People fat and blind their Eyes that seeing they may see and not perceive Not that God put in any more blindness into Mens minds but withholds his Grace and denies his Spirit but permits the Evil Spirit the god of this unregenerate World to blind the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them And seeing that the Light of the Gospel does shine so Gloriously in this Day and ye Reject it and Despise it we have cause to be perswaded you have in you this double Darkness and Blindness notwithstanding all your Pleading for the Light within Ye know not what ye say nor whereof ye Affirm Thou and thy Friends as thou callest them do quite mistake that Scripture This Scripture John 1.9 grossely Mistaken whereupon ye ground your Opinion and Perswasion concerning the Light within John 1.9 This is the true Light that Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Thou and they put a meaning and sence upon it though in other Scriptures brought against you ye disown all meanings yet here ye make use of a meaning but it is a false one For it is not said that Christ the true Light is in every one that cometh into the World but that he Lighteth every one that cometh into the World Take then the very words and the genuine sence is plainly this That Christ the true Light doth Light every one that cometh into the World and That in two Respects First by an Outward Light and Secondly by an Inward Light The Outward Light is by the Sun in the Firmament with the Moon and the Stars this Outward Light all Men and Women have that come into the World in all Nations Tongues and People Secondly Christ enlightneth them by an Inward light also by the Light of Reason Humane Vnderstanding and Natural Conscience by these Lights also he Lighteth every one that cometh into the World according to that Scripture aforementioned And so much and no more is intended by it as it concerns every one that cometh into the World He is called the Father of Lights having Created divers Lights of several kinds But now as it concerns Believers the peculiar People of God the true Light Jesus Christ enlightneth them with another Light besides the former which none but they onely are partakers of The other Lights are but Darkness to this Light yea the Scripture calls them Darkness in Comparison of this true Light Jesus Christ himself the Son of Righteousness when he arises upon the Soul he makes things manifest and clear which before were hid in Darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 God who Commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ But as for the Wicked and Vngodly all Vnbelievers which are the greatest part of the World they have not this Light in them as thou James Jackson and the Teachers among the Quakers do affirm and contend earnestly for But they are of the Number of those which the Holy Ghost saith by the Mouth of his Servant Paul in 2 Cor. 4.4 The god of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Look well unto it that ye be not of the Number of these blind ones blinded by the Seducing Spirit which is got into your own blind Minds and which ye call and Blasphemously say is Christ the true Light in every Man And verily this is one sad Sign that ye are indeed of that very Number even because ye disown the Gospel of Christ the Scriptures of Truth spoken by Christ himself and by the Holy Ghost Saying and Affirming they are not the Rule to Christians in Faith and Obedience neither do ye submit to have your Spirits Tryed by them but trust to the Light within which is but Darkness as to Seeing and Discerning of Spiritual things For Spiritual things are Spiritually Discerned And know and consider this That if the Gospel of Christ be not Received and submitted unto but Neglected or Rejected then it is hid from such And in such a Case the Apostle Paul saith 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid from them that are lost whom Satan hath blinded lest it should shine unto them Thou The Quakers Doctrine is directly contrary to the Scriptures James Jackson and other Teaching Quakers teach that Christ the true Light is in every Man and Woman in the World But this is directly contrary to plain and positive Scripture For before Conversion and Regeneration all Men and Women are in Darkness and Darkness in them yea are Darkness it self in the Abstract Eph. 5.8 Ye sometimes were Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord Walk as Children of Light And 1 John 2.8 Darkness is past and the true Light now shineth Heb. 10.32 After ye were Illuminated ye endured a great Fight of Afflictions Paul knew that all Men were in Darkness and Darkness in them And therefore his Preaching was to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan the Prince of Darkness to the Living God Yea our Lord Christ himself the true Light saith John 1.46 I am come a Light into the World that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in Darkness plainly implying that before Men Believe they abide in Darkness And again he saith John 12.35 Yet a little while is the Light with you Walk while ye have the Light Now if Christ had been the Light still remaining in them in every one as the Quakers Teach Christ would not have used these words Yet a little while is the Light with you walk while they have the Light It 's like these Quakers would have Answered him boldly and Ignorantly enough We have the Light within us it is always in us and with us and abides in us and in all Men and Women in the World Go whither thou wilt for we have the Light within us still continually For certainly these Men would no more have owned him nor his Doctrine had they been contemporaries with him than they own him now in these Days And we know they have Denyed him both in his Person and in his Doctrlne as appears Manifestly in their Books and Writings besides Denying of him in Denying his Members It is Evident then That the Teaching Quakers do Deceive the Poor Ignorant Simple People their Hearers with this Doctrine about the light within and speak concerning it directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures And these poor simple People silly Women as the Apostle calls them 2 Tim. 3.6 finding and perceiving there is some Light within that Discerns some things to be good and moves unto it and on the contrary denies some evil things and will not consent to known Evils They do hereupon conclude that this
Expressions in Scripture he casteth out the strong Man Armed that keepeth the House and Divideth the Spoyls when this stronger than he cometh he turns out this first strong Man though Armed and in his strong Hold of every Faculty of the Soul and Enters himself and takes Possession of the Soul and turns all to his own Use and Interest even for his own Glory the Exaltation of his Free-Grace and that for ever Now here comes this great Question to be Debated and Determined The Author of the Strong Man Armed Tryed Concerning the Person here mentioned James Jackson Author of the Book Entituled The Strong Man Armed cast out which also Comprehends and includes all others of his Mind with whom he hath now joyned himself He is strongly perswaded it appears That the strong Man the Devil with all his wares and works is cast out and that Christ is entred and dwells in his stead He tells us in his Epistle to his Friends and Relations what an Vngodly Dissolute Debauched and Extravagant Course of Life the had Lived against all Counsels Admonitions Reproofs Vows Promises and Engagements breaking all these as so many Bonds and Fetters alluding to the poor Man that was possessed with Devils and bound with Chains and Fetters and brake all in pieces and no Man could tame him So did he to the grief and wounding of his dear Friends But the Lord working mightily and Revealing his Son in him he saith and making a wonderful and great Change he would not eat his Morsels alone but thought it his Duty to Communicate these things to his Friends and Relations and to tell them what great things God hath done for him and hath had Compassion on him in turning him from Darkness into his Marvellous Light and from the Power of Satan into the Kingdom of his dear Son So that now our work is to bring him and his works to be Weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and to try them by the true Touch-stone whether they be true Metal or Counterfeit for many Foolish Builders Build upon the Sand and not upon the Rock Yea and some that Build upon the firmer Foundation yet they Build much Wood Hay and Stubble instead of Gold Silver and Precious Stones 1 Cor. 3.13 but every Man's work shall be made Manifest for the Day shall Declare it because it shall be Revealed by Fire And the Fire shall Try every Man's work of what sort it is Now this Fire is the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures if Men speak according to his Mind and Will then it is the Truth but if they speak or Act otherwise then it is not according to Truth but is from a False Spirit That is either from the Devil the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience or from a Man 's own Spirit or from both Therefore that we may know which to follow when Men Differ and Contend about things this is the sure and onely way according to the Apostlâ—s Counsel to try the Spirits whether they are of God or not 1 John 3. But it may readily be asked how shall we know the Spirits which is which which is the true Spirit and which the false when they speak in men different things who disagree in their Sayings and Apprehensions I Answer That the Spirit of God speaking in any Man How to know the true Spirit from the false Spirit or if any Man speak by the Spirit of God he speaketh according to what he hath already spoken and not contrary That is according to what he hath already spoken in the Scriptures by those Holy Men of God that wrote the Scriptures and were Inspired by the holy ghost and if any man speak contrary to what the Spirit of God hath already spoken and Revealed in the Scriptures he is a Lyar and speaketh from a false Deluding Spirit and not by the Spirit of God The Apostle Paul tells us plainly 1 Cor. 2.13 We speak things which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual Paul had the Spirit of God and spake and taught by the Spirit of God But if a Natural Man one that hath not the spirit of Christ in him doth go about to compare spiritual things with spiritual things he is sure to mistake and speak Erroneously For the Natural Man as he there saith perceiveth not the things that are of God neither can he know or perceive them because they are spiritually Discerned That is they are seen in the Light and by the Discovery of the Spirit of Christ the true Light and not otherwise So that this being laid down as a Ground and Foundation an Infallible truth as it is we may then proceed to the Examination and Tryal of the Spirits and Doctrines of Men for no Man speaking by the spirit of God will or can speak contrary to the Scriptures if he do let it be Rejected Paul saith If any Man Preach any other Gospel than that which we have Preached unto you let him be accursed yea if an Angel from Heaven bring any other Gospel than that ye have Received and is written in the Scriptures let him be Accursed He saith not onely let him or them be Disowned and Rejected but let him be Accursed so Zealous was he and so shou'd we be to hold fast and maintain the Doctrine of the Gospel the Scriptures given out by God himself spoken and written by the Men of God in their Day and Generation by the immediate Dictates Teachings and Movings of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God so that as was said whatever Spirit it be in whomsoever that speaketh contrary or not according to the Scriptures is to be disowned and rejected as false and erroneous Now therefore here comes in the Tryal of Particulars the several Doctrines Opinions and Practices of Men of any perswasions whatsoever Either they speak according to the Spirit of God in them or from some other Spirit if they speak from the spirit of God in them then it must needs be according to what he hath already spoken as was said for he is one and the same Spirit and changeth not But if it be otherwise then it may be said as Paul said of some in his Time This Perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Gal. 5.8 it cometh not from the Spirit of God but from a false and Deluding Spirit And here now is thy Tryal and thy Judgment James Jackson Author of the strong Man Armed cast out and all that are of thy Mind and Way who speak contrary to what the Holy Ghost hath spoken already in the Scriptures as is hereafter shewed in several particulars First 1. Strong Man Armed p. 3. That Spirit in thee Declares to all People That thou art now Converted and turned from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God that thou art changed from a wicked Profane course of Life unto a Holy Life walking with a Holy People and that thou hast
it Teacheth Men to have a low esteem of themselves and when they have done all they can in the ways of Obedience to account that yet they are but unprofitable Servants This Humble Spirit was seen in Paul who though he were a great Apostle yet he accounted himself less than the least of all Saints yea and teacheth all others to be of the same Mind In lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves Phil. 2.3 How far then are these Men from true Humility Sixthly The Sixth Lye in Hypocrisie Strong Man Armed p. 15. Another Lye in Hypocrisie is this They say their Patience is Invincible to them is this Grace given The World hath been against them not for their own sakes but for Christ's sake in them though they are he says the most Innocent and harmless People upon Earth Now whether this papears to be Truth or a Lye in Hypocrisie may appear by their Speeches and Writings wherein they express and manifest much Bitterness of Spirit Wrath Anger Malice and Impatience as is in their frequent foul harsh Language that proceeds from them both by their Tongues and Pens against those who do Converse with them or ask them questions Soberly and Modestly with a real desire to be Resolved or that ask them a Reason of the hope that is in them or of their perswasions about such or such things Their Answers ought to be given with Meekness and Love That they may satisfie those who ask them according to Truth But instead thereof they commonly pour out harsh words and speeches like those Enemies of David Psal 64.4 They whet their Tongues like a Sword they bend their Bows and shoot their Arrows even bitter words Witness Edward Burrough's Works p. 20 21 c. against a Servant of Christ asking him serious questions he Answered in such Language as this which others also of their Teachers do likewise own and approve of To all or most of the questions he mixeth this Language The Quakers Railing Accusations and many Expressions to the like purpose in his Answers Thou Reprobate and Child of Darkness we witness thee to be in the Sorcery and Witchcraft thou Dragon thy queries are Conjured in the Black Art out of the Bottomless Pit thou Diviner we witness thee to be the Beast thou Antichrist who looks at Christ's Death at Jerusalem alone thou Jesuite art pleading for Christ afar off thee thou art Accursed thou Beast to whom the Plagues of God are due Thou Blind Hypocrite thou Cain thou full of Subtilty with the Light thou art seen and with the Life thou art Judged and Condemned These words were poured out with many more such like Invectives against him the Querist and others from time to time as Men have conference with them But are these the Fruits and Evidences of Patience which they boast of which they say they have attained above all other Professing People Then what is Impatience Wrath Bitterness and Anger Are not their Tongues set on fire of Hell and moved by the Devil who brings the Fire from thence and kindles it and blows it up to a great Flame Nay doubtless they are not onely Pinch'd and vex'd by serious Questions and sound Scripture Arguments but also even cut to the Heart as the Jews were against Stephen when he dealt truly and plainly with them as we see Acts 7.54 When they heard these things they were cut to the Heart and they gnashed on him with their Teeth So these Men they are vex'd and Angry when they are Opposed and cannot Answer they are Pinch'd and cut to the very Heart which they shew and manifest by such speeches as these aforementioned for out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh These I say are Lyes in Hypocrisie This then is another Character plainly seen upon the Quakers whereby compared with the rest of the Characters spoken by the Holy Ghost they are manifested to be the false Prophets that should come into the World in these last days In this day is this Scripture fulfilled The false Teachers who were fore-told expresly by the Spirit of God that they should come in these last days even now are they come in this Generation They are Departed from the Faith they give heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils they speak Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron which is the next Character to be Discovered Fourthly The Fourth Character of false Teachers Their Consciences are seared with an hot Iron Another Character whereby false Prophets Teachers are known which the Spirit of God tells us of is this They have their Conscience seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4.2 This Expression seared with an hot Iron taken properly is a Similitude of what is done Spiritually in and upon the Consciences of some more than Ordinary notorious sinners under a Judicial as well as Natural hardness of heart Blindness and Reprobate sense unto which Judgment God sometimes gives them up for refusing to Receive and Hearken to the Truth often tendred and Discovered to them with some other Notorious sins For as Natural Flesh seared with an hot Iron is thereby made hard dead and insensible so as it will not receive any Impression nor is sensible as soft tender lively Flesh is so it is with the Consciences of some Men which are seared they have no Spiritual sense nor feeling of spiritual things but are dead and hardned blind and deaf as concerning the things of God of which those Christians that have tender Consciences and soft hearts have a clear sight and sense of Men whose Consciences are seared with an hot Iron they do think apprehend and believe and that strongly too many things that are quite contrary to the Truth both as to Reason and Faith which things they speak and write accordingly Secondly Another Sign or Evidence of those whose Consciences are seared with an hot Iron is this They will Reject and Despise all plain Truths in Scripture as being contrary to their Corrupt Natures Principles and Interests though they are never so much concerned therein and though brought and tendred to them with never so much Love and earnest desire for their good and welfare yet these things take no Impression upon their hearts no more than upon a stone they remain still the same and no good is done upon them by any means Nay Thirdly as another Evidence of a seared Conscience The means used to Reform them does the more harden them and makes them the more Desperate in sinning which is seen in their many Imprecations Revilings Slanderings and bitter Reproachful speeches which proceed from them against those that would do them good Now is it not hereby Evident and plain That very many of the Quakers are under this Judgment of having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron So that this Character is also plainly seen upon them as is made manifest particularly by their Speeches Books and Practices Fifthly
the Truth they shall believe Lyes What Difference shall we think is there between these Men The Quakers sin is like the great sin of the hardened Jews the Teachers among the Quakers who have delivered these Damnable Doctrines afore-mentioned being the Doctrines of Devils and still maintain them What difference I say between them and those Jews who Blaspemed the Holy Ghost and ran into that sin unto death Those Jews Rejected Christ his sayings and Doctrine which he Taught among them and they told him that he had a Devil Christ tells them then after that he had often spoken unto them and Taught them and they would not hear him nor regard his sayings he then Declares unto them their dreadful state And surely the sin of these Men looks so like unto the sin of those Jews that I think it 's hard for any Man to distinguish them otherwise than by saying That the sin of these Teachers does Exceed the sin of those Jews The sin of these Men seems to be much Aggravated in that they have not onely heard all those Sayings and Doctrines of Christ which he Preached among the Jews but they have had the Truths of God Offered and tendred to them by others also the Apostles Evangelists and Disciples of Christ have spoken to them in the Scriptures which those Jews never had And also many of the Ministers Messengers and Ambassadors of Christ have spoken to them and tendred the very Truths of the Gospel to them yea many others of his Faithful Saints and Servants have from time to time spoken to them and Advised Counselled and Admonished them and yet all in vain they have Rejected all and despised all and have as Swine Trampled Pearls under their Feet and turned again and Rent those that brought them they have Reviled them and Reproached them for so doing so that to what purpose should any Man go about to Teach these Teachers who are not capable to Learn as being Blinded and Hardned and Sealed up as is feaâ—ed even to destruction having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron Men of Corrupt Minds Reprobate to every good work without Judgment unfit either to Teach or Learn For we know there have been many such in former days who were guilty of this great sin some such were contemporaries with the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 6.10 Make the Heart of this People fat and make their Ears heavy and shut their Eyes c So also many such were in the Time of our Lord and Saviour Mat. 13.15 This Peoples Heart is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of Hearing and their Eyes they have closed lest at any time they should See with their Eyes and Hear with their Ears and should Vnderstand with their Heart and should 〈◊〉 Converted and I should heal them In this Generation there are just such a People even those of whom we speak they shut their Ears and their Eyes and their Hearts against Christ and the Truths of the Gospel All the Advice and Councels of Men which are according to the Truth all are Rejected and Despised The Inspirations of the spirit of God are refused but the Inspirations of the spirit of Delusion are readily Received and Embraced My Judgment is therefore let them be Rejected as Hereticks having been so often Admonished as Men that are hardned to Destruction And for the Hearers among the Quakers Advice to the Hearers among the Quakers my Councel unto you is Separate your selves from the Congregations and Meetings of these ungodly Men lest ye be Consumed in all their sin Be as much afraid of them and of their Poysonous Doctrines as ye would be afraid to eat of a dish of Meat before you on the Table that had rank Poyson in it of which ye were told and fully assured of it Would ye eat of such a Dish I know ye would not Remember and consider Eternity it will be well or ill with you for ever according as ye Receive or Refuse the Truths of the Gospel now Beware of False Prophets which come to you in Sheeps clothing but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves if ye be the Sheep of Christ follow him and know his Voice in the Scriptures in your hearts and amongst his own People and follow not Strangers that bring strange false Doctrines about the Light within and in many other things which have been mentioned contrary to the Mind of Christ Revealed in the Scriptures These People the Quakers The Quakers great Idol near falling have forsaken the Fountain of Living Waters and have run to broken Cisterns And seeing they have forsaken the Living and true God the Glory of his People and set up an Idol a false Christ the Light in every Man and Woman that cometh into the World I shall therefore bring against this their false Doctrine several Arguments from Scripture to prove the Vanity and falshood of it as so many Pieces of Ordnance Planted against this great Idol which the Quakers have set up and Worship that so it may fall as Dagon before the Ark of the Lord. Whereas they say That Christ the true Light is in every Man and Woman that cometh into the World This is not a Truth because in whomsoever Christ is and dwells he does enlighten that Soul with true Light saving Light supernatural Light even by himself by his Spirit and by the Scriptures It 's true all wicked Men that come into the World have Lights of Christ's making he Created them which Enlighten all Mankind and that both Outwardly and Inwardly 1. They are Enlightned Outwardly by Lights that God hath Created and set in the Heavens the Sun and the Moon by which all are Enlightened 2. And then Secondly All Men and Women that come into the World are Enlightned with Inward Light also Reason and Natural Conscience So Christ the true Light Enlightneth all that come into the World which is all that is Intended and meant by that place John 1.9 But Christ himself is the true Light the Light of Lights who inlightneth his own People immediately by himself and by his Spirit which the wicked of the World are not Partakers of they have onely those common Lights afore-mentioned As is fully and plainly Proved by these Scripture Arguments Ten Propositions Proved by Scripture Those in whom Christ is and and dwells First Argument Prop. 1. he Inlightens them with spiritual Light But wicked Men and women are not Inlightned with spiritual Light therefore Christ is not in wicked Men and women For Proof of these Propositions both Major and Minor then the Conclusion drawn from them must needs be granted by all Rational Men See Eph. 5.8 Ye sometimes were Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord walk as Children of Light And Paul was sent to turn Men from Darkness to Light Acts 26.18 And we see the Corinthians who sometimes were Darkness and afterwards Converted Paul says 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the Light to shine out of
Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ But as for others who were Carnal and Unregenerate he tells us they were in Darkness and Darkness in them v. 4. And the God of this World had blinded the minds of those that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them In whomsoever Christ is The Second Argument Prop. 2. and dwells he quickens them and makes them spiritually Alive But unregenerate Men and Women are not Spiritually Alive but Dead Therefore Christ is not in unregenerate Men and Women Proof Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were Dead in Trespasses and sins And Christ complaineth of the Jews That they would not come unto him that they might have Life John 5.40 plainly implying that they were Dead and that they might have Life if they had come unto him Christ is not in those who are not in him The Third Argument Prop. 3. But the Unregenerate World are not in Christ Therefore Christ is not in the Unregenerate World For Proof hereof see Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he Reconciled 2 Cor. 5.17 If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature Now no Vnregenerate Persons are New Creatures therefore not in Christ And Christ says plainly that he is In his People which implies as we may perceive if we Observe the context that he is not in the Vnregenerate World John 17.23 I in them and thou in me And again ver 26. I in them Those that Christ means by Them are in Opposition to the World for he hath chosen them out of the world v. 16. the words I in them are very Emphatical and full with this sence clearly implying that he is not in the world of Vnregenerate persons even as the words before v. 9. do plainly express that he prays not for the world but for them his people so these words do as plainly imply that he is in them and not in the world John 15.4 5. we see there at large That such as abide in Christ he also is in them and not otherwise Christ is not in those for whom he Prays not The Fourth Proposition Prop. 4. But Christ Prays not for the unbelieving World Ergo. Christ is not in the unbelieving World Our Saviour tells us several times that he is not of the world v. 14. they are not of the world even as I am not of the world And again v. 16. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world as if he had said I am none of their Company I am not of them nor in them I have no such Fellowship or Familiarity with them as to Live in them I am not of the world nor in the world I am in my People even in those which thou Father hast given me I in them and thou in me And ver 9. He positively and plainly tells us That he Prays not for the world the wicked unbelieving unregenerate world he neither Prays for them nor is in them 5. Fifthly Another Proposition or Syllogism proving that Christ is not in all Men and women as the Quakers assert is this They to whom Christ doth not Manifest himself by Teaching them his Mind and Will Prop. 5. Christ is not in them But Christ doth not manifest himself to wicked and ungodly Men and Women Therefore Christ is not in wicked and ungodly Men and Women For Proof of this Proposition in both parts consider Wicked and ungodly Men and Women are destitute of true saving Knowledge and Wisdom they know not the things that belong to their Peace and are destroy'd for lack of Knowledge 2 Cor. 4.4 The Devil the god of this unbelieving World hath blinded their Minds lest the Gospel of Christ should shine unto them Christ Discovers himself his Mind and Will in and by the Gospel his Spirit opening Mens Minds and Understandings to receive it but Christ suffers this blindness of Mind to rest upon some Persons and does not Manifest himself unto them therefore he is not in them One asketh Christ a Question John 14.22 about this very thing Lord how is it that thou wilt Manifest thy self unto Vs and not unto the World He had heard Christ make such a distinction between them and the World in being in them and not in the World and in Praying for them and not for the World that now he asketh Christ a Reason of this Difference and Distinction between them and the World which is sufficient for the Proof of the Proposition And else-where telling his Disciples That God had hid those things from the Wise and Prudent of the World and Revealed them unto Babes Sixthly Another Argument Prop. 6. Christ is in none but those who dwell in Love But wicked Men and Women do not dwell in Love Therefore Christ is not in Wicked Men and Women For Proof of this Proposition see 1 John 4.12 If we Love one another God dwelleth in us and his Love is perfected in us And ver 16. God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him Now we know all wicked Men and women in the world they dwell not in Love but in Enmity and Hatred and Enmity and Hatred dwells in them They Love not God but Hate God Psal 27. They Hated me without a Cause They have Enmity in their minds against God his word his ways Ordinances and People Therefore Christ is not in them 7. The seventh Proposition Proving that Christ is not in all Men and women that come into the world as the Quakers assert is this Christ is not in those Persons where the Devil is Prop. 7. and dwells Rules and Reigns But the Devil is Rules and Reigns in the Wicked unregenerate World Therefore Christ is not in the wicked unregerate world For Proof hereof See Eph. 2.2 In time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience And 2 Tim. 2.26 And that they may recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil who are taken Captive by him at his will This is also Manifest by that Comparison that our Lord Christ makes to Answer the Blasphemous Jews who charged him that he cast out Devils by the power of the Devil Luke 11.21 when the strong Man Armed keeps the House all is in quiet he Rules but when a stronger than he cometh he casts him out and Divides the Spoyls v 24. The unclean Spirit keeps House and after a time goes out for a Season and then Returns again into his House and takes seven other spirits as bad or worse than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that Man is worse
than the first This is for thee James Jackson Author of the strong Man Armed cast out Thou sayest in this thy Book that the strong Man Armed meaning the Devil is cast out of thee and Christ a stronger than he is come in and dwells in his stead this by the way plainly contradicts this Principle and great Doctrine of thy Friends the Quakers That Christ is in every Man and woman Thou confessest the Devil was in thee whilst thou Lived'st so wickedly as thou hast told us but now if Christ a stronger than he be come and entred into thee how was he there before according to this Scripture which says when a stronger than he cometh which plainly implies he was not there before but the Devil was there before and kept the House But now consider this well suppose it be so indeed That the Devil this strong Man Armed was cast out or in policy went out for a time intending to come into his House again and Fortifie himself in thee his House in a stronger hold and with greater strength bringing in seven other Spirits worse than himself more Subtile and Politick Fortifying themselves in a way of Hypocrisie and Religion the other hold of Profaneness not being so sure as this for now thou art perswaded as thou tellest us all is well with thee thou art a New Man a Converted Man as we see and Read thy long story to that purpose I Advise thee as thou lovest thy Soul and Regardest thy Eternal Welfare take heed lest this Scripture be not fulfilled in thee and upon thee for thou lookest as like one of those spoken of and intended in this Scripture as can be beware lest thy last state be not worse than thy first 8. Another Argument proving that Christ is not in all Men and women is this Christ is not in any Man or Woman who have not Faith Prop. 8. But the Wicked and ungodly have no Faith Therefore Christ is not in the wicked and ungodly The Apostle Prays to be delivered from unreasonable and wicked Men for all Men have not Faith 2 Thes 3.2 Now Christ is and dwells in those in whom he works Faith for he is the Author and Finisher of Faith in all his People and he dwells in them by Faith Eph. 3.17 He Prays That they may be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner Man That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith 9. Another Argument Denying the Quakers Assertion and Proving the Truth is this Christ is not in any Man or Woman Prop. 9. but in those to whom he doth communicate his Nature and Image But Christ doth not Communicate his Nature and Image to Impenitent and ungodly Men and Women Therefore Christ is not in ungodly Men and Women It is impossible that Christ should dwell in any Soul and not Manifest his Presence there by making Impressions of his own Nature Image and Likeness And therefore where he comes he doth Communicate his Image more or less 1 Cor. 15.48 As is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly v. 49. And as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly And 2 Pet. 1.4 There are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises That by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature 10. Another Proposition confirming the same is this Christ is in none but in those onely who are joyned to him as Members of his Body Prop. 10. But wicked Men and Women are not joyned to him as Members of his Body Therefore Christ is not in wicked Men and women This Truth may be Illustrated and shadowed out unto us by a plain Similitude between Natural and Mystical Fruit-trees Similitudes of things with which we daily Converse obvious to our Natural Senses are very helpful unto us to shadow out and Illustrate Spiritural things which are Dark Abstruce and Difficult as they lye in intricate Spiritual Notions which without some plain Similitude would be discerned but dimly as in this particular As VVindows are to a House so are Similitudes to a Discourse They both let in Light VVe know the Root Body Boughs Branches and Twiggs of a Fruit-tree are all joyned together and do make but one Body or Substance And that the Root gives no Sap Life or Nourishment but onely to those parts of the Tree that are Vnited to it all those Boughs and Branches are Nourished from the Root they Receive Sap Spirit and Life the Innate Intrinsecal Form and Virtue of the Tree is in all the parts But the Virtue and Influence of the Root is not in any other Branches or Boughs which do not grow upon the Root though they are never so near this Tree though they are contiguous and mixed among or hang among the Living Branches yet they have no Life in them no Sap no Virtue from the Root because they are no parts of it Even so it is here in this Mystical Fruit-tree Christ and his Members his People who are Members of his Body they Receive Life Nourishment and Virtue from him he is in them by his Effectual Operations But as for others who are not of his Body who are not joyned to him by Faith wrought by the Spirit he is not in them they receive no Virtue Life or Nourishment from him he doth not Communicate himself to them as he does to his own People his Members for he is in them and they in him 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church And Col. 2.19 From the Head all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment Ministred and knit together increaseth with the Increase of God This is plain from Christ's own words John 15.1 2 c. I am the Vine and my Father is the Husbandman Every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit be tâ—keth away and every Branch that beareth Fruit he pâ—rgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit. Ver. 4. Abide in me and I in you Ver. 5. I am the Vâ—ne ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much Fruit for without me ye can do nothing Thus have I drawn these Ten Pieces of Ordnance out of Gods own Magazine and levelled them against this Idol this false Christ the Light in every Man and Woman and it is sallen and broken and Christ the true Light set up and Worshipped in its stead by all that Worship God in Spirit and in Truth How dreadful is the Case of these People the Deceived ones among the Quakers who set up an Idol instead of Christ and Worship it and Teach others so to do thereby forsaking the Fountain of Living waters and digging to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water Well might the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Jude also call them Wells without water and Clouds without water 2 Pet. 2.17 Jude 12.