This is An ANSWER TO John Wiggans BOOK Spread up and down in Lancashire Cheshire and Wales who is a Baptist a Monarchy-man Wherein may be seen how he exalts Himself against Christ the Light that doth enlighten every Man And also some of his and his Peoples erronious Principles and assertions which he and his People held in a Dispute with some of the Quakers And also an Answer to his Queries in his Book And also some Queries which was propounded to him which he would never Answer to this day and also some of his assertious which he could never make good and likewise an Answer to a second Challenge which Book we would have all in patience and meekness read over with a single eye wherein you may see the wicked according to Scripture is grown worse and worse who with fair words and fained speeches deceives the hearts of the simple who are wise discernes these things From the Prisoners at Lancaster whom he then opposed being then a Prisoner Thomas Curwen William Houlden Henery Wood William VVilson Also here is an Answer to his Appendix annexed to the Book by Margaret Fell. LONDON Printed in the Year 1665. To the Reader READER HEre is something in Answer to John Wiggan's assertions and also to his Book which thou art desired patiently to read over and to read the Scriptures which we have quoted and also his and also his words and our Answers for simple peoples sakes was it answered that they might be no longer deceived for we were all satisfied before with Christ who is the light of the World the way the truth the life and he is our satisfaction Never-the-less John Wiggan hath taken some of our papers and private letters writ to him but left out the occasion wherefore they were written and so in this he hath not done honestly neither as he would have been done by and as for all his bad letters he hath writ to us we shall not set them down all nor part for some of them are out of the bounds of Christianity Our Book is somewhat large the most of the heads and strength of his Book being spoken too particularly but take it throughout and I believe thou will find such a pack of confusion as thou hast not heard and malicious spitefull words against God and Christ the light which may be found in his Book we have not wronged it but he hath not paged his Book therefore we could not quote it here And these things which he hath asserted and laid down he is to make good by Scripture without ading or diminishing for we will have plain Scripture also an Answer to his Challenge for him to make good all his assertions by Scripture without ading to it and also some Queries here is for him to Answer and to clear himself if that he can by Scripture which we believe it will not clear him and so farewell From them that loves truth and peace to all Mankind For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will that all Men should be saved and come to the knowlege of the truth 1 Tim. 2. 34. and this is contrary to John Wiggan who saith God denies faith to some Men. You might have had an Answer sooner but it was long before we had his Book and when we had it was fain to take it in pieces and many perticuler Persons were concerned in it who some of them lives 60. miles one from another and the Book being called for so hastily again he boasted that we could not Answer it but that was but little to us for it was truth that we mind The 2d of the 5th Month 1664. This is An ANSWER To JOHN VVIGGANS Book c. WEE hearing of a Book that John VViggan had given forth against us in which are many lies and scandals and he the said John Wiggan directing one of them to Randal Hunter and Thomas Hardy Deputy-Goalers as he calls them but he might have said to the Head-Keeper and Under-Keeper And also this Book being disperced abroad in the Country through him it was hard for us to get a sight of it but at last it was given to us by the Under-Keeper and after a while fetched it away it concerns many Friends some that are 60. miles of and some above 20. yet this John VViggan nor none of his Company who sayes he give it forth to convince us of some of our errors and also a Challenge in it were not so civil as to give us ever a Copy of it or the thing it self and when that friends asked him for the Book he replyed if we would pay for writeing it over we might have a Copy of it who hath not forgot his old Priest tricks to make people to pay him for his lies and by this all sober people whose minds stands without partiality may judge of this Mans works who pretended to convince us of our errors as he sayes and gives forth a Challenge and publisheth part of a private letter and what he pleaseth and never directs it nor his Book to the Authors and whom it doth concern And now whether or no this man hath not lost the very common civility and understanding that is amongst Men and boasts of his works which he kept hid from us though through great difficulty we have gotten a Copy for a little time wherein all Men may judge by this carriage and practice of his in boasting of his works abroad and keeping them from them they do concern they may see it is the work of darkness and of error and one that is afraid of the light and a great part of his Book as the Reader may read and see is against the common salvation to all Men contrary to Jude and to be one that denyes the Lord that bought them as in Peter and all his force and strength is to the denying of John's Doctrine and Testimony and that which he came to be a witness of the true light which enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World John the first And also the force of his matter is to throw away the prophecy of the Prophets concerning Christ the salvation to the ends of the Earth to Mankind to poor lost Man and also to deny the promise of God to poor Creatures which saith God will give him for a Covenant of light to the Gentiles speaking of Christ who shall be his salvation to the ends of the Earth and a New-Covenant to the House of Israel and the House of Judah and this was to all people both Jewes and Gentiles and this light and Covenant is by him denyed but to some as he sayes and so he is one that makes Sects amongst the Creatures of God and divides being in the errour and darkness himself being void of the mind of God his Prophets and Apostles and also denying the love of God to the World who so loved the World mark take notice poor people that God gave
another And John if Thomas Curwen Husbandman which is a better Calling then thy Trade who hath often been moved of the Lord to write to thee is able to indict letters having been often burthened with thy hypocrisie and vain deceit and fleshly performances which thou hast charged falsely upon me in a letter And here thou publishes that which thou knows not slandering us both with that which thou art ignorant of not knowing but another might do it and so hast published thy ignorance Dost thou think this will stand amongst wise men And thou hast said thou will never learn in my Masters School which is Christ the Light nor come to the Law which is the Schoolmaster until Christ which thou art ignorant of both And within all this time thou might have answered my Queries if thou had been in the meeknesse but it is manifest thou art choaked with evil and envy and possest with a bitter spirit that thou hast not power to do good And as for thy dreaming it is manifest if thou hadst been awaked thou would have answered my Queries and cleared thy assertion and convict me if I had opposed my self but thou hast denyed this office and work and in stead of giving satisfaction herein thou hast published thy own shame I would not have thee to envy me so much for the good I have to thee for which of those things dost thou thus deal with me Is it not because I have told thee the truth for which of those good deeds dost thou rail of me so fast Was it not a good deed to tell thee thou was a Deceiver knowirg thee to be so for now thy fruits makes thee manifest to be a deceiver and whom thou hast deceived 2 Pet. 2. Mat. 7. 24. And whereas thou hast picked a few lines out of James Parkes private letter sent unto thee whom thou seems to pretend love to and now publishes them and this was thy love was it not time for me to forsake thee being long deceived by thee and has known thy Principles and thee long and thy feigned love but should thou not have put all my letter down that the Reader might have seen it and judged with thy words which was the occasion of it and the words which thou slanderously spoke in secret but thou wilt manifest thy self that thy solly may appear which cannot abide plainnesse but my letter is true to thy condition and thou wilt find it so And I tell thee it was a fraudulous part of thee to publish a part of my letter and not all or other Friends letters either and far off the truth and below a wise man but it is well that thou hast published so much as thou hast done that people may read thy book and see the words come true upon thee John Wigan this in Answer to part of thy Appendix WHerein thou mentions Margaret Fells Letters and has therein falsifyed my words as it is the usual manner of thee and such deceivers as thou art for you do so with the Scriptures who makes a trade of them and teaches for filthy Iucre you take here a piece and there a piece such as will make for your own ends and for your advantage and for the setting up of your Image you make and so leaves poor people dark and ignorant of the Scriptures and also of your deceitful dealings with them and so keeps them in darkness and preaches unto them that they must carry a body of fin with them as long as they are upon the earth and they are no other like so long as they that are blind follows thee and such like that are blind and so you all go into the ditch together which is your place and shuts the kingdom of heaven against men and neither enters in your selves nor suffer them that would go in to enter Mat. 23. 13. But thou hast intended in taking pieces of my letters here and there to make them seem more odious to the Reader and also thou has intended thereby to cover thy own nakednesse and ignorance of God and his truth in leaving out the cause and ground of my speaking those words which is nothing but truth to thee according to the Scriptures where they stand written to thee though thou endeavours by thy overskipping and taking words here and there to make them non-sense to the Reader yet as they stand and as thou hast set them any rational man of truth and honesty that knows what thou hast written and spoken to me and others will judge them to be truth to thee Therefore for the further manifestation of thy wickednesse I shall by plain Scripture convince the Reader that reads with an impartial eye and prove thee a blasphemer against God and his truth as it is in Jesus and when I have done so then let the Reader judge whether thou be not guilty in truth and reality and of all I have writ to thee The cause of my first writing to thee was from thy blasphemous book which thou put out against Christ Jesus the Light our corner stone which thou boastingly saies thou strikes at and I can truly say and the Lord that judges all hearts knows that I had no delight to meddle with thee seeing thee a conceited man only in deceit and ignorance but I was moved of the Lord in the vindication of his truth to bear my testimony for his truth and to write to thee and to leave thee without excuse 1. In thy Book thou saith Whoever calls and worships this the Light in every man as the Redeemer worships an imaginary and fictious Christ and indeed an idol and in another place of thy book thou saies That the Light in every man that comes into the world set up and worshipped in prayers and praises All the Honour and Attributes due to the true Redeemer alone being ascribed to it which is an Idolatry so much worse then that of Jeroboams or of the Papists In a third place of thy book thou saiest Admit this grand lie for the Corner stone and the whole super structure will consist of lies These with many other such blasphemous speeches thou hast uttered forth in thy book which I shall forbear to trouble the Reader with they being answered before Again in thy second letter to me thou hast sent writ these words its likely thou hast never been so plainly told that thou sets up an idol if thou call the light that is in every man that comes into the world Christ the Redeemer and if thou worships that light as the Redeemer that thou art an Idolater It seems by these words that thou hast writ these words in thy former letter which I sent back with the answer and so hath not the words there written here to produce but here is enough and sufficient to manifest thee an absolute blasphemer against Christ and the holy Ghost Answ The Light of Christ Jesus which we bear witnesse of which hath lighted every
I have told them the truth and not for any other cause c. Ans That which thou hast spoken hath been against the truth and is lyes and the Reader may see thou calls Christ an Idol a natural Light a created Light and spirit of a Natural man contrary to the Scripture and so thou being against Christ the Scriptures and Gods people therefore have we writ to thee and spoken to thee being according to thy own Challenge in love and in a Scripture way and it is for Christs sake thou hates us And whereas thou speaks of another sheet that thou will present to discover the mystery of iniquity Bring out all the strength thou hast for it will further discover thy own iniquity and thou shalt not find Christ Natural or Created nor an Idol but in his strength we shall answer thee And whereas thou saist to the inquirer and weak Take heed of the Religion that begins with a lye for it is certain a great judgment of God to be given up to believe lyes 2 Thes 2. 10. and that the first step to this peoples Religion is an abominable lye and that every one is taught and required at his enterance into this Religion to believe this lye I have shewed in my former Paper Ans It is thy own Religion which is begun with a lye therefore all people are to take heed of it who denies Christ the Light Joh. 1. 8 12. and art given up to believe lyes and utter the same 2 Thes 2. And whereas thou maliciously saith To turn people from the darkness to the Light of Christ being our first step is a lye Ans In this thou hast proved thy self a false Minister and contrary to the Scripture and the Apostles Ministry which was the same which is the first step in this thou hast manifest thy envy as all yong people may see who enquireth after the Lord Acts 2. and the abominable lye is thy own and little else but lyes in thy Book and so thou may expect the judgment of the Lord to be thy portion And whereas thou bids them take heed of that spirit that denyes Christ come in the Flesh least they be partaker of his evil deeds by biding him God speed Answ This is thy own condition thou art the Man who denyes him to be come to enlighten all Men and denyes his Light to be convincing and so has denyed John's testimony a Man sent from God John 1. And so none that feares God can bid thee God speed in thy evil work therefore thou art offended and we shall not be partakers with thee of thy evil deeds for no other Christ do we own but he who dyed at Jerusalem above sixteen hundred years since who sits at the right hand of God and is revealed in us according to his promise who saith I will come and dwell in you as in Joh. and the Cor. 1. Cor. 3. 16. Act. 3. 20. and Collo 1. 26. 27 28. and all who are called Christians confess Christ to be come but deny the end of his coming to destroy the Devil and his works 1 Ioh. 3. 68. and to take away sin but they must have sin while they be upon the Earth this is your general Doctrine and denyes Christ to be come a Light into the World according to both the Prophets and Apostles And whereas thou saist Take heed of that people who have no better weapons then censures cursings judging threatnings Answ Our weapons are spiritual and we have related over to thee thy due according to the Scripture as the Scriptures threatens thee and pronounces these Plagues to be due to thee who addes to it and we teach that people might follow Christ Jesus the Light of the World and not follow thee who saist he is a natural Light and an Idol and a created Light and James 3. 9. is thy condition and so thou art the Man that deceives people with vain words Ephe. 5. 6. and with fair speeches the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. And as for giving satisfaction thou art not likely who denyes the Light Christ Jesus and any who reads thy confused Book may see there is no satisfaction given in it though thou hast perverted many Scriptures and as for thy further debate upon thy assertion we tould thee we were ready and tell thee so now again who hast challenged us twice in this thy Book to meet us before the Sheriff which thou might have spared this Challenge in thy Appendix for we had given thee an Answer before we would meet thee to wit Thomas Curwen Husbandman William Houlding Blacksmith William Wilson Taylor and Henry VVood a dayly Labourer Seeing thou art the Man who hath challenged us we shall in the strength of the Lord meet thee when thou wilt and appoint a time and place for we were the Men whom thou hadst first to deale withall in this place and what dost thou scoffingly put Shoo-maker in which was not in which is a word of thy own forging as though thou was not able to Answer us or durst not stand to thy own assertions but shuffles from them And one would have thought John Henry VVood had given thee disputing enough before when thou was so gravel'd and stopt thou fled away from the Table and now it seemes thou hast put it of till the Magistrates call us out as though they had nothing to do but to medle with thy Antichristian wayes Nevertheless it stands on thy head and do not say we provoked thee for it was thy own Challenge for thou hast taken that in hand thou canst not make good by the Scriptures without adding or diminishing we know that before hand And whereas thou saist He that saith and affirmeth the Light in every man to be Christ is a deceiver and an Antichrist Ans The Light that lighteth every man that comes into the World he that affirmed this was no Antichrist Joh. 1. who said As many as receives him he gives them them power to become the Sons of God and here thou hast shewed forth thy malice against Christ and against the Apostle who bore witness of him and in plain words calls him an Autichrist and against us who are in the same Doctrine and teach the same thing and thou hast proved thy self to be an Antichrist 2 Joh. 9. for Christ is the Light and Salvation to the ends of the Earth who doth enlighten euery man that comes into the world Joh. 1. Joh. 8. Luke 2. 32. And thou saist what feeble shifts are those my Assertion striks at their very foundation and before they make that good they would run into other matters they seem to be weary of their cause but I must hold them to it till their Corner-stone and mine be so thorowly tryed that it may evidently appear whither of us be of the true Rock Christ Jesus Ans Thy Rock which thou so calls is tryed and found to be no Rock but confusion who denies Christ Jesus
day by the Scriptures of Truth but manifested thy self further in error and as for detecting our persons and carriages thou canst not but thy own carriage is detected and so thou maist take shame that pleads against Truth but God will honour his Truth and them that stands for it and happy would it be for thee if a place of repentance were found for thee though thou maist have had many Esaus Tears proceeded from thee through thy Agonies And the unsavory fruits thou speaks of is thy own by which thou deceives the Ignorant and the least that is simple in the truth discernes thee thy spirit and principle and are reclaimed from the error of thy way and that makes thee so rage against them And as for thy additional accompt thou hast given forth by discourse concerning the Light in every man and thy interpreting the Scriptures which indeed is perverting the Scriptures by thy addition as will be further manifested and proved And as for thy saying if any of them shall yet persist to maintain their error here you will find an offer further to debate the difference betwixt us before any person in Authority Answ It 's Truth we maintain against thy errors as we have done to all thy Brethren before thee till this day who are all come to nought who have made such havock upon us and our Goods we have maintained it and shall maintain it with our Lives to Death against thy errors before what Magestrate thou wilt as after will be manifest or when thou wilt or where thou wilt for its truth we stand for and suffer for And as for the perticulars that thou wilt suffer for as well as we and art not in the same Principle Bower and spirit as the Saints be in in that thou suffers but as an evil doer And whereas thou talkest of a measure of the Spirit of God given unto thee this is but to cover thy lies and errors and to deceive withal for if thou wert in the measure of the Spirit of God thy self thou wouldst not deny it in others and so in this thou art an enemy in thy Spirit to every thing that we stand for because thou art not in the Spirit And whereas thou sayest This is a relation of the occasion manner of a debate had in the Castle at Lancaster the 17. day of the 1. Moneth â—â—â—monly called March 1664. between me John Wiggan and George Fox John Stubbs and many other of the people called Quakers about the Light within Answ The dispute was not George Foxes nor John Stubbs but Thomas Curwens and William Wilsons but George Fox and John Stubbs liberty being granted George Fox hearing such gross errors laid down by John Wiggan he spake something to contradict them by Scriptures they being so gross and manifest and so this Book of Wiggans is not only a relation of that but of many other things of his own addition and private things sent-abroad by him and the truth of it all may be seen in the following answer And what I Tho. Curwen said to thee as thou passed through the great Hall thou being a deceiver of the people I bid thee leave of thy deceiving as yet thou couldest never clear thy self of being a deceiver nor hast not done in thy Book And whereas thou sayest thy answer was mild to this purpose said thou so Consider well what thou hast said and whether thou canst make good thy words and tell me as I come back whom I have deceived and wherewith I have deceived any or how thou canst prove me a deceiver Answ Here thou praises thy self of thy mildness if another had done it it had been better for thee what was thy mildness to me in thy Chamber when I came to discourse with thee of the things of God thou laid violent hands upon me and like to have torn my Coat off my back to haile me out of thy Chamber and this was not Christian like and whereas thou lyer bid me tell thee as thou came back that is a lye and thy voice I knew to be the voice of a stranger and now thou hast made it manifest who denies Christ the Light to be saving and whereas thou wouldest know whom thou hast deceived there came a Woman from London to thee to declare against thee whom thou hast long deceived And there came a Man from Stopphed whom thou had deceived to cry against thee and there came James Parke to cry against thee and to discourse with thee of thy deceivableness who saw thy deceit and turned away from thee when they came to the light of Christ Jesus which manifested thee and saw thee to be a Preacher against Christ the light and all may see herein what is the end of thy Preaching when thy work is to bring people from the Heavenly light of Christ Jesus within them and lead them into imaginations and whimsies and fancies of thy own brain and many others about Manchester which might be instanced which some of them hath been with thee here which thou long kept from the light of Christ Jesus within them who now praise the Lord that they are come from under the bondage and have found Christ their Saviour and Leader and Light which thou denyest And whereas thou sayest that I was rash my censures groundless in saying thou taught the way and know it not thy self Answ Thou hast manifested thou dost not know the way for there is but one way to God who is Christ the Light that doth enlighten everyman who doth enlighten the Gentiles is the glory of Israel and the Salvation to the ends of the Earth and Christ saith I am the Light and I am the way to the Father and no man comes to the Father but by me And this Light in every man thou denies to be saving which we say it is saving or condemning to them that love it it 's saving and to them that hate it it 's condemning and so it 's manifest that thou art a confesser of him and a teacher of him in words as other Sects are and the Devil could preach Christ in words without him and said thou art the Son of God as thou dost who denies him to be a Light in all men savingly and so doth all the Sects in Christendom that preaches Christ in words for an end and their gain as thou did at Manchester at thy Chapels and preached up thy Independant way and thou left the people in delusion didst thou know Christ then though thou preacht him in words and so doth all these before mentioned know Christ the way and such as held forth the Doctrine of Devils Commanding to abstain from Meats and forbiding to Marry who went about to deceive the Christians and people of Christ the way in words for some end but not in truth and Antichrists are not they such as pretend to preach Christ in words and yet knows him not who is a mystery Answer me plainly didst
Light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is an Anti-christ and Deceiver but here Priest Wiggan hath called John an Antichrist and Deceiver who came for a witness to bear witness of the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the world and I am the Light said Christ believe in the Light I am come a light into the world Joh. 8. 12. and they that did believe in the light had fellowship in it and the light that shone in their hearts gave them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 1 Ioh. 1. and so thou hast proved thy self to be an Antichrist and doth deny Christ come in the flesh who enlightens every man that comes into the world and thou calls the true light of Christ which the Saints and we walk in the Natural mans spirit and a Created light and a Natural light As to thy Objection which is against John who saith this is the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the World Would John have bid them believe in it except it had been Christ Joh. 1. 7 8 9. and this is an invincible proof against thy assertion and all the people thou dost deceive and John was a true Witness but thou art a false and John bore a true witness to the Light but thou bears false witness against the light and so thou turns people from light to darkness and the true Apostle turned them from darkness to the light Acts 2. 6. And whereas thou say'st We write in several Books as may be seen this light Christ is God the Lord God and the Lamb the Object of Faith and this true Light which is Christ enlightens not some but every man coming into the World and therefore it must needs be saving and that this light can be meant for no other then of Christ they further alleage John 3. 12. 12. 35 36. where it is plainly exprest that Christ is the Light Answ In this thou hast manifested thy ignorance of the Scriptures and of the Saints Testimony and thou scoffs because we say Christ hath not enlightened some but all and so thou art he that makes Sects amongst the people in saying he doth not enlighten them all thou may as well say his love was not to all in giving his Son for all and we say Christ the light is the object of Faith the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world by whom the world was made and this is our Testimony to all men for the Lord and Christ is the light and the Lamb and God is light And this is our Message which we have heard of him that God is light and in him is no darkness at all and Christ and God will dwell in man whom we witness Glory to him for ever through which we see over thee who hath long deceived some of us Whereas thou say'st We have perverted many Scriptures That is false for we speak them as they are but it is manifest thou hast per verted many and quoted many false and many people that doth not know thy subtle devices but takes all things for granted without any trial such thou may deceive for thy Book manifests it self sufficiently if it had not been answered but only for the sake of the simple which thou keeps under thee in thy error and delusion that they might see thee and come from under thy snare for we are satisfied as to our selves for thy work is only to keep people in darkness from the light and we are come from under thy Captivity and see thy subtlety and snares and know what thou can say and long enough since saw thy confusion And thou say'st when it is said that was the true light which enlighteneth every man that comes into the World It must be considered first who this true Light is secondly how he doth enlighten every man that comes into the World for first the Scriptures do witness that this true Light is the word God by whom the World was made thus it is said Joh. 11. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God all things was made by him that is by the Word God John was sent to bear witness of the Light that is of the word God that was the true Light that is the word God even he by whom the World was made he was in the World and the World knew him not which was the Creator and former of all things Ans In this you may see how he hath perverted the Scriptures and overthrown his Assertion and his former Writings in his Books for he saith that the light which lighteneth every man that comes into the World which John bore Testimony of is the word God by which all things was made and created which men was to believe in this was not a saving light saith he though it be Divine and doth he not call it a Created light a Natural light and the spirit of a Natural Man and now it is God and not saving for the Scripture saith the Word was with God Joh. 1. and this speaks of Christ and Christs Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19 13. and the Word was with God that thou hast left out and this Word became Flesh So he goes about to prove that Christ was not the Word with the Father before the World began which is contrary to the Scripture which saith I was with him in the beginning as Solomon saith and Christ saith Glorifie thou me with the same Glory which I had with thee before the World was Joh. 17. And again thou say'st The Word God thus considered is the true light the fountain and original of all lights according to the Scripture 1 Joh. 1. 5. God is light and in him is no darkness at all this is he in whom was life and the life was the light of men in whom we live move and have our being we are his off-spring and he is the fountain both of light and life to all beings according to their capacities as their Creator and thus we may see what this true light is the word God Answ And yet thou saist before this was not saving this true Light this word God how dark art thou is not Christ called God and his Name the Word of God Emanual God with us and 2 Pet. 3. 7. the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store c. And Heb. 11. 3. Through faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God c. And Christ is the Light and Life of Men and not saving and is not he saving and is not he spiritual and saving whom all has a being in and moving in didst thou not call him before a natural Light and a created Light and a natural Mans spirit and would prove it out of Cor. 2. and now it is God and Creator and not Christ
false Prophets steps 2 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 10. 2 Pet. 2. Art thou not here in these steps Evil beasts slow bellies c. all that read the Scriptures may see thee And whereas thou saist Thou hast had Converse with several Christians in several Nations this thirty years Answ This thou may speak to thy shame who knows no more of God and Christ then now to call him an Idol and where did any of all these Christians teach thee that Christ was an Idol I do not believe that any sect in all Christendome would say so but thy self no not the Papists whom thou likens us to and saith we are as bad and so thou art like unto them in the Revelations Who blasphemeth God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven And that which thou did affirm in thy assertion was contrary to God Christ Scripture and Truth and all people might see them if there were no answer to them if they could but read Scriptures And whereas thou saist It behoved some of them at least G. F. who was called as Margaret Fell affirmeth c. Answ Margaret Fell said G. F. was called from his lawful Calling as thou reports thou thy self didst report it That was the occasion of her words which if it was so if his Calling had been meaner it was better then Butchering people as thou hast done with the sword any of these trades had been better then thine for thou hast been both a Priest and a Butchering Major so thou might have two Trades and has lost them both which makes thee â—ail so Alss for answering thy book it did not so much concern G. F. but many particulars which were some of them 60 miles one off another and thy book which we had with much adoe from you which ye were afraid should have come to the light it was such a work of darknesse and it was but a few dayes time in our hands which they were not likely to answer it in so short a time besides called on often to be taken from us it was an uncertain thing for us to come to answer it or go about that work but at last we were fain to take it in pieces and get it Copyed over in pieces there was such haste with you and this shews you were afraid to have it answered whereof John Wigans Wife and some of his mis-led people made a boast as though we could not answer it before we could have it which he hath small reason for as they that reads it in mecknesse sees his folly 2 Tim. 2. And that which we writ was true to thy condition thou hast proved it And whereas thou art grieved because the Goalers and Prisoners should see thy fruits laid open because we sent Letters to them to give unto thee when thou thy self would not take them of us and we did not send for our Letters again as thou didst thy Book or some through thy means not being afraid who see them or read them And herein thou condemns thy self for thou directed thy book to the Goaler and sent it into the Towne before it came to us so in this thou hast judged thy self for thou didst not so much as direct that a Copy of it should be given to us and so thou renders thy self both obnoxious and odious in thy Book and practice And what thou hast been is known and there is things yet to be manifest which is a shame to mention and so thou hast thy self begotten in many men a true opinion that thou art a hainous offender in speaking such words and writing such things against Christ the Light And we know none that hath sent thee any Letters sealed but there hath been a name subscribed to them And as for scorning jearing and frothy expressions that 's thy own condition John and not ours and why didst thou not put those letters sent without names into thy book that the wise Reader might have seen them if there were such and have judged of them And as for me Thomas Curwen who sent several papers to thee being burthened with thy wickednesse who had published thy lies abroad in the Name of the Lord and wast ashamed and afraid that we should have them though thou promised often we should have them in words and now that we have it it must but be a fortnight being a short time for them who are above 60. miles from one another and thou hast done unjustly in that thou hast not put down my whole letters and the occasion of them for there is no wise man will judge but that there was some reason why I should send such words to thee And did not froth and rage and fury appear in thee when thou laid violent hands on me and pull'd my coat like to tare it off my back and canst thou lift such unholy hands and fists of wickednesse unto the Lord in prayer and will God accept thy sacrifice which is like Cains And when I did peruse thy book I found it did not prove thy assertion viz. That Christ the light is not saving It therefore is but as Chaff and dirt and thou perverts and wrests adds to many Scriptures seemingly to prove thy assertion good which thou couldst not for which I say the plagues of God shall be added unto thee according to the Scriptures Rev. 22. To which John Wigan in his wonted fury and rage said The plagues of God was upon me and we all spake from the spirit of the Devil yet this man before his companions would seem to be humble and a meek man through his feigned words would seem to Justifie himself And for thy sawcy language and ill-bred behaviour and unmannerlinesse if thou had put all my letter down the Reader might have seen why I charge those things upon thee And therefore I had good ground to speak these words through all thy words and carriages towards me and also thy abusive and slanderous and sawcy expressions to my Esteemed friend in the truth M. F. which if thou hadst had either civility or the reason of a man or any regard to virtue thou would have been ashamed to utter or have written such things as thou didst but thou hast abused her letters as thou hast done mine and taken that which thou thinks may be for thy advantage and wrests our words as thou hast done the Scriptures and left out that in our letters which was the cause we spoke those things unto thee and plainly shew the cause which if any desire to know the cause we have them to shew for if we should put them in our book they would make it too great a volume too great together with thy slanderous letters and that thou should vomit so many slanders in thy book which thou would not let us have but only a few dayes and then thou glories and boasts in which time thou knew we could not answer them the particulars concerned in it being so far distant one from
man that 's come into the world is the same light which John bore witnesse of which was a man sent of God for that purpose before Christ Jesus came to prepare the way before him as the Scripture doth testifie which prophesied of him before he came and which prophecies he bore witnesse to when he came as Isa 40. 3 4 5. the voice of him that cryeth in the wildernesse prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desert the high way of our God Read on to the fifth verse and Malachy the 3. and 1. Behold I send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shal suddenly come to his Temple and according to these prophecies the Angel Gabriel came to Zacharias and told him that he should have a son and Luke 1. 19. and the Angel answering said I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tydings and in the sixth month after the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a Virgin espoused to a man named Joseph which testified of the birth of Christ as you may read in the of Luke at large and the Angel said unto Zacharias when he told them of the birth of John he said fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard for thy wife Elizabeth shall bear a son and thou shalt call his name John and thou shalt have joy and gladnesse in him and many shall rejoyce at his birth and he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and he shall be filled with the holy Ghost even this is he that bore witnesse of the Light which Iohn Wigan calls an Idol from his mothers womb and after this child was born his fathers mouth was opened in praises unto the Lord being dumb since the Angel spoke to him because he did not fully believe and his father Zacharias was filled with the holy Ghost and prophesied of Christ saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his people and so to the end of the Chapter as you may read ver 76. and the child shall be called the Prophet of the highest to wit Christ and thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his waies to give knowledg of salvation unto his people by the Remission of their sins and Christ himself bore witnesse of John Mat. 11. and said he was more than a Prophet and said of all that were born of women there was not a greater then John and said he was a burning and shining light as you may read For this is he of whom it is written Behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee ver 10. and if ye will receive it this is the Elias which was for to come for all the Prophets and the Law prophecyed until John He that hath an ear to hear let him hear ver 13 14 15. and the Apostle bore witnesse of Iohn and said as John fulfilled his course Acts 13. he said Whom think ye that I am I am not he but there cometh one after me the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to loose Thus far we have proved unto you what Iohn was that he was sent of God to bear witnesse of Christ by these Scriptures with many more which might be instanced concerning John Now we shall go to Johns testimony and witnesse which he bore of Christ Jesus John 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made in him was life and this life was the light of men This is he which John bore witnesse of this same John came for a witnesse to bear witnesse of this Light that all men through him might believe as you may see proved by all the foregoing prophecies of him he said He was not the light but was sent to bear witnesse of the light that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world This is the light and no other which we witnesse and bear testimony of which John Wigan saith is an idol He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not but as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believed on his name not to such unbelievers as John Wigan who denies him which was born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This John Wigan calls an idol And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten son of God full of grace and truth John bore witnesse of him and cryed saying This is he of whom I spoke he that cometh after me who is preferred before me ver 15. Now here the reader may see W's blasphemies and lyes in his book where he saith that the light that John bare witnesse of that lighteth every man that comes into the world is the word creator and not the word made flesh Christ so let the reader read John 1. 14 15. and this is the record of John when the Jews sent priests and levites from Jerusalem and asked him who art thou and he confessed and denied not I am not the Christ and they asked him and said unto him who art thou and he said I am the vâ—ice of one crying in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord as said the prophet Isaiah 1 John ver 23. They asked him why baptizest thou then and John answered saying I baptize with water but there standeth one among you whom ye know not he it is who coming after me is preferred before me c. Jo. 1. ver 26. 27. Here John beares witness of him according to the prophesies the next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and said Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world This is he of whom I said after me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me ver 29. 30. This is he whom we worship as our redeemer whom J. W. saith to worship is to set up a greater Idolatry then that of Jeroboams and of the Papists and John saith further that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water and John bore record saying I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove and it abode upon him and I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he that baptizeth with the holy Ghost And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God and this is he whom J.
lead them this way Ans Those three or four sheets was most of them particular Letters sent to thee by many persons so as I said before thou shouldst have published the whole Letters not part of them and let them have spoken themselves to the Reader and thy errors are sufficiently manifest in thy Book and thou would have a sheet of Paper written to thy Book five sheets in a few dayes time which concerns several friends 60. miles distance one from another this was Wiggan's policy and his peoples to get the Book again and to boast that it could not be answered And thy next words concerning Antichrists fair speeches and allurements while there is hope to make merchandize of them is directly thy own condition for now thou being stirred up and opposed rages who did appear to ignorant people like a Lamb but thou was known to us before for now thou art loud and clamorous and falsly accusing when thou canst not get thy will about like to the Whore in Proverbs 7. and Josephs Mistress Genesis 39. and 2 Pet. 3. And whereas thou speaks of owning Preachers not sent but denyes the Lord that bought them and preaches not the same Jesus and Gospel as Paul did such thou saist thou ownes not but denies Ans Then thou denies thy self and thy own Assertion for the Apostle preached that Jesus which said he was the Light of the World Joh. 1. and Joh. 8. so thou art the man that Christ never sent Rom. 10. 15. and Jer. 23. 32. and thou art proved the Antichrist that denies the Lord that bought thee 2 Pet. 2. and Jude 4. and so art one of them that crept in unawares who preaches another Jesus another Gospel then Christ the Light And whereas thou saist we boast of gifts c. and that it s reported to thee that G. Fox had the gift of Tongues and by such like pretences we gain a multitude and it is a certain Character of Antichrists last coming that many shall follow their pernitious wayes Ans Our boast is not in gifts nor tongues as knowing they begin at Babel but our rejoycing is in the word Christ Jesus and in his Light Truth and Spirit and we would have all men and women come to the same in themselves which thou denies by which they might know the Lord by which a multitude is come to follow the Lord and to walk in his way the Light which thou enviously calls a pernitious way and a mark of Antichrists coming and thou Antichrist like would draw people from the Light and spirit of God within them to thy own way but God hath overthrown and is overthrowing thy pernitious wayes and many who have been followers of thee now comes to follow the Lord and that makes thee thus to rage Mathew 24. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 2. and our way is Christ and he is our guift of God And after this thou sends 12. Queries abroad and thou thy self couldst not answer my Queries nor Wood's is this the part of a man of Wisdom or Reason Nevertheless I shall not let thy Queries pass unanswered though these Queries are not to us chiefly Thy Queries are as followeth 1 Query Whether it can be found in all the Scriptures that any of the true Prophets or Christ or his Apostles ever used such language as is before mentioned in any person professing Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ or whether it be not clearly the spirit of an Antichristian spirit as hath been hinted Ans Thou that has denyed Christ Jesus to be the Light of the World and calls him an Idol and hath denyed Christ the Light to be saving contrary to the Scriptures Luke 2. 38. thou hast denyed Repentance and Faith in Christ for thou hast denyed that which thou should believe in and therefore thy words bears the mark of Antichrist 1 Joh. 2. 18 22. Joh. 4. 3. Joh. 2. 7. And what we speak of thee is true upon thee and the Apostle used such language to such like as Acts 13. 10. where the Apostle called Elimas an enemy of all Righteousness a child of the Devil which perverted the Deputy from the right way of God as thou dost people And read Timothy and Titus and there see what words the Apostle gives to evil beasts and slow bellies Titus 2. 1. 2. Query Whether there can be any other gain in the aforesaid censures then to cast an odioum upon and to cause a disesteem of the persons opposing them and whether this was not the practice of the false Prophets and false Apostles thereby to gain more credit to their own cause Ans This is thy own condition for what gain is it by all thy former slanderous words which thou cast both upon Christ and us that Christ should not be believed in and that we should be of disesteem among people that holds truth forth to all people that they might believe in him who enlightens them and this was the work of the false Prophets and false Apostles to disesteem of Christ and the Apostles that people should not believe in him nor receive their Doctrine as Mat. 28. 12 13. and 2 Cor. 10. and did they not say Christ deceived the people read Mathew and did they not say Jeremy deceived the people but the false Prophets and false Apostles could get the true Christs Prophets and Apostles words but was out of the life and not being in the spirit the true Apostles alwayes judged them as thou art now 1 Peter 2. and Jude 3. Query Whether it be not a manifest abuse of the Scriptures and a presumptuous introduction into the office of Christ positively to affirme that the sins of any man shall never be forgiven in this World nor in that which is to come meerly because he denyed the Light that is in every man that comes into the World to be saving in as much as the Scripture no where saith thus that the Light is saving Ans Thou doth not only deny Christ the Light to be saving but thou denyest the Holy Ghost to reprove the World c. And Christ saith all sin may be forgiven but that which is against the Holy Ghost and thou dost also blaspheme and sin against him not as he is a man but as he is the Light and spirit Mat. 12. 36. and whereas thou saith the Scripture no where saith that the Light is saving the Scripture saith Christ is the Light and he is the Salvation John 8. and the Lord shall be to thee an Everlasting Light and the Lord is the Saviour of his people And Joh. 12. I am come a Light into the World saith Christ and he is a Saviour And Psal 27. 1. and David saith the Lord is my Light and Salvation And here thou lyes against that which the Holy Ghost hath said in saying the Scripture saith no where the Light is saving and in Isai 49. 6. where the Lord speaking of Christ saith I will give thee for a
for thou Challenged us first or give over Challenging for we would have discoursed with thee privately in a Christian way in thy Chamber but thou in great rage denyed it And another time Thomas Curwen came into thy Chamber in a Christian way and thou took hold of him and shook him by his Coat and like to have torne it off his back and laid violent hands on him and would have thrust him out of thy Chamber for it s very well that the discourse be before a Magistrate to keep thee civil for thy carriage in the last dispute was not so hansome So provided that thou keep thy people in order and thy self also that you may speak one by one and so speak as many as will on both sides that the spirit need not be limited in any for thou was the first man that broke the order in the last Dispute and spake when another man was speaking which was taken notice of by all the wise and sober And also provided that thou keep down that foolish spirit of Laughter and be more modest and civil then thou was in the last Dispute when we were discoursing of the things of God and answer these things by Scripture according to thy Challenge before the Sheriffe and in the strength of the Lord we will meet thee if liberty may be had and when thou hast made good these things by Scripture if thou have any thing to say to any else they will answer thee These Principles he hath laid down and spoken to friends and some were in Books which his brother Evan Price sent to us and Iohn Wiggan was offended because we did mark them for errors which you may see how contrary they be to the Scriptures of truth William Houlding Blacksmith Henry Wood who is a daily Labouring man who cannot read a word on a Book and Thomas Curwen Husbandman and VVilliam VVilson Taylor dointend to give Iohn VViggan a meeting before the Sheriffe according to his Challenge if the Lord will And these things and also worse things in the Book we desire to be brought forth to the light at the Dispute and there they may be proved for he did Challenge us first though our Lives be out of disputes yet we shall give him a meeting and for him to make these things good by plain Scripture And also besides all the scandals slanders and villifyings and lyings and unsavory sawcy language and scornful reproachful speeches in a jearing scoffing and villifying way against us and these be some of his notorious Principles which he could never make good by plain text of Scripture which he has long made a trade upon to get his living by and in a feigned carriage and humility to go up and down and insence and sow discord and to make the minds of the simple envious against such as honours God and loves virtue but his rage and violent hands hath been known upon Richard Huberthorn Iohn Abraham Thomas Curwen and others who may seem to be simple and in an outward appearance to be a humble man to those who swallow down all without any question proof or tryal but when he comes to be tryed his rage and passion and violent hands comes to be felt and seen by such as Reasons with him in a Christian way We desire thee I. VV. that thou would send for the Book which thou and thy brother Price was grieved because we marked them for errors which was so contrary to Scripture Here followes some Queries for J. W. to Answer 1. WHether I. VV. is a fit man to preach the Gospel of peace that layes violent hands on people 2. And whether or no that he can preach the Gospel of peace and be not in the peace himself to all men 3. And whether or no this was the spirit of Christ in I. VV. when Thomas Curwen went to reason with him of the things of God in a Christian way and like to have torn his Coat off his back that T. C. was faine to cry out what a Minister of Christ and fight And also Iohn Abraham when he went to him to be satisfied in the things of God he laid hands of him and thrust him away Whether or no these be the fruits of a Minister of Christ and whether or no these be not the fruits of a Natural man and whether or no this spirit can give satisfaction in the things of God but only with his Natural spirit make use of the Scriptures for his own end 4. And whether or no such a persecuting spirit both with tongue and hands be not alwaies blind 5. And whether or no the blind leads any whether but into the Ditch so whether or no he that leads into the ditch doth know the things of God that leads to Heaven 6. And whether or no this blind spirit may not give forth many Queries for others to answer and yet answer none proposed to him and lay down many Assertions and make none good by the Scriptures of truth as you may see Henry VVoods and Thomas Curwens Queries lyes unanswered yet and his own false Assertions not proved by the Scriptures without adding or diminishing 7. And so whether a striker a railer a fighter Christ sent such to preach the Gospel of peace and such as disdaines and scornes Tradesmen and calls them Mechanicke men as Iohn VViggan doth 8. And whether or no he doth not go in the high Priests rode scorning the Apostles as being Tradsmen Fishermen unlearned 9. And whether or no these simple Tradesmen did not bring more Glory to God then all the wise men such as Iohn VViggan in the Earth or Pilat with his Greek and Latin yea I say Abel Iacob and David Keepers of Sheep and Elisha called from the Plow and Amos a Herdsman and Peter and Iohn Fishermen and Paul a Tentmaker Nay did not the Iewes mockingly call Christ a Carpenters Son And what think you now of Iohn VViggan who has called and Challenged us Mechanick men twice to meet him before the Sheriffe that he would make good his erronious Assertions and when we laid down his Assertions and said we would meet him he now disdaines us as Mechanick men 10. Whether these hands that will thrust and pull and hale and like to pull peoples Cloaths off their backs be the holy hands that are lifted up in Prayer 1 Tim. 2. 8. or the fifts of wickedness spoken of in Isa 48. 4. Thomas Curwen William Houlding Henry Wood. William Wilson ERRATA Page the 3. line the 2. for some read so p. 6. l. 10. f. the r. thy p. 24. l. 22. f. thing r. things p. 25. l 22. f. not as r. as not l. 32. f leght r. light p. 43. l. 4. f. the spirit of a man r. the spirit of a natural man l 27. f. is r. not p. 52. l 3. f. springing r. spring p. 54. l 16. f. deserve r. discern p. 64. l 8. for knows the things of God r. knows not
under a feigned humility and now is brought to light Praises to the Lord God for ever for thy disputing is against Christ the Light c. to be saving so thou art not like to be a true Preacher of Christ And Thomas Curwens second Paper wherein he shewes John Wiggan he has not answered his Queries and how that he would come into his Chamber to discourse about one Query which John Wiggan had chosen out that Query which speaks of Christ being the saving Light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the World and this Christian way of discourse John Wiggan denyed though before he had spoken of a meeting betwixt him and our Friends when and where a meeting might be had in a quiet way and when we came into his Chamber he having put it to us before when and where which we looked upon his own Chamber to be the best and civil'st he contradicts his own words and again challenges us down into the Shire-Hall and thou disputing about this Query did not satisfie me concerning all the other I stuck the Paper on the Door according to my word which thou hast neither answered in Writing nor word to this day and my word is made good to thee or any rational man Concerning such as get the form of Godliness and preaches Him and knowes him not and thou geting the Apostles words and out of their life and power thou art he that wrongest the Apostles and whereas thou sayest the Apostles useth no such words that is cleared before And my second Paper which was brought to thee was not with that purpose to disturb thee but that thou might have seen thy self if thou would not have shut thine eyes and here I clear things over again to thee if thou wilt not hide thy self from the Light thou may see and that I neither wrong the Apostles nor thee but am one with the Apostles against such as thou art And whereas thou faith thou art not inclined to multiply words to occasion strife and yet thou contradicts thy self and multiplys many words to no purpose against the saving Light of Christ and which is saving who said he would give for a Covenant of Light and is the peace between God and man and that which thou multiplys is against him which occasions nothing but strife and confusion and not peace for the Peace is in Christ the Light which thou canst not abide to hear on that every man has a saving Light because it marrs thy trade and thy great Diana would be taken away to wit thy Gain for preaching Christ the Light mar'd the great Diana and all the Workmens Gain as thou may read in the Acts And thou said thou would meet us in a spirit of Love and meekness but it proved otherwise when thou appeared at the dispute And whereas thou sayest in thy Answer to Thomas second Letter that thou wouldest treat with Thomas about the Light and any other point and saith I was over confident in saying I was mistaken if thou thinkest I should leave it to thee to appoint time and place and had left it to me before both when and where as may be seen in thy Letter and here is thy contradiction and when I had appointed the Meeting when and where according to thy own Challenge when now thou say'st after thou had left it to me when and where and we appointed thy own Chamber then thou deny'st us coming there except thou hadst invited us thou camest often into our Chamber without inviting and thou denyed us for appointing the place and said we were over confident and so forsook thy own proposition and appointed another place and so this is no honour for to publish abroad such things and this is thy seeking after truth which was but a pretence and not in reality and friends did meet with thee and did discourse with thee and when the day came thou stood not to that neither but found some excuse and when thou didst come Friends spoke to thee concerning thy own words and promises and how thou didst not stand to thy words promises and time in thy Challenge but shuffled and altered and as thou sayest falsly that thee was challenged by us first that is false for the Queries was sent to thee to answer in Writing or else we would stick them on the Door and thou vapoured and challenged and left it to us and then denyed it again said this day and the other day and brake thy own word and promise which caused many to come out of the Country to see thy own folly and thou was the occasion of the Dispute for we would have discoursed with thee in a Christian way which thou denyedst it in thy Chamber which we would have granted thee to have come into Ours if thou hadst desired it and all thy dayes work was to stand in opposition against Truth Christ the Light that enlightens every man and instead of bringing people to the Light thou turns them to darkness from the Light And whereas thou say'st because I did not set thy Letter by mine upon the Door therefore I savour of a fleshly spirit in divers Circumstances That which thou has particularized I answer for not setting it upon the Door because it was not an Answer to my Queries therefore thou savours more of a fleshly spirit who did not answer them nor convinc'd me wherein I had done wrong And whereas thou sayest Thomas Curwen and William Wilson when we came to conferr with thee about the Meeting according to thy former Challenge which thou villifies us and sayes we came to provoke thee and with many heavy censures as John Cowert can witness now ye people of Lancaster may see what a sufficient witness he hath brought to be a witness for him who is a common Drunkard this you may judge what spirit his Book came from for thou at that time in thy Chamber didst lay down for Doctrine and Principles that the Scriptures was the Author of thy faith who art ignorant of the Scriptures and of the Ministers who taught the Christians that Christ Jesus was the Author and finisher of their faith and as for hard or heavy censures we deny them for we speak the truth in plainness and thou wouldst not meet according to thy own Challenge but puting us off from time to time that was the occasion of our coming unto thee to thy Chamber but thou should have set down thy own carriage and behaviour in envy and malice towards us in thy Chamber who sweld and puft and bid us go out of thy Chamber why did we come there after thou had challenged us for we came to thee about thy Challenge and the Meeting and thou in a fury cryed get you out get you out of my Chamber what do you do here As though we could not be admitted into thy presence thou was so high and scornful and for thy saying thou was forced to intreat us to go out of
of all men especially of them that believe so saith ahe Apostle 1. And whereas thou say'st over and over again that all things should be proved by the Scripture and thou proves nothing to the matter 2. And whereas thou say'st again and again that the Meeting may be peaceable and quiet and thou was the first man that disturbed it And whereas thou say'st the words were left out as railing and reproachful speeches we thought thou would call the plain truth rayling and thou hoping that the thing would be so carried on it was so on our part but thou and thy people brake out into disorder and scornful speeches that thou was often reproved for thy immodesty and as I said before thou was the first man that was disorderly as thou speaks on over again as also thou was the first man that very uncivilly brake the order of one speaking at once neither didst thou observe it and as for limiting time and hour that is answered before and seeing the Meeting was put off with a pretence by the Jaylor as thou sayest we met with thee another day according to thy appointment and we know thou didst make an Oration before the meeting and then propounded that which thou could not maintain That Christ doth not enlighten every man with a saving Light that comes into the World c. And I John Stubbs stood up and told thee that Christ did enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light and Richard Cubban did not alter what thou had spoken and written as the Reader may see in thy Book and why dost thou say that I Richard Cubban was perswaded with much ado for when thou would not stand to what thou had written and spoken then I stood to what thou would agree to and this was but a shift from thy own words we lookt thou should have made every word good thou had writen and spoken but thou shifts from thy own words and therefore we let thee have what words thou would stand to And whereas thou sayest I John Wiggan proceeded to prove premising first that the Question was not whethere there be some Light that comes into the World nor whether Christ do not enlighten true Believers with a saving Light forasmuch as I denyed not but did affirme there was some Light in every man that comes into the World and true Believers was enlightened with a saving Light Answ In thy assertion there was no mention of unbelievers as all may see in thy Book but thy assertion is Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light then Believers are not according to thy words for thou sayest the Light wherewith every man is enlightened withal which we say is the Light of Christ is not saving and yet again thou contradicts thy self and saith Believers are lightened with a saving Light but and if Believers be enlightened with a saving Light and unbelievers be not how are they then condemned for their unbeliefe this Question neither thee nor thy people could answer For thy proof that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light thou sayest that Christ doth not enlighten no man but by his Spirit but Christ doth not give his Spirit to every man that comes into the World therefore he doth not enlighten every Man that comes into the World with a saving Light These words proves nothing at all but thy own ignorance of the Scriptures for God saith by his Prophet that he would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh in the latter dayes And the Apostles saw those dayes come in their time as in Acts 2. and so this being proved that God pours out his Spirit upon all Flesh then he enlightens every man that comes into the World with a saving Light according to thy own assertion and so this overthrows thy opposing assertion And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. Now thou contradicts the Apostle here the true Minister he saith every man but thou gives him the lie and saith not every man God gives his Spirit unto but we say with the Apostles and the Prophets that God hath given his Spirit to all as in Joel 2. Acts 2. 1. Cor. 12. and they that do not profit in the Spirit are such as grieves it and quenches it and rebells against it as in Nehem. 9. and many other Scriptures which might be mentioned and as for the many Scriptures thou hast quoted they are to no purpose And thou sayest that thy first Proposition is clear from Isai 59. 12. this contradicts thy Proposition this speaks of the New Covenant Christ and in the 60. Chap. ver 3. and the 11. 12. how that the Gentiles that wicked people should come to the Light speaking of Christ and this quite makes against thee that saith Christ doth not enlighten every man with a saving Light and John 4. 16 17. but thou shouldst have read the 16. of John as well as that where thou may read they have the same Comforter the spirit of truth which leads the Saints into all Truth and how can thou or the World receive this Spirit which will not believe in the Light but hates it so this proves that all men have the Spirit and overthrowes thy assertion and Christ the Corner-stone breaks thee to pieces who opposes him and the plain Scripture which all people may read and leaves out that which makes against thee and Ephes 1. 17 18. because the Saints had the spirit of Wisdom and the eyes of their understandings was enlightened this thou brings to oppose Christ the Light and the Apostles Doctrine and Testimony that Christ did not enlighten every man that comes into the World and his Light is not saving which thou might as well deny Christ and say he is not saving who is the Light for none of these Scriptures doth say that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light and John 16. 13. makes nothing for thy purpose and whereas thou sayest Neither is there any other way by which Christ doth infuse a saving Light into any man but by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 and 12. vers Answ I pray you all people read this Scripture over and see whether there be any such word as Infusing a saving Light into any man but by his spirit you may see how he wrongs the Apostles words with his own words and wrongs John's words also for we know that the natural man knows not the things of God but by the Spirit they are understood for the Natural man quenches and grieves the spirit of God and so walks despitefully against the spirit of Grace therefore this is no proof that he hath it not because he cannot discern the things of God for the things of God are opened to him as he obeyes the Spirit of God And thou saith the assumtion
God and our asking the questions was to have thee make good the thing in hand which thou could not do and this is thy shift to say thou was obstructed but tell me who obstructed thee for not answering T. C. and old H. W. their Queries this half years time but thou would have had all the talk to have held what errors thou would and none to oppose thee and it seems M. F. and G. F. the truth that they spoke there tormented thee and where thou say'st G. F. coming in about that time thou was replying to J. S. this is false for thou was speaking to M. F. and held the debate a good while after G. F. came in with her and then G. F. many people standing upon the Formes upon which he stood up upon and set one foot upon the edge of the Table for thou was gotten to the uppermost end of the Table in the highest place Priest like and what a great advantage hast thou taken here because G. F. stood up upon the Forme did not thou and the other Priest stand upon the Table before George Fox and was so unruly not to be gotten off the Table and thy own people stood upon the Formes scoffing and revileing and because that G. F. stood but the one foot upon the Forme and the other upon the Table leaning upon his Knee this thou could publish in thy Book as a great transgression And whereas thou sayest thou was standing that is false for thou was siting and when G. F. spoke to thee thou cockt up thy Hat more like a Ranter and a Player in a Tavern then one imployed in the service of God and G. F. reproved thee and told thee the things of God was weighty and that thou must not be leght and all the serious people beheld thy vanity and weakness and perverting the Scriptures And whereas thou sayest where thou and others were standing on the ground that is false too for many of you were siting we did not see you so reverend though some its true were standing and stood there where thou should not have stood and G. F. did take off the strength of the Scriptures alledged by thee and made it to appear contrary to that end thou brought it and made it to appear that thou confounded thy own assertion and did prove that every one that came into the World had the spirit of Christ according to their measure and thou falsly belies G. F. for he neither used undervaluing or taunting expressions and I believe that none will say so but thy self except it be some scoffers or scorners like thy self and G. F. needed not undervalue thee for thou under valued thy self in speaking against truth and against the plain Scriptures of truth And as for G. F. as thou saidst went several times from the Table and said the least Babe there was able to answer thee the dispute being not his liberty being granted upon which occasion he spoke something to thee who spoke that thou couldst not make good by the Scriptures as after will be manifest and it did appear there that one of the least babes in the truth thou could not answer to wit H. W. and F's presence who is in the truth was not so needful whom thou scoffingly termes their Leader or rather their misleader but the weakest amongst us saw and doth see thee that thou was art and hath been a misleader to many of our Friends who now see thee who has Christ now to be their Leader Praises to the Lord God for ever and G. F. did not miserably wrest nor abuse the Scriptures as thou say'st but spoke them as they were but thou makes no conscience of lying who sayes he miserably wrested them but that which he spoke was in defence of the Truth against thy error and he would have the people to understand the Scripture thou brought to oppose thy self and the meeting was to that end that truth might be manifest to them for we were satisfied before and we are very well acquainted with these Scriptures that thou brought to pervert the Truth And thou was seen long ago for what end thy Preaching was And whereas thou say'st that which G. F. spake was not to the purpose then the Scripture thou brought was not to the purpose and herein thou hast confuted thy self for that which he spoke was to the Scriptures thou brought to oppose the Truth but it seems thou art offended because G. F. spoke to the people and opened the thing to them which makes thee complain manifesting that thou would keep and lead them in blindness and darkness that thou might make a prey upon them still And the thing that thou laid down before the people was that some men that comes into the World hath not the Spirit and thou would prove it out of Jude and when the Scripture was read there was no such words and yet he affirmed the same thing though he could not prove it perverting many Scriptures and yet could not make any to suite his purpose and when G. F. let him see the same he broke out into a rage and fury and spoke when he was speaking and so brake the civil order of speaking one by one and whereas he saith that in the Corinthians the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal was spoken to the Saints or Church of God at Corinth and not to the wicked The Apostle doth not say it was to the Saints only but to every man and Christ saith what I say unto you I say unto all men watch and pray and how can they pray without the spirit and people you know it was the false Prophets that limited the Holy one and if the Corinthians every one had a manifestation of the spirit here is an If it seems thou questions this whether they had or no and say'st thou Every man that cometh into the World hath not a manifestation of the Spirit as before it s proved out of Acts 2. and John 16. and the Apostles words was every man and not every Saint dost thou not pervert the Apostles words here and also them that were Baptised by one Spirit into one body which were Saints and this thou brings to prove that the world that quenches and grieveth and rebelleth against and errs from the Spirit of God hath it not to reprove them which any that reads but Scriptures may see thy ignorance and darkness and whereas thou gain-sayest that the Apostle speaks only that the manifestation of the spirit of every man that was Baptized by one spirit into one body and made to drink into one spirit and not to every man that comes into the world Now people look this Chapter thorow 1 Corinthians 12. whether ye do find these words of Wiggan's in it or no that it is onely to them that believe and are Baptized and whether the Apostle has these Limits as he hath and whether his words be onely to them that
and Law and Spirit of God and also of his Idolatry who has made and framed another Image which he calls a Created light and a natural light and a dim light and the spirit of a natural man And whether this Law and Spirit of God which was given unto the children of Israel into their hearts be natural and also hath been the guide and teacher of his people in all ages for Christ himself saith unto the Jews It is written in the law you shall all be taught of God and the prophet Isa said That all the children of the Lord should be taught of the Lord. And how should they be taught and be established in righteousness but by the Light of righteousness the righteous Law of God written in their hearts and this is none of J. W's Molten Image which he has set up which he calls created and naturall and dim Light and spirit of a naturall man c. And so here the reader may read by what is here proved by plaine scripture J. W. first to be a minister of darkness by his denying the Light of Christ to be the law of God the pure new covenant which he hath lighted every man with and his law which is written in every heart since the new covenant and also he may read him an Idolater in that he has made a molten and graven Image which he calls created and natural and the spirit of a Man which is neither Light of Christ nor Law of God nor new Covenant and now I. W. thou hast raced thy self out both from the knowledge of the Law and the Law-giver So thou art proved by the plain Scriptures of Truth 1 A Blasphemer 2 A Minister of Darkness 3 An Idolater 4 I am now to prove thee an Antichrist which was to come in the last time which denyes Christ come in the flesh And that is to say 1 Thou goes about to prove and has laid it down in thy Book as though Christ which lighteth every Man that comes into the World were not God and the new Covenant or Covenant of God which was before the Foundation of the World 2 Thou laies down that Christ is not that Word and Light which John Beares witnesse of but saith it is the word Creator And 3 Thou makes a difference between the Father and the Son and so sets up two Lights and two Words and so two Gods except thou denyes Christ to be God Answ And first in answer to that thou dost oppose which is that Christ the Light is not Gods Covenant was not the Covenant which God made with Abraham in Christ Jesus did not the Apostle say the same Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his Seed was this promise made he saith not unto Seeds as of many but as of one unto thy Seed which is Christ and this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ c. here the Aposte doth not say as thou dost that Christ is not Gods Covenant of Light and also the Apostle saith that Christ hath redeemed us from under the Curse of the Law that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles here Christ brings the Gentiles into Covenant with Abraham and the Jews but this is a mystery thou never saw and is he not the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob in his Everlasting Covenant Christ Jesus And is not the Covenant of the Lord with David his Seed for ever in Christ Jesus And hath not the Prophet Isaiah said in the 42. and 6. I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant to the people and for a Light to the Gentiles to open blind eyes and to bring out the Prisoners out of Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-house who is this that should do this if it be not Christ Jesus whom wilt thou have it to be and again Isa 49. 8. It is a light thing that thou should be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore again the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the Earth who is this thinkest thou this torments thee this that reaches unto all the ends of the Earth Light shining in all this torments thy dark spirit thou makes accompt in thy Book this is a created Light as thou saist in thy Book where thou quotes 2 Rom. vers 14 15 16. who hath the Law written in their hearts which accuses or excuses them in the day when God shall judg the secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Let the Reader judge whether this be a natural created Light which judges the secrets of Mens hearts by Jesus Christ Is not this Gods new Covenant of Light to the Gentiles which he has written in their hearts and doth not the Apostle say in Hebr. 8. 6. speaking of the old Covenant and Priesthood but now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministery and by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which is established upon better promises is not this Christ for the Jews broke their Covenant and their Law that was written in Tables of Stone which gendered to bondage and there was then a Law added because of Transgression until the Seed Christ came Gallat 24. 25. yet the promise and Covenant that was made to Abraham in Christ Jesus stands still and is the same and cannot be disanul'd as the Apostle saith Gal. 3. 19 16 17. Hebr. 8. 10. The Law that was added 430. years after the promise was made could not disanul it for the Apostle saith if the first Covenant had been faultless then there had been no place found for the second and so this is the Covenant of God writing his Law in their hearts and puting his spirit in their inward parts for the Jewes had outward Laws written in Tables of Stone which Laws they broke but now Christ Jesus the everlasting Covenant of God which is Light made unto Abraham never can be broken but is an everlasting Light in the hearts of his people and an everlasting Law written in their hearts and an everlasting Covenant of life and peace and so brings all into unity and fellowship for there is neither Jewes nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for they are all one in Christ Jesus and if they be Christs then they are Abrahams Seed and Heires according to the Promise Gal. 3. 28 29. And so here thou art proved thus far an Antichrist and a denyer of Christ Jesus the Light to be Gods Covenant who according to the flesh is the Son of Abraham the Son of David Rom. 1. 2 3 4. and according to the spirit the Son of God Paul was made a Minister of that Gospel which was promised But
Henry Wood and William Holden not before the people to make good thy Assertion that thou boasts so much on which thou hath no cause to boast on but to be ashamed of for this is manifest of thee already in that thou hath not Answered Old H. W. Queries yet nor cannot do and what dost thou talk of G. F. meeting thee there are thousands in England that would turn and overturn thee and thy Assertions and thou art grieved that old H. W. and W. H a Blacksmith should engage with thee to Answer thy Challenge for I believe they are of ability for did not old Hen. W. stop thy mouth before the people that thou could not answer him and now thou goes and calls for G. F. to shuffle it of thee thou sure thinks that would be an honour to thee and by that thou thinks thou could shuffle of answering H. W. and W. H. of making good thy Assertion it 's an easie matter to overthrow thee and thy Assertion any babe in the truth may soon manifest thee that never was in the truth and so never mention G. F. coming to thee before thou has done with others that thou art engaged with for there is a cloud of witnesses against thee all the Saints in the Scripture bears testimony against thee and all that knows truth or ever will know it doth and will witness against thee and all of thy spirit and principle and before thou make any more boasting see if thou can clear thy self of what is here charged against thee and proved upon thee and by the Scripture of truth that is to say 1 of being a Blasphemer against the Holy Ghost 2 of being a minister of darkness 3 of being an Idolater 4 of being an Antichrist See if thou canst cast this of thee before thou talk and boast that thou chiefly desires to deal with G. F. and such others as say they are Apostles that their Doctrine and deeds being brought to the light it may be truly known whether they be true Apostles indeed or false Answ Poor conditioned man what wilt thou try with with thy dim dark Natural created light thou art tryed and proved already and weighed and found too light and so thy trying is little worth the false Apostles know more of the truth then ever thou did and yet thou art so impudent that thou talks of trying true Apostles but this is like thy former folly but all has been to manifest and bring to light thy rotten hypocrisie with which thou has deceived people but thou will proceed no further thy folly is so manifest and thy filth is so uncovered that now people will see thee and thy deceitful wickedness that with thy lying tongue can speak of Regeneration and new birth and of trying true Apostles and false with many other words which thou has stoln out of the Scriptures or else thou could not have spoken them who denies the first Principle of truth Christ Jesus the Light of the Truth and the life and the way to God and therefore he stands upon thy head thy condemner for ever for I have heard many Ministers and Teachers and seen their Works but I never saw nor heard such a humble jumble confused piece as this of thine of dividing God and Christ and such distinctions of the Light and Word but proves nothing of what thou intends but leaves it confused like thy self and sits as Judge upon the Son and sits as Judge upon the Saints and sits as Judge upon the World c. And now J. W. since thou has taken upon thee withal thy might and main to push with thy horn against the Lamb and his Followers and has engaged open war with him and has boasted as though thou would remove him out of his place and that in a publick testimony let us now prove and try thy foundation and let us see how thou will demonstrate thy strength and manifest thy ability to performe this that thou has undertaken that is to say to wit to remove our Foundation or we thine which may be manifested to the Reader by thy Answering these following Queries 1st Query Whether the Light that is in thee be not darkness but thy asserting to wit that the Light in every man is not a saving Light as also considering what is here proved before for the confuting of thy Assertions 2dly Whether thy eye be not evil and so thy whole body full of darkness since that Christ hath said that the Light of the body is the eye and by thy Assertion thou hast denyed that eye and put it out 3dly Whether dost thou believe that thou thy self has the Light of Christ in thee since thou has asserted that he has not inlightned every man yea or nay 4ly If thou have the Light of Christ in thee how comes thou by it or where had thou it more then other men and if thou was one of the World and now is not how came thy change and when and where didst thou receive that which makes thee to differ from other men 5ly Thou has taken upon thee to teach people how was thou called to it or by whom was thou made a Minister didst thou ever hear the voice of God hast thou the Revelation of Jesus as the Apostles had 6ly Dost thou turn people from the Darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan to the power of God art thou no Minister of the Letter but only of the Spirit as the Apostles were 7ly Where is thy Flock that thou has gathered from the power of Darkness unto the marvelous Light as the Saints in the Scriptures were is thy Flock in unity and fellowship with all the Saints in Light how is it then that thou denyes Christ Jesus the Corner Stone and Rock on which all the Church of God is built 8ly And how came thou and thy Flock to be Saints since yee deny Christ Jesus the Foundation which is the Stone is laid in Sion and how came you to differ from the rest of people since God is no respecter of Persons and what has made the difference betwixt thee thy Flock and the rest of all other people of the World shew it and manifest it forth wherein yee differ and how yee came by that which makes yee to differ 9ly Thou saith in thy Book thou would have us to return to the true Christ and thou lookes upon our Christ to be an Idol and has left us without direction to the true Christ thou speaks on so my Query is where this Christ is thou calls the true Christ and what he is since thou has denyed him to be the Light 2ly Thou has denyed him to be the New Covenant and Law written in the heart 3ly Thou has denyed him to be the Word in the Beginning 4ly Thou has made a separation betwixt him and his Father so what is this true Christ of thine being thou saith who worships all these before mentioned worships an Idol being thou
hast told us of a true Christ and has left us without knowledge of him and without direction how to know him thou wilt be in danger here to be one of the blind Leaders except thou manifests to us what he is and where he is which thou has not done in all thy Book but all thy work has been to strike at ours and called him an Idol and yet has found us no better 10ly Thou seems by what thou hast writ in thy Book as though thou were a tryer of Spirits and makes distinctions of Lights and speaks of two words and also thou speaks as though thou could judge of Regeneration or new birth and who has the spirit of God and who has it not and not only so but as though thou could try true Apostles from false and true Doctrines from false so thou has taken upon thee a high seat of judgment when thou has taken upon thee to divide the Father from the Son Therefore I charge thee in the presence of the Living God and as thou wilt answer it before the Lord and his Elect Angels to answer to these things when and where and how didst thou receive the word of Life which was from the beginning when did thy eyes see it when did thy hands handle it that word of Life that was with the Father which the Apostl did see bore witness of Jo. 1. 1 2. 11ly When and where didst thou receive the power of God which is the Gospel the Apostle preached which is Salvation to every one that believeth 12ly When and where and how was it that the Son of God was revealed in thee when he was revealed in the Apostle he was to preach the Gospel to the Heathen didst thou receive thy Ministery by the inspiration of God and conferred not as the Apostle did not with flesh and blood yea or nay 13ly Was thou not made a Minister of men neither by men neither was thou taught by men but only by the Revelation of Jesus Christ 14ly When and where was the Holy Ghost poured upon thee as it was upon the Apostles when they were met together as also Peter bears witness Acts 5 30 32. who were faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ that he was a Prince and a Saviour and so also saith the Holy Ghost whom God hath given Heb. 10. 14 15 16. Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness to us c. Now if thou hast received this Holy Ghost manifest when and where and how if thou dost not stop thy mouth of thy tryings and of thy distinctions of God and Christ and shut up thy treasures of darkness and sorcery out of which thou hast blasphemed against God and those that Worships Him And in thy Book thou saith speaking of the Priests and of the World being cloathed with guilt were never able to this day to look this people in the face to wit the Quakers Answ Prove and quit thy self of being one of these Priests and people by answering of those Queries above written as also Curwen's 24. Queries and also Henry Woods Queries which all stands unanswered and thy Assertion stands false yet and unproved and thou stands proved and charged a Blasphemer a Minister of Darkness and an Idolater and an Antichrist by plain Scriptures of truth which never can be broken thou art proved to be all these so see if thou and all thy flock and confederates can wipe this away off thee that is laid upon thee And answer all the Queries that is sent to thee by plain Scripture without wresting or turning or adding or diminishing left the plagues of God be added unto thee and if thou dost not thou and thy followers and all thy companions will be found amongst those that are not able to look the Quakers in the face for thou has as much guilt upon thee as ever man had which may well cause thee to turn thy back and stop thy mouth And so this is but an Answer to a part of thy Appendix which concerned me Margaret Fell. AND whereas thou saist another writes thus thou opposes the truth art an enemy to Christ an opposer of the Gospel the power of God and several other truths the substance whereof is plain truth and to thy condition every word as thou hast manifested in thy Book And whereas thou writes that another writes thou art in thy Will-worship carnal Ordinances thou hardens thy self against the truth thou art an enemy to God and his truth c. Ans But if thou hadst been an honest man thou would have put in all my words to thee in thy Book and their names who they were but they have hit thy condition therefore art thou tormented And whereas thou saist this is William Houldings Paper thou speaks falsly for it was mine Henry Wood and as for mine William Houldings Paper thou hast not put it in thy Book which speaks about George Foxes Leather-Breeches which thou having lost Religion God and Christ hast made such work about his Leather-Breeches but G. F. likes them better then thy cloak of Hypocricy and so its like thou was ashamed to put my Letter in thy Book or thy own Letter either in which thou made such work about them now this is Wood's Reply I put thee in mind first that Thomas Curwen and I Henry Wood did write some Queries to thee expecting to have them Answered by thee which were the occasion of the Dispute as the record of the Dispute will make manifest and whereof there was no end made of the assertion which was put forth has caused many Papers to pass and repass and according to my freedom I passed thy Paper upon this account because I had been an eye witness and an ear witness of some proceedings there and of thy joyning with William Barret a Cheshire man and this was about nine years ago at Manchester at John Maddocks House in a Dispute with our Friends another time there was a Dispute held at the same House between thee and Richard Huberthorn at that time thou made thy self manifest for thou broke into passion and said he was a publick person so that thou was reproved by one of thy own Auditors Edward Gaythorn by name but not withstanding thou rose up and went away uttering these words That if thou had known that so many would have been present thou would not have been there that time although thou had said before that thou was a publick person I knowing these proceedings gave forth this Paper that the Reader may know the ground wherefore I thus write because I had known thee thus long to oppose Christ the Light therefore those Queries sent by old Henry Wood and Thomas Curwen were as Pills to thee sent for this end that they might work out that old leaven of bitterness which I have known lying so long within thee as I have made mention of before and this I may say truly was done in love to thy Soul now this not being so
taken it caused thee to spew out these words and to be so large in writing against Friends and the truth and for the reason of calling them dogs the Scriptures are very plain for they were called greedy dumb dogs who sought for gain from their quarter and yet there was many to lick up their vomit likewise they were called Dogs which were without as thou may read in the Revelations And for thy Challenge to us we were willing to meet thee but thou was not willing to meet us although thon before challenged to meet G. F. or any of his friends what is the cause dost thou not condescend to men of low degree for if I meet thee it is not with hoasting my self in other mens lines made ready to my hand but in the name and power of the Lord in the Light of his Son Christ for this I say unto thee if thou had not used deceit thou would have written down my whole Paper but I shall cause it to be written down my self that all may see it and do not charge George Fox with it and since thou hast given a second Challenge but hast not answered the first which we did call on thee to do and to make good thy assertions but thou shuffles off from it and names G. Fox and flees from us and will make it good to neither the Paper is as follows we desire thee with patience to read it over Oh friend John Wiggan it seems old Wood's and Curwen's Pills which they gave thee to work out that old Leaven that hath layn so long within thee but this hath wrought of the contrary part and hath caused thee to vomit and spew out upon a piece of Paper and sent forth for the Dogs to lick up and they being eager doth take so much of this thy filthy spewing that it causeth them to vomit as thou dost therefore it was high time to call for it that no more be made sick with it thou hast used so many friends names in it that by the reason that it was taken away so suddenly and unexpectedly that they cannot reply unto it thou saith thou hast answered Wood's Queries but it appears that they remain unanswered and likewise thou put down 24. Queries of Curwen's unanswered therefore Henry Wood and Thomas Curwen will meet thee to answer thy Challenge which thou hath put forth and saith thou would be answered before the High Sheriffe for we are not careful to answer thee in this matter although thou useth the name of Christ thou doth not depart from iniquity as it doth appear by thy smiting at the Corner-stone which is the Light thou art far behind the woman of Samaria for she said is not this the Christ that hath shewed me all that ever I did it appears to me that thou esteems this at a low value which shewes thee all things that ever thou did and calls it Natural although it testifie against those things that are natural and carnal where thou art worshipping the God of the World which blinds the eye of the children of disobedience the vaile of darkness is so thick that thou cannot see thorow it nor comprehend the Light that giveth the Light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ which shineth in the heart And whereas thou saist thy assertion is made good it appears to all that are wise that it is not made good at all for thou hath challenged another Meeting so appoint the place and time and Thomas Curwen and Henry Wood and William Houlding or any of them will meet thee and hear what thou can say against Christ the saving Light Now whereas thou saist not a word in all those Papers discovers the unsoundness of thy Assertion Ans Thou should have published the Papers to the Readers and then they might have judged of it whether thou hast spoken truth or no but thou art afraid to publish that which makes against thee but takes here a word and there a word thinking thereby to villifie friends but they are made manifest in the hearts of people and all thy slanders nor any thing thou canst do will hurt any of us for was there a worse word spoken to thee which was spoken in the truth then thou thy self did speak to me and other friends faisly and unjustly and why didst thou not publish in thy Book those four sheets of Paper that the Reader might have seen them and our expressions in our Letters had they been light vain and frivilous thou would have made advantage upon them and not have hid them but have published them in thy Book as thou hast done some few lines of them but they are true unto thy condition and will stand on thy head and it doth become Saints to bear testimony against deceit and there is much in thy Papers that contradicts thy Assertion and my Paper was true and overthrew it which thou publisht a few lines of and then tells the Reader of four sheets and never a word to discover thy assertion and thus thou loves thy deeds of darkness and hates the Light and thus thy folly is made manifest to all men 2 Tim. 3. And whereas thou saist thou hast not published this abroad but we have done it first which is false for we did publish nothing in the Town for the Letter which I gave to the Jaylor thou hadst but I did not send it into the Town but gave it to Thomas Hardy but thou sent thine into the Town and abroad and was not so honest as to give us a Coppy of it and thy assertion was answered by plain Scripture but was never proved by plain Scripture but is thy chaffie imaginations and wresting the Scriptures which is nothing but spewing from a child of darkness which hates the Light Joh. 3. Rev. and hath not God spewed thee and thy Religion and Worship out of his mouth Levit. 18. 28. And whereas thou speaks how we cursed thee with the plagues of God the Scripture saith the plagues of God is to thee who adds to the Scripture as thou hast done and it was thou that said the plagues of God was upon me but thy curses are causless so what we have writ and spoken to thee it was from the Spirit of God and the Lord hath judged between thee and us in this matter and his judgment is clear and thy hidden things of darkness is come to Light 1 Cor. 4. and there is no Communion between Light and darkness 2 Cor. 6. and the mist of darkness is over thee 2 Pet. 2. the darkness hath blinded thy eyes Joh. 2. Reserved under the Chains of darkness Jude 6. and Rev. 6. read that and see thy own condition Whereas thou saist Had it not been a more easie and commendable work in one sheet plainly to have discovered and refuted error if any such be in my Writings then to have filled 3. or 4. sheets with such stuffe as this surely a right spirit would have
the true Rock which the Prophets prophesied of should come whom the Apostles witnessed was come and for thy false saying that we grow weary and before thou complained we urged thee on how stands thy confusion together with reasonable men let them judge and we do not shuffle with thy assertion neither are weary of our cause which thou saist we are for we need not for we know what thou art who is wholly bent against Christ it is thou which is weary of thy cause and shuffles as thou hast reason for we relate some other of thy Assertions which thou hast laid down art thou now ashamed of them and yet saist thou will hold us to it and yet answers nothing to the purpose and it is Christ the foundation which thou strikes against as the Jewes did but to no purpose and thus thou and thy fellow Priests hath strucken at him who is our foundation till you be all fallen into the ditch and leads the people thither too it is manifest to the Nations Thou saist in thy Appendix again Thou art willing to debate the point in controversie before the Sheriff or others in Authority and saist let not G. F. thinke to shuffle himself out and put his taske upon others for he must know because it is affirmed that he was called of the Lord from his Trade as the Apostles were my desire is to deale with him chiefly in this matter and such others as say they are Apostles that their Doctrine and deeds being brought to Light it may appear whether they be true Apostles indeed or false and preach another Gospel then Jesus and Paul did as I have cause to suspect them and doubt not to prove them to be if they adhere to the Principles laid down in their Printed Books and maintained in their late debate Answ This is thy shuffle and base charge whereas thou saist G. F. would shuffle from it and lay it upon others that is false it s thou would shuffle from those which thou hast begun withall it seemes we gave thee enough the last time thou needs not call of G. F. for the least of us in the Truth is able to Answer thee and to see if thou can make good thy assertions which thou could not make good in the last Dispute nor hast not done yet which we yet call on thee to doe which by the Scriptures of Truth thou canst not prove without adding or diminishing and the same Jesus and Gospel whom Paul preached whom we own which thou saist thou will prove an Idol and prove us Antichrists who affirme this and as for all our Books which are given forth from the Truth we own and our deeds are brought to the Light and by this thine are seen and thou too to be one of the false Teachers and thy deeds to be deeds of darkness and why dost thou pervert M. F's words in saying G. F. was called from his Trade when her words was he was called from his Calling as thou reports and thou talkes of trying Apostles and denyes the Light Christ in thy dark spirit and calls Christ an Idol and natural Light and as for G. F. whose name thou hast publisht abroad in thy Letters up and down beyond the Sands and towards Manchester and to M. F. and sometimes scoffing at his Leather-Breeches sometimes at one thing sometimes at another and never was so civil as to write to him so we do look thou should make thy assertions good to us before thou medle with him for they concern us and we are the Men that will encounter with thee as before mentioned according to thy Challenge whom thou in scorn calls Meckhanike Men and as for me Thomas Curwen I nor none of us are no more Mechanicke then thy self nor never had collection yet John Though I have been a Prisoner above four yeares canst thou say so John and as for me G. F. I never spoke with thee but three times since thou came hither and once at London and I heard such euil language from thee as I never heard from man I coming into the last dispute with friends and then there being liberty granted I hearing thee lay down thy Assertions and affirming them together with thy people first That some men that came into the world had not the spirit of God which was put to thee to make good being thou was the mouth for them by plain Scripture without adding or diminishing which thou seemed to prove out of Jude which thou couldst not and that God denyed faith to some men and that Christ did not shed his blood for all men and that Balaam had no more spirit then his horse and that wicked men had not the spirit of God These things with several others which you asserted was put to thee to make good which thou hast not done to this day Nevertheless thou hast challenged to meet me G. F. and having disperst my Name in several Papers in a slanderous way and thy brother Price which came down to Fell's Chamber and Challenged me out which I presently came up and sent William Houlding to thee and bid thee come down to me in the Hall but thou would not come at me And whereas thou challenges me G. F. to meet thee before the Sheriffe My Answer is send me word when thou wilt and that thou will make these Assertions good by the plain Scriptures without adding or diminishing which thou hast laid down to me for I am ready to meet thee through the power and strength of Almighty God and if I have liberty according as thou hast challenged and many things more I have of thine for thee to make good which I shall not here put to Ink and Paper by plain Scripture for truth remains over all deceit G. F. And why dost thou flatter me William Houlding dost thou now own Mechanicks but thou owned none when thou writ to M. F. but jeared at G. F. in this report and lost thy Religion to talk of his Leather-Breeches and thus Fools will be medling with that which doth not concern them busie bodies in others matters And when thou had abused M. F. in thy Papers she sent for thee to speak with thee about the abuse but thou would not come at her and manifested herein thy guilt and uncivility and dost thou not make a noise abroad against us amongst ignorant people and keeps them from the Light that so thou maist get some Collections of them for thy Letters to M. F. signifies something of a false fear and jealousie that something should have gone besides thy mouth cruly I think that is the cause of thy rage against us who owns Christ Jesus the Light W. H. Here followes a Coppy of a Paper which was given to John Wiggan of his Assertions FRiend John Wiggan we hearing of a Book thou hast given into the Town before we had a Coppy of it another Challenge to us to meet before some publick Magistrate and the Sheriffe we
William Houlding Blacksmith and Henry Wood a daily Labouring man who cannot read on a Book and Thomas Curwen Husbandman and William Wilson Taylor who in the strength of the Lord desire to give the said John VViggan a meeting before the Sheriffe as he hath challenged us and hath sent his Challenge into the Town and not to us with many villifying and slanderous words in the said Book which he hath sent amongst the people so let all the wise in heart judge of this man whether he hath carried himself like a Rational man yea or no. The Assertions are as followeth 1. For John VViggan to prove and make good out of the Scriptures of truth 1. that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light contrary to John 1. 9. 2. That the Light wherewith every man is enlightened that comes into the World is not a saving Light 3. To make good that which thou hast laid down that there is some men that comes into the World hath not the spirit contrary to Iohn 16. 8. Acts 2. 7. 4. That Christs blood was not shed for all men contrary to the 1 Epistle of Iohn 2. 2. 5. That Balaam had no more of the spirit of God then his Horse and which was held forth in the dispute against us contrary to Numbers 24. 17. 6. That Balaam did not see the Starr of Iacob contrary to Numbers 24. 17. 7. And that wicked men hath not the spirit of God nor the Holy Ghost contrary to Gal. 2. Neh. 9. 8. That the Light before faith is not pure contrary to Rom. 7. 12. 9. And that Christ the Light that lightens every one that comes into the World is an Idol contrary to Ioh. 1. 9. 22. 13 46. 10. That the Grace of God is an Idol contrary to Ephesians 2. 5 8. 11. And that there is no mercy with God contrary to Psalm 13. 6. 12. That Christ is not the Word contrary to Revel 19. 13. 13. That the Light is a false Christ contrary to Ioh 12. 33 46. 14. And that Light doth not shine in darkness contrary to Iohn 1. 5. 15. And that God who is the Word doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is not saving 16. And that the Light Christ that enlightens every man that comes into the World is a Natural Light 17. That some are in the flesh and hath not the Spirit This is he to make good and prove how they can quench it and grieve it that hath it not 18. That some that comes into the World have not a saving Light 19. Some there are that are in the flesh and never had the spirit contrary to Rom. 10. 20. That the time must come that men must break their Plow-shares into Swords and Speares which his brother Price justifies in a Book and John Wiggan was offended because we marked it out for error and these things we would have the said John Wiggan to stand to and make good before the Sheriffe as he challenged by plain Scriptures of truth in the New Testament For both the Scriptures and Common-Prayer testifies against thy Principles Some more of John Wiggan's Assertions which are not many of them in the former above written 1. THat the Light in every man that comes into the World is not the Door nor the Mediator Saviour nor Redeemer nor the Way Truth the Life the Lord that bought them nor the Corner-stone nor the infallible spirit 2. That it is not the true Jesus but an Idol the Light wherewith every man is enlightened or the Light that lighteth every man 3. To follow Christ the Light is to follow a pernitious way 4. That the Light was natural and spirit of a natural man and was that in Adam which let him see his sin 5. That Light which is darkness spoken of in Math. 6. 22 23. le ts man see his Creator 6. And this Light looketh upon every thing done or to be done of man and yet this Light maketh not any thing that is done to be good or evil and yet this Light sheweth the Creator and this Light in man will render God Righteous in his Proceedings against man 7. That Christ doth not give his spirit to every man that comes into the World 8. That they in Iude spoken of as Cain and Cora and Balaam had not the spirit 9. And this Light with which every man is enlightened is Natural and its gross to say that the Light which enlightens every man is Christ 10. That the Light in every man is but the spirit of a man the Law written in the heart 11. That who so worships that Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World as Redeemer worships an imaginary and fictious Christ and an Idol denying the person of the true Jesus 12. That whosoever saith that he that is the Light in every man is Christ is a deceiver and an Antichrist and Iohn Wiggan will prove them so 13. And it is the subtle deceiver and adversary Satan that saith the Light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is the Lamb and the Lord and the object of faith 14. And the Light that doth enlighten every man is the Word and before he said it was the Natural man's spirit and an Idol c. 15. That the Light the word God which enlightens every man is natural and man by it knows nothing of Christ though he confess by it he knows the Eternal power and God-head the fulness whereof dwells in Christ bodily 16. And the word God the true Light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the World he saith is darkness Mat. 6. 22 23. 17. And the word God doth enlighten every man that comes into the World by setting up a Light and spirit in man which is called the Candle of the Lord and writing a Law in his heart and the Light which doth enlighten every man is not the word which was in the beginning 18. And Christ came a Light into the World not to enlighten every man that comes into the world and this light is able to seek and feel after God his Creator and by it man may know his Creator and the Eternal power and Godhead it is a created Light a great Light it is but a Candle Light but it discovers man's transgressions and this Light springeth up with mans spirit and this Light is the Spirit of a Natural man which doth not know the things of God and this Light discovered Adam's sin and this Light is Natural and not Spiritual 19. But this Light knows nothing of the Gospel mystery hid in God nor Redemption by Christ nor of Gods good purpose and Grace nor of the Law of faith 20. This Candle-light to wit that Light wherewith every man that comes into the World is enlightened is not able to discern the mystery of God in Christ And so make good these things by Scripture or stop thy mouth for ever
Lord became their enemy Ifai 63. 10. vers Zach. 2. The Spirit of the Lord remain'd among the Children of Israel I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel saith the Lord God So here thou may see they that erred from the faith and erred from the spirit and hated the Light had it contrary to VViggan's Doctrine aforemention'd Did not I make one yet had he the residue of my spirit that he might seek a godly Seed therefore take heed unto the spirit The Gospel which yee have heard which was preached to every Creature under Heaven Warning every Man that they might present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus That by the Grace of God Christ should tast of Death for every man Christ is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World And many more Scriptures might be aledged which doth overthrow Wiggan's Assertions that proves wicked Men had the light and the spirit and Christ dyed for all Men. John VViggan In stead of Answering to the Assertions thou tels us of a natural and created Light springing up with Man's nature and natural Man's spirit which is an Idol worse then Jeroboams and the Papists nevertheless thou saist this light will let them know much of God and of the eternal Power and God-head Now that this Light which is an Idol will shew the Eternal Power and God-head and yet shew nothing of Christ in whom the fulness of the God-head dwells How stands this together John And can a natural Light an Idol know the Eternal Power and God-head know much of God and seek and feel after God Idols are dumb Haba 2. and hath eyes and sees not as the Scriptures faith and was this natural Light an Idol which reproved them for their sins Doth not the Scripture say Adam was made in the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness and was this an Idol he was made in which reproved him for sin And Judas who was made Partaker of the Ministry and the Light which John was sent to bear witness of was a created Light and an Idol worse then Jeroboams which as many as received him that thou calls an Idol which cannot hear nor see he gave them Power to become the Sons of God by this natural Light and Idol the World was made by thy account and this which thou calls a natural Light and Idol was in the World and the World knew him not and this Light which thou thus calls shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehends it not This is Wiggan's Assertion but my Queries I sent unto thee which thou shufles of and dost not Answer them since thou talks so much of Bread and Wine whether it be Christ or no seeing some of thy fellow Baptists Teachers are turned Papists who were wrangling against the Light and now say the Bread is Christ after they have blest it and therefore we suspect thee seeing thou art posting on the same Rode against the Light so fast And instead of Answering thou hast taken upon thee to be a Judge of Christ a Judge of the World and a Judge of the Saints conditions and confusedly patches all together and thou divides God and Christ and calls Christ the Light a natural and a created Light and an Idol worse then Jeroboams and the Papists which all sober people may see what a pack of confusion thou hast heaped together in thy Book for a natural light and Idol cannot bring people to seek and feel after God nor know the Eternal Power and God-head neither was it a natural Light and Idol that shewed Judas his sin when he had betrayed Christ neither was the Image of God which Adam was made in and God the word that enlightens every Man that comes into the World a natural light and an Idol John Wiggan thy eye is blinded it is time for thee to give over thy Trade with thy erroneous principles and doctrine And Christ when he bid them Believe in the Light Joh. 12. It was not an Idol he bid them believe in but it was in Christ the Light and in Christ was life and the life was the light of Mon and this was not an Idol and this is the same principle and doctrine which we suffer for there was a Man sent from God whose name was John he came for a Witness to bear witness to the true Light and that was the true Light which enlightens every man that comes into the World that all through him might believe and as many as received him to wit the light wherewith all be enlightned he gave them power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1. to the 12. vers And so this Light which doth enlighten every Man that comes into the World shines in the darkness but VViggan's darkness cannot comprehend it and thus he judgeth the things of God with his darkness in calling the Light of Christ and also that which convinc'd Adam c. a natural and created Light and an Idol and the spirit of a natural Man which knows not the things of God and also he compares the Light in every Man to the state of the natural Man there spoken of 1 Cor. 2. calling Light darkness and to the natural and sensual state in Jude for nature being subjected is in it self not sensual but being gone out of its course becomes sensual but this is like to the rest of his meanings he hath given to other things in his Book but we do intend to put him to make them good by plain Scriptures without adding or diminishing for our foundation for ever stands sure for we speak not of the natural Mans spirit but of Christ the Light the second Adam the Lord from Heaven nor do we speak of the Law of works nor the first Covenant but we speak of the new Covenant in the heart Christ the light our Foundation whom all the Prophets foretold of who is come to teach his people himself who Joh. VViggan pretends to remove and so hath run himself into further confusion And Ioh. VViggan saith that the Light which doth enlighten c. is the word Creator and yet he saith it is natural and created and an Idol worse then Ieroboams And thus all may see he confesseth that the Light is the word Creator and and yet he saith it is an Idol Joh. Wiggan saith God the Word enlightens every Man that comes into the World and a more excellent light and life comes in by the Son which none receives but who receives the Son and are born again Answ They which receives this Light which thou call the word Creator in thy own assertion becomes the Sons of God for John said this was the true Light which lighteneth every Man that comes into the World and as many as receives him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God and this word is Christ