spirit of God for thou crucifies that in thy dark deceitful heart while thou art making and setting up another spirit and light which thou calls natural and not the light of Christ And here thou art worse then Surplice-men or Homily-men for they will confess that the light in them which shews them sin is the light of Christ and yet thou seems to confess that the light in every man is the Law written in the heart and if so the new Covenant Answ All this heap of confusion which thou hast heaped together doth but manifest thy darkness and thou ministers out of it and art an enemy to the light of Christ and so thou must needs be a minister of darkness Though thou hast been a minister long I ask thee this question Didst thou ever preach the light of Christ to people or didst thou ever turn peoples minds to the light of Christ in their Consciences or didst thou ever turn any from the power of Satan to the power of God If thou hast set us out some of thy flock that they may be tryed but there are a great deal that will cestifie against thee that has been of thy flock that is turned from thy darkness to the light of Christ which thou art an enemy to and with it they see thy deceit and darkness wherein thou didst deceive them and can praise the Lord for ever that they are turned from thy darknesse But now for the proof of thy false Doctrine And 1. Is not the light which is in every man the light of Christ that convinceth a man or woman of sin and evil and is there another Saviour besides Christ that takes away the sin of the world And what was that Image of God in which Adam was Created wilt thou not have Christ to be God And thou sayes there remained a part in Adam after he had transgressed which made him hide himself but thou calls this the spirit of a natural man and a created light Is the light that is in man a created light and is the law which is written in mans heart and the spirit which is put in the inward parts created and was that Image of God which was in Adam a created Image How was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Revel 13. 8. Rev. 5. 12. But in plain words Did God create any light in the beginning but what he set in the Firmament of Heaven Is an invisible light created which sees God which is invisible It s pitty to put these things to thy gross darkness but that for the Seed's sake it may be serviceable to others And dost thou say The Law of God that he writes in the heart and his spirit which he puts in the inward parts is this a created light Oh the gross darknesse that is in thee How dare thou take upon thee to teach Is not God Light and is the Image of God in man a created light and is that created and natural and is not Christ light and his spirit light and is not the Law light and is not the Law spiritual and did not Moses say to the children of Israel Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14 15. For this commandement that I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off c. but the Word is very nigh thee in thy mouth and heart to hear it and to do it See I have set before thee life and death Was this that would have led them into life natural and created and is not this Law righteous and spiritual and just and good as the Apostle witnessed of it Act. 7. 5. 3. Rom. 7. 12. who said They received the Law by the disposition of Angels c. And did not Christ Jesus say He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and that one jot or title of the Law should not passe till it was all fulfilled and is not Christ the end of the Law for righteousnesse and is this the spirit of a natural man that knows not the things of God that Christ is the end of Art thou not in this a minister of darknesse and an Idolater And doth not the Apostle say Rom. 7. 4. That they were become dead to the Law by the body of Christ wherefore he saith the Law is holy and the commandment holy just and good ver 12. But this dark Doctrine of thine makes thee clearly manifest that thou art in the flesh and the motions of sin works in thy members which brings forth fruit unto death and never knew the life of the Law yet nor the life of the Commandment but art alive without the Law and so art alive unto sin and wickednesse and knows it not not having the Law to be thy Schoolmaster to correct thee for thy wickednesse which would revive and set thy sins before thee that thereby thou wicked might die But thou has not been at this School yet for all thy learning and divining it has been all in the darknesse thou has never come to the Law yet which is light which is the schoolmaster unto Christ This thou sits judge upon and sayes its spirit of a natural man and so living without the law is dead in thy sins and darknesse and so never knew what it is with thy mind to serve the law of God as the Apostle did he delighted in the law of God according to the inward man but this is too mean for thee this thou calls Created and Natural and so lies drowned in darknesse and sin and wickednesse thy mind and all thy members committing sin and drinks up iniquity as the Ox drinks up water How should thou do other being thou art an enemy both of Christ and his Law and his Light and his Spirit and what art thou not a minister of darknesse in all this and the Apostle who was obedient unto the law of God in his heart and the spirit of God in his inward parts by this he saw the body of death which made him to cry out c. But he also saw his Redeemer Christ Jesus for he was a minister of the light and turned people from the darknesse to the light in them and so could confesse then the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus had made him free from the law of sin and death So the Apostle doth not make such a separation bet wixt the Law and Christ as thou dost who saist it is natural and created but this is but the Judgment of thy dark spirit for the Apostle saith That God sent his only begotten Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 7. 8. God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law Gal. 4. 4. I desire the Reader to take notice of this mans darknesse and ignorance of this Light
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
Cor. 12. and this thou brought before and is this created light the Law of works do this and live and is this created light the spirit of man that leads him to horror and amazement Nay it is a divine Light that lets a man see himself and all those Scriptures doth not speak of a created light or a Candle light which is the spirit of a Natural man leading him to know something of his Creator and of his duty to him when the Scripture saith the Natural man knowes not the things of Gods how ignorant and carnal art thou was the Law of works the created Light springing up with the Natural man for that was the Law of God which is spiritual which saith do this and live as in the Romans And how was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world if Adam had no more but a natural light springing up with man and is the Image of God Righteousness and Holiness which he was made in a Created light and the Candle and Spirit of the Natural man as thou saist formerly in this thou manifests both thy ignorance and contradictions For that of God in all men by which they knew their Creator and the things of him it is by his spirit by which thou hast said they may know their Creator by a Created Light and by a Candle which is the Spirit of a Natural man And thus thou hast overthrown thy own Assertion and opposes the Covenant of Light Christ Jesus and art contrary to the Scriptures Cor. 2. 11. and what is this to the purpose as all being concluded under sin we know that and we know that the Law is spiritual and what it can do but we own Christ the end of the Law for it served till Christ the seed came who gives Life And whereas thou saist the Light which thou called natural and making no distinction in this place betwixt that which is natural and that which is spiritual but saith the Light flowes from the principles of Nature rightly called natural and not spiritual and this thou would set up in opposition against Christ the Light for the Apostle spoke to the Romans how they were from the Light and from the Law and while men be in that which flowes from the Natural Man they know not neither the Law that is Spiritual nor the Light of Christ and Men obeying the Light of Christ or the Law of God it is not by that which flowes from nature but from that which gives them a spiritual understanding for the natural man doth not know the things of God and all those Scriptures in the Romans Galatians and Corinthians is nothing to the matter of thy purpose concerning the Light of Christ that doth enlighten every man And whereas thou sayest This Light knowes nothing of the pretious Gospel ministry hid in God nothing of Redemption by Christ nothing of Gods good pleasure and purpose of Grace nothing of the Law of faith the tenour whereof is this c. This all may see how thou hast contradicted thy self by thy former words for thou sayes that this Light is able to seek or feel after God his Creator and is in a capacity of knowing much of Him as a Creator at least his Eternal power and Godhead and can this Light let them know the Eternal Power and Godhead and nothing of Christ who is the power of God and nothing of the Gospel which is the power of God and can a man know something of the Creator and nothing of his Favour for is not his grace his favour and they that lived in the Law was justified and they that were obedient saw Christ the end of the Law and came to him who is the end of the Law and beyond the Natural man's spirit which thou talks of so fast to no purpose but manifests thy confusion For to know God is Eternal Life Joh. 17. 3. and that is beyond thy Natural Man's Light and we do know that they that believe in Christ Jesus the Light which thou opposest shall have Eternal Life and we know that the Law of Faith is not natural nor the Light of Christ that doth enlighten every man nor the Law of God nor the promise of God with all the rights held in the Faith and the seed Christ shall bruse the Serpents head and he is come a Light and Salvation to the ends of the Earth that enlightens every man and we know the Law of Faith is Spiritual and whereas thou say'st the Law of Works springs up with Man's Nature and the Law is Spiritual and then this Natural springs up with the Spiritural Why how now John where finds thou this in the Scripture the Law is receiv'd from God and not springing up with man what non-sence and confusion is this what a Mechanick man art thou And thou saist the Law of Faith was added because of Transgression and out of mere grace was founded on Christ in the gracious promise Gen. 3. c. Answ We say neither the Law of Faith nor the Law of God sprung out of mans nature And the Law which was added because of transgression was not called the Law of Faith so thou errs and art as wide in this as thou art about the Light of Christ I believe thy brother Price would not say that the Law which was added because of Transgression was the Law of Faith and so thou art the vain man that would be wise as thou say'st which is born like a wild Asses Colt Job 11. and Gods thoughts are not as thine but are as far different as the Heaven is from the Earth And whereas thou say'st Man is not able by all his Candle-light to know Christ and yet thou said before he could know the Eternal power and Godhead by this Candle light and now thou sayes the Natural man cannot deserâ—e the things of God because they are spiritually discerned and before thou said he might know much of his Creator and of the Eternal power How now John dost thou not think the least babe seeth thee here thou needs not an Aoster to discern thee And whereas thou say'st that this Light is not able to discover or convince man of unbelief in Christ and yet thou sayes this light will shew the Eternal Power and Godhead which fulness of the Godhead dwels in Christ and we know that the spirit of truth doth convince the World which thou opposeth the Comforter and he is come and why dost thou tell us of a natural Light or Created Light or Mans Spirit which it manifests thou knowes no more but Heathen like or Athist like for it is the Light of Christ Jesus the new Covenant which farre exceeds thy natural Lights and created Lights and Man's Spirit and thy meanings and Acts 13. 47. I have set thee to be a Light to the Gentiles that thou should be my salvation to the ends of the Earth And this overthrowes thy Principles for he the Light is the salvation to
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
of the Holy Spirit and by this it is manifest that they had the holy Spirit agreeable to that in the 16. of John and these were they that opprest Christ as a Cart under Sheaves and such vexed the Spirit as in Eccles And whereas thou sayest all that do grieve vex and resist the Spirit of God have it not but they resist the Spirit of God in the Prophets This is thy meaning we know they resist the Spirit of God in the Prophets when they first grieve it in themselves as thou dost and as in the fourth of John the World receives him not how should they when they hate the Light and resist it as thou dost but the Spirit reproves them therefore they have it though they cannot receiveit nor receive Christ but hate him and so it is thou that grieves Gods spirit in his Servants And whereas thou sayest when Steven said they do resist the holy Ghost it was the Spirit in him by which he spake as in Acts 6. 10. as in like manner they resisted the spirit in the Prophets as Acts 7. 52. which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted c. This again is thy meaning but the Scriptures doth not say as thou saith for those that resisted the Holy Ghost in Stephen had received the Law of God by the disposition of Angels c. Acts 7. 53. now the Law of God was the things of God and the Angels ministring Spirits so these that had the things of God had the spirit of God and when they kept not the Law of God they quenched and resisted the spirit of God both in themselves and others And whereas thou sayest when the mighty power of God was put forth in signes and wonders in Egypt and the Wilderness Numb 14. 11. 22. and they believing not his Spirit not in them but put forth those mighty workes and speaking in Joshuah and other faithful Witnesses for God in that day thus the spirit of God was vexed in Noah and Lot by the wickedness of the Old World and not in the wicked who being strangers and without God in the world Answ None of these Scriptures doth say as thou say'st that the wicked had not the Spirit of God to grieve but that it was only grieved in Joshuah Noah and such like as for Numb 14. such as had seen the wonders of God ten times and yet did not hearken to the voice of God and therefore they erred in their beliefe as vers 11. now how can these hear the voice of God and have not the spirit of God And the Apostle said they did all drink of the spiritual Rock and all eat of the spiritual Meat and the Rock that followed them was Christ and yet thou say'st they had not the Spirit of God to grieve in them 1 Cor. 10. 3 4 5. and when they lusted and tempted God and murmured against God and fell then they grieved Gods spirit and yet thou say'st they had it not to grieve but it was only grieved in others and had it been Righteous with the Lord in one day to cause 23000. to fall if they had not grieved his Spirit which he gave them and so they griev'd him and dost thou not believe that the Apostle and those Corinthians had the spirit of God who sayes let not us tempt God as they tempted him nor murmur as they murmured and Heb. 3. the Apostle sayes to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the Wilderness when your fathers saw my works I was grieved with that generation they do always erre in their hearts and what did they erre from in their hearts if it was not from the spirit for when they had heard God they did provoke him though all that came out of Egipt did not provoke him for as the Gospel being preached to all Nations the word was preached to them but the word did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 3. and Heb. 4. and in Rom. 10. The word of faith which they preached was in the mouth and in the heart which all had heard and can any hear the word and have not the spirit and is not the word spiritual for doth not the Apostle say to the Romans which had been Heathens and Moses to the Jewes Deut. 30. from the 10. to 15. vers which saith It was not far off nor hidden from them which saith they need not say Who shall ascend up into Heaven or beyond the Sea to bring it but the word is very nigh even in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou maist do it so good and evil life and death was set before them and this was spoken as well to those that did disobey God and for their wickednesse should be scattered among the Nations if hap'ly thence they should turn from their wickedness and turn unto the Lord and then they need not say who shall go up to Heaven or to beyond the Sea to bring the word for it was very nigh them in their hearts and in their mouths that they might obey and do it and the Scripture witnesses the fulfiling of this upon many of them And whereas thou sayest That the spirit was vexed in Noah and not in the old World this is contrary to the Scriptures for the Lord said My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man and how that the Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men and took of them Wifes of all that they chose and how that all flesh had corrupted its way which shewes they had a way before they corrupted it but thou sayest they had not the spirit doth not the Apostle say 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20. vers That Christ preached to the spirits in Prison which sometimes were disobedient when the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah and what Prison is this and what Prison is it that the Prisoners of hope must shew themselves forth and as it is written Sodom gave its self over to fornication c. wherefore God brought his vengeance upon them who judges the World in righteousness this shewes a transgression that they went from the good and gave themselves up to wickedness as spiritual Sodom does now and if wicked Men have not the spirit as thou saist how then can God who is a spirit judge the World in righteousness and doth not the Apostle justifie the Heathen Phylosophers for saying We all live and move in God Acts 17. 27 28. that if hap'ly they might feel after God and finde him though he be not far from every one of us and how can they feel after him and have not his spirit which thou ignorantly with thy mind puft up sayes they have it not and because the Saints was a habitation of God through the Spirit therefore thou asserts wicked men have not the spirit to vex and grieve it but this proves it not that such
of Jacob which it is said at a full stop by Balaam there shall come a Starr out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel Now how could he prophesie of it if he did not see it and this overthrowes thee and thy Assertion who never saw so far as Balaam did And whereas thou sayest they shall see him when every eye sees him by this thou confounds thy own assertion for none can see God or Christ without the Light of the Spirit and thou confesses every eye shall see him and we may help thee a little further for every tongue shall confess and every Knee shall bow at the name of Jesus if thou knew what his Name is then thou mightest know that the Light of the body is the Eye which sees God And whereas thou brings Job who said when I see for my self and with my eyes and this thou brings to prove that Israel and Balaam should not see till the latter day and thou maist read Job and confute thy self Job 42. who saith I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now my eye seeth thee here Job was a true Prophet for before he said he should see him now he sayes he did see him and thus thy ignorance knowes not Scriptures appeareth and we know what the Believers saw and are satisfyed and we believe thou hast not come so far as Balaams Asse nor heard the voice of God as he did though thou would sit as a Judge of the World and in the Saints conditions And whereas thou sayest that the Spirit of God dwelt no more in Balaam then the Angel of the Lord dwelt in the Asse and one of thy people said which thou say'st is no Baptist that Balaam had no more spirit then his Horse he was one of thy followers and took thy part and thou didst not gain-say him then and now thou say'st in effect the same that he did And that the spirit of God dwelt no more in Balaam then the Angel did in the Asse then let all people read Numb 22. Numb 23. Numb 24. did Balaam's Asse praise the Tents of Jacob and bless Israel and prophesie to many people and will God bring Balaam's Asse to Judgment as he doth Balaam for Balaam erred from the Spirit but thou cannot say his Asse did so and loved the wages of unrighteousness and hast not thou been there to run greedily after the error of Balaam for gifts and rewards does not thou remember a difference bewixt 40 l. and 100 l. for preaching about Manchester and who should have had this John and God testified against the error of Balaam but not against the Asse as in Jude and here it s proved Balaam had more spirit then his Horse as you called him which overthrowes the assertion of thee and thy fellowes And whereas thou makes a great transgression because we said he was a Baptist if thou be a Baptist he maintained thy Principle and was one with thee and why dost thou deny him now And whereas thou sayest there is a Light or Law in every man which convinceth and reproves of sin and this made Judas bring the money back again and this thou sayest doth not reprove of unbeliefs Judas was made a partaker of the Ministry and had he no more then a natural man is this according to thy knowledge of the Scripture did this which convinced Judas not reprove him of his unbelief did it not make him confess he had sinned in betraying the Innocent blood did he not see his unbelief and wickedness here Mat. 27. and to prove thy assertion thou brings Rom. 2. 14 15. which sayes the Gentiles that have not the Law do the things contained in the Law shews the work of the Law written in their hearts their consciences bearing witness c. and if thou read the 16. vers thou may see that this witness speaks in the day that God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ hereby it plainly appears that in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ this spirit which lead the Gentiles to do those things contained in the Law will justifie them and this uncircumcision the Apostle saith shall be counted Circumcision as vers 26. and doth not this Light which judges the secrets of all hearts by Jesus convince of unbelief so here thou hast belyed the Apostle and whereas thou sayest this was before that promise in the 16. of John we know that and whereas thou sayest that this spirit of truth was to convince the World of Sin as in the 16. of John and unbelief here thou hast overthrown that which thou asserted in the publick meeting for therein thou asserted that none had the spirit but Believers and this Scripture was to convince thee for that which convinced the Gentiles was within by which they knew God and was not that by the Spirit else how came they to be baptized in the spirit and circumcision in the spirit and thus one while thou confesses and another while denies and so is in confusion and goes about to bring one Scripture to overthrow another to thy own destruction for when the Holy Ghost was come when the Apostle preached to the Romans and the Gentiles which he spoke of and preached to was become the true Circumcision in the spirit and the Holy Ghost was come then which was promised And in all thy Answers it doth not disprove the Scripture which saith the World hath the Holy Ghost to reprove them but Christs words which is our assertion stands and thou and thy assertion by thy former arguments is shaken and so it is proved that the wicked and unregenerate hath the Holy Ghost which thou confesses is the spirit of Christ though they grieve it and all the Scriptures thou brought proves nothing to the contrary but overthrowes thy assertion and John 14. 17. is answered before for the World and thou art unlike to receive the spirit of truth when you reject and oppose the Light and will not receive it which you should believe in for if you receiv'd it it would not reprove you but you would have fellowship in it why dost thou judge the World hath it not when thou confesseth thou hath it and is in the same nature of the world in envy malice and revenge and Rom. 8. 9. proves nothing to thy assertion but saith the Saints was not in the flesh and they that quench and grieve the spirit of God and will not have the spirit of God but it reproves them for their sin c. how can they be said to be Christs when they will not have the spirit of Christ to lead them and Jude 19. is clear against thy assertion which speaks of such as had the spirit and erred from it and so became like Sodons and Cain and Core and Balaam these thou brings to prove that wicked men has not the spirit of God over and over Balaam had the spirit
thee that thou hates the light and when thou said the Plagues of God was upon Thomas Curwen this is not rayling with thee and said the spirit of the Devil spoke in him when he spoke truth to thee and this was thy fury and madness who art not fit to talk of the Saints conditions and so it is manifest thou knows not what spirit thou art of who dost not know the light of Christ to be saving neither hast thou shewed forth the fruits of the spirit of Christ with its workings And whereas thou would know where any of the Ministers of Christ or Christ called any strange birth of the flesh c. it seems thou art ignorant of the Scriptures as well as others as long as thou hast been a Merchant for did not Christ tell the Pharisees they were of their Father the Devil Iohn 8. and the Apostle said to Elimas the Sorcerer thou full of all subtilty who perverts the right way of God as thou dost hindering people from believing in the light Ioh. 12. Acts 13. and so we speak truth to thee as thou art we do not falsly accuse thee and now see thee where thou art who long deceived us but praised be the Lord we are come to Christ the saving Light which thou denyes and its manifest what thou art and what thy suffering is in the darkness against the light and thou proves thy self a Thief and a Robber who enters not in by the door Christ the Light but climbes up another way and therefore the sheep knows thy voice to be the stranger Iohn 10. and we know what thy compassion is but thou wants power thou hast manifested in this Book and the Letters thou hast sent up and down to Manchester and Stopperd and thy deeds are manifest in the light which thou hates so much and the Lord is rebuking the evil spirit and judging it and thou wilt feel the weight of his hand for thy maliciousness to his people and it is thou that hath mislead and misguided the simple who brings forth arguments to no purpose to strike at the Corner-stone Christ the Light it being fallen upon thee therefore thy Arguments is manifest to be to no purpose and therefore thou art thus tormented and whereas thou savest our Corner-stone being struck at then the building must needs fall to the ground but I say our foundation is Christ the Light Ioh. 8. which we know that thou and all the Generation of Priests have struck at till you are all tumbled down your selves but Christ our Corner stone and Foundation and Light never fell but thine is fallen and therefore thou ragest And we do affirm in our words and printed Books that Christ who says he is the Light in Joh. 8 he is the Dore Joh. 10. he is the quickning Spirit and he is the Corner stone which God hath laid in Sion he is the Truth and he is the All and in all and above all according to Scripture and to be believed in And hath enlightned every man that comes into the world and he is the Redeemer and the word and this thou denyest Christ the Light the Quickning Spirit the Way the Truth the Corner stone the Word the Foundation the Redeemer and the All And here indeed thou hast denyed the Corner stone and Christ Jesus which the Prophets Christ and the Apostles testified of so thou hast manifested thy self against them So never take their words to make a Trade of any more And thou canst not call Christ the Light a Quickning Spirit the Way the Truth the Word the Foundation the Corner stone the Redeemer this thou canst not call the True Jesus thou sayst We do believe thee and that thou art an Enemy to him and them that walk in his light are manifest and therefore have I Richard Gubbam proved thee a false Prophet and Antichrist according to thy own-words and we are come to Repentance and the knowledg of the Truth and thy ways be detected whereby many simple hearts be turned from them and so now we are many of us undeceived from such deceivers as thee who calls Christ the Light the Word the Way the Truth deceiving but the Lord rebuke thee who strives to keep Ignorant simple people from the Light and in darkness thou wouldst aspire up as a Judge of all conditions and knows not thy own to be miserable blind and naked Rev. 1. yet thou tell'st the Reader what the Light is and what it can do and what it cannot do and of what use it is when thou in the darkness cannot comprehend it And whereas thou tellest us of the Light of the first Adam and the Spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord Proverbs 20. and Genesis 2. Adam was made a living soul 1. Cor. 15. and thou sayest this Candle of the Lord or Light in every man is inferior to other Lights and is lower than the Angels and is limited and bounded c. And now would not this Light have justified the Jews and Adam and the Candle of the Lord would not that have directed them in his way and did not David call the word of God A Lanthorn to his feet and a Light unto his path And is this thy Spirit which is under the Bonds and Limits for where the Spirit of God is joyned to there is liberty and we do not tell thee of the Light of Adam thou art gone from the matter but we speak of the Light of Christ Jesus the second Adam the Lord from Heaven For our dispute was not about the earthly Adam the Spirit of a man but our discourse was about Christ the Light of the world the Saviour and thou tel'st us of the Light of Adam this is thy dark Wisdom and like thy knowledge and experience of Christ And whereas thou say'st the Spirit of a man or Light in every man is understood to be the Reason or the understanding of a man whereby he is adopted to know his Creator viz. who made him according to David Psalms 59. 6. Answ Here thou hast confuted thy self for can man be adopted to know his Creator with his own Spirit and Reason and his own Light which thou call'st Natural For the Natural man knows not the things of God and the Spirit of man knows the things that be of a man even so the Spirit of God knows the things that be of God and if all Nations must know the Lord God that made them and serve him and they are his people and the sheep of his Pasture and they must worship and kneel before the Lord their maker and keep his Laws then they should have the Spirit of God for natural men cannot discern the things of God nor hear his voyee nor worship him as thou said'st before so these Scriptures over throws thy assertion Psal 95. 6. And whereas thou say'st of this Light we may understand Christ to speak Mat. 6. 23. Therefore if the Light in thee be Darkness how
in manifesting the things of man even the secret and hidden things of the belly but it is also able to feel and seek after God his Creator Acts 17. 27 28. and is in a capacity of knowing much of him as a Creator at least his eternal power and Godhead by the things that are seen Rom. 1. 19 20. thus far the light and Law within every man may go Ans What jumbled stuffe is this and confusion and contradictions can the light the spirit of man as thou callest it know his Creator at least his eternal power and Godhead and to feel and seek after God when thou saidst before the natural man knew not the things of God nor the spirit of a man knew but the things of man now if all those knew the Creator and the eternal power and Godhead and to feel and seek after God thou hast proved then that all have the spirit of God and by this overthrown thy own assertion as thou hast done often before and if they know the Law of God which soul and conscience effects upon as thou faist then they knew the things of God for the Law of God is the things of God and they are known by the spirit and so thou brings the spirit of Man and the old Covenant which thou calls light to oppose the new Christ Jesus with thy dark wisdome and that in the Rom. which saith That which may be known of God was manifest in them by which they did the things contained in the Law which was spiritually shewing the work of the Law written in their hearts which was spirituall and this was beyond the spirit of a natural man and when they transgressed this God did judge them in righteousness by which every mouth was stopped they were guilty before the Lord for that which God had manifested in them witnessed against their actions and made them to confess Gods judgments to be just and that which made Adam to confess and hide himself was beyond a natural Mans spirit for he knew God and so he had the spirit of God to discern him and after he knew the promise of God concerning Christ which the faithfull and his posterity trusted in it Christ the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles which thou fights so against And Judas was made partaker of the Ministry of Christ and confest he had betrayed the innocent blood and so he had knowledge of the Covenant who is the end of the first Law and Covenant and this knowledge of his was beyond the Light which thou calls the spirit of a Man and beyond thy ignorance for David saith Let another take his Bishoprick mark that and this is no Answer to my Queries H. W. as thou saist it is neither hast thou done honestly in not puting my Querie down nor all my Queries that people might have seen them its like thou was ashamed and afraid of that and therefore here are my Queries that all people may see them and the Paper I stuck upon the Door when thou would not answer them John Wiggan For the Seed sake I cannot be silent Therefore as touching the Queries which I spoke to thee of face to face and was not satisfied from thee but thou slighted my Query therefore I call upon thee to Answer me either face to face or by writing for thou maist remember that thou yielded unto me that he that did believe had the witness in himself but thou did not satisfie me where the witnesse was that did condemn that is the thing I would know from thee and in thy discourse that day thou said all had not the spirit and thou instanced Judas now I would have thee tell me what that was that caused Judas to bring back again the silver and confessed that he had sinned in that he had betray'd the Innocent blood I would have thee to write a distinction that so I may know a difference between that which caused Judas to confess and the spirit and thou seemed to prove out of Jude that some had not the spirit but Jude said those were such as separated themselves and seeing thou holds separation and dost gather a people after thee therefore clear thy self that thou be not one of those and further one of thy hearers spoke with a loud voice and said That Balaam had no more spirit then his Horse Therefore consider how thou and thy Hearers perverts the Scripture read the 24. Numb and the 2 3. v. and when thou hast read them then tell me when the spirit of the Lord came on Balaam's Horse And thou John Wiggan said That faith was denyed to some and Christ sent forth his Disciples to teach all Nations Now if they must teach All then none was exempted but the Pharisees said Have any of the Rulers believed on him but these people that know not the Law are cursed So thou and thy Hearers it seems doth not much let to oppose the Apostles Doctrine which saith the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all men Therefore I would know of thee whether this Grace be a Teacher yea or nay and if any refuse to be taught by it whether the cause be his own or in the Grace which hath appeared to all as aforesaid And thou or some of thy Hearers said That Christ did not shed his blood for all and that Christ dyed not for all Clear thy self of these things and see how thou canst make them good and answer them in Writing and then if thou present any Queries to me I shall not refuse to answer so far as the Lord opens it in me Henry Wood. These Queries have been unanswered at least a quarter of a Year And whereas thou saist it is a great Light and yet but a Candle Light a created Light springing up with Man in his natural birth leading him to know something of his Creator and of his duty to him also discovering transgressions against the Law of workes which he was under the Tenor whereof is this doe this and live Rom. 9. And this it may doe where Christ the way the truth and the life is not so much as heard of thus it was in Adam when he had sinned as before the promise of grace was held forth in the seed of the Woman Gen. 3. 15. the Light and Law within him discovered sin unto him but mark the effect horrour and amazement seized upon him I was afraid and hid my self Gen. 3. 10. for this Law speakes nothing but wrath to all that are in the fall Rom. 4. 15. notwithstanding amendment and the most exact future obedience they can yield to it Answ Where Dost thou read in the Scriptures of a created Light God created the Sun Moon and Starrs and was this the created Light that made Adam to hide himself and did this created Light springing up with man in his natural birth which thou calls the candle and spirit of the Natural man which knowes not the things of God
the ends of the Earth who lightens every man which is saving and Galla. 3. 19 20. and 1 Tim. 2. 5. This proves that Christ the Light is a Mediator which thou before deny'd and Christ the Light hath manifested the love of the Father to Mankinde and they that walk in the Light sees it but thou that hates it and talkes so much of thy natural light and spirit of man knows it not nor cannot comprehend it in thy darkness though it shine in it and dost thou own that in Mat. 11. Revelation of the Son thy Generation us'd to deny Revelation For no man knowes the Father but the Son c. and yet thou saist man may know by the natural and created Light and natural man's spirit the mind of his Creator and much of the Eternal Power and God-head and so thou contradicts thy self and contradicts Christ and the Apostles words For the natural Man perceives not the things of God and that which may be known of God is manifested in them by which they know God and No Man knows the Father but the Son and is not the Father the Creator and he to whom the Son will reveale him Ephes 1. 17. Joh. 3. 5 6. Titus 3. 5. Jo. 1. 12 13. Gal. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Ephes 2. 15. 1 Cor. 15 c. These Scriptures are spoken to such as received Christ the Light through which they came to be the Sons of God regenerated and born again Jo. 1. 7 8 9. and by this Light manifest in them they came to have the new mind by which they were joyned to the Lord and Eph. 5. And thou speaks of a new Light here thon perverts the Scripture and whereas thou saith 2 Cor. 4. which saith God commanded light to shine out of darkness which shined in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not Jo. 1. which shines into the Saints hearts and this light thou seemes to have denyed before which shines in our hearts and gives us the knowledge to see thy confusion the least Babe of us for this light gives us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and this thou strikes at with thy Candle-light and Created light and Natural light which thou calls the spirit of a man but to no purpose is thy tempest risen against the Lord and against his Anointed for it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Councellor and Leader of the people whom we follow and such as follows him receives the spirit of Adoption in their hearts and can call God Father But what is this to thee who denies his Light and calls it Natural and Created and is not that Light saving according to thy own judgment and will bring a man to know the Creator and the Eternal Power and Godhead thou calls it natural mans spirit which knows not the things of God and thou thus art confused but we tell thee Christ Jesus is the Saviour of all men who is the light of the World and did not come to condemn the World as thou dost but that the World through him might have Life and to save the World and is the Saviour of all men especially them that believe And all these Scriptures was spoken to the Saints condition and not to thine such who walked in the Light which thou fights against And whereas thou say'st It may appear by what thou hast said how gross their mistake is who call the Light in every man Christ and worship this as the Redeemer and the Lord that bought them Ans All that thou hast spoken hath been against Christ and it is to no purpose and clears nothing but hath made thy self darker concerning Christ the Light Joh. 8. and Joh. 1. which saith That was the true Light that lighteth every man that comes into the world and as many as receives him the Light he gives them power to become the Sons of God And this Light thou calls maliciously Created and Natural when didst thou ever hear any of us say we worship a Light within us this is thy gross mistake we Worship God in the spirit and truth and Christ is the Truth and the Apostle who was a Minister preached Christ in people and was not he the Lord that bought them Col. 1. 27. and this thou scoffest at because we confess it and enviously calls it a Natural light And whereas thou say'st It hath been cleared that this Light in every man is but the spirit of man and the Law written in the heart Ans How darest thou say that Christ the Light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the World which John came to bear witness of is a Natural light then John came to bear witness to a Natural light and the spirit of a Natural man which knowes not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. and this Natural light and spirit of man is the Law written in the heart this is contradiction to the Scripture which saith the Law is Spiritual And whereas thou say'st Christ came to deliver from the terror and condemnation of this Law written in the heart which thou calls natural light and spirit of man Ans Doth Nature terrifie and condemn Nature The Jewes Law was written in Tables of Stone the new Law or Covenant is written in the hearts and Christ did not come to redeem from the latter but from under the Jewes Law and we never called the Natural Light the Created light the Natural man Christ nor worshipped it but thou must write to them that doth so yet thou art slack enough to do that I believe but it is Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the World that 's it thou calls a fictious Christ and an Idol if thou would speak plainly who is given for a Covenant a light to the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel whom we witness and have the Testimony of Luke 2. 32 And whereas thou speaks of denying the true Jesus Emanuel God and man in union whom his own person without us not ours hath by one offering once for ever wrought eternal Redemption for us and is the alone object of Faith Ans Thou who hast denyed Christ the light that doth enlighten every man that through him all might believe Joh. 1. 8. 12. thou hast denyed the true Jesus God and Man in Union the Emanuel and the one offering which perfecteth for ever them that are Sanctified Hob. 10. So thou hast denyed thy Salvation and the object of Faith and Christs Doctrine which saith we must believe in the Light c. And whereas thou say'st It will follow that whosoever affirmeth and teacheth that the Light in every man is Christ is a Deceiver and an Antichrist 2 Joh. 7. Ans Here thou hast perverted wronged and wrested the Scripture to thy own destruction for the Scripture saith Whosoever confesseth not but denyeth Christ come in the flesh that 's the Anti-christ the Deceiver and doth not say that Christ the
contrary to the Scripture which saith he is the light of the World and in the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and his name is called the Word of God and so people may see how thou would divide God and Christ with thy dark wisedome And thou saist 2ly How doth he enlighten every man that comes into the world and saist in another place the word God or God the word as Creator of all things doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World by setting up in every man a spirit and Law in his heart by which he lives which is called the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27 of which Spirit and law I have spoken before Ans This light which thou callest the Law and Spirit of a Natural Man and a Created light this thou hast not proved before as thou saist but it s perverted before for by this thy proof John came to bear witness of a Natural light and of a Natural mans spirit which knows not the things of God and by that John bid people believe in this so this is thy dark wisdom and like unto thy Preaching and it is no wonder people forsakes thee and that thou shouldst be unestablished thou needst not be offended for babes seeing thee for thou caust not be hid for John came to bear witness of the true light Christ and not of a natural Created light as thou imagines but of him the Prophets testified of he that was preferred before John Joh. 1. 3. the light of the Gentiles and the Glory of his people Israel and thou may see in the 15. vers which proves and 16 17. that was the Christ John bore witness of him and cryed saying this was he of whom I speak He that cometh after me is preferred before me and called Christ the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the World and this Light by which all things was made and Created He came unto his own and they received him not some hated the Light and stopt their ears and shut their eyes and would not see lest they should be converted as thou dost But to as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God them that believed in his Name and his name is the Word of God Rev. 19. And John saw and bore Record that this Light was the Son of God Joh. 1. 12 15 34. So this is an unfaithful and untrue account of the Light which thou hast given of the true Light Christ that doth enlighten every man John 1. 9. And whereas thou say'st It may be further observed that Christ is not once named in all or any of the first nine Verses of the first of John but only the Word Answ See how ignorant this man is of the Scriptures for it saith the Word was with God Mark that and doth thou deny this to be Christ whose Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. Heb. 1. how God hath spoken in these last dayes unto us by his Son by whom the World was made And so here again he would make a difference betwixt Christ and God and because the word Christ is not there see how he shuffles and how ignorant he is for Christ is called the Light Life Truth and Word c. and Christ is called the Lamb of God Joh. 1. and John doth expresly say That he is the Light of the World Joh. 8. and doth enlighten every man that comes into the World which true Light John bore witness of that all through him might believe And thou has denyed Christ to be the Word who is the Light of the World and doth enlighten every man that comes into the World There is three that bears Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost so thou hast denyed this Record in Heaven who saist the Word is not Christ who was with the Father spoken of in John the Word was with God and 1. John 552. VVe are in him that is true in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and Eternal Life And so thou goes about to make people believe Christ is not God and we know the VVord was made Flesh and dwells in Men which thou saist he Tabernacled amongst Men as though he did not now which we must tell thee he doth now by the light which shines in their hearts Cor. 2. 4. And whereas thou saist Christ the word being imbodied in Flesh he is thenceforth called Christ the Lord or the Lords Christ and no otherwise doth he bear that Name but as he is the word made Flesh to be seen and believed on it is not the word alone nor the flesh alone but the word and flesh in union that is called Christ and is a Light to lighten the Gentiles till then there was no such thing as a Christ or a Light to the Gentiles but only in a promise Ans Whereas thou saist there was no such thing as a Christ till he was imbodied in flesh nor light to the Gentiles but only in a promise Then what was that Light which let Nebuchadnezzar see the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands and let Job see his Redeemer and doth not Stephen say that was Christ they thrust from them and turned back again in their hearts into Egipt Acts 7. And was not that Christ the Word which Moses spoke of to the Children of Israel that they should hear and need not say who shall ascend or who shall descend and did not the Apostle say that was Christ in Rom. 10. And this the Righteousness of Faith that Moses spoke of to the Children Deut. 30. 12. the VVord was in their hearts and mouthes and doth not David call him the Anointed as in Psal 2. 2. and is not the Anointed Christ And Daniel calls him Messiah which is Christ Dan. 9. and saw him before he came and is not the Word Christ which is according to the Law and Testimony Isa 8. And how was he a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World and is it not said in Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents heads and is not the Seed Christ Gal. 3. 16. and Christ said Before Abraham was I am and thus saith the Lord to his Anointed to Cyrus whose right hand I have upholden to subdue Nations before him And what thinks thou by this what is Anointed is Christ no where spoken of before he was imbodied in Flesh and we believe he was made flesh and know it and are of his flesh according to the Scripture and we do know the Union of Christ and the Word that was made flesh but thou believes not in this Christ the Word which was made flesh who is the Light of the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel and he could not be Christ without God who is manifest in the Flesh which is a mistery to thee and we know that Christ thorow the Gospel has brought life and immortality to
speaking as in Tim. c. How ignorantly dost thou apply the scripture and wickedly but this Manifests thy Judgment of them but thou art more ignorant than some of the Baptists for some of the Baptists would allow women to speak but thy envy hath eaten out thy sight and the least of our Disciples sees thee to make lyes thy refuge and who lives in the truth sees thee And whereas thou saist We say the Scriptures are not a rule of Faith and Conversation to walk by hence it is that Christs Water Baptism and Supper and his Censures are rejected Ans If the Scripture be thy rule for thy life and Conversation then why dost not thou obey it For if the Scripture be thy rule then thou must burn offerings and sacrifices and if but part of it be thy Rule why didst not thou set down what part it is But we say Christ is our rule which doth also the Scriptures Math. 2. 6. Where it is said he shall rule the people and he is the author and finisher of our Faith And give us that Scripture that saith the Scripture is the Author of mans Faith and mans rule And as for thy Bread and wine and outward washings thou knowst little more than that nor hardly that for if thou didst thou would'st have answered my queries but thou darest not confess to the power the Apostle was in And we look at things that be Eternal 2. Cor. 4. And not at the things which are seen And such as are risen with Christ seek those things that be above Col. 3. And as for the outward things we know them where they be and do not deny nothing in its place but our life is in Christ but thou shelters thy self in outward things to keep alive in thy old nature out of the Baptism into the Death of Christ Rom 6. 3. And as for thy Censures you have censured one another till you are broken to pieces And where doth the Scripture speak of Christs Censures And Christ being within he is the Rule and Ruler and King this is Scripture within the Saints 1 Col. 27. Christ in you 2 Cor. 4. Canst thou not see this Scripture within but thou hast made a trade of them so long that thy gain hath blinded thee and was not all the Scriptures given forth from the Spirit of God within by inspiration of the Spirit 2 Tim. 3. and is not the new Covenant the Law written in the heart the Scripture within Heb. 8. Jer. 31 30. and this Scripture within thou makes a mock and scoff at And the same Gospel as ever was the power of God we own and are not ashamed of Rom. 1. 16. VVhich Gospel of Christ is the power of God to Salvation And Christ saith the spirit of truth should lead them into all truth And was not that their Rule and if the Scripture be the Rule what was the guide into the Rule to know the things of God for thou sayest the Natural man know not the things of God for they are spiritually discerned then the Spirit must be the Rule and they that are the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. and Joh. 14. And is not the Law written in the heart the perfect Law of liberty the Law of Love the Law of faith in the heart dost not thou see this is a Scripture Jam. 5. 25. Heb. 8. Rom. 3. 17. And is not this faith within to be obeyed Rom. 10. dost thou not here manifest thy darkness to all people and is not this faith held in a pure Conscience which the just lives by 1 Tim. 1. 19. Thou mightst be asham'd to scoff at the practice of the Saints and at the Scriptures but in thy dead faith thou calls Light darkness and darkness light as in Isay Who makes such an outrage against the Light because we say the light is in the heart and the Spirit of God to guide us is within according to Scripture which speaks of the Rule of Faith Let Christ Rule in your hearts by faith Thou hast put him out of his place preferred the Scripture before him And what Rule had Abraham and the Saints in the old world before the Scripture was written And whereas thou speaks falsly accusing and speaking untruths and persecuting with the tongue and Acts of injustice and thou sayes this we do in obedience to God and to our Guide Ans Thus thou further vents thy lies and malice for the Lord God who is pure and Christ our Light leads us to no such thing but we speaking truth to thee and tells thee what thou art without flattery therefore makes thou thy complaint of persecution with the Tongue but thou hast the persecuting tongue and when thou proves thy other slanders against us then may thou have a further Answer for we own no injustice And whereas thou saist we say the Light in every man is the object of faith and a common sufficient Light that it is Salvation to all that obey it and that we teach free Will c. Ans Here again thou adds lye to lye perverting our words as thou dost the Scriptures and speaking thy own for we say Christ is the Light of the World and his Grace is sufficient for all and hath appeared to all men Tit. 2. and believe in the Light saith Christ Joh. 1. 8 12. and Christ the Light is the Author of faith and we say it is not he that wills or runs but that God shews mercy which none is to abuse And whereas thou saist We teach and set up an inherent legal Righteousness denying the imputed Righteousness of Christ wrought in his own person without us that Christ fulfilling the Law in us or his spirit mortifying or sanctifying and fulfilling the Law in us is Justification therefore no coming of Christ but that within and so deny the 2d coming of Christ contrary to Scripture these many more Arminian Popish long since profligated errors is laid upon their sandy foundation Ans Here thou adds more lies for Christs second coming we do not deny and he the Righteousness of God we own and never denyed and it is a false slander of thee to say otherwise and our foundation is Christ which thou wickedly calls Sandy Isai 28. who is a tryed stone 2 Tim. 2. and the legal Righteousness is thy own it s none of ours 1 Cor. 1. and the Righteousness of Faith which saith the word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth we own which thou enviously calls an inherent legal Righteousness Romans 10. And that which Christ wrought and did in is own person and suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem for Mankind we own and never denyed which thou maliciously slanders us with the contrary and he is revealed within us and that makes thee to rage and all our Books which thou speaks of are according to the Scripturea of Truth and to Christs and the Apostles Doctrine but thy
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
and Law and Spirit of God and also of his Idolatry who has made and framed another Image which he calls a Created light and a natural light and a dim light and the spirit of a natural man And whether this Law and Spirit of God which was given unto the children of Israel into their hearts be natural and also hath been the guide and teacher of his people in all ages for Christ himself saith unto the Jews It is written in the law you shall all be taught of God and the prophet Isa said That all the children of the Lord should be taught of the Lord. And how should they be taught and be established in righteousness but by the Light of righteousness the righteous Law of God written in their hearts and this is none of J. W's Molten Image which he has set up which he calls created and naturall and dim Light and spirit of a naturall man c. And so here the reader may read by what is here proved by plaine scripture J. W. first to be a minister of darkness by his denying the Light of Christ to be the law of God the pure new covenant which he hath lighted every man with and his law which is written in every heart since the new covenant and also he may read him an Idolater in that he has made a molten and graven Image which he calls created and natural and the spirit of a Man which is neither Light of Christ nor Law of God nor new Covenant and now I. W. thou hast raced thy self out both from the knowledge of the Law and the Law-giver So thou art proved by the plain Scriptures of Truth 1 A Blasphemer 2 A Minister of Darkness 3 An Idolater 4 I am now to prove thee an Antichrist which was to come in the last time which denyes Christ come in the flesh And that is to say 1 Thou goes about to prove and has laid it down in thy Book as though Christ which lighteth every Man that comes into the World were not God and the new Covenant or Covenant of God which was before the Foundation of the World 2 Thou laies down that Christ is not that Word and Light which John Beares witnesse of but saith it is the word Creator And 3 Thou makes a difference between the Father and the Son and so sets up two Lights and two Words and so two Gods except thou denyes Christ to be God Answ And first in answer to that thou dost oppose which is that Christ the Light is not Gods Covenant was not the Covenant which God made with Abraham in Christ Jesus did not the Apostle say the same Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his Seed was this promise made he saith not unto Seeds as of many but as of one unto thy Seed which is Christ and this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ c. here the Aposte doth not say as thou dost that Christ is not Gods Covenant of Light and also the Apostle saith that Christ hath redeemed us from under the Curse of the Law that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles here Christ brings the Gentiles into Covenant with Abraham and the Jews but this is a mystery thou never saw and is he not the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob in his Everlasting Covenant Christ Jesus And is not the Covenant of the Lord with David his Seed for ever in Christ Jesus And hath not the Prophet Isaiah said in the 42. and 6. I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant to the people and for a Light to the Gentiles to open blind eyes and to bring out the Prisoners out of Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-house who is this that should do this if it be not Christ Jesus whom wilt thou have it to be and again Isa 49. 8. It is a light thing that thou should be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore again the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the Earth who is this thinkest thou this torments thee this that reaches unto all the ends of the Earth Light shining in all this torments thy dark spirit thou makes accompt in thy Book this is a created Light as thou saist in thy Book where thou quotes 2 Rom. vers 14 15 16. who hath the Law written in their hearts which accuses or excuses them in the day when God shall judg the secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Let the Reader judge whether this be a natural created Light which judges the secrets of Mens hearts by Jesus Christ Is not this Gods new Covenant of Light to the Gentiles which he has written in their hearts and doth not the Apostle say in Hebr. 8. 6. speaking of the old Covenant and Priesthood but now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministery and by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which is established upon better promises is not this Christ for the Jews broke their Covenant and their Law that was written in Tables of Stone which gendered to bondage and there was then a Law added because of Transgression until the Seed Christ came Gallat 24. 25. yet the promise and Covenant that was made to Abraham in Christ Jesus stands still and is the same and cannot be disanul'd as the Apostle saith Gal. 3. 19 16 17. Hebr. 8. 10. The Law that was added 430. years after the promise was made could not disanul it for the Apostle saith if the first Covenant had been faultless then there had been no place found for the second and so this is the Covenant of God writing his Law in their hearts and puting his spirit in their inward parts for the Jewes had outward Laws written in Tables of Stone which Laws they broke but now Christ Jesus the everlasting Covenant of God which is Light made unto Abraham never can be broken but is an everlasting Light in the hearts of his people and an everlasting Law written in their hearts and an everlasting Covenant of life and peace and so brings all into unity and fellowship for there is neither Jewes nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for they are all one in Christ Jesus and if they be Christs then they are Abrahams Seed and Heires according to the Promise Gal. 3. 28 29. And so here thou art proved thus far an Antichrist and a denyer of Christ Jesus the Light to be Gods Covenant who according to the flesh is the Son of Abraham the Son of David Rom. 1. 2 3 4. and according to the spirit the Son of God Paul was made a Minister of that Gospel which was promised But
lead them this way Ans Those three or four sheets was most of them particular Letters sent to thee by many persons so as I said before thou shouldst have published the whole Letters not part of them and let them have spoken themselves to the Reader and thy errors are sufficiently manifest in thy Book and thou would have a sheet of Paper written to thy Book five sheets in a few dayes time which concerns several friends 60. miles distance one from another this was Wiggan's policy and his peoples to get the Book again and to boast that it could not be answered And thy next words concerning Antichrists fair speeches and allurements while there is hope to make merchandize of them is directly thy own condition for now thou being stirred up and opposed rages who did appear to ignorant people like a Lamb but thou was known to us before for now thou art loud and clamorous and falsly accusing when thou canst not get thy will about like to the Whore in Proverbs 7. and Josephs Mistress Genesis 39. and 2 Pet. 3. And whereas thou speaks of owning Preachers not sent but denyes the Lord that bought them and preaches not the same Jesus and Gospel as Paul did such thou saist thou ownes not but denies Ans Then thou denies thy self and thy own Assertion for the Apostle preached that Jesus which said he was the Light of the World Joh. 1. and Joh. 8. so thou art the man that Christ never sent Rom. 10. 15. and Jer. 23. 32. and thou art proved the Antichrist that denies the Lord that bought thee 2 Pet. 2. and Jude 4. and so art one of them that crept in unawares who preaches another Jesus another Gospel then Christ the Light And whereas thou saist we boast of gifts c. and that it s reported to thee that G. Fox had the gift of Tongues and by such like pretences we gain a multitude and it is a certain Character of Antichrists last coming that many shall follow their pernitious wayes Ans Our boast is not in gifts nor tongues as knowing they begin at Babel but our rejoycing is in the word Christ Jesus and in his Light Truth and Spirit and we would have all men and women come to the same in themselves which thou denies by which they might know the Lord by which a multitude is come to follow the Lord and to walk in his way the Light which thou enviously calls a pernitious way and a mark of Antichrists coming and thou Antichrist like would draw people from the Light and spirit of God within them to thy own way but God hath overthrown and is overthrowing thy pernitious wayes and many who have been followers of thee now comes to follow the Lord and that makes thee thus to rage Mathew 24. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 2. and our way is Christ and he is our guift of God And after this thou sends 12. Queries abroad and thou thy self couldst not answer my Queries nor Wood's is this the part of a man of Wisdom or Reason Nevertheless I shall not let thy Queries pass unanswered though these Queries are not to us chiefly Thy Queries are as followeth 1 Query Whether it can be found in all the Scriptures that any of the true Prophets or Christ or his Apostles ever used such language as is before mentioned in any person professing Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ or whether it be not clearly the spirit of an Antichristian spirit as hath been hinted Ans Thou that has denyed Christ Jesus to be the Light of the World and calls him an Idol and hath denyed Christ the Light to be saving contrary to the Scriptures Luke 2. 38. thou hast denyed Repentance and Faith in Christ for thou hast denyed that which thou should believe in and therefore thy words bears the mark of Antichrist 1 Joh. 2. 18 22. Joh. 4. 3. Joh. 2. 7. And what we speak of thee is true upon thee and the Apostle used such language to such like as Acts 13. 10. where the Apostle called Elimas an enemy of all Righteousness a child of the Devil which perverted the Deputy from the right way of God as thou dost people And read Timothy and Titus and there see what words the Apostle gives to evil beasts and slow bellies Titus 2. 1. 2. Query Whether there can be any other gain in the aforesaid censures then to cast an odioum upon and to cause a disesteem of the persons opposing them and whether this was not the practice of the false Prophets and false Apostles thereby to gain more credit to their own cause Ans This is thy own condition for what gain is it by all thy former slanderous words which thou cast both upon Christ and us that Christ should not be believed in and that we should be of disesteem among people that holds truth forth to all people that they might believe in him who enlightens them and this was the work of the false Prophets and false Apostles to disesteem of Christ and the Apostles that people should not believe in him nor receive their Doctrine as Mat. 28. 12 13. and 2 Cor. 10. and did they not say Christ deceived the people read Mathew and did they not say Jeremy deceived the people but the false Prophets and false Apostles could get the true Christs Prophets and Apostles words but was out of the life and not being in the spirit the true Apostles alwayes judged them as thou art now 1 Peter 2. and Jude 3. Query Whether it be not a manifest abuse of the Scriptures and a presumptuous introduction into the office of Christ positively to affirme that the sins of any man shall never be forgiven in this World nor in that which is to come meerly because he denyed the Light that is in every man that comes into the World to be saving in as much as the Scripture no where saith thus that the Light is saving Ans Thou doth not only deny Christ the Light to be saving but thou denyest the Holy Ghost to reprove the World c. And Christ saith all sin may be forgiven but that which is against the Holy Ghost and thou dost also blaspheme and sin against him not as he is a man but as he is the Light and spirit Mat. 12. 36. and whereas thou saith the Scripture no where saith that the Light is saving the Scripture saith Christ is the Light and he is the Salvation John 8. and the Lord shall be to thee an Everlasting Light and the Lord is the Saviour of his people And Joh. 12. I am come a Light into the World saith Christ and he is a Saviour And Psal 27. 1. and David saith the Lord is my Light and Salvation And here thou lyes against that which the Holy Ghost hath said in saying the Scripture saith no where the Light is saving and in Isai 49. 6. where the Lord speaking of Christ saith I will give thee for a
William Houlding Blacksmith and Henry Wood a daily Labouring man who cannot read on a Book and Thomas Curwen Husbandman and William Wilson Taylor who in the strength of the Lord desire to give the said John VViggan a meeting before the Sheriffe as he hath challenged us and hath sent his Challenge into the Town and not to us with many villifying and slanderous words in the said Book which he hath sent amongst the people so let all the wise in heart judge of this man whether he hath carried himself like a Rational man yea or no. The Assertions are as followeth 1. For John VViggan to prove and make good out of the Scriptures of truth 1. that Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the World with a saving Light contrary to John 1. 9. 2. That the Light wherewith every man is enlightened that comes into the World is not a saving Light 3. To make good that which thou hast laid down that there is some men that comes into the World hath not the spirit contrary to Iohn 16. 8. Acts 2. 7. 4. That Christs blood was not shed for all men contrary to the 1 Epistle of Iohn 2. 2. 5. That Balaam had no more of the spirit of God then his Horse and which was held forth in the dispute against us contrary to Numbers 24. 17. 6. That Balaam did not see the Starr of Iacob contrary to Numbers 24. 17. 7. And that wicked men hath not the spirit of God nor the Holy Ghost contrary to Gal. 2. Neh. 9. 8. That the Light before faith is not pure contrary to Rom. 7. 12. 9. And that Christ the Light that lightens every one that comes into the World is an Idol contrary to Ioh. 1. 9. 22. 13 46. 10. That the Grace of God is an Idol contrary to Ephesians 2. 5 8. 11. And that there is no mercy with God contrary to Psalm 13. 6. 12. That Christ is not the Word contrary to Revel 19. 13. 13. That the Light is a false Christ contrary to Ioh 12. 33 46. 14. And that Light doth not shine in darkness contrary to Iohn 1. 5. 15. And that God who is the Word doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is not saving 16. And that the Light Christ that enlightens every man that comes into the World is a Natural Light 17. That some are in the flesh and hath not the Spirit This is he to make good and prove how they can quench it and grieve it that hath it not 18. That some that comes into the World have not a saving Light 19. Some there are that are in the flesh and never had the spirit contrary to Rom. 10. 20. That the time must come that men must break their Plow-shares into Swords and Speares which his brother Price justifies in a Book and John Wiggan was offended because we marked it out for error and these things we would have the said John Wiggan to stand to and make good before the Sheriffe as he challenged by plain Scriptures of truth in the New Testament For both the Scriptures and Common-Prayer testifies against thy Principles Some more of John Wiggan's Assertions which are not many of them in the former above written 1. THat the Light in every man that comes into the World is not the Door nor the Mediator Saviour nor Redeemer nor the Way Truth the Life the Lord that bought them nor the Corner-stone nor the infallible spirit 2. That it is not the true Jesus but an Idol the Light wherewith every man is enlightened or the Light that lighteth every man 3. To follow Christ the Light is to follow a pernitious way 4. That the Light was natural and spirit of a natural man and was that in Adam which let him see his sin 5. That Light which is darkness spoken of in Math. 6. 22 23. le ts man see his Creator 6. And this Light looketh upon every thing done or to be done of man and yet this Light maketh not any thing that is done to be good or evil and yet this Light sheweth the Creator and this Light in man will render God Righteous in his Proceedings against man 7. That Christ doth not give his spirit to every man that comes into the World 8. That they in Iude spoken of as Cain and Cora and Balaam had not the spirit 9. And this Light with which every man is enlightened is Natural and its gross to say that the Light which enlightens every man is Christ 10. That the Light in every man is but the spirit of a man the Law written in the heart 11. That who so worships that Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World as Redeemer worships an imaginary and fictious Christ and an Idol denying the person of the true Jesus 12. That whosoever saith that he that is the Light in every man is Christ is a deceiver and an Antichrist and Iohn Wiggan will prove them so 13. And it is the subtle deceiver and adversary Satan that saith the Light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is the Lamb and the Lord and the object of faith 14. And the Light that doth enlighten every man is the Word and before he said it was the Natural man's spirit and an Idol c. 15. That the Light the word God which enlightens every man is natural and man by it knows nothing of Christ though he confess by it he knows the Eternal power and God-head the fulness whereof dwells in Christ bodily 16. And the word God the true Light which doth enlighten every man that comes into the World he saith is darkness Mat. 6. 22 23. 17. And the word God doth enlighten every man that comes into the World by setting up a Light and spirit in man which is called the Candle of the Lord and writing a Law in his heart and the Light which doth enlighten every man is not the word which was in the beginning 18. And Christ came a Light into the World not to enlighten every man that comes into the world and this light is able to seek and feel after God his Creator and by it man may know his Creator and the Eternal power and Godhead it is a created Light a great Light it is but a Candle Light but it discovers man's transgressions and this Light springeth up with mans spirit and this Light is the Spirit of a Natural man which doth not know the things of God and this Light discovered Adam's sin and this Light is Natural and not Spiritual 19. But this Light knows nothing of the Gospel mystery hid in God nor Redemption by Christ nor of Gods good purpose and Grace nor of the Law of faith 20. This Candle-light to wit that Light wherewith every man that comes into the World is enlightened is not able to discern the mystery of God in Christ And so make good these things by Scripture or stop thy mouth for ever
Lord became their enemy Ifai 63. 10. vers Zach. 2. The Spirit of the Lord remain'd among the Children of Israel I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel saith the Lord God So here thou may see they that erred from the faith and erred from the spirit and hated the Light had it contrary to VViggan's Doctrine aforemention'd Did not I make one yet had he the residue of my spirit that he might seek a godly Seed therefore take heed unto the spirit The Gospel which yee have heard which was preached to every Creature under Heaven Warning every Man that they might present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus That by the Grace of God Christ should tast of Death for every man Christ is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World And many more Scriptures might be aledged which doth overthrow Wiggan's Assertions that proves wicked Men had the light and the spirit and Christ dyed for all Men. John VViggan In stead of Answering to the Assertions thou tels us of a natural and created Light springing up with Man's nature and natural Man's spirit which is an Idol worse then Jeroboams and the Papists nevertheless thou saist this light will let them know much of God and of the eternal Power and God-head Now that this Light which is an Idol will shew the Eternal Power and God-head and yet shew nothing of Christ in whom the fulness of the God-head dwells How stands this together John And can a natural Light an Idol know the Eternal Power and God-head know much of God and seek and feel after God Idols are dumb Haba 2. and hath eyes and sees not as the Scriptures faith and was this natural Light an Idol which reproved them for their sins Doth not the Scripture say Adam was made in the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness and was this an Idol he was made in which reproved him for sin And Judas who was made Partaker of the Ministry and the Light which John was sent to bear witness of was a created Light and an Idol worse then Jeroboams which as many as received him that thou calls an Idol which cannot hear nor see he gave them Power to become the Sons of God by this natural Light and Idol the World was made by thy account and this which thou calls a natural Light and Idol was in the World and the World knew him not and this Light which thou thus calls shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehends it not This is Wiggan's Assertion but my Queries I sent unto thee which thou shufles of and dost not Answer them since thou talks so much of Bread and Wine whether it be Christ or no seeing some of thy fellow Baptists Teachers are turned Papists who were wrangling against the Light and now say the Bread is Christ after they have blest it and therefore we suspect thee seeing thou art posting on the same Rode against the Light so fast And instead of Answering thou hast taken upon thee to be a Judge of Christ a Judge of the World and a Judge of the Saints conditions and confusedly patches all together and thou divides God and Christ and calls Christ the Light a natural and a created Light and an Idol worse then Jeroboams and the Papists which all sober people may see what a pack of confusion thou hast heaped together in thy Book for a natural light and Idol cannot bring people to seek and feel after God nor know the Eternal Power and God-head neither was it a natural Light and Idol that shewed Judas his sin when he had betrayed Christ neither was the Image of God which Adam was made in and God the word that enlightens every Man that comes into the World a natural light and an Idol John Wiggan thy eye is blinded it is time for thee to give over thy Trade with thy erroneous principles and doctrine And Christ when he bid them Believe in the Light Joh. 12. It was not an Idol he bid them believe in but it was in Christ the Light and in Christ was life and the life was the light of Mon and this was not an Idol and this is the same principle and doctrine which we suffer for there was a Man sent from God whose name was John he came for a Witness to bear witness to the true Light and that was the true Light which enlightens every man that comes into the World that all through him might believe and as many as received him to wit the light wherewith all be enlightned he gave them power to become the Sons of God Joh. 1. to the 12. vers And so this Light which doth enlighten every Man that comes into the World shines in the darkness but VViggan's darkness cannot comprehend it and thus he judgeth the things of God with his darkness in calling the Light of Christ and also that which convinc'd Adam c. a natural and created Light and an Idol and the spirit of a natural Man which knows not the things of God and also he compares the Light in every Man to the state of the natural Man there spoken of 1 Cor. 2. calling Light darkness and to the natural and sensual state in Jude for nature being subjected is in it self not sensual but being gone out of its course becomes sensual but this is like to the rest of his meanings he hath given to other things in his Book but we do intend to put him to make them good by plain Scriptures without adding or diminishing for our foundation for ever stands sure for we speak not of the natural Mans spirit but of Christ the Light the second Adam the Lord from Heaven nor do we speak of the Law of works nor the first Covenant but we speak of the new Covenant in the heart Christ the light our Foundation whom all the Prophets foretold of who is come to teach his people himself who Joh. VViggan pretends to remove and so hath run himself into further confusion And Ioh. VViggan saith that the Light which doth enlighten c. is the word Creator and yet he saith it is natural and created and an Idol worse then Ieroboams And thus all may see he confesseth that the Light is the word Creator and and yet he saith it is an Idol Joh. Wiggan saith God the Word enlightens every Man that comes into the World and a more excellent light and life comes in by the Son which none receives but who receives the Son and are born again Answ They which receives this Light which thou call the word Creator in thy own assertion becomes the Sons of God for John said this was the true Light which lighteneth every Man that comes into the World and as many as receives him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God and this word is Christ