God make you obedient to it, you fhall find it was the best Friend that ever fpake to you in all your Life. Obedience, as well as Mercy, is far more excellent than Sacrifice; therefore whether you hear, or forbear, you fhall one Day know to your weal or woe, that it was the Light of Chrift in me, warning you not to Embaffy your felf about Things of eternal Concernment, without a Commiffion from the glorious Mouth of God himself. The literal Commiffion killeth, but the fpiritual Commiffion giveth Life and Peace.

4. In your fourth Reply, you fay, a Man may have Salvation abiding in him, and he not know it. Further you fay, a Man may have a real Knowledge of Salvation abiding in him, and yet come to lofe it. To this I anfwer, Salvation in Men is the Grace of the Spirit, and the Fruits of the Spirit are all Light and Life, and the Nature of the Light is to discover Darkness, and is given unto Men for that very End: How then a Man fhould have Salvation abiding in him, and he not know it, to me feemeth ridiculous; 'tis all one as if you should say, a Man may be abiding with me in my Chamber, and yet I neither fee it, nor know it.

It is the abiding of the Light of Chrift, before the Compre henfion of the Mind, that makes a Man really to know his own Salvation; and whilft that Chryftal Light abides in the Memory of that Man, the Nature of it is to prefent nothing elfe unto him, but Life, and Salvation. 'Tis true a Man may be elected unto Salvation, and he not know it: But it is impoffible for him to have the Seal of Salvation abiding in him, and he not know it. For when a Man is ignorant of it, it cannot properly be faid to be abiding in him, though it fhould in him, Why? Because the abiding of it in him, is that which makes the Man fenfibly to know it as aforefaid. Therefore if Salvation fenfibly abides in Man's Memory, as long as he lives, he can be no more ignorant of it, than a Man that lives all his Life-Time in one Houfe, can be ignorant of it, enjoying his right Mind.

Moreover, If you mean a Man may totally come to lose it, after he hath had Salvation knowingly abiding in him, that's utterly deny'd by us. Why? Becaufe we certainly know that there was never any Reprobate poffeft with the Grace of Salva

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tion, knowingly abiding in him. Therefore in the Parable of the Sower you fhall find, though the Seed of Grace did feem to scatter it felf in every Ground, yet it rooted it felf but in one only; which good Ground where it took Root, brought forth Fruit, unto everlasting Life, in fome thirty, in fome fixty, and in fome an hundred fold. So that it's clear, where Salvation makes it's abode, that Man is Safe from an eternal Vengeance. But if you mean, thro' the committing fome grofs Evils, a Man may come to lose the fenfible Enjoyment of Salvation abiding in him, as formerly; and in it's Room, be often fubjected with Fears of Condemnation, even all his Days, I confent to it. For I am perfwaded, this was the Prophet David's very Condition. For in fuch Cafes I am apt to believe, that either God takes back the Affurance of Salvation to himself, or else suffers the Creatures Light almoft continually to be vailed with the Darkness of his Guilt, that when he fees Good, he may glorify himself a new, with a Miniftration of Salvation to his afflicted Creature. Furthermore you fay, He is not fure that knows, but he is fure that God knows that he shall be faved. Alfo fay, That's not the best Affurance which I call unquestionable, but that which is joined with Fear, and Trembling, especially at this Time. To this I anfwer: The Happiness of Man's Salvation in this Life confifts not in God's knowing of it, but in his own Affurance of it. For if I want the fenfible Knowledge of my own Salvation, I may be full of Fears of Condemnation, all my Days; notwithstanding the Creator's knowing of it. Therefore 'till I am poffeft with an affured Seal of my own Salvation, what Profit is it to me, that God knows it? Wherefore whatever you mean by Fear and Trembling, there is no creaturely Affurance comparable to that, which is always unquestionable; for that's freed from all faithlefs Fear, or finful Trembling. If you believe and doubt not, all Things fhall be possible, faith Chrift. If our Hearts condemn us not, then have we Boldness, to the Throne of Grace. Sir, I have fome Experience of this, befides a fpiritual Fear, and Trembling, before the infinite Majefty. But a carnal Fear, and a Trembling before Men, O! Lord preferve me from, for ever! You fay alfo, The Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, and upon Balaam, and they did Prophefy by it. To this I answer, Mofes, David, Samuel, Elijah,

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and many others, were anointed with the Grace of fpiritual Prophefy, through which they became Pen-Men of Divine Secrets, and Miniftrators of Holy Things, even all their Days. Wherefore, though Saul was once among the Prophets, and Balaam was compelled to declare good Things concerning Ifrael, it doth not therefore follow, that they were the Lord's anointed Prophets, to declare his Salvation-Secrets to his redeemed ones. No, that could not be, for none can truly declare fuch Things, unless they enjoy them in their own Souls. The Secrets of God, are with those that are poffeft with the Love, and Fear of his Majefty, through which they are not only delivered from the Language, of high fwelling Words, but also from the Power or every proud Imagination, that would exalt itfelf against the Lord, and his Heavenly Light within them. But this Grace and Favour of God, abides not in them, in whom Wickedness reigns, all their Days, as it did in King Saul, and in Balaam. Therefore Salvation muft needs be far from abiding in fuch Men. But it appears to them only as a Witness against them, in the Great-Day, for all their Unrighteousness committed against the Lord, and his anointed Ones. Sir, If through Inconfiderateness you imagine our Condition of Prophefy to be like Saul's or Balaam's, I hope you will bear with us, for retorting them back again, among thofe that Prophefy, or Preach, without a spiritual Commiffion from the Lord Jefus. Indeed the Scriptures make mention of the Fallacy and Wickednefs, of divers Prophets, and Priests, that were rich. But you shall never find it charge any poor Prophet, with Falfehood, or Cruelty, to his Neighbour.

5. In your fifth Reply, you fay, You do fuppofe they were fo impowered, and that every Man according to the Proportion of Faith in him, bath the fame Power. To this I answer, if you do but fuppofe it, you Occafion a Doubt in me, whether you do really believe it; all Speakings by way of Suppofition, to me feem doubtful; therefore you have left me wholly unfatisfied, in your Answer to this Part of my Query. So that I have no Ground-work of Replication. You fay alfo, There is Matter of eternal Condemnation in all, but the abfolute eternal Condemnation, which we declare is not justified in your Heart, neither do you fee it justified upon any. To this I answer, if you mean

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there is finful Darknefs in all, which will fuffer eternal Condemnation, but all Souls fhall be faved at the laft; I am not of that Mind. Why? Because I certainly know, there is no Sin or Evil capable of the least Suffering, unless it hath its being in a fenfible Spirit. Nay, moreover an Evil Spirit, and its Darkness, are effentially one: Therefore they are undivided, in their eternal Sufferings. But if you mean, there is that in all, that would naturally produce their eternal Condemnation, if the elective Love of God did not prevent it; I am of the fame Belief. For we certainly know, that the original Caufe of eternal Salvation, or Condemnation, lyeth not in the Power or Will of the Creature, but in the Will, and Pleasure of the Creator only, whatever may be imagin'd to the contrary: For his is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory. But if it lay in any Excellency in the Creature, it could not poffibly then be avoided, but it would fhare with the Creator's Power, and Glory in his everlafting Kingdom. For as fpiritual Righteoufnefs, reigning in Men to their Death, is not the primary Cause of their eternal Salvation, but the Seal of it only; fo fpiritual Wickedness reigning in Men to their Lives End, is not the abfolute Cause of their eternal Vengeance, but the Witness only. This Truth is a ftumbling Block, to almost all Men that own a Creator. Sir, the true Prophets and Apoftles, were abfolute in their Declarations, which they receiv'd from the Lord: So that in your difowning the abfolute Pronunciation, committed to our Charge, you do through Ignorance deny all that fpiritual and temporal Power, that was committed to the former Commiffioners, both in the Law, and in the Gospel; and though at prefent, you neither fee it justified in yourself, nor in any other; it doth not therefore follow, that it is not juftified no where at all. Yea, for God knows, and by his Light we know, alfo fome of his Elect know with us, that in this great City, his Miniftry in us, hath occafion'd the Seals of eternal Life, and Death, to manifeft themselves upon divers Perfons. If we had never feen any convincing Effects in our Ministry, because you have not feen it, truly we might have funk long before now, in the Depth of Defpair. Yea, it would have been enough, to have made us Question the Light of the Sun, though it fhone never fo bright. If ever you come

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to fee it, our God grant if it be his good Pleasure, that you may feel the eternal Bleffing of it in your own Soul, and not the Curfe.

6. In your fixth Reply, you fay, You do own your self an experimental Preacher, but cannot own an infallible Knowledge of Divine Mysteries, above all other Men in the World, if you fhould, it would be great Pride of Spirit, and you judge it fo, in any that affume fuch Things to themfelves. To this I anfwer, it is granted, if you, or I, or any Man elfe, fhould affume fuch Things to themselves, it favours of the greatest Lucipherian Pride, as poffibly can be, and an extraordinary Vengeance would undoubtedly attend fuch a Prefumption. But it doth not therefore follow, that either you, or any other Man in the World, can, or ever shall prove us Guilty of any fuch Affumption. Sir, have you an infallible Judgment concerning Spirituals? If you have not, how can you be a competent Judge in this Thing? Is it impoffible, think you, for a Man to be endued with the Knowledge of Divine Myfteries, above all other Men in the World? I trow not, for I am apt to believe, it was the Apostle Paul's very Condition, from his own Words, concerning Revelations above his Brethren. But whether it was, or no, it matters not: My Business is to make my Defence against your uncharitable or unadvised Judgment, concerning me in this Particular. Sir, why are you angry with our God? Do you not know he will do what he will: Hear, O my Friend, William Sedgwick, I beseech thee hearken to what I fhall fay without Offence. God, even the Lord Jefus, that made us all, did in plain Words from the Throne of his eternal Glory, fay unto me, that he had given me Understanding of his Mind, in the Scriptures, above all the Men in the World, even to the hearing of the vifible Ear, as well as the invifible Soul, were these his Words spoken? Who then think you can in the leaft cause me to question my Commiffion, or my Condition, whilst the Prefence of thefe glorious and gracious Words remains in my Memory? No, the Light of Life fhines too clear in me, for Darkness to predominate over it, or any Man's Words to daunt it. All Praise and Glory to him alone that gave it me. Wherefore, Sir, though you feem experimentally to warn me of a narrow lofty Spirit that runs in us; and of high fwelling Words.

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