§. XXIII.
Pro. III.The Light is the Gospel, the Power of God, preached in every Creature under Heaven. Thirdly, This saving spiritual Light is the Gospel, which the Apostle saith expresly, is preached in every Creature under Heaven; even that very Gospel whereof Paul was made a Minister, Col. i. 23. For the Gospel is not a mere Declaration of good Things, being the Power of God unto Salvation to all those that believe, Rom. i. 16. Though the outward Declaration of the Gospel be taken sometimes for the Gospel; yet it is but figuratively, and by a Metonymy. For to speak properly, the Gospel is this inward Power and Life which preacheth glad Tidings in the Hearts of all Men, offering Salvation unto them, and seeking to redeem them from their Iniquities, and therefore it is said to be preached in every Creature under Heaven: Whereas there are many Thousands of Men and Women, to whom the outward Gospel was never preached. Therefore, the Apostle Paul, Romans i. where he saith, The Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation, adds, That therein is revealed the Righteousness of God from Faith to Faith; and also the Wrath of God against such as hold the Truth of God in Unrighteousness: For this Reason, saith he, Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. Now that which may be known of God, is known by the Gospel, which was manifest in them. For those of whom the Apostle speaks, had no outward Gospel preached unto them; so that it was by the inward Manifestation of the Knowledge of God in them, which is indeed the Gospel preached in Men, That the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith; that is, it reveals to the Soul that which is just, good, and righteous; and that as the Soul receiveth it, and believes, Righteousness comes more and more to be revealed from one Degree of Faith to another. For though, as the following Verse saith, the outward Creation declares the Power of God; yet that which may be known of him is manifest within: By which inward Manifestation, we are made capable to see and discern the eternal Power and Godhead in the outward Creation; so, were it not for this inward Principle, we could no more understand the invisible Things of God by the outward visible Creation, than a blind Man can see and discern the Variety of Shapes and Colours, or judge of the Beauty of the outward Creation. Therefore he saith, First, That which may be known of God is manifest in them, and in and by that they may read and understand the Power and Godhead in those Things that are outward and visible. And though any might pretend that the outward Creation doth of itself, without any supernatural or saving Principle in the Heart, even declare to the natural Man that there is a God; yet what would such a Knowledge avail, if it did not also communicate to me what the Will of God is, and how I shall do that which is acceptable to him? The outward Creation may beget a Persuasion in Man of an eternal Power or Virtue.For the outward Creation, though it may beget a Persuasion that there is some eternal Power or Virtue by which the World hath had its Beginning; yet it doth not tell me, nor doth it inform me of that which is just, holy, and righteous; how I shall be delivered from my Temptations and evil Affections, and come unto Righteousness; that must be from some inward Manifestation in my Heart. Whereas those Gentiles, of whom the Apostle speaks, knew by that inward Law, and Manifestation of the Knowledge of God in them to distinguish betwixt Good and Evil, as in the next Chapter appears, of which we shall speak hereafter. The Prophet Micah, speaking of Man indefinitely, or in general, declares this, Mic. vi. 8. He hath shewed thee, O Man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? He doth not say God requires, till he hath first assured that he hath shewed unto them. Now, because this is shewed unto all Men, and manifest in them, therefore, saith the Apostle, is the Wrath of God revealed against them, for that they hold the Truth in Unrighteousness; that is, the Measure of Truth, the Light, the Seed, the Grace in them: For that they hide the Talent in the Earth; that is, in the earthly and unrighteous Part in their Hearts, and suffer it not to bring forth Fruit, but to be choked with the sensual Cares of this Life, the Fear of Reproach, and the Deceitfulness of Riches, as by the Parables above-mentioned doth appear. But the Apostle Paul opens and illustrates this Matter yet more, Rom. x. where he declares, That the Word which he preached (now the Word which he preached, and the Gospel which he preached, and whereof he was a Minister, is one and the same) is not far off, but nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth; which done, he frameth as it were the Objection of our Adversaries in the 14th and 15th Verses, How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a Preacher? This he answers in the 18th Verse, saying, But, I say, have they not heard? Yes verily, their Sound went into all the Earth, and their Words unto the Ends of the World; The divine Preacher (the Word nigh) hath founded in the Ears and Hearts of all Men.insinuating, that this divine Preacher had founded in the Ears and Hearts of all Men: For of the outward Apostles that Saying was not true, neither then, nor many hundred Years after; yea, for aught we know, there may be yet great and spacious Nations and Kingdoms that never have heard of Christ nor his Apostles as outwardly. This inward and powerful Word of God is yet more fully described in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chap. iv. 12, 13. For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joints and Marrow, and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart. The Virtues of this spiritual Word are here enumerated: It is quick, because it searches and tries the Hearts of all; no Man’s Heart is exempt from it: For the Apostle gives this Reason of its being so, in the following Verse, Before whom all Things are manifest.But all Things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do: And there is not any Creature that is not manifest in his Sight. Though this ultimately and mediately be referred to God, yet nearly and immediately it relates to the Word or Light, which, as hath been before proved, is in the Hearts of all, else it had been improper to have brought it in here. And every Thought and Intent of the Heart.The Apostle shews how every Intent and Thought of the Heart is discerned by the Word of God, because all Things are naked before God; which imports nothing else but it is in and by this Word whereby God sees and discerns Man’s Thoughts; and so it must needs be in all Men, because the Apostle saith, There is no Creature that is not manifest in his Sight. The Faithful Witness.This then is that faithful Witness and Messenger of God that bears Witness for God, and for his Righteousness in the Hearts of all Men: For he hath not left Man without a Witness, Acts xiv. 17. and he is said to be given for a Witness to the People, Isa. lv. 4. And as this Word beareth Witness for God, so it is not placed in Men only to condemn them: For as he is given for a Witness, so saith the Prophet, He is given for a Leader and Commander. A Leader and Commander.The Light is given, that all through it may believe, John i. 7. For Faith cometh by Hearing, and Hearing by the Word of God, which is placed in Man’s Heart, both to be a Witness for God, and to be a Means to bring Man to God through Faith and Repentance: It is therefore powerful, that it may divide betwixt the Soul and the Spirit: A two-edged Sword.It is like a Two-edged Sword, that it may cut off Iniquity from him, and separate betwixt the Precious and the Vile; A Fire and a Hammer.and because Man’s Heart is cold and hard like Iron naturally, therefore hath God placed this Word in him, which is said to be like a Fire, and like a Hammer, Jer. xxiii. 29. that like as by the Heat of the Fire the Iron, of its own Nature cold, is warmed and softened, and by the Strength of the Hammer is framed according to the Mind of the Worker; so the cold and hard Heart of Man is by the Virtue and Powerfulness of this Word of God near and in the Heart, as it resists not, warmed and softened, and receiveth an heavenly and cœlestial Impression and Image. The most Part of the Fathers have spoken at large touching this Word, Seed, Light, and saving Voice, calling all unto Salvation, and able to save.
Clem. Alex.Clemens Alexandrinus saith, Lib. 2. Stromat. “The divine Word hath cried, calling all, knowing well those that will not obey; and yet, because it is in our Power either to obey or not to obey, that none may have a Pretext of Ignorance, it hath made a righteous Call, and requireth but that which is according to the Ability and Strength of every one.” The self-same, in his Warning to the Gentiles; “For as,” saith he, “that Heavenly Ambassador of the Lord, The Grace of God, that brings Salvation, hath appeared unto all, &c. This is, the new Song, Coming and Manifestation of the Word, which now shows itself in us, which was in the Beginning, and was first of all.” And again, “Hear therefore, ye that are afar off; hear, ye who are near; the Word is hid from none, the Light is common to all, and shineth to all. There is no Darkness in the Word; let us hasten to Salvation, to the new Birth, that we being many, may be gathered into the one alone Love.” The gathering unto the one and alone Love.Ibid. he saith, “That there is infused into all, but principally into those that are trained up in Doctrine, a certain divine Influence, [Greek: tis achorrhoia theia: τις αχορῥοια θεια].” And again, he speaks concerning the “innate Witness, worthy of Belief, which of itself doth plainly chuse that which is most honest.” And again he saith, “That it is not impossible to come unto the Truth, and lay Hold of it, seeing it is most near to us, in our own Houses, as the most wise Moses declareth, living in three Parts of us, viz. in our Hands, in our Mouths, and in our Hearts. This,” saith he, “is a most true Badge of the Truth, which is also fulfilled in three Things, namely, in Counsel, in Action, in Speaking.” And again he saith also unto the unbelieving Nations, “Receive Christ, receive Light, receive Sight, to the End thou mayest rightly know both God and Man. The enlightening Word.The Word that hath enlightened us is more pleasant than Gold, and the Stone of great Value.” And again, he saith, “Let us receive the Light, that we may receive God; let us receive the Light, that we may be the Scholars of the Lord.” And again he saith to those Infidel Nations, “The heavenly Spirit helpeth thee; resist and flee Pleasure.” Again, Lib. 5. Strom. he saith, “God forbid that Man be not a Partaker of divine Acquaintance, [Greek: theias ennoias: θειας εννοιας], who in Genesis is said to be a Partaker of Inspiration.” And Pæd. Lib. 1. Cap. 3. “There is,” saith he, “some lovely and some desirable Thing in Man, which is called the In-breathing of God, [Greek: emphysêma Theou: εμφυσημα Θεου].” The same Man, Lib. 10. Strom. directeth Men unto the Light and Water in themselves, who have the Eye of the Soul darkened or dimmed through evil Education and Learning: Let them enter in unto their own domestic Light, or unto the Light which is in their own House, [Greek: pros to oikeion phôs badizetô: προς το οικειον φως βαδιζετω], unto the Truth, which manifests accurately and clearly these Things that have been written.
J. Martyr.Justin Martyr, in his first Apology, saith, “That the Word which was and is, is in all; even that very same Word which, through the Prophets, foretold Things to come.”
Auth. de Voc. Gent.The Writer of the Calling of the Gentiles saith, Lib. 1. Cap. 2. “We believe according to the same (viz. Scripture) and most religiously confess, that God was never wanting in Care to the Generality of Men; who, although he did lead, by particular Lessons, a People gathered to himself unto Godliness, yet he withdrew from no Nation of Men the Gifts of his own Goodness, that they might be convinced that they had received the Words of the Prophets, and legal Commands in Services and Testimonies of the first Principles.” Cap. 7. he saith, “That he believes that the Help of Grace hath been wholly withdrawn from no Man.” Lib. 2. Cap. 1. “Because, albeit Salvation is far from Sinners, yet there is nothing void of the Presence and Virtue of his Salvation.” Cap. 2. “But seeing none of that People over whom was set both the Doctrines, were justified but through Grace by the Spirit of Faith, who can question but that they, who of whatsoever Nation, in whatsoever Times, could please God, were ordered by the Spirit of the Grace of God, which, although in fore Time it was more sparing and hid, yet denied itself to no Ages, being in Virtue one, in Quantity different, in Counsel unchangeable, in Operation multifarious.”