the flesh of men flees from that, which is of a contrary nature to it. Now, because it is never feparated from God nor Chrift, but where-ever it is, God and Chrift are as wrapped up therein; therefore and in that respect, as its is refifted, God is faid to be refifted; and where it is born down, God is faid to be prejfed as a Cart under fheaves, and Christ is faid to be flain and crucified; and (y) put to open shame in and among them. And thofe as thus refift and refufe him, he becomes their Condemnation. 'Tis true, (z) Chrift died outwardly but once, but inwardly he dieth in a fpiritual and mystical fenfe, as often as any crucify him to themselves by their unfaithfulness and difobedience. Imuft add, that (a) the fufferings of Chrift in men are voluntary, and yet without fin; as his fufferings at Jerufalem were voluntary and without fin. For as he joined not with them who outwardly crucifyed him, in any active way to concur with them or countenance them: fo nor doth be inwardly join with men to countenance or concur with them, when they crucify him by their fins.

In a word therefore, (b) as the grace and light. in all is fufficient to fave all, and of its own nature would fave all: fo it strives and wrestles with all for to fave them. He that refifts its strivings, is the cause of his own condemnation: he that refifts it not, it becomes his falvation. Only it must be observed, 1. that (c) as we truly affirm, that God willeth no man to perifh, and therefore hath given to all grace Jufficient for falvation; fo we do not deny, but that in a fpecial manner he worketh in fome, in whom grace fo prevaileth, that they neceffarily obtain Salvation ;

(y) Ibid. p. 331. (7) Quakerim confirmed, fect. 4. P.. 628. (a) Ibid. (b) Apol. prop. 5, 6, p. 339. (9) Ibid. P. 341.

neither

neither doth God fuffer them to refift. 2. that (d) fuch an increase and stability in the truth may in this life be attained, from which there cannot be a total apoftafy.

In the laft place, I think it neceffary to fhew, what our Adversaries teach concerning the Satiffaction of Chrift. Mr. Barclay (e) faies, we firmly believe, it was neceffary that Chrift fhould come, that by his Death and Sufferings he might offer up himself a facrifice to God for our fins; and (ƒ) we believe, that the remiffion of fins which any partake of, is only in and by the Virtue of that most fatisfactory Sacrifice, and not otherwife. Wherefore, tho' the Light is by them fuppofed to be (what we may call) the immediate efficient caufe of Man's Regeneration, Sanctification, Juftification, Salvation, and Union with God; yet they believe the Sacrifice of our Savior, (g) thro' whofe Obedience and Sufferings the Light is purchased, (b) that thereby this birth (by which we become regenerate, fanctifyed, juftifyed, faved, and united to God) might be brought forth in us; I fay, they believe the Sacrifice of Chrift to be (what we may call) the meritorious Caufe thereof.

But then it must be observed, that Mr. Barclay (i) faies alfo, As far the fatisfaction of Chrift without us, we own it against the Socinians, and that it was full and compleat in its kind; yet not fo as to exclude the real Worth of the Work and Sufferings of Chrift in us, nor his prefent interceffion. They do therefore attribute a real Worth, 1. to the Work of the Light friving in them, and bring

(d) Apol. prop. 9. p. 398. (e) Apol. prop, 5,6, p.335. (f) Ibid. (g) Ibid. (h) Ibid. p. 353. (i) Quakerifm confirmed, fect. 4. p. 628.

ing forth Righteoufnefs, &c. 2. to the Sufferings of Chrift in them. For he being (as has been fhewn) united to fuch as refift not the Light, is faid to fuffer, when any Evil is inflicted on them. 3. to the Interceffion of Chrift, that is, to his interceffion within him, by the Light's ftirring, moving and enabling them to pray unto God. For my Author, in the very next words, diftinguishes this interceffion of our Savior from his interceffion without us in heaven.

And thus have I given the Reader a brief Account of what the Quakers mean by the Univer fal Light within, and of what they teach concerning it.

CHA P. XI.

That there is no fuch Univerfal Light within, as the Quakers pretend.

Shall now fhew, that there is no fuch "Univerfal Light within, as the Quakers pretend. Only, to prevent cavilling, I think it neceffary to premife, that I do by no means fay, that there is no fuch thing as a Light in, or within, Man. For I fhall afterwards produce diverse Texts of Scripture, in which 'tis plainly affirmed, that there is a Light in, or within, Man. But I fay, that there is no fuch thing as what the Quakers mean by their pretended Univerfal Light within; and what that is, does abundantly appear from what has been faid in the foregoing Chapter.

I must add, that fome perfons have endevored to explain the Manner of Human Understanding, by fuppofing, that the (Ay) Word of God,

that

that is, the fecond Perfon in the Trinity, isimmediately united to, and intimately prefent with, the Soul of Man; and that whatever Truth a Man fees and knows, is feen and known by his Contemplation of that Archetypal Truth, the Ideal World, the exhibitive Understanding of God. If this Opinion be true, then the fecond Perfon in the Trinity does formally enlighten the Understanding of Man, and may be called a Light with in him. But then the Doctrine of thefe Philofophers is so far from being the fame with that of the Quakers, that 'tis a flat contradiction to it in two refpects. For, 1. thefe Philofophers affirm, that the fecond Perfon in the Trinity, that is, God himself, is the Light within: whereas I have fhewn, that what the Quakers mean by the Univerfal Light within, is a certain Principle or Subftance, in which God, as Father, Son, and Spirit, dwells; and confequently 'tis not God himself, and particularly 'tis not God the Son, or the fecond Perfon in the Trinity. 2. These Philofophers affirm, that the fecond Perfon in the Trinity is immediately united to the Soul of Man: whereas the Quakers affirm, as has been already fhewn, that Man, and confequently the Soul of Man, is not immediately united to the (A) Word of God, or fecond Person in the Trinity, but to what they call the Universal Light within, which they fup. pose to be different from, tho' immediately united to, the Word of God, or fecond Perfon in the Trinity; and that Man, and confequently the Soul of Man, is united to God, and confequently to the Word of God,or fecond Perfon in the Trinity,only mediately, viz. by virtue of the pretended Univerfal Light's being within him, which Univerfal Light is by them fuppofed to be the Medium or Bond of Union between God and Man.

These

These things being premifed, I fhall now shew, that there is no fuch Universal Light within, as the Quakers pretend.

Perhaps it may be thought poffible to charge the Doctrine of the Quakers concerning the Uni verfal Light within, with fome fuch abfurdities or inconfiftencies, as are an effectual Confutation of it. But I fhall wave this method of proceeding, and deal with our Adyerfaries after a very different manner.

'Tis plain, that if there be no proof, that there is fuch an Univerfal Light within, as they pretend; then their Doctrine of an Univerfal Light within is groundless,falfe, and a mere delufion. 'Tis plain alfo, that if there be any proof, that there is fuch an Univerfal Light within, as they pretend; it muft be fetched, either from Scripture, or from Experience. Wherefore I fhall fhew, that neither Scripture nor Experience does afford us any proof, that there is fuch an Univerfal Light within, as the Quakers pretend; and confequently, that the Doctrine of the Quakers concerning their pretended Univerfal Light within is groundless, false, and a mere Delufion.

As for Experience, 'tis impoffible that that fhould prove the Being of this pretended Univerfal Light within, otherwife than by the supposed operations and effects of it. Now there are no operations or effects afcribed to thisUniversal Light within, even by our Adverfaries themselves, but fuch, as (if true) may be wrought by God's gracious Spirit. And confequently, thofe operations or effects which are really experienced, do not prove the Being of this pretended Univerfal Light within, because they may be wrought without it. Wherefore the only proof of the Being

of