World began But the true saving Knowledge of whom is spiritual and divine and inwardly received in his own Light and Life within and saving Faith is in his Name and divine Power as inwardly revealed Stephen Crisp's Answer to T. H. THomas Hicks I having seen thy Book called a Dialogue c. and finding my Name mentioned in page 44. and 45. have very seriously taken notice of thy manner of Rehersal of my Words and thy own spoken at that Conference which we once had at Bartholomew-Close and that I know of I never saw a Narrative of a thing past given forth with more Falshood and Hypocrisie then that is and with a known and witting Purpose to deceive the Reader and to abuse me and I am perswaded Thomas thou hast in thy self a Knowledge of it and surely except thou repent and obtain Forgiveness it will one Day be heavy to thee The Business or matter upon which we treated was about our holding and believing Christ to be the Light of the World or that the Light which lighteth the World and every one that cometh into the World was and is the true Christ which was then proved by plain Scripture and whereas I do not intend a Narrative of the Discourse but only to dis-abuse the Reader and to make known the Occasion of these Words of mine thou hast mentioned therefore I shall pass over most of our Discourse and come to the matter relating to Christ. And that thou didst say as thou mentions in thy Book that no Spirit nor Principle was capable of Suffering and being Crucified is true thou didst say so but how faise the matter it self is let the Scriptures be judge Do they not speak in many places of the Sufferings Pressures Vexings Burdenings Grievings and Quenchings of the Spirit and do they not speak of crucifying afresh killing and slaying the Lamb of God the Lord of Glory the 〈◊〉 One from the Foundation of the World in the Streets of Sodom and Aegypt c which Sayings cannot have Relation to that Body that hanged upon the Cross which was not from the Foundation of the World nor was â—…ot in Sodom nor never hanged upon a Cross in Egypt but he whom the Saints called our Lord and the Lord from Heaven a quickning Spirit was capable of suffering these things besides those great Sufferings which he suffered in that Body in which he conversed with men in the Form of a Servant in the â—…arts of Judea and Jerusalem whom the Jews took and hanged upon a Cross without the Gates of Jerusalem who I believe dyed for Sinners and is raised up again by the Power of God exalted therein above the Power which caused him to suffer and sitteth now at the right Hand of God and maketh 〈◊〉 for the Saints and is the Ruler over the true Israel of God who destroyes his Enemies with the Spirit of his Mouth and the Brightness of his coming New this Christ of God thus truely considered I neither said nor thought I knew the Date or Beginning of as thou dost wickedly suggest for I know he is without beginning of Dayes or end of Life and such an high Priest becometh us to have and blessed are they that believe in him and are faithful to him and now having answered what thou malitiously wouldst have the Reader believe which I am perswaded thou thy self dost not believe viz. That it is my Judgment and Belief that Christ hath a Beginning and Date I shall now declare the Occasion of such Words when I was about to prove to thee that this Principle of Light was that 〈◊〉 of Ages in which the Fathers and Prophets believed and that it was that Word which came unto the Prophets and which was known to Abraham to his rejoycing c. thou madest me this Answer That the Names Jesus and Christ were not proper unto any Spirit Word or 〈◊〉 whatsoever either in Heaven or in Earth but unto that Body or Person which was born of the Virgin to which I replyed I remember John Newman hath written so in his Book but I had thought you Baptists had not owned him in it but now I see you do and thou saidst yes thou didst for though thou grantedst that the Word and Spirit was from the beginning yet that was not nor could not properly be called Christ or Jesus but that Person that was born of the Virgin that only was Jesus and Christ where uppon I 〈◊〉 then I know the date and beginning of thy Christ upon which thou criedst out Blasphemy to which I replyed and asked thee if thou thoughtst I did not know how long it was 〈◊〉 he was born as well as thou or another man c. and after that did prove to thee by plain Scripture that the very Assertion was false to say there was no Jesus nor Christ before and did mention the Rock of which the Fathers did drink and which followed the Jews in the Wilderness which Rock saith the Apostle was Christ not is now become Christ but was Christ and the same Apostle saith that God made all things by Jesus Christ mark Thomas if this be so then he was before Mary was or besore he became Flesh or took that Body made of a Woman for the Prophet testified that he that should be born in Bethlehem his Out-goings was from of old I say the more concerning this because thou endeavour'st to cast the Socinian Leven of which thou didst appear that night too full upon me as if I looked upon Jesus Christ as a meer Creature whose beginning and date I knew when as those Words were only spoken with Detestation of and in Testimony against thy corrupt Socinianism that Night uttered who also made a great Stir with me for saying the Eternal Son of God Thy Foundation is manifest Thomas thou canst not hide it this Way and as concerning thy foolish pratling in page 45. that if I knew his beginning then he was not God and if I knew his date or when he ceased to be then he is not man this is not all worth the answering the pretended Foundation thereof being taken away and thou left naked in thy Folly and Perverseness having shewn thy self but as one who makes a Likeness of a man and sets it up and then beats it down again and goes away and boasts of Conquest But for a Conclusion I shall ask thee and thy Reader a Question Suppose that a man should affirm to me that all things come by Nature and that there is no universal Spirit of Life to quicken them and I should answer thereuppon and say Then there is no God I query were this sufficient Reason to charge me that I were an Atheist that I held there was no God or ought it not to be taken as detecting the Atheism of the first Assertor this is my case with thee which I refer to that of God in all Consciences and let that judge in and amongst men and thee I
those few mentioned namely for Christ saith he sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel So he did not thank God for neglecting part of his Commission in baptizing so few but partly to prevent their wrong Use thereof and chiefly because his Commission did not extend to Water-Baptism And as to his Allegation to prove that the Word not is not alwayes used as an absolute Negative p. 27. he cites Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the Meat that perisheth but for the Meat which endureth c. If the Occasion of these Words be minded not will prove an absolute Negative in this Place Jesus speaking to them that sought after him because they did eat of the Loaves ver 20. and were filled for which end they ought not to have sought after him And admitting his Instance in Adam that he was not deceived namely that he was not first deceived taking in the Word first from the Verse before this is altogether impertinent unto his Purpose about Paul's not being sent to baptize there being no such Discovery that Paul was sent at all to baptize as there was of Adam's Transgression but the contrary in that Paul expresly said Christ fent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel V. Of the Anionted TO his saying the Word Christ signifies one Anointed accounting it absurd to say the Spirit or Anointing is Christ p. 37. I answer are not the Father the Spirit and the Word one Christ as the Son of God is God's anointed And is it not granted that he was the Son of God by eternal Generation And fo was before he took upon him that Body prepared for him called the Lord 's anointed Psal. 2. 2. which Word Anointed sometimes relates to his being set up or exalted as King yet have I set or anointed Hebr. my King upon Sion the Hill of my Holiness ver 6. As also to his being endued or anointed with Power from on high which Power is that divine Unction and in that Christ is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24 He may as properly be called the Anointing as where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty now the Lord is that Spirit this Anointing is not an outward Unction nor outwardly received upon the Flesh or Body but being a divine Unction of Glory and Power from above it s inwardly and spiritually received by an immortal Seed and Birth born from above as that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit As for his Term Humane Nature and Glorious Unity between the divine and human Nature p. 36. he talks he knows not what besides Scripture-Language the Word human is not applicable to Christ in Glory by the Scriptures but originally relates to the Earth and so to the Body of man as coming thence But Jesus Christ was the Anointed as he was the Son from the Father's Substance which he was before he came in the Flesh or took upon him that Body that was prepared for him and the Anointed and Saviour by the divine Power given him when in that Body upon Earth though more highly exalted or anointed as ascended far above all Heavens and exalted in the Father's Glory the Anointed and Saviour also as revealed and formed in the Saints Gal. 4. 19. the Anointed as set up from Everlasting the Anointed both in Sufferings and in Glory the Anointed both as he came in Flesh and as coming and revealed in the Spirit in his People and his Name by which Life and Salvation comes and is given is his divine Nature and Power to which his Name relates that is above every other Name One thing this man H. G. and his Brethren stumble at and at which his Soul is wounded as he saith p. 30. is that Christ was never seen with an outward or rather carnal Eye which H. W. is accused of sor saying The Eternal Son of God was never seen with any Carnal Eye to which I say they should have been so ingenuous as to have considered the Intent of these Words and more candidly to have construed them thus Christ as the eternal Word the Lord from Heaven the only begotten of the Father in his spiritual Discovery as the Image of the invisible God and Brightness of his Glory cannot be seen with a carnal Eye Flesh and Blood hath not so revealed him the saving Light of Christ never was nor can be reached with the carnal Eye he that seeth the Son and believeth on him hath everlasting Life Joh. 6. 40. and as saith the Son of God he that seeth me seeth my Father also Joh. 12. 45. and 14. 9. but none can see the Father with a carnal Eye therefore none could ever see the eternal Son with their carnal Eyes in this Sence of seeing which extends to true Knowing Joh. 8. 19. and 14. 7. though many did see the Body or Person of Christ in the Dayes of his Flesh wherein he was crucified and put to Death the Jews â—…nd Persecutors saw him in that Sence with their outward Eyes when they did neither truely see nor know him to their Salvation it being the Spirit that quickneth and such a Sight of Christ as that of his Body or outward man no reasonable man can be so absurd as to say it was not obvious to the Bodily Eyes and as absurd for any to imagine that any of us should intend otherwise Now these Baptists Faith concerning the Son of God according to their carnal Discourse of him may be modelized into this or the like Argument viz. If Jesus Christ the Son of God be also the Son of man glorified on the right Hand of God in Heaven then he consists of human Body of Flesh and Bones as some say or of a body of Flesh Blood and Bones as others say But he is the Son of man glorified c. Ergo he consists of a human Body either of Flesh and Bone or of Flesh Blood and Bones in Heaven Ans. I deny their varied Consequence as inconsequent for Christ was called the Son of man in a higher Sence then this human earthly or carnal Sence which they represent him in in that he himself said no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven Joh. 3. 13. and what if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh perfitteth nothing Joh. 6. 62 63. who will affim that as he came down from Heaven or as he was before in Heaven he so consisted of a carnal human Body either made up of Flesh and Bone or of Flesh Blood and Bone in their gross and carnal Sence John the Baptist had not such mean Thoughts of Christ as these carnal Baptists have for John said he that cometh from above is above all he that is of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the Earth he that cometh from Heaven is above
Israel and it is likely buried in twelve distinct places the Bones will fly through the Air out of all those places and meet together in one Body Oh! what a great part of the Air Water and Earth will there run into Conjunction by the Command of Christ and be turned into those very Bodies which were resolved into them by Death and the Corruption of the Pit But with the Addition of such new Qualities as shall sublimate spiritualize and refine them from all that Dreggishness and ill humour that shall be the Foundation of any Sickness or Death forever then the Bones will come together be made like Stones for Strength then the Sinnews will be as it were Iron Sinnews and the Flesh Brass such Strength will be put into them as I conceive is not to be found in the strongest Creatures which hitherto God hath made that they might be fitted the Bodies of the Righteous for an Eternal Life of Happiness and bearing the Glory of Heaven The Bodies of the Wicked for an Eternal Life of Misery and bearing the Torments of Hell pag. 17 18. But what a Stirring will there be in the Earth Those which are alive will wonder to see such a strange Metamorphâ—… of the Ground to seel Men and Women stirring and moving under their Feet arising and crouding for Room amongst them Then will the Lord bring down all the Souls of the Righteous which have been in Paradise with him many Years and they shall find out their own Bodies And he will open the Prison of Hell and let out the Souls of the Wicked for a while that they also may find out their own Bodies pag. 19. The Book of God's Remembrance will be opened This we are to understand in a Spiritual Sense not as if there were a real Book which God did make use of for his Remembrance of things as Men do who have Frail and Weak Memories pag. 22. The Spirits of all the just Men and Women made persect shall then come down and enter again into their Old Habitations pag. 31. when the Soul left the Body vile to putrifie and corrupt in the Grave and shall finde it come forth more Bright and Glorious then Gold after it hath been resined in a Furnace If the Love between the Soul and the Body were so great when the Body was so vile and the Soul so Sinful what will it be when both are glorified If the Conjunction between the Soul and Body were so sweet when the Body was so Frail and subject to Death and the Soul a Spiritual and Never-dying Subscance what will it be when the Body shall be made immortal and in some sort spiritual pag. 32. No sooner are they awakened and risen out of their Graves but they are entertained by Angels those Holy and Excellent Creatures when before in the Body they were too low and unfit for their Acquaintance but they will then know them and be able to discern the Beauty of those lovely Spirits pag. 33. They will arise like so many shining Suns out of the Earth pag. 34. They admired to see the Saints and to see themselves so transformed pag. 36. He will bring the Keys of Death and Hell along with him and open both these Prison Doors not to give Liberty and Release to the Prisoners But as prisons are opened at Assizes to bring them sorth unto Judgment he will open the Prison of Hell and all the Souls of the Wicked shall come forth like so many 〈◊〉 cut of the bottomless Fit and he will open the Prison of the Grave and all their Bodies shall creep Like so many ugly Toads out of the Earth and then Soul and Body shall be joyned together again and this Meeting will be sad beyond Expression Then the Meeting of the Souls and Bodies of the Wicked will be dolesul pag. 46 47. It is said that the vile Bodies of the Righteous shall be made like unto Christ's Body in Beauty and Glory but the Bodies of the Wicked will have another Hew and Fashion if it were possible to fashion Bodies like Devils those impure and foul Spirits such spiritual Bodies the Wicked should have Be sure their Bodies shall have no Glory put upon them but as they lay down Vile Bodies they shall rise up far more Vile The Bodies of the Wicked most probably will be Swarthy Black Ugly Monstrous Bodies p. 48. The Blackness and Dread of the Soul would quickly appear in their Countenance besides the Impressions which the Fire of Hell will have upon them if the Body be black how black will the Soul be after so long abode with foul Devils in the lower Regions of Darkness And when such foul Souls and such vile Bodies meet what a Meeting what a Greeting will there be We may fancy a kind of Language to be between them at that Day The Soul to the Body Come out of thy Hole thou filthy Dunghil Flesh for the Pampering and Pleasing of whom I have lost my self forever who hast stolen away my Time and Thoughts and Heart from God and Christ and Heavenly Things to feed and cloathe and cherish thee and make Provision to satisfie thy base deceitful Lusts when I should have been making Provision for thine and mine Everlasting Happiness Awake and come forth of the Dust thou Bewitching Dirty Flesh who didst lull me asleep so long in thy pleasing Chains until thou didst suddenly open thy Doors and thrust me out where I was awakened in Torments before I was aware Now I must come into thy Doors again that thou mayst share and taste the Bitter Issue of sinful Pleasures and Delights And O how will the Body be affrighted so soon as the Soul is entered p. 49. The Body to the Soul And hast thou found me out O my Enemy Couldst not thou have let me alone to lie still at rest in this sweet Sleep Hast thou used me as a Slave and employed all my Members as Servants of Iniquity and Unrighteousness and 〈◊〉 thou come now to Torment me and is this the Fruit of all the Pleasures we have taken together Shouldst not thou have been more VVise and provided better for thy self and me O! what Cryes and Shreeks will the Tongue give forth so soon as it hath recovered its Use p. 50. 2. The second Antecedent to the Judgment of the Wicked will be their Meeting with Devils to entertain them at their Resurrection and then they will not appear unto them like Angels of Light as sometimes here they have done p. 50. but they will spit forth their Venom and Malice then in their Faces possibly they may buffet their Bodies and lay painful Stroaks upon them surely they will terrifie their Souls for those Sins they have drawn them unto the Commission of p. 51. How will they be affrighted at the Apparition of so many Devils about them when they shall lash their Spirits with Horrible Scourges when
Epistles to Hermodorus his Friend he thus seemeth after a while to address himself to Eutycles and the rest of his Enemies that Impeacht him for being an Enemy to their Stony Gods Thus I shall be condemned of Impiety by the Impious What thinkest thou Shall I seem Impious to them for Dissenting from their Gods If Blind Men were to Judge of Sight they would say that Blindness were Sight But O ye Ignorant Men teach us first what God is that when ye declare us to be Impious you may be believed Where is God shut up in Temples O Pious Men he speaks Ironically or by Contraries WHO PLACE GOD IN THE DARK You Ignorant People KNOW YOU NOT THAT GOD IS NOT MADE WITH HANDS This is a most Clear and Ample Testimony against their Idols mixt with a Religious Derision yet qualified by a kind of Lamentation Surely Heraclitus believed in God yea and that he was Light too and such a one as should never set by whom he else-where says He had overcome the Enemies of his Soul VII ANAXAGORAS esteemed Noble by Birth but more Noble for his Knowledge and Vertue who was Master to Socrates taught thus concerning God That God is an Infinite Selfmoving Mind that this Divine Infinite Mind is the Efficient Cause of all things every thing beingmade according to its Species by the Divine Mind who when all things were confusedly mingled together CAME AND REDUCED THEM TO ORDER Which doubtless is so true that Anaxagoras had no small Share of true Light to give this Account of both God and the Creation And indeed his Memory was Celebrated by the Greeks for having very much improved that Discovery they had concerning God and Immortality VIII SOCRATES that Good Heathen if without Plat. phaed. Offence to the Professors of Christianity I may say it not only confesseth to ONE God but I am of Opinion they will think he gives good Reason why he doth so He first layes down That the Mind which they frequently call God by is the Disposer and Cause of all things Or in other words of his thus God To these Notable Arguments urged for the Proof of a Divine Super-intelligent Being and his Creation and Providence may well agree those Pathetical Expressions of Job the Psalmist and several Prophets Evangelists and Apostles concerning God's Creating the World and upholding it to this day his laying the Foundations thereof his Providence over the Lillies and the Sparrows his bringing forth Fruits in due season his Lights by Day and by Night that the Disciples should take no Thought what they shall Eat and Drink or put on That there is a Spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Almighty gives Understanding and lastly Can any hide himself in secret Places and I not see him saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24 No If I take the Wings of the Morning and flee to the uttermost Part of the Earth thou art there Psal. 139. 9. And by me Kings Raign and Princes Decree Justice saith God Prov. 8. 15 And is every-where Josh. 2. 11 And orders all Wisd. 11. 20. 12. 15 There is but One God and none else besides him Eph. 4. 6 In the beginning God Created the Heaven and Earth Gen. 1. 1 2 3 In him we Live Move and have our Being Acts 17. 21 Thus he Sees and Hears all and is Every-where Psal. 34. 9 10 11. is ONE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PERFECT in Him-self giving the Being and Well-being of every Creature And this he giveth his Reasons for * Xen. memor 1. That GOD Not CHANCE made the World and all Creatures is Demonstrable from the Reasonable Disposition of their Parts as well for Use as Defence from their Care to preserve themselves and continue their Species that he particularly regards Man in his Body from the Excellent Upright Form thereof from the Gift of Speech from Allowance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Soul from the Excellency thereof above others both for Divinations and Praedicting Dangers that he regards Particulars from his Care of the whole Species that he will Reward such as Please him and Punish such as Displease him from his Power to do it AND FROM THE BELIEF HE HATH IMPRINTED IN A MAN THAT HE WILL DO IT professed by the most Wise and Civilized Cities and Ages THAT HE AT ONCE SEETH ALL THINGS from the Instances of his Eye which at once over-runs many Miles and of the Mind which at once considereth things done in the most distant Places * Id. eod That God knoweth all things whether they be SAID DONE or SECRETLY DESIRED * Id. 4. That God takes Care of all Creatures is demonstrable from the Benefits he gives them of Light Water and Fire Seasonable Production of Fruits of the Earth That he hath particular Care of Man from the Nourishment of all Plants and Creatures for Man's Service from their Subjection to Man though they Exceeded him never so much in Strength from the Variety of Man's Sense accommodated to the Variety of Objects for Necessity Use and Pleasure from Reason whereby he discoursed through Reminiscence from sensible Objects from Speech whereby he communicates all that he knows gives Laws and governs States That God notwithstanding he is Invisible hath a Being from the Instances of his Ministers invisible also as Thunder and Wind AND FROM THE SOUL OF MAN WHICH HATH SOMETHING WITH OR PARTAKES OF THE DIVINE NATURE in Governing those that cannot see it Finally THAT HE IS SUCH AND SO GREAT AS THAT HE AT ONCE SEES ALL HEARS ALL IS EVERY-WHERE AND ORDERS ALL. So that here is both Socrates his Faith in God and his Reasons for it drawn from the outward Creation and the inward Divine Sence that from the Divine Instinct or Nature he receiv'd in which he lived and for which he willingly dy'd as afterwards may be related IX TIMAEUS Locrus in his Work of Nature thus Argumentatively expresseth himself in One Principle of all is Unbegotten for In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God the Word was God all things were made by him c. John 1. 1 2 3 4 if it was Begotten then were it no more that Principle but that of which it were Begotten would be the Principle Suitable to this saith CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS Clem. Alex. * TIMAEUS affirms namely Hear O Strom. L. 5. 2 King 19. 19. Mark 12. 32. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Israel the Lord thy God is One and him only shalt thou Serve Thus did he endeavour to Refute the Gentiles and prove the Scriptures out of their own Writings But again That God is and that he is a Spirit De Anim. and that he is the AUTHOR Mund. God is a Spirit John 4. 24. God said Let there be Light and there was Light Gen 1. 3 He is the Father of Lights Jam. 1. 17. of all Light Which how Sober and True it is let the Scriptures
all John 3. 31. and the Flesh of the Son of man which he gave for the Life of the World is that Bread which came down from Heaven Joh. 6. 50 51. Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you ver 53. Yet that the Name Son of Man was applyed to him as a Sufferer and as he said so shall the Son of man be three Dayes and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth Math. 12. 40. I deny not but this doth not limit him from being called the Son of Man in a higher State also each of God's Prophets might be called as divers were a Son of Man but Christ the great Prophet the Son of Man the Apostle distinguisheth between the first man and the second man thus The first man is of the Earth earthly or human the second man is the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47. therefore the second man is not human in their Sence nor consisting of a human or earthly Body as the first man and Ephes. 4. 9 10. now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower Parts of the Earth he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and Phil. 3. 21 who shall change the Body of our Lowness that it may be fashoned like unto his glorious Body c. Now if it should be read according to these Baptists Sence it must be who shall change our vile Bodies that they may be fashoned like unto his human Body as if they were not such already and how disproportionable is it to say Christ consists of a human Body of flesh blood and bones in Heaven but the Saints must have a spiritual glorious Body in the State of Glory hereafter yet to prevent these mens Scruples concerning our owning the man Christ or the Son of man in Glory I tell them seriously that I do confess both to his miraculous Conception by the Power of the holy Spirit overshadowing the Virgin Mary and to his being born of her according to the Flesh and so that he took upon him a real Body and not a fantastical and that he was real Man come of the Seed of Abraham and that he in the Dayes of his Flesh preached Righteousness wrought Miracles was crucified and put to Death by wicked Hands that he was buried and rose again the third Day according to the Scriptures and after he rose he appeared diversly or in divers Forms and Manners he really appeared to many Brethren 1 Corinth 15. and afterwards ascended into Glory being translated according to the Wisdom and Power of the Heavenly Father and is glorified with the same Glory which he had with the Father before the World began being ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things whose Glory is Incomprehensible and beyond the Apprehension of Human Capacities VI. Of Jesus and his Body of Man and the Body of Man WHereas H. G. cavils at my speaking distinctly of the Body of Jesus in that Joseph of Arimathea begg'd the Body of Jesus and to confute me herein he instanceth that of the body of Saul and saith that the Case is the same and the body of Moses which the Devil disputed about p. 39 40 41. but in this I cannot see any valid Matter to his purpose nor wherein he can intend it unless he believes that the Soul or spiritual Existence of man dyes with the body and the Devil did appear wiser then he concerning this distinction in that his disputing about the body of Moses does imply a distinction between Moses as to his immortal Existence and the body of Moses and that he did not confound them as this man doth who concludes Jesus Christ to consist of a human Body of Flesh and Bone which the original Being of no man properly consists of though to prevent Cavils and for 〈◊〉 sake I 'll grant him thus much that the Name Jesus Christ is indifferently and mutually applyed both to his spiritual being and to the body he took upon him and that distinctly in Scripture although the Names Messiah Jesus Christ the Anointed the Image and Glory of the invisible God the Word the Light the Life c. do more eminently and more originally belong to him as he was before he took that body upon him which he called this Temple and it was called the body of Jesus Whereas H. G. sayes What a strange Epitath would this Man write upon a Tomb-stone he cannot write here lyes the Body of Thomas or William c. but rather thus here lies the Thomas of Thomas p. 41. Reply This more properly falls upon himself in not admitting that distinction touching Jesus and the body of Jesns but their concluding and confining Jesus Christ as to confist of the meer body of flesh and bone and that he could not be Jesus Christ the Saviour before he took upon him that body by which this man cannot write Here lies the body of Thomas or William c. which implies a belief of an Immortality of the man as to his Spirituality but rather here lies the whole man Thomas or William without admitting of any such Immortality and yet I will grant him as before that the Word Man is indifferently applyed to either the spiritual Being or Body of man as there is an inward man and an outward man 2 Cor. 4. 16. And as God created man in his own Image and yet it s said he formed man of the Dust of the Earth Gen. 1. 27. and Chap. 2. 7. and it s said That the rich Man dyed and was buried which was his Body and in Hell he lift up his Eyes c. which could not be that Part which dyed and was buried but the immortal part or Soul Luke 16. 22. 23. yet the Word Man most properly and originally as God created Man in his own Image belongs to his spiritual Existence or Being for the Earthly Body was not the Image of God But farther let the Reader observe how evidently H. G. has contradicted his foregoing Stuff for a human Christ consisting of a Body of meer Flesh and Bone against my distinction concerning Jesus and his Body that was put to Death and buried which was also raised as where he speaks distinctly of Jesus and his Body p. 33. and confesseth that Christ came in the Flesh p. 36. that he hath an outward glorisied Existence that he hath a body p. 46 47. Christ's crucified Body p. 50. the Body that was prepared for him p. 79. He did assume our Nature p. 80. He had the very Form Shape and Fashion of a Man p. 81. And what He or Him was this he speaks of Was it not Christ the Son of God the Anointed And to his arguing That if Jesus Christ continues a man for ever then he hath a Body of Flesh and Bone forever This doth not follow
It is a vile and wicked thing to say it is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God the great Prophet God promised to raise up 2. It is a vile Error to say it is the holy Spirit or blessed Comfortor for that Christ sâ—…ith the World could not receive Answ. H. G. should have been so ingenuous as to have cited the Quakers Books and pages first to prove these to be their Doctrines and Principles and that in their own very Words before he had so severely charged their Doctrines and Principles about the Light of Christ in every man which till he doth I must deny him to be either an impartial or true Stater of our Principles and state them in our own Words as 1st We confess that Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightens every Man with his own divine Light or Life which gradually appears in Man and shews it self by Measure but God gave not the Spirit by Measure unto Jesus Christ the great Prophet therefore we do not call every Appearance of Light the whole Christ And according to H. G's Definition of Jesus Christ as consisting of human Flesh and Bone he is not in any Man but we knowing him after the Spirit and that he is God over all he is spiritually in his Saints in Union with them and known to them and his Presence is unlimitted he was in the World and the World knew him not whose Presence enlightens Man-kind with an immediaâ—…e Light from himself which is able to reveal Christ himself as he is only peculiarly revealed in the Saints who have obeyed his Light 2. The Gift Enjoyment and indwelling of the holy Spirit as Comforter is a peculiar and glorious Manifestation of Life only received by those that obey the Measure of that spiritual and divine Light within which is freely given of God to all wherein they thaâ—… wait upon God obtain more Power and Vertue from him who giveth the holy Spirit to them that truly ask him from a Sence of its Vertue and Light within in which they are only capable of receiving the powrings forth of the holy Spirit and abundant Shedding thereof on them as those that receive the Measure of his Discovery or Appearance in them And though the rebellious World doth not receive or accept of this holy Spirit nor see his Glory as an indwelling Comforter yet some enlightning Appearances and Operations thereof do at times reach the men of the World to their Conviction and Reproof often striving with Man to perswade him out of his Sins and Iniquities And if the holy Spirit be God his Spirit is unlimitable filling Heaven and Earth c. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy Presence see Psa. 139. 7 8 9. and his Presence is to Man an enlightning Presence and Thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things therefore thou chasteneth them measurably by putting them in remembrance of the things wherein they have offended that leaving Wickedness they may believe in thee O Lord. 3. H. G. Abominable it is to say 't will cleanse from all Sin and eternally save those that obey it p. 18. Answ. The Life which is the Light of Men is both cleansing saving in the least degree of it to them that obey it and it doth not in the least deny Christ to be the Saviour to say that his Life or Light in Man is saving being divine and that by which the obedient come to know and follow Christ and thereby receive the Light of Life and Power to become the Sons of God and the Kingdom of God which Christ said is within you is compared to a little Leaven a grain of Mustard-Seed which therefore hath a seasoning and growing Vertue in it he said believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light and this Light Men ought to walk in of which it s said as yet ye have a little Light in you as some read it walk while ye have the Light and in walking in the Light the Blood of Jesus Christ is received which cleanseth from all sin 1. Were it not a vile Error for any to affirm that that Life which is the Light of Men is neither Divine nor a Saving Light of Christ or Holy Spirit in any Degree of it 2. And art not thou H. G. vile and wickedly erronious to give out such Language as This Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ that appears blasphemously to reflect upon the Light and Power within as before in calling it a Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ to cry up Light and Power within And now to refuse believing in the Light which enlightens every Man that cometh into the World for Life and Salvation p. 19 though it be the Word which is Christ that so enlightneth every Man XI His sad and impious Prayer against the Light in all which Light is proved of the same Nature or kind with the Witness in Believers H. G. GOd forbid that I should ever own their Principle of Light in all that doth so clearly tend to the racing out the grand Fundamentals of the Gospel p. 52. H. G. Contrad Praises and Hallelujah to God for ever who hath given us that Witness in our selves of which thou 〈◊〉 est p. 54 55. which Witness his Sister spake of was the Light which reproves for Sin to own and believe in the Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World p. 8. and 29. G. W. Animad See what a sad pass these men are grown to and what kind of Prayers they offer to God against his own Light and witness within and how contrary to the Gospel Spirit and Light they are H. G. Rep. G. W. belics both me and my Sister in what he saith here for the Witness she spoke of is not the Light which reproves for Sin which is in every one that cometh into the World though I confess she bids me believe in the Light that reprovâ—…s for Sin which lighteth every one that cometh into the World 〈◊〉 contrary-wise she mentioned the Words of the Apostle John 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself p. 19. To this I answer Let all moderate and impartial Readers both thy Sister and others judge whether I have belyed thee or her in this Matter And how quarelsome and peevish thou art could she intend contrary-wise or another of this Witness of God then of that Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the World Thou shouldst have asked thy Sister if she doth not own the true Light that enlightens every Man and the Witness oâ—… Word which he that believeth hath in himself to be one and the same And hast not thou confest that Christ AS the Eternal Word enlightens every Man which he that believeth hath in himself as having through the Light given received Christ the faithful and true Witness who stands at the door of Man's Heart and knocketh so as in
eternal Advantage unless his Carnal or Terrestrial Body that now is partake thereof and how shall it partake thereof after it is dissolved and turned to Dust He tells us It cannot be a new Created Body but a Resurrection Of what he would have it of the self-same Body for Substance But if there must be no new Creation but a Resurrection of these Carnal Bodies opposed to Creation it must only be a raising of the Dust of these Bodies and then what a sad Garment would this invest the Souls of the Righteous with But if on second Thoughts he will admit of any new Creation of Bodies out of the Dust this cannot imply that they shall be the very self same that now they are in Matter and Form But if any of them shall yet say They shall be specifically the same Bodies That varies from their Principle of being the self-same that now they are What is now become of this Man's Religion and whereon do his Expectations of a future Advantage depend but upon his Ignorant and Carnal Conceptions and not upon any living Sence of Christ or any spiritual or divine Understanding of the Mystery of the Resurrection whose Work is gross Body and not Spirit He reckons our Religion and Suffering to be for a Carnal Interest while his empty Faith and Profession is for the same to be sure being so much for the Promotion of his Carnal Body in eternal Glory which 't is not capable of nor he in the Way to it Such is the course of some carnal Cavillers who while contending about Bodies and musing how they shall exist in Heaven they are now neglecting the Way thither more busying themselves about their carnal Bodies then regarding their poor Souls or minding the Spirit of Holiness thereby to become Sons of God and of the Resurrection or to be converted from Sin and Pollution to Holiness or turned from Satan's Power to God which is the Way to Glory And now in short to answer what we and our Religion are charged within the Conclusion of our Adversary's bitter reviling Dialogue First We testifie that the Resurrection is not past 2dly That the Soul of Man is not God nor Christ but God is the Saviour of it and so we alwayes since we knew our own Souls have distinguished between the Soul and the Saviour of it 3dly That we confess future and distinct Beings after Death as well of Men as of Angels and that the Children of God and of the Resurrection shall in the World to come be as the Angels yea equal to them 4thly Though it be said Thou sowest not that Body that shall be and Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. It doth not therefore follow that our Religion denies any eternal Advantage that is to be reaped much less that it is a Cheat or Calculated to the Service of the Devil as most wickedly and malitiously T. H. hath reviled and blasphemed that Religion and Testimony which we know is given us of God for we have not by distinguishing between the Natural and Spiritual Bodies denyed the Saints their proper Existences Spiritual Body or House eternal in the Heavens when the Earthly Tabernacle is dissolved and unless the Man holds the Mortality of the Soul that it dyes with the Body or the extinguishing of the spiritual Being of Man I do not see how he can suppose a denying of any eternal Advantage on our parts unless he place it all upon the Earthly Body It is true that some of his Brethren do hold that the Soul dyes with the Body and sleeps in the Dust till both be raised and this also depriveth all the Saints deceased from having any eternal Advantage in the mean time at least But we are not of that Faith Hope or Religion that will expire or perish with the Carnal Body as our Opposers will who in his fruitless carnal Work and Discourse consists more of and for gross Body then Spirit he is too carnal gross in his Apprehensions to discern so much as a Vision of the future Beings and State of Saints But both they that think they shall reap no Eternal Advantage without their Terrestrial Bodies of Flesh and Blood as T. H. pag. 75. And they who hold the Mortality of the Soul are not of the Apostle's mind and Spirit who said We know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord ver 8. For to me to live is Christ and to dye 〈◊〉 Gain but if I live in the Flesh this is the Fruit of my Labour Yet what I shall Chuse I wote not for I am in a straight betwixt two having a Desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 21 22 23. Mark here First he expected a far better and more excellent House then the Earthly House after Dissolution 2dly If to dye was Gain to him and to depart from the Flesh desirable and so out of it to be with Christ far better he did not place his Felicity upon the Flesh or carnal Body as T. H. doth neither did the Apostle so indeavour to magnifie that fleshly outside Cloathing which is perishing and dissolvable but his earnest Expectation and Hope was on the behalf of Christ and his future Gain in him saying Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether by Life or by Death Phil. 1 20. But T. H. his carnal Contest is for magnifying his earthly carnal Body and not for magnifying Christ therein for he scornfully slights our witnessing Christ and his being risen in us though it is evident the Apostle did not place his eternal Felicity and Advantage upon the Earthly House Flesh or carnal Body that perishes and turns to Dust for if he set his Heart upon Man if he gather unto himself his Spirit his Breath all Flesh shall perish together and Man shall turn again unto Dust Job 34. 14 15. But T. H. sees no Eternal Advantage to be reapt by Persons after Death unless they confess the Resurrection of the very self-same Flesh Blood and Bones that dyes corrupts and turns to Dust If he intends any Blood in it he will admit of no new Creation of it and by this his Religion and Hope do expire and perish with his corrupt Body and must only be renewed when the Dust of that Body shall be raised without Creating it a new Body And if there be no eternal Advantage without this kind of Resurrection as described by him this doth either wholly deny the Original and Spiritual Being of Man and comprehends the whole Man only as consisting of a mortal and perishing Body or else admits not of the reasonable Soul really to injoy her self in any condition out of the outside
in apt Resemblances obvious to the Sences as Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the Pile thereof is Fire and much Wood the Breath of the Lord like a Stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Isa. 30. 33. and Bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into ulter Darkness there shall be Weeping and Gnaâ—…hing of Teeth Mat. 22. 13. As also If thy right Eye Hand or Foot offend pluck it out or cut it off and cast it from thee as being better that one Member should perish then the whole Body should be cast into Hell where the Worm dyeth not and the Fire shall never be quenched Mat. 〈◊〉 29. Mark 9. 49. to the end Which still argues that the Impenitent and Wicked are liable to meet with real â—…orment and that he hath spiritually his proper Being and Habit consisting of such spiritual Parts and Sences having an evil Eye a polluted Mind and defiled Conscience covered with Guilt pressed down with the Body of Sin and perplexed with Horror wherein he both receiveth the Deeds 〈◊〉 in the Body and is capable of absolute Misery in the Fire which shall never be quenched where the Worm dyeth not As also it is said The Rich Man also dyed and was buried and in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom and he cried said Father Abraham have Mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the Tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am tormented in this Flame Luk. 16. 23 24. When his Body was buried yet he had the Sence of Torments that seized upon him and a Sight of the other's Felicity which he himself had lost Therefore as Christ said I say unto you my Friends be not afraid of them that can kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do but I will fore-warn you whom ye shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell I say unto you fear him Luk. 12. 4 5. A Summary of the Difficulties in the Point in Controversie FInally The Controversie is run up to these Difficulties which I object upon our Opposers Doctrines and Conceptions 1st How the self same Bodies should arise compleat after dissolved to Dust without a New Creation appears not nor is it demonstrated by them 2. If a New Creation of compleat Bodies of the same Dust and Elements should be conceived or admitted it is Incredible that God should create any corrupt sinful or polluted Bodies thereof for perpetual Torments seeing his Works are pure And as Incredible that he should make a pure Body to be invested with the former Evil Habit of Sin and Corruption for perpetual Torment in Hell-Fire and to be sure the first Elements or Dust of dissolved â—…odies is as pure as at the first 3. If Infants be supposed to arise at the Stature of Men how can theirs be the self-same Bodies they were 4. How the Body of the Saints and Children of the Resurrection should be either a Celestial Spiritual Glorious or Angelical Body and they Equal unto the Angels in Heaven and yet the self-same Earthly Elementary Body that dissolveth to Dust c. such a strange Transubstantiation appears not unless that the Natural Body and the Spiritual the Terrestrial and the Celestial the Human and Angelical be both One and the Self-same 5. That the Soul should not enjoy her self in absolute Felicity or Misery in perfect Glory or Contempt in her proper Vessel or Cloathing spiritually without the Earthly Cloathing which is Dust appears not while the Children of the Resurrection are equal unto the Angels of God in Heaven which are absolutely Happy and the Devil and his Angels absolutely Miserable 6. We cannot believe that the Invisible Infinite God should be seen with the Bodily or fleshly Eyes after Dissolution not that Job intended he should see God with his Flesh or bodily Eyes It being in consistent both with his being an Invisible Eternal or Infinite Spirit and with the true spiritual Sight of him which Job received Job 42. 5. 7. That the Seed to which God giveth a Body as it pleaseth him 1 Cor. 15. and the Body given to it should be one and the self same Earthly Body is a non-sensical Doctrine and an apparent Incongruity 8. That the Terrestrial Bodies should be so desirable to the Souls of the Righteous after Dissolution for the compleating their Felicity and perfecting their Glory appears plainly inconsistent with their desiring here to be dissolved and to be absent from the Body to enjoy and possess a Building of God au House eternal in the Heavens Or that the Souls of the Righteous should be so variable as to desire to be absent from the Body and presently after Dissolution to desire the Resuming of the same Earthly Body or a Re-union to it This implicitely accuseth the Souls of deceased Saints with being in their Affections both Earthly Variable and Unquiet as in a kind of Purgatory Which we can never assent to Thomas Vincent's Illustrations ABOUT THE RESURRECTION Which we may look upon as the Sense of the Rest and as the Explication of their Doctrines and Opinions who are Opposing the Spirituality of our Testimony about the Resurrection Among which some Truths are intermixt though his gross and carnal Conceptions about the Point we cannot close with His Illustrations are in his Book entituled Christ's Certain and Suddain Appearance to Judgment Collected and Placed in his own Words as followeth for the Serious and Spiritual-minded Readers to judge of T. V. GIve me leave to illustrate the Resurrection a little further and here I shall endeavour to set it forth by an Allusion to that notable place Ezek. 37. and ten first Verses pag. 16. some thing like this will the Resurrection be at the Last Day Now the Bones and Bodies of all former Generations are scattered up and down in the Valley of the Shadow of Death some are sunk into the Deep others are buried in the Earth the Flesh is consumed and resolved into its first Elements and the Bones of some remain of others are mouldred into Earth Now when the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God shall come down from Mount Sion which is above into the Valley of this inferiour World he will Prophesie over all the Bodies and Bones of all the Children of Men that are dead and speak unto them to Live he will say unto them whilft they lie rotting in their Graves Live he will say Awake ye that sleep in the Dust And Oh what a Noise and Shaking will there be then in the Ground What a clattering of Bones together in the coming of Bone to his Bone If the Body hath been quartered and buried part in one place and part in another as the Levite's Concubine who was divided into Twelve Parts and sent to the Twelve Tribes of
Lucid they namely the Bodies of the Angels are with which the best of them are invested as truly that of Exod. 3. 2. Acts 7. 30. which answers well to that of Hebr. 1. 7. The Bodies of the more Glorious Angels are Igneous and Lacid That also is a remarkable Example of the Lucidity of the Bodies of Angels which we have Acts 12. where while Peter was sleeping betwixt two Souldiers in the Prison bound in Chains the Angel of the Lord is said to come upon him and a Light to shine in the Prison c. I will add one Instance more which is Dan. 10. 5. where the Angel that instructed Daniel is thus described Then I lifted up mine Eyes and looked and behold a certain Man cloathed in Linnen whose Loins were girded with fine Gold of Ophaz his Body was also like Beryl and his Face as the Appearance of Lightening and his Eyes as Lamps of Fire c. This Appearance certainly of this Angelical Shape is Fiery Lucid and Glorious It is manifest that they are very Luminous and Glorious Whoever is invested with such a Body as is reserved for the Sons of the Resurrection will be if he please to shew himself thus Lucid and Glorious of which I shall want no more Examples then that one of our Saviour Christ's Body for all ours at the Resurrection are to be made like to his Glorious Body and how Lucid and Angelical his Body was after his Ascension into Heaven may appear from Apocal. 1. 13. where one like unto the Son of Man is said to be cloathed with a Garment down to the Foot and girt about the Paps with a Colden Girdle his Head and his Fair to be white like Wool as white as Snow that his Eyes as a Flame of Fire and his Feet like unto fine Brass as if they were burning in a Furnace and his Voice as the Sound of many VVaters a sharp Two-edged Sword came out of his Mouth and his Countenance was as the Sun shining in his strength This Body I think is sufficiently Lucid and expresly and almost exactly conformable to that of the Angel which appeared to Daniel as any one may observe that listeth to compare them The like Appearance of our Saviour seâ—…meth to be also Apocal. 10. where an Angel is said to be cloathed with a Cloud with a Rain-Bow on his Head and his Face to be as the Sun c. I will add his Appearing to an out of the Heavens as he was going to Damascus Acts 9. that suddenly there shined round about him a Light from Heaven c. above the Brightness of the Sun Chap. 22. 6. 26. 13. Which again doth not only assure the Reality but the exceeding great Splendor of the Corporeal Presence of Christ which is also agreeable to that in Apocal. And his Countenance was as the Sun shining in his Strength Out of all which I hope it is plain enough that as our Saviour hath said That the Sons of the Resurrection do become iâ—…so facto Angels in Condition as well for the Splendour and Constitution of their Body as their Immortality The Body of our Saviour after his Refurrection being so accurately answerable in Light and Glory to the most illustrious Appearances of Angels in either the Old or New Testament and this alone one would think might be sufficient to assure us of the Lucidity or Luminosity of the Body of Christ as also of all our Resurrection-Bodies For the Spirituality of this Body see 1 Cor. 15. 44. It is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body there is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body c. I think it is most reasonable to understand the Resurrection-Body to be called Spiritual not for that it is actuated by a Spirit for the Soul is a Spirit that actuates the natural Body but for that the Body it self is become spiritual which I must confess Calvin seems abhorrent from but meerly out of his Ignorance in Philosophy for he reprehends those qui substantiam corporis putant fore spiritualem c. Calvin seems to be afraid of the Opinion of the Body being spiritual as implying a substantial Change c. There is not any Inconvenience to admit that the Resurrectionâ—… Body is a spiritual Body that is to say that the Contexture of it is of more subtil Parts then those that constitute the Earthly Bodies pag. 498. And so he distinguishes between that Terrestrial Statue or Body that Adam had and the Spiritual Bodies of those that are made conformable to the last Adam and to his Glorious Condition Such as are not of a stupid and Statue-like Condition of themselves but of such a Nature as hath an Activity in it self and doth most wonderfully contribute to the most lively and most divine and enlarged vitall Operations of the Soul â—… In this Manner hath he gâ—…ven his Distinction upon the Words It is sown a Natural or Animal Body it is raised a Spiritual Body The Resurrection Body is Heavenly or Celestial as the first Man is of the Earth Earthly the second Man is the Lord from Heaven as is the Earthly such are they that are Earthly and as is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly and as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly And then it follows But this I must tell you Brethren That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God not that they shall only have Heavenly Bodies in a moral Sense or spiritual Meaning Bodies in which they shall be Heavenly-minded For such Slips as these and dilute Sences are very Dangerous c. but that they shall have an Heavenly Body in that Sense that Adam had an Earthly which was not called an Earthly Body for that he was Earthly-minded in it but because his Body was of an Earthly Substance Really and Physically Heavenly not only Morally we shall be such in our Corporeal Constitution as our Celestial Lord is in his we shall bear his Image of Heavenly Glory and Brightness not only in a Moral but Natural Sense nor can I imagine how Interpreters could be carried so forcibly off from so obvious and true a Sense had it not been by reason of some false Pre-conceptions in Philosophy that had corrupted their Minds and perverted their Judgments namely the Hypothesis of Ptoloâ—…e and Aristotle By an Heavenly Body I would understand an Angelical Body That the Heavens are fluid according to the most ancient and divinest Philosophy as the very Notation of the Hebrew word intimates Our Resurrection-Bodies will be furnished with the Seeds and Principles of Light and Splendour and be more Beautiful and more full of Lustre and Glory then the Heavenly Matter it self as that part of the Earth which becomes an humane Body is more precious and beautiful then the Earth it self before it be modified into a Frame fit for the Functions of Life So that whether we
consider the Angelicalness Spirituality or Heavenliness of the Body at the Resurrection there is all Reason to conclude that it will be of a Bright and Lucid Nature which is not only agreeable to Reason and the Scripture but also to the Sayings of the Fathers themselves as S. Hâ—…rom S. Macariuâ—… S. Ephrem S. Austin as you may see in Vossius in his Theses de corpore glorioso But nothing more express for our Purpose then that of S. Ephrem in his Discourse of the Resurrection viz. Justorum corpora septuplum supra solis 〈◊〉 radios How Angelical how Spiritual how Heavenly or Celestial how refulgently Bright and Glorious the Bodies of the Blessed are c. and more particularly the Body of our Saviour that shone about Saint Paul and Saint John as the Sun in his Strength c The first Man is of the Earth Earthly the second Man that is the Lord Jesus the Heavenly Man from Heaven And who should be intirely Heavenly if not He And what has Earth to do to either descend from Heaven or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or what Body more radient or refulgent then the Sun in his greatest Brightness can be vitally Organized but it must be of an Heavenly Nature indeed We have all Reason in the World to conclude the Body of our Saviour intirely Cele ial Tâ—…e Terrestrial Modifications of his Body were changed all cloggings thereof were quel'd and abolish'd 〈◊〉 and Blood cannot i 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of God and I think there is the ame Reason of Flesh and Bones viz. I understand natural Flesh and Bones not glorified I demand by what Creed tâ—…at hath the â—…ssent of the Universal Church are we required to believe that the Glorified Body of Christ consisteth of Flesh Blood and Bones It â—…eming so contradictious to the exprestwords of the Apostle as well as uniuitable to the Nature of the Peavens which the Philosophers new adayes conclude to be universally flâ—…d He admits of a Body of Flesh and 〈◊〉 provided they be Celestial and Spiritual Flesh and Bones p. 503. If any mortal could get within this so refulgent Orb of Glory and Brightâ—…ss and approach so near as to see the Fraim and Feature of â—…o Divine a Body no Heart could escape from being struck into a 〈◊〉 at the Sight of so over-coming a Beauty and Majesty nor the Soul of the Beholder from being carried quite away in an extatick Fit of Love and Joy and transporting Admiration p. 503. Touching the Sameness of the Body The Atheist makes a fresh Assault from the sense of the word Resurrectio as it is imply'd the rising again of the very same numerical Body in the strictest Scholastick Sense To which is answered first That 〈◊〉 in Latin implies no such thing necessarily but that as a City or Temple suppose being razed to the Ground and from the very Foundations is truly laid to be Rebuilt and so is both deemed called the same Temple and City again though nâ—…t a Stone were used of the former Structure provided only that they be rebuilt upon the same Ground though the â—…ame numerical Matter were not congested together to make the same Body at the Resurrection the stable Perâ—…onality being in the Soul c. He placeth the Sameneâ—…s of the Body that shall be upon its vital Union with the Soul and faith Tâ—…at Resurrectio is to be interpreted according to the Latitude of the Original to which it answers namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie only Vivification or Erection into Life but then considering it is spoken of them that have in some sense ceased to be alive that in that sense it signifies Revivification whence the Atheists Objection from the word Resurrectio is utterly defeated p. 506. The Scholastick State of the Resurrection is described namely That we shall have the same Numerical Bodies 〈◊〉 which we lived here on Earth and that these very Bodâ—…es the Moulds being turned aside shall start out of the Grave To which I presently subjoyn This Dâ—…ctrine the Atheist very dearly hugs as a Pledge in his bold Conceâ—… of the Falsness and Vanity of all the other Articles of Religion But for those that take any Pleasure or find any Ease or Satisfaction of Mind in the Conclusions or Pâ—…raseologies of the School-Divines touching this Point they are left free to enjoy their own Apprehensions and may if they please either fancy it necessary that all Bodies should rise out of the Ground the Moulds being cast aside or else conceive only that God will by his Omnipotency gather all the Particles of our Bodies whether flying in the Air or sâ—…ting in the Water and frame them together on the Surface of the Earth c concerning such things they may vary their Fancies as they pleaâ—…e 〈◊〉 p 508. To the second Objection he saith I answer farther as concerning the Scripture it self That I dare challenge him o produce any place of Scripture out of which he can make it appear that the Mystery of the Resurrection implies a Resuscitation of the same Numerical Body The most pregnant of all is Job 19. which later Interpreters are now so wise as not to understand at all of the Resurrection The 1 Cor. 15. that Chapter is so far from asserting this Curiosity that it plainly sayes it is not the same Body but that as God gives to the Blades of Corn Grains quite distinct from that which waâ—… sown so at the Resurrection he will give the Soul a Body quite different from that which was buried as different as a Spiritual Body is from a Natural Body or an Heavenly from an Earthly p. 508 509. A POST SCRIPT By way of Animad version and Counsel SErious and impartial Reader I have collected these Passages that thou mayst not only see how some of these learned Men differ about this mysterious and 〈◊〉 Point but also how unreasonable it is for any of them to be 〈◊〉 this or the like unlearned 〈◊〉 upon us viz. How and with what Body are the Dead raised c or to seek Occasions to vilifie us about this Point which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not only confounded but liable to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Question is not only unlearned but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unnecessary unto Salvation it is not necessary that 〈◊〉 should imagine 〈◊〉 they shall be cloathed or 〈◊〉 with Bodies in Heaven but to enquire the Way 〈◊〉 that they may walk in it and be solicitous to know that Power and inward Operation whereby they may be made Sons of God and attain to the Resurrection of the Dead as being Children of God and of the Resurrection If men walk in the True Light and so truly serve and please God on Earth they shall not need to 〈◊〉 or dispute about their future Beings in Heaven Their Business is to get thither and 〈◊〉 will well accommodate them there Men ought not to be too curious and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Matters beyond their reach as to the Manner
3 One God and Father of all 1 Cor. 8. 6 Now to the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the Only Wise God be Glory c. 1 Tim. 1. 17. The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Thee 1 Kings 8. 27. 2 Chron. 6. 18 What House will ye build me Acts 7. 49 God dwells in the Light 1 Tim. 6. 16 To whom will ye liken God what Likeness will ye compare unto Him Isa. 40. 18 25 God is a Spirit John 4. 24. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 2. Lact. Fals. Rel. 1. 5. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. But to us there is but One God the Father of all of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. Where wast thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth read on Job 38. 4 And the Earth was without Form read the Chapter in which is declared God's Making and beautifying Heaven and Earth and all Living Creatures therein Gen. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. and so to the end Thou Lord madest the Heavens and the Earth and all that in them is Acts 4. 24. August cir Del. 8. Tim. de De Anim. Mund. The Pure in heart shall see God Mat. 5. 8. He dwelleth in Immortality no Mortal Eye can approach or behold him 1 Tim. 1. 16. One Thing have I desired of Thee O Lord to behold the Beauty of the Lord Psalm 27. 4 The Things of God knows no Man but the Spirit of God but God hath Reveal'd them to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 1. 13. Is Christ divided 1 Cor. 1. 13 And I heard a great Voice saying THE TABERNACLE OF GOD IS WITH MEN. He that Overcometh shall Inherit all things I will be his God and he shall be my Son Revel 21. 3 7. Jambl. * Jamblich * De Anim. Mund. In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God John 1. 1. The Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Rom. 10. 8. I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also that is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Isa. 57. 15. Ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you 1 Cor. 2 16. Whatever may be known of God is manifested within for God shews it unto them Rom. 1. 19. Valer. Max. 7. 2. Lay up Treasure in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust can Corrupt nor Thief break through and Steal Mat. 6. 20. This Treasure hath God put into Earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4. 7. Fear not for the Lord thy God it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee Deut. 31. 6. In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted Isa. 63. 9 The Lord is a present Help in the time of Trouble Psal. 46. 1. * Oedip. Tyr. Shall not the Uncircumcision that is by Nature if it fulfil the Law judge thee who by the â—…etter and Circumcision dost transgress the Law For he is not a Jew that is one Outward implying such as keep the Law is one Inward Rom. 2. 27 28. And the Word of God nigh in the Heart shall abide forever Isa. 40. 8. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Plutarch de Gen. Socr. There is a Spirit in Man but the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Job 32 8. 2 Tim. 2. 22 25. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God Rom. 8. 14. * In phaed. God is Light 1 John 1. 5. In thy Light 〈◊〉 we see Light Psalm 36. 10 God is not far from every one of us for in him we live move and have our â—…eing for we are also his Off-sping as certain of your own Poets have said Acts 17. 27 28. One of whom was Arabus whom the Apostle quotes as speaking Truth and imployes it against them to prove a True God and to introduce his Gospel which if it shewed their Apostacy it also implies that there had been Heathens rightly apprehending of God else surely the Apostle would never have cited the Poets Saying for a Confirmation of his own Doctrine * Enead 1. cap. 1. For the Lord God is a Sun a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good Thing will he withhold from them that trust in him and walk uprightly Psal. 84. 11 12. For God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1. 19. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. A Manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. One God and Father of all who is above all and through all The Lord is Good unto all Psal. 145. 9. Leg. Alleg. L. 1. The Things of God knoweth no Man save the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. I will put my Law in their Minds and write them in their Inward parts I will be their God and they shall be my People Heb. 8. 10 11. Plut. Dion Prus. Because whatever may be known of God is manifest within for God hath shewed it unto them but because they liked not to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them up to vile Affections Rom. 2. 19 26 28. Dis. lib. 1. cap. 14. O Lord thou hast searched me thou understandest my Thoughts afar off Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Psal. 139. 1 2 7. We have a more Sure Word of Prophesie 2 Pet. 19. The Lord hath shewedun to thee O Man what is Good and what he doth require of thee Micah 6. 8. In him we Live Move and have our Being Acts 17. 28. Such as Men Sow such shall they Reap Gal. 6. 7. That was the true Light which Inlightneth all Mankind John 1. 9. * Senec. Epist. 41. * De Benef. c. 17. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men Rev 21. 3. He that dâ—…clareth 〈◊〉 Man his Thoughts the Lord the God of Hosts is hiâ—… Name Amos 4. 13. Wâ—…ite ye have the Light walk in the Light that you may be the Children of the Light God is Light John 12. 26. 1 John 1. 5. * â—…pist 8. * Epist. 31. * If Angry Tho. Hicks will please to inform himself of the Reasons that induced Justin to turn Christian he will find the Light Within acknowledged to be the Efficient Cause thereof for it was the Principle of God in his Conscience that continually pleaded the Christians Cause within him and who at last overcoming Justin Believes in Christ and Dyes for him too Now what Disgrace is this to the Light Within Liv'd after Christ Ann. 123. 1543. years since Apolog. Liv'd after Christ 190. Admon ad Gent. Strom. L. 5. Clem. Alex. in Admon ad Gent. Liv'd Ann. 195. Liv'd about Ann. 203. Liv'd about Ann. 315. De Cult Ver. Lib. de Ira cap. 2. Liv'd about Ann. 325. Athanas. cont Gent. Liv'd about Ann. 3 80. Liv'd about Ann. 393. Liv'd about the Year of the World 3313. before Christ about 630. years which is 2330. years since Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self Rom. 2. 21. Love thy
the Righteousness of God reveal'd from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them For the Invisible Things of Him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the Things that are made even his Eternal Power and God-head so that they are without Excuse because that when they knew God they Glorified him not as God neither were Thankful but became Vain in their Imaginations and their Foolish Hearts were Darken'd And even as they did not like to Retain God in their Knowledge God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind to do those things which are not Convenient These Notable Lines of that Great Apostle give an apparent Overthrow to all Objections against either the Universality or Sufficiency of the Light within which will be further manifest if the Reader be but pleas'd to observe these few Particulars 1. That in the Gospel of Christ is the Righteousness of God revealed and that from Faith to Faith 2. That this Faith the Just have ever lived by for he quotes a Time past as it is written which Writing was about 700. Years before he wrot that Epistle 3. That many had degenerated from the Righteousness of God to wit the Gentiles into Ungodliness against which the Wrath of God was revealed from Heaven 4. That they however once knew the Truth 5. That they came to the Knowledge of this Truth from the Manifestation of God who is Light within since what might be known of God was manifested in them because God had shewed it unto them 6. That the Cause of their after Darkness was their Rebelling against that Manifestation or Light not Glorifying the God that shewed it to them when they both saw it and knew him so to do Consequently that God had given them Light Sufficient both to know and obey him And since they liked not to retain God in their Knowledge the Deficiency was theirs and not the Light 's 7. If therefore their foolish Hearts were darkned that is by Disobedience it follows that therefore that Darkness came by Sin into their Hearts they had Light in their Hearts or a Light within 8 Lastly If the Wrath was therefore revealed because the hold the Truth in Unrighteousness and when they knew God by that Manifestation of Light within they glorified him not as God but became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish Hearts darkned Then certainly had they kept to that Principle call'd the Truth and the Manifestation of God within and preserv'd their Faith in God as he had reveal'd himself to them So glorifying him as God and delighting to retain him in their knowledge Not Wrath but Mercy â—…nd Peace had been revealed from Heaven as saith the same Apostle in his following Chapter to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality ETERNAL LIFE In short This we may safely conclude that the Righteousness 〈◊〉 in the Gospel of Christ of which Paul was not ashamed from Faith to Faith by which Faith he 〈◊〉 the Just Ancients lived or were accepted is One in Nâ—…ture though not in Degree with that TRUTH the Gentiles Apstatized from and therefore lived without Faith Righteousness or God in the World for which the Wrath was revealâ—…d which had they lived up unto glorifying God as God â—…ccording to the Manifestation of himself in their Hearts and Consciences they would have had not the Revelation of Wrath but of the Righteousness of Faith by which the Just in all Ages have liv'd â—…cceptably with God For without Faith can no Man please God in any Age as without Holiness that flows from true Faith to Man shall ever see the Lord. VII And Lastly I do earnestly intreat the Unprejudic'd Reader to observe these two notable Passages which with my Consideration of them shall conclude the Scripture-Proofs I have urg'd for the Universality of the Light and Spirit of God antecedent to Christ's Appearance in the Flesh. Then Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation He that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him For not the Hearers of the Law are Just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Works of the Law written in their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while Accusing or Excusing one another in the Day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Châ—…ist according to my Gospel These Scriptures are a severe Check to our Adversaries undervaluing Apprehension of the blessed Light of God and that will appear in several particulars 1. God is no Respecter of Persons in any Nation from whence I honestly conclude that all Persons and Nations were inlightned as well Gentiles as Jews 2. That here are Men not of the Circumcision made with hands who fear God work Righteousness and are Doers of the Law not from any outward Obligation â—…or they had none but the inward Work of the Law writ upon 〈◊〉 Hearts which is a Demonstration that they had not only 〈◊〉 Light as a Reprover but as a Teacher and Leader whereby thâ—…y came to fear God and work Righteousness which is else-where said to be the Sum of the Matter and whole Duty of Man 〈◊〉 then no 〈◊〉 that fears God works Righteousness and keeps the 〈◊〉 Law of God as the Scriptures testifie some Gentiles to hâ—…ve done can be said to do so and yet worship false Gods or not riâ—…htly Worship the true one be void of the true Light the most part of T. Hicks his 9th page where he objects the 〈◊〉 Ignorance of the true God against the Sufficiency of the Light within and a Challenge to us to produce one Instance amonâ—… the many Thousands of Mankind that from the Light within hath been reproved for not believing Jesus to be Christ 〈◊〉 as the smoak For though perhaps he thinks he may have done a great deal in making that bold Demand of 〈◊〉 yet I shall briefly tell him that such as lived up most sincerely to the Light in their own Consciences acknowledged most readily that glorious Appearance of Light in â—…hat Body then in the World They were the great Pretenders to Scriptures that would not come to Christ the Traditional Literal and Ordinance-Men that Rejected and Crucified him and that had not both Cornelius and the Centurion with many others been upright Livers to the Light within neither 〈◊〉 Peter been so received by the one nor Christ so follow'd by the other But that measure of the Divine Light which they had thitherto obey'd as the more sure Word of Prophecy lead
Careful Mariners steering the Course of their Lives by the Direction of that Heavenly Star which in the Gentile-Night rise in their Consciences to guide them unto a Blessed Immortality which will be the Last Point of their Divinity and then we close this Discourse with respect to them CHAP. XIV That the Last Point of Gentile-Divinity to wit Immortality and Eternal Rewards is also very clearly and positively held forth by the Ancient Heathens Six Testimonies from them to prove it Socrates's Great Faith in particular and the Lofty Strain of the Pythagoreans THat the Gentiles believed there was an IMMORTALITY and that all Men should hereafter be Accountable for the Deeds done in the Body a Point but obscurely lay'd down among the Jews themselves be pleased to take these few insuing Authorities as a Proof of what is asserted I. PYTHAGORAS and the Pythagoreans that they all held the Immortality of the Soul Consider his and their Doctrine in the Point First he said That the Soul is Immortal Next That the Soul is Incorruptible it never Dyeth for when it goes out of the Body it goes into the other World THE PURE TO GOD THE IMPURE BOUND BY FURIES IN INDISSOLVABLE CHAINS Here IMMORTALITY and REWARDS are asserted But when a Man who has lived Justly dyeth his Soul ASCENDETH TO THE PURE AETHER or Heaven and lives in the Happy Aevum or Everlasting Age with the Blessed II. HERACLITUS If my Body be over-press'd it must descend to the destinate Place Nevertheless MY SOUL SHALL NOT DESCEND BUT BEING A THING IMMORTAL SHALL FLY UP ON HIGH TO HEAVEN III. EURIPIDES a grave Tragedian whose Work was to undo what Wanton Comedians had done to undo the People speaks thus Who knoweth whether to Dye be not to Live and to Live to Dye Surely he said so not out of any Distrust of Immortality but in Belief of it and that Reward which would attend Good Men. IV. SOCRATES The Body being Compounded is Dissolved by Death The SOUL being Simple PASSETH INTO ANOTHER LIFE INCAPABLE OF CORRUPTION THE SOUL OF THE GOOD AFTER DEATH ARE IN A HAPPY ESTATE UNITED TO GOD IN A BLESSED IN ACCESSIBLE PLACE THE BAD IN CONVENIENT PLACES SUFFER CONDIGN PUNISHMENT This puts the Case of the Sufficiency of the Light to discover Immortality to the very Heathen out of all doubt and not only so but Rewards too since we have them here believing THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE SAVED AND THE WICKED DAMNED This made Socrates so chearful at his Death something of which I think fit here to insert Truly did I not believe I should go to the Just God and to Men better then any Living I were inexcusable â—…or contemning Death BUT I AM SURE TO GO TO GOD A VERY GOOD MASTER and hope to meet with Good Men AND AM OF GOOD COURAGE hoping that SOMETHING OF MAN SUBSISTS AFTER DEATH AND THAT IT IS THEN MUCH BETTER WITH THE GOOD THEN WITH THE BAD When he had made an end of Speaking CRITO one of his Followers ask'd him what Directions he would leave concerning his Sons and other Affairs and if they could do any thing that might be acceptable to him I desire no more saith he then what I have often told you If you take Care of Your selves whatsoever you do will be acceptable to me and mine though you promise nothing if you Neglect Your selves and VERTUE you can do nothing acceptable to us THOUGH YOU PROMISE NEVER SO MUCH That answer'd CRITO we shall observe But how wilt thou be Buried As you think good saith he IF YOU CAN CATCH ME and that I give you not the slip Then with a Smile applying himself unto us I cannot perswade CRITO saith he that I am any thing more then the Carkase you will anon behold and therefore he takes this Care â—…or my Enterment It seems that what even now I told him that as soon as I have taken the Poyson I SHALL GO TO THE JOYES OF THE BLESSED hath been to little purpose He was my Bail bound to the Judges â—…or my Appearance you must now be SURETIES to him that I am DEPARTED Let him not say THAT SOCRATES IS CARRIED TO THE CRAVE OR LAID UNDER GROUND for know dear CRITO such a Mistake WERE A WRONG TO MY SOUL be not dejected Tell the World MY BODY ONLY IS BURIED and that after what manner thou pleasest Yet saith SOCRATES I may pray to God and will That my Passage hence may be Happy which I beseech him to grant and in the same instant drank it off easily without any Disturbance This saith Plato was the End of the Best the Wisest and most Just Men. A Story which Cicero professeth he never read without Tears This ends Socrates upon the present Subject and Happy Man was he to make so happy an End as to Dye for the only true God he had great Reason to believe maugre the Envious Uncharitableness of T. H. that he would Reward him when it shall be said to many Bawling pretended Christians Depart from me I know you not for as Men Sow so shall they Reap in the Day of God I need not to tell the World that Plato and other Heathens have written accurately upon that Subject when it is so Notorious Wherefore to close up my Testimonies upon this Head and whole Discourse of Gentile-Divinity I will present the Reader with two short Passages one of the Pythagoreans the other from Virgil thus tranâ—…lated to my hand only a little varied by an Ingenious Author V. Donec long a Dies perfecto temporis Orbe Concretam exemit Labem purumque reliquit Aethereum Sensum atque aur ai simplicis ignem In English thus Till that long Day at last be come about That wasted has all Filth and Foul Desire And leaves the Soul CELESTIAL THROUGHOUT Bathing her Senses in pure liquid Fire To which agrees that Golden Distick of the Pythagoreans as it hath been called VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this purpose Who after Death once reach the Heavenly Plain BECOME LIKE GOD and never Dye again The Greek has it as Immortal Gods Which Hierocles interprets thus Herein shall Good Men resemble the Deity that they shall be Immortal like God himself Thus Reader have I given thee a very true Account of the Gentile-Divinity what was the Faith what the Practice and what the Prophecy and Hope of many Gentiles through this Light Within each of which had numerous Followers Observe They began where Jews and Christians begin that is WITH GOD and they end with what they confess to be theirs namely a State of Immortality in which every one is Rewarded according to their Works Only they are thus far to be Commended before either of them if we consider many of our Times That they were more Certain Plain and True in their Acknowledgment of a Divine Light Law or Principle in
Man which obey'd supply'd then with dayly Wisdom and Strength and finally led to God And also were more Just to their Faith by a Life excelling theirs in Vertue and Self-Denyal And certainly in that Great and Terrible Day when God will judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to Paul's Gospel will such Pious Gentiles who knowing God they Glorified him as God and Conscientiously did the Things contain'd in his Law be finally Acquitted and Rewarded CHAP. XV. That the Heathens had a Sight of the Coming of Christ. That and not Swearing prove the Sufficiency of the Light OVer and above what I promised being rather willing to Err on that End if yet it be Erring I shall briefly observe two things greatly importing our Defence of the Light and the Satisfaction of our Adversaries if it be true that they query to be satisfied 1. That the Testimony of Socrates and Xenocrates about Swearing sufficiently prove to us that by the Light they had they saw a State above Swearing or a Righteousness excelling that of the Legal Jews which manifestly corresponds with what Christ said who above Four Hundred Years after them taught as what Purely became the Evangelical Righteousness SWEAR NOT AT ALL. 2. That though their Light did not tell them the express Names Christ should be called by yet they Fore-saw and Prophesied of his Coming and how he should come of a Virgin and what both he was and the Work he came to do which the Names given of the HOLY GHOST did strictly import or signifie Neither is it the knowing so many Letters Syllables or Words that gives true Knowledge or Salvation but the Experiencing him to be that which he is and wherefore he is so denominated for to that End came He into the World Christ signifies Anointed with respect to that peculiar Manifestation Jesus a Saviour for he should save his People from their Sins Emanuel which is to say God with us c. that in this Sense he was Prophetically held forth by the 〈◊〉 through that Measure of Light they had Hear Plato and Virgil. Marcil Ficinus who writ the Life of that Great Gentile tells us among many other things that Being very seriously askt by some that visited him as the last thing they had a Mind to be informed about HOW LONG MEN SHOULD ATTEND TO HIS WRITINGS Of which he seem'd so cheery Living and Dying in the Belief of what he recommended to the World He solemnly answer'd TILL THAT MORE HOLY AND DIVINE PERSON SHALL APPEAR TO VISIT THE WORLD WHOM ALL MEN OUGHT TO FOLLOW At once both believing such a one to appear and then forbidding all to prefer that lesser Discovery he had given the World through the Improvement of his Talent of Light to that greater Manifestation which that Divine Person would bring with him into the World as if he had said Mine may help you with respect to that Knowledge which is your Duty in this Generation and so direct to him that afterwards shall come but I am not He neither do I believe this the most excellent Discovery that can be made but as the lesser Light may point to the greater and is at last swallow'd up of it so can I only point at him and when he is come all I have done must yield to him for I declare that all ought to follow him for in following him they will obtain Eternal Blessedness Let us now see what Virgil will add to this Matter as translated in Eusebius Jam nova Progenies Coelo demittitur alto Now is from Heaven high Descend'd a new Progeny And in his Bucolicks Sicelides Musae paulo majora canamus Ye Muses with a lofty Wing Let us of higher Matters sing And what be they Ultima Cumaei venit jam Carminis aetas Who lives this Age will clearly see Cumea's Vers's accomplisht be This Cumea so called of her City was a Sibyl who liv'd about 600. Years before Christ and prophesied of him Virgil writ these Verses about Forty Years before Christ was born I query if the Jews themselves had so positive a Sence of the Messiah's Coming But to proceed Magnus ab integro seclorum nascitur Ordo Jam redit Virgo redeunt Saturnia Regna Th' Integrity of Times shall now renew again A VIRGIN also shall bring back old Saturn's Raign This is a direct Prophecy of the Marvellous Conception that he should be born of a Virgin and the Good that would redound to the World thereby as he further addeth Tu modo nascenti Puero quo ferrea primum Desinet ac toto surget Gens aurea Mundo Cast a fave Lucina Hoc duce si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri Irrita perpetua solvent formidine terras The Birth of that most happy CHILD by whom The Iron Age shall end and Golden come Chast Lucina favour HE SHALL THE POWERS OF WICKEDNESS DESTROY AND FREE THE WORLD FROM FEAR AND ALL ANNOY Yet again Ipsae lacte domum referent distenta Capellae Ubera nec magnos metuent armenta Leones The Goates shall bring their Udders Milk-fill'd home And th' gentle Flocks great Lyons shall not shun Yet further Ipsa tibi blandos fundent cunabula flores Occidet Serpens fallax herba veneni Occidet Assyrium vulgo nascetur amomum Thy Cradle fairest Flowers shall send forth still Which shall have Power THE POYSONOUS HEARBS TO KILL The SERPENT HE SHALL TO DESTRUCTION BRING Assyrian Amomum shall each where spring Hinc ubi jam firmata virum te fecerit aetas When thou shalt attain at length To Years of Manhood and firm Strength Now let any tell me if this be not a most Pathetical Account of the Vertue and Power of Christ and the very End of his coming into the World as by a Comparison of it with Scriptures in the Margent will plainly appear Et durae querâ—…us sudabunt roscida mella From the hard Oak there shall Sweet Hony sweat forth and fall To Conclude Cedet ipse mari vector nec nautica pinus Mutabit merces omnis feret omnia tellus Non rastros patietur humus non vinea falcem Nec varios discet mentiri lana colores Sponte sua sandix pascentes vestiet agnos O mihi tam longe maneat pars ultima vitae Spiritus quantum sat erit tua dicere facta The Sea shall then be quiet no Ship shall range Abroad her Wares with others to exchange Then every Land shall every thing produce And then to plow the Earth they shall not use Vines by the Hook shall not be rectify'd Nor Wool with divers Colours shall be dy'd Fair Fleeces voluntary shall proceed And clothe the Lambs while they do gently feed O might my Dayes be lengthned so that I Might sing of thy great Deeds before I dye Thus to say no more though much more might be said of this kind have Heathens by the LIGHT we have been hitherto
Light from Christ Jesus the Way out of the Fall the second Adam receiving the Light they receive Redemption and Sanctification whereby their Spirits Bodies and Souls are sanctified Great Mystery p. 91. Note here still that he plainly distinguisheth between the Soul and him that redeems and sanctifies it so that the Soul or Spirit of Man is neither God nor Christ but as much inferior in Subordination to God and Christ as the Creature Man is to the Creator or that which is saved and redeemed to him that saveth and redeemeth The sum of what 's said amounts to this candid Account about the Soul viz. That the Soul and Spirit of Man is not the very Being of God nor a part of God though the original Life of the Soul which came out from God is immutable and infinite there is a divine and infinite Life in the Soul of Man which we would have you be sensible of This is the Life of Lives the Soul of Souls the Being of Beings by which the Soul of man is made to subsist in its Being and Immortality whether in the Kingdom of Glory or Pit of Darkness although this original or divine Life in the Soul stands clear and free from both the Guilt Torment and Anguish that comes upon every Soul of Man that does Evil. Every Soul must appear before the Lord in its own proper Image and Nature which it hath born been under and received while in the Body having been subject either to the Spirit and Power of God or to the Spirit and Power of the wicked one wherein it s capable of either being a Vessel of Mercy and Love or a Vessel to hold Wrath and Anguish according to what it doth here love and effect and contract to it self whether Good or Evil. Therefore as it s commanded Take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently c. love the Lord thy God with all thy Soul c. and then thou wilt know Christ to be the Salvation of it The Scripture speaks variously of the Soul and as in divers States and Conditions viz. 1. Of the Soul of God which is Immutable 2. Of the Soul of Man and that 1. Of the Righteous which really pertake of the divine Nature 2. Of the Wicked which pertake of the Nature of Enmity And these differ in their Affections the one being to Good and the other to Evil. Mention is made of the Soul as under the Power of Sin Death and the Grave by man's Disobedience and Fall and of the Soul as quickned raised up and delivered or saved by the Power of Christ the living ingrafted Word Sometimes the Soul is mentioned as including the whole man sometimes as distinguished from the Body sometimes it s esteemed as the Life and sometimes the Spirit or Breath of Life and an active Soul inspired and there is a State wherein the Word of the Lord is said to divide asunder betwixt the Soul and Spirit Now if you do not own a divine Seed or unchangeable Principle of Life in the Soul I query of you 1st Do you or did you ever know your own Souls 2ly What the Soul is in it self and distinct from the Body 3ly What and where is that to be known that is to change the Souls and so the whole man's Affections from Evil to Good while man remains in this Life 4ly Do you own the Souls Immortality that it doth not dye with the Body Do not some of you Baptists hold that the Soul dyeth with the Body and sleeps in the dust of the Earth untill both arise together 5ly Whether Man doth not subsist in his spiritual Being and Parts with a spiritual Capacity and spiritual Sences having a Sense of perpetual Gain or Loss when his Earthly Tabernacle is put off 6ly Whether the Spirit of Man doth not return unto God that gave it to receive its Judgment and Reward 7ly Whether Man must not be born again here of an Immortal and Incorruptible Seed in him if ever he enter into God's Kingdâ—…m or enjoy Glory hereafter 8thly Whether it be not more necessary for you to wait in humilily to know this immortal Seed in you and to be born thereof then to puzzle your Brains and to busie your Thoughts either about the Questâ—…on how and with what Body are the Dead raised Or how your Souls shall be invested hereafter If you remain here in the Enmity slighting and contemning the Light within or the immortal Principle or incorruptible Seed within as T. H. doth scoff and ridiculously droll at our Testimony for it you 'll be clothed with perpetual shame and Contempt hereafter God knows how to reserve the Unjust to the Judgement of his great Day to be punished as both Divels fallen Angels and wicked men are reserved You need not question in what Bodies or Vessels for that you shall be vessels fit to hold inevitable Wrath if here in time you repent not But if you repent and return to the Lord God and love and serve him with all your Souls it will be well with you hereafter God will provide well for you And the Glory wherewith his sanctified Ones shall be invested And of that House wherewith Righteous Souls shall be cloathed upon is beyond the reach of humane Capacities Thoughts or Imaginations of men And you who are contending and quarrelling about your carnal Bodies have not had so much as a Vision of the Glory of the Saints hereafter nor of the Gloriousness and Spirituality of their Body who are as the Angels of God in Heaven Sect. XII The Neck of the Baptist's Cause broken by his own Concession to the Light within in which Christ and his Testimonies are effectually received T. H. HOw could you call the Light within Christ if some Scriptures had not mentioned Christ in you that he is the Life and Light of Men Give me an Instance of any Person in the World that never had Acquaintance of the Scriptures that ever called the Light in every Man by this Name If none can be produced then the Scriptures must be your Rule for this p. 22. Answ. Thou hast said enough in not only granting the Light within to be Christ but also in confessing that he is the Life and Light of men which while he is really so to men this is sufficient for them to call him as he is and appears to them Is it not therefore great Ignorance to imply him an insufficient Rule for men to give Testimony of him while he is a sufficient Rule and Light to them for their Supply and Life in him And what if they cannot call him by all those Names by which he is called in Scripture while they feel him in Vertue and Power to be really what he is called according to their Enjoyment of him It s true we having the Knowledge of him as our Life and Light we must needs reverently own and make use of those Testimonies in Scripture which concur with our Knowledge of him
but is falsly deduced as before is proved that Man both did and doth exist when he hath not such a carnal body as he intends although I do own Christ to be the heavenly and spiritual Man glorified and in a more sublime and heavenly Sence his flesh and bone of which the Saints are Members and that the true Christ is not without Blood to communicate which the Spiritual Communicants drink of H. G. also further adds Unless it can be proved that Man can exist and have a Being without Flesh and Bone which I suppose all will conclude is impossible p. 47. To which I say This is not only confuted by what I have said before but also by himself where he confesseth the Coming of the Spirit into his Heart for the binding of the Strong Man Satan p. 16. here he hath found out a Man and that a strong one to too wit Satan whom I suppose he deems not a man made up or consisting of flesh and bones though he be called the strong Man but the Heavenly and Spiritual Man Christ Jesus is stronger then he VII Of the Resurrection AS for his insinuating against us as denying the Resurrection of the Dead or of the Body p. 41 42 43. This Accusation is not only in general Terms but also it is notoriously false as may be evinced not only in many of our Books and Writings but also by our deep Sufferings for Christ so that if in this Life we had Hope only we were of all men most miserable It s true there hath been and is a Controversie between us and many of the Baptists and some others about that or the like unlearn'd Question which they have been busie to obtrude upon us viz. How are the dead raised and with what Body Which we have answered as the Apostle did such Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye and thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain it may chance of Wheat c. but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him and every Seed his own body or its proper body 1 Cor. 15. 35 36 37 38. c. But to prove the arising of the same Bodies buried in the Graves he perverts and miscites Phil. 3. 21. thus He will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto his glorious body whereas that Phil. 3. 21. is in the singular vile Body or rather he shall change the body of our Lowness or our suffering body that it may be â—…ashoned like unto his glorious body now the body of their Lowness or Humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehended the whole Suffering Estate of the Church And I do confess that the Resurrection Change and Translation or Transfiguration as some renders it of the Just or Righteous extends not only to a Resurrection from Sin Corruption and Weakness but to an arising out of a Suffering State into Glory And as God knows how to deliver and raise up the Righteous out of Temptations Tryals and Sufferings so he knows how to reserve the Unjust unto Punishment and unto the day of Destruction for both shall rise to their several Ends and Rewards yea the Sea Death Hell and the Grave shall deliver up their dead to be judged c. and he giveth to every Seed his own proper body as he pleaseth and we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we have a building given of God that is a House not made with Hands but eternal in the Heavens Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. H. G. sayes By Flesh and Blood the Apostle doth intend Corruption p. 44. whereas the Apostle spake of them distinctly viz. flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption to say that by flesh and blood he doth intend Corruption is no Answer to their Question with what body are the Dead raised c. Which though reproved as foolish yet not so foolish as to ask whether Corruption be raised And more absurd it is to imply that by flesh and blood he doth not intend Body but only Corruption Again H. G. to prove the rising of the same Bodies cites Job 19. 25. In my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold c. p. 44 45. By this his Instance it appears what gross Apprehensions he hath of God while he thinks to see him with his bodily or carnal Eyes which no Being nor Thing is visible or obvious unto but what is of an outward or corporeal Substance or formal limitted matter which an infinite eternal Spirit is not for God who is that Spirit is invisible therefore Jeb did not speak of his bodily Eyes but of his spiritual who afterwards said unto the Lord I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee Jo. 42. 5. which cannot be understood of his seeing him with his bodily Eye H. G. pretends to know the State or manner of the Saints being in Glory telling us that all deformity shall be done away p. 44. and that these vile Bodies shall be fashoned like unto Christ's glorious Body How then shall they be these very same earthly and numerical bodies many whereof are not only deformed but greatly defective both as to Infants and Aged that dye as also his confessing to 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. doth appear a Contradiction plain enough to himself if righly considered its probable this Man has as strange Conceits about the Resurrection as Tho. Vincent in his Book of the Coming of Christ to Judgment and the Resurrection but I cannot look upon either him or the Baptists to be such divine Philosophers as either to know or define the manner of the Saints Existance or Beings in Heaven and Glory but rather that they are Imaginary and Intruders therein though it would better become them to acquiese with God s Will and Pleasure concerning such Mysteries as are beyond their Capacities I expect some of them in their busie minds will give me farther Occasion to speak to this weighty Point of the Resurrection though it be a matter I never desired to make publick Controversie of it being beyond human Capacities VIII Of the Word the Light the Sufferings of Christ and his Work within H.G. THere is a great difference between the Essence Body of the Sun and its Beams or Rayes for though the Sun by its Rayes doth give Light to all yet is not the Essence or Body of the Sun in them so in like manner though the Word be the true Light which lighteth every man yet is he not essentially in their Hearts p. 48. 49. Answ. He hath strain'd his Simile too sar and thereby hath denyed the Omni-presence and Infiniteness of God whose Presence filleth Heaven and Earth the Sun and its Rays and Beams are finite and limitable so and in like manner is not God and his Illumination
if a Heathen that hath not this Law outwardly written should ask the same Question what shall I do to inherit Eternal Life He may truely be answered Obey the Light or Law of thy Maker in thy Heart which tells thee Thou must love and honour him above all and do Injury or Wrong to no Man this do and thou shalt inherit eternal Life for this End the Grace of God is free for thee XII Our Doctrine for turning People to the Light within justified H. G. NOne of the true Gospel-Preachers did ever teach such a Doctrine as this is which the Quakers preach namely bid People turn to the Light within p. 63. 64. H. G. Contra. That God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts 2 Cor. 4. Concession Who doth deny that Holy Men did endeavour to turn Men and Women from Darkness to the Light to leave their Sins to turn from all their wicked Abominations and Unfruitful Works of Darkness to God and Christ p. 67. What may be known of God is manifest in Men Rom. 1. pag. 68 69. Anim. If God hath shined in our Hearts and what may be known of God be manifest in Men must they not turn to his Shining and Illumination For God is Light whose inward Light which we testifie to is become the main stumbling Block and Rock of Offence to these dark Opposers And where was the Darkness which holy Men endeavoured to turn others from was it not within And the Light shines in Darkness the Light of God and Christ which their Minds were to be turned unto it was not an outward created or natural Light but inward and Spiritual and so rceived God hath shined in our Hearts see 2 Cor. 4. 6. his Concession to this overturns him And if the Quakers do not prove these very bare Words in Scripture to wit turn to the Light within it doth not therefore follow that they cannot prove the Matter of such a Doctrine as turn to the Light within see Deut 30. 1. 2. both in Tindal's Translation and in the Bible in folio London printed in the Year 1576. Thou shalt turn into thy Heart and shalt return unto the Lord thy God c. As also to the Question wherewith shall a young Man cleanse his Wayes the Answer and Direction is saith H. G. pag. 64. by taking Heed thereto according to thy Word Psalm 119. 9. And did not David hide this Word in his Heart that he might not sin against God And both Moses and the Apostle say the Word is nigh thee in thy Heart Deut. 30. Rom. 10. And did not Jesus say There is yet a little Light in you as some Copies have it Joh. 12. 35. And while you have the Light believe in the Light that you be the Children of the Light ver 36. Many other Instances of this Doctrine might be urged XIII Of Christ as at the Father's right Hand c. I May not well omit one Passage of H.G. which had like to have been buried in the bulk and heap of his Rubbish that is after he denies the Spirit to be Saviour though present to prove the Saviour absent he saith He is ascended into Heaven and hath a real outward Existence at the Father's right Hand p. 46. an outward glorified Existence in the Kingdom of his Father or Glory above p. 47 To which I say The Saviour is not absent from them that are saved for Christ said He that is with you shall be in you His ascending into Heaven yea and far above all Heavens was not that he might remain absent from his Church but rather that being departed from them in his outward Presence or Body he might be the more present with them and in them in the Spirit and Power of the Father And Christ being exalted at the Father's right Hand is no Proof that he is remote separate or absent from his People and Members any more then that the Father's right Hand of Power is absent and remote from them though we see what gross Apprehensions some Men have of God and Christ who thus would exclude limit or circumscribe them yea God and his right Hand of Power only to a Place distant from his People and Children which doth not only strengthen gross Apprehensions in the Ignorant to keep them in Ignorance dark Thoughts and carâ—…al Imaginations concerning God and his right Hand as if he were a Body or Person like themselves but also opposeth his Infiniteness and Omnipresence and so Christ's Divinity whereas the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him We may in a Sence be said to be absent from the Lord while at home or Strangers in the Body in Comparison of that Enjoyment of him hereafter to be had which yet proves not him nor his right hand absent as circumscribed or only far distant from us his right hand of Power is where he is and Christ inseparably with and in the Father glorified with the Father 's own self even with the same Glory which he had with him before the World began which Glory is divine invisible and incomprehensible and therefore human or Earthly Nature is not capable of that divine Glory and Power wherewith the Son of God was anointed dignified and exalted at God's right hand And David said O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their Trust in thee and thy right hand hath holden me up Psa. 17. 7. and 18. 35. and 20. 6. and 60. 5. and 63. 8. and 73. 23. So that neither the infinite God nor his Son nor his right hand of Strength can be circumscribed or limitted into a Separation or Remoteness from the Children of Light who are saved by the right hand of God whose Hand and Power is spiritual And if Saul was struck down and blinded by the Light that shone from Heaven above the Brightness of the Son which he calls the heavenly Vision in Acts 26. 13 19. In which Jesus did speak unto him whose Voice the Men with Saul heard not Ch. 22. 9. How much further doth Jesus himself in the Father's Divine Glory transcend this Vision though glorious And how far is his own Being his spiritual and glorious Body beyond the reach of these Men's earnal Thoughts and mean Conceptions as this Man represents Christ at God's right hand in Glory as consisting of Flesh and Bone human Nature outward Existence c. And so to have appeared to Paul at the time of his Conversion p. 46. and which John saw in that Vision p. 56. Rev. 1. 13 14 15. Whereas Paul and John gives no such account of Christ's Appearances to them as that it was in a human Body of Flesh and Bone much less that he consisted meerly of Flesh and Bone but the Cause of the Martyr Stephen his seeing Jesus standing on the right hand of God was his being full of the holy Ghost Acts 7. 55 56. And it is in the same holy Ghost that the truely sanctified and
true Union with him and Knowledge of him to experience his Indwelling as he dwelleth in us and we in him if we keep his Commandments and thus the true Believer hath the Witness in himself which that thou mightst experience was thy Sister 's wholsom Advice to thee to believe in the Light that reproves for Sin which enlightens every one that cometh into the World and so thou mightst in Love and Humility have received the Witness in thy self which if thou hadst obeyed thou durst never have prayed so wickedly as God forbid that ever I should own their Principle of the Light in all contrary to thy pretended Praises and Hallelujah to God for the Witness within neither coâ—…ldst thou have opposed the Witness in the Believer to the Light which reproves for sin which enlighteth every man as thou hast done H. G. This Witness through Grace I in measure do Experience not that I believe in that Light which every man that cometh into the World is inlightened with for Life and Salvation that is insufficient c. pag. 19. Answ. If thou rejectest the Gift or Measure of the Light or Life of Christ within thou rejectest the saithfull Witness Christ the Giver and canst not know him to be thy Saviour while thou art disobedient to his Light within and Christ and his Light in man are so inseperable that he who obeys and believes in his Light within he and his Faith must needs have a dependance upon Christ the Enlightner who is the Object Author and Finisher of Faith and so upon God who is the Fountain of Light who shineth in man's heart to give the knowledge of his Glory in the Face of his Son and hereby is the benefit of him as the one Offering and the vertue of his Blood known that both Sanctifies and makes Perfect XII His Groundless Comparison and Distinction between the Light of God in Man and the Light of Christ or Gospel further Refuted ANd whereas in thy other Book from Rom. 1. 19. and Chap. 2. 14 15. thou callest the Law or Light of God in men The Law or Light of the Moon to Guide their Paths by which they are taught their duty to God in morrals but understand nothing of the glorious Mystery of the Gospel pag. 6â—… To this I Answer 1. Those Gentiles mentioned in Rom. 1. had a Sight and Knowledge of the Invisible things of God even his Eternal Power and God-head ver 19 20. was this but the Light of the Moon and was there nothing of the Gospel or Mystery of it in this whereas the very reason of their becoming foolish vain in their Imaginations darkned and reprobated in their minds was that because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God ver 21. they did not like to retain God in their knowledge ver 28. Therefore if they had continued in the Light given them glorified him as God and retained him in their knowledge they had been preserved unto Salvation out of that dark reprobate state and out of those gross evils which they fell into 2. Those Gentiles mentioned Rom. 2. 15. were accused or excused according to that Light or Law of God in their hearts and the secrets of them and all men to be Judged by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel but could this be or were it Just if there were no Law nor Light of Jesus Christ and Gospel given men are they and their secrets to be judged by a Law or Light which they never had in secret for my Part I know none so gross and partial as to affirm it on any serious Thoughts or Consideration 3. If the Light of God and his Knowledge be but the Light of the Moon and the Light of Christ the Light of the Sun how doth he demonstrate this difference between God and Christ and the Light of each and wherein the Glory of the one so far exceedeth the other or can any suppose there is a Light proceeding from Christ as man that so far excels the Light flowing from him as he is God or the Eternal Word as the Light of the Sun doth the Light of the Moon what Scripture hath H. G. for this distinction are not God and Christ and holy Spirit One and one Eternal Light and Fulness in their own Being and so the Light immediately shining or flowing thence unto man's Heart and Conscience one Divine Light though manifest by degrees and in several measures being still one in kind in man And this which H. G. calleth the Law or Light of the Moon is granted to be 1st The Light of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word 2dly That which may be known of God manifest in men 3dly That Light which gives the Light and Knowledge of God and his Eternal Power 4dly The Law written in the Gentiles hearts who were a Law to themselves to which I add If men truely believe in and obey the Light of the Eternal Word in them and retain the sence and Knowledge of God as therein they receive it they will find Preservation and Acceptance with God for is the Improvement of any more then what 's given required XIII His belying us with denying the Man Christ Jesus to cloak his own Absurdity and Ignorance of Christ and his Being AGain H. G. To prove thy slanders 1. That we deny the man Christ Jesus 2. That we are found daily in the Sight of all Persons denying that man to be Christ who was born of the Virgin c. pag. 20 21. Thou judgest us insolent for saying we are falsly accused and guilty of this If it be absurd as we judge it is to say Christ doth Consist of a human Body of Flesh and Bone pag. 21. which is thy own absurdity To these I say Though we never deny'd the man Christ Jesus nor him to be Christ that was born of the Virgin according to the Flesh yet I must still count it absurd to say That Christ doth Consist or is made up of a human Body of Flesh and Bone for that 1. because Christ the Son of God was and had a Being before he took upon him that Flesh or Body in the Virgin 2. Because that when he took upon him that Body and even in the dayes of the Flesh he was spirit as well as had Flesh. 3. In that he is ascended up where he was before and far above all Heavens and is glorified with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the World began 4. He was before all things and by him all things consist this is truely our Christ and Saviour But If your Christ doth consist of a human or earthly Body of Flesh and Bone our Christ who consisteth of quickning spirit and heavenly Body of divine Life and Light a spiritual and glorious body is above you and yours so we must leave you Anabaptists with your earthly Christ consisting of a human Body of Flesh and Bone together with your empty and lifeless Shadows
Stress which at other times they lay upon the Scriptures So that finally they deny both the Spirit the Scriptures to be the Rule setting up their own Meanings over both being ignorant of the Scriptures and the Power of God We may believe that the Truth of it is It is more consistent with their Gain and Trade of Preaching that their Meanings should be the Rule over or above the Scriptures then that the Scriptures should be the only or highest Rule to Heaven as sometimes they pretend for that Bibles are had at a great deal cheaper Rate then their Trade of Preaching can be had But then for their own Ends on the other Haâ—…d they can in plain self-Contradiction cry up the Scriptures as the only 〈◊〉 Rule to Heaven when their Design is to divert Peoples Minds from depending upon the DIVINE LIGHT and IMMEDIATE TEACHING OF GOD WITHIN for Life and Salvation Seeing that it 's evident they can more easily avoid the Scriptures Infallibility for their own Ends that they may be Masters both over the Scriptures and Mens Faith for their Lucre and Gain than they can get any of the Children of Light to assist their Trade or any to maintain them therein who are turned from Darkness to the LIGHT to wait upon the Immediate Teachings of God it 's easier for them to evade or dispense with the Scripture's Infallibility then to hinder the true LIGHT WITHIN from shining in Mens Hearts for that is impossible for them Again the Scriptures were not the Presbyterians sole Rule of Faith and Practice when they set forth their 〈◊〉 Confession of Faith and Scotch Covenant agreed upon by the Kirk of Scotland and the Assembly at Westminster which was of no small Charge It 's easie to see that their sole Rule as they have pretended the Scriptures to be they can easily dispense with add to or vary from for their own Ends at their Pleasure both in Doctrine Discipline and Practice as might be instanced not only for their unscriptural Sprinkling Infants but in many otheâ—… Traditions and Babylonish Reliques S. Scandret ' s Sense about the Points in Controversie examined S. S. BY the Light in every Man understand not the Light of the Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 4. lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine c. p. 1 2. Answ. The God of the World hath blinded the Minds of them that are lost lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 4. And this Man's Work is of the same Tendency viz. to blind Peoples Minds which implies that the Light of Christ Jesus which is Gospel-Light is given to all but the Minds blinded by Satan oppose it The Subject which Satan works upon and prevails with is their Minds not the Light S. S. Mark 't is not said the Light but God hath shined p. 7. Answ. A frivolous Exception Can there be such divine Shiâ—…ing without his divine Light God hath shined in our Hearts c. and God is Light S. S. Upon Phil. 3. 16. The Saints were to walk according to their several Attainments what they had got out of the Scriâ—…s by the same Rule c. p. 9. Answ. What Scriptures They were to walk in the Spirit which directed their Minds to God that he might reveal his Mind to them And here was the same Rule the same Thing the same Principle their several Attainments being according to their spiritual Growth in the Light Was the Rule mentioned in 2 Cor. 10. 13. and Gal. 6. 15 16. to be got out of the Bible See this Man's gross Ignorance S. S. Innocency man's perfect Light must not be the wholâ—… his Rule p. 11. Answ. A gross Error God was then his perfect Light and Rule in his Teachings and is not that Light which is perfect whole S. S. We need no infallible Spirit to help to discern the Counsels of Light and Darkness in Scripture for all there comes from God p. 27. Answ. He is not told this by an infallible Spirit for many Counsels of Darkness Serpent and wicked Men both against God Christ and his People are recorded in Scripture And it is the Spirit of Christ which is Infallible that truly opens and reveals the Truths in Scripture to the Understanding of the Children of Light S. S. The Spirit dwelling in all Believers is sometimes a sweet Moâ—…r to Duty though no indwelling Spirit p. 38. 〈◊〉 Gross Ignorance and Confusion What! no indwelling Spirit and yet dwelling in all Believers Did you ever hear such Doctrine before S. S. God's Commands cease not to be God's Commands either because the Spirit doth not within put Men on to obey them c. p. 38. Answ. A gross Inference against the Spirit for the Spirit of Truth leads true Believers into all Truth from which no true and necessary Commands can be excluded unless he will say some of them are no Truths S. S. We are to obey them though the Spirit 〈◊〉 puts not on otherwise some wicked men in living contrâ—…ry to the Scriptures do not sin cannot be damâ—…ed for so doing for sâ—…e have sinned away the Motions and Strivings of 〈◊〉 Spirit p. 8. Answ. What will become of such poor â—…eople that are fed with such Chaff and Darknes as this And what is the Tendency of it but to set 〈◊〉 on to work in their own Wills to set up their own 〈◊〉 without the Movings of the Spirit of God And what will that profit them though without this Spiriâ—… they are carnal and selfish in all their Actiâ—…gs and canâ—…t truly obey Nor can wicked Men who have 〈◊〉 away its Strivings escape Damnation withall S. S. â—…is pressing them to obey the Scriptures wiâ—…hout the Guidance of the Spirit for without him we can do 〈◊〉 but all things through him that strengthneth us S. S. Because a Thing is written in the Scripture are we to do it I will in God's Assistance rowl my self and act Faith on God and Christ because I see the sweet Words in the Scriptures c. p. 38. Answ. This is a Faith of his own making a Will acting that is not grounded upon the Spirit of God and its Perswasion within an imperfect Imitation of the â—…etter wiâ—…hout the Spirit for he hath not an infallible Spirit oâ—… discerning between the Counsels of Light and Darkness in the Heart nor to discern those few Truths it doth reveal as he confesseth p. 27. and 31 So that this Book of his against us prâ—…ceeded from his Darkness and fallible Spirit But if God s Spirit teach us by the Works of Creation and the Light in every Man propounding the Creation to be considered and he helps us to conclude a God thence that he is to be worshiped c. for in him we live move and have our being as is largely confessed p. 53. Then there is a twofold Testimony afforded of God to Mankind viz. Immediate and Mediate as namely First his Spirit or Light 2dly His Works
the Permission of Sin another to commit it between God's fore-ordaining the Sin and the actual Commission of it came in the Will and wicked Hands of Men The Will and these wicked Hands were the Author and Cause of Sin and not God's fore-Ordination Answ. How S. S. can clear himself from rendering God to be the Author of Sin while he accuseth him of determining or fore-ordaining the wicked Actions of these Men of fore ordaining the Sin let the unbyas'd Reader judge whether this be not an Unjust Charge against God And I ask Did God determine and fore-ordain the Wicked Actions of Men and yet warn and counsel them to turn from Iniquity What Inconsistency is this How will these hold together Doth not God first counsel and desire the 〈◊〉 before he lets them alone and gives them up to their Lusts and Hardness to Work their own Ruin How like the Ranters Principle that all Actions are of God and by his Power is it to say in these general Expressions That God hath determined or fore-ordained the Actions of wicked Men For then how should they reform as he counsels them by his Light in their Consciences and what need of Reforming what God hath fore-ordained But how contradictory to this Fore-ordination of wicked Actions which the Man hath unjustly accused God with is his Pâ—…rmission of Sin although he doth not alwaies permit Sin to go unpunished yet in this we agree that the Will and wicked Hands of Men as acted by the Divel were the Author and Cause of Sin and the Commission of it and therefore not God nor any Fore-ordination of his for he hath fore-ordained his Son Jesus Christ to call Sinners to Repentance to offer Life and Salvation to all before he gâ—…ves up any to a reprobate Mind or to work their own Ruin S. S. to those he counts Elect saith You are now afraid sect 16 you have lost all for you have greatly fallen as did David * your Faith is even giving up the Ghost yet are you not fallen from Grace God hath not forsaken you Psal. 89. 30. Answ. Although I confess that in the Lord is plentious Redemption and Forgiveness to all that unfeignedly repent and turn from Iniquity yet as this Man placeth all upon a personal Election even David's Forgiveness and Redemption not so much taking notice of his Repentance Judgment and Terror that he under went under which David often asked God Forgiveness for his Transgression This pretended personal Election and telling Men they are not fallen from Grace when guilâ—…y of horrible Wickedness gives them a large Scope and gross Liberty to Sin and Wickedness if they can but in the first place conceit they are elect Persons and be but such Hypocrites as out-face their own Consciences and murder the Just Witness and evade the Conviction and Reproofs of Truth therein and be so self-confident as to perswade themselves they are not fallen from Grace when they have committed Adultery or Murther and acted as badly as Reprobates can do and then flatter themselves with that Imagination That Christ hath payed all their Debt and satisfied the Justice of his Father which they call vindictive for all their Sins past present and to come This is an easy way to make Hypocrites for them to continue in the Sin of Whoredom and other Abominations But this is too broad a Way ever to lead them to Heaven and the Wicked had not need thus to have their Hands strengthened in Sin nor thus to be encouraged in a course of Impioty by a Pretence of an Impossibility of falling from Grace seeing there is a just Man that perisheth in his Righteousness and then where shall the Wicked and Ungodly appear and what manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3. Will it avail Persons any thing before the Just God for a Company of daubing Hypocritical Priests to tell a few conceited Electioners Though you have fallen very foully as did David or into Adultery or Murther yet have a good Heart on it believe still you are elect Persons chosen and designed of God for Salvation from all Eternity you are not fallen from Grace when you are guilty of Whoredom and the like as if Grace had such a great Affinity with them in this their Wickedness A pleasant Doctrine for the Devil and his Children to feed upon as Hypocrites Whoremongers and abominable Workers who though as bad and filthy as those they count Reprobates yet do imagine that God respects their vile Persons Eternally to makâ—… Choice of them only more then others who it may be arâ—… not so bad as they as if they were such choice Jewels in their Filthiness which is no small Blasphemy and Reflection upon God thus to render him partially-indulgent to the Wicked and unequal in his Way towards Mankind as eternally to design such great Favour and Indulgence to a small part thereof which is as bad as the rest and inevitable Cruelty as eternal Wrathin Hell to the greater part thereof whereas all Mankind in general is God's Workmanship by Creation all made of one Earth one Blood c. surely he is no such Respecter of Persons As concerning God's Covenant with David and his Seed sect 17 Psa. 89. It is said His Seed also will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the Dayes of Heaven If his Children for sake my Law if they break my Statutes then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes nevertheless my Loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him I ask From Whom Was it not David that is beloved who as he entered into Covenant and Agreement with God he was his Servant anointed with the holy Oyl There remained a true and tender Seed in him which the Name Beloved most properly related to though the Man passed through great Judgment and Tribulation he obtained Forgiveness and God had such regard to him for his own Name and Seed sake and the Sincerity that had a Root in him that his Children fair'd the better in some respects for his sake 1 Kings 11 12. howbeit this proves not that all the Seed of David after the Flesh kept their Covenant with God or stood in his Grace so as not at all to fall from it for however God for a time retains Favour Kindness and Patience to Revolters who have tasted of his Grace and Power as very unwilling they should be utterly lost yet in departing from the Lord into Iniquity they do in themselves turn from and abuse his Grace not being stedfast therein with the Lord So that the Instance proves not that his loving Kindness did always continue unto such as run into Adultery Idolatry and Abominations and continuing in Rebellion after their many gentle Chastisements though the Lord is long suffering and keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that fear him his Faithfulness fails not he is ready to fulfil the
70 〈◊〉 Let it be understood that we do not fall thus abruptly upon People to surprise them with such Threatning them with Hell as if we would fright them into Perfection or drive them into Despair He hath not herein proposed our Method in order to Freedom from Sin and Salvation for first We preach the Grace the Light and Power of God to be believed and patiently waited in and that Patience may have her perfect Work in order to Perfection and Freedom which is not all wrought on a suddain or presently upon Conviction for it will require both Faith Patience Diligence and Travail to obtain it and we know that to obtain Salvation is to obtain Deliverance from Sin and this is by Jesus Christ who saveth his People from their Sins It is not our Method first to say There must be No Sin at all in you and then you shall attain Salvation Nor barely to say to People at first You must be quite free from All Sin here or burn in Hell hereafter for this though it hath a Truth in it is not a proposing the Ground and Foundation whereby to obtain Freedom but an abrupt Threatning tending to make Men look more at the Difficulty of the Condition then at the Power of Christ to aid them for that End And thus have the Papists misrepresented our Method in their Indefatigable Seeker as if we presently imposed such a Difficulty as the setting Men strictly to keep the Law obey punctually in every Title or else be damned But this is to make way for their Purgatory and may be taken as if we set People on work in their own Wills and Power to a most strict severe Life without the Power of God whenas without that we can do nothing acceptably and yet all things by that Power or through him that strengthneth us But whereas this man takes it for granted that to be quite Free from all Sin here or to keep the Commands of God is Not attainable Let it be minded that since he hath confessed No Unclean Thing shall enter into Heaven And Christ proposed the Keeping the Commandments as namely Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart c. and thy Neighbour as thy self as the Way to inherit Eternal Life this Man doth render it impossible either to enter in to Heaven or inherit eternal Life while he will not believe that to keep the Commands of God is attainable though God assist his own thereto for to keep the Commands was in order to inherit Eternal Life So to say with Christ if thou wilt enter into Heaven keep the Commandementsâ—… and a Presbyter answers No It is not possible to keep the Commands The Consequence is then It is not possible to enter into Heaven Or it may be as well proposed If thou wilt enter into Heaven make thy self Wings and fly thither or go and stop the Sun in its Cou se or take the World on thy Back but God's and Christ's Commands imply no such Impossibility but that they may be performed We should not speak an idle Word we should not have one vain Thought in us not one wandring Thought in Prayer Eccl. 5. 3. We should not have one inordinate Desire nor evil Imagination against our Neighbour p. 71. He asked If a State of Freedom from all these Sins were attainable in tâ—…is Life and that I had the Face to tell him it is but the Consciences of all enlightened Persons Observers of their own Hearts will bring in Testimony against me Thiâ—… still shews his Presumption and Unbelief while he grants it our Duty to for sake all these Evils as idle Words vain Thoughts wandering Thoughts in Prayer inordinate Desires evil Imaginations c. Where then is the Christian Sabbath in which Man is not to speak his own Words nor think his own Thoughts And are not the Weapoâ—…s of the spiritual Warfare mighty thorrow God to the pulling down of strong Holds and the bringing every Thought into Subjection into the Obedience of Christ And the Thoughts of the Just are right Thoughts If the pulling down of Satan's Strong Holds be attainable by the spiritual Weapons much more the subjecting of wandring Thoughts being watch'd against in the Light that discovers them But while he doth not believe that a Freedom from wandering Thoughts in Prayer is attainable and yet confesseth that the holy Ghost calls a wandering Prayer a Dream we are to understand that when you Presbyters bring forth your wandering Prayers with your wandering Thoughts in them you are but dreaming and so meer Dreamers you do not pray with the Spirit for that does not bring forth any such Wandering Prayers and Dreams And be it further minded that his granting enlightned Observers of their own Hearts do see wandering Thoughts and Imaginations herein he hath given Concession to the inshining Light* as the Rule to discover wandering Thoughts which is more then the Scriptures do Therefore he and every one should attend and watch in the Light against Imaginations and wandring Thoughts and not to suffer them in Prayer From Job 9. 21. he concludes That Job abhorreth to entertain such a Thought as being Perfect pag. 72. Herein he hath wronged Job for he counted it not consistent with Self-Abasement and Humility for him to say I am Perfect especially upon a Self-Justification as his words before plainly intimate If I Justifie my self mine own Mouth shall condemn me c. Job 9. 20. Though I were Perfect yet would I not know my Soul vers 21. Which proveth not that Job abhorreth to entertain such a Thought as that of Perfection but rather that it was not so proper for him to speak it in his own Justification for surely he did entertain such a Thought as that of Perfection when he said When he hath tryed me I shall come forth as Gold Job 23. 10 11. The man 's gross Confusions about Job's Perfection is hinted in our Paper entituled the Presbyters Antidote choaking himself That saying If our Hearts condemn us God is Greater doth not prove these holy Men knew God saw something in them which ought not to be for which their Hearts condemn'd them so long as they lived for it is as well said If our Hearts Condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God S. S. Thoughts prevailed against and cast out return again and their being in us is Sin Act. 8. 20. Thou thoughtst that the Gift of God might be purchased with Money p. 72. Answ. A very pertinent Proof for the covetous Presbyters the quondam Hireling Parish Priests but no meet Instance to prove the Being of Evil Thoughts remain in all the holy Men of God nor an equal Comparison to mention the corrupt and erroneous Thought of Simon the Sorcerer as a Proof that Thoughts prevaâ—…led against and cast out must return and have their being in the Lord's People all their Dayes but while he grants that evil Thoughts are prevailed against and
cast out why doth he conclude they may not be kept out or that the keeping them out is not attainable in this Life unless he will charge a Want of Diligence upon all the Faithful or accuse them with neglecting their Watch for I affirm that to keep out evil Thoughts is attainable through Diligence and Watchfulness in the same Light and Power that discovers them prevails against thâ—…m and cast's them out To prove that such a State as to be wholy free from all evil Principles is not attainable in this Life 〈◊〉 cites John 15. 2. Every Branch in me that beareth Fruit he 〈◊〉 it from whence he argues If the Father purgeth him he hath evil Principles to be purged out p. 73. Rep. What I said to this doth not yet appear to be answerable by him which was because it is the Father's purging out Sin or evil Principles they must needs be perfectly purged out by Degrees though it is true a Man is not perfectly purged while he is a purging I did not conclude as he saith that Freedom from all Sin is instantly but in God's due time who is the Purger and who perfects his own Work In the same Scripture before cited Christ saith Now are you clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you abide in me and I in you Joh. 15. 3. 4. Without me or severed from me ye can do nothing ver 6. If ye abide in me and my Words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you ver 7. 16. From hence observe here is enough to confute S. S. his concluding that Evil Principles cannot be wholy purged out in this Life for in Christ there is both Power and Sufficiency and if his Followers ask in his Name to be throughly purged it shall be done or if they sincerely pray that the Will of God may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven It shall be answered Now I would ask S. S. if it be not a Duty of true Believers when they see any thing that is to be removed or purged out to pray to the Father in Christ's Name to remove it and throughly to be purged and their Hearts made clean in this Life And shall they not then be answered herein Did not Christ say What soever you ask in my Name believe that you shall have it and you shall receive it or it shall be given you And he that abidâ—…th in Christ sinneth not and is not the Branch of the Nature of the Vine He answers We are Partakers of the divine Nature and how do we partake thereof but by escaping the Corruptions of the World But as without Christ we can do nothing so it is not our Phrase to say I have made my Heart clean for it is he that worketh all our Works in us His concluding that no Man hath perfect Knowledge viz. either of the Will of God or of his own Errors and that this Ignorance remaineth during Life from Psal. 19. 12. 1 Cor. 13. 9 11. and therefore that there cannot be perfect Practice p. 74. We have Reason to conclude he is very imperfect and mistaken herein for 1st The Will of God with respect to our Duty to him is to be known It is revealed by his Spirit that it may be obeyed and he that will do the Will shall know the Doctrine 2dly Both secret Errors and Faults are discernable and to be known by the Light which makes manifest whatsoever Things are reproved and therefore secret Faults are not alwayes to remain in this Life if David and others when sensible thereof prayed not in vain when they prayed to be cleansed from secret Faults that secret Sins Errors are to be discovered known is evident that the Lord at his Appearance or Coming will bring to Light the hidden things of Darkness and will make manisest the Counsels of the Hearts and it is he that reproves the Wicked sets man's Sins in order before him he that telleth unto Man what his Thought is the Lord God of Hosts is his Name Therefore as he doth perfectly shew Man his Sin and by Degrees maniâ—…est his Duty and afford Light and Power sufficient to forsake Sin and obey fully both are attainable in this â—…ife though gradually Still his concludiâ—…g that the perfect Man if on Earth he sinneth â—…rom 1 Kings 8. 46. There is no man that sinneth not and Ecclesiast 7. 20. There is not a just Man upon the Earth that doth Good and sinneth not I ask him then If there be no higher Attainment in this Life then for the best of Men to sin in doing Good as some of his Brethren interpret those last Words But if he will please to read D. Gill's Essay to the Amendment of the last Translation of the Bible he will find that he doth not render the Words in the Indicative Mood That sinneth not but in the Potential That may not sin as there is no man that may not sin or but that he may sin there is no man just in the Earth that doth Good and may not sin which much differs from positively concluding that every just man sinneth in doing Good And he further intimates it to be but in a legal State of Justness wherein a legal just Man may sin and not in an Evangelical or Gospel-State in Christ. Neither do the Words as renâ—…ered in 1 King 8. 46. There is no Man that sineth not agree with the Words before If they sin against thee but rather there is no Man but that he may sin and then it is possible for them not to sin and for a good Man that is one in Christ beyond the State of the Law to act and speak and walk in Christ the true Light and not to sin in doing Good but as of Sincerity but as of God in the Sight of God so speak we in Christ Such are not sinning in their Preaching and Praying nor do they bring forth wandering Prayers or Dreams as you do who are pleading and diâ—…puting â—…or Sin Term of Life because it is said the Imagination of Man's Heart is Evil from his Youth S. S. saith This is not spoken of the Old Wicked 〈◊〉 bâ—…t of Noah and his Family p. 74. If he intend this according to the Tenour of his Discourse as the State of Noah and his Family and that all their Life time I must tell him that it is contrary to the Testimony given of Noah viz. That he was a Just Man and Perfect in his Generations and Noah walked with God which was not with an Evil Heart or evil Imaginations for that is not a State of walking with God His saying that this is not spoken of the old World but of Noah is a Mistake for God saw that the Wickedness oâ—… Man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only Evil continually This is as well mentioned in Genâ—…sis 6.
as it pleaseth God or that shall inherit God's Kingdom Howbeit As to be Quickened implieth a Death first and Resurrection a Fall before and to be Changed that there was either a vile corruptible Suffering or low Estate before So all that come to know Christ in them and the Body dead because of Sin know the Spirit to be Life because of Righteousness And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8. 10 11 12 13. And this plainly is a quickening unto Righteousness by the Spirit dwelling within which is far from being a Proof of T. H's Opinion though cited by him And as in the first Adam is both the Fall and Death come over all men so in the second Adam who is the Resurrection and the Life all are made alive and that unto Righteousness who first come to see the Body dead because of Sin and the Deeds of the Body mortified Rom. 8. 13. or who come to know Christ and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death these attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead Phil. 3. 10 11. Such do not strive for a Notion thereof but to attain to it As to the manner of Existences or Beings of all men in the World to come there is no Necessity for any to be taking thought or busying their Minds about them it being in the Pleasure and Wisdom of God to reserve all to their due and deserved Ends in an immortal Capacity Our present Concernment is so to know and esteem of Christ as that we may be found in him not only mortified to the Corruptions of this World through the Fellowship of his Suffering and Conformity unto his Death But also interessed in that blessed Resurrection which is only attained to in Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life that he may be magnified in our Body whether by Life or Death To what he saith in his 59. pag. about the Bâ—…dy that was dead about that It which is raised about the Soâ—…l and the Seed of God the Matter is answered else where yet First All that know the Body dead because of Sin having mortified the Deeds of the Flesh and being conformable to the Death of Christ as dead with him shall alfo be quickned and raised up by his Spirit that dwells in them which is Life because of Righteousness and such only can speak experimentally of the Seed of God and the Soul 2dly That there is a Seed of God and a Seed of the Serpent in Mankind according to G. F. Junior's relation he further tells you that they that discern the Body of each Seed are not the Fools which are questioning how the dead should be raised and with what Body for they know that all Mankind will be found in one of these two Seeds By which it is plain he doth not exclude men from a future Being or Immortality nor confound them with the very Being of God though it is by his invisible Power that all are upheld in their respective Existences in Immortality whether they be found in the Nature and Image of the good Seed or of the evil T. H. And since he calls them Fools that is the Apostles and all true Christians that say This Body of Flesh and Bones shall arise pag. 59. Rep. He should have produced his plain Scripture for the Apostles so saying where are these Words to be found in all the Scriptures of the new Testament that this Body of Flesh and Bones shall arise again Doth not the Apostle say the contrary Thou sowest not that Body that shall be And Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God But must we then suppose as some Professors do That these Bodies of Flesh and Bones shall inherit the Kingdom of God without any Blood in them Or that after they are returned to Dust they shall arise again the self same as they are without any new Creation I confess this is such kind of new Philosophy as I have not read of before The man has run himself into such strange Confusion and wholy misses the Sense of the Resurrection and the Life and over looks the true Seed and Root of the Matter while in his vain mind he is imagining muddling and Devil-like disputing about the Body which in Comparison of the immortal Existence and being of Man is but an outside Case earthly Shell or Husk that disolveth Again he saith If this Seed of the Serpent be only Sin and the Seed of Christ only Grace it is only Sin and Grace which shall arise again p. 60. Oh the gross Darkness and Ignorance of this Man He knows not the Seed of the Serpent from whence Sin springs nor the Seed of God from whence Grace and Life flows But falsly supposes that our Principle extinguishes the future distinct beings of Men though it hath been plainly told him that all Mankind will be found in one of these two Seeds As also we testifie from that Sence of Life and Immortality that is brought to Light in us through the Gospel That the Soul whole spiritual Man and spiritual Body shall exist in Immortality yea though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day and in order to possess an eternal Weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. This inward Man is neither extinguish'd by the perishing of the outward Man nor thereby deprived of that Advantage which is an eternal Weight of Glory And that God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed his own Body or his proper Body The Man would know what this It is shewing his Dubiousness of his own Assertion before viz. That it is a mortal Body of Flesh and Bones whether it shall be raised and go to Heaven with any Blood in it he tells us not and that the Body given it is the same for Substance that is as good Sense as to say the Body of Flesh and Bones shall when it is raised have the same Body of Flesh and Bones given to it whereas it is to every Seed his proper Body which is comprehensive both of the Seed of the Righteous and the Seed of the Wicked of the Seed of God and the Seed of the Serpent and so comprehends and takes in the whole Body of Mankind under those two Relations and Natures not to dissolve or extinguish their Rational Intelligible Beings with the perishing and dissolvable Earthly Outside or Case but that all shall be reserved for their due and proper Ends according to the Seed Nature and Image which their Soul carries with it when it parts with the Earthly Cloathing And whereas it is said that It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body the great Stress is laid on the particle IT which may as well be applyed to Wheat or
other Grain It is sown and It is raised when the Body or outside of that very Corn that is sown is dead though the innate Virtue or Life doth not in it self dye nor fruitlesly expire Thou sowest not that Body that shall be c. yet in these two relations It is used as relative both to that which is sown and to that Body that shall be while in the very next Words to those before cited it is said there is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15. 44. and these can no more be the self-same then Celestial and Terrestrial Bodies can or then the first Adam and the laft Adam or the Earthly and the Heavenly which the Apostle plaiuly distinguisheth between as he doth betwixt the Natural and the Spiritual But whereas T. H. and his Brethren so much argue from the word It as It is sown a Natural Body It is raised a Spiritual they take this It for Idem corpus the self-same Body in both Their Mistake is evident they have not this either from the Greek or Latin see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seminatur corpus animale surgit corpus spirituale i. e. a Natural or Animal Body is sown a Spiritual Body riseth it is not Idem surgit Nor would this agree with the next Words There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body This admits of no such Transubstantiation as that the self-same Natural Body should become Spiritual or be the Subject of such an Accident And it is sown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Animal Body or as having Life a Living Body which therefore cannot be the Body as dead and laid in the Graves for in that Condition they are not Corpus Animale for that relates to the Earthly Adam or Body of Mankind as having a natural Life â—…nd must not even the Animal or Natural Man dye before the Spiritual Man be risen or Immortality in Christ be put on And is not the Natural or Animal Man doposed to the Renewed Man 1 Cor. 2. 14. And the Seed which is sown in Weakness must needs have some Degree of Life in it when sown whether Natural or Spiritual and the Weakness and Corruption doth relate to the Subject in which it is sown if the Seed it self be incorruptible And as the First Man is of the Earth Earthly the second Man is the Lord from Heaven and As is the Earthly Such are they also that are Earthly and As is the Heavenly Such are they that are Heavenly ver 47 48. which if this be owned it must be granted that they that are Heavenly must have Bodies sutable viz. Heavenly or Spiritual Bodies this Heavenly being the second Man the Lord from Heaven ver 47. And mark As is the Heavenly Such are they that are Heavenly which cannot be the same with Earthly any more then the Image of the Heavenly can be the Image of the Earthly And as to our being asked what this Mortal is that must put on Immortality Though Mortal in this place implies a dying Condition of Man as the Effect of Sin as in Adam all dye yet it cannot as having put on Immortality be relative to Flesh and Blood but as admitted in a Heavenly and Spiritual Sense for the Apostle plainly tells us but a little before Now this I say Brethren that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption Behold I shew you a Mystery We shall not all Sleep but we shall all be Changed ver 50 51. And so by that Life and Immortality which is brought to Light we see beyond Death and Mortality and we though as in a dying State yet behold Immortality being quickned by the second Adam and renewed again into the Image of the Heavenly being made alive in Christ who redeems Man from Death ransoms the Soul from the Power of the Grave who swallows up Mortality and Death in Life and Victory and saith O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos. 13 14. Isa. 25. 8. by whom also Death being so swallow'd up into Victory the Sting of it which is Sin taken away They who thus have their part in Christ who is the Resurrection and Life can truly say Thanks be to God who gives us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. â—…7 And to take off further Surmisings against us I tell my Opposer that this Resurrection or Change extends not only to a Raising of Man up from Sin to Righteousness but also to an Eternal Glory And 't is not only the Raising up of the Seed or Grace in Man as he supposes but the Raising up of Man from Sin Death Hell and the Grave even in the Seed and Life which is the Ransom and this answers his Cavils in his 6â—… and 61. Pages only where he fictitiously makes us speak thus viz. Qu. We believe the Resurrection of the Body though we know not what that Body is which shall rise And then he absurdly makes a Christian to answer thus viz. Chr. Thou saidst before the Light within was the divine Essence either then thy Light within thee is not God or God knows not all things c. Reply First he feigneth the Quacker though we will never own him to be our Mouth for the Words were not so spoken by me or us but that we ought not to be too Curious or Inquisitive in things beyond our Capacities as to the Manner of the Existences hereafter or how Men shall be reserved unto their several Ends and Rewards for God knows how to do it but we being sensible of the different Seeds we cannot be altogether ignorant of the Nature of each Body being proper to the Seed it belongs to Yet if with John we say it doth not yet appear what we shall be it is Satisfaction that we know what Manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God for such are Sons of the Resurrection 2dly T. H. abuses the Christian by making him speak absurdly that which implies that if Man have a Divine Light in him he must needs know all that the Light knows or else either conclude that the Light is not Divine or else God is not Omniscient and then it follows from hence that none have either a Divine Light or God dwelling in them unless they know as much as God which was a Temptation to Man at first and by this he hath shut out all not only the fallen World but God's People also from having any Divine Light or Power of God in them He scoffs at some of our Friends saying We own the Resurrection that is We witness it and then adds But what is it you witness the Resurrection of the Seed 'T is Christ in you Ans. Is this a matter to be taunted or scoffed at Hath he truly acted the part of a Christian thus to slight the Arising of the Righteous
him may clear and quit your selves of his inveterate Spirit and gross Abuses against us who bear Love and Good-will towards you and all men believing that there are some among you that are more tender and honest and of a better Spirit then T. H. for whose sakes I have writ thus much and not for his for he hath shewn himself Dirty and Wicked who hath made no Conscience to forge and spread many notorious Lyes and Slanders against us And therefore however takenotice of this that it will not be reputable for you to allow or own him as a Teacher among you nor for you to sit under him who hath no Power either over his Tongue or Passion unless he Repent and as publickly Revoak Judge and Condemn his gross Errors Abuses Lyes Slanders and Forgeries as he hath broached and spread them and if you suffer him to go on a Preacher among you without a publick Reproof from you and his open Recantation it will lye upon you as Upholders of a persecuting Spirit and rendeâ—… you as uncharitable and unchristian Professors of Christiaâ—…ity for suffering such a notorious piece of Wickedness as this of T. Hicks's to proceed from among you unreproved But I really desire the Lord may open your Eyes so as you may clear your selves and that Envy and Prejudice may cease and dye among you that you may not dye and perish in it A Serious Reflection Upon some of Will Burnet's Chief Arguments about the Resurrection of the SAME FLESH In his Book stiled The Capital Principles of the People called Quakers W. B. IF Jesus Christ did rise again with that Body that went Arg. I. to the Crave then there is a Resurrection from the Grave of the same Body c. But Christ did leave the Grave empty c. Ergo. Arg. II. If Jesus Christ rose from the Dead with Flesh and Bones yea with the same Flesh as was nailed to the Cross Joh. 20. 27. then there is a Resurrection from the Grave of the same Flesh that goeth to the Grave But Christ did rise in the same Ergo. Answ. This Man's Work savours of Flesh and not Spirit The Consequence of both his Propositions is inconsistent and so his Argument is fallacious for Christ's Flesh saw no Corruption being raised the third Day it did not corrupt in the Sepulchre much less turn to Dust or Earth as others do therefore the Instance and Comparison is unequal in this case though it holds for a more Spiritual End and Advantage then this drives at for which the Apostle did instance the Resurrection of Christ by the Glory or Power of the Father that men might believe in that Power He did not say that Christ's Flesh was raised up the third day that you might believe that the same Flesh as gross part of yours that goeth to the Grave and turns to Dust shall be so Raised as this Man argues for Christ's Resurrection was preached that their Faith might be in God who raised him up that Men might in this Life receive and feel the Spiritual Benefit thereof to their Immortal Souls and so partake in this Life of the Power of his Resurrection to be raised up with Christ in order to reign with him in Glory hereafterâ—… as for â—…nstance Know ye not that so many of us as wâ—…re baptizeâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…esus Christ were baptized into his Dâ—…ath therefore we 〈◊〉 with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up 〈◊〉 Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Life Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8. to the end And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him by Baptism wherein also you are risen with him throuâ—…h 〈◊〉 Fâ—…ith of the Operation of God who hath raised him from the 〈◊〉 Col. 〈◊〉 12 13. As also to the same Purpose and End read Rom. 8. 11. aâ—…d 10. 9. Eph. 2. 1. 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 21. 1 Cor. 15. 45. Phil. 3. 10 11. 1 Cor. 6. 14. 2 Cor. 4. 14. Joh. 6. â—…9 40 Col. 2. 20. and 3. 3 4. Eph. 1. 20. and 2. 6. Col. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 3. 21. Heb. 11. 35. 1 Thes. 5. 10 11. By all which it is evident that Christ Death and Resurrection was not preached for a 〈◊〉 Eâ—…d but for a spiritual Benefit here and an eternal Advantage hereafter But whereas our Opposer carnally infers from Christ's arising a Resurrection of the same Flesh that goeth to thâ—… Grave His Shortness in this and the Shallowness oâ—… his fleshly Apprehension comes under this further Consideration As First That all Flesh and Earthly Bodies of Men do not go to the Grave in hiâ—… Sense It is said Thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thy Servants have they given to be Meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fow's of Heaven the Flesh of thy Saints unto the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Their Blood have they shed like Water round about Jeruâ—…alem and there was none to bury them Psal. 79. 2 3. Thereâ—…ore these were not laid in Graves of the Earth As also it is apparent that the Flesh of many is wasted away with Sickness before they dye or their Bones be laiâ—… in the Grave And likewise many undergo such great Sickâ—…esses and Calamities in their Life time as so oâ—…ten doth both corrupt and waste their Flesh and Blood that so often as they are restored to Health again they have new Fleth or reneâ—…ed Bodies thereof and then what a vast Bigness would 〈◊〉 Bodies amount to if raised with all the self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they had in their Life time Moreover through 〈◊〉 Judgment and sore Exercise David said My â—…ones â—…leave to my Skin Psal. 102. 5. And my Kâ—…ees are weak through 〈◊〉 and my Flesh faileth of Fatness Psal. 109. 24. And as 〈◊〉 signified when man is chastened with Pain upon his Bed and the multitude of his Bones with strong Pain so that his Life 〈◊〉 Bread his Flesh is consumed away that it cannot beseen and his Bones that were not seen stick out His Soul draweth near unto the Grave c. Job 33. 19 20 21 22. Through such Judgement and Chastisement they who have known the polluted Flesh consumed away are not so much concerned for the same Flesh as these our fleshly Opposers are whereby they shew they never experienced such Chastisements nor underwent such Judgment that God might hide Pride from them and keep back their Soul from the Pit Their proud Flesh would alwayes live and be reserved to eternal Glory Whereas he whose Flesh is consumed away through the Chastisements of the Lord and who comes to see that God is gracious therein unto him to deliver him from going down to the Pit who saith I have found a Ransom It is said of such a one His Flesh shall be fresher then a Child's he shall return to the Dayes of his Youth Job 33. This is not the old Flesh that was consumed away through Chastisements And as all Flesh is not the same Flesh so all Bodies are not of
that Resurrection Quickening Reviving Changing Translation do not signifie Creation therefore they are not applicable to the Dust of Bodies after Dissolution though both Resurrection and new Creation be to Renewed man Behold I make All things new New Man New Creation New Heavens and New Earth c. but this is a Mystery hid from corrupt Flesh so much contended for by our Present Opposers The rest of his Arguments and Doctrines are mostly very weak and ignorant about this Point yet comprehensively answered in this Book Here follow some Passages out of a Manuscript by W. B. against me with a Reply detecting his Ignorance in consounding the Carnal Body and the Spiritual W. B. INdeed If G. Whitehead hath found out a Body for Christ that is not a Carnal Body which implies only a Fleshly It is such a Body that I never read oâ—… in the Scriptures I would know what in Scripture is called the Body but the Flesh Now take but away the Flesh and where is the Body Aye but saith G. W. It is a spiritual Body as if a Body of Flesh and a Spiritual could not stand together This is his Great mistake The Apostle could have born his Testimony to this Truth that it is the Body of Flesh that shall be raised spiritual 1 Cor. 15. 14 43. It is sown a natural Body 't is raised spiritual here the Apostle still keeps to the Word It c. Answ. The Non-sense and Contradiction that may be gathered from these Passages is that Christ's Body is a Carnal Spiritual Body as if Carnal and Spiritual were both one or that the Spiritual Body that 's raised or given to the Seed is Carnal Let these Passages be kept in Record as the Baptists Doctrine and Testimony whereas the Apostle's own Testimony proves the Contrary and that W. B. has belyed the Apostle For 't is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual and there is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body Here the Apostle clearly makes a Distinction and a Difference between the natural Body and the spiritual He doth not say 't is sown a natural Body and raised a natural or Carnal Body also but a spiritual Body as he also distinguisheth between the Bodies Celestial and the Bodies Terrestrial as those of Sun Moon and Stars differ from those of Men Beasts and Fishes Now you would count him a very blind Philosopher that should make no Difference but say they are all one and consistent or that the Bodies of Sun Moon and Stars were all one with those Earthly Bodies of Men and other Creatures and so blind and such Ignorant Divines are these Baptist's He understands not the Difference between the Natural Body and the Spiritual any more then if a Person should be so ignorant as when he sees the Sun or Moon or Stars To ask if these were not Men or Birds or Beasts or Fishes in the Firmament or on the contrary if he should see Men Beasts and Fishes to ask if these are not the Sun Moon and Stars or rather to conclude that they are because he knows not which are Celestial and which Teriestrial no more then this Baptist doth discern between Bodies natural or carnal and Bodies spiritual But how should he do other or see better while his Mind is so much upon Flesh and so little upon Spirit or so much upon Flesh and Blood which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God and so little upon that spiritual Birth or Seed that doth inherit the Kingdom of Glory and Peace And as for the Baptists Argument That the Apostle still keeps to the Word IT as It is sown a natural Body It is raised a spiritual or God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed his own Body Reply How evident is it that as the Particle It is used as a Relative to both the natural and spiritual Body 't is a mutable It for that there is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body which therefore are not the self-same the very Parable or Instance of the Wheat and other Grain may confute his Opinion herein For is it the very self-same Grain of Wheat that is in the Eare that was sown in the Ground Let the Husband-Men judge him herein To him we may say as the Apostle did in the same Case to such O Fool thou sowest not that Body that shall be c. 1 Cor. 15. And now the words It 's sown imply a Seed sown in order to a sprouting and bringing forth Increase Upon which it may be queried if that Body of Man to wit that of Flesh Blood and Bones that 's laid in the Grave or drowned in the Sea or devoured by Fire and some by Beast's c. be the Seed that the Apostle intended to which God giveth a Body as it pleaseth him yea or nay If it be answered in the Affirmative then what Body is it that God giveth to it as it pleaseth him If it be answered in the Negative that overthrows the Baptists Doctrine of the same Flesh Blood and Bones c. which W. B. has not distinguished from a spiritual Body THE RESURRECTION Future Glory and Felicity of the SAINTS Further asserted according to the Holy Scriptures Discovering How far short of the true Vision Sight or Revelation thereof our present Opposers are in their gross Thoughts and Traditional Conjectures Being An Examination of Thomas Danson ' s Arguments and Doctrines about the Resurrection Future State and Glory of Believers in his Synopsis THe Resurrection as plentifully asserted in the Scriptures is not in the least question'd by us however we be unjustly censur'd for denying it Therefore there is no necessity of his Argument to evince that which as he saith the Scripture is so plentiful in asserting of nor doth he evince it according to the Scriptures but varies from them as will appear His Argument If the Bodies that have done Good or Evil must receive their Reward accordingly then the same Bodies that dye must rise again But the Antecedent is true therefore the Consequent Answ. This Argument both Antecedent and Consequent appears neither clear nor grounded upon Truth as it placeth an Eternal Reward upon the Body for its temporal Acts in putting the Body on this account for Man that hath acted therein who must receive the things done in the Body 2 Cor. 5. 10. The meer Terrestrial Body being neither the Subject reteining Perpetual Love or Enmity to God nor is it the Original Cause of Good or Evil Actions therefore not the Object of eternal Love or Wrath but Man in his Spiritual Existence or Being as spiritually and suitably organized as it pleaseth God to receive the things done in his Body according to what he hath done whether it be Good or Evil proper and natural to the Image he bears which the Soul carries along with it out of the Earthly Body or House that turns to Dust But see the Proof of his Antecedent That
Terrestrial Body of the Righteous and hence to argue for Immortalizing that Dust which that Body returns to it implieth thus much that Only the Bodies of the Children of God who are counted worthy shall rise and how agrees this with our Opposers Intention 3. Moreover while Christ intended by his Answer that those that were counted Worthy c. even the Children of God and such as lived unto God were the Children of the Resurrection and that they cannot dye any more c. This agrees with his Answer to Martha Joh. 11. 24 25 26. I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he Live and who soever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye Though this be a plain asserting of the Resurrection yea and that of the Dead yet it is as plain a Diversion as far remote from the carnal and gross Thoughts and Apprehension that the Jews in that Age had of the Resurrection as his Answer to the Saducees was from their gross Thoughts about it Concerning the Scope of these words of Christ before cited He saith There are different Apprehensions Some conceive that Christ hereby proves the Immortality of the Soul which the Saducees denyed as appears Act. 23. 8. for if there be no Soul of a Spiritual Nature in Man it must needs be Mortal as his Body and by Consequence the Resurrection of the Body The Saducees denying the Resurrection of the Body because they denied the Immortality of the Soul as these Interpreters conceive Others that Christ intends only to prove the Resurrection of the Body So Calvin Others that Christ intends both directly So Beza Diodati And from these Differences T. D. differently frames his Argument several times p. 76. From hence it is observable that this Man not seeing with his own Eyes proceeds to argue doubtfully from the different Apprehensions and Conceptions of others viz. Some Conceiving 1. That Christ hereby proves the Immortality of the Soul and by Consequence only the Resurrection of the Body 2. Others that Christ intends only to prove the Resurrection of the Body 3. Others that he intends both directly See how these Learned Men and Students differ and oppose each other in their Apprehensions and Conceivings and what Certainty can we expect from T. D. their Schollar And how came he to undertake such a Controversie about such a weighty and mysterious Point upon such dubious and uncertain Grounds as only mens different Apprehensions Conceivings and Consequences can produce or amount to which argues more Confidence then Knowledge in him And T. D. to vary his Arguments thereupon from his uncertain Conjectures and fallible Judgment as with him it is either thus or else thus or more plainly thus c. 1. They whos 's God God is shall rise from the Dead God is Abraham's Isaac's and Jacob's God Therefore they and all other Believers shall rise again Or else thus 2. They whos 's God God is after Death shall Rise again c. 3. Or the Argument may be framed more plainly thus viz. If God be under a Promise to Glorifie the Persons of Abraham Isaac and Jacob then their Bodies must rise again but God is under such a Promise Ergo pag. 77. Answ. 1. That God is the God of the Living both of Abraham and all Believers 2. They all live unto God in Righteousnes here and Glory hereafter 3. He that liveth and believeth in me saith Christ shall never dye These prove the blessed Resurrection of the Children of God who are Children of the Resurrection But what Proof hath he produced herein of the self-same Earthly numerical Body's rising His Assertion being the Resurrection of the Body in general his Proof is the Resurrection of those whom God is the God of viz. Believers and that their Body must be glorified which so far as Christ intends is granted That in the World to come they are equal unto the Angels what is this to the Earthly Elementary Bodies of all in general which Angels do far surmount and transcend in Glory Neither hath he by all that he hath said proved that the Promise of Eternal Glory he mentions extends to the same Earthly Body of Flesh and Blood that now is after dissolved to Dust or its first Elements or that it is capable of that Glory which is Eternal though the Believer be as in his Spirituality or spiritual Body glorified Now as touching the Promise of God to Abraham and his Seed it was not only of a Temporal Inheritance or outward Canaan but also of an eternal Inheritance of Life and Glory for the Injoyment whereof they had a two-fold Capacity an Outward and an Inward a Natural and a Spiritual and so far God was their God in each But that the Eternal Glory was promised to the Terrestrial or Natural Body of Abraham c. T. D. though he runs on with it and takes it for granted doth meerly beg the Question as if Abraham in his new Spiritual and Glorious State were but a Part of Abraham and consequently not fully Capable of absolute Felicity without the Dust of his dissolved Cloathing being immortalized I understand not that they 'l admit of any new Creation of it to make it a compleat Body who are of the Anabaptist's mind And after the same manner he may as well say that all the Saints who are said to be in Glory are not perfectly in Glory but only in Part as but part of Abraham part of Isaac part of Jacob part of Moses part of Elias part of Paul c. are in Heaven in Glory or in the Rest which is Glorious and so of all the other as if when Moses and Elias appeared with Christ in the Mount to Peter c. it were not proper or true to say Moses and Elias but Part of Moses Elâ—…as appeared And what Bodies appeared they in were they Human Earthly Bodies or Angelical and by this that they are not as yet absolutely Happy or at Rest without their little earthly Mansions or Tabernacles when they must needs enjoy far better viz. an Heavenly Cloathing and Mansion or House Eternal in the Heavens being the more Spiritualized and changed into Spirituality they are in a higher and more meet Capacity for that Enjoyment T. D. 2. God were not fully Abraham's God or did not fully make good his Promise if he Glorified one Part of Abraham and not another Answ. God in his Glorifying Abraham in a Spiritual Sate and Body that transcends all Earthly Bodies or that part as he calls it of Abraham which is Spiritual and therefore most capable of an Eternal Glory he shews himself to be 〈◊〉 God he being the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and most eminently of his Children and who hath all Souls in his Hand But in Answer to what he saith hereafter let us enquire whether the Promise of God to Abraham and his Sâ—…ed of eternal Glory and Happiness cannot be made
good without the Earthly and perishing Organs T. D. 3. Nor were the Promise to Glorifie Abraham's Soul made good without glorifying his Body too for the Happiness of the Soul is not Perfect without the Body its dear and beloved Companion the Soul having a strong Desire * and Inclination to a Re-union to the Body as the Schools not without good Ground determine vid. Calvin Harm Evang. in Mat. 22. 31 32. Luk. 20. 38. Answ. It is evident that this Man doth give this account that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body not from any spiritual Sight of the Souls Happiness or Glory for in Page 81. he confesseth that the different Disposal of the Spirits of Man and Beast is not visible to the Eye of Sence and but dimly to the Eye of Reason and Faith although he has taken upon him by Tradition from Calvin c. to assert that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body It may be understood that they have neither clear Reason nor perfect Faith for this and to be sure while he and others assert it without either we have no Reason to believe them But to answer him closely Both Calvin T. D. the Schools and divers Anabaptists are mistaken in this very Matter and see not with the Eye of true Faith either that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body Or that the Soul hath a strong Desire to a Re-union to the Body â—…hile they intend the Terrestrial Elementary Bodies for this implies the Soul to be in a kind of Purgatory or Disquietness till the supposed Resumption of the Body and their Assertion and Determination herein is Contraty to what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5. for we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens ver 1. for we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened c. ver 4. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord ver 8. And said he I am in a Strait betwixt two having a Desire to depart c. Phil. 1. 23. See now the Stress of the Controversie where it lieth and that it is not only between these our Opposers Us but also between them and the Apostle Paul Thus viz. Calvin the Schools 〈◊〉 and Anabaptists determine and conclude That the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body and that the Soul when separate hath a strong Desire and Inclination to a Re-union to the Body But The Apostle Paul as knowing that when their Earthly House was dissolved they had a far better namely a Building of God Eternal in the Heavens Therefore in the Earthly Tabernacle they groâ—…ned being burdened as willing rather to be absent from the Body By which it appears they expected a more full Fruition or Felicity in the Heavenly Tabernacle then in the Earthly Their Soul did not desire after the Flesh as these Opposers imply neither had they any such Delight therein as fleshly Minds and carnal Contenders have Moreover the Apostle from the Visions and Revelations of the Lord saith I knew a Man in Christ above fourteen Years ago whether IN the Body or OUT of the Body I cannot tell God knows Such an one caught up to the third Heaven caught up into Paradise and heard upspeakable Words c. 2 Cor. 12. From hence consider that being caught up to the 3d Heaven into Paradise he doth not place the Sight and Sence of this Condition upon the Body for that he knew not whether he was In the Body or Out of the Body yet knew that he was a Man in Christ and in the Revelation of the Lord But he did not concern himself about this Earthly Body being so glorified in Heaven or Paradise as these Men do and carnally think who have neither Visions nor Revelations of the Lord concerning any such State but Calvin and the Schoolmens Determination contrary to the Apostles But the presumptuous Confidence of our Opposers appears the more in undertaking to assert or demonstrate the future State of the Soul as not being in perfect Happiness without the Body and as having a strong Desire after it while yet they neither know the State of the Soul nor have had so much as a Vision of the Glory thereof or of the glorified spiritual State of the Saints hereafter for Visions and Revelations they deem to be ceased long since and a Disposal of the Spirits of men after Death is not visible to the Eye of Sence and he saith but dimly to the Eye of Reason and Faith However while these Men cannot but appear themselves so Dim in these Sublime Matters and that while their dim Reason cannot reach them they cannot demonstrate to others either that the Souls of the Just in Heaven are not yet perfectly Happy or that they have such a strong Desire to a Re-union with the Body dissolved the shew themselves imaginary Intruders puft up in their fleshly Minds exercising themselves in things too high for them and it were better for them to sit down in Silence and wait in the Light to have some Sence and Knowledge of the true immortal Life to quicken them to God and not thus to busie themselves with unprofitable Talk brought forth from Imaginations of men and not from any true Sight or Revelation of the Conditions of Saints either here or hereafter His telling of Abraham's Soul living actually is true and as true it is That his Soul is in perfect Felicity and Glory and the more being out of the Earthly Tabernacle But his saying that the Body of Abraham or Bodies of the deceased Believers liveth potentially for this we have his own Traditional Assertion but not any Scripture-Proof or Phrase that suits it nor rational Demonstration for it As to his saying That if any shall say that Christ's Argument and his Application of it proves but the Resurrection of the Good c. I say his Application thereof seems but to extend to the Good as in his saying They whose God God is shall rise yet he hath not proved the Rising of their Earthly Bodies after they are dissolv'd to Dust and reduc'd to their first Elements but that there is a Resurrection of the Good and who of us questions that The Resurrection of the Good or of the Just being Glorious and extending not only to Arising out of the Fall out of Death that came by it out of the Grave of Corruption which hath followed yea out of the Dust of that Earth and out of all Afflictions here but also unto an Inheritance of Eternal Glory hereafter as They that be Wise shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars forever and ever So that they shall be so Celestial and Glorious as that they shall
incomparably excell these Terrestrial Bodies And therefore where it is said That the Saducees and Quakers Proposition be that there is no Resurrection from the Dead This is a Falshood against the Quakers and their Sufferings testifie the Contrary If a Man should say that the Wheat or other Grain in the Eare is not the self-same that was sown in the Earth doth it therefore follow that he denies the Arising of Wheat or any Grain at all Or that when the Apostle in Answer to the Question that some foolishly put said Thou Fool thou sowest not that Body which shall be doth it therefore follow that his Proposition was that there is No Resurrection from the Dead And whereas T. D. upon Eccles. 3. 19 20 21. confesseth That Men are said to be Beasts in respect to the Mortality of the Body which being composed of the same Materials with brute Beasts c. By this the Reader may observe what kind of Body these men are contending for and without which they reckon the Souls are not perfectly Happy and which they say The Soul hath a strong Desire to a Re-union with And with what but with the self-same Body which is composed of the same Materials with brute Beasts What! Cannot the Soul be â—…erfectly Happy without this O the gross Conceits of these Men And what do they place their chief Happiness Glory in but in such a perishing Body as is composed of the same Materials with brute Beasts which being Dust returns to the Earth as it was and the Spirit unto God who gave it Eccles. 12. 7. as he saith true to be disposed of as Justice or Mercy shall see meet But where he saith As for Ver. 21. If they be the Atheists words personated by Solomon they note the Reason of his Opinion c. herein he appears doubtful whether they be the Atheist's words or Solomon's for he dubiously varies again and saith If they be Solomon ' s own words c. Judge Reader Is this man fit to discourse of the future States of Men or Saints in Glory who when Solomon speaks of the Spirit of Man that goeth upwards knows not whether he personates the 〈◊〉 's words or his own Whenas he further saith The Spirit shall return unto God who gave it chap. 12. 7. which is implied in his saying The Spirit of a Man goeth upward But for Men to follow their own Imaginations and Traditions of others concerning the future State of Man which they have no spiritual Sight of as also to determine that the Soul aâ—…ter Man's Decease hath such a strong Desire after the Terrestrial or Carnal Body that it is not perfectly happy without it this while they have neither Truth nor Reason to demonstrate it doth really tend to open a Gap to Atheism and to make People Atheists who are not come to know an Immortal Principle in themselves to depend upon whereby the true Knowledge of Life and Immortality is to be revealed without which men are 〈◊〉 in their Knowledge as this man grants the Difference betâ—…ixt Man and Beast as to their future State not being visible to the Eye of Sence as their Agreement in Dissolution is therefore the Difference is only truly to be seen by a Spiritual Eye opened by the Divine Light whereby the Spiritual and Immortal State of Man is seen and the Glory of the Righteous beheld in the Everlasting Kingdom of God which Flesh and Blood cannot inherit neither can the Carnal Eye see the invisible God And I must conclude that while T. D. from 1 Cor. 15. affirms the whole drift of the Apostle in a great part of the Chapter is to shew that the same Body shall rise c. he doth but herein impose and beg the Question and I cannot at all graâ—…t him his Assertion to be true while the Apostle plainly distinguisheth between the first Adam and the Second the Earthly and the â—…eavenly The Natural Body and the Spiritual the Celestial and the Terrestrial and saith Thou â—…ool Thou sowest not that Body that shall be and Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God How plainly do these Passages contradict our Opposers As also is it not evident that the Man opposeth himself in granting That the Body shall rise with so differing Qualities that it shall be as unlike to what it was before as the standing Corn to the Seed put into the Earth or as one Sâ—…ar is to another in Brightness and Lustre how shall it then be the self-same Terrestrial Body For first Is the stâ—…nding Corn the self-same Seed that is put into the Earth Secondly Are the Bodies Celestial as those of Sun Moon and Stars one and the same with Terrestrial Bodies as those of Men Beasts and Fishes Verily I find nothing in this Man's Work about this Subject that has any real Weight in it and what he hath said of any seeming Stress it is answered here and in my Answer to the rest I desire the Lord may open all their Understandings and so quicken their spiritual Sences as that their Minds may be truly spiritualized that they may be more upon Spirit and less upon the Flesh so as to be morâ—…ified unto the Flesh that they may know a Life in the Spirit wherein they may live unto God in Righteousness here and Glory hereaâ—…ter to set down with 〈◊〉 Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God Finally in these two Questions much of the Controversie is resâ—…lved about the â—…uture Rewâ—…rds of â—…ouls or of Men after Dissolution viz. 1. Whether the Righteous â—…e capable of perfect Happiness or the full Frustion of the 〈◊〉 Rest when separate from the Earthly 〈◊〉 or Terrestrial Body Yeâ—… or Naâ—… This may be considered and resolved in this Question viz. Whether the Angels of God in Heaven unto which the Children of God and the Resurrection are equal are in perfect Felicity and Glory who do not exist in Terresirial Bodies or whose Organs or Cloathing is not Earthly but Heavenly 2. Whether the Wicked be capable of absolute Misery when separate from the Earthly Tabernacle Yea or Nay Which on the other hand by the like Reason may be considered and resolved in this Question viz. Whether the Devil and his Angels be not capable of Everlasting Fire prepared for them without Terrestrial Bodies And then Whether the cursed Workers of Iniquity who live and dye in Sin are not to be sentenced into the same Everlasting Firâ—… But If it be supposed that the Wicked cannot be absolutely miserable without their Earthly and Elementary Body or Outside and therefore they must have it again to aggravate their Torment Doth not this then suppose that their Torment must be Worse then that of Devils that have not such Bodies supposed to aggravate their Torment Howbeâ—…t though the Judgment of the Wicked be many times figuratively expressed and set out in Scripture by Parables and Similes yet still there is a Reality of Judgment and Torment therein signified
they shall seize upon their Bodies and Tear them and Dragâ—… them to the Judgment Seat and there is none to Rescue and Deliver them 3. The Third Antecedent to the Judgment of the Wicked will be their Meeting one with another O what an innumerable Company of Rebels and Traytors and Villains will then be got together How fiercerly and horribly will they look one upon another And if they speak what Language of Hell will there issue forth of their Lips They may meet with their old Companions and Fellow-Sinners but it will not be like such as they now call Meetings of Good Fellowship when they get together in a Tavern Ale-house or someHouse of Wickedness to Drink and Sing and Daunce and Sin and make Merry in the pleasing of their Flesh they shall not then have Ale and Wine and Women and Musick or any Incentives to Mirth and tensual Pleasures O the Angry Countenances the Wicked will have on that Day O the Angry Speeches How will they Rage and Storm at one another p. 52. O the Horrible Noise that will be amongst the Damned Crew when they are got together It may be from Words they fall to Blows and Tear one anothers Hair and Spurn at one anothers Bellies and Bite one anothers Flesh and even Claw out one anothers Eyes we cannot conjecture so much of the Misery of the VVicked as will be on that Day p. 53. Friends will be together at that Day as at other times Some will be in Churches together it may be Ministers preaching and People hearing as you are hearing me this Day Suppose that the Heavens should just now open and you should hear the Sound of the last Trumpet then all you that are Believers would immediately be caught up into the Clouds but all you that are Impenitent and Unbelievers would be left behind VVhat Terror would fall upon you to see us caught away from you It may be some of you might come hanging about me and others when you see us arrayed in shining Garments O take us up along with you VVhat will you leave us behind Alas what can I do for you then p. 54. I came with Oyle often to Sell from my Lord and Master and you might have had it for nothing you might have bought it without Money and without Price but then you â—…leighted and refused all Proffers of Grace which were made p. 56. Alasâ—… VVhy do you hang about me with Tears and VVeeping VVhat can I do for you now Can I carry you all up with me in my Arms If all of us together could hand and help some of you up into the Air with us and bring you into the Presence of our Dear and Glorious Redeemer with what Confidence could you stand before him with what Face could you look upon him when you are so Black and Filthy VVould not your Looks betray you to be none of our Number Would not your black and Trembling Joynts speak what you are Could we carry you up with us If you should lay hold on us would not the Angels snatch us out of your Arms or would not Devils tear you away from us pag. 58. The Saints are all risen and have put on their Glorious Attire and we are called for It is your own Faults that you did not help to fill up this Number p. 59 The whole Innumerable Company of Saints shall attend Christ in white shining Garments with Bodies like unto Christ more Beautiful and Glorious then the most spendid Attire can make them pag. 66. The Accusers of and Witnesses against the Wicked they will be 1. God 2. Men. 3. Devils 4. Themselves First God's Justice will arraign the Wicked before the Judgment-Seat of Christ p. 78. 2. God's Goodness and Bounty and Patience will accuse them 3. God's Omniscience will be a Witâ—… ness against the VVicked at the Day of Judgment pag. 79. 1. Ministers will be the Accusers and VVitnesses against the VVicked p 80. 2. The Godly Friends of the VVicked will be their Accusers and VVitnesses against them 1. The Believing Husband will then accuse and witness against his Unbelieving VVife pag 83. 2. The Believing Wife will then accuse her Unbelieving Huâ—…band p. 84. 3. Believing Parents will VVitness against their Ungodly Children p. 85. 2. The Ungodly Friends and Companions of the VVicked will at that Day be their Accusers and witness against them 3. Devils will be the Accusers and VVitnesses against the VVicked p. 86. 4. The VVicked will be accused by themselves their own Thoughts shall accuse them in the Day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ their own Consciences will accuse them and be as a Thousand Witnesses against them They will find all their Sins registered in that Book and that Book will then be opened and they will not be able to deny one word of what they shall find there recorded Concerning the Conviction Suppose that this very Day were the Day of Judgment and in this very Church were the Judgment-Seat that here were a great white Throne and the Lord Jesus Christ sitting upon it in his Glory with Millions of Holy Angels about him and all the Saints in white at his Right Hand and on his Left all the VVicked gathered together into one Body as it will be at the Last Day And the Judge should cry with a loud Voice Bring the Prisoners to the Bar Bring the Sinners to Judgment p. 87. and so summon and convict particular Sinners 1. Come forth all ye Ignorant Persons who have not known the Father nor me nor the Mysteries of Salvation who lived in Darkness and loved Darkness and hated the Light leâ—…t your Deeds should hereby have been reproved had you an Ear and yet not hear so as to learn Had you an Eye and yet not see so as to understand And if you were Naturally Blind had not I Eye-salve Could not I have opened your Eyes was I not willing Did I not stand in the Gates to call upon you How long ye Simple Ones will you love Simplicity and Fools haâ—…e Knowledge Turn unto me and I will pour out my Spirit upon you and make known my VVords unto you Have you neglected me through Ignorance Is not your Fault double because you have neglected Knowledge too Did not you hate Knowledge and therefore disregardâ—… Did not you love Sin and therefore shunned the Light which would have discovered it and disturbed you in your wicked Courses Have you liked Darkness so well and is it not 〈◊〉 then that you should go to the Place where there is Blackness of Darkness forever TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 2. Come forth all ye Sloathful Unprofitable Persons Had not ye Talents committed to you for my Use and Service and what have ye done with them did you bury them in the Earth p. 88. 89. Did not Hell gape for you long ago and Devils long for
this time when you should be delivered into their Powers TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 3. Come forth all that have neglected Family-VVorship and never sought after God in your closets p. 90. If you had not Ability to Pray at first with others might not you have attained it had you used to Pray by your selves VVas it Curiosity and Elegancy of VVords that God so much looked for Would not Sighs and Groans have been understood p. 91. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 4. Come forth all ye Sabbath-Breakers you that have spent the Day in Sleeping in Eating and Drinking to Excess who instead of Holy Meditations have been thinking and contriving your worldly Business instead of Religious Conferences p. 93. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 5. Come forth all ye Swearers and Prophaners of the Name of God p. 94. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 6. Come forth all ye Scoffers at Religion and the zealous Professors thereof pag. 95. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 7. Come forth all ye Persecutors of my Disciples pag. 96. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 8. Come forth all ye Intemperate and Liscentious Persons p. 97. Come forth all ye 〈◊〉 pag. 98. Come forth ye Drunkards pag. 99. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 9. Come forth all ye Adulterers Come forth all Covetous Persons whose Treasure and Heart and Hope and Confidence hath been in Earthly things who have made the VVorld your God p. 100. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 10. Come forth all ye Unmerciful Persons p. 101. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 11. Come forth all ye Unrighteous Persons who have wronged Widdows and Orphants who have over-reached your Neighbours in your Dealings who have heaped an Estate together by Unrighteous Practices who have squeezed and oppressed the Poor TAKE THEM DLVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 12. Come forth ye Lyars you who have taught and accustomed your selves to this Sin pag. 103. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 13. Come forth all ye Slanderers and Backbiters p. 104. TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 14. Come forth all ye Proud and Ambitious Persons pag. 105. Take them Devils Bind them Hand and Foot 15. Come forth all ye Envious and Malicious Persons p. 106. Take them Devils 16. Come forth all ye Wrathful and Contentious Persons Take them Devils 17. Come forth all ye Civil and Moral Persons p. 108. Take them Devils 18. Come forth all ye Hypocrites p. 110. Take them Devils 19. Come forth all ye Backsliders and Apostates from me and my Wayes You that turned back to Wayes of Prophaneness and open Wickedness after some time of Profession p. 111. Take them Devils 20. Come forth all ye Impenitent Persons and Unbelievers p. 114. Take them Devils pag. 115. And when the Sentence is pronounced by the Judge upon the Wicked O what direful Shreeks will they give forth With what Horror will they cry out How shall we be able to endure the Devouring Flames and Everlasting Burnings of Hell p. 117. The Torment of the Bodies of the VVicked will be dreadful through the Sence of the Fire which will be kindled about them and burn more horribly then London's Fire did when it had got into the Heart of the City Their Torment will be greater then if scalding Lead p. 135. were poured into their Bowels then if they were torn in pieces with wild Horses then if their Breasts were ripâ—…up and their Hearts were pluckt out with Burning Pincers it will be worse then if they were cast into a Caldron of Boiling Pitch or Lead or put into Phalaris Bull or Nebuchadnezar's Fiery Furnace p. 136. and every Member of the Bodies of the Wicked will be Tormented O how will their Eyes glaze their Tongues roar their Hands and Feet fry their Flesh roast No Part will be free from the Devouring Flames of this Horrible Burning Fire p. 137. Something for the SPIRITUALITY OF THE RESURRECTION Being some Passages touching the NATURE of the BODY OF CHRIST After his RESURRECTION and ASCENSION Whose Glorious Body ours shall Resemble Out of H. Moor's Search into the Nature of a Glorified Body Apol. Chap. 3. pag. 494. of his Modest Enquiry into the Mystery of Iniquity The CONTENTS That it is a Heavenly Body of an Angelical Property a Spiritual Body a Celestial Body That the Heavenliness of the Glorified Body imports the Brightness and Splendor thereof That the Lucidity of these Bodies is also testified by Ancient Fathers he forbears to affirm it to consist of Terrestrial Flesh and Bones but admits of Celestial and Spiritual Flesh and Bones confessing to Paul's Enarration of the Mystery of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. IN his Answer touching the Lucidity of Christ's Body after his Ascension he saith The Soul may even enjoy her self out of her Terrestrial Body That the Glorified Body is Organized which he calleth Organized Light That if the Objecter understand Terrestrial Flesh and Bones is it a Fault to deny it That the Body of Christ in Heaven is not Terrestrial Flesh and Bones but of a more refined Nature for the Apostle saith expresly That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. That according to Testimony in Scripture we shall find that a Glorified Body or that Body wherewith they shall be rewarded who shall attain to that blessed Resurrection which is the most precious Hope of all true Christians may be dignified with these three Titles Angelical Spiritual and Celestial It is an Angelical Body because the Sons of the Resurrection are said to be in every actual Respect that tends to any real Perfection or Happiness equal unto Angels Lukâ—… 20. 36. viz. not only in that thing of Immortality but the Sons of the Resurrection are absolutely in all such actual Respects as above intimated equal to the Angels nor can the Condition of the Bodies be left out as touching the Nature and Glory of them but a Son of the Resurrection and an Angel must be in every such Regard all one our Saviour seems plainly to assert so much That those that are once the Sons of the Resurrection plainly become Angels thereby for they were Sons of God in a moral or spiritual Sense before It will conduce something to the better understanding of the Nature of a Glorified Body if we make search into Scripture what the Nature of the Angelical Bodies is it is said Psal. 104. Who maketh his 〈◊〉 Spirus and 〈◊〉 Ministers a Flame of Fire Upon which Text Grotâ—…s doth freely and truly I think not unscilfuly comment after this manner Esse Angelis corpora sed subtilissima non Pythagorae tantum Platonis schola sensit sed Judaei veteres Christians c. That the Fathers were of this Opinion Agrippa in his Occulta Philosophia hath also noted That there are many Instances how Igneous and