Christ of Nazareth to be the true Christ and our only Saviour 2. Denying the Resurrection of the dead As to the last of these F. Eastlack said We do not deny the Resurrection of the dead I demanded of him whether they did believe that the same body that dies shall rise again He readily Replied saying We do not beliyve the resurrection of the same body that dies how then said I do you grant the resurrection of the dead if the same body that died shall not rise again Is not this plainly to deny what ye grant for if it be anâ—ther body that is raised from the dead then it s not the same body that died nay it must be a raising of a body from the dead that never died thâ—se abâ—urditiâ—s must unavoidâ—bly follow Nay furthermore if it be not the resurrection of the same body that died It cannot be called a Resurrection but a new Creation which is altogether in effect to deny the resurrection of the dead and so a plain self contradiction Next W. Bullock appeared telling us that the same body which dies shall not rise again alledging these words It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body I Replied 1. That the Words repeated by him were in 1 Cor. 15. 44. and withal the Apostle saith not that the body shall be raised a Spirit but Spiritual as Christs body of flesh and bones after the Resurrection was Spiritual but not a Spirit for Christ assured his Disciples that his body was not changed into a Spirit Behold and â—ee for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luk. 24. 39. It is the same true and real body which is presented to you saying It is I my self Now as it was with Christs body raised from the dead so it shall be with our body as to the substantial sameness after the Resurrection inasmuch as the Resurrection of Christs body is made a pledge of our Resurrection 1 Cor. 6. 14. And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Again But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15. 20. 2. It is raised a Spiritual Body because then the body shall have no need of natural helps of which a natural body stands in need of as sleep meat rayment but a spiritual body needs them not this is the judgement of all orthodox Authors Christ told the Sadduces who said there is no Resurrection That after the Resurrection Mat. 22. 39. They neither Marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angels in Heaven Christ doth not say that they shall be Angels or that their bodies shall be changed into â—he nature of Angels but as Angels or Angelical in respect of qualifications in like manner the body shall be raised spiritual but not a Spirit Francis Eastlack stood up again and boldly said That the Scripture saith it shall not be the same body at the Resurrection and forthwith called to me for the Bible which was in my hand he turned to the 1 Cor. Chap. 15. and read the 36 37 38. verses Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it dye and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him and to every seed his own body I Answered That the last words sc To every seed his own body do shew that it is the same body for substance which was sowen but not for qualities F. Eastlack Replied saying The Scripture saith it is not the same body but thou sayest it is the same body I told him what I had said the same Texts of Scripture do in effect say sc Though it be not the same body for Qualities yet it is the same body for Substance as a piece of Plate of the old fashion being cast into a mould of the newest fashion is the same for substance but not for qualities Wool died in a Scarlet colour is the same wool for substance as it was before but not for qualities and withal I told him if he would not admit of a distinction how then could he reconcile these Scriptures to his understanding viz. God repents and he repents not God tempts no man yet God tempted Abraham Reprove a Fool in his folly and reprove not a fool in his folly I and my Father are one and the Father is greater then I to which he made no Answer not quarell'd Distinctions any more As for the similitude of Corn and Grain mentioned in the verses above I shall answer with Reverend Mr. Caril It is saith he very true that the Corn or Grain which is sowed doth not arise again in that manner or after that quality or likeness in which it was cast into the ground we sow bare Seed but when it comes up again it comes with a stalk and an ear and shoots up in much greeness and beauty there is a great difference between a grain of wheat in the bushel and a flourishing stem or ear of Corn in the field God gives it another body in the growing up but yet it is still a body and there is the same nature in it still and the same substance of the grain remains still only there is an addition of beauty and greenness when it is risen and grown up so the Body that is cast into the Ground is like a bare grain it is cast in a bare or naked body but when it shall be raised again the body shall have many beautiful and glorious additions so that in the Resurrection there will be an adding of somewhat to that which was before the Corn grows up with somewhat that it had not but it doth not lose any thing that it had t is still a garin of wheat and better so the body laid down in the Grave is raised not the same in all things but better in many things added Now the excellent endowments and qualifications added to the body cannot work a loss or an annihilation of the frame or disposition of corporial parts and members so much for Mr. Caril upon the 1 Cor. 15. 36 37 38 verses I shall now consider the last Text of Scripture which was by F. E. repeated to wit 1 Cor. 15. 30. That flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God Therefore the same body that dies shall not rise again I Answered 1. That the Socinians your Brethren and fellow Adversaries of the truth do urge this Text of Scripture to confirm their assertions against Christ and the Resurrection of the same body to wit that Christ hath not now flesh and blood nor the nature and properties of a true Mankind body this hath been afore propounded and confuted again they say as ye do How can the body arise of flesh when the Apostle saith Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God if no flesh shall
inherit the Kingdom of God how can it be affirmed that the same true flesh shall be raised to enter upon that inheritance perhaps this improvement he had forgot 2. These inferences are not only defective but contrary to the true Nature of a Resurrection which denotes a taking up of that which was laid down It must hence follow sc If the same body that dies be not raised up but another kind of body it cannot be a Resurrection as above Moreover If aâ— the Resurrection it be not the same but another body then that body which actively and passively honoured God in this world shall not according to Divine Promise Col. 3. 4. be glorified with Christ in the World to come but another body shall be there glorified which never did or suffered any thing for God's honour and to which God never made any Promise yea that body which wickedly sinned lived and dyedin finall impenitency and unbelief Shall not according to Divine threatning Matt. 25. 41. be for ever tormented but another body shall which never sinned nor was ever threatned be eternally dammed in hell with the Devil and his Angels These inavoidable consequents are no less than high blasphemies against the Justice Truth and Righteousness of God Himself especially in that Scripture of sacred truth 2 Cor. 5. 10 We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ that every one sc the same whole man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether good or bad And the Lord Christ assures us John 5. 28 29. The hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves Are there any other bodies in the Graves then the same bodies which were put into them shall hear His voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation thus in Matt. 25. 46. also Proved 3. That by Flesh and Blood in that place of Scripture above is not meant the substance of Flesh and Blood the parts of a Man's body as now it is But it is to be understood of the sinfull qualities of Man's Nature that are to be done away as in other places Rom. 7. 18 24. Chap. 8. 1 6 7. Gal 5 17 19 24. Flesh doth signifie or of naturall Flesh and Blood of which the body is now composed and made up as such it is corruptable and cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven and thus Paul expounds it as in the latter clause of the same 50. verse Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption That is corruptable Flesh and blood or flesh and blood that hath the Seed and Principles of Corruption shall never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven such flesh and blood is unfit to wear the Crown of Glory as our Souls must be changed before they can be fit for Glory so also must our Bodies from their natural estate to a spiritual for at the Resurrection our bodies shall not be raised natural corruptable bodies but spiritual incorruptable bodies and as such they will be fit for Glory in the Kingdome of Heaven as it s illustrated ver 52. And the Dead shall be raised incorruptable and we shall be changed but how the next verse sc 53. tells us This corruptable must put on incorruption Note This Mortal must put on immortality well then though the body of Man be now natural corruptable and mortal flesh and blood and as such unfit for the Kingdome of Heaven But in the Resurrection the body will not be so for it will then be spiritual incorruptable immortal flesh and blood and being so qualified it will be fit to inherit the Kingdome of God Having thus Answered I expected some return but they were all silent Thereupon Capt. John Hubbart Sherrif with the Iustices of Peace as Representees of the Christian part of the Assembly came forth towards me and openly declared That they were fully satisfied with my Proofs and Answers The Quakers being thus regularly found Guilty of the whole charge the vast Assembly was forthwith peaceably dismissed READER I Have been earnestly Requested by some of the Lords People in these Islands to make some Replies to three or four Erroneous Principles not Discussed in the Disputation Held and Professed by most Quakers To wit 1. That there is a state of perfect freedome from sin in this Life 2. That the matter contained in the Scriptures is not 1. The Word of God 2. Nor the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life 3. That the Soul in Man is God in part and so Infallible 4. The denying of the Trinity sc three persons in one Deity These corrupt Principles maintained by most Teaching Quakers I have on Request as above considered and made some Replies to each particular distinctly as in their order afore expressed 1. Principle That there is a state of perfect freedome from sin in this Life Alledging that the Scriptures do testifie the same as Job 1. ver 1 8. 22 Psal 37. ver 37. 39. 1. 119. 5. Mat. 5. 48. Rom. 6. 18. 8. 4. 2. 15. Phil. 3. 15. Eph. 3. 19. Luk. 1. 6. That I might herein give some satisfaction I have considered the above-mentioned Scriptures one after another in their asserted Order The first Scripture Job 1. ver 1 8 22. There was a Man whose Name was Job and that man was perfect Reply to the 1st verse By Perfect here we are not to understand a Legal perfection such as Adams before the Fall though it be contended for by the Teaching Quakers and affirmed by them as possibly attainable yea actually attained by many of their Friends in this Life but the Spirit doth not in any one of these verses express no nor in end Iobs perfection from all sin in this life nor did Iob so understand it witness his own confessions Chap. 9. 20. If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall aâ—so prove me perverse That is to say if I justifie my self by the actings and expressions of my life my Mouth would condemn me so if I say I am perfect in the thinkings and sâ—cret motions of my heart it would prove me perverse Caril in locum and in Chap. 10. 6. Thou enquirest after my Iniquity and searcheâ—t after my sin likewise in Chap. 42. 6. Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes but to put the word Perfect in ver 1. out of all doubt it is explained in the 8th vese above There was none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man which referred to that Generation in which Iob lived So we read of Noah Gen. 6. 9. That he was a just man and perfect in his Generations in like manner consider Iob in the time and age wherein he lived there was none like him in the Earth for Godliness and uprightness hence for any man to infer that either Noah or Iob were
things which concern created-nature as it s stated by the Apostle in Heb. 2. 17. and in Chap. 4 15. In all things it behoved him Christ to be made like unto his Brethren and he was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin surely he that is in all things like man except sin is rightly called the Son of Man for sin is not at all the Form but all the Deformity of Man The issue is that the Fox hath concealed his craft putting no difference between the terms sc Humune and Humane he knew full well that the Fox's craft would be soon discovered should he admit the Lords Christ to have a humane Nature or a body as is common to Man kind and therefore in Pag. 71. above he quarrels the word Humane and querieth where doth the Scripture speak of Humane where is it written quoth he that we may search for it Rep. Though we have not the Word yet having the Thing it might satisfie all with whom the light of Reason hath any credit Once more Christ the Second Man is said to be Lord from Heaven because he is to restore the heavenly life which was lost by the first man Adam who was also said to be Earthly by reason of Transgression and Christ is also said to be from Heaven by reason of Restoration By he first mans fall all mankind were deprived of all heavenly and spiritual graces By the second Man from Heaven the Elect of God have those Graces in some measure restored As Calvin in his Exposiâ—ion on the 47th ver above Paul doth not saith he speak of the substance of the second Mâ—ns body but of the habit of Graces and heavenly gifts of the Spirit of Christ And on the same verse he affirms that the Manichies were the first knaves which invented that Heresie Namely That Christ brought from Heaven an invisible body of flesh and blood into the Womb of the Virgin And undoubtedly the Quakers have drunk this Poison originally from them by whom the Devil according to Calvin first set it abroach which as it was so still it is a design from Hell to beget not only a denial but an utter blotting out of the very Name and remembrance as before of the true Jesus Christ and to set up a Spiritual Christ a Mystical Invisible Heavenly King Jesus and all this only to advance the Idol-light within and the more easily to deceive poor ignorant and unstable persons which hath been and still is their stragling Trade I have yet one thing more to mention concerning this Fox which is in his Book above Page 135. to wit That Thomas Mâ—or had said that Christ was absent from us while we are in this mortal body which said the Fox is contrary to the Apostle who saith The life of Jesus is Mark is manifested in their Mark their mortal flesh but he Fox like quotes not any place of Scripture the Text of Scripture abused by him is in 2 Cor. 5. 11. Eor we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might not is but be made manifest in not their but our mortal flesh Note the Fox saith The life of Jesus is manifested making it present but Paul saith that the life of Jesus might be made manifest making it future nay he hath not only believed the Letter but the Sense also of the Text which may appear partly by the former part of this 11th verse and partly by the subsequent verses in the former part of the verse thus For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake i. e. we have sc for the testimony of Jesus Death that is sufferings to death as in the subsequent verses 9 10. continually before our eyes that we might be prepared for the fellowship of the glorious resurrection when there will be a full manifestation made of the glorious life of Jesus in our mortal flesh this may yet further appear in ver 12. so then death worketh in us i. e. our daily sufferings from the cruel hands of unbelieving men for our Faith in and Testimony for Jesus and as it worketh in us so it sc the strokes which are deadly to our bodies works ver 17 for us And what work they the 17th verse Answereth For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory But how do they work it Answ Not by way of merit or earning our striving to blood cannot oblige God but by way of preparation to the resurrection in ver 14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus Then that glorious life of Jesus shall be manifest in our mortal flesh the sum oâ— all is this to wit That the Lord sends afflictions yea death it self which to the Saints is the last and greatest affliction not only to cleanse their souls but to fashion and prepare their bodies as vessels to hold the exceeding weight of glory Now let any sober Saint judge wheâ—her Thomas Moor or George Fox hath contradicted the Apostle surely that Fox which endeavours as much as in him lies to choak the Lamb of God wâ—ll be ready to wrest the mind of the Apostle This Fox is seconded by Quaker Penington sc That the body prepared Heb. 10. 5. above was a Mystical Invisible body of flesh and blood for in his Book called Mysteries of the Kingdome he saith That the external blood of Christ cannot cleanse the Conscience for the blood of Bulls and Goats could not do it no more can his blood putting no more worth or vertue in the blood of Christ than in the blood of Beasts the consideration of this insufferable Blasphemy did so provoke the Spirit of Mr. Francis Duke a Man eminent for Meekness and Modesty that in his answer to one John Chandler a Teaching Quaker for the like expressions from him Page 67. he plainly tells this Chandler That he and his fellow-leading Friends are a Pack of such Villains as base as ever the Earth borâ— as for Penington he declares in his Book above That the heavenly body of flesh and blood which Christ brought with him from heaven meaning into the Virgin and dwelt in the Garment of his body a while and now is in every Saint sc Quaker Saints his mind herein is shortly this sc That a Mans wearing Garment is not his body so the visible material body of Jesus Christ which he calls the Garment of his body is not the Saviour Christ but as the natural body of a Man is within his Garment even so the true Christ was within the Garment of his external body whence it s most evident that this Seducing Teacher doth not confess with the Apostles That Iesus Christ of Nazareth the Man approved of God and by him exalted to be a Saviour is the true Christ Act. 5. 31. Let me add a little more of Peningtons Divinity