the simple and David acknowledges it to be both a Lamp and a light Psal 119. Besides whatsoever makes manifest is light but the Scripture doth make manifest what Christ is and what he hath done and suffered and for whom and for what ends So also they make manifest what sin is and the wages thereof what holinesse and true Worship of God is and how God will be served by all that shall be saved therefore the Scriptures are a true light If the Spirit of Christ doth give forth light to men then the Scriptures are a light to enlighten men because holy men writ them as they were moved and inspired by the holy Ghost and all Scripture were given by Inspiration of God and therefore deny the light of Scriptures and deny the light of the Spirit for what the Scripture saith the Spirit saith they being the Revelations and Inspirations of the Spirit And what may we think of these seducers that under pretence of a light within and a perfect Law of God in the heart and the Revelations of Christ in them condemn me for making the Revelations and Inspirations of God in Scripture a perfect Rule of faith and obedience but we are sure the Law of God which Scriptures teach is perfect holy just and good and a sure word and the Inspirations of God contained in Scriptures are true as God himself but as for that Law and Spirit that cannot stand unlesse the Scriptures fall it is easie to discern from whence it is But say they this light is not received from the Scripture but from Christ c. Answ The light of Scripture is the light of Christ as also the Scripture Ministry by which alone Christ became a light to the Gentiles and in that Christ hath appointed a Ministry of men and given them gifts and Authority to preach the Gospell unto the Gentiles and by his blessing hath made them successefull to turn them from darknesse to light as in the Apostles age especially Thus and no otherwise is he sent to be a light unto the Gentiles for how can any believe in him of whom they never heard as hath been spoke to already and what ever is wrought by his Authority in the use of means is all one with being wrought by Christ himself to any that are sober And hence those distinctions of mine are grounded of Christ more strictly and immediately and of Christ more comprehensive and in a mediate sense as he hath made the promise of his presence and blessing to those Ministers of the Gospell that teach and administer in the Church all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded to be done Matth. 28.19 He that walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks will be with the Scripture Ministry to the end of the World untill the whole be gathered and united to their head and made compleat in him They say this light of Christ cannot be blotted out as thou sayst That which I said was a supposition thus Suppose that all the light of Christ as Redeemer which you from time to time have received from the use of Scriptures Ministry Education Discourse were blotted out of your minds and heads tell me what you could know of Christ as he is designed of God to redeeme lost man and how the work of Redemption is wrought more then the rude heathen that never heard of his name All that they Answer to this is That the light cannot be blotted out as thou saist But what light is that which cannot be blotted out Say they The light of Christ that leads out of darknesse to the knowledge of God to eternall life though they have not the use of Scriptures this light is not received into the mind and head from the Scripture neither cannot be blotted out but it comes from Christ the light of the Gentiles such as thou callest Heathens who many of them shew the work of the Law in their hearts and shall be excused when thou and all that oppose the light of Christ shall be condemned Christians look about you for the Devil was never so bold as now and I think there is more of the Devil in so few lines then ever were writ by man before consider them well I assure you it 's all their own Was ever such an abominable thing asserted amongst Christians The light of Christ that leads out of darknesse to the knowledge of God to eternall life is not received in the mind from the Scripture but from Christ the light of the Gentiles As if the Scriptures were opposed to the light of Christ or of no use to reveal Christ as Redeemer to the salvation of lost man Christians you see now their Answer what it is to the Question namely That the light of Christ without the use of Scripture leads out of darknesse to the knowledge of God to eternall life c. even to the Gentiles that never heard of Christ nor believe in him to salvation But if this be true to what end did Christ come into the world and lay down his life to be a ransome for many and why did he shed his blood for many for remission of sins Christs death and resurrection is all in vain for all the world from the beginning have had this kind of light shewing the work of the law in their hearts and do by nature the things contained in the Law 1. But let them prove that this work of the Law is the light of Christ that Simeon prophesied of and the Prophets and that the Apostles witnessed fulfilled by their preaching and writings 2. And let them prove that the work of the Law in their hearts leads out of darknesse to eternall life The Scriptures say the contrary By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified nor is there any law that can give life 3. And let them prove that the work of the Law in the hearts of unbelieving Gentiles is a spirituall blesseing of the new Covenant Heb. 8. which the Apostle applyed to the believing Church so did the Prophets of old time Jer. 31. If they cannot prove these three things let shame stop their lying mouths Jesus Christ as he was promised to be a light of the Gentiles Isai 42.6 7. is to be understood of a peculiar spirituall light Christ was given for such a light to the Gentiles as should open the blind eyes and bring out the Prisoners from the Prison and them that sit in darknesse in the Regions and shadow of death out of the Prison house to guide their feet in the way of peace Luk. 1. Which accordingly was fulfilled in the Apostles age but how not by Christ immediately but by Christs Authority who appointed men and furnished them with gifts and abilities to preach the Gospell unto them and opened their hearts to receive it and become Christians in profession and truth And in that they were converted and enlightened by means himself appointed is all one by being converted and enlightened
main fundamentall Did you ever read of going through the Law to Christ Must a sinner go through it in perfect obedience till nothing remains to oblige him further And is this the way to Christ in whom justification is witnessed only I think those that can do so will see but little need of that true Christ who justifies the ungodly and came into the world to save sinners And whether I or you be alienated from the life of Christ as you censure me according to Scripture let the sober judge And whereas I said in my Reply the light which is common to man in corrupt nature doth make discoveries of the eternall Deity and of the righteousnesse contained in the written law of God but discovers nothing of Christ as Redeemer or how a sinner is made just in him the Scriptures being necessary to discover that is the truth Your denyall argues plainly that you have no light in you untill you prove either by the Law and Testimony of the Prophets and Apostles what you deny till then let shame stop your censorious mouthes which almost every line hath some ill favour of And what I have accused you with in pressing people to look to the light within is but to follow after the righteousnesse of the Law at best is true and in so doing you hinder them from seeking after the righteousnesse of Christ as Scriptures teach and you deceive your selves and others your shew of quotations will not cover you as being wilfully perverted there not being any colour in any of the Texts to prove that all in corrupt nature are lightned with the light of Christ to lead out of darknesse to eternall life Joh. 1.9 Which I shall endeavour next to examine your strength and give in my Answer is the main one 1. That all the light in the World whatsoever notion or consideration kind or degree it can come under is from Christ the eternall word that made all things is an unquestionable truth 2. And that he is the only procuring cause of that spirituall light and life to man without which not any can be saved 3. And that this spirituall light and life is in himself as in the fountain and he the principal efficient enlightning and quickning whom he will is by me as easily yeelded but whether Jesus Christ the eternall son of God the only Mediator between a holy God and sinfull man doth enlighten every man that is in the world with such a sufficient light of his Spirit that whosoever will but heed and observe it to obey it will lead them out of the darknesse of corrupt nature to eternall life Whether they have the use of Scriptures or not the use of them is the Question to be disputed from this Text Joh. 1.9 And my Answer is in the negative to it opposing it as very unsound especially when the neglect of necessary means is pleaded and an immediate light and power of Christ only pretended and urged And yet something is to be premised too I yeeld that all men have so much light or means of light offered and afforded that shal leave all men without excuse before the great Tribunall of Jesus Christ where men shall not be condemned for what they could not do and be but for not doing and doing things they should not and had power and light to do and forbeare but would not such a corrupt thing is man in his fall that he will not though he may do better in order to his eternall wellfare Who amongst unregenerate men can stand to plead it with God and say Lord I have done my utmost to forsake my sins and turn to thee in the use of all those helps and means enjoyed with constancy and diligence to the utmost of my power time and place and yet thou hast denyed me thy Grace of acceptance unto life and condemnest me for that which I had not power at all to do and be God cannot be said to be behind-hand with any nor doth the work stick at him while men carelessely neglect to do what they have power to do in the use of those advantages God gives to any Although every mouth shall be stopped and all stand guilty before God that perish yet it will not follow as in the Question that all have a sufficiency of light and power of Grace by Christ to come out of darknesse to eternall life which is a wide different thing which not any Scripture teacheth but disowneth by evident demonstrations nor can this Scripture in hand be urged further then will agree with the proportion of faith And in as much as our adversaries own this Text of Scripture for the rule of their opinion and practice and some others it doth oblige them to own the whole of Scriptures because the same Spirit is the Author of the whole as of those few Texts they build upon And for them to deny the Scriptures for a perfect Rule and in the mean while are so stiffe in urging some particular Texts as this in hand and Swear not at all and Call no man Master and Salute no man by the way The Spirit shall guide you in all truth You shall not need to teach one another c. is a contradiction in its self and a speaking lies in hypocrisie as ever were known But now I come to the words themselves That was the true light which lighteth every man that comes into the world this true light is to be understood of Christ God and man is clear for it was spoken of him whom John was sent to bear witnesse of The Evangelist saith that John was not that light which shines in darknesse c. but was sent to bear witnesse of that light vers 8. And yet we know John is called a burning and a shining light too which is to be understood ministerially as he was fitted and sent to prepare the way and give the present discovery of the very person of Christ to the people of the Jewes who had generally a good opinion of John that he was a true Prophet that so all men through him might believe But why is Christ called that true light fingularly beyond John who was a true light to all men to bring them to believe in Christ Because Christ hath all light and life in himself originally and enlightens others as an efficient of himself being God but John was but his Instrument and Messenger and received all from him for the carrying on that work he was sent to do so that it 's true of John that his person and office was a true shining light in his place but Christ in his person and ministry for as much as he was more then man is that true light indeed that gives light of himself to lighten the world as if he had said there 's not a man in the world but whatsoever light he hath or good under that notion he hath received it from Christ Indeed he is the very Soul of the world
upholding all things by his power for his Elects sake that they may be gathered to himself But the Text doth not say that he enlighteneth every one in the world with a spiritual light sufficient to eternall life and happinesse if they will but mind it There is something in the word lighteth which had respect to the present time noting some benefit given to the world which never was before according to Joh. 3.19 And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light As the present mercy and benefit of Christs coming into the world in his person and immediate ministry confirmed by his works of miracles were a greater light to direct them and lead them out of darknesse to God so their condemnation was thereby aggravated in their refusall loving darknesse before the directions of this true light Besides lighteth is rather an outward light a borrowed expression taken from a Torch or Candle which have their use in an outward sense And we know John bare witnesse of Christ in his person and office unto which he was designed of the Father in making him the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world and he bare witnesse to this very end that through his Testimony all men might believe in him Had the Apostle meant as they would have it he would have put in more words I think and not left it so obscurely to that end they would build on for whether this Text proves any such thing as Christs inward enlightening and quickening by his Spirit in the souls of men unto life is to me a great Question though a clear truth from other Texts for this light is said to shine in darknesse but the darknesse comprehended it not he came unto his own but they received him not The Jewes were counted his own as being the only people of God in profession and Covenant and yet they are accounted darknesse in regard of their incredulity in not receiving him for where Christ enlightneth and quickneth spiritually any soul with his grace all principles of rejectings and resistings of Christ and his word are removed and darknesse expelled as light comes into any soul darknesse goes out it being nothing else but the absence of light and therefore I think the Text is to be understood of the light of his person made flesh his ministry and miracles and all other means which by his Authority are appointed to bring men to true faith in him to salvation as many as believed in him he gave power to become the sons of God and not any other And we know how the Apostles understood the enlightening of the Gentiles were by their Ministry in Gods granting them repentance unto life and turning them from the darknesse of paganisme to the light of Christianity thereby as Scriptures teach as hath been proved The main objection of theirs against this sense is this Christs person ministry miracles were not known to every man therefore every man could not be lighted so Answ By World may be understood that part of the world where Christ was and is made known by vertue of his word Christ was in the world and the world was made by him and yet he was not in all parts of the world and so he was in the world and the world knew him not cannot be understood of the whole world for some did know him who he was and for what end he came into the world So it is said that Christ baptizeth and all men come to him here all must be understood of many in those parts And so the Apostle saith John was sent of God to bear witnesse of the light that all men through him might believe this must necessarily be understood with limitation for all men did not know nor so much as hear of John for he bare this witnesse only in Judea Again they say That John bare record of his life and light from which those works proceeded and not of his person and we know say they that his record is true which proves thee a lyar who saith he bare record of his person manifest in the flesh and the lie rests upon thee untill thou prove it Answ By this you may conceive that they deny the person of Christ and so consequently Christ himself as he is a Saviour for spirituall life and light were not capable of death shedding of blood undergoing the curse and treading the Wine-presse of his fathers wrath a sacrifice for sin for the redemption pardon and salvation of sinners Did not John bear record of his person when he said to the people as Christ came towards them Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29.36 And John baptized him with water and according to an immediate word and sign given of the Lord he saw and bare record that this Christ was the Son of God vers 33 34. And this is he of whom I said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me vers 30. And did John give record that he was a man whom he baptized with water and talked with and pointed at and yet bare no record of his person could he be a man and not a person the Son of God and not a person when he is said to be the expresse Character of his Fathers person Heb. 1.3 Thus you see in respect of his Divinity and Humanity he is called a Person Adde that which I have said before and then judge who is the lyar The Jewes themselves how malicious soever could not deny his person but they denyed that this just person Christ Jesus was the true Messiah promised in the Prophets and therefore they with bitternesse opposed him as a deceiver a false Christ c. But Christ told them If you believe not that I am he you shal die in your sins What He is this and not a person But enough hath been spoke to this to discover their folly and madnesse unto all that are sober His life and light and person is inseparable but he is not any otherwayes a light and comfort and Saviour to lost sinners but by his incarnation taking mans nature bearing our sins satisfying offended justice by the sacrifice of himself and hath obtained an eternall redemption for us thereby And he that doth not believe in him thus as the Scriptures hold him forth a Redeemer by suffering in his own person in the behalf and stead of lost sinners for their eternall redemption believes nothing at all of Christ unto eternall life whatever other notions or fancies are pretended What these mens fancies are of Christ what he is and how he redeems and saves sinners who can certainly tell They own not his person his natures his offices of Prophet Priest and King as the Scriptures reveal of him in the performance of that great work of mans redemption What do these people understand what Jesus Christ that came into the world made
from all that knowledge got from the letter and carnall teachings of mans wisdome as they call it they bid them be dead to all these and then they shall be in the way to be taught of God and lead on to eternall life and perfection All you that are Christians and know any thing of the things of Christs Kingdome may run and read that the very height of their attainments and perfections endeavoured after is nothing else but downright Apostasie putting darknesse for light and light for darknesse who out of a blind zeal from that very mistake forsake the Lord and those helps and means himself hath appointed to lead men on in the wayes of light and life and chuse their own delusions untill Satan captivate them at his pleasure who hath suggesfed and fill'd their hearts with all those abhorred lies as you have seen which fall down flat before the simplicity of truth as the Scriptures teach as Dagon before the Ark of God as in some competent measure hath already been discovered But to return to the text in hand let us now examine things further The substance of what I have writ hath been to shew how Christ is the light of the world and by what wayes and means he communicates the true light of spirituall life to the saving of the souls of sinners and without which ordinary wayes and means himself hath designed to that end as his words and holy Ordinances dispensed accordingly not any can be said to be lightned by Christ as the Text intends and they must confesse it cannot be understood in a universall sense that Christ lightneth every man that ever was is and shall be in the world from the beginning to the end for there is a great part of mankind that come into the world and go out of it again that never had so much as the use of reason as Insants and fools nay some never were lighted with the light of nature as those that are born blind and therefore reason doth force them to put in some limitation why not that which I have contended for seeing it is so much agreeing with the light of other Scriptures The state of man in corrupt nature your selves consesse is darknesse which is the state of all the heathen and unbelievers every where And then again you say this light is from Christ and is not common to man by nature it is the great gift of God his Grace that hath appeared unto all men and teacheth all that are guided by it as in your Answ Tit. 2.12 Now say I if it be such a light of Christ that is not common to men by nature but a gift of Gods Grace that in the Apostolicall Churches hath appeared to all men by the preaching of the Gospel the word of Gods Grace as they quote then it followes that themselves restrain the Text to the same limit and sense that I have cleared for by this in Titus they have explained what their sense is of the other and this of Titus is spoken of the Doctrine of the Gospel which by the grace of God was manifested in those times and places writ unto by the preaching of the Gospel the rules and directions contained therein so teacheth all men every where as in particular by his Epistle he had instructed them as the particulars instanced in is obvious to any indifferent eye that reads the Epistle And therefore against their wills you see sometimes they will speak truth though they intend not the truth but a shew of countenancing their error because here they find the word All which proves not a universality in that place as themselves dream even while they say this light is the gift of God his grace to all universally and yet say is not common to men by nature for man by nature is darknesse and hath no light in him c. then it followes that by the gift of Gods grace which all men in the state of nature are enlightned withall is common to all by gift that are but in the state of nature and wherein doth this differ from that which you say that it is not common to men by nature what is the nature of man in generation but the gift of God distinguished from the nature of all other sensitive living creatures Is not the rationall soul of man common to men by nature and yet is Gods created gift in common to all that by nature are born alive in the world and what ever all have by gift is of grace in a true sense But what is this to the light of Christ to enlighten and save the world when this gift as to the end of saving is peculiarly limited and intended to them only that upon the discovery and tender of his person and merit believe in him to eternall life Joh. 3. And this discovery of his person and merit knowes no man but by the only ministry of the word of Christ and the Apostles as hath been proved We usually understand what gift is common to all in the state of nature that is a common gift in all by nature not excluding the God of mans nature from whom all good givings come to the Sons of men But it remains still to prove that Christ is given for light and salvation in common to all universally so that every one in the world may be saved by him that will and that this light of Christ is nothing else but the writing of the Law of God in the heart which the heathens in some measure all have and doth shew amongst whom Christ is not so much as named much lesse-known to eternall life This is life eternall to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Doubtlesse the Spirit of God in Scripture puts a difference between person and person by nature we that are Jewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles c. Gods Covenant and promises to the Jewes Nation and their ingaging to service and worship according to Gods lawes in writing gives them peculiar advantage by nature from the rest of the Gentile world they were separate from by an externall forme of Religion and profession of the true God which I conceive holds still of the visible professing Church of Christ that externally at least worship God in truth as the writings of the Prophets and Apostles teach And besides in the visible Church that have the same means and Covenant of promise and God nigh unto them the distinguishing grace of God makes a difference Many are outwardly thus called and yet but few elect and chosen to salvation Jacob and Esau in the Church by nature and yet the distinguishing will and pleasure of God made them to differ his free love to the one and not to the other before they had done either good or evill Not in him that willeth and runneth but in God that shewes mercy mans diligence is his duty but Gods blessing to mans diligence is Gods free mercy but now
more vile fith it is for God and the salvation of poor souls entangled under this dark temptation presented under the specious pretences of the Ministers of Christ What civility or Christianity can I or any expect from those that have denyed the holy Scriptures as to that end they were intended and reproached the ordinances and Institutions of the Lord Jesus that Scriptures teach under the notions of heathenish worship and traditions of men outward observations inconsistent with the kingdome of God which reproaches reflect upon the Author and Inspirer of Scripture appointments which is the spirit of God and to be reproached by those that are the reproachers of God and his worship while I am defending him to my power will be my Crown and honour when confusion and shame shall stop the mouthes of his malicious enemies FINIS ERRATA These few amongst other Errataes are to be amended by the Reader PAg. 6. l. 5. for our r. your p 7. l. 31. for lord r. word p. 10. l. 35. for yet r. that p. 15. l. 14. for god r. Good p. 20. l. 12. put the stop after within p. 32. l. 33. for are r. am lb. l. 38. for when r. where p. 33. in the margin for Jam. r. Jer. p. 45. for Act. 9. r. 4. Books written by the Author and are to be sold by Thomas Williams at the Bible in Little-Britain London and William Tompson at Harborough in Leicester-shire THE Bar to free Admission to the Lords Supper removed Or a Vindication of Mr. Humphreys Free Admission to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 8. To receive the Lords Supper the Actual Right and Duty of all Church-Members of years not Excommunicate Made good against Mr. Collins his Exceptions against The Bar Removed large 8. FINIS A Postscript BReaking off abruptly for fear of swelling too big I was forced to omit some special things that I should have been glad to have spoken unto amongst others that the next Questions would have led me unto I have thought good to give a further hint as touching that which I conceive is a main principle of these mens deceiving themselves and others They seem first to debase man as man and say he is altogether a dark dead polluted thing the childe of wrath and his best actings as man are but as a menstruous cloth But then they advance the same man in general by affirming that every man is lighted by the Spirit of Christ that convinceth of sin And this they would have to be free Grace and that promised Spirit which should convince the world of sin of righteousness and of judgement and whosoever mindes and believes it shall by this grace and spirit come out of darknesse to eternal life But to discover so great a mistake we must know That it is true that all men in the world have some light by nature more or less that convinceth of sin for it is said that the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law and are a Law unto themselves their thoughts accusing or excusing one another Rom. 2.14 Mark the Apostle doth not say that the Gentiles by the Spirit of Christ and free grace inlightning them do the things contained in the Law but they do those things of the Law by nature and they are a law to themselves The Spirit of God is not a Law to themselves because that is distinct from man and gives Lawes to man as he did the written Law to his people but this is another distinct thing they are a Law to themselves Man since the fall hath not lost his reason but that Divine rectitude and perfection thereof that made him conformable to the will of God unto life there is a spark of reason and immortality in the soul of man still which rationall soul though it be depraved of what it was and now is subject to error and vanity that not any can be saved by following that light only yet it is such a light as it is called the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 and directs men to do the things contained in the Law And this is witnessed by most people and nations upon the earth That reason which they have by nature directs them to make lawes to preserve humane societies and the Common-weal of the whole and hence punish Theft Murther Whoredome Drunkennesse Perjury c. and incourage to morall Vertues which things are contained in the Law of God and yet they know nothing of Jesus Christ nor of any other things which accompany salvation Besides as men are under greater advantages of light in respect of the outward means as the Scripture Ministery Education Examples so also in respect of the more common workings of the Spirit inlightning and convincing some man by nature knowes more and doth more the things contained in the Law and Gospell too The very principle of Reason and Conscience urgeth every one to do the Good and to shun the Evill What man of ingenuity can withstand the strength of reason but yeelds his assent though not able to bring up himself to the practise of what himself allowes with sincerity till renewed by the Spirit of Grace The spirit of man knowes the things in man and hath that inspection and reflection in man from the understanding faculty that it knoweth its own motions intentions and actions whether good or evil according to its light and accordingly Conscience Gods Deputy greater then a thousand witnesses either condemns or excuseth And I judge that all men have this in some measure untill through custome in sin and withstanding this light and Gods just Judgement concurring they be given up to a seared conscience past feeling as is said of some But now for these people to run up and down to teach men that this which is but the light of Reason improved by the help of ordinary means and workings is the Spirit of Christ and the free Grace of God that brings salvation is such a pernicious Diabolical dream that never came into the head of any till now I think That mans soul is a created substance given of God from whom are all things is true but that this spirit of man which is called the candle of the Lord is Gods Spirit that was promised to convince the world of unbelief and of the necessity of righteousnesse by Christ victory over sin Satan and hell as that of John intends and leads out of darknesse into eternal life is a most blasphemous error What though they will not say that the soul of man is the Spirit of Christ promised to convince of sin under that notion and expression yet upon the matter they say the same when out of desperate mistake they make that to be the immediate light and power of the Spirit of Christ which in deed and truth is but the rational soul of man in all by nature or acquired in the use of ordinary means and workings And thus you see while they are debasing man below what he is by nature they are advancing him above what he is at the same time by nature they endow him with the Spirit of God and the gifts of free Grace to lead all men out of darknesse to eternall life hence they Deifie that which is the gift of nature and make all men their own Saviours hence they make the differencing act between good and bad the saved and damned to be mans self under dark impotent nature corrupted hence they slight the Death of Christ and say as one to me that sinners have no benefit by that Bloud of Christ that was shed at Jerusalem for that was the bloud of man and it is the Bloud of God that man hath benefit by not that God is capable of shedding bloud but this is a figurative speech setting forth the Spirit of God that convinceth the world of sin It being asked To what end did Jesus Christ come into the world and so to suffer his Answer was To put an end to the Cereremonies and that was all that he would yeeld although he is a man of considerable abilities so strong is the delusion Hence they comprehend all men under the grace of the New Testament and make no difference between the visible professing Church and the Pagan world all may be saved alike if they will Hence they cast off all outward means Ordinances formes of Religious Worship and bid hearken to the spirit within c. as if all things God in his Word hath appointed were alwaies superfluous and in vain They throw away Gods Election special redemption the Saints perseverance They will have men to have the Spirit of Christ and the free Grace of the Covenant and yet be none of his Just contrary to plain Scriptures Rom 8. But I must not enlarge let them tell us how they will escape these Rocks Let them tell us what difference they make between the convictions of the Spirit in the unregenerate Pagan or Christian and those that are regenerate and how the Spirit is in the Infidel and how in the true believer and where any that are accounted for light in the Lord are under darknesse too and where are any in an Infidel state called light in the Lord. Prove all things and the Lord direct to that right understanding of truth best pleasing to himself and our good Farewell
the preaching of the Doctrine of faith Neither is there salvation in any other but in that Saviour and Redeemer which the Apostles preached Act. 9.12 for there is no other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved but the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom the Jewes crucified and God raised from the dead ver 11. and this name and person Christ Jesus designed of God to be a Saviour cannot any know of or believe in him but by the help of Scriptures or the ministrie thereof and he that believes not in this name Christ Jesus the Son of the living God shall be damned Mark 16.16 And doth not our Saviour affirme that salvation is of the Jewes as they were the Church of God peculiar from all other people under heaven because unto them was committed the Oracles of God and is not the christian Church grafted into them and peculiar from all others Infidels and misbelievers and have the same and more spirituall priviledges and blessings of the Covenant while all others are left to wander in their own wayes were not the Apostles Doctrine which they preached the only means of enlightning the dark world and let them shew us where and to whom they preached the light in men to be the Gospell and Christ within them that the Gentiles should be saved by No they preached Christ crucified a dying bleeding Christ for remission of sins It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching Christ as they did to save them that believe as they were fitted and sent of God so they were directed in doing his work faithfully and were accompanyed with an answerable successe witnesse the many Churches that they gathered and converted to the christian faith turning them from darknesse to the true light and from the power of Satan unto God striving to preach Christ where he never had been named before Rom. 15.20 And what Christ did they preach is easie to determine may the Scriptures judge Either let these sinners against their own souls preach the same Christ to sinners for the same ends and purposes as the Scriptures witnesse of the Apostles or else let their lying mouths be stopped and persist no further in deceiving themselves and seducing others Reader thou canst not but judge the Question rational and religious if the Scriptures may judge and to be answered in the negative and yet these men who out of their thick darknesse having denyed the Scriptures to be the Rule of faith and obedience are forced to forge out of their dark imaginations another Rule of revealing Christ to lost man besides the Scriptures which Rule is in every man sometimes under the notion off light within law of the heart heer they bring in an unlimited power of God distinct from the use of those Ordinances and wayes which God hath appointed to make usefull in those Divine discoveries of Christ the only Mediator between God and sinfull man and without which Christ as Mediator and Redeemer is not known nor believed in unto salvation at all They carp and cavill at my expressions because the Question is to Gods ordinary and usual dealings with the souls of men and have waved the extraordinary and unusuall operations of the hidden unlimited power of God doing what he will to Infants distracted deaf in the Church in shewing them mercie but they reject all ordinary means of Scripture and ordinances therein appointed and onely set up an immediate unlimited power of God though if the word of an Apostle be of credit before them the Gospell of Christ is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 So necessary is the ministry of the Gospell to salvation that it 's called the power of God to that end and yet I have all along yeelded that to the means must be added a Divine hand in working effectually upon the souls of men or else nothing can be wrought unto salvation and as for the expressions themselves it is not much materiall that they be found in Scripture so long as the thing and sense is there as hath and much more might be added in proof thereof were it needfull The word ordinary food is in Ezekiel Ezek. 16.27 there the Lord threatned to deny it which were their dayly bread but I say the thing it self is grounded upon Scriptures Israel drank of water in the Brooks and Springs and Wells that they digged which was ordinary and yet Gods gift they also drank of water that God gave them out of a Rock in the Wildernesse where no water was before and thâ—t was extraordinary Israel took of their Dough for bread which they had prepared in Aegypt and that was ordinary but when their food was spent the Lord gave them bread from heaven and that was extraordinary for a time till they could be put into a capacity of ordinary food again I might instance in twenty things more but I forbear But see the peversenesse of these men because God at some times hath revealed himself immediately by his Spirit without means therefore they conclude he doth so still although we have his word to reveal his mind and will unto us in all things necessary to be known and done Their quotations are perverted and wrested as they do all other Scriptures to their own destruction and to what end do they quote Scriptures in proof of any thing they assert while they deny the Scriptures to be the Rule of faith and obedience In my reply I urged Joh. 5.39 against the latter part of their Answer in which I told them that Christ commands the Jewes to search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me But these Quakers say contrary He that thinks to attain the way to eternall life by reading the Scriptures and regards not the light that comes from Christ deceives himself To this I said it seems the holy Scriptures are opposed to the light which comes from Christ and I judge that the Scriptures are a light that comes from Christ and the only way and means appointed by God both to know and believe in Christ to eternall life where and to whom the Lord is pleased to give his blessing Their Answer To say that we speak contrary to Christ is false but he that reads the Scriptures and regards not the light which gave them forth to learn wrests them to his own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 and so deceivs himself and such are they that put them in place of the light and think them the only way and means appointed by God to eternal life Answ Did not Christ approve of the Jewes opinion in thinking that in the Scriptures they should have eternal life for where is there any promise of eternal life or discovery of the way and means to attain it but in the Scriptures and from that good opinion the Jewes had of the truth of Scriptures Christ refers them to the Scriptures as bearing testimony that he
by him because his appointing means and blessing them to that end was that which did the work as severall Texts doth witness in the writings of the Apostles Act. 11.15.17 18. who concluding Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life and this was wrought by the ministry of the word by Peter Act. 13.46.47 It was necessary that the word of God should first be preached to the Jewes but they rejecting it lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord ordained us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the earth Paul and Barnabas attributing that to Christ which was to be done by their ministry by his Authority and command Act. 15.14 15 16 17 19. Peter hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name as it is written in the Prophets that the residue of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called saith the Lord. Wherefore my sentence is saith James that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God and how were they turned to God Not by a light immediate as the Quakers would but by the ministry of the word as further appears Act. 26.17 18. as is witnessed by the Apostle Paul which received it from Christ himself Christ promised to appear unto him delivering him from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom I now send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and in he itance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me working in them the same faith by the word on which forgiveness and eternal life only depend that is faith in Christ To open the blind eyes of the Gentile world that were darknesse it self and turn them to the true light is the only work of Jesus Christ as he is God and yet Paul as he was made a Minister of the Gentiles he was sent to do it by the preaching of the Gospell and the Lord wrought wonderfully by his ministry to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed Rom. 15.18 19. How many Churches of the Gentiles were gathered by the Preaching of the Gospel came under Baptisme and all other known duties of Christian obedience Was not Christ a light to all these beleeving Gentiles in granting them repentance unto life as I quoted before As for the other Gentiles which never heard of Christ or hearing of him rejected him they remained Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel without Christ and Covenant of promise and hope and God in the world having their understandings darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their hearts Ephes 2.12 4.18 But on the other hand how doth the Apostle admire and wonder at those unsearchable riches of Grace to the Gentiles that beleeved in Christ Jesus Ye who were sometimes far off are made high by the bloud of Jesus therefore now ye are no more strangers and foreiners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone in whom all the building fitly framed together Jewes and Gentiles groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. Hence see what that building is of whom Christ is said to be the chief Corner-stone not the profane building of the pagan unbelieving world that are built upon the Devill and the vain imaginations of their dark minds as you haveâ—â—t â—â—ard these Quakers blasphemingly apply this text but Believers be they Jewes or Gentiles that are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles to them only is Christ the chief Corner-stone chap. 2.19 20 21. If they have ears to hear let them hear what the Spirit hath said unto the Churches and in particular how Christ Jesus hath enlightened and grafted the believing Gentiles into his visible professing Church and made them a peculiar chosen people to himself distinct and separate from the heathen Idolatrous world But it seems they are angry because in my reply I told them it will pose them to prove that that righteous and perfect Law of God in their hearts they so much pretended to to be of God and not from their idle brains And good cause there was that they should be put to the proof thereof they answering so deceitfully and subtilly about the Authority of Scriptures as I have sufficiently discovered Besides I bid them tell me plainly whether the perfect Law of the heart to which all their obedience is bounded be the same perfect Law of God which the holy Scriptures teach consisting of precepts morall and positive Institutions of holy Worship in force in the Apostolicall Churches c. Or whether is the Law in the heart different from it If say I that in the heart be but the very same with the whole of Scriptures then it will follow that the perfect Law and Rule of Scriptures is superfluous and writ in vain Then on the other hand if that in their heart be different from the Scriptures it concerns them to prove it to be of God and not from their idle brains To that purpose I writ Their Answer is We speak in plainnesse as the Law of God written in our hearts directeth us which Law we know is perfect and a blessing of the everlasting Covenant which thou talkest of but knowest not being disobedient and abominable c. Answ 1. What may we judge of that Law that accuseth another to be disobedient and abominable for proposing rational queries and demanding proof of what they assert 2. Is their saying they know they have the perfect Law of God in their hearts a satisfying proof Judge ye But 3. If this Law be but a blessing of the Covenant then it is not the eternall word that made the world as before they Answer upon the like occasion upon the first Question unlesse they will confound God that gives the blessing and the blessing given into one Well they take it for granted in stead of proof That the perfect Law of God is written in their hearts by which they judge my error who am pleading for that Law to be the ground of the Saints obedience that made nothing perfect say they This is notable Did I ever plead for that Law of Priesthood that were exercised in the sacrificing beasts sprinklings of blood which were but types of Christ the bringer in of a better hope Heb. 7. I say did I ever plead this Law of Ceremonies which were but a shadow of good things to come the ground of the Saints obedience Let them produce it or else cease thus to abuse me with lying words But if they will wickedly pervert
fourth Question is in the negative in the first part denying that man hath any light in him at all to please God in the state of corrupt nature and this I judge a truth though not proper to the Question which is not of doing to please God but of whence that light is that all have you talk of which in the second part you answer is from Christ according to Joh. 1.9 and yet not common to all men by nature but is the great gift of God c. which Answer I charged with a contradiction because all are lightened by Christ that come into the world as you quote and yet say man in corrupt nature hath not any light in him nor is it common to men by nature when it 's certain that men come into the world by naturall birth But to reconcile these they Answer That man in corrupt nature is darknesse but Christ lightneth every one and his light shines in darknesse and makes manifest what ever is reproved Though we deny that the light which convinceth for sin is of corrupt man yet we affirme it to be given to man in Christ And this is the substance of what is said That man in corrupt nature should be darknesse in the abstract and hath not any light in him and that man in the same estate is lightened by Christ and that with such a light too that if it be owned and loved will lead out of darknesse to eternall life as they affirme let them that are sober judge how these agree together Such cannot do any thing to please God and yet have that within them that will lead them out of darknesse to eternall life which is the greatest acceptation of favour God gives to man Then they conclude For though we deny the light which convinceth of sin to be of corrupt man yet say they We affirm it to be given to man in Christ who is the life and enlighteneth every one that comes into the world But how can they affirme that all men in corrupt nature are in Christ and so enlightened by him when the Scriptures speak contrary as Ephes 2.11 12. Wherefore remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh that at that time ye were without Christ and strangers to the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world They were sometimes darknesse but now are they light in the Lord since they embraced the Doctrine of faith that the Apostles preached and lived in Christian obedience they are said to be light in the Lord Contradistinct to the other Gentiles that walked after the vanity of their minds chap. 4.17 18 19. And there are some that are not in the faith nor new creatures which all are that are in Christ as 2 Cor. 5.17 chap. 13.5 And how can any be said to be in Christ but by faith which all men have not 2 Thes 3.2 And how did the Apostles by their preaching open blind eyes and turn them from darknesse to light by the command power of Christ if they had the light of Christ and in Christ as before which hath been spoken to as Christ is the light of the Gentiles according to Scriptures By this you may see how clear they come off in what I have charged them with To say that man in the state of corrupt nature hath not any light at all is not true but it is true that a man in that estate cannot do any thing acceptable to God as those that are renewed by grace The former without doubt have the light and use of true reason and understanding faculties though corrupted and as the light of reason presents things to the Conscience good or evil doth the Conscience accuse or give quiet to the mind of man in all his actions Hence the Gentiles by nature do the things contained in the Law and are a Law unto themselves Rom. 2.14 15. The Apostle doth not say that they doe the things contained in the Law by Grace in Christ Jesus as you say and witnesse in your next But he saith they do the things contained in the Law and are a Law to themselves by nature simply will you say that what they did by nature they did by Christ and wherein they were a Law to themselves Christ was that Law to them Surely no unlesse you have an art to make the nature of man corrupted and Christ both one that the being and nature of man is of Christ uncorrupted as all things are which he hath made may be granted for in him we live move and have our being And as the reasonable soul is created and given it may be said to be of God and the candle of the Lord but in mans fallen estate this soul the candle of the Lord is so perverted and under blindnesse and obliquity that not any flesh can be justified and saved by any works of the Law but by faith in the blood of Christ Jesus shed for many for remission of sins There is not any that doth good no not one all have sinned and are deprived of the Glory of God Rom. 3. How Christ is the light of the Gentiles and for salvation to the ends of the earth that have not the letter as they again is answered above and what followes I deny namely And not any other light leads to do the things contained in the law because those the Apostle speaks of were of those other Gentiles that were alienated from the life of Christ through the ignorance that is in them darknesse But they go on and say further But this light of Christ doth not only lead to the righteousnesse of the law as thou sayst but it leads through the law to Christ Jesus in whom justification is witnessed who is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that believes Rom. 10.4 Answ The main scope and end of the Law is this to require of man a righteousnesse suitable in his own person as he is Gods creature unto it but man being never able to come up to this end in his fallen estate and so by coming short of righteousnesse he falls short of life Jesus Christ was sent in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin or by a sacrifice for sin condemned sin in the flesh And on the sinners behalf is the end of the law for righteousnesse that by his coming up to the end of the law poor sinners that believe in him may have righteousnesse and life But what is this to them that have not heard of Christ nor known his name nor believed in him in truth at all The Apostle said as I That the Gentiles by nature do the things contained in the Law he no where calls this Law in themselves the light of Christ promised nor doth he say what they do by nature leads through the Law to Christ nor any other Scripture as you affirme Well may I charge you with confused notions if you can no better clear your
understood with limitation and is not universall to every man that ever was in the world because Christ was not in all ages and places of the world in his person and ministry and powerfull workings visibly This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light this is from the same pen and must be understood of the same light that he calls that true light chap. 1.9 By which words of John 3.19 is evident is to be understood of Christ himself in person as he was the Son of man and the Son of God see vers 14.16 17. This very discourse to the 22. verse is a relation of what Christ himself spake occasioned by that Question of Nicodemus ver 4. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish c. God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved and he that believes not in him is condemned already And then followes verse 19 Which light is himself then come into the world as the former verses read shew And hence you may see that this advantage the people of the Jewes had of Christs corporall presence amongst them preaching the Kingdome of God unto them was such a light as never was in the world before and their not believing in this light was their condemnation and for any now not to believe in the very same person the only Son of God the true light of the world both by his immediate person manifest in the flesh and by his Authority and Spirit flowing from the same Christ immediately revealed in his word cannot be saved and to have the light of Scriptures to discover Christ that true light what he is and what he hath done for sinners to bring them to God and believes not in him accordingly is the condemnation of all such And these Quakers I have often observed though in all their writings they quote this Text John 3.19 they seldome repeat the whole words but usually render the Text thus This is the condemnation of the world the light Insomuch that some that have adhered to them too much have thought that there had been just such a Text indeed but there is not It seems themselves are sensible of the light which is said to come into the world was another thing then what they intend because they leave them out as they are placed by the penman and so put the words together as may make some colour of an immediate inward light which is in all as if the light that is in all men in the world is constituted of God only to be the condemnation of the whole world in the Text when it speaks not of any light save of Christs person and ministry then really come and manifest in that part of the world the Jewes lived in A light for eminency superadded to all that were before him as the Sun excelling the leaft Starres and to love darknesse rather then this Sun of righteousnesse the light of the world is the condemnation but yet to be limited to that part of the world where the light of Christ shines through the benefit and use of the Prophets and Apostles discoveries only How shall they escape that neglect so great salvation which at first began to be preached unto them Heb. 2. Though it be true that there is tribulation and wo to every one that doth evill both to Jew and Gentile and Christian yet as many as sin without Law shall perish without Law and as many as have finned under the written Law shall be judged by the Law and so those that refuse the light of the Gospel that discovers the only remedy this is their condemnation and a sorer judgement much more heavier then of Sodom and Gomorrah or of those that sinned and were punished under Moses and the Prophets And that these depravers and contemners of the mysteries of Christs Kingdome dispensed by Gospel Ordinances in order to the enlightning quickning and saving of sinners shall assuredly feel if the free peculiar grace of God through the blood of Christ prevent it not in giving them repentance and remission of sins who have meerly out of their dark minds through the malice of that old Serpent fomented such blasphemies against the glorious Kingdome and person of Jesus Christ as Satan hath not had the boldnesse to suggest to the worst of men in former times that have been Christians as very many of their own papers published abroad doe witness and which some both of learning and fidelity have taken the pains to give the world notice of And the whole of this in hand will witnesse them Impostors and Apostates that have departed from the Christian Doctrine of faith and obedience both for matter and manner by denying the right Rule and the true object as the Rule reveals Christ Jesus the Redeemer of lost man and the way and means appointed by Christ to convey the blessings of speciall grace into the souls of men unto eternal life they have denyed and reproached as heathenish observations mens Traditions c. And besides their questioning the person natures offices of Christ and so his Mediatorship in performing the work of our Redemption by that one sacrifice of himself upon the Crosse making peace without which person natures offices is not any thing yet done to the salvation of mankind our faith is in vain our worship in vain and we must all die in our sins and yet they tell us of a Christ and a true light of the world and of the blessings of the new Covenant namely the Law of the new Covenant in the heart the free grace of God that hath appeared unto all men c. and by all this they understand no more then the light in mans soul which every one in the world hath more or lesse that is in the dark dead polluted state of corrupt nature and this light they say is the true light and of the pure nature of God that being loved and heeded leads out of darknesse to the knowledge of God to eternall life though they have not the use of Scriptures and this is the eternall Word the everlasting Gospell the Light which gave forth the Scriptures and the Judge of the world and the Kingdome of heaven within and the Law of the new Covenant Christ within and I know not what and that this Christ this light this Gospel this Scripture within this perfect law of the heart may be the better heeded amongst people they render the Scriptures a dead letter the ordinances of worship but outward observations which the kingdome of God is not in and the Ministers they render more odious then a few words will expresse though the office and function more honorable then any other calling amongst men and then urge them to cease from all their own works of hearing praying reading c. and
But their pride will be their ruine And the Lord will rebuke the madnesse of these Prophets and they are in the same way of perishing as in the gainsaying of Corab But dear friends I hope that there is that fear of God in your hearts that will preserve you from running out into these desperate heresies as to deny the holy Scriptures to be the Rule and ground of faith and obedience For you know deny the Authority of Scriptures the only boundary of truth and the only Touch-stone that every spirit and opinion is to be tryed by then all shall be left to follow the imaginations of their own idle heads and act as their deceitfull hearts shall suggest then they that can get the greatest confidence conceitednesse and strongest fancies and the impudentest tongues to vent their own inventions will be the only men for the true Religion and then who can tell what is truth and who are guided by the spirit of God and who by the Devill The very denying the Authority of the Scriptures bringeth all into confusion and heathenisme inevitably Cast off that which God hath ordained to direct us then the Devil will put in to mislead into all error and how shall any be able to know his workings and temptations from the pure workings of God for our good when the authority of the Scriptures are laid aside Nay who can be certain of any things in himself or in others that they please God when I or they cannot be certain they are ordained of God to that end if you lay aside the Authority of Scriptures And how just is it for God to punish the hearts of men with all spirituall delusions blindness and error and to let Satan loose upon mens souls when they cast off that which God hath given to direct and instruct in all righteousnesse and to every good work as 1 Tim. 3. You know how it is said that he that provideth not for his own hath denyed the faith as to that particular duty which the Doctrine of faith teacheth and is worse then an Infidell What would the Apostle have said of these that deny the whole Doctrine and Rule of Faith and yet have been once Christians sure they are worse than Infidells and it had been better they had never known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandements of the Lord delivered unto them by word or writing 2 Pet. 2.20 see chap. 3.1.2 wherein the Apostle endevoured to stirre up their pure minds by way of remembrance that they might be mindsul of the words that were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the Commandements of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour which comprehends the whole Scriptures of old and new Testament on which the Church is built the Scriptures are and in them do contain the Oracles of God which is a great advantage and preferment to those they are committed unto beyond all others Rom. 2.1 2. To them is the Covenant and the promises and the service of God chap. 9. And whatever were writ before time was writ for our learning that the Church of God through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15. Whereas on the other hand those that are denyed the Scriptures are Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenant of Promise and without hope and God in the world Ephes 2.12 as is clear of the like Infidel state that the Ephesians were in before their conversion to Christianity I tell you to deny the Scriptures is the desperatest error that any mortals can possibly plunge themselves into having once professed them such I am sure forsake their own mercies and judge themselves unworthy of eternall life by despising the Gospel of Christ contained in the Scriptures they slight the everlasting Covenant of Grace and all the promises writ in the Book of God there being not a promise made to any in the world but what is in the Scripture nor can any expect that God will give that which he doth not promise to any Let them tell me what promises are writ in the heart that deny the Scripture to be the only rule of faith and obedience if they be without the promise then they are without hope and God in the world as the poor Indians are if not worse by denying that which they have the means to know nay have known and been convinced and rejoyced in the spiritual blessings promised but now wilfully deny them and reject them as not to be believed that are written for the great comfort of the Lords people I tell you friends these miserable Worms uncovenant themselves and unchrist themselves as if they cared not for grace and mercie in their standing before God In denying the Scripture they deny all that grace and mercy that is writ there for the comfort and hope of poor penitent finners If the Scriptures shall be denyed their Authority by them then it will follow that they have removed the Lords antient bounds and the only Judge of all error What is heresie but the broaching of errors and vain opinions and practices contrary to the holy Lawes and Institutions of God recorded in Scriptures in taking away the rule they are involved in all heresie whatever for God will not be any otherwayes known trusted in worshiped and obeyed then himself hath taught and prescribed us in his word When men dare think of God after their own fancies and believe in him after their vain minds and worship God as seems good in their own eyes as all do that deny the Scripture to be a perfect Rule no wonder that they make God like themselves and themselves like God and that they preach another Gospell and set up another Christ and fancie another Heaven and another day of judgement and another Law and Rule to try all things by If men cease to be Christians and forsake the rules of Christianity while they continue to be men and have any sparks of immortality in them they will be doing in one way or other in order to eternity But will you receive these seducers into your houses and bid them God speed that deny the only Rule of righteousnesse and not be partakers with them Judge ye And can a greater proof and demonstration be given against any that they are Impostors and deceivers false teachers then this that in plain terms will deny the Authority of the holy Scriptures to be the only Rule of faith and obedience as those do which you receive and adhere unto which is a confirmation to me of the truth and Divine approbation of the publike ministry that you have forsaken when I observe what teachers you follow even those that deny the Authority of Scriptures And should our Teachers deny the Authority of holy Scriptures to be the Rule of faith and obedience and set up their own fancies to be the Rule as they do which you adhere
of Righteousnesse and true godlinesse are inclined in charity to hope well of you that there is some good at the bottome and life at the root that will spring forth again and make you instrumentall by your sad experiences to warn others The Third Question propounded WHether any thing besides the holy Scriptures is constituted of the blessed God to reveal Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Saviour to the Spirits of sinfull miserable lost man to bring up men to happinesse On whether lost man without the knowledge of Christ as the Scriptures reveal him may attain unto salvation yea or no. The Quakers Answer None can come to Christ but whom the Father drawes by his unlimited power nor know the Father but he whom the Son reveals him and he that thinks to attain the way to eternall life by reading the Letter of Scripture and regards not the light which comes from Christ that witnesseth for God in the secret of the heart and Conscience deceivs himself for the mystery of eternall life is sealed up in the sealed Book which none shall know by the outward Testimonie of Scripture but by the Inspiration of the Spirit of Christ who is the way the truth and the life to all that in his light wait his power them to guide in faithfull obedience to the Righteous and perfect Law of God written in the heart for the exercise of the Conscience which keeps them void of offence towards God and men according to Testimonie of Scripture Act. 24.16.23.1 My Reply Their Answer to my third Question falls upon other Questions but gives no direct Answer at all for the question doth not exclude the power and grace of the Father and the Son from mans attaining unto salvation but is of another thing namely whether faln lost man without the knowledge and use of the Scriptures may in an ordinary way know Christ as Mediator and be saved by him or thus whether God hath and doth exercise his power and Spirit in bringing corrupt man to the knowledge of Christ as Redeemer and believe in him to eternall life without the use and knowledge of the Scriptures ordinarily The Question is not of extraordinary cases and of Gods unlimited power who can do more then he hath any where revealed he will doe but it is of his ordinary course and power that is limited by his word of truth to do what he will in order to the blessednesse of those that wait upon him in those wayes and in the use of such means himself hath appointed in his holy word all other stamps and forms pretending to the knowledge of God and religious worshipping of him or of being saved by Christ are but the superstitious births of deluded fancies that tend to the deceiving and ruin of a mans self and others Their Answer to this is but dark and to little purpose only they say That their Answer doth stand as a witnesse against me and declares the way to the Father and the Son according to Scriptures Matth. 11.27 Joh. 6.44 Which they say my dark mind is a stranger unto who am querying of Gods constituting ordinary means of salvation and of his ordinary way of working to reveal Christ as Redeemer which say they are unlearned Questions and to be condemned with the light which reproves the world of sin and leads to the Son who is the Redeemer and way to the Father Joh. 14.6 Which way is but one and condemnation you must own unlesse thou canst shew us a Scripture that speaks of ordinary and extraordinary way of Gods exercising his power and Spirit or of a limited power of God which words proceed from thy dark Imaginations and not grounded upon Scripture are concluded to be the births of the deluded fancie you speak of Answ By all this we may judge the sum of their Answer amounts to this That my Question is unlearned and to be condemned with the light which reproves the world of sin and leads to the Son immediately without the help of those means God hath appointed to that end and therefore as before the Scriptures and Ordinances therein commanded are not of necessity but this pretended light and Spirit and unlimited power of God is to be attended upon only not regarding any ordinary means whatever though such as God himself hath appointed and doth only reveal in his word as if all those ordinary and usuall helps that God himself commands in his word for men to use to come to the knowledge of Christ and how to be saved by him were superfluous or opposite to the knowing of him c. although the Scriptures were written and all Instructions therein contained for our learning that we might have comfort and hope all others that have not the use and benefit of Scriptures have no hope and without God in the world as hath been spoken to already and yet this they say is an unlearned Question but surely they say so because they know not how to give a direct Answer to it in plainnesse but it wil lay them open to the weakest judgements to be against Christ as Redeemer as the Scriptures teach him which few would hearken unto should they speak plainly But let all men judge of what Spirit these men are of that condemns the Questions as propounded by the light which condemns the world of sin But let them first discover what sin is in these Questions before they rashly condemn them Secondly let them tell us what light is that which reproves for sin if not the mind of Christ and the voice of the Spirit revealed in the Scriptures Thirdly let them prove that the light which they condemn the Questions with is the true light of Christ or else who will regard them How dare those proud Worms condemne the things they know not how to answer but by denying the holy Scriptures and what they teach But what light is that that leads to the Son who is the Redeemer while you disown the light of Scriptures to be the Rule to make out this high discovery Did you ever know or hear of any since Scriptures were that have attained to know Christ as Redeemer and to believe in him to salvation that never heard of Christ by Scriptures or Scripture ministry Doth not the Apostle determine absolutely as to this case and question by severall interrogations Rom. 10. How shall they call on him of whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not so much as heard of and how can they hear without a preacher and how can they preach except they be sent c. And doth he not conclude from these interrogations that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God he urging that necessity of hearing the word of God in order to faith without which it cannot be And therefore it was that he queries the Galatians thus Received ye the Spirit by the Law or by faith preached not by the Law but by
was the true Christ Of a five-fold witnesse and testimony that Christ urged on his own behalf in this chapter this of the testimony of Scripture is one and not the least to prevail upon the credence of that unbeleeving people What they mean by not regarding the light which gave them forth to learn is beyond my understanding to find out What light is that which gave the Scriptures is it not the Spirit of God all Scripture being given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 Surely he that regards the Inspirations of God regards the Author of those inspirations for to say a man is obedient to the Scriptures and by search is willing to know Gods will to do it more and yet regards not God that gave it forth is a contradiction in it self but these men assume that in them only is the light which gave the Scripture and hence they judge in that we regard not what they say and write we regard not the light c. and our cleaving to the rule of Scriptures which are the Inspirations of God and not regarding them seems to be the deceit and to wrest the Scriptures to our own destruction as if the Scriptures were writ for mens destruction and deceit and not for their learning comfort and hope but that place in 2 Pet. 3.16 is spoken of unlearned and unstable men that wrest not only some hard places but also the other Scriptures to their own destruction and therefore bids the Church beware lest being drawn away by the error of the wicked they fall from their own stedfastnesse Oh the giddinesse and unstability of these mens Spirits that have runned from Sect to Sect till they have run through all and then think to center in a way of their own choosing in which they do not practise any one duty of religious Worship to God private or publike as the holy Scriptures teach and to make Conscience thereof from Scripture Authority And yet others and not themselves they charge with wresting the Scriptures as in their next clause Such are they that put them in the place of the light and think them the only way and means appointed by God to eternall life Answ You may see who they judge to be most guilty of wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction namely those that think them the only way and means appointed by God both to know and believe in Christ the Redeemer to eternal life and to live unto God according to this Rule this is but the same with their denying the Scriptures to be a perfect Rule of faith and obedience censuring those that make them the Rule of faith and obedience as if by so doing men deceive themselves and wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction Oh profane impiety and sinfull blindnesse themselves are involved in for not receiving the truth in the love of it c. But I see I shall be too large and tire the Reader if I examine all things of theirs which is needlesse because we have the same again and again in other words which is answered already as to the substance of them But they tell me Thou goest on in thy blind zeale seeking to maintain the Scriptures to be the only means to reveal Christ as Redeemer and the only way in which God puts forth his Divine power to give light and life to men To this they Answer But who art thou that wilt limit God to a way and means of manifesting his power and Spirit who hath promised to powre it upon all flesh and that Sons and Daughters shall prophesie and see visions Joel 2.28 And we witnesse his promise fulfilled and fulfilling and know that he will have mercie on whom he will have mercy Answ 1. 'T is true God will have mercy on whom he will but the Question is whether God exercises his saving mercies of the Covenant to any in bringing them to salvation by Christ without the knowledge and use of the Scriptures for how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how can they be saved that do not at all believe in Christ as hath been spoke to already Rom. 10. And if our Gospel be hid or withheld it is to them that perish 2. The blessing of the Scriptures given to a people is a peculiar mercy to any people and never was common unto all God hath given his Lawes and Statutes unto Israel as for the heathen they have not known his ways To them was committed the Oracles of God the Covenant and the promises and the service of God and the Adoption c. but all others are without Christ strangers to the Covenant of promise and without hope and God in the world Ephes 2. And whomsoever God shewes mercy unto as to the end to save them he shews mercy unto in giving them the means he saves by and as is the end so is the means appointed by the Lords peculiar mercy restrained to the Christian Churches distinct from all others and to affirme the same is not our limiting of God but it 's the pleasure and wisdome of God to limit his power by the word of his eternall truth and to argue from his unlimited power against his word of truth Covenant and promise is to be wise above what is written if not contrary which trusted unto is high presumption As for that of Joel 2.28 The Apostle witnessed that promise fulfilled when those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit were given to the Apostles Act. 2.16 17. So likewise upon the Gentiles when Peter preached the word unto Cornelius and his friends were the same gifts of the holy Ghost and they spake with Tongues as did the Apostles at the beginning chap. 10.45 46. chap. 11.15 16 17. compared So that it 's clear that of Joel was fulfilled in the Apostles dayes and by them applyed to that very manner of giving forth of the Spirit which not any in our times can witnesse or evince by the same gifts of miracles and Tongues and yet these conceited Quakers witnesse the same promise fulfilling in them still although they have nothing of the same things spoken of Act. 2.4.16 When they have the gift of Tongues working miracles we shall more easily incline to believe they are endowed with immediate Revelations themselves so much boast of If they have not the gift of Tongues and of miracles the Apostles and some others had which accompanyed the gift of Revelations what reason have we to believe them in what they pretend while they are utterly destitute of the other I do not go about to limit Gods power but that in his wisdome and good pleasure he may give the same gifts again to men but yet I am not bound to believe God hath and doth give the same gifts to these men that so boast they being not approved of God in having gifts of Tongues and miracles as they had that applyed that of the Prophet Joel to themselves I grant that all necessary gifts
their opinion of a sufficiency of universall grace to all in Christ that leads out of darknesse to eternal life as the Quakers do as hath been shewed by their own Papers under their hands destroyes Gods distinguishing will of his purpose and good pleasure manifesting his mercy and love to whom he will because he will and not to others not only in respect of the end but of the means subservient to the end hence comes free will to be saved or damned which these men cannot evade for if every man in the world hath a sufficient light of Christ to lead out of darknesse to eternall life if they will but heed it c. then it followes that all men may be saved that will unlesse you say that that condition of loving and heeding this sufficient light in man is not in the power of man but is the speciall grace of God given to whom he will upon choyce but you cannot say so but you will destroy your main principle which is universall and must be urged every way sufficient to eternal life and happinesse or else to what purpose is the pressing of this light to all if all have not a power to improve it up to that very end of happinesse That there is such a light and power in all men that shall leave them without excuse and being improved to the utmost shall not only mitigate the Torments of hell but be a means of enjoying many blessings in this world and the way and means of renewing quickning grace where God gives his word and ordinances to any is easily yeelded by men of sober judgement but to say as you that all men in the world have a sufficient light in Christ to lead them out of that corrupt dark state of nature to eternall life and have power in themselves thus to improve it if they will This text Joh. 1.9 falls short of the proof or any other Scripture whatever and therefore to be rejected as a fancy of mans vain mind meerly And do but seriously consider what wicked errors this one principle of yours runs you upon point blank to plain and evident Scriptures First you have in favour of this fancyed such a light in every one that you sometimes call the light Christ the Law of the new Covenant the counsell of God in the secret of the soul that Spirit of Christ which convinceth the world of sin and Christ the light of the Gentiles all which as you apply them to every man in the world have been confuted and are most pernicious errors which the Scriptures oppose Secondly hence you perswade all men to cease from all outward means of light and onely attend upon the light within and to wave all outward worship in holy observances according to Scriptures and only obey the commands of the light and commands of Christ within though inconfistent with the Scriptures never so much For that which I call the word and ordinances namely the holy writings of the Prophets and Apostles and the ordinances of holy Worship which have their institution and foundation from the Spirit of God speaking and moving what they writ These things you say is but the letter and traditions of men as in the latter end of your answer to this fourth Question besides your frequent reproaching these things in most of your papers that fly abroad I have made some discovery already and what means all this but that you judge the light of Christ to all is sufficient alone to life eternall Thirdly hence it is that you have fancyed a more spirituall Christ then Christ that was made flesh by incarnation who was truely God and truely man in one person and offered himself a sacrifice to God to reconcile sinners to God and preached peace to them that were neer and afarre off c. Because this Christ this person this sacrifice and the ends thereof are not known nor heard of to all in the world so that rather then you will put a limit to this Text Joh. 1.9 which meerly the strength of fancy hath taken up you will invent another Christ that will make the Text hold to every man and that is no other then the rationall soul of man corrupted which indeed is called the candle of the Lord but no where called the Lords Christ in whom we have redemption through his bloud c. Fourthly hence you have fancyed an universall free Grace of God to all men in the world equally alike and a new Covenant to all men in the world and this light is that Grace of God and the blessing promised in the new Covenant Heb. 8 and these universalls cannot be without the other of universall redemption though they say little of it because that Christ they have in their fancy was not capable of shedding blood for any such end And why not a universall salvation as well inasmuch the one as the other but that men will not besaved notwithstanding they are redeemed and renewed with saving grace by vertue of Redemption and the new Covenant But do you think that this is all which the Scriptures teach as touching Redemption by Christ the free love and grace of God bestowed on men as they are blessings of the new and everlasting Covenant which stands in remission of sins and in the giving of his Spirit to renew and sanctifie and soften the carnall old hard and rebellious heart of man I say doth all the mercy and grace of God through Christ amount to no more then so as to depend upon the will of man resisting or not improving what God intends to their eternall happinesse If all men have new hearts and the Spirit and pardon of sin by vertue of the new Covenant what can hinder the salvation of all Or what is it that makes this great difference between one man and another if the Grace of God according to the new Covenant makes all equall at first What is it or who hath made thee to differ from another man I pray you answer in whom doth the election obtain it for that some believe and others not You talk of the children of light unto whom saith is only given but why should you make any restriction amongst men if all have Christ in them and have the Law of the new Covenant writ in their hearts as a blessing thereof What should hinder the salvation of all that have this supernaturall Grace will the Lord condemn any that have the light and life of reall grace and forgivenesse of sins by vertue of the new Covenant which you apply to all in the world If all that come into the world have a sufficiency of Grace to lead out of darknesse to eternall life then what need hath any of converting regenerating Grace Or what need any pray for the Grace of God to convert and turn them to God if they have it in themselves as they come into the world Do you think or can you believe that those promises of giving
flesh and a curse too to save sinners is Do they think that he was a meer light without a visible being and do they think that he saves not by suffering but by lightning and with such a light that all have too when we know the greatest part of the world have no other light but the rationall understanding faculties of their own souls which is able to understand something of God by the things which he hath made and directs to do the things contained in the Law and said to be a Law to themselves c. But is this little spark of reason subject to error and vanity Christ in them the Redeemer which when put in competition with Christ indeed and the Christian profession of him is called darknesse and a state of alienation from his life through the ignorance that is in them as hath been proved Truely I fear that they believe no other Christ then the rational soul of every man accounting that the pure nature they talk of and the eternall word uncreate the same with God and that every one is Christ in flesh And although I know they will lie as I have made it manifest yet they will very hardly in plain terms deny this which I suspect they hold And we should have heard of many Christs amongst us before now but for that Act against blasphemy which they cannot get beyond But I proceed The Lord Jesus saith of John that he was a burning and a shining light which the Jewes rejoyced in for a season Joh. 5.35 which is to be understood of his ministry as sent of God to be the Prophet of the most highest to prepare his wayes and to give knowledge of salvation to his people c. and to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide their feet in the way of peace Luk. 1.76 77 79. So also Christ saith of his Disciples and followers that they are the light of the world and commands them so to improve it that others may be enlightened by them that they may glorifie God Matth. 5.14 15 16. And yet all this light is to be understood of an outward dispensation by words or works to the world So again Christ is called the light of the world Joh. 8.12 and he saith I am come a light into the world that whosoever believes in me should not abide in darknesse Joh. 12.46 Adde to this Joh. 3.19 His actual coming into the world in person to exercise his ministry and the dispensation of his mighty works is to be understood of such a light that never was in the world before which was visible and convincing to men as rationall and sensible creatures and therefore those that did not receive him and own his person in order to salvation had no cloak for their sin but were left without all excuse he doing as never any did this visible light was the condemnation of those that refused it And hence it is that Christ speaking of his death to the people said unto them Yet a little while is the light with you walk while you have the light lest darknesse come upon you while ye have the light believe in the light that is in his person and name which is called light for it was the same that Christ said should be lifted up signifying what death he should die and so the people understood it as appears Joh. 12.34 35 36. c. And in the same sense it was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah 9.1 2. The Land of Zebulun and Naphtali by the way of the sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles The people which sate in darknesse saw a great light and to them which sate in the Region and shadow of death light is sprung up Then to this compare Matth. 4.12 to the 17. there you may see how the Evangelist applies that prophesie to the very person and preaching of Christ When Jesus heard that John was cast in prison he knew his work was ended he lest Nazareth and came and dwelt at Capernaum which is upon the sea coasts in the border of Zebulun and Naphtali that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Isaias repeating the same words and then observes That from that very time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand and this Jesus thus preaching is the fulfilling of that prophesie By these quotations it is evident as the light of the Sun that his personall ministry and mighty works his Authority commands upon the earth in fitting and sending others to preach externally is called the light of the world which all that refused and rejected was their condemnation And that those that believed and received should not abide in darknesse intimating that all those that received not this visible ministry acted by his own person and Authority were in and under darknesse and condemnation and we know what he began was carryed on by his Authority and commission in the Apostolicall Churches and hath made his promise to be with his Church in giving them Pastors and Teachers and his presence to the end Compare Matth. 28.18 19. with Ephes 4.12 13. Now then I say if the visible ministry of Christ in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles upon earth were the light of the world then it is still though not in the same persons yet in their Authority and writings transmitted and derived from them the Churches of the believing Gentiles being built upon the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ the chief corner-stone all the building from the beginning to the end is compleated by his Authority and powerfull working in the use of those means himself hath appointed and revealed once you see it was so it remains so still unless these bold pretenders to an immediate light of Christ to all men in the world can clearly prove by the Authority of Scripture the time and age when this light of the world was repealed if they cannot I hope their lying mouthes will be stopped and that they will cease deceiving themselves and others Again if Christ was the light of the world by coming into the world in person in the dayes of his flesh as he was the Son of man and that great Prophet Moses spake of to our fathers as saith Peter Act. 3.21 A Prophet shall the Lord raise up unto you of your brethren him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shall come to passe that every soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed and by this Prophet he understands Jesus the Son of God whom God raised and sent him to blesse the Jewes first in turning them from their iniquities vers 26. I say if Christ was thus the light of the world as I have cleared and which our greatest Adversaries will be forced to confesse if there be any light in them then it will follow 1. That John 1.9 is to be