not their own, but his that sent them: Enclosed thou maist receive an answer to their Anti-quaeries, from those to whom they were directed: A reply also to the pretended answer of the Quaeries, thou and they might have expected, had it been worth the while; but instead thereof, you (viz.) the Baptists, are desired to review your own Answers, and take notice of the confusion and deceit therein contained, and how far short it is of an answer to the Queries, and amend the same.
I shall instance in one particular, namely your answer to the eight Query, in which you speak of two Baptisms under the New Testament, besides that of Iohn; when the Scripture saith, One Faith, one Baptism; you say, Christ in his own Person onely Baptized with the Spirit, none other being appointed nor inabled, &c. When the Scripture saith, Some were made able Mini∣sters of the Spirit, not the Letter: And he that ministred the spirit a∣mong the Saints, Did he it by the works of the Law, saith that able Mini∣ster of the Spirit? And where was it, that Christ in his own person Baptized in Scripture expressions, without wresting? sithence the Spirit was not given, till that person was ascended: And he that spake by the Spirit, said, Though ye have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know ye him so no more: And what is that Name of the Lord Iesus, in which you say you Baptize?
I shall say little to your Spiritual ends there mentioned of your water Ba∣ptism, or my stical holdings out, or representtions, &c. But would rather have the tearms and things proved by the words of Scripture to be so, because the sha∣dows do now begin to flie away, and the true Light shines, and deceit is mani∣fested; so that words, colours, and pretences, will not now prevail to blinde and deceive those that live, and walk in the true Light.
And whereas thou saist, If there be any thing in either of the Papers, that may tend to recover my precious Soul out of the pit and snare in∣to which it is faln; as it would be a rejoycing to others that love me, so to thy self, who would be as ready as ever, to serve me in love, and in the Lords way.
To which I reply Were my soul, (which indeed is precious in the eye of the Lord) faln into a pit or snare, I see nothing in either of those dull, confused, liveless, and powerless Papers like to recover, or lift it out: But why dost thou not tell me what the snare and pit is, into which it is faln? The mistaken blinde generation, in all ages accounted the people of God, who were escaped their pollution and snares, and turned from the darkness to the Light, and from the power of Satan unto God, deceived, faln, and mis-guided; and therefore hated, reviled, and persecuted them, as people faln into a snare, fit for their prey and spoil, and to be whipt, and imprisoned, &c. I do not say in Bridewell, but shall leave it to come out of thy mouth, as it did the second day of this present month: and is that the Lords way, in which thou art so wil∣ling to serve me, I utterly deny that way, and the Lerd of it, which is the god of the world, the Devil, and all that by him are led and guided therein; it is the devil that casts the Saints into Prison, as the Scripture saith, It was wretch∣ed Pilate that scourged Iesus: It was those Masters, whose gain came in by