Part 18

[Sidenote: _Answ._] All that gives no Certainty of Salvation; for, as the _Protestants_ confess, they confer not Grace _ex opere operato_. And will they not acknowledge, that many are in the Bosom of the Church, who are visibly no Members of it? But if this Charity be extended towards such who are where the Gospel is preached, so that they may be judged capable of Salvation, because they are under a simple Impossibility of distinctly knowing the Means of Salvation; what Reason can be alleged why the like Charity may not be had to such, as though they can hear, yet are under a simple Impossibility of hearing, because it is not spoken unto them? [Sidenote: _A _Chinese_ or _Indian_ excusable for not knowing the History of the Death of Christ_, &c.] Is not a Man in _China_, or in _India_, as much to be excused for not knowing a Thing which he never heard of, as a deaf Man here, who cannot hear? For as the deaf Man is not to be blamed, because God hath been pleased to suffer him to lie under this Infirmity; so is the _Chinese_ or the _Indian_ as excusable, because God hath with-held from him the Opportunity of hearing. He that cannot hear a Thing, as being necessarily absent, and he that cannot hear it, as being naturally deaf, are to be placed in the same Category.

[Sidenote: _Answ. 2._] _Secondly_, This manifestly appears by that Saying of _Peter_, Acts x. 34. _Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of Persons; but in every Nation, he that feareth him, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted of him_. _Peter_ was before liable to that Mistake that the rest of the _Jews_ were in; judging that all were unclean, except themselves, and that no Man could be saved, except they were proselyted to their Religion, and circumcised. But God shewed _Peter_ otherwise in a Vision, and taught him to call nothing _common_ or _unclean_; [Sidenote: _God regarded the Prayers of _Cornelius_, a Stranger to the Law._] and therefore, seeing that God regarded the Prayers of _Cornelius_, who was a Stranger to the Law, and to Jesus Christ as to the outward, yet _Peter_ saw that God had accepted him; and he is said to _fear God_ before he had this outward Knowledge: Therefore _Peter_ concludes that every one in every Nation, without respect of Persons, that feareth God and worketh Righteousness, is accepted of him. So he makes the Fear of God and the working of Righteousness, and not an outward historical Knowledge, the _Qualification_: They then that have this, wherever they be, they are saved. Now we have already proved, that to every Man that Grace is given, whereby he may live godlily and righteously; and we see, that by this Grace _Cornelius_ did so, and was accepted, and his Prayers came up for a Memorial before God before he had this outward Knowledge. [Sidenote: _From what Scripture did _Job_ learn his excellent Knowledge?_] Also, Was not _Job a perfect and upright Man, that feared God, and eschewed Evil_? Who taught _Job_ this? How knew _Job Adam_’s Fall? And from what Scripture learned he that excellent Knowledge he had, and that Faith, by which he knew his _Redeemer lived_? (For many make him as old as _Moses_). Was not this by an inward Grace in the Heart? Was it not that inward Grace that taught _Job_ to eschew Evil, and to fear God? And was it not by the Workings thereof that he became a just and upright Man? How doth he reprove the Wickedness of Men, _Chap._ xxiv? And after he hath numbered up their Wickedness, doth he not condemn them, _Ver. 13._ for _rebelling_ against this _Light_, for not knowing the Way thereof, nor abiding in the Paths thereof? It appears then _Job_ believed that Men had a Light, and that because they rebelled against it, therefore they knew not its Ways, and abode not in its Paths; even as the _Pharisees_, who had the Scriptures, are said to _err_, not knowing the Scriptures. [Sidenote: Job_’s Friends; their excellent Sayings._] And also _Job_’s Friends, though in some Things wrong; yet who taught them all those excellent Sayings and Knowledge which they had? Did not God give it them, in order to save them? or was it merely to condemn them? Who taught _Elihu_, That _the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding_; _that the Spirit of God made him_, _and the Breath of the Almighty gave him Life_? And did not the Lord accept a Sacrifice for them? And who dare say that they are damned? But further, the Apostle puts this Controversy out of Doubt; for, if we may believe his plain Assertions, he tells us, _Rom._ ii. _That the _Heathens_ did the Things contained in the Law._ From whence I thus argue;

[Sidenote: Arg.] In every Nation he that feareth God, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted:

But many of the _Heathens_ feared God, and wrought Righteousness:

Therefore they were accepted.

The _Minor_ is proved from the Example of _Cornelius_: But I shall further prove it thus;

He that doth the Things contained in the Law, feareth God, and worketh Righteousness:

But the _Heathens_ did the Things contained in the Law:

Therefore they feared God, and wrought Righteousness.

Can there be any Thing more clear? For if to do the Things contained in the Law, be not to fear God, and work Righteousness, then what can be said to do so, seeing the Apostle calls the Law _Spiritual_, _Holy_, _Just_, and _Good_? But this appears manifestly by another _Medium_, taken out of the same Chapter, _Ver._ 13. So that nothing can be more clear: The Words are, _The Doers of the Law shall be justified_. From which I thus argue, without adding any Word of my own;

[Sidenote: Arg.] The Doers of the Law shall be justified:

But the _Gentiles_ do the Things contained in the Law:

[Sidenote: _The _Gentiles_ justified doing the Law._] All that know but a Conclusion, do easily see what follows from these express Words of the Apostle. And indeed, he through that whole Chapter labours, as if he were contending now with our Adversaries, to confirm this Doctrine, Ver. 9, 10, 11. _Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil, to the _Jew_ first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no Respect of Persons with God._ Where the _Apostle_ clearly _homologates_, or confesses to the Sentence of _Peter_ before-mentioned; and shews that _Jew_ and _Gentile_, or as he himself explains in the following _Verses_, both they that have an outward Law and they that have none, when they _do Good_ shall be _justified_. And to put us out of all Doubt, in the very following Verses he tells, That _the Doers of the Law are justified_; and that the _Gentiles did the Law_. So that except we think he spake not what he intended, we may safely conclude, that such _Gentiles_ were justified, and did partake of that Honour, Glory, and Peace, which comes upon every one that doth Good; even the _Gentiles_, that are without the Law, when they _work Good_; seeing with God there is no _Respect of Persons_. So as we see, that it is not the having the outward Knowledge that doth save, without the inward; so neither doth the Want of it, to such to whom God hath made it impossible, who have the inward, bring Condemnation. And many that have wanted the Outward, have had a Knowledge of this inwardly, by Virtue of that inward Grace and Light given to every Man, working in them, by which they forsook Iniquity, and became just and holy, as is above proved; [Sidenote: _Many wanting the History, were sensible of the Loss by _Adam_, and Salvation come by Christ in themselves._] who, though they knew not the History of _Adam_’s Fall, yet were sensible in themselves of the Loss that came by it, feeling their Inclinations to sin, and the Body of Sin in them: And though they knew not the Coming of Christ, yet were sensible of that inward Power and Salvation which came by him, even before as well as since his Appearance in the Flesh. For I question whether these Men can prove, that all the _Patriarchs_ and _Fathers_ before _Moses_ had a distinct Knowledge either of the one or the other, or that they knew the History of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and of _Adam_’s eating the forbidden Fruit; far less that Christ should be born of a Virgin, should be crucified, and treated in the Manner he was. For it is justly to be believed, that what _Moses_ wrote of _Adam_, and of the first Times, was not by Tradition, but by Revelation; [Sidenote: _How little the _Jews_ knew Christ, mistaking the Prophets._] yea, we see that not only after the Writing of _Moses_, but even of _David_ and all the _Prophets_, who prophesied so much of Christ, how little the _Jews_, that were expecting and wishing for the _Messiah_, could thereby discern him when he came, that they crucified him as a _Blasphemer_, not as a _Messiah_, by mistaking the Prophecies concerning him; for _Peter_ saith expresly, _Acts_ iii. 17. to the _Jews_, _That both they and their Rulers did it through Ignorance_. And _Paul_ saith, 1 _Cor._ ii. 8. _That had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory._ Yea, _Mary_ herself, to whom the Angel had spoken, and who had laid up all the miraculous Things accompanying his Birth in her Heart, she did not understand how, when _he disputed with the Doctors in the Temple, that he was about his Father’s Business_. And the Apostles that had believed him, conversed daily with him, and saw his Miracles, could not understand, neither believe those Things which related to his _Death_, _Sufferings_, and _Resurrection_, but were in a certain Respect stumbled at them.

§. XXVII. So we see how that it is the inward Work, and not the outward History and Scripture, that gives the true Knowledge; [Sidenote: _The _Heathens_ were sensible of the Loss received by _Adam.] and by this inward _Light_ many of the _Heathen Philosophers_ were sensible of the Loss received by _Adam_, though they knew not the outward History: Hence _Plato_ asserted, That _Man’s Soul was fallen into a dark Cave, where it only conversed with Shadows_. _Pythagoras_ saith, _Man wandereth in this World as a Stranger, banished from the Presence of God_. And _Plotinus_ compareth _Man’s Soul, fallen from God, to a Cinder, or dead Coal, out of which the Fire is extinguished_. [Sidenote: Heathen-Philosophers _Divine Knowledge_. Plato. Pythag. Plotin.] Some of them said, That _the Wings of the Soul were clipped or fallen off, so that it could not flee unto God_. All which, and many more such Expressions, that might be gathered out of their Writings, shew, that they were not without a Sense of this Loss. Also they had a Knowledge and Discovery of Jesus Christ inwardly, as a Remedy _in_ them, to deliver them from that evil Seed, and the evil Inclinations of their own Hearts, though not under that particular Denomination.

Some called him an _Holy Spirit_, as _Seneca_, Epist. 41. who said, _There is an holy Spirit in us, that treateth us as we treat him._ [Sidenote: Cicero _calls it an Innate Light. _Lactan._ In Sect._] _Cicero_ calleth it an _innate Light_, in his Book _De Republica_, cited by _Lactantius_, 6 _Instit._ where he calls this _Right Reason, given unto all, constant and eternal, calling unto Duty by commanding, and deterring from Deceit by forbidding_. Adding, _That it cannot be abrogated, neither can any be freed from it, neither by Senate or People; that it is one, eternal, and the same always to all Nations; so that there is not one at _Rome_, and another at _Athens_: Whoso obeys it not, must flee from himself, and in this is greatly tormented, although he should escape all other Punishments_. _Plotinus_ also calls him _Light_, saying, That _as the Sun cannot be known but by its own Light, so God cannot be known but with his own Light: And as the Eye cannot see the Sun but by receiving its Image, so Man cannot know God but by receiving his Image; and that it behoveth Man to come to Purity of Heart before he could know God_; calling him also _Wisdom_, a name frequently given him in Scripture; see _Prov._ i. 20. to the End; and _Prov._ viii. 9, 34. where _Wisdom_ is said to cry, intreat, and invite all to come unto her, and learn of her: And what is this _Wisdom_ but Christ? Hence such as came among the _Heathen_, to forsake Evil and cleave to Righteousness, were called _Philosophers_, that is, Lovers of _Wisdom_. [Sidenote: Philosophers _whence so called?_] They knew this _Wisdom_ was nigh unto them, and that _The best Knowledge of God, and divine Mysteries, was by the Inspiration of the Wisdom of God_. [Sidenote: Phocylides.] _Phocylides_ affirmed, That _the Word of the Wisdom of God was best_. His Words in the Greek are, [Greek: Tês de Theopneustou sophias logos estin aristos: Της δε Θεοπνευσςου σοφιας λογος εστιν αριστος].

And much more of this Kind might be instanced, by which it appears they knew Christ; and by his working _in_ them, were brought from Unrighteousness to Righteousness, and to love that Power by which they felt themselves redeemed; so that, as saith the Apostle, _They shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts, and did the Things contained in the Law_; and therefore, as _all Doers of the Law are, were no Doubt justified_, and saved thus by the Power of Christ _in_ them. And as this was the Judgment of the Apostle, so was it of the primitive Christians. [Sidenote: Socrates _a Christian_, &c.] Hence _Justin Martyr_ stuck not to call _Socrates a Christian_, saying, That _all such as lived according to the divine Word in them, which was in all Men, were Christians_, _such as_ Socrates _and_ Heraclitus, and others among the Greeks, _&c._ _That such as live with the Word, are Christians without Fear or Anxiety._

[Sidenote: Clem. Alex.] _Clemens Alexandrinus_ saith, _Apol. 2. Strom. Lib. 1_. That _this Wisdom or Philosophy was necessary to the _Gentiles_, and was their _School-master_ to lead them unto Christ, by which of old the Greeks were justified._

[Sidenote: Augustin. _de Civ. Dei._] _Nor do I think_, saith _Augustine_, in his Book of the _City of God_, Lib. 18. Cap. 47. _that the _Jews_ dare affirm that none belonged unto God but the_ Israelites. [Sidenote: Lud. Vives.] Upon which Place _Ludovicus Vives_ saith, That _thus the _Gentiles_, not having a Law, were a Law unto themselves; and the Light of so living is the Gift of God, and proceeds from the Son; of whom it is written, that he_ enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World.

[Sidenote: _The _Platonists_ saw the Word in the Beginning; which was Light._] _Augustine_ also testifies in his Confessions, _Lib. 1. Cap. 9_. That _he had read in the Writings of the _Platonists_, though not in the very same Words, yet that which by many and multiplied Reasons did persuade, that in the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; this was in the Beginning with God, by which all Things were made, and without which nothing was made that was made: In him was Life, and the Life was the Light of Men: And the Light shined in the Darkness, and the Darkness did not comprehend it. And albeit the Soul gives Testimony concerning the Light, yet it is not the _Light_, but the _Word of God_; for GOD is the true LIGHT, which enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World_; and so repeats to Ver. 14. of _John_ i. adding, _These Things have I there read_.

[Sidenote: Hai Eben Yokdan.] Yea, there is a Book translated out of the _Arabick_, which gives an Account of one _Hai Eben Yokdan_; who living in an Island alone, without Converse of Man, attained to such a profound Knowledge of God, as to have immediate Converse with him, and to affirm, _That the best and most certain Knowledge of God is not that which is attained by Premises premised, and Conclusions deduced_; [Sidenote: _The _Supreme Intellect_ enjoyed by the Mind of Men._] _but that which is enjoyed by Conjunction of the Mind of Man with the Supreme Intellect, after the Mind is purified from its Corruptions, and is separated from all bodily Images, and is gathered into a profound Stillness_.

§. XXVIII. Seeing then it is by this inward Gift, Grace, and Light, that both those that have the Gospel preached unto them, come to have Jesus brought forth _in_ them, and to have the saving and sanctified Use of all outward Helps and Advantages; and also by this same Light that all may come to be saved; and that God calls, invites, and strives with all, in a Day, and saveth many, to whom he hath not seen meet to convey this outward Knowledge; [Sidenote: _The Day of the Lord proclaimed._] therefore we, having the Experience of the inward and powerful Work of this Light in our Hearts, even _Jesus_ revealed _in_ us, cannot cease to proclaim the Day of the Lord that is arisen in it, crying out with the Woman of _Samaria_; _Come and see one that hath told me all that ever I have done; Is not this the Christ?_ That others may come and feel the same _in_ themselves, and may know, that that little small Thing that reproves them in their Hearts, however they have despised and neglected it, is nothing less than the Gospel preached _in_ them; _Christ_, the _Wisdom_ and _Power of God_, being _in_ and _by_ that Seed seeking to save their Souls.

Of this _Light_ therefore _Augustine_ speaks in his _Confessions_, Lib. 11. Cap. 9. _In this Beginning, O God! thou madest the Heavens and the Earth, in thy Word, in thy Son, in thy Virtue, in thy Wisdom, wonderfully saying, and wonderfully doing. Who shall comprehend it? Who shall declare it_? [Sidenote: Augustine _trembled at the In-shinings of the Light unto him, and why_?] _What is that which shineth in unto me, and smites my Heart without Hurt, at which I both tremble, and am inflamed? I tremble, in so far as I am unlike unto it; and I am inflamed in so far as I am like unto it: It is Wisdom, Wisdom which shineth in unto me, and dispelleth my Cloud, which had again covered me, after I was departed from it, with Darkness and the Heap of my Punishments._ And again he saith, Lib. 10. Cap. 27. _It is too late that I have loved thee, O thou Beautifulness, so ancient and so new! Late have I loved thee, and behold thou wast within, and I was without, and there was seeking thee! Thou didst call, thou didst cry, thou didst break my Deafness, thou glancedst, thou didst shine, thou chasedst away my Darkness._

[Sidenote: Buchanan _testifying to the Light._] Of this also our Countryman _George Buchanan_ speaketh thus in his Book _De Jure regni apud Scotos_: _Truly I understand no other Thing at present than that _Light_ which is divinely infused into our Souls: For when God formed Man, he not only gave him Eyes to his Body, by which he might shun those Things that are hurtful to him, and follow those Things that are profitable; but also hath set before his Mind as it were a certain Light, by which he may discern Things that are vile from Things that are honest. Some call this Power _Nature_, others the _Law of Nature_; I truly judge it to be divine, and am persuaded that Nature and Wisdom never say different Things. Moreover God hath given us a Compend of the Law, which in few Words comprehends the Whole; to wit, that we should love him from our Hearts, and our Neighbours as ourselves. And of this Law all the Books of the holy Scriptures, which pertain to the forming of Manners, contain no other but an Explication._

[Sidenote: Jew _and _Gentile, Scythian_ and _Barbarian_, Partakers of the Salvation of Christ._] This is that universal evangelical Principle, in and by which this Salvation of Christ is exhibited to _all_ Men, both _Jew_ and _Gentile_, _Scythian_ and _Barbarian_, of whatsoever Country or Kindred he be: And therefore God hath raised up unto himself, in this our Age, faithful Witnesses and Evangelists to preach again his _everlasting Gospel_, and to direct _all_, as well the high Professors, who boast of the _Law_ and the _Scriptures_, and the _outward Knowledge of Christ_, as the _Infidels_ and _Heathens_ that know not him that Way, that they may all come to mind the Light _in_ them, and know Christ _in_ them, _the just one_, [Greek: ton Dichaion: τον Δικαιον], _whom they have so long killed, and made merry over, and he hath not resisted_, James v. 6. and give up their Sins, Iniquities, false Faith, Professions, and outside Righteousness, to be crucified by the Power of his Cross in them, so as they may know _Christ within_ to be the _Hope of Glory_, and may come to walk in his Light and be saved, who is that _true Light that enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World_.

PROPOSITION VII.

Concerning JUSTIFICATION.

_As many as resist not this _Light_, but receive the same, it becomes in them an holy, pure, and spiritual Birth, bringing forth Holiness, Righteousness, Purity, and all those other blessed Fruits which are acceptable to _God_: By which holy Birth, to wit, _Jesus Christ formed within us_, and working his Works in us, as we are sanctified, so are we justified in the Sight of God, according to the Apostle’s Words; _But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1_ Cor. _vi. 11._ Therefore it is not by our Works wrought in our Will, nor yet by good Works considered as of themselves; but by _Christ_, who is both the _Gift_ and the _Giver_, and the Cause producing the Effects in us; who, as he hath reconciled us while we were Enemies, doth also in his Wisdom save us and justify us after this Manner, as saith the same Apostle elsewhere_; According to his Mercy he saved us, by the Washing of Regeneration, and the Renewing of the Holy Ghost, _Tit._ iii. 5.

§. I. The _Doctrine of Justification_ comes well in Order after the discussing of the Extent of Christ’s Death, and of the Grace thereby communicated, some of the sharpest Contests concerning this having from thence their Rise. Many are the Disputes among those called _Christians_ concerning this Point; and indeed, if all were truly minding that which justifieth, there would be less Noise about the _Notions of Justification_. I shall briefly review this Controversy as it stands among others, and as I have often seriously observed it; then in short state the Controversy as to us, and open our Sense and Judgment of it; and _lastly_ prove it, if the Lord will, by some Scripture Testimonies, and the certain Experience of all that ever were truly justified.