IOhn Jackſon, in the printing of my Papers (ſo far as thou haſt printed my words) in that I rejoyce, and ſhall rejoyce the more it is preached, though ſome preach Chriſt of envie, but thy deceits ought not to be hid leaſt I partake with thee therein.

In thy title page thou ſaies, (publiſhed at the requeſt of ſome, &c.) and in thy letter to me thou ſaid (thy Spirit was free, to publiſh it) and that it were thus with thee, and this was before ſome of my anſwers was written: did ſome body requeſt thee to publiſh the anſwer to my Papers, reſpectively (as thou ſaies) before they was written? this is but a poore ſhift, but it muſt ſerve where no better can be got, & when the Leopard changes his ſpots, then will that Spirit deale plainly: but did none of thoſe (ſome) requeſt thee to anſwer my Queries, which thou haſt printed unanſwered; And that letter I ſent to Samuel Tull and thee, and the reſt. If they had not beene partiall in their requeſts; they might have ſpoken one word for me, that I might have received once an anſwer from thee, having ſo often anſwered thy Queries both by words divers times and alſo by writing, but it ſeemes both thou and the requeſters are got above that law (to do as you would be done unto) or to deale equal, to others as your ſelves; that feed is wanting, where the world raignes, yet ſhall not that keepe me, from laying open the truth I have received.

Thou ſaies, Judge not according to appearance, &c. I ſay what elſe can they judge with, who denies the light within? but will not this deſtroy your former doctrine? may one now judge and not ſee the face. The thing for which thou have to much oppoſed me, did'ſt thou not before deny any way of intelligence but outward appearance? and ſaid thou durſt not beleive it: it ſeemes thy faith is changed ſince then, or elſe thy tongue: but here its ſeene how Chriſts words ſuits your doctrine and practice; Thou may be aſhamed if thou denie the light of Chriſt within any more: either muſt men judge according to the light within, or by outward appearance.

Somthing thou haſt added in the concluſion as an excuſe, wherein thou deſires the Reader to compare with what went before, and try if there be any ſuch thing ſaid as may circumſcribe, or limit the moſt high in his meſſage to perſonal knowledge, or information of men: to which I ſay, thou ſaid; If I had another way of intelligence beſides ſight and hearing, or outward appearance, without words, &c. Thou durſt not beleive it, beſides thy reproaching it with the name of bitter aſſaults of the enemy and the like; And ſhe ſaid to whom I wrote, ſhe doth more wonder how I durſt adventure, upon one I know not, whoſe face I never ſaw, (as touching the meſſage, I was moved to write to her) If this be not as much to circumſcribe & limit the meſſage of God; to perſonall knowledge and information of men, as in your lies, all may plainly judge, ſeeing neither her daring nor thy reproach, could ſtop it for doing its worke, yet have you both as much with-ſtood it as the creature can, the minde of the creature, ſent in meſſage, and this you will find in the end.

And whereas you call it a heavie charge, I ſay your ſeeking to caſt it off, wil but make heavier; could you breake the Yoake of Wood, for you muſt be prepared Iron, thus ſhall it be to all who kicke at his meſſage; And whereas you tell of her being unknowne or ſeene, I ſay knowne and ſeene ſhe is and thou alſo: with that which changeth not, before I writ to either of you, though thy name thou did'ſt conceale, but this the blind knowes not, who hates the light yet that which thou calls J. N. thou may ſee ſo the ground of your oppoſition, muſt be want of outward knowledge, elſe your ground is falſe judged with that which reveales that in man which man knows not.

There is one thing thou haſt put in the Margent as though I had not anſwered (to wit) the redemption of the body, which muſt have relation to her letters who ſaith ſhe is ſtill kept groaning for adoption (to wit, redemption of the body) and hath her own deceivings in her, untryed, and yoakes of ſinfull covenant in her unbroken, and yet ſhe knowes her ſelfe to be in the Kingdom.

To which I anſwered before that no ſelfe-deceiving not ſinfull Covenant comes in the Kingdom of God, unleſs thou and ſhe meane the Kingdom of this world; and call that the Kingdom of Grace, a new coyned word to cover your pride and worldly glory, for thats the grace the world loves and its Kingdom; And ſuch a Son and Sonſhip the world lookes for; and there the Son finds you, now he is come; And for groaning for adoption; I told thee, the Kingdome of God conſiſted not in groaning for adoption but in righteouſneſs peace and joy; and none are there but Sons, and as they are new borne, and this is a plaine anſwer to all that know Sonſhip; but who denies the light of the Sun muſt needs ſtumble, though at noone day, and all thou alledges againſt it to any purpoſe is that in the 8 to Rom, where the Apoſtle tells of the creatures groaning, and traveling waiting for adoption (to wit) the redemption of the body: where its plaine the condition there ſpoken of, was ſuch who had received the firſt fruits, but the Sons of God was not yet revealed, as in the 19 verſ yet having the firſt fruits of the Spirit, they was in hope of the fullneſs, and ſo was travelling painfully, towards the Kingdom and reſt of God; where noe travell, paines nor groaning is, where the Sons of God rejoyce together without rebuke; but this the Sons of the ſtranger who rejoyce in the things of this world, knowes not, nor can their imaginations get into it, though it be told over againe but ſtill are groaping and Queſtioning about that which God hath hid and ſealed from that wiſdom and prudence, and he is curſed that opens it to that ſeed, any further then the Scriptures hath, which is all a parable, and the Serpent never the wier, for its not like he that is in the world ſhould know, who is in the Kingdom; nor can he ſee himſelſe to be without, who denies the light of Chriſt to be ſufficient, who inlightens every man that comes into the world, and though the Apoſtles miniſtering to the ſeverall meaſures of them to whom they ſpoke, did come downe to their meaſures, and ſo ſaid (we) as in James 3.9. and divers other places, yet their conditions it was not then, they was come through thoſe things, and as touching their own meaſures, they had to ſay, which then they was not able to beare to whom they ſpoke, nor was that they knew (in reſpect of their owne meaſure) lawfull to utter to the weake: their wiſdom was not to ſpeake all they knew, though the Serpent ſpeaks all he imagines, & more then he knowes.1 Cor. 3.2. 2 Cor. 12.4 And ſtill would be climbing to know; but its death for him to obey what he knows, and in this nature art thou ſeene to be, who art glorying in words without life, and practice, and hath gathered with wiſdom, many words from others, which are not thine owne nor fulfilled in thee, theſe thou haſt put forth that thou may ſeeme to be ſome body, and ſo art glorying in appearance in that which is not wrought in thee; for this I ſay, had the Saints of God, whoſe words thou haſt got, taken up no other Croſs then thou doſt nor lived no other life, nor been acted by another Spirit, in other waies then thy practice, thou hadſt had no Scripture to have taken thoſe words out of, and ſo now thou haſt got them, the Saints words do but little ſuite thy practice; They were holy men of God and their worke was to waite upon God, in life, and not in words alone: but thou art a man of the world, and a ſervant thereto in its waies words and pleaſures, according thereto art thou faſhioned, which they was not; Thou cannot owne their life, nor will their words cover thee, by talking them over, thou cannot behold them but thou may ſee thy condemnation, and the life will find thee out

Its the Saints life that judges and tryes the Spirits and waies that are in the world; Its that you cannot pervert nor wreſt, hypocrits, worldlings, and carnall mindes, who live in pride, oppreſſion and deceipt, gets their words once a weeke to talke on; And with your diſobedient wiſdome, you twine them to your own luſts, and in your wills which are not obedient to the Croſs of Chriſt you handle the letter which the life gave forth, but the life you deny, and the light you hate and oppoſe; both in your ſelves and others, and yet you would be called Chriſtians, when Chriſt you have not, in his life, power, will, nor obedience, only you have him in your mouthes to talke on, but the God of this world having poſſeſſion of your hearts hath ſo blinded the eye, and alienated you from the life of God, that you can neither heare, nor ſee, nor know him where he is come, but like the blind Jewes, are thinking of his coming in obſervations without you, but cannot receive his light and appearance within, nor owne his life where it is brought forth in others without, ſo its plaine you are ſeeking another Chriſt or in another manner, then ever he appeared in fleſh, and another glory, then he was ever cloathed with, in this world in his diſpiſed ones: ſo his words are your condemnation who cannot own his waies but if thou wilt have an intereſt in the Saints words and not therwith to be condemned, come to the Saints life and read the Scriptures, there, a little of them; there will ſerve thy turne in that nature thou lives in; if thou there come and make proofe of thy ſelfe in that thou canſt not wreſt, thou likes to be covered with their words; but lay by thy ſtatelineſs, and come to be covered with their glory, which Chriſt and all his uſed to be clad withall, in this world, that which the world ſtrives not for, read Chriſt in his wants and wanderings, hunger, and nakedneſs mocking, buffeting, ſtocking, ſtoning, priſonings,Luk, 2.3.4 1 Cor. 4.10.11.12.13. in his temptings, faſting, whippings, baniſhings out of townes, and Cities, and Countries, as a ſigne to be ſpoken againſt every where, a ſtumbling ſtone and rock of offence to all ſorts of profeſſions eſpecially to the wiſeſt, as the off ſcouring, ſcum, and filth of the world, and a gazing-ſtock where ever he comes in fleſh; ſo he is to this day, who ſuffer the oppoſition of all the wicked, this is his glory, and this is his joy in this world; wherein we rejoyce to be counted worthy to ſuffer with him, and if thou wilt read him in theſe lines, in life without thy ſuttle meanings, then ſhalt thou know a joy the world meddels not with, nor will thy worldly Spirit delight to be cloathed with this glory, though thou canſt glory much in their words, who were thus glorified; but were you to medle no more with their words then you live in their practice, & ſo ceaſe boaſting of other mens lines made ready without you, we ſhould have many eloquent teachers now, as dumbe as thoſe was, as Iſaiah ſpeaks of in his time, to whom he preached the Covenant of light which they oppoſed. Woe unto you! a ſad day is coming upon you all, who have covered and not with the Spirit, your literall coverings muſt be ript off, and your nakedneſs muſt appeare; that is the cauſe why you ſo oppoſe the light, and Spirit within, who have covered the outſide but cannot abide the ſearch within: he is come who made the heart and the warre is begun againſt the Dragon, ſo the devourer ſtands up one every ſide, and let that of God in thy conſcience judge betwixt God and thee, on what part thou wilt be found, and how thou loves his glory, and what of the world thou denies for it, and if thou own him with the loſs of all things, I ſay let that of God judge thee in ſecret, and thy practice openly, how thou ownes a Saints life and glory and way out of the world untill Chriſt appeare, whoſe light thou oppoſeſt to reward thereafter thy works, who art not in the worke of Chriſt nor the way of his miniſters, their ſufferings, and callings: nay if thou minde that in thy conſcience which doth not change thou may ſee thy ſelfe in the world before their call out, and forſaken by them when they came to be diſciples, and if ever thou own their call thou muſt own their Croſs: though now the blind eye be up, and would enter another way then Chriſt and his diſciples hath gon, and ſo all you that denie the light and life, death in you gets the fame from without and therewith oppoſes your ſelves, O you dead, deafe, and blind, who are now banded together againſt the light of Chriſt and his appearance, how hath the God of this world beſotted you, and filled your hearts with groſs darkneſs above all you read of? did ever generation practiſe contrary to what they profeſſed like you? you have gotten more words but leſs pō er then ever any of your Fathers, the perſecuters & oppoſers ever had. doth not your great profeſſion & little practice give an ill ſavour even amongſt the heathen, ſo that the name of Chriſtians is become odious, and they are become your Judges in the life of Chriſtianity: doe not they who have not the letter without, who bring forth the effects of that law which God hath written in their hearts, become the Children of obedience before you, who have long ſaid, I goe ſir? hath not the greateſt deceipt, pride, covetouſneſs, and oppreſſion, ſelf-love, that ever was in the world ſince Cains time, now got a cover of prefeſſion, and Church-name a mongſt you? how are you got above all reproofe herein, for pride and ſtatelineſs, ſoe that the very language and geſtures of the Saints, is abomination to you, and the ſufferings of ſuch as follow them, is not ſo much valued as you would do your dogs: how have you made theſe the times of advantage to exalt your ſelves, which God hath appointed to pull downe what was exalted? how have you eaten up the ſins of them that went before you, and have added their curſe to your own, ſo that double blindneſs and hardneſs is come upon you; And now you are more voide of feeling, and feare, then you was before ever you profeſſed any thing of God; The Lord and his light be Judge amongſt you who now can ſwallow downe, and live in that which once you could not have done for all the world; ſo let the Lord be witneſs and no deceiptfull lips, if I ſpeake not the truth, as to many of you: how hath the enemie lead out your minds from the Spirit that while you are preaching the Saints words, you are not able to look within at your own contrary practice, and ſtop the mouth of the gainſayer, that ſo the true witneſs of God might ariſe in you, and let you ſee the caſt away: ſurely you are they that are to be bemoaned above all other, who have had a meaſure of tenderneſs, but now wholly loſt; and not only ſo but now oppoſe it, in others who retaine it, nor would ſeeke after it: and now this being all, that this ſhaking and reformation hath brought forth in you, the righteous God hath caſt you off and choſen things that are not, and things weake and fooliſh, and contemptible to confound the wiſe, and mighty and learned; And the Children of the Kingdom is caſting out, and from farre they come to inherit, therefore the heads of the Serpent, and the beaſt and the prophet that tels lies, meete together to ſtrengthen one another, and this is ſeene amongſt you, of ſeverall heads, and hornes, and collers, ſo to you all I write, and not to thee alone, who art but one joyned in amongſt many, that if there be any amongſt you that will own the deſpiſed light and ſearch your hearts therewith, and try your waies, and returne to the Lord, that you may be healed, and with the light in thy conſcience; thou maiſt take thine own, and ſo the reſt of you, for his witneſs is faithfull and ſwift againſt you and according thereto he will proceed except ye repent.

FRiend, thou haſt gathered up many Scriptures, which thou ſay'ſt doſt witneſs againſt thy judgement and practice of the Quakers, with a charge as thou calleſt againſt them, but haſt not proved one particular true; but if thine eye had been ſingle, thou mighteſt have found thy ſelfe lying guilty under the condemnation there of in thy practice: ſo take them back again and conſider of them, and let that of God in thy Conſcience be judge; for ſo it ſhall at that day when he ſhall clear the innocent.

The Scriptures we own, and that Light and Spirit that gave them forth, whereby we know thou art not he that ſpoke thoſe words to Job, but one that uſeth thy tongue, boaſting in other mens lines, made ready without thee, to oppoſe that life wherein they lived, in his deſpiſed ones of this Generaion, whom not one of theſe Scriptures doth reprove, neither canſt thou make it appear in any one particular.

Thou ſayſt, thus ſaith the Lord who hath waſhed away our ſins in his own blood, I ſay, ſee it be ſo, leaſt thou be found in ſin, and ſo proved a falſe witneſs; for ſuch are they who ſet up falſe Chriſts, who profeſs a Chriſt without power, and cry, loe here, loe there in outward forms without, but who hath the true Chriſt goeth nor forth: So conſider the beam in thine own eye, and the nakedneſs thou tells of, appeareth in thy paper, & he that hath an eye doth ſee it. For the luſts of the fleſh thou tells on: ſearch and ſee if thou be not he that is found in the much wantonneſs thou ſpeakeſt of, which we deny, a Servant to corrupt things, and would have others ſo alſo: if thou ſay we preach another Goſpel, thou ſhould have ſhewed wherein; but it is a ſmall thing that we ſhould be judged of man: thou ſayſt, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden works of darkneſs, and will make manifeſt the Counſels of thy heart: So it ſeems thou confeſſeſt a time of judgement where the Lord is come, which time we witneſs, and by the brightneſs of his comming the Man of ſin revealed, and the Councels of thy heart made manifeſt, who to thy Mâſter art fallen, and for him thouſtandeth. Thou ſayſt, doubtleſs thou counteſt all things but loſſe and dung that thou may win Chriſt. I fay, take heed it be ſo; leaſt when ſearch is made, thou be found a lyar: thou ſayeſt, let nothing be done in vain glory, but in lowlineſs of mind let each eſteem others better then themſelves: I ſay, remember this, and let it ſtop thy mouth when thou ſhalt plead for reſpect of perſons, which the redeemed ones John ſpeaks of, are redeemed from, even out of Kingdoms, Tongues, People and Nations, and all their vain Cuſtoms and Worſhips, to worſhip God only; thou ſayſt thou ſhalt riſe up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God. I ſay, ſee thou doth ſo; but how is this fulfilled among you, who will binde gray hairs to bow down and worſhip you, where pride is got up in young ones: thus God never commanded, nor the Scriptures, as thou might have found, hadſt thou had an eye to theſe Scriptures following, James 2.10. Joh 32.21, 22. Hest. 3. Prov. 28.21. Acts 10.18. Rom. 2.11, Epheſ. 6.9, Jude 16. with divers others which maketh little for prides purpoſe, yet will they ſtand a witneſs againſt it for ever.

Now to thy ſlanders which thou haſt added upon thoſe thou calleſt deceived ones, thou ſayſt by our Doctrines and practice, we make little of Chriſt, which is at the right hand of God in the Heavens, That we make leſſe of his word, the rule of righteouſneſs and judgement, both of Doctrines, Men and Spirits, That we make nothing of his Ordinances, in which his Saints are to wait until his ſecond comming, That we revile his Miniſters, that we condemn his juſtified ones, who would deceive them of all that faith, hope, peace and joy in the holy Ghoſt, wherein the Church of the firſt born hath ever lived. To all which I ſay, thou haſt proved thy ſelf the man thou ſpeakeſt on, who haſt given thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit and ſlanders; and this muſt reſt upon thee, till thou prove us guilty of theſe things thou haſt falſely accuſed us, ſeeing thou layeſt the charge againſt all thoſe thou calleſt Quakers, And for the Army of Martyrs, and their life thou telleſt of, If thou minde that in thy Conſcience, by which the Miniſters was guided, thou wilt finde it a witneſs againſt thee, who haſt armed thy ſelf with their words againſt their life, which is now made manifeſt in his deſpiſed ones, which thou amongſt the reſt haſt lifted up thy Horn againſt; and thus thou ſhalt ſee when the book is opened, and that eye which the God of this world hath blinded: then ſhalt thou ſee, though that in thy Book is of little force againſt us, yet it riſeth from the ſame root of envy, from whence hath ſprung greater things; and that which hath ſtirred thee up to this, is but making the way for thee to follow them that impriſoned and ſhed the blood of the Martyrs: ſo take heed leaſt thou proceed to faor, and be given up to have an hand in the ſame practiſe; for envy is as blind now as it was then, and there is nothing ſtops it but the meaſure of God and his light, which if thou forget and act againſt it when thou art found in the ſame work that hath been before mentioned, thou mayſt remember thou haſt been warned.

For thy confuſed exhortation which riſeth from the blind eye, it is judged with the light of Chriſt, who ſees thy confuſion, Thou ſayſt repent and become ſinners, that we may be righteous in Gods righteouſneſs: repent and become meek in ſpirit, and pure in heart, and ſo ſhall we ſee God: ſo thou mayſt compare thy exhortation, and ſee how it will hold in the ballance of truth; but ſuch repentance ſuits well with the love of the world, where you may live in your ſins, and talk of Gods righteouſneſs; but where the heart is purified, and God ſeen, your repentance is judged, and your vain talk of righteouſneſs without life, and you are known to be of thoſe which ſhall not be able to ſtand in the ſight of God. So take thy exhortation back again, and repent of thy falſe accnſations, and ſpeaking evil of that thou knowes not, and publiſhing a generall charge that thou canſt not prove, and make a ſearch through thy paper; and what thou haſt written more then the words of the Scripture, is but to add ſlanders and falſe accuſations, and for the Scriptures thou haſt printed, it is but that thon mighteſt turn them out of their place, to ſet them againſt that ſpirit that gave them forth, and they little ſuit for thy purpoſe. So when thy blind zeal is alittle abated, thou mayſt ſee thy work and be aſhamed: and learn when thou writeſt again to charge no more then thou canſt prove, leaſt whilſt thou goeſt onto caſt thy dirt upon others, whoſe lives thou canſt not judge, thou receive thy own inſide, and cover thy ſelf with thy own ſhame: thou mayſt receive this if thou canſt from a lover of thy ſoul, who contendeth not for maſtery, but to clear the truth, called