Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A65980
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Antichrist's strongest hold overturned, or, The foundation of the religion of the people called Quakers bared and razed in a debate had with some of them in the castle at Lancaster and in an additional account of the light within ..., here also is shewed the occasion of their rise and growth, together with the right way of discovering their secret delusions ..., hereunto is annexed an appendix wherein their evil language is discovered ... / all which is published ... by J.W.
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Wigan, John.
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1651
(1651)
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Wing W2096; ESTC R30213
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71,934
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77
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it till their Corner-stone and mine be so thorowly tryed that it may evidently appear whether of them is the true Rock Christ Jesus And whereas I said in my paper that I was willing and ready again to debate the point in controversie with Geo. Fox or any of his friends before the high Sheriff or any in the commission of peace if they should require us to come forth for that end Let not George think to shuffle himself out and put the task upon others for he must know that in as much as it is affirmed that he was called of the Lord from his trade as the Apostles were my desire is in this matter chiefly to deal with him and such others that say they were Apostles that their doctrine and deeds being brought to light it may be clearly known whether they be true Apostles indeed or false who preach another Jesus and Gospel then Paul did as I have great cause to suspect them and doubt not to prove them to be if they adhere to the principles which are laid down by them in their printed books and asserted and maintained in our late debate And lest it should be thought that these Mechanicks are mentioned with contempt as if none such were or could be usefull labourers in the Lords vineyard I do here seriously profess that any truth declared by such a one being sent is as precious to me as coming from any other man And there are at this day persons well known to me of several occupations under a special anointing who being sent are successfull labourers in the work of the Gospel and whom I highly esteem for their works sake But as the Lord approveth not so neither can I own preachers who are not sent Jer. 23. 32. Rom. 10. 15. but do creep privily into the work and run unsent Jude 4. Jer. 14. 14. Nor can I bid them God speed who bring not the doctrine of Christ nor preach the same Jesus and Gospel that Paul did but speak perverse things Acts â—o 30. bringing in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. For though such as these may say and others may think that they are Apostles when they are not and for the greater confirmation of their erroneous Doctrines may boast of gifts as some have said to me that George Fox had the gifts of Tongues and to others it hath bin said he could speak above thirty Languages And by this and such like plausible pretences they may insinuate themselves into many and gain a multitude of followers which is one certain character of Antichrists last coming that many shall follow his pernitious wayes Matth. 24. 5. 2. Pet. 2. 2. Yet when they are tryeâ— they will be found lyars Rev. 2. 2. In the Interim I have one request to leave with the sober Reader Viz. That he will seriously and impartially resolve in himself these following Queries 1. Whereas 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 to any person professing Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ or whether it be not clearly the fruit of an Antichristian spirit as hath bin hinted 2. Whether there can be any other aym in the aforesaid censures then to cast an odium upon and to cause a disesteem of the person opposing them And whether this was not the practice of the false Prophets and false Apostles of old thereby to gain more credit to their own cause 3. Whether it be not a manifest abuse of the Scriptures and a presumptuous intruding into the office of Christ positively to affirm that the sins of any man shall never be forgiven in this world nor in that which is to come meerly because he denies that light that is in every man that comes into the world to be saving In as much as the Scripture no where saith that that light is saving 4. Whether do not this people censure all the men and women in the world as well as the Author of these papers to be out of the first step that leads to Christianity to be infidels and to be accursed if they deny the light that is in every man that comes into the world to be saving And whether is not this asmuch as to say that they only and none besides themselves are Christians And whether is not this a great appearance of pride in them thus highly to extol themselves above all others 5. And whether are not all these censures directly contrary to the Scriptures and such as make them lyable to greater Judgment Matt. â—â— 2. Jam. 3. 1 2. 6. Whether do not these clamours and evil speakings for which there is no Scriptural warrant manifestly slow from bitterness anger â—rath malice as the Apostle intimates Eph. 4. 31. 7. Whether any wise experienced Christian can judge this people to be in a perfect sinless estate who appear with these open sinful revilings cursings judgings in their mouthes Nay-since they boast and glory in this their shame Whether is it not evident that they are servants of Corruption 8. Whether this hath not bin their manner all along to strive to overcome with these carnal weapons threatenings censurings cursings revilings c. And since no spiritual weapon is yet employed in the management of their cause whether have not all persons just cause to suspect tâ—â— badness of it and that as the weapons are carnal and devilish so is their cause supported thereby 9. Whether it be not abominable wickedness to father all their evil speeches upon the Holy Ghost and to say when they curse rayle revile speak falsly and frothily that it is by his inspiration and command 10. Whether can any man rationally conclude that these people beare any true love to that person whom they judge to be an enemy of God and â—â—cursed and whose sins shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Or rather when they profess love and say they desire his eternal welfare is not there just ground to believe that they speak lyes in Hypocrisie as it 's said Apostates should do in the later times 1 Tim. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 11. Do they not plainly discover a persecuting spirit in the forementioned revilings and may not any man in reason conclude that whom they judge an enemy of God and accursed they would use as such if they had power 12. Lastly I leave it to be considered by such as will take the paines to read the account which I have given of the light within whether they do not speak all this evil of me merely because I have told them the truth and not for any other cause c. By that time thou hast well considered these Queries and by the resolution of them hast gained a better understanding of this people â—â—robable if providence intermit not another sheet may be preâ—â—ted to thy
light is Gods creature so also is internal light intellectuall light invisible light both in Angels and men the Angels those ministring spirits those flames of fire those star-like sparkles of light are Angels of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. yet they are but derivative lights lighted up by the Father of lights and spirits Ja 1. 17. Heb 12. 9. created by him by whom all things were made Col. 1. 16. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principallities or Powers c. So the spirit of man is a light in man an invisible light called the candle of the Lord Pro. 20. 27. formed in man by the Lord Zach. 12. 1. of which more will be said afterwards 5. As all derivative lights which God hath made are subordinate to himself so are the inferior one to another the light in man when he was at his best was far inferior to the light of wisdome and knowledg in Angels Psal 8. 5. the light in Angels is far inferior to the light in the man Christ Jesus as he is the anointed Saviour and sustains the office of a Mediator he as such is the Sun-light far above all other lights lighted up by the Father of lights in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. These things being premised I come to shew what the light in every man is The light that is in man may be considered either 1. With respect to the will and affâ—ctions and so it is that inward peace comfort joy and gladness which is opposed to the darkness of inward trouble griefe and sorrow and thus I find the Scripture frequently speaking of light and darkness metaphorically as Psal 97. 11. Light that is joy is sowne for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Isa 50. 10. He that walks in darkness and hath no light is one that hath no peace no comfor no consolation when the Jewes were delivered from Hamans conspiracie they had light and gladness joy and honour Esth 8. 16. so Job 18. 5. the light of the wicked that is their joy and comfort shall be put out the Church saith Micah 7. 8. When I sit in darkness the Lord will be a light unto me that is of joy and comfort Or secondly the light in every man may be considered and so it is spoken of in this question with respect to the intellectual powers the mind and understanding and thus it is the spirit of every man which is in him the Father of lights and spirits doth form a spirit in every man Zach. 12. 1. Who formeth the spirit of man in him or as it is Gen. 2. 7. The Lord breathed into man the breath of life and man became a living soul agreeable to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living soul so that without this spirit he could not be a man now this spirit in every man is the light in every man according to the testimony of that Scripture Prov. 20. 27. The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord that is a candle which the Lord hath set up in him to see by whereof he is the Author and efficient cause Mark Reader this spirit or light in every man is not the Lord but a candle lighted up by the Lord this interâ—al light in the little world man is no more the Lord then the external lights in the firmament are the Lord nay it is so farr from being the Lord the Sun light that it is lesser and inferior to the light in other creatures namely the Angels as was hinted before their light of wisdome reason and understanding doth farr exceed mans as the wise womans words to the King do import 2 Sam. 14. 20. and my Lord is wise according to the wisdom of an Angel of God to know all things that are in the earth and so do those words Rev. 4. 8. they are full of eyes within moreover as this light in every man is inferior to other lights so it is limited and â—â—unded as to the use and exercise of it and cannot extend it self beyond its bounds as will appear by that which followes Again this spirit of a man or light in every man is the reason and the understanding of a man which in the state of mans created integritie was an ascendant light shining with pure Beams of light whereby he was adâ—pted to know his God that made him and the end why he made him and how to answer that end that is to know him as God and glorifie him as God by yielding just and perfect obedience unto him this was the end of Gods making man that he should serve him as David argues Psal 95. 6. Oh come let us worship and how down let us kneel before the Lord our maker for he is our God c. And Psal 100. 3. Know ye the Lord he is God it is he that made us and not we our selves and the end of Gods making us exprest ver 2. Serve ye the Lord c. Of this light we may understand Christ to speak Math. 6. 23. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness that is if thy intellectual eye be blind how great is thy blindness Together with this light set up in man which shewed him his Creator and that he was to be served and how he was to be served it was necessary that Law should be implanted and written in his heart which Law is called light Prov. 6. 23. whereby the will and mind of his Creator was imprest upon him and made known unto him so that by the Spirit or light set up in him he could reflect upon this Law as a rule to every motion and operation and understand the reason and reasonableness of it yet here by the way it is to be observed that this Law is not God God is the Law-giver or the Law-writer whether in the fleshly Tables of the heart or in Tables of Stone but the Law giver or the Law writer is not the Law nor è Contra c. The Law was written in the natural mans heart to be a Rule according to which he was to obey and worship his God therefore it is not to be called God and worshiped as God its true that the Law as also the light as it is in God the fountain of Wisdom and Justice is God but the Law exhibited and in a manner ineffable and beyond expression imprest upon and formed in the heart of man is not God as the thing formed is not the former of the thing Now God saith of himself Isa 45. 7. I form the Light c. even as it is said of him Zach. 12. 1. Who formeth the spirit of man within him And Gen. 2. 7. And the Lord God formed