Sacrifices and sprinkling the blood thereof that Jesus Christ should be slain and his blood shed as the glorious substance thereof all which part of the Fathers Law was and is of no effect God thereby bearing false witness to the world if the Eternal Spirt which dwelt in the visible Man and which the Apostles afterwards received in them be the Christ which Spirit never was slain nor never had blood to shed but let God be true and all these men lyars Fifthly Because he most plainly is said to be the Christ Ordained of God to be Judge of quick and dead to whom all the Prophets gave witness he I say with whom the Apostles did eat and drink and that after his Resurrection from the dead Act. 10.38,41,42,43 which must needs respect the visible Man Sixthly Because the true Christ blamed his Disciples when they supposed him to be a Spirit saying to them Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luke 24.37,38,39 Seventhly Because the true Christ was seen with visible and carnal that is fleshly eyes for 't is written the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him to wit Christ and sure I am that the Quaker cannot imagine from any show in the Scriptures that these had any other eyes as invisible and spiritual eyes because 't is said also that all they in the Synagogue were filled with wrath and thrust him out of the City Luke 4.20,28,29 Eightly Because he is declared in the Holy Scriptures to be Jesus Christ who was Circumcised which were also a false account if the Quakers opinion were true namely That the Eternal Spirit in the Man and not the Man was the Christ Ninthly Because the Eternal Spirit which dwelt in the Man Christ which afterwards the Apostles received in them is called another Comforter and that by Christ himself which would not come unto the Apostles unless he the true Christ went away John 14.16,17 16.7 Tenthly Because 't is said Jesus Christ lift up his eyes to Heaven and Prayed to God his Father John 17. Both the action and the manner thereof shewing that the visible Man is the Christ And besides if the Quaker shall suppose that 't was the Eternal Spirit in the visible Man Christ that prayed and that the same Eternal Spirit is one essence or being with God the Father and Christ his Son without distinctions I then would demand of them two things first Who it was that the Spirit Prayed unto And secondly For what he prayed or what he stood in need of Elevently The Eternal Spirit which was given to and received by the visible man cannot be the Christ that is in English Anointed because he is said by the Apostle to be the Anointing with which the Saviour was anointed as 't is written how God anointed Jesus that is the Saviour of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit Act. 10.38 If the Eternal Spirit as Spirit was anointed I would know with what and wherefore Twelfthly Because the true Christ even Sions King is said to come sitting and riding upon an Ass meek and lowly who also in lowliness washed the Disciples feet all which proves that the visible man is the true Christ Zecha 9.9 Mat. 21.5 John 13.14 Object Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him so no more Answ What Paul intends by these words I verily believe but that Christ is departed from and without that outward body of flesh which once was visible on Earth and so not to be known after the flesh that is not now having that body of flesh this indeed I believe not First Because that then and upon the very same ground we are to know henceforth none amongst men to be the Children of God but such onely as are departed from and without their outward bodies of flesh and where those men are or what kind of men they are I verily know not I thus speak because in like manner as the Apostle saith Henceforth we know Christ no more after the flesh so also he saith even in the same words that henceforth know we no man after the flesh if true in one then in both but that it is untrue in one you have hereby a weight of reason forbidding that the other is also untrue consider the Scriptures forbidding it As Secondly Because those that were of the number of Gods Elect in Ages past Waited for the Son of God from Heaven who was raised from the dead 1 Thes 1.4,10 Now sure I am that 't was the visible body of flesh which was dead and so raised from the dead that which was raised from the dead the Saints of God waited for and therefore they ceased not to know Christ as having the body of flesh which once he had though both they and we believe that 't is glorified Thirdly Because the same Apostle that speaks these words is so far from such an opinion of undervaluing the fleshly body of Christ as that he tells the Church they were reconciled to God in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1.21,22 And surely neither Paul nor the Church was at any time to cease knowing or honouring that through which they were reconciled to God His flesh is meat indeed and his blood drink indeed and although in one sence it profited nothing yet such is it in another sence as that whosoever eateth and drinketh the same that is believeth in the Lord John 6.35 shall never hunger nor thirst And therefore for the constant remembrance thereof we have that Ordinance of Breaking Bread which surely was never instituted to hold forth an unprofitable thing But true it is That neither Christ nor men are to be known after the flesh and how once men were known after the flesh is plain from the same Apostles words as thus We are the Circumcision which worship God in Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh wherein if any might trust I more saith Paul Now what he means by this is manifest to wit being Circumcised of the Stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews c. Phil. 3.3,4,5 But he well knowing that the Ministration of the Law under which persons were thus known after the flesh then done away and a more glorious Ministration in being which forbids men to plead we have Abraham to our Father we are his Children after the flesh of the Stock of Israel of this or that Tribe and therefore let us be Baptized and known among you according as you may read the Pharisees did Mat. 3.7,8,9 Paul I say well knowing this declared that he had no confidence in the flesh as in reference to himself neither henceforth would he know any other man after the flesh as once during the time of the Law men were known and accounted even the Children of Promise in respect of temporal enjoyments being such
as descended from that fleshly birth-priviledged Seed of Abraham Therefore saith he If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature the Seed of Abraham according to the Faith of Abraham either Jews or Gentiles In like manner as there was a time when Christ was esteemed and known upon the account or because of his being born of the Tribe of Judah and of the birth-priviledged Seed of Abraham yet now henceforth saith the Apostle know we him so no more that is as to esteem him upon that account or for that reason meritoriously the Saviour of the world but rather upon the account of his coming down from Heaven his being the Son of God reconciling the world unto himself in the body of his flesh through death Object The first man Adam was made a living Soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit Answ True it is that the Apostle thus speaketh but consider how he is or can be called the last Adam or the second Man as afterwards he is called if Christ be so a quickning Spirit considered as he was before the world was for if the Spirit as Spirit be the last or second Adam then it follows that the first man Adam who was of the earth earthy was first and before the Eternal quickning Spirit which were very absurd to think and therefore Christ of necessity must be understood to be the last Adam upon the account of his being become visible man a condition that he was not alwayes in but since the creation and fall of the first man Adam and so is truly and very properly the last or second man made a quickning Spirit yet not so a spirit in the Apostles sence but that he is also spiritual ver 46. and also the man by whom came the Resurrection from the dead ver 21. and also the Christ that died was buried and rose again ver 3 4. and therefore not so a quickning Spirit as in the Quakers sence for the Spirit considered as from Eternity was not man and so was never dead and so not buried and so not raised again all which Paul testifies in that very Chapter concerning him whom he calls a quickning Spirit in reference to his now being a spiritual glorified man which considered it remains that all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom the Jews Crucified both Lord and Christ Moreover as the Quaker holds That the Spirit which was in the visible man and not the man was the Christ So also he holds and indeed it leads him to hold that the second coming of Christ is in men and not otherwise and therefore Humphrey Smith in his Book entituled A true and everlasting Rule pag. 19 20. compares such who look after the body of Christ to those young men that sought in vain the body of Elijah and plainly saith that such whom he calls wandring stars shall never find the body they look so much after he also speaking of Christ pag. 30. saith That he is come whom we long waited for and we do not look for any other who now saith he appears the second time without sin to the saving that which was lost and so saith he we confess Christ come in the flesh and do not look for another pag. 32. Now as their perswasions concerning Christ being a Spirit and not man leads them to expect the coming of Christ in them so contrariwise our Faith and full perswasions that Christ is a visible glorified man leads us to expect his second coming as a distinct appearance from and not in his People whereupon I forbear to urge those many scripture-Scripture-grounds which with all plainness ane loudness of voice reproves these mens swelling words of vanity and shall onely speak something touching those Scriptures which speaks of Christs being in his People whereat some for want of understanding may possibly stumble True it is That the Apostle tells the Church of the Colossians that Crist was in them the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 Yet not so in them but that he could also say and that at the same time to the same Church that when Christ who is our Life shall appear then ye shall appear with him in Glory even in the possession of that Glory which then they had hopes of ver 3 4. The Apostle also declares Christ to be in the Corinthians except they were Reprobates Yet not so in them but that they were also waiting for the coming of Christ 1 Cor. 1.7 Yea at that time when they were sanctified in Christ ver 2. and in every thing enriched by him coming behind in no gift ver 5 7. Paul also testifies concerning himself That Christ lived in him yet not so but that he looked also for the appearing of Christ Tit. 2.13 Yea and at that time when he had finished his course and the time of his departure at hand he speaks to Timothy of a Crown of Righteousness which the Righteous Judge saith he shall give me at that day even at his appearing 2 Tim. 4.1,6,7,8 The Apostle John saith Christ is come that is the first time which John might well say for he had seen him with his eyes and handled him with his hands 1 John 1.1 But Christ afterwards ascended from whom John received great things yea much of the special presence of Gods Spirit mightily working with him yet did he not say that Christ was come the second time for himself after those many Visions and Revelations we read of was discovered to him readily prayed even so come Lord Iesus Rev. 22.20 Stephen a man full of the Spirit yet looking up into Heaven testified that he saw in Heaven Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God and the truth of this he sealed with his blood Act. 7.55,56,58 Moreover as Paul bears witness of Christs dwelling in the Saints so also he declares that the Saints were in him even as it is meet saith he for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart Phil. 1.7 And elsewhere saith that you are in our hearts to dye and live with you 2 Cor. 7.3 Now 't is out of question that the several persons of the Churches were not in the Apostles heart but onely they were deep in his affections and much in the Thoughts and Meditations of his heart even so as to dye and live with them he believing them to be the beloved of God So the Saints having Christ deep in their affections much and often in their Thoughts and Meditations believing him to be their most precious Redeemer Who is gone into Heaven to prepare a place for them John 14.2 So I say Christ dwelleth in his People or in the hearts of his People by Faith And this kind of Language is both proper and common to this day for persons that are deep in each others affections in their personal absence one from another to say that such are in their hearts or that such are often
as it were satisfied in their own cealed houses while the House of God wants perfecting and much of its original Ornaments 'T is well known that Saints should be rich in Good Works willing to communicate and ready to distribute But Oh! How doth Unbelief choak the inward movings hereunto possessing Souls with many fears touching what may happen in the time to come though at present they enjoy all fulness and so the bowels of compassion are too much shut up 'T is well known that Righteousness and Just-dealing is commanded of the Lord but saith the unbelieving Steward I cannot dig to beg I am ashamed and what then shall I eat or what shall I put on being discharged of my place Wherefore Unbelief drives him unrighteously to account with his Lord even fifty for that which was in Righteousness a hundred measures Luke 16. But I forbear instancing in Particulars concluding that as living by Faith is a God-honouring and Creature-comforting state and condition so not to live by Faith but by sight is a God-dishonouring and Creature-discomforting state and condition But having spoke something touching the great use of Faith with provocations thereunto which probably may be for advantage to some yet very possibly for disadvantge to other some for want of a wise understanding every thing in its place Therefore in the next place I do hereby warn and strictly charge all such who are carnally minded who have so embraced this present world as that the growing in the knowledge of Jesus is little minded by them or regarded and yet are apt to lean upon the Lord and seem to be very confident and with Israel ready to say Is not the Lord amongst us being as it were offended with those that shall question their condition they think it so good and therefore are ready to conclude as some of old have done that no evil shall come unto them when alas they are poor and miserable And all such I exclude as being none of them while such whom I hereby perswade to lean and stay upon God by Faith Therefore O ye sluggards and carnal-minded men think not to say within your selves because you profess and have practised some of the Ordinances of Christ and still do own them that therefore you have ground to believe that Gods Promises reaches you for this did Israel do and the Church of Laodecea who nevertheless were miserable and their leaning upon the Lord rendred of no effect because of their unworthy walking in other things Neither think to say within your selves because you do as well as others acknowledge that it is not enough to come into the Profession of Ordinances and Church-fellowship with a heavenly and spiritual walking therein to the glory of God that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for alas though you in words deny such a condition yet your conversation plainly declares to others and to your selves also if you would seriously heed it that you own it 't is not mens saying that there must be nor their much talking of a heavenly and spiritual walking in the Profession that proves them to be such even heavenly-minded men or spiritual walkers to talk of Life Light Spirit and Power of Godliness is now become a meer Form among men many getting the words but have not the thing it self and such are most apt to declare against others even to slight and disdain little ones that believe in Christ calling them carnal literal and low professors Yea some of this sort in the Apostles dayes were grown up to such height of spiritual pride and arrogancy as that they thought Paul and the rest of the Ministers of Christ did walk after the flesh 2 Cor. 10.2 and so they looked upon their bodily presence weak and their speech contemptible ver 10. Neither think to say within your selves because you walk honestly among men so as to abstain from gross and publick evils that therefore the Promises of God reaches you for all this you may do and continue so and yet go to Hell among the unprofitable servants that have not gained by trading with the Talent committed unto them this kind of common honesty you have possibly for a long time manifested in your conversations But where are the fruits that God justly looks for to be brought forth in the Power and Light of his Grace If you know these things and can talk of them happy shall you be if warned by them Neither think to say within your selves because you assemble with the Saints at their meetings that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for so did Israel yea they seemed to take delight in approaching before God to tread his Courts Is 58. Whose practises nevertheless was not regarded by God neither may yours being possibly to prevent the reproof of men more than Gods or at best to remove trouble of Conscience which sometimes possibly you have undergone for neglect of meetings but now frequenting them you thereby speak peace to your Souls though for years you experience no advantage or Soul-profit reaped thereby which is the true end of meeting a true Testimony O ye that your satisfaction is not in the right thing Neither think to say within your selves because you confess your sins and iniquities before the Lord that therefore the Promises of God reaches you for you may in words confess sin having at that time little or no sence either what sin you have committed or when committed and so your words of confession may proceed rather from a notion that such a thing is spoken of in the Scriptures and that others do so than from a spirit wounded with the stroke of sin and broken in the deep sence of sin from whence the words should flow and so having made confession of sin presently imagine that all is well speaking peace to your selves barely because you have spoken words as Saints did formerly and now do but alas are far from having any real ground to say with the Prophet Bless the Lord O my Soul for the Lord hath forgiven thee all thine iniquities Psal 103.2,3 Neither think to say within your selves because you pray sometimes both publick and private that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for many and long Prayers were found among the Children of Israel who nevertheless were a sinful Nation laden with iniquity Isa 1.15,4 And so may you be notwithstanding your many Prayers and that not onely upon the account of your unworthiness in other things but also upon the account of imperfection or rather corruptions that may be in these your prayers supposed by you the best of your performances for instead of speaking words of Prayer proceeding from a serious sence of the want of Grace which flowes from a great desire to honour God because of its love to God I say instead of this kind of sensible praying to God which is alwayes attended
with as its constant companion a serious and constant waiting to receive from God what is prayed for alas there may be by you words uttered proceeding from a meer notion which may be exercised as upon narrow search may be seen to find out words and expressions and to utter them in such a way manner as may to the eyes and ears of men render you fervent and zealously affected after the things prayed for rather than from any real and internal sence begotten in you of God leading you up nearer to God your words may be importing more longings after Grace than really is in you and greater desires and larger affections after the Wisdom and Power of God than indeed and in truth is in you your words may be importing also more detestation of sin and transgression than may be true from your hearts and if so What shall I say of this Is it an acceptable service in the sight of God Nay it is in truth a speaking lyes before the Throne of Grace a dead work timely to be repented of Moreover when you for some time neglect Prayer probably are somewhat troubled but then coming to a more frequent practice thereof you thereupon put the trouble from you and seem to be satisfied though for a long time you experience no answer to your Prayers which proves that your satisfaction is not in that which is bread indeed Yea doth it not prove that either yet you have not attained unto the New Birth or if you have that it is now even languishing and almost senceless for that if in health will not be satisfied with asking for the bread which is from above unless it also receive it no more than the birth which is after the flesh will be satisfied with asking for outward bread unless it be also received and enjoyed within Moreover when you joyn with others Praying in publick it may be a small occasion as a persons coming in or going out or the like trifles presently causes the ear to listen and the eyes to gaze up and down which if so account not that an acceptable approaching to God What no more reverence in speaking to the Almighty No more sence of your conditions and of the necessity of receiving from God to keep your minds more close to God In the true fear of God consider these things Neither think to say within your selves because you sometimes praise God and give thanks unto his Name that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for this may you do as Israel did and yet far from that kind of praising God which God accepts of and which glorifies his Name which proceeds from a true knowledge and sence of mercies received and so hearty desires thereupon to set forth his praise you being it may be onely led forth to speak words of praise possibly the very same which the sensible man doth from a naked apprehension that such a thing is spoken of in the Scriptures and that others do so and therefore you cannot quiet Conscience unless you do so too and it may be herein also utter expressions importing a greater and larger receiving from God than indeed and in truth you have received which to do is hypocrisie and iniquity Neither think to say within your selves because you sometimes read the Holy Scriptures that therefore with what is above said you have ground to believe the Promises reaches you for so did the sinful Jews do yea thought that they had in the Scriptures Eternal Life who nevertheless were such to whom Christ said How can ye believe that receive honour one of another John 5.39,44 And may I not say to you touching this your practice as touching the rest of your performances That is to say when you read not then are you disquieted but when you sometimes read then the trouble is removed and you at quiet though little or no experience of profit reaped thereby which is the proper end thereof should you not even as your principal care when you read Commandements have an eye open within to see whether you have obeyed them and kept close to them yea or nay And when you read Promises to consider whether you have or still do believe them with all the heart yea or nay Most surely this becometh such as wait for the real substance of things Neither think to say within your selves Because when you at any time sin against God you can remember that there was something within you that testified against the sin and opposed it and so judge your selves in Pauls condition Who did that which he would not that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you as well as they did Paul for alas how great may be your mistake herein the ground of your confidence of being in Pauls condition it may be no more than what the Drunkard may have to say that he is in Pauls condition who purposing to go to a merry meeting is warned by his Friend not to go who nevertheless with full purpose of heart goes and is drunk with the drunken yet may he say and truly too that he was warned not to go and that his friend opposed it which may be is all you can say even that the Word of God in your hearts testified against the sin which you were tempted unto who nevertheless with full purpose of heart committed the sin without the drawings back and contradictions of any regenerate part in you but onely the knowledge you have that such and such things are sin and evil contradicted it which even the wicked and abominable in some measure have Which if so you are not able to say with Paul from sure experience that your inward man delighted in the Law of God Rom 7.22 And that you were carried captive to the evil by the Law in the members ver 23. And that you were overtaken with sin Gal. 6.1 And not that you overtook sin though possibly you may have these words in your mouths but alas if they are not true as to your condition you do but deceive your selves thereby thinking your selves to be what you are not Neither think to say within your selves Because you do nothing but that you are able to shew some seeming ground and reason for your so doing that therefore you have ground to believe Gods Promises reaches you for that you may be able to do as could Saul and the people with him for their sparing the best of the Sheep and Oxen and yet nevertheless live after the flesh the which whosoever doth shall die eternally My meaning in many cases of this nature more clearly you shall understand by this one instance namely A certain carnal man beholding a very new and curious fashion in matter of Apparel presently falls in love with it enters into Bed and commits Adultery therewith but having received some Light from the Word that Saints should not fashion themselves according to their former