past things but only as to the thing to come Answ. This is a most gross and unreasonable perversion and wresting of my words which any man that hath the least Sobriety or Candor must needs acknowledge by reading my words even as cited by him But if he say that his gloss doth follow by way of consequence from my words I altogether deny it and in plain contradiction to what he hath most perversely and falsely alleadged to be my assertion I say the Man-hood or Soul of Christ neither knoweth nor can know any thing past or present without the need and necessary help of God as neither indeed can we or any Creature And Secondly I affirm that Christ hath this Omnipercipiency or Universal knowledge of things past and present by Virtue of his Divine Union with God even as the body hath its perception of some things by Vertue of its Union with the Soul to which it is United And because the Soul of Christ hath the most excellent most perfect and most high and immediate Union with God so as that Christ himself is God therefore he hath this universal perception or knowledge of things past and present and therefore also he hath the most abundant knowledge of things to come by Divine Revelation from the Father above what the most perfect Angels or men can have so that what they know by Divine Revelation they know it by Jesus Christ who hath it from the Father according unto Rev. 1. 1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants Nor can it follow by any just consequence imaginable that because I say that Christ hath an Universal sense or Perception of things as they are that therefore he doth know them without all need of God or without all Relation unto him or Union with him I say this doth not follow no more then it followeth that whereas the Author of this Pamphlet hath many Natural Perceptions of Natural Objects Seeth Heareth Smelleth Tasteth Feeleth many Objects immediately and knoweth them without immediate Revelation that therefore he hath no need of God or of his help whereby to make them known Whereas indeed according to his manner of reasoning either he himself Heareth Seeth Smelleth Tasteth Feeleth all Natural things by immediate Revelation and all his Natural knowledge of things immediately Revealed unto him by God or then he knoweth them all without any need of God and without all Relation unto God so much as unto a Creator both which how absurd they are and yet how the Natural Consequence of his own reasoning I leave unto every understanding man sor to Judge But I cannot but wonder at his blindness and inconsiderateness that doth not understand how to make a difference betwixt that knowledge which is by a real sense or perception of the Objects in themselves and that which is by a Divine Revelation when the Objects themselves are not immediately discerned for that which I know by a real Perception of the things I need not a Revelation to make them known As for Example when I hear a man speak I need not a Divine Revelation to tell me who speaketh unto me or what is spoken and yet I need the help of God in many respects both to convey the voice unto me and also to help me to hear for it is God who maketh the ear to hear and the eye to see And thus according to the aforesaid Example if Christ Jesus even he the Man-Christ Jesus who was Crucified for us hear our Prayers when we pray unto him and unto God through him doth he not know our Prayers without a Divine Revelation and if he know them only by a Divine Revelation he cannot be faid properly to hear them as I have sufficiently proved in my book and to which this Trifler and perverter hath made no reply and if he denyeth that the Man Christ Jesus heareth our prayers let him declare so much and then we shall see how this shall relish unto the ears of true Christians and who are most denyers or owners of the True Christ of his Divine perfections Pamplet Animad 14. Whether this is not to constitute a new God in time Is it not Jehova's Prerogative what is spoken Psal. 139. Of possessing the Reins and being Omniscient Answ. To say that Christ Jesus the Heavenly man and Lord from Heaven is Omniscient and hath an Omni-perception and Universal knowledge of things is not to constitute a new God in time for Christ Jesus is God even the same God with the Father by vertue of his most excellent and most immediate Union with him which no men nor Angels have or are capable to have and Christ Jesus is before all things and consequently before all times also the first and the last Nor doth it follow because the man-hood of Christ hath an Universal knowledge and perception of things that therefore his man-hood is either equal unto the God-head or the same for seeing the man-hood hath his being as well as his knowledge from the God-head and is altogether dependent from him the Father is greater then he as he hath declared himself and here what thou talkest of the communication of properties I may afterwards consider in its proper place where thou fliest unto it as thy last refuge after thou hast finished thy Animadversions Pamphlet Animad 14. As to the second it is spoke Now I am no more in the World and me you have not always I go away Answ. It is very clear that he spoke these words only in respect of his outward and bodily presence of his external person or outward man but not in respect of his inward and spiritual presence even as he is the Son of man or second Adam for after the Ascenfion of Christ John saw one like unto the Son of man walking in the midst of the Seven Golden Candlesticks who could this be but the Son of man himself And how is Christ the second Adam the quickning spirit if he be not present to quicken those whom he doth quicken for how can that which is absent from us altogether quicken us or give us life Pamphlet Animad 15. As to thy query here I answer That Christ was an offering unto God for sin when he was Crucified upon the Cross both in soul and body and neither his soul nor body want any thing that is Essential unto the true and real Nature of man and all that which he had as man he offered up unto God through the eternal spirit Pamphlet Animad 15. They believe this second latter body is Ascended glorified in Heaven yet remains the same in substance contrary to their former faith citing John Crook in his book called Counterfeit Convert when the question is put J. C. viz. whether dost thou believe that the same body of man after the departure of the soul from it doth rise to life again he answereth this query is contrary to Scripture which saith a
God and so nothing of the Holy Spirit which is one Essence with him and the end of this is plain down-right Atheisme for if God himself be not present in men nor the Holy Ghost which is one Essence with him nor Christ how can any thing that is truly Good be in us who can work it or being wrought who can preserve it if God and Christ be absent Surely nothing appeareth unto me more rampant Blasphemy nor more gross Atheism than to deny that God is really present in all Men and in all Things For how is God omni-present if he be not really present in and with all his Creatures And if God be present in all his Creatures then Christ is also present because the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in Christ. But seeing thou wilt not allow Christ to have any further reach or extent than the humane soul and body of any ordinary Man and that the Fulness of the Godhead is contained within that bounds of the ordinary stature of a mans body and that essentially is not this to limit the infinite God into a narrower place or room than the Souls of many brute beasts which have larger bodies manifold times than the greatest body of any earthly man and to confine him within the humane figure and shape of a man yea nothing is more plain which is gross Anthropomorphitisme and the blasphemous Doctrine of Lodowick Muggleton But further I enquire seeing thou affirmest That the Essence of God is only in Christ and that whole Christ is contained within the ordinary dimensions of mans Body and that Christ had neither Soul nor Body before Mary Where was the Essence of God from the beginning of the World until that time For either it was somewhere or no where to say it was no where no not in the Highest Heavens is absurd seeing God is said to dwell in the Heavens and they are called Gods Throne and Christ Taught his Disciples to Pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. But again on the other hand if thou shalt grant That the Essence of God was in Heaven then that Heaven is as personally united unto God by thy Doctrine as ever Christ Jesus and may as truly and in the same sense be called God the Son of God God-man the Creator of the World and is the Object of Divine Worship This I say is the necessary and infallible consequence of thy Doctrine because thou sayest expresly who ever hath the Essence of God in him is as personally united unto God as Jesus Christ and may as truly and in the same sense be called God c. Pamphlet Animad 18. Yet observe the Author will not have the center of the Heavenly Man hood of Christ dwell in us but allows here the Essence of the Deity to dwell in us Is not this a preferring the Manhood above the Deity Ans. By no means but it is an infallible indication That the Deity is infinitely a more excellent being than the Man-hood of Christ simply considered for it is a greater perfection to be all center and that the center be every where then only in some place As for Example if the Light of the outward Sun were all center and that the center of the Suns Light were every where in the whole Firmament that Light should be a much greater and a more glorious and excellent Light than the Light of the Sun as it is now at present is And although I say that the center of the Soul and Spirit of Christ as Man is not in us yet the true Essence of the Soul and Spirit of Christ in measure is in us for that emanation or flowing forth and ray of his Life and Light is truly efsential unto him and is not any meer quality or accident or operation as some have supposed Pamphlet Animad 19. They believe that there is a Nephesh and a Nishamah in this Heavenly Soul of the man-hood of Christ one more gross the other more refined Answ. This is a gross abuse and perversion for although I speak of a Nephesh and Nishamah in the Soul of Christ yet I did not call the one more gross the other more refined although the one doth excel the other yet none of them are either to be called or understood to be gross as having any mixture of refuse or superfluity as the word gross doth import Pamphlet But there is a secret not yet to be revealed by this Rabbi whether these two be one Soul or two Souls of different kinds or whither two faculties or parts of one and the same Soul Answ. This is another abuse for I do not state the question so as whether one Soul or two Souls but thus whither two principles really distinct or two faculties or powers of one only principle which I found no necessity to determine as neither I yet do whatever be my Judgment and Perswasion in the case Now admitting or giving that they were two principles yea although three or four or more Principles were acknowledged to be in the Soul of man as constituent thereof it is still but one Soul in the compleat and intire notion of the Soul as the Body of man is still but one body although consisting not only of many Members but also of many Principles as namely the Elements of Water Earth Air Fire and certainly he that understands the nature of any ordinary man and what man is inwardly and outwardly in Soul and Body must needs acknowledge that every ' man hath many principles in him yea the principles of the whole Creation reduced by a wonderful order into a certain Epitome or Compend and for this cause not only these called Philosophers of old but also these called the Fathers have called Man the Microcosme or little World as having all the principles of it in him namely the principles of the outward and visible World in his body and outward man and the principles of the inward and invisible Worlds in his inward man and these words Isaiah 43. 7. Every one that is called in my name and unto my Glory I have Created him I have Formed him I have Made him The learned among the Hebrews understand them in respect of the three Worlds aforesaid so that out of each of these three Worlds Man is Made or Created and yet he still but one man his Soul one Soul and his Body one Body although consisting of many principles Even as a speech or discourse is but one speech or discourse although that speech consist of many sentences and every sentence of many words every word commonly of divers syllables and every syllable of divers letters and the letters which are the first principles of speech of divers kinds and natures and for this cause and with a respect unto this some have called man Logos i. e. a Speech as being the Similitude of that more excellent and principal Logos which is Christ the essential speech or Word of God But because every
being the nearer that it is in nature unto God doth the more resemble him and that God himself is a most simple unmixed being without all composition of parts or principles and is one in the highest and most perfect sense which yet his being three only in manner or property of being doth nothing hinder and that Christ the Heavenly man of all things is nearest unto God and his most perfect Image therefore it is manifest that he hath least of that which may or can be called a composition or mixture of principles But whatever perfection virtue power or operation the creatures have in their various compositions he hath them all virtually and eminently in himself after a more perfect and simple manner But seeing he took hold on the Seed of Abraham and did partake of Flesh and Blood like unto ours to the end that he might be yet more like unto us that he might make us like unto him yet more abundantly whether it behoved not that he was to partake with us of all the principles both inward and outward that belong to the essential constitution of any man is a thing worthy of consideration as also admitting that he did partake of all these Principles whether he did assume or partake of them at one and the same Moment of time And what I have here written is enough I hope to them who have a Spiritual understanding to discern and perceive my Judgement in the present case as whether the Nephesh and Neshamah in Christ be distinct Principles yea or Nay or whether more then these two but as for others who are Carnal and cannot reach unto these things if never so plainly told them I am not concerned to give them a further answer and I had rather that I might be instrumental in the hand of the Lord to bring the Soul of any man or woman to the Feeling and Tasting of the precious Life of Christ in their hearts than to fill their understandings with the soundest Conceptions of words about Christ and I can and do say it in the presence of the Lord the life and power of Christ Jesus as I feel it in the least measure to move and operate in my Soul to conform and Leaven me into the Image of Christ in righteousness and holiness is more to me then all the soundest Conceptions of words about Christ But yet because in the Light of the Lord I see clearly how false and absurd yea how Blasphemous and Atheistical Notions and conceptions of Christ and also of God many men have I have been earnestly and fervently moved and am at this present time in the Zeal and Love of God and in true compassion and good will towards Man-kind to declare what God hath made manifest unto me of this and other things and to open the Scriptures of Truth concerning them as God by his Holy Spirit hath opened them plainly to my understanding Wherefore let every one that is Spiritual and hath a Spiritual discerning read me and feel my Testimony and that from which it comes for it is not of man but of the Lord although at times to gain the reader as Paul did in his day I find freedome to make use of Testimonies of other men and what ever True Testimony to the Truth I find in any man be he Jew or Gentile Scythian or Barbarian so called it is precious and comfortable unto me And to declare it unto others as the Lord giveth me true freedome may and shall have its Service for Truth is one in all and its Testimony is one And something of Truth by Vertue of that Divine illumination of Jesus Christ the Light of the World that doth inlighten every man that cometh into the World is made manifest for a Testimony among all Nations and sorts of people and in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him And what if some hold the Truth in Unrighteousnesse What if wicked men at times confesse unto Christ as the Devils formerly did We must not therefore deny him but rather make use of their own Testimony against them unto their further condemnation Pamphlet Animad 20. I query here whether besides this Nishma Adam had a Rational Soul which was the Root of his animal Senses and discursive parts and whether this that was breathed into Adam was the Center of the Soul of Christ or some ray only it should be the Center in that Nishma is the excellency the Author saith of this Soul Answ. The darkness and perversness of Spirit that is in this Author of the Pamphlet causeth him to ask many unnecessary questions which a Child of an ordinary clear understanding might resolve according to the Principles laid down in my book and although I have condescended in freedom to answer many of his questions especially such as have any weight in them for further clearing the Truth yet diverse others I purposely forbear to answer seeing they neither tend to edification nor serve to clear the Truth But to these at present mentioned by me as above I answer briefly Adam beside that Divine Nishma or Soul of Christ had also a Rational Soul as we also have and all men but the Center of the Divine Nishma or Soul of Christ was not breathed into Adam nor into any man besides Christ himself nor doth it follow that it should be the Center which was breathed into him because the Nishma is the excellency of his Soul above ours I say this reason doth not hold for not only the Center but also that emanation or ray of the Divine Soul of Christ that is in us is exceedingly more excellent than our Souls Moreover whereas he argueth that if Adam had a proper Nephefh that then he was a more compleat man then Jesus Christ of Nazareth I deny the confequence for Christ hath all the Essential perfection of mans whole Soul and Body elther Virtually or formally even as man hath Virtually or formally all the Essentials resembling the Sensitive Soul of a Beast that belong to perfect it as an animal or living Creature but yet he hath some what more all which proveth not that a beast is a more compleat animal or living Creature than a man Pamphlet It s True he saith the Soul or Spirit of Christ hath an immediate and wonderfull manner of Union with the Deity as no other Soul or Spirit of men were partakers of But what Union the body of Christ that was taken of the Virgin had with the Logos which any of the Quakers have not I cannot yet learn Answ. That is also plainly enough insinuated in my book where I expresly say that Christ was a most wonderfull Vessel both as concerning his Soul and Body and that in that very body born of the Virgin the Center of his Soul did reside which could not be without an Union of such a Nature as no other body could have seeing no other man ever had the center in him but he
Pamphlet I query what difference betwixt the Nishmah of his Soul and the Center of it Answ. As great as betwixt the Spring and the Stream and the life and vertue that is in the Root and a measure of the same in the Branches so great is the difference betwixt the Center of that Nishmah and the ray or emanation of it into us which yet is one and the same Substance or Essence with it Pamphlet Look into Buxtorfs Lexicon you that are Schollars and there you will see that this curious distinction of Nephesh and Nishmah is ground less and a little after for the same word is used of the beasts and fouls and creeping thing that were destroyed by the Flood Gen. 7. 22. Answ. That the word Nishmath or Nishmah at times is used indifferently or commonly to signifie the breath or life of any living Creature doth not hinder but that at other times and that more frequently it hath a peculiar and singular signification even as the word Ruach signifieth at times indifferently any ordinary Spirit good or bad as also the wind and so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek Spiritus in Latine and Spirit in English and yet also it hath a peculiar signification at other times to signifie the Divine Spirit of God and Christ and thus also many other words have both a common and peculiar signification as the words El Elohim Bara and others And unto Buxtorfs Authority I oppose the Testimony of others better skilled and namely the Author of the Apparatus in Librum Zohar part 1. p. 542 and p. 600. And that which is of more Authority then all Humane Testimonies I oppose unto him the Scriptures Testimony in diverse places which I have Cited in my book as namely Gen. 2. 7. Prov. 20. 27. To which I shall adde Job 32 8. The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding where the same Hebrew Word Nishmah or Nishmath is used that is in Gen. 2. 7. And surely whoever shall duely consider that Scripture Gen 2. 7. How that-the Lord God breathed in Adam the breath of Life and he became a living Soul and shall compare it with 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living Soul the second or last Adam was made a quickening Spirit If he have the least sense of that quickening life of Christ Jesus that made the first Adam a living Soul cannot but acknowledge that that breath or inspiration of life which made Adam a living Soul was something more excellent and living then his own Soul which he received from Christ Jesus the second Adam who is the image of the invisible God after whom he was made for it was this breathing in or inspiration of Life that made him a living Soul Namely living unto God Whereas he was a Soul afterwards when he Transgressed but not such a living Soul for in the day he did eat of the forbidden fruit he dyed and remained no more a living Soul unto God in Holiness and Righteousness after the image of him that created him And indeed that this breath or inspiration of Life was not Adams own Soul but a Divine substance diverse of those called Fathers of great Note do earnestly contend Hilarius saith on Psal. 118. expounding these Words And he breathed into him the breath or Spirit of life and man was made a living Soul Inspirationi ergo huic Preparatus sive formatus est per quam Natura Animae Corporis in vita perfectionem quodam inspirati Spiritus foedere contineretur Scit in se beatus Paulus duplicem esse Naturam cum Secundum interiorem Hominem delectatur in Lege c. In English thus Man therefore being prepared or formed unto this inspiration by which the Nature of the Soul and body should be contained within a crtain Covenant or bond of the inspired Spirit Blessed Paul knoweth that there is a Twofold Nature in him when according to the inward man he delighteth in the Law of God Again Cyrillus Alexandrinus on 9. John saith expresly that the breath of life which God breathed into Adam was not the Soul of Adam but a Divine substance Non est igitur factum divinae Substantiae Spiraculum anima hominis sed animato potius homini proprietati Naturae utrisque anima dico atquae corpore Consumatae quasi Sigillum Naturae suae Creator Spiraculum vitae id est Spiritum Sanctum infixit c. Which is in English thus The breath of the Divine substance was not made the Soul of man but rather man being already indued with a Soul and the property of his Nature being consummated both in Soul and Body the Creator fixed in him as it were the Seal of his own Nature That is the Holy Spirit The which Holy Spirit he also calleth the Spirit of the Son and the Divine Nature and indeed without all doubt God breathed into Adam the Holy Spirit but this Holy Spirit being one Essence or being with God dwelleth in the fulness of it in Christ the second Adam and therefore Adam could not be a partaker of the Holy Spirit but as he was also a partaker of the second Adam whose Nishmah or Soul hath the Holy Spirit in it as being its most immediate Temple or house and therefore the fulness of the God-head is said to dwel bodily in Christ because Christ is as the body or house that most immediately receives that fulness to Communicate of the various measures of it unto others for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Body is said to be derived from a word which signifieth a House or Lodging or Habitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that the fulness of the God-head dwelling in Christ as in its most immediate and proper Habitation as the Soul of a man dwelleth in its body no man can partake of God but as he partakes of Christ in whom that fulness dwelleth Pamphlet Animad 20. I desire the Schollars to call to mind how this Notion of the Soul of Christ in all suits with Platoe's of the anima mundi Answ. Cyrillus Alexandrinus and others do Judge that Plato by his anima mundi did understand that which the Scripture calleth the Holy Ghost for as the Scripture speaketh of three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost Plato likewise spoke of three namely the good the mind and the Soul and the Good he calleth the one and the Father the Mind he calleth the Son as being generate of the Father both which answer unto the Father and the Son which the Scriptures Testifie of and therefore they conclude that by that he called the Soul he did understand the Holy Ghost And that Plato had learned this mystery of the Three from the Egyptians who had learned it from Moses But that he had wrongly understood it himself for he seemeth to call them Three Gods as being distinct in a threefold being
THE True Christ Owned AS HE IS TRUE AND PERFECT GOD MAN Containing An ANSWER to a late Pamphlet having this Title The Quakers Creed concerning the Man Christ Jesus c. Writ by a Nameless Author Which Pamphlet containeth many gross Lies and wilful Perversions Beside some other great Mistakes occasioned by the Author his Ignorance and Blindness By George Keith Printed in the Year 1679. The True Christ Owned AS He is True and Perfect GOD AND True and Perfect Man Pamphlet TRanscribed verbatim out of a Treatise entituled The way cast up Ans. The false-hood of this shall plainly appear to any who readeth my Book how that the Author hath Omitted many particulars of great Moment that are necessary for the Reader to understand the whole beside the many Arguments made use of in my Book to prove the truth of what I have affirmed which he hath not so much as once named onely he hath taken notice of some few wherein he thought he could find any advantage but that he is therein also disappointed the following Answer I hope shall make sufsiciently apparent Pamplet Animadversion 1. The Quakers from hence believe that Christ had a Manhood differing in nature srom the man-hood of all other Men contrary to Heb. 2. 11. Ans. He hath given no answer to my argument from 1 Cor. 15. 45 46 47. that proveth that Christ as Man excelleth all other Men in Nature and Substance as the most high Heavens do excel the low Earth but only to oppose this he bringeth that Scripture Heb. 2. 11. which yet doth nothing oppose what I have affirmed for granting that Heb. 2. 11. proveth that Christ hath the same Nature of all other Men in respect of all the essentials of Man's Nature and that he had all belonging to Man's Nature which Adam had before the Fall although more is to be understood in Heb. 2. 11. all this doth not prove that he hath not somewhat more belonging to his Nature as he is the Heavenly Man than Adam had but indeed on the contrary it proveth very clearly that he had more which is implyed in these words He that Sanctifieth for Christ the Heavenly Man the Second Adam doth Sanctify the Earthly Man or First Adam as he believeth in him and giveth him Life both to Soul and Body even Life Immortal and therefore he hath a more excellent Nature which is Heavenly and Divine than the First Adam had for that which Sanctifyeth and Quickeneth is more excellent than that which is Sanctifyed and Quickened thereby but it behoved him to partake of the true Nature of all other men in all essentials which therefore accordingly he hath done according unto Heb. 2. 14. forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same and ver 16. For he took not on him Angels but the Seed of Abraham But that more is to be understood also by these words Of One Heb. 2. 11. is manifest because he that Sanctifyeth and they who are not Sanctifyed but remain in their Unbelief and Ungodliness are not said to be Of One. Nor doth Christ call the Unbelievers his Bretheren but only them that believe and are Sanctifyed by him Christ therefore and true Believers are Of One because they are united together by a mutual participation of the Nature of each other so that as Christ the Heavenly Man doth partake of the Flesh and Blood of the Children they also partake of his Flesh and Blood and become one Flesh with him according to Eph. 5. 31 32. And therefore as he doth partake of the Nature of Men so these men who do believe in him are partakers of his Divine Nature who is the Heavenly man and of God through him according to 2 Pet. 1. 4. compared with 2 Cor. 5. 19. and John 17. 23. Moreover that the Man Christ Jesus hath a Nature excelling all other men as much as the Heavens do excel the Earth See also John 3. 31 32 33 34 35. and compare it with 1 Cor. 15. 45 47. Pamphlet Animad 2. They believe from hence that the Word was made Flesh or Man before the Creation of this World contrary to Gal. 4. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 20. Ans. These Scriptures prove nothing contrary to my assertion for they are only to be understood of his outward coming when he took Flesh in the Virgins Womb and came in the likeness of Sinful Flesh now I do not say that he took that outward Flesh from the beginning but only at that time but he namely the Heavenly Adam himself was from the beginning and was the Word made Flesh and gave unto the Saints srom the beginning his Flesh to Eat and his Blood to Drink otherwise they could not have had Life in them according to John 6. Pamphlet Animadversion 3. The Quakers have found out another kind of Flesh besides these four sorts 1 Cor. 15. 39. Ans. Here thou seemest rather to mock than to argue in good earnest But what I have affirmed of the Heavenly Flesh and Blood of Christ which he had from the beginning is no invention nor fiction of ours but grounded on the Scriptures Testimony and also on our own blessed experience for that Flesh and Blood of Christ which he had from the beginning is the Food and Nourishment of our Souls unto Eternal Life as it was also the Food and Nourishment of the Souls of all that believed in him from the beginning of the World for all before and after his outward coming in that Body of Flesh did Eat the same Spiritual Meat and Drink the same Spiritual Drink for they Drank of the Rock c. and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. But when the Apostle is speaking of four kinds of Flesh he is only speaking of the Flesh of Terrestrial or Earthly Bodies but not of the Flesh of Christ that came down from Heaven which indeed is none of these four Sorts but hath a more excellent Nature for all these four Sorts are but Natural and Corruptible but the Flesh of Christ is Spiritual and Incorruptible And as touching the words of Grotius cited by thee Flesh is not understood by the Hebrews but of the Mortal Body it is easily answered by taking the word literally without any Metaphor or Figurative Speech but if we take it Figuratively it hath other Significations For how oft is all mankind comprehending both Soul and Body called Flesh in Scripture and yet the Soul is not the Mortal Body But how little hast thou considered how if thou stand unto the words of Grotius thou hast given a stone to break thy own Head for if nothing is to be called Flesh but the Mortal Body then the Body of the Resurrection namely both Christ his Body also the Resurrection Body of the Saints is not properly Flesh because not a Mortal Body Pamphlet Animad 4. The Apostles frequently speak of things to come as present as well might the Author say that
Animad 12. They believe that Christ did not become man when the Virgin conceived by the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost but was man before Answ. He was man before but yet he was not man cloathed with Flesh and Blood in the likeness of our Flesh before the Virgin conceived by the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost and therefore we do saithfully believe that the Man Christ was born of the Virgin and conceived by the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost who was the Son of God both after he was so born and also before even from Everlasting Pamplet Animad 12. Thus Christ was never man had never a Humane Nature for as they have said before The Soul most properly is the man and Christ never had a Humane Soul according unto Keith Answ. That Christ was never man I altogether deny to follow by any true Consequence from what I have affirmed and as to his reason that Christ never had a Humane Soul according unto Keith as touching the words Humane Soul I do not remember that I have used that Term at all in my book The way cast up for because it is not a Scripture-Term and of a doubtfull and Equivocous signification I purposely did pass it by I say it is of a doubtfull or Equivocous signification because first it may signifie such a Soul as hath no substantial dignity or perfection in it above the Souls of other men and in this sense the Soul or Spirit of Christ as he is the Heavenly man is not a Humane Soul but Divine and Heavenly for it is more excellent even in the nature of it than the souls of other men Or Secondly it may signifie the true soul of man having all the Essential Properties of mans soul and it 's whole perfection and if in this sense any will say that Christ hath a Humane Soul and call the Man-Hood of Christ his Humanity there needeth no contention about it for in the Latine Tongue we have not a word so proper as Humanitas to signifie the Man-hood and if we may say Humanitas in Latine we may say in English Humanity that is to say Man-hood But then by the Humanity of Christ we understand not only the whole Essential perfection of the souls of Ordinary men but also some greater and more Excellent perfection as aforesaid and therefore it may be called his Heavenly and Divine Humanity or Man-hood which took part of Flesh like unto ours in the womb of the Virgin And not only the soul of Christ but also his body of Flesh in the outward as it had all the Essential properties and whole Essential perfection of our bodies so it had somewhat more as being conceived of a Heavenly and Divine seed that came down from Heaven and for this cause the Heavenly man Christ Jesus is truely Divine both in soul and body being divinely qualified in both And if this offend any that Christ should be called a Divine man I desire them to consider how oft men are called Divines only for some profession of Divinity surely Christ Jesus as man hath incomparably more reason to be called Divine than any of them And what if I should call all their Divines Humanes Is this too mean and low a Terme whereby to call them But why is it too mean and low unto them and yet they give it unto Christ and call him Humane his soul a Humane soul and his body a Humane body Is not this to exalt themselves above Christ himself and to take to themselves a Title which they will scarce allow unto him and to give him a Title as namely Humane which they think too mean for themselves Pamplet Animad 12. So that he is so far from being like to us in all things that he is not like unto us in any thing for though he had a body like to ours yet that body is not informed as ours Answ. He is sufficiently like unto us in all things sin excepted that both his soul and his body had all the Essential properties and whole Essential perfection that the soul or body of any other men hath but that he had and still hath greater and more excellent perfections both of soul and body than all other men doth not hinder that he was made like unto us in those which both he and we also have for was not Adam made in the Similitude or likeness of God So that by reason of that Similitude man was like unto God and yet God is infinitely more excellent in nature and being than Man but yet according unto the reasoning of this Author either man hath no likeness unto God is not like unto him in any thing or then God hath no Substantial or Essential perfection above man both which are most absurd and contrary unto Scripture But again is not man like unto the Beasts in some things as also unto the Herbs Plants and Trees of the field So that as the Herbs Plants and Trees have a Vegitable soul or life and as beasts have a sensitive soul or life hath not man both the Vegitable and sensitive soul and is he not like unto them in those respects And yet hath he not a Substantial dignity and excellency of nature above them But yet again according unto this mans reasoning either man is not like unto the Beasts and Trees in any thing or else he hath no Essential dignity or perfection not so much as in his very soul above them and therefore it shall follow at last that as God is no more excellent in his nature than man and as man is no more excellent in his nature than any beast yea or Tree that God is no more excellent than any beast or Tree of the field which is most gross and blasphemous and yet the Natural and necessary Consequence of this mans Doctrine When I think upon these and such like gross absurdities that follow from this mans Doctrine together with his other absurd sayings and Malicious perversions I wonder not that he hath been either ashamed or afraid to put his Name to his Pamplet Pamplet Animad 12. A Son is not a Son if he have not the same nature with the Father and Mother Answ. I grant for Christ hath the same Nature both of Father and Mother seeing as I have declared in my book he is True and perfect God and True and perfect Man but that he hath the same Nature with Mary and all Mankind as to all the Essentials of soul and body hindereth not that he hath also a more excellent nature otherwise thou might as well say that Christ could not be the Son of Man and also the Son of God which is contrary to Scripture Pamplet Animad 12. Jesus increased in Wisdome his Soul was then subject to some kind of ignorance though not sinfull it did not know all present or past things Answ. Ey Jesus increasing in Wisdome may be very well understood the manifestation of the spirit of Wisdome that did
Light when it is contracted or gathered together by the help of a burning Glass that it burneth or kindleth any ordinary combustible matter as any other fire doth But seeing such a debate is more proper for naturalists and belongeth to that called natural Phylosophy I shall not insist thereon only I inform the Reader who is not acquainted perhaps with such things that the opinion which holdeth light and heat to have no body is almost generally now rejected in the Schools as false and as a meer old fiction of some old Popish School men grounded upon some mistaken notions of Aristotle and upheld by the Jesuits to uphold their absur'd Doctrine of Transubstantiation when they teach That the colour and tast and smell of the bread wine being but meer accidents do remain without all Substance of the bread and wine after the consecration and as absur'd and ridiculous is their doctrine who say that light hath no body that is proper unto it but is a meer accident or quality in the Air For as well may the Jesuits say that the colour smell and tast of the Bread and Wine having no body or substance of the Bread and Wine are only accidents adhering in the Air. But why dost thou not answer to my other examples brought from Scripture as namely how the natural Life and Soul do principally reside in the head and heart and yet emanate into all the members of the body and how the Sap and Moisture residing principally in the root of the Tree goeth forth into all the branches even so the life and light of Christ as he is the Heavenly Adam residing principally in himself doth emanate and stream forth into all his members and in some respect into all things Is the Sap and Moisture a meer accident having no substance and is not the Soul of Man substantially in all the bodily Members although residing more principally in the heart head Pamphlet Animad 17. They believe this Heavenly man-hood to be a creature contrary to John Crooks Counterfeit convert p. 63. that true light which is called the Life of Christ John 1. 4 9. and lighteth every man that cometh into the World is not a creature Keith saith it is a creature Ans. To this I have answered sufficiently above upon Animad 8. that the Spirit or Life of Christ as he is the Heavenly man is not so properly or strictly a creature But men have not only the Spirit of Christ in them as he is Man but also as he is God and the Light Life and Spirit of Christ as he is God or the word simply considered in it self in no sense can be said to be Created But the word made Flesh may in that sense be said to be Created as it is said to be made for Made Created and Formed are commonly of one Signification And that the word was made Flesh from the beginning I have proved in my book because the Saints in all Ages did feed upon the Word made Flesh and the Word made Flesh dwelt in them Now in what sense I understand that the Heavenly man-hood and Soul of Christ is Created I explain in my book in these words p. 135. Therefore to the end that the word may be ingrafted into us and we again ingrafted into it the Word must be Incarnate or made Flesh as we are for all men are a sort of Flesh and so called in Scripture in comparison of God that is purely Spirit and though the Souls of Men are 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 neerer unto us than it was in God before any thing was made and the Word was first of all made Flesh to be the root and soundation of all other Created beings and for which they are Created for it is a more noble Creation than all things else Here by my words quoted at large in my book it may be seen how and in what sense I understand the Heavenly man-hood of Christ to be Created namely as the word is made Flesh also Christ himself designed by Wisdome Pro. 8. 24. doth expresly say of himself when there were no Depths I was Formed and again v. 25. before the Hills I was Formed for so doth the Hebrew word Cholalti most properly signify and is used elsewhere in Scripture to signify the Creation of other things so that Made Formed Created do commonly signify one and the same Nevertheless I do acknowledge that Christ the Heavenly Man is not so properly or strictly to be called a Creature or Created Made or Formed but rather generated and he is the Son of God rather than a Creature of God even as a Man's Son is not called his Creature but his Son and yet he doth truly and properly partake with the Creatures otherwise he could not be a perfect Midle or Mediator betwixt God and Men who are Creatures But seeing this production or bringing forth of Christ from God the Father is so great a Mystery it is by no means to be curiously disputed about but simply to be acknowledged believed and admired and not to be expressed in words which mans wisdome teacheth but what the Holy Ghost Teacheth such as the Scripture words are which say The Word was made Flesh and Christ the Heavenly man is the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth and the first-born of every Creature and concerning his wonderful Generation it is said Who can declare it and he is called the New Man who is Created after God c. and so to these Scripture Names I keep close where I am safe and where the malicious accusations of the adversaries of truth cannot reach unto me And by what is said the reader may easily understand that there is no real contradiction betwixt John Crook and me for whither J. C. mean by the true Light which is the Life of Christ the Light of the Word simply considered or the Word made Flesh I am at no contradiction with him for according to the first That Light can in no sense be called a Created Light and according to the second namely As the Word made Flesh or as the Spirit of Christ as man it is not properly Created nor in that strict and narrow sense is it to be so called as the other Creatures are Pamphlet Animad 17. That Scripture in Heb. 9. 11. Not of this Building is grosly corrupted by the Author c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is rightly translated building or structure It is not always taken for the Act of God in framing something out of nothing nor the effect of Gods so Acting but it is taken in another sense in some places as 1 Pet. 2. 13. Ans. That Scripture Heb. 9. 11. Is not at all corrupted but truely translated and the sense of it truely given nor doth thy weak and frivolous reasoning prove the contrary for
he is the Heavenly Adam as Spiritually present with his Church in all Ages although they do not believe his outward Coming and Birth in the Flesh which is a great Sin unto them But thine and their Sin is greater who although in words ye Confess unto his outward Birth in the Flesh yet Deny his real Spititual Presence in the Church either before or since his outward Coming and Birth in the Flesh. And surely thy Blasphemy is no less to call the True Christ of God as he was and is in all Ages even from the Beginning a Child of our own Begetting than the Blasphemy of those Jews was who when he came in the Flesh called him the Carpenter's Son Pamphlet Can Flesh and Blood and an Human Soul be said to Ray and Beam from God who is a Free and Simple Spirit Answ. Christ's Soul is Heavenly Divine and Spiritual and so is that Flesh and Blood of his whereof I speak which he had from the Beginning And it may properly and safely enough be called an Emanation from God the Father according unto Christ's own Words who said He did proceed and come forth from the Father and whose Goings forth have been from of Old or from the Age. But then Emanation in this Sense doth not signifie That the Thing which doth so Emanate is belonging to the very Essence of that from which it doth so Emanate For these who call it an Emanation do acknowledg that it is a Distinct Being or Production of a Thing distinct from the Godhead although next unto it and most nearly united with the same as so indeed the Heavenly Manhood of Christ is Pamphlet Therefore you shall hear he hath denyed it again in the next Quotation Answ. This is another gross Abuse and Perversion For I have not denyed that Christ his Heavenly Manhood may be said to Emanate from the Godhead as one Being or Essence may be said to Emanate from another Being or Essence distinct therefrom Only I say That the Godhead it self hath no such distinct Parts within its own Essence or Being as Center or Rayes but rather is all Center according to that noted Saying of H. Trismegistus Whereas the Soul of Christ hath its Center and Rayes distinct by way of Emanation and yet that which Emanates is of the real Being and Essence of the Soul as truly as the Center Pamphlet Animad 18. This then may as fitly be spoke of them as of the Man Christ Jesus that in G. K. and J. C. dwells all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. 9. How doth the Christian savour this Is it not Rampant Blasphemy See Piscator and he Translates the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Col. 2. 9. Essentialiter Essentially And Calvin likewise upon the Scripture saith That God hath in Christ Essentially appeared unto us Answ. I altogether deny the Consequence That because the Essence of God is in us that therefore the Fulness of the Godhead can be said to dwell in us bodily for that is only proper unto Christ who is the Mediator betwixt God and Us in whom that Fulness dwelleth immediately and to which it is immediately united And forasmuch as we cannot contain the Fulness of Christ but only a Measure of him therefore the Fulness of the Godhead cannot be said to dwell in us and yet we must partake of that Fulness which dwelleth in Christ because we partake of Christ in whom the Fulness is And this is no Blasphemy but words of Truth and Soberness and cannot but savour well and comfortably unto every true Christian namely that God dwelleth in us in Christ according to Christ his own Words unto the Father Joh. 17. 23. Thou in Me and I in Them and according unto John He that confesseth the Son hath the Father also 1 Joh. 2. 23. And as for Piscator his Translation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially it doth nothing hinder but rather helpeth to consirm the Truth of what I affirm For if the Fulness of the Godhead dwell in Christ Essentially or in its true Essence then it is clear that if any Measure of Christ dwell in us that a Measure of that Fulness of God himself dwelleth in us for no Measure or Part of Christ is empty of God Which Fulness of the Godhead as also the Measures of it are not to be understood Simply as in God himself who properly hath no Parts nor Measures but in respect of his Appearance and Manifestation towards us which Appearance or Manifestation of God hath its Fulness in Christ and its Measures in us according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ received by us For concerning Christ it is said That God gave not the Spirit by Measure unto him But to every one of us the Grace or Gift namely of the Holy Spirit is given according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ. And thus we see that the Scripture holdeth forth Measures of the Spirit given unto us through what we receive of the Measure of Christ But Christ hath that Spirit in Fulness or without Measure And the Spirit of God both in Christ and in Us s of the same Essence with God Again As to the Words of Calvin cited by thee they do also confirm the same Truth and over-turn thy gross Assertion For if God hath appeared unto us Essentially in Christ and that we are Partakers of Christ himself by a real Participation of him as Calvin doth else-where acknowledge then together with Christ we are also Partakers of God for God revealeth himself in Christ Essentially and Christ revealeth himself in us Pamphlet Whosoever then hath God Essentially in him hath the whole Deity in him for the Essence is the whole Deity Answ. The Essence of the Deity as I have said hath not Measures properly in it self but yet the Scripture alloweth us to speak of the Measures of the Spirit of God which is one Essence or Being with God Which Measures in Us and Fulness in Christ are to be understood in respect of Manifestation And according to this Distinction of fulness and measures that is warranted by the Scriptures I deny thy Assertion that who ever hath any measure of the Essence of God hath the Whole or Fulness and the plain tendency of all thy work against us is not only to rob the Saints of Christ the Heavenly Man but also of the Holy Ghost and consequentially of God and then finally of all Goodness Vertue and Grace And indeed this is the real and naked tendency of the Doctrine of all those who contend so earnestly against the real and proper in-being or in-dwelling of Christ in the Saints as he is the Heavenly Man and second Adam to bring us at last if they could to deny that we have either God in us or the Holy Ghost for if the Essence of God dwell only in Christ and that Christ dwell not in us then indeed it should follow that we have nothing of
or substance And the first greatest of all the second less than the first but greater than the Third so that Plato his Doctrine of this Mystery was unsound and imperfect although it seemeth that he aimed at the Truth Now whereas we believe that the Holy Ghost is one and the same Essence with God and that the Heavenly Man-hood or Nishmah of the Soul of Christ is distinct in essence or substance from the God-head although by a most excellent and wonderful union united with the same for ever and yet is not any third essence as Plato calleth his Anima Mundi It is very manifest that Plato his Anima Mundi cannot at all be acknowledged to be the Soul of Christ. Again Plato calleth it the Soul of the World as Judging the World it self to be an Animal or living creature composed of Soul and Body But this doth by no means agree unto the Soul of Christ for if it did then the world should be Christ and the body of every beast fish foul tree or stone and also the earth it self should be the real body of Christ all which is false and absur'd and therefore Plato's Anima Mundi cannot be the Soul of Christ. Pamphlet Animad 21. I Query whether this Soul of Christ can be the Holy Ghost Answ. This query is altogether needless seeing in my book called The Way cast up I have expresly declared that the Soul of Christ and the Holy Ghost simply considered are distinct beings but because the Holy Ghost dwelleth in Christ the Heavenly Man and by him only is conveyed unto us and that they are wonderfully united one unto another we cannot understand them as separate and therefore as Christ the Second Adam in Scripture is called the quickening Spirit and the Lord is the Spirit so he may also be called the Paracletus or Advocate as he is expresly called 1 John 2. 1. And if any man Sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and this same advocate or paracletus is but one it is clear that sometimes Christ himself is called the Holy Ghost in Scripture for the words Holy Ghost as well as the word Spirit have different significations in Scripture for God is said to be a Spirit also Christ is called the Lord that Spirit and the Second Adam the quickening Spirit And thus the words Holy Ghost and Spirit do sometimes signify more generally and sometimes they have a more particular and peculiar signification Pamphlet Animad 21. Why then the Christian hath a great advantage of a Quaker in that his Sanctification is of another and better nature than that of the Quakers in that it is the Holy Ghost who is God who mystically dwells in them Answ. Here thou dost commit Three great abuses 1. To distinguish betwixt the Christian and the Quaker whereas every true Christian is a Quaker namely one that trembles at the Word of God and every true Quaker is a Christian and we desire to be called by no other name than that of true Christians 2. That thou dost insinuate as if we did not believe that the Holy Ghost who is God did dwell in us but only Christ which is a gross perversion and false calumny yea so false that thou givest thy sels manifestly and openly the lie in the next citation 3. Thou dost grosly again contradict thy self that thou sayest the Holy Ghost dwells mystically in every true Christian and yet thou deniest that the essence of God dwelleth in any Christian although the Holy Ghost be one essence with God Nor will thy term mystically save thee for if by mystically thou understandest not a real indwelling of the Holy Ghost as he is one essence with God then the Quaker is in a better condition and hath a great advantage of thy supposed Christian that according unto us every true Christian and Quaker hath the Holy Ghost who is one essence with God really or essentially dwelling in him through Christ who is also in him and this according unto 1 Cor. 14 25. God is in you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being rightly translated is essentially from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth being or essence Pamphlet Animad 21. But they understand the Holy Ghost who is God is not separated from this Body Soul of Christ but why then did they not express themselves so Answ. Thou seest Reader how openly he giveth the lie unto himself in this citation by acknowledging that we understand the Holy Ghost is not separated from this Body and Soul of Christ and yet a few lines before he did alleadge that according to our principle the Holy Ghost did not dwell in us and whereas he saith why then did they not express themselves so I answer first how couldest thou know our understanding or mind if the thing had not been expressed But Secondly I say that I have sufficiently expressed the same in my book called The way cast up in several places particularly in p. 114. where I say expresly For because the Fullness dwelt in him and that he was immediately and most intimately united with the God-head so as no Man nor Angels are but only the Man Jesus he is only the true Christ. And because he it is alone who in an immediate way and originally is Gods Anointed who hath Anointed him with his Holy Spirit and all other men even the most Holy but mediately united with God through him receiving the Anointing or Holy Spirit Therefore all other men are not Christ but Christians not being immediately Anointed of the Father but by the means of Jesus Christ. Nor are they otherwise partakers of the Anointing or Holy Ghost but as they are partakers of Christ. Thus Reader thou feest how clearly I have expressed this very thing and how faulty the Author of this Pamphlet is and how far he hath fallen short of his promise to give the World a true account of our Faith concerning the Man Christ Jesus who is guilty of so many false insinuations gross perversions self belyings and contradiction as I have sufficiently demonstrated Pamphlet Animad 22. They believe this humane nature is divine farewell that distinction then yet 't is inferior to the God-head But this Author thinks that omnipresency and omnisciency may be attributed to the Man-hood yet the man hood not being consounded with or equalized to the God-head contrary to the Doctrine Taught by our Christian Divines Answ. Mark Reader the great ignorance and partiality of this Author who is so much offended because I call the Nature of the Man-Hood of Christ Heavenly and Divine as if because the name Divine is given to the Man-Hood of Christ that therefore I consound the Man Hood with the God-Head and equalize it thereunto and yet within three or four lines he calleth these of his brethren who profess to teach of Divine things Christian Divines he will therefore have men that Teach or profess to teach Divine things to be
followeth from thy Doctrine that the Brat of thine own Imagination is Equal unto God Which if it be not the grossest Idolatry that ever any Man was Guilty of I leave unto all Men of a true Understanding for to judge yea if it be not the Height of Atheisme But again supposing but not at all granting that there were such Infinite wast Places having no Creatures in them I ask thee If God should fill them all with Creatures as he could well do because he is Omnipotent should these Creatures taken in the whole Complex be Equal unto God and have the same Immensity or Infinitness with him Surely thou must needs say Not And therefore Christ the Heavenly Man although he should also be in all these Places is still inferiour to the Godhead For whatever any Man or Creature can conceive of Places or Spaces of the greatest Extent Imaginable God is still infinitly Greater and all the Creatures Visible and Invisible are unto Him but as the Drop of the Bucket and Dust of the Ballance And here if any should ask me because I deny all such Imaginary Spaces as idle Fictions of foolish and Ignorant Men What is beyond this Visible World of Heaven and Earth I do easily and readily answer That not only God and Christ but also real Parts of the Creation which are true real beings Created of God are beyond this Visible World of Heaven and Earth whose Greatness and Number no Humane nor indeed any Created Understanding can fathome or comprehend but God alone the most High and Christ Jesus by whom all Things are created and made Visible and Invisible For Solomon said truly We cannot find out the Works of God from the Beginning unto the End And thus we have no need to run into these Fictions of Imaginary Spaces to find a Place beyond this Visible World seeing the Things which God hath made are Greater and more Numerous than we can conceive or imagine And therefore are really Infinite and Immense or Immeasurable unto our Understanding although they are well known unto God in Number Weight and Measure and are in comparison as Nothing and as the Prophet speaketh Even less than Nothing Pamphlet Animad 23. And thus he layes the Ground and Foundation of the Angels Worship upon the Excellency of the Nature of the Manhood barely considered in it self I query solemnly If it be not great Idolatry for Men or Angels to worship any Creature and that Creature though never so Excellent be not in Personal Union with God and the Worship terminated upon the Godhead Christ is God and Man Christians worshipping him terminate the Worship upon the Godhead See if Keith hath not made the Angels Idolaters Answ. That he saith I lay the Foundation of the Angels Worship upon the Excellency of the Nature of the Manhood barely considered in it self is a gross Abuse and Perversion and a most palpable Lye and Contradiction to my Words As also that he insinuates that Men or Angels are to worfhip the Man Christ without a Respect unto that Union he hath with God So that by Vertue of the said Union he is God This also is another gross Lye and Perversion And 3 dly That he alledgeth that in our worshipping the Man Christ Jesus we do not terminate our Worship upon the God-head but only upon the Manhood and that also barely considered in it self All which Three Assertions of the Author are gross Lies and most groundless Calumnies For I no where in all my Book use any such Words as he alledgeth And that I have no such Meaning as his Words import my Words that stand upon Record in my Book do sufficiently clear me As namely where I say expresly p. 82. That the Man Christ is God by reason of that most wonderful Union betwixt the Two Natures And a little after I say The Godhead and Manhood of Christ are but one Christ. And the God-head of Christ is no Inferiour Divinity or Deity but the very same Godhead of the Father Again as concerning this most wonderful and singular Union whereby the Godhead and Manhood of Christ are one Christ I say p. 83. Christ as Man hath a true and real Soul distinct from the God-head yet for ever united with the same in a most immediate and wonderful manner Of which Union no other Soul or Spirit of Men or Angels ever were or shall be Partakers And thus Reader thou mayest clearly see that I lay not the Foundation of Men and Angels their worshipping Christ upon the Excellency of the Nature of the Manhood barely considered as if he were not God by reason of his most rare and singular Union with God But on the contrary I do very plainly affirm the said Union and that because thereof Christ is God And therefore also I do further say That the Worship which Men and Angels give unto the Man Christ doth not terminate which is as much as to say in more plain English doth not rest nor end upon the Manhood but ascendeth through the Manhood of Christ unto the Godhead where it doth terminate or rest And therefore the Saints in Scripture are said to praise God through Jesus Christ and by Him to offer up unto God continual Sacrifices of Thanksgiving And so much doth the word Mediator import which signifieth a Middle Man betwixt God and Us So that although our Prayers our Thanksgivings and whole Worship be directed unto Christ yet not unto Him alone but also unto God htrough Him Nor do my Words cited by thee give thee the least Ground to say That I lay the Foundation of the Angels Worship upon the Nature of the Manhood barely considered in it self because I say That the Man Christ Jesus is a Great and Mighty and most Excellent Being far above All and excelling all Men and Angels For doth not the Man Christ Jesus excell all Men and Angels by reason of his Union with the Godhead such as none else are Partakers of Is not this Union of his with the Godhead most Excellent And doth it not cause him to Excel all other Beings that have no such Union By thy Doctrine indeed it addeth no Excellency unto him and consequently by the same Doctrine of thine although in Contradiction to thy self the Man Christ is to be worshipped as barely considered in himself without any respect of his Union with the Godhead For according unto thy Doctrine that Union addeth no Excellency unto him and maketh him not one whit more Excellent And thus now I desire all Men of Understanding to see and consider whether the Author of this Pamphlet and not I hath not made the Angels Idolaters And here Reader I desire thee also to consider how this Author of this Pamphlet seeketh to lurk in the Dark and giveth us no express Account whether he believeth that the Man Christ Jesus is to be worshipped only telleth that all true Christians do terminate the Worship upon the Godhead which we also do But this
Natural body c. Answ. This is another manifest perversion for it is plain by J. C. his words here cited by thee that J. C. doth not speak of the body of Christ but of the body of an ordinary man which goeth to dust and corruption whereas the body of Christ did not corrupt for it being conceived by the Holy Ghost and having a Heavenly Original it was more excellent then the body of any other man and therefore seeing it did not corrupt it was raised again according to the words of Christ concerning it Destroy this Temple and after three days I will raise it up and the same after fourty days Ascended into Heaven Pamphlet Animad 15. Yet according unto Keith the Philosopher though it be the same in substance it is no more a body of Flesh and Blood Answ. How or in what respect he calleth me the Philosopher as whether by way of Derision or not I am not careful to determine or inquisitive to understand for I affect no such Title unlesse it be understood according to the Etimology of the word to signifie a lover of Wisdome namely the true Wisdome and not that falsely so called and in this sense every true Christian is a Philosopher which is to say a lover of Wisdome but that Philosophy and vain deceit which the Apostle bids the Colossians beware of that is after the Tradition of men after the rudiments of this world and not after Christ wherein I have been formerly educated and exercised before I knew the truth as it is in Jesus I have renounced and do here openly declare my Renounciation thereof and count it all but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge and what I have declared or given forth in any publick Testimony concerning the truth I have not received from the Worlds Philosophy or Wisdom but from the openings of the spirit of truth as they livingly fprung up in my heart and inward parts and unto the same and to nothing else I can and do recommend my Testimony to be judged in all who have the same living spring of truth as it is in the life and light of Jesus opened in them and unto the greater measure of the spirit of truth in any others I freely can and do submit any publick Testimony which I have given forth for the spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets what the spirit of truth opens in one can never be condemned by the same spirit in another Pamphlet Animad 15. The first Heavenly body of the man-hood of Christ which Keith saith he had from the beginning he allows to have Flesh and Blood and calls it so and it hath so now in Heaven surely according unto him yet the body born of the Virgin is changed so Etheriall that you must call it no more Flesh and Blood Answ. I have said nothing concerning the Flesh and Blood of Christ either before or after his outward coming in the Flesh but according unto plain Scripture nor have I medled to give any other names unto the body of Christ but what the Scripture giveth for Christ said the bread from heaven is his Flesh and of this Bread or Flesh all true believers did feed and thereby had life in them even from the beginning of the world and seeing Christ himself gave these names of Flesh and Blood to that inward Heavenly Spiritual and invisible substance which refreshes the soul and inward man of every one that believeth Who dare call these names into question or find fault with them although I do freely acknowledge they are Metaphorical and figurative as when Christ called himself the vine and those that believed in him the branches and I ask was not Christ the vine even from the beginning into which all true believers were grafted and did they not eat the Grapes of this Heavenly Vine-Tree and drink the Liquor or Juice or Wine thereof and what was that but his Flesh Blood even as the Grapes of the Vine may be called it's Flesh and its Wine or Liquor its Blood and as it is so called in Scripture the Blood of the Grape But when I say the body of Christ which was born of the Virgin and was crucified and rose and ascended did not remain a body of Flesh and Blood I am warranted by the Apostle who said Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God and the body at the last resurrection is raised spiritual conform unto the glorious body of Christ and therefore it is not Flesh and Blood in the Vulgar or common sense but if any call it so Metaphorically and spiritually I shall not contend Pamphlet Animad 15. If the body of Christ be turned into air and yet remain the same in substance we ask what it is that identifies and makes it the same in substance that it was when Flesh and Blood Ans. Here is another gross abuse and perversion of my words that he affirmeth I say the body of Christ is turned into Air. This is a gross lye and perversion I call it not Air but a body Etherial and Heavenly and it is a more excellent body than the purest Air beyond all comparison and as to his question what is that which Identifies and makes it the same in substance this is very easily answered the substance of the body it self remaining the same under these different modes or manners of being as when the Soul of a man is the same for substance when converted from Earthly Carnal and Natural to Heavenly and Spiritual Pamphlet Animad 16. As to the comparison that the Author uses as nothing of the Body of the Sun is here on Earth but in Heaven only its light and heat which are qualities in the Air So now that light within that these Quakers have made so much stirr about is nothing else but an accident and quality from the man-hood of Christ in Heaven adhering in our Souls as light and heat adheres in the Air. Ans. Here he passeth by the other examples given by me here and elsewhere and only noticeth that of the Light which having its center in the Sun emanates in most abundant Streams into all the World which emanating light that flows from the body of the Sun he denieth to be any part of the Suns body affirming it onely to be an accident or quality But what reason or prooff giveth he for his assertion Surely none at all But if he thinketh to defend himself by the authority of some called Philosophers who say the same with him I can tell him of other Philosophers so called more famous who speak indeed more according to the truth that deny it and affirm that the Light of the Sun that emanates unto us is a real substance and hath of the real body of the Sun in it which is the real Substance of Fire as it can be proved by the said