VI. To the same purpose speaks HERACLITUS that sensibly Afflicted Philosopher for the World's Impieties and Idolatrics whose very Sorrowful yet sound smart Expressions show they came from a Mind deeply touch'd In one of his
believe him to have been at least of those who knew God but we hope not of those who when they knew him Glorified him not as God Indeed what we have hitherto produc'd of them all may worthily be accounted DIVINITY and not the worse for being Gentiles since God is also therein to be Admired so Forceable so True and so Conspicuous are their Assertions and their Reasons for them that who will yet believe there was not a Measure of the Eternal Fulness of all Divine Light shining in the Hearts of these Heathens to give them the Knowledge of the Glory of the Only True and Invisible God must not think it strange if upon their own Principle of Incredulity after all their Protestations for and Professions of the Christian-Religion any should believe them to be very Mahometans or Infidels and that they are over-cast with the darkest Clouds of Envy and Uncharitableness For my part I am of the mind that many Thousands of Christians at least so reputed I mean not of the Rabble neither believe not God so clearly nor are able to give better Reasons for what they do believe of him then these exhibited in this first part of the Gentile-Divinity Thus much concerning God with respect to Himself his Creation and Providence CHAP. XI The Second Fundamental of Gentile Divinity viz. That God hath Imprinted the Knowledge of Himself on the Mind of all Mankind Proved from Twelve Pregnant Testimonies as well of whole Societies as particular Persons Compared with Scripture IT will be now requisit that I give an Account of their Belief in God with respect to that Discovery he is pleased to give of himself unto Mankind how and where which amounts to what is laid down in my Second Assertion viz. That God Imprinteth the Knowledge of Himself in the Mind of Mankind or that God's Way of Manifesting Himself to Mankind is by Enlightning the Soul with his own Divine Light which Obey'd leads to Blessedness That this was their Doctrine and the Ground of the Knowledge they had of God be pleased to weigh these their following very plain yet very weighty Expressions I. The Mind saith PYTHAGORAS and his Disciples onely seeth the ETERNAL GOD the Ruler and Father of all things What greater Pleasure then to behold the Serene Aspect of God What things are agreable to God cannot be known UNLESS A MAN HEAR GOD HIMSELF They mutually exhorted one another not to Divide asunder the GOD THAT WAS IN THEM for that it ought to be their Care to Preserve their Union with God and one with another Again saith Timaeus one of the Exactest of that School The most Excellent Thing the Soul is Awaken'd to is her Guide or Good Cenius that is a Measure of the Divine Light and Spirit but if she be Rebellious to it it will prove her Daemon or Tormentor But having overcome these things saith Pythagoras to wit Evils thou shalt know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Co-habitation or Dwelling together of the IMMORTAL GOD AND MORTAL MEN whose Work is Life the Work of God is Immortality Eternal Life Thus far the Pythagoreans and certainly far enough to prove the Assertion for next to Hearing and Seeing God himself his Dwelling in and Tabernacling with Men what is there of greater Spiritual Intimacy or Union O the Folly and great Uncharitableness of those Professors that exclude both such Men and such Knowledge the Kingdom of God because it is not deliver'd in absolute Scripture-Phraise whilst it imports much of the very Substance of them as to Divine Vision Union with God and Eternal Life But to go on II. HIERON that Ancient Philosopher intituled the Universal Light shining in the Conscience which witnessed by its Reproof against Evil and if obey'd led to Immortality A DOMESTICK GOD or GOD WITHIN the Hearts and Souls of Men. The Eternal Mind is God MANIFESTING HIMSELF IN EVERY PARTICULAR OF US God is that which in Mortal Men gives them to Know aright concerning God Certainly these Gentiles had an high Veneration for that Light which manifested Darkness who made it their Rule their Guide their Domestick God they set him not at a Distance without them but believed in him as God the WORD speaking to them in their own Consciences In which respect the Minor Poets notably express'd themselves III. BYAS Prince of his Country Pireen being invaded by Enemies and several of the Inhabitants put to flight with their greatest Wealth and He being asked Why he also carried not his Choisest Goods with him he answered I do carry MY GOODS with me HE BORE THEM saith Valerius Maximus IN HIS BREAST not to be seen by the Eye but prized by the Soul inclosed in the narrow Dwelling of the Mind not to be Demolisht by Mortal Hands WHICH IS ALWAYS PRESENT WITH THOSE WHO STAY and NEVER DESERTETH OR FORSAKETH THOSE THAT FLEE Certainly then they thought this Divine Principle the greatest Treasure the surest Companion the best Comforter and only Sanctuary of the Soul in greatest Extremities induing it with Piety and Patience and as what gave that Contentment which was able to wade through the deepest Calamities IV. SOPHOCLES is also of that Number that bears Testimony to Divine Illumination God grant saith he that I may alwayes be so happy as to observe that Venerable Sanctity in my Words and Deeds which is commanded by these NOBLE LAWS speaking of the Laws written in Men's Consciences which were made in Heaven GOD IS THEIR FATHER NOT MORTAL NATURE neither shall they ever be Forgotten or ABROGATED for there is in them a Great God that never waxeth Old This is saith he again with respect to Man's Conscience a Divine a Sacred Good God the Overseer Certainly in themselves very Seraphick Epithites fraited with strong Faith of a God and that Way of Inward Discovery he is pleased to make of himself to Mankind For it was he that said Truly there is but One Onely God who made the Heavens and the Earth V. It is frequently said of SOCRATES He had the Guide of his Life Within him which it was told his Father Sophroniscus should be of more Worth to him then 500. Masters he call'd it His Good Angel or Spirit that it suggested to his Mind what was Good Vertuous inclin'd dispos'd him to a Strict and Pious Life that it furnisht him with Divine Knowledge and very often impuls'd or MOVED HIM TO PREACH THOUGH IN THE STEETS TO THE PEOPLE sometimes in a way of Severe Reproof at other times to Information and otherwise gently to diswade them from Intemperance Vanity of Life particularly from seeing of Playes and to exhort them to Repentance Reformation and Self-Denyal in hopes of Immortality VI. PLATO is not wanting to bring in his Vote for further Confirmation of our Assertion on the Behalf of the Gentiles The Light and Spirit of God saith he are as WINGS TO THE SOUL or
Man which obey'd supply'd then with dayly Wisdom and Strength and finally led to God And also were more Just to their Faith by a Life excelling theirs in Vertue and Self-Denyal And certainly in that Great and Terrible Day when God will judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to Paul's Gospel will such Pious Gentiles who knowing God they Glorified him as God and Conscientiously did the Things contain'd in his Law be finally Acquitted and Rewarded CHAP. XV. That the Heathens had a Sight of the Coming of Christ. That and not Swearing prove the Sufficiency of the Light OVer and above what I promised being rather willing to Err on that End if yet it be Erring I shall briefly observe two things greatly importing our Defence of the Light and the Satisfaction of our Adversaries if it be true that they query to be satisfied 1. That the Testimony of Socrates and Xenocrates about Swearing sufficiently prove to us that by the Light they had they saw a State above Swearing or a Righteousness excelling that of the Legal Jews which manifestly corresponds with what Christ said who above Four Hundred Years after them taught as what Purely became the Evangelical Righteousness SWEAR NOT AT ALL. 2. That though their Light did not tell them the express Names Christ should be called by yet they Fore-saw and Prophesied of his Coming and how he should come of a Virgin and what both he was and the Work he came to do which the Names given of the HOLY GHOST did strictly import or signifie Neither is it the knowing so many Letters Syllables or Words that gives true Knowledge or Salvation but the Experiencing him to be that which he is and wherefore he is so denominated for to that End came He into the World Christ signifies Anointed with respect to that peculiar Manifestation Jesus a Saviour for he should save his People from their Sins Emanuel which is to say God with us c. that in this Sense he was Prophetically held forth by the 〈◊〉 through that Measure of Light they had Hear Plato and Virgil. Marcil Ficinus who writ the Life of that Great Gentile tells us among many other things that Being very seriously askt by some that visited him as the last thing they had a Mind to be informed about HOW LONG MEN SHOULD ATTEND TO HIS WRITINGS Of which he seem'd so cheery Living and Dying in the Belief of what he recommended to the World He solemnly answer'd TILL THAT MORE HOLY AND DIVINE PERSON SHALL APPEAR TO VISIT THE WORLD WHOM ALL MEN OUGHT TO FOLLOW At once both believing such a one to appear and then forbidding all to prefer that lesser Discovery he had given the World through the Improvement of his Talent of Light to that greater Manifestation which that Divine Person would bring with him into the World as if he had said Mine may help you with respect to that Knowledge which is your Duty in this Generation and so direct to him that afterwards shall come but I am not He neither do I believe this the most excellent Discovery that can be made but as the lesser Light may point to the greater and is at last swallow'd up of it so can I only point at him and when he is come all I have done must yield to him for I declare that all ought to follow him for in following him they will obtain Eternal Blessedness Let us now see what Virgil will add to this Matter as translated in Eusebius Jam nova Progenies Coelo demittitur alto Now is from Heaven high Descend'd a new Progeny And in his Bucolicks Sicelides Musae paulo majora canamus Ye Muses with a lofty Wing Let us of higher Matters sing And what be they Ultima Cumaei venit jam Carminis aetas Who lives this Age will clearly see Cumea's Vers's accomplisht be This Cumea so called of her City was a Sibyl who liv'd about 600. Years before Christ and prophesied of him Virgil writ these Verses about Forty Years before Christ was born I query if the Jews themselves had so positive a Sence of the Messiah's Coming But to proceed Magnus ab integro seclorum nascitur Ordo Jam redit Virgo redeunt Saturnia Regna Th' Integrity of Times shall now renew again A VIRGIN also shall bring back old Saturn's Raign This is a direct Prophecy of the Marvellous Conception that he should be born of a Virgin and the Good that would redound to the World thereby as he further addeth Tu modo nascenti Puero quo ferrea primum Desinet ac toto surget Gens aurea Mundo Cast a fave Lucina Hoc duce si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri Irrita perpetua solvent formidine terras The Birth of that most happy CHILD by whom The Iron Age shall end and Golden come Chast Lucina favour HE SHALL THE POWERS OF WICKEDNESS DESTROY AND FREE THE WORLD FROM FEAR AND ALL ANNOY Yet again Ipsae lacte domum referent distenta Capellae Ubera nec magnos metuent armenta Leones The Goates shall bring their Udders Milk-fill'd home And th' gentle Flocks great Lyons shall not shun Yet further Ipsa tibi blandos fundent cunabula flores Occidet Serpens fallax herba veneni Occidet Assyrium vulgo nascetur amomum Thy Cradle fairest Flowers shall send forth still Which shall have Power THE POYSONOUS HEARBS TO KILL The SERPENT HE SHALL TO DESTRUCTION BRING Assyrian Amomum shall each where spring Hinc ubi jam firmata virum te fecerit aetas When thou shalt attain at length To Years of Manhood and firm Strength Now let any tell me if this be not a most Pathetical Account of the Vertue and Power of Christ and the very End of his coming into the World as by a Comparison of it with Scriptures in the Margent will plainly appear Et durae querâ—…us sudabunt roscida mella From the hard Oak there shall Sweet Hony sweat forth and fall To Conclude Cedet ipse mari vector nec nautica pinus Mutabit merces omnis feret omnia tellus Non rastros patietur humus non vinea falcem Nec varios discet mentiri lana colores Sponte sua sandix pascentes vestiet agnos O mihi tam longe maneat pars ultima vitae Spiritus quantum sat erit tua dicere facta The Sea shall then be quiet no Ship shall range Abroad her Wares with others to exchange Then every Land shall every thing produce And then to plow the Earth they shall not use Vines by the Hook shall not be rectify'd Nor Wool with divers Colours shall be dy'd Fair Fleeces voluntary shall proceed And clothe the Lambs while they do gently feed O might my Dayes be lengthned so that I Might sing of thy great Deeds before I dye Thus to say no more though much more might be said of this kind have Heathens by the LIGHT we have been hitherto
defending not only fore-told Christ's Appearance but the very Work for which he did come and from whence he received those peculiar Names of Christ Jesus Emanuel the Restorer of Breaches Redeemer Saviour c. So that I hope our Adversaries will either disprove these Writings or confess that the Light God gave to the Gentiles they receiving it was sufficient and that by it they had some of them a Sight of Christ with respect to the great Performance for which he was so named I have omitted any mention of those Sibylls so much believed in by Justin Martyr Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus and abundance of the Ancients for David Bloudell's sake an accurate French-Man who indeavours to prove the Books that go under their Name to be an Imposture writ since Christ by some affected to â—…hristianity to promote it with the Gentiles and therefore no true Prophecyes of his Coming though he grants Sibylls there were of old and Excellent Things they wrote but that they were burnt in the Capitol of Rome several Hundred Years before Christ came in the Flesh and scattered Remnants onely extant yet among them enough will be afforded as Virgil from the Cumean already mention'd whereby to prove the great Fore-sight some of the Gentiles had of Christ's being Conceived by the Holy Ghost Born of a Virgin and finally Coming in the Flesh for the Salvation of the World And which is more then any before Virgil had done the Time when namely WITHIN THAT AGE which was the Reign of Augustus Caesar in the beginning of which Virgil wrote and about the End of which Christ was Born CHAP. XVI It is granted that the Jew and much more the Christian hath the Advantage of the Gentile Yet that the Gentile had enough Salvation BUt that I'may provide against both Ignorance and Malice Let none unworthily infer from hence that I prefer the State of Gentilism before the State of Christianity No nor yet so much as that I intend to equal it to that of the Jews to whom pertained the Adoption Glory Covenant and the giving of the Law whose were the Fathers and of whom Christ himself came after the Flesh who is God the only God over all Blessed forever Amen For this let all know that far greater were the Priviledges that both Jew and Christian were blessed with then those of the Ancient Gentiles God gave the Jews what the Gentiles had but he was not pleas'd to endow the Gentiles with all that he freely bestowed upon the Jews Yet that he gave them what was sufficient to Godliness is altogether as certain For the Difference lay not in the Root of the Matter but only in some Extraordinary Helps and several visible Services Figurative of a further Glory The Word nigh in the Heart of which Moses testified was not the only Priviledge of the Jew but of the Gentile also The Spirit of God strove as well against the Gentile as the Jewish Man And God himself declared their New Moons Solemn Assemblies Sabbaths c. to be an Abomination and bid them cleanse themselves and put away the Evil of their Doings and that they would make them a new Heart and a new Spirit intimating that though he did attend their Childhood with many Helps that were wanting to other Nations yet he required Fear Purity and Righteousness as the most essential thing of all other which because it was required of the Gentiles as well as Jews and that many Gentiles believed so and accordingly lived unto which declaring they were inclined by that Spirit which Job sayes is in Man and that Inspiration of the Almighty which gives Understanding I cannot in Justice but conclude they wanted not the Ground-work any more then did the Jews So that the Sum of what I have been urging is but this and thus much it is That though God was more Beneficent to the Jew especially to the Christian then the Gentile and consequently that as the Jew had those Assistances the Gentile had not so the Christian-Dispensation is the Perfection of the Divine Light Life and Immortality more weakly seen both by Jew and Gentile Yet also That God did communicate to the Gentiles such a Measure of his Divine Light and Spirit as diligently adhered to and faithfully sollowed was sufficient to their Salvation from Sin here and confequently from Wrath to come And that they themselves did so Believe Teach Live and Dye in perfect Hope and full Assurance of Eternal Recompence in a State of Immortality And though I will not be so strict in my Opinion of the best Gentiles as to deny there might be some Self-Mixtures from Temper Education or otherwise yet I will also boldly affirm that as the Light they had was sufficient in it self to their Salvation of which their Life and Doctrine are a notable Demonstration so they had some of them a glimmering Prospect and bold Belief of as high a State of Purity Glory and Immortality as Man's Nature is well capable of attaining to Let thus much suffice whether T. Hicks be pleased or not pleased in Defence of the Universality and Sufficiency of the LIGHT at least with respect to the Gentiles Divinity and a round Answer to the Clamours of our many Adversaries against the Light 's Sufficiency to discover Sin and convert from it CHAP. XVII A great Objection stated Answered The Light both Law and Gospel not in the same Discovery but in it self A Way to reconcile the seeming Difference about it The Light still defended BUt because I am yet to expect Doubters about the Light who rather strive how to oppose it by their Notions then believe and obey it I will suppose that some may as indeed doth T. Hicks J. G. and almost all who have writ against us yet object Certainly this Light Within can be at most but the Law in the Conscience answering to the First Covenant For here is scarce any mention made of Christ in this long Discourse and if this Light were Christ as is affirmed by you Quakers then how comes it that he was not so called of Old by the Jews and Greeks and why typified out to come when he was come before and whilst typified And further In what Sense can he be understood to bear our Iniquities and Men and Women to be saved by his Blood if this Light be the Saviour Messiah Christ c. as you believe and endeavour to maintain now in the World This Objection I suppose the Reader will allow to be the most weighty made against our Principle and that I have dealt more fairly by our Adversaries especially by that Unjust and Malicious Man T. Hicks then they have dealt with us in his abusive and impertinent Dialogue since I have here laid down the Strength of their Objection and the whole Scope and Intendment of his 8 9 10 11 12. pages against the Light To all which I thus answer in the Fear of God Spirit of Moderation The
that Favour as suppress us and restrain our Liberty for them as their bitter Invectives and invet crate Clamours plainly import and intimate their persecuting Spirit and Implacâ—…ble Maâ—…ice as while they are complaining against our Principles Doctriâ—…es as â—…amnable 〈◊〉 us Cheats Impostors Romish 〈◊〉 c. Thâ—…ugh their Charge herein they have never proved against us nor can they this doth not only bespeak a Willingness or â—…esire to have our Principles suppresseâ—… but our Persons likewise As also T. Hick's proclaiming to the World p. 62 that the Quaker's Religion is a meer Cheat calculated to the Service of the Devil and wickedly infianating against our Sufferings that the Satisfaction of our Wills and Lusts the promoting our Carnal Interest Respect only to something to be enjoyed here Carnal Advantage Outward Gains c. may be our chief Motive Inducement and Encouragement to do and suffer as we do Dialogue p. 75. And he questions whether we are not really acted by some Romish Emissaries to insinuate covertly many of their own Heresies to distract deform and declaim the Protestant Profession c. p. 76. Judge Candid Reader whether these malitious and false Insinuations do not savour of a persecuâ—…ing Spirit though they would not be seen to envy our Liberty yet how do these Invectives tend to stir up Persecution and to incense the World and instigate the Rulers against us sor our Suppression Their pretended Alegations sor them are hereafter answered and refuted and how absurd they are in these Accusations 1st To insinuate that our Sufferings have been either for Carnal Advantage Temporal Gains or to satisfie Lusts whilst in our resigning up our selves to these many and deep Sufferings we have often offered up our Lives and consequently with them all our Temporal Enjoyments and Advantages us many this Day can testifie together with those many Innocent Person 's Lives that have been laid down among us in and by Imprisonments Exilements and other Sufferings 2ly How ill it doth become these Anabaptists to endeavour to make the World believe that we are either influenced or acted by Romish Emissaries either to distract deform or defame the Protestant Profession which is not only a Popular and deceitful Insinuation against us as if the Dippers had the chief Care of Protestant Religion or were the most Catholick therein but most notoriously false and wicked and I challenge Thomas Hicks and all therest of his Fratcrnity to prove it or else forever to be ashamed thereof Have they not more cause to look back at home and reflect upon themselves since that divers of their Brethren even some of their Preachers have turned Papists of late Years whose Names being so well known I need not now mention them but when or where did any Preachers owned among us turn Papists or were any such Emissaries Oh the great Enmity that 's in these our Opposers and their great Disingenuity and Immoderation that appears among them as will further be manifest to their Shame and the Lord will certainly rebuke them and all their feigned Coverings will be too narrow for them and they shall see and be ashamed of their Envy at his People But I must proceed to give the Reader a short view of some of Thomas Hicks Doctrines that past at a Dispute and in a Paper of his before his Fictitious and Unchristian Dialogue came forth as some Introduction to my following Answer which was writ quickly after the said Dialogue came forth London the 4th 1st Month 1673. I am a Well-Wisher to all Men even desiring my Enemies Repentance G. W. Some of the Doctrines and Contradictions of Thomas Hicks declared at a Discourse between him and some of the Quakers so called in Alderman-Berrey London the twentieth of the third Month 1672. FIrst He owned the Baptists above other People That is no Honour to them 2ly That he did not own Water Baptism to be necessary or of Necessity to Salvation True but contrary to many of his Brethren 3ly That the Quakers err in Fundamentals denying the Person of Christ denying the true Christ and Resurrection These are Impudent Slanders 4. That the Life or Light spoken of John 1. 4 9. is not supernatural because it is the Light of the Word as Creator A Blasphemous Inconsistency This was noted down at the Interim of the Discourse before him but snacht away by one of his Companions So that hâ—… concluded the â—…ight in every Man is but Natural and not sufficient to guide to Salvation False Doctrine the Light of the Eternal Word is supernatural and sufficient 5ly That the Life which is in God which is the Light of Men John 1. 4. is divine as it is in God but natural as it is in Man Blasphemy that Life is Immutable because Divine 6ly That the Light that is given in common to Men is not able to apprehend things supernatural A false and inconsistent Doctrine And yet able to apprehend and bring Men clearly to see the Invisible things of God even the Eternal Power and Godhead Rom. 1. 19 20. A true Concession but a Contradiction to the former 7ly Evasion That it is able to discern the Eternal Power and God head but not the things that are supernatural that are in God A gross Contradiction the Eternal Power and GodHead are supernatural 8ly That it was a Natural Light a Light of Conscience and a depraved renewed Nature by which the Gentiles did those things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. Absurd Inconsistencies and Falshoods 9ly That the Light in the Heathen in Philosophers and others was able to apprehend God and his Divine Power but not those things that are in God A gross Inference are those things higher then God 10ly That it cannot discover the human Nature of Christ or the Body that he took upon him nor his Suffering nor Death And yet it can discover the divine Attributes of God his Wisdom Power Goodness Love and direct Men to love him A manifest Contradiction can it discover the greater and not the lesser 11ly But the Light in the Quakers cannot discover the Person of Christ nor his human Nature Sufferings Death c. Yet it is the Life and Light of Christ. 12ly That the Quakers deny the Person of Christ his Offices Satisfaction and the Resurrection of the Body c. Lyes and Slanders forged and brought forth in Envy and Darkness 13ly That it s their Principle that whosoever believes in that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem and expects Salvation by him they are deceived in their Faith and shall be damned c. This he spake of James Naylâ—…r's Love to the Lost near the Beginning of the Discourse This is an Abuse the true Christ is but one and the same yesterday to day and forever 14ly Also at the Beginning he said that the Baptists and Presbyterians agree in Fundamentals and there are good People among Presbyterians therefore they might joyn against the Quakers for they err
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
Accusation not true but if it were doth thy inference follow that our Proselites are thus taught O abominable Wickedness Where or when did we ever preach such Doctrine We utterly deny it and never heard any of our Friends held or owned it knowing in our Conscience the eminent and reverend Esteem we have of the Scriptures or Bible as the principle Book extant in the World though we may not slite but esteem all other Books dictated by the Spirit of Truth in their Places and for the good ends intended Another Accusation is that Fox and Hubberthorn said the Scriptures are no standing Rule and that it is dangerous for ignorant People to read them p. 29. Reply First As for being the only and standing Rule they no where call themselves so but refer us to God and Christ or Spirit within 2ly Thou hast wronged and mis-cited their Words in a more general terms then they are their Words not being 't is dangerous for ignorant People but to their Adversary they say The Letter which killeth is dangerous for thou takest it here to war withal against the Saints giving out thy carnal Expositions upon it you read with Danger who make a trade of Scripture but blessed is he that does read and understand c. as in the same page and Book cited by thee Entit Truth 's Defence Mark here they neither slite nor oppose the sincere reading and perusing of the Scriptures Now seeing thou abuses and mis-renders as hinted before such Passages as we find apparent in our Books to correct thee It s no Wonderment if thou dost abuse divers of our Friâ—…nds in thy Stories upon meer Reports and private Discourses as thy manifest Deceit in mis-citing our Words which renders thee very suspitious in many of those Stories Now let the ingenuous Reader take notice of thy Abuse herein Bâ—…t 3ly That it is dangerous for some ignorant or unlearned People to read them is evident while unstable and prejudiced in their Minds not regarding the Spirit or Light that gave them forth to learn by and give them the right Understanding for 't is such as are unlearned who wrest them to their own Destruction Is not this dangerous for any to pervert them to their own Destruction Is it therefore just in thee to compare them to Jesuites and Romanists who thus intend Yet 't is not dangerous but useful and profitable to read the Scriptures in Honesty and Simplicity of mind having regard to that divine Light and Inspiration of the Almighty that gives the true Understanding of them Another Story is of one Holbrow that should say that the Scriptures were no better to him then an old Almanack Answ. This verifies the old Saying that the Devil will play at a small game rather then stand out But we utterly deny any such gross Comparison concerning the Scriptures I am credibly informed of a Ranter that spake these Words above twenty Years ago what 's that to the Quakers And we have heard of some Ranters that have thus grosly slited the Scriptures but never any real Quaker Howbeit thou art not wanting in Envy to brand us with such Calumnies how utterly soever the things be disowned abhorred by us Some Baptists have turned Ranters and others have mantained Ranterism and others of them Poligamie others again eminent among them as namely of their Leaders have turned Papists Now wouldst thou take it well if I should endeavour to render you all odious upon their Account 'T is probable when they turned Ranters they had a very mean Esteem of the Scriptures And if I should take this Course of arguing against the whole Body of you Baptists and Dippers I might make a large Narrative of the gross Wickedness of many that have been eminent among you but that is not my Way of confuting mens corrupt Principles though sufficient to spoil the Credit of the guilty and to render them unmeet Guides to others Yet far be it from me to asperse all amongst you therewith believing many called Anabaptists to be far more honest and sincere then thy self or divers of thy Brethren Elizabeth Marshal saith in answer to the Dialogue pag. 27. THat about sixteen Years ago I was pressed in my Spirit to vâ—…sil the People called Baptists in Taunton and at their Meeting which was then in Taunton Castle I spake amongst them what was given me of God which the Meeting with Attention received and many of them came forth with me lovingly to a neighbouring House this is true but that I should ever say or pretend I had a Message from the Lord to deliver only to Thomas Mercer at Taunton this is utterly false And also that Thomas Mercer as an old Acquaintance hath been several times to visit me this is true but that I should say to him or any other person that it was revealed to me that he was come to deny his Principles this is also a false forged Lye and I think when I shall speak with Thomas Mercer he will not abuse me with such a Lye not did he ever reprehend me for such a Saying So it is a Lye proceeding from the Father of Lyes who through his Servants would suggest such things on purpose to render the Truth and those that profess it odious but the Pit the wicked hath digged for others they fall into themselves and the Truth is Clear and I am Innocent therein who am yet alive to give this my Testimony under my Hand Elizabeth Marshal Sect. XV. His partial Relation against John Story AGain thou givest a very scanty and partial Relation concerning John Story about the Sufficiency of the Light in every Man to guide to Salvation without any other Counceller upon their excepting against the Priest's Book out of which the Position was read and refusing to be catechised by thee c. p. 30. As for that Contest between thee and John Story I have heard a more full and impartial Account then thou givest and how thou wast sufficiently baffled at it and proved a false Accuser of the Principle of the Quakers as leading from Christianity to Heathenism which could not be supposed to relate to those Gentiles that walked up to the Light or Law of God in their Hearts for that was really pious and therefore Christian but to the impious idolatrous Part And though John Story and his Friends might justly except against the Priest's Book as being an Adversary to us perverting our Principles and representing them to our disadvantage yet John Story never receded from the sufficiency of that divine Light of Christ in every man to guide them to Salvation who believe in it and are obedient to it not excluding the Counsel of such faithful Ministers where they are sent so to direct and turn mens minds from Darkness to the Light wherein they still submit to the Light of Christ as the Ground of their Ministry and the sufficient chief Rule and Guide which implies no defect in Christs Light but on the
the Law in the Letter or as outwardly written And if this Immediate Light be not of a saveing Property what Light is And for what end is it given universally to Man-kind That they may be saved or onely to condemn them 2. Christ's enlightning all men as the Eternal Word and that with a spiritual Light flowing from himself as the Eternall Word Enlightening It is not with the Letter which killeth and Cannot give Life but with an Immediate Illumination or Influence of Light from himself which can both kill and make a live it hath both the Law or sentence of Death in it to the transgressor and quickning Vertue and Gospel in it to make alive to God and minister Life and Justification from God to them that truly obey it 3. This immed iate Light or Shining from Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word is neither the Letter of the Law nor created nor yet natural as Anabaptists use to say but as the Eternal Word enlightning man and the Life which was in him being the Light of Men is therefore a Light and Law which can give Life which the Law as in the Letter could not it being the Life it self that was in the Eternal Word H. G. The great Darkness of these Men who cry up Light and Power within this Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ p. 31. H. G. Contradiction The Lord Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightneth all Men this Light is the Substance of the Law the Candle of the Lord it doth convince of Sin p. 8. If Heathens follow it they would shine in just living the Work of Faith with Power I do mantain that Faith is required and must be wrought with Power in the Heart p. 15 16. G. W. Animad What horrible Blasphemy is it then to term our crying up the Light and Power of Christ within the Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ and how plainly hereby confuted We have Cause to look upon those Heathens that follow the Light or Gift of God within to be more godly and better Christians then many of these Baptists H. G. Rep. Your Lyes and Ignorance I say the Darkness of these Men who cry up Light and Power within is great and I did say in p. 31. I should make appear this Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ that is to say the Evil Doctrine and Principles of yours And do I contradict this in affirming there is a Light in all Men called the Candle of the Lord and in owning the Inward Work of Faith with Power upon the Heart c. p. 4. G. W. Answer Hath he not before evidently made their crying up Light and Power within the Character of the great Darkness and this the Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ You that understand Grammer and common Sence mark the Tenour of his Words and how he shuffles to cover this Blasphemy and Contradiction to his confessing that the Lord Jesus as the Eternal Word enlightneth all Men and this is our Principle though now he placeth the great Darkness Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ upon our Doctrine and Principles without Exception concerning the Light within and thus still ensnares himself in his Confusion as also in one while affirming that this Light in Man is the Substance of the Law or first Covenant another while that it is the formed Spirit in Man Zach. 12. 1. which is called the Candle of the Lord as in his 9th pag. of his first Book Where note that by seeking to obscure his gross Contradiction before he is run into another viz. One while calling the Light of the Eternal Word in every Man The Substance of the Law of the first Covenant yea now the Ministration of Death or Letter that killeth from 2 Corrinth 3. 6 7. cited by him another while he calls this Light in every man A Spirit that God hath given or formed in Man you who can distinguish between the Law or Letter of it written in Table of Stone and the Spirit of Man Judge if this Anabaptist be not plainly contradictory to himself herein for is the Spirit of Man and the Law written both one and the same thing And while the Spirit of Man is confest to be the Candle of the Lord it s lighted by his Divine Word or Fire The Lord hath lighted my Candle II. The Sufficiency of the Light within to reveal God Christ c. HEnry Grigg again shuffles and beggs the Question thus viz. Do not you say that this Light which is in every Man that cometh into the World is God is Christ is the Holy Spirit or Blessed Comforter and a Saving Light and that it will convince a Man of every Sin and Transgression and lead into all Truth c. Answ. He here questions the things which in his 18th pag he affirms The Quakers speak of the Light within viz. That it is the Divine Essence the Lord Jesus Christ the holy Spirit c. But I ask him where or in what Book and page do the Quakers speak all this of that Measure or Gift of Light that is in every man he deals disingenuously in not citing our own Books and Pages for these Words that we might consider further thereof seeing the Stress of his Charge lies so much on them which though we assert it to be a divine Light of God and Christ and holy Spirit which are one and omni-present filling Heaven and Earth over all and through all God unlimitted in his Presence which to man is an Enlightning Presence yet God and Christ is not revealed in all for he was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not yet his divine Light or immediate Shining in Man is manifest by measure or Degrees as man is capable to receive it the least degree whereof is saving to them that obey it and tends to direct and draw Man towards God who is the absolute and alone Saviour and he and his Light in men are inseparable whose Salvation is manifest by degrees as his Light or Grace in man's Heart is which hath taught us to wait and to look for that blessed Hope and the glorious apprearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Measure or Manifestation of this Light and Grace which immediately directs and leads to this Appearance of the great God and our Saviour must needs therefore be saving And because God or his Son in his infinite Fulness and Knowledge as in himself cannot be contained in man in that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain God it follows not therefore that the Measure and Manifestation of his Light in Man is not convincing sanctifying or saving whilst it is confest to be a Light or Illumination of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightning all Men and Women If the infinite Fulness or Giver of this Light cannot be contained in Man yet God hath promised to tabernacle with Men and to dwell in them it follows
his Covenant that was made to Adam Gen. 1. 28. Chap. 9. 7 9. and there were Righteous Generations after the Destruction of the UNGODLY WORLD by the Flood though many turned to Iniquity again But all Men are accountable for their own It will not be either their crying out of Adam's sole Offence or their pleading Christ's intire Obedience that will excuse them in the Day of the Lord wherein every man shall give an Account of himself to â—…od and be rewarded according to his own Deeds done in the Body whether they be Good or Evil. S. S. God doth not punish that Person in whom he doth not first see a Transgression p. 96. Answ. True But how agrees this with his Sense of Imputation Let the competent Reader judge hence it â—…ollows and that by his own Rule of Contraries that A S God doth not punish a Person in whom he doth not first see a Transgression SO God doth not justifie a Person or repute him Righteous in whom he doth not first see a real Righteousness and that through Faith and Sanctification And this plainly overthrows his Notion of Imputation before S. S. We are made Righteous not by Conversion only as G. W. would have it p. 96. Answ. However this Not only grants thus far that we are not made Righteous without Conversion and then we are justified made Righteous or declared just in the true Sense of Imputation when converted in which State we are inherently or inwardly Partakers of Christ's Righteousness and not in the unconverted So that S. S. his reiterated contradictory Opinion as stated by him viz. AS the Disobedience Adam wrought in his own Person on Earth makes us Sinners SO The Obedience Christ wrought in his own Person on the Earth makes us Righteous p. 96. is still opposed by the Light of Truth which manifests how far Men are Partakers of the Nature and Disobedience of the first Adam and how they come really to partake of the second Adam in themselves without which God doth neither justifie nor reckon them just It being also confest That God doth not punish that Person in whom he doth not first see a Transgression and then it follows No more doth he justifie that Person in whom he doth not see his own Image His Phrase Christ's Sufferings imputed is not a Scripture-Phrase though much of his Work hangs upon it yet his being made a Curse for us was not in vain being to remove the Curse of the Law as generally pronounc'd for not continuing in all that 's written c. to abolish the Shadows of the first Covenant and to establish the second that both Jew and Gentile might be reconciled in one Covenant wherein Christ is the Blessing to all having been both a perfect Example and Sacrifice who travilled that he might see his Seed and suffered that he might reign Though he suffered and tasted Death for every Man as an universal Offering for Sin yet Men are neither acquitted thereby in their Sins nor interested in the second Covenant which he dyed to establish unless they come under the Condition and State thereof namely an Agreement and Friendship with God for Men will be condemned for disobeying the Gospel though there be a Relaxation and Change of the Law touching the Curse thereof as 't is threaten'd on those general Terms for not keeping all But what the Law saith it is to them that are under it It was the outward Jews that it was imposed upon in the Letter of it though it be universally to be fulfilled in Spirit in the true Christians or Jews inward And though God hath shewn a Mitigation of the Severity which hath been incurred by Sin and a Pacification and coming nigh to Mankind with Kindness in his Son Christ Jesus yet still if men reject the Love of the Truth the Terms of Friendship and Agreement with God and obey not the Gospel they miss and fall short of the Benefit of Christ and his Sufferings and the blessed End for which God sent his Son And though the Curse of the Law doth not rest upon men for not continuing in all the Letter of it or shadowy Part including both Circumcision divers Washings c. yet if their Hearts be not circumcised to the Lord nor they inwardly washed or sprinkled from an evil Conscience they have no Part with Christ as he said If I do not wash thee thou hast no Part with me Except ye be born again ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Notwithstanding God doth greatly shew himself propitious and kind in his Son to Mankind in that upon any Condition viz. his own Terms he will admit Man to approach unto him or come into actual Friendship with himself Argum. What was typified in the Ceremonial Law is certainly accomplished but the Imputation of Christ's Sufferings was typified Exod. 24. 8. Heb. 9. What did this Sprinkling typifie but the Imputation or Application of Christ's Sufferings to us Answ. He varies uncertainly in his Words Imputation or Application which are different the Imputation being supposed to be God's the Application Man's And Mâ—…ses's taking the Blood and sprinkling it on the People Exod. 24. 8. was neither a Type of this Man's Imputation nor his Application of Christ's Sufferings unto unsanctified Persons for their Justification but a real Type of Sanctification and Remission by the Blood of Christ sprinkled upon the Conscience for that End which is more then unsanctified Persons Application thereof and thence imagining their Justification The Scriptures cited by himself prove what I say against him 1 Joh. 1. 7. But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin And Hebr. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who offered himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God And Hebr. 12. 24. And ye are come to the Blood of sprinkling From whence Mark that this cleansing purging sprinkling the Conscience c. was a real Act or Effect of the Blood of the Covenant unto the Sanctification of them who walked in the Light and not a meer Imputation or Application of Christ's Sufferings for the Justification of Impure and Unsanctified Persons Moreover it was when the People said ALL that the Lord hath said will we do and be Obedient that Moses took the Blood and sprinkled it on the People and said Behold the Blood of the Covenant c. Exod. 24. 7 8. To which Type answereth what the Apostle Peter saith Elect according to the fore-Knowledge of God through Sanctification of the Spirit â—…to OBEDIENCE and SPRINKLING of the Blood of Jesus 1 Pet. 1. 2. And he hath washed us from our Sins in his own Blood This is the Blood of the Covenant that doth sanctifie Heb. 10. 29. And he shall sprinkle many Nations Isa. 52. 15. Where Christ is known to sprinkle
in all c. Rep. God's Truth is concerned in his gracious Promises both absolute and conditional as well as in his conditional Threats And let it be considered 1st That Man's Dying in the Day he so eat was the Fruit of his Fall into a State of Misery in dying from that State of Righteousness and Felicity he was in before and it was the Natural Effect of his Transgression and yet not so as that God was absolutely bound to bring eternal Death on Man in that day no no nor was divine Justice so narrowly tyed up or short sighted as not to reserve a Remedy for God had the Seed of the Woman in his eye and divine Justice doth not require that eternal Death or the second death shall remain upon any but on the finally Impenitent who continue in Sin under the Power of the first Death for all they who return to God and receive Christ the promised Seed he proves to them both a Just God and a Saviour neither Justice nor the Curse of the Law can limit him from shewing Mercy Remission or Salvation to the Creature upon true Repentance and Faith in Christ Jesus who overcomes the World and the evil Nature from whence those cursed Actions have sprung mentioned Deut. 27. 15. to the end of the Chapter And t is true the Jews outward who rejected the Righteousness of Faith that is received in the Spirit when Christ was set forth and fetcht their Righteousness from the Letter of the Law they did strictly and formally bring themselves under the Curse thereof when they continued not in all that was written But there is no Condemnation or Curse to them that are in Christ Jesus my Opposer leaves out what follows viz. that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Yet what the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every Mouth may be stopt and all the World may become Guilty before God This Law therefore as thus convicting is Spiritual and tends to man's Conversion in that it is to prepare him for Mercy which divine Justice doth not hinder nor detain the World under the Guilt divine Truth being concerned in the gracious Promises which are Yea and Amen in the Promised Seed that ransoms Man slayes the Enmity crucifies the Transgressors or first Birth which must dye upon which the Law and its Sentence of Death must pass and Man that is guilty must feel this in himself before he be delivered into that State wherein there is no Condemnation or be united to the Lord who Kills and makes Alive So that neither Justice nor Truth in the Law are frustrated the Law is not made void through Faith but established in the Spirituality and Purity of it the Righteousness of the Law being fulfilled in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And 't is said that the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Rom. 3. Christ came to condemn Sin in the Flesh and is the End of the Law for Righteousness to all them that believe and not for the Continuance of Unrighteousness and where Sin is put an End to by Christ the Curse and Condemnation of necessity ceaseth with it and the Righteousness of Faith takes place in the Soul Obj. Adam hath sinned We are by Nature Children of Wrath in our own Persons We have failed hence God's Wrath is up against us God burning in his Wrath is ready to condemn us to take Vengeance on us to consume us as Fire not to Justifie and acquit from our Ill Deserts c. If Burning ten thousand millions of Years in Hell is not enough to turn away his Wrath c. Rep. Thus he hath defined divine Justice as he thinks which is further spoken to hereafter but upon whom must it be thus satisfied supposeth he S. S. Justice is satisfied upon Transgression p. 103. Rep. Then upon Rebellious Transgressors and not upon Christ who was alwayes Innocent and did the things well pleasing to the Father and therefore divine Justice could never burn nor take such Vengeance on him for Satisfaction and let the Guilty go free for so to do could not be Justice the Satisfaction whereof as it intends the Undergoing the Penalty of the Law due for the Injury done Justice can only require it of the Offender and Guilty for whom the Law was made not of the innocent or Righteous for whom the Law was not made But where then were the Mercy or Forgiveness to the poor Creature that hath sinned if God were so engaged to burn in his Wrath and take the full Vengeance upon lost man S. S. His Truth engageth him to execute his Justice in punishing Sin yea to the full should Mercy offer to pronounce any man absolved his Sin unpunished Truth would stop the Mouth of Mercy and say Hold I have Cursed c. Rep. What strange and lamentable Division would this make in God! and how variable and in Contrariety with himself And how Contrary to the Testimonies of his Faithful Witnesses hath this Man rendered God As if absolute Revenge and Wrath towards all Mankind did bear the sole Sway in him over all both his Love Goodness and Mercy Oh sad Is not his Mercy over all his Works and hath he not Forgiveness in store unto whom it is said who is a God like unto Thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his * Anger forever because he delighteth in Mercy Mica 7. 18. The Lord God merciful and gracious forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Exod. 34. 6 7. So that even in the Law Gods Mercy and Forgiveness as well as his Threats were signified which his Truth must needs be concerned in Is it not evident that God is not engaged under Revenge nor his Mercy and Truth divided or opposite as this Man renders him For both must be received and have their place where Judgment and Mercy meet and men through the Law become dead unto the Law so as to know Christ to live in them and through God's Judgment and Chastisements to find a Ransom and an Attonement and God hath Power to turn away Wrath as he doth upon men's true Repentance Humiliation and Return to him as when the King humbled himself the Wrath of the Lord turned away from him 2 Chron. 12. 12. And also Hezekiah seeing the Wrath of the Lord upon Judah and Jerusalem for their doing Evil in his Sight and turning their Backs c. He said Now is it in mine Heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce Wrath may turn away from us 2 Chron. 29. 8 10. And in the King's Letters be ye not stiff necked but yield your selves unto the Lord
3 One God and Father of all 1 Cor. 8. 6 Now to the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the Only Wise God be Glory c. 1 Tim. 1. 17. The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Thee 1 Kings 8. 27. 2 Chron. 6. 18 What House will ye build me Acts 7. 49 God dwells in the Light 1 Tim. 6. 16 To whom will ye liken God what Likeness will ye compare unto Him Isa. 40. 18 25 God is a Spirit John 4. 24. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 2. Lact. Fals. Rel. 1. 5. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. But to us there is but One God the Father of all of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. Where wast thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth read on Job 38. 4 And the Earth was without Form read the Chapter in which is declared God's Making and beautifying Heaven and Earth and all Living Creatures therein Gen. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. and so to the end Thou Lord madest the Heavens and the Earth and all that in them is Acts 4. 24. August cir Del. 8. Tim. de De Anim. Mund. The Pure in heart shall see God Mat. 5. 8. He dwelleth in Immortality no Mortal Eye can approach or behold him 1 Tim. 1. 16. One Thing have I desired of Thee O Lord to behold the Beauty of the Lord Psalm 27. 4 The Things of God knows no Man but the Spirit of God but God hath Reveal'd them to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 1. 13. Is Christ divided 1 Cor. 1. 13 And I heard a great Voice saying THE TABERNACLE OF GOD IS WITH MEN. He that Overcometh shall Inherit all things I will be his God and he shall be my Son Revel 21. 3 7. Jambl. * Jamblich * De Anim. Mund. In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God John 1. 1. The Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Rom. 10. 8. I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also that is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Isa. 57. 15. Ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you 1 Cor. 2 16. Whatever may be known of God is manifested within for God shews it unto them Rom. 1. 19. Valer. Max. 7. 2. Lay up Treasure in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust can Corrupt nor Thief break through and Steal Mat. 6. 20. This Treasure hath God put into Earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4. 7. Fear not for the Lord thy God it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee Deut. 31. 6. In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted Isa. 63. 9 The Lord is a present Help in the time of Trouble Psal. 46. 1. * Oedip. Tyr. Shall not the Uncircumcision that is by Nature if it fulfil the Law judge thee who by the â—…etter and Circumcision dost transgress the Law For he is not a Jew that is one Outward implying such as keep the Law is one Inward Rom. 2. 27 28. And the Word of God nigh in the Heart shall abide forever Isa. 40. 8. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Plutarch de Gen. Socr. There is a Spirit in Man but the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Job 32 8. 2 Tim. 2. 22 25. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God Rom. 8. 14. * In phaed. God is Light 1 John 1. 5. In thy Light 〈◊〉 we see Light Psalm 36. 10 God is not far from every one of us for in him we live move and have our â—…eing for we are also his Off-sping as certain of your own Poets have said Acts 17. 27 28. One of whom was Arabus whom the Apostle quotes as speaking Truth and imployes it against them to prove a True God and to introduce his Gospel which if it shewed their Apostacy it also implies that there had been Heathens rightly apprehending of God else surely the Apostle would never have cited the Poets Saying for a Confirmation of his own Doctrine * Enead 1. cap. 1. For the Lord God is a Sun a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good Thing will he withhold from them that trust in him and walk uprightly Psal. 84. 11 12. For God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1. 19. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. A Manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. One God and Father of all who is above all and through all The Lord is Good unto all Psal. 145. 9. Leg. Alleg. L. 1. The Things of God knoweth no Man save the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. I will put my Law in their Minds and write them in their Inward parts I will be their God and they shall be my People Heb. 8. 10 11. Plut. Dion Prus. Because whatever may be known of God is manifest within for God hath shewed it unto them but because they liked not to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them up to vile Affections Rom. 2. 19 26 28. Dis. lib. 1. cap. 14. O Lord thou hast searched me thou understandest my Thoughts afar off Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Psal. 139. 1 2 7. We have a more Sure Word of Prophesie 2 Pet. 19. The Lord hath shewedun to thee O Man what is Good and what he doth require of thee Micah 6. 8. In him we Live Move and have our Being Acts 17. 28. Such as Men Sow such shall they Reap Gal. 6. 7. That was the true Light which Inlightneth all Mankind John 1. 9. * Senec. Epist. 41. * De Benef. c. 17. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men Rev 21. 3. He that dâ—…clareth 〈◊〉 Man his Thoughts the Lord the God of Hosts is hiâ—… Name Amos 4. 13. Wâ—…ite ye have the Light walk in the Light that you may be the Children of the Light God is Light John 12. 26. 1 John 1. 5. * â—…pist 8. * Epist. 31. * If Angry Tho. Hicks will please to inform himself of the Reasons that induced Justin to turn Christian he will find the Light Within acknowledged to be the Efficient Cause thereof for it was the Principle of God in his Conscience that continually pleaded the Christians Cause within him and who at last overcoming Justin Believes in Christ and Dyes for him too Now what Disgrace is this to the Light Within Liv'd after Christ Ann. 123. 1543. years since Apolog. Liv'd after Christ 190. Admon ad Gent. Strom. L. 5. Clem. Alex. in Admon ad Gent. Liv'd Ann. 195. Liv'd about Ann. 203. Liv'd about Ann. 315. De Cult Ver. Lib. de Ira cap. 2. Liv'd about Ann. 325. Athanas. cont Gent. Liv'd about Ann. 3 80. Liv'd about Ann. 393. Liv'd about the Year of the World 3313. before Christ about 630. years which is 2330. years since Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self Rom. 2. 21. Love thy
Neighbour as thy self I am the Lord Levit. 19. 18. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are True whatsoever things are Honest Just Pure Lovely and of Good Report think on these things Phil. 4. 8. Stob. 28. * That 's more then Tho. Hicks seems to do Liv'd at the same time Laert. Lib. 1. c. 3. * Reader this Reflection was not without Light nor this Man void of a very Tender Conscience The Gentiles who had not a Law became a Law unto themselves doing the Things contained in the Law their Consciences bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while Accusing or Excusing Rom. 2. 14 15. To Depart from Iniquity is a good Understanding Job 28. 28. And the Hypocrites Hope shall Perish Job 8. 13. Why do you not rather take Wrong 1 Cor. 6. 7. Stob. 28. Reader these weighty Sayings are very Scripture it self and that as well of the New as Old Testament so called especially where Christ saith SWEAR NOT AT ALL though spoke about 700 years before he came into the World * As Tho. Hicks John Bunion J. Grigg and other Railing â—…eparatists do the Quakers * Which T. Hicks can't do neither to his Wife Family at home nor his Friends much less other People abroad Stob. Serm. 80. Jamblich Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole Matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man Eccles. 12. 13. Pure Religion and Undefiled is to keep himself Unspotted from the World Jam. 1. 27. In this sense I fear we may say that Thomas Hicks has no Light in him Who when he was Reviled Reviled not again 1 Pet. 2. 23. Laert. Plat. Phaed. The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom Psalm 111. 10. He that will deny himself let him take up his Cross and follow me Luk. 9. 23. Xen. Mem. 3. p. 780. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Stob. 218. Reader These sententious Expressions to have every one of them a Scripture would be tedious and superfluous for they are almost Word for Word Scripture it self as who knoweth Scripture may plainly see Xen. Mem. 4. p. 803. Id. Mem. 1. 722. 4. 804. Id. Mem. 3. So saith Christ Mat. 7. 2. 62. 7. Ibid. Apolog. Libanius saith Socrates considered The Pure in Heart shall see God Mat. 5. 8. Clem. Alex. Str. 2. 417. Laert. Stob. 46. The Fruit of the Spirit is Peace Gal. 5. 22. Acts 24. 16. But Godliness with Content is great Gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. Stob. 48. Stob. 114. This answers T. Hicks's Challenge about the Light 's showing that State if Christ had not said so Liban Ap p. 644. Nothing they could do was able to draw him out of his Endeavours to detect the loose Comedians that sought therefore his Ruin 1 Pet. 3. 14. * The word Philosophy hath been otherwise appropriated since those days as many other words have been for it then signified a Love of Wisdom given by Pythagoras which Wisdom was the Way of Holy Living not Vain and Untoward Contests about Inpracticable Things Laert. Suid. in vit Antish Ye are an Holy Nation a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. And you shall be Kings and Raign c. Rev. 1. 6. Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it Luke 11. 28. Where is the Wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this World 1 Cor. 1. 20. Put on the Brest Plate of Righteousness Eph. 6 14. Stob. The Just shall live by Faith Hab. 24. Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength Isa. 40. 31. The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Psal. 25. 14. Valer. Max. 2. 10. Cic. pro Bal. Laert. Mat. 5. 34. Cic. de Fin. 2. Rom. 2. 14 15. Laert. Ibid. Stob. The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom Job 28. 28. Laert. The Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord Psal. 2. 2. Stob. The Wisdom which is from above is first Pure then Peaceable Jam. 3. 17. Laert. Id. Psal. 111. 9 10. Cic. Parad. Stob. Id. Theatr. cap. 3. 10. Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy Levit. 11. 44 45. Plut. plac 4. 7. Stob. Phys. Rev. 20. 12 13 14. Chap. 21. 7 8. Plat. phaed. 2 Cor. 5 8. * Ad Amph. Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Philip. 1. 21. Plat. Phaed. Eccles. 12. 7. Idem The Sheep on the Right Hand and the Goâ—…tes on the Lest Mat. 25. 31 32 33. 1 Cor. 15. 28 29 30 31. Observe Socrates his Distinction betwixt being Dead Departed Acts 7. 60. H. Mor. Des. Phil. Cab. c. 3. Revel Rev. 22. 5. See Const. Orat. in Eus. Isa. 2. 2 3 4 5. Isa. 7. vers 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. Chap. 9 10. 1 John 4. 5 6. Chap. 11. 6 7 8 9 10 11. Jer. 23. Isa. 1. 12 13 14 15. Ezek. 18. 31 32. Objection Mat. 5. 27. 28. Joh. 8. 56 57 58. Helv. Chron. Rom. 5. 9. Gal. 3. 16. Joh. 14. 17. Hos. 13. 4. Hebr. 10. John 6. 51 52. 53 54 62 63. Rom. 3. 25. Ephes 1. 7. Hebr. 9. 14. Rom. 3 25. Hebr. 10. 5 7. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Joh. 1. 9. Joh. 1. 1 2 3 4 9. See Dial. pag. 3. 4. See Origen Chrysostom Greg Erasm Drus. Zeger Cam. Grot. B. Sand. Dr. Ham. John 〈◊〉 Dial. pag. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Rom. 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 6. 1 John 2. 15. 16. 1. Pet. 1. 18. Ephes. 5. 1 Joh. 1. 5 6. Jam. 3. 1 2 3. T. Jenner T. Tayler J. Faldo T. Hicks H. Grigg c. Mat. 11. 27. 1 Cor. 2. 11. Ephes. 5. 13. Rom. 1. 19. Mic. 5. 8. Jren. l. 2. c. 30. Tertul. con Jud. p. 184. Quakerism a new nickname for old Christianity p. 54. 55. Rom. 2. 14 15. Justin Martyr saith That all are Christians who live with Christ as Abraham and Elias and amongst the Greeks as Sâ—…crates Hâ—…raclitus c. See Scultâ—…tus on him â—…ho also saith That some at this day are of his Judgment who have taught that Melchizedecâ—… Abimelâ—…ch Ruth Rachab the Queen of Sheba Hiram of Tyre Naaman tâ—…e Syrian and the City oâ—… Ninive are in the Catalogue of Christians Eusebius Pamph. in his Ecclesiastical History saith That Abraham and the ancient Fathers were Christians And defines a Christian to be one that by the Knowledge and Doctrine of Christ â—…xcels in Moderation of Mind in Righteousness and Continency of Life and Strength of Vertue Godliness towards one only God see Scultetus on him Clemens Alexandrinus saith The Law of Nature and of Discipline is one And Moses seems to call the Lord the Covenant For he had said before the Covenant was not to be sought in Scripture for that is the Covenant which God the Cause of all setteth whence his Name in Greek is derived And in the Preaching of Peter thou mayest find the Lord called the Word or Reason and the Law See