THOU canst not leave thy old way of boasting, as in thy for­mer Paper, so in this thou criest up thy self a man of valour & strength, it seems thou fearest thy own Works or Neigh­bours will not praise thee, therefore thou contrary to Wis­doms advice, Pro. 27.2. wilt praise thy self, I told thee in my former Paper, That wise men will not boast till the putting off their Armour, but thou, notwithstanding, wilt cry Victory before Conquest, or touch­ing thy Adversaries with any blow, to give the cause of encourage­ment: thou (Bragadotio like) saiest thou wilt not give one intch of ground or turn thy back on the uncircumcised Philistine, by which thou wouldest have the world to think thy Davids heart and engage­ment will conclude in Victory. But if David had taken thy way of railing and boysterous braging the room of combate, or without blow he had never overcome: May not I fitly compare thee to a whore ta­ken in her whordome, yet rails on those who take her, and cryes whore first: I took thee in thy Boasting, as is witnessed in our former papers, thou runest out into the world and cryes me for the boaster. But I am so far from Boasting that knowing my own infirmities and weakness, I would rather keep silence & let thee spend thy breath in vain, the wage words to maintain any such right, but I knowing that thy railing is against the Truth, which thou serest thy self to oppose; I am mooved through mindfulness of the Lord not to keep silence. But to declare a­gainst thy deeds of darkness & presumptious words against the most High & his Saints, let this my engagement be compared with David, and [Page 2]thypresumptions words with Goliah, and it will make known who is the uncircumcised Philistine.

The more thou strivest the more thy weakness within is manifested, and thy strokes throws thee backward.

Thou saist, the weapons of your warfare, are not carnal, yet all thy defence, or offence, is by carnal foul and filthy words, of which, but disposesse thee, and thou wilt be left without either words or shields. And though thou talk of the conquering Sword of the Spirit, saying, it is thy weapon, it is little manifested in thy denial of the word of God, for the conquering Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, Ephes. 6.17.

Therefore, although thou steal these words of weapons, not being carnal and Sword of the Spirit, that which thou callest, the dead Letter, yet art thou far from the exercise of spiritual weapons, or knowledge of them, for if thou wert not, thou woulest testifie more purity and peace. If thou say, thou hadest these words, the Sword of the Spirit, or, Spiritual weapons, from the light within thee, without the Scriptures, (which thou callest dead Letters) all that hears thee Impartialy, will say, thou speakest not Truly. And so will thy own conscience if thou open that Book. And will also let thee see how asuredly evil it is for thee to call the Scriptures dead Letter, and yet fetch those words which thou deliverest for spiritual Declarations from thence. Thou saiest (among other things) thou askest me, hath every one that comes into the world heard and read the preaching of Christ and his Apostles, as they are transcribed in the Bible, and thou saiest. I answer, they have all heard, thou replyest must the Lyer in thee be received for the Oracle of God.

Answ. Thou hear dealest falsely with my answer, not delivering as I did, I said, have they not all heard, thy error in this is because thou knowest not the Scriptures which will tell thee, Mat. 28.20. Mark. 16. 15. Act. 2, 5, 6. Rom. 10.18. Whether this be my Lye or the Scriptures speaking, let the hearers Judge, as also who is the Lyer, whether I for alledging plain, Testimonies of Scriptures, or thou for delivering my Ans­wer, otherwise then thou receivest it, may not Millions of Men and Women, saiest thou, who dwell in those parts of the world, not coun­ted Christendom wittness against thee: if an Egyptian mist had not blinded thee, thou couldst not have been so besotted as to back thy Lye with those places of the Letter, Mat. 28.19, 20. Mark. 16.15. Which in effect prove Christs Command to his Disciples, when they were upon earth, to go preach the glad tydings of the Gospel to the generations they lived in.

Answ. Couldst thou fetch those Millions thou speakest of for thy defence, yet could they not witness against me, the Word of the Lord is a sure witness against thee, and all opposers of the universal precah­ing of faith, or sound of the Gospel of Christ in all the world, and to every creature, therefore as formerly, so I say now, as the Apostle doth demand, Rom. 10.18. Have they not all heard, but they have not all obeyed, as verse the 16. Therefore those Milions which thou saiest are not counted Christians, if they be not Christians, 'tis not because they have not heard, but because they have not obeyed; read Act. 1.8. and Luke. 24.27. Which tells thee, the Apostles shall be witnesses of Christ Jesus to the uttermost part of the earth, and that repentance and re­mission of sins should be preached to all Nations. Now let all who have ears to hear, judge whether an Egyptian mist and besottedness be not rather in thy self, to aledge these whom thou never sawest, or heard, (but by the report of others, to be thy witness against me, and the Scriptures. There is two many nearor hand, who if their non obedience must witness against the Scriptures, that they have not heard the preaching of Christ, and his Apostles do witness fully, of which namely Martin Mason is one, who is too full of fury, and wrath against the preaching of the Gos­pel by Christ and his Apostles, to yeild obedience thereunto.

Thy saying that Mat. 28.19, 20. Mark. 16.15. In effect proves Christ command to his Disciples, when they were on earth, to go preach the glad tydings of the Gospel to the generation they lived in: Dothplain­ly shew, how desirous thou art to out short the Commission of Christ, and stop the mouths of his Apostles, in their preaching by that Com­mission in these times; whose power and promise with that Commission, as it was to all the world, and every creature, so it is to the worlds end, as is manifested in the Scriptures, verse the 20.

By which is discovered what relation thou hast to Christ, or love, or aquaintance with his truth; If thou didest know Christ, as the truth is in Jesus, thou wouldst know, that though the Apostles be not personaly up­on earth, yet their word by which beleif in Christ is wrought, John. 47.20. and by which the world shall be judged, John. 12, 48. Rom. 2.16. and by which the word of God is manifest, Tit. 1.3. and which is a wit­ness to all Nations through the whole world, Mat. 24.14. yet remain­eth, notwithstanding thine and Millions of opposers, and denyers there­of. And thus that Egypian mist and sottishness which thou saiest is in me, is manifested in thy self, who as thou goest about by London way to speak with me, who lives by thee in Lincolne, so thou runest to the un­christianed world (as thou callest them) who live many thousands of [Page 4]Myles from thee, to be thy witness against me, that the Gospel is not preached by Christ and his Apostles, and against the Scriptures also: And our own knowledge, who have their preaching sounding in our ears continually. Would any but a misted blind man, bring a candle to witness against the Light of the Sun. Thy confusion is further ma­nifested: In thy acknowledging the Scriptures, in effect proves Christ command to his Disciples, to go preach the glad tydings of the Gos­pel: For thou denyst, and opposest, that Christ which they preached, and also in his Ordinances, and therefore most miserable is thy condition in that, to acknowledge it the Command of Christ, and the glad tydings of the Gospel, and yet fight against it.

Thou saiest thou never questionedst Christs Comission, or their executi­on thereof, yet thou thy self denyst obedience thereunto, and wouldest bring Millions of non Christians, to witness against it, what greater question can be against that Commistion to all the world, and every Creature in the world, or the execution thereof, then to say Millions of people in the world, have never heard of that Christ. Thou bid­est me see my foolishness, and be ashamed, but if that blend, which befottes all sences that oppose the Truth, were not it thee, thou would­est see thy self amongst these Owls, and Batts, whose nightly noyse is heard in the ruines of Babylon. But that wine being in thee, 'tis hid from thy Eyes.

Thou repeatest thy question, How is the Gospel preached to every Crea­ture under Heaven, if not by the Principal of light in the Conscience.

Answ. And I answer thee again, In the preaching of Christ and his Apostles, which worketh the principle of light in the Conscience, which is the light of Christ, that lighteth every man that cometh into the World. And whatsoever pretended light in the Conscience, that is not enlightned from thence, and leads not to the obedience of that preach­ing, 'tis darkness and not light, it is two secret and desart, for the Saints and Diseiples of Christ to go out to it, Mat. 24.26. and lead but where the foolish Woman brings her dead guests, Prov. 9.18.

Take away thy Letter (saiest thou) and by this mans Doctrine, there would be no principal of light, arising in thy Conscience.

Answ. Take away the preaching of Christ in the Scriptures, which thou callest dead Letter, & there would be the same in the Conscience in relation to light, that would be in thy tongue, for hadest thou not their speakings to still thy mouth with what Name of Christ, or Spirit, or Spiri­tual weapon; or Gospel; or Conscience, or Light it self wouldst thou have: all that hear thee knows that thou hast none of these expressions but [Page 5]from thence. Those who spake by thy Spirit, when Christ was personally upon earth, might likewise say, take away this Carpinter, Marys Son, and there is no Mesias or Son of God, or Light and Saviour of the world; for as they contemned and despised Christ Jesus, because of his seeming meanness or outward manly estate, so thou dost contemne and dispise his Word, therefore his Word shall judge the in the lay day, John. 12.48. Shall men despise the way and means that God hath given, for teaching and correcting in righteousness, and which is able to make men wise unto Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. Because 'tis brought home to them in words and writing, such dispisers shall wonder, and vanish a­way at the beholding the work of God by that which they so dispise. Martin take this further with thee, to consider of in way of answer, that whosoever takes away, or denys that which thou callest dead Letter, shall find no light of Conscience but what leads to distruction, the Scriptures are either the voyce or speaking of God, or nothing, or worse, if they be nothing or worse, why dost thou sometimes say thou ownst them, or why dost thou speak by them, and steal their word to fill thy mouth with and aledge them? And if they be the voyce and speaking of God (as even they are) thou that wouldest take them away and callest them Dead and Life-less, wouldst take away the voyce and speak­ing of God and call it Dead and Life-less, and so art a plain opposer and set enemy against God, which manifesteth thy dead and dark mind. Thy swelling words against me of gross darkness, and calling me Baby­lonian, and Lyer, and shame cover thy face, and the like, I slight them as Big words of wrath, for want of matter.

Thou askest me, If there was not a Principal of Light in people before Moses writ the Letter.

Answ. There was the preaching of the Gospel, the word of Faith which is the sure Principle of Light, before Moses writ the Letter, wit­ness Abels offering, and Abrahams believing, compared with Gal. 3.8. and Heb. 11.4. As also the preaching of the Gospel, or righteousness by Noah, to the world of the ungodly, 2. Pet. 2.5. Yet Christ sends the People to Moses and the Prophets to hear them, who did not only declare the Sacrifice, Circumcision and Ceremonyes of the Law, but also the Faith and acceptance with God of these who before the Law, and in the Law did hear and obey the Gospel of Faith; and saith Christ, if they will not hear them, they will not be perswaded, though one arise from the dead; Luke. 16.29, 31. even so now, the people have Christ and the Apostles, if they will not hear them, no other dead arising light can perswade them to hear the Gospel of Faith: therefore what is the prin­ciple [Page 6]of light before Moses writ the Letter, to thy denyal of the preach­ing of Christ and his Apostles in the Scriptures. Cornelius had as much light as thou canst aledge, yet he must hear the Apostle Peter for Salva­tion.

Thou tellest me, I say in my Prayer, that the sound of accusing, or ex­cusing, is in all consciences: then it must needs be (saist thou) in the conscience of Millions of people, that never heard of the preaching of repentance, and faith by the Apostles.

Answ. That which I said in my Paper, was that their Sound (speak­ing of the Apostles) of accusing or excusing is in all consciences, then saiest thou, it must needs be in the conscience of Millions, that never heard their sound, but how this is agreeable with right reason, that the sound of the Apostle preaching, must needs be in the consciences of Millions, that never heard of their sound, let the hearers Judge; yet let this be observed how thou strainest thy self to shuffel out the Apostle and sayst in thy own pretended Light, leaving out my word, their sound, applyed to the Apostles, and putest in thy word, the sound, applyed to thy dark­ness, and then saiest, I said it; which is false in a double manner, both in leaving out what I said, and saying what I said not, if thou see not this to be a deceitful sottishness, the standers by will, this is like thy Logick in thy former Paper, which thou touldst me came from the Rock of Ages: I asked thee in my former Paper, where thou, or any of those who run abroad, now in these dayes, have come where Christ and his Apostles have not been before you. And to that I joyned my saying that the sound of accusing or excusing is in all consciences, all which thou hast left out in 'its order and place, and without answer, that thou mayst with more ease, perswade others against the truth delivered by me; but they are weak discerners that seeth not what thou art in such false deal­ing.

This thou callest my scornful question, & for want of answer, openest thy mouth in cursing, throwing out some of thy waters of bitterness which flow within; And after a terrible fit, thou art forced to say thou ownest no other Gospel but what the Apostles preached.

Answ. To which I answer, that then thou must discern that which thou callest the light of the conscience, for the Apostles never preached so, and then thou must own the man Christ Jesus, who suffered at Jeru­salem to be the Saviour of the world, and the Baptisme with water up­on repentance, and Faith to be a Gospel Ordinance, for this is that which the Apostles preached, Act. 4.10, and 3, 16, and 5, 30, 31, and 9, 34, and 13, 32, 38, 39, and 16, 30, 31, and 2, 38. Thus out of thy own mouth, thou art condemned for thy disobedience.

Thou sayest, you do not direct the people to any other thing then the Apostle Peter did, that sure word of Prophesie, the light in the con­science to which they do well if theyake heed 2 Pet. 1.19.

Answ. Then you must send them to the Scriptures or Prophesies of old, for so did the Apostle Peter in the text, as the following versos do witness, if thou have ears to hear, and to the Baptisme of Repentance, for so did Peter, Acts 2.38. which thou denyest and therefore speakest falsely, in saying you direct the people as Peter did. Peter did not send or direct the people to the light in their own consciences (as thou say­est he did) in that also thou speakest falsely, and addest them words to the text, by which thou manifesteth how blind & bould opposer thou art, though God threatens his plagues against thee; for it, Rev. 22.18. thou and thy generation do in this as all Antichristians have done, to make their own Idols stand up, thrust in their own inventions amongst the speaking of the Spirit of God in the Scripture, but it will fall as Dagon did before the Ark.

Also thou sayest, you send them to the seed of the woman, the word of God, the unction, or, Christ within.

Answ. You send them several wayes, it seems as pleaseth the fancy of the sender; but thou speakest falsely, and intendest deceitfully, for all your sending is to keep people from the knowledg of the womans seed, the word of God, the unction, or, Christ within. For the seed of the woman or of promise, is the man Christ, who was begotten and born of the Virgin Mary, and so was he the womans seed, and he who brake the Serpents head, and loossed the works of the Devil, by his death, and blood-shedin that flesh, in which he came and dwelt a­mongst men; and the unction, or, Christ within, is the Spirit of pro­miss sent from Christ, into those who believe in him, John 16.7. Mat. 29.20. But thy womans seed, and thy Christ within, and unction, or word, is thy faigned light which thou tellest people, is in all consciences, though in the state of unbelief, or unregenerate, and thither wouldest thou send people, to seek Christ in their own dark hearts, and false speakings in the desart secret place, that so they may leave looking for the light of Israel, to follow your matters contrary to Scriptures teaching, or the Apostles direction. But he cannot find Christ within, who denyeth Christ without, he cannot have Christ spiritually by faith, who denys Christ bodily raised from the grave, and ascended, and re­maining in the Heavens. Thou and thy generation, are in that deny­al manifested to be busie sticklers both against that Christ and the preaching of his Apostles; who preached Christ to those in whom he [Page 8]was not, that they by faith might receive him, and that is the promise of unction, which only Saints deny as the earnest of their everlasting inheritance. And so he dwelleth in Saints, not in unbelievers, Ephes. 1.13, 14. and 2.12, 2. Cor. 13.5. Therefore thine and thy fellows telling men that are not in the faith, they must look to the light anoint­ing, and Christ within them. As it is a smoak arising from below, to cover mens eyes from the light of the Son; so there is in its two per­nitious evils, the one is, it stayes men from following Christ, the Sa­viour whose power, excellency, and glorious manifestation of love is sounded forth, and made known by the spirit of God in the Scriptures, to bring all men to everlasting life through faith in him. The other evil is, it makes men listen to the false imaginations, and deceitful perswa­sions of their own hearts, which hath been the cause of all Idolatry, superstition, and disobedience to the Law of faith, that hath been; for men leaving the spiritual teaching, and commands of Christ in the Scripture, and following their own Invensions, and heart Imaginations run themselves into several false practises, and bould disobedience, of which this of yours is not the least, for the greater pretence of light (in disobedience) the greater evil.

And this bouldness of thy heart, by following its Imaginations is further manifested, in thy saying, how should the seed of the woman break the Serpents head, if the seed of the woman, the unction, or; Christ within, and the seed of the Serpent, the man of sin, be not with­in.

By which all may plainly see who are in the light, thy denyal of the death of Christ, who by his death and blood-shed in that once suffering at Jerusalem, did break the Serpents head according to Gods decree, and appointment: but thou in denyal of that, and to give him a plai­ster, for his his broken head, tellest the world or unbelievers, that their light within (which is their heart imaginations and vain fancies) with­out that which is preached by Christ, and his Apostles to give light, is the seed of the woman that breaks the Serpents head, no other break­ing of his head wouldest thou have them to believe, and thus wouldest thou if thou could save the breaking of the sepents head, and give him a hellmet rather.

Thou runest on with a many words, some stollen from Scripture, and some thy own Imagination, and to conclude, what sayest, but this is a mystery.

Answ. To which I answer, 'tis a mystery indeed, but it is the myste­ry of Iniquity, for it denyeth Christ Jesus, and setteth up false devices [Page 9]in his room, but the righteous desires not to know the deepness of Sa­tan as thou speaks in thy former paper, thou saist to me, poor man how hath thy father befooled thee, hath not the God of this world blinded thy mind 'tis so or else thou wouldst see thy nakedness, and be ashamed of thy ignorance, with more such big words,

And this was because, I had said, the light of Christ is manifested, by the preaching of Christ and his Apostles, hearing, and receiving, of which said I, is the inlet to the Spirit of promise, and for proof I alledg­ed, Gal. 3.2. Acts. 2.38, the truth of which thou not being able to gainsay, smitest me thus with thy tongue for reveng in thy offence at truth, but when thy passion was somewhat over, and thou hadst for­got why thou wast angry, thou saidst the very same thy self which thou condemnest in me, thy words were these, Did not the Galatians re­ceive the Spirit, by the hearing of faith, that is (sayst thou) by believ­in that Christ, which Paul preached? also thou saidst, that is the word of faith which we preach, saith Paul, and hearing of the word of faith, (the light in the conscience) is the inlet to the Spirit of promise.

In answer to all which I said, what cause hast thou thus to complain against me, when thou art forced to say the same thing with me, thou hast in this disarmed thy self, and yeilded the victory, 'tis in vain for thee to take up for another charg.

Let the wise Reader now judge, if there were not just cause for thee to lay thy hand upon thy mouth in silence, or confess thy folly, for exclaming against me, for saying what the Scripture saith, when thou sayest the very same with me, and with the text of Scripture alledged; save only thy addition, the light in the conscience, which is to be thrown to thee, being thy own Idol, and not belonging to the text. But thou for want of a gracious humbled Spirit, to acknowledg the truth, when it is so plainly laid before thee: continuest thy old corrupt language, like Balaam to curse where thou knoweth the Lord hath blessed, but thy mouth is ordered contrary to the desires of thy heart.

Be it remembred (saist thou) that thou hast owned the light of the conscience, to be the inlet to the Spirit of promise.

There is no cause (Martin) to forget that, being remembred that thou sayest with me, that light is by the hearing of faith preached by the Apostles.

Then in thy former paper, touldst me of Juggling, the which I called upon thee to prove, but thou not being able, returnest to ask me, if I have not saved thee some labour, and done it my self.

Answ. Martin, this is just like thee, to shew so little cause for so [Page 10]large accusation, thy labour hath been great enough, were it known to prove that thou cannot; but I will shew how with male labour, I have opened Martin Masons Juggling Box, who cried condemnation a­gainst me for that which I found he himself had, and I also found that when he had called the people together, pretending to shew them Christ the Saviour, and light and truth, there I discovered all to be nothing but a crucifix, and false fained lights, and tryfels of self-dinying.

Thou mayst have spared the labour of telling me, I one while own the Letter, to be the inlet to the Spirit of promise, and another time own the light of the Conscience to be the inlet, sometime calling the Letter, sometime the Spirit, the Rule.

Answ. For I never owned to thee, any light of Conscience but that which is the preaching of Faith in the Scriptures: which Light or en­lightning, thy self hath before owned (though fore against thy will) and for thy pretended light, that hath not 'its original from that faith­preaching power of the Apostles, I deny it as a deadly darkness: where hast thou that word Letter from me, calling it the inlet, or rule, is it not a word of thy own divising against the Apostles preaching, or to use thy own termes, a Brat of thy own begetting, why wilt thou father it upon me, charge it not upon me, but chalenge thy own.

Is not thy foundation (saist thou) built upon the Letter, dost not thou account, that for the word of God Which Paul and Petter preache­ed.

Answ. I do account that for the Word of God which Paul, and Peter preached, and I am built upon that foundation which they have laid, which is Christ Jesus, as 1 Cor. 3.10, 11. And this is denyed by none but the raiging Heathen, and disobedient denyers of Christ, to be come in the flesh, the Apostles Paul saith to the Thesselonians 1 Thes. 2.13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, that when ye received of us the word of the preaching of God, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is indeed, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe: let this be compared with thy denyal of that to be the word of God which Paul preached; and those who hear thee, will account thee as Paul wileth, Gal. 1.8. Art thou not by this proved one of those, who would move men away from, and pevert the Gospel of Christ, Gal. 1.6, 7. May not I justly say of thee, as Paul said of thy Brother Alexander the Copper-Smith, 2 Tim. 4.14, 15. The Load reward thee according to thy works, and let all men bewar of thee, and all such, for you withstand the Apostles preaching sore, 'tis well thou art no wiser in thy evils, but to destroy thy worke with thy own hands, and [Page 11]let thy blindness in wickedness to appear to all men, not only in this thy gross denyal of the plain truth, but in thy sometimes acknowledg­ing that which thou hear denyest to cover thy deceit with; but layest it the more open to the view of all men. As for example, thou ownest (to deceive by) Christ to be the word of God, and thou saist in thy paper to me, that Paul Preached Christ; and now forgetting that, thou wouldst deny that to be the word of God which Paul Preached; if he that biddeth me in thy last paper see my sottishness, and be ashamed, would make right application of this to himself, he would see some­thing, but howsoever the standers by will: doth not the Scripture a­bundantly declare that the Apostle preached the word of God, as Acts 17.13. and 8.25. and 13.5. And they preached Christ, (whom thou sayest thou ownest to be the word of God) wast thou clapt up in some clouded darkness, and oblivion, when thou writ this, surely this madness will appear to all men.

Thou takest occasion at my speaking of the Apostles preaching the word of God, and Jesus; to ask me if the word of God, and Jesus be two distinct things.

Answ. If to fill paper, thou didst not love to make frivilous questions, thou would not thus spend thy self and time, look in thy former paper, & thou may find this saying first from thy self, quoting Acts 17.13, 18. where 'tis said Paul preached the word of God, and that he preached Jesus these Scriptures, would satisfie thee (if thou wert not as I have told thee) that preaching the word of God, and preaching Jesus, is all one, and that my accounaing, that for the word of God which Paul and Peter preached, is an account agreeable to the Scriptures, and not against any but those who are against the truth.

Thou saist in thy former paper, that my fancy is found to be built upon the sandy foundation of litteral printed leaves, not the rock, yet (saith thou) that which gave forth the leaves I own.

To which I answer, that then thou must own the Printer, for he gave forth the leaves, and so thy own foundation by thy own confesti­on must needs be Sandy; of which without proof or my confession thou hast accused me, I own not, or am built upon any such foundati­on, (said I) or upon Paul or Peter, but that which I am built upon, is that spiritual, and powerful word sounded and preached forth by the Apostles, either in word or writing: at which answer thou art so nettled, and stickles, and stislles up and down, and yet for all the stir thou makes, thou cannot free thy self, thou callest to thy friends to see me put to my shifts; but they that are friends indeed, will tell thee [Page 12]thou art put to thy shifts with a witness, for thou hast no defence for thy self therein, but as scoulds have one against another, which is to ex­ercise a foul tongue, calling me lyer again and again, and high flown Pharisee, and the like, but in the middest of all thy coller busling to free thy self, thou hast sunck thy self further in, for now thou art forced to confess that the pure spirit of the living God gave forth the letter, and yet thou calls it dead letter, and in thy title page thou saist thou art a minister, not of the letter; and in thy foregoing page thou tellest me I cry up the letter; now call thy friends and let them see who will be put to their shifts, to free thy self of being a blasphemer, in saying that which thou confesseth to be given forth by the pure spirit of the living God, is a dead thing; and of being a Minister of Antichrist, in saying thou art no Minister, but a cryer down of that which is given forth by the pure Spirit of the living God, by thy own confession: see what evil contradictions and obfurdities thou hast run thy self into, as all do who take up arms against the truth.

Thou tellest me in the next place I am puzled, and tormented, be­cause in thy paper thou cryest not up the letter.

Answ. Thy friends will tell thee thou art more puzled and tormen­ted in crying it down, who in thy strugling to cry it down, and against that which thou acknowledgeth, to be given forth by the pure Spirit of the living God, art thy self thrown down headlond, so far from the state of a faithful Minister, of the everlasting Gospel, (as thou call'st thy self) that thou neither sheweth grace, or good intelligence, and art neither Prophet, or the Son of a Prophet, but as men have taught thee from thy youth, so dost thou remain in low place amongst the heards-men, where thy friend looking upon thee, will see who is dis­mounted, and sorely wounded; boasting brave doth seldome conquer, but the truth will overcome.

Answ. Thou askest why the Heathen rage, and the men imagin a vain thing; 'tis mens offence at Christ Jesus, against whom they band themselves, and assemble together, Warring against, the Lord, and his anoynted, witness, Martin Mason, and his fellows, whose raging words, and not without blasphemie, and vain Imaginations, is mani­fested to all who have eyes to see, or ears to hear.

I said in my former paper, that the baptisme of repentance, hearing of faith preached, and believing, is the inlet to the Spirit of promise, as these Scriptures testifie, Acts 2.36. Ephes. 1.13. Gal. 3.2.

Thou tellest this to the world, as matter against me, but leaves out the Scripture that I brought to witness it by; by which thy falshood [Page 13]and deceit is laid open; for thou leaves them out, knowing what thou accuseth me of reacheth them, but they will speak to thy shame, and confound thee before all men. Thou being empty of any answer thereto, saist, by this mans Doctrine none have the spirit of promise that bow not to his Sprinkling.

Answ. Martin, I have not at any time called upon thee, or any to how to any Sprinkling, neither have I used the word Sprinkling to thee upon any such account, 'tis a word brought only by thy self for re­proach, when thou wantest an answer: in which thou dost but shew how thou runnest into holes, and Caves of thy own digging and scratch­ing, to hide thee from the presence of truth.

If I should say to thee for want of other answer, when thou tellest of the light within, to be the inlet to the Spirit, without the Scriptures teaching; that by this mans doctrine none have the Spirit that how not to his quaking, wouldst thou not call me Lyer, and deal me a many foul words for it; let that charity now begin at home, and deal such words rightly where they do belong, would any but one who is blind in heart, publish himself in print in such poor pettish spirited things as thou dost, I am ashamed to have to do with such silly stuffe, neither would I, but that I knew my silence would make thee boast and be wise in thy own concent, therefore I chuse rather to answer thee as I am ad­vised, Prov. 26.5. Thou bids Jonathan tell thee, if he did not a little before own the light of the conscience to be the inlet of the Spirit.

Answ. Jonathan by writing hath told Martin before, and tells him now that he dis-owns his false fained light; but he owns the light of the conscience, enlightned by the preaching of faith according to the Scrip­tures. Thou askest me if I will be a Lyer, whether thou wilt or no: as though thou had the making, and disposing of Lyes, as a Child be­longing to the Father of Lyes: but though thy will like thy Fathers, be to have all Lyers like thy self, yet thou must want of thy will in me, for I neither love or make Lyes, neither canst thou prove any Lye against me, though thou call me Lyer, but it is a small matter to find a Lye in a foul mouth.

I am willing to refer what is said to the wise in heart to judge, who is the Babler and bond-slave in Babylon, and sayes, and unsayes: which is the esteeme thou would have me in with those to whom thou publish­eth so against me, and whom thou askest if I do not place water, and beleeving in the Letter in the room of Christ, by making them the way, and the door or inlet to the Spirit of promise.

Answ. It would agree better with right reason, if thou shewed where [Page 14]I said so, least they that find not any such saying of mine, must needs say thou art a Lyer whether they will or no; I deny, thou hast them words from me; water administred upon repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. I would have where it should be according to Gospel teaching, that is the Baptisme of repentance, which I have so much spoken to thee, and against which thou and thy generation deviseth so many cross opposings, to wind out and shroud your selves from the appearance of truth, but your coverings are too scant, which makes your nakedness be seen of every passer by.

Who ever (saist thou) are not Spiritually blind, will see the blas­phemy of the beast, for Christ the light of the world is the door and the way, John 10.9, and 14.16. and so the inlet to the Spirit of pro­mise.

Answ. Doth Christ being the door and the way to Salvation, deny faith to be the inlet of his spirit of promise, is not entrance into Christ the door by faith, and is not receiving the Spirit of promise by faith: then faith in Christ is the inlet to Salvation, and the inlet of the spirit of pro­mise into the heart therefore, though Christ be the door and the way.

Yet those who have not but denies faith in Christ Jesus, have no inlet or entrance therein; then surely thou must needs be without Christ, and hath no entrance into him, calling it the blasphemy of a beast, to al­ledge the plain Testimony of Christ to prove faith to be the inlet of the Spirit of promise, surely all that hear thee, will see thy spiritual blind­ness, in such faith-less, grace-less deliveries. Thou askest me where the Creature must look for Christ if not within.

Answ. The Creature must look for Christ, as he doth openly manifest himself to every Creature according to the Scriptures, thou nor any other are not like to find him within in your faithless condition, till you hear the Scriptures direction, and obey the teaching of Christ therein, and so become new Creatures according to the Gospel, for none but new Creatures have Christ within them, and no new Creatures in the denyal of the Baptisme of repentance; the denyal of which is manifested in thee, in thy hot words of contempt against it: being thy self so fouled in foul water without repentance, even since thou received thy Romish washing, and not purisyed from that by the lavour of regeneration, remains in thy old unclean condition, not obeying the truth thy self, but railng upon those that do.

And though Christ stand at thy door and knock, and call upon thee to open thy door, and amend thy life and be Baptized in the Name of Christ [Page 15]Jesus for remission of thy sins, yet thou wilt not hear him and open thy door to receive him; but hast received a stranger called false Imaginati­on; who because he acknowledgeth whoredom, and drunkenness, and murther is sin, yet because he tells thee not that disobedience to the com­mand and teachings of Christ in reference to his Law of faith is sin, is Spiritual Whoredome, and Drunkenness, and Murther, and Theft, and the like, therefore thou cryest out against the Ordinances of Christ to outface thy disobedience thereunto: but if an evil Spirit should not come with something to deceive with, the possessed therewith must be a professed Devil, in maintaining its Motion. But the man of sin comes in all deceivableness of unrighteousness, to perswade those who are de­ceived that they are Saints, when they are the quite contrary; and now to give our Audience a right knowledg of what we contend for, and the difference thereof, that so they may make right application of truth or falshood, to which of us it belongs, let them know, That what I have declared and do contend for, is for the maintenance of the faith once given to the Saints according to the Scriptures, and preaching of Christ and his Apostles, which is the light and way of God, to direct all men to everlasting life, as the Scriptures do plainly witness, John 14.6. Mark 16.16. Rom. 10.9, 10. John 3.16. Thy declaration and con­tending is without, and denying the Scriptures, and preaching of the man Christ that dyed at Jerusalem, for the sins of the whole world, or the Apostles sent of him: so thine is a thing in secret, not according to the open declared will and command of Christ or teaching of his, and therefore must needs be a deceit, and not to be received but accounted accursed, Gal. 1.8, 9. John 9.10, 11. Rom. 16.17.

If I must receive thee as in the truth for saying, thou hast a light with­in thee which thou callest Christ, when thou walkest contrary to, and denyest the declared will of Christ Jesus in the Scriptures; then from the same ground I must receive another that saith so, and then the Pope and his Prelates, and theirs, or any such who are as able to declare what they say they have of Christ within, as Martin Mason, or any by whose hand held forth, he hath been led into this Condition, and they are for no o­ther cause to be excepted against, but for their walking contrary to and denying the declared will of Christ Jesus in the Scriptures, and following their own Inventions, which they call light: And of this Martin Ma­son and his fellows, do manifest themselves to be as guilty as the for­mer, and so with them denyers of Christ, to be come in the flesh, for who­soever are denyers of that Christ Jesus who died at Jerusalem, for mans redemption, and his teachings, and commands given forth by him and [Page 16]his Apostles while they were personally upon Earth amongst men; must needs be found guilty of the Apostle Johns brand upon them, 1 John [...]3. 2 John 7. Your Evasion of Christ coming in your flesh will not cover your deceit, but more discovers your opposition to Christ Jesus, for your telling men of Christ coming in their flesh, or your flesh, is to make them deny Christ come in his own flesh, or the flesh, which was the onely flesh or body, that God came in to give his Law or Testament of faith to men, and was appointed to suffer and seal his Testament with his blood.

Thou often talkest of the light within, telling men and women in secret, of every sin they commit, yet thy light doth not tell thee or them of your sins of unbelief against that Saviour, who tells thee in his Gos­pel that the world shall be condemned for sin, because they believe not in him; Thou wilt not open thy window to let this light of righteous­ness shine into thy dark heart, but only light thy self and others with the nightly Torches of your own kindling, which at the best let you but fee that evil, and that righteousness, which is onely in relation to the Law of works, by which Law none shall be justified or condemned, thy light is a Popish light, and had its kindling from that fire, and not from the Alter Christ Jesus; and therefore is a strange fire, and so an abominati­on, from which fire hath been the kindling of mens minds, in way of merit by their own works, against the Justification that is by faith only, according to the Scriptures, in the maintaining of which faith in Christ Jesus, many thousand who have washt their long robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and have not loved their lives unto the death, but have laid down their lives in witness of that truth, in which they have been such overcomers, that one would think there should have been no more rising up of that beaten down falshood in the accuser of the Saints; yet here appears the same Spirit moving from below, which though it hath not the horns, and teeth, and clawes of the beast, to kill and rend the Saints as the former did, yet it hath the mouth or voyce of the Dragon, to accuse and curse and smite with the tongue, those who deny to receive their false devices, by which voyce thou callest it blalphemy in me, to say the Spirit is received by the hearing and receiving of faith preached, and so accuseth the Apostles al­so of blasphemie, of whom I received it, Gal. 3.2. Ephes. 1.13. Act. 2.38. because it denies the Spirit is received by thy dark works.

Thou biddest Jonathan tell thee, was the bearing of faith, Gal. 3.2. hearing the Prophets and Apostles, or hearing that Christ which Paul preached, to be in all, Jew and Greek, Barbarian, Scithian, bond and free.

Answ. If Martins eyes had a Christian opening, he would see that either he must deny Paul to be an Apostle, and the Apostles to preach all one Christ, or say these are both one; and if Martin should tell me that the Christ which Paul preached, and the Christ which Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and others of the Apostles preached, was not all one Christ, all that hears him tell me so, will say he speaks not truth, and for Barbarians, Scithians, &c. the Apostle in that place names them not, and where he doth namethem, as in Col. 11. He doth not name them as having Christ without or before faith in him, but that as to the Jewes, so to all others Christ is the same, both in the offer of himself to all by his preaching, as also his indwelling with them in receiving him by faith, but neither in Col. 11. or any where else doth the Apostles preach Christ to be or dwell in any, either Jew or Greek, but by faith only, (quite contrary to your teaching) without which faith wrought by the Apostles preaching, thy pretended Christ unction and light within, is all vanity and deceit.

Thou askest what shal be the condemnation of all man-kind, who never heard of the name of Christ at Jerusalem, if not the light of Christ placed in the conscience, and wherefore is the light of Jesus left there in the heart of every man and woman, if not to lead men and women out of sin into holiness, and whether any thing without can redeem a Soul from sin, but that Jesus who is the light of the world, and shines in the conscience of every man and woman in the world. Answer these queriers without any Serpentine evasion, conjuring consequence, or An­tichristian falicies, saist thou.

Answ. The condemnation of the condemned, shall be for not believing in the name of that Christ, who dyed at Jerusalem, as the Scriptures lively and abundantly stand up to witness, though the dark generation calls them dead, John 16.8, 9. and 12.48. Mat. 16.16. Mark 25.41, 42, 48. And thy saying they have not heard of the Name of that Christ, that dyed at Jerusalem, is of no value, for it is but thy false witness in the maintenance of thy own evil cause, and therefore to be rejected, being a neggative, against the Scriptures affirmative, be­sides thy own words (the light of Christ placed in the conscience) is against thee, for how shall the conscience be enlightned by Christ that never heard of him, Rom. 10.14, 15. Here thou hast Ensnared thy self, now thou must either acknowledge with me, that the enlightning of all consciences, is by the preaching of the faith in that Christ, who suffered for sin at Jerusalem, or plainly deny him to be the Christ, whom thou denying art in sin, as the same Christ tells thee, John 8.48. [Page 18]and till thou hear the voyceof that Christ who calls thee out of the State of sin or unbelief, to believe in his Name, and wash away thy sins in his blood, thou art not in the State of Holiness, but in uncleanness, what ever thy heart Imaginations and false fancy may sooth thee up withall, for there is no State of cleanness, or holiness spiritual, but by faith only in that Christ Jesus, who suffered at Jerusalem. Which Christ Jesus the light of the world in his sufferings at Jerusalem, did without them redeem Souls from sins; thy Queries denying this doth manifest thy denyal of that Christ, who died for sinners; whose redemption doth work faith and light in men, but not any thing in man doth work his redemption, for as formerly I have told thee and others of thy generation (at which you have been so wrathful, but never gave any answer) that redemption is the cause of mans belief, not belief the cause of mans redemption, for so should men deny Christ, and be his own redeemer, but Christ is a redeemer before man be a believer, for what should man believe if not redemption, and who should he believe if not the redeemer. As a man cannot own Christ the Saviour, and deny his redemption, so a man cannot own redemption and deny the Saviour. But thy Queries plainly testify thee to be a denyer of both.

In the next place, thou hast broken (in thy blindness) thy fore-head against a rock, that lay full in thy way, for thou art forced to confess, that I say something to the proof of Baptisme of Repentance, in al­ledging, Acts 7.59. If I, and my freinds, can witness such a condition as those convicts did in the four last verses.

Answ. My freinds and I, witnessing the condition required, verse the 38. do manifest conversion which is more then conviction, which conversion doth not only witness by the gift promised thereunto, that condition in the four last verses upon the like, or any Gospel occasion requiring; but the condition, Acts 7.59, 60. Rom. 12.11. Heb. 10.34. For my freinds, and I, do witness against thee, and all who deny to follow Christ in the Regeneration, or Baptisme of Repentance, that if we follow not that conversion to do as Gospel need requireth, to the loss of what we here enjoy, and life and all, if we be thereunto called, for Christ and his Gospel sake, we violate our Baptisme and destroy our faith: but to leave any of these, and not for the Gospel sake, or it requiring and calling thereunto, but presently from an idle notion to seem to have what is not within, 'tis a denyal of faith, and is hypocrisie; turn thy eyes to those of thy own generation, and see if thou can spie none who are so far from parting from their own estates, that although convinced, yet are not converted to restore that which [Page 19]others complain against them for; as taken from them, by Exaction and Violence, while garments will not cover Extortion, the righte­ousness of the Saints is the cloathing of the regeneration. If my freinds and I could not witness the condition of the four last verses; or, the 38. verse (of which thou canst not accuse us in a Gospel language) is it right therefore for thee to deny Baptisme, call the wise in heart to Judge, if this be from a conscience rightly enlightened: and they will tell thee, that rather thou ought to stand up in the right use and practice thereof, according to its faithful institution, and not deny Baptisme because others who profess it, are not rightly qualified for it: and when the Hypocrite hath cast out the beam in his own eye, he will see more clearly any mote that is in ours: till when if thou make use of thy own words (let the babler be silent) it will be more wisedome, and that lying pride and passion, which here and so often thou would per­swade the world of against me, would not so plainly appear in thy self, and then blindly boldly, callit perfection.

Thou tellest me, water sprinkling is not once named there, Acts 2.32. To which I answer, that neither would it be named here, but that thy low light looks thee out that bubble to prevent thy obedience to that baptisme which is named there; after thy forced confession of the truth thereof as afore is manifested: and for a further occasion against that truth, thou askest me if Christs Baptisme consist of outward water. I answer, if it did, Martin Mason were a Baptized man, for he hath had outward water; but wanting in ward repentance, and faith in that Christ, whose ordinance Baptisme is, therefore he is not Baptised but denyeth that council of God against himself, as his predecessors in de­nyal thereof did, Luke 7. I also will ask thee a question, whose Bap­tisme was it that Philip Baptized the Eunuch with, Acts 8.38. And that Peter commanded Cornelius to be Baptized with, Acts 10.47, 48. If thou acknowledg it Christs Baptisme, thy fable is answered; If thou say it was not Christs Baptisme, whose seavants were they in the doing, and commanding it to be done; lay by thy lewd language, and let me have an answer to this, who never receivest answer from thee yet to any thing that I desired an answer to, in meekness, and modera­tion, but in unreasonable railings; and when thou knowest what the Baptisme of repentance is, by a right conversion wrought in thy self, thou wilt know what it is to suffer with Christ, and what the Baptisme of the holy Ghost is, till when the Serpent that is so quick in thy mouth, stops it from confession to Salvation.

Thou should answer, Ephes. 1.13. Which thou callest my last [Page 20]proof, and was brought to prove that the Spirit of promise is receiv­ed by believing, as also Gal. 3.2. was alledged to prove the same; but thou having no mind to acknowledg the truth, though so plainly ap­pearing before thee, and wanting answer against it; asks me what was this word of truth, if not Jesus the word of God, the sure word of Prophesie which shined in the Ephesians dark hearts, which they knew not.

Answ. Is there any thing in this (worthy to be called an answer) to defend thee in thy denyall of the Spirit, to be received by the hear­ing of the faith preached, and believing the word of truth, and Jesus the word of God being alone, the Apostles preached that word of truth, and Jesus the word of God, to work faith in men, by which faith the Spirit of promise was received, what help for thee in this, but to throw thee backward: that word of truth, and Jesus the word of God, did not shine in the Ephesians dark hearts, before the Apostles preached to them, as thou falsly and ignorantly would perswade, but after the Apostles preaching they believed, and after they believed, they were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, as that text saith, Ephes. 1.13. but thou thrusts away the word after, which the text delivers, that thy darkness might be placed before the Apostles preaching of Christ Jesus, but Christ telleth thee, John the 10.8. that all such fore­comers, are thieves and robbers: compare this thy saying, with the sure word of Prophesie which shined in their dark hearts, which they knew not; with what thou sayest before, that the unction, the womans seed, the Christ within, is that light which is in all consciences before faith, and without; & before the Apostles preaching; so that by thy Doctrine, the Apostle preaching the word of truth; or, Jesus the word of God, brought nothing to the Ephesians but what they had before, for if they had the unction, the Christ within, which is the Spirit of promise, be­fore, then were they Sealed before; but the Apostle telleth them, Ephes. 2.12. that before they believed they were without Christ, so that I must either deny the Ephesians conversion by the Apostles preaching of faith, and the Apostles saying, that after they believed they were Sealed, and that before they were without Christ, and so make the Apostle a lyer, (which God forbid) or tell Martin Mason he cannot escape be­ing the lyer, and therefore by the sentence of his own mouth, must have his mouth stopped: a many foul and wicked words proceed from thee, in the next place, which I will leave to all who have learned to let their words be few, and gratious, to see by what Spirit thou art led? and to Judge whether such expressions, (to avoyd answer) be the new tongue speaking of a Saint, or speaking like the Dragons.

Thou asks me if I shame not to tell thee with my false tongue, that thou contemns the faith in the sufferings of Christ,

Answ. I would thou wert repentantly ashamed at thy contempt of the sufferings of the Lord Christ, that dyed at Jerusalem: which contempt of thine is manifested in these words, in thy paper. But thou (speaking to me) and the drunkard, and scum of the earth, who fed your selves with the meer froathy verbal faith in the sufferings, of that single man Christ Jesus at Jerusalem; and yet wallow in your wicked­ness, are not saved or redeemed from your sins. And in the same Ra­per alledged, 1 John 4.2. Saist thou, did the Apostle here signifie, that every one that confesseth Christ come in the flesh, of the single per­son at Ierusalem; that every one confessing this is of God, why then the Pope will say he believes this?

Now let the honest hearted in the Nation, whom thou calls upon to Judge, let them I say Judge, whether this language be not a contemp­tuous speaking: Thou (as the manner of thy generation is) when thou calleth others to Judge, leaveth out that which thou knowest will most evidence thy contempt, as here, thou leaves out the word single man, and single person, which were thy words to me, but here thou leaves them out, and then callest to the wise in heart to Judge: will not thy light within, let thee see this to be falshood and dissimulation: Christ Jesus was the Son of Mary according to the flesh; but thy brethren who called him the Carpinter, Maries Son, Mar. 6.3. speak that in despising contempt against him. So he was the Man Christ, and a person like unto us in all things save only sin: but thy calling him single man, and single person, at Jerusalem, is from the same spirit of despising contempt, as the honest hearted will tell thee. Martin thy light leading thee in wayes contrary to the way of faith, only in that Christ, that suffered at Jerusa­lem, leadest thee from the true and everlasting light & life, to the place of death & darkness: for there is no life or light leading to Salvation, but by faith in that Christ only who suffered at Jerusalem, which thou plain­ly dost deny, and ragest so against me for discovering thy flying to any, whose faith thou callest meerly froathy and verbal, will not help thee in thy denyal of faith to Salvation: for such is no faith, the Scripture tells thee, there is one faith, Ephes. 4.5. which faith Justifieth & saveth, Gal. 2.16. Ephes. 2.8. but whence hast thou thy frothy verbal faith, that is the device of thy Spirit of delusion, which as it would have many Christs to deny that one Christ who suffered at Jerusalem, so it would have ma­ny faiths, to deny that faith which is to Salvation, according to the Gospel: thy telling me of wallowing in my wickedness with the drunkards [Page 22], and scum of the earth, is but thy raging at rebuke, for thy bold Blasphemie against the Lord that bought thee. Now Judge saist thou, O ye wise in heart; is the Scripture, 1 Tim. 2.5. call not him who suffered at Jerusalem, the man Christ Jesus; and may not I use the language of the Apostle.

Answ. The wise in heart, (are no formal Quakers) will tell thee thy language is quite contrary to that of the Apostles, for the Apostle in that Scripture, calls the man Christ Jesus, the Mediatour betwixt God and man. But thou calls him the single man, and single person; in contempt of faith in him, and to make men deny his Mediatour-ship, the Apostles language is a confirmation of their belief in that Christ Jesus, who believe in God, thy language is to destroy their belief in that Christ Jesus, who beleeve in God, and so thou art manifested to deny both the Father and the Son, 2 John 9.

Thou bids me peruse thy paper again, and see if thou saidst not, no other Jesus do I own but the Lamb of God, which was slain from the beginning of the world.

Answ. Thy expressions in that, is but the liberty thou takes for oc­casion, and to deceive thereby those who hear thee; for the name of Christ or Lamb slain, or Redeemer, or Annointed, thou dost but use them words, to exalt thy pretended light within, that so thou mayst bring down and deny that Christ whom thy fellows slew at Jerusalem, and this all may see, who have but half an eye of discerning, to be the whole drift of thee, & the rest with thee; hadst thou said no other Jesus do I own but the man Christ, who dyed at Jerusalem, and faith in him only to be Salvation, thou hadst some cause to bid me peruse thy paper, but whoever peruseth thy paper or thee, shal not find that, and that not being in thee, all thy expressions of Christ, and light, or unction, or womans seed, and the like, are falsely applyed to thy secret invention.

Thou saist, I tell thee in two several places, that thou crucifies Christ again; and that I break forth into rage, because thou tells me he is slain in me.

Answ. I told thee thou would crucifie the Son of God again, and good cause had I, when thou told me, not only that he is slain in me as thou here saist, but also that he is still slain for me which here thou saist not; which is the continuance of thy deceit, to leave out that which thou knows will most discover thy falshood: is not this plain lying, and dissembling in thee? to tell the world I said that, which I said not, and to cry out against me, and dissemble the cause; But thou art ashamed truly to declare to the world what I said to thee, and the occasion, because thou knew it would confound thee: that which [Page 23]thou calls my raging, was my alledging the Scriptures against thy false affirming Christ to be still slain for me: which Scriptures prove that Christ the Lamb that was slain is alive for evermore, Rev. 18. and that he once sufferered for sins, the just for the unjust, 1 Pet. 3.18. and that he was once offered to take away the sin of man, Heb. 9.25, 26, 28.

But thou (said I) dares say is still slain for me; was his first death insufficient, and shall Christ from his immortal and glorifyed being be brought down to die, and suffer again; let the Reader now judge what breaking forth into rage is in this? he who affirms Christ Jesus to be still slain for sinners, must deny him to be risen from the grave, & ascended, make right application of this, or let the wise of the nation that hears thee, do it: if Christ be still slain for me (as thou saist he is) it must be bodily, for so was his dying for sinners, then is he in the grave, and not risen or ascended, but thou saist, the heaven which con­tains Christ, is a mystery to my dark mind: But I answer, 'tis rather thy dark mind which to set up thy mystery of iniquity, would cloud the Heaven that contains Christ according to the Scriptures, Acts 3.21. and 1, 11.

Thou returns a slender account of my counsel given unto thee, to leave thy false luminaries, and turn thy feet into the testimonies of the true light, in calling me lyer, and false Prophet, blasphemer, and such like: but those who were but in doubt before, will now be fully satis­fied, what light is in thee, compared with the pure peaceable Spirit, and mind of wisedome, John 9.8. the Leopard saist thou cannot change his spots, and 'tis hard for thee to leave thy lying; thou saist, I kill the Scriptures, can that which is dead be killed.

Answ. I did not say thou killed the Scriptures, dost not thou tell a lye then to say I said so; I said thou would kill the Scriptures (if thou could) when thou should obey them, and have them alive again to defend thee against others, and this was because sometimes thou said, the Scriptures thou owned, and that they were yours, and that thou owned that which gave forth the leaves, and would bring them forth to condemn others: and at other times when thou art called upon to o­bey them, thou calls them dead letter, and life-less books, and saist, it is a damnable doctrine to say the Spirit is received by the hearing of faith preached, and believing according to the Apostles preaching in the Scriptures; let the reader now judge whether this loud out-cry against me of lying, be not justly returned upon the head of the cryer.

Martin, I have told thee, and many of thy generation, that you [Page 24]cannot kill the Scriptures, but that they are and will be a continual liv­ing against you, and all opposers of truth, and though thou say, can that which is dead be killed, yet dost thou and thy fellows make all the vile warr you can against them, in which you find them so living that it is a torment unto you, and makes you rage against the remnant of wo­man-seed who keep the commandements of God, and faith of Jesus ac­cording to the Scriptures.

Thou asks, if in two several places, I do not call the Scripture, dead letter.

Answ. If I do, 'tis where I call thee a Saint; see if thou canst find that in my paper: thou tells me I run on in lying, because I said thou runs for shelter amonst those thou accounts thy enemies, who knows no other burial with Christ, but burial in water, calling them the cheif Princes of Meshech and Tubal.

Answ. Had not I good cause to tell thee of running for shelter to thy enemies, when thou runs to defend thy self against Baptisme with the word sprinkling, a word begun and used in way of contempt, by those whom thou and thy generation are against, as much as against me; yet art forced to make use of their weak weapons having none of thy own in this case: and now to make them more of thy side, and to rise with thee against me, thou saist I call them the cheif Princes of Meshech and Tubal, but let my paper be looked on with impartial eyes, and it will be told thee, 'tis applyed to thee, and thy generation, and all who are found to band themselves against the Baptisme of repen­tance, I not nominating any particular but him I writ to, though thou say, I mean those called dippers, yet thou hast not the word dipper from me.

Thou saist I have invented an abominable lye, besides non-sence in two lines, and this abominable lye and non-sence, is because I say, thou bids me prove whether Christ commanded Baptisme to his Disciples yea or nay, and did the Lord require it of his people to this day, yea or nay.

Answ. Was not the matter we had in question Baptisme, see my an­swer to James Naylors sixt position set down in thy former paper, my words there are these; it is not faith but a fancy, to run to other helps, then the Spirit received by the hearing of faith preached by Christ, and his Apostles, all other teaching or Spirits are but lying vanities, leading to the denyal of obedience in that faith required, as in the Baptisme of repentance, and the like; thou undertaking to reply to this, said, 'tis indeed thy darling, thy Diana which must down: is thy sprinkling with water the Baptisme of Christ, did the Lord com­mand [Page 12]or require it of his people to this day? Now the reader (thy cloak being taken off) may see the abominable lie & non-sence: whether in me, who answers thee according to the matter in question, or whe­ther it be not rather in thy self, who to flie the answer, talkest of sprink­ling, which is from the matter, and is neither darling, or Diana of mine, but that thou must dandle such babbles to delude the spectators: surely thou art not so blind in thy self as thou seems to be, to think that any who can hear right from wrong, will not hear thy guiltiness of Lying and non-sence: to call upon me to prove Sprinkling which belongs not to our question, to avoid thy answer in denyal of Baptisme. But though thou canst not say any thing in answer, thou can tell how to give the lie; its an observable thing in thee, that when thou hast the least to answer, thou makest the greatest noyse in railing accusations, thinking thereby to take off the Reader from seeing thy folly: but the wise will soon descern thy poverty, and miserable nakedness.

Thou thinks it not enough to tell me, I vent an abominable lie & non­sence, (for speaking truth) but fearing that insufficient to effect thy will, thou tellest me, thou never knew of one pretending to more piety then I, that excelled, or equalled me in the devillish art of lying.

Answ. Surely the violence of thy evil disease, through delusion will appear to all men; I cannot but think thou speakest contrary to what thy thoughts are of me; what a miserable condition is thine, in this to accuse me, not only to them who knows me not, but also to them who knows me, of that which in thy thoughts thou dost not think is so; but thy denyal of truth in me, is to cover thy denyal of truth in the Scrip­tures, as in the matter in question, the Baptisme of repentance, which yet remains a Conquering truth, over all thy Sprinklings, and Lyes, and non-sence, which paper-walls thou patches together, to defend thee from answering what was charged upon thee in the point of Bap­tisme.

Thou saist, in the art of Lying, I am a noble servant to my Ma­ster.

Answ. That doth but shew the pride of thy fathers child, who would have a servant under him.

In which pride, thou saist for the simples sake, thou wilt peruse those Scriptures my father sends me with, to fight for his kindgome, which Scripture is, Mat. 28.19, 20. Act. 2.32, 41, 42.

Answ. Let the Reader take notice, that these being the Scriptures of God and weapons given by him to those he sends, for their defence and safety against the enemy, thou must either acknowledge God to be my [Page 26]Father, (agianst thy will) in bringing these Scriptures; or say they are not his, but the Scriptures, and weapons of his enemy: which Blas­phemy being lodged in thy calling it dead Letter, will be laid open, that all may see whose Child thou art. But howsoever this is certain that it is not God, whose the Scriptures is, that sends thee with these low wea­pons of self devices to fight against the sender of those Scriptures, and those sent of him; but all thy labour will be in vain, and destruction will be the wages of such Imployment; thy promise to the simple is spoken in thy mother tongue, Prov. 9.16. They must be simple ones in­deed that gives ear to thy Doctrine, and perusal of Scripture. Thy first perusal is, thou tellest the simple thou cannot find Sprinkling there.

Answ. This is a simple instruction, he must needs be a blind guide, that can but tell those he undertakes to teach, that he cannot see, or can­not find, and so produce nothing; thou canst not find Sprinkling, and thou wilt not find Baptisme there, though the Scriptures plainly declare it; the simple will soon have enough of thy perusal of Scripture; from whence thou runnest stumbling to me in thy blindness, and asks, if Act. the 22.16. make for my purpose, and if Sprinkling with water is once mentioned there, or did Annanias bid him be Baptised with out­ward water.

Answ. That Scripture is for me in the matter in question, which is Baptisme, Annanias bid him arise and be Baptised, and he arose and was Baptised, Act. 9.18. as for thy words Sprinkling with water, and out­ward water, being no Scripture Language but thy own, having thy tongue dipt in the Egyptian Sea, and but trifles, and babbles of thine to shift off the answer; I shall leave them, see if thou can produce any thing from thence, that will answer thy rejecting that counsel of God, against thy self in not being Baptised, as thy brother Expounders and perusers of Scriptures did, Luke the 7.30.

Thou saist, as for Act. the 10.47, 48. is it not clear, the Holy Ghost was received without outward water, then where is the necessity of Sprinkling?

Answ. No necessity of Sprinkling, but where Martin Mason wants an answer, In his denyal of Saptisme with water upon confession of faith; and for the necessity of that Baptisme, the Apostle Peter in that Text gives full satisfaction, both in asking who could forbid water, and also in commanding them to be Baptized; it appears none of thy Spirit was there, for then there would have been a denyal of it: but there was no denyal or forbidding, but submistion, and command for it, both in [Page 27] Peter and the rest, and for the Holy Ghost being received before that Baptisme, that is nothing to thy denyal thereof, for none in denyal of Baptisme, either then or since, did receive or have the promise of the spirit; Gods love to these in the State of submission, & obedience to that Ordinance, as Cornclius and the rest were, is no president for thee or any in opposing, and denying it: but to condemne your disobedience, Cornclius did manifest as much, and more light then thee and thy gene­ration do now, before Peter was sent unto him, yet had he not the spirit of promise, till he had heard the Apostles preaching the Lord Je­sus, in whom he believed, and after that there was no slighting water, but it was administred in the name of the Lord Jesus; In which Name, any thing commanded and practised by the Apostles, and beleevers was accounted necessary, and still is, but where the Spirit of errour doth Blaspheme, and deny the Lord in his Ordinances. Did Christ himself, give an example of righteousuess in being Baptized with water, upon which the Holy Ghost did witness the good pleasure and love of God, and shall men now be heard or accounted as righteous, in opposition, and denyal thereof, surely none will give eare to such strangers, and enemies to truth, but such as know not the Lord, and have no acquaintance with his voyce.

Thou saist Act. 8.36, 37. intimates, that it is but a thing indifferent, if thou beleevest, saith Philip, thou maist; as much as if he had said, if thou beleevest outward water to be necessary to Salvation, thou maist be Baptized.

Answ. Take away (as much as) thy prologue to proceed falsely) & the remainder is, if Philip had said, if thou believest outward water to be necessary to Salvation, thou maist be Baptized: but Philip said not so, 'tis Martin Mason that saith so, in which he hath manifested himself in a Lye, as much as if he had sa [...]d, Philip taught the Eunuch not to believe in Christ; for if Philip had taught the Eunuch, that to believe outward water, was necessary to Salvation, to fit him for Bap­tisme, he must deny belief in Christ, which only is necessary to Salva­tion, and to fit for Baptisme, for there is nothing can fit for Baptisme, but only faith in Christ: water administred upon that faith is necessary to obedience, which the Eunuch observed from Philips preaching, desiring water, but Philips preaching, and the Eunuch beleeving, was in that Christ only as vers. 35. doth manifest, according to Christs command, Mark 16.15, 16. Mat. 28.19, 20. Of whom should the Eunuch know, and why should he desire Baptisme, if Philip had not preached it to him; and for thee to say that Philip who [Page 28]preached, and was sent by the power of the Holy Ghost, preached things in relation to the Gospel, so indifferently as thou saist, as to be done, or. not done, thou dost in this disable, (what thou can) the Spirit of the most high God, to say he commands, and sends his servants to practise things of no value, or that are unnecessary, and things in­different to be done or undone, which is blasphemy; or say that Philip and the Apostles did contrary to commandment, or the Spirit teaching, and so make them Antichristians like to thy self.

This indifferent Spirit of thine, which would take men off from the commands of Christ, & practice of his Disciples, is a Spirit of errour and Doctrine of Darkness, and none but those who are led by such en evil Spirit, would or durst so grosly oppose the plain teaching of the Scrip­ture, and bring their own lye against it. The next proof thou faist I clap in, is no better then the rest, which is, Acts the 8.12. They were all baptized both men and women, but water was wanting.

Answ. There is no want of water where the baptisme of repen­tance is truly ministred, as there it was, and the Baptisme of the Holy Ghost they had not till afterward, as verse 15, 16, 17. But thou wantest a Christian eye, and heart, which if thou hadst thou wouldst hate to de­liver such detestable Stuff, where the Scripture names water in Bap­tisme, thou with wicked violence wouldst pluck the words away, and place thy own divised baubles in the room thereof, and where the Scrip­ture speaks of the same baptisme, because it names not water, thou au­datiously denyest water, & saist it's wanting there, by which thy Spirit of lying is plainly laid open: thou calls me vain Jangler, & tells me these places are not for my purpose without adding to the letter; but whe­ther thou in thy perusal or rather abusal of Scripture, hast not mani­fested thy self a vain Jangler, and adds to and diminisheth of the Scrip­tures, teaching to hide and deny the truth, let the reader Judge; thou saist John was a Propher, therefore his Ministration must end in Christ Jesus, who is the fullfiling of the Law and the Prophets.

Answ. What's all that to thy denyal of the Baptisme of repentance, or baptizing with water upon confession of faith, and sins. If John were a Prophet he was so in relation to the Gospel of Christ, whose servant and Minister he was; and not in relation to the ceremonies, and rudimeuts of the Law of Moses, therefore his ministration ending in Christ, ending but where it began as all other Prophets ministration of the Gospel did, as Peter and Paul, and John, whose ministration begun and ended in Christ, but all in relation to their own persons, for that ministration still remained, and doth remain: to say the ministra­tion [Page 29]of Baptisme ceased when John ceased, is not only a tying the teach­ings and commandements of God to mans mutability, but is also a plain denyal of the Apostles teaching, and practice to be of God, not only after John was taken away, but also after Christ himself ascended, as Acts 2.38. and 10.47, 48. and 6.38.

Thou askest me why I do not plead for the practice of circumcision in the flesh, as for Baptisme, is not their authority of an equal purity, both by permission, not by precept.

Answ. If I should plead for the practice of circumcision in the flesh now, as for baptisme, I should be a denyer of Christ like unto thee, cir­cumcision being a carnal seal of a worldly covenant was abolished by the bringing in of a better testament, Heb. 7.22. and the 10.9. But I plead for Baptisme because 'tis an ordinance of the Gospel, and a Testimonial of their faith, and obedience, who enter into the new cove­nant: thy saying they are of equal purity, is from an impure weakness, for the one was only an impression in the flesh, not reaching the heart by faith; the other hath no Seal or impression, but in the heart, by faith; & whereas thou saist, they were both by permission, not by precept: thou speakest falsly; for they were both by precept, the one a precept of the law; the other a precept of Christ in the Gospel, which all that obey the light that lights every man, that comes into the World, knowes and will acknowledg, but those on whom the sun is gone down, night is to them for a vision, and darkness for a divination. Thou saist in my reply to the seventh Position, thou findest me so puzled teaching perfection; that I give thee no answer, but would shuffle thee off, bringing in, James the 3.2.

Answ. Thou dost this but to shuffle off James 3.2. To which thou should give answer, whosoever reads thy former paper, shall hear thee throw me out a many foul and filthy words, about perfection, which is all that is contained in that paper to puzle me with, which pa­per if thou wert not ashamed to show to the world with my answer, it would manifest who is puzled, and what perfection there is in Mar­tin Mason, compared with what thou repeats from, James 3.2. If any offend not in word, the same is a perfect man; if thy own mouth do not here condem thee, let thy offensive words (which testi­fie thy deceived and vain Religion, James 1.26.) witness, which is because thou wants a bridle which will bring thee a sad conclusion as James tells thee, James 3.3. to the 7. But now let the reader hear what answer there is in thee, to that of James 3.2. which thou saist I shuffle thee off with, the Apostle, there saith to his brethren, in many things we sin all: In the room of an answer, saist thou, doth he plead [Page 30]against perfection as thou dost? to which I answer, Thou must ac­knowledg he doth, or say he calls sin perfection, see if thou can shuffle this off.

Thou saist, the Scriptures were never writ that the Devil by them should plead for sin.

Answ. Nor were they ever writ that sinners by them should plead perfection? Thou tellest me of bringing, Rom. 7.18. Where Paul saith, I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwells no good thing; from whence (saist thou) thou would infer, that in Paul dwelt no­thing that was good; but wilt thou say the Holy Ghost is not good?

Answ. I brought Rom. 7.18. to let thee hear the Apostles own words, which denyeth perfection in the flesh, thou canst not tell how to answer this, and therefore leaves it, to speak fasly of me, saying, I would infer; had I brought the Second commandement to a Papist against his worshiping of Images, and he answer, hence thou would infer, that God should not be worshiped, it had been an answer equal with thine.

Thou ought rather to answer that Scripture, or acknowledg thy er­rour, Paul had the holy Ghost, yet Paul saith, in him, that is, in his flesh dwelleth no good thing; but thou saist perfection, dwelleth in the flesh of Paul, so that the perfection thou pleads for is no good thing, or we must deny Paul, and hear thee against him; but if Paul who had the Spirit of God within him, had no good thing dwelling in his flesh, as himself saith, then sure 'tis a bad perfection that is in Mar­tin Masons flosh, in whom dwelleth the Spirit of errour, as is manifest in his abuse of Scripture, and fighting against the truth.

And then saist thou, away with Pauls Epistles, and by consequence with the rest of the Scripture.

Answ. That is it thou strives for, to get shut of the Scriptures, for their witness torments thee, but thou labours in vain, for they will out-live all the generations of falshood, and be a continual witness a­gainst mens devices, as is plainly manifested in this.

Thou saist that I alledged, Phil. 3.24. is to me a mystery.

Answ. I have so much of the mystery as to alledg it for that which thou art not able to answer, therefore in that I need not say to them, babler be silent; thou saist my piece of Logick shews what a Pagan I am.

Answ. And thy silence argues thy consent, to the right reason in that piece of Logick, for thou givest no answer to it, whether it be more Pagan-like to frame right reason, or deny it without reason, let thy friends judge.

Thou biddest me consider in the cool of the day, that which is born of the flesh is flesh; but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

Answ. In the cool of the day I do consider, and in that coolness tell thee, that this is sufficient to discover, that notwithstanding all thy hot words against me about perfection, in the mind through faith, but not perfection in the flesh; till Mortal have put on Immortality, that outward man is born of the flesh, and is flesh; therefore not per­fect; the inward man or mind (in the state of faith) is born of the Spi­rit, and therefore perfect; in which perfection of the mind, Paul saith he serves the Law of God, but in his imperfect flesh the Law of sin, Rom. 7.25. All thy following words about perfection, at the end of which thou writes the word Queries, is a repetition, not prov­ing any thing for thee, for the Tabernacle of God with men, and dwelling in them, and walking in them, and the like, is all included in that afore alledged of the Apostle Paul, his having the holy Ghost in him, yet the same Apostle saith, that in his flesh dwells no good thing; this thou shouldst answer too, and prove perfection in that which Panl denyeth, or acknowledg thy error, or speak plainly that all may hear thee, as one of thy generation did to me; alledging that Scripture to him, who adorning his speech with thy manner of language, of beast and lyer, and filthie creature, and such like; Said, Paul was no Christian when he wrote that; thou askest me, why I de­ny that to be the true Spirit, or true unction which is not received by the letter.

Answ. That Spirit, which denyeth the Apostles teaching in the Scriptures, and is not received by the hearing, and believing their preaching of faith, I deny, because 'tis a lying Spirit, and cometh but to deceive.

Had not, (saist thou) Abraham, Isaac, and the rest of the holy men of God, who lived before Moses writ the Letter, had not they the Spirit of truth within them? were there not many deceitful Ser­pents and filthy Spirits like thine, in their dayes, and had they any outward writing given them, &c.

Answ. What though Abrabam, and the rest thou speakest of, in their time had the Spirit of truth within them before the Law written by Moses? doth that give cause to any in time of the Law, to deny the writing by Moses, or thee, or any now to deny the writings of Christ, and his Apostles, if there were such Serpents, and filthy Spirits, as thou speakest of, who opposed the cammand of God, yet that doth not excuse the deceitful Serpents, and filthy Spirits, that now deny [Page 32]the written verities, as thou and thy generation do: that Spirit which led men to obey the commandements of God or Law of faith, before Moses writ the Law, which if it were not by writing, yet it was by voyce, which is all one, for that which was given to Abraham by voyce was written for our learning, and what was given to the Apostles by voyce, was also written for our learning, Rom. 15.4. That we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope, that Spirit I say that led men before the Law written, to obey, did also lead men to obey the Law written by Moses, and whosoever denyed, and despised that Law was led by an evil Spirit, and it was death without mercy, Heb. 10.28. Even so now that Spirit that led men before the Law, and in the Law, to obey the commandements of God by faith, the same Spirit now doth lead men to obey all the commandements, and teachings of Christ Jesus in the Law of the Gospel preached, and written by the Apostles, as 1 Cor. 14.37. But whosoever denyeth o­bedience, and would trample that down, as thou and thy fellows, they are led by an evil Spirit, and their sorer punishment is told them, Heb. 10.29. did Paul and the rest of the Apostles, (saist thou) receive the Spirit of truth by vertue of reading, or hearing any writing or book without them.

Answ. All the Apostles did first hear the voice of Christ, who was their Book or Writing without them, before they received the Spirit of Truth within them: Produce if thou canst any of the Apostles who had the Spirit of Promise within them, before Christ had first called them with his voyce without them.

Thou saist, That which thou broughtest out of 1 John 2. as to the an­nointing stands unshaken, and cannot be removed by all the Brats of Babylon.

Answ. That which thou broughtest, is not like to be shaken by the brats of Babylon, (except against their wills) as the foolish woman de­stroyes her own house) for 'tis their own bringing, but if that, 1 John 2. and all other declarations of the holy Ghost, in the Scriptures, could be shaken, they had been ere now, for thou and thy generation lay all your bones and sinews to shake it, but it is grounded on a Rock, and hath its being and protection from the Lord of Power, and there­fore is it that (like your predecessors) you are so marvelously beaten back in your assaults against it: what hast thou to do with the annoint­ing spoken of, 1 John 2. it doth not belong, nor is it in the denyers of Christ, 'tis onely the Saints Seal and Assurance of the love and favour of God to them, which those know not who are in the [Page 33]state of disobedience against the Law of Faith, for without Faith no pro­mise or sealing in the New Covenant: And no Faith where no Obedi­ence to that Teaching is denied: Thou publishest this to the World, to make them think thou hadst said something, but it is a plain testimo­ny (to all that hear thy former Paper with my Answer) of thy con­viction, here not being a word in answer to any thing said to thee, but Repetitions weakly, as well as in thy amazement thou couldst. Thou talkest of the Pope, but thou canst not free thy self, with all the skill and strength thou hast, of the comparison I made betwixt you; You both boast of Christ to be come in the flesh, and both deny that Christ who came in his own flesh, for you both deny his teachings and com­mands given while he was here in the flesh, and set up your own inven­tions against him, and therefore are alike Antichristian, and so as is Prophesied of you in Daniel, though you seem to war and contend one against another, yet you talk of deceit at one Table, talking of Christ come in the flesh, by which he cals himself Christs Vicar, (or Christ on Earth) and thou and thy generation, so many as there are of you, would be so many Christs, like another of your Predecessours, Henry Nicolas, the Father of the Familists, whose breath some years agon hath blown these swarms, that thus darken the Sun, and infect the Air; He denied Salvation by Christ who died at Jerusalem, as you do, and said, That the state of Perfection is the Man Christ, or any power in man whereby he can keep the Law, without Faith in the Man Christ. Is not this the Doctrine taught by thee and thy generation, all which is to set up your selves to be the coming of Christ in the flesh, denying that Christ that came in the flesh, which the Apostle John teacheth con­fession of, 1 John 4.1, 2. thy exposition of which, to pervert the Truth, doth manifest no lesse; which is, that the Apostle meanes, Christ come in the flesh of others; though all the Apostles in their preaching doth preach belief in that one Christ that came in his own flesh, or person, in which he suffered at Jerusalem for the sins of all men, and not in the flesh of others, as thou expoundest; for that is the coming of those who say, loe here and loe there, which are false Christs, forewarned of, Matth. 24. Who to set up themselves and throw down Christ Jesus, by false Expositions pervert the Scriptures; by which is manifest who rules in the fleshly tabernacles of such Children of disobe­dience.

It is but the Lyer (saist thou) that tels me, my Master hath not com­manded me to judge.

Answ. Martin, thou wilt not seem to take notice, because the world [Page 34]should not know, that I told thee, there is difference betwixt a Judge and a Malefactor; I told thee, thou shouldest answer thy own Maker at the Bar, and stay taking upon thee the Judges place till thou be a Saint, and then thou wilt know that thy Master (whom thou now cal­lest the Singlo Person) that died at Jerusalem, and is alive for ever­more, bids thee judge not, Luk. 6.37. 1 Cor. 4.5. to bear off this blow, thou bringest Christs words, John 12.48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my word, hath one that judgeth him; but this is no de­fence for thee, but wounds thee deeper, for Christ tels thee there what one that is that shall judge, which is, the Word that he hath spoken; which thou callest, the dead Letter: But thou, to deceive by, thoughtst to keep this out, that thou mightest take the Judges place thy self, and so to exalt thy self above Christ, and then sayst, he is thy witnesse. O bold presumption, was ever a greater exaltation in a cative so low!

Christ came not (saist thou) to send peace but the sword, to the Man of sin whom thou servest.

Answ. And yet I am farre from serving thee or any such exalters of themselves against Christ; if thou understoodest those words of Christ, Mat. 10.34, 35, 36. part of which thou hast stolen to speak proudly with, thou wouldst not have placed them thus, but wouldst have known that they are nothing for thy purpose.

Thou talkest of the Saints Judging the World, and the Spirituall man judging all things.

Answ. As I have told thee, Stay till thou be a Saint, and then thou wilt not be so hasty to be a Judge, but wilt better know how and when such Judgement shall be; and that the Spirituall mans judging, is dis­cerning all things, not judging or censuring persons, and then thy ma­nifestation of Faith and obedience to Christ and his Gospel, will be a judging and reproof to unfaithfulnesse, and thy tongue will be taught more tamenesse, then to smite others therewith, for then the Spirit of God will tell thee, that thou hast nothing to do to judge another mans Servant, he stands or fals to his own Master, Rom. 14.4. then thou wilt learn to speak with a new tongue, and that old blasphemous cursing presumptuous tongue, that runs without guide, will be plucke [...] out, and be no more the loud belman to a corrupt heart.

Thou askest me, By what authority. I judge thee for an enemy of righteousnesse, and why I judge the People called Dippers, calling them the chief Princes of Meshech and Tubal, and by what authority I judge the Priests of the Nation for Antichristians?

I judge thee not, I leave that to him to whom thy judgement and [Page 35]condemnation doth belong, the Word of God tells thee, of thy enmity against righteousnesse, in warring against that Word. Where have I judged the people thou callest Dippers, or called them the chief Princes of Meshech and Tubal, shew it if thou canst? Or where I have named the Dippers in my Paper upon any such account: It is with thee, as I told thee formerly, thou wouldest shelter thy self amongst others, thou seest thy want, and wouldst have help in the defence of thy cause; which maketh thee cry also to the Priests of the Nation (as thou callest them) telling them I judge them Antichristians; Thou art driven to a great straight surely, thou takest me for some forraine enemy, that wilt thus claw thy domestick enemies, to engage with thee against me, but thou dost trouble thy neighbours with such a false alarm; when I have occasion with, either those thou callest Priests or Dippers, I shall stand up in the manifestation of truth according to what I have received from the Lord, and shal leave the judging or censuring them and all men to him to whom all judgement doth belong, and my self, shall not judge or passe sentence on any man.

Thou tellest me, I shame not in one of my Arguments to affirm, that the Letter, under the Name of the words of Christ, is Spirit and Life in it self.

Answ. What cause have I to be ashamed of affirming the very word of Christ himself, John 6.36. but thou hast cause to be ashamed of thy ly, saying, I affirm the Letter, which is a word of thy own and not of mine.

In another place (saist thou) thou concludest the Spirit of God in the Apostles, who were Saints, is the Rule to try and discern false Spirits.

Answer. If I do, tis no contradiction of the former, seeing the word of Christ and Spirit of God in the Apostles were one, and spake one and the same thing. The truth is Martin, thou wouldest gladly say something to my Argument, but thou canst not, thou knowest that way of arguing was begun by thee, in which if thou hadst dealt faithful­ly with those to whom thou hast so generally divulged our difference, they would plainly see where the right of reasoning is, and who hath most cause to be ashamed of their Argument.

Thou saiest, the Spirit of God in the Apostles, at their death return­ed to God that gave it them, but (saist thou) wouldst thou have me as sottish as thy self, to say and unsay, and own their Writings to be the Spirit of God: This thou writest to deny the Apostles preach­ings [Page 20]and teachings to be the infallible Rule to try the Spirits whether they be of God.

Answ. That Spirit which the Scriptures speakes of from whence thou hadst that saying (the Spirit returns to God that gave it) though thou quote it not, Eccles. 12.7. is not that Spirit by which the Apo­stles did preach Christ and work miracles, but of the Spirit which is the mooving and acting in the bodily being of all men, which the Apostles had before they received the gift of the Spirit of promise, therefore how sottish soever I am, this must needs be an ignorant blindnesse in thee, thus to use Scripture words against Scripture teaching, to pervert them to extinguish if thou couldest, the speaking of the Spirit of God therein, that thou mayest bring them into a dead and dry estimation, that so thy false Spirit might act at Libetty, but the Spirit speaking in the Scrip­tures, is of such lively power and authority, that it will quash and con­sume those risings and out-burnings of the man of sin; and by that which is written, which thou callestdead, & wouldest have denied, as now shall be made manifest to thy confusion. The Spirit of God saith to John Revel. 1.11. That which thou seest writ in a book, and send to the Seaven Churches that are in Asia: Compare this with that which followes in that Book written, Revel. 2.7. Let him that hath an car hear, what the Sprirt saith to the Churches; By which tis plain, (to the dashing down of thy denyals thereof) that Book writ­ten by John, is the Spirits speaking to the Churches: Compare this with what our Saviour saith, John 6.63. The words that I speak to you are Spirit and life, So that the Scriptures must either be denied to be the words of Christ, or owned to be the speaking of the Spirit, but to acknowledge them to be the words of Christ Jesus and deny them to be the speaking of the Spirit, or to be Spirit and life (as Christ saith they are) and call them dead as thou and thy generation doth, is the most rediculous, absurd opposition to Christ and his Gospel, that hath been yet: The Apostle Paul saith, 1 Cor. 14.37. If any man think him­self to be a Prophet, or Spirituall, let him acknowledge the things that I writ unto you are the Commandments of God; Are they the Command­ments of God and not the Spirits speaking: But thou saiest, thou are not so sottish as I, to own this: It seems thou hadst rather (truly) be a foole to be esteemed wise in this world, then be a foole that thou mayest be truly wise. See whether this be sottishnesse in thee or no, 1 Cor. 3.18.

But howsoever, thy wisdome in disowning the Scriptures to be the speaking of the Spirit, doth shew thee to be neither Prophet or spiri­tual: [Page 21]therefore the Spirit of God will disown thee, the wolfe would perswade the weak, that he will keep them for worrying when the danger is only in himself.

Thou saist, I charge that for a Lyer, for saying I own the Letter to be the rule, but one thing is, saist thou, I need not go far to fetch my proof thou hast given it under thy hands, in these words, therefore the Scriptures are the sure and infallible rule to try the Spirits, whe­ther they be of God or no.

Answ. My charging thee for a Lyer, was for saying I own the dead Letter, to be the rule, thou shuffies out the word dead, but it shuts thee not of the ly but makes it a greater ly, what plainer ly can be told then this, to say I owned that which I never named to thee, but to deny therein, the word dead Letter is thy own, not mine. If thou call the Gospels declaration, the Turkish Alcaron, and I say that De­claration of the Gospel is the power of God to Salvation to all that hear and obay it, canst thou reply and say, I own the Turkish Al­caron to be the Decleration of the Gospel without being alyer? and is it not the same to say, I own the dead letter to be the rule, because I say the decleration of the Gospel is the rule, thou mayst see if thou be not moresotish then I, it is thou that cals it the dead letter or Al­karon and not I, & therefore the lye must needs lodge with thee. Thou saist I also call the words of Christ, or Scripture dead Letter; twice in a following argument of mine.

Answ. For the truths sake, and that the Lyer may be looked upon, and seen of all, I will not only lay down that argument of mine but the occasion thereof given by thee, in thy argument thus framed.

He that denyeth to be tryed by the true touch-stone, the infallible rule, 'tis an infallible sign his Spirit is not of God, he is guided by the Spirit of error.

But thou Jonathan Johnson denyest to be tryed by the living prin­ciple of God, the light of Christ in the conscience, the Spirit of truth: and wouldest be tryed by the dead Letter, therefore thy Spi­rit is not of God, thou art guided by the Spirit of error.

This argument I told thee, cometh bare without any proof, a­gainst Jonathan Johnson: therefore Martin Mason remaineth a lyer till he prove the ascertion, in the mean time to discover what waslapt up in that argument: I from thy own Major poposition, framed thee this.

He that denyeth to be tryed by the true touch-stone, the Infallible rule, 'tis an infallible sign his Spirit is not of God, he's guided by the Spirit of error.

But thou Jonathan Johnson, denyest to be tryed by the principle in Martin Mason, and wouldest be tryed by the living principle of God, the light of Christ, in the Scriptures, Therefore thy Spirit is not of God, thou art guided by the Spirit of error.

When I had thus laid open the falshood of thy argument, and slan­der against me without ground or proof, I who can better tell my own desires and denyals, then thou canst, to declare truly the same, framed thee this argument.

He that desires to be tryed by the true touch-stone, the infallible rule, the living principle of God, the light of Christ in the Saints consciences, the spirit of truth, and not by the dead Letter, 'tis a sign his Spirit is of God, he is guided by the Spirit of promise.

But Jonathan Johnson, desires to be tryed as above said. There­fore 'tis a sign his Spirit is of God, he is guided by the spirit of pro­mise.

Martin do I here call the words of Christ, or Scripture, dead Let­ter, (or any where else) wash thy eyes, and look better over my paper, then speak rightly, and thou wilt say my charge is not taken off, neither hath the lyer remooved his lodging, which every passer by will now behold, thy bosome being unbuttened. I have not yet told thee what I call the dead Letter, though thou say I cal the Scripture so, by which is manifested, who is the lyer. But now it puts them out of doubt, and to satisfie the hearers I will tell thee; It is the wri­tings of Martin Mason, and his fellows, and all such as oppose the Scriptures teaching, denying the ordinances, and commands of Christ there taught.

Because I esteem their books or bulks of writings, no better then an Idol, set up like the masse or service-book to draw men from the true worship and service of God, which is according to the Scripture; therefore, If I say, the same that thou dost, (as thou saist I do) then we say both one thing, by thy own acknowledgment; But I say the dead Letter is the Quakers Books: therefore thou saist the same with me, repent thou of thy error in calling the Scriptures dead Letter.

Thou saist thou never readest, grosser contradictions to thy knowledg then hath dropt from the pen of this Painted Pagan: (as thou callest me)

Answ. I believe, Martin, the Painter is mistaken, and spoiles his work for want of color; this surrilous way of thine, with all the falseness of thy alegations will discover thee to all that read the Papers: [Page 39]Loud accusation, and little proof layes open folly, it is a small matter for a man of thy language to be larg upon charging evil upon others; but very scant in making good what you charg. Thou saist in the next place, that for all my folly and confusion, I must give thee another rotten reed of Egypt as it were for a farewel, in an argument, which for sub­stance (thou saist) is thus, &c.

Answ. I will leave thy substance, and bring the whole substance it self, the argument as it was given to thee, by me.

They, who by an infallible Spirit, were Master Builders, and layers of the foundation of the Saints Religion; and who are heard of all who are of God, and who have the Spirit of truth, and who accounts all accursed, who preach any other Doctrine then they have already preached, must needs be the true touch-stone, and infallible tryal of Spirits, whether they be of God or no; and denyal to be tryed by them, is a plain testimony of an evil cause, and that the Spirit is the Spi­rit of error, and lyer.

But the Apostles were they, who by an infallible Spirit were Ma­ster Builders, &c. As these Scriptures testifie, 1 Cor. 3.9, 10, 11. 1 John 4.6. John 8.47. Acts 2.4. 2 Thes. 2.13, 14, 15. 1 Thes. 2.13. Gal. 1.8, 9, 10. 2 John 7.8, 9, 10. And Martin Mason, denyeth their tryal, and calls it dead Letter.

Therefore his Spirit is not of God, he is guided by the Spirit of er­ror.

Thou, for want of an answer to this, callest me forgetful, willful, ly­ing Beast. Did not he even now (saist thou) a litle before, in his other argument say, that he desired to be tryed by the light in the Saints con­science, and not by the dead Letter, and yet taxeth me; O blush and be a shamed.

Answ. I am neither Beast or Lyer, nor forgetful, of what I have said before, I have laid down the plain truth to thee, which is, that the Apostles teachings, or Scriptures, is the true touch-stone and tryal of Spirits; I have not in any place called them dead Letter, but have al­wayes told thee, that the light in the Saints consciences is received from thence, therefore I have no cause to blush or be ashamed at the truth; the manifestation of which makes thee be wrathful, out of which thou brings the Beast, and Lyer, and blush, and be ashamed; there not being a word in thy tongue to answer, of which if thou cold be ashamed, there would be hopes of thy repentance, and good cause hast thou to blush and be a shamed of this proclaming thy folly for 'tis a low disgrace to one pretending such high things, to be so discovered [Page 24]as thou art in such want of answer, and in evil words corrupting thy good manners.

According to the grace of God given to me, (saist thou) as a wise Master builder, I have laid the foundation, saith Paul, 1. Cor. 1.10. he builded upon the rock; other foundation then that is laid, can no man lay, which is Jesus Christ in all, Jew and Greek, Barbarian, Scithian, bond and free, Luke 3.11. to this unction within, did Paul direct the People.

Answ. Whosoever rules, and observes thee, will see thy desire to set up thy self for a wise Master builder, for which read thy motto, Pro. 26.12, 16. Thou joynes several declerations of the Apostle together, to pervet them if thou cold, from his Gospel order of teaching to thy own corrupt sence, and foysts in thy own words amongst, to make fit a lye, the Apostle in neither of these places, or any where else doth direct the people to the unction within them, till first they have heard the preaching of the Apostles, in the doctrine of faith and believing, thou tellest me of a brat of my own begeting, but if this be not of thy be­geting 'tis the begeting of some of thy generation, from whom thou hast received it to nurse: do not think to Father such prodigious birth upon the Apostles, their begeting men to the faith was by preaching Christ Jesus, who was not in those before to whom they preached, that is your false invension to oppose the truth, the Apostle saith he laid the foundation, thou saist it was laid in them before, a flat contradiction to the Apostles teaching, and the Scripture thou quotes, Col. 3.11. Doth not say, Christ is in all Jew and Greek before they received him by faith, through the Apostles preaching; but plainly telleth thee (if thy ears cold hear) verse 10. where Christ is in all, which is in all them who have put on the new man, which is renued in know­ledg; after the Image of him who hath created him, by which is ma­nifest (according to the whole teaching of the Apostles) that Christ is in all who are in the faith, but in those in whom faith is not, the Apostles have not any where said that Christ is there. Therefore thy opposition to the Apostles, and that Christ which they preached is made plain; and that thou, and thy fellows would set up your own heart-Imaginations, and false deceiveings in the place of Christ. And would perswade men of a Christ, in all before or without the preaching of faith by the Apostles; that they may deny the Apostles preaching: and that Christ which they preached, to those who be­fore were without him; Ephes. 2.12. And where Christ was not named, Rom. 15.30.

That which lay dead, (saist thou) did at the hearing of the voyce of the Son of God live.

Answ. That which hear thou saist lay dead, is that which before thou callest the Christ in all, the royal seed; the unction, the Lord of glory crucified in them: so that by thy doctrine, the royal seed, the unction, the Lord of glory, and Christ in all, lay dead till it did at the hearing of the voyce of the Son of God live, what greater confused nonsence can be delivered, then to say Christ, the Son of God lyeth dead, till he hear the voyce of Christ the Son of God and live; can such babling be without blaspemy? those who knew, and in whom Christ the hope of glory is, will see this thy dead Image, that thou would set up to deny the Lord that bought thee.

After thy complaint, of allmost weariness, thou follows with som­thing to the poor hears (as thou callest them) whom thou saist are wedded to their water, and counts no Saints who submit not to their ceremonies, thou bidest them answer thee in good earnest, can their Diana satisfie a hungry Soul.

Answ. To which the poor hearts reply, that it were better for thee to sit down and rest thy self after thy great labour and hot chace, except thou findest thy self so tyred, that thou desirest the refreshment of those waters, to which they are wedded, to cool thy heat of bloud, and in good earnest they answer thee, they have not Ephesian Diana, which they worshipped walking by thy light, of self-invention, or any other Idol, that may have written upon it, light of Conscience, quaking, or baptisme, but they have that Christ the Bread of Life, which the Ephe­sians believed in after the preaching of the Apostles unto them, they feed not upon hid Bread, nor are they wedded to stolen waters, they abhor the secret devices, and self-inventions, that oppose the open Declarations of Gods mind and will in the Scriptures of Truth: They drink of Shiloh, the Fountaine open to the house of David: They feed on Manna, the Bread that came down from Heaven, their souls love, and are continually refreshed therewith. Which Manna, thou and thy genaration loathes, and calls it light bread, and prize your Garlick and Onions above it, the art of sowing and growing of which you learnt in Egypt.

Thou talkest of washing the body with outward water, and the an­swer of a good Conscience towards God, and who (saist thou) can witness the answer of a good conscience towards God, that is not guided by the light of God in his Conscience.

Answ. And what answer of a good Conscience canst thou have that [Page 42]is not enlightened by the preaching of Christ and his Apostles, fighting against their Doctrine of Faith, and denying all obedience thereto. Doth not thy own Conscience, when thou considerest of thy answer before Christ at the day of Account, condemn thee for opposing and denying the Command of Christ and Practice for discipling all Nations, is not thy iniquity there.

Thou tellest them they are not come to yea and nay, in their dealing.

Answ. Thou talkest like a tyred man in Spirits: Produce if thou can that, in any of them, and they will acknowledge tis against the Baptism of Repentance, which they plead for, and thou deniest; But thou not proving that against them, where is thy yea and nay in thy dealing, thou must needs want the uprightnesse of yea and nay in thy dealing, thus falsly with us accusing us without ground or proofe: They deny with formall words of yea and nay, to cover the deceit of wrong dealing within, neither do they put on white breeches without, to co­ver the black breeches of bribery and extortion. Look nearer home let not thy eyes be scattered in the corners of the World, yea and nay in the tongue, when wrong and falshood is in the heart, is not the lan­guage of Saints. Thou thy felf art farre from that yea and ney in thy dealing or communication with Christs commands Mat. 5.37 dealing such foul and filthy words to those against whom thou speakest or writest.

Thou tellest them of respect of persons and vain customes and fash­ons of the Heathen, and art not yet brought to the bridling of the tongue.

Answ. These words are thy own, and better applyed to thee, then from thee, the Customes, and Fashions of the Heathen, are self-divices against the God of Israel, and Saviour of all men; they own no such soul fashions, or evil Customes, but deny them and therein deny thee, and thy generation, and your Groves, and Alters, and Calves at Dan, and Bethel. And for an unbridled Tongue running at ran­dome, cannot be more manifested, then in what is breathed from thee; in which all that hear thee with right understanding, will say tis not the Language of Sion, or new tongue speaking of a Saint, but the Language of Babel, and speaking like the Draggon.

Thou saist, Paul told the people he had not shuned to declare unto them all the Counsel God: but where did he mention water Bap­tisme as a branch thereof, if it had been of the Counsel of God, certainly Paul durst not have concealed it.

Answ. Whose Counsel was that which Peter gave, Act. 2.38. wilt [Page 43]thou denyest that to be the Counsel of God, it being the Counsel of God. Paul did declare it according to thy own Confession: And whose Counsel was it for Paul to Baptize Crispus, and Gaius, and others; and into whose name did he Baptize them, into his own name, or into the name of Christ; if into the name of Christ, as openly thou darest not deny, and not into his own name as himself testisyeth, 1 Cor. 1.13, 14. 15. Then must it needs be the Counsel of God, which doth condemne, and confound thy abominable denyal thereof: may not the question be rightly put to thee, that our Saviour put to the Scribes, and Priests, Mark. 11.20. Concerning that Baptisme, whether it were from Hea­ven, or of man, will it not dazle thee as it did them; thou not only denying that Counsel of God against thy self, as they did, Luke. 7.30. But also denying it to be the Counsel of God, which is a degree of evil exceeding theirs, in that report of them: But if thou say thou dost con­fess it from Heaven; (which thy predecessors opposers of truth durst not deny) dost thou not then condemn thy self in denying it to be the Coun­sel of God: and thy saying, tis of men makes John Baptist a trans­gressor, in doing mans divices in Divine service, and Christ a consen­ter with him in it; and so the Apostles teaching, and practise in that Baptisme, to be all transgression and vanity; hadst thou not better never bring these Scriptures, that are so plainly against thee, were it not a great folly, to alledge the second Commandement, to prove the worshiping of Images; & is it not as great folly in thee, to alledge Scrip­tures, to deny Baptisme, that is so plainly for it; thou must as the Pa­pists do, and as thou and thy fellowes, follow them, either maintain your divices by unwriten very lyes, which you call verities, and so make men believe as the Church believes, or the Father of yourfami­lies, or the more you alledge Scripture to hold up your Idol, the more it fals, and is broken apeices.

Did not Paul (saist thou) foresee, that thing to be Idolized in his dayes.

Answ. No Martin, that is the false device of thy generation, from whom thou hast received it, witness James Naylors Book, tituled a Hand held forth to the help-less, to lead them out of darkness, &c. where he delivers it plainly, and grosly, in the point of Baptisme, in which he deliver a palpable lie, as thou dost here after him: both against the Corinthians, and against Paul, for neither did the Corinthians Idolize Baptisme, neither did Paul complain against them, or deny it upon any such account: the Apostles rather complains of them, for neglect of that esteem which they should have of that Baptisme, in relation to Christ, [Page 44]and given it to men, 1 Cor. 1.12, 13, 14, 15. And for further Satisfacti­on I shall give thee something to Cew the Cude upon (if thou wert a Clean Beast in thy feeding) which is, that the Baptisme of repentance cannot be Idolized by any, water may be Idolized, or something else in the Inventions of men, instead of that Baptisme: any ordinance of Christ, (whose ordinances are all ordinances of faith) cannot be Idoli­zed, for where Idolizing is, there is something also in the room of faith: but where faith is, there is no Idol or self inventions, and therefore your pretended light within is an Idol, because it denys (and draws men from) the faith and obedience in that Christ Jesus, who dyed at Jorusa­lem, and from that reverence, and esteem which ought to be to his teaching in Scripture; to follow, and fall down to your faithless I­dol.

Thou saist, Paul knowing Baptisme to be a permissive practise not a precept, laid it aside.

Answ. Let those who have read Paul, and read thee judge, whether thou hast not told a manifest lie of Paul in this, for Paul hath not any where so declared his knowledge of Baptisme, or that he laid it aside; If Baptisme were not a precept, the Apostles were transgressors to preach, and command; and practise in their Masters name, that which he had not commanded, and Baptisme being a command, thou wouldest report them transgressors like to thy self, saying, they laid aside the practise and teaching of their Masters precept: what plainer precept, to those who desires to obey the Lords command can be given, then that, Mat. 28. Goe teach all Nations, and Baptize them in the Name of the Father, &c. And Acts. 2.38. Repent and be Baptized, and Acts. 10.48. He com­manded them to be Baptized. Surely these things are plain enough to all, but such as bend their tongues for deceit, and to oppose the truth: whatsoever is manifested to such, to be the plain Testimonies of truth, yet a denyal must be in those Children of falshood. For as these who are begotten by the Imortal seed; to a lively hope through faith, do own and submit to every command of Christ, though never so seeming weak, and contrary to corrupt nature: So those who are be­gotten by the power of darkness, they hate the light, and natural in them it is to oppse it, for there is no concord betwixt light and dark­ness; in which darkness if thou wert not, these Scriptures are plain e­nough, and so plain, that thou dost not deny them, as not thinking them to be precepts. But to maintain thy darkness and disobedience aggainst them. Thou and thy generations have had sufficient Testimony in the mantenance of this truth against your falshood, in perverting and [Page 45]denying of these Scriptures, to which you give no answer, but instead thereof, have blown forth big and boysterous words of slander, and accusation, from the bellows of that forge, where all your falshood is framed: and this will appear to all who have understanding, and did but read that which thou and others with thee have received, both concerning the former Scriptures, and that which thou followest with; Where Paul saith he was not sent to baptize, but to preach the Gos­pel.

Answ. Paul was sent to preach the same Gospel w^ch Peter was sent to preach, in which was concluded the Baptisme of Repentance, or water upon Repentance and faith, as Acts 2.38. and 10.47, But neither paul or Peter were sent to Baptize, without or before preaching; for that is the work of opposers, not of the messengers of Christ, and therefore was it, that Paul said he was sent to preach the Gospel, for till preaching was received, there was none to baptize.

Paul did neither deny to be baptized himself, (as thou and thy ge­neration doth) as appears, Acts 9.18. with 22.16, neither did he deny to baptize others after they had heard his teaching, and believing, for then he had both denyed the command of Christ, Mar. 28.19. and his own practice upon those he baptized, as 1 Cor. 1.14, 16. for to baptize in the name of Christ, and deny it to be a precept, or ordinance of Christ; doth condemn the doer: and so wouldest thou con­demn Paul in his righteous proceeding, according to the Gospel: but it is a condemnation of thy self, and manifest thee to be an enemy to truth, in aledging Paul to deny his own preaching, and practice, and the rest of the Apostles.

Doth not Peter (saist thou) speak plain enough to the prudent, doth he account water baptisme any better then a figure pointing out the fubstance, the answer of a good conscience,

Answ. If thou wert not of those prudent ones, to whom the things of God are hid, Mat. 11.25. Luke 10.21. Peters speaking would be plain to thee, to be the baptisme of repentance; not water without repentance, nor repentance denying water: though thou wouldest de­vide them as all Antichristians have done: though Peter calls baptisme the figure, yet he calleth the figure that saveth, which cannot be with­out the answer of a good conscience, therefore thy calling it a figure or water baptisme, without the answer of a good conscience, and that saveth not, shews how thou strives to violate that Scripture and ma­nifest thy ignorance of what baptisme is.

Which of you (saist thou) would you be truly honest to the light of [Page 46]God in you, durst possitively affirm ontward water to be the Baptisme of Christ, Is not his a baptisme of suffering?

Answ. Martin, if outward water; (as thou hast been told before) were the baptisme of Christ, then thou, and all thy generation who have had outward water, by the order of the Sea of Rome, were bap­tized; but wanting faith according to the order of the Gospel, you have not the baptisme of Christ, they (whom thou callest the poor hearts) are so honest to the light of Gods truth revealed to them by the Gospels preaching, that they, do affirm water, administred upon repentance, and faith, is the baptisme of Christ, that is a cording to Peters teaching in the Scripture afore all edged. That outward water is not the figure that saveth but baptisme is; and also they further affirm, that thy division of water from repentance in baptisme, that thou may deny the Gospel Baptisme, dost manifest thee a child of those Antichristain predl­cessors from whom thou receivest thy outward water. doth not thy fingling out the Baptisme of suffering only, to deny the baptisme of repentance, by reach also, to the denyal of the bap isme of Christ: but talk not thou of the baptisme of sufferings, till thou suffer Christs baptisme of repentance, to talk place in thee, none ever suffered for Christs name sake; who denyed him in his ordinance? thou bids the poor hearts not be afraid to take up the daly Cross, but like vallent Souldiers enter the field &c.

Answ. The entering into Christ by the Baptisme of repentance, Is the taking up of his Cross, and deny ill of that Baptisme in all Ages since Christ, hath been to avoid and deny the Cross of Christ, and therefore whatever cross thou or thy fellows meets withall, Is not the Cross of Christ, or worthy, of thename of suffering for Christ, or Gospel Humi­lation; for you deny both Gospel and Christ, and all your Humiliation, and pretended valiantness in suffering is from self desire to maintain your own divices: and therefore as Scripture tells, you will not be known worthy of reward.

The poor hearts obedience to the teaching of Christ in his ordinances, as in the Bap­tisme of repentance doth manifest their love, excluding fear, in taking up the Crose of Christ by which they stand Armed with strength from God, to undergo what ever they shall be called to in witness of his truth, and if they fall in that day of tryal, their streng this small. And then they violate & make void (as to themselves) he Baptisme of rapentance, they so much plead for, denyal of which Baptisme (as hath been said) is device to keep men from the Cross of Christ, for that baptisme brings a man to the lowest estare of self denyal and Humility, and to be raised up in the acknowledging their State of life, to be on­ly in the love and power of God, in which warrfare the Saints have alwayes got the victo­ry, and so shall those whom thou callest the poor hearts continuing faithful in the Lords truth, an promise, not giving ear to those pretended lights of mens consciences, that deny the commandments of God, and obedience to the Law of faith: And though such come forth like Giants with big and furious words, railing against the host of living God, yet the Lord will subdue them with Sling stones, and cut them off with their own Weapons Zeek 9 15. 1 Sam. 17.49, 50, 51. For what is not of God shall fall, and none can stay the consumation determined to be powered upon the desolate, Dan 9.27.