ways to lessen or derogate from the Atonement and Sacrifice of Jesus
Christ_; but on the contrary do magnify and exalt it. For as we believe
all those Things to have been certainly transacted which are recorded
in the Holy Scriptures concerning the _Birth_, _Life_, _Miracles_,
_Sufferings_, _Resurrection and Ascension of Christ_; so we do also
believe that it is the Duty of every one to believe it to whom it
pleases God to reveal the same, and to bring to them the Knowledge of
it; yea, we believe it were _damnable Unbelief_ not to believe it, when
so declared; but to resist that holy Seed, which as minded would lead
and incline every one to believe it as it is offered unto them, though
it revealeth not in every one the outward and explicit Knowledge of
it, nevertheless it always assenteth to it, _ubi declaratur_, where it
is declared. Nevertheless as we firmly believe it was necessary that
Christ should come, that by his Death and Sufferings he might offer up
himself a Sacrifice to God for our Sins, who his own self _bare our
Sins in his own Body on the Tree_; so we believe that the Remission
of Sins which any partake of, is only in and by Virtue of that most
satisfactory Sacrifice, and no otherwise. [Sidenote: _That Remission
of Sins is only and alone by Christ._] For it is _by the Obedience of
that One that the Free-gift is come upon all to Justification_. For
we affirm, that as all Men partake of the Fruit of _Adam_’s Fall, in
that by Reason of that evil Seed, which through him is communicated
unto them, they are prone and inclined unto Evil, though Thousands of
Thousands be ignorant of _Adam_’s Fall, neither ever knew of the Eating
of the Forbidden Fruit; so also many may come to feel the Influence of
this Holy and Divine _Seed_ and _Light_, and be turned from Evil to
Good by it, though they knew nothing of Christ’s coming in the Flesh,
through whose Obedience and Sufferings it is purchased unto them.
And as we affirm it is absolutely needful that those do believe the
History of Christ’s outward Appearance, whom it pleased God to bring to
the Knowledge of it; so we do freely confess, that even that outward
Knowledge is very comfortable to such as are subject to and led by
the inward _Seed_ and _Light_. For not only doth the Sense of Christ’s
Love and Sufferings tend to humble them, but they are thereby also
strengthened in their Faith, and encouraged to follow that excellent
Pattern which he hath left us, _who suffered for us_, as saith the
Apostle _Peter_, 1 _Pet._ ii. 21: _Leaving us an Example that we should
follow his Steps_: And many Times we are greatly edified and refreshed
with the gracious Sayings which proceed out of his Mouth. [Sidenote:
_The History is profitable with the Mystery._] The _History_ then is
profitable and comfortable with the _Mystery_, and never without it;
but the _Mystery_ is and may be profitable without the explicit and
outward Knowledge of the History.
[Sidenote: Quest. 5. _How Christ is in all Men._] But _Fifthly_,
This brings us to another Question, to wit, _Whether Christ be in
all Men or no?_ Which sometimes hath been asked us, and Arguments
brought against it; because indeed it is to be found in some of our
Writings that _Christ is in all Men_; and we often are heard, in our
publick _Meetings_ and _Declarations_, to desire every Man to know
and be acquainted with _Christ in them_, telling them that _Christ is
in them_; it is fit therefore, for removing of all Mistakes, to say
something in this Place concerning this Matter. We have said before,
how that _a divine, spiritual, and supernatural Light is in all Men_;
how that _that divine supernatural Light or Seed is_ Vehiculum Dei; how
that _God and Christ dwelleth in it, and is never separated from it_;
also how that, _as it is received and closed with in the Heart, Christ
comes to be formed and brought forth_: But we are far from ever having
said, _That Christ is thus formed in all Men, _or_ in the Wicked_: For
that is a great Attainment, which the Apostle travailed that it might
be brought forth in the _Galatians_. Neither is _Christ in all Men_ by
Way of _Union_, or indeed, to speak strictly, by Way of _Inhabitation_;
because this _Inhabitation_, as it is generally taken, imports _Union_,
or _the Manner of Christ’s being in the Saints_: As it is written, _I
will dwell in them, and walk in them_, 2 _Cor._ vi. 16. But in regard,
_Christ is in all Men_ as in a _Seed_, yea, and that he never is nor
can be separate from that _holy pure Seed_ and _Light_ which is _in
all Men_; therefore may it be said in a larger Sense, that he is _in
all_, even as we observed before. The Scripture saith, _Amos_ ii. 13.
God _is pressed down as a Cart under Sheaves_, and _Christ crucified
in the Ungodly_; though to speak properly and strictly, neither can
_God be pressed down_, nor _Christ_, as _God_, be _crucified_. In this
Respect then, as he is _in the Seed_ which is in _all Men_, we have
said _Christ is in all Men_, and have preached and directed all Men to
_Christ in them_, [Sidenote: _Christ crucified in Man by Iniquities._]
who lies crucified in them by their Sins and Iniquities, that they may
_look upon him whom they have pierced_, and repent: Whereby he that
now lies as it were slain and buried _in them_, may come to be raised,
and have Dominion in their Hearts over all. And thus also the Apostle
_Paul_ preached to the _Corinthians_ and _Galatians_, 1 _Cor._ ii. 2.
_Christ crucified in them_, [Greek: en hymin: εν ὑμιν], as the _Greek_
hath it. This _Jesus Christ_ was that which the Apostle desired to
know _in them_, and make known _unto them_, that they might come to be
sensible how they had thus been _crucifying Christ_, that so they might
repent and be saved. And forasmuch as Christ is called that _Light that
enlightens every Man, the Light of the World_, therefore the _Light_
is taken for _Christ_, who truly is the Fountain of _Light_, and hath
his Habitation in it for ever. Thus the _Light of Christ_ is sometimes
called _Christ_, i. e. that in which Christ is, and from which he is
never separated.
§. XVI. _Sixthly_, It will manifestly appear by what is above said,
that _we understand not this Divine Principle to be any Part of Man’s
Nature, nor yet to be any Reliques of any Good which _Adam_ lost by
his Fall_, in that we make it a distinct separate Thing from Man’s
Soul, and all the Faculties of it: Yet such is the _Malice_ of our
Adversaries, that they cease not sometimes to calumniate us, as if we
preached up a natural Light, or the Light of Man’s natural Conscience.
Next there are those that lean to the Doctrine of _Socinus_ and
_Pelagius_, who persuade themselves through Mistake, and out of no ill
Design to injure us, as if this which we preach up were some natural
Power and Faculty of the Soul, and that we only differ in the wording
of it, and not in the Thing itself; whereas there can be no greater
Difference than is betwixt us in that Matter: For we certainly know
that this _Light_ of which we speak is not only distinct, but of a
different Nature from the Soul of Man, and its Faculties. [Sidenote:
_The Faculties of Man’s Reason._] Indeed that Man, as he is a rational
Creature, hath Reason as a natural Faculty of his Soul, by which he can
discern Things that are Rational, we deny not; for this is a Property
natural and essential to him, by which he can know and learn many Arts
and Sciences, beyond what any other Animal can do by the mere animal
Principle. Neither do we deny but by this rational Principle Man may
apprehend in his Brain, and in the Notion, a Knowledge of God and
spiritual Things; yet that not being the right Organ, as in the second
Proposition hath more at length been signified, it cannot profit him
towards Salvation, but rather hindereth; and indeed the great Cause
of the Apostasy hath been, that Man hath sought to fathom the Things
of God in and by this natural and rational Principle, and to build
up a Religion in it, neglecting and overlooking this Principle and
Seed of God in the Heart; [Sidenote: _Anti-Christ in the Temple of
God._] so that herein, in the most universal and catholick Sense, hath
_Anti-Christ in every Man set up himself, and sitteth in the Temple
of God as God, and above every Thing that is called God_. For _Men
being the Temple of the Holy Ghost_, as saith the Apostle, 1 _Cor._
iii. 16. when the rational Principle sets up itself there above the
Seed of God, to reign and rule as a Prince in spiritual Things, while
the Holy Seed is wounded and bruised, there is _Anti-Christ in every
Man_, or somewhat exalted above and against Christ. Nevertheless we do
not hereby affirm as if Man had received his Reason to no Purpose, or
to be of no Service unto him, in no wise; we look upon Reason as fit
to order and rule Man in Things natural. [Sidenote: _The Divine Light
and natural Reason distinguished._] For as God gave two great Lights
to rule the outward World, the Sun and Moon, the greater Light to rule
the Day, and the lesser Light to rule the Night; so hath he given Man
the Light of his Son, a Spiritual Divine Light, to rule him in Things
Spiritual, and the Light of Reason to rule him in Things Natural. And
even as the Moon borrows her Light from the Sun, so ought Men, if
they would be rightly and comfortably ordered in natural Things, to
have their Reason enlightened by this divine and pure Light. Which
enlightened Reason, in those that obey and follow this true Light,
we confess may be useful to Man even in Spiritual Things, as it is
still subservient and subject to the other; even as the animal Life
in Man, regulated and ordered by his Reason, helps him in going about
Things that are rational. [Sidenote: _The Light distinguished from
Man’s natural Conscience._] We do further rightly distinguish this
from Man’s natural Conscience; for Conscience being that in Man which
ariseth from the natural Faculties of Man’s Soul, may be defiled and
corrupted. It is said expresly of the Impure, _Tit._ i. 15. _That
even their Mind and Conscience is defiled_; but this Light can never
be corrupted nor defiled; neither did it ever consent to Evil or
Wickedness in any: For it is said expresly, that _it makes all Things
manifest that are reproveable_, Ephes. v. 13. and so is a faithful
Witness for God against every Unrighteousness _in Man_. [Sidenote:
_Conscience defined._] Now _Conscience_, to define it truly, comes from
[_Conscire_,] and _is that Knowledge which ariseth in Man’s Heart,
from what agreeth, contradicteth, or is contrary to any Thing believed
by him, whereby he becomes conscious to himself that he transgresseth
by doing that which he is persuaded he ought not to do_. So that the
Mind being once blinded or defiled with a wrong Belief, there ariseth
a Conscience from that Belief, which troubles him when he goes against
it. [Sidenote: _Example of a_ Turk.] As for Example: A _Turk_ who hath
possessed himself with a false Belief that it is unlawful for him to
drink Wine, if he do it, his Conscience smites him for it; but though
he keep many Concubines, his Conscience troubles him not, because his
Judgment is already defiled with a false Opinion that it is lawful
for him to do the one, and unlawful to do the other. Whereas if the
Light of Christ in him were minded, it would reprove him, not only for
committing Fornication, but also, as he became obedient thereunto,
inform him that _Mahomet_ was an _Impostor_; as well as _Socrates_ was
informed by it, in his Day, of the Falsity of the Heathens Gods.
[Sidenote: _Example of a_ Papist.] So if a _Papist_ eat Flesh in
_Lent_, or be not diligent enough in Adoration of Saints and Images,
or if he should contemn Images, his Conscience would smite him for it,
because his Judgment is already blinded with a false Belief concerning
these Things: Whereas the Light of Christ never consented to any of
those Abominations. Thus then Man’s natural Conscience is sufficiently
distinguished from it; for Conscience followeth the Judgment, doth not
inform it; but this Light, as it is received, removes the Blindness of
the Judgment, opens the Understanding, and rectifies both the Judgment
and Conscience. So we confess also, that Conscience is an excellent
Thing, where it is rightly informed and enlightened: Wherefore some of
us have fitly compared it to the Lanthorn, and the Light of Christ to a
Candle: [Sidenote: _The natural _Conscience_ compared to a _Lanthorn_,
and the Light of Christ is a_ Candle.] A Lanthorn is useful, when
a clear Candle burns and shines in it; but otherwise of no Use. To
the Light of Christ then in the Conscience, and not to Man’s natural
Conscience, it is that we continually commend Men; this, not that, is
it which we preach up, and direct People to, as to a most certain Guide
unto Life eternal.
_Lastly_, This _Light_, _Seed_, &c. appears to be no Power or natural
Faculty of Man’s Mind; because a Man that is in his Health can, when
he pleases, stir up, move, and exercise the Faculties of his Soul; he
is absolute Master of them; and except there be some natural Cause or
Impediment in the Way, he can use them at his Pleasure: But this _Light
and Seed of God in Man_ he cannot move and stir up when he pleaseth;
but it moves, blows, and strives with Man, as the Lord seeth meet.
[Sidenote: _The Waiting upon the Movings of the Light and Grace._] For
though there be a Possibility of Salvation to every Man during the Day
of his Visitation, yet cannot a Man, at any Time when he pleaseth,
or hath some Sense of his _Misery_, stir up that Light and Grace, so
as to procure to himself Tenderness of Heart; but he must wait for
it: Which comes upon all at certain Times and Seasons, wherein it
works powerfully upon the Soul, mightily tenders it, and breaks it;
at which Time, if Man resist it not, but closes with it, he comes to
know Salvation by it. Even as the Lake of _Bethesda_ did not cure all
those that washed in it, but such only as washed first after the Angel
had moved upon the Waters; so God moves in Love to Mankind, in this
Seed in his Heart, at some singular Times, setting his Sins in Order
before him, and seriously inviting him to Repentance, offering to him
Remission of Sins and Salvation; which if Man accept of, he may be
saved. Now there is no Man alive, and I am confident there shall be
none to whom this Paper shall come, who, if they will deal faithfully
and honestly with their own Hearts, will not be forced to acknowledge
that they have been sensible of this in some Measure, less or more;
which is a Thing that Man cannot bring upon himself with all his Pains
and Industry. This then, O Man and Woman! is the Day of God’s gracious
Visitation to thy Soul, which if thou resist not, thou shalt be happy
for ever. This is the Day of the Lord, which, as Christ saith, [68]_is
like the Lightning, which shineth from the East unto the West_; and the
[69]_Wind _or_ Spirit, which blows upon the Heart, and no Man knows
whither it goes, nor whence it comes_.
[68] Mat. 24. 27.
[69] John 3. 8.
§. XVII. [Sidenote: Quest. 7.] And lastly, This leads me to speak
concerning the Manner _of this Seed_ or _Light’s Operation in the
Hearts of all Men_, which will shew yet more manifestly how widely
we differ from all those that exalt a natural Power or Light in Man;
and how our Principle leads above all others to attribute our whole
Salvation to the mere Power, Spirit, and Grace of God.
To them then that ask us after this Manner, _How do ye offer from
the_ Pelagians _and_ Arminians? _For if two Men have equal sufficient
Light and Grace, and the one be saved by it, and the other not; is it
not because the one improves it, the other not? Is not then the Will
of Man the Cause of the one’s Salvation beyond the other_? [Sidenote:
_The Light’s Operations in Order to Salvation._] I say, to such we
thus answer: That as the Grace and Light in all is sufficient to save
all, and of its own Nature would save all; so it strives and wrestles
with all in order to save them; he that resists its Striving, is the
Cause of his own Condemnation; he that resists it not, it becomes his
Salvation: So that in him that is saved, the working is of the _Grace_,
and not of the _Man_; and it is a Passiveness rather than an Act;
though afterwards, as Man is wrought upon, there is a Will raised in
him, by which he comes to be a Co-worker with the Grace: For according
to that of _Augustine_, _He that made us without us, will not save
us without us_. So that the first Step is not by Man’s working, but
by his not contrary working. And we believe, that at these singular
Seasons of every Man’s Visitation above-mentioned, as Man is wholly
unable of himself to work with the Grace, neither can he move one Step
out of the natural Condition, until the Grace lay hold upon him; so
it is possible for him to be passive, and not to resist it, as it is
possible for him to resist it. So we say, the Grace of God works in
and upon Man’s Nature; which, though of itself wholly corrupted and
defiled, and prone to Evil, yet is capable to be wrought upon by the
Grace of God; even as Iron, though an hard and cold Metal of itself,
may be warmed and softened by the Heat of the Fire, and Wax melted
by the Sun. And as Iron or Wax, when removed from the Fire or Sun,
returneth to its former Condition of Coldness and Hardness; so Man’s
Heart, as it resists or retires from the Grace of God, returns to its
former Condition again. I have often had the Manner of God’s working,
in order to Salvation towards all Men, illustrated to my Mind by one
or two clear Examples, which I shall here add for the Information of
others.
[Sidenote: _The Example of a Diseased Man and the Physician._] The
first is, _Of a Man heavily diseased_; to whom I compare Man in
his fallen and natural Condition. I suppose God, who is the great
Physician, not only to give this Man Physick, after he hath used all
the Industry he can for his own Health, by any Skill or Knowledge of
his own; as those that say, _If a Man improve his Reason or natural
Faculties, God will superadd Grace_; _or, _as others say,_ That he
cometh and maketh Offer of a Remedy to this Man outwardly, leaving it
to the Liberty of Man’s Will either to receive it or reject it_. But
He, even the Lord, this great Physician, cometh, and poureth the Remedy
into his Mouth, and as it were layeth him in his Bed; so that if the
sick Man be but passive, it will necessarily work the Effect: But if he
be stubborn and untoward, and will needs rise up and go forth into the
Cold, or eat such Fruits as are hurtful to him, while the _Medicine_
should operate; then, though of its Nature it tendeth to cure him, yet
it will prove destructive to him, because of those Obstructions which
it meeteth with. Now as the Man that should thus undo himself would
certainly be the Cause of his own Death; so who will say, that, if
cured, he owes not his Health wholly to the Physician, and not to any
Deed of his own; seeing his Part was not any Action, but a Passiveness?
[Sidenote: _The Example of _Men_ lying stupified in a dark _Pit_, and
their _Deliverer.] The second Example is, _Of divers Men lying in a
dark Pit together, where all their Senses are so stupified, that they
are scarce sensible of their own Misery_. To this I compare Man in his
natural, corrupt, fallen Condition. I suppose not that any of these
Men, wrestling to deliver themselves, do thereby stir up or engage one
able to deliver them to give them his Help, saying within himself, _I
see one of these Men willing to be delivered, and doing what in him
lies, therefore he deserves to be assisted_; as say the _Socinians_,
_Pelagians_, and _Semi-Pelagians_. Neither do I suppose that this
Deliverer comes to the Top of the Pit, and puts down a Ladder, desiring
them that will to come up; and so puts them upon using their own
Strength and Will to come up; as do the _Jesuits_ and _Arminians_:
Yet, as they say, such are not delivered without the Grace; seeing the
Grace is that Ladder by which they were delivered. But I suppose that
the Deliverer comes at certain Times, and fully discovers and informs
them of the great Misery and Hazard they are in, if they continue in
that noisome and pestiferous Place; yea, forces them to a certain Sense
of their Misery (for the wickedest Men at Times are made sensible of
their Misery by God’s Visitation) and not only so, but lays Hold upon
them, and gives them a Pull, in order to lift them out of their Misery;
which if they resist not will save them; only they may resist it. This
being applied as the former, doth the same Way illustrate the Matter.
Neither is the Grace of God frustrated, though the Effect of it be
divers, according to its Object, being the _Ministration of Mercy and
Love_ in those that reject it not, but receive it, _John_ i. 12. but
the _Ministration of Wrath and Condemnation_ in those that do reject
it, _John_ iii. 19. [Sidenote: _A _Simile_ of the Sun’s melting and
hardening Power._] even as the Sun, by one Act or Operation, melteth
and softeneth the Wax, and hardeneth the Clay. The Nature of the Sun is
to cherish the Creation, and therefore the Living are refreshed by it,
and the Flowers send forth a good Savour, as it shines upon them, and
the Fruits of the Trees are ripened; yet cast forth a dead Carcase, a
Thing without Life, and the same Reflection of the Sun will cause it to
stink, and putrify it; yet is not the Sun said thereby to be frustrated
of its proper Effect. So every Man during the Day of his Visitation
is shined upon by the Sun of Righteousness, and capable of being
influenced by it, so as to send forth good Fruit, and a good Savour,
and to be melted by it; but when he hath sinned out his Day, then the
same Sun hardeneth him, as it doth the Clay, and makes his Wickedness
more to appear and putrify, and send forth an evil Savour.
§. XVIII. [Sidenote: _All have Grace sufficient for Salvation given
them of God._] _Lastly_, As we truly affirm that God willeth no Man to
perish, and therefore hath given to all Grace sufficient for Salvation;
so we do not deny, but that in a special Manner he worketh in some,
in whom Grace so prevaileth, that they necessarily obtain Salvation;
neither doth God suffer them to resist. For it were absurd to say,
that God had not far otherwise extended himself towards the Virgin
_Mary_ and the Apostle _Paul_, than towards many others: Neither can we
affirm, that God equally loved the beloved Disciple _John_ and _Judas_
the Traitor; yet so far, nevertheless, as none wanted such a Measure of
Grace by which they might have been saved, all are justly inexcusable.
And also God working in those to whom this Prevalency of Grace is
given, doth so hide himself, to shut out all Security and Presumption,
that such may be humbled, and the free Grace of God magnified, and
all reputed to be of the free Gift; and nothing from the Strength of
Self. Those also who perish, when they remember those Times of God’s
Visitation towards them, wherein he wrestled with them by his _Light_
and _Spirit_, are forced to confess, that there was a Time wherein the
Door of Mercy was open unto them, and that they are justly condemned,
because they rejected their own Salvation.
Thus both the Mercy and Justice of God are established, and the Will
and Strength of Man are brought down and rejected; his Condemnation
is made to be of himself, and his Salvation only to depend upon God.
Also, by these Positions, two great Objections, which often are brought
against this Doctrine, are well solved.
[Sidenote: Object.] The first is deduced from those Places of
Scripture, wherein God seems precisely to have decreed and
predestinated some to Salvation; and for that End, to have ordained
certain Means, which fall not out to others; as in the Calling of
_Abraham_, _David_, and others, and in the Conversion of _Paul_; for
these being numbered among such to whom this Prevalency is given, the
Objection is easily loosed.
[Sidenote: _Predestination to Salvation, and Pre-ordination to
Destruction_, answered.] The second is drawn from those Places, wherein
God seems to have ordained some wicked Persons to Destruction; and
therefore to have obdured their Hearts to force them unto great Sins,
and to have raised them up, that he might shew in them his Power, who,
if they be numbered amongst those Men whose Day of Visitation is passed
over, that Objection is also solved; as will more evidently appear to
any One that will make a particular Application of those Things, which
I at this Time, for Brevity’s Sake, thought meet to pass over.