and then how would but a pure Ethereal or Heavenly Body stand or co-here which he speaks of the glorious Body of Christ. Though I have always opposed the Gross and Carnal conceirs of many about the Resurrection I do not believe that Christ's glorious Body and the Saints Resurrection Bodies which must be like unto his shall be all shut up in Invisibility so as not to be seen or known one of another But that in Christ's Kingdom of Glory hereafter they shall as truly see and know one another as the Angels of God in Heaven do to whom they shall be Equal Note That our present Adversary's granting Christ's Body to be glorified in Heaven and much changed from the condition it was in upon the Cross p. 4. And also That such a gross Notion of the Resurrection no Christian ever held as if the Body were to rise in the same Grossness and Carnality that it has in this Life And that G. K. has sufficiently explained himself and that the Body when raised shall be the same as to substance but not as to the Grossness and Carnality as now and did Illustrate it by the Chymical Extraction of Spirits out of Herbs c. p. 26. As G. K. saith How much more ought we to acknowldge the Wisdom and Power of God who not only can but will change the Bodies of the Saints from all gross and terrestrial Qualities to be Heavenly and Spiritual the Husk or drossy Part that is no more the true Body than Dross in a lump of rich Oar of Gold is Gold being excepted Gross Er. p. 13. and p. 9. We must needs think saith he That Christ's Body was really Terrestrial i.e. had Terrestrial Qualities when it was upon Earth But now it is Heavenly endued altogether with Heavenly Qualities as the Bodies of the Saints will be at the Resurrection c. But to be more full and plain observe what he saith in his Way cast up p. 131. That Body that was crucified on the Cross at Jerusalem and is now Ascended and Glorified in Heaven which remaineth the same in Substance that it was on Earth although it be wonderfully changed as to the Mode and Manner of its being It being no more a Body of Flesh Blood and Bones but a pure Ethereal or Heavenly Body like unto which the Bodies of the Saints are to be at the Resurrection Now observe this great and wonderful change of Christ's glorified Body and of the Saints Resurrection Bodies was not heretofore granted by our former Adversaries as T. Elwood truly observes though very untruly charg'd with horrid and sensless Imputation and notorious Falshood p. 4. for saying It is well known that many of the Baptists as well as others of other Professions do hold the Body of Christ now in Heaven to be as really and materially a Body of Flesh Blood and Bones as it was when it was upon the Cross. That many have so held both of Christ's glorious Body and the Resurrection Bodies hath been notoriously known to us and many others as my said Answer to the said Newman partly shews p. 17. 18. And our answers to Tho. Hickes and Mathew Caffin and T. Grantham rendred Christ's Body Heaven such a one as his Quakers Ref. p. 40 41. And Thomas Vincent and others his gross conceits may be seen in his Illustrations about the Resurrection noted in our Book entituled The Christian Quaker in folio 2d part p. 161 162 163 164 165. c. The most that ever I discoursed of those our former Adversaries have held the Resurrection in that gross sense mentioned by T. E. except Jer. Ives tho' a contentious Adversary yet in that Point more ingenuous than most of his Brethren in those Days At a publick Dispute between some of us and some Baptists at Chersey in Surry when a Question about the Body of Christ in Heaven was Ignorantly obtruded by William Burnett his Brother Jer. Ives in answer to my speaking of Christ's various appearances as in divers Forms after he rose said What change or alteration His Body might have we cannot determine nor what Glory he is in for to enquire with what Body the Dead are raised is absurd Christ Ascended p. 19 20. Now it is observable in our former controversies on this Point The Question put to us was not Whether the Saints shall come forth in the Resurrection with their Bodies of such a Spiritual Pure and Heavenly Extract as to be free from all Carnality Grossness Dross Husk and Terrestrial Qualities even so as no more to be Bodies of Flesh Blood and Bones but Pure Ethereal or Heavenly Bodies like unto Christ's glorious Body According to G. K's and his Advocates confession I say this was not the Question we controverted then But whether the same numerical Body of Flesh Blood and Bones that dies shall be raised This we have objected against and the same Substance that is the same gross Substance and Bodily Existence of Flesh Blood and Bones this we have excepted against But Resurrection Bodies of such a refined Extract and Celestial Substance as is not Flesh and Blood but free from that Dross and Husk as is now proposed was not in controversy that ever I remember between us and our former Adversaries However G. K. should be so ingenuous as to tell the People what he means by the same Body for Substance that shall rise that it is not the same Body of Flesh Blood and Bones but a pure spiritual ethereal heavenly extract Body and then see how that will take And I think he 'l gain no more popularity in that Point than those of us he Quarrels with without just Cause Otherwise 't is very disingenuous to hide himself under general and indefinite Terms by telling the People the same Bodies that dye shall arise the same in Substance and not tell them what Substance that is that is not Flesh Blood and Bones for under those general Terms they may take him to mean in the common and gross sense of the same Flesh and Blood who understand nothing of a Celestial Seed or Ethereal substance hid in these gross Bodies or in their first Elements which they are to be dissolved into whether in the Earth Fire or Water wherein many Bodies have been destroyed dissolv'd and consum'd That Scripture Jo. 14. 19. Yet a little while and the World seeth me no more which G. K. thinks he better translates as yet or not as yet Nar. p. 17. However I did not alledge it to prove that Christ has no Body at all as in Nar. p. 17. herein G. K. wrongs me but that the World should see Christ no more in that manner wherein they then saw him That which they then saw of him with their carnal Eyes they should see no more i.e. as in the Flesh. And how should they if his glorified Body be no more a Body of Flesh Blood and Bones but a pure Ethereal or Heavenly Body they must have other Eyes to see
therefore Three Persons Another having given Aquinas his definition of a Person as being an individual Substance of a rational Nature which is neither the part of another nor upheld by another But now if they be not Three Beings nor Three Substences how well have these Men defended a principal Article of their Faith Seeing the Father the Word and Holy Ghost are owned by Christians to be One Being One Substance therefore not Three Beings nor Three Substances My speaking of Christ as the only begotten of the Father and for his Divinity as he was the Brightness of the Father's Glory and express Image of his divine Substance and thereupon questioning T. Danson where doth the Scripture say That his Soul was created This Question is no Determination that it was or was not Christ as God his Soul was increated As Man his Soul or Spirit was not the Deity but formed and assumed by the Word The Word or Son of God who made the Worlds was not a Creature because he made all Creatures Though he took upon him a most pure and perfect Soul and Body he took upon him the Seed of Abraham that he might in both Soul and Body suffer for Mankind and sympathize with us in bearing our Sorrows and carrying our Griefs and that his Soul might be in Travel for us and made an Offering for Sin and poured out unto Death Isa. 53. By my said Question I chiefly eyed his Divinity considering him as he proceeded and came out from God and as he was glorified with the Father before the World began Upon the whole my Adversary's Charge of Heresie upon me and the Quakers against the Incarnation of Christ p. 2. as also his Author G. Keith's publick Aspersions That G. W. disowns Christ to be God and denied him to be Man Narr p. 16. These are to tell the World That we own no Christ at all Wherein as they have both grosly wrong'd my Intention Principle and publick Testimony I am persuaded G. K. has wronged his own Conscience and that he must needs know the contrary of me in this and some other things for which he is accountable to the just God For by questioning the Words created or human Soul I did not thereby intend to deny Christ to be truly Man as is unduly insinuated against me p. 2. but rather to own That tho' Christ was truly Man in Soul and Body yet that his Soul was more divine than any other Mans or Mens and therefore he may be said to be a most divine Man and more of the divine and increated Life in his Soul than in any other Man's whatsoever and that therefore the word human as it relates to the Ground or Earth from which the Body of Man was taken I might suppose was too low or mean a Character or Epithite to give to the Soul of Christ or to his spiritual glorious Body either and I hope I deserve not blame in this while I was careful not to lessen the Glory or Dignity of the Son of God as he is the Lord from Heaven by not allowing him to be from beneath or Earthly either in Soul or Body in his glorified State and I am perswaded that some so much insisting upon the word Human Soul and Body of Christ gives the Socinians more advantage than my pleading for his Divinity and Heavenly glory both as God and Man To my Question to Robert Gordon I think there 's no real Cause for Offence to be taken at it if the Occasions ministred by him were Impartially taken notice of which they are not by this partial Adversary As R. G.'s great Ignorance both of the Light and Saving-work of Christ in Man excluding Christ's work of Salvation and Justification c. as all done and finished without Man even when no good is wrought in Man and pleading for Imperfection and Sin in Man in so much that Geo. Keith charged the said Gordon with 18 corrupt Doctrins and above 20 Lyes and false Accusations in the conclusion of my Book Entituled The Nature of Christianity in the true Light asserted Printed Anno 1671. And yet this officious Adversary takes his part excusing him in defence of G. Keith against us as he has done also in his Snake in the Grass which is such a piece of confused Mixture and Medley as I have seldom ever met withal My Question to R. Gordon as Cited Dost thou look for Christ as the Son of Mary to appear outwardly in a bodily Existence to save thee If thou dost thou mayest look until thy Eyes drop out before thou wilt see such an appearance of him And what proof is made of this against me But that I do not acknowledge that Christ has now the Body of a Man or will come in that Body to Judge the World Answ. Neither do I deny it If I do not acknowledge it in this Passage I do in many others namely that Christ as the Heavenly Man has his own proper glorious Body wherein he will come to Judge the World at the last day And therefore do not hold that Christ has no bodily Existence or being without us as G. K. accuseth me Narr p. 16. He wrongs me in this as in divers other things But upon R. Gordon 's pretending a perfect Justification and Redemption of Sinners without them when no good is wrought in them and yet granting that Christ's appearing the second time is without Sin to Salvation But then his deferring this till the Resurrection of the Body this I confess was so offensive to me that I put the said Question the reason whereof appears more at large in my said Answer Nature of Christianity p. 29. It being always my Judgment with many others that Salvation from Sin should be expected in this Life and Christ's second appearance for that end also mentioned Heb. 9. 28. That this ought not to be put off till the last day but expected even in this Life as in the Apostles days There were those then that looked for him to whom his appearance the second time without Sin unto Salvation was promised and the true Believers were not disappointed of their expectations in that weighty matter As many have been who have expected to see Christ's outward coming in Person with their carnal Eyes to save them Besides 't is true in Fact that those carnal Eyes of many fail them drop out or rot before they can see Christ's outward appearance or coming in the last day to Judgment And G. Keith himself as well as I have charged false and corrupt Doctrin upon Robert Gordon particularly in his asserting That Redemption Justification and Reconciliation is finished and compleated by what Christ did and suffered outwardly and not in our Persons and without the help of any thing to be wrought in us Artic. 6 8 12 of his Charge against Gordon Nature of Christianity p. 70 71 72. And why now I should be accused by G. Keith or his Advocate for the words before to
attempts against us that he may not be suffered to sculk and hide himself like a Snake under Grass And as to the seven Queries which he upbraids us with reproaching us As puting them all off with one general Answer c. as a trick and deceit of ours to hide and cover our monstrous Heresies and a full confession of our Heresies Pref. p. 350. Which being monstrous Calumnies and from which our general Answer to the unprejudiced clears us though we expected it would meet with such ill Treatment and Mis-construction as it hath from G. K. and this Author therefore thought meet to publish the said Answer herewith for the information of others more Charitable and Impartial than this our present Accuser and unjust Judge The said Queries appear to be of so little weight and some of them so indirect and in unscriptural Terms and perversly designed for cavil that I do not think they deserve to be reprinted here The following Answer being positive plain and scriptural as well as comprehensive of what 's necessary to be said to the matters chiefly Questioned And tho' I have long had a more particular Answer to the said Queries ready I do not think my self obliged at present to gratifie such imperious arbitrary Inquisitors as our present Adversaries with the publication thereof but rather for farther information in these matters chiefly Queried refer them and others to these our Books viz. First A Testimony of what we believe of Christ both as he was God and Man c. By G. F. Printed Anno 1677. And Secondly The Christian Doctrin and Society of the People called Quakers c. And Thirdly The Harmony of the Old and New Testament concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ c. With many more ancient Books whereby it may appear that we were not to seek our Faith concerning Jesus and the Resurrection before the said Queries came to our hands G. W. Lon. 3d day 4th Month call'd June 1695. Friend William Lancaster HAving received a Paper of great Objections against us the People called Quakers with seven Queries therein subscribed William Lancaster directed to our Yearly Meeting in Whitson-week 1695. and delivered to some of us very near the conclusion thereof and therefore only read in the said Meeting with not having any further time to consider the Contents thereof or to give any particular answer thereunto It was by the said Meeting left to a few to consider and answer as in the Fear of God and Meekness of Wisdom we should see Cause Wherein we observe is noted great Objections have been made against us by those who have departed from our Communion as by others To which we reply that 't is true and they have been answer'd to which we refer And we observe in the said Paper it s said We would not take an account of you only from your Adversaries c. And we have chosen this solemn Time And again And we have chosen this most proper and convenient Opportunity c. And then states the several Queries and says the Questions may be proposed and their Answer demanded Now the Objections having been publick and our Answers publick we desire to know who the We are that are intended in this Paper that we may apply our selves to them or give such Scriptural Answers as we hope may tend to satisfaction But to repeat Answers in writing or print to we know not who so often as demanded to the same things already answer'd We think it not needful Therefore have herewith only sent thee a few brief Lines being grosly Wronged and Misrepresented in the said Objections and divers of the Queries contain several Questions in them in different Terms and some Vnscriptural so not plain and direct Queries therefore cannot positively be answer'd by our simple YEA or NAY to each Query as designed We therefore at present send this general Answer to the Queries for thy information as follows viz. We sincerely believe and profess Jesus Christ and the Resurrection according to the Holy Scripture Testimony and to that measure of Vnderstanding which God hath been pleased to give us by his Holy Spirit We sincerely believe in Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of the living God both as he is true God and perfect Man our Emanuel and Mediator and as in the fulness of Time he was Conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea Suffer'd under Pontius Pilate was Crucified and put to Death was Buried rose again the third Day and visibly Ascended into Heaven and was received into Glory and that this same Jesus Christ that was Crucified shall so in like manner come as he was seen to go into Heaven in Power and great Glory to Judge both the Living and the Dead according to their Works at the last and great Day of Judgment in that great Harvest which is the End of the World And that by Jesus Christ there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Vnjust unto the righteous Judgment of the great Day consequently that the Resurrection is not past as Hymeneus and Philetus said 2 Tim. 2. 18. And that the Dead shall be raised incorruptible Every Man in his own order and that our low Body shall be changed and made like unto Christ's glorious Body The Resurrection of the Bodies of the Saints We Believe shall be Spiritual and Glorious and that the Sons of God and of the Resurrection shall be equal with the Angels of God in Heaven and shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father and yet there is such a great Mystery in the Resurrection as that Flesh and Blood cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption 1 Cor. 15. The whole Sacrifice of Christ whereof his Blood outwardly that was shed was a part was of great Price with God for Mans Redemption Christ's Blood that was shed without the Gates of Jerusalem together with the whole Sacrifice himself both of Soul and Body was a true Propitiation and Attonement for Mans reconciliation and peace with God for remission of Sins through a living Faith and true Repentance in his Name given and wrought by his Spirit and Word of Power in Mens Hearts whose sincere obedience to Christ and Walking in his Light being required of them in order to experience Christ the Author of their eternal Salvation and to wash them from their Sins in his own Blood For without this true Faith Repentance and Obedience to Christ Jesus Men lose and forfeit the great Benefit of Christs Sufferings and deprive themselves of the Eternal Redemption and Salvation which he hath hereby obtain'd for us Tho' he dyed for all Men tasted death for every Man and gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified of in due time being a true Propitiation for the Sins of the World From thy Friends and Well-wishers John Gratton Samuell Wattson Thomas Lower James Parke John Bowater George Witehead John
Argument from this Adversary against the Light within or our Testimony thereof and 't is far more difficult to make Sense of his Notion of the Light within than of our's For after he has in Words owned and confessed to Divine Illumination or Inspiration of the Holy Spirit as that Enthusiasm or Inspiration of God which is allowed and owned in their Church and that 't is full as much as any sober Quaker can mean by the Light within Pref. from p. 46. to p. 55 56. Another while he 'll have the Light within not Infallible but Fallible because of Men's Mistake who put Darkness for Light p. 173 174. 2d Part. Another while he 'll have the Light within no Light from Isa. 8. 20. placing this Remark upon it No Light George mark that p 251. But he should have observed the Hebrew Note in the Margin No Morning instead of No Light which I may return upon him If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is No Morning to them No Morning Man mark that But is there no Light before Morning pray Now how difficult is it to make Sense of this Man's Notion of the Light within One while with him 'T is a Divine Inspiration another while 'T is Fallible another while No Light So that one while 't is a divine good and certain Light another while uncertain not Infallible another while 't is nothing no Light Thus confusedly and madly Envy and Darkness appears against the true Light This Adversary to prove his false reitterrated black Charge That the Quakers take to themselves the very Attributes of God and make a pretence from this Light within to excuse blasphemous Pride assuming All the Worship due to Christ whom they call this Light upon the account of his or its Inhabitation in them p. 178. He refers to G. Whitehoad's Innocency against Envy p. 18. Sect. 12. in Answer to F. Bugg viz. As to his Charge of idolatrous if not blasphemous Names and Titles given to G. F. How proves he that they i.e. Two Persons in their Letters to him gave and intended those Names and Titles to the Person of G. F. c. This Story in the first part is notoriously false as it affects the Quakers in general The last part is a blind Story as 't is intended for Proof of the black Charge before those idolatrous Names and Titles are not mentioned nor any plain Proof of the exact Copies of both those Letters could we ever have And G. W. has further cleared this Matter in another Answer to F. B. as also in his Just Inquiry from p. 19. to p. 30. And in behalf of the People called Quakers we positively and sincerely deny 1. That they take to themselves the very Attributes of God 2. That they excuse blasphemous Pride as that of assuming all Worship due to Christ because of his inhabiting in them These with Detestation we solemnly deny But this Accuser should have looked at home and at his Brethren of the Clergy what Honour and Attributes do they give to their Bishops when they go down upon their Knees to them as their Reverend Fathers in God with Your Grace My Lord c. Do these import Divine Honour and Divine Attributes or Earthly pray And where did ever Christ's Ministers or Apostles do such Homage to Timothy or Titus or call either of them my Lord Timothy or my Lord Titus and Your Grace c And what thinks he of Godfathers and Godmothers Are not these Divine Attributes and very high ones too And of their being Sureties for Infants for their forsaking the Devil and all his Works c. and keeping God's holy Will and Commandments c. Do they not herein take upon them Christ's Office and Work who is our Surety And what Scripture have they for these Answer directly 'T is a notorious Untruth also That they i. e. the Quakers allow of divine Honour to the Man Christ Jesus on no other account than as G. W. allows it to G. Fox that is because of the residing of the divine Word in him p. 180. We say this is apparently false for on divers other Accounts we allow divine Honour and far more Honour to the Man Christ Jesus than to any mortal or finite Creature whatsoever as in all things Christ Jesus hath the Preheminence and all Fulness dwelling in him and all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him and were not all the Angels of God to worship him And all Men to honour the Son as they honour the Father Therefore this Opposer's blasphemous Consequences drawn against us from his black Charge aforesaid As worshipping one another with divine Honour and not grudging to apply all the Attributes of God to themselves for the Light within sake c. p. 181 182. with the rest of his Consequences of the same kind are as false as the other We desire ever to walk humbly with God in Christ Jesus in a holy Reverence and Worship to him only to whom all divine Worship Glory and Honour is due In his 13th Sect. Of the Resurrection of the Body This saith he the Quakers do positively deny p. 182. Here he stumbles at the Threshold and deals disingeniously and falsly with the Quakers They deny not the Resurrection of the Body by denying the gross and carnal Notions of our former Adversaries of the self-same carnal and numerical Body of Flesh Blood and Bones no more than the Apostle denied the Resurrection of the Dead by affirming That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption 1 Cor. 15. For proof That the Quakers do positively deny the Resurrection he says That Mr. Penn makes Nonsense of it and worse he compares it to Transubstantiation nay to the Alcoran quoting Reason against Railing 1673. p. 138. which is a plain Perversion and as false as the Charge it self For W. Penn does neither make Nonsense of the Resurrection it self scripturally considered nor compare it either to Transubstantiation or to the Alcoran But T. Hick's gross Belief and Apprehension of a Carnal or Fleshly Resurrection of the self-same Carnal Body and yet that it shall be so changed as to be a spiritual glorious Body like unto Christ's This he compares to the Doctrin of Transubstantiation as the Papists say That the Bread and Wine after Conse cration are so changed as to be the very Christ and yet the Accidents remain i.e. of Bread and Wine so he can't make better Sense of his Adversary's gross apprehension of the Resurrection of the Body being or remaining the same carnal Body of Flesh Blood and Bones that 's buried and yet changed so as to be a spiritual and glorious Body like unto Christ's which was not to deny the Scripture-Doctrin of the Resurrection it self but rather a carnal Alcoran Notion thereof for in the Book quoted Reason against Railing p. 133. And under the same Head take W. P.'s plain Confession of the Resurrection in
We question the Truth of this Story also in the last part of it viz. That he believed no other nor expected any than Christ risen in him and this also of no other we disown for as truly as we own Christ risen in us and we in him from Sin and Condemnation so truly do we believe and expect to be raised up by him in the last Day above all Corruption and Mortality we being raised in Christ from Sin here we shall be raised by him to Glory hereafter And therefore are not of the Opinion of Hymeneus and Phyletus who said That the Resurrection is past or made already 2 Tim. 2. 18. For that Resurrection which Paul in his converted state when risen with Christ had not attained Phil. 3. 11 12. we do believe and expect as yet to come after this Life and at the last Day Another Accusation is That G. F. says plainly in these Words There 's none have a Glory and a Heaven but within them leaving out what follows which was before Man had a Being Gr. Myst. p. 214. This is intended of what the Saints have and enjoy in this Life in the Present Tense and not of that more full attainment in that which is to come who have and enjoy the indwelling of God and Christ as their God and their Glory according to his Promise having of this excellent Treasure in their Earthen Vessels according to their measures of degrees of attainment being changed from Glory to Glory from one degree of Glory to another as by the Spirit of God There 's no doubt but all true and spiritual Believers who are dead with Christ and whose Life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is their Life shall at last appear they shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3. Yea in far more Glory than 's here attainable in a mortal State Though we are now the Sons of God yet it appears not what we shall then be but when Christ appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3. 2. Heaven which is God's Throne and Dwelling-place is no doubt so spacious and the Heavens which declare his Glory so wonderfully extensive that we cannot suppose they should all be contain'd in the narrow compass of our Hearts though our Conversation be now in Heaven and we come to a heavenly state in Christ Jesus Therefore we do not confine all our expected Attainments of Heaven and Glory to within us in this Life but the way to attain more thereof in that which is to come is to partake of some share thereof in Christ Jesus even in this Life and where Christ is enjoy'd there Heaven and Glory is in measure spiritually enjoy'd there being spiritual and inward Heavens as well as natural and outward Note For the spirituality of the Resurrection Bodies and the nature of the Body of Christ after his Resurrection and Ascension Our Opposer may peruse H. Moor's Search into the nature of a glorified Body Apol. ch 3. p. 494. Of his Modest Enquiry into the Mystery of Iniquity And compare the same with what we have written on that Subject and then let our Opposer answer him having been a Doctor of his own Church and Philosopher also of Repute in Cambridge c. As to his 14th Sect. Of the Sacraments as he terms them but without Scripture-proof of the Term Sacrament as applied to the outward Elements Signs or Shadows which end in Christ the Substance who livingly represents himself beyond them by his Spirit in the Hearts and Souls of spiritual Believers who have attained unto the spiritual Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and to partake of his spiritual Supper with him Rev. 3. 10. The difference between us and our Accuser in this Point is about the Text 1 Cor. 11. 26. of shewing forth the Lord's Death till he come as he says By the Celebration of his last Supper Whether this coming of Christ be spiritually in our Hearts or at the Resurrection at the last Day which ends the time limited for the Celebration thereof We believe it of the first if that may be owned as any real coming of Christ He of the last His Reason is That Christ was so come in the Hearts of the Holy Apostles and of the purest Primitive Christians The Apostle's condescending to divers Things that were Shadows and Figures for sometime it follows not that therefore we are bound to imitate them in all things they did Neither were the Corinthians the purest of Primitive Christians when Paul writ his first Epistle to them nor had they then so far attained to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as to confirm and make them blameless as in his Day but then waited for such his coming 1 Cor. 1. for there were divers Disorders among them and many of them carnal and walked as Men. And therefore they were not then of the purest of Christians though they had good Gifts yet they had then great need to wait for the coming of Christ to make them better to bring them into a blameless state The Apostles themselves were come to higher Attainments in Christ Jesus which they laboured to bring their Hearers to as is evident from Paul's desiring That the Corinthians might not be ignorant how that all the Fathers who were baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea did all eat the same spiritual Meat and drink of the spiritual Rock which followed them or went with them which Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. And told them the Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ And the Bread which we break it is not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are One Bread and One Body being all Partakers of the One Bread ver 16 17. and doubtless the knowledge of this Mystery was what he received of the Lord which was above the Sign Shadow or Figure thereof Yet 't is not to be questioned but there was a good Intention in the first Proposal and Practice of those outward Memorials of Christ's Death among the Corinthians in the capacity they stood in to remember and shew forth Christ's Death thereby until they knew and had more of his Life to shew forth in a holy and unblameable State and Conversation in the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ for whose spiritual coming they waited for that end 1 Cor. 1. 6 7 8. And also that they might flee from Idolatry and keep out of it and forbear eating in the Idols Temple which he warned them against As to Christ's Celebration of his last Supper 't is strange that should be so much urg'd as obligatory upon us until Christ's last coming again at the Resurrection in the last Day seeing we find none of the Urgâ—rs thereof so much as in a true imitation of the last Supper of Christ where he eat the legal Passover with his Disciples according to his own
Body which Christ assumed we do not call the Body of Christ as a Man's Body is called his Body but only as when an Angel assumes a Body For the Body which Christ assumed was his real Body and he really suffered in it and therein was made a little lower than the Angels Heb. 2 9. who were not capable of such Sufferings as his yet he was dignified crowned with Glory and Honour far above them 24. Again the Snake perversly quotes F. Bugg's New Rome Arraign'd That the Quakers can never call the bodily Garment Christ thence inferring His Body to be but only as a Cloak or a Garment which a Man wears which he may throw off or put on again without any alteration in his Person or Nature p. 237 238. In this he perversly strains the Simily a Man's Cloak has no feeling to suffer with him when he is bruised or wounded and he is partial still in not taking notice of the Answer to F. Bugg even in this very Point See Charitable Essay p. 2. thus given viz. As to J. P.'s Words chiefly objected That we cannot call the Bodily Garment Christ. The word Garment I take to be only a figurative manner of speaking as the word Vail which is his Flesh is Heb. 10. 20. An Ingenuous Man would allow him his own meaning as he explains it namely That we cannot call the Body which he took upon him Chiefly and in the First Place Jesus Christ. It not being first nor the intire Christ because he was the Son of God and consequently Christ before he took upon him that Body even when God created all things by Jesus Christ Ephes. 3. 9. He made the Worlds by his Son Heb. 1. 2. And after several Arguments in p. 3 4. proving the Divinity and Pre-existence of Christ the Son of God before he assumed the Body the general Consequence deduced from the Premises is That the Names Jesus and Christ chiefly and primarily belong to Him that took the Body though sometimes given to each and to both 25. False again That the Quakers say or make the Flesh of Christ of an earthly perishing Nature p. 238. from F. Bugg 's saying against J. P. That which he Christ took upon him i. e. his Body was our Garment even the Flesh and Blood of our Nature which IS of an earthly perishing Nature falsly adding and is perished by their Account p. 238. Thus from Bugg 's Authority and Citation against us but takes no notice of the Answer in the said Charitable Essay p. 4. in these Words viz. He i. e. F. B. and now his Disciple the Author of the Snake hath here notoriously wronged the People called Quakers by imposing a false Creed upon them Where do they say That Christ's Body either was or is of an earthly perishing Nature I utterly deny the Charge and F. B. also to be our Creed-maker Construer or Expositor who hath unjustly inferr'd this upon us from Is. Pennington's saying He took upon him the Flesh and Blood of our Nature which is of an earthly perishing Nature Whereby neither he nor the Quakers say That Christ's Body either was or is of an earthly perishing Nature for his Flesh saw no Corruption therefore did not perish tho' our Nature our Flesh and Blood be of an earthly perishing Nature so is not Christ's I cannot rationally suppose that J. P. ever intended that Christ's Body which on Earth did not corrupt is of an earthly perishing Nature now in Heaven as ours is now on Earth take his Words also Grammatically for it is such an absurdity as I cannot think ever entred into Is. Pennington's Heart being a Man both of Learning Sense and Conscience The Flesh and Blood of our Nature being antecedent next to which is of an earthly perishing Nature Therefore perishing appears only relative to Flesh and Blood as 't is ours and in us and not to Christ's Body which is incorruptible and glorious 26. The People called Quakers neither account that the Body of Christ perished vanished or was annihilated as said p. 238. but that 't was changed so as to be a glorious celestial Body 27. 'T is not true in his Sense That the Quakers think that the Name of Christ does belong to every one of them not only more than to that Body now but as well as to it while upon the Earth quoting Bugg 's New Rome Again Doth not the Name Christ belong to the whole Body and to every Member of the Body as well as to the Head A Question p. 27. Thus one Adversary credits and promotes the Authority of another to reproach us without taking notice of our full Answers already given Oh! disingenuous as in this very Point In the said Charitable Essay p. 4. in these Words viz. Object Doth not the Name belong to the whole Body c. So that there are as many Christ's by their Doctrin as believing Quakers Answ. No that 's not our Doctrin there 's one Body and so but one Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. But turn the Question into F. B.'s contrary Doctrin implied and then 't is The Name Christ belongs not to the whole Body Christ's Body i. e. his Church is not Anointed it therefore hath no right to his Name nor any Member thereof but then doth not this appear contrary to the Apostle's Doctrin viz. For as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of the Body which is one though they be many yet are but one Body even so is Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. The Protestant Annotations in Queen Elizabeth's Bible are That we might be one Body with Christ and the whole Church one Christ. And on Ephes. 1. 23. The Church is also called Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. What says our Adversary to these Annotations Dare he judge them horrid Blasphemy And he that establisheth us with you in Christ Jesus and hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anointed us is God 2 Cor. 1. 21. Quest. But doth not the Name belong to the whole Body and to every Member therein as well as to the Head Answ. 1. Not Equally because he is the Head 2. Not Literally to be so named but vertually and spiritually i. e. as by inward Participiation and so truly with respect to that divine Power and Spirit whereby both the Head and the Body are Anointed and united and each Member partakes thereof in some measure But Christ the Head in all things has the Preheminence he was Anointed more eminently in Fulness his Members in part or measure by the same Spirit and Power he was Anointed above his Fellows implying their being anointed in degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ signifies Anointed as being the very Christ the only begotten Son of God which I know no Member of his Body assumes to himself but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christian which has relation to Christ the Anointed for where Christ's Church which is his Body is said to be the Fulness of him that filleth all in
the Tabernacle which was called the Holiest of all in the Old Covenant that the golden Censor and Ark of the Testament were put and the golden Pot which had Manna and Aaron's Rod that had budded and the Tables of the Testament and over the Ark the Cherubims of Glory shadowing the Mercy-seat Heb. 9. Exod. 26. So the most excellent things were within the Veil tho' there was a Beauty and Glory also without it All which I doubt not were Shadows of the New Covenant and the spiritual Dispensation thereof in Christ Jesus in whom the most holy place of that divine Service and Worship in the New Covenant Sanctuary which the Lord has placed in the midst of his People is in the Spirit and in the Truth And all our spiritual Blessings and heavenly Treasures are in Christ Jesus who is our Sanctuary and Hiding-place And it is in the inmost or most inward and spiritual Dispensation of the New Covenant that Mercy and Forgiveness is receiv'd and Christ most livingly and effectually known to us and enjoyed and in him the most holy and heavenly Places wherein the true spiritual Believers sit down with him and as being washed from their Sins in his Blood by his Spirit are his Church and Sanctuary also and thereby have boldness to enter into the holy Place even by that new and living Way which Christ hath prepared for us through the Veil that is to say his Flesh Heb. 10. that we may follow him therein into Heaven it self And what entrance through Christ our Mediator we have here in measure received into this new and living Way and holy and heavenly Places in him we doubt not but it is to us an Earnest of a more full Enjoyment of Heaven and Glory hereafter with Christ Jesus our Fore-runner Leader and Captain of our Salvation we continuing faithful to the end in this his new and living Way as true and constant Followers of him God in his great Love and Wisdom has afforded several Dispensations one higher and more glorious than another in order to bring Man nearer and nearer to himself as that of the Law and of Shadows and Types that of the Prophets that of John the Baptist that of Christ in the Flesh and that of Christ in the Spirit and New Covenant which is higher more powerful and more glorious than the former and therein a more clear knowledge of Christ than in all the former wherein there was some Sight of him through Shadows and Veils but by his divine Light shining in our Hearts God is pleased to give us the Light of the knowledge of his Glory in the Face of his dear Son Christ Jesus that we all with open Face as in a Glass may behold the Glory of God and be changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. Ch. 4. 6 7. Now tho' our Adversary has made a deal of Dispute and Quarrel with us about calling Christ's Flesh the Veil as in Heb. 10. yet he is fain to grant That Christ's Body is called a Veil in relation to its Type the Veil of the Temple p. 262 263. but he 'll have this not to be in the Quakers Sense They call it a Veil that is saith he a Garment in contradistinction to its being Christ's Substance and of his Nature p. 262. Whereas its rather in contradistinction to its Being his Divine Natnre or to its being in the first place or principally or chiefly Christ himself who is the Son of God for whom the Body was prepared because he did pre-exit it or was in Being before he took upon him that Body even in his Father's Glory before the World began wherewith he is glorified However the Veil which was Christ's Flesh through which he set open the new and living Way we never deny to be Christ's Body or to be a real Body but own it was and never believed it to be a Fantastical Body as I have often said but that Christ the Son of God took upon him real Flesh and Blood of our Nature yet pure and incorrupt in him And as his Flesh was called the Veil it answers its Type or Figure i. e. the Veil of the most Holy Place or Oracle where God gave Answers 1 Kings 6. 20. 8. 6 8. 2 Chron. 3. 10 16. And these most Holy Places in the Tabernacle and Temple being Places of divine Service then peculiar to the High Priest to enter into their Antitype is in Christ Jesus the New Covenant where in the Spirit and in the Truth God is truly worshipped and meets with and speaks to his People even by Christ Jesus their High Priest who is present in the midst of his Church and Assemblies of his People the true and spiritual Worshippers who meet in his Name Spirit and Power whose Light and Truth brings its Followers unto his Holy Tabernacles Psal. 43. 3. And as to Christ's Substance and Nature what does our Opposer mean thereby How has he distinguished in this Point Christ has in him a divine Nature as well as that of Man which he hath also in the purest Sense But which is the greatest Is not the divine Nature the Deity in him greater than the Manhood As he said My Father is greater than all greater than I John 10. 29. Nevertheless as our great and only Mediator and Intercessor it was necessary he should be Man as he is the most glorious heavenly Man and as the Christ of God he is spiritually in us in his Saints and Members in some measure by his Spirit Light Life and Power even as the incorruptible immortal Seed in Man is of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and therein all true spiritual Believers do in measure partake of the divine Nature being born again of this incorruptible Seed The gross Calumnies cruel Mockeries false Stories and Perversions of the Author of The Snake in the Grass are therein so numerous together with his partial picking nibling mincing and carping at our Books which is so perverse and much on 't so silly that I confess many of them are waved in this Answer as not worthy of spending more precious time about them and I shall leave the said Author to the just Judgment of him that judghth righteously wishing his Repentance before it be too late And tho' he sculks and hides himself as if he were afraid or ashamed to own his Work with his Name to it so am not I of my Name or Vindication tho' I be and expect to be reproached and misrepresented for Christ's sake whose Servant I am George Whitehead A BRIEF EXAMINATION OF Some Passages IN THE Second Book of the Author OF The Snake in the Grass FALSLY STILED Satan dis-rob'd from his Disguise of Light Or The Quakers last Shift to cover their monstrous Heresies laid fully open WHEN I looked upon the Title of the said Book stiled Satan dis-rob'd from his Disguise of Light With this additional
Man's Redemption both outwardly and inwardly outwardly by the Ransom given by Christ's Sufferings and Sacrifice and inwardly by the operation of his Life Power and Spirit which Mystically is that precious Blood that is opposed to all corruptible things which redeems from the vain Conversation from all Iniquity and effectually washeth and clcanseth us from our Sins purgeth and sprinkles our Consciences c. And farther to Answer to Types and Shadows under the Law of shedding Blood and sprinkling c. That God according to his Mercy saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Titus 3. 5 6. And I 'le sprinkle clean water upon them and wash them from all their filthiness saith the Lord. And the Blood of sprinkling which the spiritual believers were come unto has the same effect And if the name of Water be attributed to the Spirit as it is Jo. 7. 38 39. Light and Life The name of Blood may also which is not to Allegorize away or invalidate the outward Blood or Sacrifice of Christ or any part thereof yet the Mystery thereof we may not deny but confess And according to the answers I have given for the Blood of Christ and the Mystery thereof our deceased Friend and Brother Robert Bercley expresly agrees whose Testimony therefore I am the more willing to cite because G. Keith has approved of his Works p. 60. R. B's Testimony in his Works p. 10. follows in these words viz. This Blood speaking of the Blood of Christ that is healing c. is known and felt within to wash and purge the Conscience for Christ as he is within is not without his Blood which is Spiritual even the pure Blood of the Vine and is that Wine of the Kingdom which is inwardly felt to wash and to refresh which he gives to them who know not distinctly the outward shedding of his Blood as it was many hundred years ago and which many are ignorant of who have heard much of the outward shedding of his Blood but know not the Blood as shed and poured forth in them to sprinkle their Consciences from dead Works for it is a Mystery sealed up from all who stand in opposition to his Light within But there mark thy own Words saith he to his Opponent The Plaster must be applyed er'e the Sore be healed Must not then saving Grace be applyed er'e the Soul be Converted or Healed And R. B. treats much more largely concerning the Flesh and Blood of Christ to the same purpose as before cited for the Blood of Christ as 't is Spiritual and Mysterious c. p. 494. 495 496 497 498. upon his thirteenth Proposition of his Apology and in page 494. He has recourse to Agustin viz. § II. The Body then of Christ which Believers partake of is Spiritual and not Carnal and his Blood which they Drink of is Pure and Heavenly and not Humane or Elementary as Augustin also affirms Ps. 98. Except a Man Eat my Flesh he hath not in him Life Eternal And he saith The Words which I speak unto you are Spirit and Life understand spiritually what I have spoken Ye shall not Eat of this Body which ye see and Drink this Blood which they shall spill that Crucifie me I am the living Bread which have dscended from Heaven He called himself the Bread who descended from Heaven exhorting that we should believe in him c. Unto which I further add for Illustration That the pure Blood of Grapes promised to Judah and Israel Gen. 49. 11. Deut 32. 14. was Typical of this spiritual Blood and Fruit of the Heavenly Vine Christ Jesus which truly relieves and comforts the afflicted and sorrowful Soul that comes unto him And also the Milk and Honey the Butter Oyl and Wheat and other Temporal Blessings which were in the promised Land were all Types of Christ and the spiritual Blessings received in him in his Kingdom and Heavenly Canaan And the Oyl and Wine which the Compassionate Samaritan poured into the Wounds of the Man that was wounded by Thieves and left half Dead Luke 10. 34 were also Typical of the healing Vertue Life and spiritual Blood of Christ Jesus which he graciously poureth into many wounded Souls As concerning the word Personality and Personal Existence as applyed to God and Christ I have sometimes questioned as also the word Humane as ascribed to the glorified Body of Christ which is spiritual and also to his Soul or Spirit for these reasons 1. Because imposed on us by some Adversaries without Scripture proof of those terms and not to Question Christ's glorious Manhood for in that sense I admit of and sometime may use the word Humanity either for Man or for the Good Nature and disposition of Man as of the word Trinity for Three being not willing to maintain contest about Words but to mind the thing intended thereby 2. Because false Arguments have been drawn thence against Christ and his Light in Man 3. Because of the carnal Imaginations of too many thereof who under pretence of expecting Christ to come again in the Flesh in the same manner as he was on Earth and to be seen with their carnal Eyes neglect the introversion of their Minds to Christ's inward appearance in Spirit 4. Because whilst Men feed upon such Notions and Imaginations of Christ excluding him out of their Hearts they exclude the living and Heart-purifying Faith of Christ so that their Faith is but Dead and Fruitless whilst such seem to adore Christ as only an outward Christ or as wholly without them and not in them instead of opening the Door of their Hearts unto him to let him in they harbour and indulge their own Corruptions Pride Scorn Envy and Covetousness c. in their Hearts out of which proceed all these bitter Reproches Revilings and Calumnies which we meet with this Day as heretofore In all my former questioning their unscriptural terms who profess the Scriptures to be their only Rule ascribed to God and Christ I never designed to deny his being our Mediator as Man nor to oppose his coming in Power and great Glory in his gloryfied spiritual Body to Judge the Quick and the Dead in the last Day tho I have sometimes shunned controversy on that Point and about the Resurrection and last Day of Judgment Urging not to put the day of the Lord afar off nor to neglect the present day of their Visitation and Judgment of Christ by his Spirit and Light within them The Question how are the Dead raised and with what Body come they forth I have often waved as unnecessary as well as unwarrantable being reprehended in some 1 Cor. 15. 35 26. I being willing to acquiesce in the will of God in that matter to give a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed it s own Body as proper thereunto ver 38. One thing I would be better understood in Not having