oppose with might and main and this I found to be the principal Subject of his Treatise because of which I considered the great ignorance of this man that would appear upon such a subject in such great opposition against it whenas no one Truth is more full and clear throughout the whole Scriptures then this Doctrine of the Light within both in the old Testament and the new as first of all Deut. 30.11 12 14. where Moses the servant of God did preach to aâ—l Israel in general boâ—h good and bad the word that was nigh them in their hearts and be exhorted them to bear that word that was within them and to do it and this word was in every one of them to which Moses did exhort them to hear it and obey it and thus its manifest that Moses was a Preacher of the word of God and his light within men Again Jer. 31. God promised to make a new Covenant with the House of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and they shall know Me saith the Lord from the least of them to the greatest and they shall need no more every man to teach his Neighbour but the Law in their inward parts and his Spirit within them should teach them And thus it is plain the Prophet Jeremiah was sent with a Message of God to Preach the Promise to wit the Spirit of God put in the inward parts and his Law written in their Hearts and thus was he a Preacher of the Light and Law of God within men And David said Thy Law is within my Heart Psal. 49. Again Luke 17.20 21. When they asked Jesus Christ concerning the Kingdom of Heaven he said The Kingdome of Heaven is within you and in divers other places his Parrables signified That the loast Groat was within and that the Pearl was within and that the Seed of the Kingdom of God was sown in their Hearts Mat. 13.19 and Rom. 10.18 By all which and many other places it is an evident truth that Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul were Preachers of the Kingdom of Heaven within men and of the Seed of the Kingdom which was sown in their Hearts and of the Word of God within in the Heart and so it may be said Christ was a Preacher of Light within for he told them of his Word abiding within them John 5.38 and they had not the love of God in them 42. vers John 14.20 And Christ said I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and if my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and thus it is as clear as the Sun at noon day that Christ was a Preacher of the Spirit and of the Light and of the Word and of the love of God within men Again the Apostles preached the same 2 Cor. 13. Chap. and the fifth Jesus Christ is in you saith the Apostle except you be reprobates and Phil. 2.13 It is God that works in you said the Apostle and Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you and 1 John 2.14 And the word of God abideth in you and verse 24. Let that abide in you which you have heard from the beginning and Ephesians 3.20 according to the power that works in us and 2 Tim 1 14. The Holy Ghost which dwells in us and 1 John 4.12 God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us and thus throughout the whole current of Scripture I might bring multitudes of proofs the Apostles were Ministers and Preachers of the Light within the word of God within the Love of God within the Holy Ghost within Christ within yea and God within the Saints yea if this will not serve to prove that it is the Ministry of Christ Jesus to preach the light and word of God within men I should yet bring many more proofs out of the Scriptures to manifest that Christ and his Apostles preached the Light within men not onely in the Saints but in unbelievers take one Scripture more 2 Cor. 4.6 The Light hath shined in our hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God and thus it is clearly proved out of the Scriptures against J. W. that the Prophets Christ and the Apostles were Preachers of the Light and Truth and Spirit within And when I considered at large this same subject of his whole discourse it appeared somewhat strange to me that any reasonable man should draw up such a Subject to make a whole Book of opposition against it like as it he had never read Scriptures seeing he had thus stated his matter intendedly against us called Quakers thinking by steering such a course be should confute us in some errours whenas it s fully manifest that he hath steered his course in direct opposition to the Scriptures and the Truth therein contained and therefore we may conclude of his ignorance and errour who hath thus justified the Truth of our Principles and Doctrines while he hath thought to oppose them and confute them as errours and so overthrown himself 3 I considered concerning returning an Answer to his Book and I found it meet that it should be answered for the end to clear the way of Truth from his false and foul aspersions which were made up by whole groces in his Book and also least he should glory and vaunt himself in his solly as if none were able to answer him nor to detect him of falshood though I was not hasty in falling aboard upon him and that for divers reasons First because my occasions were then very many and weighty and that of far greater moment to be prosecuted then to leave them for answering of him 2. Because I saw no great occasion of present hast to fall upon him and to detect his unworthy work for as to my own particular I could have let his Book have passed without an Answer and all his Lyes and Calumnies and Falshoods passed without hurt to our particulars for we are satisfied in the Truth of our way thousands of us blessed be God notwithstanding all mens opposition 3. Because I would not willingly and hastily have given our publick enemies occasion to mock and scorn at us while they beheld us as it were tearing one another and contending one against another to the weakning of our selves and strengthning of them nor should I but upon this occasion have appeared publick in this manner against any suffering people for it hath ever been my quality to comfort the afflicted and sufferers rather then to adde affliction to them but upon this occasion I am forced to with-stand the insolency of Io. Wright to reprove his lyes and slanders and that publickly to the view of the world and it could not well be avoided so upon these reasons with some others the Book lay by me divers weeks till at last I have taken it under hand for I have heard a report of some boasting amongst J.W. his
Seed of God should be sown in one condition and raised in another seeing the Apostles words are plain to that effect for that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die and doth not that Seed suffer in man by corruption before it be raised in incorruption and is it not the Seed of God that is sown in weakness and raised in Power and every Seed shall have its own Body and what is it God gives a Body to as it pleaseth him but the Seed And what Seed is that is raised in incorruption Glory and Power but the Seed of God before which state of the Seed be attained to the Seed is known in suffering in death and in corruption though in it self it be incorruptible for it could not be said it shall be quickened unless after it be sown it dye and in respect of its being sown in weakness and dying as to them in whom it is sown who are not redeemed into the state of the second Adam it s said to be sown a Natural Body as also there is a Natural Seed or Seed of Abraham according to the flesh that this Seed of God takes hold on or takes upon it but in respect of its being raised in Power and Glory it is Spiritual and Immortal as being beyond that state in which it is sown in weakness which states none comes truly to know but as they come into death with the Seed and to be raised up by the Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead which spirit where it dwells doth quicken the mortal bodies and doth bring into the likeness of Christs Glorious Body and as many as are dead with Christ shall live and appear with him in Glory and witness the Body of their lowness made like unto his Glorious Body whose they are and such who come to the Resurrection of the Just and to see the mortal Body which was dead because of sin quickened by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them shall come to witness that of Hosea 13 14. fulfilled for they shall come to be ransomed from the Power of the Grave and redeemed from death as the Seed comes to live and reign which cannot be holden of death nor kept in the Grave but is the destruction of the Grave and this the Prophet witnessed when he was delivered from the power of the Grave and his soul brought out of the Pit by the sides whereof the Graves were set And why saith J. W. in page 60. as that arising which Christ through the Faith of the Operation of God is not the Resurrection from the dead nor the state of perfection which the Faithful unto death shall obtain c. What do not they that rise with Christ rise from the dead And was not that the Resurrection from the dead that Saint Paul desired to attain to Phil. 3.11 Are not all men in sin dead And do not they that rise with Christ rise out of sin seeing the Saints that had been dead in trespasses and sins when they were quickened and raised in Christ they were come to live in him with whom they shall live who first knew what it was to die with him or to be baptized into his death for the dead in Christ shall rise first and is not that a state of perfection where there is a Resurrection in Christ from sin and the death which came in by it For is it not sin that caused the imperfection And that the Resurrection from the dead is a raising of man from the dead in every part wherein he is dead by reason of sin and to live in every part wherein he lived before he sinned to wit to be alive in Spirit Soul and Body as in page 66. Who denies that For because of sin death hath come over man in every part both over spirit soul and body so that where man is raised out of sin by Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life his Spirit is quickened that it can rejoyce in God and his soul is raised up out of death that it can magnifie him who is the Saviour and if Christ be in you the Body iâ— dead because of sin and the same spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead shall quicken the mortal Body and the Creature it self thereby comes to be delivered into the Glorious liberty of the Sons of God so that the Resurrection of the whole man and of every man in his own order 1 Cor. 15 23 over whom death and the Grave had dominion we own and do not take a part of it for the whole as falsly J. W. accuseth us But whereas J. VV. imagineth that the Redemption of the Body spoken of in Rom. 8. Which the Saints groaned travelled and waited for is not to be enjoyed till the Natural and visible bodies of men shall be raised out of the Graves as in page 65. and 53. and 55. This is like the rest of his vain Imaginations and foolish dreams about the Resurrection and other things for this would suppose that that Redemption of the Body from the bondage of Corruption which Saint Paul and other Saints so many hundred years agoe did travel and wait and hope for in their suffering state is not yet attained which would render their Faith Hope and Travel ineffectual and what then was that bondage of corruption and that suffering under which the body suffered and from which they waited for redemption is it some bondage or suffering that the Saints so long deceased both were in their dayes and are yet in suffering under if they be not yet attained to the redemption of the body which so long since they travelled for as this J. VV. ignorantly seems to imply which his reason is like his saying that God is declared to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob because their bodies which are dead shall live again when as he was their God because they lived with him and were in him and were in the bosom of the Father who is not the God of the dead but of the living And as for that of Job 19.25 26 27. Which he mentions where Job knew his Redeemer living and that he should stand upon the Earth and that in his flesh he should see God whom said he I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold c. After this Job knew his hope herein fulfilled when he said to the Lord Chap. 42. I have heard of thee by the Hearing of the Ear but now mine eyes seeth thee Now it is not to be supposed that Job did either see or expect to see God with bodily or carnal eyes for who so imagines they must suppose God to be visible like themselves and not a Spirit nor an immortal invisible being who is to be seen spiritually and not carnally who is in that immortality and Glory with no man as mortal can approach to or behold with that which is mortal and what silly reasoning is it for J W. from that of Rev.
THE Son of Perdition REVEALED By the brightness and light of the Son of God in his Saints And the Preachers of his Light within and their Doctrines Principles concerning the mysteries of God the weighty things of Salvation Vindicated and Cleared from the Reproacheâ— Slanders Calumnies cast upon them by the spirit of Satan and Antichrist which hath largely appeared in one Joseph Wright who esteems himself one appointed by the Flock of Christ for a Defence of the Truth of the Gospel as is apparent in his Book intituled A Testimony for the Son of man and against the Son of perdition c. which he hath given forth against them that preach the Light within But herein his Pride Insolency and Impudency are Reproved and his bundle of Errors Blasphemies Confusions and Slanders in his book against the Light and the Children of it Discovered And the eternal Truth in its own clearnesse touching many weighty Principles of the True Religion made manifest for the satisfaction of the people and of all that are doubtful By the Light of the Son of God in his Servants Geo. Whitehead Edw. Burroughs LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the sign of the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1661. A Table of the Chief Heads of the following Discourse 1 COncerning the Light within Christs coming in the flesh and dying for all men 2 Concerning the Nature and State of Christ of the soul of man and of the Saints partaking of the Divine Nature 3 Concerning the Resurrection from the dead 4 Concerning that Light in the Consciences of people which the Preachers of the Light within appeal to and the subject of their Exhortations by which men are converted and edified 5 Concerning Ordinances 6 Concerning Quaking and Trembling 7 Concerning the sufficiency of the Light and the Annointing within to teach all that do believe 8 Concerning meeting together and silent waiting upon the Lord with somewhat about Back-sliders and the spirit that acts them 9 Concerning Humility and Vnity 10 Concerning destroying the Whore discovering secrets and sufferings c. 11 Concerning the Word of God and the Scriptures and the Word and the Writings truly distinguished 12 Concerning the Infallible Teacher and that it is the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and not the Scriptures The Epistle to the Reader FOR as much as it hath pleased the God of Truth and Righteousness most gloriously to appear in these last dayes in the hearts of his people according to his promises of old who hath said That he would exalt his Mountain upon the top of all Mountains and his House should be established and his Kingdome should be set up spiritually in the Hearts of the Children of men and he hath promised to dwell in men and to walk in them and write his Law in their Hearts and put his Spirit within them and they should be his People and he would be their God and he alone would be their Teacher and Comforter and his Day-star should arise in their Hearts and the Light of his Glorious Gospel should shine in their Consciences These things hath the Lord promised and he is a fulfilling of them in these our dayes in and amongst his People Blessed be his Name for ever for he hath opened the eyes of the blind and caused them to see and Light is risen out of obscurity and darkness is passing away and the Light of the Day even of the Day of God is approached nigh unto his People and Life and Immortality hath he brought to Light in his People by the Light of his Glorious Gospel which shines in their Hearts and they are become the Temple of the Holy One and his Habitation is with them and his Promises are fulfilled and fulfilling abundantly this Day our Eyes have seen our Ears have heard and we have tasted of the VVord of Life which is revealed in us and these things we cannot but bear witness of and testifie concerning them unto all the world that they may partake with us of that heavenly virtue and be satisfied therewith for evermore through faith in Christ Jesus and receiving of him to dwell in them that they may not be reprobates for all in whom Christ is not are reprobates as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth But notwithstanding though the Lord hath promised these things and is now fulfilling of them amongst us to his Glory and Honour yet that adversary the Devil and Satan doth not cease to make opposition against this good work of the Lord if it were possible to prevent and stop the purpose of the Almighty in his proceedings of fulfilling his promises unto his people and it is not unknown through these parts of the world how many and divers kinds of oppositions the Devil hath made through his Children against the VVork of God What woful Persecution of these late rears hath been brought forth upon the Innocent people in whom the Lord is fulfilling his Promises What cruelty exercised What reproaches and slanders uttered And what obstructions and oppositions hath been made of these late years against an Innocent people t is hard to be exprest every City and Town and Country must bear witness of that cruel Persecution and hard dealing that hath been exercised upon the Innocent people and for no other end but for Truth and Righteousnesse fake and from no other cause but from the enmity of the seed of Wickednesse in the ungodly world for the end to oppose and stop the work of the Lord and these things are so God and Angels and Saints do bear witnesse And also the opposition hath been great against the work of the Lord not onely by outward open opposition and persecution through prophane and cruel men but also by the Professors of Religion of our age even of such as have cryed the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are we and such as have professed Ordinances Churches and Fellowships and that have thought themselves to be men of Wisdome and Conscience even such as these have lift up their hands against the Lords Work and have consulted and imagined mischief against the Lords interprize for as the prophane World have persecuted by cruel reproaches and abuses Imprisonments and unjust dealing as aforesaid so also have the professors and wise men of this Generation Preached and Prayed and written Books and published their principal Reasons and Arguments against the Way of the Lord and all this in the opposition to the Work of the Lord an evidence hereof is manifested by Joseph Wright in his Testimony for the Son of Man so called in which Book he hath fully opposed and gain sayed the Truth of the Gospel and the People bearing witness thereunto amongst whom the Work of the Lord is blessed and prosperous yet hath he partly out of Ignorance and partly out of malice set himself in opposition against the work of the Lord and against his Truth and people as aforesaid And his
vindicate the same operation in this day as that same Power is manifest amongst People And it is the Power of the Lord not the spirit of witchcraft or uncleannesse as J. W. blasphemously affirms but we know that thousands in these our dayes have been pierced to the heart by the word of the Lord and have been smitten in their Consciences and been made to cry out and roar and tremble through the disquietnesse of their hearts and have been brought as low as Hell even to the sides of the Pit and to know their bones broken as David did and they have lain disconsolate for many dayes and yet the Lord hath after this raised them up into peace and joy and comfort and blotted out their transgressions and washed them away by the bloud of Iesus and hath restored comfort for mourning and the spirit of praise for the spirit of heavinesse according to his promises so that were not J. W. a man more ignorant and malitious then a man of Knowledge and good Conscience he would never presume to have vented such malicious and rayling tearms against us for and because of the self same operation of the Power of God amongst us as is so largely demonstrated by examples throughout the Scriptures so that he hath not onely reviled us at this day but also the Saints of God in former ages so declaring himself to the world to be ignorant of the Scriptures and of the Power of God to Salvation and a Blasphemer against both And his Reason to prove it an unclean Spirit that leads them to tremble is because some have stripped off their Cloaths and gone naked for a sign c. To which we Answer By the same reason he might as well have said that was an unclean spirit that led Isaiah the Prophet to put off his shooes and walk naked and bare-foot as a sign and wonder upon Aegypt when as it was the Spirit of God that moved him to that work Isa. 20. and Saul also when he went to Naioth and the Spirit of God was upon him and prophesied and he stript off his Cloathes and lay down naked all the day and all that night wherefore it was said is Saul also among the Prophets 1 Sam. 19.23 24. And thus J. W. may see the errour of his own judgement who hath condemned that Spirit to be unclean which led Isaiah and Saul to go naked by his censuring such now as are led by the same Spirit but against his reproachful tongue we do vindicate such a thing in it self and that the Spirit of the Lord is not limitted but may lead some at this day to the same thing though if any do such a thing in imitation and deceit we justifie them not CHAP. VII Concerning the sufficiency of the Light and the annointing within to teach all that do believe AGain the next thing observeable that we can digg out of his heap of Confusion is he chargeth us with dissimulation that we never intended that every man should be guided by the Light in them though we Preach it up and direct every man to it as a guide his Reasons for it are First Because we intend to communicate a Teacher from without Secondly Because we declare to men and women that if they will but wait in silence they shall receive virtue and Life from us though they never see us more by which it appears saith he that we intend to give a spirit to such as adhere to our Doctrine Thirdly Because when we take hold of the hands of men and women yea when we have taken hold of the wrists of some they have been taken with a trembling c. Fourthly Because we are constantly visiting them that are inclining to our Principles c. Fifthly Because we run up and down to spread our Doctrine and by our Printing such a multitude of Books to Teach men in our way we cry down Preaching saith he and that we lay aside Gods Word and set up our own word and that Gods Holy Scriptures we reject and our own unholy Writings we exalt c. Sixthly Because the Light which is in every man doth not lead us and our followers to do those things we do c. page 158 159 160 161 162 163. Answer To all these we Answer That we do turn people to the Light of the Spirit of God within them and Preach the free Gift and Grace of God that he hath given to the Sons of men in order to their Salvation and we acknowledge notwithstanding all J. W. his Scornful and Ignorant Railings against us for Preaching the light within that we are sent of God and t is our Message that we have received to Preach to all the World and that we are sent to turn from the darkness to the Light as the Apostle Paul Acts 26.18 and this Light to which he turned them was not a visible Carnal Light without them but an Invisible and Spiritual Light that shone in their Consciences and to this Light Paul was sent to turn them even to the light that shined in their Hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 The light shined in their Hearts that gave them the light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ and the light of the new Covenant is the Light of the Spirit of God that shines in mens Consciences for God hath said I 'le put my Spirit within them and write my Law in their Hearts so that whosoever doth Preach the new Covenant must Preach the light within but of this about Preaching the light within more in another place therefore here we pass it and shall examine his fix feeble Reasons by which he would prove that we dissemble with people in Prracâ—ing the light within and we never intend what we say which is a notorious slander that shews J. VV. hath neither wit nor good Conscience for might not he as well have brought all these his Reasons against the Apostles who Preached the same Doctrine of the light within as we do now for when Saint John said to the Church ye have anointing within you and ye need not man to Teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you 1 John 2. might not J. W. as well have said to him John thou dost not mean as thou speakest but dissemblest with them for thou sayest they have annointing or light within them and they need no man to teach them but as that doth teach them and yet thou thy self art a Teacher without them and thou givest exhortations to them by Declarations and Epistles and tellest them if they abide in the anointing that they have received and in Christ they shall not sin and though the Saints in former Ages were thus taught by the anointing within them yet they did constantly visit one another and prayed one for another as the annoting led them but hadst thou J. W. lived in their dayes thou mightest have said John thou dost plainly declare that the anointing in the
Saints will not do the business as thou scornfully sayest to us but thou Communicate an unclean spirit and thou writest Epistles and spreads thy Doctrine by Letters or Books and the Apostles run up and down from one Nation Country and City to another and what need you do this if the annointing within be sufficient to teach them and if it be sufficient why does not every particular Saint do that which some do Why doth not every one of the Christians go up and down Preaching as well as some few of you Apostles Thus and after this manner might thou J. W. have reasoned against the Apostles and Saints as well as against us and doubtless hadest thou lived in their dayes thou wouldest have said no less by them then thou dost by us but this is to manifest thy own folly and weaknesse who cannot understand how the annointing dwells in the Saints and teacheth them into all Truth and how notwithstanding they edifie one another and instructs one another by words and writings this same thing was true amongst the Apostles and Primitive Christians and is true also at this day among us though thou objects against it nay reviles and slanders the witness of the same at this day and this is thy ignorance and weakness who art not worthy to be named a defender of the Gospel of Christ as thy works makes to appear And as for J. W. his saying as if we should say They should receive virtue and life from us and that we intend to give a spirit and of taking hold of the wrists of some c. And that we lay aside Gods Word and reject Scriptures and exalts our own unholy writings c. These are slanderous accusations and malitious suggestions as if we were Witches and such like And this is spoken by him with a tendency as doth appear to enrage the spirits of ungodly men against us We do not say they shall receive Life from us but if they wait upon God in the Ministration of his Life and Spirit they shall receive Life from him and sufficient instruction by his Grace and Gift within them if they never see us more and they shall receive the Spirit of Truth from God though we are made Ministers of the Spirit which the Father giveth to all his Children and as for our taking one another by the hands by way of kind Salutation one of another Why doth he wickedly surmize against us for this practice but that out of the abundance of his malitious heart his tongue speakes fraudilently as if we did bewitch people thereby thus much he seems to intimate by his reproachful expressions that we intend by taking one another by the hands to communicate a spirit which is onely his ignorant and malitious suggestion and as for our denying the Word of God and rejecting Scriptures we shall pass it here onely tell thee J. W. thou hast slandred us and speak fuller to it by and by 1. But concerning immediate teaching of God by the light and anointing within I would yet more fully explain that I might be understood of all First We do not affirm that every man in the world to wit unbelievers as well as believers have received the anointing and spirit within them so as they need no man to teach them for this is onely proper to the Saints of God who have believed in and received Christ Jesus and his Spirit that anointing which teacheth them all things and leadeth into all Truth and they abiding in this anointing they need no man to teach them but as it teacheth and this is the new Covenant of God and according to his promise I will put my spirit within them and write my Law in their hearts and they shall need no man to say know the Lord but from the least to the greatest they shall all know me saith the Lord But as we have said this is only proper to the Believers and Sanctified in Christ Jesus and this state is not proper to the unbelievers in the world in their state of unbelief who rejects the Counsel of God and refuses to be taught by him and led of him and quenches the Spirit of the Lord. 2. But though this state was promised by the Lord that his people should be thus taught and the Saints did in the Apostles dayes witness it as in Johns Epistle before cited and the Saints of God now in this age do witness the same Yet notwithstanding the Saints did and may edifie one another and build up one another in the most holy Faith and Comfort one another by advice and Counsel and instruction through declaring the Word of the Lord one to another and Ministring the Gospel of Christ and of his free gift one to another as the anointing within moveth and teacheth this was the Saints practice in the dayes of old and is their practice at this day for let none mistake us as if any were so taught of God by the anointing and Light within that they were thereby uncapable of and freed from all good instruction edification and counsel visitations and salutations of Love amongst them and one towards another like as if they were so taught of God as their state admited of carelesness and rejecting of love and exhortations one from another we tell thee nay but we are so taught of God at this day as the Saints before us were by the light and annointing within which we have received from God that alwayes we are capable of and willing to receive edification and counsel and advice through the Word of the Lord and by his Spirit that dwells in us and extends one to another by good advice and counsel consolation and comfort so that these two do agree to wit immediate Teaching by the anointing and light within us and exhortation and edification one of another by the same spirit and anointing among us and these two are not contrary one to the other 3. Yet we do say though the unbelievers have not so received the anointing and spirit within them as that they need no man to teach them as the believers have received it yet the Gift of the Spirit of God and the light of it is given to them and manifested in their Consciences and hath its operation of conviction and reproof because of their unbelief and Iniquities and these needs to be taught without them even turned and directed to this same light within them that they may believe in Christ Jesus and wait upon the Lord in it thereby to receive the anointing and pouring forth of the Spirit through Faith in Christ Jesus that they may be also-taught of God as believers and regenerate persons and may need none to teach them but as the Gift and Grace of God within them and such in the state of their unbelief have need to be Preached unto that they may believe and be renewed and receive more of the Spirit and of the Grace of God in a greater measure and may
he means such who sometimes have been amongst us and professed and confessed to our Doctrines and waies and yet afterwards have turned from us we do confesse such there may be even such who may have tasted something of the Power of the Lord and of his goodnesse to their souls and have cryed out and trembled because of their iniquities yea and have been called out from their Kindred as he speaks and yet some such have turned aside again to vanity and then have been ready to make Lyes and frame false reports and to tell them for their own advantage to excuse their own revoltings thinking to defame us as so bad and so evil that with a more credit to themselves they may turn from us and some such like persons hath been J. W's informers if he hath not invented the lyes himself And though there be such revolters and false-hearted Hypocrites in the world yet the way of the Lord and his Truth is alike precious unto us immutable and unchangeable though Back-sliders walks not in the way thereof but seeks to asperse it when they turn aside from it but let such persons be marked some such we do know and they were wicked and prophane before they came among us and coming among us possibly were convinced of their sins and touched with judgement and sorrow for sin but now being turned from us again they are more prophane then ever and the Devil is entred again with the unclean Spirits worse then before and their latter end is worse then their beginning as the Scriptures says of such and some such as these are J. W. his converts and his brands pluckt out of the fire and such to tell stories and he to publish them are suitable correspondents but Truth is over them both and the way of the Lord is pretious and prosperous notwithstanding all the malicious oppositions that is in the hearts of his Enemies whose Judgement is such that they call Truth Errour and Errour Truth and calls that the work of the Devil which is of God and that the work of God which is of the Devil and the saying is true upon them a foolish People that have eyes and see not hearts and understand not And whereas J. W. hath been opposing the Light within and both the Preachers and followers of it thereby proving himself to be neither Preacher of the Light nor follower of it and therefore neither Minister of Christ nor indeed a Christian for whosoever doth not preach the Light and word of God within is no Minister of Christ nor in the example of his Apostles as is manifest at large in this Book and whosoever doth not follow the Light of Christ within and walk by the Spirit of God which is a Light in the heart is not in the new Covenant nor a member of the Church of Christ and such a one J W. is directly concluded to be from his own words who hath opposed such as preach and follow the Light within as if all such were in delusion and he hath denyed that the Light within is sufficient to lead to repentance from sin and pardon of sin and to comfort in God for the soul But he hath found out one that doth all this that shews sin and that judges for sin and that leads to mourn and grieve for sin and takes sin away and blots it out to wit the Devil as he saith if you will believe him pray you do but observe his story page 169. 170. He tells you there a large story but he names neither the Person nor the place nor time where and when it was which we demand of him in his next of one that preached the Light within as he sayes that the Devil did so and so with him and that the Devil set all his sins that ever he had done in all his Life before him as if they had been written in capital Letters then the Devil laid them all to his charge and did judge him for them and that the Devil made him to mourn and grieve and weep and made the tears come from his eyes for his sins this done as J. W. relates then the Devil took all his sins from him and said I have blotted out all thy Transgressions and the Devil let him loose from all his bonds and then the Devil commanded him to tell what God had done for his soul c. Now let any sober man judge that hath ever read the Scriptures ' whether this be a likely story for the Scriptures say that it is God that sets mans sin in order before him and it is God that judges men for sin by his Spirit of Judgement and it is he that causes men to mourn and grieve for sin and it is he that takes away their sins and blots them out by the bloud of Christ and that looseth man from his iniquities and brings them to declare what he hath done for their souls and it s our Faith that it is God through his own Son that works all this and not the Devil and the Scriptures say the same Psal. 50. Isa. 4.4 Dan. 9.24 John 5.27 1 John 1.7 But J. W. his story is contrary for he relates that its the Devil that doth all this and by this you may judge of this story and the Truth of it and also do but observe the temper of J. W. his Spirit and you shall see through his Book he opposeth the Light of Christ and the anointing within as if they were not sufficient for the effecting these things but he hath found you one that can do these things and who think you but the Devil and that can discover sin and condemn for it and lead People to Repentance and take away and blot out Transgression c. He hath brought you a story for the proof of it which we believe he credits to be true else he would not have brought it for the proof of his matter as he hath very pertinently done as he supposes and further as his story goes this Person that the Devil dealt thus by when he would have preached the Light within the Devil caused his mouth to shut that he should not preach it c. From which it follows that the Devil and J. W. are both of one mind for J. W. opposeth the Light within as the Devil does from which we have the more occasion to stand faithfully in preaching the Light within seeing both the Devil and J. W. do oppose it though afterwards his story relates that the Devil made him preach what God had done for his Soul and if this be a likely story let wise men judge Oh the Ignorance and Impudency that is fully manifest in J. W. that hath given his Faith to believe that the Devil convinces men of sin and judges them for it and takes away their sin Thus much in Answer to his story till his next return that we may know by him the Person and the place in whom and where