upon what Foot his Resurrection standeth if it may be said to have any or to stand at all Faellacious is but one of his hard words for if the Body rifeth with the same Matter it carried to the Grave it riseth with gross Matter unless it carried no gross Matter thither Let him chuse of the two which to deny But is this to answer my Argument to tell us with so much unwarranted Confidence that the Body shall be the same Matter Substance and Essence c. the very Question What is this but to say It shall be so because it shall be so If he would have done any thing he should have demonstrated how Matter can be without Grosness and the most gross and Material part of the Body to be but the Accidents But he thinks he hath said something to the Point Reply pag. 89. To talk that it the Body cannot be incorruptible because beyond the Nature of Matter it self is to talk like an Atheist making Nature to be God and not acknowledging the God of Nature Rejoynder Did I dare sport in Religion scarce ever Man gave a fairer Occasion in his Compass But he practises it and I abhor it This is such a riddle me riddle me as I never heard of before W. P. sayes The Nature of Matter admits not of Incorruptibility ergo W. P. is an Atheist ergo he makes Nature to be God and ergo he acknowledges not the God of Nature This is the very Man that not a page off reflects Ignorance upon my Philosophy Doubtless a Peerless Disputant one way or other May he evermore thus confute me which is all I will say to such subtil Reasoning and losty Argumentation in this place Yet he has not done Reply p. 89. If God be omnipotent which he is or he is not God he is able as the Apostle speaks to subdue all things to himself with which words he answers all Cavils from Impossibility in Nature Rejoynder The Question was not about God's Power nor was it so much as any Part of the Question But whether Matter is not by Nature corruptible and how that which is corruptible by Nature may be by Nature incorruptible This Scripture he urges to prove his carnal Resurrection will as well prove the Popish Transubstantiation or any the most unreasonable Conceit in the World for it is but saying All things are possible with God and God is able to subdue all things unto himself and the Business is done at J. Faldo's rate of arguing But the Question is not about what God can do but what he hath done and has declared he will do I know there are Impossibilities in Nature which God's Omnipotency makes possible but if J. Faldo doth not know that there is a Difference between Impossibility in Nature and Contrariety to Nature I now tell him there is one and that so wide as though Almighty God frequently supplies Nature's Want of Power yet he rarely if ever acts contrary to and inconsistent with the Nature of his own Creatures What is spiritual remains spiritual what is material material and what is corruptible corruptible But let us see how much better he acquits himself of another Passage which he ventures to cite and in my Opinion doth no more Reply p. 89. W. P. proceeds farther in this vain Reasoning and wicked too p. 202. I say we cannot see how that which is of the Dust should be eternal whilst that from whence it came is by Nature but temporal and that which is yet most of all irreconcileable with Scripture and right Reason is that the Loss and Change of Nature from corruptible to incorruptible natural to spiritual should not make it another Body That it is according to Scripture I have given large Proof in my Book to no one of which he replyeth as also how unreasonable it is to call that a Resurrection which is not of the same numerical Body Rejoynder We may guess how well he proved it in his first Book by the Strength he hath employed to maintain it in his second But let all sober Men judge if this Reply be pertinent to this Part of my Answer yet he promised he would answer my Arguments For the Scripture it is clear That Corruption shall not inherit Incorruption neither can Flesh and Blood inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. Thus Anota cert Divin anno 1645. upon the Place and if he will know the true Resurection set him learn to understand this weighty Passage 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 2 Cor. 5. 1. And I cannot but wonder my Adversaries Understanding should be so benighted as that contrary to express Scripture he should assert a Resurrection of the same Body that is buried properly and strictly so the Apostle teaches us to believe that it is not that same Body that is sown that shall be for though we shall be changed from Mortality to Immortality Corruption to Incorruption 2 Cor. 5. 1. and 1 Cor. 15. 37 50. yet mens Bodies of Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God For the Word Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth hot strictly imply a taking up of the same Numerical Body as he would have us believe from his new found Relative IT first Book 2. Part p. 138. for which Beza shall give him a Release both from the Latin and original Greek there being no Word in either for his Relative IT on which he and his factious Brother Hicks have so relatively insisted Indeed as their last and best Refuge The Text lyeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seritur corpus animale resuscitatur corpus spirituale i. e. Anatural Body is sown a spiritual Body is raised that is They lay down a natural and take up a spiritual Body or in lieuof a Natural receive a spiritual Body not that the Natural Body shall be transubstantiated into a Spiritual Body or that admitting of such an Exchange that the Spiritual is the same Numerical Body that was the Natural for so the Natural and Spiritual Body would be one and the same but suppose J. Faldo ' s Relative IT to hold I do utterly deny that this Text is concerned in the Resurrection of Man's Carnal Body at all I will recite it with the five following Verses as they ly in our English Translation It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body and so it s written The first Man Adam was made a Living Soul the last Adam was made a Quickning Spirit howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is Natural and afterward that which is Spiritual The first Man is of the Earth Earthy the second Adam is the Lord from Heaven As is the Earthy so are they that are Earthy and as is the Heavenly so are they also
which are Heavenly and as we have born the Image of the Earthy we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly v. 44 45 46 47 48 49. I say this doth not concern the Resurrection of carnal Bodies but the two States of Men under the first and second Adam Men are sown into the World natural and so they are the Sons of the first Adam but they are raised spiritually through him who is the Resurrection and the Life so they are the Sons of the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit The very Words of the Apostle undeniably prove this to be the Scope how else could the first Adam's being made a living Soul and the second Adam a Quickning Spirit be a pertinent Instance to prove Natural and spiritual Bodies upon which follows that the Natural was first that is the first Adam and then that which is spiritual which is the second Adam the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven who came to raise up the Sons of the first Adam from their Dead to his Living their Natural to his Spiritual Estate But perhaps it will be objected that the 47th Verse The first Man is of the Earth Earthy and part of the 9th Verse We shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly seem to imply a bodily Resurrection But let the whole Verses be considered and we shall find no such thing The first Man is of the Earth Earthy The second Man is the Lord from Heaven who sees not that this is rather spoken of the Earthy-Mindedness then the Earthy Body of Adam It was mentioned to show the great Disparity that is between the Nature and Qualification of the first and second Adam the following Verse puts this Interpretaion out of Doubt as is the Earthy such are they that are Earthy and as is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly For those Words We shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly I cannot see how they should relate to the Resurrection of the Carnal Bodies of Men for the Image of the Heavenly is a renewed State to God through the Operation of the Spirit and Power of Christ the first Part of the Verse clears it and as we have born the Image of the Earthy we shall or rather let us bear the Image of the Heavenly as Ambrose and Theophilact read it and six or seven Copies besides have it which is as much as to say That as we having born the Image of the God of this World by becoming his Children so may we bear the Image of the True and Living God by being redeemed from a vain Conversation having our Consciences sprinkled from dead Works and being born again of the incorruptible Seed by the Word of God which lives and abides forever Had this concerned the Resurrection in our Adversary's Sense the Image would be changed wholy Accidents would not serve his Turn therefore not the same Image unless the Earthy could be the Heavenly Image which were Impossible for we should loose our Earthly Bodies at what time we become the Image of the Heavenly in this World if this conceit had any Truth in it and if of the other they to be sure must never enter for another takes Place But as it was never understood so by any that I know of but evermore of that Earthly Image which came by transgression and the Heavenly Image that comes in obeying the Truth by the Spirit according to what the Apostle saith Col. 3. 8 9 10. But now you also put off all these Anger Wrath Blasphemy filthy Fornication out of your mouths lye not one to another seeing that you have put off the old Man with his Deeds and have put on the new Man which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him So till the natural Man that is sown comes to dye to his own Image Will and Affections he can never be quickned into this Glorious Image of the second Adam the quickning Spirit who is the Lord from Heaven But suppose it were to be understood rather of Bodies then Souls the Text may be as well translated a Living as a Natural Body is sown yea rather so for the Word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Animale that imports as much as a Soulâ—-Body and such an one I dare say J. Faldo would not be willing to sow except he had a Mind to be buried alive So Clarius both translates it and interprets it Corpus animale accipiendum est cui anima vitam prestat ne intereat i. e. A Souly or Living Body is that to whom the Soul gives Life that it doth not dye But to go farther suppose the Apostle treated of a natural Change and not only of the spiritual State of the Soul in this Life yet can it be extended no farther then this when good Men lay down this Earthly House or Tabernacle of Clay the Image that came to us from Adam's Loyns we shall be cloathed upon of Immortality received into the Building that is Eternal in the Heavens and be made like unto his glorious Body 2 Cor. 5. 1. Philip. 3. 21. We sow a natural we reap a spiritual and we sow not that Body which shall be but God giveth a Body as pleaseth him 1 Cor. 15. 37 38. I also parralelled my Adversary's Change yet Sameness of Bodies with the Popish Transubstantiation showing that the Absurdity Protestants Charge upon this is equally chargeable upon that only with this Distinction that the Papists deny it to continue a Wafer after Consecration but J. Faldo asserts the spiritual Body to be the same carnal Body after Mutation which is a Kind of Consubstantiation and far more ridiculous But of this he took no notice and his Silence is prudent Things unanswerable are better unmedled with then cited and not confuted He knows who pasâ— for wise Men by holding their Tongues I wish that were his greatest Fault I will conclude this Head with a few Testimonies in Defence of what we have said against J. Faldo's Carnal Resurrection referring my Reader to my Chapters of the Resurrection both against him in my Answer and my Book against T. Hicks entituled Reason against Railing and particularly the second Part of a Discourse that we hope will suddenly be publisht call'd The Christian-Quaker for his fuller Satisfaction of our Scriptural Judgment and our Adversary's fleshly Apprehension concerning the Resurrection H. More Myst God p. 221 224 225. Dr. H. More the Cantabridgian Philosopher begins his Discourse of the Resurrection with this Censure of J. Faldo's We come now to the second particular propounded the Resurrection of the Dead which I dare say the Atheist will listen to with more then ordinary Attention and greedily suck in the Doctrine provided it be stated with the most curious Circumstances that the RIDGIDEST OF THEOLOGERS will describe it by that we shall have the same NUMERICAL Bodies in which we lived here on
IN his former Book he charged us with the Sin of Idolatry his Argument lay thus Those who own and profess that to be God which is not God are gross Idolaters But the Quakers do so in professing the Light within and the Soul of every Man to be God Therefore Idolaters The Testimonies upon which he insisted I faithfully and fully considered in above Seven Pages of Sober Answer he returns me about Three in Defence of his Charge not giving above a Dozen Lines of what I writ and those made up of Scraps rather contracting what he said before then making any substantial Reply to them But however I will be just to him Thus he begins Reply p. 84 85. To my Charge of Idolatry he answers as one that intended to confirm not confute it His very Denyals implying a large Grant of the Question p. 192 193. We do forever renounce any such Principle as that the Soul of Man simply as such is the very Essence and Being of God Then it is with him the very Essence or Being of God though not because it is the Soul of Man Rejoynder No such Matter But it is plain how much the Man is upon the Ketches His Argument led me to such an Answer for he calls it The Soul or Spirit of a Man which is a constitutive Part of a Man pag. 114. I was therefore led by him to write in that Abstract Sense which thus far makes for him in case he can maintain his Charge that the Idolatry would be the grosser Besides God is the Soul or Life of the Soul therefore there was a Necessity for such a Distinction Reply p. 85. W. P. pag. 193. We never did do nor shall assert the God that made Heaven or Earth to be comprehendible within the Soul of Man so that when we say the Light is within any we do not intend the whole Being of Light All that W. P. denyes here is but God's being so in the Soul of Man as that he is no where else or nothing else yet allowing the Soul and Light within to be God essential Rejoynder It were heartily to be wished we had nothing but Ignorance to charge him with in this Passage but methinks he would not have us to take him for a Man of so little Understanding as he hath need to have that writes so much Falshood and does not know it First He hath dropt the most substantial part of my Answer in the middle Secondly These Passages relate not to the Soul but to the Light upon occasion of a place he cited out of G. Fox the younger therefore not applicable to the Soul yet by him as well applyed to the Soul as to the Light Thirdly He sayes All that I deny in those words he quoted out of my Answer is only God's being so in the Soul of Man as that he is no where or nothing else which if he had only said it of the Light it would be no Contradiction to my Principle or the Truth for the Light is as well on the Earth as in the Heavens and in my Chamber as in the Firmament without any Error in Physicks and so may God whom in my Answer I called the great Sun of Righteousness that caused his Spiritual Light to arise and shine into the Souls of Men be God as well within as without the Soul for where-ever Divine Light is God is and where God is Divine Light is Howbeit we do not call the Manifestation of Light God though the Manifestation of God Fourthly His saying That I yet allow the Soul and Light within to be God essential is a down-right Falshood as with respect to the Soul it is nigh two pages before that I considered his Charge against us about the Soul What shall I call then his thrusting of it in here which cannot be concerned in the very Nature of the Answer as thus appears If the Soul be God God is comprehended within the Soul and is no where or nothing else but Soul and where the Soul is An Absurdity yea a Blasphemy never rightly to be inferred from any thing I ever said or writ thus scandalously flung upon my Answer by J. Faldo for want of a better Reply I cannot think that ever man adventured under his Pretences of Religion so knowingly to pervert wrest and misapply Men's Words about Doctrines of the greatest Importance This shows he values Credit more then Conscience who undertakes to fasten a Blasphemous Consequence untruly on my words lest he should be thought to have charged us beyond what he could prove but his Weakness bewrayes his Malice For if the Soul may be God and yet I deny that God may be nothing else his very Words in my Name then may the Soul be God and God the Soul and yet God something else and that something else God When or where did I ever give Occasion for such Biasphemish Gibberish Yet this is the Result of what he dares tell the World is my Meaning I may say the same respecting Locallity or Place for what Man not stark Mad would say the Soul is God yet deny not but that God may be else-where which J. Faldo also makes though an express Contradiction to his wrests a piece of my Meaning for unless God may be divided from God where-ever he is the Soul is if the Soul be God and so one Man is in another and every Man â—biquitary or every where at the same time Friendly Reader none of this Blasphemy and Nonsence belongeth to me therefore I return it to the True Parent to maintain it as he is able But he would have the VVorld believe that of 23. Citations out of acknowledged Quakers I did but nibble a little at five of them I think him not worth proving a L that have already so many times done it upon unquestionable Ground in this Discourse besides I should be necessitated to transcribe my whole Answer but I beseech this Kindness of the Reader that he would not think his Time lost in perusing the 20th Chapter of my Answer where he may see himself if I have only nibled perhaps he will have a better Opinion of my Endeavours I shall have Occasion here to touch upon some of them and no more yet enough to show my Adversary's unfair Dealing Reply To Fox Junior's who calls the Light the Eternal God which created all Things In his continued Discourse personating the Light he calls it the Light in you me the Light in them which P. would evade by saying I granted that in the first part within Man was not mentioned Rejoynder Had I said no more then this it might have past for an Evasion But to pass over a page and a half of pertinent Answer to his Application of both Passages out of G. F. and then say I evaded them by urging his Grant that within Man was not mentioned in the first Passage is to act the Shifter with a Witness especially when the little Part he quotes was
Coming in the Flesh and that which Christ Jesus and his Apostles taught was not in kind but in degreâ— only the Ceremonial part excepted which the same Clemens calls childish and Trifling and the Apostle Paul Beggarly Elements serving only the non-Age of the World in Religion and therefore to be laid aside upon a more improved Knowledge and full Enjoyment of it And this Christ's own Sermon upon the Mount clearly evinceth who runs the Sin of Adultery as far beyond the Act as the first lustful Desire conceived in the mind And from true Swearing to yea yea and nay nay and from loving our Friends to loving our Enemiese and from self-saving to suffering I say unless we should with the Uncertain and Irreverent J. Faldo exclude the Life Doctrine and Miracles of Christ from any share in Christianity because sayes he it s dated with more reason from Christ's Resurrection and consequently Christ Jesus before but an extraordinary kind of Jew we must needs conclude that as the tendency of Christ's Life and Miracles was to preach live and confirm his divine Doctrine so the very bent of that Doctrine was the Improvement and Perfection of that Righteousness which in former Ages was but begun and more imperfectly manifested so that to be under Grace is not to live in the Breach of God's Law Uncondemned through Christ's personal Obedience wrought wholely without us but to be led to deny all that Vngodliness and those Worldly Lusts for which the Law takes hold upon the World according to the Apostle to the Romans There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit implying that who walked after the Flesh were so long not under Grace but under Condemnation Again For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death that is not only from Death the Wages but from Sin the Work that leads to it yet further For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in vs who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit So that to be under Grace is to be under the Government Leadings of it and to enjoy that divine Power which fulfills the Law and redeems from those Corruptions which prove men rather to be alive without Law then under Grace that fulfils it Upon the whole since some in all Ages have been taught to deny Ungodliness and to live godly and that they could not so have done without the Grace that brings Salvation And since the Seed of the Serpent has been bruised in them and that it could not be without Christ the promised Seed and since such were then turned from Darkness unto Light and from Satan's Power unto God and that all this is purely Gospel and Christian something of Christianity was in the World before that visible Appearance of Christ from whose Name the true Religion was so called For though there have been Diversities of Gifts yet the same Spirit though Difference of Administration yet the same Lord. And though God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son yet he was the same God who spoak by the Prophets that spoak by the Son though it is always confest not in so plain express and excellent a manner the Difference therefore lay in the Manifestation rather then in the Thing manifested For through all Generations there has been but one Seed Truth Grace Word Life Power or Spirit by which any of the Sons and Daughters of Men were ever saved and consequently J. Faldo has greatly wrong'd the true Christian-Religion as well as contradicted the Ancient Writers and abused us in dating Christianity from the time of Christ's Bodily Resurrection and so bitterly reflecting upon them that conform not to his narrow and false Apprehensions CHAP. II. Of Quakerism as this Independent Priest scoffingly calls our holy Religion IN my Defence of the Truth we profess shewing not only the Consistency of it with Christianity but proving it to be Christianity there are Four Passages he takes an abrupt notice of His words concerning the first run thus Rep. To purge away the Character I give of a Quaker he tells you p. 9. We never said that the Light within every Man was the only Lord and Saviour and very God let him shew us any such Passage of any one acknowledged Quaker and he will say something Now Reader observe his Reply The Man cannot see Wood for Trees I quoted him Forty Places in my Book that will prove it For instance All Power in Heaven and Earth is in it Smith's Primmer p. 14. Again I will make you know that I the Light which lighteth every man that eomes into the World am the true eternal God G. Fox junior c. These I quoted in my Book yet could Penn say I thought to be believed hand over head Rejoyn That this Adversary is base with a Witness remember Reader that there is not One Testimony much less Forty in that place I quoted and unto which my Answer was made Next observe how he suggests my smothering of those Testimonies he brings whereas I have particularly answered the latter which includes the force or tendency of the former and five more of his falsly pretended forty But to the Point That I cannot see Wood for Trees is a very mean and wooden Reply what I have said in my former Book stands unanswered and indeed is Vnanswerable I shall contract it thus No man that believes Scripture will dare to deny that God is Light That every Man is enlightened by Him and that by Him who is called Light all things are upheld And that He alone is Saviour A Doctrine J. Faldo teaches pag. 84 85 89. That we never did assert that the God that made Heaven and Earth was comprehendible within the Soul of Man yet that he gave Light to the Soul of Man To which with much more he returns us not one word of Answer but would make People believe it has been the course I have taken with him To conclude He must either deny Christ to have all Power in Heaven and Earth to be the True Eternal God or that He who has that Power and is that God is not that True Light that enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World or his Labour is but very Vanity whose Wages will be Vexation of Spirit But thus far we are well assured that J. Faldo for all his Shews of Reverence to the Scripture overturns the most evident Testimonies therein contained by withstanding and defaming this one Assertion that God who is Light shines not in the Heart of any Man on
Light which he denys to us therefore less Charitable nay Unjust to the Light for he esteems us only fit Company for the worst Sort of Heathens such as Julian and Lucianâ— It seems we must be viler then Heathens and Mahometans with J. F. witness his first Book But we ought not by any means to repute such as he is that denyes us and our Principles with Abhorrence as to us either Heathen or Infidel What shall we call him then But hath the Man forgot that the drift of his Book is to Vnchristian us That the Title of it is Quakerism no Christianity and that the Cry of his Associates for these 20. Years has been Heathenism Gentiles Moral but not Christian Men and therefore have excommunicated beaten imprisoned and that to Death and yet by no means must wedeny these Folks to be true Christians that have so long proved themselves to be none Though this might suffice that such as that Paper concerned thought us Christ's Church therefore just to them whatever it may be to others for whom it was not intended A man may abuse the highest Truths taking to himself the Liberty he doth to pervert our Words and Sayings His two Books in God's Day will prove to his great shame and Condemnation this one Charge that I have often in other words upon occasion said concerning him viz. J. Faldo's Charges against the Quakers are not their Principles but his own Consequences falsely drawn from them To conclude If such Inoffensive nay Christian and necessary Resolves for the right Disciplining the Church of Christ in the Wayes of Peace and Righteousness cannot escape J. Faldo's Cruel Hands instead of rendring us Papists I shall not wonder if from a Non-Conforming Priest he turns a Spanish Inquisitor or any thing else that can be worse but it is pitty he should leave us and not see his face before he goes I will acquaint him therefore if yet a stranger with an Excommunication drawn up and pronounc'd by an Independant of great note being in the Parliament's time Master of Pembrook Hall in Cambridge and Pastor of a Church in London Sydach Sympson's Excommunication of Capt. Robert Norwood I do in the Name of the Lord Jesus and his People declare Mr. Norwood one that hath lifted up his Tongue and Heart against the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father one that from hence forward we have no more to do withall till he repent but shall continually pray that his Nights may not be quiet for the Thoughts of his Sin but that his Bed may be filled with Tears I charge all you both of the Church and all other that are Christians that you should look upon him as one that God would have thus severely used until that he buckle under his Sin and then our Souls shall rejoyce In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ we deliver him unto Satan for the Destruction of the Flesh that his Soul may be saved To prove this Authority by Example he produceth this piece of Antiquity however ill it befits an Independent Church-Man The Church of Pallemnis as Semetius reports excommunicates Andronicus in these Words Let 〈◊〉 Man account Andronicus a Christian but look upon him as one whom God execrates have no Company with him 〈◊〉 but what is necessary This Reader is the Moderation and Charity of such as J. Faldo accounts both a true Minister and a Christian Society much of this have we found at the hands of the same Sort of Separatists But first observe according as J. F. would have us understand it by his Censure of us in a Case less obnoxious the absolute Authority personally assumed and how much S. S. acted the Pope in J. F's Language or arbitrary Prelate in this matter that had been an earnest Decryer of the same Spirit in a more national Clergy 2ly It is worth our Notice that the matter First charged was a pretended Untruth relating to civil Commerce from which he cleared himself to his Adversaries publick Confusion But this was but the Preface the Business is behind for he denyed the Locallity of Heaven and Hell that is void of outward Place as looking upon them to have a more spiritual Signification and that the other was too carnal indeed Mahometan and that he believed the Soul to have been breathed from God thereby assigning to it something more of Divinity than the usual Opinion doth For this and no more as the Pamphlet informs me which recites the Reasons of the Excommunication do they excommunicate him yet to colour the Business the better like as J. F. does with us S. S. expells him their Society for denying a Heaven and Hell at all and as rendring the Soul God himself crying out Satanical Devices Atheism and Blasphemy There is one Passage this Captain took notice of not unfit to be observed by us with Respect to the Use J. F. makes of our Paper S. S. in his Proem or Introduction to his Excommunication used among other these Words That though Men may withdraw themselves from the People of God they cannot from the Oâ—dinances of God meaning as I suppose that his pastroal Power could or should reach beyond Constantinople or a further Place to excommunicate Anathema Meranatha an Offender c. But to this the Person so dealt with answers and for ought I know more justifiably then J. F. can pretend to do to us for we allow no such personal and pastoral Dignity and prerogative Power to any Man nor do we use any such Forms of Excommunication siyes he Have I therefore withdrawn my self from the People of God because I have withdrawn from you ARE NONE THE PEOPLE OF GOD BUT YOUR SELVES What are all those you are withdrawn from ALL DAM NED This is such an Argumentum ad hominem as I am of the Mind ought to trouble J. F. if the least Grain of Modesty be in him what he chargeth upon us is out-done by themselves and the Aggravations he would render us odious by are made the natural Consequences of theâ—r own Excommunications I will conclude this with telling my Reader that for no other Cause then what is exprest namely Opinion and that not very offensive this Person once accounted greatly of among them being a Member of their high Court of Justice was first traduced then excommunicated after this complained of to the Powers by them therefore deprived of his civil Employ and though they were his Debtors both for Money lent and his Services done them if we may credit his printed Narrative the Priesthood so prevailed that the Lord Mayor Andrews sent a Warrant for him had him brought rudely and violently to the Sessions at the Old Bayly and there placed among Thieves and Murderers in Order to his Tryal for Blasphemy These were the meek and hearty Pretenders to and Fighters for Liberty of Conscience that when they had the Power in their Hand proved abundantly they intended it only for themselves not unlike to their
Holy Ghost The Durableness of this Kingdom is laid down by Daniel and the Time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom Dan. 7. 22. 27. Yet upon these so innocent Expressions so scriptural and therefore so easily defensible doth this Adversary of ours call an Evidence of the blasphemous unheard of Passages and Principles among our Ministry conceived vented and allowed which did the World know it would make their Ears tingle and their Hearts ake But we will see if these Words belong not of more Right to a Passage that fell from the Mouth of a Court-Chaplain in the Golden Age of Independency not in a private Letter but a publick Auditory that we may help him to a clearer Sight of his own Folks and that his severe Exclamation better suits them then us After the Death of O. C. that all due Acknowledgments might be paid to his Memory for the noble Acts he did of breaking all Oaths he made to God and Men to advance his own Family and Interest though to the Scandal of Religion and Loss of the Cause a certain Chaplain of his broak forth with this Extatical and Elegiack Assertion that if that were the Word of God meaning the Bible in his Hand then as certainly that blessed Spirit the Protector was with Christ at the right Hard of the Father and if he be there what may his Family expect from him for if he were so useful and helpful and so much Good influenced from him to them when he was in a mortal State how much more Influence will they have from him now he is in Heaven THE FATHER SON AND SPIRIT THROUGH HIM BESTOWING GIFTS AND GRACFS UPON THEM I will omit naming the Party he is dead I give the Fact and it speaks so much Idolatry that nothing ranker can be produced of the most Extravigant Votaries of Rome God if it pleaseth him of his great Mercy give this poor Man Repentance before that Hour overtake him in which it will be hid from his Eyes which ends my Return to these hard and evil Speeches I shall as my Manner hath been produce the Testimonies of certain considerable Men in defence of what we believe concerning the Light within and others relating to the Soul of Man for their Sakes whom Tradition hath abused the frequent Clamours and Invectives of many against us blinded so as to think we are the Sink of Error and off-scouring of all Heresy to the End that they may see our so much decryed Doctrine clearly and abundantly approved by such as are of general Reputation among them Of the Light shining in Man Vatablus and Drusius upon Job 24. 13. They are of those that rebelled against the Light say that it is the Light of God and that it is God himself I suppose none will doubt that this Light shined in the Consciences of those that rebelled against it consequently the light that shines in the Conscience is the Light of God as he is the great Sun of Light Munsterius and Clarius upon Job Ch. 25. 3. Upon whom doth not his Light arise ask Who is there in whom the Light of the Divine Wisdom doth not shine Codurcus is of the same Mind saying he enlightneth all Men referring us to John's Testimony Drusius upon the same Place queries Who receiveth not his Light and is not illuminated by his Light Erasmus and Vatablus on Joh. 1. 9. calls it the Fountain of Light whence the Light also flowed to John himself Now if this Light be in Men and of the Fountain of Light which say they is God I hope none will deny theâ—â— the Light that shines in Men is divine Light and consequently God 1 Joh. 1. 5. Zegerus on Joh. 1. ver 4 5. In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men c expresseth himself thus That Life by which all things were made that which is the Word yea which is God the Fountain of all Life that alwayes was and is the Light of all Men and it shineth in the Darkness of our Souls which the Prince of Darkness had darkened Cameron on the place saith It is to be understood especially of that Light which is unto Salvation and whereby it comes to pass that we are freed from the Darkness of Sin and Death All which is to say that the Light which shineth in Man's Heart is Divine and Saving therefore God manifesting himself in Man Dr. H. Moor in his Philosophick Cabbal pag. 27. sayes The Light pursued Adam and upbraided unto him his Case after his Transgression and that it was the DIVINE Light wherefore he was ashamed and hid himself at the Approach of the DIVINE Light manifesting himself to him to the Reprehension and Rebuke of him And the DIVINE Light charged all this Misery and Confusion upon the Eating of the forbidden Fruit and Luscious Dictates of his own Will And the DIVINE Light spoak IN Adam concerning the Woman What work hath she made here Thus doth he make the Light that reproves in the Conscience to be the Divine Light and consequently of the Nature of God who is the great Fountain of Divine Light Nay to put it out of doubt he reads those words which in Genesis say It was God himself that reproved Adam after the manner before expressed to wit the Divine Light in Adam reproved him thereby making the DIVINE LIGHT in Adam and GOD to be ONE and the same Being Of the Soul Justin Martyr brings Tryphon questioning thus concerning the Soul and himself allowing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That is Is the Soul Divine and Immortal Is it a Particle of that Commander Himself and as it seeth God so is it also permitted to contain Divinity in our Mind and thereby even now to be happy Yea altogether said I. Tertullian de Anima p. 297. asserts the Immortality and Divinity of the Soul P. Fagius in Gen. 2. 7. Rabbi Nehamanides hath observed That he that breatheth on any contributes something of his own to it whence Christ our Saviour when he would communicate the Holy Spirit to his Disciples he did it by breathing upon them signifying that he contributed to them something of his own that was Divine The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth something DIVINE and HEAVENLY some think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Immortal Soul of Man is a certain DIVINE THING come from Heaven And the Poets call the Soul of Man a PARTICLE OF DIVINE BREATH 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a breath or spiritus DIVINE HEAVENLY Vital Immortal and Enduring forever The Soul of Man DIVINE and HEAVENLY consists in a DIVINE and HEAVENLY Spirit The Author Hiskuni understands it to be an Inspiration from the Holy Spirit of God Peter Martyr speaks of the Soul thus in Psalm 94. We are taught not to with-draw from the Divine Nature those things that are perfect and absolute in us pag. 12. and in pag. 122. They say says he 〈◊〉
and one to whom that eminent Reformer writ many Loving and Respectful Epistles usually beginning with Clarissime Charissime and such like did both deny the Resurrection of the same numerical Body but defended his Opinion and disputed strenuously against the vulgar Notion which plainly opposeth John Faldo's But more especially The Vincent's gross Notion of The Resurrection who hath taken upon him in a large Discourse called Christ's Certain and Sudden Appearance to Judgment p. 48. 49. to write the History of it wherein he is so punctual that he doth not only tell them what Bodies they shall have but what Encounters and Dialogues are like to pass even to Scolding Railing Scratching and I know not what besides so vain and ridiculous is that Author I will wrap up these Testimonies with two Passages out of Origen in Jerome Non easdom Carnes nee in 〈◊〉 formis restinent quae fuerunt Sermina i. e. The Seed shall not restore the same Flesh nor in the same Form Again Non oculis videbimus c. We shall not see with Eyes hear with Ears act with Hands walk with Feet in that Spiritual and Ethereal Body that is promised that is not subject to be toucht or seen with Eyes nor to be weyl'd c. This and much more is urged by Jerome against John of Jerusalem Epist cap. 8. These Testimonies I have produced to shew the Arrogancy and Uncharitableness of J. F. in counting it an horrid Thing to reject his Carnal Notion of the Resurrection of the Dead and that to such a Degree destroyes if you will believe him all Hope of Immortallity most absurdly placing Eternal Felicity therein The Resurrection we own and for the Manner of it we are not inquisitive and as I told him before so again because these things run men into unprofitable Questions and a Philosophical Way of Discoursing no wayes tending to God's Honour nor the Soul's Profit and Comfort I shall decline any further or nicer Disquisition and content our selves with this that if we live holily we shall dye happily and if we walk in his Fear we shall depart in his Favour and at being unclothed of Mortallity we shall be clothed on with Immortallity and Eternal Life For God will raise all such into Immortal Life and Glory who truly dye in the Lord But we cannot but take notice of the Subtilty of God's Enemy who by casting curious intrical and unprofitable Questions about what Bodies the Dead shall rise with and bringing us under vulgar Reflections by not consenting thereto endeavours to divert the Minds of People from our most frequent and fervent pressing a part in the first Resurrection that only saves from the Power of the second Eternal Death of which let my Reader receive this friendly Warning for besides that it is a Satanical Decoy Thou Fool belongs to none more then him who acquiesses not with all humble and contented Submission in the Good Will of God whose Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven To the Second Part of his Chapter which concerneth our Denyal of Eternal Rewards although it deserves not our notice for the Folly and Falshood it contains yet that he may not make my Silence to yield his Charge and to show that in every Point he behaves himself dishonestly towards us I shall consider that little he sayes Reply p. 89. Concerning a Reward in the World to come which I affirm they did not profess W. P. opposes rather because he would not be thought to subscribe to me then that he believes not what I say to be true Rejoynder This Man pretends to judge Hearts not only without Words but also contrary to Words I did most expresly tell him that though we own the Beginning of Heaven and Hell to be in this World who charged us with the Denyal of them any where else yet that they were but Earnests of that Compleat Joy or Torment that Men should receive as their Eternal Reward or Recompence hereafter But this passes for Hypocrisie with John Faldo's present sort of Conscience And He proceeds Reply p. 89. W. P. tells me p. 203. None ever read so J. F. quotes no such thing nay he sayes he hath searcht but to no purpose My Charge was not that they deny a Reward in another World but that they profess no such thing yet being silent to it hath a full Consequence that it is none of their Belief Rejoynder How could his Charge imply no such thing who makes our Silence upon which he grounded it to have this full Consequence that a future Heaven and Hell are none of their Belief and if not believed denyed However it makes not a little for us that he not only never read so quotes no such thing and says he hat◠searcht to no purpose but that he hath made no Reply to these words he recites out of my Answer which hath this full Consequence that for J. Faldo to charge what he has never read what he hath searcht for and could not find p. 141 142. and therefore could not quote upon us to our Scandal is unworthy of any Man pretending to Common Honesty But what doth he mean by our not professing Eternal Rewards Our not daring to enter into the secret of the Almighty What how and by whom they are to be distributed What other End have our Meetings Writings and Sufferings Must I alwayes deny Eternal Recompence where I do not expresly declare I own it How many Times in Religious Discourses will J. Faldo come under the like Imputation he cannot show me one Book that was ever wrought by any of us in which it is not abundantly implied if not most plainly expressed Were there no such thing it would belong to us above all other People to use the Apostles Words We are of all Men most miserable but God hath fixed that Hope of Immortality and Eternal Life in our Souls which all J. Faldo's Clamours will be too weak to shake But were we darker in this Point then whom none are clearer we and our Books have Moses the Prophets and their Writings to keep us company who mention it but obscurely and not so frequently and unquestionably as we do J. Faldo loves to hear talk of Heaven but despises and shuns the Way which leads to it and because our greatest Pains are imployed in bringing People into that streight and narrow Way that leads thither rather then by delicious Fables to preach them into an Hope of Heaven whilst in a State of Disobedience to God's Holy Spirit therefore is it that he concludes us not to believe Eternal Rewards that is to deny them Never did Man catch at such broken Reeds to save himself from the just Abhorrence of all sober People We deny his Carnal Refurrection therefore we must needs deny Eternal Rewards Again We do not believe Eternal Rewards if he may be credited yet he never read so much less found it so by his own Confession and therefore could never