our necessitys yet we can no otherwayes receive his help but as it comes to us by the conveyance of the Man Christ Jesus our alone Mediator 9. Thirdly My third reason which is mainly for my present purpose and which alone is enough to conclude is because it demonstrats this great blessed Truth to wit that the Man Christ Jesus is really present in and among us and consequently every where I do not mean by his externall or outward person for that is ascended into Heaven but in virtue of his Divine Life and Spirit or Soul extended into us in his Divine Seed and Body which is his Heavenly flesh and blood wherewith he feedeth the Souls of them that believe in him I say Our worshipping the Man Jesus and praying unto him doth plainly demonstrate that he is really present in and among us and with us as his Name Immanuel doth signify not onely as God but as Man for it were a most absurd thing to worship an object that is altogether absent as the Manhood of Christ is according unto these Presbyterian Teachers We know how the Prophet Elijah mocked Baals worshippers with a Godly zeal and indignation on this account as supposing him in their account as an absent God Cry aloud said he for perhaps he is asleep or hath taken a journey As for us God forbid that we should worship an absent Christ or call upon a Saviour to help us in whom we do not believe as really present 10. Sure I am they who pray unto him and yet do not believe him to be present and have not some sense of his presence are real Idolaters for they pretend to worship an object which wanteth a property altogether essential to an object of Divine worship that is real presence 11. Nor is it enough for them to say he is present as God but not as man for if the Man be not present he is not to be worshipped and if he be to be worshipped as most certainly he is then he is present for this is one of the great motives of worship and prayer that he whom we worship and call upon is present to help us as David called him â— present help in time of trouble and we are commanded to come and worship before his presence 12. But again Our praying to the Man Jesus doth imply that he doth really heare our Prayers and is really sensible and perceptive of them and that not onely when we use vocal prayers but also when we pray onely in our most secret thoughts Now it is impossiâ—le that he could hear us and be sensible of our prayers and especially of our thoughts if he were not immediatly present in us and with us For to say that his God-head doth reveal our prayers and thoughts unto the Man-hood doth no wise answere the strength of this reason for hearing and perception are immediate acts of the soul and reach unto the objects immediately or the objects unto them but what is made known by revelation simply doth not so reach and that cannot be properly called hearing our prayers or being sensible of them As suppose that God should reveal immediatly to a man in Persia or China that I am praying here at such a distance that man could not be said to hear me praying or be sensible of the very breathings of my soul as when the Lord revealed to Ananias that Saul who after was called Paul did pray yet who will say that Ananias heard Paul pray at that time Surely this is such a slender and deceitfull evasion answer as the Papists use commonly to give when we bring this reason against their praying unto Saints and Angells to wit that they do not nor cannot hear our prayers every where becaus they are not every where present nor can be becaus of their limited capacity they tell us that they read ouâ— prayers in the mirrour or looking glasse of the Deity or have them revealed unto them immediatly by God which answer the Protestants most deservedly reject for that is not properly to hear 14. And indeed none is fit to be a Mediator but he that immediatly heareth our prayers and hath a sense of the breathings and yearnings of our souls towards God and is touched with the feeling of our infirmitys as Christ Iesus our high Priest really is for said the Apostle Hebr. 4. 15 16. we have not â—n high Priest which cannot be touchea with the feeling of our infirmitys but was in all points tempted like 〈…〉 yet without sin let us therefore come boldly unto the 〈◊〉 of grace that we may obtaine 〈◊〉 and find grace to help in time of need Here observ how he makes this the reason why we should come 〈◊〉 â—nto the throne of grace even becaus 〈◊〉 have an high Preist that is not of so A damantine a nature nor yet so remoâ—e from us as that he cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmitys and therefore he hath a real feeling of them which is more 〈…〉 the Prophets mantle fell and this was a figure of this great mystery for Christ the greatest of all Prophets when he ascended he let fall his mantle upon his disciples to wit a plenteous emanation of his spirituall and divine Body and Life the proper vehicles and conduit of the Holy Ghost and of God himself so that they came to be wonderfully indued with the Holy Ghost and indeed that which Jesus Christ hath left with us of his Divine Body and Life is Gods Throne of Grace or Heavenly Throne on which God sitteth and to which we have access while we are here upon Earth that is of the same nature with that above and one intire being with it the Altar the mercy seat The Cherub on which God rideth as it is Psal. 18. 9 10. He bowed the heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet and he rode upon a Cherub 〈◊〉 did flee yea he did flee upon the Spirit so the Hebrew This Cherub is the Man Christ Iesus the heavenly rayes of whose Spirit Light and Life are his wings on which the most glorious and most High God doth ride and bring speedy deliverance to his afflicted Saints in all ages And Christ also is 〈◊〉 heavens that God boweth to wit the Heavenly Man that most willingly boweth and obeyâ—â—â— the Fathers commands in all things who is the Man of Gods right hand by whom he doth all things 〈◊〉 heaven and Earth he belâ—g his most immediat and most universall instrument and organ of operation in all things in heaven or Earth or under the Earth and therefore to him must every 〈◊〉 bow whether in heaven or earth or below the earth 15. But I shall more particularly prove that 〈◊〉 Man Jesus even in the dayes of his flesh did knoâ— the thoughts of men from express testimonies 〈◊〉 Scripture Math. 12. 25. and Iesus knew their thoughâ— see also Luk. 6. 8. and John 2. 24 25. But 〈◊〉 did not
a comfortable then 〈◊〉 is a true doctrin that we have the Man Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 near unto us in virtue of his Divine Life and Soul in his Divine Seed and Body extended into us and thus he is the Incarnat Word or Word made flesh â—welling in our flesh and is made like unto us for as we are flesh so he is flesh also but of a more excellent make or creation And thus he is the Brideâ—room and Husband of our Souls to whom we may approach and whom we may kiss and imbrace and handle with the hands of our Soul and whose glory we may behold even the glory of the Word made flesh and dwelling in us Whereas the glory of the Word as it was in God before it became flesh or cloathed it self with the heavenly Manhood no eye of Angel or Saint ever could or can behold for the Glory of the Word simply considered in God out of the Manhood of Christ is God himself without any middle or Mediator 8. And this none hath ever seen or can see no not the most glorious Angels but it is the Word made flesh or God made manifest in flesh to wit in the Heavenly Flesh or Manhood of Christ that is the alone proper and adequat object of the contemplation and enjoyment of the most glorious Angels as wel as of the most Holy Souls as Paul declared Great is the mystery of Godlyness God manifest in thâ— flesh c. seen of Angels Observe here it is not God simply but God manifest in flesh that is seen of Angels and is believed on in the world although he was both seen of Angels and believed on in the world long before he was manifest in that outward body of Flesh which was also a most glorious manifestation and excelleth in glory all the outward manifestations that ever were or shall be but the Angels and Saints did really see him before that nanifestation in outward flesh and the Saints do now really see him although his outward body and external person be not now present for us to behold 9. Yet the Word Incarnate or made flesh and called by Iames the Ingrafted Word we do really see for it 〈◊〉 in us and unlesse it were made flesh or incarnate it could not be ingrafted into us for all ingrafting or implanting requireth some similiâ—ude or analogy of nature and substance therefore we can not graffe an apple or cherry-graffe upon stone or iron or bare earth by reason of the great unlikenesse and distance of their natures and yet the Word simply and nakedly considered in God before it was made flesh is more unlike unto us and in nature more remote from us then an apple is from stone or iron Therefore to the end that the Word may be ingrafted into us and we again ingrafted into it the Word must be incarnate or become flesh as we are for all men are a sort of flesh and so called in Scripture in comparison of God that is purely a Spirit and though the Souls of men 〈◊〉 Spirits yet comparatively as unto God they are as it were flesh And thus the Word is become flesh that is to say hath advanced a step or degree nearer unto us then as it was in God before any thing was made and the Word was first of all made flesh to be the Root and Foundation of all other created beings and for which they are created 10. For it is a more noble creation then all things else and is 〈◊〉 this creation as the Apostle declared expressly Heb. 9 11. the words not of this 〈◊〉 should be translated not of his creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore some think fit rather to call it an emanation from God then a creation to speak strictly which I shall not dispute about for it rather is a strife about words then in the thing it self Now when I say that the Light Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus is not in us as in respect of its Fountain and Center or Spring but onely by way of emanation or participation we deriving it from that Central Light and Life that was in him that was born of the Virgin Mary 11. I do by no means acknowledg or understand that the Deity had onely its Center in that Man and from him doth ray into us for the most Blessed and Glorious Deity properly hath no center and rays distinct by way of emanation but rather is all Center according to that noted saying of Hermes Trismegist God is a Circle whose centâ—â— is every where and is no where circumscribed And therefore the Blessed Deity is as centrally and essentially in us as in the Man Christ Iesus 12. But still as in respect of union manifestation and operation and also in respect â—f communion and fellowship the Man Christ Jesus or Word Incarnate is the onely and proper middle and Mediator betwixt God and us so that whereâ—â— God is immediatly united with the Man Christ Jesus no other men or Angels have or indeed are capable to have an immediat union with God their union is onely mediat with God and so their communion and fellowship with him is but mediat also by the means of Christ Jesus although in respect of other means it is immediat And of this I found needfull once for all to acquaint the Reader to prevent his misâ—â—ke SECTION XII 1. How much more truely we own aud esteeme the Manhood of Christ then the Author of the Postscript or his Brethren 2. A testimony of Luther for the Man Christ his being every where 3. Another Testimony from those who imbraced the Aungustane Confession in that Treatise called Liber Concordiae that Christ as Man is really present with the Saints on Earth 4. The Lutherans grosse errour in the manner of this presence hath given occasion to many to deny the Truth it self becaus they could not understand the manner 5. The manner offered in this Treatise most consonant both to Scripture and Reason and almost to Sense 6. How Iohn saw the Son of Man in the midst of the golden candlesticks after his Ascersion 8. How Christ 〈◊〉 the ladder by which we ascend unto God 8. The Nephesch and Neschamah of Christs Soul distinâ—guished 9. Christ his spirituall coming in his Saints as the Son of Man Maâ—th c 16 ver 28. 10. A Testimony of Calvin that Christ as Man doth sanctify us and give us Grace 11. Some testimonys from S. R. his Epistles that Christ is in the Saints not onely by his Graâ—es but by himself 12. Another Testimony of Calvin 13. That S. R. speaketh of the Man Christ his being in the Saints 14. Many call that hâ—rrid blasphemy in us which they commend in S. R. and others of their own Teachers which is great injustice and partiality 15. Christ his knowing the heart of the Samaritan Woman and curing the woman of Canaan of her issue of blood proveth the extension of his Soul and Life or Spirit
but onely a favourer of Bishops being then an Advocat becaus he would not bow to their wills was constrained to flee the Nation Not to mention the fineings and other oppressions that many endured on that account and the Papists also some of whom had almost their all swept away and many fled Besides some few scattered ones whom they called Sectarys they grievously persecuted and threatned as namely Iohn Garden of Tillifroskie a Baptist whom they imprisoned in Edinburgh for a long time and reduced to so great outward necessitys that no body durst wel minister to him what he wanted But was the Presbyterian National Church any more favourable to their lawfull Prince Did they not also extend their power to the utmost against him to compell him And what the sad effects were which this produced I am loath to mention so that none were spared but all Great and small must fall down and worship this beast as it was in the darkest times of Popery otherwise they knew what they were to expect And it would saden a mans heart to think to what perplexity many simple-hearted men were brought while things were carryed thus on the one hand the Kirk issued forth her acts that people should do so and so and on the other hand the Lawfull Magistrat issued forth acts to the contrary and so the body of the Nation was divided some following the one some the other untill they ceased not to make the three Nations a field of blood And all this happened by that persecuting and compelling spirit in the Presbyterian Church that is the very life of such a Church without which it can not subsist as such Next as to her Hypocrisy we need go no further then the various changes of the farr greatest number of her Church-members and especiaily her Teachers one while Episcopal again Presbyterian and to wheel round again Episcopal and these changes all falling within a short time even upon the self same persons they who were zealous for Episcopacy and cryed it up yesterday the next day zealous against it crying it as much down and then up again one while preaching against festivall days and set forms of Worship then for them then against them then lastly for them again All this bewrayes horrible and detestable Hypoorisy especially in the Teachers who pretend to preach the Word of GOD and the Truth of Christ. Whereas the Word of the Lord is One forever and the Truth is the same always and is not yea and nay And it is a thing as manifest as the light of the day that the Teachers even of the Presbyterian Church have been generally and for the most part Self-seeking worldly minded and covetous men who loved pleasures and riches more then God And this the Mâ—gistrat did wel know and saw the best way to prevail with them was to bribe them with augmentations and benefices as they did in the year 1649 and at divers other times as they saw occasion And in the time of great burdens upon the Land of Cesses and Taxations that many honest familys were redacted to great straits by reason of these publick burdens yet the Presbyterian Preachers table was as full as ever his cup did overflow with outward abundance he must bear no part of the publick burden but the burdens of the people must be augmented to give him augmentations But alas This Presbyterian kingdom is now faln and great is the fall of it especially it falleth heavy upon such as the Author of the Postscript who want those golden days of gathering up their stipends and augmentations but are fain to be at their purchase or conform which some have so much sense of shame still remaining in them as suffereth them not to do yet they fume and rage and the honest harmeless people called Quakers must be the main butt and object of their wrath but such paper bullets and darts that contain nothing â—olid as this Postscript being full of horrid lyes and false accusations will make little execution against us but certainly return upon their heads with shame and loss 10. All this sheweth that the Presbyterian Church was not so glorious a Church as she did take her self to be And many in the Island and elsewhere on the one hand did judg the Congregational Churches farr beyond her And those called Baptists I mean the more sober kind of them beyond both yea the Lutheran Church and the Church of England at lest as to divers particulars in doctrin is really beyond her But what shall I say concerning the Waldenses who had all what the Presbyterian Church had that was commendable and divers other thingsâ— that they want and wherein they do not imitat them although they boast to be their successors For the Preachers of the Waldenses were Lay-men most of them and wrought with their hands as the Teachers of the primitive Church did and had no sâ—t stipends or salarys but preached freely yea Peter Walâ—â— the first a most famous Preacher of that People was a meer Lay-man and had not Philosophy but was a Merchant in the Town of Lyons in France whose labour the Lord did wonderfully bless and the labour of such honest plain simple men as he was SECTION IV. 1. That some good men have been in the Presbyterian Church proves not that she was a true Church 2. In the darkest times of Popery God raised up some good men and Prophets in the Popish Church yet the Popish Church no true Church of Christ. 3. Few Sects but have had some good men among them 4. The Presbyterians in our days shamefully are declined from the footsteps and spirit of thâ—se antient good men that were among them 5. The Presbyterian Church guilty of treacherous practices 6. Christians should not make warr against the Magistrat 7. Presbyterians sufferings not pure and cleanly 8. The Episcopal Church had its Sufferers and Martyrs also 9. The Presbyterian Church especially their Teachers have much blood-guiltiness upon them 10. If the house of God under the Law was not to be built by men of blood farr less under the Gospell 11. GOD will not honour the Presbyterian party to build his Zion or Gospell-Church in this Land 12. Yet he will make use of many among them after he hath â—â—ashed them from such bloody Anti-christian and unsound principles and practices 13. Of this they were warned eleven years ago in my book called Help in time of need printed in the year 1665. 14. The Presbyterian Church of Scotland guilty of Apostasy and spirituall adultery proved fully out of S. R. his Epistles 15. S. R. his Faith uncertain and he doubtfull in his later days concerning the Covenant its being made an instrument of Reformation 16. Some other testimonys of Great Presbyterian Teachers that God had forsaken the Presbyterian Church of Scotland 1. But if the Author of the Postsâ—ript think to get a fame to the Presbyterian Church becaus of some noted men for piety that have
foolish and groundless distinction that they have borrowed from the Popish School-men The Scriptur telleth us nothing of this nicity yet we do acknowledge the person of Christ. 10. And if by Person they understand his manhood or the man Christ Iesus we believe that Christ is man and a singular man that is to say he is not two or many men but one onely man as also he is singular for the excellency of his nature even as Man 11. So that whatever excellency any other man hath in his nature Christ hath the same and also far greater and more excellent in his who is the heavenly Man or Lord from heaven the second Adam that is a quickening Spirit whereas other men in comparison of him yea Adam the first Man is but of the Earth Earthly So that as farr as the most high heavens do excell the base and low Earth so farr doth Christ even as Man excell all other men and that not onely in accidents as the Popish school-men and the Presbyterian Teachers following them do teach but in nature and Substance And therefore as the Heavens do influence the Earth and make it fruitfull by the virtue that proceedeth therefrom so the heavenly Man Christ Iesus doth influence all other men by his Light and Life that they may be fruitfull in holiness and righteousuess and who remaine unfruitfull it is not for want of the Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man as not influencing them but becaus that by unbeliefe they harden their hearts against his Heavenly breathings and influences And this distinction betwixt the very nature of the Soul and Spirit of Christ as man amd that of the soules of all other men is clearly held forth by Paul according to the wisdom given him of God that whereas the Soul of any other as namely the Soul of Adam was made a living Soul the second Adam is a quickening Spirit who quickens both the Souls and bodys of other men who in faith receive his quickening life and Spirit and whatever virtue the Souls of any other holy men have to quicken others they have it not of themselvs nor yet immediatly of God the Father but they derive it from the heavenly man or second Adam Christ Jesus who hath it immediatly of the Father who is the Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Iesuâ— 12. And this doth manifestly hold forth a substantial dignity and excellency in the nature of the Man Christ Jesus even as a man above the nature of all other men and Angels which the Papists and Presbyterian Teachers do both deny 13. And thus it may appear how much more we do esteeme of the Manhood of Christ Iesus then either Papists or Presbyterians SECTION VIII 1. The fourth accusation is false for we owne no other Iesus Christ but him who was born of the Virgin Mary 2. He was the true Christ of God before 3. That the man Christ Iesus was from the beginning 4. Some Scripturs brought and opened to prove this as Eph 3 9 Joh 6 38. 1 Cor 15 47 48. Joh 3 13. Eph 4 9. 1 Cor 10 3 4. the same proved from 1 Tim 2 5. and 1 Cor 11 3. 5. Christ was anointed from the beginning Prov 8 23. Psal 2 6. 6. The Man Christ before Abraham and John the Baptist. 7. Some more Scripturs opened as Psal. 110 34. Amos 2 13. Heb. 6 6. Rev 11 18. And some more Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament to prove that the Man Christ was from the beginning as Gen. 32 24. Gen. 19 24. 8. That the outward flesh and blood is not properly the Man but the Soul or inward man 9. More Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament as Ezek. 1 26 27. Dan. 7 9. 10. Christ his Soul and heavenly flesh and blood from the beginning 11. The Soul Life or Spirit of the Heavenly Man doth as far extend as his heavenly flesh and blood even to all the Saints 12. Though they have not the center or root of his Soul and Life in them but onely a measure ray or emanation of it 13. The Scripture no where saith that Christ did take his Soul but onely his outward flesh of the Virgin and so according to the flesh he was onely the Son of Mary David and Abraham by virtue of his outward conception and birth The fourth Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we deny Iesus the Son of Mary to be the alone true Christ. 1. This is a false accusation We own no other Jesus Christ but him that was born of the Virgin Mary who as concerning the flesh is the Son of Mary and the Son of David and the Seed of Abraham 2. And yet he was the true Christ of God before he took flesh and before he was the Son of Mary or David or of Abraham for his being born of the Virgin Mary made him not to be Christ as if he had not been Christ before But he was Christ before even from the beginning as I shall prove clearly out of Scripture Eph. 3 9. it is said expressly that God created all things by Iesus Christ. Now if all things were created by Jesus Christ then Jesus Christ was before all things for the cause is always before the effect at least in order of nature But to this they object that by Iesus Christ is meant the Word onely in this place whereas the Word onely is not properly the Christ but the Word as cloathed with the Manhood or the Man as united with the Word And so I answer that the Word onely is not properly the Christ without the Manhood but it is the Word made Flesh or made Man And therefore seing the Apostle by the Spirit of God hath declared that all things were created by Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ signifieth properly the Word made Flesh or made Man it is clear that according unto the Apostle the Word was mad flesh or Man even from the beginning 3. And this will yet more appear by comparing this place with other places of Scripture as Ioh. 6 38. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Now Christ spake this not simply as the Word or as God but as Man for as God he had no will of his own distinct from the will of the Father for the Father and the Word have but one onely will whereas the Man or Manhood of Christ hath indeed a distinct will which yet is always in union with the will of the Father And seing Christ spake this as Man it is clear from his own words that as Man he came down from heaven and was Man before he descended to take part of our flesh in the Virgins womb and therefore Paul calleth him the Second Adam the Lord from heaven and that heavenly Man 1 Cor 15 47 48. Also it is clear that Christ himself speaketh in the 6 of Iohn of his flesh and blood that did
come down from heaven whereof men must eat and drink to the end that they may live by Christ Iohn 6 51. I am that living bread which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever And the bread that I will give is my flesh Now many understood not that saying in that day as many at this day do not understand it for they thought he had spoken of Earthly flesh and blood and therefore they were offended and said How can this man give 〈◊〉 his flesh and blood to eat Whereas Jesus understood it of his heavenly flesh and blood therefore he said unto them Doth this offend you What if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before So that Christ was the Son of Man before he descended that is to say true Man for Son of man is a Syriack phrase signifying man Compare with this Iohn 3 13. No man ascendeth up to heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man which is in heaven see also Eph 4 9 10. Now in that he ascended what is it but that he also descended into the lowest parts of the Earth He that descended is the same that ascended farr above all heavens that he might fill all things And this will yet further appear if we shall consider what Paul writes of this mystery 1 Cor. 10 3 4. that the Fathers to wit the people of Israel long before Christ came outwardly in the flesh did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drink the same spirituall drink for they drank of the Spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. Nor can it be said that it must be understood figuratively to wit the Rock signified Christ for we read no where in the Scriptur of any Rock that followed the people in the wilderness as outwardly that was a figure or type of Christ but Christ himself was that Rock that followed them And certainly if the Saints before Christ came outwardly in the flesh had â—ot eat of the flesh of Christ and drunk of his blood they could not have had life by him but they had life by him and therefore they did eat his flesh and drink his blood And therefore Christ had flesh and blood to wit heavenly and spirituall even from the beginning on which the Saints in all ages did feed even from the beginning such as Adam and Evah Abel Henoch Noah Abraham c. And seing Christ had flesh blood from the beginning he was man from the beginning for as God simply he can not have flesh and blood For God is a Spirit therefore it is the flesh and blood of Christ as he is Man or the Son of Man as Christ said unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man c. 4. All which prove effectually that the Man Christ Jesus was from the beginning and if the man Christ Jesus had not been from the beginning it would follow that the Church all along from the beginning had wanted a Mediator and Head for it is the Man Christ Jesus united with the Godhead of the Logos that is the Mediator betwixt God and man as Paul declared 1 Tim. 2 5. and the Head of every man is Christ and the head of Christ is God By Christ Paul in this place 1 Cor. 11 3. understandeth the Man Christ which he placeth as a middle between God and men so that God is the head of every man But it is most absurd to suppose that the Church and Saints all along untill Christ came outwardly in flesh wanted a Mediator and Intercessor or that they wanted a head for even as the naturall body can not live without its head so nor can the Church which is the body of Christ live without its head which is the Man Christ Jesus 5. But let us descend more particularly into particular places of the Old Testament and we shall see the same truth confirmed abundantly Prov. 8 23. I was anoynted from the age from the beginning so the words should be translated the Hebrew word nissakti signifyeth anoynted and is so rendered by Buxtorf in his Lexicon and also by the English Bible Psal. 2 6. in the margine I have anoynted my King upon my holy hill of Zion the Hebrew root is the same in both places and both places are to be understood of Christ as is generally confessed 6. Now Christ signifyeth Anoynted and it is the Man Christ that is Anoynted with the Holy Spirit and not the Word or Logos which is God himself for the Godhead anoynts not the Godhead but it is the Godhead that doth anoynt the Manhood of Christ which Manhood hath been Anoynted from the beginning and therefore the Man Christ hath been from the beginning who is Gods Anoynted King and the Head of his Church in all Ages the First and the Last even the first-born of every creature who said to the Jewes Before Abraham was I am and it was the Man Christ that said this to the Jewes and of him John the Baptist thus declared Iohn 1 30. there cometh after me a man that is preferred unto me for he was before me and this was the man Christ of whom he spake Again let us consider Psal. 110 1 3 4. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemys thy footstool and ver 3. from the womb before the morning-star I have begotten thee so the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin which doth little differ from the Hebrew it self in this place And vers 4. Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek Now that Christ as man is here understood and not simply the Logos or Word I prove First becaus here are two Lords The Lord said unto my Lord the Father speaking unto the Man Christ for indeed the Man Christ is a distinct Lord from the Father as he is a distinct Being and Substance as Man and as Man he is a Lord and King who said All power in Heaven and Earth is given me of my Father but the Word simply considereâ— is not a distinct Lord from the Father becaus not a distinct Being or Substance Secondly it is the Man Christ that is Gods high Priest and not the Word barely considered for a Priest is one that prayeth unto God for the People and mediats oâ— interceeds betwixt God and them but the Word barely considered can not doe this becaus he is noâ— a distinct Substance or Being from the Father whereas the Man Christ is a distinct Being although not divided or separated from him and if he be â— Priest forever then from the beginning and consequently Man from the beginning according to which the Apostle said Iesus Christ the same yesterday to day and forever Yesterday that is from the beginning to day that is at present and for ever that is in all time and ages to come This is the promised Seed which God
promised to our Parents after the fall and actually gave unto them even the Seed of the Woman that should bruise the head of the Serpent And therefore though the outward comeing of the Man Christ was deferred according to his outward birth in the flesh for many ages yet from the beginning this Heavenly Man the promised Seed did inwardly come into the hearts of those that believed in him and bruised the head of the Serpent and destroyed him that had the power â—f death that is the Devil the stronger man entering 〈◊〉 house and dispossessing the strong man and casting 〈◊〉 out And thus Christ is the Lamb that was slain â—rom the foundation of the World namely in that 〈◊〉 the beginning even as soon as our first Parents 〈◊〉 the measure of the Life of the Lamb which 〈◊〉 in our first Parents in the innocent state came as 〈◊〉 were to be slain in them by transgression and to â—ndergoe sore and deep sufferings by reason of 〈◊〉 sin even as the Seed Christ complained by the â—rophet Amos 3 13. Behold I am pressed under you 〈◊〉 cart is pressed that is full of sheavs this must 〈◊〉 be understood of the Life of Christ as Man for as God he can not suffer nor be slain whereas the Life of Christ as man is capable of suffering and being crucified as unto us although that Life still live in it self unto God namely that Seed or measure of it graffed or imprinted in us according to which the Apostle declareth that they who fall away from Christ do crucify again to themselvs the Son of God Heb. 6 6. And Iohn saw that after Christ was outwardly crucifyed at Ierusalem he should be again crucifyed in spiritual Sodom and Egypt whicâ— is the Apostat Church Rev. 11 8. And 〈◊〉 hath he been crucifyed by the Wicked even froâ— the beginning and hath lived in all Saints as 〈◊〉 before he came in the flesh as to his outward birtâ— as since So that as Paul said I live yet not I but 〈◊〉 that liveth in me The same could Abraham 〈◊〉 Moses and all the Prophets say that Christ the Heauenly Man and Second Adam lived in them 〈◊〉 they lived by his living in them as he said to 〈◊〉 Disciples becaus I live therefore shall ye live 〈◊〉 But Christ as he is God liveth in all and is altogâ—ther uncapable of the least suffering and althougâ— as Man he may and doth suffer yet in due time 〈◊〉 suffering Life will prevail and be raised up over 〈◊〉 its Suffering in all men where it suffers by 〈◊〉 of sin to the everlasting comfort of them that 〈◊〉 in him and obey him but to the everlastiâ— torment of them that do not believe in him 〈◊〉 give obedience unto him 7. But yet more particularly to prove that the Man Christ was from the beginning see Gen. 32 24. Now when Iacob was left alone there wrestled a man with him unto the breaking of the day and that this was Christ is clear from Hosea 12 4. For it was such a man as was also the LORD GOD of Hosts to whom he prayed and made supplication whom Hosea calleth also the Angel See also Gen. 18. where the Man Christ appeared unto Abraham with two Angels that are called men ver 2. for Angels are a sort of Heavenly Men and one of these three men Abraham prayed unto and therefore it was the Man Christ who after he had talked with Abraham ascended and did afterwards destroy Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimston And Gen. 19 24. it is said The Lord rained from the Lord fire and brimston therefore this was no other man or Angel but the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus who at divers times appeared unto the Fathers in the true forme of a Man yea even unto Kiug Nebuchadnezar together with the three children in the firy furnace and although it is commonly supposed that it was onely God that appeared thus in a fantastical forme and shape of a man and not that it was really the Man Christ Jesus yet this is by no means to be granted otherwise we should give away the cause to the Manichees and such who affirme that Christ was never a real and true Man even when born of the Virgin Mary and crucifyed 〈◊〉 the cross but onely that it was a phantasme or phantastical appearance of man For indeed seing he 〈◊〉 called as really Man before his outward birth in the flesh as afterwards we have as good cause to believe him to be true and real Man before his outward birth 〈◊〉 in the flesh as after 8. For it is not the outward flesh and blood that is the Man otherwise the Saints that have puâ— off the outward body should cease to be men 〈◊〉 Christ should have ceased to be Man betwixt 〈◊〉 death and his resurrection but it is the Soul or inward Man that dwelleth in the outward flesh or â—ody that is the Man most properly such as Christ 〈◊〉 even from the beginning 9. And this was the Man even Christ whoâ— Ezekiel saw in his vision upon the throne above 〈◊〉 firmament Ezek. 1 26 27. and whom 〈◊〉 saw Dan. 7 9. and this was long before his outward birth in the flesh and was as real a vision of the Man Christ Jesus as that which John â—ad Rev. 1 from ver 13 to 19. And this same Man the Lord Jesus Christ Isaiah did see Isa. 6. sitting upon his heavenly Throne so that his traine or skirts filled the Temple The same also appeared unto Adam Gen. 3 8 9 10. nor will it prove that he whom Ezekiel saw was not the real Man Christ Jesus becaus it is said that he saw as the similitude of a man for even when Christ came outwardly in the flesh he is said to be found in fashion or likeness as a Man and yet he was a true Man and did truely and really partake of our flesh and blood by his outward birth 10. Yet before this even from the beginning he was the heavenly Man and had his Soul and Heavenly flesh and blood by which he reached unto the Saints in all ages and did refresh and feed them unto eternall Life And forasmuch as he gave them of his flesh and blood from heaven he also gave them of his Life or Spirit as he is the Heavenly Man or Second Adam 11. For the Life or Spirit of the Second Adam doth extend as farr as his heavenly flesh and blood And thus the Word was made Flesh even from the beginning and dwelt in us as in all Ages and they beheld his glory as the glory of the onely-Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth yet he dwelleth not onely in the Saints but also without them in himself and did so from the beginning 12. For the Saints can not contain Christ even as Man they onely partake of some measure or ray or emanation of him they have not the Center or spring of his Soul and Life in
but backward and so provoked the Lord. 6. The body or generality of the Presbyterian Church full of ignorance and guilty of swearing drinking drunk and other gross sins 7. Some among the Presbyterians that belong to the true Church of God 8. A National Church as National can not be a Church of Christ. 9. The Presbyterian Church deeply tinctured with the great sins of persecution and hypocrisy 10. Other Churches beyond the Presbyterian since the primitive times Now let us proceed to hear further what this Author saith pag. 1. lin 22. Forsakers of a Church so often honoured by receiving signall testimonys of the Bridegrooms love towards her as his spouse in rejoycing over her with singing and so frequently helped to give him testimonys of her endeared affection to him as her Head Husband supreme Lord and-Governour In this we may through Grace humbly boast nay despise or envy who will we can not do less without being guilty of the basest ingratitude that we have not been inferior to O blessed be his Grace to whom we ow it and it is for the commendation of his glorious goodness we mention it whatever we were beyond any Church we know upon the Earth Answer 1. That this is not an humble boast through Grace as the Author would have it but a proud boast through flesh I hope by the Grace of God to make appear The Apostle saith 1 Tim. 3. That in the last days perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers c. having a forme of godlyness but denying the power thereof from such turn away That the reformation of the Church of Scotland was not a matter to make so great a boast of as this Author doth I need goe no further for a proof then to S. R. himself who was so great a Sâ—eâ— in this man's account 3. Let us then hear what S. R. saith of the Presbyâ—erian Reformation Ep. 32. part 2. and this in the year 1640. When Presbytery was up most over the whole Nation and the Bishops were all excommunicated and fled It is true saith he in his Epâ— to Iohn Fennick in a great part what ye write of this Kirk that the letter of Religion onely is reformed and scarce that I do not believe our Lord will build his Zion in this Land upon this skin of reformation so long as our scumm remaineth and our heart-idols are kept this work must be at a stand And therefor our Lord must yet sift this Land and search us with candles c. This is a notable testimony and it appears plainly unto me that this Iohn Fennick to whom he wrot had a true sight of the defectivness of the Presbyterian reformation of which he wrot in a letter to S. R. and which S. R. did as freely acknowledg In which Testimony note these particulars 1. That he saith it is true in great part that the Letter in Religion onely is reformed where take notice of the word onely 2. That even scarcely the Letter is reformed so that the Presbyterian reformation was but as the skin of a mans body wanting flesh bones and sinews 3. That the Presbyterian National Church was not come to the true fundation of a Gospell Church which his words clearly hold forth I do not believe said he our Lord will build his Zion upon this skin of reformation therefor not the skin but some better foundation not yet discovered to the Presbyterians must be that on which God will build his Church according to S. R. And indeed this abundantly proveth that the Presbyterians began too hastily to build their Church and did not follow Gods method so that the Presbyterian Church could not say unto the Lord as Iob said chap. 10 vers 10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk and curdled me like cheese thou hast cloathed me with skin and flesh and hast fenced me with bones and sinews thou hast granted me life and favour and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit But the National Presbyterian Church being onely letter and skin having neither flesh nor bones not sinews how can it be a true Church of Christ how can it have life and spirit And surely that 's a great defect for as the bare skin of a man can not be called a man so nor can the bare skin of a Church be called a Church But 4. he telleth them of the remaining of their scum and heart-idols this sheweth they were no true spouse of Christ for he will marry himself to none who keep idols in their hearts And 5. he tells that the Land must be sifted and searched with candles and surely that was very needfull for the Presbyterian reformation was but as a wide riddle that did let through much more chaâ—â— and straw then true corn I mean chaffy and strawy Professors to be members of the Church 3. Many thousands of them really not deserving to be members of a wel ordered humane society becaus of the grossness and scandalousness of their conversation farr less of such a Divine fellowship common wealth as the true Church of Christ is I do not in the least doubt of it but the Lord had in that day as I believe he now hath many that were precious untohim among them called Presbyterians and did and do belong to the Catholick and universall Church even as I believe God hath many such not onely among them called Independents and Baptists but also among Lutherans Episcopalians and Papists 4. Moreover that about 40 years ago and upwards there was a very precious life appearing and breaking forth among them called Presbyterians in some corners in this Nation especially in some places in the West I do not question yea it is abundantly sealed in my heart that it was truely so and happy had they been if they had kept faithfull unto that for a precious tenderness there was and a precious sense of life and feeling of Gods blessed power among them especially at their privat meetings And also this life and power did in a blessed measure attend some Preachers in those days in so much as divers particulars were wonderfully reached changed in some parts a good simplicity was in divers so that I am fully perswaded it was a time of love wherein the Lord allured them and led them into the wilderness and spake comfortably unto them or spake unto their hearts as the words of the Scriptur are Hosea 2. And God remembred their simplicity and tenderness and this first love and kindness of their youth was very dear unto him although even in that day there were many errors and weaknesses among them yet the Lord winked at these things pittying them for his Seeds sake and with a regard to that honest simplicity and love that was among them who had they continued faithfull to that manifestation which was as the dawning of the morning no doubt the day of the Lord would have arisen among
them but onely an emanation or stream of it the Center and Spring it self was for most part in heaven untill it descended and cloathed it self with the likeness of our 〈◊〉 flesh in the Virgins womb 13. And â—herefore let all the Scripturs be searched and it shall not be found that Christ became Man and tooke to himself the Soul of Man at his conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary but onely that he took flesh and was the Son of Mary David and Abraham according to the flesh but according to his Heavenly Nature even as man he was the Son of God and was the Father and Lord of all the Faithfull in all Ages therefore David in spirit called him LORD whose Name is Wonderfull Counseller the Mighty God the Everlasting Father aud Prince of Peace SECTION IX 1. That Christ is in every man yea in every Creature in a true sense proved from Scripture 2. That it derogats no more from the honour of Christ then from the honour of God the Father that he is in all things 3. Christ in the saints proved from Scripture 4. Yea in all men even the wicked proved from Scripture 5. The God-head properly doth not suffer in men but the soule or life of Iesus Christ the heavenly man 6. More Scripture to prove that Christ suffers in the wicked as Heb. 6. 6. Rev. 11. 8. 7. Paul preached Christ in the Corinthians and Galatians when unbelievers proved from 1 Cor. 2. 2. Gal. 1. 3. Eph. 3. 8. 1. Tim. 3. 16. 8. If Christ be in the Saints he must be in all men proved from a most convincing reason that otherwayes he would be divided from himself and in discontinued places 9. Christ is otherwayes in all men then in the other inferior creaturs in regard of his operations 10. And otherwise in the Saints then in other men not only in regard of operation but also in regard of union and communion 11. How Christ is and yet is not in unbelievers in different respects cleared by two manifest examples 12. Christ is otherwise in the outward body and temple that suffered at Jerusalem then in the Saints 13. The Saints union with God is but mediat through the heavenly man Christ whereas the union of Christ with God is immediat 14. The Saints not Christ but Christians and receive all things from God by the Heavenly Man Christ Iesus 15. How Christ hath given eternall life to all flesh or all mankind according to John 17. 2. which place of Scripture is falsly translated in our English Bible THe fifth Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we affirme Christ to be a common sort of thing to be found in every man as it was in the Son of Mary even the common Light to be found in the mind of every man in the world 1. Answer That Christ is in every man yea in every creature we do boldly affirme conforme to the Scripture which saith all things were created by him even Iesus Christ the incarmate Word or Word made flesh and therefor he is in all things and as Iohn said he was in the world and the world was made by him for indeed it is impossible that the maker can be separated from the thing that is made I say according to the Scripture that seeing all creaturs were made by Iesus Christ therefore he is in them all even as God is in all giving them and upholding them their beings and ministring unto every thing what is needfull and fit for it 2. Doth it any more derogat from the honour and glory of Christ that he is in all then it derogats from the honour and glory of God the Father who is in all and through all blessed in himself for ever more For as God is a pure being and life that nothing can defile even so is Christ Jesus an incorruptible and incontaminable life and being as God is Light so Christ is Light a Light that shineth every where even in the darkness as Iohn declared but the darkness cannot comprehend it nor can the darkness obscure and darken it onely it can and doth obscure and darken the eyes of them who are in darkness that they cannot see nor behold the glory of the Light But more particularly to come to the matter in hand I shall first prove from Scripture that Christ is in the Saints and secondly both from Scripture and good reason that is grounded on Scripture that he is in all men in a true sense yea in all creatures And thirdly I shall shew that in regard of his operations he is otherwise in men then in the other creaturs of an inferior degree And fourthly that he is otherwise in the Saints then in other men and that not onely in regard of operation but also in regard of union and communion And fiftly that he is otherwise in the vessell or temple that suffered on the Crosse at Ierusalem and is now glorifyed in heaven then he is in any or in all of the Saints or in any other creaturs whatsoever howsoever excellent 3. As to the first that Christ is in the Saints see Ioh. 6 56. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him see also Iohn 17. 23. I in them and thou in me c. see again Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Collos. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory 2 Cor. 13. 3. Seing that ye seek a proofe of Christ speaking in me and verse 5. know ye not your own sâ—lvâ—s how that Iesus Christ is in you unless ye be reprobates Many more Scriptures may be brought but these shall suffice to shew that Christ is in the Saints and Christ is Gods anointed King Priest and Prophet and therefor by Christ is not to be understood the Word simply considered as in God but the incarnate or ingrafted Word or the Word made flesh that dwelleth in the Saints Ioh. 1. 14. for the Word simply considered as in God is not the anointed but the annointer whereas Christ is Gods anointed 4. Secondly that Christ is in all men even in the wicked see Amos 2. 13. Behold I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves This cannot be understood of God or the Word simply considered that cannot be pressed or suffer any grief but it is well understood of the incarnat or ingraftâ—d Word to wit the precious Seed of the life of Christ in us that is exceeding tender and is capable of grief and suffering by mens sins Psal. 95. 10. Fourty years long was I grieved in this generation Isajah 63. 9 10. In all their affliction he was affâ—icted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and caryed them all the days of old but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit c. 5.
inlighteneth every â—an that cometh into the world Joh. 1 9. 12. Fifthly Christ Jesus he is otherwise in the 〈◊〉 then he was and is in that vessel and temple 〈◊〉 suffered at Ierusalem and is now glorifyed in 〈◊〉 Heavens for the Saints have not the Heavenly 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus as it were centrally and originalâ—â—â— them the Spring and Centre of his Soul Life 〈◊〉 Light is not in their vessells but onely in that 〈◊〉 which was born of the Virgin Mary they 〈◊〉 enjoy of his Life and Light as it proceeds 〈◊〉 him by way of emanation and participation 〈◊〉 that although the true Light be both in him and 〈◊〉 yet it is otherwise in him then in us as the 〈◊〉 of the Sun is otherwise in the body of the Sun 〈◊〉 it is in other bodys into which it emanates and 〈◊〉 Life is otherwise in the Principall part or parts 〈◊〉 the Natural bodys then as it is in the other Memâ—â—â— And both these exampls have been used by 〈◊〉 Ancients to shaddow forth this great Mystery 〈◊〉 they also are used in the Scripture it self which calleth him the Head of the Body and the Sun of Righteousness and it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell and out of his fulness we all receive and Grace for Grace for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily see Coloss. 1 19. and 2 9. and Joh. 1 16. So that in all things he hath the preheminence as the Apostle declared And look as the sap or moisture and living vertue is otherwise in the Root and Stock of the Tree then it is in the Branches although iâ— be really also in the branches even thus it is as concerning Christ and the Saints he is the Vine they are the Branches he is the Root that beareth them and sendeth forth his Life contiâ—ually into them to make theâ— fruitfull that they may bear living fruits of Life Now he is the Root and Vine into which the Saints are grafted not simply as the Word but as the Word Incarnate and as dwelling in that most pure and most Wonderfull Vessell that suffered at Ierusalem 13. For becaus the fulness dwelt in him and that he was immediately and most intimatly united with the Godhead so as no men noâ— Angels are but onely the Man Iesus he is onely the true Christ. And becaus he it is alone who in an immediate way and originally is Gods Anoynted who hath anoynted him with his Holy Spirit and all other men even the most holy but mediately united with God through him and mediately by and through him receiving the Anoynting or Holy Spirit therefore all other holy men are not Christ but Christians not being immediately anoynted of the Father but by the means of Iesus Christ. 14. Nor are they otherwise partakers of the Anoynting or of the Holy Ghost but as they are partakers of Christ. And this the Name Christian doth plainly import for it is a derivative name from Christ holding forth that as we derive our name from him so also we derive from him whatever Light or Life Grace or Heavenly Virtus we do enjoy The Father first giveth it unto him and he even the Man Christ Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary the Son of David and Abraham according to the Flesh doth give it unto us 15. He it is by whom Grace and Truth cometh unto Mankind he it is to whom the Father hath giâ—en power over all flesh as he himself declared Ioh. 17 2. that whatever the Father hath giuen to â—im he may give to them eternell life for so the 〈◊〉 are according to the Greek and so both â—rias Montanus and the vulgar Latin and Dutch Translation render them So that Christ hath given 〈◊〉 all flesh that is All mankind eternall Life even 〈◊〉 hath received it of the Father not that all 〈◊〉 do enjoy or possesse eternall Life but yet the Seed or Principle of it is put in them which is the Light of his Son Christ Iesus that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and thereby All men may have Life as Christ himself said I am come that ye may have Life and if they have it not it is not becaus they can not but becaus they will not have it for it is really tendered unto them by Christ Jesus who on this account is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe SECTION X. 1. All true Christians do worship the Man Christ Jesus 2. True Believers worshipped him upoâ— Earth in the days of his flesh 3. The Wise-men from the East worshipped the child Jesus but not Mary thereby condemning the grosse idolatry of the church of Rome 4. Many exampls out of Scripture to prove they worshipped the Man Chriâ—â— Jesus 5. Some Presbyterians have taught thaâ— the Man Christ Jesus was not to be worshipped to the great dishonour of the Christian Religion 6. The Christian Quakers falsly accused that 〈◊〉 do not pray to the Man Iesus Christ. 7. We ofteâ— expressly mention the names JESUS CHRIST in our prayers and when we do not mention thesâ— names yet praying by the movings of his Life 〈◊〉 Spirit we pray always unto Christ Iesus whoâ— the heavenly Man and God over all blessed for ever 8. In what sort of expressions I have heard some of our Friends pray to Christ in our Meetings and which I have also used in prayer to my great comfort 9. That becaus all true Christians do worship the Man Christ Iesus he to wit the Heavenly Man must needs be really present in and among them in their meetings and consequently every where but this is not meant of his externall person 10. Who pray unto the Man Christ and do not believe him to be present are real Idolaters as this Author of the Postscript 11. That distinction refuted that he is present as God not as Man 12. That the Man Christ heareth our prayers proveth that he is present every where 13. That distinction refuted that the Man Christ Iesus knoweth our prayers and thoughts not by immediat perception but by having them revealed to him by the Godhead which is the Popish evasion for worshipping Saints and Angels 14. Some places of Scripture opened as Heb. 4 15 16. Psal. 18. 9 10. 15. That Christ did immediatly kow the thoughts of men proved from divers Scripturs 16. Omnipercipiency of the Soul of Christ proveth him as man to be Omnipresent 1. ANd for these causes it is that all true Christians do worship the Man Christ Jesus and pray unto him as they do unto the Father so that he is a true and proper object of Divine adoration as is the Father yea it is in and through him that we can onely in a true and acceptable way worship the Father and call upon him 2. And even in the days of his flesh they who saw his glory and did truely know what he was did both believe in him and pray unto him and
he bid his Disciples believe in him Ye believe in God believe also in me said he that is in me the Man Christ Jesus whom God hath sent 3. And seing we are to believe in him we are also to call upon him for that which is the proper object of true Faith is also the proper object of true Divine adoration as accordingly we find that they who had true faith in him in the days of his flesh did also worship him and pray unto him as the Wise men that came from the East did worship him even when he was an Infant Matth. 2 11. And when they were come into the house they saw the young Child with Mary his mother and fell down and worshipped him And here observe it is not said they worshipped Mary his mother no they were more wise although they did know that she was blessed above all Women yet they did also know that she was not an object of Divine worship as Christ was Surely these men although commonly accounted Heathens had more sound understanding then all the wise men so called of the Popish Church who worship Mary the mother of Jesus and pray unto her as they do also unto other Saints which is gross idolatry Again see Matth. 8 2. And behold there came a Leper and worshiped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and this was the Man Jesus 4. And many such examples are to be found in Scripture of those that worshipped him in the days of his flesh see Matth. 9 18. and 14 33. and 15 25. And after his Resurrection the Disciples both Men and Women did worship him see Matth. 28. 9. 17. as no doubt they did so before and after his Ascension the Disciples did call upon him see Act. 7 59. And they stoned Stephen calling and saying Lord Iesus receive my Spirit and Act. 9 21. the Disciples are said to be they that call on this Name to wit IESVS and Paul saluteth the Corinthians thus 1 Cor. 1 3. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ and ver 2. unto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus called Saints with all that in every place call upon the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord both theirs and â—urs And it is the will and command of the Father that at the Name of Iesus every knee should â—ow and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father So that whatever honour or worship is given to the Man Christ Jesus it redounds to the Father He that honours the Son honours the Father and he that honours not the Son honours not the Father And Rev. 5 11 12 13 14. All the Saints and Angels and every creature are brought in not onely worshipping the Father but the Lamb that was slain and this is the Man Christ Iesus or Word incarnate for the Word or Logos simply considered never was nor can be slain All which Scripturs and many more that could be mentioned prove clearly that the Saints did worship the Man Christ Jesus and did pray unto him And they who believe not this doctrin are more blind then the poor blind man Bartimeus who when Iesus of Nazareth passed by saw him with the eyes of his Soul to be the Christ of God and prayed unto him saying Iesus thou Son of David have mercy upon me Mark 10 46 47. Also the Canaanitish woman that was not a Jew but in the Jewes account an Heathen she believed in him with a great and marvelous faith and also prayed unto him and when he seemed to have refused her yet she continued in prayer saying Lord help me 5. I have been the more full and express in this Particular for three weighty reasons First Becaus I know that divers Presbyteriaâ— Teachers in this Nation have openly professed and some have taught it in the Pulpit that Christ as Mediator or the Man Christ is not to be worshipped or prayed unto which occasioned a great contention in their Synods and Presbyterys in some places of late years to the great dishonour of the Christian Religion and of that Worthy Name whereby we are called 6. Secondly Becaus that some have ignorantly accused us that we did not pray to the Man Iesus nor call upon the Father in the Name of Iesus Christ which is a gross calumny 7. For many times have I both heard others and also I my self have called upon that Blessed Name expressly naming the words IESVS CHRIST although when we express not these words yet if we pray by the moving of his Life and Spirit we pray in the Name of Jesus and also to Jesus the Heavenly Man that is glorified with that glory he had with the Father before the world was 8. Yea I have heard expressly such petitions put up in our Prayers at our Meetings unto Christ as Jesus Son of David have mercy upon us O thou Blessed Lord Iesus that wert crucified and dyed for our sins and shed thy precious blood for us be gracious unto us Thou that in the days of thy flesh wert tempted of Satan afflicted bore our sins on the cross felt our infirmitys and wert touched with them O thou our Mercifull High Prâ—est whose tender bowels of compassion are not more straitened since thy Ascension but rather more enlarged and whose love and kindness is the same towards thy Servants in our days as it was of old help us and strengthen us and by the power of thy Divine Life and Spirit raise us up over all tentations and indue us with a measure of the same patience and resignation that dwelâ— so fully in thee and which thou didst so abundantly manifest in all thy sufferings in the days of thy flesh Thou art the same that thou wert thy heart is the same towards thy Servants as when thou wert outwardly present with them in the flesh Thou art our Advocat and Mediator in Heaven with the Father our Mercifull High Priest who is not untouched with the feeling of our infirmitys Thou even Thou Blessed Iesus thou knowest our most secret desires and breathings which we offer up unto thee in the enablings of thy blessed Life and Spirit that thou mayest present them unto thy Father and our Father that in thee we may be accepted and our services also and for thy sake our defects and short comings our sins and transgressions that we have committed may be forgiven us These and such like expressions frequently used by us in prayer both in secret and also in publick in our Assemblys plainly demonstrate that we worship and pray unto the Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus the anoynted King Priest and Prophet of his People who also is God over all bessed forever For he is that Mighty One upon whom the Father hath laid help so that although the Father himself loveth us and is most willing and ready to help us in all
aforesaid as he is the Heavenly Man 1. ANd thus it may appear how much more truely according to the Scripture and our own blessed experience agreeing most exactly with the experience of the Saints of old we own and esteeme of the Manhoâ—â— of Christ Iesus above whatever the Author of the Postscript or his Brethren did acknowledg who would exclude the Heavenly Man or Second Adam Iesus Christ altogether out of the very Saints whereas the Second Adam is the quickening Spirit that raiseth up both Soul and body into Life as Paul declared 2. And indeed Luther did conceive a most just indignation and zeal against them such as this Presbyterian is who exclude the Manhood of Christ out of the Saints and confine it to one place For thus he writeth in his Larger Confession of the Supper of the Lord. Absit autem ut ego talem Deum agnoscam aut colam ex his enim consequeretur quod locus spatium possent duas natur as separare personam Christi dividere quam tamen neque mors neque omnes diaboli dividere aut separare potuere Et quanti tandem obsecro pretii esset talis Christus qui unico tantum loco simul divina humanâ— personâ— esset in omnibus voro locis dunâ—axat quidem separatus Deus aut divina persona esset sine assumptâ suâ humanitate In English thus Far be it from me that I should acknowledg or worship such a God for hence it should follow that place and space could separat the two naturs and divide the person of Christ which neither death nor all the devils could ever doe And I pray of what worth were such a Christ who â—n one onely place should be both a divine and humane person together but in all other places should be God separat or a divine person without his assumed humanity 3. And also those who embraced the Augustan confession in that Treatise called Liber Concorâ—â—a where they give a new declaration of some articles in that confession upon the head concerning the person of Christ speak their mind very notably in these following words which expresse the very something upon the matter as to the generall that 〈◊〉 plead for Quare perniciosum error om esse judicamus quando Christo juxta humanitatem Majestas illa derogatur Christianis enim eâ ratione summa illa consolatio eripitur quam è promissionibus paulò antè commemoratis de presentiâ inhabitatione capitis Regis summi sui Pontificis haurire poterant Is enim promisiâ— non modò nudam suam divinitatem ipsis praesto futuram quae nobis miseris peccatoribus est tanquam ignis consumens arridissimas stipulas seâ— ille ipse homo ille qui cum discipulis loquutuâ— est qui omnis generis tribulationâ—s in assumptâ— suâ humanâ naturâ gustavit qui eâ de causâ nobis ut hominibus fratribus suis condâ—lere potest se in omnibus angustiis nostris nobiscum futurum promisit secundum eam eciam naturam juxta quam ille Frater noster esâ— â— nos caro de carne ejus sumus In English thus Wherefore say they we iudge it to be a hurtfulâ— error when that majesty is derogated from Christ according to his manhood for by that means thâ— most great consolation is robbed from Christians which they could have drawn from the promises a little before mentioned concerning the presence and â—ndwelling of their head King and high Priest For he promised that not onely his Godhead should be present with them which to us miserable sinners is as a fire consuming most dry stubble but the same that man who spake with his disciples who tasted all kind of tribulations in his assumed manhood who for that cause can be grieved with us being also men and his brethren did promise that he would be with us in all our afflictions also according to that nature by which he is our Brother and we are flesh of his flesh 4. But the Lutherans conceit that the externall person of Christ not onely virtually but formally is in every place yea the wole in the whole and the whole of it in every part is so absurd and repugnant unto rational perception that from this many have taken occasion unjustly to deny the Truth it self becaus they did not see how this manner of the Lutherans of the ubiquity of the man Christ could consist with Reason 5. Whereas the manner offered by me is most consonant both to Scripture and Reason yea and almost to Sense it self for there are sensible examples by which we may illustrate the manner of it as namely that of the stream of Light that floweth from the candle and filleth the whole house while as the body of the candle it selfe is but in one place 6. And what doth that firy streame or river signify that issued and came forth from the Ancient of days but the extension of the Life and Spirit of Christ as he is the Heavenly Man And as John Rev. 1. describeth him is a wonderfully Great man even that Son of man whom Iohn saw after his ascension in the midst of the golden candlsticks even he that liveth and was dead ver 18. to shew that it was the Man Christ and he had in his right hand seven starâ—â— which are expounded to be the seven Angels or Pastors of the seven churches This showeth it is not his externall person or outward body that is here described for it is impossible to conceive how he can hold a number of men in the right hand of his externall person Therefore by his right hand is signified his power as he is the great Heavenly Man which can wel hold all the men that ever were in the world 7. Also this wonderfull extension of the Spirit of Christ as Man in his Divine body and Seed is most clearly described hy Christ himself Iohn 1 51. Verily verily I say unto you hereafter ye shall see heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man This is the Great and Heavenly Man Christ Iesus who is that Ladder which Iacob saw in his vision the top whereof reached unto Heaven and the foot of it reached the Earth But this can not be the externall Person of Christ and therefore it is the Spirit of Christ as he is Man or his Soul that is extended into us here upon Earth in his Heavenly body that he giveth us to feed upon by means of this Heavenly Ladder 8. But when I say the Soul or Spirit of Christ â— Man is extended into us I do not understand the Nephesch of his Soul but the Neschamah or Nischâ—ah even that Divine Spirit of Life that God breathed into Adam and is that which Solomon calls the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly and Iames the Ingrafted Word and Iohn the Word mad flesh or Incarnate Word that dwelleth in us