A DECLARATION TO THE BAPTISTS.  
Concerning the Name of the Lord, and what it is to be Baptised thereinto; and the Nature of the Lord, and what it is to be made partaker thereof.  
AND SHOWETH That none can be saved, but such as are Baptised into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, into which Name and Nature, the Apostles were sent to Baptise; and not into Water.  
Showing also, That the Apostles were made the Administrators of the Spirits Baptism by virtue of their Commission, Matth. 28. Go ye therefore into all Nations teaching them, and Baptising them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  
ALSO A Discovery of the BAPTISTS Foundation and Bottom, and many of their principal Doctrines set down herein; held forth at a Dispute in Leicester-Shire, at one Henry Smiths, at Wythcock, the 27 day of teh 12th. month, 1658. Before a multitude of people; with an Answer thereunto, wherein is showed also, that the Baptists are setting up Types and Shadows above Christ, and visible carnal created things above the invisible, Eternal and unchangeable God.  Zach. 10.12. And they shall walk up and down in the Name of the Lord. 1 Cor. 12. For by one Spirit are we all Baptised into one Body. 
Written by one who was sometimes one with them in the shadows, feeding upon the wind, and eating that which died of its self, and did not satisfy; But have now found the day wherein the shadows flee away, and hath received another name Besides HUMPHREY WOLLRICH.  
London, Printed for G. C. and are to be sold by Thomas Simmons. 1659.   

A DECLARATION  
To the Baptists, concerning the name of the Lord, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20.  
FRiends, all ye that are called Baptists, you are they amongst whom I have sometime had my conversation, and as you are now, so was I whilst I was among you, professing a God, and a Christ, whom I knew not but by the hearing of the ear; and then I was looking at things that were seen, as you are building my foundation upon carnal, created visible things, which all must perish in the using, but myself knew not Christ the Rock of Ages, who is invisible, and eternal, and a foundation of many generations, and the foundation of his people in all generations, him have I found, whom Moses and the Prophets wrote of; and therefore I leave those things which must decrease, as John's Disciples did, and follow him who must and doth increase, even Christ Jesus the Light of the World, who hath lighted every man that cometh into the World, who is the end of all shadows, types, and figures the end of the Law to his people, who are come in to him, who was before sin and transgression was, the same it is that doth put an end to sin, and finish transgression, unto which, and because of which the Law was added, until the seed came which is made under the Law, shadows, types, and figures; I say when he is come and doth reign and rule in his Saints; and hath condemned in them all iniquity, transgression and sin, to such, and none but such is Christ the end of the Law; for the Law takes hold of a man so long as he lives in sin, for the Law was added because of sin, and none are under grace, till the Law hath condemned sin; therefore all friends who are breathing after the Lord, but your minds still without, and ye being alienated from that which may be known of God in you, which is the candle of the Lord, and searcheth all your hearts, and tryeth all your reins, to you I say, let your profession be what it will, and your form be what it will, it is but your own will, and so contrary to the will of God, you not being led into it, by the pure, eternal, unchangeable spirit of the Lord God, in whom as I have said before, there is no variableness, or shadow of changing; therefore in love to you all, and the welfare of your immortal souls, which is of more worth and value then all the World, all turn to the Light of the Lord, that shines in darkness, that convinceth you, reproves you, and checks you for all your ungodly words, and for all your hard speeches, which ye have ignorantly and wickedly spoken against the Lord, and against his people, whom he hath anointed with the oil of joy and gladness above their brethren, who have cast them out for his name's sake, and have said, Let the Lord be glorified, as you have hated me, and cast me out as an evil doer, as a blasphemer, a heretic, and as one not fit to live upon the earth, though to this day ye can prove no evil against me, either in life or doctrine, but as Christ his Apostles and Saints, in all ages who were innocent, suffered as evil doers, by this evil and adulterous generation, who were gone a whoring from under their God, and are run into the things that are seen, which are temporal, and have got the shadows, types and figures, and a form, but are enemies unto, and deny the life and power of Godliness, and in obedience to the Lord, because of these things which I found among you, I turned from you, and separated from you, and this is according to the Apostles doctrine, and not contrary to Scripture: But the Lord commandeth his people to separate from all that walk disorderly, under what name or form soever they be, and he will be a Father unto them, and a God unto them, and will dwell in them, and walk in them, and they shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty; and into this state and condition, the Lord God is gathering his Sheep, which have been scattered in their thoughts, and imaginations, upon all the dark mountains of Israel, crying lo here, and lo there, even into a sure resting place, to sit under their own vine, and under their own figtree, where none shall make them afraid, and their place of defence shall be the munition of rocks, where their bread is sure, and their water given them, and they eat of the hidden Manna, which hath been hid from many generations, where they eat of the bread of life, and are refreshed and strengthened in the Inward man, where they drink abundantly of the Rivers of pleasures that are at the right hand of God for evermore. Into this place is the Lord God of life gathering his children more and more, even into this land which flows with milk and honey, where they drink of the Living fountain, and eat of the honey out of the Rock which hath followed them in the wilderness, and hath led them out of darkness, even out of thick darkness; and by his Light they walk and are walking through darkness, and through the wilderness where they have been long tempted, proved and tried, even by a way which we knew not; and he suffered us to hunger, and he fed us there with Manna, which had been hid from us, and by a way which we never went, hath heeled us by a way which is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air; there did he lead us by the hand of Moses, and Aaron, the saint of the Lord; there did he lead us from one Nation to another people, and rebuked mighty Kings, yea, famous Kings for our sakes, saying, Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no harm; and we have been Baptised with Moses in the Sea, and in the Cloud, and we have heard the voice of the Lord speaking out of the cloudy Pillar, and his Light is arisen, and his arm is made Bare in us, and darkness is under his feet. Now he who is the Light of the world, and shined in the darkness, is risen out of darkness; and in him and by him we comprehend all you who are yet in the darkness, in the divers washings and carnal ordinances which were imposed but till the time of Reformation, and no longer; and we see your bottom, and know your ground, and we know your house of Imagery, and see with the eye of God, that ye are looking with beastly eyes, which are many in you which are in the many bodies, who are alienated and reprobated from the one body; the Light which is the Eye of God, by which his Children are led and guided into all truth, which truth sets free from iniquity, transgression and sin, a thing which ye never look to be set free from in this life, but are preaching and disputing against it.  
Therefore to you all, This is the Word of the Lord God, and a charge from the Lord God to you all that are high in your profession above the Door Christ, Repent and turn to the Light of the Lord God in you, for there is not one of ye all that is yet come to the first principle, which is Repentance from dead works, for he that is dead sinneth not; therefore come out of Babylon, out of all your inventions, imitations and likenesses, into which ye are run; and the Spirit of the Lord God never led you by your own Confession, who say, the Letter is the Leader, Guider and Teacher, which is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ, and the Scriptures, which say, Christ is given for a Covenant of Light, for a Leader, and for a Teacher of his people; therefore the leaders of this people causeth them to Err, and they that are led of them are destroyed; But they that are the sons of God, are led by the Spirit of God, and are Redeemed out of all your types, and figures, and shadows, and divers washings; for which you have nothing to say or prove them by, but by the Handwriting which we know he hath taken away, and abolished, and nailed to his Cross, which are a shadow of Good things to come, But the Body is Christ, into which body by one Spirit we are all Baptised, whether Jew's or Greeks, Bond or Free, and have all been made to drink into that one Spirit, in which Spirit is found the life of all types, shadows, and figures, and in whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of changing, and him we witness in us to be greater than he that is in the world; he himself is not of this world, but he leadeth all that follow him out of the world which passeth away, and gives us an entrance, and by him an entrance is ministered into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and this is the Saviour of the Soul, even the engrafted word of the Lord, which ye that say ye are wise, have rejected and cast his Law behind your backs, and to you all he is become a stone of stumbling, and Rock of offence, and the preaching of his Cross is to you foolishness, who gird yourselves, and esteemed by you in that wisdom nothing but confusion, babbling and nonsense, though unto us that are saved, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Therefore in the fear of the Lord God, and in the dread of the Lord God, I charge you all again, Repent whilst wisdom uttereth her voice in the streets, saying, turn in, and the Lord calleth by that of himself in you, and reproveth you by his pure witness, and smiteth you in your Consciences, I say, all turn to that which smiteth, checketh and reproveth, that the Lord God may pour forth his Spirit upon you, and cause you to know the mind of the Lord, and to feel the word of the Lord, which is nigh you, in your hearts, and is quick, and powerful, sharper than a two edged sword, and searcheth your hearts, and showeth you your hearts, and showeth you all your hypocrisy, and how you are hypt from the pure Spirit of the Lord God, and have lost the Image of the heavenly, and bears the image of the earthly, sensual and devilish, and in that wisdom you are with all the world which is enmity with God, and brings not any to the knowledge of God, no more than it brought the Jews to the knowledge of Christ, when he came; and this is your woeful and sad Estate, and herein are you crying as they were of old, that ye are the Church of the Lord, and keep the Ordinances of the Lord, and are crying out against them who witness Christ the substance, the body, the end of all types, and figures, who is the Everlasting Day, in which all shadows flee away, and he was before all shadows was, and they that are out of him, are in the shadows, and not they that are in him.  
And your actions plainly declare and make it manifest unto all that are not blind, and have not utterly lost the feeling of the Lord God, that ye are wholly degenerated from the Lord, and inwardly ravened from the Spirit of the Lord God, which gave forth the Scriptures; For both of them bear Testimony against you, that ye have lost the spiritual weapon, and knows not the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God to defend your shadows, types and figures, and all your ordinances, which you in your imaginations have set up, and have made to yourselves many likenesses, and fall down to them and worship them, and would have all to do the like, as if they were the true God; but God is a Spirit, and all that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth; therefore all come down and feel the spirit of the Lord, & the power of the Lord God in you, leading & guiding you out of all the World's ways, and the wickedness thereof, and it will lead you by a way which you never went, and in a path which the vulture's eye hath not seen, nor the fierce lionish nature hath not trodden therein; But the Children of the Lord, and the redeemed of the Lord walk therein, and a fool cannot err therein; Therefore all cease from your own wisdom, which is foolishness with God, and own God's wisdom in you, even the Light which is accounted foolishness by you; and all wait low in it, and a secret strength and power you shall feel Rise in you as you wait out of all your thoughts, and reasonings, and imaginations, and then shall you feel, and not before, that God's thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor God's ways as your ways, neither doth the Lord reveal his secrets to any who are out of the Babes nature, and child's nature for there is not any of them as yet, that is become as a little child, or as a weaned child before the Lord, as David was, and how then should you see the Kingdom of God; for Christ saith, a man must be regenerate, and become as a child, before that he can see the Kingdom of God, and again he saith, whosoever receives not the Kingdom as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein; Therefore I say again unto you who are in the halings, pulling, and tearings, and using Antichrists weapons, which are not spiritual, but carnal, when any is moved of the Lord, as I have often been, to come to your meetings, and have spoken unto you in the Name and dread of the Lord, then have you made it appear that you are yet in the Lion's nature, which never trod in the way of the Lord; honestly consider and search the Scriptures, which you say is your rule to walk by, where did you ever find therein that any of the Saints, or people of the Lord, did ever pull and hale any out of their meetings, or elect officers, or make it the work of their Deacons, which should be full of the Holy ghost, to pull, or hale any violently out of their meetings? as Thomas Lamb, and William Allin did, who say the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers of the Church of Christ, with many more such like actions which ye be found in, besides many damnable doctrines, which would be too much here to repeat, some of which I shall set down in the following discourse. And this is the judgement of the Lord, and the wrath of the Lord upon you all for your wickedness, in that you are still calling yourselves Christians, and the Church of the Lord, and will not see how unlike Christ and his Church you are in all these actions.  
And many of you who are called Baptists have had much tenderness in you formerly, and then was the Lord nearer you, and ye nearer to him then now you are, and then could you begin to say, that all the World lay in vanity, by reason of which there is nothing but vexation of spirit, and then did many of you, begin to deny respect of Persons, which you saw to be sin; But are now contending for, and practising of that which you once saw vanity in, and are again building that which you once destroyed, and so are become transgressors of the Law; But it is happened unto you according to the true proverb, the dog is returned to his vomit, and the sow that was washed, to the wallowing in the mire. And many of you in those days began to deny the world's fashions, in casting off your gold, and silver, and costly attire which you saw to be needless, and contrary to the Scripture, and practices of the Saints, and not the adorning which the daughters of Sarah and the holy women of old were adorned with, and many of you have cast off your points, fancies, and needless toys, which then you did wear, but now there is many of you, have got again your silk garters, and fancies, and wear your silver and gold laces, and plead for them, (and say they are needful things) and that by your own rule, the Scriptures, with which rule you could formerly plead against them; so that if one come to your meetings, one can behold no difference between you, and the world, which you say you are separated from, and who in all the Steeple-houses can be more full of vanity than some of your. Teachers and Pastors are in wearing your cuffs, and silver hatbands, and your hats licked like a spotted Leopard; therefore all your separation from the world is but in words, for you are not yet redeemed out of the World's ways, fashions, friendships, and customs, which are all enmity with God, and must pass away; but he that doth the will of God, abideth for ever, and can never be moved. And when I consider these things, and whether, and from whence ye are fallen, and how ye have hardened your hearts against the Lord, as Pharaoh did, in whose presence, and before whom I was altogether unwilling to write unto you, so that I may truly say, that I do it rather by constraint, then willingly; But the spirit of the Lord constraineth me, which is contrary to man's will in all things, and in obedience to him, whose ways and wisdom is not as man's, do I write, whether you hear or forbear to hear. And concerning the order of your Church, which you say is the Church of Christ, and you say yourselves are in the Gospel order and Members thereof, answer these queries following.  
First, where do ye find, or read in the Scriptures, that the Ministers of Christ did set up an hourglass to preach by as ye do; and when that is out, to say the time is spent? whether your time be in the Father's hand, or in the hourglass? or whether the Spirit of the Lord is or ever was limited to an hourglass? or whether the Saints did not all speak one by one, as the spirit gave them utterance?  
Secondly, Whether the Saints or Ministers of Christ did invent what to say beforehand, and writ it down, as some of ye do, and then read it to your Church, or whether they did not speak as the unlimimitted Spirit gave them utterance?  
Thirdly, Where did the Church of Christ ever appoint a certain number of their members to speak at set times, and call it disorder for any to speak besides them whom they did appoint? and whether they might not all speak one by one, that all may be edified, and all might be comforted? whether this was not the order, and not counted confusion in any of the Churches of the Saints?  
But Alas, alas! so are you fallen, and so far degenerated from the Lord, and apostatised from the Apostles life, doctrine, and practise, and so ignorant are you of the letter of the Scriptures, which ye say is your rule, and so far hath the God of the World blinded your eyes, that now you are setting up things that are seen which are temporal, created visible things, and must perish in the using thereof; in stead of the invisible, eternal and unchangeable God, you are setting up carnal water in stead of the Name of the Lord, which is the nature of God, and is invisible, and is unchangeable, and one with himself, and unchangeable as he is unchangeable, and so far are ye gone from the Name of the Lord, which is a strong tower, which is the Rock of Ages, and the foundation of many generations; into which name, Christ gave his Apostles commission to teach and Baptise, as ye may read, Mat. 28. and the three last verses, and Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth; Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe, and to do all things whatsoever I command you, and Lo I am with you always unto the end of the Word (where there need not that any man teach them) and this you are crying up to be water, who have lost the Name and power of the Lord which should lead you and guide you into the Scriptures of Truth, and instead of this name, which is but one, and this body which is but one, into which body the Saints was Baptised into the body, by one spirit, 
Ephe. 4.5.  whether they were Jew's or Greek, bound or free, and was made to drink into one spirit, and in stead of this name ye have got the beasts names, and the beasts doctrines, which are Doctrines of Devils and names of blasphemy, and this in particular I charge upon ye all in presence of the Lord, and by the power of the Lord God, 
Rev. 17.3.  who are crying up water, and preaching up water in stead of the Name of the Lord God to be a Doctrine of Devils; for Christ sent not his Disciples to baptise with water, but to preach, and to baptise in the Name, which Name of the Lord consists not in words and syllables, 
1 Cor. 17.1  but in purity, Righteousness, and holiness, and is the Divine nature, and the Name of the Lord, as you may read, Exod. 34.5. And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Name of the Lord, and the Nature of the Lord, and the Lord passed by him, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful, and gracions, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin; and this is the Name of the Lord, and the Nature of the Lord, and besides this, there is not another name whereby man can be saved, but the Name of Jesus. 
Acts 4.11.   
But alas, alas! how doth this stagger ye? and how are you in your inventions seeking to find it out, & in your own wisdom are Judging and Condemning them as that Generation did in all Ages, Condemning the Children of the Lord, who had made the Name of the Lord their Tower, and were led by the Spirit of the Lord as Deceivers, Blasphemers, and Seducers; and so he who is the Lord our Righteousness, and the Foundation of many Generations, both he & his Name which ye are gone from, is become the stone of stumbling, and the Rock of offence, and set at naught by you bvilders of Babylon; and so all in the fear of the Lord God (who are crying up water, and setting upwater in stead of the Name of the Lord God) honestly sink down to the light of Christ, who is the true light, and lighteth every man that comes into the world; and ye shall see ye have not as yet so much as known the Name of the Lord, nor heard thereof, but by the hearing with the carnal ear, as they who were Baptised with water, had not so much as heard whether there were a Holy Ghost, as ye may read, Acts 19.2. to the 7. verse, When they heard this, they were Baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus; but how should it be otherwise with you, who are yet in the world's fashions, & customs, and who is so blind as he that is perfect in ye in whom the god of this world hath blinded the eye, which should be your leader, teacher and instructor, and leadeth in the way of Righteousness, and causeth all that follow him to inherit substance; he it is who is the Light of the world, and is not of the world, but leadeth all that follow him out of the world, its friendships, fashions and customs which ye are in, and yet say, you are separated from them, and say, you are Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan, and are found Blasphemers therein; and thus ye have set up the Idol in your hearts, and put the stumbling block of Iniquity before my face, saith the Lord God, and turned away the face of mine Anointed, and have cast the Law of the Lord behind your backs, and have rejected the Light of the Lord in you, which is the Word of the Lord, and know not God, Christ, nor his Spirit, but in your thoughts, where God is not to be found, and therein have ye imagined a God above the Clouds, and afar off, but know not the Christ who is the express Image of the Father's person, to reveal the Father in you; even he who is born of the Spirit, and is Spirit, and the only begotten of the Spirit, the Glory of him, I say, you are changing in your vain Imaginations into the glory of a corruptible man, Rom. 1.21. to the end, read your state there. And you are speaking of a Christ, some of you of five foot long, and ask how he can dwell in a man, & calling it blasphemy to say, that Christ which suffered at Jerusalem, of five foot long, can be in a man; thus you are in your imaginations, and therein have set up a carnal Christ in your carnal minds, but to this day; are altogether ignorant, as Philip was, John 3.8. Read and understand, 
John 14.8.  if you have an ear to hear what the Spirit saith, and see how you are gazing, and are at a loss, as the men of Galilee were, while the vail is over your hearts, and the Cloud hath taken him out of your sight; and the are you scattered upon all the dark mountains of Israel, and have wandered from the Lord, the living Fountain, and are like Noah's Dove, tossed upon the waters, and knows not a resting place for the sole of your foot. Therefore all Return, Return to the light of the Lord in your Consciences, that you may feel a Rock to stay and lean upon, and he is not far from any of you, there is none of you need to say, who shall descend or ascend to fetch him up from beneath, or bring him down from above, but what saith it, the word is nigh thee, in thy heart, that thou mayest obey it, and do it; and this is your fallen estate, saith the Lord, God, which know not Christ in you the hope of glory. Even the same that was before the world was, one with the Father, and filleth Heaven & earth, and was never seen with any carnal eye, nor his voice heard by any carnal ear, but in the pure eternal, unchangeable light is he revealed and seen more and more, as it is written, Psal. 36.9. For with thee is the Fountain of life, in thy light shall we see light, and so the way of the Just (and the seed of the Just, which is as a grain of Mustard seed) is as a shining light that shineth more and more, until the perfect day, Hosea 6.3. Then shall we know the Lord, whose go forth is prepered as the morning; therefore none despise the day of small things, nor none reject the weakness of God, but come tot his help against the Mighty, nor reject the seed of Israel, because it is in bondage, and lieth in thick darkness, and shineth in thick darkness; but all sink down that ye may feel the Arm of the Lord, and witness Israel, to do valiantly, and to smite down all, and break, and hammer down all which is exalted, and hath been exalted above him, and lick up Nations, and lick up people, as the Ox licketh up grass, and scatter Nation, and scatter people, and thresh the Mount of Esau, and scatter the dust thereof, and burn up the thorns, and briars thereof, as the wind doth scatter the chaff, and the fire devoureth the dry stubble, (but read within) thus shall it be when the Lord ariseth in you to shake terribly the earth, & overturn the mountains by the roots, and dry up the Sea by his Power, and smite through the proud by his Power, Judas 26.11, 12. And so who waits love in patience upon the Lord God, shall come to know what it is to be Baptised into the Name of the Lord God, when they feel the Name of the Lord, and see the Name of the Lord to be exalted in them above every name, and to know the Mountain of the Lords House established atop of every mountain; Then shall come to pass that saying, & not till then, which is written, Isa. 58.14. Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy Father, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it; then shall ye know the builder of the waste places, and the raiser up of the foundation of many Generations, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the paths to dwell in, then shall the beast and his many names, the King and his many Nobles be all brought under, and bound with fetters of iron, as ye may read, Psal. 149.9. Let the Saints be joyful in Glory, let them sing aloud upon their beds, let the High praises of the Lord be in their mouths, and a two edged sword in their hands, to execute vengeance upon the Heathen, and punishments upon the people, to bind their Kings with chains, and their Nobles with fetters of Iron, to execute upon them the Judgements written, this honour have all the Saints, Praise ye the Lord, Mark, read and understand, not shall have, as you turn it hereafter, but this honour have all the Saints who were in all ages bound, & fettered themselves by the wicked Rulers of the earth. But before you can see or believe these things, that eye which ye now see with, must be blinded, and the eye which the god of the world hath blinded, must be opened, & then he that speaks not of himself, but of the Father, nor receives honour of man, but of the Father; then, and not till then will his Words be plain unto you, and not parables. But all ye that are speaking of yourselves, know neither the Son nor the Father, ye that can pray when you will, and preach when you will, and when you will can be silent, and all this is but in your own will, and in your own time, but ye have neither heard the voice of the Father at any time, 
Jo. 5.37.  nor seen his shape, but are inwardly ravened from the Spirit of the Father, in whose hands your time should be rather than in an hourglass, which ye think the Spirit of the Lord will be limited unto; for when that is run, ye say, the time is expired; and this is contrary to the Apostles practice, which spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance, which ye may read, was until midnight, Acts 2●. 7. And thus the Scripture, which you say, is your Rule to walk by, beareth witness against you, that ye walk contrary to it; And yet so blind are ye, that are Condemning us as Apostates which are led by the Spirit of the Lord, and not contrary to the Scriptures, and will not see that ye yourselves are led neither by Letter nor Spirit; But in your thoughts and imaginations ye are, and ye see with the beasts eyes which are many, and so are in the many minds, and many heads, and divided into the many bodies, being led by the many eyes of the beast, and with his many horns are thrusting and kicking one against another, but know not the body, nor discern not the body of Christ which is but one, neither know the one eye which is the Spirit of truth to be your guider, & leader into all truth; But one is crying, I am of this mind, and another I am of this, and ye being many are of many minds, and see with the beasts eyes which are many, and all about the meaning of some one particular Scripture; but are all gone from the Spirit of the Lord which gave forth the Scriptures, and did speak as it meant, which Spirit is but one in all his Children, and all that are led by it are led into oneness, and they are of one heart, and one Soul as they that were guided by this one spirit in all ages was, what ever you may imagine who are far from knowing such a state; but one of you is crying, I am for general Redemption, and another, I am for particular Election; one is for eating of blood, and another is against it, some for washing of feet, and others own it not, one for laying on of hands, and another against it, and some that have preached it up as an Ordinance of Christ, as William Allen, and Thomas Lamb, and without it said, they could not admit any into the body of Christ, and now themselves are gone from that also, and look upon it as an indifferent thing, and some of them are so blind that they say they cannot call any Brother until they have been Baptised in the water, though it be but an hour before they are Baptised, and yet a month before that, when they have Examined them about their Faith, and have judged them believers; and I say, that all are the Sons of God by Faith, and therefore read, Gal. ●. 26. And consider what an Idol you have made of carnal water, that cannot have fellowship with the Sons, of God, until they fall down to worship the Idol which ye in your Imaginations have set up, for which ye have neither the Spirit nor the Letter of the Scriptures to own you in. Some of you say that Christ shall come and reign among you a thousand years hereafter, but that ye say, ye know not when it shall be; and many of you are for a Supper before that which ye call the Lords Supper, and many of you deny both these; thus are you Babel's bvilders, scattered and confounded among yourselves in your Imaginations, where you are building up, and flinging down that which ye have built, and so makes yourselves transgressors; and upon you all this is the plague of the Lord God, for many of you have been convinced in your Consciences when I was amongst you, that all things were out of Order, and that ye were not as ye should be, but now are again pleading and contending for them, and are licking up that which ye sometime vomited out, and thus are you restless and out of peace, as the wicked are, who are like the troubled Sea; and ye are gone from the Rock of ages, 
Isa 58.12  and know not the Foundation of many generations, and have laid another foundation than Christ Jesus the Cornerstone, which is smiting at the feet of your Image which ye in your Imaginations have set up, and the Lord God of life and power will over-turn, over-turn, over-turn, until he Reign, whose Right it is to Reign, and the Lord hath dried up the Sea, & hath discovered to his Children your Foundation, you who know not what it is, nor how any can be Baptised into the Name of the Lord, which is the Nature of the Lord, which Name none knows, saving he that hath it, as Rev. 2.17. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, to him that overcome will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in this stone a new Name written, which no man knows saving he that receiveth it, Rev. 3.12. And I will write upon him the Name of my God, and the Name of the City of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new Name, he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith. But you who are in the Mystery of iniquity, are comprehended with the Mystery of God, and your bottom seen, and your sandy foundation discovered, and the Beast Rules and Reigns amongst you, as I have said before, and ye are kicking and thrusting down one another, who are gone from the Name of the Lord, and power of the Lord, and ye are in the many heads, and many bodies, Rev. 13.1. And I saw a beast rise up out of the Sea; and here is all your foundation, even in the waters, and ye have all drunk of the Cup which is in the right hand of the Whore, with whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication, which sitteth upon many waters, Rev. 17.2, 4. And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery Babylon, the great Mother of Harlots, and the great abomination of the Earth, and I saw the woman of the Martyrs of Jesus, and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And here is the mind that hath wisdom, for the woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth, ver. 18. And he said unto me, the waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth, are Peoples and Multitudes, Nations and Tongues, and this is the state of all Nations, and Multitudes, an People's whatsoever of all Sects and Opinions, Bodies and Heads, who we gone from the one Body, and one Head, but know not the Name of the Lord, and are not Baptised into the Name of the Lord, 1 Cor. 12. For by one Spirit were they all Baptised into one Body; and this is your state in particular who are called Baptists, who are tossed up and down in your Imaginations, and are as unstable as waters, 
Gen. 49.4.  and wavering as the waves of the Sea, and are contending for shadows and variable and changing things, and are gone from the Rock of ages and from the sure Foundation, and Tried-stone which standeth above the waters, and in whom there is no shadow nor variableness, neither shadow of turning. Therefore to you all this is the Word of the Lord God, come down to the Rock, & feel the Rock out of all your Thoughts, Reasonings and Imaginations, that you may eat the Bread of Life, and be satisfied; not as the fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness, and are dead; neither as you are eating your carnal bread; or drinking your carnal wine, which bread must perish, and go into the drought, and that which eateth it must return to the dust as it was; but that a man eat hereof, and live for ever. John 6.46. to the 61. Therefore all own that which will purify you which is the Spirit of the Lord God; a measure of which Spirit is given to every one of you to profit withal, and so that will create in you a clean heart, and anew heart, as you obey it; and then shall you come to witness the new wine in the new bottle, and so both are preserved, and neither spilt; and saith Christ, I will not henceforth drink any more the fruit of the vine until I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom; for the Spirit was not yet given, nor the day was not yet come, nor the shadows fled away. But you are eating and discern not the Lord's Body, and ye are drinking Condemnation to yourselves, and woe be to all that eat, and Christ is not with them in their eating, for they know not the Word to sanctify that which they eat; but you are eating in the contention, in the striving about words, wherein there is no profit, and one is covetous, and another is proud; and this is not to eat with singleness of heart, as they did (whom ye say) ye imitate, who was then of one heart, and one Soul, as the children of the Lord who are led by the light of the Lord are now, whatever you may falsely slander them withal, and so your table is become a snare unto you, in whom the God of the World ruleth, and hath blinded the eye which should discern the Lords body, and your table is a table of Devils, and ye cannot partake of the Table of the Lord, and the table of the Devils. But the Lord hath blessed us, and we are blessed, and cursed is every one that curseth us, and we sit round about our Father's Table, and we eat bread in our Father's house, and sit under our own vine, and we drink of the new wine with him in our Father's Kingdom; and blessed are all them that eat bread in the Kingdom of God, for they eat their bread with singleness of heart, out of all strife and contention, out of all transgression and sin, and we witness him who doth finish transgression, and puts an end to sin, and brings us into his everlasting righteousness, and his righteousness we know (which is not as filthy rags) even the white linen which is the Saints righteousness, and it is become unto us as a garment, and to us it is a Helmet of Salvation, and we are in him, and not in our own righteousness; and he that is in him, and follows him, is led in the way of righteousness, and sinneth not, John 5.1 John 3.6. whosoever abideth in him sinneth not, whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, nor known him, and all ye that are commiting sin, and preaching for sin, and disputing for sin, and say none can be perfect and free from sin while they live, you are all of your father the Devil, for the Devil sineth from the beginning, and the work of the Devil hath been wrought in you, and the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life is brought forth amongst you, and for this purpose is the Son of God manifested, that he may destroy the works of the Devil; whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God; for thus saith the Lord, I planted thee a Noble vine, and I made thee an upright plant; how art thou become the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me saith the Lord? And so you are degenerated from the Lord, and estranged from the life which is the Light of man, and ye are without God in the World, and the world lieth in darkness, and the light shineth in darkness, Jc. 1. and the darkness comprehends it not, and in this state you are, who are pleading for sin, and cannot cease from sin, as ye may read, Ro. 3.12. they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable, there is none that doth good, no not one, their throat is an open Sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of Asps is under their lips, but the way of peace they have not known; and this is the reason why you cannot cease from sin, 2 Pet 2.14, 15. because ye have forsaken the right way, as those cursed children which he speaks of had, and had erred in their hearts from the light which is the way, the power of God, and wisdom of God; and so blind are you notwithstanding all this, that ye preach, and pray sometimes against all sin, and say you know it is your duty to abstain from all appearance of evil, and to press and to strive after perfection, and yet cannot see that your striving is sin, and your preaching against, and striving against sin, is sin; for all that is not of faith is sin; for this is contrary to your belief, that men can be perfect and free from sin, and yourselves being gone out of the way, and striving against sin, while out of the way, to you the commands of God must needs appear to be hard and grievous, you being gone from the light, the power which makes his ways, ways of pleasantness, and all his paths and commands easy, and is not this the command of God? Be ye holy, for I the Lord am holy, and be you perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect, and that you should abstain not only from the evil, but from all appearance of evil, and Paul who was an Elder and Minister of Christ, he prayed in the Name of the Lord, and his prayer was not in vain as yours are, who pray for that which ye believe can never be, who prayed that the Saints might be kept blameless and spotless, both in soul, body, and spirit, until the coming of the Lord; and to present the Churches as a chaste virgin, and loyal spouse to the Lord without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; and was it not Paul's work to present every man perfect in Christ? and did he work and labour in vain, as ye do, or strive in vain, or preach in vain, who said he preached wisdom in a mystery to them that were perfect? and doth not John say, 1 John, 2.14. when he spoke to the young men and fathers, doth not he tell them, that greater was he that was in them, than he that was in the world, 1 John. 4.4. And they were such as had the word abiding in them, and they kept themselves that the wicked one touched them not, and they were led by the spirit it of the Lord, and walked in the light of the Lord, and brought their words, and all their actions to the tryer and touchstone, which is the Law, and the Testamony, which law is light saith Solomon, Proverbs. 6. and which. Testimony is the spirit of prophecy saith John. Rev. 19.10. and this is bound up, and sealed with his Disciples, Isa. 8.19 20. and this is the word of reconciliation, and reconciles to the Lord all that follow it, and this is the light of the World, and all that follow it are led out of darkness and all sin, and this is hated by you whatever you say who live in sin; for all that do evil, hate Christ, all who are full of vain words, and use vain words, and all which are in the fashions of the World, and love and friendships of the World, even this is the condemnation of them all, because they hate it and love it not; and no man is justified in the sight of God, nor hath peace with God, neither is he reconciled unto God, who is not led and guided by that which reconciles unto the Father; therefore all you that speak of being justified by Christ, and say you do believe in Christ, and yet yourselves are found sinners, deceive not yourselves my friends, for it is hard for you to believe against God's witness, and to speak peace to yourselves, while God's witness in your consciences speaks war, and condemnation; for man must be regenerated and born again of the immortal word, which word is like a fire, and like a hammer, and as you wait, lo ye shall feel it so, and it will break down, and hammer down that which separates you from the Lord, it will finish transgression and condemn sin in you, it will rend the vail, and destroy the covering which is over the heart; and so will purify you, and open the pure eye which can see the Lord, and open the deaf ear which can hear what the spirit saith, & the grave shall be opened, and the prisoner of hope shall come out of the pit where there is no water, and he that hath been your condemnation shall now become your Saviour, and he that hath been slain since the foundation of the World, shall live in you, and the great mystery of Godliness shall be made manifest to you, which is Christ in you the hope of glory, and Satan which hath been exalted in you, even in the Temple of God, above all that is called God, and the abomination which makes desolate, and the great mystery of iniquity shall then be seen by the great mystery of Godliness, and then shall come to pass, and ye shall come to witness it true without a meaning, that which is written by the Prophet, Isa. 35.1. the Wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing, for in the Wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away, and then shall the parable be opened, and plainness to you when you have found the key of David, unto whom the parable is not, I say when you have found the Immanuel, which Moses and the Prophets writ of, then shall you leave your figures, your shadows, and types, when you witness the Prophet raised up in you, who is the life and substance, and the everlasting day, and the Lord of the Sabbaoth, then shall you leave your images, and cast away your Idols, and leave off your idolatry, and follow the Lamb wherever he goeth, and then shall you know that Scripture, which ye have been so much in your imaginations, about to know the meaning of, Zach. 10 11, 12. and then shall you see Jerusalem searched with candles, and the inhabitants of Judah with torches, and the hidden things of Esau brought to light, and the seed of Jacob, which hath bowed to Esau's seed, shall bow no longer but until he be past, and then shall Babylon the great, the tumultuous city, and golden city, and city of confusion be broken down, and that in which the blood of the innocent hath been found, and the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus, and the blood of the souls of them that lies slain under the Altar, crying, how long thou holy and just God, shall all be required at her hands, and come into remembrance with the Lord God, and he that hath slain with the sword shall be killed with the sword, and he that hath led into captivity; and here is the mind that hath wisdom, and here is the patience of the Saints, and Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and then shall ye know Jerusalem, and the new city, even new Jerusalem become a peaceable habitation, and then shall ye be gathered into general assembly, and shall come to the spirit of just men made perfect, and unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels, and general assembly and Church of the firstborn, as Paul was, Heb. 12 22 24 and unto God the judge of all, and to Jesus the Reconciler, and Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things then that of Abes, and then shall your water, even your foundation be shaken, and nothing shall stand with you, but the Rock of Ages which cannot be moved, vers. 27 and in the presence and power of the Lord God, I warn you all, put not this day a far off, which is the joyful day and year of Jubilee to his people, and the day of Zions' deliverance to his chosen, which have overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of his Testimony and patience which they do keep, and thereby have made an entrance into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
Rev. 1.9.  and are become companions in tribulation, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus, and are come from far, and knows our mansions in our Father's house, and know the rest which remains for the people of God, and are gathered into one sheep-fold, and witness the Lord our shepherd, and we see his shape, and hear his voice, and follow him who is invisible, eternal, and unchangeable, and abides a Priest for ever, and a shelter and a hiding place for ever, and with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob do we sit in our Father's Kingdom, and our place of defence is the munition of Rocks, and our bread is sure, and water is given, and the Lord is become our King, and lawgiver, and we rain with him upon earth, and he hath made us Kings, and Priests to ●od the Father, and we sit with him in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, even him who rules the heathen with a rod of iron, and it is he who doth all our works in us, and for us, and slays our enemies, and breaks our enemies like a potter's vessel, and the sharp two edged sword, and the new threshing instrument which hath teeth, we know wherewith he hath threshed our mountains, and laid them waste without Inhabitants, and is now threshing your mountains, and is breaking down, and scattering you, and he is ungirding your loins, which are girding yourselves, and have made to yourselves likenesses, but have lost the spirit of truth, and ye have joined yourselves to the Heathen, and have eat the sacrifice of the dead, and have learned their works, and ye are like Ephraim feeding upon the wind, and that which withers and dies of itself, and in this woeful, and lamentable state are ye all, who are not lead, guided and acted by the light; and so your prayers are as if ye slew a man, and all your sacrifices is as the blessing of an Idol or offering of Swine's flesh; for you have chosen your own ways, and are gone from the way of the Lord, and light of the Lord, and ye have set up the idol in your hearts, and ye live in that, and delight in that, and are led by that which my soul abhors saith the Lord, and ye have set up the letter for your rule in stead of the new creature, and life, and ye have set up the Babel, which is ink and paper to be your judge, and tryer of the anointing, and with that ye condemn the Innocent, and judge him unto whom all judgement is committed, as the blind Jews, who were painred with a profession as you are, but were inwardly ravened, and gone from the anointing in them, which was, and for ever shall be the Saint's tryer, and judge of the spirits which lead out into the World, and he is the same to his children as ever he was, and his sons pray, and preach, and are led by his spirit as ever they were, though ye cannot believe these which are apostatised from the Apostles doctrine, and have set up carnal, created, visible things, and have set up water in stead of the Name of the Lord, and the letter in stead of the life of the Lord, and ye have put the letter, and your meaning thereof, and your private interpretations which ye have added to be the rule, the tryer, and the leader of the Saints, and the law, and the Testimony, and the judger of Spirits, and all these have ye set up above Christ, who is the spiritual man, who judgeth all things, and aught to be your judge in all things, and to whom all power and judgement is given, and committed in Heaven and earth, and he himself is judged of no man; and so the beam is in your eye, and the mote in your eye, end ye being hipt from the pure of God, and with that which hath been exalted above all that is called God, are ye judging and condemning the Son of God, unto whom all judgement is committed; but this is your day, and the power of darkness, and the regin of the Lord, and the day of the Lord, which ye so much talk of shall come hereafter, you shall then hid yourselves in the dens of the earth, and cave of the earth, and the mountains shall you desire to fall upon you, and the hills, to cover you from the presence of the Lamb that sitteth upon the throne, and this day to you shall be as you may read, Amos, 5. a woeful day, and a day of darkness and not light, as if a man did flee from a Lion, and a Bear met him, or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a Serpent bitten him, vers 8 2, but as I said before to you, even judgement (which ye have turned back, let that run down as waters, and righteousness, as a mighty stream; But you have borne the tabernacle of Molock, and Chion, your images, the star of your God which you make to yourselves, and so Christ's personal reign which ye are speaking of and expecting, and gazing after without, as the men of Galilee were, shall be upon you, and unto you the day of the Lords controversy, the day of the Lords vengeance, and a time of the Lords controversy unto you, and upon you who are not led by the light of the Lord, & the spirit of the Lord; and that none may say, that I accuse you falsely, and so condemn you, you being innocent, read a book of Henry Haggers, and a book of John Gosnels, entitled a discourse of the Baptism of the water, and of the spirit, page the 38. Where in plain words, he setteth up the water above the Name of the Lord, and there he confesseth as Ephesians, 4.5. That there is but one Baptism, to speak properly, which is Baptism of water, and the other two are but figurative, and metaphorical; and thus you may see that ye blinds Baptists are calling water-Baptism, which Peter in his first Epistle 3. ●1. calleth but a figure, and the one Baptism, and the only one that Christ sent his Apostles to Baptise into, which is into the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, which ye may read, Math. 28.19, 20. This he calleth figurative, and metaphorical, and so he setteth up the figure in stead of the body and life of all figures and shadows; and John saith who was in the figure, I indeed Baptise with water, I must decrease; but he that cometh after me is preferred before me, he must increase, who shall Baptise with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, and Paul, 1 Cor. 12. That by one Spirit, whether Jew or Gentile, Bond or Free, they were all Bapti●ed into one Body, and was all made to drink into one Spirit; and this John Gosnel calls the figure, even the Name of the Lord, and water which was a figure thereof, he setteth up above; and Henry Hagger in his Book, he saith, the Scripture is the engrafted Word, and able to make a man Wise to Salvation, and throughly to furnish a man to every good work; and in a Dispute in Stafford-Shire, he said it were sufficient that he were saved by the water; and he told me, that the Letter was the Word of God, and the Judger and Tryer of spirits; and this in the presence and fear of the Lord God, I charge upon you all, who are of this persuasion to be guilty of Blasphemy, & doctrine of Devils, and to deny the Lord that bought you, and to be in the many bodies, and many heads, and seeing with the many eyes of the Beast, and to have the many names of Blasphemy, but know not the one Name nor the one Head, neither the Baptism into the one Body and Name, whereby man can be saved, read and understand Acts ●. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other, for there is no other Name under Heaven given amongst men, whereby we must be saved, but the Name which is set at naught by you bvilders, and become a stumbling stone, and a Rock of offence; but unto us that believe he is precious and a tried stone, and the power of God to Salvation, and with him and by him, we deny all your shadows, and all your figures, and all your washings which makes nothing perfect; and those which the Scriptures own, we deny not any one of them, as the brazen Serpent, offerings, and Circumcision, and Baptism, all of which had a beginning, and were imposed but till the time of a through Reformation, 
1 Pet. 4.7.  and makes nothing perfect, but all were to end and do end in him who is the bringer in of the better hope, and is not made after the Law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an Endless life, Heb. 7. Heb. 9.9. And perfects for ever them that are sanctified, and makes peace, and keeps in peace all that believe in him, and takes away sin as pertaining to the Conscience; and so comes the Mystery of Faith to be witnessed to be held in a pure Conscience, which Faith I charge upon you to be Reprobates concerning, let your prayers and professions be what they will; as Jeremy Ives, and William Answorth, two of your chief Teachers have denied the Faith, which is the Gift of God, and calls it the creatures Act, which is contrary to the Scriptures, 1 Cor. 12.9. Judas 3. Contend for the Faith that once was delivered or given to the Saints, and all your faith in general, which gives you not power over all sin, but in it you can be pleading for, and Disputing for sin, and say, none can be perfect in this life; We Rank you altogether, and by the power of the Lord we judge you altogether to be Reprobates concerning the faith; read Acts 15. and John 9.1. and 3.2, 3. to the tenth, and your hope is but the hope of the hypocrite which doth not purify you as Christ is pure, but this must needs be so with you who are in your own works and faith which makes nothing perfect, and say faith is not the gift of God, but an act of the creatures, which must needs be imperfect; for James saith, that every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, James 1.7. With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning; but you that are in the shadows, and out of the Light, and are in the Error concerning the Faith, verse 16. and are reprobated from the Faith which is the gift of God, and was once given unto the Saints, Jud. 3. And this was held forth at a meeting, by one William Answorth, Robert Ward, and several others of the Baptist teachers, at Henry smith's, at Wythcock in Leicester-Shire, upon the twentyseventh day of the twelfth month, called February, in the year of Account 1658. Before a great number of people, with many other Blasphemous doctrines; a few of the witnesses their names are here written.  

FRANCIS CREEK,  
WILLIAM ATTON,  
WILLIAM SLYEE,  
WILLIAM SMITH,  
JOSEPH HOULT,  
MARGERET BEEBY,  
THOMAS HARVEY,  
ISABEL HACKER.   
ANd because you may not say that I wrong you, in saying that you have set up Shadows, Types, and Figures above the Life and Substance which is Christ, and visible carnal perishing things above the Invisible unchangeable Word of the Lord which endures for ever, I shall here set down a few of your principal Doctrines, by which ye Judge the principals of Christ, and they that are found therein to be Apostates, and deceivers, which I shall here mention, and answer something thereunto, and so leave it to God's witness in ye all, to Judge whether you are deceivers and Apostates, or we.  
And I am troubled for you all, & my heart is broken for you all, who are hardening yourselves against the Lord, and like the Jews have painted yourselves as the Jews did, who were the greatest enemies of the Lord, when he came; and I am pained at my very heart for you all, and my life bears the Iniquity of many, and I am pressed as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves, for your mountain is exalted above the Lord, and great is the oppression of the Holy seed (read and understand) Isa. 53.5, 4. Psal. 11.4. The sorrows of death compass me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid, the sorrows of Hell compass me about, the snares of death prevented me; verse 11. He made thick darkness his secret place, and his pavilion round about were dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies, the Lord also thundereth in the Heavens, and the Highest gave his voice, hailstones, and coals of fire, ye, he sent out his Arrows, and scattered them; then the Channels of water were seen, and the foundations of the World were discovered, read james 3.6. If you have an ear to hear what the Spirit, saith at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils, he sent from above and took me, he drew me out of many waters, he delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me, for they were too strong for me, he brought me forth also into a large place he delivered me because he dilighted in me, verse the 18. and 19  
Your first principle is this, held forth at that dispute.  
1. That faith is an act of the creatures, and not God's gift: But because I have spoken something to this already: I shall add these Scriptures for the Reader, and leave it, Ephisians 2 8 and 1 Cor. 12.9. And all our righteousnesses is as filthy rages, but the Lord worketh all our works in us, and for us; and what is not of faith, is sin.  
2. That a wicked man, whilst a wicked m●n is justified by Christ, and hath access unto, and may freely lay hold upon all the merits of Christ.  
Ans. To which I say, you are they which justify yourselves, being wicked and out of the faith which should purify your hearts, and seek to be justified by Christ, while yourselves are found sinners, and so would make Christ as you are, Ministers of sin, Galathians, 2.17. But he that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, as ye do, even they are both an abominateon to the Lord, Prov 17.15.  
3. That the Bible was the life of their souls, and comfort of their souls.  
Ans To this I say, miserable are you, and miserable are all your comforters, who have set up another comforter than the consolation of Israel; and the comforts of God, and the consolations of God are small in you, read John, 14 16 17. And saith Christ, I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the spirit of truth, whom the World cannot receive, because it seethe him not, neither knoweth him, but you know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you; I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you.  
William Ainsworth did affirm, and John Brown likewise, at his father's house, that Paul in baptising with water, and not by commission was wicked, and acted wickedly therein.  
Ans. First, I shall prove, what I there then did affirm; That Paul was not sent to Baptise, neither was his commission to Baptise with water, but into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; as you may read, Mat. 28. Though john Gosnel be so blind, who is one of your chief Teachers, in the first page of his book, saith it is with water, and saith it is not the Baptism of the spirit; but if you will believe John Gosnel rather then the Scriptures, which you say is your rule; Let it be upon your own heads for ever.  
Secondly, I shall prove they did Baptise with Water, by permission, and not by commission, if you can either believe Paul or the Scriptures, 1 Cor. 1.14. I thank God, I baptised none of you but Crispus, and Gaius and I Baptised also the house of Stephanus, and I know not whether I baptised any other; and this he saith is the reason and ground, vers. 17. for Christ sent me not to Baptise, but to preach the Gospel; and I say he did this and many other things by permission, as you may read Acts, 16.3. where he circumcised Timothy, that he might gain and bring some to the true circumcision, and one Baptism, Acts, 21.24. Where Paul shaved his head, and all this was by permission, and not by command: And I leave it upon you to prove that he acted wickedly therein; and so you may see, that those things which you are making your foundation, and setting up above the Name of the Lord, could be done, or left undone by them who were guided by the spirit of the Lord; and all was to gain some unto the Lord, and bring them into the one Baptism, which is by one spirit into the Name of the Lord, 1 Cor. 12 yet I do not deny water Baptism, nor John who had a commission to Baptise with water, in their time and in their place, for I do believe and know it was a command of God, and they that rejected it, rejected the counsel of God, in not being baptised with water of John: But John saith of himself, I indeed Baptise you with water unto repentance, I must decrease, and he must increase, who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and fire, and you do not read in all the Scriptures that John was sent into all nations, but he came preaching the doctrine of Baptism, and repentance in the Wilderness of judea, and to the people of Israel; but he who was to increase, was found by john's Disciples, than they left John and followed Jesus, and said they had found him whom Moses and the Prophets wrote of, Jesus of Nazereth the Son of joseph, john 1.37.41.45 And herein did the friend of the Bridegroom rejoice, even when he heard of the increase of the Bridegroom▪  
But Christ, Mat. 28.18. came and spoke unto his Disciples, saying, all power is given unto me in Heaven, and in earth; Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, Baptising them in the Name of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the World.  
Fifthly, You say the commission must needs be water, and not the Spirit, because it was only the work of Christ, and not the Apostles work, to administer the Holy Ghost, and john Gosnel in the second page of his book, doth conclude that the Baptism here instituted, is with water, for the Baptism of the spirit, saith he was never administered by man, but Christ was the Minister of it himself.  
Ans. To which I say, read the words of the commission again, and there you shall find that Christ doth commission them to Baptise in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and not into the water.  
6. And yet so blind are ye, as to say this was not the Apostles work, neither was it in man's power say you, to administer the Holy Ghost.  
Ans. To which I say, Christ did nothing of himself, and all power which he had, was of the Father, and removed from the Father, vers. the 18th. And greater works than these shall ye do, because I go to my Father, saith Christ, and read, Acts. 8. and there you shall find, that the Apostles, vers. 17, 18. were the only administrators of the Holy Ghost, not by any power of their own, but by the power which Christ received of his Father, and gave unto them: Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost, read Acts. 19.6. when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them; And you do not read in all the Scriptures, that Christ did thus act: But he made his Apostles the administrators thereof, and john Gosnel in his 41 page saith thus; That the Baptism of the spirit is expressed, by the pouring forth of the spirit both in the Old and New Testament; and that he confesseth, is upon all his sons and daughters, and upon all flesh, and he proves this joel. 2.28, 29. And yet before in his Book, saith, the Baptism of the Spirit, fell only on some few at the first; but Paul saith, that both Jew and Greek, Bond and Free, were all Baptised by one Spirit into one Body, and were all made to drink into one Spirit; and thus it falls upon thee that which thou art charging upon some others, Esa 24. They have transgressed the Law, and changed the Ordinance; which I say is Everlasting, and a storng Tower to his people, and the Saviour and Tried-stone to all that trust in him; and in stead thereof ye have set up that unstable water, and a carnal Ordinance of your own invention, and divers washings, which all must perish in the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men, Col. 2.  
Seventhly, You say that the Bible, on the Letter is the Judge of the Spirits.  
Answ. To which I say, you who have lost the Spirit of the Lord, and know not Christ, to whom all Judgement is committed: must needs err in Judgement, and stumble in vision, and put light for darkness, and darkness for light; and set up a carnal thing in stead of the invisible and unchangeable God, and so by the Spirit of the Lord God, you who are for Judgement are Judged; and by that which you say is your Rule and Judge, are Condemned, 1 Cor. 2.15. 1 John 4.1, 4. and John 5.22.  
Eighthly, You say, that the Letter is the Sword of the Spirit.  
Answ. You who have lost the Word of the Lord, and the Light of the Lord which is the Armour of God, know not the Sword of Spirit which is the Word of God, which is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, and precedeth out of the mouth of the Lamb, Kev. 19.15 Ephes. 6.17.  
Ninthly, You say, that the Letter was the only weapon wherewith Christ fought, and overcame the Devil.  
Answ. You who have lost the Spirit of the Lord, know no other but a carnal weapon to fight with; but the Saints who are guided by the Spirit of the Lord, said, that theirs were not carnal, but Spiritual, and mighty through the power of God to the pulling down of every high thought, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. And they said, they were not Ministers of the Letter, but of the Spirit, and that is the Reason of all your haling and pulling, of all your lies and slanders which ye are forced to use, to defend your form; but know not the Armour of God, nor the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God to defend you and overcome withal, Epes. 6.11, 14. 2 Cor. 3.6.  
Tenthly, You say, the Letter is the Law, the Testimony, and the Light.  
Answ. All this is contrary to the Scriptures, which you say, is your guide; for they say, Christ is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World, John 1.9. John 8.12. And thy Law is Light, says Solomon, Prov. 6.23. And the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, Rev. 19.10.  
Eleventhly, You say, it was not the work of Christ or his Apostles, to turn any to the Light within.  
Answ. Read the Scripture, which ye so condemn us for denying, and ye may see that ye are they which deny them, and not we, Acts 26.18. 2 Cor. 4.4, 6. where you may read; that Paul said, I was sent to turn them from the darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God; and told them, that the light which did shine in their hearts, must give them the knowledge of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4.6.  
Twelfthly, That the Bible is the Living Word of God, and able to make a man Wise unto Salvation.  
Answ. To which I say, All that are in their sins as ye are, know not Christ the living Word; and to me it is not a wonder to hear you call that living which is dead, and cannot give life nor power over sin; but the Scripture doth affirm that Christ is the Word, and that it is he that ever liveth, and is made a high Priest by the power of a life that hath no end; and this is he that liveth and abideth for ever, read john 1. ●, 3. Heb. 7.9, 16. 1 john 5.22.  
Thirteenthly, You say, that it is false doctrine to say, that he that is born of God sinneth not.  
Answ. To you which know not the living and immortal Word, it is, and always was, by such, and to such, as you are, who are Reprobates concerning the Faith which should purify you; but to the Children of the Lord this was never false doctrine, for they said, he that was born of God sinneth not, 1 john 3.6, 10.  
Fourteen, Yond say, that the Bible is the Gospel, and the power of God.  
Answ. To this I say, Christ was the power of God, and Wisdom of God, and the Rock of all his people in all ages, and the Foundation of the Prophets, and Apostles; and to us he is the same as he was to them in all ages, even the power of God to Salvation, Rom. 1.16.  
And so all that are honest hearted among you, when you have read the Teacher's Principles, may see I have not wronged you in saying, ye have set up shadows above the substance, and the Letter above Christ, that gives Life.  
From him who is in scorn called a Quaker. H. W.  
THE END   

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