A Second Anſwer to Thomas Moore.

THomas Moore, when wilt thou love the truth, and ceaſe thy deceit, and minde the light of Chriſt, to lead thee out of thy crooked paths, that the mouth of the Serpent may be ſtopt, that belcheth out thy own ſhame in thy lies and confuſions, as thou haſt done; not onely when I was with thee before many witneſſes, but alſo in the ethy two Books, wherein thy lies are too many to number: In thy firſt Book, I ſent thee back 48. lies, out of three times as many more, that thou might prove them; But inſtead thereof, thou adds heaps upon heaps; and ſo it muſt be, that he may be revealed, who abides not in the truth; and ſo is a lyer from the begin­ning, and ſo thou art found. As thou didſt make up the ſubſtance of thy firſt Book with lies, ſo thou begins this. And in the front of thy lye, thou makes a cover for it, leaſt it ſhould be ſeen. In thy firſt Book thou ſayes, thou ſhalt refuſe further to meddle, or have to do with me, un­leſſe thou perceive in me ſome turn to the Lord; And in thy ſecond Book, thou renders me as the mouth of the Devill, to caſt out his poyſon: Is this the turn to the Lord thou perceives in me? Orthou would have me be­lieve, that in this Book (thou haſt thus filled with deceit to caſt upon me) thou doſt not meddle with me therein: This by the way, all may ſee thou art no bungler in that Art; for in the moſt part of thy lies thou makes ſure. ſo to preſent them, as to leave open a way or two to eſcape, if thou be taxt therewith; and if not, then let it paſſe for2 truth, and this all ſhall ſee in thy Books, who doth but read them with the light of truth: which deceipts, I ſhall not much trouble my ſelfe to trace thee in, onely in ſome few where the Serpent would devoure the ſimple by the way, and ſhut up the Kingdom againſt ſuch as deſire to chuſe the plain way, I ſhall diſcover thy ſpirit, of what na­ture it is, that they that will, may beware.

1. There is three things thou would have the Reader to believe from thee, if any be ſo void of truth: Firſt, that I have belied thee, and the truth atteſted by thee; To which I ſay, 48. of thoſe thou calles thy truths, I ſent thee back again into thy bottle, beſides many more of the ſame nature I layed open. I knowing theſe to be notorious lies, atteſted by thee for truths, I could do no leſſe then teſtifie again them, Any other belying of thee, thou art not able to prove.

2. How empty, filthy, and corrupt my Anſwers is, and how plainly the Scriptures are wreſted by me: To which I ſay, to the firſt part; the boaſter ſpeaks the frothy words. To the ſecond I ſay, if quoting Scriptures, without ad­ding or diminiſhing be no wreſting then thou haſt but herein added a lie more to the number.

3. How the Woolf appears in the Sheeps Skins, in the beginning, and cloſe of my Book. To which I ſay, My Book begins with diſcovering, thy lying Antichriſtian Doctrine leaſt by it the ſimple ſouls ſhould be deceived; and what I ſay, I make it appear to be truth, and my Book ends with twelve points of truth laid down, needful to be cleared to all from the Devills miſts caſt upon them, and this is no part of the Wolfs work; But what Beaſt was that which was up amongſt thee, and thy Companions, who when I ſpoke the truth amongſt you, your Weapon was heared up to knock me down in the yard, when you was on Horſeback, and left the diſpute the latter day, which in this Book thou wouldſt cover with a ſubtle lie. If I had intended ſuch a thing to any Creature, I could not have been excuſed in the ſight of God from a Wolf, or3 a Dogg; for I am ſure it was no part of a man, much leſſe of a Saint, to knock one in the head, who did not reſiſt, neither had any thing in his hand, wherewith to re­ſiſt.

For the firſt of theſe, and the deceiptful crooked wayes thou takes to excuſe thy lies and blaſphemies, who doth but read thy Books, and my Anſwer to thy firſt, needs not any further to ſee thee withall, if they minde but any light in them; yet for love to the ſimple ones, I ſhall lay thee open in ſome of them, that they may the better finde thee out in the reſt.

In thy firſt, thou begins with, Thou ſayes thou doſt not gather thy charge againſt me, that I preach down the per­ſon and work of Chriſt in one body for us, &c. from my letter, becauſe I witneſſed the fleſh of Chriſt the food of the inner Man; But from my comparing my Confeſſion of the fleſh of Chriſt in me, with the Apoſtles preaching down Circumciſion, &c. Wherein all that ever reads my letter in thy book, may be witneſs againſt thee, if in any part of my letter I have compared theſe two together, nor ever did it enter into my heart ſo to do; But the end of my letter is this, to let you ſee your ſelves more blinde, as to the knowledge of the ſpirit, and its reaching and reve­lation then the Jews was, as much as if I had ſaid, if you oppoſe my Teſtimony when I confeſſed the fleſh of Chriſt, which the letter doth declare of; what a Generation would you have been, had you lived in the time of the Apoſtles, who preached down Circumciſion, which the letter ſaid ſhould continue? So the compariſon ſtands be­twixt your oppoſing the teſtimony of the ſpirit in me, which is according to the letter, and the Jews oppoſing the Apoſtles Teſtimony in ſpirit, which diſannulled the Letter, wherein you are found double to them in blind­neſſe: Now how this preaches down the perſon of Chriſt, or whether I made that compariſon, thou ſayes I did let a­ny judge, who all may ſee thou haſt made it thy ſelfe to ſlander withall, without the leaſt ground from me, and4 then ſayes, I made it. O thou ſhameleſſe man, how doſt thou bend thy tongue for lies and ſlanders?

Alſo having, in thy book, called perfection, a deviliſh Doctrine, and being told of it, and confounded in it by Scripture: now thou covers it, as though thou call'd our Doctrine of perfection deviliſh, and ſayes, thou no where findes Chriſt gave gifts to perfect men in lying, &c. I ſay, When didſt thou read of any other Doctrine of perfection preacht by us, but the Doctrine of Chriſt, and his Light and Spirit for perfecting the Saints; and this is it thou calleſt diveliſh; and for thy lies, our Doctrine layes thee open therein, elſe we ſhould not be ſo much oppoſed by the••and the Generation of lyers, who deny the light of truth within, as thou Child of darkneſs doſt, who ſayes, the grace of God that brings ſalvation to all men, inſtructs them not to look to any light, or ſpirit in them for di­rection; herein ſhewing thy ſelfe wholly ignorant of the ſpirit of Chriſt and his light; for all who have the ſpirit of Chriſt, they have it within them, and his light in them, which thou denies for direction; and ſo art Antichriſt, oppoſing the ſpirituall light, and teaching, without which none can come to know God, or themſelves, and that is the cauſe of all thy lies thou haſt told in thy books; for, who denies the ſpirit of truth, which is appointed of God to lead into all truth, muſt needs be led with the contra­ry, who are ſenſuall, not having the ſpirit nor light in them; and if thou hadſt ſaid no more in thy books, this had been enough to have ſhewed thy ſelfe a blinde Guide, who denies the teachings of the ſpirit and light within, to be from the grace of God; for none can have the grace of God to appear with its light and teachings, and ſalvati­on, but within; for the grace of God is ſpirituall, and that which is ſpiritual is within, elſe no Creature can have it to ſalvation; wherefore Chriſt ſaith, the King­dom of God is within you, Not lo here, lo there, (as youLuk. 17: 20. 21. Rom, 10. 8 Phariſees would have it:) And ſaith he; Go not forth, and, the Apoſtles preached the word of Faith that was in5 peoples hearts, to whom they preached, and they came to the knowledge of God, and his glory, by the light that2 Cor. 4. 6. Col. 3. 16. Hob. 13. 9. Gal. 4. 6. Eph. 4. 18, 19. ſhined in their hearts: and the Saints had their grace in their hearts, and the word of God dwelt in them richly; yea God himſelf dwelt in their hearts by his ſpirit; and yet thou ſayes the grace of God teaches not to look to any light within; and here thou art clearly manifeſt, to be heart-blind, and would have all in thy State; for herein your Kingdom would fall, and you could no longer raign over peoples Conſciences and Eſtates: if they come once to know Gods grace in their hearts, and the teachings of the ſpirit within them, they would ſoon ſee your Idoll­worſhip, and high place-preaching to be out of both form and power, of that which the Saints liv'd in and practiſed, and no longer would they give their money for that which is no bread, and their labours for that which doth not pro­fit; and then could you no longer ride upon the Nations2 Cor. 3. as Maſters; and the Whore would fall: ſo thou, and the reſt do what you can, to keep people ſpiritually blind from looking within, that ſo they may come to you for teaching, and ſo be ever learning; but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth ever loadened with ſin, but never ſet free, being led out by you, and kept from enter­ing in where freedom is; for the vail muſt be over the heart till they turn to the ſpirit: Now the Lord is that ſpirit; and where the ſpirit is, there is liberty from ſin, from glory to glory by the ſpirit, which no litteral Mini­ſtrationLuk. 17. 20, 21. Iſa. 51. 7. Pſal, 119. 11. Jer. 20. 9. 2 Cor, 6. 16. can ever come to, though the Letter be read every day, and ſo you deny both Letter and Spirit alſo; for ſaith the Letter you ſhall be all taught of God; and none can be taught of God but by the light of Chriſt within, in ſpirit; and thou that denies this, art againſt Chriſt, and his Kingdom is in the heart, and his Law in the heart, and his word in the heart, and he himſelf in the heart: therefore thou his enemy would not have his people to look there for teaching ſo let all who deſires to be u­nited unto Chriſt, avoid thee and thy Antichriſtian6 Doctrine, and it is no matter what thou ſayes, as touch­ing the things of God, who art heart-blinde, and haſt not thy teaching from the light and ſpirit of Chriſt-within thee. All that comes out muſt needs be of the Devill, and ſo it is in all, who hath it not from the light and ſpirit of Chriſt within them; for he that ſpeaks of himſelf is the lyer, and the Father of it, and ſo it is ſeen of thee in thy books; and alſo thy blaſphemy, who ſayes, to direct, to look to the light within, is the lame, as directing men to ſeek to a Familiar ſpirit; and of that brood thou art, who ever called Chriſt Beelzebub; and light, darkneſs. O thou blaſphemer! did Chriſt direct to a familiar ſpirit, when he told them, The Kingdom was within them, andLuk. 17. 21 Luk. 11. 34, 35. 36. that the light of the body is the eye, and if it be ſingle, the whole body is full of light, as the bright ſhining of a Candle doth give light: And, keep thy heart with all di­ligence, for from thence are the Iſſues of life: And ſaith, Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not ſin; and Commune with your own hearts, and be ſtill; and the Law of God is written in the heart, and the heart of the wiſeProv. 4. 23 Pſal. 119. 11. Pſal. 4. Heb. 8. 10. Prov. 16. 23. Joh. 16. 13 teacheth his mouth, and the ſpirit of truth is that which muſt lead into all truth: Nay doth not all the Scriptures teſtifie to the light and ſpirit-teaching within; and that they are none of Chriſts who have not the ſpirit of Chriſt, and is it counted a familiar ſpirit now with thee? Now is it ſeen to all the Children of the light, that Antichriſt is revealing, as the Scriptures hath foretold, and the Man of ſin pleading againſt freedom from ſin, and the blinde Guids preaching againſt the light, and he that is born of the fleſh againſt the ſpirit and its teachings, and the Chil­dren of darkneſs againſt the light that manifeſts the evill deeds, and he is diſcovering who abode not in the truth, and the ſpirit and light is that truth which thou would preach down, to lead out into the world, where the lyer is, who hates the light becauſe his deeds are evill; And this is thy work in thy books, and to thy Maſter, and his work thou art faithful, uſing thy utmoſt ſubtlety to do his7 work thorowly, to preach Chriſt out of his Creatures, that none ſhould minde his light and ſpirit, but without in an­other world, that ſo the Devill may have his will in the heart in this World, while any one lives, and ſerve God, and be made free when they are dead, and can do their Maſter no more ſervice, if they would; and when thou haſt ſtruck them off, from looking at any light or ſpirit within, then like the Serpent, leaſt his head ſhould be ſeen, thou hides thy ſelfe, with telling, of, Not to lean to their own underſtanding: and (ſayes thou) though the word be nigh them in their hearts, that it might be, yet it is not, received by them in their hearts, or dwelling there as a light or principle to direct them, while in their naturall eſtate, when thou haſt done what thou can to perſwade them, that the looking to it, is but as to a familiar ſpirit; But is that their own underſtanding, which condemns their natural underſtanding, as they are fallen from God, and lets them ſee, that all their underſtanding, wiſdom and prudence, is God hid from, and manifeſts all their deeds in that ſtate to be evill: this hath every natural man in him, from the Father of Spirits, which manifeſtation of ſpirit is given to every one to profit withall, if it be but minded, and not quenched; and without this can be no knowledge of God, and if this Candle be put out, there is no doing the work of God, till it be lighted, further then to wait; and there is no waiting, but with the heart in ſpirit, till it ſhine out of darkneſs again; and till then, all the Creature doth, is but deeds of darkneſs, and not ac­cepted by God; his prayers are abomination, and his plowing ſin; yea though all the world ſhould flatter ſuch a one, they could not ſave him nor unite him to God, nor give peace of Conſcience with God, nor Sealing in ſpirit; and this the Children of light know, though blinde Ser­pents and deaf Adders oppoſe it, who walk in craſt and deceit; but the Apoſtles who handled not the word de­ceitfully, did commend themſelves to that in every mans2 Cor. 4. 2. Conſcience in the ſight of God: and the Miniſtration of8 Chriſt, is to the ſpiritual ſeed, whereby the ſpiritual ſeed is quickned, and raiſed out of darkneſs and death; but the Miniſtration of the Hireling and falſe Prophet, is to the itching eares; and ſo the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet joynes againſt the ſeed of God, to keep it in death and darkneſs; and if it be born up, then they perſecute him in whom it is born, And theſe take the letter, there with to deny the light, and oppoſe that ſpirit that gave it forth, and whereof the letter reſtifies, becauſe they have not theJohn 5. word abiding within them, and this was the work of the Phariſes and Hirelings; but never any one of Chriſts Miniſters denyed the light and ſpirit within as thou doſt, yet ſlaidly and covertly: ſo as if thou be taxt for it, thou may have an excuſe to come out of, and deny thy work with a meaning and conſequence; but if none diſproves thee, then goes on with thy work, to lead out ſimple people from the light of Chriſt in ſpirit, to follow thy I­maginations without, a ſpirit and light without, which thou never ſaw.

Yet in this one thing, there is not many exceeds thee; for when ever thou layes down a deceit, the end whereof is to deny the light, or ſpirit, or perfection, or to ſlander any, who own the truth, in theſe things thou makes ſure before thou leave it to make two or three wayes for eſ­cape, leaſt it fall upon thy head, knowing before the thing to be ſuch, thou cannot ſtand by with Scripture; and this the leaſt Child of Light may ſee in thy books, where­fore I ſhall not much need to trace thee therein, the thing being ſo plainly evident to all, that in the light read thy books, and my anſwers thereto.

And when thou haſt told a lie, and being told thereof, thou on purpoſe having left out a word or ſyllable, there thou makes an eſcape. As for inſtance, in thy anſwer to the laſt Query, which asks, What that grace of God is, which brings ſalvation, and hath appeared to all men: thy lie is, that indeed we believe no ſuch thing, as the grace of God appearing to men; which I finding this to be as anſwer9 to the Query, I tell thee, Thou anſwers with a ſlan­der, ſaying, that indeed we believe no ſuch thing, as the grace of God appearing to all men: now thou having left out the word all (for eſcape) which is in the Query, and in the Scripture alſo: In thy defence ſayes thou, my words are, They believe no ſuch thing, as the grace of God ap­pearing to men; and this thou would charge upon me, to be a lie, when the lie is thy own; and hath both abuſed the Query, and the Scripture, on which the Query is grounded, leaving out the word [all] to make it, and ſuch holes as this thou creeps out of, to hide the lyer from be­ing ſeen.

And in other places where thou haſt gone a crooked way to fetch a compaſſe to make a lie (for otherwiſe thou could not) which when I come to anſwer, and takes the ſum of the thing in brief, (which otherwiſe might fill a volume) then thy eſcape is, becauſe I tell not all the lying ſtory over again after thee; and in theſe and ſuch like crooked wayes, thou goes about to avoid the truth, and winde out thy head, leaſt it ſhould be bruiſed therewith: and this ſhall any ſee, who in the light doth but read thy books, and my anſwer; wherein I might trace thee into every particular, were it needful or dark to the leaſt ſim­plicity.

Alſo in other places, where thy eſcape will not ſerve thee with a ſeeming ſhew of truth, before thou ſtick, thou wilt forge an abſolute lie. As for inſtance page 9. where thou mentioneſt my charging thee to ſay, that none have yet ceaſed from their own works: To which thou ſayes, thy Tayings are, that none here have yet ſo ceaſed from their own works, &c. To prove which words, thou quotes Antepage 44. which all that read that page, ſhall read thee a lyer, thereby to accuſe the truth; for theſe words are not ſo there, nor any where elſe that I have yet ſeen; and ſo according to the Doctrine, to thee it is, who haſt not yet ceaſed from thy own works, who art yet a lyer, and covering one lie with another, carping at words,10 when I ſpeak the ſence) to make me a lier, when thou canſt not hit thy own words; but he that is come to Chriſt is ceaſed from his own works, who is become Gods workmanſhip; but the Serpent hath no portion here, and ſo would exclude all others, who knowes no better but to believe him; but where God works all our work in us, he ordains peace there; and ſuch are entred into the Reſt, the Serpent knowes not, Iſay 26. 52. Phil. 2. 13. but they which did believe, were entred into reſt, Heb. 4. 3. but thy Sophiſtry is to keep people from looking for any reſt from their own works, till they be cut off by death, and can ſerve the Devil no longer, and ſo art one of thoſe who will neither enter thy ſelfe, nor ſuffer thoſe that would, like the reſt of thy Fathers, who art ſeeking to overthrow the faith; by thy lying Divination. For the Devil knowes unbelief is that which keeps from entring into reſt: ſo he ſtrikes off Faith. But many are entred in, who have heard his voice, and ſuch will believe thee no longer; for thou caſts out thy flood, after ſuch as is out of thy reach. Ano­ther way thou haſt, that when I tell thee of thy lies, and deceits in thy book, leſt people ſhould find them, thou ſets them to ſeek in another page, where thou haſt made ſome cover for that deceit, and not in the place in which it is ſpoken; and thus thou ſhuffles to hide thy ſelfe, leſt thou ſhould be diſcovered in plainneſs to the ſimple: Inſtance, that about the Reſurrection.

Another way thou haſt, with thy Divination to turn a thing quite contrary to what I both ſpeak and intend; and this is uſuall to thee in moſt places of thy book: Inſtance thy 55. page, thou having in thy firſt book ſeemed to de­ny any other manner of preaching, then which was left by the Apoſtles; to which I anſwer, Then you may ſpare your pains (you Steeple-houſe-Teachers) who are out of the manner, yea, and matter alſo; and with thy divina­tion thou turns this, that I would ſet up a new manner of teaching, of two or three years ſtanding; when both my words and end is to eſtabliſh the old way; and therefore11 deny your Idoll-worſhip, which is out of it, your preach­ing and Printing; And in ſome of theſe wayes, or ſome other ſuch like crooked way, haſt thou caſt a miſt over the truths, wherewith I have laid open thy deceits; yet canſt thou blinde none therewith, but thy own Generation, who are blinde already; and as any of them mindes the light in ſpirit (which thou ſo much oppoſeſt) they ſhall ſee thee, and thy deceit alſo. And now having a little o­pened the way to all, who deſires to know the truth, that they thereby may ſee all the reſt of thy rotten Covers, I ſhall not much contend about words; but leave the truth to manifeſt it ſelfe, to all who in the principle of truth reads our books, and enquires after it; and they who will be filthy and loves deceit, in thy book, may cover them­ſelves therewith.

Thou goes on ſaying, We come to give ſome Inſtances of his falſe charges, and you mention ſome perticular things. To which I ſay, how many (that we) is thou ſpeaks on, you know not further then that there is Legions againſt the Lamb; but to that I have ſaid, I ſhall make it appear to be true, as to the true intent of thy Doctrine without the leaſt deſire to aggravate, as follows.

Firſt, As to thy ſeeking to exclude God and Chriſt, the ſpirit and light out of the world, and that he ſhould no more dwell in his people till dooms-day, and ſo on to all the reſt.

To which I ſay thy words are, that it cannot be properly ſaid, that in a full and abſolute ſenſe, God was, or is manifeſt in the fleſh of any naturall Son of Adam, in the time of his Mortality; where it is plain, thou excludes all Mortality, with all the time till Dooms-day: If not, let the wiſe judge: as for thy word naturall, thou hast thrust into blinde people with, it is of no force in that place, unleſs thou prove, that all men muſt be in their naturall eſtate, during the time of their Mor­tality, which indeed beſt ſuits thy end and condition; and as for the ſpirit, thou calls it as Popery, to confeſs a ſpirit within,12 to open the Scriptures; and the light within thou compares to a familiar ſpirit: In another place thou ſayes, God was not, God is manifest in the fleſh: which words, not God is, is as abſolute a deny all as can be made, and ſo preaches him not onely out of the world, but out of all the Saints and thy ſelf; thou ſayſt alſo, the Word Chriſt is perſonally abſent from us, while in theſe bodies. And in another place ſpeaking of the mani­feſtation of God, thou ſayes in that one perſon, not in divers; and this is to deny the Father and the Son; for he that hath not the Father, hath not the Son, and he that hath not the Son hath not life; and ſo this preaches an eternall ſeparation, be­tween the Creature and the Creator, and keeps God out of his dwelling-place, denies him preſent to judge, rule, and guid; and this preaches him out of the heart, and not to be manifeſt in the fleſh; and the whole is herein proved upon thee, which I have ſaid, out of thy own mouth; and whereas thou would ſhuffle out, by ſaying, thou doſt but uphold that Scripture Paul speaks to Timothy. Iſay, Paul ſayes no ſuch words, as that God is not manifeſt in fleſh, that's thy own, therewith to deny God in the fleſh; for Paul ſaith, Great is the Myſtery, and ſpeaks of what Timothy ſhould wait for then in him, that ſo by God manifeſt in him, he might know how to behave himſelf in the Church of the living God, the Pillar, and ground of truth; which Church was in God, and God in them, who did dwell in them, and walk in them; and they knew that what God was in Chriſt, he was in them, as they had received Chriſt, according to theſe Scriptures, John 14. 20, 21. 23. John 17. 23. and they knew that they was the Temples of God: which Temples was holy, in which God was known and manifeſt, to dwell and walk. 1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. And if any had not the Father, and the Son in them, they was warned, Nnot to receive them into their houſes, 2 John 9. 10.

13And therefore they was to try all Antichriſts, who de­nyed Chriſt in their fleſh, as thou doſt, and ſo all Idoll-Shepheards and Hirelings, who had not God in them, they denyed, and thoſe that was without God, they ſaw them to be in the world, and ſo the world would hear them, but them in whom God was they knew not; but as thou doſt now to envy and reproach, 1 John 4. 3, 4, 5, 6. 12, 13, 15, 16, 17. So that which I have ſaid of thee, is no ſlander, being proved out of thy own mouth, & afterward contradicted by plain Scripture, and thou proved to be that Antichriſt, who art without God in the world, de­nying Chriſt now in the fleſh, and God alſo, and knowes not the great myſtery of God manifeſt in fleſh, which was great, and is great, though thou know it not now, no more then the blinde guides did then. And thy cover is, that that word Chriſt, is perſonally abſent from us, while we are in theſe bodies upon earth. I ſay thou may ſtop thy mouth for any knowledge thou haſt of Chriſt, perſo­nall or ſpirituall: he was never known to the Idoll-Teachers, and Hirelings, and blinde Guides, and ſuch as preacht for gifts and rewards, ſuch never knew his perſon, nor appeanance: Had there not been a letter, we ſhould have little talk of Chriſt, or his appearance, with thy Ge­neration of Chemerims, who have alwayes put his ap­pearance into another Generation, wherein thou exceeds all thy Predeceſſors, who would binde him in Heaven, while he is, and while any man lives, which ſeeing, thou goes about to deny, I ſhall repeat thy words, which are theſe, in thy firſt book, page 36. That he remains in the Heavens, as oppoſed to the Earth, and where while he is, he is perſonally abſent from us, while we are in theſe bo­dies on Earth; and yet with the ſame ſhameleſs mouthJer. 4. 22. am I accuſed as a lyer, for telling thou haſt limitted his perſon from the Earth till Dooms-day (as it is call'd) when thy words reaches further, even to while he is, which is as much as to ſay for ever: thou blinde Sot, wilt thou limit the Lord in Heaven, who fills Heaven and14 Earth, who after he had deſcended into the lower parts of the Earth, aſcended far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things? And was not this the perſon of Chriſt, E­pheſ. 4. 9, 10. which deſcended, and aſcended, and that above all Heavens (which now filleth all things) which thou would limit in Heaven? Art not thou blinde, as to the letter it ſelfe? was he perſonally abſent from any of his dear Lambs in their ſufferings, though but once in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, to growe from a Child to a mans ſtate, that in himſelf alone he might work Redemption, and leave a living example of faith and obedience, tempt­ings and ſufferings, to all Generations that believe; and for that end was he lifted up, that through him all might believe, yet hath he appeared in divers forms, both before his ſufferings and ſince, Mark 16. 12. wherein he is not perſonally abſent? was he perſonally abſent from the three Children in the Furnace, Dan. 3. 25 ? Was he perſonally abſent from John in the Ile of Patmos, Reveb. 1? Was he per­ſonally abſent from Paul, who confeſſeth his perſonall preſence, 2 Cor. 2. 10 ? Nay thy ſelfe ſayes, page 2. of thy firſt book, that Paul with his bodily eyes, did behold the perſon of Chriſt, after his aſſcention; and this thou could make uſe on in thy diſpute, to plead againſt any immedi­ate Call from God; and now thou would limit him to a place while he is: Ceaſe thy Imaginations about the per­ſon of Chriſt, the Serpent is as blinde about the perſon of Chriſt, as he was about the body of Moſes, yet will he be diſputing to ſee if he can get in. Chriſt is revealed in the light; whoſe perſon is before the world was, and by whom the world was made, which light, thou calls a fa­miliar Spirit, as thy Fathers called him Beelzebub: ſo much knowes the carnall Imaginations of his perſon, or his light, wherein he leads out of the world to reveal his perſon to them that follow it: Is not Chriſt whereever the right hand of God is, though the blinde ſee him not?Col. 1. 15. 16, 17. was not the perſon of Chriſt with him, when he made the World, and by him he made it? was not he at the right hand15 of God in Davids time, Pſal. 110. 1. And is not he at the right hand of God in the New Creation? And is not be, in Chriſt, reconciling the world unto himſelf, whereby they become of his fleſh, and his bone? Was it not the perſon of Chriſt that came in amongſt his Diſciples, the doors being ſhut? And was it not the perſon of Chriſt that ſaid he would come again to them, though he had yet to aſcend? Which,Joh. 14. 18, 23. till then, the work he had to do was not wholly done; and wilt thou now bind him as a man in a Chair, who fills Heaven and Earth; yea, who is fat above all Heavens: yea,Epheſ. 4. 10. where ever the right hand of God reaches, he is there; and without him (preſent) he doth nothing. Ceaſe, vain man, thou knows not whom thou would limit, who limits the word to be perſonally abſent from Believers: All the De­vils in Hell cannot limit him abſent, from his Lambs, in their greateſt ſtraits; who, though he be to be preacht in Heaven, yet is he not to be limited from the Earth, whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain, Epheſ. 4. 9, 10. Nor doth that place, Act. the 3. limit him, though it ſay the Hea­vens muſt receive him (which the world will not) but ſaith, upon their repentance, God will ſend him, whom the Hea­vens hath received: As in many other places, his appear­ance is promiſed, waiting for, and received, as he is in him­ſelf, not in imagination; and in this book thou denies him, as Mediator to be in Man, becauſe the Letter ſayes, between God and Man; thou ſayes, not in man: thou may as well ſay not in God, ſo much thou knows of him in thee: Read Chriſts words, Joh. 14. 20. if he be not in God, and in Man: And whereas thou would accuſe me, for asking thee, if thou doſt not deny the Reſurrection of the Body, in ſaying, No man, as from Adam, can approach, or ſee the Lords Throne in Heaven, I ſay, had I not good ground to ask queſtion; yea, and rebuke that Lie alſo, as I did, telling thee, John and Ste­ven was men from Adam, and yet did ſee Gods Throne, and Chriſt Promiſes, to ſuch as overcome, to ſit on his Throne: And doſt thou call this a ſlander to tell thee of it? then keep in thy falſe doctrine, if thou would not hear it reproved; and think not to hide thee under Johns words, which ſaith, No man hath ſeen God: for John ſaith, The onely begotten Son hath16 revealed him: John did not ſpeak theſe words, to deny the ſight of God and ſo make himſelf a lyar, who had ſeen him; but to declare the true way, to come to ſee him, which is by Revelation; which thou denies, and ſo would wreſt John's words againſt what he did witneſs and declare of.

And whereas thou would accuſe me, as ſlandering thee amongſt the Pariſh-Maſters: I ſaid not, that thou was a Pa­riſh-Maſter, but thou art one with them, in the ſame Spirit, for gifts and rewards, though yet thou haſt not got a Parſo­nage ſuitable to thy will: But art thou not a Maſter-Teacher, and in their way alſo of Pariſh-Steeple-houſes; and then what wrong have I done thee, in reckoning thee amongſt Pariſh-Teachers, and Maſters alſo? But thou wants ſomething to accuſe me, that thou might make me like thy ſelf; and ſo thou ſeeks all along in thy book: Inſtance thy accuſing me, for ſaying thou tells of ſome abatement of Perſecution, &c. I ſay, let any but read thy Epiſtle to the firſt book, pa. 2. line 1. and they may ſee the Lyer; and ſo in ma­ny other things, not worth mentioning after thee; where­in, going to prove me a Lyar, thou proves thy ſelf one: But if any, who have the leaſt meaſure of Chriſt in them, read but thy 28. and 29. pages of this laſt book of thine, they may ſee what ſpirit is in thee, as to perſecution of us; and how thou goes about with thy lies and ſlanders, to add to our ſuffer­ings, which one day thou ſhalt know thou ſhould not have done, rendring to us to all the world, as though it could not ſtand with the ſecurity of any Common-wealth to ſuffer us: wherein it is plainly ſeen, what ſhall become of us, if thou get power; or if ſuch as are in Power, will but give ear to what thou haſt publiſhed to them: but to the Lord we ap­pear in theſe things, and if he do ſuffer your Generation of Murderers to get power, we may read, by what hath been done, what mercy we map expect from thee, and the reſt of that Generation, who art ſhewing thy teeth, before thou have power, rendring us in as vile a manner as thou canſt, as Papiſts, and would lay the blood they have ſhed upon us, who art in the ſtate of their Papiſt-Prieſts thy ſelf, incenſing, (and in moſt notorious ſlandering too) the Earthly Powers againſt us, all thou can, by thy falſe accuſations, too many to17 mention; and when thou haſt done, to cover thy ſelf, thou ſayes thou would have to have us liberty, that thou may fair­ly deal with us with other weapons. O full of all ſubtilty! can theſe words cover thee? It hath been always known what weapons is of moſt uſe in the hands of the Idol-Shep­heards; which Weapons thou art ſharpning before-hand inThere are ma­ny more, be­ſides thee, who thinks our ſuſ­ferings are not great enough: but your day is coming on apace. this thy book, in which thou renders us, as not fit to be ſuf­fered to live in any Common-wealth, heaping up thy Accuſa­tions upon us, of which we are clear; and rendring the ſuf­ferings of hundreds of innocent Ones, as evill-doers, and ju­ſtifying there in the bloudy cruelty acted upon many of them, ſaying, It is not ſo great as we pretend, nor as it was in the bodily and bloody Perſecution; and then would cover thy ſelf with feigned words: But the Lord who deſpiſes not the ſufferings of the Poor, ſhall find thee out, and the Chil­dren of Light ſees thee, and thy opening a door to Murder and Perſecution.