People fat and blind their Eyes that seeing they may see and not perceive Not that God put in any more blindness into Mens minds but withholds his Grace and denies his Spirit but permits the Evil Spirit the god of this unregenerate World to blind the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them And seeing that the Light of the Gospel does shine so Gloriously in this Day and ye Reject it and Despise it we have cause to be perswaded you have in you this double Darkness and Blindness notwithstanding all your Pleading for the Light within Ye know not what ye say nor whereof ye Affirm Thou and thy Friends as thou callest them do quite mistake that Scripture This Scripture John 1.9 grossely Mistaken whereupon ye ground your Opinion and Perswasion concerning the Light within John 1.9 This is the true Light that Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Thou and they put a meaning and sence upon it though in other Scriptures brought against you ye disown all meanings yet here ye make use of a meaning but it is a false one For it is not said that Christ the true Light is in every one that cometh into the World but that he Lighteth every one that cometh into the World Take then the very words and the genuine sence is plainly this That Christ the true Light doth Light every one that cometh into the World and That in two Respects First by an Outward Light and Secondly by an Inward Light The Outward Light is by the Sun in the Firmament with the Moon and the Stars this Outward Light all Men and Women have that come into the World in all Nations Tongues and People Secondly Christ enlightneth them by an Inward light also by the Light of Reason Humane Vnderstanding and Natural Conscience by these Lights also he Lighteth every one that cometh into the World according to that Scripture aforementioned And so much and no more is intended by it as it concerns every one that cometh into the World He is called the Father of Lights having Created divers Lights of several kinds But now as it concerns Believers the peculiar People of God the true Light Jesus Christ enlightneth them with another Light besides the former which none but they onely are partakers of The other Lights are but Darkness to this Light yea the Scripture calls them Darkness in Comparison of this true Light Jesus Christ himself the Son of Righteousness when he arises upon the Soul he makes things manifest and clear which before were hid in Darkness 2 Cor. 4.6 God who Commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ But as for the Wicked and Vngodly all Vnbelievers which are the greatest part of the World they have not this Light in them as thou James Jackson and the Teachers among the Quakers do affirm and contend earnestly for But they are of the Number of those which the Holy Ghost saith by the Mouth of his Servant Paul in 2 Cor. 4.4 The god of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Look well unto it that ye be not of the Number of these blind ones blinded by the Seducing Spirit which is got into your own blind Minds and which ye call and Blasphemously say is Christ the true Light in every Man And verily this is one sad Sign that ye are indeed of that very Number even because ye disown the Gospel of Christ the Scriptures of Truth spoken by Christ himself and by the Holy Ghost Saying and Affirming they are not the Rule to Christians in Faith and Obedience neither do ye submit to have your Spirits Tryed by them but trust to the Light within which is but Darkness as to Seeing and Discerning of Spiritual things For Spiritual things are Spiritually Discerned And know and consider this That if the Gospel of Christ be not Received and submitted unto but Neglected or Rejected then it is hid from such And in such a Case the Apostle Paul saith 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid from them that are lost whom Satan hath blinded lest it should shine unto them Thou The Quakers Doctrine is directly contrary to the Scriptures James Jackson and other Teaching Quakers teach that Christ the true Light is in every Man and Woman in the World But this is directly contrary to plain and positive Scripture For before Conversion and Regeneration all Men and Women are in Darkness and Darkness in them yea are Darkness it self in the Abstract Eph. 5.8 Ye sometimes were Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord Walk as Children of Light And 1 John 2.8 Darkness is past and the true Light now shineth Heb. 10.32 After ye were Illuminated ye endured a great Fight of Afflictions Paul knew that all Men were in Darkness and Darkness in them And therefore his Preaching was to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan the Prince of Darkness to the Living God Yea our Lord Christ himself the true Light saith John 1.46 I am come a Light into the World that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in Darkness plainly implying that before Men Believe they abide in Darkness And again he saith John 12.35 Yet a little while is the Light with you Walk while ye have the Light Now if Christ had been the Light still remaining in them in every one as the Quakers Teach Christ would not have used these words Yet a little while is the Light with you walk while they have the Light It 's like these Quakers would have Answered him boldly and Ignorantly enough We have the Light within us it is always in us and with us and abides in us and in all Men and Women in the World Go whither thou wilt for we have the Light within us still continually For certainly these Men would no more have owned him nor his Doctrine had they been contemporaries with him than they own him now in these Days And we know they have Denyed him both in his Person and in his Doctrlne as appears Manifestly in their Books and Writings besides Denying of him in Denying his Members It is Evident then That the Teaching Quakers do Deceive the Poor Ignorant Simple People their Hearers with this Doctrine about the light within and speak concerning it directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures And these poor simple People silly Women as the Apostle calls them 2 Tim. 3.6 finding and perceiving there is some Light within that Discerns some things to be good and moves unto it and on the contrary denies some evil things and will not consent to known Evils They do hereupon conclude that this
things and his Creatures distinct Beings Why dost thou Confound them together and make them all one Let Christ be the true Light and Conscience his Created Light as the Sun and the Moon in the Firmament are also his Created Lights Let these and other Lights be distinct and known one from another and not confounded together any more For this Light of Natural Conscience which is in every Man and Woman as it does now in this World Reprove for many gross sins and move unto many Moral Vertues and Duties Excusing for the one The Light within shall be in Hell for ever Accusing for the other as we see it is plainly Asserted by the Apostle Paul Rom. 1. This Light I say will Remain and Abide in Reprobates and Vnbelievers for ever in the next World as well as in this and will be there a Tormentor to them World without end Wilt thou and thy Followers then call it Christ and the true Light Take heed then James Jackson and all those of thy Mind and Repent of your Errors lest this Light shine clearly and in the midst of that outer Darkness and be as the Worm that never dyes and a Light and Fire that shall never go out or be Extinguished to all Eternity This Doctrine of the Light within takes Men off from Christ The Quakers draw People to Idolatry and Directs them to look after and follow an Idol and this is so great an evil and sin as that it is not to be endured nor spoken of without great Indignation against it and in Zeal for our precious Lord Jesus Christ who is certainly greatly provoked by it which will appear when he begins to Execute his Wrath and Indignation against his Enemies We may see how he stands affected towards such Persons as seek to draw away the Hearts of the People from him after other gods See Deut. 13. the whole Chapter If there arise a Prophet or any other Persons and seek to draw away the hearts of the People from the Lord unto Idols they were not to be spared but should certainly be put to Death no not the nearest Friend or Relation whatsoever Ver. 6. If thy Brother the Son of thy Mother or thy Son or thy Daughter or the Wife of thy Bosom or thy Friend which is as thine own soul shall entice thee secretly saying let us go and serve other gods Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine Eye pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him Ver. 9. But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to Death and afterwards the hand of all the People And if any City should be known to Depart from God and go after Idols it was to be Burnt with Fire and all that was in it We see how Jealous God is of his Glory His Glory he will not give to another The Quakers under Spiritual Judgments nor his praise to Graven Images surely he is God and Changeth not as he hath Discovered his Displeasure against his Enemies so he doth and will do still Therefore take Notice of these things ye Seducers among the Quakers for although God doth not deal with Men now in these Gospel-days to punish them with Corporal or Temporal punishments as in former times under the Old Administration yet as sure as God is true he will deal with his Enemies severely at last and his Judgments in these Days of the Gospel are more spiritual than formerly Spiritual Judgments are greater than Corporal Punishments Hardness of Heart Blindness of mind a Reprobate Sense a Seared Conscience these are Dreadful Judgments And surely these Judgments and tokens of Gods Anger are upon the very Men that we are speaking of the false Prophets and Teachers among the Quakers as is plainly to be seen and their Sin is seen in their Punishments They seek to draw away the Hearts of People from the Lord from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ from his Word and Gospel unto an Idol of their own setting up and would have all People to bow unto it and Worship it and trust in it and Obey it and therefore God hath justly with-drawn himself from them He denies them his Grace his Spirit yea in a great Measure the very Light of Nature which is common to other Men as is seen by their Doctrines Tenets and Principles and by their Foolish Irrational Arguing in maintaining their Idle Fancies which have neither Scripture nor any solid Reason to uphold them And as is seen also by their Rage and Anger against any that do oppose their Errors seeking to turn them to the Truth they find hard and bitter speeches and Railing Accusations against them for so doing And as the heart of God is against them so also are the hearts of his People for Their heart goes where the heart of God goes And this also Declares their sin as it is likewise a punishment due to them So that these Judgments are not small that are upon them even in this Life though they may yet escape other external punishments Obj. What does it avail them to say They do not seek to draw away Peoples Hearts from Christ but rather to Direct their Minds to Christ they teach them to take heed to the Light within every Man and Woman which is Christ Answ It is Answered This is false ye do not seek to Direct Peoples Minds to Christ but to an Idol Natural Conscience as hath been proved here and by many others formerly Be not deceived Christ is not Mocked it is not Christ because ye give it the Name of Christ He is the more provoked by your making use of his Name and denying him his Worship that Love and Obedience that is due unto him that trust and confidence that ought to be put in him that Glory and Praise that ought to be given unto him all is taken away from Christ and given to this Idol Ye do also exceedingly Dishonour him and Blaspheme him by Entituling him to false Doctrines and Erroneous Opinions saying it is from or by the Light within and in the External Light ye see and speak these and these things yea many times when ye utter Railing speeches Lies and false Accusations against his People in seeking to do you good O dreadful Blindness and Hardness of Heart Does Christ within deny Christ without Does the Light within deny the Person of Christ as ye do in your Pamphlets his being in Heaven and his Coming from thence in Glory to Judge the World in Righteousness even by that Man whom God the Father hath appointed Had you not a double or treble vail of Darkness upon your Minds you would never speak after this sort Ye say The Quakers Perfection In Sin ye Witness Perfection Indeed so ye do Ye prove it to all against your selves And we Witness your Perfection also all that know your Principles and Ways do Witness that ye
win Christ Ver. 9. And he found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith We can hear no such Doctrine as this amongst the Quakers nay the very contrary slighting the Person of Christ and the Righteousness of Christ Imputed to Believers who of God is made Righteousness to them And setting up their own Righteousness and the Perfection of it which may be made appear by their Books And yet they tell and so deceive their simple silly Hearers that they do Declare Christ unto them the Light within every Man and Woman that is God and Christ the Saviour of the World But will this serve their turn to put the Name Christ upon one of his Creatures Will Christ allow any to take away his Name and his Glory and cloath an Idol with it and then say they Declare and set forth Christ This is the way to divert and draw off the minds of poor Ignorant People from Christ as he is Revealed in the Gospel This is the great Fundamental Doctrine of the Devil The Devil 's Fundamental Doctrine The chief point of Doctrine that he Teacheth his Disciples That is to say To Deny Christ Eo disown him according as the Gospel hath Revealed him and then to set up something else in his stead Let them call it Christ if they will that 's no Matter to give it the Name so it be not Christ he knows it will deceive Ignorant Minds the sooner the more easily For thereby he knows they do but Mock Christ and disown him the more and also the more provoke him that Men should give his Name and Title to any thing and disown himself as these Men do They call the Light within Christ but deny Christ himself as the Gospel sets him forth Now this the Devil knows is enough to serve his turn and destroy them and therefore he still keeps the Eye of their Mind upon this and makes them look upon it through a Multiplying Glass and shuts the Eyes of their Mind against Christ as he is Revealed in the Scriptures The God of this wicked World hath Blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them And if the Gospel be hid from them it is hid to them that are lost We see in all their Declarings in all their Books and Pamphlets this is the Main and Chief point to Teach their Hearers to take heed to the Light within to the Witness of God within with variety of Expressions to that purpose But what do we hear in all their Books and Teachings concerning Christ that was Promised long before he came into the World of Christ that was born when the fulness of time was come of Christ that Lived amongst us and Preached and Taught amongst us the way of Salvation of Christ that Dyed for us and rose again and Ascended into Heaven that is now at the right Hand of God making Intercession for us of Christ that shall shortly come again in glory and yet in his Humane Nature to Judge the World in Righteousness This is the Christ that the Gospel Declares and that all true Believers know and own and Teach plainly and clearly without Equivocations and subtil Evasions as these false Teachers among the Quakers use to speak of him and whom all believers have Received by Faith who dwells in them and they in him But what do we hear of all this in the Teachings of these Men among the Quakers Nay on the contrary their Doctrines in their Books and Pamphlets that they frequently send forth do Directly Oppose these things And therefore we may safely conclude their Doctrine is the Doctrine of Devils for if all the Devils in Hell should combine together and joyn their Cursed Craft and Malice against Christ and the Souls of Men they could not bring forth a more Damning Doctrine than this is For to Deny Christ is to deny all What then shall we say to these Men or of them Surely Obstinate Quakers to be Rejected seeing these things are so That they have thus denyed the Lord that bought us and Preach up another Christ and maintain and uphold this their Idol in Opposition to Christ as the Gospel hath Declared him and slight and Despise the Scriptures we have grounds to conclude they are Men of Corrupt Minds of Seared Consciences Idolaters and Hereticks Now the Apostle by the Inspiration of God gives us a Rule 1 Tim. 3. Reject an Heretick after once or twice Admonished but these Men have been often Admonished Pleaded and Disputed with and they regard not Admonition they resist the Truth and the Spirit of Grace and Truth speaking in the Scriptures and in and by his People they will not hear they will not regard the Counsel of God But in their Ignorance and Pride they despise both God and Men and do prefer their own Idle and vain Fancies and Satans subtile false Insinuations before the Teachings of the Spirit of God If God should work a Miracle and raise up the Apostle Paul from the Dead to Declare against them and their Doctrines they would no more regard him nor his Teachings than they regard Tho. Hicks in his three Dialogues Between a Christian and a Quaker or than they regard any other Messenger of Christ who pleads with them and lays the very truths of God before them as it is Revealed by the Spirit in the Gospel We are assured of this from Luke 16.31 If they will not Hear Moses and the Prophets neither will they hear though one should rise from the Dead So if they will not hear Christ and his Apostles in the Gospel if they will not hear the Scriptures neither will they be perswaded to imbrace the Truth though one should be sent to them from the Dead Nay if Christ himself should come and speak to them in that mean state and condition that he was when he conversed among us here below these People would regard him no more than the hardned Jews did in their Day For they Reject and Deny him now his Doctrine and his Person in his Merits Righteousness Satisfaction c And so would do if he were Personally present So that my Judgment is Let them alone they be blind Leaders of the blind they talk of a Light within but the Light in them is Darkness and it is a great darkness a double darkness more than a single Natural darkness as is the state of all Mankind by Nature but also a darkness added to that even a darkness as a punishment or a Judgment a Judicial darkness Natural darkness is the sin of man but this darkness is the Judgment of God That because they regard not the Truth they will not receive it in the Love thereof therefore hath God given them up to strong delusions to believe lies That seeing they will not believe
Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ But as for others who were Carnal and Unregenerate he tells us they were in Darkness and Darkness in them v. 4. And the God of this World had blinded the minds of those that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them In whomsoever Christ is The Second Argument Prop. 2. and dwells he quickens them and makes them spiritually Alive But unregenerate Men and Women are not Spiritually Alive but Dead Therefore Christ is not in unregenerate Men and Women Proof Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were Dead in Trespasses and sins And Christ complaineth of the Jews That they would not come unto him that they might have Life John 5.40 plainly implying that they were Dead and that they might have Life if they had come unto him Christ is not in those who are not in him The Third Argument Prop. 3. But the Unregenerate World are not in Christ Therefore Christ is not in the Unregenerate World For Proof hereof see Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he Reconciled 2 Cor. 5.17 If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature Now no Vnregenerate Persons are New Creatures therefore not in Christ And Christ says plainly that he is In his People which implies as we may perceive if we Observe the context that he is not in the Vnregenerate World John 17.23 I in them and thou in me And again ver 26. I in them Those that Christ means by Them are in Opposition to the World for he hath chosen them out of the world v. 16. the words I in them are very Emphatical and full with this sence clearly implying that he is not in the world of Vnregenerate persons even as the words before v. 9. do plainly express that he prays not for the world but for them his people so these words do as plainly imply that he is in them and not in the world John 15.4 5. we see there at large That such as abide in Christ he also is in them and not otherwise Christ is not in those for whom he Prays not The Fourth Proposition Prop. 4. But Christ Prays not for the unbelieving World Ergo. Christ is not in the unbelieving World Our Saviour tells us several times that he is not of the world v. 14. they are not of the world even as I am not of the world And again v. 16. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world as if he had said I am none of their Company I am not of them nor in them I have no such Fellowship or Familiarity with them as to Live in them I am not of the world nor in the world I am in my People even in those which thou Father hast given me I in them and thou in me And ver 9. He positively and plainly tells us That he Prays not for the world the wicked unbelieving unregenerate world he neither Prays for them nor is in them 5. Fifthly Another Proposition or Syllogism proving that Christ is not in all Men and women as the Quakers assert is this They to whom Christ doth not Manifest himself by Teaching them his Mind and Will Prop. 5. Christ is not in them But Christ doth not manifest himself to wicked and ungodly Men and Women Therefore Christ is not in wicked and ungodly Men and Women For Proof of this Proposition in both parts consider Wicked and ungodly Men and Women are destitute of true saving Knowledge and Wisdom they know not the things that belong to their Peace and are destroy'd for lack of Knowledge 2 Cor. 4.4 The Devil the god of this unbelieving World hath blinded their Minds lest the Gospel of Christ should shine unto them Christ Discovers himself his Mind and Will in and by the Gospel his Spirit opening Mens Minds and Understandings to receive it but Christ suffers this blindness of Mind to rest upon some Persons and does not Manifest himself unto them therefore he is not in them One asketh Christ a Question John 14.22 about this very thing Lord how is it that thou wilt Manifest thy self unto Vs and not unto the World He had heard Christ make such a distinction between them and the World in being in them and not in the World and in Praying for them and not for the World that now he asketh Christ a Reason of this Difference and Distinction between them and the World which is sufficient for the Proof of the Proposition And else-where telling his Disciples That God had hid those things from the Wise and Prudent of the World and Revealed them unto Babes Sixthly Another Argument Prop. 6. Christ is in none but those who dwell in Love But wicked Men and Women do not dwell in Love Therefore Christ is not in Wicked Men and Women For Proof of this Proposition see 1 John 4.12 If we Love one another God dwelleth in us and his Love is perfected in us And ver 16. God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him Now we know all wicked Men and women in the world they dwell not in Love but in Enmity and Hatred and Enmity and Hatred dwells in them They Love not God but Hate God Psal 27. They Hated me without a Cause They have Enmity in their minds against God his word his ways Ordinances and People Therefore Christ is not in them 7. The seventh Proposition Proving that Christ is not in all Men and women that come into the world as the Quakers assert is this Christ is not in those Persons where the Devil is Prop. 7. and dwells Rules and Reigns But the Devil is Rules and Reigns in the Wicked unregenerate World Therefore Christ is not in the wicked unregerate world For Proof hereof See Eph. 2.2 In time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience And 2 Tim. 2.26 And that they may recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil who are taken Captive by him at his will This is also Manifest by that Comparison that our Lord Christ makes to Answer the Blasphemous Jews who charged him that he cast out Devils by the power of the Devil Luke 11.21 when the strong Man Armed keeps the House all is in quiet he Rules but when a stronger than he cometh he casts him out and Divides the Spoyls v 24. The unclean Spirit keeps House and after a time goes out for a Season and then Returns again into his House and takes seven other spirits as bad or worse than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that Man is worse
no less than Blasphemy Rev. 2.9 I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Sathan The Church of Ephesus is commended for this That as they cannot bear these false Teachers so also to discover them to try them and make them manifest to others by Scripture Characters and Marks by which they may be known Rev. 2.2 I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil And thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyars The Apostle speaking of deceiving and deceived persons The Quakers deceive weak and simple minds he tells us they shall not long continue thus to deceive for their folly shall be made manifest to all men 2 Tim. 3.8 9. The Apostle by the Teachings and Inspirations of the Spirit of God having in the former verses told us that in the last dayes perillous times shall come That men shall be lovers of themselves proud boasters blasphemers c. in the next verse he shewes us a Token and sets a Mark of distinction upon them Of this sort saith he are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ver 7. ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth We see here what sort of men are active to deceive what they do privately creep into houses and also the subjects they work upon by their cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive as the Apostle saith That is silly women simple people persons of weak understandings and naturall faculties of shallow capacities easily led away with divers Lusts and Errors such kind of weak and simple minds are easily deceived They know not how to distinguish between Truth and Errors they are still Hearing and Learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth at least they are never able to come to the knowledge of some Truths for some Truths lye more deep than others Some are more easie to be apprehended than some others some Truths are hard to be understood as the the Apostle observes which they that are unstable pervert yea and they that are but weak and shallow of understanding do also pervert mistake misapprehend and misapply As for instance in this very thing This Principle and Opinion of the Quakers concerning the Light within We know how they apprehend it Their Teachers and their hearers they call it Christ who lighteth every man and woman that cometh into the world This Notion borders upon a Truth and hath some small shaddowy resemblance of a Truth but is not a Truth as these weak people apprehend it For there is a light within which sees and works and moves several wayes toward that which appeares good according as it apprehends it and against what it thinks to be evil now this herein hath some resemblance of Christ and his Spirit and so weak minds silly men and women may think it to be so indeed especially when they hear it positively and plainly asserted affirmed and contended for by men who have gained their affections by their demure Countenances modest behaviour and apparell and many good words and fair speeches with seeming zeal they are thereby confirmed in this perswasion that surely it is Christ indeed But this perswasion cometh not of him that calleth us Gal. 5.8 as the Apostle here saith but ariseth from weakness and ignorance from the darkness of the understanding helped on and strengthned by that deceiver of deceivers the seducing spirit who is still ready as to beget so also to feed and nourish false Opinions in the minds of all as God permits him Certain it is Reason and Natural Conscience is a Light within and discerns many things both good and evil and acts towards or against them accordingly so far as it sees and discerns according to the measure of Light that is in the Conscience This is clear from Rom. 1. where the Apostle speakes of the worst of men who had this Light in them and therefore were inexcusable in going against it This Light within though it be not Christ yet it was created by Christ as all things else were but it cannot go beyond its bounds No more than Natural water can of it self rise higher than the spring head the light within cannot see Christ nor the way and means of Salvation by him without the light of the Scriptures and of the Spirit of God But the Quakers are strongly confirmed That the Light within every man and woman is Christ let all men say what they will to the contrary yet most certain it is that this Opinion of theirs was begotten by ignorance and is nourished and maintained by Pride for they having asserted it and so long stood to it in upholding it they have not the humility to retract and acknowledge an Errour though some may be secretly convinced that it is so for it is Natural to men to maintain and stand to what they have once owned and asserted they are loth to stoop and acknowledge ignorance no not unto God himself much less to Men. I am perswaded There were never any Sect or sort of People from the Creation of the World to this day that were more irrational and less spiritual than these People the Quakers are in all their Discourses Principles Books and Practices nor greater Enemies to Christ his Gospel and his People As the Lord Liveth who hath delivered me out of great Tribulations and saved me from the hand of the Enemy I will contribute my utmost abilities to throw down the Enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ and these and all Doctrines of Devils and Lyes in Hypocrisie and whatsoever else shall Oppose him or his Interest in the World Now The Quakers shall not long continue to deceive this being manifest by all these Marks and Characters that have been mentioned That these Men the false Teachers among the Quakers are the false Teachers spoken of in the Scriptures that should come in these last days The Apostle also tells us that they shall not long continue to deceive they shall be of no long standing for their Folly shall be made manifest unto all men 2 Tim. 3.9 The Apostle here compares them to Jannes and Jambres two of Pharaoh's Magicians whose Names are to be seen in some Ancient Authors who withstood Moses in his time so do these resist the Truth Men of Corrupt minds Reprobate concerning the Faith These Teachers Men of Corrupt minds resist the Truth a most dreadful sign of Reprobation though the Truths of the Gospel are brought and plainly laid before them to turn them from the Error of their way in their false unchristian Principles and Practices yet they resist the Truth they disown it and reject it and they that Offer it to them and that with many reviling hard speeches against them for so doing
and War against daily He sometimes moves to that which is Good as well as to Evil but with an intent to deceive thereby he subtilly mixeth some Currant Coyn with the Counterfeit that it may the better pass without suspition Thirdly Many things proceed immediately from a Man 's own spirit his Vnderstanding Reason and Natural Conscience many things are wrought and Forged in this Mint according to a Mans Natural Faculties Now how shall a Man know from which of these spirits things proceed Tryal of Spirits and whether they be good or not or what they tend to but by some known fixed perfect Rule and what is that but the Scriptures The spirit of Truth having given them as a Light to our Feet and a Lanthorn to our Paths even â—o our inward Paths the Movings and workings of our Hearts as well as to our outward Paths in our Conversations He that shall take heed to the Immediate Revelations and Motions in his heart and follow them and not take heed to the Revelations of the spirit in the Scriptures to compare them together shall be sure to erre in this thou James Jackson and many more of the Quakers are sad Instances and prooss of this Truth at this day for if the seducing spirit once perceive that any Person will take heed to Observe and follow the Dictates and Motions within him and never try them by the Scriptures he may then suggest what he will and never be Discovered but Obeyed as God especially in all those things that have a shew and Resemblance of good in them and which weak and Ignorant Minds are not able to Discern or Distinguish partly by Reason of the Lowness and Weakness of their Natural Parts and Faculties and partly by Reason of the Weakness of Grace and small Measures of Light if any at all be here And Observe this also for a certain Truth Light of Nature sees some Sins and some Duties That Natural Conscience in all Men and Women does Rebuke and Reprove them for many gross Evils which they at any time are guilty of If they Commit Murder or Theft or Cheat and Deceive their Neighbour or such like this Light within every one is sufficient to see these to be Evil and that they ought not to be And this Natural Light within will also secretly move them to some things that are good and Honest to do to others as they would have others to do unto them It shews them that Meekness Patience Temperance Chastity Charity and such like Moral Vertues are good and commendable in the Lives of Men and when they follow after these things as many Heathens have done then their Consciences or the Light within will Excuse them and they have Peace in so doing But if they do those other gross Evils then this Light within will Accuse Disquiets and Disturb them But this Light within can never Discover to them Spiritual Evils and sins Light within sees not Spiritual sins As Pride Self-love Vnbelief Hypocrisie and such like neither can it lead them to see or Discern Jesus Christ or the things of Christ Revealed in the Gospel the things of the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof without the Light of the spirit of God and the Scriptures All this is but Nature it is not Grace neither is it Christ the true Light as this Author of the strong Man Armed cast out and his Followers do call it and contend earnestly for it and account it true Knowledge and such a Measure and Degree of Knowledge as no other Professors have attained to but themselves as he there tells us Whereas indeed they have not yet reached to the very first Principles of the Oracles of God And therefore thou James Jackson did'st well to leave off to be a Parish Priest and to be any longer a Teacher among the Independents As thou told'st us I wish thou would'st also leave off to be a Teacher any longer among the Quakers or rather a Seducer And first go and Hear and Learn and be Instructed in the saving Knowledge of Christ as the Scriptures have Revealed him lest thou be one of those who will Cry at the last day Lord Lord have we not Prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name done many Wonderful Works And then thou hear among others that Dreadful Sentence Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity I know you not I own not your Teachings your Prophecyings or Declarings in my Name ye have Blasphemed my Name and caused my Name my Gospel and my People to be despised amongst many by your means ye Disowned Reproached and Separated from my People and in as much as ye did it unto these my Brethren ye did it unto me You the Teaching Quakers The Quakers guilty of these two great sins are guilty of those two great Evils that the People were guilty of in the Prophet Jeremiah's Time Jer. 2.12 The Prophets Prophesied Lies unto them and Taught the People to forsake the Living and true God and to look unto Idols and the Lord pleads with them about it and tells them such a thing was never heard of amongst any People or Nations that they should Change their God but this sottish People who had no understanding they changed their Glory for a Vain thing for that which cannot Profit And it is such stupendious Folly and Madness that he calls to the very Heavens to Behold it and Admire it ver 12. Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid Be ye very Desolate saith the Lord v. 13. For my People have Committed two Evils They have forsaken me the Fountain of Living Waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no Water Now Consider ye have even done thus Ye have forsaken the Living and true God the Saviour of sinners all that do Believe in him and rest upon him and his Righteousness for Justification and ye have set upon an Idol Natural Conscience and trust to it and your own Personal Righteousness and Obedience for Life Justification and Salvation and what are these but as their Broken Cisterns that can Afford no Refreshing in a Time of Need Take heed then and be Instructed thou and they and Teach no longer this False Doctrine that the Light in every Man and Woman is Christ the true Light seeing it is but a Creature and in every one by Nature Will ye Debase and Degrade Christ by calling him a Creature Or Deisie the Creature by calling it Christ the true Light It is true it is from Christ he is the Creator of it as of all other Creatures in the World the World was made by him and without him was nothing made that was made John 1. How then can it be Christ Is the Carpenter the house that he hath Builded Or is the house the Carpenter Are they both one and the same Is not the Carpenter a Man and the house his Workman-ship Is not God the Creator of all
the Truth they shall believe Lyes What Difference shall we think is there between these Men The Quakers sin is like the great sin of the hardened Jews the Teachers among the Quakers who have delivered these Damnable Doctrines afore-mentioned being the Doctrines of Devils and still maintain them What difference I say between them and those Jews who Blaspemed the Holy Ghost and ran into that sin unto death Those Jews Rejected Christ his sayings and Doctrine which he Taught among them and they told him that he had a Devil Christ tells them then after that he had often spoken unto them and Taught them and they would not hear him nor regard his sayings he then Declares unto them their dreadful state And surely the sin of these Men looks so like unto the sin of those Jews that I think it 's hard for any Man to distinguish them otherwise than by saying That the sin of these Teachers does Exceed the sin of those Jews The sin of these Men seems to be much Aggravated in that they have not onely heard all those Sayings and Doctrines of Christ which he Preached among the Jews but they have had the Truths of God Offered and tendred to them by others also the Apostles Evangelists and Disciples of Christ have spoken to them in the Scriptures which those Jews never had And also many of the Ministers Messengers and Ambassadors of Christ have spoken to them and tendred the very Truths of the Gospel to them yea many others of his Faithful Saints and Servants have from time to time spoken to them and Advised Counselled and Admonished them and yet all in vain they have Rejected all and despised all and have as Swine Trampled Pearls under their Feet and turned again and Rent those that brought them they have Reviled them and Reproached them for so doing so that to what purpose should any Man go about to Teach these Teachers who are not capable to Learn as being Blinded and Hardned and Sealed up as is feaâ—ed even to destruction having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron Men of Corrupt Minds Reprobate to every good work without Judgment unfit either to Teach or Learn For we know there have been many such in former days who were guilty of this great sin some such were contemporaries with the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 6.10 Make the Heart of this People fat and make their Ears heavy and shut their Eyes c So also many such were in the Time of our Lord and Saviour Mat. 13.15 This Peoples Heart is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of Hearing and their Eyes they have closed lest at any time they should See with their Eyes and Hear with their Ears and should Vnderstand with their Heart and should 〈◊〉 Converted and I should heal them In this Generation there are just such a People even those of whom we speak they shut their Ears and their Eyes and their Hearts against Christ and the Truths of the Gospel All the Advice and Councels of Men which are according to the Truth all are Rejected and Despised The Inspirations of the spirit of God are refused but the Inspirations of the spirit of Delusion are readily Received and Embraced My Judgment is therefore let them be Rejected as Hereticks having been so often Admonished as Men that are hardned to Destruction And for the Hearers among the Quakers Advice to the Hearers among the Quakers my Councel unto you is Separate your selves from the Congregations and Meetings of these ungodly Men lest ye be Consumed in all their sin Be as much afraid of them and of their Poysonous Doctrines as ye would be afraid to eat of a dish of Meat before you on the Table that had rank Poyson in it of which ye were told and fully assured of it Would ye eat of such a Dish I know ye would not Remember and consider Eternity it will be well or ill with you for ever according as ye Receive or Refuse the Truths of the Gospel now Beware of False Prophets which come to you in Sheeps clothing but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves if ye be the Sheep of Christ follow him and know his Voice in the Scriptures in your hearts and amongst his own People and follow not Strangers that bring strange false Doctrines about the Light within and in many other things which have been mentioned contrary to the Mind of Christ Revealed in the Scriptures These People the Quakers The Quakers great Idol near falling have forsaken the Fountain of Living Waters and have run to broken Cisterns And seeing they have forsaken the Living and true God the Glory of his People and set up an Idol a false Christ the Light in every Man and Woman that cometh into the World I shall therefore bring against this their false Doctrine several Arguments from Scripture to prove the Vanity and falshood of it as so many Pieces of Ordnance Planted against this great Idol which the Quakers have set up and Worship that so it may fall as Dagon before the Ark of the Lord. Whereas they say That Christ the true Light is in every Man and Woman that cometh into the World This is not a Truth because in whomsoever Christ is and dwells he does enlighten that Soul with true Light saving Light supernatural Light even by himself by his Spirit and by the Scriptures It 's true all wicked Men that come into the World have Lights of Christ's making he Created them which Enlighten all Mankind and that both Outwardly and Inwardly 1. They are Enlightned Outwardly by Lights that God hath Created and set in the Heavens the Sun and the Moon by which all are Enlightened 2. And then Secondly All Men and Women that come into the World are Enlightned with Inward Light also Reason and Natural Conscience So Christ the true Light Enlightneth all that come into the World which is all that is Intended and meant by that place John 1.9 But Christ himself is the true Light the Light of Lights who inlightneth his own People immediately by himself and by his Spirit which the wicked of the World are not Partakers of they have onely those common Lights afore-mentioned As is fully and plainly Proved by these Scripture Arguments Ten Propositions Proved by Scripture Those in whom Christ is and and dwells First Argument Prop. 1. he Inlightens them with spiritual Light But wicked Men and women are not Inlightned with spiritual Light therefore Christ is not in wicked Men and women For Proof of these Propositions both Major and Minor then the Conclusion drawn from them must needs be granted by all Rational Men See Eph. 5.8 Ye sometimes were Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord walk as Children of Light And Paul was sent to turn Men from Darkness to Light Acts 26.18 And we see the Corinthians who sometimes were Darkness and afterwards Converted Paul says 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the Light to shine out of
And it is not so with these Men of whom we speak consider and Judge They give heed to Seducing Spirits 2. Character they give heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils and Doctrines of Devils This Mark and Character is also seen conspicuously and plainly upon the Teachers among the Quakers yea so Evident is it as if written with a Beam of the Sun Now what Doctrines do the Devils Teach when they are permitted of God for his Secret ends to use the Tongues of Wicked Men we may be sure his Aim and drift will be to Preach against Christ 1. Against Christ to darken his Glory as much as he can both in his Humane and Divine Natures and in his Merits Works Sufferings Righteousness Satisfaction Reconciliation Benefits and Priviledges that he hath wrought and brought unto his People These things are manifest in several particulars in their Books and Pamphlets And Secondly 2. Against the Scriptures Another particular of the Doctrine of Devils which he will be sure to Teach his Disciples it is to weaken or Destroy the Authority of his Word the Scriptures the Gospel of Salvation by which Truth and Error may be known and proved For if he once Destroy the Rule and Measure of Doctrines so that Men do not try them by a known plain fixed Rule then he knows Men may Preach and pretend their Fancies and vain Imaginations and obtrude them upon others as most certain Truths And hath he not Taught the Men of this Generation this point of his Devilish Doctrine Do they not slight and Despise the Scriptures the Word of God and Offer and prefer their own vain Idle Fancies instead of the Scriptures even the Men of whom we are speaking the Teachers among the Quakers This is evident and clear to the Eyes of all who are enlightned by Christ and by the Scriptures Thirdly Thirdly Against the Church As the Doctrines of Devils are against Christ his word and Gospel so also against his People his Church all his Members they shall be sure to be Cryed down Slandered Despised Reproached and Condemned as Hypocrites in all that they say and do in and about the Worship of God in his Ordinances which he hath appointed for as the Devil hath great spight and Malice against the Head so also against the Members Now do not the Quakers deal thus with the Lords People at this day This is another particular point of the Doctrine of Devils which the Seducing Spirits have Taught those who give heed unto them how have they cryed down with a Blasphemous Noise every where all the Congregations Assemblies and particular Churches of the Saints of all perswasions without exception of any as being all in Darkness in Babylon and set up themselves as the most Holy Innocent People yea the onely People of God upon Earth Fourthly Another of the Doctrines of Devils is this 4. Resting upon their own Righteousness When he hath done all he can to darken and hide from his Disciples the true and onely way of Salvation by Christ Revealed in the Gospel and weakned the Authority of the Scriptures and the Credit and Esteem of his People Then he introduceth and brings in something of a Man 's own instead thereof that he knows is insufficient and will fail in Order to Salvation That is to say Man 's own Righteousness Obedience and works and puts them upon trusting to these and so Return again to the Old Covenant of works and to neglect the New Covenant of Grace which course he knows is the ready way to Destruction And he doth this with the more Efficacy in the minds of Wicked Men because it is a Remnant of Corruption even in the Minds of Good Men of all by Nature there is something of this remaining in the best a Secret esteeming and over-valuing of something of their own which is seen in the clear Light of the Spirit and confessed by all but the Quakers although they have it in them most of any People yet through the Darkness of their minds they see it not neither will own any such thing but tell us they own and witness Perfection Having mentioned these four particulars which are the Chief Points of Doctrine which the Seducing Spirits do Teach those that give heed unto them I shall now proceed to he rest of the Characters which the Apostle plainly sets down by the Directions of the holy ghost whereby false Teachers may be known as we see ver 2. Speaking lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron Now The Third Character of false Teachers Lies in Hypocrisie it is easie to mention many lyes in Hypocrisie which the Quakers are guilty of Whereby this Character is deeply stampt upon them and made manifest to all This is one Lye in Hypocrisie That Christ the true Light is in every Man and Woman that cometh into the World First Lye in Hypocrisie and that if they give heed unto and Obey the Light that is in them it is a sufficient Guide unto Salvation without the Scriptures I say This is false Doctrine and a Lye in Hypocrisie Christ doth not dwell in Wicked and Ungodly Impenitent sinners the Devil dwells in them and Rules and Reigns in them he Ruleth in the Children of Disobedience Col. 1. What Concord hath Christ with Belial Eph. 2.2 Christ often stands at the Door and Knocks if any Man hear his Voice and open the Door he will come in Rev. 3. but not otherwise See the Arguments against this falshood Secondly 2. Strong Man Armed cast out p. 12. This also is another Lye in Hypocrisie That the Quakers build upon the true Foundation Jesus Christ and all other Professing People Build upon some other false Foundation This is a double Lye in Hypocrisie both as to themselves and other Professing People many of them I will not say all do professedly Build upon a false and Sandy Foundation which certainly will fail i. e. the Light within every Man and woman that come into the world and that is not Christ but a Creature There is a Natural Light we know in every Man and Woman Reason and Conscience but it is not Christ he Created it as all things else in the World but what Comparison between the Creator and the Creature This is at large spoken to else-where And concerning other Professing People though many of them it is to be feared do Build upon false Foundations yet sure we are many thousands of them do Build upon the true and onely Foundation Jesus Christ This Lye then is against those who Build upon the true Foundation Thirdly The Third Lye in Hypocrisie Strong Man Armed p. 13. This is another Lye in Hypocrisie That they the Quakers have a true Faith that Faith whereof Christ is the Author and Finisher but the Faith of all others is an unholy dead Imperfect Faith it Sanctifies but in part and so will never save to the utmost