the ungodly Abraham was justified in the righteousness of Christs person when he had some ungodliness in his own person a Believer is compleat in Christ bodily Col. 2. 8 9 10. when he hath some incompleatness in his own body In a word these things do clear this Truth Namely To be cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ is to be understood for a cleansing from all the guilt and passive fruits and effects of sin but not for a cleansing as in your sense from all the movings and actings of sin in or by us while in this World which the following verses make most plain for even they which are by the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed from all sin ver 7 8. They have sin and in ver 9. ought to confess their sin Now Francis upon the whole it doth appear that the Patterns cut out by thee do still come short of the measure which plainly argues thou art not as yet thy Crafts-master yea this was manifested by thy Answer to this Question to wit Quest Whether the Saints was cleansed from all sin by the water of regeneration or by the blood of justification Thy Answer was by the Water which gave occasion to sundry persons to laugh at him But he endeavoured to compose them saying it is no laughing matter but indeed matter of melting pity that thy seduced Synagogue of Libertines should be led by so blind a Seducer The next after F. E. was William Bullock again alledging But a Body hast thou prepared me which he repeated again and again and then most earnestly called upon me tell me what is meant by Me for whom that body was prepared and what that body prepared was the same was as eagerly required by Francis Eastlack and William Harriot The place of Scripture intended by them was Heb. 10. 5. But a Body hast thou prepared me I Answered By Thou God the Father is meant by Me the Godhead of the Son by a Body prepared the Man hood united to the God-head of the Son And hereunto agrees the â—ormer part of the 5th verse Wherefore when he Christ God-man cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not or didst not desire and therefore were refused by God it being impossible that they should purge sin ver 4. For it is impossible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sin But a body hast thou prepared me meaning to receive and do his Fathers will in taking sin away Joh. 1. 20. Goâ— the Son having now taken and put on the body oâ— flesh prepared for â—im as above he now undertakes the great work of satisfying Goâ—s Justice for sin and so to take away sin saying ver 7. Lâ— I come to do thy Will O God And why he tells us In the volume of the Book it is written of me i. e. in the Record of thy Decree from everlasting is clear for it that I am he whom thou O Father hast instituted and ordained to do thy will for the taking away of sin For ver 10. By the which will we are sanctified or saved through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all So then the body offered in the 10th verse was the body prepared in the 5th verse But the body of Jesus Christ offered was a real man-kind body as the Spirit of Truth witnesseth Ver. 12. But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sin for ever sat down on the right hand of God here hence it is manifest that the very offering of the body of Jesus Christ could not have saved us but by the will and ordination of the Father who prepared that body for Christs hanging and dying on the Crosse had not delivered us from the pains of the eternal death unless it had been written in the volume of the book It s most sure all that our Lord Christ did or suffered in his Soul and Body for us had not satisfied the justice of God for sin if God had not appointed that Christ his Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. should be sent forth to come into the World to do and suffer those things for the satisfying his juctice to the taking away of sin upon the whole I did inter that the true Christ and our only Saviour must necessarily 〈◊〉 both without and above us Here I made some pause to invite a Reply but they were silent at which I much marvelled inasmuch as sundry of the â—â—â—ding Quakers had imprinted so many corrupt glosses on those words it may be 't was forgotten as the Preface notes But a body hast thou prepared me As thus The Body prepared say they was prepared in Heaven and broughâ— by Christ into the Virgins Womb which body they call a Mystical Invisible Spiritual Heavenly body of Flesh and Blood and withal that the Mystical Invisible Body still the Idol light Christ within is the â—rue and only Saviour whose Birth Death Resurrection and Glorification is only Mystical and Invisible Hence as I suppose it is that George Fox in his Folio Book intituled the Great Mystery page 71. asserts That Christs Nature is not humane which saith he is earthly the nature of the first Adam Answ I would gladly knâ—w of this Fox whether Humane doth not rather signifie a Man-kind nature consisting of Soul and Body It s true we read 1 Cor. 15. 47. compare Gen. 2. 7. the first Adam was of the earth earthly in regard of his body not his soul which God formed out of the Earth But the word humane comprehends both Soul and Body which is much more then Earthly or Earth Simply litteral-material Earth Again whereas he adds the second man is from Heaven To which I Answer The second Adam or Man is the Lord from heaven as above 1. Because Christs Man kind nature was conceived in Mary by the power of the Highest overshadowing her Luk. 1. 35. 2. The true Christ is stiled the Secona Man because the first Man was his figure Rom. 5. 14. likewise in the Geneologie Mat. 1. Christ is said also to be partaker of the same flesh blood that the children were partakers of Heb. 2. 14 but the flesh and blood which the Children were partakers of were real visible humane or man kind flesh and blood not Mystical Ivisible flesh and blood Besides this Title sc Th. Son of Man is frequently attributed to Jesus Christ in the New-Testament as in Mat. 8. 20. The Foxes have holes but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head also in Mat. 10. 23. 11. 19. 12. 8. c. The Lords Christ is called the Son of Man which is to shew the truth of his humane mankind Nature it being lineally descended from David according to the flesh and therefore Christ is stiled the Son of David Luk. 20. 41. Moreover he hath the appellation of the Son of Man in reference to his participation with our humane Nature in all
manifested himself to Cain by his word three times Gen. 3. 8 9. and afterward that the Word of God came to Noah and so to Abraham and others Now O ye Teaching Seducing Quakers I would ask you this Question sc Could your Light within tell you ought of all this if the written Scriptures had not told it first And yet you would fain make us believe that your Light within is the true Scripture and Word of God even the everlasting Word so that this most notorious lie the whimsie called Light within is the new devised ground of your Faith and Religious Worship Oh ye poor Soul deluded and Soul-deluding ones know assuredly that this Doctrine of your beloved Idol-light in your own addle brains is directly contrary to what the Lord Christ said to his Father concerning his Apostles Joh. 17. 8. I have given them thy words word ver 14. which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send mâ— Note here that the words which the Father gave to Christ and Christ to his Apostles they believed and so believing Preached them to the World the Substance whereof is in their written Gospel and Epistles which is to true Christians the Word of God and the ground of their Faith but ye Soul-deceivers labour to dissolve this ground of our Christian Faith because ye would lay a Foundation of your own humane Invention sc an un bloody Light within which Idolized Light hath no more real blood in it then there is in the Transubstantiated Bread of your Popish Brethren wherein both ye and they do exactly agree in one feigned blood-less Sacrifice for sin which is evidently another Gospel which stands under the doubled Curse of God Gal. 1. 8 9. which is further confirmed Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of Blood is no remission O read and tremble before the iâ—raversible decree of wrath and vengeance go forth for without shedding of blood sc true humane blood there is no remission as above and consequently the unavoidable curse of hell and damnation doth attend a non remission which leads me to the Quakers third Principle The third Principle That the Soul of Man is God in part and therefore infallible Reply This titular Principle consists of two parts which shall be dealt with distinctly 1. That the Soul of Man is God in part Thus James Nayler â—n his Book Love to the Lost page 58. teaching fulness of light or soul within in which fulness is meaning the fulness of God in part and John Tayne in his Book of ten Epistles page 71. saith the soul of man is God in part who in page 3. renders this reason for it because the Soul is no created substance and John Lilborn a laâ—e grand leading Quaker in his Book of six particulars page 16. he affirms That the Light in man was the Light in God himself in whom is no darkness at all referring to 1 Tim. 6. 16. Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto which no man hath seen or can see to him be honour and power everlasting Reply Although these words do most plainly exclude any meer man from possessing God in his essential nature yet in page 15. he inferrs That the Light which is the infinite essence of God is the living or quickening holy tender part of man the everlasting Word of God by whom all tâ—ings were made And in page 19. further saith It is the very Principle of true Religion consider now if it be so then it must be such a Principle to the Devils and all damned creatures for as creatures the everlasting word made them and their Being Life and Motion is in him becâ—usâ— he that is Being it self is the bottom of the being of all created Natures and consequently according to John Lilbourn the Light in man which he calls the Everlasting Word by whom all things are made muâ—â— be the principle of true Religion in the Devils and damned O helâ—ish Divinity Doctrine for even they sc the Devils damned live and move and have their dependance upon the divine nature or infinite essence of the Godhead otherwise they would all fall to nothing by an annihilation Nevertheless this is in a special manner to be noted viz. It s one thing that the infinite essence thus possesseth men devils and all things else and another thing for man or any other creature to possess the 〈◊〉 Essence of God to his happiness and blessedness for so man only possesseth God according to his revealed will but through the wâ—nt of a right understanding of this special difference above stated it comes to pass that this untoward Generation Dream the Light within them to be God in part and hence inferr that the Soul is God in part here and full in God hereafter for which they do pretend especially four Texts of Scripture to wit Gen â— 7. Eccles 12. 7. Act. 17. 27. 28. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Reply To the first Scripture Gen. 2. 7. And the Lord God formed Man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his Nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living Soul hence they argue that the Soul in this life is God in part Reply 1. It is to be noted That in the former part of the verse we have the Creation of Adams body The Lord God formed Man that is he fashioâ—ed the outward and inward part of Adam straight and upright with all his outward limbs and lineaments in their due places without and Veins Arteries Venticles and Bowels in their due places within 2. The Creation of Mans Soul is described i. e. breathed into his nosthrils which Synâ—cdochically denotes the whole Man the breath of life Goâ—s order herein is very observable sc after the Lord had formed his body he gives in not himself in but from himself the Soul here 's the nature of Gods act Breathed it is spoken after the manner of men for as God hath no hands to form so nor mouth to breathe so that hereby must be meant Gods powerful Creation of his Body and infusion of his Soul which God doth as easily as man breathes But to the matter in hand 1. The Divine Being is infinite and indivisible therefore the Soul of man cannot be God either in whole or in part 2. The words being spoken after the manner of men that is to say as the breath of Man is not man in whole or in part but only from him so the Soul being breathed is only from God by infusion 3. The Soul of Man was made after Gods Image Gen. 1. 26. And God said let Us make man in our sc the Father through the Son by the Spirit Image after our likeness i. e. in our Image most like to not the same with us It is an Hebraisme noting a superlative Image most like the Trinity in Vnity This image or likeness
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
in the same Book Page 25. What nature sayes he must these Sacrifices be of which cleanse heavenly things sc Souls whither of necessity they must be heavenly if so then whither it was the flesh and blood of the vail or the flesh and blood within the vail whither it was the flesh and blood of the outward earthly nature or the flesh and blood of the inward spiritual nature whither it was the flesh and blood which Christ took of the first Adams nature or that of the second Adams nature Ans In the three-fold Querie above two things are asserted neither of them are mentioned in the Scripture of truth 1. That the Lord Christ had a two fold Body of flesh and blood the one internal and invisible the other external and visible and thenâ—e concludes that it is not the external visible earthly body but the internal invisible heavenly body which cleanseth Souls which he names heavenly things 2. That there is an inward spiritual nature still the Idol light within which hath mystical flesh and blood besides the outward earthly nature the one he calls the flesh and blood of the vail the other the flesh and blood within the vail All which he seems to ground upon the Apostles words Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh Note here The Apostle doth not make any mention of two distinct natures nor of two sorts of flesh and blood sc visible and invisible â—or in the least of two distinct vails Now that his jugling cheat may be discovered let the Apostles miâ—d be duely considered whose meaning is to wit That Believers may draw near to God through the vail of Christs personal flesh and blood for we Christians believe according to the Scriptures of God that as the High Priest entred into the holy place with the blood of the Sacrifice so the true Christ by his own blood entred in once into the holy place into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 12. 24. the whole is That the body of Christs flesh and blood entring into Heaven the holiest is that new and living way consecrated for right Believers to draw near to God for justification through Faith in the one only vail of Christs flesh glorified in Heaven above which precious Truths are worth nothing in the account of a Quaker Furtheamore let it be noted that the word Vail in an allusion to the Temple where the vail hid the glory of the Sanctâ—m Sanctorum and gave entrance to it even so Christs incarnation did as it were rebate the edge of the divine glory and brightness that Believers may come and converse with it without terror for some further illustration I shall here add sc That Christ is the true Jacobs Ladder Joh. 1. 51. the bottom of which toucheth Earth there is his Humanity or vail of flesh and blood and the top reacheth Heaven there is his Divinity so that we may climb this Ladder and have communion with God i. e. climbing up in hope by the Man-hood or vail of Christ we have social access to the God-head By the way observe That this Foxt Penington doth not alleadge any of the holy men of old that ever preached or writ such kind of Divinity as he hath done in his leger demain above whereby sundry unstable Consciences have been deceived I have often heard some of them to affirm That the Quakers do believe in Christs body of flesh and blood and that he died for sin and rose again and that he is Mans only Saviour howbeit they do but wickedly equivocate for they do not mean that the body of flesh and blood life and death c. of Jesus of Nazareth conceived in and born of the blessed Virgin Mary hath purchased justification in the sight of God and Salvation from sin but they deceitfully mean sc the new â—oined invisible flesh and blood of the heavenly Mystical Christ still the Iâ—ol-light within that died within and there rose to a righteousness and justification which is a brat hatcht only in their addle brains from whence also it is they teach a Mystical Bethlehem within where Châ—ist was born that he suffered and died without Ierusalem that is say they Mystical Jerusalem within O ye Quakers judge whither these are not strong and damnable delusions So much also for some further satisfaction to William Bullock F. E. and W. H. concerning those words But a body thou hast prepared me Heb. 10. 5. which was the last Text of Scripture proposed by them in reference to the first part of the Charge as above I now proceed to the Second part To wit That the main end of the Quakars Meetings in these Islands is to make the Lord Christ his Holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all Lyars and false Witnesses of God As I was about to prove the second part of the Charge against them Francis Eastlack interrupted me saying Thou never wert in our Meetings how then canst thou know what we teach in them I Replied T is true I bless the Lord I never were nor as I hope through the mercy of God never shall be as one of you in any of your Meetings notwithstanding I know what you Teach and mainly aim at in your Meetings for ye are G. Foxes Disciples and ye have learned his Doctrine and as I was about to read some of it they grew impatient and by no means would have it read thereupon I did forbear but I have here inserted it to wit G. Fox in his Book intituled the Mystery Page 49 50. hath these words Ye scorn me the light in you they have disobeyed it and called it a natural light and ye have said that I the light am not able to save those that believe in me Furthermore Page 54. That if ye would believe and wait on me the light I will purge out all your iniquity and forgive all your Trespasses and I shall change your natures if you hearken to me and obey the light within These are the words I would have read but being hindred I told them what they taught in their Meetings to wit That the pretended Light in them is their true Christ Teacher Rule and Guid to be heard believed in walked up unto and obeyed as the only Saviour to give remission of sins and Salvation with God to which F. E. forth with replied That he would for this lay down his life and to confirm him therein W. Harriot then said we deny the out side Christ to be our Saviour Then I requested the Hearers to take good notice sc they have plainly granted that the end of their Meeting to be for to Teach a denial of Jesus of Nazareth the Man approved of God Act. 2 22 to be the true Christ and our only Saviour which Teaching
Saviour an out side Christ an unscriptural phrase and no Saviour the reason of this Question is Because we read that our blessed Lord Jesus Christ whipt sundry persons honestey then thy self and for a lesser offence as in Joh. 2. 13 to 17. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the Temple those that sold Oxen and Sheep and Doves and the Changers of Money sitting And when they had made a scourge of small Cords he drove them all out of the Temple and said unto them make not my Fathers house a house of Merchandize Do thou now consider if our Lord Jesus Christ made at Jerusalem a whip of small Cords and with it did whip the people for abusing the Temple which was but a Type or Figure of the humane or mankind nature of Jesus Christ which is testified in ver 19 21. Destroy this Temple and in three Dayes I will raise it up But he spake of the Temple of his Body in which all his Fathers true Worship was to terminate as it appeareth by comparing some Scriptures the 1 Kings 8. 30 44 48. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy Servant and of thy People Israel when they shall pray towards this Temple i. e. towards the Temple in Jerusalem for the words were uttered by Solomon at the Dedication of the Temple and in the faith hereof Daniel prayed Chap. 6. 10. His Windows being open in his Chamber towards Jerusalem and thus it was in those dayes with every true Believer in all forreign parts of the world they did worship the Father in his Son with their faces towards the Temple in Iervsalem yea Ionah in the belly of the Fish Chap. 2. 4. Yet I will look again towards thy holy Temple Now if in the judgement of Jesus Christ the people deserved to be Whipt for abusing but the shadow of Christs Man-hood how much more dost thou O Will. H. deserve whipping as well as thy late Brother Iames Naylir that hast abused the Holy substance the Temple of Christs blessed body this is a far higher offence it is so Great in respect of men that it destroyes not only their peace in this World but that eternal peace for the World to come indeed ye present your selves a peaceable People calm Saints and as you stile your selves the meek Lambs of God but I can assure you that the persons which Jesus Christ whipt out of the Temple were far more praceable then your selves for they were but externally uncivil towards the Temple a shadow or figure only of the Body of Christs flesh but thou art Blasphemously rude yea ye make it your profest Religion to derogate from the true humane substance of the Lords Christ and with a brazen forehead and â—eared Conscience vilifying the holy thing born of Mary called the Son of God what greater violence can be offered to a true Christians peace Paul exhorts Christians 1 Tim. 2. 2. To pray for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty which Christian Prayers the Magistrates are bound in Conscience to Answer in their practice which they cannot do so long as such Peace breakers and open Transgressors 1. Of Godliness in respect of Gospel Ordinances 2. Of Honesty in respect of Allegiance are tolerated by them howbeit I do not thus speak in respect of the poor ignorant Seduced Quakers the generality of that Sect being such in these Islands but to thy self and all such Soul-Seducers Now W. Harriot if the Christian Magistrate should follow our Lord and Saviours Example herein don't thou cry out Persecution if thou dost the Scourge which Christ made of small Cords will tell thee that thou art mistaken it being a correcting of the Nocent no persecuting of the Innocent and for thy better satisfaction in this weighty matter do thou consider what he was that made that Scourge of small Cords and withal made such good use of it and thou wilt find that he was sc 1. A Prince that had Magistracy and Ministry radically resident in himself as the Son of Man 2. Though it were so yet he alwayes refused to act as a Magistrate except it were in this one particular case of whipping or scourging the abusers of the Temple in the holy City of Jerusalem Quest Why should a lawful Magistrate scruple to follow Christs Example upon such open Dâ—riders and Blasphemous Contemners of him whom God hath exalted to be a Prince and our only Saviour rendring him most vile sc An out-side Christ no Saviour to the proud and ignorant the Materials of this Synagogue yea hereby increasing the number of those which break the peace both of God and the King in regard of Godliness and Honesty as above So much for the Question propounded The next Prater was William Wilkinson he repeats some of the Apostles words Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of Glory which Text they wrest by forcing this sense upon it viz. That Christ in us is our present glory and glorious Saviour I Answered 1. This enforced sense doth destroy the true nature of the Word Hope for it only quickens a Believer to the lively expectation of the promised glory Tit. 1. 2. In hope of eternal Life or glory which God hath promised Likewise Gal. 5. ver 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith well then the office of hope is to look at some good to come as Rom. 8. 25. If we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it which shews us that this Grace of Hope is not exercised about things present as Quakers falsely gloss but only about something future for it is a waiting Grace 2. As the forced sense above doth destroy the nature of the Word Hope so it doth the genuine nature of the phrase Glory which signifies Eternal Life Tit. 1. 2. above which is in reversion or expectation as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Pet. 5. 1. I who am a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker sc by Faith of the Glory that shall be revealed 3. If the entire Clause in the Scripture above alledged Col. 1. 27. be duely considered it will plainly shew us that the sense afore imposed by them is antiscriptural for the whole clause in the Verse runs thus which is Christ in you the hope of Glory which is they usually leave out refers to the former part of the verse namely The riches of the Glory of the Gentiles which Riches Christ in you the Hope of Glory Note that it was the person of Christ which was the Riches of the Glory of the Gentiles as well as of the people Israel Luk. 2. 32. again the Lords Christ is called the Riches of glory and the unsearchable Riches among the Gentiles who is said ver 17. to dwell in the heart by Faith so that the mind of Paul in Col. 1. 27 is explained in Eph. 3. 17.
that is to say Christ in you by Faith is the hope of Glory to be revealed 1 Pet. 5. 1. though it be Christ in you the Hope yet not the Merit of Glory And therefore by Christ in you the hope of glory we are not to understand either present Glory or our glorious Saviour to be in us Hereupon F. Eastlack shoots this bolt to wit that the Deity was within him meaning that the Deity only was the true Christ and his Saviour to which I Replied that the essential general presence of the Deity was in Cats and Dogs as well as in him and therefore if the presence of the Deiâ—y only were the Saviour it might be so in these as well as in him forthwith he cryed out saying Thou hast spoken Blasphemy I told him that I had not spoken Blasphemy but good Divinity and then proved it to be so by the Testimony of the holy Apostle Act. 17 24. God that made the world and all things therein he giveth ver 15 to all life and breath and all things here hence I inferr'd That as the Deity was not included in any thing or creature so nor was it excluded To which F. E. returned saying I thought quoth he that thou hadst meant otherwise this Answer was like himself But for asmuch as some of the Quakers have as I am informed since affirmed sc that F. E. did me no wrong in charging me with Blasphemy as above I shall therefore endeavour some further satisfaction in in this matter As from the Prophet Jeremiah Chap 23. ver 23 24. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him saith the Lord do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord. All these Questions are resolved into this one Position namely that the Deity is omnipresent in all things every where The Divine Being filleth all things and places for though he be not circumscribed by any thing that is made nor limited to any place yet it is not excluded from any place creature or thing This saith Mr. Carils on Ier. 23. above is a Mystery which indeed we are not able to comprehend by reason but we must take it down by Faithâ— which gives credit to the Word of God and perswades the heart that the report therein made is a Truth But if any ask how the Deity may be said to be every where and in every thing and creature that is made I Answer This Mysterious and astonishing Question with Augustine Epist 55. ad Dard. who affirms That the Deity is wholly every where and in every thing for the Godhead cannot be divided or parted That it is whole within all things and whole without all things no where included no where excluded containing all things contained of nothing yet not at all mingled with the nature of these things nor defiled with their pollutions There is a Truth in all these Assertions for the Deity is infinite and indivisible and therefore wheresoever the Deity is he is all and altogether filling all places creatures and thing in heaven hell sea and earth as Psal 139 7 8 Job 11 8 9. Isai 43. 2. And therefore their Teacher F. E. hath not only wronged me but much more the God of Truth and which was implied by himself when he said as above to wit I thought thou hadst meant otherwise But befoâ—e he making good this Assertion sc That I had not spoken Blasphemy I discoursed the words of the Psalmist Psal 139 7 8. Whether shall I go from thy presence David was so far from imagining that any such place could be found that in the very next words he concludeth God to be every where by an innumeration of all places saying If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bâ—d in Hell thou art there if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the outermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me that is there shall find thee efficaciously present with me Here VV. VVilkinson interrupted me saying We own Gods presence in heaven and hell now forasmuch as I well knew the Leger demains of Seducing Quakers denying any special or distinct place of heaven or hell but what was within themselves I askt him whither his God whose presence he owned in hell were saved or damn'd in hell to which he made no reply presently but being often urged at last he said I will not tell thee and afterwards he answered I leave it to thee this Answer was no other than a silly shift to hide his Equivocations least they should have been unmasked and then confuted by the Scriptures of truth this undoubtedly was the ground of his silence which is the more remarkable because this Wilkâ—nson is one of their baffling and prating Quakers But I pass this and proceed to the second Scripture repeated by him to wit 2 Cor 5. 16 Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more I Answered that the word Flesh is not here taken for the humane or mankind nature of Christ 1. Because ver 15. The Saints are exhorted to magnifie the body of Christs flesh sc That they which live should not live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose again Now it was the Body of Christs flesh which died and rose again from the dead and therefore the Apostle doth not â—n this Scripture deny the knowledge oâ— Christ after the flesh but he doth deny to kâ—ow i. e. in a special manner to love them who pretend to be Saints yet seek their own interest more then Christs Hence 2. Paul infers yea Though we have known Christ after the flesh i. e. after worldly greatness and honour creature Pomp and Dignity in which sense Flesh is understood in 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise men after the flesh not many Noble not many Mighty sc after the flesh are called in this sense is Flesh in the alledged Text above to be understood as if the Apostle had said while we were unbelieving Pharises we expected the Mesias to come in external state earthly Glory and Majesty but being now converted to the Faith of Christ we have laid aside those fleshly thoughts and apprehensions of Christ after which we know him no more this is as I said the mind of Paul in reference to Christ after the Flesh in the Text of Scripture above it doth not therefore advantage their cause of an Idol-light within their pretended Christ and only Saviour I did expect some return from W. W. but he made none Then F. Eastlack said The Scripture saith It is Christ in you meaning therefore we are not to know Christ after the Flesh I told him that I had more then once made Replies to those words which had as I hoped given full satisfaction to the Christian Hearers but this poor
Spirit doth not bear witness with thy Spirit that thou art a Child of God Therefore the Spirit of God is not in thee He denied the Assumption which I proved The Holy Spirit witnesseth them only to be Gods Children which do believe Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the true Christ and their only Saviour Gal. 3. 26. But thou dost not believe on Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Christ and thy only Saviour Therefore the Holy Spirit doth not bear witness with thy Spirit that thou art a child of God and consequently thou hast not the Spirit of God within thee To which he made me no Return at all so that his staring silence gave open consent to the concluded Truth above The 3d. Argument was thus formed sc He that maketh God the Father a Lyar hath not the Spirit of God in him but thou makest God the Father a Lyar This Minor he confidently denied but I proved it thus He that believeth not the Record which God gives of his Son makes him a Lyar 1 Joh. 5. 10. But thou believest not the Record that God gave of his Son Therefore thou makest God the Father a Lyar He denied the Minor Proposition For as he said he believed the Record that God gave of his Son But I proved the contrary thus The Record that God gives of his Son is this sc That Iesus Christ as Man is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World Joh. 1. 29 30. with 34. verse But thou dost not believe the Record Namely That Iesus Christ as Man is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World Therefore thou didst not believe the Record that God gave of his Son consequently thou makest God a Lyar and such Blasphemers have not the Spirit of God in them here again the Lord stopt his Mouth that he had not a word to say for himself As I was thus Arguing this Truth sc That the Spirit of God was not in this Disputant W. Wilkinson I observed and O let it never be forgotten a very old Quaker Mr Henry Smith standing upon a Form or some such thing and looked earnestly and sadly upon me my very heart being moved towards this poor Seduced Oldâ—Man I forthwith called to him saying my Soul is grieved for thee Oh do but consider what will shortly become of thy unbelieving Soul which hath professedly forsaken the true Christ and only Saviour from sâ—n and the wrath to come Act. 2. 22. chap. 5. 31. 1 Thess 1. 10. Even Iesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People and by him exaltâ—â— to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance and remission of sins O wiâ—h what horror and astonishment wilt thou erâ— long look the Lamb of God in the face when he shall charge thee with an open denying yea with renouncing of him before mâ—n and with perhaps a causing many others likewise to do the same its high time for to bethink thy self what Answer thou wilt give to the Lord Christ for this thy dreadful and accursed Apostasie when God shall take away thy Soul Oh that thou wouldest seriously think on blessed St pher a Man full of the Holy Ghost when he saw the heavens above opened and Jesus the Son of Man standing there he called on him and said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Act. 7. 55 56 59. But alas poor â—ld Man on whom wilt thou call to receive thy almost despairing Spirit thou art not of blessed Stephens Faith who lived and died in the faith of Jesus of Nazareth the true Christ and his only Saviour O thou poor sinner that art deluded into another Faith how dost thou think to escape the damnation of hell As I were thus speaking to him the Lord undoubtedly took hold on his heart for though he were a Man of parts yet he made no reply of anything which in real tenderness to his Soul I had spoken above but immediately he stept down in a trembling posture with tears in his eyes went out of the Church the next morning be came to my house pretending a troubled Spirit and after some conference with him he went â—civily away and as I hoped somewhat satisfied But this visible and invisible hand shaking of God was soon after forgot by him and he according to the divine method of just and secret Judgements more settled in his long Runs of whoring from God which hath caused me to â—end a few lines more after Quakers 1. That ye would be perswaded wisely to consider that Text of Scripture in Rev. 6. 15 c. which concerns all sorts of Unbelievers ver 16 17. Calling to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for â—he great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand O thou deluded one will it not amaze thee when thou shalt look up and see and say Lo yonder is Jesus of Nazareth the Man approved of God that I would not have to rule over me yonder he is indeed Oh yonder he comes he comes Alas alas what shall I do that am in my sins of impenitency and unbelief and have no share in him Look Oh look what a glorious train doth attend him wo is me Oh we is me this Lamb of God whom poor deluded I called an out side Christ no Saviour Behold he comes lika a Lion tearing in pieces and none to deliver will not this be a dreadful most dreadful day to thee indeed dying in thy Apostasie I do therefore intreat you to ponder seriously on this weighty matter concerning Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Son of Mary that he is now in a present glorified and bodily existence in the third Heaven above and that he now hath though denied by Socinians and Quakers in the Heavens above true flesh and blood the nature and properties of a true mankind body which Mr. Doolittle plainly proves by propounding in the Young-man's Instructor four Questions 1. Quest Had not Christ a real humane mankind body when he arose out of the Grave forasmuch as he shewed the prints of the nailes in his hands and feet to Thomas Joh. 20. 27. surely this cannot be denied with any colour of reason 2. Quest Did he not ascend with the same body or had he not the same body when he was parted from his Disciples forasmuch as they saw the same body go up that talked with them Act. 1. 9 10 11. No man can deny this with whom the Scriptures of truth have either Authority or Credit 3. Quest Can you say that Christ put off his body after he was taken out of sight before he came into heaven or if you should say it doth any Scripture favour you herein neither Socinian Quaker or any other to this day ever produced nor can any such Scripture For Stephen saw Christs humane body since in Heaven above Act. 7. 55. 56.
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