Rusticus ad academicos in exercitationibus expostulatoriis, apologeticis quatuor The rustick's alarm to the rabbies, or, The country correcting the university and clergy, and ... contesting for the truth ... : in four apologeticall and expostulatory exercitations : wherein is contained, as well a general account to all enquirers, as a general answer to all opposers of the most truly catholike and most truly Christ-like Chistians [sic] called Quakers, and of the true divinity of their doctrine : by way of entire entercourse held in special with four of the clergies chieftanes, viz, John Owen ... Tho. Danson ... John Tombes ... Rich. Baxter ... by Samuel Fisher ...

CHAP. II.

NOw then to make a more full and final enquiry into the cause of that foresaid Grand and Imp••nit••ncy, Is it for want of that saving Light of God that is (if heeded) sufficient to guide all men, even to that repentance which is to Salvation, that is never to be repented of? Nay verily, not so neither, for all men have from God and Ch••ist a light within them, •• measure of that true light (saving I.Os. and T Ds. I. T••mbs, R. Bax. dark conceits to the contrary) which is sufficient to bring them that follow it to Salvation, but only that its not attended to: And this, together with that a∣bout the Letter above spoken to, which ye lay as your chief foundation, be∣ing the chief matters at first intended by me to be controverted with I.O. but that well nigh at my beginning in carnest to enter the Lists with him, T. Ds. two young Cub••:, one some while after another, coming out upon me, occasioned me to make many an extravagant vagary after them, into some other doctrinal, accountative, and narrative businesses, for the Truths sake more then my own, that people might no longer (unless they will) be led aside from it by his lyes, and gu••••'d with his guilded glosses and coun∣terfeit colours, wherewith ••he ••awbs, and smooths, and sooths them up in sin and sinister su••mizes against the truth, and the tellers of it in the points abovesaid, and covers himself, and his false doctrines of Iustification, of Saints in Sin, personal Election of all but a very few, non-pu••gation from sin in this life, and sundry others, either more directly and largely (as that of Iustification) or more briefly, occasionally, or but interlinearily resured before, in which I.O. is as co-incident with him, as he with I.O. in the rest.

I shall now betake my self to some more single (though short) Ani∣madversion thereof, as it lies in difference between the Qua. who hold it out for truth, and I.O. T.D. I.T.R.B. and the owners of their books ex∣tant, in which they oppose the Qua. in print very much, if not more then in any other whatsoever; and so I shall have done with them both at this time.

And first, I shall begin with T.D. his two Do-littles, and take account of his mighty weak mannagement of his many meanings, as to that matter of the light against the Qu. of which in many things, he means much what as I.O. does, and is confused and contradictory to himself not a little about it; yet I must needs say, not by ten-fold so much as I.O. is in his mad mang••∣nization of his mind in this matter; howbeit, T.D. as to his Dispute, goes clear beside the Question, as it was stated about the Light, as he did about the Letter, and Iustification, and strikes much more upon the Anvil, then on the iron, and yet he gives us the Quest. too, at the very beginning to dispute it, as he did those two about Iustification, and the Scripture; as may appear by what follows.

The Question between the Qua. and T.D. was as he relates, p. 1. of his 1. Pamph. viz. Whether every man that cometh into the World be enlightned by Christ? which when R, H. affirmed, T.D. (as himself relates) reply∣ed thus, viz. But what Light is it you intend? we grant that every man hath some Light, by which he discernes (though dimly) many sins and duties, and severall divine attributes; but the mystery of Godliness, as it is summ'd up, 1. Tim. 3. ult. God manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, &c. we deny that all men have the knowledge of. To which Question of T.D. What Light is it you intend? When R.H. honestly and truly replyed thus, viz. The Light, i.e. the Light of Christ (about which only the Question was) is but one.

T.D. replies thus, viz. The Lights mentioned, viz. ••aturall and super∣naturall Light are two; and though all have the one, yet few have the other.

Rep. 1. Here let all reasonable men judge, whether thou T. D. dost not clearly yeild us our Question, which was not at all about the measure of the Light, whether all have the same measure of it or not? for we affirm not that, but whether all have some measure of that same light that shines from Christ, the light of the world, yea or nay? not whether all have so much, as whereby they actually see all the things of God, and the Gospel, which are to be seen, or arè seen by some, but whether every man hath some or no? i.e. so much as whereby to discern some of the things of the Spirit of God and the Gospel, severall divine Attributes, and many duties, i.e. so many, or such as God requires of him in particular, who requires of every one according to the ability and degree of light he giveth, and accept∣eth every one according to what he hath from him, and not according to what he hath not; which measure walking answerably to, they stand excu∣sed, uncondemned, alias, justified in the sight of God, but rebelling against stand accused or condemned: and this T.D. thon consentest to, and affirmest with us, so clearly, that all thy after dispute upon it does not fetch that again which thou grantest to us, it being about another Question of thy own starting, which we deny not, (viz.) Whether all have the actuall knowledge of the mystery of the Gospel in the light yea or no?

For mark, We grant (sayest thou) that every man hath some light, i.e. is in some sort enlightened by Christ (for thy grant is to the Question above, whether by Christ or not, or else thy Answer is beside the purpose) And besides p. 4. thou denyest not, but the Gentiles afore Christ were enlightned by Christ (as God) (though yet to the contradiction of thy self again, as if the being enlightned to know, and a man knowing were all one, thou there sayest they were afarre off from the knowledge of that) by whose light be discernes (though dimly) (and how dimly or clearly is nothing to the purpose) many sins, and duties, and several divine attributes.

In which words thou sayest as much to our purpose as we would desire thee. Its ill stumbling at the threshold T. D. at the very entrance of thy work, and yet no lesse thou didst again in Limine at the very beginning of our Disputation with thee,, about the Scriptures being the Word of God, as is to be read in thy own Relation of the second dayes work, p. 25, 26. of 1. Pamph. where thou sayest the Question I promised to discourse up∣on was, Whether the Scriptures were the word of God (and that indeed was

the Question) to which, as soon as in answer to thy desires of knowing what I held about it, I denyed that the Graphe, the Gramma, the Scriptures ie••te, writing, or outward text is the Word of God, thou repliedst by way of compliance with me, saying, You cannot believe us so simple (surely) as to affirm the Scriptures in that sense to be the Word of God: And I say, if not in that sense, then in no sense are they so truly and properly, that I know of, but I.O. his foresaid non-se••s••, who, howbeit he is forced to confess Ex. 1. S. 28.40. to the yielding the cause to the Qua. that the matter con∣tained in it only is said to be so, but that the Scripture formally considered, or the littera Scripta, or letter written, is not within, and is not intended in those innumerable places of Scripture, where the word of God is said to be preached, published, multiplied, received, which, as is shewed more at large above, is as non-sensicall, as for a man to say, that the Lantern (though formaliter it be not so, but only the light that is contained in it, is so) doth yet challenge to it self that name of the light, as its proper name, yet engages himself against the Qua. in vindication of the Word of God to be the proper name of the Scriptures; so truly, that those are injurious to it, and oppro••••ious re∣proachers of it, who will not allow it to be properly called by that glorious title.

So thou engaging thy self in vindication of the Scriptures to be the Word of God. 1 Giving us the Question to have been debated, flinkest away into the proof of another matter, saying, that ye upon the matter contained in the writing (which, say we, is another business, the holy truth that is there told, and the Light and Word of God, Law and Gospel there witnessed to, being a thing to distinct from the Scripture of it, that as it is now where the letter is not, and was two thousand years before the letter was, so it will be for ever, for its an euerlasting Gospell, when the letter of it shall be no more) Whether that be your Rule of Faith and Life? a matter in no wise denyed by the Qua. if not only by the Scripture ye mean (as properly ye cannot do) the holy Doctrine, Truth, Word, Light, Law, Gospell of Christ therein declared, to be in some measure at least in the heart of every man, preached in every Creature, that they may hear and do it; but also by thy Term, Our Rule of Faith and Life, that which de jure ought to be your Rule; otherwise if ye say even of that de facto, that it is your Rule, or in esse actuall that which ye do actually and indeed walk by; I deny even that also, for howbeit ye should own that also, (and not the letter and text only, as I.O. doth) yet so farre are ye from so doing, that if thou do not, yet at least I.O. both doctrinally and practically denies, and damnes it down, as a meer nescio quid of the Qua. coyning.

Moreover much what in the same manner dost thou in the Point of Iu∣stification, give us no lesse then the Question, as to the Termes wherein it was stated, and then startest a new Question in thy Sophisticall s•••• it of subtil••y, which is so familiar with thee, that it's seen by any that are but •••• unculi only in the thing called Dispute, by staring and translating the old one under new termes.

For witness thy own disagreeing, counterfeited Account thereof, p. 14. 1. Pamph. the new Termes, wherein (that thou mighest the more easily wrong me by thy wrong Representation of me to the world, as a rank

Papist, and render me suspitious, and the more securely write me out, as thou do••t in the second Page of the lying Narrative of thy second Pamp. under that traducing Title, of one suspected to be a Iesuite) thou with much ado (as thy phrase there is) drewest and wrestedst the Quest. into, and ••ayest (on thy own head) they were slated in were, whether Our Good Wor••s are the meritorious cause of our Iustification? which I hold in the affir∣mative no further, then as by Our good works are meant the good works of God, and Christs own working in us by his Spirit, which (though most truly his) are by the Spirit it self vouchsafed that name of Ours, witness Isa. 26.12. not as by Ours, those only of our own working in our will, wisdome, and strength, are expressed and intended, for all such are Our righteousnesses, which I (who own none of Christs working in us to be so, as thou T.D. blasphemous∣ly dest, if p. 15. and 22. of thy I. Pamp. be rightly, soan'd) do own to be but durg, l••ss, and filthy rags, according to Isa. 64.6.

But the true terms of the Quest in which it was stated and debated (if we may, as sure enough we may, believe the joynt testimony of both thy self, and those Gentlemen and Ministers in the Margent, as in thy Epi∣stle thou stilest them, of whom there thou sayest also, they are witnesses of the terms of the Questions agreed to by the Qu. before the testimony of thy single; double, lying, self-contradicting self) were otherwise; witness thy own Relation thereof in thy lying Narrative, which hath not any thing at all of that little truth that's in it, more true then this, wherein p. 58.1 Pamp. setting all these witnesses (viz.) Hen. Oxenden, Io. Boys, Esqs; N. Barry, T. Selyard, C. Nichols, Ministers, o're against it in the Margin, to testifie the truth thereof, together with thee, thou relatest thus; The terms of the third Quest. were, Whether Good Works be the meri∣torious cause of our Iustification, which was ex∣presly affirmed by them, i.e. by the Qu.* 1.1 in which terms, staring the Question without that term Our, which is of thy own fois••ing in the o∣ther place, where, even thereby, on thy own head, thou alterest the stare thereof, and makest it clearly another Question: I affirm it to this very day, and ever shall to the faces of any of you (as occasion is) yet own∣ing no works to be truly good, but what are done by the Believers in Christ, and his Light, and done by Christ, and his Power and Spirit, whe∣ther in their persons, or his own, who never did evil work in his, or (with∣out blasphemy) in Paul, that can be call'd (as thou call'st that he wrought in Paul, and works in us) Pauls own, and ours, which is but dung, less, and filthy rags; or deserve condemnation, or any less then Justification, both of himself and his Saints in the sight of God, by any good work that ever he wrought, either in himself, or them.

And so my Argument, a Contrariis, ye so ball and squabble with me a∣bout, was both intended, and urged in effect, (viz.) If evil works deserve condemnation, then good works no Condemnation, alias, Iustification; but this is true; therefore the latter.

Which question so stated, thou T.D. not only affirmest with me: For thou neither dost, nor da••est deny, but that we are justified by the good works of Christ, or that any of his worksare not good, or are a violation, and not a fulfilling of the Law, only thou foolishly flamst it off with his

good works done, ad extra, and not ad intra, without only, and not within us, thy folly in which I have largely enough manifested before, but also urgest the same thy self, P. 15.1. Pamp. thus; viz. Evil works, which are the violation of the Law, d▪serve Condemnation; Ergo, Good works, that are the fulfilling of the Law, deserve Salvation, and we know no good works such (sayest thou) but Christs; and so say we too. Thus thou givest us that Question also.

And this G.W. tells thee of, and turns upon thee in his Reply to thy first so plainly, that thou dost but add to thy shame in thy Reply to him a∣gain, p. 10. of thy 2. Pamp. which begins with a flat lye, which I'le note here, now I have it in hand: I did not (sayest thou) directly affirm that good works, which are the fulfilling the Law, deserve Salvation, but that from the Rule of Contraries (which S.F. urged) we might so argue. Now if thou confess, that by that rule we may so argue, then the thing is so secundum te, or else thou canst not truly say we may so argue, and that is as direct∣ly to affirm it as one need be desired to do: So thou hast not much mend∣ed thy matter, nor by thy lye lick't thy self sound of what G.W. laid on thee; but indeed thy words, as thy self repeatest them in thy first Pam. p. 15. are directly positive, and not suppositive; for after many other positions, thou layest down that thus, viz. And again, thus the rule will allow to argue, which if it be not so, then the rule will not allow us so to argue: As to what follows in that Rep••y, as its excentrick, as to my purpose here to meddle with it, so it (as well as well nigh all thy doctrinal doings in thy second Trifle) is no more then what is by praeoccupation answer'd above in my occasional considerations of thy first, term'd the Qua. folly, to which thou referrest thy Reader so much, that thou mightst well nigh as well have said no more to the world in Reply to G.W. then thus; viz. For an answer to G.W. I refer the Reader to my Qua. folly, which he hath already answered: Therefore I shall say no more to it here.

So in those two Quest. as I have shewed, thou givest us the Quest. and then fallest in with us, in a seeming shew of fighting with us about other Quest. which we deny no more then thou, and thou thy self affirmest as much as our selves; and so is it in this Quest. about the Light: Thou con∣fessest with us, that all have seme light, but (sayest thou) the mystery of Godliness, as summed up, 1 Tim. 3. we deny all have the knowledge of: And p. 2. if your meaning be, that the knowledge of the Gospel is vouch safed by Christ to every man, either I expect your proof, or shall prove the contrary: And so upon a taking it for granted (as thy own and I.Os. manner most∣ly is) before its given thee, for no such thing did we or R.H. consent to, by speech or silence, saving thy hasty prate (and so G.W. tells thee in his Reply, to whom thou, having as little to plead in excuse of thy rash charge of us, replyest as little in proof of it) as that the knowledge of the Gospel is vouch safed to every man; for we own, as G.W. there sayes, that some are in the darkness and ignorance of the Gospel, though the Light is in them, that is able to bring them to know the Gospel, which they disobeying, and not liking to retain God in their knowledge, are blind unto. I say, taking, or rather rashly raking that for granted that was not, thou proceed'st upon that score plainly, belabouring thy self in

evincing a business that none gain-sayes, viz. that all men do not actually and truly understand the Mystery of Godlinesse and the Gospell; and as child∣ishly arguing all along, a non actu ad non potentiam, a non esse ad non posse, from mens not knowing God and Christ, that they are in no capacity, by a measure of light shining from them into their Consciences to know them.

The Mystery of Godlinesse (sayest thou) we deny, all men have the know∣ledge of; and so p. 5.1. Pamph, 'tis spoken of as a distinguishing Mercy, to know the Mystery of the Kingdome of Heaven, it was given to the Disciples, not to others, Matth. 13.11.

Rep. To which I reply, Who doubts of this? it was hid from some, and the knowledge of it given so some, not to others; but who were these some to whom given, when not to others? were they not the Disciples that learnt at the lips and light of Christ, what he taught them, and saw willingly what he shewed them; when the rest (who might else have come to know, and have had it given them to know as well as these) were such as had it declared in them, with the righteousness thereof, but that they shut their eyes, stop their own ears, lest they should see and hear that, which was contrary to their evil deeds, they were ••••ath to leave, and reproved them? But what of this, are they therefore without the Light that shew∣ed it, and the meanes of the knowledge of it? what idle arguing is here? The Mystery of Godliness as summed up, 1 Tim. 3. ult. God manifest in the Flesh, justified in the Spirit,&c. We deny as well as thou, that all men have the knowledge of, for without controversie it is great, and so great, that (saving all that knowledge thou thinkest thou hast, and wouldest be thought to have of it) it remains yet a Mystery to thy self: But what then? will it therefore follow, that all men, in case they come to his light, are not enlightened by Christ in some measure to know it? Because all are not enlightened so much as some are by Christ, and all do not know what they might know, if they hearkened to Christ, and heeded that light they have, therefore some are not enlightened by Christ at all: Here is the sum of T.D's. Arguments; and (as I shall shew anon) of I.O's I.T's. R.B's. also against the saving light of Christ's being in some mea∣sure in all men.

The consequence whereof is as inconsequent as his, who disputes from the Power to the Act, or rather from the non-being of a business, to the non∣possibility of it to be, to which from the other no wise man, nor any who is not more Sophisticos then truly Sophos will once offer to argue.

To be without knowledge is one thing, to be without the meanes of it is ano∣ther; to be ignorant of the mystery of Godliness, the Gospel, and King∣dome is one thing, and not to be (in potentia, eriam proxima) in an immediate possibility to know it, or to be utterly without any of that Light which leads to it, is another.

Men may have light to see by, and the faculty or sence of sight too, who yet may shut their eyes and not see at all: Men may have the faculty of understanding given them from God, whereby to know him, as 1 Iohn 5. He hath given an understanding, i.e. th8/6/2003 6:51PMat faculty, that we may know him, that

is true; and this all men have, the inward visive faculty (unlesse fools that are d••fective in their naturals, who yet have the faculty too, for de∣fect in it doth not nullifie it) though thou T. D. p. 4. f••••lishly and absurdly limits that as a speciall gift to ••ome only, as if the Nations of men were without the faculty of understanding, whereby to converse with spirituall objects, if revealed to them by the Light, and it be heeded; and some are in the actual understanding of him that is, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and that is indeed the special gift of God to such as walk by that light, and in th•••• light th••y have, as Iohn and Christs Disciples did and do.

And over and above that faculty they may have a light to di••cover sp••∣rituall objects to that understanding, and ••o enlighten them ••o, that they may savingly 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and yet may never come to kn••w for all ••his, in case they come not to this light, as evil ones do not, Iohn 3.19, 20. but hate it, and chuse rather willingly to be ignorant, not delighting in, but saying to God, Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes. From may be to must be is such a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sort of Sillogirt a••••tion, as is not owned in foro Academico, in the Schools of meer Animall, naturall men, much lesse of Christ and Christians. And so that men know not, see not, Therefore they may not, cannot see if they will, have neither eyes, nor light, this is as meer a non-sequitur, as to say of such as, not being willing to behold it, shut their sore eyes against the sun-shine, that therefore they have no eyes, and the Sun shines not at all upon them.

Yet this is the common Topick from whence our Divines T. D. I. O. I. T. R. B. as we shall see by and by, and in a manner all our be••ghted Doctors draw their Dreams and deeply dark Arguments against a measure of Christs saving light so shining in every one; and the (now empty) Quiver out of which they have no•• spared till they have spent all they have to shoot, too shoot their sharpest Shafts against the Quakers: Not having so much light left in them••elves, for want of walking in time by what they had, as to heed that men may know that, if they be not wanting to them∣selves, which, if they be by not trading with their Talent, they may also be as ignorant of, as they might have been knowing in.

T. D. sayes, Every man hath a light, and that light is from Christ too, wit∣ness his own saying, wherein unawares he over-shoots himself again, to the contradicting of himself, yielding up the Question to us, p. 6. 1 Pamp. expounding Iohn 1.9. viz. Christ enlightens every man that is enlightened; from which (ad hominem) I argue back upon himself, out of his own words, viz. Christ enlighteneth every man that is enlightened; this T. D. a∣serts from Iohn 1.9. But every man is enlightened, hath some light, whereby he discernes many sins, and duties, and divine attributes; this T. D. cannot deny, for this is his own, p. 1. Therefore T. D. (though to the shame, contradicting and confounding of himself he does so, yet) cannot rationally nor honestly deny what the Qua. affirm, That every man is enlightened by Christ the light of the World, and Mediator between God and man.

Indeed T. D. sayes, 'Tis but dimly, that all men discern some sins, duties, divine attributes.

Repl. To that, as its nothing to the Question, so I reply, Every man discerns them not so clearly as he might do, because he heeds not so hear∣tily

as he should do the Light that shewes them.

Its nothing whether men see and understand or no, its enough, that the Light shines into their hearts and understandings, to give the knowledge of ••••d, and so it doth in them, who are yet in darkness, and in a stare of it, for the true Light shines in the darkness, though the darkness comprehends it not, Joh. 1.5.

T. D. thinks he mends all in p. 2. of his 2. Pamp. by Eph. 5.8. Ye were sometimes darkness, but now Light in the Lord.

Rep: What then T. D. Did not the Light shine in them when they were darkn••ss, and did not comprehend it, because not turned to it, as now they were by Pauls Ministry, who was sent to turn men from the dark∣ness to the Light that shines within them, by which they became Light in the Lord? yet if your meaning be (sayest thou there, and that is our meaning indeed) that all men have the Light of the Gospel within them, only all m••n do not obey it, 'tis contrary to the Scripture.

Rep. Why so T. D? He opposes the state of darkness (sayest thou) in which they were, to their present state of light.

Rep. What then T. D? because they were in a state of darkness, had they no light shining in them, by taking heed to which at last they came out of it into a state of Light? How often shall I need to tell thee and I. O. that for the true Light, and Kingdome, and Gospel, and Righteousness to be in us (in semine, in the Seed) is one thing, and for us to be in that, is another; the Kingdome of God, even the Seed of Righteousness, Peace, Spiritual joy (as evident as the contrary seems to be to blind I. O. Ex. 3. S. 42. who there sayes, In omnibus non esse justitiam, pacem, gardrum in con∣fesso est; its evident, that Righteousness, Peace, and Joy, are not in all) was sown in the Pharisees, as the Word of God is in four sorts of ground, whereof but one, that is the honest heart, that receives it with meekness, when there implanted, inlaid, ingrasted, brings forth the fruits thereof unto perfection, though the Pharisees never entered into it, witness T. D. himself, who howbeit he joyus with I. O. in saying from Luke 17.21. The Kingdome was among the Pharisees, only in the ministry of it without (mistaking it to be en umin, as if 'twere 'twere enough against him) for entos umon, which I. O. confesses is us'd but once more in all the new Testament Text, Matth. 23.16. where it signifies the very inside of a vessel, yet joyns with me also, both against I. O. and himself too in the same place, p. 5. 1. Pamp. saying, The expression may import, that the King∣d••me, which upon a mistake (such a one (say I) as upon which our Phari∣sees look for it without them at this day) they did look for without them, was indeed a Kingdome within them; and yet he sayes, this Kingdome in them was threatned to be (and was too (say I) at last, as it shall from you) taken away from them.

How often shall we need to tell you (ye blind and deaf) that to have light shining in one is one thing, and to be in it, in a state of Light, and the children of it, is another? to have the Gospel preached in men is one thing, and for men to learn the mystery of it is another; the Gospel is preached in every creature under heaven, Paul sayes, Col. 1.23. en pase te Ktisi; yea, have they not all heard, saith he, Rom. 10.18? yes verily' (alluding

to Psal. 19.) by which allusion thou thy self also expresly confesses, T.D. p. 30. 1 Pamp. the Apostle would intimate, that the knowledge of the Gospel should be of as large extent in the publication, as the knowledge of God by the ministry of the heavens and the firmament (which is so to every individu∣al man, that there's neither speech, nor language, male, nor female, where their voice is not heard) the found is gone out into all the world, and their words (even Christs and the Spirits within, for the outward words and writings of men, preaching the Gospel thereby, have never yet extended nor reach∣ed so largely as to all men) to the ends of the earth.

Yet all have not obeyed the Gospel (saith he) no not Israel it self without, of whose having the outward Letter of the Statutes and Iudgements (which thou as sillily callest (against thy self too, as G.W. truly tells thee in a∣nother case) callest in both thy Pamphlets the Supernatural Light, or knowledge of the Gospel) thou keepest such a scraping, as if that fleshly na∣tural seed of Abraham, and their natural fleshly wayes of knowing what they know, which was little of the mystery, 2 Cor. 3. by that natural reading and poring upon the Letter, as ye also do, were the most supernatural men and means, as to the saving knowledge of the Gospel, in all the world; whereas the Iews were as meer Animal, and Naturall, as your selves, who savingly know nothing by the Letter: I say, that Israel it self obeyed not; and why not? because as husie as they were with you in their Bible, they regard∣ed not, but rebelled against the strivings of the Lord himself with them, by his Light and Spirit within; therefore (saith Paul, ver. 21. as the rea∣son render'd by God himself, Isa. 65.2.) All day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people.

Also, that they have the Light in them, who yet neither believe in it, nor are the children of it, but yet abiding in darkness, is as clear from Chrihs own words, Iob. 8.12.12.35.36. I am the light of the world, he i.e. he of the world, that followeth me, shall not abide in darkness, but have the light of Life: Walk while ye have the Light; while ye have the Light, believe in the Light, that ye may be (it seems they yet were not so, yet had a Light in them to believe in) the Children of the Light; some of which Light was come, not unto them only, but into the world also, ver. 26. That who e're believes in it might come out of darkness; and evil ones had it come to them, as well as such as did Truth, though they came not to it as the other did, else they could not be said to see and hate it; and so Christ and the Father, whose will was revealed in it, as they are, Iohn 3.20.12.48. and 15.22. 23.24.

So Christ is come by his Light (as the Sun by its beams, into some dark Dungeon) into the dark world, the dark places of mens hearts, and of the earth that are full of the habitations of cruelty, Dens of Devils, Cages of unclean and hareful birds, holds of cruel, wicked, fowl, and filthy spirits, to give life, and that abundantly, Iohn 10.10. yea, he came to the Scribes of old by his Light, not outward person only, to that end, yet they had not the Light of Life; why so? Ye hear not Gods Voice (saith he) and have not his Word (which ye put from you) abiding in you; ye search the Scri∣ptures, which testifie of me, who am the Life, and there ye look to have it, and come not unto me that ye might have life, Joh. 5.37.38.39.40.

Wisdome, Christ the Wisdome of God reproves, cryes to men in their own consciences by his own Voice, Light, and Spirit in their hearts, even to scorners, simple ones, fo••ls, that hate knowledge, and would poure out his Spirit on them, as on others; but some hearken not, hate, turn away, so are slain, and perish, not for want of warning, counsel, Light from Christ to lead, who is given as the one Leader and Law-giver to all persons and people, but for want of taking heed to him who teaches, and looking to his Law in the heart which enlightens.

Thou call'st, as I.O. does, falsly, the Letter Christs Light, and the only means that men can come to saving knowledge by, yet heed'st no more, then he to his, to thy own satisfaction, that all who have it, and look and read in it too, as the Scribes did, have not the knowledge of God and his Kingdome by it; and yet if we should say of those men that come not to Life by the Letter, therefore they have not the Letter, would'st thou not say of us, that we are mad? mutato nomine, the Argument is thine to us∣ward, as concerning Christs Light in the Conscience; yet, nunquam videns id manticae quod in tergo est, thou canst not see it.

The Corinthians had the Light shining in their hearts to give the knowledge, yet all of them had not the true knowledge of God; and that they had not, when he shone by his Light in them, 'twas their fault, else Paul could not have spoken it as he does, 1 Cor. 15. to their own shame: And this may stand as an answer to thy pedling Reply to G.W. when he urg'd from 2 Cor. 4.6. that the Light shone in the Corinthians hearts: in whose hearts (sayest thou) p. 4. 1. Pamp. not of all mankind, but of the Apostle, and some others, a small number, in comparison of the rest, who were not enlightned; and to back that thy shameful blindness, in limiting the shinings of the true Light into such a little nook, as a small number, thou boltest out much more, saying, from ver. 3.4. the Gospel is hid to them that are lost, and there are some to whom the Light shines not; not heeding (as I said before) that that may be in men, which men may hate, smoother, and hide in their own hearts, and be lost for want of the sight of, when not for want of the Light it self; that men may have the serse of sight, and the presence of light, and yet not see, but shut their eyes; that that may shine in them, which, they giving way to the God of this World to blind their minds, may not shine out un∣to them; as a Candle may shine in a Room, yet if put under a Bushel, not shine out to it, and a Talent to trade with may be given to him, who, hiding his Lords money, shall reap little profit by it, and at last have what light he had within, taken from him, and be cast forth without, into the outer darkness.

Didst never read of those, that seeing and hearing, would neither see, nor hear, nor understand, nor perceive, as they might, therefore at last should not if they would? and because thou askest in whose hearts? I say, in the hearts of some, who did not see and know; in the Corinthians hearts, so that they all had the light, and might have seen, but only that some would be ignorant, and of such sayes Paul, 1 Cor. 4. If any man will be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

And sith thou sayest, not in the hearts of all mankind: I say, yea, of all mankind, if any be exempted, it must be the Heathen that know not God,

the wicked ones, that like not to retain God in their knowledge, that have not the Law in the letter of it (according to thy Principles) but such are not exempted; for Rom. 1.19. That which is to be known of God is ma∣nifest in them, for God hath shewed it in them, even his eternal Power and Godhead, and the invisible things of God from the beginning, which (in his own light within) are clearly seen by the things which are made, for the Heavens de∣clare his glory, the Firmament shews his handy-work without, and by his light within in the understandings of men (taking occasion thereby to contem∣plate on his Greatness and goodness, as David did, Psalm 8. When I be∣hold the Heavens, Moon, and Stars, the work of thy fingers, Lord, think I, what is man (saith he) that thou visitest him? how excellent is thy Name? and such like) doth God reveal his Greatness and Goodness in regarding the sons of men.

Object. That makes for us thou mayest perhaps say; God by these Preachers without gives the knowledge of himself to the Heathen; but what is this to your light within? We confess (quoth I. O. p. 40, 41, 42. that God reveals and declares himself to us by the Works of his hands without, Creation, Providence, &c. His Works teach, and what they teach they do it in his Name and Authority, p. 44.

Repl. The Heavens, &c. declare the glory of God only passively, as Books, on which by the light within men may see and read it (as also they may in the outward letter, which more verbally, though lesse vi∣sibly declares it) but not so actively as Tutors, that make a verball discourse upon it, for that is done by the light within, by which that To••gnoston tou theou is said to be manifested more immediately by God himself in them; for howbeit the Works of God hands, the outward Creation, have a more visible stamp or character of Gods Greatnesse and Goodnesse on them, then the meer outward letter hath, that is the works of mens hands and fingers, though writing (as inspired) what they see by the light within; and the letter, and outward character thereof makes a more formall, wordy Narration of it, then the works do; yet that which most powerfully, and effectually, and actually teaches daily what the other in their respective more obscure and inferiour wayes do declare, ad extra, must be some∣thing ad intra, which falls in with, and teaches men, even the Spirit of God in the faculty of mans understanding and Conscience, and the inspiration of the Almighty, Job 32.8. that gives the wisd••m and knowledge of him, whether by, or without the other, which without the other ••an and often doth, to men born blind, give the knowledge of God, as those ad extra, can never do without this; for whatever knowledge men have of God its by it, and whatever is to be known of God by men it is, as the Sun by its own light, manifested by this of God in them only, and not by the outward seeing of a of a w••k, or writing ad extra, which cannot be seen themselves (any otherwise then as Bruits may behold them bodily) without not only the faculty of the rationall wind, which is the Eye, but the Light from God also to manifest the object to the understanding which light is not Eyes (quoth I. O. p. 77.) 'tis not the visive faculty or understanding it self, but ano∣••hing, a b••am of light communicated from the holy Spirit to the under∣standing, for the removall of the dark shades that are over the mind,

whereby it is led to see and judge of Truth, as men see by the Suns light, or else they cannot, though they have Eyes (Howbeit elsewhere, Ex. 4. S. 18. to the shamefull contradiction of himself again, I.O. sayes, this light is the Eye of the Mind; Lumen hoc est oculus mentis; and S. 3. Lux est facultas illa intelligendi, Opsis dianoias, omma tes psuches, ophthalmos dianoias; making light and sense, or the visive faculty as one, whereas before he had said, one was not the other, O Rotas!) for where both these are not, viz. Eyes and Light suitable to the object, and the one exercised, and the other improved also, deest aliquid intus, still somewhat within is lacking, either Eyes or Light, (or as 'tis in such as have not forfeited those) wil∣lingness to see when they may, and men can no more see God by the letter, nor his works without, then Beasts, that can with bodily eyes discern both the Skies and the Scriptures; and in a word, unlesse the light within ma∣nifest this, and it be heed by men also, though there be both Skies and Scriptures without, obviated to men without, and that faculty of the understanding also within, yet can men in their minds come to no more true knowledge of God, then they can without the light of the Sun with∣out, which manifests them and it self also, see the outward Sun, and materiall Heavens with the outward eye: not only the faculty of sight in the Eye, and also a light to shew the objects needful, (else, as T.D. himself sayes, a blind man might see when there is light, and a seeing man when none) but a third thing is needful too, i.e. an Eye opened to the light, and to the object, else he that hath Eyes and light too, may shut his eyes and not see it: And as whatever is to be known of God, is to be known by that light within, or not at all; so by it are men capable to see and know, taliter qualiter, in such measure as they have of the light, not only some things, sins, duties, divine attributes, as T. D. dimly and diminitively delivers him∣self about this, but also, as they grow in it by degrees, everything, as well as any of the things of God (To Gnoston) that are knowable, or to be known of him by man to his own salvation; I say, in such a degree (which va∣ries not the case) as men have of it, they may come to know all things answerably, taking head to it, and doing the Will of God as revealed in it, and that not naturally, as by the help of a naturall light (as our Natu∣ralists or meer Animall Academians call it) but spiritually, as by such or such a measure of the spirituall light, that flows, not as I.O. sains, and T.D. would fain seem to make it also, as the rationall faculty it self, a Principiis Naturae, but from God, Christ, and the Spirit into the minds of men; and in such wise as they know any thing in that, they know it spiritually, by a supernatural, and spirituall, inward, immediate Revelation of it to them by God himself, whereupon (contrary to that Vsteron proteron of our carnal, naturall, and litteral Preachers, who say that is supernaturall knowledge only, that is attained to by reading the letter, which letter with I. O. T.D. and the rest, is the spirituall light, and that but naturall which comes from Gods own Light into all mens Consciences, which Light they will by no meanes allow to be called spirituall, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 naturall) I affirm that to be but the naturall knowledge of the meer Annuall, naturall man, that is scrued out by the improvement of their naturall faculties of reading, remembring, &c. in their Academicall, Arteficiall Scrutinies into the Scripture; which

naturall knowledge (though theirs, who wrote the Scriptures, to be by immediate spirituall Revelation I deny not) abounded among the Iewish Doctors, Scribes, and meer naturall Rabbies, that stole the true Prophets words, yet knew not God spiritually by hearing his words, which are Spirit, nor by that spirituall Revelation, or inward immediate reception of ought from his own Councell, Light, and Mouth, from which only comes the true spirituall understanding, little lesse then it doth among our mo∣dern Ministers of the Letter, who, not coming to the Light, know as little of the Spirit, & of God, who is a Spirit (though they read and preach he is a Spirits from the Letter) and as little of the Mystery of the Gospell (spiri∣tually) as they.

Though then I. O. and T. D. both call the common Light in mens Consciences, whereby they know much of God, of his Will, as to mar∣ter of sin and duty, and of his divine Attributes, Iudgements, &c. and all the knowledge that comes thereby, but naturall, and call the Letter, and all the knowledge that comes now by reading of that, only spirituall; see T.D. p. 1, 2, 3, 5. of his 1. Pamph. p. 1. 3. of his second, by the Statutes and Iudgements given to Israel (which with T. D. is the outward Letter of the Old Testament) are meant the supernaturall light or knowledge of the Gospell; but Rom. 2.15. which speaks of the Light or Law in the Conscience, is spoken (quoth he) of naturall light opposed to the knowledge of the Iews. And I. O. p. 77. The Scripture is a morall and spirituall, not a naturall light: But that in all mens consciences he calls, p. 42. the light of Nature; and p. 47. where he calls that from the light a naturall Knowledge arising from the innate Principles of Reas••n, and that which is from the reading of the Letter, a supernaturall Revelation; Ex. 4. (where how to the contradiction of himself he also calls it spirituall and not naturall may appear anon) S. 15. speaking of the Qua. negant lumen hoc naturale esse aut itadici debere sed a Christo & Spiritu Christi esse, they deny this light to be naturall, on that it ought to be so called, saying, its from Christ, and the Spirit of Christ, S. 17. Lumen internum omnibus commune natu∣rale est, The Light within common to all is naturall; and so proceeds, in suo genere, to prove it: Likewise I. T. and R. B. say the same, p. 33. it is yielded, that there is naturall light from Christ, given every man: Such light as Christ, as Mediator, conferrs not on every person, but all sorts of men, is termed supernaturall: So p. 40. and elsewhere they call it, light by nature, and humane light: Yet I say the quite contrary, the Letter, and the know∣ledge it gives, is the naturall, as I have shewed above, by which wicked men, that corrupt themselves also in those things, come to know natu∣rally, and not spiritually, nor savingly the mind and will of God, ex principiis naturae, by custome, often use, and memory, &c. as brute beasts may by out∣ward observance and custome know somewhat of the mind and will of man, Iude 10 but the light in the Conscience, some of which all have, and the knowledge that comes thereby is the spirituall, supernaturall, and not the naturall light and knowledge; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this in the Power of God I trust in brief to make good against you all; though enough hath been said afore to any but such as you, that will look for more proof of it then wise men would do.

One Argument, by which its evident to all that are not blind (as ye are) that the Law in the Heart, or Light in all mens Consciences, is not naturall, and so consequently is spirituall, is even this from whence T.B. concludes it naturall, viz. because opposed to the knowledge of the Iew••: of the Iews knowledge by the Letter was but naturall; The light within, and knowledge by that being opposed to it, must be not naturall, and so consequent∣ly spirituall; but that was but naturall, for they were mostly but naturall men, and worse, as they are at this day, persecuting and opposing ever the things of God, Christ, the Gospel, and the Spirit, and all that are born after it, and have the spirituall knowledge of the mystery by it, as the naturall knowers by the Letter do at this day; and that the natur all man discernes not any otherwise then naturally, and not savingly, and so not spiritually the things of God and the Spirit, Paul tells us, 1 Cor. 2.14. and T.D. also tells us, p. 3. of his 2. Pamph. from that very Text of Paul, where he gives this irresistat••e Reason for it also, Because they are spiritually dis∣cerned.

Whence I take occasion to argue further thus; viz.

Argum. 2. That Light which gives to discern savingly (as heeded) the deep things of God and the Spirit, which none but the Spirit of God and Christ searches out, knows, and savingly reveals, and which, as to salva∣tion, are not by the naturall man, but spiritually, and by the spirituall man only discerned, who hath the mind and Spirit of Christ, must be not a na∣turall, but a spiritual and supernaturall light, and the knowledge that comes by it is not natural, but supernatural and spirituall.

But the light in the Consciences of all gives to discern the deep thing: of God, & the Spirit in some, i.e. in such a measure as its heeded, which none but the Spirit of God searches, &c.

Therefore it, and the knowledge that is by it, is not naturall, but super∣natural and spiritual.

The Mino, which our sore-named Divines do deny, is as evident to such as live in the light, as the light it self is, and not a little of it evidenced by their own handy-works who oppose it.

Two Particulars there are in it to be proved; 1. That the Light in all manifests or gives (as heeded) to discern in some measure the things of God and the Spirit. 2. That (as heeded) it manifests them sa∣vingly.

As to the first, I need go no further then your selves for witness, we have it under your own hands; T: D: p: 1: Pamph. confesses of that light, of which all men have some, that thereby all discern, not may sins only, which are the works of the flesh, which the letter sayes are manifest (not by it self, but) by the light Christ gives, Gal: 5: compared with Eph. 5•• 13, 14: but also many duties, and severall divine Attributes. Now mens duties to God, in matter of declining sin, eschewing evill, and doing good, and Gods divine Attributes are things of God and the Spirit, or else neither I, nor those who wrote the Scripture neither, know what the things of God and the Spirit are; for they tell us, that our duties of Love, Ioy, Peace, Meekness, Long suffering, Temperance, Patience, and such like, are the fruits of the Spirit, and that not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh in the sins of adultery,

fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, hatred, wrath, strife, envy, drunkenness, revellings, and such like works of it, is the fruit, effect, and issue of walking in the Spirit; and if these, Love, &c. be not things of the Spirit, excuse me if I say the Spirit which moved them to write that Gal. 5. knew not his own things himself; and if ye say that Gods Divine Attributes, Mercy, Iustice, Iudgements, Truth, Holiness, are none of his things, excuse me also, if I favour not foolish fancies so far, as to spend time, pains, and paper to prove they are to them, which is so clear, that 'twere as idle a thing to make clearer then it is, as 'twere to light a candle to shew a blind man, qui ad s••∣lem caecutire vult, that the Sun shines: And that the light doth manifest not only sins and duties, but the said Divine Attributes also, as we have had T.Ds. witness against him, so let us take I. Os. testimony against himself too, and then we shall be pretty well as to that: Which I.O. preaches it out in print in two Tongues, lest one should not be loud enough, in English thus, p. 42.43.45.46.47. by the innate light of Nature (so he calls it) and princi∣ples of the Consciences of men, that indispensible moral obedience which he re∣quireth of us his creatures, subject to his Law, is made known; by the Light that God hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men, accompanied with a moral instinct of good and evil, seconded by that self-judgement which he hath placed in us, in reference to his own over us, doth he reveal himself to the sons of men; the Voice of God in Nature (so he calls it) declares it self to be from God by its own Light and Authority, there's no need to convince a man by substantial witnesses that what his conscience speaks, it speaks from God, whether it bear te∣stimony to the Being, Righteousness, Power, Omniscience, or Holiness of God him∣self, or whether it call for that moral obedience which is eternally and indispen∣sably due to him, and so shews forth the work of the Law in the heart, &c. Those common notions are in laid in the natures of men by the hand of God, to this end, that they may make a Revelation of him, as to the purposes mentioned, and are able to plead their own Divine Original (Mark, of Divine Original here, in-laid by Gods hand, yet anon, flowing ex principis naturae) without the least strength or assistance from without; and in Latine, Ex. 4. S. 14. Non tantum mul∣tae Coinat Enn••iai, &c.—Englished thus, Not only ma∣ny common notions and principles of Truth abide fixed in the understanding, by the efficacie of which, men may discern some divine things, and discern between good and evil, but also by the help of the Conscience take heed to themselves, as concerning many duties, with respect had to the Iudgement of God, which they know they are liable to: Moreover, this Light in all at years of understanding, by the consideration of the works of God, Creation, and Providence, manifesting his Eternal Power and Godhead, and in some by the Word preached, may be im∣proved and confirmed; but how far this Light can direct, stir up, and provoke mens minds to yield obedience to God, and they by it be left without excuse, it pertains not to this place more precisely to discuss. One of the main things per∣taining to this point, about the Light to be discussed among the rest, yet I. O. I believe was afraid to thrust his fingers too far into the fire here, for fear lest pr••ying too narrowly how far the efficacy of this Light extends, he should, being forced to see somwhat that he is loath to see, both loo••e his cause, and open his conscience too wide, and therefore would wade no further there.

I need not open it to him that is not defective in his naturals, how in all this as, if not more abundantly then T. D. in that above I. O. con∣fesses, and witnesses to the truth of the first part of my minor Proposition; viz. that the Light in the Conscience of all, as heeded, gives the knowledge of those things of God, and his Spirit, which the Spirit of God only knows, sear∣ches, and shews, and reveals to such as wait in his Light, to have the mind of Christ manifested in them therein, which the natural man, by a natural light, cannot so know and di••cern. Only

Ob. If it be objected, those are the deep things of God there spoken of, 1 Cor. 2. which your Light in the Conscience of all is too shallow to search out; yea, the glorious things of the Gospel it self, the mystery of which T.D. who knows it not yet himself, for want of turning to it, sayes by that Light within, All know not, and the natural man discerns not.

Answ. That the natural man, which is he that leans to the Letter, and his own understanding, and looks not to the Lord in his own Light and Spirit in the heart, as spiritual men do, and in the doing of which, men of natural become more and more spiritual, de facto, discerns no otherwise then naturally, not savingly and spiritually, I still grant, but a non esse, ad non posse still nil valet: Our question is, how far that Light (heeded) a∣vails that way; which I affirm is so far, that according to the measure of it in men, and their attendance to it, it leads gradually (as the Light and Spi∣rit, and anointing of God is said to do, such as abide in it, as it in them) into all truth, the knowledge of the very deep things of God and the Go∣spel, a dim shallow sight of which it gives to such as turn to the least beam of it in them: E. G. the Iudgements of God, are one of the deep things of God; thy Iudgements are a great deep, Rom. 11.33. His Judgements and the wayes of it, and Wisdome of God therein, are a depth: O the depth••hewr uns••archable his Iudgements, his wayes, past finding out? No natu∣ral man, by the improvement of his natural understanding in reading the Letter can know them; Israel did not, who had the Iudgements and the Statutes in the Letter, for want of looking to the Light and Spirit any more (excepting the few spiritual ones, and children of the Light, that were ever hated among them) nay, nor so much as many Heathens that had and heeded the Law, or Light in the Conscience, yet had no Law in the Letter, but were more sottish, stupid, fearless of God, ignorant and pro∣phane, then the Heathen, among whom the Name of God was blasphe∣med for their sakes, insomuch that Paul saith, Rom. 2. the very uncircumci∣sion, as to the Flesh and Letter, doing in the Light, by which they were made a Law to themselves, by nature (not corrupt nature, as T. D. thinks, nor by the pure nature, in a measure restored, without, or abstract from the Light, the things of the Law) were better to God, then the literal professing Iew, and more just and justified, to the very judging of them, who by boasting of the Letter, and Circumcision without, broke the Law in the heart, and less lyable to wrath then the other; which shews how God counts more on obedience in Morals, Spirituals, Evangelicals, without the Let∣ter, and literals, then on all Burnt-offering and Sacrifice, and lifeless con∣formity to the Letter.

Yet the Heathen themselves, by the Light in the Conscience (though

videntes meliorae by it, they did mostly deteriwa sequi, see much, and do little) at least came to know in a measure within themselves, the very righteous Iudgments of God, that th••se that did such things as they did, are worthy of death, Rm. 1.32. And thou I.O. confessest the same in thy words above-recited, Iudicio Dei se subesse cogu scunt; and the Light with∣in, and moral instinct of good and evil by it, seconded by a self-iudgement pla∣ced in us: Yea, Ioh. 16. The Light and Spirit of Christ, the Saints Com∣forter, that walk in it, is in the Office of a Convincer to the world, of Sin, and Iudgement, & the Law, which is the Light in all, is spiritual, Rom. 7.14.

Ob. And if ye say we grant that, but what of the Gospel of the Righteous∣ness of God, and the riches of his Grace in Christ, and what of Christ can be known in that Light?

Answ. If ye will needs count the Iudgement and wrath of God, which is a depth unsearchable by any that look only in the Letter, which only tells of his wrath, or by any, save such, as, living in the Light, have come to feel it within themselves (for who knows the power of thy wrath? saith the Psalmist; none, say I, but such as waiting in the Light, have felt the weight of his hand, while Judgement and Condemnation passed on their evil deeds) I say, if ye will reckon Wrath, Iudgement, and the Mi∣nistration of Condemnation, none of the things of God, none of his deep things, nor the things of his Spirit and Gospel, because your eyes are out; but reckon it to the Law or Old Testament only, and not to the Gospel, to which yet it truly belongs, or New, which is the ministration of righte∣ousnesse and mercy: Yet I answer further, that not only Iudgement and Wrath, but the Righteousness, Salvation, Mercy, and Grace of God in Christ, and Christ himself is preached and revealed in the same Light, in which the Iudgement and Wrath is revealed; as it is the effectual work of the Law in the h••a••t, to accuse, reprove, and condemn him that doth evil; so (V••sinet Apello, I appeal to your selves, who assert it is) is it not its work to excuse, acquit, justifie him within himself, who declines the evil, and does the contra••y Good? Is there true righteous Iudgement done, where as well mer∣cy, comfort, peace, and acceptation with God is not ministred to the innocent (though Abimelech the Heathen) when they are found in integrity of heart, to Gentile as well as Iew, as terrour, r••proof, rejection, and wrath to every soul that doth evil, Iew or Gentile?

Beside, say not the Texts afore-cited, that the Spirit convinces the world of Righteousness, as well as of sin and Iudgement? and that in the same Light (which is indeed the Gospel, and call'd by Paul so, and the Power of God unto Salvation) in which the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, that withhold the truth told them by God himself, and his Light in them, in unrighteousness; the Righteousness of God also is even therein revealed, from faith to faith, among the Iust, that turn to, and own the Light, and live by faith in it, Rom. 1? I know and see how (page 3. 1 Pamp.) T: D: would make a difference, if he could tell how (that he might maintain his natural, or rather su••te, natural di••course about the meer naturalness of that Light, that shews Sins, Duties, Divine Attributes) be∣tween that one Light (say I) in which the wrath is revealed, and in which the righteousness is revealed, where in answer to that unanswerable saying

of Paul about the To Gnoston Tou Theou, when G.W. used it against him thus; Thou sayest 'tis meant of a Natural Light, whereas 'tis said to be the knowledge of whatsoever is to be known of God, Rom. 1.19. T.D. replyes thns sillily. the Apostle intends, that what might be known of God without the preaching of the Gospel, was known to the Gentiles, verse 16.17. 'Tis by the Gospel that the righteousness of God is revealed.

Rep. As if we must think the Apostle in that phrase, Whatever is to be known of God, is manifest in men, excluded and excepted the Light of the Gospel, and inward Word, of which he talks elswhere, Rom. 10. That its nigh to men in their hearts: And Col. 1.23. is preached (viz.) in every crea∣ture under heaven, and meant only some nescio quid, I know not what kind of manifestation that hath nihil commune cum Scripturis, holds no Analogy with the Scripture, because T.D. makes his shallow sensless say-so on the place, whose Reply (but 'tis his usual way, when he has nought else to say, to make what additions to, and alterations of a Text he pleases, and then to say, when there's no such matter either expressed or implyed, it intends so and so, or it intends not so, though so said; God indeed in many Texts makes offer of Salvation to all, but intends it only to a few; by All, is meant Some, by in us, in Christ, and many of the like sort) is not worth any other Reply, then to tell him, it's not worth a Rush; and G. Ws. saying to him out of Paul, stands o're T. Ds. head still, for To Gnoston, what is to be known of God, is any thing that tends to mans Salvation, without such an ex∣ception as T.D. adds, to the making of Paul there (as he does God and the Penmen in many more Texts) dissemble, like to T.D. himself, so as to speak one thing, and intend another, that destroyes the very sense of his own words.

But saving T: Ds: mis-meaning of that matter assuredly enough, the same that reveals the wrath reveals the righteousness (& retro) and that that re∣veals the righteousness is a measure of the light of the Gospel of Gods rich Grace and Goodness, that is given to Impenitents, to lead them to repentance if they obey it, and so to forgiveness and life, or otherwise to leave them without excuse, when having trifled away the time of Gods long-suffering and forbearance, in rebellion against the light, God comes in his righteous Iudgement to take full and finall vengeance upon them: Whereupon it is called the riches of Gods Goodness (which is never the lesse to them, though they perish in their wills) even to them that yet despise it, by which they are not left without faithful reproof, and warning within themselves, but are put in fair capacity for Salvation from the wrath, for the despi∣sing of which Light, that will not let them sin themselves to ruine, with∣out stopping them, till they be obstinate, they treasure up wrath to them∣selves against the day of it. Rom. 2.4.5. Despisest thou the riches of his grace, &c. not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance, &c.

Arg. That which is the riches of Gods goodness and grace to the very wicked that despise it, and perish, which would else lead them to repen∣tance and Life, must needs be a part of the Gospel, and its Light; but such is that which leaves, and is in all men, in the very wicked, leaving them inexcusable if they repent not by it; therefore that Light in all men, Iew and Gentile, good and bad, is a measure of the Light of the Gospel,

which ye puffers at it would fain shut up, from shining in common in al men, among a few such unhallowed Elect ones, and seeming Saints, as your selves; for that the Grace of God that brings Salvation, where it is, to such as put it not far from them, should be said by us, as it was of Paul, Tit. 2.11, 12. to appear to all men, is as damnable Heresie with you in us, as 'tis undeniable truth with you, as told by Paul: Yea, this ye are impatient at, that Pro∣clamation of Grace, and good will from God to all men, with true intent that all should have it, that are as willing to have it as God is they should, or otherwise then pretendedly, as you make it, should be made: And yet the Churl, that practises hypocrisie, and utters errour against the Lord, and (howbeit he sayes, Eat, O friends, drink, yea drink abundantly every one that thirsteth, Life, as well as death is freely and truly set before you, chuse Life, that ye may live, and welcome, Christ is come, that ye may have life, and that abundant∣ly) yet makes empty the soul of the hungry, and causes the drink of the thirsty to sail, by telling them that God freely proffers this to all, but in∣tends it only to a few, would be called bountiful and liberal for all this, but it must not be in the day that is coming, wherein the eyes of such as see shall not be dim, and the eye of the old Seer be darkened, the tongue of the stam∣merer tell the plain truth, and the mouth of the University Student be stopped, and the lips of the Lyar be shut up, Isai. 33.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. This common Salvation, Iude 3. ye cannot digest, 'twas wont to be said, Bonum quo c••mm••n us eo Melius: But if I should say (instead of Pe••us) Bonum quo communius eo Melius, it were not more false Latine then the tale of a ten∣der of life from God to all men, intended only to a few, is the false Doctrine of our undoctor-like Divines, which false Doctrine they contradict and confute themselves in also, if once they could see wood for trees, as fast as another can well confound them, while themselves tell us of, not only a Special, but a Common Grace, which is the common distinction of the Schools; for if it be Grace (though Common Grace) it must be a Light, a Gift, a part of the Gospel of Gods Grace, out of which Gospel no Grace is, and such a part and gift too, as must at least, by its sufficiency to save such as improve it, put all in a capacity for Salvation, and not sufficient only to leave them without excuse, and aggravate wrath and condemnation upon them, o∣therwise that Grace is no true Grace or favour, or if it be, give me none of that Grace, take you (O ye Graceless Gravers of that Grace, whose Graven Image it is, that hath a being only in your imaginations) that Grace wholly to your selves, that is given for no such gracious end or purpose, as to put men into possibility of Salvation (as upon your principles of personal Repro∣〈◊〉〈◊〉, this common Grace does not) but only to render them unavoidably lyable to sorer condemnation, and fuller wrath, then they should ever have known, had they never had it.

But what e're ye carve to your selves in your own conceits, God had 〈…〉〈…〉 to the whole world, as well as to you choice sinners, and in as fair a capacity ••••ally to partake of it are the very Heathen, who by you are rep••obated by the lump, as your Antichristian selves, except ye repe••••, ••u•••• then I••••e by your books ye have ever, yet done, to a ••ound and sin∣•••• acknowledgement of the truth: Nor did God send his Son a Light 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the w••••••, that mostly perish in their wills to any such intent, that the

world it self should be condemned, but that the world through him might be sa∣ved.

So then its no less then a measure of the Light of the Gospel it self, a dram, at least, and degree of Gods Grace, and that not natural, but spiritu∣al, supernatural, sufficient for men, and saving to such as submit to be taught by it, which from God is imparted, and by his hand (as thou I.O. speakest) indelibly implanted in the minds of all men, whereby his things, and the things of Christ, and his Spirit, come by such as wait on him in it, to be both spiritually and savingly discerned. And

Ob. If ye object yet further (as some do) we yield that what is to be known of God, his invisible things, his Eternal Power and Godhead, Divine Attributes, and our moral duties to him, in declining moral evils, and doing much moral good, as to our Creator, eternally and indispensably due, are ma∣nifested in measure by that common light, but deny that any thing of Christ still, and of the mysteries of the Gospel is so, and so its still but a natu∣ral, nor a spiritual light.

Answ. Though what I said above from 1 Cor. 2. concerning the things that eye hath not seen, &c. and the deep things of God, which must be of the mysteries of the Gospel, might suffice; yet I shall add thus much more, viz. That it savours of little less then a little of that gross darkness which is to cover the earth, and its people, when the Light of God arises upon his own, to say that God can be known in, or by any Light, in which Christ first is not known: I know this is a Riddle to you Rabbies, and may seem to all sottish Seers as a piece of a mad mans Divinity, but I dare aver it to be truth, though I can't believe many of our English Infidels will be∣lieve it, till they see it so clearly, that they cannot chuse; for how many wayes of knowing God ye may coin to your selves, in your own conceits, I care not for knowing (for more then a good many ye have) but this I know, that if the Scriptures be true (as I know they are) which ye pro∣fess to be your Rule of Tryal for all things, there is noe true way of coming to the true knowledge of God, so much as a Iudge, much less as a Father, but one, and that is neither the Scripture itself, which tells of that way, nor any thing else, but Christ himself, and his Light, to whom God hath committed all Iudgement, which Iudgement he administers by his Light, be∣fore any see his face, as a Father, in righteousness and live: He hath given forth a Light to the world, whereby to know himself, but this Light is in his Son; he that hath the Son, and believeth on the Son, in whom is the Life, and his Life is the Light of men, hath everlasting Life; he that hath not, and believeth not in the Son, hath not life, though he is capable of it, but by the Light in which he stands condemned, the wrath of God yet abideth on him: So that whereas ye say there's knowledge of God, but not of Christ, by that universal, internal light, there is in truth no knowledge of God at all, but in the Light of Christ, who bears his Image, who gives forth the Light of the knowledge of his own glory in the face of Iesus Christ: I am the way (saith he, John 14.6.) the Truth, and Life, no man cometh to the Father but by me: The Father reveals the Son in men by his Light, before he reveals himself, Gal. 1.16. So that as no man knows the Son, but he in whom the Father reveals him, so no man knoweth the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will

reveal him (as he will to all that wait and walk on in his Light) let him search ne're so long after, or in the Letter, Mat. 11.27. Ioh. 6.45.46. till he feel after him in the Light within himself, in which only God, who is not far from every man, though most men are far from him, is to be found Act. 17. No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son who is in the bo∣some of the Father, whose out-goings from thence have been from of old, Mic. 5.2. as well in a way of manifestation of the Fathers mind to men, from the be∣ginning of the world, as in way of Eternal Generation, before the world be∣gan, Prov. 8.20. to 32. though T.D. not knowing the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, knows not how to say Amen to this. See page 4. of his 2. Pamp. he it is, that by his Spirit and Light within, which the Letter only relates of, doth reveal him, Ioh. 1.18. Men must know Christ, i. e. in his Light which Cornelius was in, which is his day, that Abraham saw, whe∣ther they ever see his fleshly person, yea or nay, before they can know God, who is known in nothing but his own Light, the Son, who is known in no∣thing but his own Light, the Spirit, that comes from, and leads to him; so that to say, as a Professor of note said in a publike Assembly in Ireland, of a Friend of Truth, call'd a Qua. whom I know, having heard him speak, This man knows much of God, but little of Christ, is little less then a Bull that favours, for all the natural, literal knowledge of both, of little less then a spiritual ignorance in the mystery of both God and Christ.

And this gives me the hint to make mention of another Argument, That this Light is not natural which is in all, viz. because it comes from God and Christ into every creature, not by Crea∣tion, as the rational Soul, and its faculties of under∣standing, will, mind, memory, conscience it self do, and such properties as are, de esse hominis, whether constitutive, or consecutive, so that a man is no man at all, or hath not the essential form of a man, as distinct from the outward Bru∣tum, or Beast of the Field * 1.2 for a man may re∣main Phusicos, a natural man, or rather Psuchicos (as the word is in many places, where ren∣dred natural, as well as where sensual, 1 Cor. 2. 1 Cor. 15. Iam. 3. Iude 15.) a true animal, soul-ly man, a man that hath a Soul rational and sensi∣tive, though in its faculties defaced, clouded, darkned, benighted, and lost from the Lord, and his Light now withdrawn from him, even af∣ter the Light is kid from his eyes (as it was e∣ver at last from such (as to any life by it) who would not be led to life by it, while they had it; witness the Pharisees, and Ierusalem) and after he remains now irrecoverable for want of Light, to the primitive pure nature, which on∣ly loveth and obeyeth the Law, and delighteth truly in the Light.

The Light, then I say, comes from God and Christ into the mind and Conscience, not as the Soul, and its essential faculties of understanding, will &c. do, which with the Organical body, make that one compositum call'd man, that may be either in unity and communion with God and Christ, or in onmity and separation from them, according as he walks, or walks not in the Light that shines from them, but by way of immediate infusion from them into the mind and conscience (which of itself is a dark place, 2 Pet. 1.19. and destitute, as to the knowledge of God, without a measure of it) as a thing distinct and separable from the man in whom it is, and a witness against him, when he runs from the Will of God revealed to him in it, though eternally one with God and Christ, from whom it shines and flows (and not ex principiiis natura, as I. O. sayes) with whom it e∣ver sides, let the man go whether he will, never consenting to any, but condemning all iniquity committed by him, and counselling continually (whether heeded or no) before hand against it: And lastly; from whom it is as unchangeably inseparable, as the light beams and rayes of the Sun are from the Sun it self from whence they shine, with which they are in con∣junction still, whether this or that part of the world be actually enlight∣ned by it, or by the Moons interposing eclipsed from it, yea or no.

So that upon these considerations it can't be natural as I.O.T.D. I.T. R.B. deems it, but do nothing at all to the purpose in proof of it so to be. So that in further proof of it to be spiritual, and supernatural, and disproof of their proof-lesse position, that its natural; to save the pains and charge of laying them out at length, I lay down these following proofs, which wise men may argue out more at large, to their fuller satisfaction within themselves.

Argum. The Light in all Consciences shines thereinto from God, Christ, and his Spirit; therefore 'tis not natural, but supernatural and spiritual; for these two; viz. natural and spiritual, natural and supernatural, do tollere se invicem are inconsistently denominated of one Light, and that it is spiritual, is shew'd after also: The consequence I. O. denies not, but confirms, while himself Ex. 4. S. 15. opposes all Light that can be call'd natural, to that which is from Christ and his Spirit, * 1.3 and as for the Antecedent, that its from God, Christ, and his Spirit, is as evident from their own Confessions and Declarations; I. O. calls it the Voice of God, page 44. indeed he adds in nature, by which 'tis like he intends that which nature utters, or the voice of nature; but there is no Voice of God, which is natu∣ral to man, that I know of; he that finds out that Chimera, must have it in the nineth Chapter of no where at all, or else in the tenth of Go look it, for he will never meet with that monster in the Scripture, nor in any rule of right reason: Indeed Nature may be said to have a voice, as well that of man, who is fearfully and wonderfully made, as that of the natural, material Heavens, all which declare suo modo (ut prius) the glory of God the Maker; nor is there speech or language where this voice of nature is not heard; but that this voice of nature, is the Voice of God in the Conscience, or that Light within he speaks of; or that the Light or Voice of God in the heart, is a

Voice of God, de esse hominis, essential and natural to man, credat A∣pella.

He calls it, page 43.45. A Light God hath implanted in the minds of men, that which speaks to man from God, of a Divine Original, and such like terms as are exclusive of its being but natural (for himself pleads the Divine Ori∣ginal of the Letter, as now, which yet is not of so immediate a Divine Ori∣ginal by far, as the Light by which God speaks nigh in the heart; for at first it came to men from him through the hands of holy men, and now to us rem••tely through the hands of how many unholy men we know not, in proof of its being a true spiritual, and not a natural Light) and also exclusive of its being the mind and conscience it self, as some call it, saying, it's Conscience, it's Conscience, when as it is as distinct a thing from the mind, understanding, and conscience it shines in, and as little essential to it, as the candle is (respectively) from and to the dark room wherein it shines: But this that God by his Light within shews something of himself to all, is not much denied by you, nor are ye easily perswaded by us, but that all that is but natural still; but ye deny light in common to all, coming from Christ and his Spirit, which though I have shewed so plainly above, from Iohn 1.9.16. 1 Pet. 3.19, 20. Col. 1.23. where Christ is said by his Spirit to have strove with, and preached to the Spirits in prison, in the world of old, to convince the world, and enlighten every man in it, and the Gospel to be prea∣ched in every creature; yet a word more with you here as to this; let us see how far your selves confess to it, and deny it.

T. D. confesses, page 4.1. Pamp. or at least denies not the Gentiles to have been enlightned by Christ (as God) before his coming in that Body at Ierusalem, but it seems denyes he did, or does enlighten all (as Christ) and I. O. sings much what to the same tune with him, Ex. 4. S. 25. saying, Nihilnon naturale, nihil spirituale, nihil specialiter a Christo mediatore emanans communicatum, &c no Light that's spiritual, none but what is natural flowing, or no Light shining out from Christ (as Mediator) nothing but what men, yet destitute of all saving knowledge of him, may have without Christ, and apart from him, is mentioned Rom. 2.14.15. and Ex. 4. S. 17. Christus sub nulla, &c. Christ in no case hath vouchsafed saving light to all and every man; in all which sayings I. O. seems to confess with T. D. that God indeed, and perhaps Christ (as God) may vouchsafe to all Lucis cuasdam scintillulas, reliquias nonnullas Primitivae lucis (as he diminutively speaks) Some relikes of the first Light man was lost from, some small sparks of light, &c. to all men; but these are but meerly natural, nei∣ther supernatural, spiritual, nor saving, or sufficient to bring men (however heeding them) to any saving knowledge of God; but as for Christ (as Christ) the Mediator between God and Man; there's nothing, no Light at all that's saving, or by the best improvement of which, that can be made, they can possibly come to Salvation by him, so much as vouchsafed by him to all, or to any, but some Elect ones. Yea, Ex. 4. S. 11.12.13. Chri∣stian, &c. That Christ doth not indue; and savingly enlighten all, and every man, but some only that is the Elect, with that Divine Light (in re∣spect of which we confess him to be the Light of the world, and consequently of al men) is so ascertain'd from innumerable Testimonies of Scripture,

and the experience of all Ages, that he must even be blind and destitute of all spiritual understanding, that shall once dream to the contrary: And S. 17. Lu∣men hoc, utcunque ei attendatur, non est ullo respectu salutare sed in ribus-em∣nibus divinis, finem ultimum quod attinet, meraetenebrae & caecitas; This light howsoever attended to, is in no respect saving, but in all divine things as to the utmost end, meer darknesse and blindnesse it self: thus these men; and the same in effect is asserted by R: B: and I: T: as will appear more by and by.

I must therefore down rightly address my self, as the Lord shall lead me, not minding the method so much as the matter it self, to reply to all this stuffe, whereby T: D. and I: O: I: T: R: B: in speciall, who as Generals to other blind Guides of poor, blind people, against the Qua. strive to storm the plain Truth out of dores.

And to evince it, that some measure of that true, spiritual, and (if attended to and improved) saving Light and Grace, in respect of which he is said to be, the Light and Saviour of the World, which is spiritual Light) for in the same senses, men are said to be darkness, are they enligh∣tened (quoth I. O,) but without controversie the men, the Spirit speaks of, Iohn 1.9. were not naturally blind, but spiritually darkness) is vouchsafed, and shines from Christ (as Christ the Mediator between God and man) even to all, and every man in it.

First I shall follow on in the way I was going on in to clear it, that Christ (as Christ) the light of the world, by his light and Spirit, and not (as God only) enlightens every one, in the proof of which the rest is all concluded, though yet I may grow on to take notice of the rest in particular also.

And first I shall minister the Truth to you from that Text, which you Ministers against the Truth do so mangonize among you, as to make nei∣ther more nor lesse then just as many meanings of, as ye are men; for between you Four there are Four senses put upon it, whereof though some of them, in terminis, are true enough to serve Truths turn against you, yet as ye mince your matter in the minds, and as ye mean and wrest your own true words, as well as the Text it self, the wrong way, there is never a one of all four that falls fully upon the white.

That Text is, Iohn 1.9. That was the true light, which enlightens every man coming into the world.

That the true Light here spoken of is Christ, and the light that comes from him, which Iohn Baptist, a shining light in his season, but inferiour to him, was not, but only bare Testimony to, in whom is Life, and whose Life is the light of men, that shineth in that darkness, which comprehends it not; and so consequently not a naturall, stuens ex••••••piis naturae, much lesse as natural to man as his Intellect, Mind and Conscience it self, as I. O. sayes that Light which all have is, (Ex. 4. S. 18. Lumen h•••• est naturalis propria & niseparabilis mentis & conscientiae vis & efficazia; eculus (and yet, p. 77. light is not eyes) & acies me••tis est. St lumen hoc non 〈◊〉〈◊〉 naturale, neque intellectus neque mens neque conscientia homin naturalis est) and insufficient, but a spirituall, supernaturally and all sufficient Light to save all ••••ch in whom it is, in case they believe in it, is a truth, which as it is

undeniable in it self, so I never yet met with any, Minister or other, that was so deeply darkened as to deny: Yea I. O. positively affirmeth it to my hands, Ex. 4. S. 24. Lucem & illuminationem quarum hic loci mentio facta est Spirituales esse a••que ad renovationem gratiae, non naturales atque ita ad creationem pertinere apparet, &c. It appears that the light and illumina∣tion, mentioned John 1.9. are spirituall, and pertaining to the renewing of Grace, not natural, and pertaining to the Creation: So that were there as little as there is much to be said beside, all those particulars (if the universality of it hold but as well from the latter part of the verse) stand proved without any more ado: the Question then which alone we are concerned to en∣quire into, is, Whether this Light (which, as I. O. sayes, Ex. 4. S. 19. non est salutare cum sit naturale, so I contrary, non est salutare cum sit salutare) be so common to all, that every man that cometh into the world be enlightned with it in some measure, yea or no?

Now we have the expresse words of the Spirit on our side, and are sure enough (as to our selves) that we have the mind of Christ in them also, which is but one; but on their side are their own senses, minds, and meanings, which are so many, even no lesse then four to that one of ours, which most properly answers to the words, so that if they can't carry it by weight, yet they hope to have it by number, and chuse to out-word us since they see they cannot out-weigh us, hoping that several senses may well stand and take place against one single one; but as a dram of ho∣nesty, and naked simplicity, is to go further then a deal of subtilty, and hypocrisie in the dayes that are coming, so one of the Qua. proper constructi∣ons of Scripture will be preferred by honest people before a four-fold impro∣per one of the Priests imposing: The Qua. are in possession of the plain Terms of the place, and of that meaning which most properly answers to them, saying, That by every man coming into the world, is intended, ho∣nestly and plainly, truly and properly, without dissimulation, every man in∣deed, as 'tis there expressed, and that the Spirit meanes nakedly and truly what he sayes; these stand proking, pelting, and stickling, with a company of stones, and sticks, and strawes to storm the Qua. out of the strong Hold they have in it.

1. As for T. D. he lets fly out of the Devils Bow (in which he shoots, which L. H. hath unstringed and enervated not a little as to many false matters of fact he charges the Qua. with, by his discharging at them out of it) no lesse then three severall senses, or senseless shafts, viz, two p. 6 and one p. 36. of his 1 Pamph. every of which has truth in it, as to the termes he utters himself in, but so false, as he pinchingly intends by by his own words, that all three of them, put together, do not reach far enough to make up the whole truth, that is there intended, and so by short shooting he loses all.

His first sense is this; viz. That Christ enlightens every man that is en∣lightened.

Repl. So say I; that makes for us, that is every man without exception; for thus I argue (shooting back T. Ds. Arrows against himself, who over∣shot himself in one sense as much, when he gives this sense to that place, in his words, by which he gives us the cause, as in his minde he under∣shoots

the Truth in another, for he meanes not by them (though his phrase imports it) that every individual man is inlightned.

Christ enlightens every man that is enlightned. But every individual man is enlightned. Therefore Christ enlightens every individuall man.

The first Proposition is T. Ds. own; the Minor, viz. That every man is enlightned with some light, is his own grant also, p: 1: where he sayes, We grant, that every man hath some light, by which he discernes many sins, and du∣ties, and several divine attributes: So that let his meaning be what it will, if he meanes as he sayes, (as it is fit he and and every honest man should, and as the Spirit does) we have his own words, as well as those of the Text, on our side also against himself; therefore T. D: if he own himself, must (of all men) own the Conclusion, viz, That Christ enlightens every individuall man.

2. Whether T. D. saw any advantage he had given us by this sense thus expressed, or no, it matters not; but expressing his mind, as to the inter∣pretation of this Text, p: 36: there he adds a clause, by which he imagines he mends the matter, and so he does, as much as one that makes it never the better; for there he shoots out his sense thus, That Christ enlightens eve∣ry man, who is (spiritually) enlightned.

Repl. Which is very true, yea so say I again; but this Arrow does no execution against us, nor that universal sense in which we expound the words, according to the universality of their expression; of which it is no way at all exclusive; for what though Christ enlightneth every man that is spiritually inlightned, it doth not follow (unless T. D. had said, as its like he meanes, but that his sayings and meanings so seldome agree together, that he measures the Spirit also by himself, as saying one thing, and meaning another, and so would set the Spirits words and the Spirits meanings at odds, and together by the eares against themselves) Christ en∣lightens only such men as are spiritually inlightned.

Nor secondly, if he had said so, would it have followed, that every in∣dividual man is not enlightned, for of a truth every individuall man is not only enlightned, but also spiritually enlightned; for he that is enlightned to discern spiritual things, good or bad, spiritual wickednesses or spiritual righteousness, many sins, and duties, and divine attributes, which are all spiri∣tuall objects, and some of them some of those things of the Spirit, which the meer natural man, without the Spirits revealing, cannot know, because they are spiritually discerned, that man must be spiritually enlightned; so out of a better Bow then the Devils, even that of Iosephs, which abides in strength, I shoot back T: Ds: second Arrow again, thus against himself, as that which hath done us no harm, howbeit he meant it otherwise, it being in his mind to have mischief'd the Truth: viz. Christ enlightens every man that is (spiritually) enlightned, witness T:D: p: 36: but every individuall man is more or lesse even (spiritually) inlightned, i. e. to discern spiritual objects, which by the Spirits revealing them only, and not naturally, but spiritually only, or by the Spirit are to be discerned, witness T:D: again p: 1: therefore Christ inlightens every individuall man.

3 T: D: who hath mostly two, hath here a third string to his Bow, left the two first should not hold, from which he shoots thus, viz. He en∣lightens some of every Nation, Kindred, Tongue, and People, as the phrase is Rev. 5.9.

Repl. And this, however he meanes pinchingly, yet is true too, in terminis, that Christ enlightens some every where, a number in all Nations, as he ex∣presses it over again p. 36. for the termes (all) and (every one) are conclu∣sive continually of (some) but that Arrow reaches not far enough to wound our universal construction, so long as the termes (some) (a number) (many) without a (but) put to them, whereby to bolt out othersome which is wanting here (though elsewhere added and by and by to be talkt with) is not exclusive of all men, of every man, nor of any man; and so his bow and bolts shoots too short to hit the Butt still: Nor is the Phrase Rev. 5:9: which T: D: in his fancy, fellows, and Identifies with this in Iohn 1:9: like it in any wise, for one is (enlightens every man in the world) the other (Redeemed us out of every Nation, &c.) were it, Redeemed every man in every Nation; and made every man in every Nation: and Kindred, &c. a King, a Priest to God, &c. then it had been somewhat nee•• a Kin to it in∣deed.

Thus T: D: by his single self, with all his sharpest shafts, or sorry shifts, can make nothing stick to the gaining of any ground against us, nor so much as to stirre us a hairs breadth from our interest in it, much lesse to storm us out of the strong Hold we have in that high place of Scripture, wherein the Qua. stand over the head of the Serpent, to the bruising of it: Let us see (sith vis unita fortior) what the joyned forces of him and I. O. together can do, for they two, who fight as under from that Text in some of their several senses against the Qua. fall in together in one of their four or five senses (even that which hath the least sense and rea∣son in it of all the rest) and so of two make one most senselesse head a∣gainst the Qua. and the Text, and the Truth, or true sense of the Spirit, no lesse plainly imported and implyed to any, but that darkness which com∣prehends not the true light when it shines in it, then it is plainly end evi∣dently exprest therein.

That sense I shall joyn issue in against them both at last, but there lies on single sense of I: O: wherein T. D. joyns not with him, wherewith I. O. shoots out of the same Bow, as hard as he can, against us; though too short to hit or hurt us, the which must be shot back again upon himself first, in the service of the Qua. and the Truth, which it serves perfectly, while not at all themselves, nor their own false doctrine, and then I shall have the more Field-Room to fight them both in about the other.

The sense of I. O. which is not only his own neither (though T. D. appears not to own it with him) for I have seen others besides as himself seeking to shuffle off the Truth with it, is this, viz. Christ coming into the world inlightens every man; and this sense seems to be ushered in with a deal of p••mp and ceremony, as if I: O: was confident of carrying the cause by it, when it first Center'd within his conciet, and so intended to act his Triumph over the Qua. before his effecting of the victory: I shall set down some of his triumphant matter, wherein he marches on towards the Text,

where he meets us, and make some occasionall notes on some crosse whets to himself, and halts, and inter-feeres he makes by the way.

I.O: Videan••us porro quid contra garriunt Fanatici, ut que operam dent quacum ratione aliqua insanire videantur, &c. Ex. 4. S. 23, 24. Lets see (quoth he) what the Quakers prate to the contrary, and how they do their best to shew that they are not mad without some Reason; but they bring no new thing, they are old worn out Arminian matters they bring, a thousand times confuted already: they have nothing more frequently in their mouth then those words concerning Christ, John I.2. They never make a more horrid out-cry, then when they come upon this place; here they fain wonderfull triumphs to themselves, and not a little cast ignominy on their adversaries.

Repl. No otherwise, I say still, do we reproach, then as the Virgin of Sion, Isai. 37.21, 22. Despised, laughed to scorn, shook her head at the inso∣lent filliness of the haughty Assyrian, that reproached, blasphemed, exalted his voice and lifted up his eyes on high against the Holy One of Israel, in his Truth and People, o're whom he looked so superciliously, as if he would pluck them out of Sion by the eare••, when he was not so much as to shoot an Arrow, that should reach to do any execution there: No otherwise then as plain Ephraim, the people, and the honest hearted Sons of Sion are at this day, in the Spirit and Power of the Lord; to be raised against thy silly-seemingly-wise Sons, O Greece, and to be made against you Greekish Scribes and Dispu∣ters of this world, as the Sword of a mighty man, and a polished Shaft, and his Bow, and Arrows, and Battel-Axe in his hand, to beat down, aud break in pie∣ces the Horse and his Rider, and, as the Potters Clay, the works of them that turn Gods things upside down, so that it shall be said, Where is the Scribe? where the Disputer •• where is he that counteth the Towers, &c. Mich. 5. per totum, Zach. 9, 10: per totum: Isai. 33. 1 Cor. 1. And thanks be to God, who alwayes maketh us thus to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the sa∣vour of his knowledge by us in every place: which ye Doctors and Divines cloud and darken with your di••, dry Divinity, for we are unto God (though a stink to your unsavory selves) a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish through their hatred of the light that enlightens every of ••homs, without an illumination by which there were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to them for rejection of it: neither are we as the many 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that hu••ksterin•••• and deal decei••fully about the Word of God, for their own self ends, but as of sincerity, as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ, 〈…〉〈…〉

J. O. They say that Scripture Speaks of Christ, he therefore is the light, Christ is the light, and moreover be inlighteneth not this and that man only, but every man that comes into the world, that is, all men, and every individual of them, neither could anything be affirmed more clearly.

Repl. Neither could it in truth, but that the selfish Seers are all blind, and its ni••ht unto them so that they cannot divine.

I. O. That the Scriptures are to be interpreted (extorsimus) we have enforced it from own Adversaries.

〈…〉〈…〉 w••ll do 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thou say, extorsimus, we have wrested it from them by force 〈◊〉〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉〈◊〉 own the interpretation of the Script. (which is no way of any procure interpretation) may be interpreted by the same publick Spirit of

God that gave it forth, and by those that open it in the light of that Spirit; yet we never yielded it to you yet, nor never shall, that the Scripture is to be opened by that dark, private, narrow, selfish, sottish spirit of Satan, that in you lusts to envy against the truth; nor by that fallible Spirit that ye are searching the Scripture, and preaching out of it by, who your selves deny any man (as is above shewed) to be in these dayes guided by any infallible direction of the infallible Spirit of God: for that fallible Spirit of yours, which leads you into as many meanings on it well nigh as ye are men that meddle with it, (and more too sometimes, one man putting two or three senses (as T. D: doth) and two men no lesse then four be∣tween them, as I.O. and T. D. on one Text) does but make such a nose of wax of the Scripture, as may be and is too (whereby ye may see what a steady Rule ye have of the Letter without the Light) turned and twined by every of you into his own turn; till (as the Picture that every Passen∣ger had liberty with a Pensil to mend, what he thought and fancied to be amisse in it as he passed by, at last became a mishapen Monster) so the Scripture is scrued into such a multiformity of mens monstrous meanings, that he must be monstrously blinded indeed, within a while, who will not see a necessity of a more stable Standard to measure Truth by, then a tran∣sient, much mistranscribed, much more mistranslated, most infinitely misinterpreted Text, Letter, or outward writing can ever possibly be, which more stable Standard is that of the infallible Light and Spirit, not (as I. O. judges it must needs be, if not the letter) that pretended unerring Popes breast and bo∣some, and his infallible chair.

J. O. The sense of this place comes now in question.

1. Christ is light, to wit, in the same sense in which we have shewed God is light; he is light in respect of his essentiall Majesty, Holiness, and Glory; also he is light quatenus, &•• as he is the Fountain, Author, and Cause of All light, that is essentially, and efficienter, as the efficient of it.

2. Christ is said to be the light of men, not that light which is in men; he is the cause of all light, not all light, not that accidental and corrupt light, whereof we speak.

Repl. O yes, hear all manner of people, who is so blind (but I: O: him∣self, who is in suis Tal••••) as not to see how I: O: gives up his Cause by the way, while he is but upon his triumphant march toward the Text, before he touches it, whereabout the pitcht Battel is to be.

The grand Question, about which his Quarrell with the Quake••s is, is, Whether Christ as an Efficient doth enlighten all men, yea, or nay?

That all men have some light, are in some measure enlightaed within them∣selves, to discern sins, duties, divine attributes, moral good; and evill, the things of God and themselves, this is not denied, but abundantly affirmed by T: D: and I: O: specially, who oft o're and o're tell us of a Voice of God by which he speaks so in all men, that there is no need of other witness to evince it, that its God that speaketh; by which he reveals his Will, and that obedi∣ence which from us is eternally indispensably due to him, and abuudance more id genus, as abovesaid, then is fit or needfull here to be repeated•• Only the case sticks here, whether this come from God only or from Christ also (n•••• as God alone, but) as the true light of the World? whether Christ be the Effi∣cient,

Fountain, Author, Cause of this universal light, that is confessed to be in common in all men, without exception of any (unlesse Infants, and naturall fools.)

We say yea; Christ the true light of the World is the Cause of all that M••ght, whereby anything of God is to be known by them, that is at all in any, or all men.

T.D. & I.O. say no such matter; they'l fight with us before they'l yield to that, that Christ as the Cause enlightens all men; and we stand upon Iohn 1.9. Out of that strong Hold I. O. draws nigh in a very audacious, daring way to storm us; but behold, as T. D. in other cases, in ipso lumine, he stum∣bles at the threshold, before he euters the Garrison where our Guard is, he yields, falls down, and flatly consesses 'tis so as we say, in the••e words which are his owns Christus lux est eodem sersu quo Deum lucem esse demon∣stravimus. &c. Christ is light in the same, sense as we have shewed God is light: * 1.4 How is that? Thou mayest read it, Reader abundant∣ly in I. Os. 42, 43, 44, 45: p. where he shews how God enlightens, speaks in, shews himself and will, and their duty, even to all men in their own hearts and conscien∣ces. But what sayes he here? Expresly thus, As God, so Christ is light, not only essentialiter in regard of his own Majesty, Holiness, Glory, but effici∣enter also, quatenus omnis lucis sons, &c. as he is the Fountain, Author, and Cause of All light, he is the light of men, that is the Cause of All light: So then I. O. before he comes to the fight upon the place, sides with us against I: O: and his fellow T: D: so farre, as in effect to argue thus, viz. Christ is the Cause of all light, there is none but what he is the Efficient, Author, and Foun∣tain of, from whence it comes. But there is some light in every individuall man, therefore that light which is in, and where with every individual man is enlightned, is from Christ, as the Efficient, Cause, Fountain, and Author of it; and this is like T. Ds. confession, that Christ enlightens every man that is enlightned at all: which is no lesse then to ••ay, all men without excep∣tion.

Thus far hath I. O. confessed, and fail'd in his way to the attempt, and he had as good have lain still where he lay, as ri••e up again and fall; yet up again he gets to the Text itself, and from that he assaults us, Andabata∣••um more, blindly, and in the dark, on this fashion.

Non dicitur Christum, &c. J. O. It is not said that Christ enlightneth every man coming into the world, but that he coming into the world enlightens every man; for which sense, besides the Latine Tongue, he all along assaults the Qua. in, he repeats it o're in Greek also.

Rep. Itane? Is it so I. O. indeed as thou sayest? will it hold and carry itself clearly in thy own conscience, and singly, as in the fight of God, when thou readest the words in that order, wherein in the very Greek they stand in the Text, without shuffling and twinkling, that the Particle E••chomenon, coming, must relate to that word and Substantive that is furthest of all from it in the Text; i.e. to To P••gs, and not to that which it im∣mediately follows, and is joyned to, not only in order of place, but of construction; i. e. to Panta Anthropo••; that thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so positive and pe∣remptory in putting that drossy guilded gloss upon that Scripture? I do

not deny but that Erchomenon Eis Ton Cesmon, if it stood as neer to To Phos, as it does to Panta Anthropon, might (as to the Syntax) as well agree with that, as its evident by the placing of it, it rather now agrees with the o∣ther; were it En To Phos To A••ethinon Erchomenon Eis Ton C••smon O Photizei Pava Anthropon; as it is Panta Anthropon E••chomenon, &c. I would say more then I will now, in way of yielding to thy meer will, which thou standst for, more then Truth in this matter (howbeit, even then, as thou shalt see by and by, unless thou wilt still shut thy eyes, thou wouldst not have the strength of a straw more by it toward thy cause) but as now it is, I summon thee from the Lord God, and in his Name and fear, to read it o're once more solemnly, as in his sight and fear, before thou have run thy full Career yet into condemnation, and see whether it sway not that way we say, and be not cogent in thy own conscience to the very contrary, as to the c••ooked construction thou makest of it; being perswaded, that if preju∣dice have not already blinded thee well nigh perfectly to thy Perdition, that thou wilt rather consent to the sense wherein all Translators that ever I read of that Text into the English Tongue at least, and Expositors too (un∣less some two or three, who with thy self in these dayes, have happened to find and insist upon that silly sense, and conceited crotchet against the Qua.) do as one man agree to render it against thee, and with the Qua. viz. That was the t••ue Light which enlightneth every man coming, or every man that cometh into the world; and if thou wilt be so blind and obstinate, as in thy malice against the Truth and Qua. to withstand the whole current of Tran∣slators and Commentators, whom thou canst not but commend above thy self (as I veri••y believe not one of an hundred of those Schollars that are yet eminity to the Qua•• will do with thee, for all that esteem thou would••t stand in for One among them) yet what wilt thou get by the bu∣sness when all is done? Wilt thou gain one grain of ground against us by it, if we should give and grant thee to read it thy own wrested way, as we will not? Nay verily, though thou hast got nothing by thy naming of such a thing, but disadvantage to thy self many wayes; yet we (as thou shalt see) who will loose as little as thou getrest, as to the cause in hand, shall improve it to our advantage against thee more wayes then one, or then thou who mostly makest more hast then good speed, a••nt well a∣ware of; and indeed, as men that meddle to mend old Kettles that are fit for nought, do oft, instead of stopping one hole, make two; so hast thou by medling this way to mend thy bad matter against the Qua. made more work for thy patching self; so that with all thy ••inking and thinking, thou wilt never fasten thy tackling (which thou hast loosed by it) so well, but that at last it will all drop to pieces.

For first, Let it be noted down upon the score before all the world, how this I. O. rather then he will not maintain his malicious ends against the Qua. and the rich Gospel of Gods Grace, and true Doctrine of the uni∣versality of it, held out by them from God (not in pretence, dissimula∣tion, and mockage, as themselves do, saying, God offers life to all, but intends it only to a few, but in truth) will maintain that the Translators most, if not every one of them that have translated the Scripture into English for the use of poor people, have done not only ignorantly and blindly, but abusive∣ly

also, to the Text, and to this whole Nation to this day; for if there be one English Bible throughout the Nation that reads it otherwise then thus, as the Qua. read that Text, viz. The true light which enlightens every man coming, or that comes into the world; Let him that doubts go look it; I here profess I never saw any of our Translations, which were done by as wise heads as I.O. that ever Englisht it his way. 2. He disparages the grave Doctors and Commentators that himself so much accounts on; for Qui•• legi•• hae? who reads and expounds as I. O. does? vel duo, vel n••mo, some two, or none; but none that ever I saw of any, either An••ient or modern Expositors, of any nore or credit among themselves. 3. And so still he preaches it out, how by the Doctors, Scribes, and Scriblers about the Scri∣pture, the poor people•• and rich too of the Nation, that understand no•• H••∣brew and Greek, are abused, nosed, gulled, and befooled, being fain to be of that Faith still about the Scripture, and sense of the Scripture it self, which is their Rule of Faith, as their Pha••isaical•• Fathers are of, believing (as they do at Rome) as their Church, alias Clergy believes; who, if they hap∣pen to be out (as they are•• seldome in, unless Out be In with them, as In is Out with T. D.) the people, whose eyes all, as of one man, should be, as the true Israels are, Zach. 9.1. toward the Lord, being towards their Spiri∣tual Lordships the Clergy, do all as one man erre after them, and drop together in gross with their blind guides into the Ditch: And whereas all have hi∣therto (following the old Interpreters, who say the truth with the Qua••.) read that Text thus, The true Light enlightens every man that comes into the world; they (if I.O. may have his will against the Qua.) must now read o∣therwise.

4. Suppose we should for Tryals sake (and no otherwise will we) grant thee that the Greek Text, in respect of the words, as they may be construed, may equally bear I. Os. construction, as well as that of the Qua. and of most or all Translators and Interpreters hitherto, does not this then overturn the whole business thou so much buslest for throughout thy book, viz. the Greek and Hebrew Texts, being such a sure, fixt, steady, stable, infallible, un∣changeable, inalterable Rule, Canon, Measure, Touch-stone, Standard, for all Truth to be tryed by, and all Spirits, Lights, even that infallible one which gave it out, as well as any other, the infallible guidance of which thou deniest to be now in the world, or to be the stable Rule, Standard, or Direction about Do∣ctrines, Duties, &c. for verily if it be so, as in some places it is confes•• by me to be so far more clearly then in this (viz. Iob. 5.39. where Ereunate may be read either Indicatively, as a Complaint, Ye search the Scriptures, and look for life there (which is Christs mind there) or Imperatively, as a Com∣mand, Search ye) that one and the same phrase in the Greek may bear ••ivers constructions, from which, being differently construed, according to mens meer different conceits upon them, may arise not only various 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣ons and senses (such as T. D. gives when he sayes, it is either 〈…〉〈…〉, of else perhaps it may be so, and the word or phrase may import so, and may im∣p••rt so, &c. up and down in his book) but also such as are even contr•• y, contradictory, and absolutely destructive one to another; must not he then p••t out the eyes of men first, that makes them believe that which I. O. con∣tends and spends himself throughout his whole Book about, that not the

Light, Spirit, Word, and Truth of Christ in the Hearts and Consciences of men, nor any immediate Vision, or Revelation, of the old inalterable, infallible, eternal Will and Truth of God to man in his own heart, as he waits at Wis∣domes gates, at Gods own Mouth for counsell, is to be the Rule, but such an uncertain, doubtful, fallible, flexible thing as an external Text and Letter, that may be, and is, turned twenty wayes, and made to stand even in one verse many wayes at once, according as men in their foolish, vain thoughts are minded to thrust it? Art thou so benummed I. O. and hardened against this Truth, that the Light is the Rule, and not the Letter, that because the Quakers rell it thee, against whom thou art risen in wrath, therefore thou wilt not believe it, no not though preached to thee by thy own mouth, hand, and pen, as well as theirs? Quid cum iis agamus qui cum revera sinta∣deo infeliciter stupidi ut nulla neque ratione neque experientia erudiri possint, quasi tamen ipsi soli superent, vanaperswasione siderati, in contemptu eorum quae non intelligunt audaciter persistunt, atque cum Comicoillo clamant, dicat quad quis∣que volet nos exhae opinione non dimo vebimur, Ex. 2: S. 28. Read that to thy self I. O. if thou canst tell how, and see how thou loosest thy ground a∣gainst us one way, while thou seekest to gain against us another way by thy extortion of the Text, and thy playing Legerdemane about the Let∣ter.

5. Suppose we should (as for tryals sake again we will, not otherwise; for our Nay is stronger then thy Tea, as to this place) give thee thy own reading of that Text wholly to thyself, Jet's see what thou canst make of it against the ••ue lights enlightning every man, which is the thing thou deny∣est, and wouldest disprove by it: Nempe To Pan, hoc est, vere nihil; just as much, and not a jot mere then thou had •••• before: If thou wilt not read it the true way; ••ake it then in thy own, and make thy best on'r: The true light coming into the world enlightens every man; here is thy reading, which a∣mounts not to one attome more against every mans being enlightned with the true light, then if thou quietly, without quarrelling with the Quakers, read'st it with them thus; The true Light enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world: for it still proves, that every man in the world, since the true Lights coming into it, is enlightned by it: and all that thou thyself con∣cludest and entailest at the end of thy tale about it, is no more then an ex∣clusion of that part of the world that died before Christs fleshly coming into it, from being mentioned in this Text; for so run the words of thy Conclusion; (Ex. 4. S. 24. Ad maximam ideo partem humani generis, quaesci∣licet ante adventum Christi in mundum fato functa fuerit, non pertinet haec assertio.)

Therefore to the greatest part of mankind, namely, such as died before Christs coming into the World, this Assertion appertains not.

Repl. In which Assertion of thine, thou, according to the manner of Errour, which is a Quick-sand that, when men are once in it, sucks them in further, art sunk more over head and eares then before, considering thy meaning of thy own words: for how beit (if rightly understood) there are no men that ever lived or died in the World, who had a being in it be∣fore Christ and the true Light of the World, or Word, of which it is said, Iohn 1.1, 2, 3. It was in the beginning with God, and was God, and (as God) is not

denyed by any of you to have enlightened all men from of old before that Juncture ye count from, and by which men and all things were made, so that without it not any thing was made that was made, in which was the life, which life was the light of men, which shineth in the darkness (even the wicked, who are yet darkness) though not comprehended thereby. Yea, to the Wisdome of God, 1 Cor. 1. That leads men in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of Iudgement, that it may cause those that love it to inherit sub∣stance, and fill their treasures, was the very beginning of Gods way, was set up from everlasting, and in being when the heavens and earth were founded, and esta∣blished, rejoycing in the habitable parts of the earth, and delighting in, and light∣ning the sons of men, ever since there were men, and blessing those that at∣tended to him, Prov. 8.20. to the end; and in all ages entering into holy souls, made them friends of God and the Prophets, Wisd. 7.27. And so thy Fancy and Falsity falls to the ground, who speakest as if Christ, as Christ, the Wisdom of God, and true Light of the World, did not enlighten any before that Ensa••co sun as thou speakest, or appearance of him in that flesh that died at Ierusa∣lem, for he was in the being of a true light to the World, though slain as a Lamb in men from the very foundation thereof, and such as walk'd in the beames of that which came from him, came up to the sight of his day, and glory, with rejoycing, as Abraham and others did, Isai. 6. and was the Christ, or Anointed One of God, to the doing of his Work, and shewing of his Will in the World, before any Letter was written of him, and before he assumed to himself that outward appearance wherein he died (or else how did Moses suffer the reproach of Christ in his dayes, who lived so long afore that bo∣dy, ye only know him in, was born? and how did Christ preach by his Spirit in Noahs dayes, if there was no Christ then come? 1 Pet. 3.2) and was the same light that he now is to the world; and so it is said in the Text thou so much talkest on, but that thou readest it at randome, as thou dost the rest; for its said, that was the true Light (in praeterito) which enlightneth (in presents) every man that cometh into the world, that which was the light be∣fore his coming in that flesh, that is the light which now enlighteneth (as it did then) every man, and that that it was it ever will be, O On, kai O En, kai O Erchomenos, Rev. 1.8. he that before then was come, and then came, and is come, and comes, and is to come, from the beginning to the end, the first and last, the light of men, and life of such as will be lead by him to it, the only way for all that have life to walk in, whose light all they that hate, love death.

Yet if it were so (as God forbid, for then what became of not only the rebellious part of the world, but of Abell, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, &c. were it so) as thou sayest, that to the greatest part of mankind, to wit, that whole part (so thy words import) that died before Christs coming into the World, which thou countest but from the period of some one thou∣sand six hundred years upward, this saying, that the true light enlightens them, relates not: I wonder what light thou deemest then they were en∣lightened by, if not the true Light? for God is the true Light, and the Spirit is the true Light, and if thy Letter were the true Light, which it rather only came from, yet those, who lived before that, had it not; or were they en∣lightned with any accidental, false, corrupt light? for such a One thou

speakest of in the foregoing Section, saying, Christus est lux, non ill •• accidenta∣lis & corrupta, de qua loquimur; Christ is light, not that accidental, corrupt light, of which we speak; where if by (We) thou meanest thyself and thy fellows, tell us what light that is? but if thou mean thyself and the Quakers, what e're thou speakest of, I know no such Monster, as a corrupt light, that the Qua. either own or speak of, for they own and know no other light (whatever may falsly pretend to that name of light) then that which is pure, uncor∣ruptible, and uncorrrupted.

2. However if no man till about one thousand six hundred years ago were enlightened by Christ the true Light, yet it's enough for us that thou grantest every man to be enlightned by Christ the true Light since that time; let them before stand or fall to their own Master, the Quakers call men to that Light they are now enlightened withall; and that every man is en∣lightened by his coming into the world at that time, thou affirmest from the Text, taken thy own way, and dost not hitherto, in thy own interpre∣tation of it, deny, though afterward thou denyest it with a witness, and T.D. too, who witnesse both to that same false sen••e upon the Text before hinted at, and now to come under consideration, and it is this:

Ex. 4. S. 24. He horum verborum sersus est cum omnes homines essent merae tenebrae, &c. Tois (quoth I.O.) is the sense of these words, when all men were meer darkness, and blind to heavenly things, the Son of God, the eternal Word, the eternal Light coming into the world, sent the holy Spirit to enlighten Some of these men that were by nature darkness, and so was made the Light of them.

Respondemus ideo (quoth I.O.) per omnem hominem non omnes & singulos intelligi debere s••d qu••s vis tantum, &c. hoc est Syncate gorema istud Omnis, non absolute, sed relate ad electos dicitur prout aliis locis innumeris usurpatur, &c. By every man, not All and every individual person must be understood, but Some only; All is not spoken absolutely of All, but with relation to the Elect, as it is used in innumerable other places, Col. 1.6, &c.

And Ex. 4. S. 13. Christum non amnes & singulos sed quosvis tantum, hoc est electos, luce hac peyfundere atque salutariter illuminare ita certum est ex innu∣meris Scripturae Testimoniis, & emnium seculorum experientia, ut caecus sit oppor∣ret & omni spirituali intelligentia destitu••us qui contrarium vel unquam somnia∣verit: That Christ doth not with this divine light indue and enlighten All and every person, but some only, that is, the Elect, is so certain, from innumerable Testimonies of Scripture, and the experience of all Ages, that he must needs be blind and destitute of all spiritual understanding, that shall ever so much as once dream to the Contrary.

And S. 17. Christus nulla sub consideratione lumen salutare omnibus & sin∣gulis ir dulsit. Christ under no consideration both vouchsafed Saeving light to A••l and every man.

In these and the like expressions we have I.Os. both opinion in this point, and his sense on this place, and his meaning on this Clause (every man) and in all this T:D: joynes in one with him against the Qua. both as to the universality of the saving Light of Christ, whom God hath (as the Qua. truly assert, according to Isai. 42.6. 49.6.) given for a Covenant to the People,

for a Light to the Nations, that he may be Gods Salvation to the ends of the earth: And the same strait-lacing, pinching, and particular sense he puts upon those most universal terms (All) and (every man) in that place, Iob. 1.9. and many others, witness his Answer to R.H. who truly told him thus, the Scripture sayes, Everyman, and thou sayest, But some: Who shall be belie∣ved, Thou or the Apostle? thou makest John a lyar: No such matter, quoth T.D. I make not the Apostle a Lyar, for the indefinite phrase hath a restrained sense, as elsewhere in the Scripture, Christ tasted death for every man, Heb. 2.9. when as he died but for a certain number.

And as for I. Tom and R. Baxt. (which two heads that knock so hard against each other about Baptisme, make but one hasty head to push against the Qua. and the true Light, in that Book of I.T. publish't by R. Bax. ••••il'd. True Old Light Exalted, &c. many blind passages whereof are here animadverted, in which piece of work of theirs there is (as there is in I.Os.) not only Light, but more or less in one place or other all sorts of Light treated and tasted of, yet little or no Light at all found, but rather a meer mist of darkness) these two (I say) are neither less bold, nor less blind, then the other two in their confused opposition of this eminent Truth, viz. the universality and sufficiency of Light or Grace from Christ in men to save them (if they take heed to it) from both transgression and condemnation, about which I shall ••et down so much of that their book, as whereby it may appear how far they are contradictory to the Qua. and then shew how all of them (who yet speak out no other then the sense of the whole Bro∣therhood of the personal, particular Electionists, that deny the general love of God, and his gift of Saving Grace to all men) are therein no less contradi∣ctory to the Truth: And for as much as R. Baxt. is found justifying of what ever is said by I.T. falsly in that foresaid book, I do R.B. no wrong in my judging them both for it in my Reply, if R.B. had not (as he hath) vented out his vehemency of blind zeal in his Epistle so ridiculously, as to ex∣cuse such as accuse him of ignorance and errour, in words enough of his own, for which I.T. not only mutually justifies him, but All-to-be-reve∣rences him also, as R.B. does him, and most Divines do each other mutu∣ally, when they joyntly roar out their rude reasons against the Truth, though they rather tear and rend, then reciprocally reverence one another, when they open at each other about their own Opinions. To let pass then their unanimous impatient prittle-prattle against the Qua. as Popish, and promoting the Papists Interest, as savouring of Popery, Polagianism, Armi∣nianism, Socinianism, page 36. and such like stuff and strange out-cryes, with which the Clergy ever fills poor peoples minds, to the rendring of them ill-affected to Friends of Truth, as Anti∣Scripturisme, Enthusiasm, Fanaticism, &c. ha∣ving dealt with I.O. and T.D. already about that trish-trash of our being Iesuits & Papists, * 1.5 to which I refer them all, who, eodem cum idis herentes luto, found it out to the same tune a∣gainst us in that and the rest; Arminiana sunt omnia jamdudum profligata; they are all Arminius his matters (quoth I.O.) Arminia•• points (quoth T.D.) thus they stun

mens minds, not knowing that Arminius (though deem••d and doom'd an Heretick by that Divine and domineering denunciation of the Divines at D••rt) was as no less learned, so full as holy and honest as them∣selves.

Letting pass also abundance of other lyes and abuses of the Qua.* 1.6 sundry of which call a∣loud for a Rod of as rough reproof as the rest have had, for the backs of both Tombs and Bax∣ter, among which I shall here hint at no more then that of R. B. in his Epistle concerning Iame; Nayler, which (as he sayes) is regarda∣ble, and so say I to R. Bs. shame, who so basely belyes Iames Nayler therein, representing those words at large, wherein I.N. renounces those unclean Spirits that are gone out, to the dishonour of God by many wild actions, from the unity of the Truth, and Light into which the Qua. are called, gathered, and in which they abide, as if there∣in I. N. had written a Recantation of all that e∣ver he wrote against R. Baxter, and others, for the Truth held out by the Qua. and as if I. N. had for ever renounced the Qua. as unclean spirits, and Ranters, and such like; when as its most evident to any but the blind, that as I. N. still iustifies the Truth and Light, and all the Qua. that abide in it, and to which by the Grace of God he now stands a true and faithful servant, so that his Recantation and Renunciation, is of no other then of that old Spirit of the Ranters, which makes head against the Light of Christ, condemning fil∣thiness in every conscience, and Life of the Cross, which (however ma∣ny may turn away from, as they did of old) yet many thousands of Qua. continue walking in to this day.

But I say, passing by all I: T: and R: B: gross abusiveness of this sort against the Qua: of that Vniversal Light, and sufficient or saving Grace of God to all, which the Qua: testifie to, they assert thus; Bax: Ep: p: 7: Their great pretence, when they dishonour the Scripture, and the Ministry, is to lead men to a Light, or Word of God within them•• and this is their cry in our Assem∣blies and our streets [Hearken to the Light and Word within you] and the sufficiency of this they clamorously defend, and accuse••us grievously for contradict∣ing them, &c. So p: 34: Out of the Principles of those men (viz: Pela∣gians, Arminians, &c.) these People (meaning the Qua) have drawn, their Tenet of an Vniversal Light in every man that cometh into the world, without Bibles, Preachers, Church-Communion, Christian Ordinances, to know his duty so as that he may be perfect, which is indeed the reviving of old Pelagianism, or worse, and tends to the making of Christian Religion, if not all Religion whatsoever unnecessary.

Sol: 35:36: by way of complaint against the Qua: they say, This is their conceit, that every man that cometh into the world, even the Gentiles that have not the Letter, yet have from Christ a Spiritual Light, &c. That eve∣ry one hath a Light within him, or there is such Revelation imparted to

every man in the world, that if he would use it, he might come to saving knowledge: This Vniversal Light is so magnified by G. Fox, that he tells us it shews all the ungodly wayes that ever a man hath acted in, with it a person will come to see Christ the Saviour of his Soul, from whence the Light comes to save him from his sin, it brings to Christ, to confess him, gives the knowledge of the God of the world that rules in them that are disobedient, this Light gives the knowledge of the Glory of God, the true knowledge of the Scriptures, its one in all, they that come to, and love it, come into fellowship one with another, out of this they are in jarrs and confusions, it lets see Sin that hath separated from God, and the Mediator, and the Kingdome of heaven, and lets men see they must be meek and humble, keeps from errour, guile, all distra∣ction, distemper, drunken thoughts, imaginations, and a mans own reasonings; its the Gospel, the first Principle of pure Religion; they that profess to believe the Scriptures, in God, in Christ, yet believe not in this Light, deny Christ; and though they profess some of Christs and the Apostles words, yet none confess Christ, but who confess the Light; that they who teach not this, are Teachers of the world, Antichrists, Deceivers, &c. the Letter, i.e. Scripture is not the Light, nor the Word: More to the same purpose is (say they, and truly enough, say I) delivered by G. F. Hubberthorn, and many more, insomuch that Fa••nworth saith, Loving the Light, it will guide you to God from all men, that ye need never look at man more.

And page 37. They i.e. Qua. assert: 1 That there is a Light in every man: 2 That this is sufficient to guide them to God of it self: 3 That it is a Rule to shew duty and sin: 4 That there need no other teaching of man: 5 That this is one in all: 6 That it is the Gospel. This is the main prop of the new Antichristian Religion, or frenzy of the Qua.

By all which its plain, that these Four do as one man withstand and re∣sist this Truth the Qua. testifie, concerning the general love and Grace of God in Christ Iesus to all mankind, i.e. every individual man, in their above ci∣ted sayings, so far as to give them All any such measure of saving Light, as puts them but into a possibility for life, if they never so well improve it, and the universality of a Light in men, sufficient to save them; or (which is all one) the sufficiency of that Light to save from sin, which is asserted by the Qua: to be in some measure given by Christ universally to all men.

I shall therefore address my self to a little farther examination of what the Scriptures declare for, and our Four Divines, against the Truth of God in these particulars, whose oppositions of it are much what from the same grounds, and those no other then the same that are made use of by all personal Electionists, to push at that precious Doctrine of the general Love of God to the Whole World, in vouchsafing some measure, of no less then truly saving Grace universally to all, and every individual in it, or of Light, sufficient to lead to life such as follow it, to each particular person among mankind, so that not any perish for want of the Love of God and Christ to them, or of willingness in God and Christ to have them saved, or of true strivings of their Holy Spirit with them, to draw them from the way of death, or of Light sufficient to lead them out of that darkness that de∣stroyes them, or of Power and Saving Grace given them from God to work

out their own Salvation, or of Christ the Saviours dying for them, and offering himself a Ransome for every one, as well as any one, or of suffi∣ciency in him to save such as come to God by him, or of true tender of life, peace, and Reconciliation with God to him, or of true purpose and intent in God and Christ to receive them to mercy, on condition of their repen∣tance, or of space given them to repent in and return, or upon the ac∣count of any particular, personal P••••destination, or R••p••bation of them to condemnation per saltum, peremptorily, inalterably, before they were born, without reference had to impenitency in ungodliness foreseen, or upon any such like considerations, as our Divines hold forth, but meerly through their own slighting of that Love, resistings of the foresaid stri∣vings, despising of the riches of that Grace, long-suffering, and forbearance, re∣fusing to be led to Repentance by that Light, and by it to come to that Saviour from whom it comes, not turning at the reproofs of it, not improving the said Gift of the Power of God, and manifestation of the Spirit given to profit withall, not putting themselves forth according to the measure of it in them, but receiving it in vain, not trading with the Talent, but trifling a∣way the acceptable time, the day of Gods Salvation, the day given to them, wherein the Lord would hear and succour them, not minding therein the things that make for their peace, till hid from their eyes: These, and such like, as fall out only on mans part, who remains in the Enmity, when God is in Christ reconciling, not imputing trespasses to the world, but as the world goes on obstinately therein, destroying themselves (whilst in God still is or was their help, nevertheless, whether they hear or forbear, live or die, be saved or damned) are the sole causes of mens destruction and perdition, who perish not at all according to the Will of God, desiring it should be so, if (salva veritatis, voluntatis, immutabilitatis, & justitiae glo∣ria, without violation to his Iustice, Truth, and purely good, and immutable will, which is, that the godly shall prosper, and the ungodly perish) it may be otherwise, though yet permitting it so to be, when there is no remedy.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Opportet mendacem es∣se memorem.
• * 1.2

  Though in the Antitypi∣cal sense 'tis true enough, that some men not turning to it, being deprived of it at last, for not improving that measure of it, more or less, which as a Talent they were instrusted to trade withall at first, Mat. 25. become, as to the things of God, as blind and bruitish, and short of what those men are that arise out of the fall by it, and beastial Image of Satan, into the Image of God again, who at first created them upright, as the bruit beasts of the field, which are figures of man in the fall, as to the things of the ani∣mal, or natural man, a•••• s••••rt of him.
• * 1.3

  Negant lumen hoc na∣turale esse aut ita dici debere, sed a Christo & Spiritu Christi esse.
• * 1.4

  Ex. 4. S: 24:
• * 1.5

  See Baxt. Epist. The principal work of Papists and Quakers is to take off people from the holy Scri∣pture, and from the refor∣med faithful Ministers.
• * 1.6

  Of like sort with those of Underhill, and Blome, in the Fanatick History, who with ground of shame enough (if he were not past it) having found a Legend of Lyes, collected out of T. Ds. and others books against the Qua. by he knows not whom, dedicates it, toge∣ther with his own Ha∣man-like desires, to have them forcibly supprest, un∣to the King.