foolish and groundless distinction that they have borrowed from the Popish School-men The Scriptur telleth us nothing of this nicity yet we do acknowledge the person of Christ. 10. And if by Person they understand his manhood or the man Christ Iesus we believe that Christ is man and a singular man that is to say he is not two or many men but one onely man as also he is singular for the excellency of his nature even as Man 11. So that whatever excellency any other man hath in his nature Christ hath the same and also far greater and more excellent in his who is the heavenly Man or Lord from heaven the second Adam that is a quickening Spirit whereas other men in comparison of him yea Adam the first Man is but of the Earth Earthly So that as farr as the most high heavens do excell the base and low Earth so farr doth Christ even as Man excell all other men and that not onely in accidents as the Popish school-men and the Presbyterian Teachers following them do teach but in nature and Substance And therefore as the Heavens do influence the Earth and make it fruitfull by the virtue that proceedeth therefrom so the heavenly Man Christ Iesus doth influence all other men by his Light and Life that they may be fruitfull in holiness and righteousuess and who remaine unfruitfull it is not for want of the Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man as not influencing them but becaus that by unbeliefe they harden their hearts against his Heavenly breathings and influences And this distinction betwixt the very nature of the Soul and Spirit of Christ as man amd that of the soules of all other men is clearly held forth by Paul according to the wisdom given him of God that whereas the Soul of any other as namely the Soul of Adam was made a living Soul the second Adam is a quickening Spirit who quickens both the Souls and bodys of other men who in faith receive his quickening life and Spirit and whatever virtue the Souls of any other holy men have to quicken others they have it not of themselvs nor yet immediatly of God the Father but they derive it from the heavenly man or second Adam Christ Jesus who hath it immediatly of the Father who is the Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Iesuâ— 12. And this doth manifestly hold forth a substantial dignity and excellency in the nature of the Man Christ Jesus even as a man above the nature of all other men and Angels which the Papists and Presbyterian Teachers do both deny 13. And thus it may appear how much more we do esteeme of the Manhood of Christ Iesus then either Papists or Presbyterians SECTION VIII 1. The fourth accusation is false for we owne no other Iesus Christ but him who was born of the Virgin Mary 2. He was the true Christ of God before 3. That the man Christ Iesus was from the beginning 4. Some Scripturs brought and opened to prove this as Eph 3 9 Joh 6 38. 1 Cor 15 47 48. Joh 3 13. Eph 4 9. 1 Cor 10 3 4. the same proved from 1 Tim 2 5. and 1 Cor 11 3. 5. Christ was anointed from the beginning Prov 8 23. Psal 2 6. 6. The Man Christ before Abraham and John the Baptist. 7. Some more Scripturs opened as Psal. 110 34. Amos 2 13. Heb. 6 6. Rev 11 18. And some more Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament to prove that the Man Christ was from the beginning as Gen. 32 24. Gen. 19 24. 8. That the outward flesh and blood is not properly the Man but the Soul or inward man 9. More Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament as Ezek. 1 26 27. Dan. 7 9. 10. Christ his Soul and heavenly flesh and blood from the beginning 11. The Soul Life or Spirit of the Heavenly Man doth as far extend as his heavenly flesh and blood even to all the Saints 12. Though they have not the center or root of his Soul and Life in them but onely a measure ray or emanation of it 13. The Scripture no where saith that Christ did take his Soul but onely his outward flesh of the Virgin and so according to the flesh he was onely the Son of Mary David and Abraham by virtue of his outward conception and birth The fourth Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we deny Iesus the Son of Mary to be the alone true Christ. 1. This is a false accusation We own no other Jesus Christ but him that was born of the Virgin Mary who as concerning the flesh is the Son of Mary and the Son of David and the Seed of Abraham 2. And yet he was the true Christ of God before he took flesh and before he was the Son of Mary or David or of Abraham for his being born of the Virgin Mary made him not to be Christ as if he had not been Christ before But he was Christ before even from the beginning as I shall prove clearly out of Scripture Eph. 3 9. it is said expressly that God created all things by Iesus Christ. Now if all things were created by Jesus Christ then Jesus Christ was before all things for the cause is always before the effect at least in order of nature But to this they object that by Iesus Christ is meant the Word onely in this place whereas the Word onely is not properly the Christ but the Word as cloathed with the Manhood or the Man as united with the Word And so I answer that the Word onely is not properly the Christ without the Manhood but it is the Word made Flesh or made Man And therefore seing the Apostle by the Spirit of God hath declared that all things were created by Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ signifieth properly the Word made Flesh or made Man it is clear that according unto the Apostle the Word was mad flesh or Man even from the beginning 3. And this will yet more appear by comparing this place with other places of Scripture as Ioh. 6 38. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Now Christ spake this not simply as the Word or as God but as Man for as God he had no will of his own distinct from the will of the Father for the Father and the Word have but one onely will whereas the Man or Manhood of Christ hath indeed a distinct will which yet is always in union with the will of the Father And seing Christ spake this as Man it is clear from his own words that as Man he came down from heaven and was Man before he descended to take part of our flesh in the Virgins womb and therefore Paul calleth him the Second Adam the Lord from heaven and that heavenly Man 1 Cor 15 47 48. Also it is clear that Christ himself speaketh in the 6 of Iohn of his flesh and blood that did
committ himself unto them becaus he 〈◊〉 all men and needed not that any should testify 〈◊〉 Man for he knew what was in man And sureâ—â— John understood this of Christ as man for he 〈◊〉 here speaking of the Man Christ even Jesus 〈◊〉 was borne of Mary but to say that he knew 〈◊〉 thoughts not immediatly but by revelation 〈◊〉 to contradict the express words of this Scripturâ— which saith that he needed not that any should testifyâ—â— man so needed not divine revelation to know 〈◊〉 thoughts or hearts of men And Peter said unto 〈◊〉 Man Christ Jesus Lord thou that knowest all 〈◊〉 knowest that I love thee all which prove that 〈◊〉 Man Christ Iesus to wit his soul hath a reall 〈◊〉 and is really omnipercipient and 〈◊〉 of all things present and past if not of 〈◊〉 things to come for as things to come he may 〈◊〉 know them by divine revelation from his Father but he cannot properly be percipient of them 〈◊〉 sense perception require alwayes a present object 16. And if Christ as Man be omnipercipient he is also omnipresent not onely becaus omnipercipiency is as great or rather a greater propriety and priviledge but also becaus omnipercipiency doth really imply and involve in it omnipresence for how that which is so altogether absent from us can be sensible of our affairs and thoughts is altogether unconceiveable and puts our understanding as much upon the rack as the Popish doctrin of transubstantiation and the Lutheran of Consubstantiation whereas in the way as I have expressed it the thing â—s easy to be understood SECTION XI 1. An objection answered that I seeme to agree with the Lutheran doctrin of the ubiquity of the Man Christ. 2. That the externall Person and body of Christ is not every where nor his Soul wholly in every place by a certain multiplication of ubications as the Lutherans commonly but falsly teach 3. The Center Spring or Fountain of his Soul Life or Spirit as he is the Heavenly Man is onely in that body that was crucifyed outwardly at Jerusalem and is now glorifyed in the Heavens 4. And is extended unto us by way of emanation 5. Some examples given to illustrat this Truth 6. As we agree with Luther in the generall so we differ from him in the particular manner of the ubiquity of the Man Christ Iesus which in their way is inexplicable and repugnant to Scripture 〈◊〉 the certain instincts and dictats of Reason but 〈◊〉 our way most râ—tional and agreeable to Scripture 7. The great comfort of this Doctrin that we haâ—â— the Man Christ Iesus so near unto us in virtue of his Divine Life and Soul in his Divine Seed anâ— Body extended unto us 8. That the most glorâ—â—ous Angels can not see God but in the Man 〈◊〉 Iesus to wit in his Spirit Life and Light râ—vealed in them 9. How the words of Jameâ— concerning the Word Ingrafted are to be understood and the words of John concerning the Worâ— made Flesh. 10. That Scripture Heb. 9 1â— opened 11. A Saying of Hermes Trismegistâ—â— concerning God his being a Circle whose Center is every where and is no where circumâ—criâ—ed 12. The Man Christ Iesus a real aâ— proper middle betwixt God and us ANd if it be objected that I seeme to agreâ— with the Lutheran doctrin as concerninâ— the ubiquity of the Man Christ. 1. I answer that I do indeed agree witâ— them in the general but differ from them as to 〈◊〉 manner in great and weighty circumstances For they say the externall person body of Christ that suffered on the Cross is every where even the whole in every place 2. I say Nay his externall Person is arisen and ascended and is not here as the Angel said surâ—â—exit non est hîc he is risen he is not here meaning his outward body for that was it they were seeking and it is impossible that one and the same 〈◊〉 body can be in many places at once 2. They say the whole Soul of Christ is in every 〈◊〉 and in every thing not by an extention but a â—ertain multiplication of its ubication but this is as â—â—possible and unconceivable as the former 3. But I say The whole Soul or Spirit of Christ â—not in every place nor in every man for the â—enter and Spring or Fountain of it is onely in that â—ody that was crucified on the Cross at Jerusalem â—nd is now ascended and glorified in Heaven which â—emaineth the same in Substance that it was on â—arth although it be wonderfully changed as to the 〈◊〉 and manner of its being it being no more a â—ody of flesh blood and bones but a pure ethereal 〈◊〉 heavenly body like unto which the bodys of the â—aints are to be at the resurrection For Earthâ—â— and Heavenly are not so differing but that reâ—aining one in Substance they may be changed â—e into another so that as one and the same 〈◊〉 Soul may by the operation of the Mighty Power of God be changed so as to be made heavenly and pure even so one and the same Earthly body may by the same Power be made Heavenly and thus in different respects they are one and the same and yet not the same one in Substance and not one but another in the manner of being 4. And the Center or Spring of Christs Soul remaining in that glorifyed body it extends its precious Life Spirit and Light into the Saints and 〈◊〉 some manner into all men 5. Even as the Light of the Sun that is centraâ—â—â— in the body of the Sun and yet emanats and 〈◊〉 forth its Light in most abundant streams and raysâ—â— to all the world And as the Soul of any ordinâ—â—â— man hath its center in one principal part of the body as some think the Head but others the Heaâ— and sendeth forth its Life and vital Rays into 〈◊〉 whole body and therefore the Soul is sensibleâ— whatever affects any part or member in the whoâ—â— body Even thus our blessed Lord and Saviour â—â—sus Christ is sensible of whatever affects or moves 〈◊〉 Church which is also his body by the real 〈◊〉 of his Divine Life Soul and Spirit in the Diviâ—â— Seed extended into the same 6. And thus indeed as we agree with Luther anâ— his followers in the general so we differ from theâ— as to the particular manner and way of the real prâ—â—sence and ubiquity of the Manhood of Christ 〈◊〉 in their way is inexplicable and repugnant to the most certain instincts and dictats of Reason that God has indued us with as Rational creaturs Whereas the way as I have expressed it is most rational and will be found to be most true and solid by all that shall seriously ponder the matter and weigh the reasons and arguments I have given for it and may yet further give from Testimonys of Scripture and experience of the Saints that no reason can contradict but doth highly favour 7. And surely it is no lesse
aforesaid as he is the Heavenly Man 1. ANd thus it may appear how much more truely according to the Scripture and our own blessed experience agreeing most exactly with the experience of the Saints of old we own and esteeme of the Manhoâ—â— of Christ Iesus above whatever the Author of the Postscript or his Brethren did acknowledg who would exclude the Heavenly Man or Second Adam Iesus Christ altogether out of the very Saints whereas the Second Adam is the quickening Spirit that raiseth up both Soul and body into Life as Paul declared 2. And indeed Luther did conceive a most just indignation and zeal against them such as this Presbyterian is who exclude the Manhood of Christ out of the Saints and confine it to one place For thus he writeth in his Larger Confession of the Supper of the Lord. Absit autem ut ego talem Deum agnoscam aut colam ex his enim consequeretur quod locus spatium possent duas natur as separare personam Christi dividere quam tamen neque mors neque omnes diaboli dividere aut separare potuere Et quanti tandem obsecro pretii esset talis Christus qui unico tantum loco simul divina humanâ— personâ— esset in omnibus voro locis dunâ—axat quidem separatus Deus aut divina persona esset sine assumptâ suâ humanitate In English thus Far be it from me that I should acknowledg or worship such a God for hence it should follow that place and space could separat the two naturs and divide the person of Christ which neither death nor all the devils could ever doe And I pray of what worth were such a Christ who â—n one onely place should be both a divine and humane person together but in all other places should be God separat or a divine person without his assumed humanity 3. And also those who embraced the Augustan confession in that Treatise called Liber Concorâ—â—a where they give a new declaration of some articles in that confession upon the head concerning the person of Christ speak their mind very notably in these following words which expresse the very something upon the matter as to the generall that 〈◊〉 plead for Quare perniciosum error om esse judicamus quando Christo juxta humanitatem Majestas illa derogatur Christianis enim eâ ratione summa illa consolatio eripitur quam è promissionibus paulò antè commemoratis de presentiâ inhabitatione capitis Regis summi sui Pontificis haurire poterant Is enim promisiâ— non modò nudam suam divinitatem ipsis praesto futuram quae nobis miseris peccatoribus est tanquam ignis consumens arridissimas stipulas seâ— ille ipse homo ille qui cum discipulis loquutuâ— est qui omnis generis tribulationâ—s in assumptâ— suâ humanâ naturâ gustavit qui eâ de causâ nobis ut hominibus fratribus suis condâ—lere potest se in omnibus angustiis nostris nobiscum futurum promisit secundum eam eciam naturam juxta quam ille Frater noster esâ— â— nos caro de carne ejus sumus In English thus Wherefore say they we iudge it to be a hurtfulâ— error when that majesty is derogated from Christ according to his manhood for by that means thâ— most great consolation is robbed from Christians which they could have drawn from the promises a little before mentioned concerning the presence and â—ndwelling of their head King and high Priest For he promised that not onely his Godhead should be present with them which to us miserable sinners is as a fire consuming most dry stubble but the same that man who spake with his disciples who tasted all kind of tribulations in his assumed manhood who for that cause can be grieved with us being also men and his brethren did promise that he would be with us in all our afflictions also according to that nature by which he is our Brother and we are flesh of his flesh 4. But the Lutherans conceit that the externall person of Christ not onely virtually but formally is in every place yea the wole in the whole and the whole of it in every part is so absurd and repugnant unto rational perception that from this many have taken occasion unjustly to deny the Truth it self becaus they did not see how this manner of the Lutherans of the ubiquity of the man Christ could consist with Reason 5. Whereas the manner offered by me is most consonant both to Scripture and Reason yea and almost to Sense it self for there are sensible examples by which we may illustrate the manner of it as namely that of the stream of Light that floweth from the candle and filleth the whole house while as the body of the candle it selfe is but in one place 6. And what doth that firy streame or river signify that issued and came forth from the Ancient of days but the extension of the Life and Spirit of Christ as he is the Heavenly Man And as John Rev. 1. describeth him is a wonderfully Great man even that Son of man whom Iohn saw after his ascension in the midst of the golden candlsticks even he that liveth and was dead ver 18. to shew that it was the Man Christ and he had in his right hand seven starâ—â— which are expounded to be the seven Angels or Pastors of the seven churches This showeth it is not his externall person or outward body that is here described for it is impossible to conceive how he can hold a number of men in the right hand of his externall person Therefore by his right hand is signified his power as he is the great Heavenly Man which can wel hold all the men that ever were in the world 7. Also this wonderfull extension of the Spirit of Christ as Man in his Divine body and Seed is most clearly described hy Christ himself Iohn 1 51. Verily verily I say unto you hereafter ye shall see heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man This is the Great and Heavenly Man Christ Iesus who is that Ladder which Iacob saw in his vision the top whereof reached unto Heaven and the foot of it reached the Earth But this can not be the externall Person of Christ and therefore it is the Spirit of Christ as he is Man or his Soul that is extended into us here upon Earth in his Heavenly body that he giveth us to feed upon by means of this Heavenly Ladder 8. But when I say the Soul or Spirit of Christ â— Man is extended into us I do not understand the Nephesch of his Soul but the Neschamah or Nischâ—ah even that Divine Spirit of Life that God breathed into Adam and is that which Solomon calls the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly and Iames the Ingrafted Word and Iohn the Word mad flesh or Incarnate Word that dwelleth in us
of watâ—r in a dry place as the shaddow of a great Rock in a weary land Surely this is a Great and Mighty Man so that we may justly say as these did of old what manner of Man is this whom the â—â—inds and sea obey For indeed he commands the winds and the sea and all the creaturs to whom all power is given in heaven and earth and though he hath his Deputys and Servants under him yet they can doe nothing without him 15. And therefore he himself is every where present and knoweth seeth and perceiveth all things He knoweth the most secret thoughts and actions of all men both good and he told the woman of Samaria who had been a bad and evil woman all that ever she did even the Man Christ Jesus as she her self did acknowledge and went and preached him to others Come said she and see a man that told me all that ever I did is not this the Christ But to say he told this as knowing it by revelation from the Father and not as the Man Christ Jesus is to equall other Prophets unto him who knew the thoughts of men by revelation and indeed to weaken the argument that she brought to prove that he was the Christ becaus this man told her all but seing this Man knew all her deeds and thoughts immediatly and needed not Divine revelation to know them therefore he was indeed the true Christ for no other man had such a priviledg and certainly he told her much more inwardly then outwardly and therefore he was in her to wit by his Life Light and Spirit And how could the woman that was cured of her bloody-issue by touching the hem of his garment have touched him Luk 8. if his Spirit and Soul or Life had not extended into her for her touch was not a bare outward touch nor did she touch his body but onely the hem of his garment and although many touched him beside in the great presse of people yet he felt her touch that was another sort then all the other touches even a spiritual touch so that her spirit reached unto his Spirit and drew from it out of his body and he feeling this said who touched me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 albeit it was a woman that touched him and he did ask the question in the masculine article and indeed a masculine and vigorous touch it was her spirit being raised by faith into a masculine and Heavenly vigour touched his Spirit and drew vertue from him and therefore his Spirit reached unto her that did both so draw forth her Spirit towards him and also did convey unto her that healing vertue And surely many thousands have as really touched him as she did by the spiritual touch of faith who never had his outward body or external person present to touch it and have drawn virtue from him whereby their Souls have been cured and some also have found their bodys cured and restored to health SECTION XIII 1. If by common be understood that Christ is Gods free Gift we acknowledg him so common 2. The Life and Light otherwise in the Son of Mary then in us 3. Christ 〈◊〉 truely Mediator in the Saints as without them in heaven proved out of John 17 23. and Rom. 8. 4. The Seed of regeneration is sown by Christ the Son of Man 5. God the Father is greater then Christ as Mâ—n 6. The Omnipresence of the Manhood of Christ in all creaturs doth not confound his Godhead with his Manhood 7. That Scripture Luk 2 49. opened 8. The 6 7 and 8 charges utterly false 9. The Presbyterian Teachers make the Devil greater and of a larger extent then the Heavenly Manhood of Christ to the great dishonour of our Blessed Saviour 10. The Quakers put not their Prophets and Teachers in Christs roome but acknowledg him exalted above all creatures more then the Presbyterians 11. The blindness and darkness of the Author of the Postscript that denyeth the Saints to have any measure of that Light that was or is in Christ. 12. How furr the Author of the Postscript hath outshot himself in denying Christ to be in the Saints ANd thus having by many Scripture testimonys and arguments builded thereupon together also with the testimonys of others and some of the Presbyterians own Prophets so fully proved that Christ is in the Saints yea and in a true sense in all men and in all things as God is Before I close this particular head I shall a little more narrowly consider the Author of the Postscript his words in in the 5 charge He saith we affirme Christ to be a common sort of thing His designe is easily to be seen here as if we undervalued Christ but it is no undervaluing of him to call him a thing seing the Angel called him that holy thing Luk 1 35. That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God And this holy thing we say is in all men 1. But if by common he mean either that it is of mens nature or that all men have the enjoyment of it in that sense I deny that it is common for it is not of men but it is in the nature of it a most rare divine and singular thing and though it be in all yet it can be enjoyed by none but them who are Saints But to understand by common that it is the free Gift of God unto all whereby all may be saved in that sense we do not deny it to be common nor doth its being common derogate any thing from its excellency for bonum quo communius co melius a good thing the more common it be the better it is Is not God a common Creator and yet he is not the less good or exceâ—lent so nor is Christ the less good or excellent that he is a common Saviour in so farr that he doth put Life and Salvation within the reach of every man in a day of visitation that they may be saved 2. But the summe or substance of this his 5 charge is false namely that we affirme that Christ is in every man as he was in the Son of Mary for we say The Son of Mary is Christ himself and though his Light and Life and Spirit or Soul be in â—s and in all men yet not so as in the Son of Mary for it is in him in the fulness and in us onely by emanation from him It is he the Son of Mary that giveth us this living water who is th Fountain and Spring of it whereas the stream of it is but in us and God who is Light is otherwise in the Son of Mary or Man-Christ then in us or any other men for he is in him by an immediate union and communion whereas he is in us but by the Man Christ as in regard of union and communion so that our union and communion with God is but mediat through him 3. And this wonderfull mystery Christ himself
doth clearly hold forth Ioh. 17. verse 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Observe here an excellent order Christ in the Saints and God in Christ So that as in respect of union God is not immediately in us nor immediatly united with us nor we with him but God is in Christ and Christ is in us And so God through Christ is in us and thus Christ doth declare himself to be the Mediator betwixt God and Man as he is in them Thou in me and I in them here Christ is the midle-man or Mediator as being in the Saints which confuts the gross and most comfortless doctrin of the Prebyterians and others who affirme that Christ as Mediator is only without us in heaven and is not Mediator in us whereas he himself in this place hath declared the contrary thou in me and I in them that they may be made perfect in one So that of all things visible and invisible Christ is next unto God and most near unto him as in regard of union and communion and then the Saints by their union with Christ are united also unto God and he unto them And if Christ be mediator in the Saints then he is Man or the Word incarnate in them for the Word or Logos simply considered is not mediator becaushe is of a nature as remote from us as the Father being one essence or substance with him and indeed it is the Man Christ that spoke these words in prayer unto his Father for the Logos simply considered is God himself and cannot be supposed to pray unto God for that to which one prayeth is greater then he that doth pray and it is the Man Christ or Word incarnate who said my Father is greater then I so that Christ as Man is inferiour to God this is the same Spirit of Christ as Man that prayeth and maketh intercession unto God in the Saints Rom 8. and hath done so from the beginning and by whom the children of men in all ages have received grace from God 4. For the seed of Gods Grace which is the true â—â—â—d of regeneration that hath been sowne in all ages of the world as well before as since Christ did outwardly come in the flesh was sown by the Son of Man to wit the Man Christ Jesus as he hath expressly taught himself Math. 13. 37. He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man who is the good and friendly Man and therefore he hath been in all ages and places of the world becaus he hath sown his seed in the world and not in some corner of it onely and the seed which he hath sowen is the iâ—grafted Word even a measure of the same divine and Heavenly Nature Light Life that is in himself as he is the Heavenly Man or Lord from Heaven 5. Whose nature as Man is Heavenly and Divine all though it be inferiour to the God head for he said my Father is greater then I nor will his â—mnipresence and omnipercipiency prove that as Man he is as great as the Father for the whole universe of created beings of Heaven and Earth visible and invisible are as the dust of the ballance and drop of the bucket in comparison of God 6. And therefore that the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus his Spirit Light and Life doth every where extend it self into all things will not prove that Christ as Man is equall unto God nor yet confound his God-head and Man-hood it only proveth that the Man Christ Jesus is a great and mighty and most excellent being farre above all and excelling all men and Angells and all other angelicall and heavenly powers and principallitys which is a most certain truth and therefore do all the Angels worship him as they are commanded 7. And this universall presence of his in all things he declared himself when Mary his Mother according to the flesh with her husband Ioseph did seek him among the multitude why did yee seek me said he did yee not know that I must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the things of my Father Luk 2. 49. and verse 50. They understood not that saing which he spake unto them and indeed many at this day do not understand it which place of Scripture Dionysius of Alexandria brought against Paulus Samosatenus to prove that Christ was before Mary and if Christ was before Mary he was not only God but Man for it is the Man or Word incarnate that is the Christ or Anointed of the Father and not the Word or God-head simply considered His 6 7 and 8 charges are that we affirme Iesus the true Christ the Son of Mary to be onley an ordinary vessell which containeth â—his Light as the Spirit of every other Holy Man doth and so not only pulling down our exalted Prince from his Throne of Glory but putting our false Prophets as he calls them in his place cloathing them with the glory of his proper titles as being Christ as wel as he becaus containing the same Light with his 8. Answ. That these charges are exceeding false and unjustly layd upon us will abundantly appear from what is already said in answer to the former and therefore I need say the lesse onely to let the Reader know that we are so farre from affirming Jesus the true Christ the Son of Mary to be onely an ordinary vessell c. that we both believe and affirme him to be a most Wonderfull and extraordinary Vessel and that both in respect of his Soul and body as having the Center and Spring of that Divine Light Life and Nature whereof we have but the ray and streame And though the Vessels of other men have the Light in them yet they contain it not but it rather contains them for the greater is not contained in the lesser but the lesser in the greatâ—r And thus we do not pull down our exalted Prince from his Throne of glory but acknowledge â—im more exalted then our adversarys do who â—ould confine and limit him to one place and â—â—ltogether exclude him as Man from having any â—â—rone in the hearts of his people whereas they do â—â—knowledge that the Devil is in all wicked men 〈◊〉 and good men also and yet they will not acâ—nowledge Christ to be in all nay not in any good â—en upon Earth 6. And thus they make the Devil greater then 〈◊〉 which is no small dishonour to our Blessed Saâ—iour and they who deny him to be in men even 〈◊〉 the Saints seing he is really in them conforme 〈◊〉 to the testimony of Scripture and the experience of them who know and witness him revealed in them are denyers of him as really as they who denyed him when he came in the flesh 10. Again that we put our Prophets whom he falsly calleth false Prophets in the place of Christ cloathing them with the glory of his proper titles as being Christ as wel as he becaus containing the same
this nature in the said book 10. And certainly this was an immediat sensible appearance and revelation of the power and presence of God accompanying the Ministry of that time which produced such effects and in truth the very same power and presence of God with the very same and the like effects is now again broken forth in our day among the despised people called Quakers and that in much greater clearness so that more sound principles are made known unto us and many things which were letts and snares unto them are discovered unto us from the Lord. 11. And yet is it not a most sad and lamentable thing that Professors who cry up the appearance of God in that time will not owne the same appearance of God in the nature and kind of it although more clear and glorious as to the measure among us now but joyn with the profane rabble to call those unusuall motions which are the reall effects of Gods power and Spirit powerfully seazing upon both souls and bodys of many among us in great trembling cryes and tears the signes of some Diabolicall Possession whereas the same persons by sobriety of life and conversation and by a walk as Christian-like as any of these a fore mentioned in many things exceeding them and also by the savor of the life of Christ in them have evidenced that they were led by the Spirit of God 12. Yea the Author of â—he Postscript is not affraid to impute these unusuall and extraordinary motions that some times appear in the bodyes of some of our friends to a possession of Sathan which if he did as knowingly as maliciously might truely be called a blaspheming against the Holy Ghost But they are judged here by some of their owne prophets for seing it was the Spirit of God that raised these unusuall motions in them abovementioned why should the like now be imputed to the Devill 13. O how like is this generation of hypocriticall professors to the Scribes and Pharisees and Iewes of old who professed to owne the Spirit of God in Moses and the prophets and yet rejected and resisted the same Spirit in Christ and the Apostles 14. And it is observable that this glory of God that appeared among them at that time which was a time of persecution although it continued for some years yet afterwards when the Presbyterians got into the sadle themselvs and turned persecuters of others that dissented from them this glory did disappear and in stead thereof great complaining of deadness as it is at this day among them who have most ingenuity This doth plainly show that they did not follow the Lord in his further leadings but rather went back otherwise this glory would not have departed bâ—t continued yea and increased among them And if some obiect that this glory appeareing unto that people at a communion to wit at that called the Sacrament of the Supper it seemeth to be no small argument to prove that God did owne that externall action as his ordinance although the people called Quakers deny it to be a standing ordinance to the world and doe not practise it 15. To this I answer that it is observable that by the Authors own account the greatest outleting of the Spirit was not on their communion day but on the day after but that God did at times of that externall action of breaking bread condescend unto them regarding their sincerity and gave manifestations of himself will not prove that he commanded that thing unto them or that their minds were not in an error in laying too great weight upon that externall action which was but a figure of the true communion for the same Author doth acknowledge that the Spirit of God did also wonderfully accompany Luther in his Ministry and yet Luther did most grossely erre as in other things so in the matter of the Sacrament teaching that the body of Christ was consubstantiat with the bread and that the oâ—â—ward mouth receiveth the body of Christ. And I believe such as are sober and ingenuous of the Presbyterians will not deny but that the Lord did pour out of his Spirit upon those Bishops in England that dyed martyrs that were both for Episcopacy and the Service-book yet this proveth not that God did owne these things as his ordinances It is the sincerity and earnest desires of mens souls after God that he regardeth although they be in error in some things which he winketh at but doth not owne Yea did not Christ wonderfully appear to Saul while he was going to Damascus to obtain an order to persecute the Saints a very unlâ—wfull action but this proveth not that God allowed 〈◊〉 in the same Many other instances could be given to shew the weakness of that objection and certainly in the darkest times of Popery God raised up some to be ministers of his Spirit that yet continued to hold many Popish errors as not only Bernard and Thauler but even Iohn Huss who disâ—ented little from the Papists in matter of doctrine but mostly blamed their ungodly life 16. A second instance I shall bring out of the afore-said Author is pag. 422. where he giveth as a sixt witness c. the convincing appearance of an extraordinary and Apostolick Spirit on some of these instruments whom the Lord raised up in these last times who as he saith had speciall revelations from the Lord of his mind anent things to come c. But how doth this agree with their confession of Faith that saith the former wayes of Gods revealing himself to his people are ceased since the Apostles dayes and that there are no new revelations of the Spirit but that God hath committed his counsell wholly to writing And of such speciall revelations he mentioneth divers which I refer the Reader to find in the said book 17. A Third instance shall be that which the Author mentioneth of Robert Bruce where I take notice of divers weighty particulars as 1. that his call was extraordinary pag. 429. to wit by an inward motion and pressing of the Spirit and such a call I confess is extraordinary as in respect of the greatest part of those called Teachers which yet is most ordinary yea and most necessary to every true teacher and minister of Christ. 18. 2. He tells pag. 431. that it was the manner of Robert Bruce for a considerable time to keep 〈◊〉 before he preached And yet how do the Professors now blame our silence when even such among us as the Lord hath given a true ministry unto do find it at times their place to be silent a considerable time before they speak and sometimes for a whole diet to be silent as Ezekiel was of old Now I besech them to consider what did this silence of R. B. mean or what was his intent in being siâ—ent so long was it not he waited to receive â—hat he was to speak from the Lord Or at least to 〈◊〉 the Spirit and power of the Lord to assist
but onely a favourer of Bishops being then an Advocat becaus he would not bow to their wills was constrained to flee the Nation Not to mention the fineings and other oppressions that many endured on that account and the Papists also some of whom had almost their all swept away and many fled Besides some few scattered ones whom they called Sectarys they grievously persecuted and threatned as namely Iohn Garden of Tillifroskie a Baptist whom they imprisoned in Edinburgh for a long time and reduced to so great outward necessitys that no body durst wel minister to him what he wanted But was the Presbyterian National Church any more favourable to their lawfull Prince Did they not also extend their power to the utmost against him to compell him And what the sad effects were which this produced I am loath to mention so that none were spared but all Great and small must fall down and worship this beast as it was in the darkest times of Popery otherwise they knew what they were to expect And it would saden a mans heart to think to what perplexity many simple-hearted men were brought while things were carryed thus on the one hand the Kirk issued forth her acts that people should do so and so and on the other hand the Lawfull Magistrat issued forth acts to the contrary and so the body of the Nation was divided some following the one some the other untill they ceased not to make the three Nations a field of blood And all this happened by that persecuting and compelling spirit in the Presbyterian Church that is the very life of such a Church without which it can not subsist as such Next as to her Hypocrisy we need go no further then the various changes of the farr greatest number of her Church-members and especiaily her Teachers one while Episcopal again Presbyterian and to wheel round again Episcopal and these changes all falling within a short time even upon the self same persons they who were zealous for Episcopacy and cryed it up yesterday the next day zealous against it crying it as much down and then up again one while preaching against festivall days and set forms of Worship then for them then against them then lastly for them again All this bewrayes horrible and detestable Hypoorisy especially in the Teachers who pretend to preach the Word of GOD and the Truth of Christ. Whereas the Word of the Lord is One forever and the Truth is the same always and is not yea and nay And it is a thing as manifest as the light of the day that the Teachers even of the Presbyterian Church have been generally and for the most part Self-seeking worldly minded and covetous men who loved pleasures and riches more then God And this the Mâ—gistrat did wel know and saw the best way to prevail with them was to bribe them with augmentations and benefices as they did in the year 1649 and at divers other times as they saw occasion And in the time of great burdens upon the Land of Cesses and Taxations that many honest familys were redacted to great straits by reason of these publick burdens yet the Presbyterian Preachers table was as full as ever his cup did overflow with outward abundance he must bear no part of the publick burden but the burdens of the people must be augmented to give him augmentations But alas This Presbyterian kingdom is now faln and great is the fall of it especially it falleth heavy upon such as the Author of the Postscript who want those golden days of gathering up their stipends and augmentations but are fain to be at their purchase or conform which some have so much sense of shame still remaining in them as suffereth them not to do yet they fume and rage and the honest harmeless people called Quakers must be the main butt and object of their wrath but such paper bullets and darts that contain nothing â—olid as this Postscript being full of horrid lyes and false accusations will make little execution against us but certainly return upon their heads with shame and loss 10. All this sheweth that the Presbyterian Church was not so glorious a Church as she did take her self to be And many in the Island and elsewhere on the one hand did judg the Congregational Churches farr beyond her And those called Baptists I mean the more sober kind of them beyond both yea the Lutheran Church and the Church of England at lest as to divers particulars in doctrin is really beyond her But what shall I say concerning the Waldenses who had all what the Presbyterian Church had that was commendable and divers other thingsâ— that they want and wherein they do not imitat them although they boast to be their successors For the Preachers of the Waldenses were Lay-men most of them and wrought with their hands as the Teachers of the primitive Church did and had no sâ—t stipends or salarys but preached freely yea Peter Walâ—â— the first a most famous Preacher of that People was a meer Lay-man and had not Philosophy but was a Merchant in the Town of Lyons in France whose labour the Lord did wonderfully bless and the labour of such honest plain simple men as he was SECTION IV. 1. That some good men have been in the Presbyterian Church proves not that she was a true Church 2. In the darkest times of Popery God raised up some good men and Prophets in the Popish Church yet the Popish Church no true Church of Christ. 3. Few Sects but have had some good men among them 4. The Presbyterians in our days shamefully are declined from the footsteps and spirit of thâ—se antient good men that were among them 5. The Presbyterian Church guilty of treacherous practices 6. Christians should not make warr against the Magistrat 7. Presbyterians sufferings not pure and cleanly 8. The Episcopal Church had its Sufferers and Martyrs also 9. The Presbyterian Church especially their Teachers have much blood-guiltiness upon them 10. If the house of God under the Law was not to be built by men of blood farr less under the Gospell 11. GOD will not honour the Presbyterian party to build his Zion or Gospell-Church in this Land 12. Yet he will make use of many among them after he hath â—â—ashed them from such bloody Anti-christian and unsound principles and practices 13. Of this they were warned eleven years ago in my book called Help in time of need printed in the year 1665. 14. The Presbyterian Church of Scotland guilty of Apostasy and spirituall adultery proved fully out of S. R. his Epistles 15. S. R. his Faith uncertain and he doubtfull in his later days concerning the Covenant its being made an instrument of Reformation 16. Some other testimonys of Great Presbyterian Teachers that God had forsaken the Presbyterian Church of Scotland 1. But if the Author of the Postsâ—ript think to get a fame to the Presbyterian Church becaus of some noted men for piety that have
iron the fire in the 〈◊〉 answering to the God-head or eternall Word anâ— the iron it self burning and shining by the vertue anâ— power of the fire in it answering to the Man-hood 〈◊〉 Christ both which examples I judge to be useful and pertinent yet falling exceeding short of thâ— Mystery it self which is so great that is passeth◠〈◊〉 understanding of men and Angels The second particular is that we deny Christ 〈◊〉 be the second person of the Trinity 6. This is a meer quible about the invented words of mans wisdom which we deny albeit the truth of the thing it self we deny not but faithfully believe to wit that Christ as God is the second of the Three that bear record in heaven which three are the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are One as Iohn declared and we believe that these three that bear record in heaven are not three distinct natures and substances but the one in nature and substance not three Gods but One onely God not having three understadings three wills or three powers but one only understanding one only will and one only power 7. Yet they are three otherwise then in meer name operation or manifestation towards us onely being distinct in their relative modes or propertys so that the Father is not the Word nor is the Word or Son the Father allthough he be our Father nor is the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son either the Father or the Son the Father is uncreated and unbegotten the Son or Word from everlasting is uncreated and yet begotten of the Father the Spirit is neither created nor begotten but proceedeth from the Father and the Son from everlasting the Father did not become flesh nor was born and crucified and rose but the Son or Word yet the Father is in the Son the Son in the Father the Spirit that proceedeth from them is was in them and with them from everlasting and is unto everlasting and whatever the Father doth the Word and Spirit do the same being one as in nature so in operation This Father doth all things by the Word and the Father and the word doe all things by the Spirit and yet as they are distinct in the manner or modes of being so also in the manner or modes of operation As the Father is first in the manner of his being so is he first in the manner of operation as the Son is second in the manner of his being so is he second in the manner of operation and as the Spirit is third in the manner of his being so is he third in the manner of operation Yet this priority is not a priority of time but of order for they were three before time even from everlasting and they all cooperat and work together And thus it may appear that we are sound in the faith as touching this great mystery and that we differr not in the matter or thing it self but onely as to the manner of expression which they themselvs grant is not by words divinely inspired as namely a Trinity of persons or three distinct persons Christ and the Apostles who declared of this mystery expressed it not in these termes of three distinct persons nor are these words recorded in Scriptures therefor we are not bound to expresse our faith in these unscripturall termes which the holy Ghost hath not taught nor indeed is there any need of those termes three distinct persons but rather they darken then explain the mystery which have occasioned not onely some of the vulgar but even some of them called the learned to erre grossely in their conceptions about the mystery it self as if the Father the Word and the Spirit were really three distinct substances each having a distinct understanding will and power and as if the word or Son were inferiour in nature to the Father and the Father greater then the Son as Origen is thought by some to have taught and as some do now teach and such although they affirme that the Word and the Spirit are diâ—tinct substances from the Father and that the Father is greater then they yet they do not acknowledg that the Word and Spirit are created or that they have their being from the Father by way of creation but only by way of emanation and they affirme that the Father is onely the most high God and the Word and Spirit inferiour unto him as being God onely by participation from and union with the Father and thus they think to defend themselvs as not being guilty of the Arian heresy whereas it was a branch of the Arian heresy to say that the Son or Word was not equall unto the Father But whither or not they be guilty of the Arian â—eresy sure I am they are in an error occasioned in great part by these unsound and unscriptural terms of three Persons in the Trinity for persons signify substances and not the modes or propertys of one Substance 8. And it is wel known that these words of Three Persons and 3 Hypostases have made great contention in former times and divers judged to be pious and learned men have denyed them and disputed against them as namely Ierome against three hypostases and Augustin disputeth solidely lib. 5. 7. de Trinitate that the words Three Persons are not properly applicable to the Mystery it self although he doth not know what other names to give them and surely it is too great presumption and curiosity in any men to dive further into this mystery then what God hath pleased to reveal or to give names unto it which the Lord hath not given And yet it is more presumption and smelleth rankly of a persecuting spirit to impose upon others these words which the Spirit of God hath not taught nor left upon record in the Scripture and yet becaus we do not own these words of mans wisdom and spirit to cry out against us as blasphemers and as denying the true Christ whereas we believe in and do own the true Christ according both to his God-head and Man-hood more according to the Truth and Testimony of the Scripture then our accusers do as I hope in its due place to shew The Third Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we deny Christ to be a singular Person 9. But this is another quible like unto the former for I ask him What doth he mean by the word Person whether the God-head or both united If he place the personality upon the Godhead it resolveth into the second particular already cleared but the Word or Godhead of Christ is not properly a person but an invisible Power and Life if he place it upon the Manhood as united with the Godhead this is contrary to their own doctrin who teach that the Word did assume the nature of Man but not the person otherwise he would be two persons and thus they distinguish the personality from the nature of man but this is a most
inlighteneth every â—an that cometh into the world Joh. 1 9. 12. Fifthly Christ Jesus he is otherwise in the 〈◊〉 then he was and is in that vessel and temple 〈◊〉 suffered at Ierusalem and is now glorifyed in 〈◊〉 Heavens for the Saints have not the Heavenly 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus as it were centrally and originalâ—â—â— them the Spring and Centre of his Soul Life 〈◊〉 Light is not in their vessells but onely in that 〈◊〉 which was born of the Virgin Mary they 〈◊〉 enjoy of his Life and Light as it proceeds 〈◊〉 him by way of emanation and participation 〈◊〉 that although the true Light be both in him and 〈◊〉 yet it is otherwise in him then in us as the 〈◊〉 of the Sun is otherwise in the body of the Sun 〈◊〉 it is in other bodys into which it emanates and 〈◊〉 Life is otherwise in the Principall part or parts 〈◊〉 the Natural bodys then as it is in the other Memâ—â—â— And both these exampls have been used by 〈◊〉 Ancients to shaddow forth this great Mystery 〈◊〉 they also are used in the Scripture it self which calleth him the Head of the Body and the Sun of Righteousness and it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell and out of his fulness we all receive and Grace for Grace for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily see Coloss. 1 19. and 2 9. and Joh. 1 16. So that in all things he hath the preheminence as the Apostle declared And look as the sap or moisture and living vertue is otherwise in the Root and Stock of the Tree then it is in the Branches although iâ— be really also in the branches even thus it is as concerning Christ and the Saints he is the Vine they are the Branches he is the Root that beareth them and sendeth forth his Life contiâ—ually into them to make theâ— fruitfull that they may bear living fruits of Life Now he is the Root and Vine into which the Saints are grafted not simply as the Word but as the Word Incarnate and as dwelling in that most pure and most Wonderfull Vessell that suffered at Ierusalem 13. For becaus the fulness dwelt in him and that he was immediately and most intimatly united with the Godhead so as no men noâ— Angels are but onely the Man Iesus he is onely the true Christ. And becaus he it is alone who in an immediate way and originally is Gods Anoynted who hath anoynted him with his Holy Spirit and all other men even the most holy but mediately united with God through him and mediately by and through him receiving the Anoynting or Holy Spirit therefore all other holy men are not Christ but Christians not being immediately anoynted of the Father but by the means of Iesus Christ. 14. Nor are they otherwise partakers of the Anoynting or of the Holy Ghost but as they are partakers of Christ. And this the Name Christian doth plainly import for it is a derivative name from Christ holding forth that as we derive our name from him so also we derive from him whatever Light or Life Grace or Heavenly Virtus we do enjoy The Father first giveth it unto him and he even the Man Christ Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary the Son of David and Abraham according to the Flesh doth give it unto us 15. He it is by whom Grace and Truth cometh unto Mankind he it is to whom the Father hath giâ—en power over all flesh as he himself declared Ioh. 17 2. that whatever the Father hath giuen to â—im he may give to them eternell life for so the 〈◊〉 are according to the Greek and so both â—rias Montanus and the vulgar Latin and Dutch Translation render them So that Christ hath given 〈◊〉 all flesh that is All mankind eternall Life even 〈◊〉 hath received it of the Father not that all 〈◊〉 do enjoy or possesse eternall Life but yet the Seed or Principle of it is put in them which is the Light of his Son Christ Iesus that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and thereby All men may have Life as Christ himself said I am come that ye may have Life and if they have it not it is not becaus they can not but becaus they will not have it for it is really tendered unto them by Christ Jesus who on this account is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe SECTION X. 1. All true Christians do worship the Man Christ Jesus 2. True Believers worshipped him upoâ— Earth in the days of his flesh 3. The Wise-men from the East worshipped the child Jesus but not Mary thereby condemning the grosse idolatry of the church of Rome 4. Many exampls out of Scripture to prove they worshipped the Man Chriâ—â— Jesus 5. Some Presbyterians have taught thaâ— the Man Christ Jesus was not to be worshipped to the great dishonour of the Christian Religion 6. The Christian Quakers falsly accused that 〈◊〉 do not pray to the Man Iesus Christ. 7. We ofteâ— expressly mention the names JESUS CHRIST in our prayers and when we do not mention thesâ— names yet praying by the movings of his Life 〈◊〉 Spirit we pray always unto Christ Iesus whoâ— the heavenly Man and God over all blessed for ever 8. In what sort of expressions I have heard some of our Friends pray to Christ in our Meetings and which I have also used in prayer to my great comfort 9. That becaus all true Christians do worship the Man Christ Iesus he to wit the Heavenly Man must needs be really present in and among them in their meetings and consequently every where but this is not meant of his externall person 10. Who pray unto the Man Christ and do not believe him to be present are real Idolaters as this Author of the Postscript 11. That distinction refuted that he is present as God not as Man 12. That the Man Christ heareth our prayers proveth that he is present every where 13. That distinction refuted that the Man Christ Iesus knoweth our prayers and thoughts not by immediat perception but by having them revealed to him by the Godhead which is the Popish evasion for worshipping Saints and Angels 14. Some places of Scripture opened as Heb. 4 15 16. Psal. 18. 9 10. 15. That Christ did immediatly kow the thoughts of men proved from divers Scripturs 16. Omnipercipiency of the Soul of Christ proveth him as man to be Omnipresent 1. ANd for these causes it is that all true Christians do worship the Man Christ Jesus and pray unto him as they do unto the Father so that he is a true and proper object of Divine adoration as is the Father yea it is in and through him that we can onely in a true and acceptable way worship the Father and call upon him 2. And even in the days of his flesh they who saw his glory and did truely know what he was did both believe in him and pray unto him and
our necessitys yet we can no otherwayes receive his help but as it comes to us by the conveyance of the Man Christ Jesus our alone Mediator 9. Thirdly My third reason which is mainly for my present purpose and which alone is enough to conclude is because it demonstrats this great blessed Truth to wit that the Man Christ Jesus is really present in and among us and consequently every where I do not mean by his externall or outward person for that is ascended into Heaven but in virtue of his Divine Life and Spirit or Soul extended into us in his Divine Seed and Body which is his Heavenly flesh and blood wherewith he feedeth the Souls of them that believe in him I say Our worshipping the Man Jesus and praying unto him doth plainly demonstrate that he is really present in and among us and with us as his Name Immanuel doth signify not onely as God but as Man for it were a most absurd thing to worship an object that is altogether absent as the Manhood of Christ is according unto these Presbyterian Teachers We know how the Prophet Elijah mocked Baals worshippers with a Godly zeal and indignation on this account as supposing him in their account as an absent God Cry aloud said he for perhaps he is asleep or hath taken a journey As for us God forbid that we should worship an absent Christ or call upon a Saviour to help us in whom we do not believe as really present 10. Sure I am they who pray unto him and yet do not believe him to be present and have not some sense of his presence are real Idolaters for they pretend to worship an object which wanteth a property altogether essential to an object of Divine worship that is real presence 11. Nor is it enough for them to say he is present as God but not as man for if the Man be not present he is not to be worshipped and if he be to be worshipped as most certainly he is then he is present for this is one of the great motives of worship and prayer that he whom we worship and call upon is present to help us as David called him â— present help in time of trouble and we are commanded to come and worship before his presence 12. But again Our praying to the Man Jesus doth imply that he doth really heare our Prayers and is really sensible and perceptive of them and that not onely when we use vocal prayers but also when we pray onely in our most secret thoughts Now it is impossiâ—le that he could hear us and be sensible of our prayers and especially of our thoughts if he were not immediatly present in us and with us For to say that his God-head doth reveal our prayers and thoughts unto the Man-hood doth no wise answere the strength of this reason for hearing and perception are immediate acts of the soul and reach unto the objects immediately or the objects unto them but what is made known by revelation simply doth not so reach and that cannot be properly called hearing our prayers or being sensible of them As suppose that God should reveal immediatly to a man in Persia or China that I am praying here at such a distance that man could not be said to hear me praying or be sensible of the very breathings of my soul as when the Lord revealed to Ananias that Saul who after was called Paul did pray yet who will say that Ananias heard Paul pray at that time Surely this is such a slender and deceitfull evasion answer as the Papists use commonly to give when we bring this reason against their praying unto Saints and Angells to wit that they do not nor cannot hear our prayers every where becaus they are not every where present nor can be becaus of their limited capacity they tell us that they read ouâ— prayers in the mirrour or looking glasse of the Deity or have them revealed unto them immediatly by God which answer the Protestants most deservedly reject for that is not properly to hear 14. And indeed none is fit to be a Mediator but he that immediatly heareth our prayers and hath a sense of the breathings and yearnings of our souls towards God and is touched with the feeling of our infirmitys as Christ Iesus our high Priest really is for said the Apostle Hebr. 4. 15 16. we have not â—n high Priest which cannot be touchea with the feeling of our infirmitys but was in all points tempted like 〈…〉 yet without sin let us therefore come boldly unto the 〈◊〉 of grace that we may obtaine 〈◊〉 and find grace to help in time of need Here observ how he makes this the reason why we should come 〈◊〉 â—nto the throne of grace even becaus 〈◊〉 have an high Preist that is not of so A damantine a nature nor yet so remoâ—e from us as that he cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmitys and therefore he hath a real feeling of them which is more 〈…〉 the Prophets mantle fell and this was a figure of this great mystery for Christ the greatest of all Prophets when he ascended he let fall his mantle upon his disciples to wit a plenteous emanation of his spirituall and divine Body and Life the proper vehicles and conduit of the Holy Ghost and of God himself so that they came to be wonderfully indued with the Holy Ghost and indeed that which Jesus Christ hath left with us of his Divine Body and Life is Gods Throne of Grace or Heavenly Throne on which God sitteth and to which we have access while we are here upon Earth that is of the same nature with that above and one intire being with it the Altar the mercy seat The Cherub on which God rideth as it is Psal. 18. 9 10. He bowed the heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet and he rode upon a Cherub 〈◊〉 did flee yea he did flee upon the Spirit so the Hebrew This Cherub is the Man Christ Iesus the heavenly rayes of whose Spirit Light and Life are his wings on which the most glorious and most High God doth ride and bring speedy deliverance to his afflicted Saints in all ages And Christ also is 〈◊〉 heavens that God boweth to wit the Heavenly Man that most willingly boweth and obeyâ—â—â— the Fathers commands in all things who is the Man of Gods right hand by whom he doth all things 〈◊〉 heaven and Earth he belâ—g his most immediat and most universall instrument and organ of operation in all things in heaven or Earth or under the Earth and therefore to him must every 〈◊〉 bow whether in heaven or earth or below the earth 15. But I shall more particularly prove that 〈◊〉 Man Jesus even in the dayes of his flesh did knoâ— the thoughts of men from express testimonies 〈◊〉 Scripture Math. 12. 25. and Iesus knew their thoughâ— see also Luk. 6. 8. and John 2. 24 25. But 〈◊〉 did not
By the Nephesch I understand that of the Soul of Christ common to him with the Souls of other men as namely the Root and Life of the Animal Senses and discursive parts By the Neschamah or Nischmath I understand that substantial dignity and excellency of the Soul of Christ that it hath in its nature being a Divine Nature so to speake above and beyond the Souls of all other men and Spirits of the most excellent and holy Angels But whether his Nepheâ—ch and Neschamah be two principles really distinct or two facultys and powers of one onely principle I shall not in this place determine nor is it material to the thing in hand to inquire 9. Again Christ himself hath taught us that 〈◊〉 spiritual coming in his Saints is as the Son of Man Matth. 16 28. Verily I say unto you there are some standing here that shall not â—ast â—f death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom This can not be meant of his Last coming at the day of judgment else it would inferr that some that hear him speake these words have not as yet tasted 〈◊〉 death nor shall unto the Last Day which is absuâ—â— Therefore this coming of the Son of Man must 〈◊〉 his inward and spiritual coming into his 〈◊〉 Again he said himself that the Father had 〈◊〉 him authority to execut judgment as he is the 〈◊〉 Man and that the hour should come wherein 〈◊〉 that are in the gravesshall hear his voyce And 〈◊〉 told them that time was in part come already 〈◊〉 must be understood spiritually and inwardly at 〈◊〉 in great part Iohn 5 25 26 27 28. 10. And according to this I find a very obseâ—vable saying in Calvin on the Epistle to the 〈◊〉 upon these words For he who 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 who are sanctified are all of One. His words are the 〈◊〉 following Neqâ—e enim tantùm qâ—atenus Deus 〈◊〉 nos 〈◊〉 c. For neâ—ther â—oth he sanctify 〈◊〉 onely as God but also the vertue or power of his sanctâ—fying is in his manhood or humane nature 〈◊〉 that is hath it from it self but that God hath poureâ— forth a solid fulness of Holyness into it that froâ— thence we may all draw to which pertaineth thaâ— saâ—ing I for their cause do sanctâ—fy my self theref 〈◊〉 if we be profane and unclean the remedy is not to 〈◊〉 sought afar off which is offered to us in our fleshâ— Thus Calvin Now if he doth sanctify us as manâ— it is certain as man be must he in us for a cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at a distance but by some medium or middle 〈◊〉 there can be no middle but the man Christ himâ—â—lf his Life or Soul extended unto us for it were a â—ost absurd thing to think that the Manhood of â—hrist doth operate upon the Deity and through 〈◊〉 Deity upon us for the Deity is altogether an â—â—passible being by reason of his most infinite perfeâ—â—on And seing he faith the Remedy is not to be â—â—ght afaâ—r off which is offered to us in our flesh I 〈◊〉 not how this can be understood of his externall 〈◊〉 for indeed that is at a great distance from I know Calvin hath a conception that the 〈◊〉 do partake of the flesh or body of the exterâ—â— person of Christ which yet is hardly intelligible 〈◊〉 we should conceive that it doth send forth 〈◊〉 exceeding subtile influence upon us but if it 〈◊〉 so the argument will hold stronger that if â—â—ody of Christ can influence us at such a distance 〈◊〉 more the Soul seing the Soul is more capable 〈◊〉 vast an extension then the body but flesh of Christ that the Saints feed upon is 〈◊〉 that divine body the substance of which is 〈◊〉 another kind then the outward body 〈◊〉 much soever made glorious or spiritual but body can not sanctify us without the Soul of 〈◊〉 extended into it for it is rather the Soul o◠〈◊〉 that is the man then the body and holyâ— can not be properly inherent in any meer body being the property of an intellectual being and therefor it can not convey holiness into another simply by itself but onely as it is the instrument of the Soul which is the onely proper and immediat subject of holyness 11. And thus having given an account not onely from Luther and those who embrace the Augustan confession but also from Calvin himself for whom the Presbyterians have so great an esteeme of the wonderfull power and influence that the Manhod of Christ hath in and upon the Saints and of his being so near unto them Let us now see what their great Seer S. R. as the Author of the Postscript calleth him saith to the matter Almost all his Epistles especially the First part are so full of expressions concerning that nearness of Christ to himself and of his enjoying his Love and hungering more and more after the enjoyment of it that it is needless to cite any particular Testimonys out of the book for the same yet for the satisfaction of those that have not read his book of Epistles I shall cite some particular places holding forth that wonderfull nearness of Christ that I plead for and that Christ himself is present with and in his People and that he giveth them not onely his comforts and Graces but himself to be enjoyed by them even in this life See 1 part Ep. 120. If joy and comforts saith he came singly and alone without Christ himself I would send them back again the gate they came and not make them welcome But when the Kings train cometh and the King in the midst of the company O how am I overjoyed with floods of love This is such a plaine testimony that it quite destroyeth that deceitfull distinction that the Presbyterian Teachers have when they tell us Christ is in us by his Graces gifts and operations but not by himself For are not his joy and comforts his gifts or graces and operations and yet S. R. saith If these came singly and alone without Christ himself he would send them back again the gate they came and not make them welcome And indeed Christ can not be separat from his Graces no more then the Soul can be separat from the love and joy that is in it and emanates from it or then the Sun can be from his beames or the fire from its heat Again see 1 part Ep. 29. I can neither speake nor write feeling nor tasting nor smelling come feel and smell and tast Christ and his love and ye shall â—all it more then can be spoken To write how sweet the honey-comb is is not so lovely as to eat and suck the honey-comb one nights rest in a bed of love with Christ will say more then heart can think or tongue can utter Surely these words hold forth an immediat presence of Christ for we can not tast nor feel that which is not really present Again see Ep. 191. There is nothing will make you