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A35520 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 Quakers ... / 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. Curwen, Thomas.; Fox, Margaret Askew Fell, 1614-1702. 1665 (1665) Wing C7703; ESTC R40138 135,639 157

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denyed which is the Light of Christ Jesus and if thou would cast off thy evil cast off thy lying slanders reproaches mockings scoffings and if ever thou wilt learn or imbrace good thou must imbrace the Light of Christ Jesus which hitherto thou hast reproached and wilt thou learn of us which thou callest Antichrist thou manifests thy self this is but one of thy flattering scorns And whereas thou saist Through the Riches of Grace having cast out those Beams which dims the eyes of many I can better discern the meates that lyes deep in the bottom of their eye Answ Thou denying the Light of Christ Jesus and not owning the grace which brings salvation which hath appeared to all men as in Titus Thou art far off the Riches of the Grace who calls Christ the Light an Idol and instead of casting out Beams and Moats thou art fighting against Christ the Light Truth and Covenant and Salvation to the ends of the Earth And whereas thou saist Being of equal ground with them can tell them that all their sair pretences and high expressions are found to be a covering too short to hide their nakedness and deceit Ans It is Truth we hold forth and fair pretences is thy own condition in words but out of life and so thy nakedness is seen to all that fear God and thy deceitful covering which is now taken off and thou art manifest and thou art not upon equal ground with us who denies Christ to be the Light And whereas thou saist While they call others Deceivers they themselves are the more subtle Deceivers Ans In this thou hast declared thy own condition for we are saved by Christ and hold him forth and declare what we have heard and seen Iohn 1. 3. and declares aginst all such Deceivers as thou art who is an Enemy to Man's Salvation Christ Jesus the Light John 8. And whereas thou saist While they call others Babylons Merchants and charge them for selling Christs the Prophets and Apostles words they themselves do the some and that none sells more Babylonish then they nor at higher rates then they as might be instanced in several Persons that I forbear to mention Ans We are come cut of Babylon where thou art and all your confusions and have recived the Lord Jesus Christ whom we declare freely as we have received without money or price and we do abhor thy lyes and slanders as to declare Babylons Merchants and such as makes a Trade upon Christs the Prophets Apostles words then to do the same things our selves which no honest man can charge us justly with such things but such as thee who sells thy self to work wickedness and the Lord will rebuke thy spirit for charging that upon his innocent Lambs which they are not guilty of and we do charge thee to mention those particulars and their Names that hath sold such ware at so great a rate and what was the rate and who and what are their Names that bought it And whereas thou saist while thou endeavours to discover their deceits thou intends not to hurt any thing that 's good in them Ans It is the good in us that thou strikes at and in that thou hast discovered thy own deceit as may be seen all along in thy Book together with thy contradictions And thou saist Hosea 14. 9. who so is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them But John wiggan hath fully discovered his foolishness and that he walks not in the way of the Lord which is Light for Christ saith I am the Light I am the Way the Truth and the Life and this Light he hath denyed A POSTSCRIPT How hath thou lived in sloath and idleness that thou hast not convinced those that turned from thee which was thy Heareis all these many Years that thou begins but now alack for thee they are on a Foundation above thee and so thy Sandy Foundation and darkness and enmity and making gaine of the Apostles and Christs Words has been thy own condition and keeping People alwayes in Teaching that they may alwayes be Paying thee And now that thy Goin as gone thou grumbles and mutters against those that be innocent and judgeth them in the practice of thy self and so measureth them with by own Earthly Spirit and judgeth them with Earthly judgment which cometh not near them Something in ANSVVER To JOHN WIGANS APPENDIX Wherein he Compares the Evil Language of the Quakers with the False Prophets Answ TO tell a man he is a Lyar if he find him so is not a Mark of a false Prophet for Jeremiah did so Jer. 23. And the Apostle was no false Prophet when he told them they spake lyes in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4. And Jeremiah was no false Prophet when he said They bent their tongues like a how to speak lyes Jer. 9. Nor David was no false Prophet when he said They turned aside after lyes Psal 40. And the Apostle was no false Prophet when he said Satan had filled their hearts Act. 5. as he hath done thine else would thou not have uttered so many lyes against us but we are not afraid of thy Reproaches Psal 51. 2. neither do we matter thy mocks for fools make a mock at sin Prov. 14. 16. And knowing that mockers was to come in the last times Jade 18. Though we have undergone the trial of cruel mockings but God will not be mocked with thy Religion and vain words Gal. 6. for what thou sowest thou must reap and our words that are spoken to you are truth who makes no distinction when the truth speaks to the wickedness and unrighteous state of man which the wicked may get the words as thou dost and throw upon the righteous And whereas thou compares us to the false Prophets and the unclean spirits in the Revelations which came cut of the mouth of the Dragon and were proud boasters false accusers and incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Answ John this is thy own condition thou hast directly read it yet before thou said thou would learn of us and thou said they were the better meaning people that came to us thus thou foamest out thy own shame like unto the raging waves of the Sea And whereas thou saist We boast of persection and sinless life and are the servants of corruption Answ This is false the Lord rebuke thy spirit for our perfection is in Christ the crown of our rejoycing who thou saist is an Idol and Christ we serve and not corruption And see if any of our Friends have spoken such words to thee as thou hast spoken against the truth and thou denying the spirit and Light in men by which they should see their salvation thou can be no otherwise but as a wave of the Sea as a Well without water and a Cloud without rain as in Jude manifest to be in the
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
are baptized and made to drink into the one spirit and doth the Apostle say to every Saint and every one that is baptized into the spirit and not to every man that comes into the World doth the Apostle say these words but are not his words every man and not every Saint and for the same words used in the 11. of Corinthians makes nothing for thy purpose that all men have not the spirit for that is spoken to them that came together into one place there the Apostle distinguishes his own words what shifts art thou put too for to pervert the Truth And whereas thou sayest this is said to every man of them and not every man that comes into the World and now people see whether the Apostle saith the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one of you only and see how he contradicts himself with the Scriptures he brings and would pervert it for the Apostle saith the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man and not to every one of you 1 Cor. 12. 7. and it s given to them to profit withal whether they do or not and Gods spirit is poured upon all flesh and so this Scripture makes nothing for thy purpose And as for Exodus 19. 5. this doth not oppose Gods pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh Acts 2. and Nehem. 9. was brought how that God gave his good spirit to such as rebelled against him which thou affirmed that wicked men had not the Spirit of God and we know that the Jewes was called the Church and people of God though many of them fell for their wickedness but these that rebelled against it had it that were wicked people which thou denyed and said that no wicked people had the Spirit of God which after thou confessed and so hast overthrown thy Assertion and so thou saith and unsaith Secondly Thou saith though it be said he gave them his good Spirit it will not follow that every particular or individual Israelite had this good Spirit but such as were Israelites indeed Ans Thou hast confessed that the Righteous hath the Spirit of God so thou art to prove that the wicked hath it not and in Joshuah the first there is nothing spoken in that Chapter that God doth not pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and that wicked men hath not the spirit there is nothing at all for his purpose all that reads it may see And as for Romans 2. 28 29. this confounds thee all that reads it may see for this brings people to the spirit of God in them that they may be Jewes in the spirit and the Romans its known they had been Heathens and wicked people yet they had the Spirit and all being not Israel that be of Israel Rom. 9. 6. we know that neither are all true Christians that saith they are Christians but are such Israelites and Christians that quench the spirit as thou dost but thou denies that all men have it and so opposes the very Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets And whereas thou say'st that saying in the 9. of Nehem. must be reserved thus Moses had that good Spirit and God promised to take off that good spirit that was upon him and put upon the seventy Elders Numb 11. 17. thus Joshuah was a man in whom was the Spirit Num. 27. 18. and had another spirit than many others had and was fitted thereby for the conduct of the Congregation Numb 27. 16. but it cannot hence be inserted that all or any of the fleshly seed of Abraham or such as were born after the flesh had the spirit but such onely as were born after the Spirit Gall. 4. 23 29. Ans This is Wiggan's conclusion and meaning upon these Scriptures which he hath brought to prove that every man that comes into the world hath not the Spirit which are not to that purpose at all and doth the 9. of Nehem. speak that Joshuah had the spirit and Moses and that it was put upon the Elders and was these them that Rebelled and slew the Lords Prophets and turned against him what Prophets of the Lord did they slay because thou sayest that in Nehem. must be reserved that Moses had the good Spirit c. and they after the flesh or any of the fleshly seed of Abraham or such as were born after the flesh had not the spirit but such as were born after the spirit c. and Nehemiah said generally he gave his good spirit unto them not only to Moses and Joshuah but such as turned their backs on the Lord which thou cannot prove that ever Moses or Joshuah slew the Lords Prophets c. and that God deliver'd them into the hands of their enemy to be vexed and troubled and as for Numb 11. 17. doth not prove that the Children of Israel had not the spirit of God nor Numb 27. 16 18. for that saith God is the spirit of all flesh that proves against thee for the Children of Israel had heard the voice of God and knew the power of God when thy came out of Egipt and knew his Law and so he was called their God and so they knew the things of God which they could not have done but by the spirit of God and Moses said they were the Children of God and were a holy people Deut. 14. and they were to hearken diligently to the voice of God c. and he had set his people the Jewes the seed of Abraham after the flesh above all Nations of the Earth Deut. 28. and yet thou fayest all Israel nor any after the flesh had not the Spirit and Gall. 4. 23 29. doth not prove that Israel after the flesh had not the Spirit because they were not born after it for those that persecutes them that are born after the spirit grieves the spirit of God in themselves as Christ said the Kingdom of Heaven was in the Pharisees that persecuted and the Jewes that stopt their Eares and shut their Eyes and would not hear nor see least they should have been converted and healed and that which they stopt their Eares and shut their eyes too plainly appears it was the Spirit else what did they backslide and erre from and quench and grieve so it is evident that all these Scriptures thou hast brought is to no purpose to prove that all men hath not the spirit And whereas thou brings Gall. 4. 6. of such as were Sons of God they may and oft do grieve the spirit of God it doth not say they may and oft do grieve the Spirit in the Ephes 4. 30. but this thou brings that the Sons of God grieves the Spirit of God and quenches it and not the wicked was there ever the like heard for we say and the Scriptures saith it is the wicked that grieves the Spirit of God and thou sayest it is the Sons of God and as for Acts the 7. 5. which we alledge which speak of their rebelling vexing and resisting
as be without God in the World and strangers have not the spirit of God in themselves to grieve and vex thou saith for that which may be known of God was manifest in them and when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God but became vain in their imaginations and changed the truth of God into a lye such becomes strangers to the life of God Rom. 1. so these Scriptures overthrowes thy assertions and proves that wicked men grieves the spirit of God in themselves as well as in others And whereas thou saist Joh. 16. 7 8. if I depart I will send the Comforter c. thou saist by this promise Christ makes is to send the holy Ghost after his departure it is evident enough that this Scripture can be no proof of thy assertion to wit that every man that comes into the world hath not the holy Ghost for if every man had him when he came into the world what need was there he should be sent to them after Christs Ascension nay rather this shews they had him not before he was sent and so not till after Christs departure which destroyes thy opinion yet thou grants the holy Ghost is come after Christ ascended to the Apostles and to reprove the World so by this thou hast overthrown thy own opinion and assertion and we say that Christ doth enlighten every man that comes into the World and is a Saviour and the Light is saving and the holy Ghost is given to reprove the World and lead the Saints and it s proved before that the wicked resisted the holy Ghost before Christ came in the flesh and the holy Ghost was given to the Disciples after Christ was ascended and he should reprove the World but thou denies it and sayes they have it not and so demes plain Scripture and perverts our Words for our Words is That Christ doth enlighten every Man that comes into the World and sayes believe in the Light and the holy Ghost reproves the World for their unbelief in the Light which leads the Saints unto all Truth Secondly Thou sayes this promise is made particularly to the Disciples of Christ I will send him to you and not unto the World Answ Why dost thou wrong the Scriptures doth it not say when he comes He shall reprove the World of Sin Righteousness and Judgment of Sin because they believe not in him was he sent then only to the Disciples and not to the World read Iohn 26. 7 8 9 10. over again and see thy own ignorance and darkness and it s sufficiently proved that the wicked resisted the holy Ghost before Christ came as also they that killed the Prophets and also it s proved that Christ did send the Comforter to his Disciples after his Ascension which Spirit should reprove the World and though the Disciples were led into all truth by the Spirit by which they was to preach the Gospel to all Nations that the name of Christ might be spread over all this doth not disprove the spirit of reproving the World which thou in thy ignorance brings to prove that the World hath not the spirit to reprove them and in the 17. of John Christ saith that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in them that the World may believe that thou hast sent me Now how can the Worldbelieve if they have not the Light and the Spirit in them to believe in seeing Believers hath the witness in themselves and as for Christs Miracles and signes which some believed and some gain-said for some said he did Miracles by the Prince of Devils such stop their eares and closed their eyes least they should be converted as Acts 27. And thou sayest the holy Ghost was poured upon none but who repented and believed this is thy saying who art ignorant of the Scriptures which saith God would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh Acts 2. Joel 2 Joh. 16. and such as repented and believed received the holy Ghost and others resisted it and quenched it so that here is a difference betwixt the Believers and Unbelievers for the one receives it the other rejects it though it be powred out upon all as Christ saith The Word was sowne in the Field which is the World it was sowne upon all Grounds upon the Thorney the Bryrie the High-way and the stony Ground but who brought forth fruit but the good Ground Mat. 13. and this sufficiently proves that the spirit is powred upon all flesh and Heb. 6. which speaks of such as were once enlightened and had tasted of the Heavenly gift and was made partakers of the Holy Ghost and tasted of the good Word of God and if they shall fall away it were impossible to renew them again to repentance seeing they crucify the Lord of Glory the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame and now Priest Wiggan sayes these wicked men had not the spirit nor was not enlightened yet they crucifyed Christ afresh and put him to open shame and thus with his wisdome he abuses the Scriptures though he hath long made a Trade of them And whereas thou makes a preamble upon our words wherein we replyed to thy assertion to wit that no wicked man had the spirit of God but only the Saints and thou did affirm that Balaam had not the spirit of God and we proved that Balaam had the spirit of God and heard the word and voice of God as Numh. 24. and now thou hast overthrown thy own assertion and confesses that Balaam and Saul had the spirit of God which thou confesses was wicked men and thus thou hast split thy self upon the Rock and overthrown thy Foundation for before thou affirmed none had the spirit of God but believers and Balaam prophecyed of great things to the Jewes and God spoke to him and we know there is a difference betwixt those that grieves the spirit and those that walks in it and before thou was ignorant of these Scriptures as Balaam and Saul having the spirit of God and now thou confesses that wicked men may have it upon some occasions but sayes all wicked men hath it not read over again Joh. 16. Acts the 2d That the Holy Ghost should reprove the World and God would powre out his spirit upon all flesh which before thou would limit only to Believers with thy dark imaginations and how darest thou preach the Scriptures which are the things of God to wicked people who sayes they have not the spirit of God and here again thou overthrowes thy assertion and thou sayes it is the spirit of God in the Ministers of Christ that must convince the World and when as we bid thee who lookes upon thyself to be a Minister of Christ convince us of any evill we have done thou shufled it off and said God must convince us and so confuted thy Assertion and whereas thou wrests and perverts the Scriptures and sayes Balaam did not see the Starr
great is that Darkness Together with this Light set up in every man which shows him his Creator that he is to be served and how he is to be served of necessity there must be a Law Implanted in him which Law is called Light Prov. 6. 23. whereby the will and mind of his Creator which is imprest upon him and made known unto him so that he by the Spirit or Light set up in him could reflect this Law and understand the reason and reasonableness of it this was the fullest Light in man before the fall he could look his God in the face and come to his presence with the Light and serve him with Gladness Answ What error and confusion is this if the Light which is Darkness shewed Adam the face of God and is that which shews the Creator and is the Law in the heart which reflects upon people for that which is spoken of in the 6 of Math. where Christ saith if that light that be in you be darkness how great is that darkness which he spoke to the double Ey'd State which if the Eye be single the whole body is full of light And Adam before he fell had no darkness in him and if the Law in the 6 of the Prov. be darkness in men with Mat. 6. as thou comparest it in thy blind erroneous meaning and so perverts the Scriptures to thy own distruction for the Law is light and the Reproofs of Instruction is the way to life and this we affirm to be saving and not the Light which is called Darkness And the Law of God which is placed in the heart whereby the will and mind of God is known Spiritually and the things of God are known only by the Spirit of God and this is above mans Reason or Spirit or darkness and keeps men in Reason out of darkness and orders mens Spirits to know the Lord and herein thou hast manifested thy error and Ignorance for men in the light which is called darkness knows not God nor in their natural estate as they are err'd from the Spirit of God and Adam was above that state before he fell of men in the Natural estate in the fall whose light is darkness and this is thy darkness and ignorance in paralleling them together And whereas thou sayst since the fall this Candle of the Lord in man is become exceeding dim to what it was so that his understanding was darkned with blindness and Ignorance Ephes 4. 18. yet it is not wholly Extinct for then he could not Exist but would cease to be and the Law which was written in mans heart now is not so plainly to be read yet there is sufficient left to render God Righteous in his proceeding against man who hold the measure of knowledg left in them that is to say of his eternal power and God-head c. Answ By this thou hast contradicted thy self and granted that every man hath the Spirit for can any know the eternal power of God and his God-head without his Spirit Then do they not know Christ in whom the fulness of the God-head dwells in and before thou calls it natural and Darkness and Reason and mans Spirit who art ignorant of the new Covenant Christ Jesus the Light which is given to all man-kind who is beyond the first which thou art groping in making nothing of in thy dark understanding and yet thou compares it this Candle to the light before the fall and with darkness one while is the Spirit of a man and another while is the Spirit of a man and another while is Reason and where there is Reason there 's the Spirit of Faith and thus intrudes into those things thou never saw which puffs up thy fleshly mind 2. Thou sayst What use is this light of or what can this Light in every man do since the fall And again thou saist this Light or Spirit of a man searcheth all the parts of the belly Prov. 20. 27. or as the Apostle saith it medleth with the things of a man 1 Cor. 2. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him that manifests every action of man it looks upon every thing done or to be done with a direct Act of the understanding and this singly considered makes not any thing that is done to be good or evil Answ All may see how thou hast contradicted thy former words which thou said it manifests his eternal power and God-head and it was the Law in the heart And now it makes nothing to be good or evil thy light doth not and in this thou hast contradicted thy former sayings And how can God judge the world in Righteousness if the light that is in man shews him neither good nor evil And this is contrary to Rom. 2. 20. For that which may be known of God is manifested in them for God hath shewed it unto them by which they know Good and Evil and doth the Candle of the Lord search all the inward parts of the belly and manifests every action of man and looks upon every thing done or to be done with a direct act of the understanding and yet the evil that a man doth manifested to his understanding what contradictions and blindness is this for if every action that a man doth is manifested then sin is manifested or else every action is not manifested and if this light manifests in man what is done and what is to be done this makes him a Prophet According to thy words who has manifested thy self to beignorant both of the old Covenant and the new And that which is spoken of 1 Cor. 2. the which thou brings to oppose the Light in every man And whereas thou say'st when this light or mans spirit reflects upon the Law written within according to which it is done or not done the evidness of the actions discovered these reflects are of the Soul and is called Conscience that is a knowing together with some else thus the Law discovers the quality of the action according to Rom. 3. 20. by the Law is the knowledge of Sin now according to the conformity or non-conformity that a man's actions bears to the Law such will its sentence be and answerable to the sentence the Law pronounceth will be the excusations or accusations of the person according to Rom. 2. 15. which shews the work of the Law written in their hearts their Consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while excusing or accusing one another this is that witness which the Lord hath left for himself in men that he may be just when he judgeth the World and every mouth stopped at the great day Rom. 2. 5 6. this manifested to Adam his transgression which made him hide himself Gen. 3. 13. this manifested to Judas his sin and caused him to bring back the money and confess he had sined this may answer Henry Wood's Query neither is this light only exercised
John who saw they was come said the Saints had the Anointing within them to teach them and they needed not any man to teach them but as the Anointing teacheth them and the Apostles brought them to the Light within them and the Law within them and Christ bid them not to follow the false Prophets but he would dwell in them and his spirit should lead them into all truth Joh. 14. and 2 Cor. 4. Heb. 8. 1. And whereas thou saist We have cryed against the Priests and Teachers as Hirelings and deceivers coveteus scandalous c. and their Hearers as ignorant superstitious formal and that every charge hath much of truth in it Ans Here thou art made to confess something to the Truth as the Devil did to the Son of God and hath judged thy self too for thou was one that we cryed against at Manchester and our testimony stands against thee as it did who professes what thou art not dost thou not remember Elizabeth Hulme John Abraham James Harrison and what a rage and madness thou was in when they came to thee to declare the things of God and how thou lift up thy Fist of wickedness against John Abraham and could not hold thy violent hands and the guilt in you all have answered our testimony and thou yet was never able to stand to truths face nor answer the truth if thou had thou would have answered the Queries e're now And we are not of them which cries loe here is Christ or loe there is Christ but as the Apostle saith Col. 1. 27 28. Christ in you the hope of Glory whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus and Christ was not like to be found amongst you when you denyed the Light and they that were innocent that had received the Light quickly saw you and this Light hath and will stop all your mouthes that denies it and the Light is not a shew but the substance And thou would seem to hide thy self from the carnal proud professors as if thou wert not of them but they that knows thee knows what thou hast been and what thou art yet and all thy Congregations which thou hast gathered where hast thou left them now so that which thou who denies the Light hath been doing is but to beat the Air. And all that were sober and feared God seeing you persecuting us and reviling against the Light and against the Spirit and what unchristian actions they used against us was a cause through quiring into truth to cause them to forsake you who denyed the Light of Jesus who broke into confusion amongst your selves and biting at truth and biting at one another till you were consumed one of another And so the good meaning people that did not make Godliness a game as you did imbraced the Light of Jesus and came into the fellowship of the Light and the Gospel which is the power of God Rom. 1. And whereas thou saist The well meaning people easily fell into their Net to do homage to their new God in the mean while the ignorant rash Priests and people who dealt with them lost themselves and injured the truth and gave this people ground to glory over them Ans If the well meaning people fell to us then the ill meaning people staid with you and this manifests you are fallen from truth when the well meaning forsook you And whereas thou saist they did homage to their new God Nay it s that God and Christ which 〈◊〉 ever was and will be whom you for sook and denyed as thou denies still and mocked with your words like them that opposed the Apostles and called it a new Doctrine a setter forth of strange Gods Acts and so you did injure the truth as thou dost now and it is Christs Net which they were catched in which kept the good and threw out the bad according to thy own Words and as you have injured the truth so hath God brought his judgments upon you and thou hath given us as much cause to glory over thee as ever any did but our glorying was and is in the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ who hath dearly bought us with his Blood and thou that denies the Light crucifies Christ afresh and puts him to open shame And whereas thou saist the right course to deal with us is to distinguish between good and evil Ans This thou hast not done as is manifest in thy Book but like one of the false Prophets who follows thy own spirit and sees nothing but puts darkness for light and light for darkness and thou hast manifested thy unrighteous dealing to us in all thy Book and thou dost not own the good nor imbrace it nor cherish it how canst thou when thou denies the Light of Christ for that which doth make manifest and reproves is light and all things is manifest by the Light and this Light thou hatest and chofest the darkness Ephesians 5. and loves it more then the Light John 3. And whereas thou saist Thou will joyne issue with us to bear witness against hireling Priests against Tythes against superstitious carnal Worship against swearing against corrupt worldly customes herein joyne with them are they at least in shew for the power of Godliness as well as the forme for worshipping in spirit and truth for justice for Righteousness sobriety mercy gravity and whatsoever is excellent in life and conversation so am I yea whatsoever they can make appear to be evil that I would east off with as much indignation as they and what further good they can shew that I have not learned that would I gladly imbrace Ans When did John Wiggan bear Testimony against Hireling Priests and Tyth-takers should not John Wiggan had Tythes at Manchester to make up his Wages and was not he a Priest at his Chappels where he put off his dark Ware denying the Light of Christ and now when John hath lost his Chappels he will cry against them and their formality now when he cannot get them Oh subtilty but would he cry against them if he had 100. or 200 l. a Year given him nay would he not bless them for it and how can thou worship God in spirit truth who denies Christ the Light spirit of God to be in every man Thou art a false Worshipper thy Worship is false the Lord moved us to cry against thee and that in thy high dayes and must thou talk of crying against corrupt Customs and be in them thy self for thy evil words hath corrupted thy manners and thou art not for the power of Godliness and thou art far from the modesty gravity or justice or righteousness thy language bewrayes thee as thy lyes and slanders with mocking scoffing reproachful words and thy sawey language to Friends and especially to Margaret Fells which shames both Learning and Breeding and that most excellent thing in life and conversation thou hast
another And John if Thomas Curwen Husbandman which is a better Calling then thy Trade who hath often been moved of the Lord to write to thee is able to indict letters having been often burthened with thy hypocrisie and vain deceit and fleshly performances which thou hast charged falsely upon me in a letter And here thou publishes that which thou knows not slandering us both with that which thou art ignorant of not knowing but another might do it and so hast published thy ignorance Dost thou think this will stand amongst wise men And thou hast said thou will never learn in my Masters School which is Christ the Light nor come to the Law which is the Schoolmaster until Christ which thou art ignorant of both And within all this time thou might have answered my Queries if thou had been in the meeknesse but it is manifest thou art choaked with evil and envy and possest with a bitter spirit that thou hast not power to do good And as for thy dreaming it is manifest if thou hadst been awaked thou would have answered my Queries and cleared thy assertion and convict me if I had opposed my self but thou hast denyed this office and work and in stead of giving satisfaction herein thou hast published thy own shame I would not have thee to envy me so much for the good I have to thee for which of those things dost thou thus deal with me Is it not because I have told thee the truth for which of those good deeds dost thou rail of me so fast Was it not a good deed to tell thee thou was a Deceiver knowirg thee to be so for now thy fruits makes thee manifest to be a deceiver and whom thou hast deceived 2 Pet. 2. Mat. 7. 24. And whereas thou hast picked a few lines out of James Parkes private letter sent unto thee whom thou seems to pretend love to and now publishes them and this was thy love was it not time for me to forsake thee being long deceived by thee and has known thy Principles and thee long and thy feigned love but should thou not have put all my letter down that the Reader might have seen it and judged with thy words which was the occasion of it and the words which thou slanderously spoke in secret but thou wilt manifest thy self that thy solly may appear which cannot abide plainnesse but my letter is true to thy condition and thou wilt find it so And I tell thee it was a fraudulous part of thee to publish a part of my letter and not all or other Friends letters either and far off the truth and below a wise man but it is well that thou hast published so much as thou hast done that people may read thy book and see the words come true upon thee John Wigan this in Answer to part of thy Appendix WHerein thou mentions Margaret Fells Letters and has therein falsifyed my words as it is the usual manner of thee and such deceivers as thou art for you do so with the Scriptures who makes a trade of them and teaches for filthy Iucre you take here a piece and there a piece such as will make for your own ends and for your advantage and for the setting up of your Image you make and so leaves poor people dark and ignorant of the Scriptures and also of your deceitful dealings with them and so keeps them in darkness and preaches unto them that they must carry a body of fin with them as long as they are upon the earth and they are no other like so long as they that are blind follows thee and such like that are blind and so you all go into the ditch together which is your place and shuts the kingdom of heaven against men and neither enters in your selves nor suffer them that would go in to enter Mat. 23. 13. But thou hast intended in taking pieces of my letters here and there to make them seem more odious to the Reader and also thou has intended thereby to cover thy own nakednesse and ignorance of God and his truth in leaving out the cause and ground of my speaking those words which is nothing but truth to thee according to the Scriptures where they stand written to thee though thou endeavours by thy overskipping and taking words here and there to make them non-sense to the Reader yet as they stand and as thou hast set them any rational man of truth and honesty that knows what thou hast written and spoken to me and others will judge them to be truth to thee Therefore for the further manifestation of thy wickednesse I shall by plain Scripture convince the Reader that reads with an impartial eye and prove thee a blasphemer against God and his truth as it is in Jesus and when I have done so then let the Reader judge whether thou be not guilty in truth and reality and of all I have writ to thee The cause of my first writing to thee was from thy blasphemous book which thou put out against Christ Jesus the Light our corner stone which thou boastingly saies thou strikes at and I can truly say and the Lord that judges all hearts knows that I had no delight to meddle with thee seeing thee a conceited man only in deceit and ignorance but I was moved of the Lord in the vindication of his truth to bear my testimony for his truth and to write to thee and to leave thee without excuse 1. In thy Book thou saith Whoever calls and worships this the Light in every man as the Redeemer worships an imaginary and fictious Christ and indeed an idol and in another place of thy book thou saies That the Light in every man that comes into the world set up and worshipped in prayers and praises All the Honour and Attributes due to the true Redeemer alone being ascribed to it which is an Idolatry so much worse then that of Jeroboams or of the Papists In a third place of thy book thou saiest Admit this grand lie for the Corner stone and the whole super structure will consist of lies These with many other such blasphemous speeches thou hast uttered forth in thy book which I shall forbear to trouble the Reader with they being answered before Again in thy second letter to me thou hast sent writ these words its likely thou hast never been so plainly told that thou sets up an idol if thou call the light that is in every man that comes into the world Christ the Redeemer and if thou worships that light as the Redeemer that thou art an Idolater It seems by these words that thou hast writ these words in thy former letter which I sent back with the answer and so hath not the words there written here to produce but here is enough and sufficient to manifest thee an absolute blasphemer against Christ and the holy Ghost Answ The Light of Christ Jesus which we bear witnesse of which hath lighted every
the true Rock which the Prophets prophesied of should come whom the Apostles witnessed was come and for thy false saying that we grow weary and before thou complained we urged thee on how stands thy confusion together with reasonable men let them judge and we do not shuffle with thy assertion neither are weary of our cause which thou saist we are for we need not for we know what thou art who is wholly bent against Christ it is thou which is weary of thy cause and shuffles as thou hast reason for we relate some other of thy Assertions which thou hast laid down art thou now ashamed of them and yet saist thou will hold us to it and yet answers nothing to the purpose and it is Christ the foundation which thou strikes against as the Jewes did but to no purpose and thus thou and thy fellow Priests hath strucken at him who is our foundation till you be all fallen into the ditch and leads the people thither too it is manifest to the Nations Thou saist in thy Appendix again Thou art willing to debate the point in controversie before the Sheriff or others in Authority and saist let not G. F. thinke to shuffle himself out and put his taske upon others for he must know because it is affirmed that he was called of the Lord from his Trade as the Apostles were my desire is to deale with him chiefly in this matter and such others as say they are Apostles that their Doctrine and deeds being brought to Light it may appear whether they be true Apostles indeed or false and preach another Gospel then Jesus and Paul did as I have cause to suspect them and doubt not to prove them to be if they adhere to the Principles laid down in their Printed Books and maintained in their late debate Answ This is thy shuffle and base charge whereas thou saist G. F. would shuffle from it and lay it upon others that is false it s thou would shuffle from those which thou hast begun withall it seemes we gave thee enough the last time thou needs not call of G. F. for the least of us in the Truth is able to Answer thee and to see if thou can make good thy assertions which thou could not make good in the last Dispute nor hast not done yet which we yet call on thee to doe which by the Scriptures of Truth thou canst not prove without adding or diminishing and the same Jesus and Gospel whom Paul preached whom we own which thou saist thou will prove an Idol and prove us Antichrists who affirme this and as for all our Books which are given forth from the Truth we own and our deeds are brought to the Light and by this thine are seen and thou too to be one of the false Teachers and thy deeds to be deeds of darkness and why dost thou pervert M. F's words in saying G. F. was called from his Trade when her words was he was called from his Calling as thou reports and thou talkes of trying Apostles and denyes the Light Christ in thy dark spirit and calls Christ an Idol and natural Light and as for G. F. whose name thou hast publisht abroad in thy Letters up and down beyond the Sands and towards Manchester and to M. F. and sometimes scoffing at his Leather-Breeches sometimes at one thing sometimes at another and never was so civil as to write to him so we do look thou should make thy assertions good to us before thou medle with him for they concern us and we are the Men that will encounter with thee as before mentioned according to thy Challenge whom thou in scorn calls Meckhanike Men and as for me Thomas Curwen I nor none of us are no more Mechanicke then thy self nor never had collection yet John Though I have been a Prisoner above four yeares canst thou say so John and as for me G. F. I never spoke with thee but three times since thou came hither and once at London and I heard such euil language from thee as I never heard from man I coming into the last dispute with friends and then there being liberty granted I hearing thee lay down thy Assertions and affirming them together with thy people first That some men that came into the world had not the spirit of God which was put to thee to make good being thou was the mouth for them by plain Scripture without adding or diminishing which thou seemed to prove out of Jude which thou couldst not and that God denyed faith to some men and that Christ did not shed his blood for all men and that Balaam had no more spirit then his horse and that wicked men had not the spirit of God These things with several others which you asserted was put to thee to make good which thou hast not done to this day Nevertheless thou hast challenged to meet me G. F. and having disperst my Name in several Papers in a slanderous way and thy brother Price which came down to Fell's Chamber and Challenged me out which I presently came up and sent William Houlding to thee and bid thee come down to me in the Hall but thou would not come at me And whereas thou challenges me G. F. to meet thee before the Sheriffe My Answer is send me word when thou wilt and that thou will make these Assertions good by the plain Scriptures without adding or diminishing which thou hast laid down to me for I am ready to meet thee through the power and strength of Almighty God and if I have liberty according as thou hast challenged and many things more I have of thine for thee to make good which I shall not here put to Ink and Paper by plain Scripture for truth remains over all deceit G. F. And why dost thou flatter me William Houlding dost thou now own Mechanicks but thou owned none when thou writ to M. F. but jeared at G. F. in this report and lost thy Religion to talk of his Leather-Breeches and thus Fools will be medling with that which doth not concern them busie bodies in others matters And when thou had abused M. F. in thy Papers she sent for thee to speak with thee about the abuse but thou would not come at her and manifested herein thy guilt and uncivility and dost thou not make a noise abroad against us amongst ignorant people and keeps them from the Light that so thou maist get some Collections of them for thy Letters to M. F. signifies something of a false fear and jealousie that something should have gone besides thy mouth cruly I think that is the cause of thy rage against us who owns Christ Jesus the Light W. H. Here followes a Coppy of a Paper which was given to John Wiggan of his Assertions FRiend John Wiggan we hearing of a Book thou hast given into the Town before we had a Coppy of it another Challenge to us to meet before some publick Magistrate and the Sheriffe we
William Houlding Blacksmith and Henry Wood a daily Labouring man who cannot read on a Book and Thomas Curwen Husbandman and William Wilson Taylor who in the strength of the Lord desire to give the said John VViggan a meeting before the Sheriffe as he hath challenged us and hath sent his Challenge into the Town and not to us with many villifying and slanderous words in the said Book which he hath sent amongst the people so let all the wise in heart judge of this man whether he hath carried himself like a Rational man yea or no. The Assertions are as followeth 1. For John VViggan to prove and make good out of the Scriptures of truth 1. that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light contrary to John 1. 9. 2. That the Light wherewith every man is enlightened that comes into the World is not a saving Light 3. To make good that which thou hast laid down that there is some men that comes into the World hath not the spirit contrary to Iohn 16. 8. Acts 2. 7. 4. That Christs blood was not shed for all men contrary to the 1 Epistle of Iohn 2. 2. 5. That Balaam had no more of the spirit of God then his Horse and which was held forth in the dispute against us contrary to Numbers 24. 17. 6. That Balaam did not see the Starr of Iacob contrary to Numbers 24. 17. 7. And that wicked men hath not the spirit of God nor the Holy Ghost contrary to Gal. 2. Neh. 9. 8. That the Light before faith is not pure contrary to Rom. 7. 12. 9. And that Christ the Light that lightens every one that comes into the World is an Idol contrary to Ioh. 1. 9. 22. 13 46. 10. That the Grace of God is an Idol contrary to Ephesians 2. 5 8. 11. And that there is no mercy with God contrary to Psalm 13. 6. 12. That Christ is not the Word contrary to Revel 19. 13. 13. That the Light is a false Christ contrary to Ioh 12. 33 46. 14. And that Light doth not shine in darkness contrary to Iohn 1. 5. 15. And that God who is the Word doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is not saving 16. And that the Light Christ that enlightens every man that comes into the World is a Natural Light 17. That some are in the flesh and hath not the Spirit This is he to make good and prove how they can quench it and grieve it that hath it not 18. That some that comes into the World have not a saving Light 19. Some there are that are in the flesh and never had the spirit contrary to Rom. 10. 20. That the time must come that men must break their Plow-shares into Swords and Speares which his brother Price justifies in a Book and John Wiggan was offended because we marked it out for error and these things we would have the said John Wiggan to stand to and make good before the Sheriffe as he challenged by plain Scriptures of truth in the New Testament For both the Scriptures and Common-Prayer testifies against thy Principles Some more of John Wiggan's Assertions which are not many of them in the former above written 1. THat the Light in every man that comes into the World is not the Door nor the Mediator Saviour nor Redeemer nor the Way Truth the Life the Lord that bought them nor the Corner-stone nor the infallible spirit 2. That it is not the true Jesus but an Idol the Light wherewith every man is enlightened or the Light that lighteth every man 3. To follow Christ the Light is to follow a pernitious way 4. That the Light was natural and spirit of a natural man and was that in Adam which let him see his sin 5. That Light which is darkness spoken of in Math. 6. 22 23. le ts man see his Creator 6. And this Light looketh upon every thing done or to be done of man and yet this Light maketh not any thing that is done to be good or evil and yet this Light sheweth the Creator and this Light in man will render God Righteous in his Proceedings against man 7. That Christ doth not give his spirit to every man that comes into the World 8. That they in Iude spoken of as Cain and Cora and Balaam had not the spirit 9. And this Light with which every man is enlightened is Natural and its gross to say that the Light which enlightens every man is Christ 10. That the Light in every man is but the spirit of a man the Law written in the heart 11. That who so worships that Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World as Redeemer worships an imaginary and fictious Christ and an Idol denying the person of the true Jesus 12. That whosoever saith that he that is the Light in every man is Christ is a deceiver and an Antichrist and Iohn Wiggan will prove them so 13. And it is the subtle deceiver and adversary Satan that saith the Light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is the Lamb and the Lord and the object of faith 14. And the Light that doth enlighten every man is the Word and before he said it was the Natural man's spirit and an Idol c. 15. That the Light the word God which enlightens every man is natural and man by it knows nothing of Christ though he confess by it he knows the Eternal power and God-head the fulness whereof dwells in Christ bodily 16. And the word God the true Light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the World he saith is darkness Mat. 6. 22 23. 17. And the word God doth enlighten every man that comes into the World by setting up a Light and spirit in man which is called the Candle of the Lord and writing a Law in his heart and the Light which doth enlighten every man is not the word which was in the beginning 18. And Christ came a Light into the World not to enlighten every man that comes into the world and this light is able to seek and feel after God his Creator and by it man may know his Creator and the Eternal power and Godhead it is a created Light a great Light it is but a Candle Light but it discovers man's transgressions and this Light springeth up with mans spirit and this Light is the Spirit of a Natural man which doth not know the things of God and this Light discovered Adam's sin and this Light is Natural and not Spiritual 19. But this Light knows nothing of the Gospel mystery hid in God nor Redemption by Christ nor of Gods good purpose and Grace nor of the Law of faith 20. This Candle-light to wit that Light wherewith every man that comes into the World is enlightened is not able to discern the mystery of God in Christ And so make good these things by Scripture or stop thy mouth for ever
the things of God l. 28. f. ligh read light p. 66. l. 36. f ligh r. light p. 73. l. 36. f. is r. his p. 78 l. 4 f. game r. gaime l. 15. where ever is twice blot out the one p. 87. l. 9. f. overshipping r. overskippng p. 88 l 31. f. Luke the tenth r. Luke the first p. 103. l. 10. f. sad r. said p. 105 l. 23. f. without r. with our p. 130 l 34. blot out deserves line 36 for seems read serves THE END Some Scriptures which overturns Wiggan's Assertions GOD so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting Life I have no pleasure in the death of him that sinneth I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked If any of you lack wisedome let him ask of God who giveth to all Men liberally and upbraideth no Man God hath made of one blood all Nations of Men perverse disputings of Men of corrupt mindes Evil Men shall wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. Christ is a Light to lighten the Gentiles Luke 2. 32. Salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles The grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all Men. Titus 2. 11. They turned the Grace of God into Lasciviousness The Worlds were made by the Word of God By the Word of God the Heavens were of old As many that corrupted the Word of God In Christ dwells all the fulness of the God-head bodily The true Light which doth enlighten every Man that comes into the World I am the Light of the World saith Christ so Christ is that Light which shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not God commanded Light to shine out of darkness and shined in our hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ I am the Light of the World saith Christ they that fellowes me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the Light of Life believe in the Light while yee have the Light that yee may be the Children of the Light Such as Rebels against the Light Men love darkness rather then Light Every one that doth evil hates the Light neither doth he bring his deeds to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved And every one that doth truth brings his deeds to the Light that he may see whether his deeds be wrought in God but Jo. Wig. saith the Light is not salvation contrary to David Psal 27. The Lord is my Light and my Salvation who then shall I fear Jo. Wiggan saith the Light doth not reprove the sin of unbelief contrary to Paul to the Ephesians who saith whatsoever is reproved is manifest in the Light and so this is plain that unbelief is manifest by the Light But there is a spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding The dust turn to the Earth the spirit to the Lord that gave it They also that have erred in spirit shall come to understanding they that murmured shall learn Doctrine Thus saith the Lord he that created the Heavens and stretched them out he that spreadeth forth the Earth and that which cometh out of it he that giveth breath unto the people and spirit to them that walk therein Gods saving health among all Nations let all people praise the Lord let all people praise the Lord let all Nations praise the Lood and sing but Jo. VVig speaks contrary to David how can Gods saving health be among all Nations when they have not the Saving-Light Look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be saved for I am God and there is none else but Jo. Wiggan saith they have nothing but a created Light that is darkness Mat. 6. 22. Oh Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee All flesh shall know that I am thy salvation but how can all flesh know his salvation when they have not the spirit as J. Wig. affirmeth This is good and acceptable in the fight of God our Saviour who will have all Men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth but Jo. Wiggan saith God denyes faith to some Men and so gives God the lye and saith Christ doth not enlighten every Man that comes into the World with a saving Light And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the truth in the love of it that they might be saved But how can they obey the spirit and truth when they have it not may Jo. Wiggan say I will that Men pray every where lifting up holy hands But were thy hands holy J. VV. when thou laidst such violent hands upon me Tho. Curwen and thy spirit of God Turn yee at my reproof and I will pour out my spirit unto you I will put my spirit within you I will put my spirit within you and will make you a new heart and a new spirit Such as vexes the spirit The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh But Jo. VVig maniests that he knows nothing of this warfare who saith some hath not the spirit to war with he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Jo. VVig that would not have the spirit in every Man its plain he soweth to the flesh not to the spirit for he saith it is not within them Quench not the Spirit They erred in Spirit They have erred from the faith And Balaam erred from the spirit Shall receive a Recompence of their error Rom. 1. The spirit of the Lord came upon Balaam The Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul 1 Sam. 10. The Spirit of the Lord came upon the Messengers of Saul And so this overthrowes VViggan's Assertion who saith wicked Men have not the spirit All the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my Nostrils Christ is the Saviour of the World and giveth unto the World My flesh I will give for the life of the VVorld Joh. 6. 15. Go yee into all the VVorld and preach the Gospell Mark 16. They that believe shall be saved but they that believe not shall be damned I am the Light of the VVorld I am not come to judge the VVorld but to save the VVorld Ioh. 12. That the VVorld may believe that thou hast sent me God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. This is condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men loved darkness rather then Light because their deeds are evil I am come a Light into the World Joh. 9. Done despite against the Spirit of Grace Hebr. 10. But they rebel'd and vext his holy Spirit therefore the