W. saith whoso worships worships an Idol And the next day John saw Jesus walking and looking upon him said Behold the Lamb of God and so this is a part of Johns Record and witnesse which he hath borne of the Son of God the light of the world that hath lighted every man that cometh into the world with severall more as the scripture will testifie who Baptizeth with the holy Ghost and this is he which J. W. desires the people with whom he has to do and all others with fear and trembling to consider how injurious this opinion is and how pernicious and destructive such a sandy Foundation will prove to pretious soules for admit this Grand lye for the corner stone and the whole superstructure will consist of lyes saith he and open this as the first door of entrance as they do and it leads into a Babel of Confusion and Errors no sooner is a man entred in at this deadly gate but he is in the City Tohu where first if his eyes be anointed with eye salve by the true Jesus he may behold this Image of Iealousie the Light that is in every man that comes into the World Answ Here I desire the reader but soberly and seriously to consider of this mans doctrine and compare it with the foregoing proofes with what shall be hereafter and let him Judg whether it be not as absolute blasphemie as a man can speak and that according to the full proofe of the scriptures for Christ Jesus Jo. 8. 12. where Jesus saith I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not abide in darknesse but have the Light of life And again in Jo. 12. Jesus cryed and saith he that believeth on me believes not on me but on him that sent me he that seeth me seeth him that sent me 45. I am come a light into the world that whosoever â—eleeveth in me shall not abide in darkness 46. and in the 36. while ye have light believe in the light that ye may be children of the light These words spake Jesus who Baptizeth with the holy Ghost which J. W saith If this lye for the corner stone all the Superstructure will consist of lyes If any man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of the world Jo. 11. 9. Now I desire the reader will seriously consider whether J. W. be not highly guilty of Blasphemy and one with those Pharisees who was grieved when Christ wrought miracles and cast out Devils and turned and converted many unto God when he entred into the strong mans house and bound the strong man and spoiled his goods ver 29. So J. W. is grieved that there should be so many turned unto God and afraid for the time to come lost there should be more and therefore he strikes at Christ Jesus the Light and Corner stone which he calls a lie as those Pharisees did against Christ formerly But Christs answer is If I cast out Devils by the power of God then the Kingdome of God is come unto you else how can one enter c which J. W. denies that the Kingdome of God should be come unto the Pharisees or unto the world ver 28 29. blasphemously against Christs own words But Christ saith all manner of blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blusphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven which J. W. is guilty of in his wicked blasphemous words and writings it is past my knowledge how often And therefore Christs words are fully manifested upon him who saith in the 32. verse Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall never be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come Mark 3. 28 29. Luke 12. 10. This stands good upon J. W. for ever if Christ be God who baptized with the holy Ghost J. W. is a blasphemer against him And so I desire the Reader to consider without prejudice of what is proved and furthermore whether he be not one with those Jews that were filled with envy when they saw the multitudes and spake against those things that were spoken by Paul Contradicting and Blaspheming Acts. 13. 45. And also one with Elimas the Sorcerer who withstood Paul and went about to turn the deputie from the faith ver 8. And also one and the same with those Jews whom Paul was pressed in spirit to testify unto that Jesus was the Christ and when they opposed themselves and Blasphemed he shook his garment and said unto them your blood be upon your own heads I am clean c. Acts. 18. 5 6. And also whether he be not one of those which the Apostle speaks of in Rom. 2. 21. Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self Thou that preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal And thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge for thou hast Blasphemed against the worthy name of God the Light Rom. 2. 2. Jam. 1. 7. And so now thou art proved such a Blasphemer that I am forced to compare thee to the beast spoken of in the Revelations I am sure thou art one that worships him and gives thy power to him for thou hast spoken great things and Blasphemies against the Lord and his anoynted the Light Christ Jesus Rev. 13. 6. And hast opened thy mouth against God to Blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven And so now thou art perfectly proved a Blasphemer against God and now thou mayst see if thou can clear thy selfe of these things or any that takes thy part against Christ the Light who inlightens every man that comes into the world which John bore witnesse of and thou hast given thy power to the beast to make warre with the Saints So now I am to prove thee to be a minister of darknesse who hath affirmed That the light in every man is not a saving light which I have proved already is Christ Jesus which John bore testimony to the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world and which is the saviour of all mankind Tit. 3. 4. 2. Thou hast asserted That God has not given a measure of the spirit to every man contrary to the Apostle in 1 Cor. 12. 4 7. who saith The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal And thou goest about to make the light of Christ Jesus with which he has enlightened every man a Created light and a dim light and a natural light and spirit of a natural man And here I shall prove thee an Idolater and a graver up of an Image in thy dark divining where thou art one with all the ministers of Antichrist who studies an Image in your brains and the dark imaginations of your hearts for though thou seems to be a separated Priest yet it is but in the sensual and carnal and devilish not in the
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
the pure Light of Christ which is saving which enlightens every man and for thy saying there will be but little truth found in saying thou taught thy way to others and it will be hard for me to prove or any of my friends thou hast proved it thy self and I have proved it sufficiently here before and also it was proved in the dispute but that thou art more minded to cavil then obey the truth and it s no matter of thee saying my words are improper when thou wilt not believe plain Scripture when as thou bids me tell thee where the Apostle said some preached the way the truth and the life and yet knew him not such as professed him in words and denyed him in life such as the Apostle calls evil doers evil beasts and slow bellies and teaches for filthy lukre as thou hast done who is a sayer and not a doer and such as preacht Christ of envy as thou dost and added afflictions to the Apostles bonds those knew not Christ the way and the life neither was in it for they were in the envy and strife as thou art and those are unlike to know him though they may preach him in words for envy blinded them as it hath done thee Philip. 1. 15. but did not those false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ preach Christ in words as thou doest how could they have gone about to deceive the Saints which believed in Christ and were they not despisers of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ as thou art nay did they not boast that they were Ministers of Christ as thou doest and denyed his life as thou doest 2 Corinth 11. from the 13. to the 23. and did not Christ speak of such who preached in his name and in his name cast out Devils and I do not believe that ever thou came to see so far as these did and yet he said depart from me ye workers of iniquity and the false Prophets in the 24. of Matthew who said loe here is Christ and loe there these was Preachers of Christ in words under a pretence to bring them to a false Christ and Christ said go not forth after them for he would come and dwell in them and this thou cannot abide to hear spoken on of Christ being in men a saving Light and dost thou not know that many has a form of Godliness Tit. 3. 4. and what form is that is it not the Scriptures that speaks of God and Christ and denies the power wherein I feel thee to be one who are to be turned away from who withstand the truth and many of thy Hearers turned away from thee whom thou led away Captive And what wise man cansay I have wronged the Apostles words in this for I have not wronged the Apostles words but thou wrongest me and thou dost not preach the Love of Christ who denies the Light Christ to be saving that enlightens all men and Christ is the way the Truth and the Life who ever preach him or for what ever end they preach him for and we set up the Christ Jesus the Apostles preached and set up the Light of the World which the Prophets prophesied of but thou preachest another as was said before who denies his Light to be a saving Light in all men though some men neglect their Salvation as thou may read in the Scriptures and we have the same Gospel the Apostles had and preached to wit the power of God which I do believe thou was never yet in for if thou had thou would not have changed so and have left thy people for what hast thou left that Christ thou preached to the Independants or hast thou restored the Money which thou got amongst them so confess the truth for I never changed since I knew the Truth the same Christ the Apostles preacht and the true Religion I believe thou hath to seek it who denies the Light and so in meekness and fear I declare to thee we own no other Christ Jesus then the Apostles preacht and set up and this Christ Jesus I am not ashamed to confess before all who is the Light that enlightens all men that comes into the World who is the Salvation to the ends of the Earth who tasted death for every man and this is Gods Love to Mankind And whereas thou sayest thou will not answer my Queries nor satisfie me nor any Querist in this thou hast manifested thy self and spirit what it is and hast denyed a Christian Spirit who should be ready to give an answet to any that asked them a reason of the hope that was in them and my questions tends to edification and not to strife and confessing the working of God in their hearts and what they past thorow and the acquaintance with God hearing and seeing of him and things concerning Salvation and Scripture words that declares of the same and this is not edification to thee and yet thou contradicts thy self and sayest thou would give a reason of the hope that is in thee and yet doth not answer my Queries concerning-Christ the hope and other workings of the Spirit of God Truly John this manifests thy emptyness and shallowness of the things of God and that which concernes mans Salvation And thou sayest thou hast in readiness to answer in love those Queries was in Love sent to thee but this is but a shift and a boast for if thou hadst not answered them in love to us who thou accounts thy enemies though thou hast called us thy friends thou might have answered them for their sakes thou sent thy Book too if thou hadst no love to enemies John Wiggan thou sayest that the Light wherewith every man is lighted that comes into the World is not a saving Light and this thou say'st thou shalt thorough the strength of Christ be ready to maintain against me or any of my friends who hold the contrary when and where a meeting may be had in a peaceable and quiet way before competent Witnesses Answ Thee and all thy Witnesses at the meeting by all your opposing the Scriptures and us that stood for them could not make good that Christ was not the saving Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World though yee broke out into a rage and broke your own order which was that none should speak while another was speaking and thou was the first man that brake it both when G. F. and W. W. was speaking and neither love or humility proceeded from thee but abundance of pride rage and envy when thou was plung'd and could not make good what thou hadst asserted which was contrary to Christ and the Prophets as in Esaiah and John the 1. 8 12. And that which moved me to stick the Paper on the Door proceeded from the Holy Spirit which hath caused thee to vent forth so much against the Light of Christ and hath brought that forth which hath been so long hid in thy heart
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
of God that is proved in Numbers and in Genesis it is proved that Cain talked with God and heard his voice and he could not do that without the spirit and Core knew the power of God that brought him forth of Egipt and was not he of the tribe of Levie that ministred in the Priests office and was he like to medle in the things of God without the spirit though these err'd from the spirit as in Jude and so became sensual And thou had more liberty to hold forth thy errors then others had to hold forth Truth and as the Serpent led Adam and Evah from Righteousness and Holiness to the Tree by which they fell so thou his Messenger leads people from the spirit of God within them to something without them Whereas thou say'st in thy second Argument whom Christ lighteth with a saving Light into their hearts he causeth the Glorious light of the Gospel to shine 2 Cor. 4. 4 6. but he causeth not the Glorious light of the Gospel to shine into the hearts of every one that comes into the World for the Gospel is hid to some to whom the God of this world hath blinded the mind of them that believe not c. Ans This doth not follow nor prove that all are not enlightened with a saving light because the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that doth not believe nor it does not overthrow the promise of God who said he would give Him for a Light to the Gentiles to enlighten them who was the Glory of Israel Luke 2. 32. and he should be Gods Salvation to the ends of the Earth Isa 42. 49. 6. and Isa 52. 10. where the Lord said Is it a light thing that he should be his servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved of Israel but saith the Lord I will give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou may'st be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth and when Christ came he said I am the Light of the World and he that followes me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life Joh. 8. 12. John which came to bear witness of the true Light saith That that was the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World and he sayes that all men through him might believe and Christ saith in the 12. of John Believe in the Light and he that believed is saved so this proves that the Light is saving and though some be darkness and the God of the World hath blinded their eyes because they do not believe yet this Light shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not Joh. 1. 5. so this clearly overthrowes thee and thy assertion to be in the darkness and not to comprehend the Light which shines in thy darkness for he that believes in the light is saved by it and he that does not is condemned and Christ who is the Light is the Saviour so this proves that the World is lightened with a saving Light though they neglect their Salvation and God is just in judging of them and the Saints that believe iâ— the Light and becomes Children of the Light it shines in their hearts and gives them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. but them that hate the light John 3. comes to be darkened and does not know the Father and the Son as the Saints do for they become haters of their Salvation and as thou and the Pharisees hating the true Light and seting up your own wisdom instead of the Light then if the Light which be in you is darkness how great is that darkness when you stop your eares from the true Light of Christ in your selves and set up your own way and denies Christ Jesus the Light to be the way and Ephes 4. 18. nor Math. 6. neither of these places sayes that the Light in them was darkness but saith Ye were sometimes darkness but now are you light in the Lord c. and Christ saith If the eye be single the body is full of light but if it was double or evil it was full of darkness and to the double or evil eye he questions if that light that is in them be darkness how great was that darkness and this shewes there was two eyes and the double went from the single eye which would fill the body full of light but the double fills it full of darkness and then calls darkness light and denies the Light of Christ as thou dost Isai 5. 20. so all the Scripture thou brings and perverts is to no purpose for they do not disprove the light to be saving And whereas thou sayes again Such as are lightened with a saving light are new Creatures and are Regenerated and such as the light is such is the life and it is implanted in them and they have eternal Life but Christ doth not quicken Regenerate make new Creatures and give life to every man that comes into the world but some are in the flesh born and are created in sin have not life yea die in their sin Ans Here thou goes about to lay the fault upon Christ that men are not regenerate and hath not life c. when the Scripture plainly tells thee that it is because they do not believe and they that do believe are regenerated born again and have Eternal Life and do know the effects of the Light and such as the light is such is their Life but they that doth not believe in the light does not become Children of the Light but remaines in the flesh and the birth of it in an unregenerated state without life hating the Light so hating the life not because they have not a saving light but Christ saith Believe in the light while you have it shewing they have it before they are children Joh. 12. Heb. 3. and they that dyed in their sins poor man were in thy condition they did not believe that Christ the light was he to believe in and all the Scripture thou brings is nothing to oppose the light of Christ to unbelievers which was spoken to the Saints which thou perverts for we know what was spoken to Believers and what to unbelievers and Joh 8. 24. where it 's said if they did not believe that he was the Christ they should die in their sins and the Apostle said all was gone astray both Jewes and Gentiles that God might have mercy upon all Rom. 11. 32. and so this mercy of God to the World thou denies and God respects no man's person as in the Acts c. And whereas thou brings many Scriptures to prove that the Saints by the Light had faith had gift to trust in him had power to become Sons of God and had Christ dwelling in them by his Spirit and by Faith c. Ans All these is nothing to the matter in hand for the Dispute was not about the
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
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
light And the Son of God is come And what dost thou talk of Grace and denies his Light And what dost thou talk of the love which was in the Fathers bosome for thou who denies him who is the Light of the world and that dost not believe in him the light how should thou have Everlasting life but perish in thy gain-saying And thou saist That Christ did not come to enlighten every man that comes into the world but only those that believe on him and brings Ioh. 3. 19. 8. 12. Ans This is thy saying and not Iohns thou hast wronged those Scriptures for none of them doth say that Christ did not come to enlighten every man that comes into the world but only those that believe thou hast not proved this by the Scriptures though thou hast perverted many for Iohn 1. said he was the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the world And thou saist but only those that believe And Christ says I am the light of the World and believe in the light And Ioh. 3. 19. 8. 12. doth not say there he hath only enlightned some but all good and bad such as hate the light and would not come to it lest the light should reprove them whose deeds be evil this is thy condition And the Condemnation is because that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds be evil but he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God but thou art not come to the light whose deeds be evil and so manifests that they are not wrought in God but fights against it And whereas thou speaks The word made flesh is he that was promised to be a Covenant to the people and a Light to the Gentiles who brings into the world a Life and Light far exceeding the Light that was set up in every man that comes into the world by the word Creator Answ This word made flesh and Covenant of Light which the Prophets gave testimony of as in the 1 of John thou denyes And in Joh. 8. and Luk. 2. A Light to lighten the Gentiles And this was Christ for John saith he was not the Light but came to bear witness of the Light that was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World And this is above thy natural Light and created Light and made Light And doth give life And dost thou not mean the Scripture when thou speaks of the word Creator For we have good reason to suspect thee seeing thou said to me Thomas Curwen and to William Wilson in thy Chamber That the Scriptures were the Author of thy Faith for the rest of thy Generation used to tell us That the Scriptures was the word and the Light of the Creator is a Natural and a created Light and the Spirit of a natural man that knows the things of God And this is the Light that John came to bear witness of saist thou And this thy miserable darkness in saying Iohn came to bear witness of a created and natural Light and Spirit of a man and a natural mans Conscience That he should be sent of God to bear this witness For as many as received him this light which did enlighten them became the Sons of God but they that hated this light it became their Condemnation Joh. 3. Joh. 1. 12. And thou nor none will never receive Life nor Son-ship but as they receive the Light which thou hates makes such outrage against but that Light which Iohn bore witness of which thou bears witness against has ript off thy covering manifested thy deeds turned thy inside out And the Light is a stumbling block to thee and a Rock of offence for it seems it has offended thee an thou that would not have the Light will not have the Son and so has denied thy self of Life yet thou wilt bow the knee and spit in his face and say is not this the Carpenters Son the natural Light like the Jews And where doth the Scripture say which thou hast perverted that Iohn came to bear witness of the Light the Word Creator and not of Christ the Ligh the Word Make this good by plain Scripture without thy immaginations and before they be born again they must believe in the Light Iohn the 12th And so men are in Death and Darkness and hates the Light as thou dost and remains in the Natural State while they hate the Light for that which makes manifest is the Light Ioh. 3. Ephes 5. 13. And thou saist The neglect of this distinction of the word Creator and the Word made Flesh which is so plainly laid down in the Scripture as hath been shewed is the ground of the great mistake of many who not considering what is testified of the word as Creator do confound that light which is set up by him as such in every man with that Light which he gives as he is the word made flesh and so call the light saving which is but Natural springing up with him in his Creation yea hence they call that Light Christ which is but the Law written in the heart whereas Christ is the Law-giver and so cannot be the Law Ans Here thou holds forth two Words and was it not the word that became flesh and doth not John Revel 19. say that he is the Alpha and Omega and his Name is called the Word of God so here is one word but thou hath not found another word and so to make two words and here thou goes about to divide Christ when the Scripture saith I and my Father are one Joh. 17. And there is three that bear Record in Heaven the Father VVord and Holy Ghost and these Three are one he doth not say two words Joh. 5. 7. And is not the New Covenant Christ the Law in the heart Hob. 8. 9 10 11. And it is false for we do not call the Natural Light springing up with man in his Creation saving but we say Christ is the Light and Salvation to the ends of the Earth And the light which is Natural that comes from the word Creator by which they may know the Eternal power and God-head as thou saist before by which they may seek and feel after God and brings Cor. 2. which saith The Natural man doth not know nor perceive the things of God Was there ever such confusion as this for they that had that which let them see the Eternal Power and God-head was by that which might be known of God which was manifest in them for that which brings people to know the Eternal Power and God-head and to feel and seek after him and to know much of the Creator is not a Natural light as thou saist doth but it is a Spiritual Light and it is thou that confounds thy self with thy own imaginations and distinctions and wrongs and abuses the Scriptures and is
not fit to take them into thy mouth for thou hast made a trade of them too long and the Light Christ Jesus who ends the Law And where doth the Scripture speak of a Natural light and a Created Light from the word Creator springing up with people in their Creation for a Natural light makes him but a Natural man still by which he cannot know much of his Creator who is Spiritual as thou saist nor seek and feel after God nor know his Eternal power and Godhead For the natural man perceives not the things of God but they are foolishness to him for they are spiritually discerned but it is Christ the true light which Iohn came to bear witness of which thou calls natural which men are to believe in so thou leads people from the true light Christ Jesus and so to hate Christ And so thy self and them both into Condemnation Ioh. 3. And the light will be thy condemnation fight against it as long as thou wilt for it is the Saints Armor For Put on the Armor of light saith the Apostle to the Saints And whereas thou writes to thy people to keep them from the Light Christ Jesus which light thou art afraid of coming to but many is come to it And further thou tells thy people of trembling nay they are far off that thou and thy people are rather in scorn against the Light of Christ and calls it natural And whereas thou saist How destructive and pernitious will the light of Christ which we speak of and Iohn bore testimonie of prove to pretious souls And thou saist Admit this grand lye for the Corner stone and the whole superstructure will consist of lyes Answ This is thy Envy against Christ the Light and foundation which destroys the Lyer and Lyes for there is no lie of the Truth And thy foundation consists of nothing but lyes against the truth for thou and thy Generation of Priests has long prophesied falsly against Christ our Rock and Foundation and that we should fall untill you be all tumbled down your selves And many of your Merchants are turned Bankrupts Oh that thou wert but in Authority thou wouldst shew other weapons against them that walks in the light of Christ But God has broken thy horn and Truth remains the same as ever and shines over all your heads Glory to the Lord God for ever And thou saist Open this as the first door of entrance as they do and it leads into a Babell of Confusion and Errors no sooner is a man entred in at this deadly Gate but he is in the City Tohn where first if his eyes be anointed with Eye-salve by the true Iesus he may behold this Image of Iealousie viz. the light that is in every man that comes into the world Answ Thou calls the Light of Christ which Iohn came to bear witness and testimony of an Image of Jealousie that leads into the City Tohu and into a Babell of Confusion c. What doth Iohn come to bear testimony of such a light as this is that people was to believe in as he saith Doth the Scripture speak any such words in John 1. 9. What railing expressions is here against the true Christ Jesus who enlightens the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel This is just the Jews who said He had a Devil Might not Margaret Fell justly call thee a Blasphemer And what dost thou talk of the true Jesus and Eye salve when thou deniest him the true light who is the door Ioh. 10. But you are all seen who deny the light to be gone into Tohu and confusion and the least in the light of Jesus sees your Images of Jealousies fall down one after another And you are also faln with them in darkness who denies the light with the earthly wisdom And whereas thou saist Set up and worshiped 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 than that of Ieroboams and the Papists by how much it is the more Mysterious and in shew the more spiritual and so less diseernable whence it comes to pass that multitudes are insnar'd by it according to that in 2 Pet. 2. 2 Many shall follow their pernicious ways The falling down to this Image is that whereby every particular Person is matriculated or Registred into their Society of Friends for now and not before as they say he hath received the truth and notwithstanding many defects is accepted as a friend Ans Here thou hast manifested thy lyes Envie and Malice not only against us but against Christ the light and the Prophets and Apostles testimonie for it is God we worship in the Spirit and in the Truth And God is well pleased with us in him Christ And they that followed Christ the light was his Friends And so we which believe in the light and walk in the light are children of the light And because many is come to walk in the light and have fellowship in it this makes thee to rage against us and our fellowship in the light and in it one with another And what are the defects thou slanders our Friends withall for we can call all people Friends but they that be in the truth are friends in the truth Christ who is the Redeemer And thus to pray to Christ thou saist is an Idolatry and worse than that of Ieroboams and of the Pepists Mind the spight and envy and malice of this man and what mischief he utters forth against the Light of Jesus and them that pray in the light in the spirit to Christ God as the Saints did and this is become an Idolatry with I. VV. worse then that of Ieroboams the Papists he saith this leads people into pernitious ways but that is false and an error for Christ the Light leads none into pernitious wayes but thou art deep in them who causeth the way of Truth to be evil spoken of and speaks evil of the right way and makes lyes thy Refuge and art compassed with a Cloud of Error fighting against the Lord and the Lamb but he will have the victory for we matter not what thou can speak against us but when thou speaks against the Lord we are bold and valient to declare against such who art promoting thy permitious wayes against Christ the Light the way who is a mystery to thee and whom thou saist is a pernitious way because many goes in at it was there ever such error uttered but it will fall upon thy self and this makes thee to rage because Babylon is fallen and she is loosing some of her Children And because we praise God in the Truth and will not follow the Priests but followes Christ the Light and honours the Lamb this thou calls an Idol and worse then that of Jeroboams c. And as for Papists dost thou not know that two Baptist Preachers in Essex are turned Papists who were Railing
against the Light of Christ as thou dost who art fallen in the dark that the very words in the Common-Prayer may judge thee who in thy pride looks to be far above that Before thou saist that the Light would lead people to see much of their Creator and of his Eternal Power and God-head and bring people to seek and feel after God And now thou saist it is an Idol and an Image of jealousie and worse then that of Jeroboams and the Papists and leads into pernitious wayes and into the City Tohu and into a Babel of confusion and errors How now John thou hast sure forgotten thy former words was there ever the like confusion heard it could not be believed that ever such wickedness had ever been in a man covered under a feigned Humility And whereas thou saist VVe Pray and Sing and teach all or many together with loud voices contrary to 1 Cor. 14. 33 40. Ans Thou makes no shame of lying and to publish them abroad to villifie the Truth for all people that knowes us knowes thou art a lyer for neither thou nor any hath heard us speak or pray all together in words with loud voices neither hath any of us in our Meetings been heard speak seldom but one by one but if others have praised the Lord when they heard others speak and sung praises to the Lord God which thing torments thee and if others have lifted up their voices to the Lord God when others have been praying together shewing the lively power of the Lord God amongst us which torments the deadness of thy Assembly and makes thee thus rage for in the 1 Cor. 14. they might speak two or three and the rest might judge and this is decent Order but it is disorder in thy dark Assembly thou would say 24. Elders that fell down together and praised the Lord was a confusion Rev. 4. and make a joyfull noyse as David saith often but these Corinthians were in a confusion about their Bread and Wine as thou and thy Priests are but thou art like to the Jewes at Pentecost that said the Apostles were drunk And Acts 24. in a Meeting when they lifted up their voices with one accord and said Thou art worthy Lord God of Heaven and Earth who hath made the Heavens and the Earth Sea and all things that is in them but this thou will sure say was confusion And whereas thou saist we call our selves a Meeting not a Church and the particular Members Friends not Brethren and Sisters Ans Here thou hath manifested thy self to beignorant of the Scriptures Isa 1. 13. which calls the Assemblies of the Church a Solemn Meeting and the Lord gives it the name of a Solemn Meeting the Church was met together and the Brethren met with the Apostles Acts and Amos 4. 12. prepare to meet thy God and they met with Jesus crying Hosanah with Palm-Trees and Branches in their hands Joh. 12. 13. and thou would say this was a confused Multitude And further thy ignorance is manifested in the Scriptures because we call one another Friends thou art troubled Acts 29. 3. Paul had liberty to go see his Friends And Christ saith ye are my Friends and I have called you Friends Joh. 3. Epist ver 14. our Friends salute and greet the Friends and so because we say Friends and Meeting this is to set forth a new Jesus thou maliciously saith but thou art a manifest lyar both by our words and Writings for we call our Meetings Churches and our Friends Brethren and Sisters and so here it will be seen that we do not characterize our selves by new Names which thou hast falsly and maliciously charged upon us But thou hast given thy self up to forge lies and work wickedness for no other Jesus but him who is the same to day yesterday and for ever do we own who is the Light of the World and enlightens every man that comes into the World which hath been proved before whom John was sent of God to bear witness of that all through him might believe and as many as receives him he gives power to become the Sons of God which thou blasphemously calls Christ the Light an Idol and Natural light And whereas thou saist VVe cannot find the Names or Offices of Pastor Elder Deacon Teacher which Christ set in his Church Ans Here the very common people will witness against thee that thou lyest for the work shewes it by the care and order that nothing is lacking for we have more in our Church then the Names of those Offices we have the fruits of them for nothing is wanting amongst us we have the Great Bishop are taught of God do know the Lord from the greatest to the least Heb. 8. But what is become of your Teachers and Pastors and Deacons who made such a noyse against us a few years ago who had the Name but out of the life and power And whereas thou saist VVe do not alledge Scripture for our Doctrine for proof but VVomen speak in our Meetings Here again thou adds lyes to lyes and delights in lyes Psal 62. 4. and art a deceitful witness speaking lyes Prov. 14. 25. and hast bent thy tongue like a Bow for lyes Jer. 6. and so speaking lyes in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 14. for we had never meeting nor discourse with people but we prov'd our Doctrine by Scripture and at the last dispute thou had Scripture brought to prove the truth against thee and out of Peter and Jade proved thee to be the man that denyed the Lord that bought thee And as for thy denying Womens speaking thon has herein manifested thy ignorance of the Scripture for Christ seat Mary Magdalen first to declare his Resurrection unto his Disciples Marke 16. and that the Daughter of Phanitel she declared of Christ to all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem Luke 2. And. Phebe a Servant of the Church which in some Translations is a Pastor And Priscilla and Aquilla Instructor's and Philip had four Daughters Prophesied And women were Labourers with the Apostle in the Gospel Read Acts and Romans 16. Women prophesied 1 Cor. 11. And Acts 2. Joel 2. Sons and Daughters prophesie And thus John Wiggan can make no distinction between those women that are forbibden to speak and those who are incouraged and commended his envy hath so blinded him but limits the holy one that his folly might be manifest to all men for Christ in the male and female was not to be limited nor prophesye to be despised 1 Thes 5. but thou hast manifested thy self to be contrary to Christ and his Ministers and so proved thy self to be a false Minister and one of the false Teachers that puts no difference between the pretious and the vile and a walker in lyes Jer. 23. And so it is thou that teachest lyes in the name of the Lord And was Mary Magdalen a Jezabel and Priscilla Phebe Anna the rest of the Women the Apostle forbids
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
their hearts that was in the beginning has thou not here denyed the Emanuel God with us that the Prophet Isay testified of and so has denyed Christ come in the Flesh whereby thou has clearly manifested thy self to be an Antichrist indeed for thou hast set thy self to oppose Christ for Christ Jesus himself when he preached to the multitude he said Mat. 13. 3. c. A Sower went out to sow and the Seed that he sow'd was the Word of God and the field that he sow'd in was the World and the ground that brought forth fruit to God was the honest and good heart And he saith again Ye are clean thorow the Word c. Ioh. 15. 3. And again Sanctifie them thorow thy truth thy word is truth Ioh. 17. 17. And again Heb. 3. Who being the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his Power when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high was not this Christ But thou wilt say it may be if he be of the Majesty on high he is not in the hearts of people then Thy blindness darkness and ignorance of God looks so But the Apostle Peter his Exhortation was That as new born babes they should desire the sincere milk of the Word that they might grow thereby And the Apostle James exhorted them To receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save the Soules Chap. 1. 21. And again in Peter 1 epist 2. 6. Behold I lay in Zion a chief Corner-stone elect pretious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded unto you therefore which believe he is pretious but unto them which be disobedient the Stone which the Builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them that stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. Now I. W. thou art this man for thou has stumbled at the word and art fallen and shall never rise again this stone shall grind thee to powder this is our Corner-stone which thou sayes thou will confound but the Apostle sayes he that believeth in him and we believe in him therefore shall never be confounded and so here thou will be found a lyer And thou saith in thy Book thou will remove our foundation which is the light in every man which is sufficiently proved that it is Christ Jesus the foundation of all the Prophets and Apostles and here thou strives with that which is too strong for thee the weighty stone must needs fall upon thee And in 2 Pet. 1. 19. where Peter exhorted them to take heed to the more sure word of prophesie and to the light that shined in a dark place and to the day-star that would arise in their hearts but thy dark preaching is contrary to that and 1 Joh. 1. 1. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen without eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life c. Let the serious Reader but read this Chapter and see if by it he may not in his own understanding judge of the wickedness of this man and also in the 2. Chap. where the Apostie saies He writes no new Commandement unto you but an old Commandement which ye had from the beginning the old Commandement is the word which ye have heard from the beginning Again a new Commandement I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth Here the Apostle manifesteth the word and the light to be one in that he writes unto them in the word and in the Light that now shines glory be to the Lord for evermore which the whole power of darkness hath long mustered up and stood against but he that is upon the white Horse who is called faithful and true in Righteousness he doth judge and make war his eyes are as a flame of fire and upon his head many Crownes he was cloathed in a vesture dipt in blood and his name is called the Word of God Rev. 20. 11 12 13. Now I have done with thee as concerning this head and thou will find that this word will judge thee in the last day who hath punctually denyed Christ Jesus to be the Word of God which is his name so he stands upon thee thy condemner for ever and so thereby thou art manifest to be the Antichrist So the next head that I am to manifest to the Reader is that thou makes a distinction of God and Christ and through thy denying of Christ to be the Light that comes into the World and thereby denies Christ to be come in the Flesh and thereby art the Antichrist for thou saith that Christ is not the word and Light which John bears witness of but saist it is the word Creator and so makes a difference betwixt the Father and the Son and so art just in the Arrians Principle in dividing the Father and the Son which brought in Heresies of old into the Churches and contrary unto the Angels testimony unto Joseph and Mary who said She should bring forth a Son and shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying Behold a Virgin shall be with Child and bring forth a Son they shall call his name Emanuel which being interpreted is God with us And so contrary to this thou would divide Christ and God So here thou hast denyed Christ of his propriety in the Father and hast blasphemed against the God-head contrary to Christ his own words who said I and my Father are one and so here thou has joyn'd with the Jewes in taking up stones to stone him with And also in the 8. of Iohn and the 16. ver And yet if I judge my judgment is true for I am not alone but I and my Father that sent me And again in the 14. of Iohn and the 10. ver Believes thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me doth the works believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me And in the 2. vers before Philip saith Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us Iesus saith unto him hast thou not known me Philip he that hath seen me hath seen the Father And again Ioh. 17. 11. Keep them thorow thy own name that they may be one as we are And again verse 21. That they may be all one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one And so thou that hast divided the Son from his Father and
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
I have told them the truth and not for any other cause c. Ans That which thou hast spoken hath been against the truth and is lyes and the Reader may see thou calls Christ an Idol a natural Light a created Light and spirit of a Natural man contrary to the Scripture and so thou being against Christ the Scriptures and Gods people therefore have we writ to thee and spoken to thee being according to thy own Challenge in love and in a Scripture way and it is for Christs sake thou hates us And whereas thou speaks of another sheet that thou will present to discover the mystery of iniquity Bring out all the strength thou hast for it will further discover thy own iniquity and thou shalt not find Christ Natural or Created nor an Idol but in his strength we shall answer thee And whereas thou saist to the inquirer and weak Take heed of the Religion that begins with a lye for it is certain a great judgment of God to be given up to believe lyes 2 Thes 2. 10. and that the first step to this peoples Religion is an abominable lye and that every one is taught and required at his enterance into this Religion to believe this lye I have shewed in my former Paper Ans It is thy own Religion which is begun with a lye therefore all people are to take heed of it who denies Christ the Light Joh. 1. 8 12. and art given up to believe lyes and utter the same 2 Thes 2. And whereas thou maliciously saith To turn people from the darkness to the Light of Christ being our first step is a lye Ans In this thou hast proved thy self a false Minister and contrary to the Scripture and the Apostles Ministry which was the same which is the first step in this thou hast manifest thy envy as all yong people may see who enquireth after the Lord Acts 2. and the abominable lye is thy own and little else but lyes in thy Book and so thou may expect the judgment of the Lord to be thy portion And whereas thou bids them take heed of that spirit that denyes Christ come in the Flesh least they be partaker of his evil deeds by biding him God speed Answ This is thy own condition thou art the Man who denyes him to be come to enlighten all Men and denyes his Light to be convincing and so has denyed John's testimony a Man sent from God John 1. And so none that feares God can bid thee God speed in thy evil work therefore thou art offended and we shall not be partakers with thee of thy evil deeds for no other Christ do we own but he who dyed at Jerusalem above sixteen hundred years since who sits at the right hand of God and is revealed in us according to his promise who saith I will come and dwell in you as in Joh. and the Cor. 1. Cor. 3. 16. Act. 3. 20. and Collo 1. 26. 27 28. and all who are called Christians confess Christ to be come but deny the end of his coming to destroy the Devil and his works 1 Ioh. 3. 68. and to take away sin but they must have sin while they be upon the Earth this is your general Doctrine and denyes Christ to be come a Light into the World according to both the Prophets and Apostles And whereas thou saist Take heed of that people who have no better weapons then censures cursings judging threatnings Answ Our weapons are spiritual and we have related over to thee thy due according to the Scripture as the Scriptures threatens thee and pronounces these Plagues to be due to thee who addes to it and we teach that people might follow Christ Jesus the Light of the World and not follow thee who saist he is a natural Light and an Idol and a created Light and James 3. 9. is thy condition and so thou art the Man that deceives people with vain words Ephe. 5. 6. and with fair speeches the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. And as for giving satisfaction thou art not likely who denyes the Light Christ Jesus and any who reads thy confused Book may see there is no satisfaction given in it though thou hast perverted many Scriptures and as for thy further debate upon thy assertion we tould thee we were ready and tell thee so now again who hast challenged us twice in this thy Book to meet us before the Sheriff which thou might have spared this Challenge in thy Appendix for we had given thee an Answer before we would meet thee to wit Thomas Curwen Husbandman William Houlding Blacksmith William Wilson Taylor and Henry VVood a dayly Labourer Seeing thou art the Man who hath challenged us we shall in the strength of the Lord meet thee when thou wilt and appoint a time and place for we were the Men whom thou hadst first to deale withall in this place and what dost thou scoffingly put Shoo-maker in which was not in which is a word of thy own forging as though thou was not able to Answer us or durst not stand to thy own assertions but shuffles from them And one would have thought John Henry VVood had given thee disputing enough before when thou was so gravel'd and stopt thou fled away from the Table and now it seemes thou hast put it of till the Magistrates call us out as though they had nothing to do but to medle with thy Antichristian wayes Nevertheless it stands on thy head and do not say we provoked thee for it was thy own Challenge for thou hast taken that in hand thou canst not make good by the Scriptures without adding or diminishing we know that before hand And whereas thou saist He that saith and affirmeth the Light in every man to be Christ is a deceiver and an Antichrist Ans The Light that lighteth every man that comes into the World he that affirmed this was no Antichrist Joh. 1. who said As many as receives him he gives them them power to become the Sons of God and here thou hast shewed forth thy malice against Christ and against the Apostle who bore witness of him and in plain words calls him an Autichrist and against us who are in the same Doctrine and teach the same thing and thou hast proved thy self to be an Antichrist 2 Joh. 9. for Christ is the Light and Salvation to the ends of the Earth who doth enlighten euery man that comes into the world Joh. 1. Joh. 8. Luke 2. 32. And thou saist what feeble shifts are those my Assertion striks at their very foundation and before they make that good they would run into other matters they seem to be weary of their cause but I must hold them to it till their Corner-stone and mine be so thorowly tryed that it may evidently appear whither of us be of the true Rock Christ Jesus Ans Thy Rock which thou so calls is tryed and found to be no Rock but confusion who denies Christ Jesus
the things of God l. 28. f. ligh read light p. 66. l. 36. f ligh r. light p. 73. l. 36. f. is r. his p. 78 l. 4 f. game r. gaime l. 15. where ever is twice blot out the one p. 87. l. 9. f. overshipping r. overskippng p. 88 l 31. f. Luke the tenth r. Luke the first p. 103. l. 10. f. sad r. said p. 105 l. 23. f. without r. with our p. 130 l 34. blot out deserves line 36 for seems read serves THE END Some Scriptures which overturns Wiggan's Assertions GOD so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting Life I have no pleasure in the death of him that sinneth I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked If any of you lack wisedome let him ask of God who giveth to all Men liberally and upbraideth no Man God hath made of one blood all Nations of Men perverse disputings of Men of corrupt mindes Evil Men shall wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. Christ is a Light to lighten the Gentiles Luke 2. 32. Salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles The grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all Men. Titus 2. 11. They turned the Grace of God into Lasciviousness The Worlds were made by the Word of God By the Word of God the Heavens were of old As many that corrupted the Word of God In Christ dwells all the fulness of the God-head bodily The true Light which doth enlighten every Man that comes into the World I am the Light of the World saith Christ so Christ is that Light which shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not God commanded Light to shine out of darkness and shined in our hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ I am the Light of the World saith Christ they that fellowes me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the Light of Life believe in the Light while yee have the Light that yee may be the Children of the Light Such as Rebels against the Light Men love darkness rather then Light Every one that doth evil hates the Light neither doth he bring his deeds to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved And every one that doth truth brings his deeds to the Light that he may see whether his deeds be wrought in God but Jo. Wig. saith the Light is not salvation contrary to David Psal 27. The Lord is my Light and my Salvation who then shall I fear Jo. Wiggan saith the Light doth not reprove the sin of unbelief contrary to Paul to the Ephesians who saith whatsoever is reproved is manifest in the Light and so this is plain that unbelief is manifest by the Light But there is a spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding The dust turn to the Earth the spirit to the Lord that gave it They also that have erred in spirit shall come to understanding they that murmured shall learn Doctrine Thus saith the Lord he that created the Heavens and stretched them out he that spreadeth forth the Earth and that which cometh out of it he that giveth breath unto the people and spirit to them that walk therein Gods saving health among all Nations let all people praise the Lord let all people praise the Lord let all Nations praise the Lood and sing but Jo. VVig speaks contrary to David how can Gods saving health be among all Nations when they have not the Saving-Light Look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be saved for I am God and there is none else but Jo. Wiggan saith they have nothing but a created Light that is darkness Mat. 6. 22. Oh Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee All flesh shall know that I am thy salvation but how can all flesh know his salvation when they have not the spirit as J. Wig. affirmeth This is good and acceptable in the fight of God our Saviour who will have all Men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth but Jo. Wiggan saith God denyes faith to some Men and so gives God the lye and saith Christ doth not enlighten every Man that comes into the World with a saving Light And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the truth in the love of it that they might be saved But how can they obey the spirit and truth when they have it not may Jo. Wiggan say I will that Men pray every where lifting up holy hands But were thy hands holy J. VV. when thou laidst such violent hands upon me Tho. Curwen and thy spirit of God Turn yee at my reproof and I will pour out my spirit unto you I will put my spirit within you I will put my spirit within you and will make you a new heart and a new spirit Such as vexes the spirit The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh But Jo. VVig maniests that he knows nothing of this warfare who saith some hath not the spirit to war with he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Jo. VVig that would not have the spirit in every Man its plain he soweth to the flesh not to the spirit for he saith it is not within them Quench not the Spirit They erred in Spirit They have erred from the faith And Balaam erred from the spirit Shall receive a Recompence of their error Rom. 1. The spirit of the Lord came upon Balaam The Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul 1 Sam. 10. The Spirit of the Lord came upon the Messengers of Saul And so this overthrowes VViggan's Assertion who saith wicked Men have not the spirit All the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my Nostrils Christ is the Saviour of the World and giveth unto the World My flesh I will give for the life of the VVorld Joh. 6. 15. Go yee into all the VVorld and preach the Gospell Mark 16. They that believe shall be saved but they that believe not shall be damned I am the Light of the VVorld I am not come to judge the VVorld but to save the VVorld Ioh. 12. That the VVorld may believe that thou hast sent me God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. This is condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men loved darkness rather then Light because their deeds are evil I am come a Light into the World Joh. 9. Done despite against the Spirit of Grace Hebr. 10. But they rebel'd and vext his holy Spirit therefore the
Light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the World is an Anti-christ and Deceiver but here Priest Wiggan hath called John an Antichrist and Deceiver who came for a witness to bear witness of the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the world and I am the Light said Christ believe in the Light I am come a light into the world Joh. 8. 12. and they that did believe in the light had fellowship in it and the light that shone in their hearts gave them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 1 Ioh. 1. and so thou hast proved thy self to be an Antichrist and doth deny Christ come in the flesh who enlightens every man that comes into the world and thou calls the true light of Christ which the Saints and we walk in the Natural mans spirit and a Created light and a Natural light As to thy Objection which is against John who saith this is the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the World Would John have bid them believe in it except it had been Christ Joh. 1. 7 8 9. and this is an invincible proof against thy assertion and all the people thou dost deceive and John was a true Witness but thou art a false and John bore a true witness to the Light but thou bears false witness against the light and so thou turns people from light to darkness and the true Apostle turned them from darkness to the light Acts 2. 6. And whereas thou say'st We write in several Books as may be seen this light Christ is God the Lord God and the Lamb the Object of Faith and this true Light which is Christ enlightens not some but every man coming into the World and therefore it must needs be saving and that this light can be meant for no other then of Christ they further alleage John 3. 12. 12. 35 36. where it is plainly exprest that Christ is the Light Answ In this thou hast manifested thy ignorance of the Scriptures and of the Saints Testimony and thou scoffs because we say Christ hath not enlightened some but all and so thou art he that makes Sects amongst the people in saying he doth not enlighten them all thou may as well say his love was not to all in giving his Son for all and we say Christ the light is the object of Faith the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world by whom the world was made and this is our Testimony to all men for the Lord and Christ is the light and the Lamb and God is light And this is our Message which we have heard of him that God is light and in him is no darkness at all and Christ and God will dwell in man whom we witness Glory to him for ever through which we see over thee who hath long deceived some of us Whereas thou say'st We have perverted many Scriptures That is false for we speak them as they are but it is manifest thou hast per verted many and quoted many false and many people that doth not know thy subtle devices but takes all things for granted without any trial such thou may deceive for thy Book manifests it self sufficiently if it had not been answered but only for the sake of the simple which thou keeps under thee in thy error and delusion that they might see thee and come from under thy snare for we are satisfied as to our selves for thy work is only to keep people in darkness from the light and we are come from under thy Captivity and see thy subtlety and snares and know what thou can say and long enough since saw thy confusion And thou say'st when it is said that was the true light which enlighteneth every man that comes into the World It must be considered first who this true Light is secondly how he doth enlighten every man that comes into the World for first the Scriptures do witness that this true Light is the word God by whom the World was made thus it is said Joh. 11. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God all things was made by him that is by the Word God John was sent to bear witness of the Light that is of the word God that was the true Light that is the word God even he by whom the World was made he was in the World and the World knew him not which was the Creator and former of all things Ans In this you may see how he hath perverted the Scriptures and overthrown his Assertion and his former Writings in his Books for he saith that the light which lighteneth every man that comes into the World which John bore Testimony of is the word God by which all things was made and created which men was to believe in this was not a saving light saith he though it be Divine and doth he not call it a Created light a Natural light and the spirit of a Natural Man and now it is God and not saving for the Scripture saith the Word was with God Joh. 1. and this speaks of Christ and Christs Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19 13. and the Word was with God that thou hast left out and this Word became Flesh So he goes about to prove that Christ was not the Word with the Father before the World began which is contrary to the Scripture which saith I was with him in the beginning as Solomon saith and Christ saith Glorifie thou me with the same Glory which I had with thee before the World was Joh. 17. And again thou say'st The Word God thus considered is the true light the fountain and original of all lights according to the Scripture 1 Joh. 1. 5. God is light and in him is no darkness at all this is he in whom was life and the life was the light of men in whom we live move and have our being we are his off-spring and he is the fountain both of light and life to all beings according to their capacities as their Creator and thus we may see what this true light is the word God Answ And yet thou saist before this was not saving this true Light this word God how dark art thou is not Christ called God and his Name the Word of God Emanual God with us and 2 Pet. 3. 7. the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store c. And Heb. 11. 3. Through faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God c. And Christ is the Light and Life of Men and not saving and is not he saving and is not he spiritual and saving whom all has a being in and moving in didst thou not call him before a natural Light and a created Light and a natural Mans spirit and would prove it out of Cor. 2. and now it is God and Creator and not Christ
man that 's come into the world is the same light which John bore witnesse of which was a man sent of God for that purpose before Christ Jesus came to prepare the way before him as the Scripture doth testifie which prophesied of him before he came and which prophecies he bore witnesse to when he came as Isa 40. 3 4 5. the voice of him that cryeth in the wildernesse prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desert the high way of our God Read on to the fifth verse and Malachy the 3. and 1. Behold I send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shal suddenly come to his Temple and according to these prophecies the Angel Gabriel came to Zacharias and told him that he should have a son and Luke 1. 19. and the Angel answering said I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tydings and in the sixth month after the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a Virgin espoused to a man named Joseph which testified of the birth of Christ as you may read in the of Luke at large and the Angel said unto Zacharias when he told them of the birth of John he said fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard for thy wife Elizabeth shall bear a son and thou shalt call his name John and thou shalt have joy and gladnesse in him and many shall rejoyce at his birth and he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and he shall be filled with the holy Ghost even this is he that bore witnesse of the Light which Iohn Wigan calls an Idol from his mothers womb and after this child was born his fathers mouth was opened in praises unto the Lord being dumb since the Angel spoke to him because he did not fully believe and his father Zacharias was filled with the holy Ghost and prophesied of Christ saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his people and so to the end of the Chapter as you may read ver 76. and the child shall be called the Prophet of the highest to wit Christ and thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his waies to give knowledg of salvation unto his people by the Remission of their sins and Christ himself bore witnesse of John Mat. 11. and said he was more than a Prophet and said of all that were born of women there was not a greater then John and said he was a burning and shining light as you may read For this is he of whom it is written Behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee ver 10. and if ye will receive it this is the Elias which was for to come for all the Prophets and the Law prophecyed until John He that hath an ear to hear let him hear ver 13 14 15. and the Apostle bore witnesse of Iohn and said as John fulfilled his course Acts 13. he said Whom think ye that I am I am not he but there cometh one after me the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to loose Thus far we have proved unto you what Iohn was that he was sent of God to bear witnesse of Christ by these Scriptures with many more which might be instanced concerning John Now we shall go to Johns testimony and witnesse which he bore of Christ Jesus John 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made in him was life and this life was the light of men This is he which John bore witnesse of this same John came for a witnesse to bear witnesse of this Light that all men through him might believe as you may see proved by all the foregoing prophecies of him he said He was not the light but was sent to bear witnesse of the light that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world This is the light and no other which we witnesse and bear testimony of which John Wigan saith is an idol He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not but as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believed on his name not to such unbelievers as John Wigan who denies him which was born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This John Wigan calls an idol And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten son of God full of grace and truth John bore witnesse of him and cryed saying This is he of whom I spoke he that cometh after me who is preferred before me ver 15. Now here the reader may see W's blasphemies and lyes in his book where he saith that the light that John bare witnesse of that lighteth every man that comes into the world is the word creator and not the word made flesh Christ so let the reader read John 1. 14 15. and this is the record of John when the Jews sent priests and levites from Jerusalem and asked him who art thou and he confessed and denied not I am not the Christ and they asked him and said unto him who art thou and he said I am the vâ—ice of one crying in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord as said the prophet Isaiah 1 John ver 23. They asked him why baptizest thou then and John answered saying I baptize with water but there standeth one among you whom ye know not he it is who coming after me is preferred before me c. Jo. 1. ver 26. 27. Here John beares witness of him according to the prophesies the next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and said Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world This is he of whom I said after me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me ver 29. 30. This is he whom we worship as our redeemer whom J. W. saith to worship is to set up a greater Idolatry then that of Jeroboams and of the Papists and John saith further that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water and John bore record saying I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove and it abode upon him and I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he that baptizeth with the holy Ghost And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God and this is he whom J.
to him all the Prophets gave witness and while Peter spoke these Words the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word And what Word was this they heard when the Holy Ghost fell on them was it not the word the Apostle preached Christ Oh thou enemy of God how should Christ be preached if that word which the Apostles preached was not Christ and were not they the Ministers of the Gospel and of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1. 18. But as God is true our word towards you was not yea and nay for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached amongst you by us even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea Here the Apostle clearly manifests that the word which they Preached was the Son of God Christ Jesus and was not the word of Reconciliation which the Apostle preached was not this Christ doth he not say All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given unto us the Ministry of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation and we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God for he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him This message is a torment to J. W. he is none of those Embassadours he carrieth no such message as this this is contrary to his Doctrine for he will not have God and Christ to be one nor he will not have the World reconciled for he saith The Light that lightens them is not saving and how can they be reconciled unto God if they be not saved from their sin he makes account that Christs Blood is not shed for all and the Apostle saith He is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World But J. W. saith that this Word is not Christ and the Apostle did commend those that he preached to and committed them to the word of his Grace which is able to build them up and to give them an Inheritance among all them that are Sanctified But for the Readers satisfaction we shall prove something out of the Old Testament Did not Abraham see Christs day and was glad and believed and it was counted to him for Righteousness was not this by Christ the Word which was in the beginning with God who said before Abraham was I am did not Moses write of him as Christ saith and saith A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things Did not Moses see this by the word that was in his heart which he preached to them and did not David Prophesie and saw Christ set up a King upon the Holy Hill of Zion and said he would declare the Decree of the Lord the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy possession Psal 2. But J. W. would not have Christ to have none of these nor such large possessions he will not have him the Light nor Saviour of the World nor have the Heathen for his Inheritance and David saw Christ a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisadecke and did he not see this by the Word that was in his heart that was a Light unto his pathes and a Lanthorn unto his steps and he said he had hid his word in his heart Psal 119. And thy Word is sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe And Solomon saith Pro. 8. 27. The Lord possessed me in the begining I was set up from everlasting from the begining or e're the Earth was was not this the word that was in Solomon's heart from the begining and the word that Isaiah the Son of Amos saw concerning Juda and Jerusalem It shall come to passe in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established on the top of the Mountains Isay 2. from the 1. vers to the 5. where he saith Oh yee House of Jacob come yee and let us walke in the Light of the Lord was not this the Light of Christ by which he saw the Mountain of the Lords House that was to be in the last dayes and was not this the Word Christ that was in the Prophet who said that their root should be rottennesse and their blossomes should goe up as dust because they have cast away the Law of the Lord and despised the holy one of Israel which Law the Prophet saw goe out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem was not this Christ Jesus the light and word of God and the Lord sent a word unto Jacob and it lighteth upon Israel and is not this Christ Jesus Gods Covenant And the Prophet Isaiah when he spoke to the people he told them their eares should hear a word behind them when they turned to the right hand or to the left and their eyes should see their Teacher and he should never more be removed into a corner and who is this that is given for a Leader and a Guider and Teacher is not this Christ that the Prophet calls to when he saith Ho every one that thristeth come and buy c. where he saith Incline thine ear and thy Soul shall live and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with thee even the sure mercies of David Is not this in Christ and is not this Call to every one that will come and incline their ear to the Light of Christ in their hearts and consciences and hearken to the word in their hearts which is given for a leader and a teacher of all people But such Ministers of darkness as J. W. never directed to this teacher and so keeping them in darkness keeps them in sin in wickedness but the Lord is coming and is come already blessed be his name to redeem and has redeemed many thousands out of their mouthes and from under the tyranny of the oppressor which they have long kept poor people in and Ier. 15. 16. where Ieremy said Thy word is myjoy and the rejoycing of my heart Was not this word Light in his heart which is sown for the Righteous and joy for the upright in heart And again Ier. 20. 9. But his Word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay And again Ier. Is not my Word like a Fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaks the Rocks in pieces Chap. 23. 29. Did not all these Prophets and Holy men of God speak and prophesie with many more which the Scripture makes mention of from the Word of God in
the Saints from them both thou hast committed Sacriledge indeed who has denyed the great work of Salvation and Redemption of Mankind which the Apostle admired at that God should send his only begotten Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life But this Christ thou has gain-said and resisted and denyed and so is never like to have benefit by him but he will be thy condemnation for ever And here thou hast fulfilled old Simeons prophesie in the 2d of Luke Vnto whom it was revealed by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before be had seen the Lords Christ who took him in his Armes and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy people Israel and behold this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel for a signe which shall be spoken against And here thou art the man that has set thy self against him and is fallen and so has denyed Christs coming in the flesh and also has denyed God being in Christ reconciling the World unto himself which the Apostle said 1 Tim. 3. 16. Was a great mystery God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit And so thou that denies the Light of Christ and his Spirit which opens and reveales the mystery thou art not like but to be ignorant who has denyed Christ in his God-head Ioh. 5. 7. for the Apostlesaith There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and this Record thou has denyed for first thou has denyed Christ to be the Word and secondly thou has denyed Christ to be one with the Father and so thou has denyed Christ to be God except thou will have two Gods for thou has created already two Lights and two Words thou will neither have Christ to be the Light of the World nor thou will not have him to be the Word which was in the beginning with the Father nor thou will not have him to be Gods Covenant of Light with Abraham and his Seed and also the promise of God unto Adam where the Lord said The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head And now let the Reader judge whether thou be not a perfect Antichrist who hath denyed Christ come in the flesh both in his Light wherewith he lightens all people that comes into the World Secondly he denies him to be the Word which was in the beginning by which all things was made and created which is the Word the Apostle directed people to in their hearts Rom. 10. 45. Thirdly He denies him to be come in the Covenant of God which is light by which he reconciles all things to himself both of things in Heaven and of things in Earth Ephes 1. 10. And fourthly thou has denyed him to be one with his Father and so I believe here the Reader will confess that J. W. is perfectly proved an Antichrist for the Apostle saith Joh. 4. 3. Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is the spirit of Anti-christ whereof you have heard should come and now is in the World And again in the 2 Ep. of John and the 1. Many Deceivers are entred into the World who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an Antichrist And so as for I. VV. he doth not only not confess Christ but hath denyed Christ to be come in the flesh as hath been manifestly proved and so is he of whom the Apostle saith VVhosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God but he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son Here the Apostle joynes them together and puts them not asunder as I. VV. doth And therefore we are not to receive him into our Houses neither bid him God speed but deny him as he hath denyed Christ and has proved himself an Antichrist compleat And whereas thou speakes in thy Book That multitudes are ensnared for want of dividing or making distinctions between God and Christ and brings the 2 of Peter 2. 2. many shall follow their pernitious wayes Answ Let the Reader read the portion of Scripture in his own judgment and truth of his heart let him judge whether this Scripture be not a true Character of thee and thy Generation of Priests or whether he can judge the Quakers to be such a People as this Scripture holds forth and by this he may judge the falsity of thy judgment and thy envy and malice which breaks forth in lying The next words following are Many shall follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandize of you who is this the Quakers or it is I. W. and his company of Priests thou breakes off betime if thou had written any further in Peter it would have come upon thy own head But there is a verse before which saith That there would be false Prophets that would bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction Here thou art perfectly set forth for I believe never any denyed him more wickedly then thou hast done as is manifestly proved and so art that false Prophet there spoken on But again verse 15. They were such as followed the way of Balaam for the wages of unrighteousness Art not thou one of these Again there were such as walked after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness must not thou needs be he who denyes the Light that manifests sin and uncleanness thorough the obedience of which they may be preserved out of it but they were to receive the reward of unrighteousness and so wilt thou who art reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished And now thou being thus manifested and proved to be what is before mentioned that the words in my Letters will fall of necesity upon thee though thou have endeavoured to cover thy self by thy setting my words in thy own frame and thereby to make them seem as if they were railing Speeches and spoken without ground And 1. Where as thou saith that I writ in my Letter to manifest thy gain-saying Spirit Core like Let the Readers judge whether this be not manifestly proved upon thy head before in gain-saying the Truth Christ who is the Light that lightens every man c. 2ly Thou saist I said Thou art without God in the World my words are thus The Light in every one as it is obeyed makes the separation from the World which Light thou denyes and so art without God in the VVorld who is Light and in
Henry Wood and William Holden not before the people to make good thy Assertion that thou boasts so much on which thou hath no cause to boast on but to be ashamed of for this is manifest of thee already in that thou hath not Answered Old H. W. Queries yet nor cannot do and what dost thou talk of G. F. meeting thee there are thousands in England that would turn and overturn thee and thy Assertions and thou art grieved that old H. W. and W. H a Blacksmith should engage with thee to Answer thy Challenge for I believe they are of ability for did not old Hen. W. stop thy mouth before the people that thou could not answer him and now thou goes and calls for G. F. to shuffle it of thee thou sure thinks that would be an honour to thee and by that thou thinks thou could shuffle of answering H. W. and W. H. of making good thy Assertion it 's an easie matter to overthrow thee and thy Assertion any babe in the truth may soon manifest thee that never was in the truth and so never mention G. F. coming to thee before thou has done with others that thou art engaged with for there is a cloud of witnesses against thee all the Saints in the Scripture bears testimony against thee and all that knows truth or ever will know it doth and will witness against thee and all of thy spirit and principle and before thou make any more boasting see if thou can clear thy self of what is here charged against thee and proved upon thee and by the Scripture of truth that is to say 1 of being a Blasphemer against the Holy Ghost 2 of being a minister of darkness 3 of being an Idolater 4 of being an Antichrist See if thou canst cast this of thee before thou talk and boast that thou chiefly desires to deal with G. F. and such others as say they are Apostles that their Doctrine and deeds being brought to the light it may be truly known whether they be true Apostles indeed or false Answ Poor conditioned man what wilt thou try with with thy dim dark Natural created light thou art tryed and proved already and weighed and found too light and so thy trying is little worth the false Apostles know more of the truth then ever thou did and yet thou art so impudent that thou talks of trying true Apostles but this is like thy former folly but all has been to manifest and bring to light thy rotten hypocrisie with which thou has deceived people but thou will proceed no further thy folly is so manifest and thy filth is so uncovered that now people will see thee and thy deceitful wickedness that with thy lying tongue can speak of Regeneration and new birth and of trying true Apostles and false with many other words which thou has stoln out of the Scriptures or else thou could not have spoken them who denies the first Principle of truth Christ Jesus the Light of the Truth and the life and the way to God and therefore he stands upon thy head thy condemner for ever for I have heard many Ministers and Teachers and seen their Works but I never saw nor heard such a humble jumble confused piece as this of thine of dividing God and Christ and such distinctions of the Light and Word but proves nothing of what thou intends but leaves it confused like thy self and sits as Judge upon the Son and sits as Judge upon the Saints and sits as Judge upon the World c. And now J. W. since thou has taken upon thee withal thy might and main to push with thy horn against the Lamb and his Followers and has engaged open war with him and has boasted as though thou would remove him out of his place and that in a publick testimony let us now prove and try thy foundation and let us see how thou will demonstrate thy strength and manifest thy ability to performe this that thou has undertaken that is to say to wit to remove our Foundation or we thine which may be manifested to the Reader by thy Answering these following Queries 1st Query Whether the Light that is in thee be not darkness but thy asserting to wit that the Light in every man is not a saving Light as also considering what is here proved before for the confuting of thy Assertions 2dly Whether thy eye be not evil and so thy whole body full of darkness since that Christ hath said that the Light of the body is the eye and by thy Assertion thou hast denyed that eye and put it out 3dly Whether dost thou believe that thou thy self has the Light of Christ in thee since thou has asserted that he has not inlightned every man yea or nay 4ly If thou have the Light of Christ in thee how comes thou by it or where had thou it more then other men and if thou was one of the World and now is not how came thy change and when and where didst thou receive that which makes thee to differ from other men 5ly Thou has taken upon thee to teach people how was thou called to it or by whom was thou made a Minister didst thou ever hear the voice of God hast thou the Revelation of Jesus as the Apostles had 6ly Dost thou turn people from the Darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan to the power of God art thou no Minister of the Letter but only of the Spirit as the Apostles were 7ly Where is thy Flock that thou has gathered from the power of Darkness unto the marvelous Light as the Saints in the Scriptures were is thy Flock in unity and fellowship with all the Saints in Light how is it then that thou denyes Christ Jesus the Corner Stone and Rock on which all the Church of God is built 8ly And how came thou and thy Flock to be Saints since yee deny Christ Jesus the Foundation which is the Stone is laid in Sion and how came you to differ from the rest of people since God is no respecter of Persons and what has made the difference betwixt thee thy Flock and the rest of all other people of the World shew it and manifest it forth wherein yee differ and how yee came by that which makes yee to differ 9ly Thou saith in thy Book thou would have us to return to the true Christ and thou lookes upon our Christ to be an Idol and has left us without direction to the true Christ thou speaks on so my Query is where this Christ is thou calls the true Christ and what he is since thou has denyed him to be the Light 2ly Thou has denyed him to be the New Covenant and Law written in the heart 3ly Thou has denyed him to be the Word in the Beginning 4ly Thou has made a separation betwixt him and his Father so what is this true Christ of thine being thou saith who worships all these before mentioned worships an Idol being thou
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