than the first This is for thee James Jackson Author of the strong Man Armed cast out Thou sayest in this thy Book that the strong Man Armed meaning the Devil is cast out of thee and Christ a stronger than he is come in and dwells in his stead this by the way plainly contradicts this Principle and great Doctrine of thy Friends the Quakers That Christ is in every Man and woman Thou confessest the Devil was in thee whilst thou Lived'st so wickedly as thou hast told us but now if Christ a stronger than he be come and entred into thee how was he there before according to this Scripture which says when a stronger than he cometh which plainly implies he was not there before but the Devil was there before and kept the House But now consider this well suppose it be so indeed That the Devil this strong Man Armed was cast out or in policy went out for a time intending to come into his House again and Fortifie himself in thee his House in a stronger hold and with greater strength bringing in seven other Spirits worse than himself more Subtile and Politick Fortifying themselves in a way of Hypocrisie and Religion the other hold of Profaneness not being so sure as this for now thou art perswaded as thou tellest us all is well with thee thou art a New Man a Converted Man as we see and Read thy long story to that purpose I Advise thee as thou lovest thy Soul and Regardest thy Eternal Welfare take heed lest this Scripture be not fulfilled in thee and upon thee for thou lookest as like one of those spoken of and intended in this Scripture as can be beware lest thy last state be not worse than thy first 8. Another Argument proving that Christ is not in all Men and women is this Christ is not in any Man or Woman who have not Faith Prop. 8. But the Wicked and ungodly have no Faith Therefore Christ is not in the wicked and ungodly The Apostle Prays to be delivered from unreasonable and wicked Men for all Men have not Faith 2 Thes 3.2 Now Christ is and dwells in those in whom he works Faith for he is the Author and Finisher of Faith in all his People and he dwells in them by Faith Eph. 3.17 He Prays That they may be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner Man That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith 9. Another Argument Denying the Quakers Assertion and Proving the Truth is this Christ is not in any Man or Woman Prop. 9. but in those to whom he doth communicate his Nature and Image But Christ doth not Communicate his Nature and Image to Impenitent and ungodly Men and Women Therefore Christ is not in ungodly Men and Women It is impossible that Christ should dwell in any Soul and not Manifest his Presence there by making Impressions of his own Nature Image and Likeness And therefore where he comes he doth Communicate his Image more or less 1 Cor. 15.48 As is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly v. 49. And as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly And 2 Pet. 1.4 There are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises That by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature 10. Another Proposition confirming the same is this Christ is in none but in those onely who are joyned to him as Members of his Body Prop. 10. But wicked Men and Women are not joyned to him as Members of his Body Therefore Christ is not in wicked Men and women This Truth may be Illustrated and shadowed out unto us by a plain Similitude between Natural and Mystical Fruit-trees Similitudes of things with which we daily Converse obvious to our Natural Senses are very helpful unto us to shadow out and Illustrate Spiritural things which are Dark Abstruce and Difficult as they lye in intricate Spiritual Notions which without some plain Similitude would be discerned but dimly as in this particular As VVindows are to a House so are Similitudes to a Discourse They both let in Light VVe know the Root Body Boughs Branches and Twiggs of a Fruit-tree are all joyned together and do make but one Body or Substance And that the Root gives no Sap Life or Nourishment but onely to those parts of the Tree that are Vnited to it all those Boughs and Branches are Nourished from the Root they Receive Sap Spirit and Life the Innate Intrinsecal Form and Virtue of the Tree is in all the parts But the Virtue and Influence of the Root is not in any other Branches or Boughs which do not grow upon the Root though they are never so near this Tree though they are contiguous and mixed among or hang among the Living Branches yet they have no Life in them no Sap no Virtue from the Root because they are no parts of it Even so it is here in this Mystical Fruit-tree Christ and his Members his People who are Members of his Body they Receive Life Nourishment and Virtue from him he is in them by his Effectual Operations But as for others who are not of his Body who are not joyned to him by Faith wrought by the Spirit he is not in them they receive no Virtue Life or Nourishment from him he doth not Communicate himself to them as he does to his own People his Members for he is in them and they in him 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church And Col. 2.19 From the Head all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment Ministred and knit together increaseth with the Increase of God This is plain from Christ's own words John 15.1 2 c. I am the Vine and my Father is the Husbandman Every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit be tâ—keth away and every Branch that beareth Fruit he pâ—rgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit. Ver. 4. Abide in me and I in you Ver. 5. I am the Vâ—ne ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much Fruit for without me ye can do nothing Thus have I drawn these Ten Pieces of Ordnance out of Gods own Magazine and levelled them against this Idol this false Christ the Light in every Man and Woman and it is sallen and broken and Christ the true Light set up and Worshipped in its stead by all that Worship God in Spirit and in Truth How dreadful is the Case of these People the Deceived ones among the Quakers who set up an Idol instead of Christ and Worship it and Teach others so to do thereby forsaking the Fountain of Living waters and digging to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water Well might the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Jude also call them Wells without water and Clouds without water 2 Pet. 2.17 Jude 12.
were enlightned and led by him they would make a Difference and separate the precious from the vile but they do not Distinguish between the Righteous and the Wicked but Condemn them together and so are Abomination to the Lord So that thereby it is plainly seen that they are not of God that they are not as his Mouth to the People as they pretend Jer. 9. It is the Seducing Spirit we may be sure that doth bely and Reproach the Lord's People and his Works and Operations in them By this and other Characters afore-mentioned we may be as sure who the Men are as if their Proper Names whereby the World knows them from other Men were Recorded in Scripture For as the Lords People may certainly know that their Names are in the Scriptures and are Written in Heaven in the Book of Life Gods Eternal Decree and Secret Counsell by Seeing and Reading their Natures Properties and Qualifications in the Scriptures to which Eternal Life is promised I say they may know thereby that they themselves are the Persons as certainly as if their Proper Names were there Recorded whereby they are known amongst Men So on the contrary of Wicked and Ungodly Men they are also known in like manner by their Natures Properties and Qualifications We know who hath said Births of the Spirit and of the Flesh That which is Born of the flesh is flesh and that which is Born of the spirit is spirit We may know of what it is Born by the Birth that is brought forth Satan he broods upon the Carnal Spirits of wicked Men and begets false Notions Opinions and Principles we may know they are of his begetting by their Form and shape when they are brought forth Principles of Pride self-love false Notions and other Deformed shapes when they are Conceived then after a while they are brought forth they are born they are Published and Declared in Discourse Preaching Writing or Printing the Births of Mens minds their Fleshly Carnal Minds are brought forth into the World and they are so like their Father the Devil that thereby they may be known who was the Father of them So on the contrary That which is Born of the spirit is spirit the spirit of God dwells in his People and he daily works and moves in them he Inspires them with Truths according to the Mind of God which the Spiritual Mind Conceives and brings forth in Prayer Preaching Discourse and Writings and these Conceptions are Born and brought forth into the World to the View and Knowledge of all And that which is thus born of the spirit is spirit or spiritual it is Truth According to the Mind of the spirit for he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit one with him of his Mind The Saints are Unanimous of the same Mind with God as Wicked and Unregenerate Men are unanimous with the Devil they are of his Mind and he of theirs for he Ruleth in the Children of Disobedience The Devil speaks against Christ and so do they though they will own him in Words in Form in Shew and Pretence yet in Deed in Works really they deny him The Devil will own the Scriptures in words as he does Christ in words and say Thou art the Holy one of God so will those who are one spirit with him but will deny him really and according to Truth The Devil will own the Scriptures and Argue from them to attain his ends but never to prove a Necessary Truth So false Teachers are unanimous with him in these things for he that is joyned to the Devil is one Spirit even as he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit How great then is the sin of these Men Spiritual sins are greater than fleshly sins who Conceive in their Minds and bring forth the Births of the Devil as all Doctrines of Devils are Surely These Spiritual sins are greater than fleshly sins as Drunkenness Gluttony Adultery Murder c. If Robbery or Murder of a Man be so great a sin what is it to Rob God and to Crucifie and be guilty of the Blood of Christ Though for these and such like when Men will not be reclaimed from them God often gives them up to a Reprobate Mind Rom. 1. Even so he does also for these spiritual sins false Opinions Doctrines and Principles Concerning Christ his Natures Righteousness Merits and the things of God when they will not be Instructed but hate to be Reformed and change their Mind when they will not hearken to the Truth but still resist it disown it contradict and Blaspheme when the Truths of the Gospel have been often Offered and tendred to them yet they will not hear nor regard but rather believe Lyes than the Truth then God gives them up to strong delusion to believe Lyes and to hearken and give heed to seducing spirits this is a very dreadful state indeed they draw these spiritual Judgments upon themselves by these spiritual sins The Quakers setting up this Idol The Light within every Man and Woman is a greater sin in them than for Jezebels false Prophets to set up Baal and Pray unto it and trust in it instead of the God of Israel May it not Ironically be said to them as Elisha said to those false Prophets Cry aloud for he is a god as ye say but he is but a Blind god he hath Eyes indeed but he cannot see Ears but he cannot hear Hands and Feet but he cannot move to help or do any thing for those who Trust in him without help from another If these Men will not be pleaded nor perswaded out of their Vain Ignorant sottish Opinion of the Light within every Man and Woman being Christ let Men endeavour to Shame them out of it for it hath not so much as a shew or shadow of Truth in it but is plainly a most dreadful delusion of the Devil and a great Blasphemy against Christ This Opinion of theirs The false Opinions of the Quakers spring from Pride and Ignorance with other of their false Principles springs from Pride and Ignorance And this the Apostle Observes concerning such Men 1 Tim. 6.3 4. If any Man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness Ver. 4. He is Proud knowing nothing but Doting about Questions and strife of words whereof cometh Envy Strife Railing Evil surmisings Ver. 5. Perverse Disputings of Men of Corrupt Minds and Destitute of the Truth c. Such kind of men were also in the Apostle Johns time as we see Rev. 3.17 They were Proud and Ignorant They thought themselves Rich and had need of Nothing whereas indeed they were poor and miserable and blind and naked It is our duty to discover these kind of people to try them and to make them manifest to the world as much as may be for their false Opinions of God of Themselves and of Others is
no less than Blasphemy Rev. 2.9 I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Sathan The Church of Ephesus is commended for this That as they cannot bear these false Teachers so also to discover them to try them and make them manifest to others by Scripture Characters and Marks by which they may be known Rev. 2.2 I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil And thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyars The Apostle speaking of deceiving and deceived persons The Quakers deceive weak and simple minds he tells us they shall not long continue thus to deceive for their folly shall be made manifest to all men 2 Tim. 3.8 9. The Apostle by the Teachings and Inspirations of the Spirit of God having in the former verses told us that in the last dayes perillous times shall come That men shall be lovers of themselves proud boasters blasphemers c. in the next verse he shewes us a Token and sets a Mark of distinction upon them Of this sort saith he are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ver 7. ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth We see here what sort of men are active to deceive what they do privately creep into houses and also the subjects they work upon by their cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive as the Apostle saith That is silly women simple people persons of weak understandings and naturall faculties of shallow capacities easily led away with divers Lusts and Errors such kind of weak and simple minds are easily deceived They know not how to distinguish between Truth and Errors they are still Hearing and Learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth at least they are never able to come to the knowledge of some Truths for some Truths lye more deep than others Some are more easie to be apprehended than some others some Truths are hard to be understood as the the Apostle observes which they that are unstable pervert yea and they that are but weak and shallow of understanding do also pervert mistake misapprehend and misapply As for instance in this very thing This Principle and Opinion of the Quakers concerning the Light within We know how they apprehend it Their Teachers and their hearers they call it Christ who lighteth every man and woman that cometh into the world This Notion borders upon a Truth and hath some small shaddowy resemblance of a Truth but is not a Truth as these weak people apprehend it For there is a light within which sees and works and moves several wayes toward that which appeares good according as it apprehends it and against what it thinks to be evil now this herein hath some resemblance of Christ and his Spirit and so weak minds silly men and women may think it to be so indeed especially when they hear it positively and plainly asserted affirmed and contended for by men who have gained their affections by their demure Countenances modest behaviour and apparell and many good words and fair speeches with seeming zeal they are thereby confirmed in this perswasion that surely it is Christ indeed But this perswasion cometh not of him that calleth us Gal. 5.8 as the Apostle here saith but ariseth from weakness and ignorance from the darkness of the understanding helped on and strengthned by that deceiver of deceivers the seducing spirit who is still ready as to beget so also to feed and nourish false Opinions in the minds of all as God permits him Certain it is Reason and Natural Conscience is a Light within and discerns many things both good and evil and acts towards or against them accordingly so far as it sees and discerns according to the measure of Light that is in the Conscience This is clear from Rom. 1. where the Apostle speakes of the worst of men who had this Light in them and therefore were inexcusable in going against it This Light within though it be not Christ yet it was created by Christ as all things else were but it cannot go beyond its bounds No more than Natural water can of it self rise higher than the spring head the light within cannot see Christ nor the way and means of Salvation by him without the light of the Scriptures and of the Spirit of God But the Quakers are strongly confirmed That the Light within every man and woman is Christ let all men say what they will to the contrary yet most certain it is that this Opinion of theirs was begotten by ignorance and is nourished and maintained by Pride for they having asserted it and so long stood to it in upholding it they have not the humility to retract and acknowledge an Errour though some may be secretly convinced that it is so for it is Natural to men to maintain and stand to what they have once owned and asserted they are loth to stoop and acknowledge ignorance no not unto God himself much less to Men. I am perswaded There were never any Sect or sort of People from the Creation of the World to this day that were more irrational and less spiritual than these People the Quakers are in all their Discourses Principles Books and Practices nor greater Enemies to Christ his Gospel and his People As the Lord Liveth who hath delivered me out of great Tribulations and saved me from the hand of the Enemy I will contribute my utmost abilities to throw down the Enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ and these and all Doctrines of Devils and Lyes in Hypocrisie and whatsoever else shall Oppose him or his Interest in the World Now The Quakers shall not long continue to deceive this being manifest by all these Marks and Characters that have been mentioned That these Men the false Teachers among the Quakers are the false Teachers spoken of in the Scriptures that should come in these last days The Apostle also tells us that they shall not long continue to deceive they shall be of no long standing for their Folly shall be made manifest unto all men 2 Tim. 3.9 The Apostle here compares them to Jannes and Jambres two of Pharaoh's Magicians whose Names are to be seen in some Ancient Authors who withstood Moses in his time so do these resist the Truth Men of Corrupt minds Reprobate concerning the Faith These Teachers Men of Corrupt minds resist the Truth a most dreadful sign of Reprobation though the Truths of the Gospel are brought and plainly laid before them to turn them from the Error of their way in their false unchristian Principles and Practices yet they resist the Truth they disown it and reject it and they that Offer it to them and that with many reviling hard speeches against them for so doing