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A47197 The way cast up, and the stumbling-blocks removed from before the feet of those who are seeking the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward containing an answere to a postcript, printed at the end of Sam Rutherford's letters, third edition, by a nameless author, indeed not without cause, considering the many lyes and falshoods therein, against the people, called Quakers, which are here disproved, and refuted / by George Keith ... Keith, George, 1639?-1716.; Rutherford, Samuel, 1600?-1661. 1677 (1677) Wing K233; ESTC R19568 115,272 246

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come down from heaven whereof men must eat and drink to the end that they may live by Christ Iohn 6 51. I am that living bread which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever And the bread that I will give is my flesh Now many understood not that saying in that day as many at this day do not understand it for they thought he had spoken of Earthly flesh and blood and therefore they were offended and said How can this man give 〈◊〉 his flesh and blood to eat Whereas Jesus understood it of his heavenly flesh and blood therefore he said unto them Doth this offend you What if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before So that Christ was the Son of Man before he descended that is to say true Man for Son of man is a Syriack phrase signifying man Compare with this Iohn 3 13. No man ascendeth up to heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man which is in heaven see also Eph 4 9 10. Now in that he ascended what is it but that he also descended into the lowest parts of the Earth He that descended is the same that ascended farr above all heavens that he might fill all things And this will yet further appear if we shall consider what Paul writes of this mystery 1 Cor. 10 3 4. that the Fathers to wit the people of Israel long before Christ came outwardly in the flesh did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drink the same spirituall drink for they drank of the Spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. Nor can it be said that it must be understood figuratively to wit the Rock signified Christ for we read no where in the Scriptur of any Rock that followed the people in the wilderness as outwardly that was a figure or type of Christ but Christ himself was that Rock that followed them And certainly if the Saints before Christ came outwardly in the flesh had ●ot eat of the flesh of Christ and drunk of his blood they could not have had life by him but they had life by him and therefore they did eat his flesh and drink his blood And therefore Christ had flesh and blood to wit heavenly and spirituall even from the beginning on which the Saints in all ages did feed even from the beginning such as Adam and Evah Abel Henoch Noah Abraham c. And seing Christ had flesh blood from the beginning he was man from the beginning for as God simply he can not have flesh and blood For God is a Spirit therefore it is the flesh and blood of Christ as he is Man or the Son of Man as Christ said unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man c. 4. All which prove effectually that the Man Christ Jesus was from the beginning and if the man Christ Jesus had not been from the beginning it would follow that the Church all along from the beginning had wanted a Mediator and Head for it is the Man Christ Jesus united with the Godhead of the Logos that is the Mediator betwixt God and man as Paul declared 1 Tim. 2 5. and the Head of every man is Christ and the head of Christ is God By Christ Paul in this place 1 Cor. 11 3. understandeth the Man Christ which he placeth as a middle between God and men so that God is the head of every man But it is most absurd to suppose that the Church and Saints all along untill Christ came outwardly in flesh wanted a Mediator and Intercessor or that they wanted a head for even as the naturall body can not live without its head so nor can the Church which is the body of Christ live without its head which is the Man Christ Jesus 5. But let us descend more particularly into particular places of the Old Testament and we shall see the same truth confirmed abundantly Prov. 8 23. I was anoynted from the age from the beginning so the words should be translated the Hebrew word nissakti signifyeth anoynted and is so rendered by Buxtorf in his Lexicon and also by the English Bible Psal. 2 6. in the margine I have anoynted my King upon my holy hill of Zion the Hebrew root is the same in both places and both places are to be understood of Christ as is generally confessed 6. Now Christ signifyeth Anoynted and it is the Man Christ that is Anoynted with the Holy Spirit and not the Word or Logos which is God himself for the Godhead anoynts not the Godhead but it is the Godhead that doth anoynt the Manhood of Christ which Manhood hath been Anoynted from the beginning and therefore the Man Christ hath been from the beginning who is Gods Anoynted King and the Head of his Church in all Ages the First and the Last even the first-born of every creature who said to the Jewes Before Abraham was I am and it was the Man Christ that said this to the Jewes and of him John the Baptist thus declared Iohn 1 30. there cometh after me a man that is preferred unto me for he was before me and this was the man Christ of whom he spake Again let us consider Psal. 110 1 3 4. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemys thy footstool and ver 3. from the womb before the morning-star I have begotten thee so the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin which doth little differ from the Hebrew it self in this place And vers 4. Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek Now that Christ as man is here understood and not simply the Logos or Word I prove First becaus here are two Lords The Lord said unto my Lord the Father speaking unto the Man Christ for indeed the Man Christ is a distinct Lord from the Father as he is a distinct Being and Substance as Man and as Man he is a Lord and King who said All power in Heaven and Earth is given me of my Father but the Word simply considere● is not a distinct Lord from the Father becaus not a distinct Being or Substance Secondly it is the Man Christ that is Gods high Priest and not the Word barely considered for a Priest is one that prayeth unto God for the People and mediats o● interceeds betwixt God and them but the Word barely considered can not doe this becaus he is no● a distinct Substance or Being from the Father whereas the Man Christ is a distinct Being although not divided or separated from him and if he be ● Priest forever then from the beginning and consequently Man from the beginning according to which the Apostle said Iesus Christ the same yesterday to day and forever Yesterday that is from the beginning to day that is at present and for ever that is in all time and ages to come This is the promised Seed which God
foolish and groundless distinction that they have borrowed from the Popish School-men The Scriptur telleth us nothing of this nicity yet we do acknowledge the person of Christ. 10. And if by Person they understand his manhood or the man Christ Iesus we believe that Christ is man and a singular man that is to say he is not two or many men but one onely man as also he is singular for the excellency of his nature even as Man 11. So that whatever excellency any other man hath in his nature Christ hath the same and also far greater and more excellent in his who is the heavenly Man or Lord from heaven the second Adam that is a quickening Spirit whereas other men in comparison of him yea Adam the first Man is but of the Earth Earthly So that as farr as the most high heavens do excell the base and low Earth so farr doth Christ even as Man excell all other men and that not onely in accidents as the Popish school-men and the Presbyterian Teachers following them do teach but in nature and Substance And therefore as the Heavens do influence the Earth and make it fruitfull by the virtue that proceedeth therefrom so the heavenly Man Christ Iesus doth influence all other men by his Light and Life that they may be fruitfull in holiness and righteousuess and who remaine unfruitfull it is not for want of the Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man as not influencing them but becaus that by unbeliefe they harden their hearts against his Heavenly breathings and influences And this distinction betwixt the very nature of the Soul and Spirit of Christ as man amd that of the soules of all other men is clearly held forth by Paul according to the wisdom given him of God that whereas the Soul of any other as namely the Soul of Adam was made a living Soul the second Adam is a quickening Spirit who quickens both the Souls and bodys of other men who in faith receive his quickening life and Spirit and whatever virtue the Souls of any other holy men have to quicken others they have it not of themselvs nor yet immediatly of God the Father but they derive it from the heavenly man or second Adam Christ Jesus who hath it immediatly of the Father who is the Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Iesu● 12. And this doth manifestly hold forth a substantial dignity and excellency in the nature of the Man Christ Jesus even as a man above the nature of all other men and Angels which the Papists and Presbyterian Teachers do both deny 13. And thus it may appear how much more we do esteeme of the Manhood of Christ Iesus then either Papists or Presbyterians SECTION VIII 1. The fourth accusation is false for we owne no other Iesus Christ but him who was born of the Virgin Mary 2. He was the true Christ of God before 3. That the man Christ Iesus was from the beginning 4. Some Scripturs brought and opened to prove this as Eph 3 9 Joh 6 38. 1 Cor 15 47 48. Joh 3 13. Eph 4 9. 1 Cor 10 3 4. the same proved from 1 Tim 2 5. and 1 Cor 11 3. 5. Christ was anointed from the beginning Prov 8 23. Psal 2 6. 6. The Man Christ before Abraham and John the Baptist. 7. Some more Scripturs opened as Psal. 110 34. Amos 2 13. Heb. 6 6. Rev 11 18. And some more Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament to prove that the Man Christ was from the beginning as Gen. 32 24. Gen. 19 24. 8. That the outward flesh and blood is not properly the Man but the Soul or inward man 9. More Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament as Ezek. 1 26 27. Dan. 7 9. 10. Christ his Soul and heavenly flesh and blood from the beginning 11. The Soul Life or Spirit of the Heavenly Man doth as far extend as his heavenly flesh and blood even to all the Saints 12. Though they have not the center or root of his Soul and Life in them but onely a measure ray or emanation of it 13. The Scripture no where saith that Christ did take his Soul but onely his outward flesh of the Virgin and so according to the flesh he was onely the Son of Mary David and Abraham by virtue of his outward conception and birth The fourth Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we deny Iesus the Son of Mary to be the alone true Christ. 1. This is a false accusation We own no other Jesus Christ but him that was born of the Virgin Mary who as concerning the flesh is the Son of Mary and the Son of David and the Seed of Abraham 2. And yet he was the true Christ of God before he took flesh and before he was the Son of Mary or David or of Abraham for his being born of the Virgin Mary made him not to be Christ as if he had not been Christ before But he was Christ before even from the beginning as I shall prove clearly out of Scripture Eph. 3 9. it is said expressly that God created all things by Iesus Christ. Now if all things were created by Jesus Christ then Jesus Christ was before all things for the cause is always before the effect at least in order of nature But to this they object that by Iesus Christ is meant the Word onely in this place whereas the Word onely is not properly the Christ but the Word as cloathed with the Manhood or the Man as united with the Word And so I answer that the Word onely is not properly the Christ without the Manhood but it is the Word made Flesh or made Man And therefore seing the Apostle by the Spirit of God hath declared that all things were created by Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ signifieth properly the Word made Flesh or made Man it is clear that according unto the Apostle the Word was mad flesh or Man even from the beginning 3. And this will yet more appear by comparing this place with other places of Scripture as Ioh. 6 38. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Now Christ spake this not simply as the Word or as God but as Man for as God he had no will of his own distinct from the will of the Father for the Father and the Word have but one onely will whereas the Man or Manhood of Christ hath indeed a distinct will which yet is always in union with the will of the Father And seing Christ spake this as Man it is clear from his own words that as Man he came down from heaven and was Man before he descended to take part of our flesh in the Virgins womb and therefore Paul calleth him the Second Adam the Lord from heaven and that heavenly Man 1 Cor 15 47 48. Also it is clear that Christ himself speaketh in the 6 of Iohn of his flesh and blood that did
promised to our Parents after the fall and actually gave unto them even the Seed of the Woman that should bruise the head of the Serpent And therefore though the outward comeing of the Man Christ was deferred according to his outward birth in the flesh for many ages yet from the beginning this Heavenly Man the promised Seed did inwardly come into the hearts of those that believed in him and bruised the head of the Serpent and destroyed him that had the power ●f death that is the Devil the stronger man entering 〈◊〉 house and dispossessing the strong man and casting 〈◊〉 out And thus Christ is the Lamb that was slain ●rom the foundation of the World namely in that 〈◊〉 the beginning even as soon as our first Parents 〈◊〉 the measure of the Life of the Lamb which 〈◊〉 in our first Parents in the innocent state came as 〈◊〉 were to be slain in them by transgression and to ●ndergoe sore and deep sufferings by reason of 〈◊〉 sin even as the Seed Christ complained by the ●rophet Amos 3 13. Behold I am pressed under you 〈◊〉 cart is pressed that is full of sheavs this must 〈◊〉 be understood of the Life of Christ as Man for as God he can not suffer nor be slain whereas the Life of Christ as man is capable of suffering and being crucified as unto us although that Life still live in it self unto God namely that Seed or measure of it graffed or imprinted in us according to which the Apostle declareth that they who fall away from Christ do crucify again to themselvs the Son of God Heb. 6 6. And Iohn saw that after Christ was outwardly crucifyed at Ierusalem he should be again crucifyed in spiritual Sodom and Egypt whic● is the Apostat Church Rev. 11 8. And 〈◊〉 hath he been crucifyed by the Wicked even fro● the beginning and hath lived in all Saints as 〈◊〉 before he came in the flesh as to his outward birt● as since So that as Paul said I live yet not I but 〈◊〉 that liveth in me The same could Abraham 〈◊〉 Moses and all the Prophets say that Christ the Heauenly Man and Second Adam lived in them 〈◊〉 they lived by his living in them as he said to 〈◊〉 Disciples becaus I live therefore shall ye live 〈◊〉 But Christ as he is God liveth in all and is altog●ther uncapable of the least suffering and althoug● as Man he may and doth suffer yet in due time 〈◊〉 suffering Life will prevail and be raised up over 〈◊〉 its Suffering in all men where it suffers by 〈◊〉 of sin to the everlasting comfort of them that 〈◊〉 in him and obey him but to the everlasti● torment of them that do not believe in him 〈◊〉 give obedience unto him 7. But yet more particularly to prove that the Man Christ was from the beginning see Gen. 32 24. Now when Iacob was left alone there wrestled a man with him unto the breaking of the day and that this was Christ is clear from Hosea 12 4. For it was such a man as was also the LORD GOD of Hosts to whom he prayed and made supplication whom Hosea calleth also the Angel See also Gen. 18. where the Man Christ appeared unto Abraham with two Angels that are called men ver 2. for Angels are a sort of Heavenly Men and one of these three men Abraham prayed unto and therefore it was the Man Christ who after he had talked with Abraham ascended and did afterwards destroy Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimston And Gen. 19 24. it is said The Lord rained from the Lord fire and brimston therefore this was no other man or Angel but the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus who at divers times appeared unto the Fathers in the true forme of a Man yea even unto Kiug Nebuchadnezar together with the three children in the firy furnace and although it is commonly supposed that it was onely God that appeared thus in a fantastical forme and shape of a man and not that it was really the Man Christ Jesus yet this is by no means to be granted otherwise we should give away the cause to the Manichees and such who affirme that Christ was never a real and true Man even when born of the Virgin Mary and crucifyed 〈◊〉 the cross but onely that it was a phantasme or phantastical appearance of man For indeed seing he 〈◊〉 called as really Man before his outward birth in the flesh as afterwards we have as good cause to believe him to be true and real Man before his outward birth 〈◊〉 in the flesh as after 8. For it is not the outward flesh and blood that is the Man otherwise the Saints that have pu● off the outward body should cease to be men 〈◊〉 Christ should have ceased to be Man betwixt 〈◊〉 death and his resurrection but it is the Soul or inward Man that dwelleth in the outward flesh or ●ody that is the Man most properly such as Christ 〈◊〉 even from the beginning 9. And this was the Man even Christ who● Ezekiel saw in his vision upon the throne above 〈◊〉 firmament Ezek. 1 26 27. and whom 〈◊〉 saw Dan. 7 9. and this was long before his outward birth in the flesh and was as real a vision of the Man Christ Jesus as that which John ●ad Rev. 1 from ver 13 to 19. And this same Man the Lord Jesus Christ Isaiah did see Isa. 6. sitting upon his heavenly Throne so that his traine or skirts filled the Temple The same also appeared unto Adam Gen. 3 8 9 10. nor will it prove that he whom Ezekiel saw was not the real Man Christ Jesus becaus it is said that he saw as the similitude of a man for even when Christ came outwardly in the flesh he is said to be found in fashion or likeness as a Man and yet he was a true Man and did truely and really partake of our flesh and blood by his outward birth 10. Yet before this even from the beginning he was the heavenly Man and had his Soul and Heavenly flesh and blood by which he reached unto the Saints in all ages and did refresh and feed them unto eternall Life And forasmuch as he gave them of his flesh and blood from heaven he also gave them of his Life or Spirit as he is the Heavenly Man or Second Adam 11. For the Life or Spirit of the Second Adam doth extend as farr as his heavenly flesh and blood And thus the Word was made Flesh even from the beginning and dwelt in us as in all Ages and they beheld his glory as the glory of the onely-Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth yet he dwelleth not onely in the Saints but also without them in himself and did so from the beginning 12. For the Saints can not contain Christ even as Man they onely partake of some measure or ray or emanation of him they have not the Center or spring of his Soul and Life in
but onely a favourer of Bishops being then an Advocat becaus he would not bow to their wills was constrained to flee the Nation Not to mention the fineings and other oppressions that many endured on that account and the Papists also some of whom had almost their all swept away and many fled Besides some few scattered ones whom they called Sectarys they grievously persecuted and threatned as namely Iohn Garden of Tillifroskie a Baptist whom they imprisoned in Edinburgh for a long time and reduced to so great outward necessitys that no body durst wel minister to him what he wanted But was the Presbyterian National Church any more favourable to their lawfull Prince Did they not also extend their power to the utmost against him to compell him And what the sad effects were which this produced I am loath to mention so that none were spared but all Great and small must fall down and worship this beast as it was in the darkest times of Popery otherwise they knew what they were to expect And it would saden a mans heart to think to what perplexity many simple-hearted men were brought while things were carryed thus on the one hand the Kirk issued forth her acts that people should do so and so and on the other hand the Lawfull Magistrat issued forth acts to the contrary and so the body of the Nation was divided some following the one some the other untill they ceased not to make the three Nations a field of blood And all this happened by that persecuting and compelling spirit in the Presbyterian Church that is the very life of such a Church without which it can not subsist as such Next as to her Hypocrisy we need go no further then the various changes of the farr greatest number of her Church-members and especiaily her Teachers one while Episcopal again Presbyterian and to wheel round again Episcopal and these changes all falling within a short time even upon the self same persons they who were zealous for Episcopacy and cryed it up yesterday the next day zealous against it crying it as much down and then up again one while preaching against festivall days and set forms of Worship then for them then against them then lastly for them again All this bewrayes horrible and detestable Hypoorisy especially in the Teachers who pretend to preach the Word of GOD and the Truth of Christ. Whereas the Word of the Lord is One forever and the Truth is the same always and is not yea and nay And it is a thing as manifest as the light of the day that the Teachers even of the Presbyterian Church have been generally and for the most part Self-seeking worldly minded and covetous men who loved pleasures and riches more then God And this the M●gistrat did wel know and saw the best way to prevail with them was to bribe them with augmentations and benefices as they did in the year 1649 and at divers other times as they saw occasion And in the time of great burdens upon the Land of Cesses and Taxations that many honest familys were redacted to great straits by reason of these publick burdens yet the Presbyterian Preachers table was as full as ever his cup did overflow with outward abundance he must bear no part of the publick burden but the burdens of the people must be augmented to give him augmentations But alas This Presbyterian kingdom is now faln and great is the fall of it especially it falleth heavy upon such as the Author of the Postscript who want those golden days of gathering up their stipends and augmentations but are fain to be at their purchase or conform which some have so much sense of shame still remaining in them as suffereth them not to do yet they fume and rage and the honest harmeless people called Quakers must be the main butt and object of their wrath but such paper bullets and darts that contain nothing ●olid as this Postscript being full of horrid lyes and false accusations will make little execution against us but certainly return upon their heads with shame and loss 10. All this sheweth that the Presbyterian Church was not so glorious a Church as she did take her self to be And many in the Island and elsewhere on the one hand did judg the Congregational Churches farr beyond her And those called Baptists I mean the more sober kind of them beyond both yea the Lutheran Church and the Church of England at lest as to divers particulars in doctrin is really beyond her But what shall I say concerning the Waldenses who had all what the Presbyterian Church had that was commendable and divers other things● that they want and wherein they do not imitat them although they boast to be their successors For the Preachers of the Waldenses were Lay-men most of them and wrought with their hands as the Teachers of the primitive Church did and had no s●t stipends or salarys but preached freely yea Peter Wal●● the first a most famous Preacher of that People was a meer Lay-man and had not Philosophy but was a Merchant in the Town of Lyons in France whose labour the Lord did wonderfully bless and the labour of such honest plain simple men as he was SECTION IV. 1. That some good men have been in the Presbyterian Church proves not that she was a true Church 2. In the darkest times of Popery God raised up some good men and Prophets in the Popish Church yet the Popish Church no true Church of Christ. 3. Few Sects but have had some good men among them 4. The Presbyterians in our days shamefully are declined from the footsteps and spirit of th●se antient good men that were among them 5. The Presbyterian Church guilty of treacherous practices 6. Christians should not make warr against the Magistrat 7. Presbyterians sufferings not pure and cleanly 8. The Episcopal Church had its Sufferers and Martyrs also 9. The Presbyterian Church especially their Teachers have much blood-guiltiness upon them 10. If the house of God under the Law was not to be built by men of blood farr less under the Gospell 11. GOD will not honour the Presbyterian party to build his Zion or Gospell-Church in this Land 12. Yet he will make use of many among them after he hath ●●ashed them from such bloody Anti-christian and unsound principles and practices 13. Of this they were warned eleven years ago in my book called Help in time of need printed in the year 1665. 14. The Presbyterian Church of Scotland guilty of Apostasy and spirituall adultery proved fully out of S. R. his Epistles 15. S. R. his Faith uncertain and he doubtfull in his later days concerning the Covenant its being made an instrument of Reformation 16. Some other testimonys of Great Presbyterian Teachers that God had forsaken the Presbyterian Church of Scotland 1. But if the Author of the Posts●ript think to get a fame to the Presbyterian Church becaus of some noted men for piety that have
a comfortable then 〈◊〉 is a true doctrin that we have the Man Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 near unto us in virtue of his Divine Life and Soul in his Divine Seed and Body extended into us and thus he is the Incarnat Word or Word made flesh ●welling in our flesh and is made like unto us for as we are flesh so he is flesh also but of a more excellent make or creation And thus he is the Bride●room and Husband of our Souls to whom we may approach and whom we may kiss and imbrace and handle with the hands of our Soul and whose glory we may behold even the glory of the Word made flesh and dwelling in us Whereas the glory of the Word as it was in God before it became flesh or cloathed it self with the heavenly Manhood no eye of Angel or Saint ever could or can behold for the Glory of the Word simply considered in God out of the Manhood of Christ is God himself without any middle or Mediator 8. And this none hath ever seen or can see no not the most glorious Angels but it is the Word made flesh or God made manifest in flesh to wit in the Heavenly Flesh or Manhood of Christ that is the alone proper and adequat object of the contemplation and enjoyment of the most glorious Angels as wel as of the most Holy Souls as Paul declared Great is the mystery of Godlyness God manifest in th● flesh c. seen of Angels Observe here it is not God simply but God manifest in flesh that is seen of Angels and is believed on in the world although he was both seen of Angels and believed on in the world long before he was manifest in that outward body of Flesh which was also a most glorious manifestation and excelleth in glory all the outward manifestations that ever were or shall be but the Angels and Saints did really see him before that nanifestation in outward flesh and the Saints do now really see him although his outward body and external person be not now present for us to behold 9. Yet the Word Incarnate or made flesh and called by Iames the Ingrafted Word we do really see for it 〈◊〉 in us and unlesse it were made flesh or incarnate it could not be ingrafted into us for all ingrafting or implanting requireth some simili●ude or analogy of nature and substance therefore we can not graffe an apple or cherry-graffe upon stone or iron or bare earth by reason of the great unlikenesse and distance of their natures and yet the Word simply and nakedly considered in God before it was made flesh is more unlike unto us and in nature more remote from us then an apple is from stone or iron Therefore to the end that the Word may be ingrafted into us and we again ingrafted into it the Word must be incarnate or become flesh as we are for all men are a sort of flesh and so called in Scripture in comparison of God that is purely a Spirit and though the Souls of men 〈◊〉 Spirits yet comparatively as unto God they are as it were flesh And thus the Word is become flesh that is to say hath advanced a step or degree nearer unto us then as it was in God before any thing was made and the Word was first of all made flesh to be the Root and Foundation of all other created beings and for which they are created 10. For it is a more noble creation then all things else and is 〈◊〉 this creation as the Apostle declared expressly Heb. 9 11. the words not of this 〈◊〉 should be translated not of his creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore some think fit rather to call it an emanation from God then a creation to speak strictly which I shall not dispute about for it rather is a strife about words then in the thing it self Now when I say that the Light Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus is not in us as in respect of its Fountain and Center or Spring but onely by way of emanation or participation we deriving it from that Central Light and Life that was in him that was born of the Virgin Mary 11. I do by no means acknowledg or understand that the Deity had onely its Center in that Man and from him doth ray into us for the most Blessed and Glorious Deity properly hath no center and rays distinct by way of emanation but rather is all Center according to that noted saying of Hermes Trismegist God is a Circle whose cent●● is every where and is no where circumscribed And therefore the Blessed Deity is as centrally and essentially in us as in the Man Christ Iesus 12. But still as in respect of union manifestation and operation and also in respect ●f communion and fellowship the Man Christ Jesus or Word Incarnate is the onely and proper middle and Mediator betwixt God and us so that where●● God is immediatly united with the Man Christ Jesus no other men or Angels have or indeed are capable to have an immediat union with God their union is onely mediat with God and so their communion and fellowship with him is but mediat also by the means of Christ Jesus although in respect of other means it is immediat And of this I found needfull once for all to acquaint the Reader to prevent his mis●●ke SECTION XII 1. How much more truely we own aud esteeme the Manhood of Christ then the Author of the Postscript or his Brethren 2. A testimony of Luther for the Man Christ his being every where 3. Another Testimony from those who imbraced the Aungustane Confession in that Treatise called Liber Concordiae that Christ as Man is really present with the Saints on Earth 4. The Lutherans grosse errour in the manner of this presence hath given occasion to many to deny the Truth it self becaus they could not understand the manner 5. The manner offered in this Treatise most consonant both to Scripture and Reason and almost to Sense 6. How Iohn saw the Son of Man in the midst of the golden candlesticks after his Ascersion 8. How Christ 〈◊〉 the ladder by which we ascend unto God 8. The Nephesch and Neschamah of Christs Soul distin●guished 9. Christ his spirituall coming in his Saints as the Son of Man Ma●th c 16 ver 28. 10. A Testimony of Calvin that Christ as Man doth sanctify us and give us Grace 11. Some testimonys from S. R. his Epistles that Christ is in the Saints not onely by his Gra●es but by himself 12. Another Testimony of Calvin 13. That S. R. speaketh of the Man Christ his being in the Saints 14. Many call that h●rrid blasphemy in us which they commend in S. R. and others of their own Teachers which is great injustice and partiality 15. Christ his knowing the heart of the Samaritan Woman and curing the woman of Canaan of her issue of blood proveth the extension of his Soul and Life or Spirit
my heart doth not only not bear witness for but against and indeed the Scripture also doth beare witnesse against them Of this sort I shall cite a few of many 1 part Ep. 12. The Bible beguiled the Pharisees Surely this is a very unsound and unwary expression and I dare say had such an expression dropt from the penn of any called a Qua●er it would have been called blasphemy The Pharisees beguiled themselves in wre●ting and misunderstanding the Scriptures as the Priests do in our days but the Bible or Scripture is altogether innocent of this Again 1 part Ep. 88 I am sure Christ hath by his death and blood ●asten the knot so fast that the fingers of Devils and hell-fulls of sins can not loose it This is expressly contrary to the Scripturs testimony that saith your iniquitys have separated betwixt me and you Surely such sin-pleasing doctrine although it be sweet in the mouths of Professors yet it is most unwholesom for their Souls as sweet poyson why did the Lord threaten the Romans the Ephesians the Laodiceans to cutt them off remove their candle●ick and spue them out of his mouth for their sins if this mans doctrine be true that hell-fulls of sins ●an not loose the knot Is not this to embolden people in all manner of sin to tell them that hellfulls of sins can not separate them from Christ If he had said Those that are come to witnesse the indissolvible bond or knot betwixt Christ and them are preserved pure and free from all great and grosse ●ins at least he had said more according to the truth and the Scripturs testimony which saith he that abideth in Christ sinneth not And if the righteous man turn from righteousnesse it shall be forgotten Again 1 part Ep. 181. We have need of a Saviour to pardon the very diseases and faul●s and weaknesses of the New man and to take away to say so out godly sins or the sins of our sanctification the dross● and scumme of spirituall love This is very un●ound to charge sin and filthynesse upon the work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his people whereas the Scripture saith his work is perfect And indeed how can any impure thing proceed from the Spirit of God that is altogether a most pure and holy Spirit Again 2 part Ep. 7. He who is woer and suiter should not be an house-hold-man with you till ye and he come up to his Fathers house together This is contrary to the Scripture which saith I will dwell in them and walk in them And if any man will keep my commandments my Father and I will come and make our abode with him Hence the Saints on Earth are called Gods Temple and house Again 2 part Ep. 48. The fruits that grow here are all seasoned and salted with sin A grosse unsavoury expression are the fruits of the Spirit aslove ioy peace gentlenesse goodnesse faith long-suffering meeknesse temperance c. all salted and seasoned with sin How then could the Lord relish and accept them Again 3 part Ep. 9. Howb●it we be but half-hungered of Christ here This is contrary to the promises of the Lord and experience of the Saints Did not David say My cup overfloweth And is it not said in the Song Eat O friends drink abundantly O beloved And is it not promised in the New Convenant they shall not hunger and thirst c. And said Paul that ye may be filled with the fulnesse of God And of Barnabas it is said he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost It 's true all that is received in this life is but as a first-fruits and earnest of that to come yet there is a very blessed and large enjoyment of Christ to be attained here so that the faithfull can say they want no good thing and although they hunger yet it is not for famine or want but to sharpen their appetite Yea in contradiction to himself he ●aith 1 part Ep. 128. Pray for me his prisoner that he would be pleased to bring me among you again full of Christ c. And 1 part Ep. 140. O thirsty love wilt thou set Christ the well of Life to thy head and drink thy fill drink and spare not drink love and be drunken with Christ. But doth this agree with his former expression of being half-hungered of Christ here in this life Again 1 part Ep. 62. he saith Reprobats are not formally guilty of contempt of God and misbelief becaus they apply not Christ and the promises of the Gospell to themselvs in particular for so they should be guilty becaus they believe not a lye which God never oblieged them to believe But this is to make God guilty of hypocrisy that reproveth the world of unbelief and offereth faith and Salvation unto all nor doth God obliege them to believe a lye becaus Christ hath given himself a ransome for all and dyed for all as the Scriptures expressly declare Again see 1 part Ep. 3. Except a man mar●yr and slay the body of sin in sanctifyed self-denyall they shall never be Christs martyrs and faithfull witnesses And yet in contradiction he saith within 20 lines in the same Epistle Howbeit we can not attain to this denyall of me and mine that we can say I am not my self my self is not my self mine own is no longer mine own yet our aiming at this in all we doe shall be accepted This is another sin-pleasing doctrine plaine contrary to the Scripture which faith unlesse a man deny himself c. it doth not say if he aime at it he shall be accepted Surely this is to ●ue pillows under mens arme-holes and to embolden them in sin for who will not say they aime at self-deniall although they attaine not unto it Again see 1 part Ep. 14. Some are partakers of the holy Ghost and tast of the good Word of God and of the powers of the life to come and ye● have no part in Christ at all cit●ing Heb. 6 4. But this is a grosse contradiction seing none are partakers of the holy Ghost but by Christ. But these mentioned Heb. 6 4. are such as having a part in Christ may fall from him Again see 1 part Ep. 50. The best regenerate have their defilements and if I may speak so their draff-pack that will clogg behind them all their days and wash as they will there will be fil●h in their bosome A most unfavoury and unsound expression contrary to the promises of God and the experience of many that witnessed a cleansing from all filthinesse and sin Again 1 part Ep. 27. All Christs good bairns goe to heaven with a broken brow and with a crooked legge Contrary to Scripture which faith Thou shalt walk in the way safely and thy feet shall not stumble Prov. ● 23. And Christ is a perfect Physician who as he cured the lame bodys of those that believed in him perfectly so doth he cure the lame ●ouls of all his