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
thy Chamber thou was past intreating thou had like to have laid violent hands upon me as thou didst afterwards and if thou hadst not given us a meeting being thine own Challenge how could we judge otherwise but that-thou dar'st not stand to thy word it 's a lye in saying we provoked thee to it it was thy own Challenge and then thou speaking with R. C. and R. J. about the Meeting and appointed when the day and hour should be and that thou was willing to give Thomas Curwen and others a meeting according to thy former Challenge and thou would dispute about Christ the Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World by the Lords assistance but this Lord failed thee for poor old Henry Wood a labouring man that cannot read a word on a Book gravelled thee so that thou was not able to answer him and as for R. C. and R. J. what language dost thou give them now who accounted them sober men before thy mind is soon altered and changed John Wiggan disprove that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light or that the Light where with every man is enlightened is not saving Mark people the Light in it self is not saving and then the insufficiency is in the Light according to his judgment but we say there is sufficiency in the Light for God saith my Grace is sufficient which none can deny but that the Grace is this Light and secondly that Christ the Light which doth enlighten all c. that that is not saving is contrary to the Scriptures which saith Christ is the Salvation to the ends of the Earth Christ saith I am the Light John 1. 8. 12. and this Light Christ is sufficient to save and to give the knowledge of God Cor. 2. 4. but as Christ saith in John 3. 20. Some hates the Light and as Job saith some rebell against it in whose steps John Wiggan thou art found And whereas thou sayest first that nothing be asserted but what may be proved by Scripture and that nothing be determined but according to the Scriptures in thy Answer thou could make nothing good that thou didst assert against the Light of Christ which thou opposes for that which thou didst assert was against the plain Scripture and the words of Christ in which thou confutes thy self whose determination if it had been possible was to oppose the Scripture instead of asserting by Scripture what thou did'st assert Secondly Whereas thou sayest that the Meeting may be peaceable and quiet without railing or reproachful speeches and that the whole dehate may be carried on with a spirit Love and meekness Answ John thou and thy people quickly broke this order dost thou not remember what a heat and passion thou was in cocking up thy Hat like a Ranter and thy people of such a heat that John Berley was fain to stand up and reprove one of them and G. F. often bid you be sober for the things of God was weighty and should be spoken of in the fear of God and that he should not be so rash and hasty Thirdly The Meeting may be orderly and without confusion that is that one may have as much time allowed to speak as another and that but one speak at once and that none disturbe him that is speaking Answ I wonder John Wiggan that thou shouldest not be ashamed to publish such things in the sight of men for thou was the first man that made a disturbance that spake when another was speaking to wit William Wilson and afterwards when George Fox was speaking and afterwards thy people ran into the same and so broke your own order and run into confusion and when thou should have answered to the people to the matter thou fell a preaching to the people and when I Thomas Curwen would have stood up and have spoken thou would not let me so that I see thou art nothing but a man of fair words so thou didst not give time but thou brakest the time and therefore was we forced to cry for order so oft' amongst you 4ly And whereas thou sayest that the Meeting may continue three houres and at the most not exceed four because of the occasions of friends afterwards if these be concented unto let him that is appointed to treat with me subscribe his name c. and what we could not agreed to R. C. R. J. let him know Answ Most of this was done according to his desire and let him take what time he would to oppose Christ the light which lightens every Man that comes into the World and though he had his will granted all he did was to no purpose And all people may see whether this was a rational Letter or no and how that we would not limit the truth to an hour as he did before for the Spirit of truth is not to be limited though that we let him take his own proffer and go away when he would and thou should not have spoken of points wherein this paper differed from thine but thou should have perticularized them that the Reader might have seen them and whereas thou saidst we said that thou durst not meet us therefore thou sentest another paper why if thou had said thou would not have met us thou might have said so for it was thy own Challenge at first and not ours and thou should have named them that said so for no Man put thee upon it at first to speak against the light of Christ but thy own mind and thou sayest in thy next Letter about the third hour in the fore-part of the Day which I call the ninth hour and Jo. Wiggan was it but three houres since it was Day to the ninth hour I pray thee answer me these natural things for thou hast not answered me the spiritual And so afterwards when thou hadst denyed thy first Proposition to us that we should appoint time and place we left it to thee to appoint time and place and so took thy own who had contradicted thy former who would not grant to us that which we granted to thee and whereas thou sayest my friend and I urged thee to dispute against the Light of Christ thou say'st not true for it was thy own Challenge for we but bid thee make good thy Challenge and that which thou had so boldly asserted against Christ the Light And as for thy saying thou would maintain in the strength of the Lord thy assertion to wit that Christ did not enlighten every Man that comes into the World with a saving light neither that the Light wherewith all Men is enlightened is saving and this neither thee nor all thy people with all the strength you had could do but that which thou did maintain was to your own shame And whereas thou sayest thou would do it through the strength of the Lord that was false for all thy strength was to fight against the Lord who is the Saviour
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
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
Saints having the Light for because Believers had it and was grown to such conditions this doth not make out that the Unbelievers had it not for God sends Rain both upon the just and unjust and God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son into the World to enlighten the World that whosoever believed in him should not perish and such as do believe in him have faith and comes to be Sons and comes to receive Christ to dwell in them and rule in them but those that hate Light will not have this man to rule over them and hath not God dealt to every man a measure of faith through the Grace that is given and doth not the Grace of God which appears to all men bring Salvation which is sufficient and justifies read Timothy Tit. 2. Rom. 12. and had not the unprofitable servant a Talent to improve and was not that Talent saving as well as the talent of the other two that did improve them if he had improved it and doth not some that 's wicked make shipwrack of Faith and of a good conscience and turn the Grace of God into wantonness 1 Tim. 1. 19. these departed from the faith and erred from the faith and cast off their faith and Tim. 5. 8. and the 16. 10. now by thy assertion thou sayes these had not faith c. And whereas thou sayes We brought nothing to weaken thy arguments but that Scripture in the first of Iohn 9. which saith That is the true Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World which we say is saving but many other proofes we brought but thou regarded none out of Iohn and Esaiah to prove that Christ was the Light and Salvation to the ends of the Earth and so thou are not only ignorant of Scripture but darker then the Common-Prayer Book for it saith Almighty God which sheweth unto all men that be in error the light of thy Truth to the intent they may return into the way of Salvation c. and as for thy accusing us for wresting the Scriptures and hard censures we speak them as they were but it was thou that wrested Scriptures to maintain thy assertions but could not and when thou manifested thy ignorance M. F. told thee of thy ignorance and as it did and yet doth appear and by denying and opposing the light thou manifested thy self to be a miserable Creature and an enemy of God and denyed the Lord that bought thee and Rich. Cubam proved thee out of 2 Peter 2. 2. and Jude to be the man that denyed the Lord that bought thee and to be that false Prophet that brought in the damnable heresie and through covetousness and feigned words made merchandize of people and by such as thee the way of truth was evil spoken of and then ye were all in a noise and disorder and went away in a tempest and that which thou didst assert in plain words that God denyed faith to some men which error thou hast left out of thy Book it is like thou was ashamed of that and when thou was put to prove it and give us Scripture for it thou seems to bring many perverting them but would not make it good by any which yet it stands unmade good on thy head and it is proved before that the Righteous had the faith and such as was wicked had made shipwrack of it which by the Scriptures overthrows thy assertion and one of thy Brethren said in the open Dispute that Christ did not shed his blood for all men which is contrary to the Scripture that saith He tasted death for every man and is a propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World 1 Fpist Joh. 2. and as in Adam all dyed even so in Christ all shall be made alive which thou hast denyed 1 Cor. 13. 22. And thou manifested that thou was not a rational man as George Fox could thee both in thy practice and carriage in the Meeting who brake the Order amongst us which was that all might speak one by one and thy laying violent hands upon Tho. Curwen and what Margaret Fell spoke of thou hast made manifest that to the full and my words Io. Berley will stand over thee for Drunkards and Swearers will not deny the Light as thou dost it was the Pharisees and the Chief Priests that were most against Christ the Light as thou art as thou may see in the Evangelists and when it was put to thee to make good that Christ did not shed his blood for all Men thou didst not then nor yet make good but the Scriptures is against thee and thy Disciple Heb. 2. 9. That he by the grace of God should tast Death for every Man The Love of Christ constraines us because we thus judge that if Christ dyed for all then all were dead and he did dye for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for all 2 Cor. 5. 15. and here thy judgment is contrary to the Apostles as thou may see what error thou and thy People are in contrary to the Scriptures And whereas thou hast Published some part of I Iames Parkes Letter what was thou ashamed to Publish it all that the People might have seen the whole Letter but thou serves my Letter as thou dost the Scriptures take part and leave out part as thy Father the old Deceiver did Mat. the 4. and my Letter is true to thee for thou long deceived me and led me Captive in Error and blindness where thou art thy self and also many others from the Light of Christ Jesus and I told thee and writ this to thee in private which thou hast made publick and it is well thou hast that others may see thy folly and madness who keepest people from the light and salvation but praised be the Lord I have escaped thy error And it seemes thou art offended because I Henry Wood called thee Priest Wiggan was thou not Chapel Priest about Manchester doth not the Country know it I must not call thee Captain nor Major for thou hast not thy Belt and I cannot Master and Sir thee as thy hearers does and it is like thou will be offended if I call thee John Wiggan and art not thou a Priest still hast thou not many Collections about Manchester dost thou not live better now than thou could do out of Prison for many of your Priests have but bad Tradeing and are broken Merchants and whereas thou sayes thou art taught not to strive nor to render railing for raileing 2 Tim. 2. 24. but to be gentle to all men how was thou gentle when thou laid violent hands on John Abrams and was ready to tear Curwen's Coat off his back so that he cryed out to thee what a Minister of Christ and wilt thou fight and yet thou praises thy self thou art gentle and will not strive when thy actions testifies against
thee that thou hates the light and when thou said the Plagues of God was upon Thomas Curwen this is not rayling with thee and said the spirit of the Devil spoke in him when he spoke truth to thee and this was thy fury and madness who art not fit to talk of the Saints conditions and so it is manifest thou knows not what spirit thou art of who dost not know the light of Christ to be saving neither hast thou shewed forth the fruits of the spirit of Christ with its workings And whereas thou would know where any of the Ministers of Christ or Christ called any strange birth of the flesh c. it seems thou art ignorant of the Scriptures as well as others as long as thou hast been a Merchant for did not Christ tell the Pharisees they were of their Father the Devil Iohn 8. and the Apostle said to Elimas the Sorcerer thou full of all subtilty who perverts the right way of God as thou dost hindering people from believing in the light Ioh. 12. Acts 13. and so we speak truth to thee as thou art we do not falsly accuse thee and now see thee where thou art who long deceived us but praised be the Lord we are come to Christ the saving Light which thou denyes and its manifest what thou art and what thy suffering is in the darkness against the light and thou proves thy self a Thief and a Robber who enters not in by the door Christ the Light but climbes up another way and therefore the sheep knows thy voice to be the stranger Iohn 10. and we know what thy compassion is but thou wants power thou hast manifested in this Book and the Letters thou hast sent up and down to Manchester and Stopperd and thy deeds are manifest in the light which thou hates so much and the Lord is rebuking the evil spirit and judging it and thou wilt feel the weight of his hand for thy maliciousness to his people and it is thou that hath mislead and misguided the simple who brings forth arguments to no purpose to strike at the Corner-stone Christ the Light it being fallen upon thee therefore thy Arguments is manifest to be to no purpose and therefore thou art thus tormented and whereas thou savest our Corner-stone being struck at then the building must needs fall to the ground but I say our foundation is Christ the Light Ioh. 8. which we know that thou and all the Generation of Priests have struck at till you are all tumbled down your selves but Christ our Corner stone and Foundation and Light never fell but thine is fallen and therefore thou ragest And we do affirm in our words and printed Books that Christ who says he is the Light in Joh. 8 he is the Dore Joh. 10. he is the quickning Spirit and he is the Corner stone which God hath laid in Sion he is the Truth and he is the All and in all and above all according to Scripture and to be believed in And hath enlightned every man that comes into the world and he is the Redeemer and the word and this thou denyest Christ the Light the Quickning Spirit the Way the Truth the Corner stone the Word the Foundation the Redeemer and the All And here indeed thou hast denyed the Corner stone and Christ Jesus which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles testified of so thou hast manifested thy self against them So never take their words to make a Trade of any more And thou canst not call Christ the Light a Quickning Spirit the Way the Truth the Word the Foundation the Corner stone the Redeemer this thou canst not call the True Jesus thou sayst We do believe thee and that thou art an Enemy to him and them that walk in his light are manifest and therefore have I Richard Gubbam proved thee a false Prophet and Antichrist according to thy own-words and we are come to Repentance and the knowledg of the Truth and thy ways be detected whereby many simple hearts be turned from them and so now we are many of us undeceived from such deceivers as thee who calls Christ the Light the Word the Way the Truth deceiving but the Lord rebuke thee who strives to keep Ignorant simple people from the Light and in darkness thou wouldst aspire up as a Judge of all conditions and knows not thy own to be miserable blind and naked Rev. 1. yet thou tell'st the Reader what the Light is and what it can do and what it cannot do and of what use it is when thou in the darkness cannot comprehend it And whereas thou tellest us of the Light of the first Adam and the Spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord Proverbs 20. and Genesis 2. Adam was made a living soul 1. Cor. 15. and thou sayest this Candle of the Lord or Light in every man is inferior to other Lights and is lower than the Angels and is limited and bounded c. And now would not this Light have justified the Jews and Adam and the Candle of the Lord would not that have directed them in his way and did not David call the word of God A Lanthorn to his feet and a Light unto his path And is this thy Spirit which is under the Bonds and Limits for where the Spirit of God is joyned to there is liberty and we do not tell thee of the Light of Adam thou art gone from the matter but we speak of the Light of Christ Jesus the second Adam the Lord from Heaven For our dispute was not about the earthly Adam the Spirit of a man but our discourse was about Christ the Light of the world the Saviour and thou tel'st us of the Light of Adam this is thy dark Wisdom and like thy knowledge and experience of Christ And whereas thou say'st the Spirit of a man or Light in every man is understood to be the Reason or the understanding of a man whereby he is adopted to know his Creator viz. who made him according to David Psalms 59. 6. Answ Here thou hast confuted thy self for can man be adopted to know his Creator with his own Spirit and Reason and his own Light which thou call'st Natural For the Natural man knows not the things of God and the Spirit of man knows the things that be of a man even so the Spirit of God knows the things that be of God and if all Nations must know the Lord God that made them and serve him and they are his people and the sheep of his Pasture and they must worship and kneel before the Lord their maker and keep his Laws then they should have the Spirit of God for natural men cannot discern the things of God nor hear his voyee nor worship him as thou said'st before so these Scriptures over throws thy assertion Psal 95. 6. And whereas thou say'st of this Light we may understand Christ to speak Mat. 6. 23. Therefore if the Light in thee be Darkness how
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
him is no darknesse at all 3ly Thou saist I said Thou hast manifested thy self to be out of the first step that leads to Christianity and art a Priest of Darknesse These words are true upon thee for the Light Christ Jesus the VVord which thou hath denyed is the entrance into life and Christ is the VVay the Light and the Truth and the Dore which thou hast denyed and so by Christs own words thou art a Thief that enters not in at the Dore the Light but climb'st up another way Jo. 10. And so thy Prayers and all thy fleshly performances must need be abhominable who art without the Dore Christ the Light amongst the Theeves and Robbers and of thy commiting Sacriledge that is proved before sufficiently and also thy blaspheming against the holy Spirit of God There needs no more to be said to that it is sufficiently proved before And in my second Letter thou saith 1. I said thou begins with a lye and ends with the Devil and sets J. W. next to him Thy own Letter which thou sent to me which I sent thee back again will testifie that to be true as it is there written And is thou offended that I should mention thy own words to thee art thou ashamed of them now and art thou offended at me because I writ of that which thou had writ with thy own Pen thou art so muddeld that thy own actions torments thee 2ly Thou saist I spoke of thy black defiled heart and conscience Answ They are so and blackness and darkness thou art filled with who doth deny and gain-say the Light of Christ in thy own conscience and that is the cause thou art such an inveterate enemy against Christ the Light in every man but his witness in thy own conscience will be a Worm that will gnaw thee and Fire that will never be quenched one day though thou make slight of it now but did not thou say in a Letter to me thou had received my blacke Lines not that I writ these words to thee rendering railing for railing but my words are true upon thee in thy present condition 3ly Thou saist I said thou was a Child of darkness what hast thou to do to take the name of God and Christ in thy mouth thou enemy of God Answ My words are these Thou enemy of God that knowes him not whom none knowes but the Father and none knowes the Father but the Son and whom the Son reveales him to and thou that hath not a Revelation of him art a Thief that takes his name in thy mouth but the cause of my writing these words was that thou had writ in thy Letter to me That I ought not to judge before Christ Iesus be revealed 4ly Thou saith I said Thou art no Believer in Christ thou art yet in thy sins c. Answ But my words are these thou said thou was in the light of Christ that enlighteneth all Believers and my Answer to those words was Thou art no Believer of Christ that abides not in his Doctrine for they that believes abides not in darknesse where thou art but is past from death to life which thou art an enemy to and therefore do not deceive thy self for thy hope will perish and thy faith is vain thou art yet in thy sins and art thou offended because I said thou art yet in thy sins and is it not thy Doctrine that none can be free from sin while they are upon the Earth and art thou not a sinner that 's proved a blasphemer against God 5ly Thou said I said Thou was a man separated from God Answ By his Light which thou art an enemy to 6ly Thou sayes I said Thou never knewest nothing of the worship of God Answ My words were these God is not worshiped but in his spirit which reveales him and so thou that has not the Revelation thou never knew the worship of God 7ly Thou sayest I said Thou envious poysenous heart Answ But my words are these And for thy uncivil termes that thou has invented out of thy envious poysenous heart as calling me the VVhore of Babilon and a Woman drunk and Iessabel with many other such like termes as these and so now the Reader may see thy deceitfull and theevish dealing though thou would hide and cover thy self this manifests thee to be a Child of darkness indeed Thou art ashamed of thy own words and conceales them for these forementioned termes Thou writ to me in thy Letter when thou was drunk with fury and takes mine in peeces and perverts them and belyes them if thou had had any dram of honesty thou might have set some of thy own foule words down which thou writ to me or at least have set mine down in order as they were writ to thee but to wrest and pervert and lye for thy own ends and advantage has been the Trade thou has followed all thy life time with the Scriptures 8ly Thou saist I said Thou art under the Chain of it it is over thee a fighter against God and his Truth and the Reward thou will be sure to have and never look that that which is cursed will be blest But thou hast left these words out and thou hast preached another Gospel then the Apostles did this thou hast left out Thou art accursed and no other portion can thou have and this is Scripture and Truth to thee In my third Letter thou saist I said Thou can do something in writing a Book of thy own Dreames and thy Imaginations and brain studies and telling of lyes which thou hatcheth out of darkness but thou art a meer sot and Ignoramus thy evil and unclean heart thy malitious darke envious spirit thy weakness inability and ignorance in the things of God But my third Letter began thus J. W. Thou has now made a poor end of thy boasting words and thy Assertion thou hath very meanly proved Thus far and thy way of Answering thus far for what is written to thee manifests thy weakness and ignorance and darkness sufficiently thou can do something in writing a Book of thy own Dreames and thy Imaginations and brain studies and telling of lyes and stories which thou hath hatched out of darkness when there is none to contradict thee but to Answer any thing which is plain Truth and Scripture thy spirit and doctrine and practice is so contrary to the truth and the spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures in this thou art a meer sot and Ignoramus and so framed thy Answers of lyes scandals and reproaches and foule language which comes out of thy evil unclean heart for if any man should but read my two Papers which I have written to thee and thy Answer of them they may thereby read thy malitious darke envious speeches and also thy weakness inability and ignorance of the things of God And again thou saith I having told her that if she called the Light that is in every man that comes into the
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
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
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
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