P. And thou sayst, "That good woman called who went naked.' A. Thou hast justified her to be good, and thou canst not say, that that which was good called that which was good beastly or bad, that went naked, which was your figure. Then thou talkest of higher power, and honour of men, like thy brethren the Pharisees, and not like one that knew the higher power, which respects no man's person. And the good women are those that fear God, that have the adorning of the hidden man of the heart, that have the array of Sarah.

John Jackson's book entitled,' Strength in weakness. His principles are as followeth.

P. ONE that is kept groaning and waiting for the adoption, because of the adversary's assaults and contests within her; and yet she is in the kingdom, (thou sayst,) and union with Christ, and spiritual sonship.'

A. Spiritual sonship, and in the kingdom, and yet groaning for adoption! how hast thou brought thyself to the light to be judged; for the least in the kingdom was greater than John. He that is in the kingdom is in righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy ghost, and thou sayst, in the kingdom of grace groaning;' that is but a notion of the kingdom that keeps them groaning for adoption.

P. And as thou sayst, False prophets, and Christs, and deceivers many should come: if it were possible to deceive the very elect.'

A. Yea Christ told his apostles they should come, who before their decease did come, and went forth from them; who Christ said should inwardly raven, and get the sheep's clothing; and since the days of the apostles all the world went after them, as thou mayst read in the Revelation. And now are people but coming from them to the rock, and now shall the everlasting gospel be preached to them that dwell upon the earth, over the heads of the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be taken, and the Lamb and the saints shall have the victory.

P. He saith, 'I hope you will not condemn the generation of the righteous because they are not perfect.'

A. That which condemns is righteous, it condemns that which is not perfect, and that which is righteous is perfect, and the generation is righteous and not to be condemned.

P. A son or daughter that is translated into the kingdom of the dear son, hath filthiness and pollutions of flesh and spirit to put off, and the members to be mortified.'

A. How is he translated into the kingdom of the dear son of God, or grace, if he have that before mentioned to put off? and what is he translated out of, if when he is translated into the kingdom he hath filthiness of the flesh and spirit to put off, and the members to mortify? which filthiness of flesh and spirit, and unmortified members, come not into the kingdom: for they are mortified in their passage to it, for no unrighteousness enters into the kingdom, as saith the apostle, nor any unmortified thing; for the kingdom of God consists of joy and peace in the holy ghost, and unrighteousness and all filth of flesh and spirit, are without it.

P. 'It is the comforter that convinceth the world of sin, but all men have not the spirit, neither are they convinced so of their unbelief."

A. Every man that cometh into the world is enlightened, that he may believe in the light, and he that believes in the light receives the comforter, and he that believes not in the light, the spirit of truth reproves him for his unbelief, for his righteousness, and his judgment. And I say, the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is sufficient, and those who believe in it shall have the light of life, and shall not abide in darkness, and come to the rock, Christ. And all being in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, shall in the light see their salvation to the ends of the earth; and need not say, 'Lo here,' or 'Lo there.' And as for all the wrangling stuff in thy book, what he said, and what she said, and what thou sayst, (a garment to cover,) you had been better silent and not have laid open your nakedness to the nation. I say unto thee, this stuff, and bush, will burn in the fire, and the witness in thee shall answer, which shall witness me, and judge thy contentious spirit, which shows thou art far from the kingdom. And silence had preached more, and patience, than the strife which stands in self-justification, and justifying that which is to be mortified and put off, which never came into the kingdom. And all men that do not believe in the light ⚫ that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' the spirit doth convince them, and is manifest to them and in them.

6

A book, title page called, Hosanna to the Son of David. But the book is nameless, and so the writer reviles and rails, and hides himself in the dark. His intent and drift in his book, is to make the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, a covenant of works, or law without; whereas Christ the light is the covenant of God, the end of the first covenant and its works, and end of the law to Jews and Gentiles, in which they have peace one with another, and with God. And secondly, he goes about to make the Comforter above Christ the light, that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world; which Christ the light saith, that he will send to them, the light, the Comforter, and he shall take of his, and give to them, and not speak of himself, as Christ had not spoken of himself, but as he had heard and saw of the Father, he spoke. And the rest of his principles follow.

P. THOU sayst, The lying murderer, he hath sent forth his instruments, which go under the name of Quakers, and disguised with piety and purity to preach the everlasting gospel: and they hold forth a light, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, what it doth in every man, and what it is in every man; and how it will lead man to purity and righteousness, and from drunkenness, and taking God's name in vain, and check them when they do wrong, and make manifest all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and it will bring to worship God.' These things among others are the scope of the lying murderer, and he bids them, 'believe not every spirit, but try them, whether they be of God or not; for many false prophets are gone out into the world.'

A. The false prophets and antichrists, which Christ said should come, came up in the days of the apostles before their decease, and went forth from them into the world, which since the world went after. And they had the sheep's clothing, but ravened from the spirit, and so are broken into sects and heaps one amongst another, which made war against the saints and overcame them; but then again the beast and false prophets, and the kings of the earth, the Devil and the dragon should make war against the lamb and the saints; but the lamb and the saints should get the victory over them, and the everlasting gospel should be preached to them that dwell upon the earth. So it is not a strange thing to us that the whole world should be standing against the light, and against the saints and the lamb, but their garments they cannot touch. And so wickedness hath budded forth into a rod; but he is brought forth to rule the nations with a rod of iron, who was dead and is alive.' And ye discern not the times, like the Pharisees; and the light which leads men from the world, from their lusts, from taking

God's name in vain, and from all ungodliness. You never came into this, the devil never came into this, nor do any come into it but they who are in that which the devil is out of. Nor do any see the salvation which is to the ends of the earth, but who are in the light that John bore testimony of; the witness in thy conscience shall answer it, and condemn thee for thy hard speeches. And the light by which all things are made, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' is the end of the law, and before a natural light was, and changes men who believe in it from their natural estate, into the covenant of life and peace with God. I say, the law of God that came by Moses, is above conscience, much more Christ the end of the law, that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, the righteousness of God. And the devil is out of piety and purity, who is the lying murderer, and never brought people to the light within, who himself is out of it, and he cannot disguise himself, nor thee neither, from the children of light.

P. And the light simply considered, makes not any thing that is done good or evil.'

A. Did not Christ the light testify against the world that their works were evil? and doth not the light make manifest evil? And is not he that hates the light reproved, and so with it condemned? And doth not the scripture say, the law is light?' And doth not that make evil of that which is evil, and own that which is good, and judge it? Nay, and doth not evil grieve the spirit of God? They that act contrary to the Lord, did not God bring evil upon them that did evil? Is there any evil in the city, and I have not done it?' Though it was evil to them, yet it was justice, for they went from that of God in them first. And doth not Christ the light distinguish between the good and the evil? And doth not Christ make that which is good to be good, and that which is evil to be evil?

6

P. He saith, The law of faith did not make void the law of works, but established it.'

A. That is contrary to the apostle, who said the law was changed, and the first covenant was to decay; so with it, their outward works, whereby the law of faith came in, which works by love, where the boaster is excluded, and the law of life witnessed; and there comes the living in the spirit, which makes free from the law of sin and death.

P. He saith, Neither the new man nor the renewed man, is endued with the principle of light and life, according to the image of him that created him.'

A. In this thou hast shown thy ignorance of the saints' conditions; for they were in the image of God, of him that created them; and they were not in the flesh, but in the spirit. And the apostle tells them, VOL. III.

45

that they were renewed, and 'the light that shined in their hearts' was to give them the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.' And the saints put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created them.' And he that believes has the light of life; and if they have not the spirit of Christ they are none of his. And God will dwell in man, and walk in man; and Christ in them, the brightness of the Father's glory, the express image of his substance.'

P. The natural man retains not the things of the new covenant.' A. That is while natural men are from the light and that of God in them: there is that in the natural man, which hearkening to, will bring him to do the thing contained in the law, who shall be justified before the professors of the law that are not doers of it; which is one with that which ye professors act contrary to. But no man can know the things of God, save with the spirit of God.' So the natural man's eyes are in that which is natural, from that which is spiritual; but there is that in the natural man which answers the law of God, which is spiritual, though he be sold under sin; and as he comes to see the seed, (Christ,) he shall see the end of all that, and of a natural man's estate, and of the law of sin and death, by the faith in Christ; and there are our justification and life, though the other things are owned in their place.

P. Man is not able to discern the things of God till he be born again.'

A. And the scripture speaks of discerning the eternal power and godhead, and that was a thing of the spirit of God; and the apostle saith not, they were born again. And yet I say, that none knows the things of God, but the spirit of God,' and 'that which may be known of God is manifest in them,' which God hath showed unto them;' for that of God in them was of his spirit, who is the God of the spirits of all flesh, who brings them to discern his eternal power and godhead.

P. He saith, that the light by which all things were made, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, is not the powerful word of faith.'

A. Is not the word, Christ, the author of faith, by which all things were made and created? Is not that the powerful word of faith? Is not he the author of it? which faith that comes from him gives victory over the world. And is not the son of God him whom the Father hath sealed, that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world?' And 'whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have eternal life,' and are sealed. So every man in the light shall see the new covenant, and the mediator, before he hath power to become the son of God; and