In answer to this, from an infallible Judgment, we boldly, yet humbly affirm, That this your Experience concerning us, neither proceeded from the Spirit, nor Light of Chrift in you, but only from your own angry Imagination. Because by virtue of our Commiffion we declare that no Man can truly preach Chrift, without an infallible Spirit. The Things of the Spirit are all infallible, and eternal, how then think you can they be declared by an uncertain, fallible, or imaginary Light? O! that our good God would once convince you of the Danger of Preaching from the Letter, without a Commiffion from the Spirit, by Voice of Words from above. And further you fay, Another Experience you obferve in me, that I and my Friend have allowed Preaching by Experience, without any fuch lofty Qualification which we now exprefs, and therefore we ourselves are not true to what we declare. To this I anfwer, we did never allow any of our own Faith, in a minifterial Way, to Preach to the People; nay, knowing the Danger, they durft not do it, without a Commiffion from the Lord Jefus Christ. Moreover, after we had declared the contrary, did we ever allow any Man under Pretence of fpeaking his Experience, to Pray and Preach, and then conclude Praying, in the Prieftly Way of the Nation, in their Satanical Synagogues, or any where else, in their Vain-glorious Hypochritical Forms? I trow not. For then you might truly charge us with Folly in this particular. If Men therefore have been convinc'd with the Deceitfulness of the national Miniftry, (to wit) that their Preaching is by Way of Art and Trade, and not by the immediate Teachings of the Spirit, as I fuppofe you and divers others have been, and yet fhall walk in the fame Form of Preaching; how can fuch Men but be full of Fears and Doubts concerning the Truth, or Authority of their Miniftry, whatever they pretend of fpeaking their Experience to the People?

7. In your Seventh Reply you fay, Every one that goes withcut a Commiffion is in danger of eternal Vengeance. Therefore it concerns you and me, very much to ftand in awe, to tremble at the Word, left we fall under the Curfe for adding to, or taking from his Word. Alfo you fay, You believe fome will fuffer for running before they are fent, and fome for running beyond that which they are fent about. But concerning Speaking, you defire me to confider how large a Commiffion the Scriptures give.

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To this I answer, it is a Work of the higheft Concernment that poffible can be, for a Man to execute the Office of a Prophet, or Minifter of Chrift. Wherefore we unquestionably affirm, That all those that go into the Miniftry of the Letter, without a spiritual Commiffion, they are not only in danger of an eternal Vengeance, but very few of them will efcape it, that have been warned of it by commiffionated Meffengers of the Lord's own fending. Therefore know, that neither your Experience, nor the Effects of your Miniftry, no, nor the Scriptures themselves, will bear you out in the Day of Trial, for want of that fure Word abiding in you, I the Lord have chofen thee to be a Minifter to my People. But as concerning a spiritual Commiffioner being in danger of eternal Vengeance, for falling short, or going beyond his Commiffion, that's deny'd by us: A Temporal Vengeance indeed attends them in fuch a Cafe, as namely, a Whale's Belly, or flaying by a Lion, as Jonas and another Prophet were. But if you mean he may have some fecret Fears of eternal Vengeance in him, for rebelling against the Commiffion, that is not deny'd by us; but that he fhall be in danger of it in reference to God's Purpose, that we utterly deny. Why? Because we know that God anoints none with the Spirit of heavenly Prophefy, but thofe that were elected to Salvation before the Foundation of the World was laid. For as Men formerly, that were anointed with Oil, had a chearful Countenance, fo likewife all thofe that are anointed with the Grace of fpiritual prophefying or preaching, enjoy a chearful and fettled Mind. Kings commit their Secrets to none but Favourites only; fo likewife the God, or King of Glory, commits his fecret Counsel, by way of Difpenfation, to none but his beloved Commiffioners only. 'Tis granted that all those that believe in the true Jefus are acquainted with a Measure of God's Secrets, according to the Proportion of their Faith; but the publick Declarations of them, as aforefaid, are committed to none in a prophetical or minifterial Way, but those that are immediately fent forth by the eternal Spirit; To you it is given to know the Myfteries of the Kingdom, but to them it is not given, or in Parable only. To whom is it given? To chofen Prophets, or Apoftles only, that they might demonftrate them to their elect Brethren. When thou art converted (faith Chrift D

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to Peter) ftrengthen thy Brethren. 'Tis true, the Secrets of the Lord are with all thofe that ferve him with an upright Heart as before; but it doth not therefore follow that they are capable to manage them in a prophetical or minifterial Way, for the convincing or converting their elect Brethren into a real Comprehenfion of them to their everlasting Establishment. No, I fay again, from an unerring Light, none can do that but fpiritual Commiffioners only.

O! that you and all Preachers that are of a merciful Spirit, were convinc'd of this faving Truth! Moreover, you fay, David called upon all Creatures, and all Men, Kings, and all People, and upon every Thing that had Breath, to praise the Lord. To this I anfwer, Did he call upon them all, or any of them at all, to praife the Lord in a prophetical or minifterial Way, as he himself often did? I trow not, that was none of his Intent when he uttered thefe Words; for he knew that none but felected ones could do that. But it was an extraordinary Comprehenfion of the Love and Goodnefs of God to his Soul and Body, which caufed him with fuch Zeal to call upon all breathing Things to praife the Lord, for his Goodness towards them, according to their Kind or Light, as he did according to his Light. Alfo you fay, And therefore the Apoftolical Miniftry is to continue in the Church in all Ages, and Christ promifes his Prefence with them, and that Ministry, to the End of the World. To this I answer, If you mean an exact Form according to the Letter, (as namely) vifible praying, preaching, baptizing, breaking of Bread, laying on of Hands, anointing with Oil, and fuch like; I know none capable to adminifter thofe Apoftolical Ordinances, for want of the Gift of Tongues, and Miracles. Whoever therefore imitates the Apostles Miniftry from the Letter, are but Scripturian Ufurpers, and Deceivers of their own Souls; and the People, for want of a Commiffion from the Spirit, as aforefaid. But if you mean, Chrift will own the invifible fpiritual Miniftry of the Apoftles, with his Prefence in his elect Church or People in all Ages, to the End of the World, we join with you. For whenfoever the Spirit of Chrift convinces a Soul to believe the Truth of the Scriptures, and to yield a fpiritual Obedience to them, to the utmost of his Power, it may properly be faid, that he

Owns

owns the Apoftles Miniftry, with his Prefence in the Creature. Why? Because they were the Penmen of thofe Records of Truth. Again, If a Man, through the Hearing of a National Preacher, fhould be convinc'd of the Truth of the Scriptures, as aforelaid, what doth he do in fuch a Cafe? Truly he juftifies the Miniftry of the true Prophets, and Apoftles, and fits down. in Peace in his own Soul, and becomes wifer than his Teacher, by feeing him in the Dark in fpiritual Things, and fo hears him no more, but pitties him. This is the Condition of all thofe that are taught by the Spirit.

Now this i fhall commend unto you, if any Minifter in the Nation or World, mediately or immediately were moved, or fent by the Spirit of God, to preach unto the People, no Man would be capable to become his Teacher; Why? Because the Oracles of God are committed to fuch Men only, upon the account of minifterial Declarations. If David's Teachers had been all Nathans, he would hardly have faid he was become wifer than all his Teachers. For I dare boldly fay, there was never any of the Apoftles Hearers did attain to an Equality of fpiritual Understanding with them. Why? Because the Power and Glory of God would be obfcured, and his Meffengers put to open Shame, and the Truth delivered by them fubject to be question'd by all, if the Hearers fhould become wifer, or equal with their commiffionated Teachers, in the Things of eternal Concernment. Sir, I would not have you guilty of calling the following Truth out of its proper Name, (to wit) From an infallible Light we declare, that God has chofen us two only in this Age, to bear Witness unto himself, and his invifible true Teachings, in his People by his Spirit, in Oppofition of all vifible Teachings in the World, in a minifterial Way, as falfe, vain, and of none Effect to the Preachers thereof; but rather a dreadful Witness against them in the Great Day, for their Ministerial meddling with Holy Things, without a fpiritual Command. What Anfwer doth the glorious Commiffioner fay he will make unto them, when they fhall think to plead their Miniftry before him? I never knew you: De part from me, ye that work Iniquity; (that is) I never knew you. as Minifters of my fending; you have had the Reward of your Miniftry already; you have had your Souls chiefeft Defire of Riches,

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Pleasure, or Honour among the earthly honourable ones; whilst my poor Meffengers were afflicted with many Neceffities, perfecuted, and defpifed as Drofs, and deadly Enemies against your minifterial Happiness; you have had your Reward already. Go therefore into everlafting Shame, with them that fet you to Work, whilst my poor Messengers receive a Crown of eternal Glory in my Kingdom, with myself and my boly Angels, as a Recompence of all their faithful Sufferings for my Name-fake. Be faithful unto the Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life.

8. In your Eighth Reply, you fay, When you did speak formerly, you were as fully fatisfy'd, as we are now fatisfy'd in our Miniftry, neither do you now wholly condemn your former speaking, but you have feen an evil Spirit, that got into it, and you fay it was not the leaft Evil of that Spirit, that you did undertake to judge all others. To this I answer, If your fatisfaction had been the fame as ours is, it would have remain'd with you to this Day, neither could an evil Spirit have got into it, if you have been kept unfpotted of the World; for fo long as a Man is preserved from outward Pollutions, the evil One in him hath no Power over him, nor his Ministry, nor an evil Spirit without him, could have any Power over him, (if you think there is any.) Moreover, if your fatisfying Miniftry had been from the Lord, as you fuppofe it was, we verily believe an evil Spirit could not have had Power over it one Day, no nor yet one Hour. For let me tell you, if your Ministry had been of God, the higher the Light had appear'd, the lower would your Soul have been humbled in the Sight of your Brethren. For though the true Prophets and Apoftles had their natural Failings, through the manifold Infirmities attending them in their Miniftry, yet an evil Spirit of lofty Exaltation above their Brethren, because of their great Light and Favour with God, did never predominate over them. Indeed a feeming glorious Light, proceeding from Men's own Imagination, is that which will not only exalt a Man above his Brethren, but also above all that is called God. Nay, it is fo highly conceited with its own rational Wisdom, that it would rather it had never had a Being, if it may not bear Rule over all Inferiority, or Equality; it is an Abomination to fuch a Spirit. Therefore, if you now find an evil Spirit captivated your former Ministry, either with lofty Conceits