LOVING you with a divine love, I wiſh you and me and to all mankind, that the eternal creator and preſerver of all things, may pour out his fatherly ſpirit over us all, that we poor ſheep who go aſtray in the wilderneſs of this world, may be led and guided by him, to the excellent paſture of his word, and to be fed with the true bread of life, that our ſouls may live. But perceiving from your Publications, that you Quakers, (for conſcienceſake, or your conſciences being ſo delicate) do not confeſs the books of the written word, to be the word of God. Therefore, I would give you to underſtand by this my ſimple epiſtle, ſince I confeſs it to be the true word of God; as I hope to ſhew by the divine grace, beſeeching each and every one of my readers, that they might read this with an impartial heart, and to weigh it on the balance of the word of God, and on the teſtimony of the Prophets, Jeſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles, who have made us known the will of the Almighty, whether it is inconſiſtent with holy writ. Hear and underſtand, you who think your conſciences to be ſo tender, that you would not take the written word, which you call the holy Writ, for the word of God. Therefore dear friends give ear, what the man of faith Moſes has ſpoken from the mouth of the Almighty, who has made heaven and earth, and all that is in it, when he begins thus:—In the beginning God created the heaven and earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkneſs was upon the face of the deep: and the ſpirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, Geneſis 1, 1. 2. Here my dear friends you may hear, and God ſaid, ah! dear-bought ſouls, what was it that the Almighty ſaid? He the eternal creator and builder of all things, has ſaid, "Let there be light:" and there was light; from whom came the written and conceiving word, muſt we poor creatures not all confeſs with Moſes, that it was ſpoken by the Almighty, as king David confeſſes in his XXXIII. Pſalm, 6 verſe. By the word of the Lord was the heavens made: and all the hoſt of them by the breath of his mouth. Hear farther, what the creator of all things has ſpoken, "Let there be a firmament in the midſt of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters," whoſe word was it, that came from the eternal creator, whereby he has made all things? I hope we muſt confeſs with all ſaints, that it is the eternal word of the Almighty, which was before the creation in the creator and in the godhead, and which at his time, by the ſame divine and ſpoken word came from the father of lights, it is the everlaſting eſſential word of God, whereby every thing that is in heaven and on earth, in the ſea and under the earth was created and made; therefore continue reading, in the ſaid firſt chapter, and I am ſure you will find by the grace of God, that it was uttered and ſpoken by the mouth of the Lord, ſo that it could not be called otherwiſe, at the time it was not written yet, as the word of God. But ſince his will and his divine word which he has ſpoken, ſhould be known unto man, he has laid open his council will and his ſpoken word and commandments unto mankind, ſince he has endowed man, above all other created beings with an immortal ſoul, thereſore he has revealed him his will and law. Now tell me dear friends, was it not the Almighty, who ſpoke the words, ſaying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayeſt freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou ſhalt not ear of it: for in the day thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die. Was it not ſpoken by the Almighty? O! without doubt, it was the word and commandment, which our firſt parents have tranſgreſſed, through deceit of the ſerpent, and Adam and his poſterity fell thereby into eternal miſery, death and damnation. So that God has found means and has given Adam the promiſe, on which Adam with all ſaints has put his hope and truſt, well knowing that what God promiſes, he will and can bring about, being a God of truth and without falſhood. Conſider farther what God ſaid to Noah, and the Lord ſaid, My ſpirit ſhall not always ſtrive with man, for that he alſo is fleſh. And God ſaid unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's houſe, unto a land that I will ſhew thee. Here we can ſee, how the Lord God has ſpoken with Adam, Noah and Abraham. Who would be ſo daring and bold as to ſay, that it was not the Lord who ſpoke it; except that the Lord has revealed them his word by means of the angels, or by dreams, or by his divine voice as with Adam, or that the Almighty has made them known his word and will, by his everlaſting ſpirit. Ah! dear children, if the Almighty manifeſts himſelf in and within us in ſuch a manner, and reveals us his word, would it not be abſurd to tell him in face, that it was not his word, would we not be guilty like Adam. The Lord having manifeſted himſelf before the law was given, as was ſhewn with Adam and the family of Seth, with Noah, Abraham and Lot, and with many others, ſo they have received it as the true and perfect word from the mouth of the Almighty, and have put their hope and truſt therein and were contented, well knowing, that what he promiſes, he can and will bring it about. But ſince the law was given us by means of the angels, and made known by Moſes in his writings, and it being ſprung from the Almighty and given to man by angels. Therefore give ear what the Lord himſelf ſaid about his word: Hear, O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy might; and theſe words which I command thee this day, ſhall be in thine heart. Here we may ſee what the true man Moſes teſtifies of the word of God, how ſtrongly he indicates it to his people, when he ſaid, "And the Lord ſpake with you in the mount, out of the midſt of fire, you have heard his voice, and he revealed you his Covenant, which he commanded you to keep, even the ten commandments, and he wrote them on two tables of ſtone." Since the Lord has let hear his voice, to his people on mount Horeb, and has brought his word before their ears, and has wrote it himſelf, how ſhould we poor mortals be ſo daring, to bend and ſtretch it, or to ſay becauſe it was wrote, that it is not the word of the Lord, it being brought to us, from God's own mouth, and he himſelf has made it manifeſt, by Moſes and by all his holy Prophets, as he ſays: I will raiſe them a Prophet, from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he ſhall ſpeak unto them, all that I ſhall command him. And it ſhall come to paſs that whoſoever will not hearken unto my words, which he ſhall ſpeak in my Name, I will require it of him. Hear farther how the true ſervant Samuel, in his firſt book the 15 chapter, calls it the word of the Lord, when he ſaid. Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord, when he commanded Saul to deſtroy Amalek; but Saul tranſgreſſed the word of the Lord: then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel ſaying, It repenteth me, that I have ſet up Saul to be king: But Samuel rebuked Saul for it and told him, "that rebellion is a ſin of witchcraft, and ſtubbornneſs as iniquity and idolatry. Becauſe thou haſt rejected the word of the Lord, he hath alſo rejected thee." Who dare ſay without injuring his conſcience, that the citations from holy writ abovementioned, which Moſes, God Almighty himſelf, Samuel, Abraham and all men of God have leſt us, that they have not confeſſed it to be, the everlaſting word of God; as the Prophet Jeremiah in his 2 Chapter ſaid: Hear ye the Word of the Lord, and in his 7 chapter the Lord commandeth him, to ſtand in the gate of the Lord's houſe, and to proclaim there this word, and ſay, Hear the word of the Lord, all ye of Judah, and in his 16 chapter, the word of the Lord came alſo unto me. This ſhews clear, how this man of God has ſpoken it as the word of God, alſo Ezekiel, in his 6, 7, 12, 13 and 15 chapter, there you will find it confeſſed for the true word of God. The Prophet Daniel in his 9th chapter, the 9, 10, 11 and 12 verſe, as we may read in the ſaid 12th verſe, teſtifies it to be the ſame, and he hath confirmed his words which he ſpake againſt us; alſo Hoſea, the firſt chapter, and this is the word of the Lord, likewiſe in his 4th chapter; Joel the 1ſt. chapter, the word of the Lord came to Joel. Amos in his fifth chapter, Hear ye this word, which I take up againſt you, O houſe of Iſrael. Jonah the 1ſt. chapter 1ſt. verſe, now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah, ſaying, Micah firſt chapter, 1ſt. verſe, the word of the Lord came to me: again Zephaniah it is called the word of the LORD, and Zachariah 1ſt. chapter, 1 verſe, the word of the Lord came unto me; and Sirach ſaid, the word of the moſt high, is the fountain of Wiſdom, and the everlaſting commandment is their ſource, and a wiſe man puts his pleaſure to learn the word of God, bleſſed is he that ſearcheth the word of God, and teaches it.

I have cited above many paſſages from the old teſtament, how they have all confeſſed it to be the word of God; but as ſome may ſtand up, and might ſay, that it was the word of the ſpirit, ſince they had ſpoken it, by the holy Ghoſt, as St. Peter ſaith, that no prophecy of the ſcripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old times, by the will of man: but holy men of God ſpake, as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt. Therefore it is my real opinion, that they have ſpoken it by the holy Ghoſt, and it being manifeſted from time to time by the ſpirit of God, ſo it is indiſputable, ſince God and his ſpirit are one in the Godhead; or as our Saviour faith in his word, God is a ſpirit: and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth. Therefore I truſt entirely in the Almighty, that he has not deceived theſe dear inſtruments, in not having filled and moved them by his eternal ſpirit in ſuch a manner, that they broke out in ſo many places: "hear the word of the Lord," and have preached it ſo manyfold to the diſobedient people. Therefore I ſhall put the queſtion to each and every ſenſible man, whoſe word they have ſet forth, ſince they have ſpoken nothing, as what the Almighty has revealed them, by his eternal ſpirit. You will confeſs undoubtedly, that if it was ſpoken out or from God or by his eternal ſpirit, that it is the everlaſting eſſential word of God, which theſe holy men have written, and God himſelf. So that this word has received the high name of the holy Writ. Holy ſince it ſprung from the Almighty himſelf, and was ſet forth by the holy Ghoſt, from the mouth of the Prophets and Apoſtles. WRIT, it being written and ſet down by ſo many faithful men of God, ſo that it may be termed the holy Writ. Dear friends, whereas you teach and confeſs, that the written word of God, is not the word of God, but only the holy writ and the word of the ſpirit, which manifeſts itſelf in our ſouls, that it is the quickening word. Therefore, my dear children! I muſt bring this queſtion home to all and every one of you, whoſe word it is, that you preach, when the ſame ſpirit of the eternal father, moves, preſſes and drives you, and makes your tongues fiery, ſo that you by the preſſing power of the ſpirit of God, teach, ſpeak and manifeſt unto all men, the word and will of God? as Moſes and the Almighty, and all Prophets and Saints have preached, by the eternal ſpirit of God, and have it all from time to time, confeſſed and ſpoken as the word of God, as I have ſhewn heretofore by many quotations from ſcripture; I could cite more paſſages, but to prevent much writings, I ſhall refer the benign Reader to their own publications, there they will find enough. Such a great number of children of God, having taken it, in ſo many places for the word of the Lord; I muſt ask you once more, whoſe word it is, that nothing is ſpoken with you, as what the holy ſpirit ſays; will you ſay, it is not the word of the Lord, that you preach, I muſt tell you that you err, and dare ſay with the Prophet, How do ye ſay, we are wiſe, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the Scribes is in vain. The wiſe men are aſhamed, they are diſmayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wiſdom is in them? or as he farther ſaith, by the mouth of the Prophet; he that hath my word, let ſpeak my word faithfully: What is the chaff to the wheat? ſaith the Lord, Is not my word like as fire? ſaith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces; but if they had ſtood in my counſel, and had cauſed my people to hear my words, then they ſhould have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. But if you will ſay, that it is the word and will of God you preach or reveal, I muſt tell, that it is impoſſible that the Spirit of God, or God himſelf ſhould have erred ſo far, as to think himſelf too clean, juſt and good, to call it the word of God, which the Almighty from all ages has ſpoken by his Spirit; this is contrary to all ſcripture of the old and new teſtament. Our Saviour had greatly miſtaken himſelf, when he ſaith, They have Moſes and the prophets, let them hear them, and again, till heaven and earth paſs, one jot or one tittle, ſhall in nowiſe paſs from the law; and the Lord ſaith, Ye ſhall not add unto the word which I command you, neither ſhall ye diminiſh ought from it. I have quoted many paſſages from the old teſtament, how the Lord God himſelf has ſpoken by his Spirit through the holy prophets, and has ſtiled it his word, or his will, law and commandment. There you may ſee my dear friends, with what excellent name the word of God was ſtyled before it was written; therefore I ſhall quote you ſome teſtimonies from the new teſtament, where our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt himſelf teaches, when he called us unto repentance and to believe in the goſpel: this word of the goſpel is the good tidings of the Almighty father, which no patriarch, nor prophet or other ſaint could bring us, but it has coſt the word of the Almighty, whereby he made all things, the eternal word of God, which was from eternity with the father and in God. Yea, it required that God himſelf came, when the time was accompliſhed, into fleſh, to take away the enmity and to announce unto all men theſe good tidings, of which Adam under the law and all prophets have propheſied in ſo many places; but none of them could bring us this perfect good tiding, but it required the man from the tribe of Judah, who has brought us the ſame by his free grace, from the high throne of his divine majeſty. On this good tiding of the divine grace have hoped all good children of God. But whereas you (for conſcience-ſake) deny the written word and the everlaſting peace of God, the goſpel time, which was brought to us by no mortal man, but the ſon or the word of the almighty Father, has brought it to us from heaven, as his father's word and will. This goſpel-word of the almighty Creator, my dear friends, was with the godhead, which was manifeſted as well under the law as by all prophets, as a ray of the divine light, till the Son of God as the perfect lawgiver, has preached the goſpel of the peace, and has called it in many places the word of God, as we may read, If a man love me, he will keep my words: verily, verily, I ſay unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that ſent me, hath everlaſting life. Here you will ſee my dear friends, how our Saviour repeats verily, he that heareth my word; but whole word, ah! undoubtedly the goſpel-word, which he has brought from heaven, but the Godhead dwelling perfectly in him, he ſaith farther, and believeth on him that ſent me. There my dear friends we may ſee, how he called his doctrine his word; ſince the father dwelleth in him, ſo the heavenly father has ſpoken out or through his dear child, which is and was his word. This goſpel-word is flown from the Father through the mouth of Chriſt; and in this word ſaith our Saviour, ſhall we believe, that we might live thereby. And again he ſaith, My doctrine is not mine, but his that ſent me; he teaches moreover, If any man will do his will, he ſhall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak of myſelf. I am not come to judge, but the word that I have ſpoken, the ſame ſhall judge him, in the laſt day. Verily, verily I ſay unto you, if a man keep my ſaying, he ſhall never ſee death. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my ſayings: and the word which you hear, is not mine, but the father's which ſent me: if they have kept my ſaying, they will keep yours alſo. There my dear friends you ſee, how Chriſt, the ſon of the living God, who was with God and in God, by whom all things were made, the fountain of all, the king and ruler of the univerſe, the high and eternal God, was not aſhamed, nor thought it below his dignity, to call his doctrine his word, and this in ſo many places, and has given the word he has ſpoken, divine honor, that he ſhould not judge, but the word, that he has ſpoken. Therefore I confeſs it alſo, with Jeſus Chriſt, with the Almighty, with Moſes, with all prophets and children of God, that it is the law, word and commandment of the moſt high God, which all true children of God, were bound to keep, without adding or diminiſhing it. Therefore I muſt ask each and every one of you whoſe word and commandment it was, that Adam tranſgreſſed, without doubt the word of the eternal creator which he pronounced: For in the day that thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die. Whoſe word was it that the children of Iſrael have tranſgreſſed, that they all fell in the wilderneſs. Tell me whoſe word it was, that the Almighty ſpoke on mount Sinai, and which he has written on two tables of ſtone, was it not the commandment and word of the Almighty? which he has given them by Moſes, that they might know and underſtand, how they ſhould ſerve the Almighty, and in this law he has commanded them, If you will ſet a king over you, in the land where I ſhall bring thee, the book of the law ſhall be with him, and he ſhall read therein all the days of his life, and that he turn not aſide from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left. Dear friends, it was this commandment that Ahab aud all Iſrael have ſet aſide and worſhipped the idols. Whoſe word and commandment was it that Saul has tranſgreſſed? Was it not the word and commandment of the moſt High, given him by Samuel? Whoſe commandment was it, that Manaſſeh and his people have tranſgreſſed when they ſacrificed their children to the devils, and adored all hoſts of heaven? and have rejected the will of the Almighty, the book of the law, which was given through Moſes from the mouth of the Almighty. Was it not the commandment of God that Jerobeam and Iſrael broke, when he made two calves of gold, that the man of God, through the word of the Lord, propheſied againſt him and the altar in Bethel? Whoſe word was it, that the man of God has tranſgreſſed, when the falſe prophet perſuadeth him to turn back with him, and did eat bread in his houſe, and drank water? Has not David ſinned againſt the word of God by inſtigation of Satan, when he out of pride got the people numbered, he has alſo tranſgreſſed the word of the Lord, when he committed adultery with the wife of Uriah, and got him ſlain by the ſword of the Ammonites? Whoſe word was it, which Nathan ſaid unto David, was it Nathan's word or the Lord's? O! certainly it was the word of the Lord. Therefore look and read the holy prophets through, and there you will find, that they have been always a diſobedient houſe or people, and how the Almighty, ſo many times and in ſo many places, has called, threatned and warned them by his prophets; that they might return from their wickedneſs, and commandeth them to keep his law ſtrictly; which prophecies, God the Almighty father, in ſo many and various places, calls, pronounces and profeſſes himſelf to be his word, that if we only ſhould read it, we would be ſufficiently convinced, that the law and the prophets are nothing leſs, as the word, will and commandment of God, manifeſted from time to time unto mankind, and ſet down in writing by theſe good men, and for reaſon they were written, ſtyled the writ. From theſe reaſons I ſay that thoſe people err greatly, who do not confeſs it to be the word of the Lord, but take it only for the holy writ, and your confeſſing, that men being miſled by it, you decline to call the written word, the word of God. Therefore I muſt put this queſtion home to you, By what was Adam and Eve deceived, were they beguiled by the word of the Almighty father or by the ſubtlety of the ſerpent? Dear friends, by what came Cain, to the atrocious crime of killing his brother Abel? has the everlaſting word of God brought him to this act? I think not, but his own revengeful, wrathful, irreconcilable heart, which was not lighted by the word of God, but of hell; hear how the divine Majeſty has warned and addreſſed him: Cain why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doeſt well, ſhalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doeſt not well, ſin lieth at the door. And unto thee ſhall be his deſire, and thou ſhalt rule over him. What was it, that has made the Antideluvians ſo wicked, was it the word of the Lord, which the moſt High ſaid unto Noah, My ſpirit ſhall not always ſtrive with man, for that he is alſo fleſh: yet his days ſhall be an hundred and twenty years, or his numerous admonitions or the ark be built. Have theſe divine manifeſtations of the everlaſting word of God corrected theſe people, I think not, but the curſed disbelieve, (which is the ſource of all ungodlineſs) blended their hearts, that they could not believe the correcting word of God, but lived in their luſts and ſatanical deſires, little minding the word of the Lord, nor his various admonitions, in which he foretold them God's puniſhment, nor the ark, which ſhould be a ſign to them of God's correcting hand. Is there any perſon that could ſhew, that the rebellious children of Iſrael, who fell a ſacrifice in the wilderneſs, that they were deluded by the commandment and word of God. I think in my opinion, that whoſoever will ſhun his conſcience muſt confeſs, that they through their luſts of fleſh and deviliſh deſires, have always rebelled againſt the word of God. What made Ahab and Iezebel and all Iſrael, tranſgreſs the law and word of the Almighty? I ſhould think the falſe prophets and prieſt of the high places, and not the word of the Lord. Ah! how well would it have been for Ahab, if he had taken to heart the word of God, which was told by the man of God Micah. Was Manaſſeh ſeduced by the law of the Lord, that he and all Iſrael lived after the abominations of the heathens and worſhipped all the hoſt of heaven, and ſerved them? Tell me dear friends, have they wrought wickedneſs by the word or commandment of God, in which the Lord in various places of the old teſtament, calls, admoniſhes and warns, that they ſhould ſerve no other Gods but him? After my opinon dear friends, all them that have tranſgreſſed the law, word and commandment of God under the old teſtament, have not done it by the word of God, but by their own wickedneſs, luſts of fleſh and bad deſires, they fell from the law of God and did after the abominations of the heathens, and thereby provoked the Lord to anger. Tell me whoſe book of the law it was, that Hilkiah found in the houſe or temple of the Lord, which book Shaphan read before king Joſiah; who hearing the words of the book, rent his clothes. Whoſe words were they, that the king grew terrified at? I think not at the word of Moſes, but the word and commandment of the Almighty was tranſgreſſed by Manaſſeh, by Amon and all Iſrael, ſo that they by their wickedneſs have provoked the anger of God. Read all the books of the prophets, wherein the will of God is manifeſted, there you will find by the grace of God, that the rebellious children, were not ſeduced by the word of the Lord, but by inſtigation of Satan. It might be put the queſtion, whether the children of men in our days, are made to ſin by the word of God? I think not, but as the apoſtle Paul ſaid, becauſe they received not the love of the truth, that they might be ſaved: And for this cauſe, God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions, that they believe a lie; and whereas our own fleſh and blood is always rebellious and diſobedient to the word of the Lord, and bent to do evil, ſeeks and deſires nothing, but the things and pleaſures of this world, and as long as we ſtop our ears before the menacing word of the Almighty, and not let us lead by the ſpirit of grace and the goſpel which Jeſus Chriſt brought from heaven; Ah! as long as we ſtop our ears before the menacing word, and not accept the gladful tidings of the goſpel, ah! it is not the law nor the goſpel that makes us ſin; but it muſt be the Son of God himſelf that ſeduces poor mortals, ſince it was him that brought us his goſpel, and has confirmed it with ſo many ſigns and wonders: ſo that we cannot ſee Jeſus after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit, that is, if we let us led by the eternal ſpirit of God, he will lead us in all truth; God being the truth, and cannot tell a falſhood after Paul, it muſt be his word without contradiction, and what he has ſpoken muſt be the truth, which all children of God have accepted as the ſame, not as a literal but as a ſpiritual word: And if we will look with ſpiritual eyes into the written word of God, there we cannot ſee Jeſus after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit, we can ſee his image, how he came into this world and how he has opened by his virtues, light, life and example, the door to the kingdom of grace and to eternal life. Ah! who only believes, that his word is truth, he can ſee him, as they have ſeen him ſeventeen hundred and ninety years ago, with all his ſigns and wonders. But finding in various places of holy writ, eſpecially in the prophets, how he was a ſtumbling block, whereon the two houſes were offended; I muſt ask each one of you, ſince men, when he was on earth, grew only worſe, ſtumbled at him and fell, was the Son of the Almighty, the cauſe of it? who as St. John ſaid, was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. Should any body dare to ſtep forward, againſt the teſtimony of St, John and others, who witneſs of him, that he was the word, and ſay, that he was not the word of God, becauſe men grew only worſer by him? as old Simeon ſaid of him, that he was ſet for the fall and riſing again of many in Iſrael; and for a ſign which ſhall be ſpoken againſt; Ah! dear friends whom or at what have the children of men ſpoken againſt or were offended at, at him or at his doctrine or word? I think not at his word, which he preached to men, but as they ſay themſelves, that they do not ſtone him for his good works, but for his blaſphemy, being a man and making himſelf a God; Here my dear friends here you may ſee, that they were not offended at his being a man, ah! they could have bore and tolerate him, if it had not been for his divine doctrine and word, which came from God, and was ſpoken by the eternal Son of God. See dear friends, at this very ſame word of God, which the Son of God has revealed, whereby he has manifeſted his divine image, light and brightneſs, the image of his godhead, his father's everlaſting will and counſel, being with God from eternity; which goſpel doctrine, has ſpread ſuch divine light and brightneſs and has expreſſed the image of Jeſus in ſuch a perſpicuous and perfect a manner, that it ſhone into darkneſs, but darkneſs have not comprehended it, for their works were bad. But ſince the light of life, that is the word of God, has ſhone ſo clear, through Jeſus Chriſt, that it not only reprimanded wicked ſinners, but the thoughts of the heart alſo, why think you ſo evil in your hearts? Ah! they were not deluded by the meek goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, but by their own fleſh and blood and thro' deceit of Satan and by his hypocriſy, whereby he thinks to cloke his deviliſh doctrine under the figure of an angel, and pretending to be a teacher of the goſpel, he does as he did our firſt parents, and has done ſince and at all ages, when he pretended truth for his falſhoods. Ah! therefore, dear friends, don't be deceived, as if men were made to ſin by God's holy word; Ah! by no means friends, but we poor creatures are deluded, by our own luſts and deſires, which dwell in our fleſh, and by ſubtlety of the Devil; this each ſenſible man will confeſs. For this reaſon I muſt ask you, perceiving from your writings, that you take the word of the Spirit, for the word of God, which I do likewiſe; whether the holy Ghoſt, who is the true teacher and expounder, of the many gifts of God, may reveal unto us another law, word, doctrine or goſpel, than the Son of God or God himſelf has made manifeſt unto us? I think not! or the Son of God muſt have erred, when he ſaid, he ſhall take it of mine, and ſhall ſhew it unto you, and again: But the comforter, which is the holy Ghoſt, whom the father will ſend in my name, he ſhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance. whatſoever I have ſaid unto you. St. Paul would have been miſtaken alſo, when he ſaid, if any man preach any other goſpel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accurſed, and the goſpel which was preached of me, is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt; for I have not ſhunned to declare unto you all the counſel of God. See alſo in St. John where he ſaith: if there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your houſe. And St. Peter ſaith: we have alſo a more ſure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well, that ye take heed, as unto a light that ſhineth in a dark place; and St. John again: whoſoever tranſgreſſeth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God: and St. Paul, and if any man obey not my word by this epiſtle, note that man, and have no company with him. The written word being then ſo well atteſted, and its doctrine by a number of witneſſes and of our Saviour himſelf, declared for his word, which he has confirmed by his precious blood, and of which St. Paul ſaith, How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation, which at the firſt began, to be ſpoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. I have told you in the foregoing my meaning and belief of the written word of God, and have ſhewn you from the old and new teſtament, how all ſaints and children of God, have confeſſed it, to be the word of the Lord. And if the contrary can be proved to me, and the teſtimonies of all theſe witneſſes I have quoted, annihilated; but not through philoſophical ſubtlety, but by the immediate teſtimonies of holy writ, that they have erred or wrote falſely; then I will confeſs and ſay, that I am miſtaken, for taking the written word, for the word of God. But O my God! I truſt in thee, that thou wilt not aſhame us poor creatures, in this reſpect, with thy child Jeſus and all holy prophets, apoſtles and ſo many thouſands of ſaints, who have all received it as thy word. Therefore I muſt beſeech you, to take up this my epiſtle in love, and take it in conſideration without partiality, and not to ſee on the ſimple ſtyle, but look to the ground. I ſhall quit here and refer the reader to the holy bible, there he will find more ground, if he ſearches with an upright heart. I recommend you to the word of grace, wiſhing that God will lead and enlighten me and you, with his everlaſting Spirit through Jeſus Chriſt, Amen. His holy name be praiſed now and evermore, Amen.

I CONFESS alſo dear friends! a chriſtian Baptiſm of the faithful children of God, which is to be adminiſtered with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt, which baptiſm is a reception into the church and congregation of ſaints; which baptiſm ought to be adminiſtered unto all men, who ſtand in their firſt birth, and ought not to be called a chriſtian baptiſm, if it is knowingly adminiſtred unto unconverted, ſince the goſpel doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt, is not literal but ſpiritual, as he himſelf ſaith, the word which I have ſpoken is ſpirit and is life. It being then ſpiritual, it requires alſo ſpiritual and regenerated men, whoſe hearts were changed by the word of truth, and became new creatures, that were brought from ſin, to the virtue of Chriſt, from death to life and from darkneſs to the light of Jeſus Chriſt, who ſtrive to crucify their fleſh and to mortify and to ſubdue their luſts. All ſuch has St. John the baptiſt baptized and not wicked ſinners, but has told them to repent, that they might bring forth fruits meet for repentance. See! theſe has St. John baptized, and all ſuch has Jeſus Chriſt commanded to baptize, when he ſaith, All power is given unto me, in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt; teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you; and again: go ye into all the world, and preach the goſpel to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved; but he that believeth not, ſhall be damned. This injunction the diſciples or apoſtles, received as the commandment of their Lord and maſter: But the Lord ſaying by Jeremiah, Behold the days come, that I will make a new covenant with the houſe of Iſrael, and with the houſe of Judah. Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers; but this ſhall be the covenant, that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael; after thoſe days, ſaith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. And they ſhall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, ſaying, know the Lord; for they ſhall all know me, from the leaſt of them, unto the greateſt. The goſpel word or new teſtament, which our Saviour has revealed, being ſpiritual, it is out of the power of the natural man to comprehend it, therefore the diſciples of Chriſt were not able at firſt, to comprehend it perfectly, being yet earthly minded, therefore our Saviour told them, that they could not bear it now; But the holy Ghoſt, whom the father will ſend in my name, he ſhall teach you all things, and bring all things, to your remembrance, whatſoever I have ſaid unto you. Therefore the diſciples of Chriſt were yet wholly unable to propagate the economy of the goſpel, the holy ſpirit not reſting perfectly upon them; for this reaſon their Lord and maſter commanded them, not to depart from Jeruſalem, but wait for the promiſe of the father, to this commandment they were obedient, waiting in prayer day and night, till the day of Pentecoſt, when they were filled with the holy Ghoſt, ſo that their tongues, were like as of fire, and then they began after their Lord and maſter's commandment to teach and to baptize, and in adminiſtring of the ſame they have continued, not by the literal word of the law, but by the word of the Spirit, of which the Spirit of God is the right teacher and interpreter, and in this order they have continued, as we can find in ſo many places, in the Acts of the apoſtles. Therefore the prophecies of the prophets are accompliſhed, that they will teach no more one another, but they will all be teached of the Lord; the diſciples having not teached, but the Spirit has ſpoken through them, and have eſtabliſhed, the economy of the goſpel, as baptiſm and the Lord's ſupper, and the waſhing of feet, likewiſe excommunication and forbearing. All theſe ordinances I confeſs not to be derived from the Jewiſh law, but to be evangelical and chriſtian ordinances of God. You dear friends! confeſſing in your writings, that baptiſm, belongs not to the economy of the goſpel, but being derived from the law. Therefore I muſt aſk you dear friends, to prove to me by the law; where baptiſm has begun under the law, has it not taken its riſe, with John the baptiſt? had John his baptiſm from the law? I think not, but by the divine commandment, or this great prophet, has miſinformed us, when he ſaid, but he that ſent me to baptize with water, the ſame ſaid unto me, upon whom thou ſhalt ſee, the Spirit deſcending and remaining on him. Our Saviour alſo queſtioned the Phariſees, whether the baptiſm of John was from heaven or of men? Why did not the ſcribes and Phariſees anſwer it was from the law, they had not need to be in fear of being ſtoned by the people, but they could not, baptiſm not being founded in the law. John being a forerunner and preacher of repentance, he baptized with the baptiſm of repentance, which is the entrance into the new covenant; thus he had the commandment from God, and Jeſus Chriſt being not come, to do his will, but the will of his Father, therefore he got himſelf baptized by John, in obedience to God, telling him, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteouſneſs. Wherein conſiſteth the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, that he got himſelf baptized by John, what uſe could he derive from water, being the Son of God, perfect, juſt and good? Tell me dear friends, wherein could the righteouſneſs of Chriſt be, in the water or in the word of God, which commanded John to baptize? In my opinion in both, in the firſt place, the righteouſneſs of God preſſing on the word, and being obedient to his father, righteouſneſs is fulfilled. And water was only a ſign, proof, or outward ceremony or work, whereby the obedience of Chriſt, was confirmed and eſtabliſhed. There you may ſee, wherein the righteouſneſs of Chriſt conſiſted, in his baptiſm with water, or only in his obedience. Your teaching that Chriſt has not commanded the outward baptiſm with water, but only the baptiſm with the Spirit; has he not told them after his reſurrection, to go teaching all nations, and to baptize them who believes? To this commandment the apoſtles were obedient, as we find, when St. Peter on the day of Pentecoſt, preaching to them, that they were pricked in their hearts, that they cried out, men and brethren, what ſhall we do, to be ſaved? Then Peter ſaid unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins, and ye ſhall receive the gift of the holy Ghoſt. Dear friends, here you may ſee, how they have baptized them with water, and after baptiſm promiſed them the gift of the holy Ghoſt; we find that Philip has teached and baptized in Samaria, and that after baptiſm, Peter and John prayed over them and laid their hands on them, that they might receive the holy Ghoſt. Philip has alſo baptized the eunuch, tell me what has he teached the Ethiopian, that he wanted to be baptized, when they came unto a certain water? Likewiſe St. Peter with Cornelius, when the holy Ghoſt fell on them, before they were baptized with water; why has Peter commandeth them, to be baptized with water afterwards? Do you think that this dear inſtrument, who was full of the holy Ghoſt, was not ſenſible of the word of God? I think not, but being a clear commandment of the goſpel. We can find alſo, how St. Paul was baptized by Ananias, likewiſe, how Paul has baptized the keeper of the priſon with all his houſe, when he believed in God; alſo the ſeller of purple, and the diſciples, unto which he ſaid, have ye received the holy Ghoſt ſince ye believed? and they ſaid unto him, we have not ſo much as heard whether there be any holy Ghoſt, and who were baptized with the baptiſm of John. The baptiſm of John, being the baptiſm of repentance, which refers man unto Chriſt, therefore has St. Paul baptized them on the name of Jeſus Chriſt, then they received the holy Ghoſt and ſpoke with tongues. Many more teſtimonies could be produced, how they adminiſtred the outward ceremony of the baptiſm with water unto them. It being dear friends! your intention to break through the outward baptiſm with water, I muſt ask you, anſwer me from holy writ, where our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, has given his diſciples or apoſtles, the power, or commandeth them, to baptize men, with the holy Ghoſt? Does not our Lord himſelf exclaim, in many places by the prophets, that in the laſt days, he would pour out, his Spirit upon all fleſh; and John the baptiſt ſaid, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me, he ſhall baptize you with the holy Ghoſt, and with fire. Take notice dear friends, what our Saviour himſelf ſaid: it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will ſend him unto you; and when he is come, he will reprove the world of ſin. Lo! dear friends from theſe quotations of the old and new teſtament, and you will find, that theſe baptiſm of the Spirit. was commandeth unto no man, or much leſs, that we poor mortals, could communicate one another the gift of the Spirit, but it is a divine hidden wiſdom of God, and power of the almighty Father, which ſpirit of grace, he gives to all his children, through Jeſus Chriſt, ſo that he comes upon each of them, who is become a new creature and regenerated, humbling himſelf with a low and contrite heart, in obedience to Chriſt, that is, his word, which he has ſpoken and revealed, in all humility before the throne of grace, ardently praying day and night, for the ſpirit of grace, to be clothed with power, and to lighten the fire of his divine love in the heart. The baptiſm of the ſpirit is therefore a free gift and effuſion of the Almighty, which we poor ereatures, can attain in no other way, than by a contrite heart and continual prayer. On this ſpirit of grace were the diſciples of Chriſt waiting at Jeruſalem, till they received the ſpirit of grace, and by their continual prayers they have obtained the promiſe of the father, and thus the ſpirit of grace, is to be obtained in no other way, as I have ſhewn heretofore, I ſhall ask you, anſwer me, has St. Peter baptized the house of Cornelius, with the holy Ghoſt, or was it an heavenly divine ſecret baptiſm of the Spirit, unknowing to Peter? ſo that he was aſtoniſhed, that the holy Ghoſt (mind) fell on the Gentiles. Tell me have St. Peter and John baptized the diſciples of Samaria with the holy Ghoſt, or was it done by him, who John the baptiſt has ſhewn? I think it was done by him, 〈◊〉 Peter and John's ardent prayer: hear, what Peter ſaid, that by him which they had denied and killed, the Spirit had been poured out, and quotes from the prophet Joel, that this were the days, promiſed by God, in which he would pour out, his Spirit upon all fleſh. Tell me has Ananias, baptized Paul with water or with the holy Ghoſt? I think with water, and Paul turning himſelf unto repentance and received the word and will of God, with an open heart, God has given him, his Spirit by his free grace. Tell me has Paul the apoſtle baptized the twelve, only with the holy Ghoſt, and not with water? Ah no! but with water, and afterwards the holy Ghoſt fell on them, that they ſpoke with tongues. From this it is clear and evident, that Chriſt, has not commanded his diſciples, or given them power, to make uſe of the baptiſm of the Spirit, but has told them to preach the goſpel, and whoſoever believes in the ſame, and repents in humble obedience, him they ſhould baptize; and who was baptized already, but believes not the goſpel, ſhall be damned. Here dear friends! we may ſee, how it is not the baptiſm of the Spirit, which our Saviour commanded his diſciples; for it may not be obtained by any men, except he is a true child of God. God knowing and ſearching the hearts of men, we cannot deceive him, with hypocriſy: but poor mortals as we are, we may be deceived, as we may ſee, how Philip was deceived by Simon; when Peter and John came, laying their hands on the diſciples and praying over them, they received the holy Ghoſt; there the heart of Simon revealed himſelf, when he offered them money, to give him power that on whomſoever he layed hands, he might receive the holy Ghoſt. But Peter ſaid unto him, thy money periſh with thee, becauſe thou haſt thought that the gift of God, may be purchaſed with money; thou haſt neither part nor lat, in this matter. Here we may ſee, that to be ſaved, conſiſt not in baptiſm, but in the word, being commanded in it; as Abraham, when he received the command to ſacrifice his ſon Iſaac, he being obedient unto God, which was held him for his righteouſneſs. The ſacrificing of his ſon, being a teſtimony, proof or ſeal of his obedience, whereby his faith was confirmed. It is the ſame with the outward baptiſm with water, ſince it was expreſsly commandeth, therefore all faithful children of God, become new creatures, by obedience and the word of truth; our Saviour ſaying, If a man love me, he will keep my words; if you love me, keep my commandments; for this reaſon they believing firmly, that whoſoever tranſgreſſes, has no God. But ſince you ſay and will take it for a ſtrong argument, when the apoſtle ſaid, that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptiſm, from this you will infer, that there is only the baptiſm of the Spirit, and you will of courſe deny any other baptiſm, though our Saviour himſelf ſaith: that he muſt be baptized with a baptiſm, and again he ſaid to his diſciples, are ye able to be baptized with the baptiſm, that I am baptized with? ye ſhall indeed be baptized, with the baptiſm that I am baptized with. Here we can ſee how Chriſt, ſpeaks of another baptiſm, wherewith they muſt be baptized; all children of God having participated in that baptiſm of ſufferance. Here we may ſee, how Chriſt ſpeaks not only of the baptiſm of the ſpirit, but of three different baptiſms, that is, of water, ſpirit and ſufferance, and calls them all three baptiſms. Therefore, if we look rightly into the doctrine and meaning of the apoſtle, it may be well, that there is only one Lord, one faith and one baptiſm, that is, he being the only Lord and Ruler of the univerſe, and has manifeſted his goſpel word, and cauſed it to be revealed and preached by his diſciples and apoſtles, how it is the perfect will and commandment of the Almighty Father, which Jeſus Chriſt brought from heaven. See dear friends for this reaſon, he is called one Lord by Paul, when he ſaid further, that there is one faith, ſo we cannot find more but one faith; this faith is not literal, as all men confeſs, when they ſay, that they believe in Jeſus Chriſt, but deny his word, by their works and deeds. Ah dear friends! this is not the genuine quickening faith, but this faith has the quality, to make the heart good and upright before God, it is a gift and preſent of the Almighty, which we poor creatures cannot communicate one another, but is to be derived from the word of God, if it is preached in right a manner, there it receives faith, which quickening faith moves and preſſes ſinners, ſo that they grow terrified, quit ſin and live voluntarily in obedience to the word. This faith being accompanied with the love or ſpirit of God, and our Saviour ſays, that he leads into all truth, and love being from God, it leads alſo to the keeping of the commandment of God, as our Saviour ſays, if you love me you will keep my commandments, and John teaches: he that ſaid, he loves God, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar. Since true quickening faith, bids ſo ſtrictly the keeping of the word, and the ſpirit leads unto truth, and love to obedience and keeping of the commandments of God. And whereas the apoſtles were clothed with the ſame ſpirit, faith and love, ſo this ſpirit, faith and love have driven, moved and made their tongues fiery, that they in the firſt place, after the commandment of their Lord and maſter, begun to teach, and then to baptize with water, in the name of Jeſus Chriſt for the remiſſion of ſins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the holy Ghoſt, as they received the commandment from Jeſus. See here, in what light, Paul called Jeſus one Lord, he having given unto men, his commandments and interdictions, and there being only one faith who accompanied with ſpirit and love, brings to obedience, therefore it is ſpiritual, through the word of God, ſpirit, faith and love; I ſay once more ſpiritual, ſince every thing was teached and performed by the ſpirit of God, according to what the apoſtle ſaid, that we were all baptized through one Spirit to one body, and as he calls it in another place, the waſhing of regeneration. But it is not to be underſtood, that baptiſm, is the regeneration, but I would only prove, how baptiſm is neceſſary unto regenerated, as a proof and ſeal, that they were regenerated, or elſe circumciſion muſt have been the covenant himſelf; but circumciſion was only an addition to the covenant, as a proof of obedience: So it is with baptiſm, for St. Paul ſaid, that they were cleanſed with the waſhing of water by the word; Ah! dear friends it is not to be underſtood, that they were cleanſed by the waſhing of water, but by the word, being obedient unto God; as our Saviour ſaith, ye are clean, by the word, that I have ſpoken unto you. We can read likewiſe how St. Peter repreſents baptiſm after Noah, when the ark was a preparing, wherein few that is eight ſouls were ſaved by water. The like figure whereunto, even baptiſm, doth alſo now ſave us (not the putting away the filth of the fleſh, but the anſwer of a good conſcience towards God.) To underſtand this right we muſt take Noah as a figure on Chriſt and the ark as his word, and the entrance of Noah the congregation of God; therefore was Noah called a preacher of righteouſneſs, and thus he has prepared the ark by the commandment of God, for himſelf and his houſe, therefore the ark was prepared by the word of the Lord and at the ſame time repentance preached. Thus Chriſt as the true preacher of righteouſneſs, came into this world, and prepared the ark of the new covenant by the command of his heavenly father, for his children and people and has preached repentance. It was alſo with Noah, when he received the divine command, to enter into the ark he and his houſe, he paid obedience unto it, Thus Chriſt when the ark of the new teſtament was prepared, entered into it, and has confirmed and ſealed the new covenant by his precious and innocent blood, in obedience to the will of his father. So as the family of Noah entered it after him obediently, alſo the oeconomy of Chriſt enters, through obedience and repentance into the ark of the new covenant, and as the waters of the flood roſe and all fleſh periſhed, but the water bearing the ark, that Noah and his family were ſaved by the water. But it is not quite to be underſtood, that they were ſaved by the water only, Peter calling it a type on baptiſm. Therefore the preſervation of Noah and his family, conſiſted not in the water, but eſpecially in obedience, he believing God and preparing the ark by faith; So it is with the baptiſm of water, it being commanded in the unalterable will of God, therefore all faithful, will not reject it, but pay obedience, with living faith, unto the word of God, accepting the baptiſm with water, ſo as time and occaſion occurs, for St. Peter ſaid, that even baptiſm, doth alſo now ſave us, (not the putting away of the filth of the fleſh, but the anſwer of a good conſcience towards God.) Here we may ſee how explicitly Peter ſpeaks of baptiſm, for the ſake of our ſalvation, how neceſſary it is to be ſaved, our ſalvation conſiſting altogether in Chriſt and in keeping of his commandments; faith without works being dead, and it being told in the goſpelword, to make uſe of this baptiſm with water, and whoſoever is become a new creature and regenerated, keeping all and every thing preſcribed in the goſpel, and would refuſe the baptiſm with water, if he could have it in a chriſtian manner, but would reject it, from ſpiritual pride or negligence or ſelf-conceited righteouſneſs, the ſame ſhall know, that he ſlights the will of God, for our Saviour ſays, that whoſoever tranſgreſſes one, is guilty of the whole. We find alſo, that the ſelfthoughts of men are of no avail; for Saul erred greatly in tranſgreſſing the word of the Lord, and acting after his own thoughts; what avail had the man of God, in going to Bethel, to propheſy, when he tranſgreſſeth the word of the Lord, that the lion devoureth him? Therefore St. Peter calls baptiſm a ſaving, faith and obedience being made perfect thereby; he ſays alſo, "that it does not put away the filth of the fleſh, but the anſwer of a good conſcience towards God; Water is alſo not able to cleanſe us, but our hearts muſt be cleanſed by the word and blood of Chriſt, if we proſtrate ourſelves in humility and true repentance before him, crying for mercy, he then forgives us our ſins, out of his free grace, when faith, ſpirit and love are united together. In this obedience, all true children of God went and got themſelves baptized in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, yielding themſelves into the communion of ſaints, renouncing the Devil, denying their own fleſh and blood, giving over their own will and devoting themſelves wholly, to their huſband and bridegroom Jeſus Chriſt. And this is the covenant, which all children of God muſt enter into with their God and bridegroom. Water therefore is not the covenant, but a teſtimony of the covenant and of the true obedience; we find alſo, that the apoſtles have kept this rule, for St. Paul repeats it, to the Romans that if they ſhould have been loath, and exhorts them, that they ſhould know, that ſo many of them as were baptized into Jeſus Chriſt, were baptized into his death, and tells them, that like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead, by the glory of the father, even ſo they alſo ſhould walk in newneſs of life: And he admoniſhes the Galatians, they having left the faith and depended upon the law, he ſhews them again to the new covenant, which they had accepted, when he ſaid, whether they did not know, that as many of them as have been baptized into Chriſt, have put on Chriſt, he ſays, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus. But it is not to be underſtood, that they became one by the water, but by the quickening faith, ſpirit and the love of God, who wroughts always their fruit and brings unto obedience, and the water being only the fruit and proof of obedience, whereby faith is confirmed. We find alſo how the apoſtle exhorts the Hebrews, for when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the firſt principles of the oracles of God, and are become ſuch as have need of milk, and not of ſtrong meat. Therefore he ſays, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of ſaith towards God, of the doctrine of baptiſm, and of laying on of hands, and of reſurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. See here how the apoſtle exhorteth the faithful, how they have need, that one teach them again, but to continue in the doctrine, he will leave it, and go on unto perfection; ſo that we can ſee, that all epiſtles, which the apoſtles have wrote, were directed to congregations, which they had edified before by the goſpel, exhorting them always, to be ſtedfaſt, in what they had accepted. St. Luke has related us the whole oeconomy of the goſpel, that we may ſee, how the apoſtles have eſtabliſhed it, by the ſpirit and word of God. Therefore I acknowledge all inſtitutions of God, which are outwardly performed in the congregation of ſaints, that they are right and unexceptionable, as alſo the breaking of the bread, and I acknowledge likewiſe, that they are not derived from the Jews, but appertain unto the oeconomy of Chriſt, ſince he has inſtituted them himſelf, and has commanded that they ſhould be exerciſed. But your doctrine ſaying, that all theſe inſtitutions were brought to their end under the new covenant, and that the apoſtles found it expedient to continue them any farther, being derived from the law of Moſes, I muſt ask you, what ſhall be the reaſon, when St. Paul writes to the Hebrews, that he will leave the the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt. Was Paul's intention to leave all, the doctrine, and all what he has mentioned there? I think not, or elſe he would have continued in inſtructing them. But hear! he will leave the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt only with them, who were inſtructed many times therein, and received the baptiſm already, with them it would have been unneceſſary, he having found them remiſs therein. Or it is becauſe St. Paul had ſaid that he had not been ſent to baptize, but to preach the goſpel; if he was not ſent to baptize, why did he baptize nevertheleſs? for he ſays that he baptized ſome amongſt them. But this is no proof, that he thought baptiſm to be unneceſſary, for he tells them moreover, that he hath planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increaſe, he ſaid this, about their diſtenſions and diviſions amongſt them, he apprehending, that they might ſay, he having baptized in his name. I ſhall leave it here and refer the cordial reader to the holy Bible, and if it can be proved otherwiſe to me from the ſame, I am ready to take advice, and if I ſhould be called up, to give more ground, I am willing in my ſimpleneſs, to give it after the admonition of St. Peter. But if you acknowledge it to be right, then give the honour unto God, and not unto men. I recommend you my dear friends, with me, to the powerful word of his Grace, that he may comfort your hearts and ſtabliſh you in every good word and work, and lead us and every one to the paſture of his word, and to the right underſtanding of God, this I wiſh you and me, and unto all men, through Jeſus Chriſt Amen.

I MUST add one ſhort queſtion or admonition to you my dear friends! Perceiving in the goſpel word and the books of the Prophets, that our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, is a peaceable King, and reigns a peaceable kingdom, as the prophet ſaith: For unto us a child is born, unto us a ſon is given: and the government ſhall be upon his ſhoulder, and his name ſhalt be called, Wonderful, Counſellor, the mighty God, the everlaſting Father, the Prince of Peace. He ſays moreover, that they will turn their ſwords into ploughſhears and their ſpears into pruning-hooks, and they ſhall know of no wars; the wolf alſo ſhall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard ſhall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child ſhall lead them. And the cow and the bear ſhall feed, their young ones ſhall lie down together: and the lion ſhall eat ſtraw like the ox. And the ſuckling child ſhall play on the hole of the aſp, and the weaned child ſhall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all my holy mountain. Many more paſſages could be quoted from the books of the Prophets of this peaceable king Jeſus Chriſt, and of his peaceable kingdom and church, how he will eſtabliſh right on earth and the iſles ſhall wait for his law. This king of kings in coming into this world, was not born in a royal palace, but a ſtable muſt be his inn, he was alſo always perſecuted, baniſhed, hated and mocked at from his youth, and came at laſt to the ignominious death on the croſs as a curſe and expiatory ſacrifice for all the world. But ſince we can find in no place, that he even ſought revenge, or revenged himſelf, but he teaches us, that it was ſaid by them in old times, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and thou ſhalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy;" the Son of the Almighty tells us the contrary, ſaying, but I ſay unto you, that ye reſiſt not evil: but whoſoever ſhall ſmite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other alſo, and love your enemies, bleſs them that curſe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which diſpitefully uſe you, and perſecute you; and if any man will ſue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak alſo. Jeſus Chriſt having gone before us, in this doctrine, life and example, and has commanded us, to follow his ſaid example and has denied all revenge and reſiſtance, which he has ſhewn and manifeſted in his goſpel doctrine and kingdom of grace, and has told us to bear all afflictions wherewith he viſits us, and not to revenge ourſelves, but leave vengeance unto him. You ſaying in your publications, that all revenge was forbidden under the new covenant, which I confeſs alſo: I muſt put this queſtion to you, where war, is more and earneſtly forbidden as going to law, reſiſt force by force and to be elected into offices; and if we for the goſpel and Chriſt's ſake, cannot hold any office, how ſhould we be capable, to elect others into offices, does not Jeſus ſay, "that his kingdom was not from this world, and that he would appoint unto us a kingdom, as his father hath appointed unto him." You denying totally all warfare, but make uſe of going to law, by reſiſting force by force, almoſt as much and more as people of other denominations. I muſt ask you once more, where the one is more forbidden than the other. I confeſs alſo that there are two kingdoms, Chriſt ſaying, that his kingdom was not from this world. There we find, that the kingdom of Chriſt is different from the kingdoms of this world, as he ſaith to his diſciples, "the kings of the Gentiles exerciſe lordſhip over them; and they that exerciſe authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye ſhall not be ſo: but that is greateſt among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief as he that doth ſerve." And again when the revenge of the law took place with his diſcipies, that they ſaid unto him, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and conſume them, even as Elias did? Our Saviour rebuked them and ſaid, ye know not what manner of ſpirit ye are of. There we can ſee how Chriſt has commanded his diſciples, to keep peace: when he ſaid, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, I give unto you. By this ſhall all men know, that ye are my diſciples, if ye have love one to another. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his brethren. Since it is clear and manifeſt, that the kingdom of Chriſt is a peaceable kingdom, but men being bad from nature, withſtanding the peace of the Almighty and will not ſubmit themſelves under the ſcepter of his word. Therefore all men who will not ſubmit under the ſcepter of the Almighty, they muſt ſubmit themſelves under the ſcepter of the kings and princes of this world, which were ordained of God the king of kings and lord of lords, to reign the kingdom of this world. Therefore all and every one ſtands under the obligation to pay allegiance and obedience unto them, and to avoid, all rebellion or conſpiracy, that might be ploted againſt them; but not for the ſake of kings or princes, but for God's ſake, they being ordained of God to their adminiſtrations; children of God and regenerated, and who have followed the ſpirit of God and have voluntarily ſubmitted themſelves under the ſcepter of his word, have no further obligation to be obedient unto them as in ſo far, as their law are not contrary to the word of God, for it is juſt and right to obey God more, then unto men. This peace being offered unto all men, and unto all without exception, repentance was preached through Chriſt, 〈…〉 in the goſpel word, therefore no man 〈…〉 , be he Jew, Gentile or Turk, or of what 〈…〉 , nation or denomination he may be, be they 〈◊〉 or of a mean deſcent, rich or poor, king or prince, they were all called unto repentance, for God is no reſpecter of perſons: Unto all was alſo given, one and the ſame law and word, for he does not care the power of the mighty, nor is he aſhamed, of the lowneſs of the poor; Therefore whoſoever repents, proſtrating himſelf with a contrite heart, before the majeſty of the Almighty in humility and ſubmitting himſelf, in true regeneration, quits ſin, and goes out of every thing, that is againſt God and his word, he may be who he will, the ſame will obtain this free grace. Whoſoever comes unto me, I will in no wiſe reject him, and come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt, for the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this ſeal, "The Lord knoweth them, that are his. And let every one, that nameth the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity." As to your addreſſes, which you ſend to kings and princes, I can at this time ſee no other motive in it, as that they are meant to flatter with, and to obtain applauſe and honour before the world. I bid you farewell dear friends, and the God of peace will bleſs our hearts. To him be praiſe, honour and power, now and evermore, through Jeſus Chriſt, Amen.