Careful Mariners steering the Course of their Lives by the Direction of that Heavenly Star which in the Gentile-Night rise in their Consciences to guide them unto a Blessed Immortality which will be the Last Point of their Divinity and then we close this Discourse with respect to them CHAP. XIV That the Last Point of Gentile-Divinity to wit Immortality and Eternal Rewards is also very clearly and positively held forth by the Ancient Heathens Six Testimonies from them to prove it Socrates's Great Faith in particular and the Lofty Strain of the Pythagoreans THat the Gentiles believed there was an IMMORTALITY and that all Men should hereafter be Accountable for the Deeds done in the Body a Point but obscurely lay'd down among the Jews themselves be pleased to take these few insuing Authorities as a Proof of what is asserted I. PYTHAGORAS and the Pythagoreans that they all held the Immortality of the Soul Consider his and their Doctrine in the Point First he said That the Soul is Immortal Next That the Soul is Incorruptible it never Dyeth for when it goes out of the Body it goes into the other World THE PURE TO GOD THE IMPURE BOUND BY FURIES IN INDISSOLVABLE CHAINS Here IMMORTALITY and REWARDS are asserted But when a Man who has lived Justly dyeth his Soul ASCENDETH TO THE PURE AETHER or Heaven and lives in the Happy Aevum or Everlasting Age with the Blessed II. HERACLITUS If my Body be over-press'd it must descend to the destinate Place Nevertheless MY SOUL SHALL NOT DESCEND BUT BEING A THING IMMORTAL SHALL FLY UP ON HIGH TO HEAVEN III. EURIPIDES a grave Tragedian whose Work was to undo what Wanton Comedians had done to undo the People speaks thus Who knoweth whether to Dye be not to Live and to Live to Dye Surely he said so not out of any Distrust of Immortality but in Belief of it and that Reward which would attend Good Men. IV. SOCRATES The Body being Compounded is Dissolved by Death The SOUL being Simple PASSETH INTO ANOTHER LIFE INCAPABLE OF CORRUPTION THE SOUL OF THE GOOD AFTER DEATH ARE IN A HAPPY ESTATE UNITED TO GOD IN A BLESSED IN ACCESSIBLE PLACE THE BAD IN CONVENIENT PLACES SUFFER CONDIGN PUNISHMENT This puts the Case of the Sufficiency of the Light to discover Immortality to the very Heathen out of all doubt and not only so but Rewards too since we have them here believing THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE SAVED AND THE WICKED DAMNED This made Socrates so chearful at his Death something of which I think fit here to insert Truly did I not believe I should go to the Just God and to Men better then any Living I were inexcusable â—…or contemning Death BUT I AM SURE TO GO TO GOD A VERY GOOD MASTER and hope to meet with Good Men AND AM OF GOOD COURAGE hoping that SOMETHING OF MAN SUBSISTS AFTER DEATH AND THAT IT IS THEN MUCH BETTER WITH THE GOOD THEN WITH THE BAD When he had made an end of Speaking CRITO one of his Followers ask'd him what Directions he would leave concerning his Sons and other Affairs and if they could do any thing that might be acceptable to him I desire no more saith he then what I have often told you If you take Care of Your selves whatsoever you do will be acceptable to me and mine though you promise nothing if you Neglect Your selves and VERTUE you can do nothing acceptable to us THOUGH YOU PROMISE NEVER SO MUCH That answer'd CRITO we shall observe But how wilt thou be Buried As you think good saith he IF YOU CAN CATCH ME and that I give you not the slip Then with a Smile applying himself unto us I cannot perswade CRITO saith he that I am any thing more then the Carkase you will anon behold and therefore he takes this Care â—…or my Enterment It seems that what even now I told him that as soon as I have taken the Poyson I SHALL GO TO THE JOYES OF THE BLESSED hath been to little purpose He was my Bail bound to the Judges â—…or my Appearance you must now be SURETIES to him that I am DEPARTED Let him not say THAT SOCRATES IS CARRIED TO THE CRAVE OR LAID UNDER GROUND for know dear CRITO such a Mistake WERE A WRONG TO MY SOUL be not dejected Tell the World MY BODY ONLY IS BURIED and that after what manner thou pleasest Yet saith SOCRATES I may pray to God and will That my Passage hence may be Happy which I beseech him to grant and in the same instant drank it off easily without any Disturbance This saith Plato was the End of the Best the Wisest and most Just Men. A Story which Cicero professeth he never read without Tears This ends Socrates upon the present Subject and Happy Man was he to make so happy an End as to Dye for the only true God he had great Reason to believe maugre the Envious Uncharitableness of T. H. that he would Reward him when it shall be said to many Bawling pretended Christians Depart from me I know you not for as Men Sow so shall they Reap in the Day of God I need not to tell the World that Plato and other Heathens have written accurately upon that Subject when it is so Notorious Wherefore to close up my Testimonies upon this Head and whole Discourse of Gentile-Divinity I will present the Reader with two short Passages one of the Pythagoreans the other from Virgil thus tranâ—…lated to my hand only a little varied by an Ingenious Author V. Donec long a Dies perfecto temporis Orbe Concretam exemit Labem purumque reliquit Aethereum Sensum atque aur ai simplicis ignem In English thus Till that long Day at last be come about That wasted has all Filth and Foul Desire And leaves the Soul CELESTIAL THROUGHOUT Bathing her Senses in pure liquid Fire To which agrees that Golden Distick of the Pythagoreans as it hath been called VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this purpose Who after Death once reach the Heavenly Plain BECOME LIKE GOD and never Dye again The Greek has it as Immortal Gods Which Hierocles interprets thus Herein shall Good Men resemble the Deity that they shall be Immortal like God himself Thus Reader have I given thee a very true Account of the Gentile-Divinity what was the Faith what the Practice and what the Prophecy and Hope of many Gentiles through this Light Within each of which had numerous Followers Observe They began where Jews and Christians begin that is WITH GOD and they end with what they confess to be theirs namely a State of Immortality in which every one is Rewarded according to their Works Only they are thus far to be Commended before either of them if we consider many of our Times That they were more Certain Plain and True in their Acknowledgment of a Divine Light Law or Principle in
Israel and it is likely buried in twelve distinct places the Bones will fly through the Air out of all those places and meet together in one Body Oh! what a great part of the Air Water and Earth will there run into Conjunction by the Command of Christ and be turned into those very Bodies which were resolved into them by Death and the Corruption of the Pit But with the Addition of such new Qualities as shall sublimate spiritualize and refine them from all that Dreggishness and ill humour that shall be the Foundation of any Sickness or Death forever then the Bones will come together be made like Stones for Strength then the Sinnews will be as it were Iron Sinnews and the Flesh Brass such Strength will be put into them as I conceive is not to be found in the strongest Creatures which hitherto God hath made that they might be fitted the Bodies of the Righteous for an Eternal Life of Happiness and bearing the Glory of Heaven The Bodies of the Wicked for an Eternal Life of Misery and bearing the Torments of Hell pag. 17 18. But what a Stirring will there be in the Earth Those which are alive will wonder to see such a strange Metamorphâ—… of the Ground to seel Men and Women stirring and moving under their Feet arising and crouding for Room amongst them Then will the Lord bring down all the Souls of the Righteous which have been in Paradise with him many Years and they shall find out their own Bodies And he will open the Prison of Hell and let out the Souls of the Wicked for a while that they also may find out their own Bodies pag. 19. The Book of God's Remembrance will be opened This we are to understand in a Spiritual Sense not as if there were a real Book which God did make use of for his Remembrance of things as Men do who have Frail and Weak Memories pag. 22. The Spirits of all the just Men and Women made persect shall then come down and enter again into their Old Habitations pag. 31. when the Soul left the Body vile to putrifie and corrupt in the Grave and shall finde it come forth more Bright and Glorious then Gold after it hath been resined in a Furnace If the Love between the Soul and the Body were so great when the Body was so vile and the Soul so Sinful what will it be when both are glorified If the Conjunction between the Soul and Body were so sweet when the Body was so Frail and subject to Death and the Soul a Spiritual and Never-dying Subscance what will it be when the Body shall be made immortal and in some sort spiritual pag. 32. No sooner are they awakened and risen out of their Graves but they are entertained by Angels those Holy and Excellent Creatures when before in the Body they were too low and unfit for their Acquaintance but they will then know them and be able to discern the Beauty of those lovely Spirits pag. 33. They will arise like so many shining Suns out of the Earth pag. 34. They admired to see the Saints and to see themselves so transformed pag. 36. He will bring the Keys of Death and Hell along with him and open both these Prison Doors not to give Liberty and Release to the Prisoners But as prisons are opened at Assizes to bring them sorth unto Judgment he will open the Prison of Hell and all the Souls of the Wicked shall come forth like so many 〈◊〉 cut of the bottomless Fit and he will open the Prison of the Grave and all their Bodies shall creep Like so many ugly Toads out of the Earth and then Soul and Body shall be joyned together again and this Meeting will be sad beyond Expression Then the Meeting of the Souls and Bodies of the Wicked will be dolesul pag. 46 47. It is said that the vile Bodies of the Righteous shall be made like unto Christ's Body in Beauty and Glory but the Bodies of the Wicked will have another Hew and Fashion if it were possible to fashion Bodies like Devils those impure and foul Spirits such spiritual Bodies the Wicked should have Be sure their Bodies shall have no Glory put upon them but as they lay down Vile Bodies they shall rise up far more Vile The Bodies of the Wicked most probably will be Swarthy Black Ugly Monstrous Bodies p. 48. The Blackness and Dread of the Soul would quickly appear in their Countenance besides the Impressions which the Fire of Hell will have upon them if the Body be black how black will the Soul be after so long abode with foul Devils in the lower Regions of Darkness And when such foul Souls and such vile Bodies meet what a Meeting what a Greeting will there be We may fancy a kind of Language to be between them at that Day The Soul to the Body Come out of thy Hole thou filthy Dunghil Flesh for the Pampering and Pleasing of whom I have lost my self forever who hast stolen away my Time and Thoughts and Heart from God and Christ and Heavenly Things to feed and cloathe and cherish thee and make Provision to satisfie thy base deceitful Lusts when I should have been making Provision for thine and mine Everlasting Happiness Awake and come forth of the Dust thou Bewitching Dirty Flesh who didst lull me asleep so long in thy pleasing Chains until thou didst suddenly open thy Doors and thrust me out where I was awakened in Torments before I was aware Now I must come into thy Doors again that thou mayst share and taste the Bitter Issue of sinful Pleasures and Delights And O how will the Body be affrighted so soon as the Soul is entered p. 49. The Body to the Soul And hast thou found me out O my Enemy Couldst not thou have let me alone to lie still at rest in this sweet Sleep Hast thou used me as a Slave and employed all my Members as Servants of Iniquity and Unrighteousness and 〈◊〉 thou come now to Torment me and is this the Fruit of all the Pleasures we have taken together Shouldst not thou have been more VVise and provided better for thy self and me O! what Cryes and Shreeks will the Tongue give forth so soon as it hath recovered its Use p. 50. 2. The second Antecedent to the Judgment of the Wicked will be their Meeting with Devils to entertain them at their Resurrection and then they will not appear unto them like Angels of Light as sometimes here they have done p. 50. but they will spit forth their Venom and Malice then in their Faces possibly they may buffet their Bodies and lay painful Stroaks upon them surely they will terrifie their Souls for those Sins they have drawn them unto the Commission of p. 51. How will they be affrighted at the Apparition of so many Devils about them when they shall lash their Spirits with Horrible Scourges when
and overturn the Gentiles Idolatries by his one most pure and Spiritual Offering and Worship IV. It plainly preaches thus much to us That as Him whose Body the Jews outwardly slew we by Wicked Works have crucified in the Streets of Sodom and Egypt spiritually so called our polluted Hearts and Consciences So unless we come to know the Benefit of the Inward Life answering to and expressed by that Outward Life he gave for the World it will avail little For so it is and very Marvelous in our Eyes that the Life of the Crucified can only save those who may well be reputed the Crucifiers O Mystery And because those that did not actually slay him Outwardly have slain him Inwardly therefore must every such one really know that Life Inwardly raised shed abroad for Sanctification and Redemption O how great was his Love Truly larger then Man's Cruelty who whilst he dyed by Wicked Men he would Dye for them and when dead they could not hinder him from Rising to do them good who had done their worst for his Destruction thereby shewing Mercy to those who shewed they had no Mercy for themselves O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldest not c V. That Expression of his is greatly worth our Notice I lay down my Life for the World All he did was for the Good of the World and particularly the Laying down of his Life that he might both express his Love and our Duty Had he not desired Man's Salvation and for that purpose prepared a Body in which to visit him and by his daily Labours among Men to further their Eternal Happiness the Jew had never been able to put him to Death But being come and when come so hardly used herein did he recommend his great Love to us that besides the Inward Weights of Sin he bore with his deep Concernment for Man's Eternal Well-being he chearfully offered up his Bodily Life to recommend and ratifie his Love for the Remission of Sin and give us an Holy Example to follow his Steps But these Words will bear another Sease too as do those he spoak to the Jews Unless ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood you have no Life in you Where we may plainly see that as the Jews vainly and carnally fancyed he meant his Outward Body only to which they opposed the Impossibility of the thing so Christ declares their Mistake of his Meaning to his Disciples in these few but deep Words The Flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickeneth So that the Words are true and weighty in both Senses VI. And we further acknowledge that in that Holy Body the Divine Principle of Light and Life did discover the Depth of Satan's Darkness encounter Hell Death and the Grave every Temptation it was possible for the Serpent with all his Power and Subtilty to beset him with in which Sense he was made like unto us in all things Sin excepted that he might be sensible of our Infirmities the Divine Life travelled and supported under all administring Strength to the outward Man that it might answer the End of its Appointment in the End utterly defeated and forever overcame the Power of the Tempter bruising the Serpents Head in general as Prince of Darkness and God of the World and in a plain Combat giving him that Foyl which in good measure shook his Foundation divided his Kingdom chased away his Lying Oracles and proved a very Fatal Blow to his whole Empire Which holy Conquest obtained by Sweat of Blood and deep'st Agonies with Holy Patience may not unfitly be compared to that of some Worldly Prince maintaining a Righteous Cause against an Usurper of his Territories whom he puts to rout in open Fields by which I understand the General Conquest yet many Towns and Cities and Cittadels remaining strongly guarnison'd by which I understand particular Men and Women enslaved by Sin they are not thereby overcome though the Approach be easier to them and they be truly more endanger'd then before The One Seed who is Christ who is God over all blessed forever having given that Proof of his Everlasting Arm that it has brought a general Salvation by a plain Overthrow of the God of this World the Enemy of his Glory and thereby weakened his Power in himself which is the single Battel fought in Garments rould in Blood between the two Seeds Spirits Natures and Powers God and Mammon Christ and Belial had many Towns Cities and Cittadels to vanquish who lay strongly guarnison'd by this God of the World which Places as I said represent the Souls of particular Men and Women inbondaged by him So that though their Hearts were or are more accessible by that general Victory over the very Spirit of Darkness it self and Light may be more clear d and broken up yet unless those particular Places or Persons are besieged and taken their Goods spoiled and Houses sackt of all the strange Gods so redeemed from under the Yoak of that Pharaonian Task-Master reclaimed renewed sanctified naturalized by way of an Holy Subjection to him who is Lord from Heaven the Right Heir of all things to receive his Mark and bear his Image Those Places or Persons must needs have yet been and be Subjects of the Prince of Darkness the God of this World who reigns and rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience To conclude We though this General Victory was obtained and holy Priviledges therewith and that the Holy Body was not Instrumentally without a Share thereof yet that both the efficient or chiefest Cause was the Divine Light and Life that so clearly discriminated and deeply wounded this Mystery of Iniquity and that none can be thereby benefited but as they come to experience that Holy Seed of Life and Mighty Arm of Power revealed to effect the same Salvation in each Particular Conscience which none can fail of who receive it first as a Light that manifesteth and reproveth every Evil Way and continues to walk up to all its holy Leadings VII But there is yet a further Benefit that accrueth by the Blood of Christ viz. That Christ is a Propitiation and Redemption to such as have Faith in it For though I still place the Stresâ—… of particular Benefit upon the Light Life Spirit revealed witnessed in every Particular yet in that general Appearance there was a general Benefit justly to be attributed unto the Blood of that very Body of Christ to wit that it did propitiate For however it might draw Stupendious Judgments upon the Heads of those who were Authors of that dismal Tragedy and dyed Impenitent yet doubtless it thus far turned to very great Account in that it was a most precious Offering in the Sight of the Lord and drew God's Love the more eminently unto Mankind at least such as should believe in his Name as his solemn Prayer to his Father at his leaving the World given us by his beloved Disciple
they are though once they were as Calenders for weak People to read some mystically Glory by but Beggarly Elements VI. That not only in that Flesh did the Eternal Light preach forth it self the End of these Things by Revealing becoming the Author of a more plain and perfect Way though less easie to Flesh and Blood placing the Stress of all upon an Evaâ—…gelical Righteousness whereof he became the first Miâ—…er and our most Holy Example but he also appear'd in that publick Body so peculiarly prepared a General Saviour by his Life Doctrine Miracles Death of the Cross Resurrection in and by all which he obtained a Name above every Name VII That nevertheless not to the Body but holy Light of Life therein is chiefly to be asscribed the Salvation and to the Body however excellent but Instrumentally for that it was the Eternal Light and Life which gave the Weight to all the Actions and Sufferings of the Body VIII That the Benefit then procured is not witnessed by any but as they come to believe in Christ the Light as he doth appear in the Heart and Conscience to save from Sin destroy the Works of the Devil finish Transgression and bring in of his Everlasting Righteousness Wherefore to fancy one's self intituled to a State of Salvation whilst in Rebellion against the Light within which is Christ's inward Knocking and Appearance must needs be a Delusion most pernicious and destructive to the Souls of men IX That upon the whole it is determin'd and concluded that Christ is that Light which shineth in the Conscience X. That the Light is prov'd by Reason both Universal and Sufficient The first from the Consent of Mankind the Goodness and Rectitude of God the second from both Experience and that it were inconsistent with God to give a Light to his Creature insufficient for the Work for which he gave it Thus in short have I given the Heads and Results of most of the Matter contained in the whole Discourse upon the Light and I intreat our Adversaries they would seriously weigh the Whole before they either reject it or endeavour to reply to it But let them be advised to try the Virtue of the Light before they sentence it to have none And in the Love of God be once prevail'd upon to consider if something in them doth not really Condemn them amongst other things for these brisk Attempts against it Oh! Why should Men covet to Know so far beyond what they do faithfully Practise Let them first out-live the Just and Holy Requirings of the. LIGHT before they put these Barbarous Affronts upon it of a WIL IN THE WISP A DARK LANTHORN-LIGHT NATURAL INSUFFICIENT IGNIS FATUUS THE QUAKERS IDOL and abundance of such like Frothy Prophane and indeed Blasphemous Epithetes which they wickedly bestow upon IT as if they were Its Pâ—…per Names when the Scriptures they would oppose to it plainly tell them that the whole Work of the Apostolical Ministry was To turn People from Darkness to the Light from the Power of Sathan unto God that they might have Remission of Sins As much as to say Such as are turned to the Light are turn'd to God who is Light and those who abide there both have Remission of the Punishment and Purgation from the Defilement of Sin And whatever any may think of us we both believe assert and will maintain against Men and Divels that God is LIGHT and that out of the Light or void of his Divine Illumination no man can Know him and consequently not Worship him unless they should worship an Unknown God That such as receive this Illumination and rebel not against it but improve this Heavenly Talent they have Fellowship with the Pure Eternal God and experience the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse theâ—… from all Unrighteousness If any think to arrive at Glory another Way and will not be admonisht let them proceed we speak what we know and can but declare what we have felt of the Work of God in our Hearts The Scriptures we highly value But we believe not the things we often quote thence to be true Only because there but for that we are Witnesses of the same Operation and bring in our experimental Testimonies to confirm the Truth of theirs and such truly honour the Scriptures all others are at best but empty Scribes and Pharisaical Babblers So with God I leave my Labour in this Particular desiring that his Heavenly Light may yet more abundantly arise upon the Dark Hearts of Mankind and awaken them to Repentance that since IT hath so long shined in Darkness uncomprehended till even Darkness it self is grown so impudent as to interpret its Inability to see the Insufficiency of the Light he would be pleased to cause it to shine out of Darkness that IT might plead the Excellency of ITS own Divine Nature in the Consciences of Men and Women against the daily Scornes and base Detractions that even great Professors of Christianity stick not to fling upon It so ill are they principl'd and so un-Christianly employ'd which proves to me how little they are Professâ—…rs of the True Pure and Undefiled Religion what ever Place their cunning Devices may have given them in the Hearts of Weak and Simple People My Soul pittyeth their Opposition and feareth the Consequence of such Resistance and desires they may see the very Vanity of their Endeavours against the Light Repent of them and be Converted that God may yet Heal them which sincere Desire is my Return for all their Hard Speeches and Ungodly Sayings against us in general and my self in particular W. Penn. AN APPENDIX To the First Part being a Discourse OF THE GENERAL RULE OF Faith and Life AND Judge of Controversie Greatly importing all those who desire to take Right Measures of Faith and to Determine at least to themselves the numerous Controversâ—…es now on foot in the World By the same Author For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a NEW Creature And as many as walk according to THIS Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the whole Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God The Things of God knoweth no Man save the Spirit of God He that is Spiritual judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 15. But ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things 1 John 2. 20. Printed in the Year 1673. OF THE GENERAL RULE OF Faith and Life SInce there be so many Faiths in the World and perplext Controversies about them and that it greatly behoveth every man if to Contend for then first to Know the True Faith that overcometh the World It may not be unnecessary to say something of the General Rule of Faith and Life and Judge of Controversie at this time And indeed I am prest to it from this weighty
that Favour as suppress us and restrain our Liberty for them as their bitter Invectives and invet crate Clamours plainly import and intimate their persecuting Spirit and Implacâ—…ble Maâ—…ice as while they are complaining against our Principles Doctriâ—…es as â—…amnable 〈◊〉 us Cheats Impostors Romish 〈◊〉 c. Thâ—…ugh their Charge herein they have never proved against us nor can they this doth not only bespeak a Willingness or â—…esire to have our Principles suppresseâ—… but our Persons likewise As also T. Hick's proclaiming to the World p. 62 that the Quaker's Religion is a meer Cheat calculated to the Service of the Devil and wickedly infianating against our Sufferings that the Satisfaction of our Wills and Lusts the promoting our Carnal Interest Respect only to something to be enjoyed here Carnal Advantage Outward Gains c. may be our chief Motive Inducement and Encouragement to do and suffer as we do Dialogue p. 75. And he questions whether we are not really acted by some Romish Emissaries to insinuate covertly many of their own Heresies to distract deform and declaim the Protestant Profession c. p. 76. Judge Candid Reader whether these malitious and false Insinuations do not savour of a persecuâ—…ing Spirit though they would not be seen to envy our Liberty yet how do these Invectives tend to stir up Persecution and to incense the World and instigate the Rulers against us sor our Suppression Their pretended Alegations sor them are hereafter answered and refuted and how absurd they are in these Accusations 1st To insinuate that our Sufferings have been either for Carnal Advantage Temporal Gains or to satisfie Lusts whilst in our resigning up our selves to these many and deep Sufferings we have often offered up our Lives and consequently with them all our Temporal Enjoyments and Advantages us many this Day can testifie together with those many Innocent Person 's Lives that have been laid down among us in and by Imprisonments Exilements and other Sufferings 2ly How ill it doth become these Anabaptists to endeavour to make the World believe that we are either influenced or acted by Romish Emissaries either to distract deform or defame the Protestant Profession which is not only a Popular and deceitful Insinuation against us as if the Dippers had the chief Care of Protestant Religion or were the most Catholick therein but most notoriously false and wicked and I challenge Thomas Hicks and all therest of his Fratcrnity to prove it or else forever to be ashamed thereof Have they not more cause to look back at home and reflect upon themselves since that divers of their Brethren even some of their Preachers have turned Papists of late Years whose Names being so well known I need not now mention them but when or where did any Preachers owned among us turn Papists or were any such Emissaries Oh the great Enmity that 's in these our Opposers and their great Disingenuity and Immoderation that appears among them as will further be manifest to their Shame and the Lord will certainly rebuke them and all their feigned Coverings will be too narrow for them and they shall see and be ashamed of their Envy at his People But I must proceed to give the Reader a short view of some of Thomas Hicks Doctrines that past at a Dispute and in a Paper of his before his Fictitious and Unchristian Dialogue came forth as some Introduction to my following Answer which was writ quickly after the said Dialogue came forth London the 4th 1st Month 1673. I am a Well-Wisher to all Men even desiring my Enemies Repentance G. W. Some of the Doctrines and Contradictions of Thomas Hicks declared at a Discourse between him and some of the Quakers so called in Alderman-Berrey London the twentieth of the third Month 1672. FIrst He owned the Baptists above other People That is no Honour to them 2ly That he did not own Water Baptism to be necessary or of Necessity to Salvation True but contrary to many of his Brethren 3ly That the Quakers err in Fundamentals denying the Person of Christ denying the true Christ and Resurrection These are Impudent Slanders 4. That the Life or Light spoken of John 1. 4 9. is not supernatural because it is the Light of the Word as Creator A Blasphemous Inconsistency This was noted down at the Interim of the Discourse before him but snacht away by one of his Companions So that hâ—… concluded the â—…ight in every Man is but Natural and not sufficient to guide to Salvation False Doctrine the Light of the Eternal Word is supernatural and sufficient 5ly That the Life which is in God which is the Light of Men John 1. 4. is divine as it is in God but natural as it is in Man Blasphemy that Life is Immutable because Divine 6ly That the Light that is given in common to Men is not able to apprehend things supernatural A false and inconsistent Doctrine And yet able to apprehend and bring Men clearly to see the Invisible things of God even the Eternal Power and Godhead Rom. 1. 19 20. A true Concession but a Contradiction to the former 7ly Evasion That it is able to discern the Eternal Power and God head but not the things that are supernatural that are in God A gross Contradiction the Eternal Power and GodHead are supernatural 8ly That it was a Natural Light a Light of Conscience and a depraved renewed Nature by which the Gentiles did those things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. Absurd Inconsistencies and Falshoods 9ly That the Light in the Heathen in Philosophers and others was able to apprehend God and his Divine Power but not those things that are in God A gross Inference are those things higher then God 10ly That it cannot discover the human Nature of Christ or the Body that he took upon him nor his Suffering nor Death And yet it can discover the divine Attributes of God his Wisdom Power Goodness Love and direct Men to love him A manifest Contradiction can it discover the greater and not the lesser 11ly But the Light in the Quakers cannot discover the Person of Christ nor his human Nature Sufferings Death c. Yet it is the Life and Light of Christ. 12ly That the Quakers deny the Person of Christ his Offices Satisfaction and the Resurrection of the Body c. Lyes and Slanders forged and brought forth in Envy and Darkness 13ly That it s their Principle that whosoever believes in that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem and expects Salvation by him they are deceived in their Faith and shall be damned c. This he spake of James Naylâ—…r's Love to the Lost near the Beginning of the Discourse This is an Abuse the true Christ is but one and the same yesterday to day and forever 14ly Also at the Beginning he said that the Baptists and Presbyterians agree in Fundamentals and there are good People among Presbyterians therefore they might joyn against the Quakers for they err
those few mentioned namely for Christ saith he sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel So he did not thank God for neglecting part of his Commission in baptizing so few but partly to prevent their wrong Use thereof and chiefly because his Commission did not extend to Water-Baptism And as to his Allegation to prove that the Word not is not alwayes used as an absolute Negative p. 27. he cites Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the Meat that perisheth but for the Meat which endureth c. If the Occasion of these Words be minded not will prove an absolute Negative in this Place Jesus speaking to them that sought after him because they did eat of the Loaves ver 20. and were filled for which end they ought not to have sought after him And admitting his Instance in Adam that he was not deceived namely that he was not first deceived taking in the Word first from the Verse before this is altogether impertinent unto his Purpose about Paul's not being sent to baptize there being no such Discovery that Paul was sent at all to baptize as there was of Adam's Transgression but the contrary in that Paul expresly said Christ fent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel V. Of the Anionted TO his saying the Word Christ signifies one Anointed accounting it absurd to say the Spirit or Anointing is Christ p. 37. I answer are not the Father the Spirit and the Word one Christ as the Son of God is God's anointed And is it not granted that he was the Son of God by eternal Generation And fo was before he took upon him that Body prepared for him called the Lord 's anointed Psal. 2. 2. which Word Anointed sometimes relates to his being set up or exalted as King yet have I set or anointed Hebr. my King upon Sion the Hill of my Holiness ver 6. As also to his being endued or anointed with Power from on high which Power is that divine Unction and in that Christ is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24 He may as properly be called the Anointing as where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty now the Lord is that Spirit this Anointing is not an outward Unction nor outwardly received upon the Flesh or Body but being a divine Unction of Glory and Power from above it s inwardly and spiritually received by an immortal Seed and Birth born from above as that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit As for his Term Humane Nature and Glorious Unity between the divine and human Nature p. 36. he talks he knows not what besides Scripture-Language the Word human is not applicable to Christ in Glory by the Scriptures but originally relates to the Earth and so to the Body of man as coming thence But Jesus Christ was the Anointed as he was the Son from the Father's Substance which he was before he came in the Flesh or took upon him that Body that was prepared for him and the Anointed and Saviour by the divine Power given him when in that Body upon Earth though more highly exalted or anointed as ascended far above all Heavens and exalted in the Father's Glory the Anointed and Saviour also as revealed and formed in the Saints Gal. 4. 19. the Anointed as set up from Everlasting the Anointed both in Sufferings and in Glory the Anointed both as he came in Flesh and as coming and revealed in the Spirit in his People and his Name by which Life and Salvation comes and is given is his divine Nature and Power to which his Name relates that is above every other Name One thing this man H. G. and his Brethren stumble at and at which his Soul is wounded as he saith p. 30. is that Christ was never seen with an outward or rather carnal Eye which H. W. is accused of sor saying The Eternal Son of God was never seen with any Carnal Eye to which I say they should have been so ingenuous as to have considered the Intent of these Words and more candidly to have construed them thus Christ as the eternal Word the Lord from Heaven the only begotten of the Father in his spiritual Discovery as the Image of the invisible God and Brightness of his Glory cannot be seen with a carnal Eye Flesh and Blood hath not so revealed him the saving Light of Christ never was nor can be reached with the carnal Eye he that seeth the Son and believeth on him hath everlasting Life Joh. 6. 40. and as saith the Son of God he that seeth me seeth my Father also Joh. 12. 45. and 14. 9. but none can see the Father with a carnal Eye therefore none could ever see the eternal Son with their carnal Eyes in this Sence of seeing which extends to true Knowing Joh. 8. 19. and 14. 7. though many did see the Body or Person of Christ in the Dayes of his Flesh wherein he was crucified and put to Death the Jews â—…nd Persecutors saw him in that Sence with their outward Eyes when they did neither truely see nor know him to their Salvation it being the Spirit that quickneth and such a Sight of Christ as that of his Body or outward man no reasonable man can be so absurd as to say it was not obvious to the Bodily Eyes and as absurd for any to imagine that any of us should intend otherwise Now these Baptists Faith concerning the Son of God according to their carnal Discourse of him may be modelized into this or the like Argument viz. If Jesus Christ the Son of God be also the Son of man glorified on the right Hand of God in Heaven then he consists of human Body of Flesh and Bones as some say or of a body of Flesh Blood and Bones as others say But he is the Son of man glorified c. Ergo he consists of a human Body either of Flesh and Bone or of Flesh Blood and Bones in Heaven Ans. I deny their varied Consequence as inconsequent for Christ was called the Son of man in a higher Sence then this human earthly or carnal Sence which they represent him in in that he himself said no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven Joh. 3. 13. and what if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh perfitteth nothing Joh. 6. 62 63. who will affim that as he came down from Heaven or as he was before in Heaven he so consisted of a carnal human Body either made up of Flesh and Bone or of Flesh Blood and Bone in their gross and carnal Sence John the Baptist had not such mean Thoughts of Christ as these carnal Baptists have for John said he that cometh from above is above all he that is of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the Earth he that cometh from Heaven is above
all John 3. 31. and the Flesh of the Son of man which he gave for the Life of the World is that Bread which came down from Heaven Joh. 6. 50 51. Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you ver 53. Yet that the Name Son of Man was applyed to him as a Sufferer and as he said so shall the Son of man be three Dayes and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth Math. 12. 40. I deny not but this doth not limit him from being called the Son of Man in a higher State also each of God's Prophets might be called as divers were a Son of Man but Christ the great Prophet the Son of Man the Apostle distinguisheth between the first man and the second man thus The first man is of the Earth earthly or human the second man is the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47. therefore the second man is not human in their Sence nor consisting of a human or earthly Body as the first man and Ephes. 4. 9 10. now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower Parts of the Earth he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and Phil. 3. 21 who shall change the Body of our Lowness that it may be fashoned like unto his glorious Body c. Now if it should be read according to these Baptists Sence it must be who shall change our vile Bodies that they may be fashoned like unto his human Body as if they were not such already and how disproportionable is it to say Christ consists of a human Body of flesh blood and bones in Heaven but the Saints must have a spiritual glorious Body in the State of Glory hereafter yet to prevent these mens Scruples concerning our owning the man Christ or the Son of man in Glory I tell them seriously that I do confess both to his miraculous Conception by the Power of the holy Spirit overshadowing the Virgin Mary and to his being born of her according to the Flesh and so that he took upon him a real Body and not a fantastical and that he was real Man come of the Seed of Abraham and that he in the Dayes of his Flesh preached Righteousness wrought Miracles was crucified and put to Death by wicked Hands that he was buried and rose again the third Day according to the Scriptures and after he rose he appeared diversly or in divers Forms and Manners he really appeared to many Brethren 1 Corinth 15. and afterwards ascended into Glory being translated according to the Wisdom and Power of the Heavenly Father and is glorified with the same Glory which he had with the Father before the World began being ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things whose Glory is Incomprehensible and beyond the Apprehension of Human Capacities VI. Of Jesus and his Body of Man and the Body of Man WHereas H. G. cavils at my speaking distinctly of the Body of Jesus in that Joseph of Arimathea begg'd the Body of Jesus and to confute me herein he instanceth that of the body of Saul and saith that the Case is the same and the body of Moses which the Devil disputed about p. 39 40 41. but in this I cannot see any valid Matter to his purpose nor wherein he can intend it unless he believes that the Soul or spiritual Existence of man dyes with the body and the Devil did appear wiser then he concerning this distinction in that his disputing about the body of Moses does imply a distinction between Moses as to his immortal Existence and the body of Moses and that he did not confound them as this man doth who concludes Jesus Christ to consist of a human Body of Flesh and Bone which the original Being of no man properly consists of though to prevent Cavils and for 〈◊〉 sake I 'll grant him thus much that the Name Jesus Christ is indifferently and mutually applyed both to his spiritual being and to the body he took upon him and that distinctly in Scripture although the Names Messiah Jesus Christ the Anointed the Image and Glory of the invisible God the Word the Light the Life c. do more eminently and more originally belong to him as he was before he took that body upon him which he called this Temple and it was called the body of Jesus Whereas H. G. sayes What a strange Epitath would this Man write upon a Tomb-stone he cannot write here lyes the Body of Thomas or William c. but rather thus here lies the Thomas of Thomas p. 41. Reply This more properly falls upon himself in not admitting that distinction touching Jesus and the body of Jesns but their concluding and confining Jesus Christ as to confist of the meer body of flesh and bone and that he could not be Jesus Christ the Saviour before he took upon him that body by which this man cannot write Here lies the body of Thomas or William c. which implies a belief of an Immortality of the man as to his Spirituality but rather here lies the whole man Thomas or William without admitting of any such Immortality and yet I will grant him as before that the Word Man is indifferently applyed to either the spiritual Being or Body of man as there is an inward man and an outward man 2 Cor. 4. 16. And as God created man in his own Image and yet it s said he formed man of the Dust of the Earth Gen. 1. 27. and Chap. 2. 7. and it s said That the rich Man dyed and was buried which was his Body and in Hell he lift up his Eyes c. which could not be that Part which dyed and was buried but the immortal part or Soul Luke 16. 22. 23. yet the Word Man most properly and originally as God created Man in his own Image belongs to his spiritual Existence or Being for the Earthly Body was not the Image of God But farther let the Reader observe how evidently H. G. has contradicted his foregoing Stuff for a human Christ consisting of a Body of meer Flesh and Bone against my distinction concerning Jesus and his Body that was put to Death and buried which was also raised as where he speaks distinctly of Jesus and his Body p. 33. and confesseth that Christ came in the Flesh p. 36. that he hath an outward glorisied Existence that he hath a body p. 46 47. Christ's crucified Body p. 50. the Body that was prepared for him p. 79. He did assume our Nature p. 80. He had the very Form Shape and Fashion of a Man p. 81. And what He or Him was this he speaks of Was it not Christ the Son of God the Anointed And to his arguing That if Jesus Christ continues a man for ever then he hath a Body of Flesh and Bone forever This doth not follow
in all c. Rep. God's Truth is concerned in his gracious Promises both absolute and conditional as well as in his conditional Threats And let it be considered 1st That Man's Dying in the Day he so eat was the Fruit of his Fall into a State of Misery in dying from that State of Righteousness and Felicity he was in before and it was the Natural Effect of his Transgression and yet not so as that God was absolutely bound to bring eternal Death on Man in that day no no nor was divine Justice so narrowly tyed up or short sighted as not to reserve a Remedy for God had the Seed of the Woman in his eye and divine Justice doth not require that eternal Death or the second death shall remain upon any but on the finally Impenitent who continue in Sin under the Power of the first Death for all they who return to God and receive Christ the promised Seed he proves to them both a Just God and a Saviour neither Justice nor the Curse of the Law can limit him from shewing Mercy Remission or Salvation to the Creature upon true Repentance and Faith in Christ Jesus who overcomes the World and the evil Nature from whence those cursed Actions have sprung mentioned Deut. 27. 15. to the end of the Chapter And t is true the Jews outward who rejected the Righteousness of Faith that is received in the Spirit when Christ was set forth and fetcht their Righteousness from the Letter of the Law they did strictly and formally bring themselves under the Curse thereof when they continued not in all that was written But there is no Condemnation or Curse to them that are in Christ Jesus my Opposer leaves out what follows viz. that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Yet what the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every Mouth may be stopt and all the World may become Guilty before God This Law therefore as thus convicting is Spiritual and tends to man's Conversion in that it is to prepare him for Mercy which divine Justice doth not hinder nor detain the World under the Guilt divine Truth being concerned in the gracious Promises which are Yea and Amen in the Promised Seed that ransoms Man slayes the Enmity crucifies the Transgressors or first Birth which must dye upon which the Law and its Sentence of Death must pass and Man that is guilty must feel this in himself before he be delivered into that State wherein there is no Condemnation or be united to the Lord who Kills and makes Alive So that neither Justice nor Truth in the Law are frustrated the Law is not made void through Faith but established in the Spirituality and Purity of it the Righteousness of the Law being fulfilled in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And 't is said that the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Rom. 3. Christ came to condemn Sin in the Flesh and is the End of the Law for Righteousness to all them that believe and not for the Continuance of Unrighteousness and where Sin is put an End to by Christ the Curse and Condemnation of necessity ceaseth with it and the Righteousness of Faith takes place in the Soul Obj. Adam hath sinned We are by Nature Children of Wrath in our own Persons We have failed hence God's Wrath is up against us God burning in his Wrath is ready to condemn us to take Vengeance on us to consume us as Fire not to Justifie and acquit from our Ill Deserts c. If Burning ten thousand millions of Years in Hell is not enough to turn away his Wrath c. Rep. Thus he hath defined divine Justice as he thinks which is further spoken to hereafter but upon whom must it be thus satisfied supposeth he S. S. Justice is satisfied upon Transgression p. 103. Rep. Then upon Rebellious Transgressors and not upon Christ who was alwayes Innocent and did the things well pleasing to the Father and therefore divine Justice could never burn nor take such Vengeance on him for Satisfaction and let the Guilty go free for so to do could not be Justice the Satisfaction whereof as it intends the Undergoing the Penalty of the Law due for the Injury done Justice can only require it of the Offender and Guilty for whom the Law was made not of the innocent or Righteous for whom the Law was not made But where then were the Mercy or Forgiveness to the poor Creature that hath sinned if God were so engaged to burn in his Wrath and take the full Vengeance upon lost man S. S. His Truth engageth him to execute his Justice in punishing Sin yea to the full should Mercy offer to pronounce any man absolved his Sin unpunished Truth would stop the Mouth of Mercy and say Hold I have Cursed c. Rep. What strange and lamentable Division would this make in God! and how variable and in Contrariety with himself And how Contrary to the Testimonies of his Faithful Witnesses hath this Man rendered God As if absolute Revenge and Wrath towards all Mankind did bear the sole Sway in him over all both his Love Goodness and Mercy Oh sad Is not his Mercy over all his Works and hath he not Forgiveness in store unto whom it is said who is a God like unto Thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his * Anger forever because he delighteth in Mercy Mica 7. 18. The Lord God merciful and gracious forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Exod. 34. 6 7. So that even in the Law Gods Mercy and Forgiveness as well as his Threats were signified which his Truth must needs be concerned in Is it not evident that God is not engaged under Revenge nor his Mercy and Truth divided or opposite as this Man renders him For both must be received and have their place where Judgment and Mercy meet and men through the Law become dead unto the Law so as to know Christ to live in them and through God's Judgment and Chastisements to find a Ransom and an Attonement and God hath Power to turn away Wrath as he doth upon men's true Repentance Humiliation and Return to him as when the King humbled himself the Wrath of the Lord turned away from him 2 Chron. 12. 12. And also Hezekiah seeing the Wrath of the Lord upon Judah and Jerusalem for their doing Evil in his Sight and turning their Backs c. He said Now is it in mine Heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce Wrath may turn away from us 2 Chron. 29. 8 10. And in the King's Letters be ye not stiff necked but yield your selves unto the Lord
rasting Death for every Man was not by Way of Revenge or Wrath from the Father nor the Punishment due to the World's Sin for tasting Death is far short of eternally dying The Prophet said Surely he has born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him Isa. 53. It was man's Transgression that was his Burthen and Cause of his Grief and Suffering however some esteemed him smitten or plagued of God He hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows c. Such as suffer with Christ and lie under the Sence of their Burthen do not lay all both the Sorrow and Punishment Oâ—… Sin upon Christ such do not say Christ was sorry or repented for us therefore we need not or Christ was chastised and afflicted in our Person for us therefore we need not be chastised nor afflicted for Sin past Christ made Intercession therefore we need not pray This were not to know the Fellowship of his Sufferings nor to be conformable to his Death nor baptized with his Baptism Besides the Chastisement of our Peace upon him was not Revenge nor burning Wrath from God Chastisement and Vengeance are two things God's Chastisement is in Love not in Revenge it pleased the Lord to bruise him who had done no Violence Isa. 53. by delivering him up to suffer and bear our Sorrows and Griefs AN ACT OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE NOT OF REVENGE OR WRATH how could it be Justice fully to punish the Innocent for the Wicked's Offence Were it not Blasphemy to charge God with such Cruelty and Injâ—…stice Obj. Every known Sin is a wilful Rejection of Infinite Goodness a free Choice of Infinite Displeasure c. It therefore carries Infinite Demerit with it and nothing short of Infinite Punishment or Sufferings of Infinite Wrath can possibly suffice to satisfie for it Rep. Wo unto them that persist in Sin and reject Christ's inherent or inward Righteousness for such a Satisfaction as this of Infinite Punishment c. or that believe their Sins were thus punisht in Christ and thereupon continue in Sin Wo unto you that thus justifie the Wicked condemn the Innocent God's Controversie is against you you are afflicting oppressing and crucifying the Just with your Iniquities treading under Foot the Son of God rejecting the Blood of the Covenant you are Guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ as much as they were that condemned him and said he was Guilty of Death your Doctrine imputes the Sin Guilt and Punishment thereof to Christ you have esteemed him plagued of God but you have pierced him and grieved him by your Iniquity and Hypocrisie Take Heed of wilful sinning and rejecting the Goodness of God lest there remain no more a Sacrifice for you Repent repent repent Return return return to the Lord God before his Wrath sweep you away into Perdition Further he saith None but God's Equal and this is God himself in our Nature that is capable to satisfie God for Sin Christ received the Stroak of God's Justice c. Rep. While he states this Satisfaction to be only by Way of punishing men's Sin in Christ and now it is God himself that satisfies God this is of an absurd and blasphemous Tendence as if God punisht himself or as if God satisfied God with Infinite Punishment or suffering of Infinite Wrath and what is this but to divide God against himself Yet we may find out a better Sense for the Words before that God and Christ were one inseparable in the Suffering Affliction That his Soul bore as the Spirit of God was burthened afflicted and grieved under the Weight and Pressure of Man's Iniquity and Sin howbeit this was not of the Nature of strict Payment made to God by himself in Man's stead much less to punish man's Sin in Christ with infinite Wrath. Quest. Can Faith and the Works that follow without the Imputation of Christ's Sufferings satisfie God's Majesty for our Sin Answ. Here he misseth the true State of the Controversie or Question which should rather be Can your Imputation of Christ's Sufferings without true Faith and the Obedience or Works thereof either satisfie God's Majesty for Sin or justifie Men while he implies No he hath given away his Cause by granting That the Sufferings of Christ alone can not justifie Men without true Faith and Obedience to him By so much was Jesus made the Surety of a better Testament Heb. 7. 22. This is no Proof that your Sins were imputed to him as punish'd in him by the suffering of Infinite Wrath which to affirm renders him no better then a Transgressor guilty of your Sins as your Brother T. D. hath affirmed which is much beneath his being Mediator or the Surety of the new Testament which he was made the Surety of to ensure and make good the Promises and Priviledges thereof to true Believers which are all Yea Amen in him and to enable us to obey and perform those Terms and Conditions of the new Testament or Covenant which concern us for we cannot receive the Promises but in him nor discharge or pay our Duty without him therefore he is the Mediator of the new Covenant he is our high Priest made with the Oath of God and continueth forever and he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Heb. 7. 24 25 28. But if God's Justice be fully satisfied for your Sins by the Sufferings of Christ and for them only God justifie men and secure them from Condemnation It being against Justice it self to punish those Sins a second time that have been punisht to the full already he saith How then shall God render to every Man according to his Works Indignation and Wrath to them that are contentious obey not the Truth but obey Unrighteousness Will they be able to plead this Doctrine before his Tribunal Lord thou hast punisht our Sins to the full in thy Son Christ It is against Justice it self to punish them a second time for Christ dyed for all Men tasted Death for every Man gave himself a Ransom for all for a Testimony in due Time But if this were a Punishment of their Sins to the full then how could Justice punish them again with Indignation Wrath But Glory Honour Peace to them that do Good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile to them that through Patient continuing in Well-doing seek for Glory and Immortality eternal Life see Rom. 2. Such do not plead Christ's doing Good and suffering only for them in his Person to justifie and excuse them in Sin in their Persons or to cloak their doing Evil all their Life long though Sin-pleasing Hypocrites thus endeavour to indulge themselves and others in their
himself his by himself purging our Sins the Will of God sanctifying us through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all c. as being a Sacrifice of far more Value then those Typical ones under the Law which he fully answered and ended though they were said to make Attonement Reconciliation for Sins of Ignorance that they might be forgiven and the Scape-Goat to bear away the Iniquities and Transgressions of the Children of Israel Lev. 4. 16. 23. And did not the killing and sacrificing of Bulls Goats and Heifers typifie or figure forth the killing and destroying that corrupt beastly Nature and Enmity in man which is for Death and Destruction and which those Beasts were as a lively Embleme of Seeing hereby God was pleased in a Way of Condescension to their low Capacities to shew a Pacification or Expiation to express his Forbearance suspending the severe Execution of the Law and Willingness to pardon Iniquity and to pass by former Transgressions and be reconciled when they afflicted their Souls and offer'd up burnt-Offering in the Day of Attonement as both were required much more hath God declared himself reconciled to us in commending his Love to us in that while we were Enemies Christ dyed and so he hath shewed forth his Kindness and free Love as willing to pass by and pardon the Sins of the World upon true Repentance in his setting forth his Son to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood and in his being in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them which was both in his Forbearance commending his Love and Good-Will in his Son unto the World and sending his Son that the World through him might be saved Let it be seriously here minded 1. That those Scriptures relating to Christ's Death Reconciliation Sanctification and putting away Sin as by Way of Sacrifice c. as Joh. 1. 29. Rom. 5. 10. Heb. 10. 10. Chap. 1. 3. Col. 1. 22. which intimate the Work as if universally done yet it is with respect unto the general Favour and Good-Will of God in Christ as by the which Will we Believers are sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Jesus and so we are said to be reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through Death Withall note that it was the manner of the Hebrews Prophets and Apostles to speak many Things in the Spirit of Prophecy as done or past before they were accomplished in the proper Subjects God having an Eye of Pitty and Compassion open to lost Man for his Redemption even before it was fulfilled whereby he saw and lookt beyond the former Transgressions Sins and Infirmities for the Sin of the World is not actually taken away purged out or put away as to its Nature and Be ing nor are Men in a State of Reconciliation or Friendship while actual Sinners and Enemies in their Minds but as they come to be converted and sanctified by the Spirit Therefore God's reconciling the World in and by his Son shews his gracious Will and was intended conditionally to be fulfilled in them viz. Upon Faith and Obedience It was done so as with respect unto Christ as the first Fruits and with an Eye to the Condition before it was actually fulfilled in them and what was outwardly signified as to the Good of Man by Christ's Sufferings and Death in the Flesh as our great Exemplar in his Obedience and Holiness is inwardly to be fulfilled and answered in Spirit as to the Principle End and Design of God therein as for Instance God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself yet the Apostle added We pray you in Christ's stead be you reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And to the Saints at Colos. You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your Minds by Wicked Works yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through Death to present you Holy and Unblameable and Unreproveable in his Sight If ye continue in the Faitle grounded and setled c. Colos. 1. 21 22 23. Mark on this Condition they were reconciled and to be presented to God Not as being Enemies and in wicked Works But as made Friends by Conversion to and continuing in the Faith And God shewing forth Mercy to all and universal Pardon of Sin past in and for the sake of his Son Christ Jesus he being the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World declares his not imputing their Trespasses unto them according to Severity but his being reconciled to them that they may be reconciled to him Finally Because God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and because he commended his Love to us while we were Sinners and we reconciled c. by the Death of his Son as our Representative If from hence any infer That their Sin being not imputed therefore they are justified by the Imputation of Christ's Death and Blood though they continue in Sin and Disobedience to him and remain Unsanctified I must deny their Consequence and tell them that there is a two-fold non-Imputation of Sin or under a two-fold consideration Sin is said not to be imputed 1st with respect to God's Forbearance while he suspends Execution and doth not cut off 〈◊〉 in their Sins when yet the Nature and Being of Sin is not destroyed nor purged away expecting their Repentance c. In this Sense David when he said I have sinned Nathan toâ—…d him The Lord hath put away thy Sin Thou shalt not dye 2 Sam. 12. 13. Yet this proves him not then at that time in an absolute and compleat Justified Estate or his Sin blotted out for aâ—…ter this he both implored Mercy intreated Forgiveness and passed through great Judgment Difficulty and Trouble under the Weight and Burthen of his Iniquity 2. A Non Imputation of Sin in a better and higher State as where the Miâ—…d and Spirit is sanctified and cleared and Sin really done away and wholy blotted out where the Lord Imputeth not Iniqâ—…ity but Righteousness as Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord Imputeth not Iniquity and in whose Spirit there is NO GUILE Psa. 32. 1 2. It were unreasonable to think that all to whom Sin is â—…ot imputed iâ—… the first Sense are in a Justified State for then were the whole World Justified for God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their â—…respasses But in the latter Sense they are Justified being Washed Sanctified and Justified in the Name oâ—… the Lord Jeâ—…us and â—…y the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. c. 11. and such as in wâ—…ose Spirit there is no Guile And so no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but aâ—…ter the Spirit Rom. 8. 1 2. Therefore Justification And if it be further queried viz. Quest. How doth it consist with God's Justice and Truth which alwaies required perfect Obedience either to
within is not the Rule above the Scriptures as is implyed in his 57th page when I confess it to be that that gives the true Understanding of them and to be wise according to what is written And not to pretend the Scriptures for Proof of what they prove not As for Instance When I am called to answer an Unscriptural Question by such as profess Scripture to be their Rule I think it most meet to answer them in the Scripture-Language which while they are not satisfied with they inquire but to Cavil and for Advantage as my Opposer and some others of his Abettors did As for a more particular Instance when they query about the Resurrection of the Body as desiring I would inform them what Body that is that shall arise again which being the same with that which the Apostle reproves for 1 Cor. 15. 35. it deserves the same Reproof for Answer vers 36 37. Again Though I really confess the Universal Resurrection of the Body of Mankind or of the whole Adam which implieth First A general Fall and Death and that they shall come forth some to the Resurrection of Life and others to the Resurrection of Damnation yet for the very Phrase namely The Resurrection of the Body of Flesh c. I find not in Scripture But the Resurrection of the Dâ—…ad the raising and arising of the Dead c. 2dly Upon my Answer in the Apostle's very words 1 Cor. 15. 35. the feigned Christian saith This Answer Whitehead said is sufficient for such busie intruding Fools p. 57. By which he hath contradicted what he saith before Whitehead answered in p. 54. But then he adds The Apostle calls Fools not they that believed but they that deny the Resurrection of the Body Persons of the same Perswasion with the Quakers in this Point p. 57. That the Corinthians did positively deny the Resurrection he hath not proved But that some questioned like him How and with what Body are the â—…ead raised c. whose Folly the Apostle reproved And this is not Quakers Perswasion thus to question much less to deny the Resurrection in the true Sense and real Mystery of it For so to question With what Body are the Dead raised is not a Question necessary to Salvation nor essential to the being of a Christian who knows a part in Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life Now come we to examine T. H's Meaning upon the Text 1 Cor. 15. 37 38. wherein he proceeds thus Concerning this Mortal viz. That the Body given it is the same for Substance the same that was sown c. only called a Body given to it because it is so changed from its Accidents of Corruption and Mortality Thus far T. H. What reasonable man can make Sense of this piece of Oratory as to say that the Body given to it is the same for Substance Like as if he had said This same mortal Body is the same It which is given it or it is the same It that is sown that is given it self or the same Body for Substance is given to the mortal Body What rare Rhetorick is this And so his Brother Kiffin saith That the Seed that 's sown is the same Body of Flesh c. which shall arise though otherwise qualified If so what is that Body that God giveth to it as it pleaseth him For if it be lookt upon in the Nature of a Seed it must be supposed that it is another Body that 's given unto it as is to every Seed sown according to its kind For it is plain Non-sence to say That that which is sown is the same Body that is given to it Besides that which is not quickened except it dyes which may be spoken of every kind of Seed that hath Life in it first doth not dye beâ—…ore it is sown but after 't is sown as Christ saith Except a Grain of Wheat fall into the Ground and dye it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much Fruit Now the Fruit or Ear brought forth is the proper Body given to it which is not the very same which waâ—… sown in the Earth But I pray how holds this dying aftersown with these men's fleshly Opinion of the carnal Body in the Grave being the Seed for that being Dead before doth not dye after 't is buried neither do these men intend to be buried alive And seeing every Seed hath its own proper Body what Body can be proper to the Terrestrial Bodies which if every one of them must be lookt upon as the Seed to have each a proper Body given what a plurality of Bodies must there be besides what are And will it not amount to this That every man shall not only have these very Terrestrial Bodies but each a Body besides and so every man two Bodies and those of the same Substance that these are now to wit Terrestrial or Carnal He cites Phil. 3. 21. thus He shall change our vile Bodies Herein he mis-cites and perverts the Phrase For 't is not Bodies in the plural but Body in the singular And 't is to be read thus from the Greek He shall change the Body of our Lowness that it may be fashioned or trans-figured like unto his Glorious Body But doth not this evidently make against him considering that Christ's Glorious Body is not a Carnal Terrestrial or Earthly Body but a Spiritual Transcendent Glorious Body And the changing of our Low Body in fashion to be like his implieth not the same Terrestial or Carnal Bodies or to be of this Fashion and Substance as now they are For Celestial Spiritual and Glorious Bodies are much different from Terrestrial Carnal and Mean Corruptible Bodies Again T. H. addeth from Phil 3. 21. This cannot be meant of a new created Body because such a Body cannot be said to be either vile or changed If then this IT be not the Body which dyed but another how can that be called a Resurrection for that supposeth the same If another then it is more properly a Creation of a new Body then the Resurrection of the Body p. 58. Repl. Mark here 1. He is for a Resurrection of the very same Tâ—…rrestrial Bodies of all men but no new Creation for that opposeth his Thoughts of the Resurrection 2. What a strange Inconsistency is it that the self-same Earthly or Carnal Bodies of all should arise again after they are turned to Dust without any new Creation and yet rise compleat the same they were sor Substance What Sense or Congruity can be made of this Many Thousands being dissolved and turned to as real Dust of the Earth as man was at first formed of how should Living and Compleat Bodies be raised out of that Dust without Creating anew first But if it cannot be a new created Body it is not the same Natural Carnal or Terrestrial Body for Substance after dissolved It is not this very same corruptible Flesh Blood and Bones that is given to every Seed
as it pleaseth God or that shall inherit God's Kingdom Howbeit As to be Quickened implieth a Death first and Resurrection a Fall before and to be Changed that there was either a vile corruptible Suffering or low Estate before So all that come to know Christ in them and the Body dead because of Sin know the Spirit to be Life because of Righteousness And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8. 10 11 12 13. And this plainly is a quickening unto Righteousness by the Spirit dwelling within which is far from being a Proof of T. H's Opinion though cited by him And as in the first Adam is both the Fall and Death come over all men so in the second Adam who is the Resurrection and the Life all are made alive and that unto Righteousness who first come to see the Body dead because of Sin and the Deeds of the Body mortified Rom. 8. 13. or who come to know Christ and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death these attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead Phil. 3. 10 11. Such do not strive for a Notion thereof but to attain to it As to the manner of Existences or Beings of all men in the World to come there is no Necessity for any to be taking thought or busying their Minds about them it being in the Pleasure and Wisdom of God to reserve all to their due and deserved Ends in an immortal Capacity Our present Concernment is so to know and esteem of Christ as that we may be found in him not only mortified to the Corruptions of this World through the Fellowship of his Suffering and Conformity unto his Death But also interessed in that blessed Resurrection which is only attained to in Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life that he may be magnified in our Body whether by Life or Death To what he saith in his 59. pag. about the Bâ—…dy that was dead about that It which is raised about the Soâ—…l and the Seed of God the Matter is answered else where yet First All that know the Body dead because of Sin having mortified the Deeds of the Flesh and being conformable to the Death of Christ as dead with him shall alfo be quickned and raised up by his Spirit that dwells in them which is Life because of Righteousness and such only can speak experimentally of the Seed of God and the Soul 2dly That there is a Seed of God and a Seed of the Serpent in Mankind according to G. F. Junior's relation he further tells you that they that discern the Body of each Seed are not the Fools which are questioning how the dead should be raised and with what Body for they know that all Mankind will be found in one of these two Seeds By which it is plain he doth not exclude men from a future Being or Immortality nor confound them with the very Being of God though it is by his invisible Power that all are upheld in their respective Existences in Immortality whether they be found in the Nature and Image of the good Seed or of the evil T. H. And since he calls them Fools that is the Apostles and all true Christians that say This Body of Flesh and Bones shall arise pag. 59. Rep. He should have produced his plain Scripture for the Apostles so saying where are these Words to be found in all the Scriptures of the new Testament that this Body of Flesh and Bones shall arise again Doth not the Apostle say the contrary Thou sowest not that Body that shall be And Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God But must we then suppose as some Professors do That these Bodies of Flesh and Bones shall inherit the Kingdom of God without any Blood in them Or that after they are returned to Dust they shall arise again the self same as they are without any new Creation I confess this is such kind of new Philosophy as I have not read of before The man has run himself into such strange Confusion and wholy misses the Sense of the Resurrection and the Life and over looks the true Seed and Root of the Matter while in his vain mind he is imagining muddling and Devil-like disputing about the Body which in Comparison of the immortal Existence and being of Man is but an outside Case earthly Shell or Husk that disolveth Again he saith If this Seed of the Serpent be only Sin and the Seed of Christ only Grace it is only Sin and Grace which shall arise again p. 60. Oh the gross Darkness and Ignorance of this Man He knows not the Seed of the Serpent from whence Sin springs nor the Seed of God from whence Grace and Life flows But falsly supposes that our Principle extinguishes the future distinct beings of Men though it hath been plainly told him that all Mankind will be found in one of these two Seeds As also we testifie from that Sence of Life and Immortality that is brought to Light in us through the Gospel That the Soul whole spiritual Man and spiritual Body shall exist in Immortality yea though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day and in order to possess an eternal Weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. This inward Man is neither extinguish'd by the perishing of the outward Man nor thereby deprived of that Advantage which is an eternal Weight of Glory And that God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed his own Body or his proper Body The Man would know what this It is shewing his Dubiousness of his own Assertion before viz. That it is a mortal Body of Flesh and Bones whether it shall be raised and go to Heaven with any Blood in it he tells us not and that the Body given it is the same for Substance that is as good Sense as to say the Body of Flesh and Bones shall when it is raised have the same Body of Flesh and Bones given to it whereas it is to every Seed his proper Body which is comprehensive both of the Seed of the Righteous and the Seed of the Wicked of the Seed of God and the Seed of the Serpent and so comprehends and takes in the whole Body of Mankind under those two Relations and Natures not to dissolve or extinguish their Rational Intelligible Beings with the perishing and dissolvable Earthly Outside or Case but that all shall be reserved for their due and proper Ends according to the Seed Nature and Image which their Soul carries with it when it parts with the Earthly Cloathing And whereas it is said that It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body the great Stress is laid on the particle IT which may as well be applyed to Wheat or
Seed in any or Christ's Arising who doth appear reveal himself and arise in the Souls that believe in him to raise them also up with him yea and that which the Father hath given him he will loose nothing oâ—… it but raise it up at the last Day And if you do not come to know a Righteous Seed raised up in you and Truth to spring up out of the Earth and to witness Christ to be your Resurrection and Life you remain dead in your Sins and short of the Glory of this Resurrection But in witnessing Christ to be the Resurrection and the Life unto us we do not assert that it is only the Seed or Christ in us that doth arise as is vainly imagined but we are revived and do arise in and with him as those that have believed in his Name as he said I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and he that liveth and believeth in me shall never dye wherein he doth not take notice of the putting off of the earthly Body or Cloathing as his dying or Death And as in Adam all dye even so in Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his own order Christ the first Fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his Coming and this is not to exempt Man from the Benefit of the Resurrection nor to say That Christ and the Light within is sown Natural Mortal and Corruptible as T. H. most malitiously and falsly accuseth us by way of Question as asserting Blasphemy To which he farther adds that we intend the Resurrection of something past and witness in our selves What is Falsehood and Deceipt if this be not p. 61. And further saith Thus do you undermine the very Foundation of Faith Hope and Holiness of Life like Hymneas and Philotus 2 Tim. 2. 17. who said the Resurrection is past already To which I answer first What we witness in ourselves of the Resurrection it is this Man 's horrible Blasphemy to call it Falsehood and Deceipt for that we do witness to Christ as being the Resurrection and the Life revealed in us so far as we have a living Knowledge of him and Experience of being by him raised up from Sin and Death that came by it in order to attain to a future Glory 2dly 'T is a Gross Slander that we either intend or say like Hymneas and Philotus that the Resurrection is past already for that it is not yet as to Man compleatly we are not yet raised to what we shall be as namely to that Fulness of Glory and absolute Joy and Tryumph which shall be incessantly possest after our Labours and Sufferings are ended and our Earthly House dissolved for the more we are drawn up into absolute Spirituality the more capable we are of that full Fruition of an eternal Weight of Glory in the Heavens in order to which let us be Spiritually minded and walk in Holiness of Life while here in our earthly House As also we cannot hold that the Resurrection is past already while we or any of us are suffering with Christ and travailing in order to attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead that is perfectly to be raised up with Christ who is the Resurrection and Life in some Degree at least of all that truly believe in his Name and Power Neither is this to undermine the Foundation of true Faith Hope or Holiness of Life while we confess Christ to be that Foundation But to argue for Sin and Imperfection term of Life and so to put off being Perfect till in Heaven as this Opposer hath done this is repugnant to the Foundation of living and purifying Faith and Hope and so excludes Holiness of Life howbeit he thinks to arrive at Heaven with the same Carnal Carcass or Corruptible Cask he now beats about with him only he thinks it will be new drest up and polisht after it is turned to Dust But the greatest Miracle is that it must not be Created a new nor a new Created Body and unless we grant him this he reckons our Religion a meer Cheat calculated only to the Service of the Devil and our own Lusts and that it denies any Eternal Advantage and therefore be opposeth the Christian to the Quaker p. 62. And what is the Marrow of his Matter for this severe Conclusion upon us But First he accuseth us of a palpable Denyal of all future and distinct Beings and Existences after Death pag. 62. which is a palpable and notorious Untruth for as we confess to the distinct Beings of Angels in Heaven so we confess the future distinct Beings and Existences of the Saints and Children of the Resurrection that in the World to come they shall be AS the Angels of God yea They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection c. They shall be equal unto the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection Luk. 20. 36. And what Bodies have these Angels of God Terrestrial or Celestial Carnal or Spiritual let that be considered 2dly The Man 's other Pretence is If the Soul be a Part of God Divine Infinite as before and returns into God being God it cannot miscarry he saith His Abuse concerning this hath been answer'd before both in this Treatise and in my Book of the Nature of Christianity And it was never asserted by us either of the Soul of Man or of the Spirit or Existence of Man or the Creature which may vary in its Affections to Good or Evil according to the Power that acts Man Neither can it be conceived in Reason but Envie that any of us should look upon the Infinite God to be Divisible into so many Parts or Particles as there are Entities or Existences of Men yet that there is an Infinite Life Principle or Seed in the Soul of every Man This we confess as that by which the Soul immortally subsists in its being and therefore this may be counted the Soul or Life of the Soul for without this the Soul of man could not subsist in an Immortal Capacity And this I and divers others can testifie that G. F. did not intend or asscribe either Immutability Infiniteness or Divinity to the meer formed or created Spirit Soul or Being of Man but to the divine immediate Inspiration or Breath of Life flowing from God himself who inspired into him an active Soul and breathed in a living Spirit Wisd. 15. 11. whereby Man became both a living and reasonable Soul indued with Rational Intellectual and Spiritual Parts 3dly I know no other Reason he can pretend for his Charge against us and our Religion as a Cheat and as denying an eternal Advantage but that we do not own his gross and carnal Sense of the Resurrection though it be none of our Phrase to say in these general words That the Body perisheth forever but hereby he plainly implies man's Incapacity of an
eternal Advantage unless his Carnal or Terrestrial Body that now is partake thereof and how shall it partake thereof after it is dissolved and turned to Dust He tells us It cannot be a new Created Body but a Resurrection Of what he would have it of the self-same Body for Substance But if there must be no new Creation but a Resurrection of these Carnal Bodies opposed to Creation it must only be a raising of the Dust of these Bodies and then what a sad Garment would this invest the Souls of the Righteous with But if on second Thoughts he will admit of any new Creation of Bodies out of the Dust this cannot imply that they shall be the very self same that now they are in Matter and Form But if any of them shall yet say They shall be specifically the same Bodies That varies from their Principle of being the self-same that now they are What is now become of this Man's Religion and whereon do his Expectations of a future Advantage depend but upon his Ignorant and Carnal Conceptions and not upon any living Sence of Christ or any spiritual or divine Understanding of the Mystery of the Resurrection whose Work is gross Body and not Spirit He reckons our Religion and Suffering to be for a Carnal Interest while his empty Faith and Profession is for the same to be sure being so much for the Promotion of his Carnal Body in eternal Glory which 't is not capable of nor he in the Way to it Such is the course of some carnal Cavillers who while contending about Bodies and musing how they shall exist in Heaven they are now neglecting the Way thither more busying themselves about their carnal Bodies then regarding their poor Souls or minding the Spirit of Holiness thereby to become Sons of God and of the Resurrection or to be converted from Sin and Pollution to Holiness or turned from Satan's Power to God which is the Way to Glory And now in short to answer what we and our Religion are charged within the Conclusion of our Adversary's bitter reviling Dialogue First We testifie that the Resurrection is not past 2dly That the Soul of Man is not God nor Christ but God is the Saviour of it and so we alwayes since we knew our own Souls have distinguished between the Soul and the Saviour of it 3dly That we confess future and distinct Beings after Death as well of Men as of Angels and that the Children of God and of the Resurrection shall in the World to come be as the Angels yea equal to them 4thly Though it be said Thou sowest not that Body that shall be and Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. It doth not therefore follow that our Religion denies any eternal Advantage that is to be reaped much less that it is a Cheat or Calculated to the Service of the Devil as most wickedly and malitiously T. H. hath reviled and blasphemed that Religion and Testimony which we know is given us of God for we have not by distinguishing between the Natural and Spiritual Bodies denyed the Saints their proper Existences Spiritual Body or House eternal in the Heavens when the Earthly Tabernacle is dissolved and unless the Man holds the Mortality of the Soul that it dyes with the Body or the extinguishing of the spiritual Being of Man I do not see how he can suppose a denying of any eternal Advantage on our parts unless he place it all upon the Earthly Body It is true that some of his Brethren do hold that the Soul dyes with the Body and sleeps in the Dust till both be raised and this also depriveth all the Saints deceased from having any eternal Advantage in the mean time at least But we are not of that Faith Hope or Religion that will expire or perish with the Carnal Body as our Opposers will who in his fruitless carnal Work and Discourse consists more of and for gross Body then Spirit he is too carnal gross in his Apprehensions to discern so much as a Vision of the future Beings and State of Saints But both they that think they shall reap no Eternal Advantage without their Terrestrial Bodies of Flesh and Blood as T. H. pag. 75. And they who hold the Mortality of the Soul are not of the Apostle's mind and Spirit who said We know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord ver 8. For to me to live is Christ and to dye 〈◊〉 Gain but if I live in the Flesh this is the Fruit of my Labour Yet what I shall Chuse I wote not for I am in a straight betwixt two having a Desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 21 22 23. Mark here First he expected a far better and more excellent House then the Earthly House after Dissolution 2dly If to dye was Gain to him and to depart from the Flesh desirable and so out of it to be with Christ far better he did not place his Felicity upon the Flesh or carnal Body as T. H. doth neither did the Apostle so indeavour to magnifie that fleshly outside Cloathing which is perishing and dissolvable but his earnest Expectation and Hope was on the behalf of Christ and his future Gain in him saying Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether by Life or by Death Phil. 1 20. But T. H. his carnal Contest is for magnifying his earthly carnal Body and not for magnifying Christ therein for he scornfully slights our witnessing Christ and his being risen in us though it is evident the Apostle did not place his eternal Felicity and Advantage upon the Earthly House Flesh or carnal Body that perishes and turns to Dust for if he set his Heart upon Man if he gather unto himself his Spirit his Breath all Flesh shall perish together and Man shall turn again unto Dust Job 34. 14 15. But T. H. sees no Eternal Advantage to be reapt by Persons after Death unless they confess the Resurrection of the very self-same Flesh Blood and Bones that dyes corrupts and turns to Dust If he intends any Blood in it he will admit of no new Creation of it and by this his Religion and Hope do expire and perish with his corrupt Body and must only be renewed when the Dust of that Body shall be raised without Creating it a new Body And if there be no eternal Advantage without this kind of Resurrection as described by him this doth either wholly deny the Original and Spiritual Being of Man and comprehends the whole Man only as consisting of a mortal and perishing Body or else admits not of the reasonable Soul really to injoy her self in any condition out of the outside
good without the Earthly and perishing Organs T. D. 3. Nor were the Promise to Glorifie Abraham's Soul made good without glorifying his Body too for the Happiness of the Soul is not Perfect without the Body its dear and beloved Companion the Soul having a strong Desire * and Inclination to a Re-union to the Body as the Schools not without good Ground determine vid. Calvin Harm Evang. in Mat. 22. 31 32. Luk. 20. 38. Answ. It is evident that this Man doth give this account that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body not from any spiritual Sight of the Souls Happiness or Glory for in Page 81. he confesseth that the different Disposal of the Spirits of Man and Beast is not visible to the Eye of Sence and but dimly to the Eye of Reason and Faith although he has taken upon him by Tradition from Calvin c. to assert that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body It may be understood that they have neither clear Reason nor perfect Faith for this and to be sure while he and others assert it without either we have no Reason to believe them But to answer him closely Both Calvin T. D. the Schools and divers Anabaptists are mistaken in this very Matter and see not with the Eye of true Faith either that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body Or that the Soul hath a strong Desire to a Re-union to the Body â—…hile they intend the Terrestrial Elementary Bodies for this implies the Soul to be in a kind of Purgatory or Disquietness till the supposed Resumption of the Body and their Assertion and Determination herein is Contraty to what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5. for we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens ver 1. for we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened c. ver 4. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord ver 8. And said he I am in a Strait betwixt two having a Desire to depart c. Phil. 1. 23. See now the Stress of the Controversie where it lieth and that it is not only between these our Opposers Us but also between them and the Apostle Paul Thus viz. Calvin the Schools 〈◊〉 and Anabaptists determine and conclude That the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body and that the Soul when separate hath a strong Desire and Inclination to a Re-union to the Body But The Apostle Paul as knowing that when their Earthly House was dissolved they had a far better namely a Building of God Eternal in the Heavens Therefore in the Earthly Tabernacle they groâ—…ned being burdened as willing rather to be absent from the Body By which it appears they expected a more full Fruition or Felicity in the Heavenly Tabernacle then in the Earthly Their Soul did not desire after the Flesh as these Opposers imply neither had they any such Delight therein as fleshly Minds and carnal Contenders have Moreover the Apostle from the Visions and Revelations of the Lord saith I knew a Man in Christ above fourteen Years ago whether IN the Body or OUT of the Body I cannot tell God knows Such an one caught up to the third Heaven caught up into Paradise and heard upspeakable Words c. 2 Cor. 12. From hence consider that being caught up to the 3d Heaven into Paradise he doth not place the Sight and Sence of this Condition upon the Body for that he knew not whether he was In the Body or Out of the Body yet knew that he was a Man in Christ and in the Revelation of the Lord But he did not concern himself about this Earthly Body being so glorified in Heaven or Paradise as these Men do and carnally think who have neither Visions nor Revelations of the Lord concerning any such State but Calvin and the Schoolmens Determination contrary to the Apostles But the presumptuous Confidence of our Opposers appears the more in undertaking to assert or demonstrate the future State of the Soul as not being in perfect Happiness without the Body and as having a strong Desire after it while yet they neither know the State of the Soul nor have had so much as a Vision of the Glory thereof or of the glorified spiritual State of the Saints hereafter for Visions and Revelations they deem to be ceased long since and a Disposal of the Spirits of men after Death is not visible to the Eye of Sence and he saith but dimly to the Eye of Reason and Faith However while these Men cannot but appear themselves so Dim in these Sublime Matters and that while their dim Reason cannot reach them they cannot demonstrate to others either that the Souls of the Just in Heaven are not yet perfectly Happy or that they have such a strong Desire to a Re-union with the Body dissolved the shew themselves imaginary Intruders puft up in their fleshly Minds exercising themselves in things too high for them and it were better for them to sit down in Silence and wait in the Light to have some Sence and Knowledge of the true immortal Life to quicken them to God and not thus to busie themselves with unprofitable Talk brought forth from Imaginations of men and not from any true Sight or Revelation of the Conditions of Saints either here or hereafter His telling of Abraham's Soul living actually is true and as true it is That his Soul is in perfect Felicity and Glory and the more being out of the Earthly Tabernacle But his saying that the Body of Abraham or Bodies of the deceased Believers liveth potentially for this we have his own Traditional Assertion but not any Scripture-Proof or Phrase that suits it nor rational Demonstration for it As to his saying That if any shall say that Christ's Argument and his Application of it proves but the Resurrection of the Good c. I say his Application thereof seems but to extend to the Good as in his saying They whose God God is shall rise yet he hath not proved the Rising of their Earthly Bodies after they are dissolv'd to Dust and reduc'd to their first Elements but that there is a Resurrection of the Good and who of us questions that The Resurrection of the Good or of the Just being Glorious and extending not only to Arising out of the Fall out of Death that came by it out of the Grave of Corruption which hath followed yea out of the Dust of that Earth and out of all Afflictions here but also unto an Inheritance of Eternal Glory hereafter as They that be Wise shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars forever and ever So that they shall be so Celestial and Glorious as that they shall
in apt Resemblances obvious to the Sences as Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the Pile thereof is Fire and much Wood the Breath of the Lord like a Stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Isa. 30. 33. and Bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into ulter Darkness there shall be Weeping and Gnaâ—…hing of Teeth Mat. 22. 13. As also If thy right Eye Hand or Foot offend pluck it out or cut it off and cast it from thee as being better that one Member should perish then the whole Body should be cast into Hell where the Worm dyeth not and the Fire shall never be quenched Mat. 〈◊〉 29. Mark 9. 49. to the end Which still argues that the Impenitent and Wicked are liable to meet with real â—…orment and that he hath spiritually his proper Being and Habit consisting of such spiritual Parts and Sences having an evil Eye a polluted Mind and defiled Conscience covered with Guilt pressed down with the Body of Sin and perplexed with Horror wherein he both receiveth the Deeds 〈◊〉 in the Body and is capable of absolute Misery in the Fire which shall never be quenched where the Worm dyeth not As also it is said The Rich Man also dyed and was buried and in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom and he cried said Father Abraham have Mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the Tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am tormented in this Flame Luk. 16. 23 24. When his Body was buried yet he had the Sence of Torments that seized upon him and a Sight of the other's Felicity which he himself had lost Therefore as Christ said I say unto you my Friends be not afraid of them that can kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do but I will fore-warn you whom ye shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell I say unto you fear him Luk. 12. 4 5. A Summary of the Difficulties in the Point in Controversie FInally The Controversie is run up to these Difficulties which I object upon our Opposers Doctrines and Conceptions 1st How the self same Bodies should arise compleat after dissolved to Dust without a New Creation appears not nor is it demonstrated by them 2. If a New Creation of compleat Bodies of the same Dust and Elements should be conceived or admitted it is Incredible that God should create any corrupt sinful or polluted Bodies thereof for perpetual Torments seeing his Works are pure And as Incredible that he should make a pure Body to be invested with the former Evil Habit of Sin and Corruption for perpetual Torment in Hell-Fire and to be sure the first Elements or Dust of dissolved â—…odies is as pure as at the first 3. If Infants be supposed to arise at the Stature of Men how can theirs be the self-same Bodies they were 4. How the Body of the Saints and Children of the Resurrection should be either a Celestial Spiritual Glorious or Angelical Body and they Equal unto the Angels in Heaven and yet the self-same Earthly Elementary Body that dissolveth to Dust c. such a strange Transubstantiation appears not unless that the Natural Body and the Spiritual the Terrestrial and the Celestial the Human and Angelical be both One and the Self-same 5. That the Soul should not enjoy her self in absolute Felicity or Misery in perfect Glory or Contempt in her proper Vessel or Cloathing spiritually without the Earthly Cloathing which is Dust appears not while the Children of the Resurrection are equal unto the Angels of God in Heaven which are absolutely Happy and the Devil and his Angels absolutely Miserable 6. We cannot believe that the Invisible Infinite God should be seen with the Bodily or fleshly Eyes after Dissolution not that Job intended he should see God with his Flesh or bodily Eyes It being in consistent both with his being an Invisible Eternal or Infinite Spirit and with the true spiritual Sight of him which Job received Job 42. 5. 7. That the Seed to which God giveth a Body as it pleaseth him 1 Cor. 15. and the Body given to it should be one and the self same Earthly Body is a non-sensical Doctrine and an apparent Incongruity 8. That the Terrestrial Bodies should be so desirable to the Souls of the Righteous after Dissolution for the compleating their Felicity and perfecting their Glory appears plainly inconsistent with their desiring here to be dissolved and to be absent from the Body to enjoy and possess a Building of God au House eternal in the Heavens Or that the Souls of the Righteous should be so variable as to desire to be absent from the Body and presently after Dissolution to desire the Resuming of the same Earthly Body or a Re-union to it This implicitely accuseth the Souls of deceased Saints with being in their Affections both Earthly Variable and Unquiet as in a kind of Purgatory Which we can never assent to Thomas Vincent's Illustrations ABOUT THE RESURRECTION Which we may look upon as the Sense of the Rest and as the Explication of their Doctrines and Opinions who are Opposing the Spirituality of our Testimony about the Resurrection Among which some Truths are intermixt though his gross and carnal Conceptions about the Point we cannot close with His Illustrations are in his Book entituled Christ's Certain and Suddain Appearance to Judgment Collected and Placed in his own Words as followeth for the Serious and Spiritual-minded Readers to judge of T. V. GIve me leave to illustrate the Resurrection a little further and here I shall endeavour to set it forth by an Allusion to that notable place Ezek. 37. and ten first Verses pag. 16. some thing like this will the Resurrection be at the Last Day Now the Bones and Bodies of all former Generations are scattered up and down in the Valley of the Shadow of Death some are sunk into the Deep others are buried in the Earth the Flesh is consumed and resolved into its first Elements and the Bones of some remain of others are mouldred into Earth Now when the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God shall come down from Mount Sion which is above into the Valley of this inferiour World he will Prophesie over all the Bodies and Bones of all the Children of Men that are dead and speak unto them to Live he will say unto them whilft they lie rotting in their Graves Live he will say Awake ye that sleep in the Dust And Oh what a Noise and Shaking will there be then in the Ground What a clattering of Bones together in the coming of Bone to his Bone If the Body hath been quartered and buried part in one place and part in another as the Levite's Concubine who was divided into Twelve Parts and sent to the Twelve Tribes of