the way to others and knew it not my self It becomes persons that say they have received the annointing from the holy one even the same Spirit that was in the Prophets and Apostles and gave forth the holy Scriptures always to speak forth the words of truth and soberness When thou calledst me a deceiver I did not say I was offended nor did I give cause for thee to mention this word in thy paper But this I demanded of thee and do still That thou make it to appear whom I have deceived or wherewith I have deceived any or else there will be little of truth or soberness found in thy saying And as for thy saying I taught the way to others and knew it not my self by which thou wouldst have proved me a deceiver it will be hard for thee or any of thy friends to find truth in it for no man can teach others to know that which he himself knows not and therefore I say as thou writest thy words are at best improper And whereas thou writest that I may read how the Apostle said some preached Christ who was the way the truth and the life and yet such who so preached him knew him not but were false Apostles transforming themselves as the Ministers of Righteousness I would have thee soberly to consider whether thou hast dealt truly and faithfully with the Apostle in relating his own words And tell me where thou readest That the Apostle said That some preached Christ who was the way the truth and life and yet knew him not It 's true the Apostle speaks of false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ but these preached not the true Christ the way the truth and the life but as the Ministers of Satan they rather taught another Jesus and another Gospel than the Apostles had taught and as I am willing to take a â—aution from thee or any other man that gives it in love and meekness so I would have thee and the rest of thy friends in fear and meekness to consider whether ye set not up another Christ than the Apostle preached As for thy 24 queries I shall not satisfie thee or any other queriest to answer their questions which tend rather to strife than edification though I have in readiness to answer thee or any other man that shall in love ask me a reason of the hope that is in me And though I think it not meet at this time to answer all thy queries yet whereas thou askest Whether Christ doth not enlighten every man that comes into the world with a saving Light I answer That the Light wherewith every man is lighted that comes into the world is not a saving Light and this I shall through the strength of Christ be ready to maintain against thee or any of thy friends who hold the contrary where and when a meeting may be had in a peaceable and quiet way and before compeâ—ent Witnesses As for thy threatning to stick thy paper upon the door I value it not but would have thee seriously to consider whether that expression proceeded from the holy Spirit This is all at present from Thy Friend Jo. Wigan 1. M. 5 d. 1663-64 A second Letter from Tho. Curwen The next morning being the sixt day of the first month the following Letter was brought to my hand with this inscription For John Wigans John Wigans Whereas I sent thee a few Queries to answer but thou seemes to have slighted and passed by all except one that is to say the first Querie whether Christ doth enlighten every man that comes into the world with a saving light And thy answer is That every man which comes into the world is not inlightned with a saving light And this thou will maintain against me or any of my friends who hold the contrary when and where a meeting may he had in a peaceable way before competent witnesses and this is to let thee understand that I and some of my friends with me if the Lord will doth intend to give thee a visit tomorrow about the first hour or second in thy Chamber to treate about this above mentioned both with thee and all who is of thy juâ—gment that may come to thee but yet I let thee know this cannot serve for all my Queries for I intend to set the Paper upon the dore according to my word from thy friend Thomas Curwen This sixth day of the first Month. According to his word his Queries were the same day set upon the Hall door though he had no regard to make good his word concerning me nor yet to clear himself from the wrong done to the Apostle who no where useth such words as he fathers upon him In the evening therefore of the same day I writ the following Answer to his second Letter Thomas Curwen In thy seccond Paper which was brought to my hands this day whether with a purpose to disturb is best known to thy self Thou dost not make good thy word spoken concerning me nor yet acknowledg thy mistake therein nor the abuse done by thee to the Apostle however I am more inclined to passe by the weaknesses of others then by multiplying words as were easie upon such an advantage to occasion more strife Thou tels me that thou and some of thy friends do intend to give me a visit to morrow about the first or seccond hour in my Chamber to treat about the fift Querie I am willing to meet thee and any of thy friends to treat in a spirit of love and meekness about the said point and after that about any other wherein we differ but thou art mistaken if thou thinkest that I shall leave it to thee to appoint time and place at thy pleasure and therefore thou wast over confident to say no more of it to nominate my Chamber the day and hour except I had invited thee or agreed thereto know therefore that I take no notice of nor shall I observe any meeting till upon discourse with thee or some of thy friends we have mutually agreed about a place and such a day as my friends can come upon to morrow they cannot when this is done bring whom thou wilt for truth which we all pretend to seek after neither fears multitudes nor great words as for thy setting â—hy Paper upon the door thou hadst done some right if thou hadst set my Letter by it but thy practice doth favour in several circumstances of a fleshly spirit as I can shew at better leisure and will reflect more upon thy self and friends then where thou didst intend it and if I be disposed that way it will not be difficult to answer thee in thy own kind but God hath called us to peace and I am taught to study to live peaceably with all men and further then I am provoked to appear in the defence of truth shall endeavour to leave off contention before it be medled with Prov. 17. 14.
in them for which I am ready to suffer as well as they If the whole seem too tedious for your perusal which indeed is much larger then was first intended by the Marginal notes you are directed to the several branches of the Discourse and so you may either read all or that part wherein you chiefly desire satisfaction â—o Wigan 3d M. 10. d. 1664. A true Relation of the occasion and manner of a debate held in the Castle at Lancaster the 17th day of the first Month vulgo March 1663-64 between J. W. and George Fox John Stubs and many others of the People called Quakers about the Light within Together with true Copies of divers Letters and other Writings which passed between them and me Also an Additional Account of the Light that is in every man shewing what it is what it can do and what it cannot do wherein Henry Wood and others may find that which answers their Queries HAving been Prisoner at the aforesaid place divers weeks upon the 23. of the 12 th Month commonly called February I was put into a Chamber near unto many of the aforesaid people being also prisoners their way and mine leading through a common Hall we passed by one another peaceably about 12. dayes viz. till the 5th day of the next Month upon which day one Thomas Curwen said unto me as I quietly passed through the Hall Friend leave off thy deceiving the people thou art a Deceiver My answer was mild to this purpose Saist thou so consider well what thou hast said and whether thou canst make good thy word and tell me as I come back whom I have deceived or wherewith I have deceived any or how thou canst prove me a Deceiver As I turned from him he further uttered these words Thou teachest the way and knowest it not thy self By which I supposed he would have made good his assertion viz. That I was a deceiver At my return I told him and some other of his Friends That I looked upon his censure to be very rash and gâ—oundless and that little of truth would be found in his saying That I taught the way and knew it not my self inasmuch as it is not possible for any man to teach that which he knoweth not But instead of proving what he had said he passed more censures upon me as That I was a stranger and that he knew my voiâ—e to be voice of a stranger Likewise William Wilson another of them used some harsh expressions towards me I having said They neglected some Ordinances of Christ as Baptism and breaking of bread He told me I upheld beggarly rudiments So I left them and went to my Chamber The same day towards evening a Letter was brought to me by one of these people subscribed with the Name of Tho. Câ—rwen a true Copy whereof followeth Friend John Wiggans whereas thou was offended because I called thee a Deceiver and said thou teached the way to others and knew'st it not thy self Although the words seem to be improper to thee yet thou maist read how the Apostle said Some preached Christ who was the way the truth and the life and yet such who so preached him knew him not but were alse Apostles transforming themselves as the Ministers of Righteousness And now I would have thee mind whether thou thy self be not in their footsteps who thus preached Christ and so a Decâ—iver And answer me these Queries as followeth 1. Whether thy way never fell 2. Where be all the daubers 3. Whether all the Ministers of Adams house in the fall daubed not with untempered morter 4. Whether or no while a man 's upon the earth he shall be made free from the body of sin and death while he is on this side the grave 5. And whether Christ doth enlighten every man that comes into the world with a saving Light 6. Whether is bread and wine Christ the substance 7. And how long hast thou taken bread and wine in remembrance of Christs death till he come 8. And whether or no when he is come thou wilt take it in remembrance of him 9. And which is the nearest to take a thing in remembrance of his deâ—th or to come into his death 10. And whether or no thou thinkest to come any nearer to Christ than to take bread and water in remembrance of him 11. And whether or no dost thou think to come any nearer to Christs death than to take bread and wine in remembrance of his death and so keep alive in the old nature And is not this the deceiver 12. Hast thou known the death the pangs and the sorrow And art thou become a fool for Christs sake And is the wisdom of the world foolishness to thee And in what place buriest thou thy own 13. And how comes thou to receive that which is foolishness to the world and how wast thou wakened out of sleep and when did the grave open and when did the Prisoner shew himself forth 14. And when did the tongue of the dumb sing 15. And when was the tongue of the first-born silent 16. And when wast thou come to thy wits end 17. And how often hast thou watered thy couch 18. And what is the tongue of the learned 19. And what is the gray hairs 20. And what is it that Antichrist and the false Prophets râ—vened from and where was it 21. And when did the keeper of the house tremble and the strong man bow himself 22. And hast thou the same power and spirit to baptize and give bread and wine as the Apostles had and hast thou heard the voice of Christ as they did 23. And seeing thou takest offence at me because I called thee a Deceiver what is the true way and where is it and whether all mankind be enlightened by it and whether it be in man or out 24. And whether or no thou hast seen it or heard it or heard the voice of God or seen his shape Answer me these Queries in a Scripture way in writing and bring forth thy deeds to the light or else I do intend to stick a Copy of them on the door to morrow From thy Friend Thomas Curwen 1. M. 5. d 1663 4. Directed For John Wiggans These Having perused this Letter and perceiving the advantage that was sought by limiting so short a time for the answering his queries and by threatning to stick a Copy of them upon the door the next day if they were not answered tho most of the queries were frivolous and matters of more weight were under my consideration yet lest my silence should occasion boasting to which they are very propense I presently drew up the answer following to that query which concerns the foundation of most of their mistakes viz. The Light within Thomas Curwen I received a Paper a few hours ago subscribed with thy Name wherein thou or some one for thee writes that I was offended because thou calledst me a deceiver and saidst I taught
in the flesh and that this God-man was justified in the spirit and assumed into glory and also saith that this God-man was seen of angels preached unto the Gentiles and believed on in the world But this people as the Spirit speaketh expresly some should do in the later times 1 Tim. 4. 1. do revolt or depart from the faith of this great mystery affirming that the light that is in every man is Christ the Redeemer And if so where then is the person of Christ where is God manifest in the flesh This is denyed in their saying that the light without the flesh is the true Christ as also is the assumption of this God-man to the throne of glory In like manner do they who hold this opinion deny the Lord that bought them according to that prophesie of the later times 2 Pet. 2. 1. For the Lord that bought them is no other then God manifest in the flesh who purchased them with his own blood Acts 20. 28. which is contradicted and denyed by this opinion which saith that the light alone is the Redeemer Secondly this Opinion is guilty of setting up a gross and dangerous Idol which will appear to any man who shall impartially consider and compare this Opinion with the description of an Idol An Idol is any thing besides the true God that mans imagination seigns to it self to be a God and to which he ascribes a Deity whether it be exhibited to the body or minde Exod. 20. 3. Thou shalt have no other Gods besides me 1 Joh. 5. 21. Keep your selves from idols Now this people do set up and call the light that is in every man God Christ the Spirit which yet is not God nor Christ nor the Spirit as hath been proved Therefore they set up an Idol in stead of Christ And inasmuch as it is light and a light within and hath a greater likeness to God then other representations of him have which are set up in stead of the true light by so much it is a greater and more dangerous Idol The more like any thing is to God the sooner is man induced to call it God himself therefore Satan who seeketh the possession of Gods throne doth more effectually deceive and draw men to worship him as God when he appears as an angel of light 2 Cor. 1. 14. Thirdly admit this Idol this grand lye for the corner stone and the whole superstructure will consist of lyes for as the Apostle observes 1 Tim. 4. 1. when men have revolted from the faith of the great mystery of godliness they presently attend to erroneous doctrines to wit the doctrines of Daemons either to doctrines taught by Daemons or devils or to doctrines concerning devils as Mede understands the place Those are the very Rocks which this people concerning the faith having made shipwrack do further run their souls upon For having set up this Idol the light that is in every man that comes into the world as God and as the Anointing which is to be attended and obeyed as their Teacher they do not onely open a way for Satan being transformed as an angel of light to suggest unto them as many lyes and erroneous doctrines as he pleaseth of which I shall name some afterwards but while they do worship that light as God they do deifie and worship Angels Fourthly this Opinion doth necessarily lead all such as own it and are true unto it to walk according to the suggestions and motions of their own mindes without any respect had to the Scripture as a rule for as they affirm that the light in all men is Christ and is the same Anointing both in believers and unbelievers so they say it is a perfect rule in every mans conscience whereby he ought to be guided Whence it will unavoidably follow that whosoever shall give up himself to obey and be guided by this light as a perfect rule will no longer hold himself obliged to walk after a certain Scriptural rule but must follow the uncertain motions in his own minde whether those motions lead to actions good or evil And hence it hath come to pass that some who have followed this guide have been led to many heady rash unclean unjust actions altogether unwarrantable by the rule of the Scripture of truth Of such as these the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 3. 3. where he foretels that in the last days there should come such as would scoff at the second personal coming of Christ as this people do walking after their own lusts that is according to the Greek walking after that which is in their own mindes Fifthly Open this as the first door of entrance as they do and it leads into a Babel of confusion and errours No sooner is a man entred in at this deadly gate but he is in the Citie Toâ—u where first if his eyes be anointed with eye-salve by the true Jesus he may behold this Image of Jealousie i. e. the light that is 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 Jeroboam or of the Papists by how much it is more mysterious and in shew more spiritual and so less discernable whence it comes to pass that multitudes are ensnared by it according to that 2 Pet. 2. 2. Many shall follow their pernitious ways The falling down to this Image is that whereby every particular person is matriculated or registred into their Sotiety of Friends for now and not before as they say he hath received the Truth and notwithstanding many defects is accepted as a friend The next thing to be beheld is a company of worshippers in great confusion praying and singing or teaching and singing all or many together with loud voices contrary to 1 Cor. 14. 33 40. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints Let all things be done decently and in order If he ask how this company is called the answer will be A Meeting not A Church and the particular members Friends not Brethren and Sisters For though the Apostles and primitive Saints constantly called the Assemblies gathered into the fellowship of the Gospel Churches and the particular members thereof Brethren and Sisters yet this people having set up another Jesus and Gospel then that which the Apostles preached do also characterize themselves by new names Though he cannot finde the name or office of Pastor Teacher Elder Deacon which Christ set in his Church in this company nor hear the Scriptures read or alleadged for proof of any of their doctrines nor scarce finde a Bible amongst them yet he may hear not onely men but women-teachers contrary to 1 Cor. 14. 34. Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak