things spoken by both parties are reconcileable and that there is no lye to be devided between us nor applyed to either of us for that her soul was in bitterness and conflict at thy charge layd upon her 't is evident which sent her to him who alone knows how to deliver his sons and daughters when they fly and cry unto him and before her answer was returned to thee was heard in what she feared The strength of Israel was prevailed with and it was said unto her soul I will set him at liberty from him that puffeth at him thus of weak was made strong by the arm of the mighty God of Iacob who had set her above thy charge and therefore well might she say at the sending the Answer to thee I am no way troubled at thy continued charges thus hast thou this filth wiped off and needest not be troubled except it be that thou hast spoken unadvisedly with thy lips in accusing the innocent Reprover Onely I shall let thee see in a few words what a body of confusion is in this daughter thou art boasting of She saies she knows her self assuredly to be in the Kingdom of God yet still kept groaning for Adoption Reply Hast thou fairly and honestly recited passages or hast thou not injured the truth in this thy recital shouldst not thou have used her own words when thou sayst she sayes Thou shouldst have said the Kingdom of Grace for so saith the Letter And hast thou not left out a material sentence which manifestly alters the case and makes it speak another thing then is intended the words in the Letter are these Yet nevertheless am still kept groaning waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of my body Which last clause thou hast wholly omitted which is the explanation of the former and may not be read without it Was it not an aggravation of the fault in the Tempter to pretend Scripture to back his temptation with an omission of a material part of a sentence Mat. 4. 6. I will not apply it perhaps thou mightst do it ignorantly not willingly however at best it was not fair to say no more 2. But why should it seem to thee a thing incredible and be branded with so much contempt that a son or daughter of God who hath received the spirit of Adoption of Sonship and translated into the kingdom of the dear Son of Love the Lord Jesus that such should groan within themselves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of their body Hast thou never heard of a company of Redeemed ones who were delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of the dear son of the Fathers love in whom they have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Yet even these redeemed ones these that are thus translated into the kingdom of his dear son are advised to take heed of being spoyled through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ These are further exhorted to mortifie their members which are upon the earth to put off anger and to put on bowels of mercy and above all to put on Love which is the bond of Perfectness There is all this and much more to be found in that Letter or Estle written by Paul to the Colossians who also testifies it was his own case as appears in the eighth of the Romans where notwithstanding that the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus had made him free from the Law of sin and death verse the second and that he and the beleeving Romans had the witness in themselves the spirit it self bearing witness with their spirits that they were the children of God and had received the spirit of Adoption whereby they did cry Abba Father Yet nevertheless this holy and blessed witness of Jesus Paul himself and others with him notwithstanding they had received the spirit of Adoption and all that is above mentioned yet account it but as a first fruits of the spirit and groan within themselves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of the body these were those who were heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ who nevertheless waited for the Adoption in the sence mentioned before here is no cover no gloss no interpretation no meanings but plain testimonie of Scripture to which agrees that which is witnessed of the condition of other Saints of God who although they were translated into the kingdom of the dear son yet had somthing still to be subdued and mortified and were to cleanse themselves from all pollution or filthiness both of flesh and spirit perfecting holyness in the fear of God These things considered I hope thou wilt see cause to cease to condemn the generation of the righteous because they dare not say they are perfect though notwithstanding through the strength of Christ they are going on to perfection striving against sin watching against it and warring against it and assured in their measure that they shall one day be more then conquerors through him that loves them who both teacheth their hands to fight and their fingers to war and what else meanes those words of this friend whom thou dost charge with obstinate wickedness who saith in these words following Through Grace I can testifie the gracious preservation my heavenly father doth daily visit me with a teaching leading power of his holy spirit whereby I finde my self in the kingdom of Grace not shut out as thou sayest by my comprehension nor vain imagination having received union with that holy spirit in my measure do daily take counsel and try first my own deceivings which are within me and those also which are without which causeth me to turn away from so many who professe they are sent messengers from the Lord The good Lord I beleeve assuredly will as he hath faithfully promised to my soul break every yoke of sinful covenant within me it is no grief of heart but true joy yea wonderfully more then my pen at this season can express to feel and find the increase of his grace in my soul with his peace which passeth mans understanding yea even thy deep censures This may suffice to clear away that body of confusion at which thou art so causelesly offended and so grossy stumblest Reprover And had she known the kingdom of God in her she had never wondred how I-durst adventure to write to one whose face I had not seen as she doth in her Paper and saies she consider whether ever the Apostles or Prophets thou art like herein Art thou not still out of the way wouldst thou bear it from another see if thou hast not again varied the case much and judge if it be fair Doth the Letter say she wondered how thou durst adventure to writt to one whose face thou hadst not seen or doth it not say I therefore doe the more wonder how thou durst adventure upon one thou knowest not
then asks if it be in any one before they be born again manifest thy confusion and ignorance of the new birth 5. To thy fifth I say that perfection is Christ Iesus and his life made manifest in mortal flesh and self denyed dead and buried and there is no sin But thou that tells of going on to perfection and knows not what it is art going thou knowst not whether and stumbles at the light which should guide thee 6. To thy last that spirit is that which in fallen man lusteth after the works of the Devil and worldly things but receiving the light of Christ and by it being guided it comes to be redeemed from those lusts and joyned to God and receives his witness and so loves and serve him which before served Satan and the world Thus having Answered thine in as much plainnses as I can to the understanding of the meekest of the children of light I return these again to thee desiring the like from thee in as much plainness 1. Is the living word of God received or known in this life any other way but in spirit within or is it visible or invisible or can any have the Word of God who hath it not in spirit is the Covenant of God and his Kingdom within or without 2. Can there be any Redemption for the Creature with out Christ in them and is not he the only light and way to the Father in the creatures or can any come to God any other way but by his light was it sufficient before the Letter and what is the thing that must be added to it now to make it sufficient seeing its sufficiency is now questioned which never was before by any that professed him come in the flesh 3. Whether any who read the Letter without this light of Christ it them can find out the mystery of it or the way to the Father or do not all who have not learned first of that spirit wrest the Scriptuure to their own destruction or can any speak or walk according to the word who have not the light in them 4. Whether the Prophets the Christ or the Apostles did ever preach any other light but the saving light of Christ which is the true light which being beleeved and followed will lead out of darkness to the Father of light and was that light which John calls the true light the light of Christ and who they are that have not this light tendred to them and what is their condemnation or is any light of Christ 〈◊〉 of in the Letter not sufficient 5. Doth not the man of sin sit in the Temple of God within people till he be cast out and must not the light of Christ reveal him within 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 the Letter 〈◊〉 reveal him within without the light or cannot the light of Christ within rev al him and the spirit of light cast him out without-the Scriptures 6. What is the inward man and what is the outward man spoken of in the Scripture and how doth the inward man renew though the outward man perish and what in the several food of each man and where it is to be found what is their several fruits and from what do they arise and can any redeemed one bring forth the same fruits that was before the fall or fruits better or fruits not so good and from what different ground shall they now arise in redeemed ones and whether the second Adam can recover to man in this world what was lost here in the first These being plainly answered people may know whether they be in the first Adam or in the second James Naylor Reply to the fore-going Paper FRiend he that is born of God in plainness and simplicity of his heart utters the things which he hath heard and learnt of him and can truly and honestly witness that as he beleeveth so he speaketh viz. plainly without warping or prevaricating not departing from the truth by any covers or glosses but speaks out of a sincere heart as before him whose eyes behold the secretest thought At the reading of thy paper in answer to mine of the 25th of the last moneth I was grieved yea and I am so to see such an appearance of a departing from the simplicity which was held forth to thee therein easily discernable by any ingenious person And it is to me out of doubt that whosoever reads thy late Paper and compares it with what it refers to will easily discern more then I am willing to say touching it however I am willing to point thee to some things among many and to advise thy further perusal thereof I pass by thy personal reflections are they not written in a book I mean all thy hard words and speeches Doest thou deal sincerely and plainly touching the person on whom thou wouldest father a lie not distinguishing between the words I am and I was is there not difference enough here may not that be my case this day or in present which was not so erstwhile wilt thou see a case Psalm 73. When I thought to know this it was too painfull for me untill I went into the Sanctuary of God then I understood c. was not enough said to have sufficed an honest heart and to have set him to rights in a matter so clear but I refer thee to what is said and leave thee Thou art very crooked in thy reply about visitors for its evident the Publisher spake of persons to have been the Visitors whom he calls such as were distinguished by the name of the Northern people which cannot be truly affirmed of Papers or Letters saving thy quibble about the distinction between Papers and Letters I dis-own the stistinction I mean honestly and plainly Thou art seen in thy confounding the Letters making one speak for another its plain where thou sayest its said Kingdom of God the Letters speak not so but sayes Kingdome of Grace It s obvious to every ones view that reads them Though thou sayest thou readest but of two Kingdomes in Scripture the Kingcome of God and the Kingdome of Sathan thou mayest read of a Kingdome of Heaven a Kingdome of Priests besides that of the Father and of the Son but least thou shouldst say these are comprehended in the first I insist not on them But what may that be where it is said Matth. 8. 12. But the Children shall be cast out into utter darkness the Children of the Kingdome if these be the Children of the Kingdome of God that sounds something harsh if of Sathan are they not in utter darknesse already Let it be considered what Kingdome this must be Thou sayest I heap up many of the Saints words whose condition I never learned of God I say to that but this let God be true though man be a lie hadst thou looked into that heap thou talkest on thou would'st have seen what is there witnessed and have found thy self reproved by plain evidence of Scripture and mayest do so still
Strength in VVeakness OR The Burning Bush not Consumed Being an Answer formerly published under this Title to two Letters written by James Naylor To which is now added several other Papers written since by the same hand whereof one is Intituled The secret shootings of the wicked Reproved With a Reply thereunto as also to the rest respectively By J. J. Published at the request of some for the satisfaction of others and tendred to the serious perusall of the Impartiall and un-prejudic'd Reader Judge not according to appearance but Judge Righteous Judgement For With what measure ye meat it shal be measured to you again London Printed by J. Macock 1655. The Publisher to the READER FRiend before thou readest the insuing Letters mayst thou be advertised touching the occasion of their Publication This daughter of Abraham who is the Subject having been visited by many of the Persons distinguished and commonly known by the name of the Northern people at sundry times and in sundry manner of waies which occasioned as in her self much inquiry accompanied with many Prayers and Soul-searchings not without great and sore temptations from that terrible Adversary who was not wanting to help on the Affliction to the utmost which conflict was repeated and renewed as oft as opportunity was given by her new Visitors and hath produced in many persons whose eyes were fastned upon her much thinking and some speakings what is or would be the issue hereof having this opportunity of knowledge under her own hand I thought it was not sufficient for me to know how it stood with her Soul after all those bitter assaults and contests which she hath sustained by her Adversary and Enemy of her Peace both within her and without her but that those also who desire satisfaction herein may inform themselves hereby this is one reason why thou hast this trouble given thee but chiefly and above all that it might be testified to Sons and Daughters to small and great that notwithstanding all her Exercises and Tryals which have not been small yet her Bow is caused to abide in strength to the glory and praise of him on whom it is given her to beleeve and this is necessary to be known by those who desire to know it Touching the Letters themselves I wil not at this time say any thing but leave it to the most wise and holy God to direct the wife in heart to codsider them Farewel To her hand who is the Wife of James Noel these deliver FRiend a Seed is in thee which I own which hath kept thee tender in a measure of the fear for whose sake some openings of the Lords love thou hast had by which some hope thou hast had of the presence of the Father of love which hope was given for staying the mind till the light of the Covenant should appear to lead thee into the Covenant him to know and his face to see which is eternal life this was manifest in the time of thy tenderness to stay thy mind on him till the time appointed that the door of the Inheritance should be opened whereat to enter but in the mean time the fear being lost another principle hath catcht the hope into the comprehension and hath led thee out into the visible expectations of a thing to come so that instead of growing into that measure thou hadst till the day thou hast lost that which thou sometimes had and knows not where to come to it again thy imaginations being got betwixt which ever shut up the Kingdom and now thou stands a far off when thou should enter and not being joyned to that spirit which is able to try all things and hold onely to that which is good thou art afraid to be deceived yet hast thou not that which thy soul longs after to be deceived on but that which hath deceived thee puts thee in fear and this thou should see didst thou take Counsel where thy hope was first awakened and this I say to thee in the word of the Lord that Covenant must be broken to which thou art now joyned before ever thou see his presence whom thy soul longs after though there be nothing by that spirit that nâ—w rules in thee more feared and this that in thy conscience which is my witness thou shalt confess too at that day when the Book is opened A Lover of thy Soul James Naylor For the hand of him who is called James Naylor these are FRiend your writing I have I trust seriously considered of I therefore do the more wonder how thou durst adventure upon one thou knew'st not to lay such a heavy charge as thou hast done on me whose face thou never sawest a seed thou ownest in me which thou affirmest kept me in a measure tender for whose sake thou sayest I received some openings of the Fathers love to this I answer I find no seed can keep from sin nor make known the Fathers love to poor sinners but Jesus Christ the Scriptures bare witness thereunto Iohn 1. 3. 9. Matth. 11. 27. him once received is the onely true door of entrance and onely new Covenant-keeper and in those onely is and doth Christ Jesus make known himself unto and they alone which have so known him can truly bear testimony of this Truth your catching principle I let passe not knowing it by that name what thou meanest but in the holy fear of my God rejoyce in this that I am kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation yet nevertheless am still kept groaning waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of my body and so through Grace can this day testifie the gracious preservation my heavenly Father doth dayly visit me with a teaching leading power of his holy spirit whereby I find my self in the Kingdom of Grace not shut out as thou sayest by my comprehension nor vain imagination having received Union with that holy spirit in my measure do daily take counsel and try first my own deceivings which are within me and those also which are without which causeth me to turn away from so many who profess they are sent Messengers from the Lord great cause have I to take carefull heed from being deceived and fear it also when my onely fore-seeing Lord Jesus did so strictly forewarn and fore-tell what should come to pass in the last days Matth. 24. The good Lord I beleeve assuredly wil as he hath faithfully promised to my Soul break every yoak of sinfull Covenant in me 't is no grief of heart but true joy yea wonderfully more then my Pen at this season can express to feel and finde the increase of his grace in my soul with his peace which passeth mans understanding yea even thy deep censures for thy appealing to my awakened conscience I make my appeal already to him who alone is the alone Judge between thee and me that I know not any of thy charges to be true thou hast sent me written in thy Letter if now thou
hast thus written by revelation to me or by information from others consider from whence it commeth I say consider whether either the Apostles or the Prophets thou art like unto herein I know it to be no evill but my duty to wait for the injoyment of all that is fore-told in the holy Scriptures Oh my soul wait thou on God for my expectation is from him leave me to the Lords Tryal So do I freely leave thee not having faith to follow thee nor thy friends yet to manifest love to thee and thy friends for thy Soul at the Throne of Grace and all other outward expressions of Love for thee and thy friends as in my measure I am able through Christ The 16th of the 4th Moneth 1655. Mary Noel To Mary Noel deliver these FRiend had I known thee no other way but by sight or hearing or any outward appearance I durst not have writ on to thee nor owned a Seed in thee nor do I appear to that in thee which so judges my witness is that in thee that never changeth which shall confess what I have writ to be from the Eternal Unity and Love to thy soul which another principal calls a heavy charge yet art thou made to confess it in thy Letter If thou didst but see it who art yet groaning and waiting for Adoption and yet says thou art in the Kingdom truly friend thou knowst not what it is to be in the Kingdom none are there but Sons yet canst thou not bear it that it should be called comprehensions though it be sound and not stattering as for those Christ Iesus foretold to come in the last days they are come and in the world have been many hundred years and their fruits do make them manifest as he hath spoken and were thou joyned to that seed thou talk'st on thou should know them and avoyd them not because they are messengers sent of the Lord but be ause they run unsent and those are enemies to such are sent and was ever and whereas thou says thou knows not any one thing true that I writ to thee I say if thou hadst known it then should I not have been moved to write to thee of it But for thy sake who knows not who hast not him whom thy soul longs after which is the sum of my writing which thou denies calling God to iudge between us and yet confesses thou art waiting for Adoption and Redemption which if thou had it why shouldst thou wait for it as that of God in thy conscience shall witness when thou shalt cease to put the Iudge a far off thee for that Wisdom could never own Apostles nor Prophets yet was they manifest to every mans conscience in the sight of God and iâ— thou read me in that which is meek and longs after Christ Iesus then the harsh nature will be judged and thou wilt see that plainness is pure love till then I must bear the reproach of the world and looks for no other from all whom I have to deal with knowing that my Message is against the will of all men I. N. For the hands of James Naylor FRiend I am no way troubled at thy continual charges but do assuredly know in whom I have beleeved and certain knowledge I have received of my spiritual Son-ship in Christ Jesus and by this holy Union with Christ Jesus my head have been by him taught many years past to try the publick Teachers of this Nation with those private also who have held forth themselves to be sent Messengers from Christ Jesus and by his holy spirit to which I am united am taught to turn from them and from thee also who hast run before thou wast sent with this false message to me assuredly knowing my self to be in the Kingdom though men and Devils say never so much to the contrary my assurance wherof I speak came not by them therefore they cannot take it from me I am not afraid to declare what the Lord hath done for my soul before the faces of thousands If I knew it were my duty this with holy confidence do I know and lift up my head with joy when the fire shall try and doth already every mans work of what sort it is So I leave thee to him who is the onely righteous Judge between thee and me desiring thee no more to write unto me for I am taught to turn from thee as I already have done from others yet remaining to manifest Duties of love to thee and thy friends through the strength of my Christ as need is offereâ— Mary Noel The Secret Shooting of the wicked reproved Or a word to the nameless Publisher of that he calls Strength in weakness or the burning Bush NOw is the living God visiting his people and gathering his seed out of Babylon and Egypt and hath called out his servants and sent them to these strange Kings with his Message to bring out to light that which hath been kept in prison whereat Pharaoh is exceedingly troubled and the King of Babylons Posts meet one another with this cry Our Kingdome is taken at one end the Sea rages and all that have treasures in Ships are gathered to stand up for their God and their King to keep in bondage But from him that sits upon the seat of iniquity to the Magitians that use the inchantments to deceive withal yea and upon all that beleive them shall the hand of the Lord be to make Babylon desolate and to dash her children against the stones which lie in the streets thereof which all the builders refuse This is the Lords doing and wo to him that doth resist him who hath sent his Word to strange Nations and to people of dark understandings whether they will hear or for bear And thou amongst the rest who calls thy self the publisher of what I write to James Nowell's Wife but conceals thy name as one ashamed of his vision saying in thy practice Smite him secretly as the Bâ—ckbiters and Whisperers of old ever did stirring up prejudice in the minds of people and making them evil affected against the truth so dost thou against the movings and Messages of the living God in his servants rendring them under the names of sore Temptations terrible Adversaries bitter Assaults of the enemy and such like corrupt words thou uses to inform the Reader withal before he read the Letters and when thou hast cast out thy venom against the truth of the Lord then thou covers thy self with feigned words saying I leave it to the most wise and holy God to direct the wise in heart to consider them Oh thou full of all subtilty was not God able to direct the wise without thy forestalling slanderous opinions how hast thou helped God or any wise man herein hadst thou Printed them both and been silent then thou hadst left it to God indeed and I should have been silent also hast thou dealt moderately herein or as thou wouldst be done unto
shall not the least of wise men Iudge thee and thy spirit nay hast thou not helped on the Devils Kingdom with lies as I shall bring no other witness against thee herein but her whom thou so highly commends for says thou her temptations afflictions and conflict was repeated and renewed so often as opportunity was given by her new visiters which visiters are these letters which thou hast published but saith she I am no way troubled at such continued charges Now how must this be divided betwixt you seeing the one at least must be the Lyar both in this and divers other things I might instance but I delight not to rake into such filth onely I shall let thee see in a few words what a body of confusion is in this daughter thou art boasting of which shame might have been hid had it not been for your glorying against the truth and thuogh to me both thou and she is known without words yet before others who yet judge things according to the outward appearance I shall tak but a word or two out of her own mouth where by her foundation might be discovered to the least of those who know the Kingdom She says she knows her self assuredly to be in the Kingdom of God yet still kept groaning for Adoption I say the Kingdome of God consists not in groaning for Adoption but in righteousness peace and joy in that which is holy and none are there but ons who are Adopted no farther in the Kingdom then new-born and self denyed though shesay herself is in the Kingdom which never came so far as a Disciple where self is standing much less not into the Kingdom Further she confesses her own deceivings yet within her unjudged which are yet to try and the yoke of sinful convenant in her yet unbroken all which and much more may be taken from her own pen without wronging her as her Letters by thee published may witness yet withal this she says She knows her self to be in the Kingdom of God when it is no other but exalted into the Chambers of your own imaginary for all who knows the Kingdom of God can witness against you that no such unclean stuffe comes there no self nor self-deceivings no sin nor sinful covenant comes there all this is in the Kingdome of Satan and not of God never was nor ever shall be blessed be God who hath condemned out all that filth and confusion and all that lives in it that he may keep his Kingdom pure therefore do the Virgins love him And had she known the Kingdome of God in her she had never wondred how I durst adventure to write to one whose face I had not seen as she doth in her Paper and says she consider whether ever the Apostles or Prophets thou art like herein I say did not God command his servants to write his Message to strange Lands and strange persons and did he first send them to look upon their faces to know what to write to them or doth that add to his Word Oh shame with your blindness herein is God become as blinde as you who cannot judge but by carnal appearance and will you limit him to your selves that eye never saw Prophets nor Prophesies Christ nor Apostles but this is all you know of God or his Word his Iudgments and Kingdom who are blind and deaf as to the invisible and so the visible and carnal Iudges judging God to be like your selves imagines self to be in the Kingdom but the blind and deaf comes not there in that state Had God no other servants but such as you it might be long ere the obedience of Christ and his sufferings should be manifest in flesh for the gathering his seed into the light as ever he did send them to strange people who declared his Word to them whose faces they had not seen to open their blind eyes and so bring them out of darkness into the light to be seen which to her is a wonder And this is thy daughter thou boasts on and calls her a daughter of Abraham who is a daughter of disobedience strengthening her self against the Word of the Lord because the instrument had not seen her face resisting in her own will the tender of eternal love and this thou calts Strength in Weakness which is obstinate wickedness and that both she and thou must know when you have finished your measure and of her blood I am cleer for ever And this is the bush thou boasts of which is not consumed though fire be in it I say there is a time when the fire is in the Bush and the Bush unconsumed then is the Seed of God in Egypt under Pharaoh and the Magitians and in that state death raigns from Adam till Moses Also there is a time when the light of Israel doth burn up the Bush and devour the Briars and Thorns in one day then is that God known who is a consuming fire to all that choaks his seed go learn what this means then shalt thou see whereof thou art glorying and under that glory a fire shall be kindled Who would set Briars and Thorns against me in battel I will go through them and burn them together Thy murmuring against the Northern people is come before the Lord Thus saith the Lord I have raised one from the North from the rising of the Sun is he come upon you as upon morter and clay who declares from the beginning knows him and who is before time can say that he is righteous but thou canst not hear him nor declare him who consumes the Bushes and makes plain before him that he may plant in the Wilderness and make it a Land of springs for the poor and needy to drink at where shall come no more fear of Briars and Thorns but the little ones shall feed safely this death knows not only the fame you have got Woe to you brambles and bushes who tears the lambs on every side Josephs bough you know not nor its fruit though you have got it to talk of you are the fruit of the cursed ground your end is to hand yet a lamentation there is that doth not change for the seeds sake By a lover of your Souls James Naylor A word to the Reprover Or some Animadversions upon the foregoing Paper AS now the living God is visiting and gathering his seed out of bondage and confusion so hath he been ever doing from the time of the manifesting his pleasure in that word of Grace Gen. 3. 15. if by the seed be intended the remnant whom the Lord our God shall call Acts 2. 39. Rom. 8. 28. Revel. 12. 17. Revel. 17. 14. That seed of whom its said A seed shall serve him it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation Psal. 22. 30. This seed hath the most high been gathering since the time of their first scattering and for that cause among others is Iesus Christ said to be the same yesterday to day and for
if thou hast leisure to look back whatever thou judgest of me thou biddest me deal plainly and tell us is anger or any immortified thing in the Kingdome of God I answer no for the Kingdome of God consists in righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Spirit yet nevertheless the subjects of this Kingdom are admonisht to put off anger and to put on bowels of mercy as the elect of God as is witnessed in that heap thou speakest of which mentions the Saints conditions 1 Colos. 13. 14. compared with Col. 3. 5. 8. 12. and this is the Kingdome I witness giving thanks to the father who hath delivered me from the power of darkness into the Kingdome of his dear Son which to me is Grace for present and will be Glory in due time when this vile body or body of vileness shall be changed and made like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself As for that passage where â—t is said I know my self c. where thou art nibling at the word self what wouldest thou have had should it have been said I know another to be in the Kingdom if not another it must be my self for there lies the opposition Is the word self an unsound or unsavory word or may it not be used in a good sence if that be the thing consult the Scriptures and try if it be so Luke 24. 39. It is I my self Io. 10. 18. I lay it down of my self Iohn 17. 19. for their sakes I sanctifie my self Acts 24. 10. 16. Math. 19. 19. thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Mark 1. 44. Iohn 20. 14. 16. She turned her self back c. Cor. 2. 13. 5. prove your own selves Touching the word wonder instead of more wonder or thy omission of those words one thou knewest not thou hast very weakly or willfully mistaken in making the Emphasis to lie there for those Passages were recited amongst others to shew how unfairly thou hadst done when thou saiest it is said or she sayes when it appears it was not so said but thou very well knowest that the force and Emphasis of my words lay between thy writing to one thou knowest not and laying an heavy charge on one thou never knewest giving thee an instance in Gods dealing with Sodom which thou canst not forget But to mend the matter thou hast not yet shewed which of the Prophets or Apostles thou wouldest be likened unto for doing the like Hast thou not found a cover for that other omission of thine to wit the redemption of the body by which thou variedst both words and sence cannot that be excused or doest thou hope it will be forgotten Though thou concludest me under the like guilt with thy self yet I assure thee in the words of truth and soberness I know not of one word wherein I have varied from the Copy which was sent me if thou wilt shew it I shall acknowledge it Touching the Queries thou hast done friendly in that thou hast answered them but it s not satisfactory to me forasmuch as they come without proof for confirmation by the Scripture contrary to what was desired 1. To the first thou saiest yea but provest it not and instead of saying what it is thou sayest what it does and doest miss there also for it is the Spirit the Comforter that doth convince the world of sin Iohn 16. 8. viz. of unbeleef but all men have not the spirit Rom. 8. 9. nor are they so convinced viz. of unbeleef 2. To the second its said the life and light are one this should have been proved to be so in the subject man for its not denied to be so in God That life was the light of men Iohn 1. 4. 3. To the the third that light is sufficient to all that beleeve and follow it but to the unbeleeving and dis-obedient a Rock of offence and a stone of stumbling even to the builders c. Thou hast here departed from the question which inquires whether the light wherewith every man is inlightned be sufficient as it is in man to lead him to the discovery of Christ without any other means of discovery and thou for answer sayest as above is said Now it is evident that what is so said by thee touching the sufficiency and efficacy of the light is spoken of Christ the light that precious living stone who is precious to all that beleeve but is a rock of offence and a stone of stumbling to the unbeleeving and dis-obedient as it is witnessed 1 Pet. 2. 4 5 6 7 8. this light the Lord Jesus is certainly sufficient to lead every one beleeving on him into the light of life according to Iohn 8. 12. If therefore by the light in every man thou doest intend Christ the Rock the chief Corner-stone the precious living stone as he is called Pet. 1. 2. let it not be any longer hid under the name and cover of the light of Christ as if something were intended which were not Christ but off or from him which would lead to him but let it be plainly said that Christ the light is in every man for so much is inferred in thy answer to this third Query or else no answer at all is given to it and let but the Scripture witness and prove the same and there shal be an end for ever of all controversie between thee and me touching the sufficiency of that light Christ for I am onely trying how far the Candle in man must vail its lustre when this glorious Sun viz. Christ the light appears 4. To the fourth Thou speakest words but makest not any answer to the Query not shewing whether the seed that 's said to be in Prison and to groan be a Talent of grace in every one that 's born into the World as aforesaid by natural generation viz then when they are so born or whether it be in any one before they be regenerate and born again and what that seed is but instead of answering directly thou reflects upon my confusion and ignorance which is a very easie way of answering but edifies not but I will leave it with thee heartily wishing thou hadst been more plain and free herein sparing thy censure 5. To the fifth Its said perfection is Christ Jesus and his life made manifest in mortal flesh yet thou mayest read where he who witnesseth that Christ lived in him Gal. 2. 20. and had the life of Jesus Christ manifested in his mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4. 10. 11. yet counted not himself to have apprehended nor to have attained to perfection Phil. 3. 12 13. therefore thou art not full nor plain in this answer besides the omission of the last clause of the Query or couching it in obscurity in those words viz. and self-denied dead and buried and there is no sin but this signifies not to me any thing by way of answer It s hard for thee to