respect to his outward Man. This is plain from the Text, which faies, The Jews then murmured against him, because he faid, I am the bread which came down from Heaven. And they said, Is not this Jefus the Son of Jofeph, whose Father and Mother we know? How is it then, that he faith, I camé down from Heaven? v. 41,42.

CHA P. XIII.

Reflections upon diverfe Quaker Doctrines.

Aving fhewn, that there is no fuch thing, as what the Quakers mean by the Universal, Light within; I proceed now to make fome Reflections upon what they teach concerning it.

1. They tell us, that that Light which I have been difproving, and in which God, as Father, Son, and Spirit, is by them fuppofed to dwell, is immediately united to the (xy) Word of God, whom we generally call the fecond Person in the Trinity; and that it belongs to him, as he is the fecond Adam or Man-Chrift. They tell us alfo, that the very fame Light is in every individual per fon born into the World, whether Jew, Turk, Indian, Scythian, Barbarian, &c. of whatfoever Na tion, Country, or Place; and for this reason they call it the Universal Light within. Now I fhall not object against any of these particulars, or endevor to fhew the inconfiftency or improbability of these Affertions, upon fuppofition that there were fuch aLight as they talk of; because the whole is a Dream, without one word of Truth or Reality in it. And therefore it matters not, whether this pretended

pretended Light be affirmed by them to be united mediately, or immediately, to the Father, Word, or Spirit; and if united to the Word, whether it belongs to him, as God, or Man, or God-Man whether that Light which is faid to be united to the Word, be the very fame with that which is faid to be in Men, or different from it; whether it be in every individual person, or in fome particular perfons only; or in what manner, meafure, or the like, it be in Men; I say, it matters not, which way our Adverfaries determine thefe or the like Questions. For they are equally true every way; that is, they are an Enthufiaftical Romance.

A

2. They tell us, that this pretended Universal Light within strives with all Men for to fave them. For that, 1. it difcovers and reproves every thing that is evil, 2. it teacheth every thing that is good, 3 it endevors to make them avoid the one and practise the other. Now it must be granted, that that which difcovers and reproves every thing that is evil, teacheth every thing that is good, and endevors to make Men avoid the one and practife the other; that that, I fay, may moft properly be faid to ftrive with Men for to fave them. But then, there being no fuch Univerfal Light within, as our Adverfaries pretend, 'tis plain, that their pretended Univerfal Light within does not ftrive with Men, much lefs with all Men, for to fave them; and particularly, that it does not difcover and reprove every thing that is evil, teach every thing that is good, and endevor to make them avoid the one and practife the other."

I must add, that the pretended Univerfal Light within is fuppofed by our Adverfaries to difcover -and reprove every thing that is evil, and teach every thing that is good by immediate Revelation;

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which,

bowhich, as has been already fhewn, they affirm to To be abfolutely neceffary in order to a faving Chriftian Faith, and of which they affirm the pretended Univerfal Light within to be the inftrument. For Mr. Barclay (a) faies, or inthat it is the a Liftrument of God, by which be worked in us, and stirdrath up in us thefe Ideas of Divine things. But, zel I have, proved, that there is no Necellity of immediate Revelation in order to a saving Chriftian Faith, and that there is no warrant from Scripture s for any Man to expect or lay claim to immediate Revelation in thefe daies. And therefore, tho' it were granted, that there is fuch an Univerfal Light ithin, as our Adverfaries contend for; yet it is pot the inftrument of immediate Revelation. 2. I have proved, that there is no fuch Univerfal Light within, as our Adverfaries contend for. And therefore, tho' it were granted, that there is a Neceffity of immediate Revelation in order to a faving Chriftian Faith, and that Men are warranted by the Scriptures to expect and lay claim to it; yet the pretended Univerfal Light within cannot be the inBrument of it.

But then, fince I have fhewn, that the pretended Univerfal Light within does not ftrive with all Men for to fave them, and particularly, that it doth not difcover and reprove every thing that is evil, teach every thing that is good, and endevor to make them avoid the one and practife the other; I may perhaps be asked thefe two Queftions, 1, Whether there be not fomething, which does, ftrive with all Men for to fave them; and whether in particular it doth not difcover and reprove every

(a) Of the Poffibil, and Neceff, of inward immediate Reval. p. 901.

thing

thing that is evil, teach every thing that is good, and endevor to make them avoid the one and praaise the other. 2. What that is, which (if these things be done at all) does perform them. If thefe Questions therefore be asked, I think it advisable, before I answer them, to obferve, that when our Adverfaries affirm, that the Univerfal Light within does strive with all Men for to fave them; by all Men they understand, as I have already fhewn, every individual Perfon born into the World, whether Few or Gentile, Barbarian, Scythian, &c. of whatsoever Nation, Country, or Place. Now if all Men in thefe Questions be understood in the fame Latitude; then I divide all Men into two forts, viz. fuch as have had the Gospel outwardly preached to them, and fuch as have not.

This divifion is grounded upon the Doctrine of our Adversaries themselves. For they affert, as has been already fhewn, that God does by the pretended Univerfal Light within make known hisWill to every individual Perfon born into the World, whether Jew, Turk, Indian, &c. of whatsoever Nation, Country, or Place. But then, it being manifeft by experience, and acknowledged by our Adverfaries, that all thefe Perfons have not the Books of Holy Scripture amongst them, which our Adverfaries call the Outward Gofpel, and the declaration of which they call the Outward Preaching; it is alfo manifeft by experience, and acknowledged by our Adverfaries, that all Men have not the Gospel outwardly preached to them. Thofe therefore who have the Holy Scriptures, have (in the judgment of our Adverfaries) the Gofpel preached to them both outwardly and inwardly: but fuch as have not the Scriptures, they fay, have the Gofpel preached to them inwardly only. This being premised, I answer,

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First,

First, That there is fomething, viz. the Holy Spirit of God, whom we generally call the Third Perfon in the Trinity, which ftrives with all those, who have had the Gospel outwardly preached to them, for to fave them; and particularly, that the Spirit of God does (with refpect to thofe perfons) difcover and reprove every thing that is evil, teach every thing that is good, and endeyor to make them avoid the ope and practife the other. But then, I do not fay, that the Spirit of God does thefe things after the fame manner, as the Quakers fuppofe them to be done by their pretended Univerfal Light within. For, granting that the Endevors of the pretended Light, to make fuch as have had the Gospel outwardly preached to them, avoid every thing that is evil, and practife every thing that is good, are by our Adverfaries fuppofed to be nothing elfe, but its working upon, inclining, and affifting their Wills & executive Powers; and confequently, that the Spirit does endevor to make them avoid every thing that is evil, and practise every thing that is good, after the fame manner, as the pretended Light is by our Adverfaries fuppofed to endevor the fame; I fay, granting these things to be true, which I fhall not at prefent inquire into the truth of; yet, as I have already faid, our Adverfaries affirm, that the Light does difcover and reprove every thing that is evil, and teach every thing that is good, by immediate Revelation: whereas I affirm, that tho' the Spirit of God may youchfafe immediate Revelation, when, and to whomfoever he pleases; yet I have largely fhewn that there is no Neceffity of immediate Revelation in order to a faving Chriftian Faith, and that thofe who have had the Gospel outwardly preached to them, have no grounds to expect or lay claim to it,

I affert