Virgin To this I answer That I have no where affirmed any such thing nor such Words have I any where used For the Flesh and Blood whereof I speak according to Scripture that came down from Heaven is neither of the Air nor Stars but of a more excellent Substance and that beyond all Compare And also that the Body which he did take of the Virgin was a real Body of Flesh and Blood as I have above declared 3. He chargeth me with the Heresie of the Manichees that said Christ had an Imaginary Body To this I answer That I am altogether free of this Charge For I affirm That Christ hath no Imaginary Body for his Body is Real and Substantial Nor doth it prove that Christ his Heavenly Body is Imagińary because it cannot be seen or felt or heard by the outward Senses as he reasoneth For by the same reason God himself should be no Real Being but only Imaginary seeing God who is a Spirit cannot be seen or felt by the outward Senses And thus wee see what Spirit of Madness acteth this false Accuser who seeking to fix upon me but falsly the Error of Manicheisme salleth head-long himself into the Ditch of Gross Atheisme For what grosser Atheism than this to say That God is no real Being but only Imaginary which is the Necessary Consequence of his Doctrine 4. He chargeth me with the Heresie of Apollinarius who is said to have affirmed That Christ had no Soul distinct from the Godhead The contrary of which I have manifestly affirmed and do still affirm And when I say The Nismah is the Word Incarnate or Word made Flesh I do not exclude the Soul of Christ For if these Words namely the Word made Flesh exclude the Soul of Christ then by the perverse Reasoning of this Author he maketh the Apostle John equally Guilty with me of the Heresie of Apollinarius And thus we may see how commonly this Author falleth into the same Ditch which he hath prepared for another and sometimes into a worse 5. He chargeth me with the Heresie of the Nestorians who said There were two Persons as well as two Natures in Christ. To this I answer But I have no where said That there are two Persons in Christ nor do I say That there are two Christs or two Sons of God as the Nestorians affirmed Moreover whereas he saith The Quakers hold that there are Three Natures in Christ if not Four I answer 1. But this was no Part of the Nestorian Heresie if I had so affirmed and therefore instead of proving me a Nestorian he but proveth himself a gross Lyar Perverter and Calumniator But 2. I answer That I hold only that there are but two Natures in Christ Nature being taken as it ought to be in its full and intire Concept or Notion For the Nature of Christ his Manhood is still but one intire Nature of Man although consisting of various Principles And this the Author himself must needs acknowledge or then be guilty of his own Accusation For is not the Soul and Body of Man of distinct Natures and yet they make up but one intire Nature of Man And if he say they are two distinct Natures then Christ having these two Natures of Soul and Body and also being God he hath according to this Author three Natures which was the Accusation where-with he chargeth me and yet is guilty of the same 6. He chargeth me with the Heresie of the Eutychians who gave the Divine Attributes to the Human Nature To this I answer That I have abundantly cleared my self of this above where I have shewed that these Divine Attributes of Omni-presence and Omni-science which belong to the Manhood of Christ are neither the same nor yet equal to these of the Godhead and so I confound not the Manhood and Godhead of Christ but acknowledge them distinct Natures and Beings forever inseparably united together after the most Perfect manner whereas the Eutychians are said to have confounded the Manhood and Godhead into one Nature 7. He chargeth me with the Heresie of the Ubiquitarians but whom he meaneth he doth not express But for answer by the Ubiquitarians either he meaneth the Eutichians or them called Lutherans if the former concerning them I have answered already upon the 6 th If the latter namely the Lutherans I have at large in my Book discovered how I do not hold the Ubiquity or Omnipresence of Christ after that absurd and gross manner as they do but after another way that is both according unto Scripture Testimonies in many places and is no wise repugnant unto right reason but very agreeable thereunto Although in the general I do acknowledge that I do agree with the Judgment of Luther and those that wrote the Liber Concordiae as touching that particular and whereas I made use of some excellent testimonies both out of Luther and Liber Concordiae for the Ubiquity and Omnipresence of Christ this Author hath not so much as once named them far less answered them And thus Reader I have particularly replied unto all his false accusations and his beast with the Seven Heads that he hath conjured out of the Sea of his troubled Imagination I have easily slain with a few easy and simple strokes and here it were but very Just instead of his Counterfeit Creed of his own making concerning what the Quakers believe of the Man Christ Jesus to draw up an account of his Atheistical and Blasphemous Creed concerning both God and Christ which is truly his and which he must needs own either as his express words or as the genuine and most necessary consequences of his Words and Doctrine and when I have so done I should be more Just unto him than he has been unto me who hath alleadged upon me many false things which are neither my express words nor the true consequences of my words no not after the remotest manner But at present I shall spare this pains and refer the Reader to the places in my answer to his Pamphlet where I have proved him manifestly guilty of Socinianisme Arianisme Anthropomorphitisme Muggletonisme Judaisme Anti Christianisme and lastly of gross Atheisme and Impiety to which also I could add Manicheisme Ebionitisme and Cerinthianisme withal whom the author of the Pamphlet falsely called the Quakers Creed hath taken part and for which he is justly reproveable Some Testimonies out of Hilarius concerning the Manhood of Christ both as touching the Soul and Body Who although he doth expresly affirm that Christ hath the true and whole nature both of God and Man yet he no less expresly saith as followeth in his own words lib. 10. de Trinitate SUum rursum panem esse dixit ut per hoc quod descendens de caelis panis est non ex humana conceptione origo esse corporis existimaretur dum caeleste esse corpus ostenditur Et arguere nos solent Heretici quod Christum dicamus natum non nostri corporis atquae
THE True Christ Owned AS HE IS TRUE AND PERFECT GOD MAN Containing An ANSWER to a late Pamphlet having this Title The Quakers Creed concerning the Man Christ Jesus c. Writ by a Nameless Author Which Pamphlet containeth many gross Lies and wilful Perversions Beside some other great Mistakes occasioned by the Author his Ignorance and Blindness By George Keith Printed in the Year 1679. The True Christ Owned AS He is True and Perfect GOD AND True and Perfect Man Pamphlet TRanscribed verbatim out of a Treatise entituled The way cast up Ans. The false-hood of this shall plainly appear to any who readeth my Book how that the Author hath Omitted many particulars of great Moment that are necessary for the Reader to understand the whole beside the many Arguments made use of in my Book to prove the truth of what I have affirmed which he hath not so much as once named onely he hath taken notice of some few wherein he thought he could find any advantage but that he is therein also disappointed the following Answer I hope shall make sufsiciently apparent Pamplet Animadversion 1. The Quakers from hence believe that Christ had a Manhood differing in nature srom the man-hood of all other Men contrary to Heb. 2. 11. Ans. He hath given no answer to my argument from 1 Cor. 15. 45 46 47. that proveth that Christ as Man excelleth all other Men in Nature and Substance as the most high Heavens do excel the low Earth but only to oppose this he bringeth that Scripture Heb. 2. 11. which yet doth nothing oppose what I have affirmed for granting that Heb. 2. 11. proveth that Christ hath the same Nature of all other Men in respect of all the essentials of Man's Nature and that he had all belonging to Man's Nature which Adam had before the Fall although more is to be understood in Heb. 2. 11. all this doth not prove that he hath not somewhat more belonging to his Nature as he is the Heavenly Man than Adam had but indeed on the contrary it proveth very clearly that he had more which is implyed in these words He that Sanctifieth for Christ the Heavenly Man the Second Adam doth Sanctify the Earthly Man or First Adam as he believeth in him and giveth him Life both to Soul and Body even Life Immortal and therefore he hath a more excellent Nature which is Heavenly and Divine than the First Adam had for that which Sanctifyeth and Quickeneth is more excellent than that which is Sanctifyed and Quickened thereby but it behoved him to partake of the true Nature of all other men in all essentials which therefore accordingly he hath done according unto Heb. 2. 14. forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same and ver 16. For he took not on him Angels but the Seed of Abraham But that more is to be understood also by these words Of One Heb. 2. 11. is manifest because he that Sanctifyeth and they who are not Sanctifyed but remain in their Unbelief and Ungodliness are not said to be Of One. Nor doth Christ call the Unbelievers his Bretheren but only them that believe and are Sanctifyed by him Christ therefore and true Believers are Of One because they are united together by a mutual participation of the Nature of each other so that as Christ the Heavenly Man doth partake of the Flesh and Blood of the Children they also partake of his Flesh and Blood and become one Flesh with him according to Eph. 5. 31 32. And therefore as he doth partake of the Nature of Men so these men who do believe in him are partakers of his Divine Nature who is the Heavenly man and of God through him according to 2 Pet. 1. 4. compared with 2 Cor. 5. 19. and John 17. 23. Moreover that the Man Christ Jesus hath a Nature excelling all other men as much as the Heavens do excel the Earth See also John 3. 31 32 33 34 35. and compare it with 1 Cor. 15. 45 47. Pamphlet Animad 2. They believe from hence that the Word was made Flesh or Man before the Creation of this World contrary to Gal. 4. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 20. Ans. These Scriptures prove nothing contrary to my assertion for they are only to be understood of his outward coming when he took Flesh in the Virgins Womb and came in the likeness of Sinful Flesh now I do not say that he took that outward Flesh from the beginning but only at that time but he namely the Heavenly Adam himself was from the beginning and was the Word made Flesh and gave unto the Saints srom the beginning his Flesh to Eat and his Blood to Drink otherwise they could not have had Life in them according to John 6. Pamphlet Animadversion 3. The Quakers have found out another kind of Flesh besides these four sorts 1 Cor. 15. 39. Ans. Here thou seemest rather to mock than to argue in good earnest But what I have affirmed of the Heavenly Flesh and Blood of Christ which he had from the beginning is no invention nor fiction of ours but grounded on the Scriptures Testimony and also on our own blessed experience for that Flesh and Blood of Christ which he had from the beginning is the Food and Nourishment of our Souls unto Eternal Life as it was also the Food and Nourishment of the Souls of all that believed in him from the beginning of the World for all before and after his outward coming in that Body of Flesh did Eat the same Spiritual Meat and Drink the same Spiritual Drink for they Drank of the Rock c. and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. But when the Apostle is speaking of four kinds of Flesh he is only speaking of the Flesh of Terrestrial or Earthly Bodies but not of the Flesh of Christ that came down from Heaven which indeed is none of these four Sorts but hath a more excellent Nature for all these four Sorts are but Natural and Corruptible but the Flesh of Christ is Spiritual and Incorruptible And as touching the words of Grotius cited by thee Flesh is not understood by the Hebrews but of the Mortal Body it is easily answered by taking the word literally without any Metaphor or Figurative Speech but if we take it Figuratively it hath other Significations For how oft is all mankind comprehending both Soul and Body called Flesh in Scripture and yet the Soul is not the Mortal Body But how little hast thou considered how if thou stand unto the words of Grotius thou hast given a stone to break thy own Head for if nothing is to be called Flesh but the Mortal Body then the Body of the Resurrection namely both Christ his Body also the Resurrection Body of the Saints is not properly Flesh because not a Mortal Body Pamphlet Animad 4. The Apostles frequently speak of things to come as present as well might the Author say that
Pamphlet I query what difference betwixt the Nishmah of his Soul and the Center of it Answ. As great as betwixt the Spring and the Stream and the life and vertue that is in the Root and a measure of the same in the Branches so great is the difference betwixt the Center of that Nishmah and the ray or emanation of it into us which yet is one and the same Substance or Essence with it Pamphlet Look into Buxtorfs Lexicon you that are Schollars and there you will see that this curious distinction of Nephesh and Nishmah is ground less and a little after for the same word is used of the beasts and fouls and creeping thing that were destroyed by the Flood Gen. 7. 22. Answ. That the word Nishmath or Nishmah at times is used indifferently or commonly to signifie the breath or life of any living Creature doth not hinder but that at other times and that more frequently it hath a peculiar and singular signification even as the word Ruach signifieth at times indifferently any ordinary Spirit good or bad as also the wind and so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek Spiritus in Latine and Spirit in English and yet also it hath a peculiar signification at other times to signifie the Divine Spirit of God and Christ and thus also many other words have both a common and peculiar signification as the words El Elohim Bara and others And unto Buxtorfs Authority I oppose the Testimony of others better skilled and namely the Author of the Apparatus in Librum Zohar part 1. p. 542 and p. 600. And that which is of more Authority then all Humane Testimonies I oppose unto him the Scriptures Testimony in diverse places which I have Cited in my book as namely Gen. 2. 7. Prov. 20. 27. To which I shall adde Job 32 8. The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding where the same Hebrew Word Nishmah or Nishmath is used that is in Gen. 2. 7. And surely whoever shall duely consider that Scripture Gen 2. 7. How that-the Lord God breathed in Adam the breath of Life and he became a living Soul and shall compare it with 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living Soul the second or last Adam was made a quickening Spirit If he have the least sense of that quickening life of Christ Jesus that made the first Adam a living Soul cannot but acknowledge that that breath or inspiration of life which made Adam a living Soul was something more excellent and living then his own Soul which he received from Christ Jesus the second Adam who is the image of the invisible God after whom he was made for it was this breathing in or inspiration of Life that made him a living Soul Namely living unto God Whereas he was a Soul afterwards when he Transgressed but not such a living Soul for in the day he did eat of the forbidden fruit he dyed and remained no more a living Soul unto God in Holiness and Righteousness after the image of him that created him And indeed that this breath or inspiration of Life was not Adams own Soul but a Divine substance diverse of those called Fathers of great Note do earnestly contend Hilarius saith on Psal. 118. expounding these Words And he breathed into him the breath or Spirit of life and man was made a living Soul Inspirationi ergo huic Preparatus sive formatus est per quam Natura Animae Corporis in vita perfectionem quodam inspirati Spiritus foedere contineretur Scit in se beatus Paulus duplicem esse Naturam cum Secundum interiorem Hominem delectatur in Lege c. In English thus Man therefore being prepared or formed unto this inspiration by which the Nature of the Soul and body should be contained within a crtain Covenant or bond of the inspired Spirit Blessed Paul knoweth that there is a Twofold Nature in him when according to the inward man he delighteth in the Law of God Again Cyrillus Alexandrinus on 9. John saith expresly that the breath of life which God breathed into Adam was not the Soul of Adam but a Divine substance Non est igitur factum divinae Substantiae Spiraculum anima hominis sed animato potius homini proprietati Naturae utrisque anima dico atquae corpore Consumatae quasi Sigillum Naturae suae Creator Spiraculum vitae id est Spiritum Sanctum infixit c. Which is in English thus The breath of the Divine substance was not made the Soul of man but rather man being already indued with a Soul and the property of his Nature being consummated both in Soul and Body the Creator fixed in him as it were the Seal of his own Nature That is the Holy Spirit The which Holy Spirit he also calleth the Spirit of the Son and the Divine Nature and indeed without all doubt God breathed into Adam the Holy Spirit but this Holy Spirit being one Essence or being with God dwelleth in the fulness of it in Christ the second Adam and therefore Adam could not be a partaker of the Holy Spirit but as he was also a partaker of the second Adam whose Nishmah or Soul hath the Holy Spirit in it as being its most immediate Temple or house and therefore the fulness of the God-head is said to dwel bodily in Christ because Christ is as the body or house that most immediately receives that fulness to Communicate of the various measures of it unto others for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Body is said to be derived from a word which signifieth a House or Lodging or Habitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that the fulness of the God-head dwelling in Christ as in its most immediate and proper Habitation as the Soul of a man dwelleth in its body no man can partake of God but as he partakes of Christ in whom that fulness dwelleth Pamphlet Animad 20. I desire the Schollars to call to mind how this Notion of the Soul of Christ in all suits with Platoe's of the anima mundi Answ. Cyrillus Alexandrinus and others do Judge that Plato by his anima mundi did understand that which the Scripture calleth the Holy Ghost for as the Scripture speaketh of three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost Plato likewise spoke of three namely the good the mind and the Soul and the Good he calleth the one and the Father the Mind he calleth the Son as being generate of the Father both which answer unto the Father and the Son which the Scriptures Testifie of and therefore they conclude that by that he called the Soul he did understand the Holy Ghost And that Plato had learned this mystery of the Three from the Egyptians who had learned it from Moses But that he had wrongly understood it himself for he seemeth to call them Three Gods as being distinct in a threefold being
truly Divine union it hath with the Godhead doth by vertue of the same receive such Divine attributes and perfections as are communicable unto none else beside him and the nature of the Manhood of Christ must be so excellent so great and so perfect and so substantially excelling all Men and Angels that is capable of such an Union or of such Divine attributes properties and perfections that are both proper and necessary for such an one as is to be Mediator betwixt God and Man and our High Priest with God of which Divine attributes omnipresence and omnipercipience aforesaid are some which I call Divine because of their great excellency and in respect of which the manhood of Christ is nearest unto the Godhead of all other distinct beings although as I have already shewed the omnipresence and omni-percipience or omniscience of Christ as man is not the same nor equal unto these attributes of omniscience and omni-presence that belong to Christ as God or unto the Godhead but of a far inferior sort Moreover seeing the foresaid communication of names is grounded upon that so rare and singular union betwixt the Godhead and manhood of Christ it is very manifest from hence that the said communication of names could not be from the beginning of the world unless also the union betwixt the Godhead and Manhood of Christ which is the ground of the said communication had been from the beginning and consequently also the Manhood of Christ was from the beginning for two natures cannot be united before the one of them have any being again as the said communication of names and properties require the Man-hood of Christ to exist or have a being from the beginning of the World otherwise it could not be said that the Man Christ Jesus was from the beginning not so much as by that figurative speech of communication of properties so in like manner that communication of properties cannot be allowed but where as well as when the Godhead and Manhood are together united and existent and that for the same reason already given namely that the communication of the names is grounded upon the union of both existing together in the same things places or persons as well as in the same times and therfore if the Manhood of Christ were not omnipresent in all places as well as all times The Man Christ could not be said to be omni-present not so much as by that figurative speech of communication of properties which is not barely Verbal or Titular and Nominal but Reall and Substantial according to the manner above expressed Again there are many Scriptures which speak of Christ that must needs be understood of Christ as Man and not as God so much as by that figurative Speech of communication of prorerties as when Christ said John 6. I came down from Heaven not to do my own Will this must needs be understood of Christ as Man as I have already proved seeing Christ as God always doth his own Will What he adds page 14 15. concerning the sum of the Quakers Doctrine concerning Christ it being in great part a heap of Nonsence and Confusion and not my words nor meaning and so far as any part of it is true being sufficiently answered already I need not make any new Reply unto it only whereas he talketh of two Souls and Bodies of Christ I would have the Reader to Remember that I have no where in all my Book spoke of two Souls of Christ and as concerning the two Bodies of Christ they are also but one body in the full and intire Notion of a body consisting of various parts and members united into one so that the manhood of Christ is still but one in its full and intire Nature And again whereas he finds fault with us for saying that Christs heavenly body whereof the Saints are partakers confisteth of flesh blood and bones he may find the same fault with Christ who spoke os his flesh and blood that came down from Heaven which is the Saints Food also he may blame Paul who said the Saints were of his flesh and of his bones But flesh blood and bones here understood are not to be meant literally and after a vulgar manner but spiritually and figuratively for his flesh and blood from Heaven are Spirit and Life And although the Wisdom of God hath expressed them under these distinct Names yet originally they may be but one substance even as flesh and blood and bones of an earthly body are originaly but one substance which is dust and earth And I can and do freely appeal unto all Christians whom God hath spiritually Enlightned and given a Spiritual Understanding unto of the Mystery of God and Christ whether this be not the True Christ of God of whom I have declared And Whether that described by the Author of this Pamphlet here Answered by me is not indeed a False Christ And also his God whom he limiteth Essentially within the Dimensions of an ordinary Human Body be not also False And so Whether He and not I be not guilty of Gross Idolatry and bringing in another Gospel and so is acted by another Spirit and hath therefore a Curse from the Apostle upon him Gal. 1. 8 9. And lastly Whereas he laboureth to fix upon me the Heresies of no less than Seven several sorts of Heretical Sects he but sheweth forth the same Lying Spirit that hath acted him all along And therefore to undeceive the Reader whom he seeketh so grosly to abuse I shall very clearly and briefly pass through these Seven Heads and sufficiently purge my self of every one of them to any that are Judicious and Impartial 1. He chargeth me with the Heresie of the Macedonians and Valentinians who said Christ brought an Heavenly Body from Heaven with him To this I answer That was no part of their Heresie but only that they said Christ's Body in the whole Substance of it came down from Heaven and did not in any part share or partake of the Substance of the Virgin Mary but altogether passed through the Virgin as Light passeth through the Air or purest Christal But this I do not maintain for I have sufficiently declared That Christ did really partake of the Virgins Flesh and Substance although the Body of Christ was not Conceived after the manner of Human Conception And therefore it was Heavenly in respect of its Original and more Excellent than the Body of any other Man And that this was reputed no Heresie among the Antients I prove because Hilarius one of the Fathers of great Antiquity and in high Esteem among these called the Orthodox was of the same Judgment namely That both the Body and Soul of Christ had a Nature more Excellent than that of all other Men although they had also what belonged to the true Nature of Man in all Essentials 2. He chargeth me with the Heresie of Apellis that said Christ had an Airy Body and Starry Flesh that passed through the
Animad 12. They believe that Christ did not become man when the Virgin conceived by the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost but was man before Answ. He was man before but yet he was not man cloathed with Flesh and Blood in the likeness of our Flesh before the Virgin conceived by the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost and therefore we do saithfully believe that the Man Christ was born of the Virgin and conceived by the over-shaddowing of the Holy Ghost who was the Son of God both after he was so born and also before even from Everlasting Pamplet Animad 12. Thus Christ was never man had never a Humane Nature for as they have said before The Soul most properly is the man and Christ never had a Humane Soul according unto Keith Answ. That Christ was never man I altogether deny to follow by any true Consequence from what I have affirmed and as to his reason that Christ never had a Humane Soul according unto Keith as touching the words Humane Soul I do not remember that I have used that Term at all in my book The way cast up for because it is not a Scripture-Term and of a doubtfull and Equivocous signification I purposely did pass it by I say it is of a doubtfull or Equivocous signification because first it may signifie such a Soul as hath no substantial dignity or perfection in it above the Souls of other men and in this sense the Soul or Spirit of Christ as he is the Heavenly man is not a Humane Soul but Divine and Heavenly for it is more excellent even in the nature of it than the souls of other men Or Secondly it may signifie the true soul of man having all the Essential Properties of mans soul and it 's whole perfection and if in this sense any will say that Christ hath a Humane Soul and call the Man-Hood of Christ his Humanity there needeth no contention about it for in the Latine Tongue we have not a word so proper as Humanitas to signifie the Man-hood and if we may say Humanitas in Latine we may say in English Humanity that is to say Man-hood But then by the Humanity of Christ we understand not only the whole Essential perfection of the souls of Ordinary men but also some greater and more Excellent perfection as aforesaid and therefore it may be called his Heavenly and Divine Humanity or Man-hood which took part of Flesh like unto ours in the womb of the Virgin And not only the soul of Christ but also his body of Flesh in the outward as it had all the Essential properties and whole Essential perfection of our bodies so it had somewhat more as being conceived of a Heavenly and Divine seed that came down from Heaven and for this cause the Heavenly man Christ Jesus is truely Divine both in soul and body being divinely qualified in both And if this offend any that Christ should be called a Divine man I desire them to consider how oft men are called Divines only for some profession of Divinity surely Christ Jesus as man hath incomparably more reason to be called Divine than any of them And what if I should call all their Divines Humanes Is this too mean and low a Terme whereby to call them But why is it too mean and low unto them and yet they give it unto Christ and call him Humane his soul a Humane soul and his body a Humane body Is not this to exalt themselves above Christ himself and to take to themselves a Title which they will scarce allow unto him and to give him a Title as namely Humane which they think too mean for themselves Pamplet Animad 12. So that he is so far from being like to us in all things that he is not like unto us in any thing for though he had a body like to ours yet that body is not informed as ours Answ. He is sufficiently like unto us in all things sin excepted that both his soul and his body had all the Essential properties and whole Essential perfection that the soul or body of any other men hath but that he had and still hath greater and more excellent perfections both of soul and body than all other men doth not hinder that he was made like unto us in those which both he and we also have for was not Adam made in the Similitude or likeness of God So that by reason of that Similitude man was like unto God and yet God is infinitely more excellent in nature and being than Man but yet according unto the reasoning of this Author either man hath no likeness unto God is not like unto him in any thing or then God hath no Substantial or Essential perfection above man both which are most absurd and contrary unto Scripture But again is not man like unto the Beasts in some things as also unto the Herbs Plants and Trees of the field So that as the Herbs Plants and Trees have a Vegitable soul or life and as beasts have a sensitive soul or life hath not man both the Vegitable and sensitive soul and is he not like unto them in those respects And yet hath he not a Substantial dignity and excellency of nature above them But yet again according unto this mans reasoning either man is not like unto the Beasts and Trees in any thing or else he hath no Essential dignity or perfection not so much as in his very soul above them and therefore it shall follow at last that as God is no more excellent in his nature than man and as man is no more excellent in his nature than any beast yea or Tree that God is no more excellent than any beast or Tree of the field which is most gross and blasphemous and yet the Natural and necessary Consequence of this mans Doctrine When I think upon these and such like gross absurdities that follow from this mans Doctrine together with his other absurd sayings and Malicious perversions I wonder not that he hath been either ashamed or afraid to put his Name to his Pamplet Pamplet Animad 12. A Son is not a Son if he have not the same nature with the Father and Mother Answ. I grant for Christ hath the same Nature both of Father and Mother seeing as I have declared in my book he is True and perfect God and True and perfect Man but that he hath the same Nature with Mary and all Mankind as to all the Essentials of soul and body hindereth not that he hath also a more excellent nature otherwise thou might as well say that Christ could not be the Son of Man and also the Son of God which is contrary to Scripture Pamplet Animad 12. Jesus increased in Wisdome his Soul was then subject to some kind of ignorance though not sinfull it did not know all present or past things Answ. Ey Jesus increasing in Wisdome may be very well understood the manifestation of the spirit of Wisdome that did
more and more shew forth it self in him and that to increase is not always taken strictly is clear from the words of John He namely Christ shall increase but I shall decrease Now John was not to decrease as to any Perfection Grace or Vertue wherewithall God had endued him But again I do readily grant that Christ as in respect of the Nephesh of his soul might grow in Wisdome as other men as also he did grow in stature and Lastly even the Nismah although Omnipercipient of things present and Omniscient of things both past and present may and did grow in Knowledge for the Soul of Christ hath this Omnisciency of things past and present by the Perception of the objects or things as they dayly appear and therefore his Soul may grow in experimental Wisdome and Knowledge as properly as the soul of any other man although both his Wisdome and growth therein is incomparably beyond that of all other Men or Angels But whereas thou sayst Christs soul was subject to some kind of ignorance this is too grosly and rudly yea irreverently spoken He was nescient of some things that was to come as namely of the day and hour of the last Judgement as he declared himself but to say he was ignorant of any thing is gross and improper for ignorance signifieth always some defect of that Knowledge which one should have as blindness deafness c. Signifie a defect of the Natural senses of seeing hearing c. Pamplet Animad 12. Christ according to Keigh when he appeared in Flesh was more like to the Angels that appeared in Humane shape in the time of the Old Testament than like to men Answ. This I altogether deny for Angels have not real bodies of Flesh and Blood such as men have Angels are not born of women as men are Angels are not crucified and buried as men are and as Christ was and although Christ was called an Angel yet he had and still hath a nature more excellent than all the Angels and when he came in the likeness of our Flesh he took not hold on Angels but he took hold on the seed of Abraham Pamplet Animad 12. What spirit was that which Christ committed to his Father when he gave up the Ghost on the Cross Answ. Why not the same excellent spirit or soul that is above the Nature of all souls of men and that is Omnipresent for still the Father is greater than he and he hath his dependence on the Father in whose hand or power he is Pamplet Animad 12. And if they are for the pre-existence of the Soul of Christ's Man-hood why not for the pre-existence of the souls of all other men Answ. I have no time nor mind to answer all thy queries many of which are altogether unnecessary others vain and frivolous but if thou thinkest that the pre-existence of the Soul of Christ doth necessarily infer the pre-existence of the souls of all other men thou shouldest have proved it by a clear Deduction so to be which because thou hast not done I am not concerned to answer thy query in this particular and I advise thee with Augustine to be more earnest to know what shall be the state of thy soul after thou goest out of this world than what it was before thou camest into it And if thou repent not from thy heart for thy so long opposing the Truth and maliciously perverting the words of Truth the state of thy soul will be miserable after thy departure Pamplet Animad 13. I ask why is not this Man Christ in all the fallen Angels as well as fallen men Answ. He is in all the Creatures for hefilleth all things giving being unto every Creature and upholding the same therein and Consequently he is in the fallen Angels as also to Judge and condemn them for their sin but yet Christ Jesus hath a nearer Relation unto fallen men than unto the fallen Angels by reason of the seed of Abraham which he assumed and therefore the Apostle Paul Preached Christ in fallen men not only after that general manner of presence but in way of Grace and Mercy in order to restore and renew fallen man by Repentance according to his Commission which he received from Christ which was to turn fallen men from darkness to light but we read not that Paul had any such Commission to preach unto the fallen Angels and as for the fallen Angels they are reserved in Chains of darkness unto the Judgement of the great day and expect not any other thing from Christ but Torment as they said unto him when he came in the flesh and did cast them out of men What have we to do with thee Jesus of Nazareth Art thou come to Torment us before the time So here the Devils believe and tremble for they fear the Judgement of Christ to whom all power is given But how could they fear it if he were not present and how could he cast them out of those they possessed if his power which is one with himself did not reach unto them Pamplet Animad 13. As for the Greek proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it must necessarily be Translated among in some places else see what sense you will make Answ. That it must be necessarily translated among in some places I do not deny but in many more places it must necessarily by translated not among but in and in every place it ought to be translated in where the sense doth permit it without any contradiction to truth or other inconveniency because it doth most properly and usually signify in and not among but improperly and less usually whereof many hundreds of examples may be given Now there is no contradiction unto truth nor any inconveniency to understand by the Greek particle ' Ev it 's proper and common Signification which is in in all these places mentioned in my Book And indeed these very places constrain us to translate the Particle in and not barely among For how was Christ Crucified among the Galatians but in them Gal. 3. 1. And how was the Riches of the Glory of the Mistery which is Christ among the Gentiles but in them and how could Paul Preach the Unsearchable Riches of Christ among the Gentiles if nothing of these Riches of Christ was in them but all without them And how could so many have been said to have pierced Christ if he was not in them For as touching the outward piercing of the outward Body of Christ we only read that some few did that and therefore their piercing of Christ must be meant of his tender Life and Spirit which both Jews and Gentiles have pierced in their own Hearts by their Sins according to Rev. 1. 7. Pamphlet Animad 14. They believe this man-hood of Christ perceives and knows all things past and present of it self and by it self considered without any Relation to or union with the Deity and that it needs not God as to the knowledge of any present or
past things but only as to the thing to come Answ. This is a most gross and unreasonable perversion and wresting of my words which any man that hath the least Sobriety or Candor must needs acknowledge by reading my words even as cited by him But if he say that his gloss doth follow by way of consequence from my words I altogether deny it and in plain contradiction to what he hath most perversely and falsely alleadged to be my assertion I say the Man-hood or Soul of Christ neither knoweth nor can know any thing past or present without the need and necessary help of God as neither indeed can we or any Creature And Secondly I affirm that Christ hath this Omnipercipiency or Universal knowledge of things past and present by Virtue of his Divine Union with God even as the body hath its perception of some things by Vertue of its Union with the Soul to which it is United And because the Soul of Christ hath the most excellent most perfect and most high and immediate Union with God so as that Christ himself is God therefore he hath this universal perception or knowledge of things past and present and therefore also he hath the most abundant knowledge of things to come by Divine Revelation from the Father above what the most perfect Angels or men can have so that what they know by Divine Revelation they know it by Jesus Christ who hath it from the Father according unto Rev. 1. 1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants Nor can it follow by any just consequence imaginable that because I say that Christ hath an Universal sense or Perception of things as they are that therefore he doth know them without all need of God or without all Relation unto him or Union with him I say this doth not follow no more then it followeth that whereas the Author of this Pamphlet hath many Natural Perceptions of Natural Objects Seeth Heareth Smelleth Tasteth Feeleth many Objects immediately and knoweth them without immediate Revelation that therefore he hath no need of God or of his help whereby to make them known Whereas indeed according to his manner of reasoning either he himself Heareth Seeth Smelleth Tasteth Feeleth all Natural things by immediate Revelation and all his Natural knowledge of things immediately Revealed unto him by God or then he knoweth them all without any need of God and without all Relation unto God so much as unto a Creator both which how absurd they are and yet how the Natural Consequence of his own reasoning I leave unto every understanding man sor to Judge But I cannot but wonder at his blindness and inconsiderateness that doth not understand how to make a difference betwixt that knowledge which is by a real sense or perception of the Objects in themselves and that which is by a Divine Revelation when the Objects themselves are not immediately discerned for that which I know by a real Perception of the things I need not a Revelation to make them known As for Example when I hear a man speak I need not a Divine Revelation to tell me who speaketh unto me or what is spoken and yet I need the help of God in many respects both to convey the voice unto me and also to help me to hear for it is God who maketh the ear to hear and the eye to see And thus according to the aforesaid Example if Christ Jesus even he the Man-Christ Jesus who was Crucified for us hear our Prayers when we pray unto him and unto God through him doth he not know our Prayers without a Divine Revelation and if he know them only by a Divine Revelation he cannot be faid properly to hear them as I have sufficiently proved in my book and to which this Trifler and perverter hath made no reply and if he denyeth that the Man Christ Jesus heareth our prayers let him declare so much and then we shall see how this shall relish unto the ears of true Christians and who are most denyers or owners of the True Christ of his Divine perfections Pamplet Animad 14. Whether this is not to constitute a new God in time Is it not Jehova's Prerogative what is spoken Psal. 139. Of possessing the Reins and being Omniscient Answ. To say that Christ Jesus the Heavenly man and Lord from Heaven is Omniscient and hath an Omni-perception and Universal knowledge of things is not to constitute a new God in time for Christ Jesus is God even the same God with the Father by vertue of his most excellent and most immediate Union with him which no men nor Angels have or are capable to have and Christ Jesus is before all things and consequently before all times also the first and the last Nor doth it follow because the man-hood of Christ hath an Universal knowledge and perception of things that therefore his man-hood is either equal unto the God-head or the same for seeing the man-hood hath his being as well as his knowledge from the God-head and is altogether dependent from him the Father is greater then he as he hath declared himself and here what thou talkest of the communication of properties I may afterwards consider in its proper place where thou fliest unto it as thy last refuge after thou hast finished thy Animadversions Pamphlet Animad 14. As to the second it is spoke Now I am no more in the World and me you have not always I go away Answ. It is very clear that he spoke these words only in respect of his outward and bodily presence of his external person or outward man but not in respect of his inward and spiritual presence even as he is the Son of man or second Adam for after the Ascenfion of Christ John saw one like unto the Son of man walking in the midst of the Seven Golden Candlesticks who could this be but the Son of man himself And how is Christ the second Adam the quickning spirit if he be not present to quicken those whom he doth quicken for how can that which is absent from us altogether quicken us or give us life Pamphlet Animad 15. As to thy query here I answer That Christ was an offering unto God for sin when he was Crucified upon the Cross both in soul and body and neither his soul nor body want any thing that is Essential unto the true and real Nature of man and all that which he had as man he offered up unto God through the eternal spirit Pamphlet Animad 15. They believe this second latter body is Ascended glorified in Heaven yet remains the same in substance contrary to their former faith citing John Crook in his book called Counterfeit Convert when the question is put J. C. viz. whether dost thou believe that the same body of man after the departure of the soul from it doth rise to life again he answereth this query is contrary to Scripture which saith a
God and so nothing of the Holy Spirit which is one Essence with him and the end of this is plain down-right Atheisme for if God himself be not present in men nor the Holy Ghost which is one Essence with him nor Christ how can any thing that is truly Good be in us who can work it or being wrought who can preserve it if God and Christ be absent Surely nothing appeareth unto me more rampant Blasphemy nor more gross Atheism than to deny that God is really present in all Men and in all Things For how is God omni-present if he be not really present in and with all his Creatures And if God be present in all his Creatures then Christ is also present because the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in Christ. But seeing thou wilt not allow Christ to have any further reach or extent than the humane soul and body of any ordinary Man and that the Fulness of the Godhead is contained within that bounds of the ordinary stature of a mans body and that essentially is not this to limit the infinite God into a narrower place or room than the Souls of many brute beasts which have larger bodies manifold times than the greatest body of any earthly man and to confine him within the humane figure and shape of a man yea nothing is more plain which is gross Anthropomorphitisme and the blasphemous Doctrine of Lodowick Muggleton But further I enquire seeing thou affirmest That the Essence of God is only in Christ and that whole Christ is contained within the ordinary dimensions of mans Body and that Christ had neither Soul nor Body before Mary Where was the Essence of God from the beginning of the World until that time For either it was somewhere or no where to say it was no where no not in the Highest Heavens is absurd seeing God is said to dwell in the Heavens and they are called Gods Throne and Christ Taught his Disciples to Pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. But again on the other hand if thou shalt grant That the Essence of God was in Heaven then that Heaven is as personally united unto God by thy Doctrine as ever Christ Jesus and may as truly and in the same sense be called God the Son of God God-man the Creator of the World and is the Object of Divine Worship This I say is the necessary and infallible consequence of thy Doctrine because thou sayest expresly who ever hath the Essence of God in him is as personally united unto God as Jesus Christ and may as truly and in the same sense be called God c. Pamphlet Animad 18. Yet observe the Author will not have the center of the Heavenly Man hood of Christ dwell in us but allows here the Essence of the Deity to dwell in us Is not this a preferring the Manhood above the Deity Ans. By no means but it is an infallible indication That the Deity is infinitely a more excellent being than the Man-hood of Christ simply considered for it is a greater perfection to be all center and that the center be every where then only in some place As for Example if the Light of the outward Sun were all center and that the center of the Suns Light were every where in the whole Firmament that Light should be a much greater and a more glorious and excellent Light than the Light of the Sun as it is now at present is And although I say that the center of the Soul and Spirit of Christ as Man is not in us yet the true Essence of the Soul and Spirit of Christ in measure is in us for that emanation or flowing forth and ray of his Life and Light is truly efsential unto him and is not any meer quality or accident or operation as some have supposed Pamphlet Animad 19. They believe that there is a Nephesh and a Nishamah in this Heavenly Soul of the man-hood of Christ one more gross the other more refined Answ. This is a gross abuse and perversion for although I speak of a Nephesh and Nishamah in the Soul of Christ yet I did not call the one more gross the other more refined although the one doth excel the other yet none of them are either to be called or understood to be gross as having any mixture of refuse or superfluity as the word gross doth import Pamphlet But there is a secret not yet to be revealed by this Rabbi whether these two be one Soul or two Souls of different kinds or whither two faculties or parts of one and the same Soul Answ. This is another abuse for I do not state the question so as whether one Soul or two Souls but thus whither two principles really distinct or two faculties or powers of one only principle which I found no necessity to determine as neither I yet do whatever be my Judgment and Perswasion in the case Now admitting or giving that they were two principles yea although three or four or more Principles were acknowledged to be in the Soul of man as constituent thereof it is still but one Soul in the compleat and intire notion of the Soul as the Body of man is still but one body although consisting not only of many Members but also of many Principles as namely the Elements of Water Earth Air Fire and certainly he that understands the nature of any ordinary man and what man is inwardly and outwardly in Soul and Body must needs acknowledge that every ' man hath many principles in him yea the principles of the whole Creation reduced by a wonderful order into a certain Epitome or Compend and for this cause not only these called Philosophers of old but also these called the Fathers have called Man the Microcosme or little World as having all the principles of it in him namely the principles of the outward and visible World in his body and outward man and the principles of the inward and invisible Worlds in his inward man and these words Isaiah 43. 7. Every one that is called in my name and unto my Glory I have Created him I have Formed him I have Made him The learned among the Hebrews understand them in respect of the three Worlds aforesaid so that out of each of these three Worlds Man is Made or Created and yet he still but one man his Soul one Soul and his Body one Body although consisting of many principles Even as a speech or discourse is but one speech or discourse although that speech consist of many sentences and every sentence of many words every word commonly of divers syllables and every syllable of divers letters and the letters which are the first principles of speech of divers kinds and natures and for this cause and with a respect unto this some have called man Logos i. e. a Speech as being the Similitude of that more excellent and principal Logos which is Christ the essential speech or Word of God But because every
being the nearer that it is in nature unto God doth the more resemble him and that God himself is a most simple unmixed being without all composition of parts or principles and is one in the highest and most perfect sense which yet his being three only in manner or property of being doth nothing hinder and that Christ the Heavenly man of all things is nearest unto God and his most perfect Image therefore it is manifest that he hath least of that which may or can be called a composition or mixture of principles But whatever perfection virtue power or operation the creatures have in their various compositions he hath them all virtually and eminently in himself after a more perfect and simple manner But seeing he took hold on the Seed of Abraham and did partake of Flesh and Blood like unto ours to the end that he might be yet more like unto us that he might make us like unto him yet more abundantly whether it behoved not that he was to partake with us of all the principles both inward and outward that belong to the essential constitution of any man is a thing worthy of consideration as also admitting that he did partake of all these Principles whether he did assume or partake of them at one and the same Moment of time And what I have here written is enough I hope to them who have a Spiritual understanding to discern and perceive my Judgement in the present case as whether the Nephesh and Neshamah in Christ be distinct Principles yea or Nay or whether more then these two but as for others who are Carnal and cannot reach unto these things if never so plainly told them I am not concerned to give them a further answer and I had rather that I might be instrumental in the hand of the Lord to bring the Soul of any man or woman to the Feeling and Tasting of the precious Life of Christ in their hearts than to fill their understandings with the soundest Conceptions of words about Christ and I can and do say it in the presence of the Lord the life and power of Christ Jesus as I feel it in the least measure to move and operate in my Soul to conform and Leaven me into the Image of Christ in righteousness and holiness is more to me then all the soundest Conceptions of words about Christ But yet because in the Light of the Lord I see clearly how false and absurd yea how Blasphemous and Atheistical Notions and conceptions of Christ and also of God many men have I have been earnestly and fervently moved and am at this present time in the Zeal and Love of God and in true compassion and good will towards Man-kind to declare what God hath made manifest unto me of this and other things and to open the Scriptures of Truth concerning them as God by his Holy Spirit hath opened them plainly to my understanding Wherefore let every one that is Spiritual and hath a Spiritual discerning read me and feel my Testimony and that from which it comes for it is not of man but of the Lord although at times to gain the reader as Paul did in his day I find freedome to make use of Testimonies of other men and what ever True Testimony to the Truth I find in any man be he Jew or Gentile Scythian or Barbarian so called it is precious and comfortable unto me And to declare it unto others as the Lord giveth me true freedome may and shall have its Service for Truth is one in all and its Testimony is one And something of Truth by Vertue of that Divine illumination of Jesus Christ the Light of the World that doth inlighten every man that cometh into the World is made manifest for a Testimony among all Nations and sorts of people and in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him And what if some hold the Truth in Unrighteousnesse What if wicked men at times confesse unto Christ as the Devils formerly did We must not therefore deny him but rather make use of their own Testimony against them unto their further condemnation Pamphlet Animad 20. I query here whether besides this Nishma Adam had a Rational Soul which was the Root of his animal Senses and discursive parts and whether this that was breathed into Adam was the Center of the Soul of Christ or some ray only it should be the Center in that Nishma is the excellency the Author saith of this Soul Answ. The darkness and perversness of Spirit that is in this Author of the Pamphlet causeth him to ask many unnecessary questions which a Child of an ordinary clear understanding might resolve according to the Principles laid down in my book and although I have condescended in freedom to answer many of his questions especially such as have any weight in them for further clearing the Truth yet diverse others I purposely forbear to answer seeing they neither tend to edification nor serve to clear the Truth But to these at present mentioned by me as above I answer briefly Adam beside that Divine Nishma or Soul of Christ had also a Rational Soul as we also have and all men but the Center of the Divine Nishma or Soul of Christ was not breathed into Adam nor into any man besides Christ himself nor doth it follow that it should be the Center which was breathed into him because the Nishma is the excellency of his Soul above ours I say this reason doth not hold for not only the Center but also that emanation or ray of the Divine Soul of Christ that is in us is exceedingly more excellent than our Souls Moreover whereas he argueth that if Adam had a proper Nephefh that then he was a more compleat man then Jesus Christ of Nazareth I deny the confequence for Christ hath all the Essential perfection of mans whole Soul and Body elther Virtually or formally even as man hath Virtually or formally all the Essentials resembling the Sensitive Soul of a Beast that belong to perfect it as an animal or living Creature but yet he hath some what more all which proveth not that a beast is a more compleat animal or living Creature than a man Pamphlet It s True he saith the Soul or Spirit of Christ hath an immediate and wonderfull manner of Union with the Deity as no other Soul or Spirit of men were partakers of But what Union the body of Christ that was taken of the Virgin had with the Logos which any of the Quakers have not I cannot yet learn Answ. That is also plainly enough insinuated in my book where I expresly say that Christ was a most wonderfull Vessel both as concerning his Soul and Body and that in that very body born of the Virgin the Center of his Soul did reside which could not be without an Union of such a Nature as no other body could have seeing no other man ever had the center in him but he
animae hominem Sed ut per se sibi sumpsit ex Virgine corpus ita ex se sibi animam sumpsit qua utique nunquam ab homine gignentium originibus prebetur Si enim conceptum carnis nisi ex Deo Virgo non habuit longe magis necesse est anima corporis nisi ex Deo aliunde non fuerit at vero si Dominici corporis sola ista natura sit ut sua virtute sua anima feratur in humidis insistat in liquidis et extructa transcurrat quid per naturam humani corporis concepta ex Spiritu S. caro Iudicatur And concerning the Soul of Christ he further saith Naturae hujus potestatem Iam non dico metus sed nec infernae sedis regio est concludens quae descendens ad inferos a paradiso non desit sic ut hominis filius loquens in terris maneat in Caelo Non habet hunc metus corporalis penetrantem quidem inferos sed ubique Naturae suae virtute distentum naturam hanc mundi Dominam ac libertate Spiritualis virtutis immensam non sibi terrore mortis Gehennae chaos vindicat qua Paradisi deliciae carere non possunt In English thus Again he said that he was bread that by this that he is bread coming down from Heaven the Original of his Body may not be esteemed to be of Humane Conception while it is shown to be a Heavenly Body And the Hereticks use to accuse us because we say that Christ was born a man having a Soul and Body not of our kind but as by himself he took to himself a Body of the Virgin so of himself he took to himself a Soul which is never to be acknowledged to have the same Originals of them begotten of Man for if the Virgin had the Conception of the flesh not of any other but God it is much more needfull that the Soul was not of any but of God But indeed if that be the onely Nature of the Lords body that by its own vertue by its Soul it is carried upon the waters and standeth upon the Floods and being struck at can pass through why is the Flesh conceived of the Holy Ghost judged by the Nature of an Humane Body And concerning the Soul of Christ he further saith The power of this Nature now I say not only fear but the region of the infernal seat doth not contain which descending into the Hells is not absent from Paradice so that being the Son of Man speaking in the earth he doth remain in the Heavens Bodily fear doth not take hold of him that doth indeed penetrate the hells but is everywhere extended in the vertue of his own Nature and the pit of Hell cannot claim to it self by the Terrour of death this Nature that is the Lady of the world immense or unmeasurable in the liberty of Spiritual vertue Which the delights of Paradice cannot want Post-script SInce I wrote the Answer aforesaid to the Pamphlet set out by a Nameless Author called the Quakers Creed c. I have seen a sheet in print subscribed by William Haworth a sort of Independent Teacher at Hartford which he calls a Winding-sheet for the five Hartford Quakers and in the said sheet he refers the Reader to the aforesaid Pamphlet called the Quakers Creed for an answer to my Book The way cast up This gives me just ground to hold the said William Haworth either to be the Author of the said Pamphlet or at least an approver of it and therefore all the Lies and Calumnies and whatever other gross abuses weaknesses and impertinencies and all the absurd and blasphemous Assertions which I have discovered in the said Pamphlet are Chargeable upon him and lye at his door And whereas William Haworth saith at the end of that fheet aforesaid that G. Keith saith Christ never was a man this I charge upon him as a most gross and Notorious lye and slander I never spoke wrote nor thought any such thing It is strange that the man has so far lost all sense of shame to publish such a manifest lye in the sight of the world Now how truely and uprightly I own and believe that Christ is both God and Man my book called The way cast up is a sufficient witness and this other Treatise writ by me in answer to the lying Pamphlet owned by him is another But it seemeth he doth suppose that such a Conclusion will follow by way of Consequence from my words because I have affirmed in my book that Christ the Heavenly Man was from the beginning even before Adam the first Man which was of the Earth earthly But this consequence I altogether deny as false and unreasonable for his being before he came in that body doth no more infer that he was not man in that body than it doth infer that a man ceaseth to be a man or that the Soul of any Man ceaseth to have a being when it is not in a Fleshly body and if the having of a Fleshly Body be so Essential to the being of the Soul which is most principally the Man so as the Soul cannot be or subsist before the Fleshly Body the same reason holds as much that the Soul cannot subsist or have a being after the Fleshly Body is put off and so by W. Haworth his Argument the Soul of every man dyeth with the body and hath no immortal Subsistance Let him see how he can clear himself of this and many other absurdities which he runneth himself into by his foolish and inconsiderate way of reasoning And as for other things in that he calleth his Winding Sheet which he chargeth upon the Quakers as their Doctrines and then upon some called Quakers as that one should say that the Soul of man was the Devil that the Devil was made an offering for sin and another should say that Christ was a bastard These false and abominable Calumnies have been so fully and sufficiently answered above by the said five Hartford Friends and especially in their last called the Malice of the Independent Agent again rebuked that it is to no purpose to give any further reply Nor is the evidence he giveth by proof of some witnesses of any more Authority than his own who hath openly in the face of the world discovered himself to be a lyer and false accuser and can it be questioned but he can find others like to himself who because of their deep malice and prejudice against the Truth make no more conscience than himself to bear false witness against the innocent Moreover whereas these five Friends of Hartford did justly blame W. H. for Charging the whole people called Quakers with any errour that some one or other called a Quaker may be supposed to have writ or asserted set case any one had so writ or asserted And they Query further Is it just the Independent party should be charged with the private Opinions of every one of them because they pretend all to one rule the Scripture The said W. H. giveth only this bare and naked evaston in that he calleth his Winding Sheet Should the Independants saith he hold Infallibiliy as you do then might that party be Charged with all the Religious Opinions that any of them at any time vented Unto which bare evasion these Friends of Hartford have given a sufficient reply in pag. 13. of their last book where among other things they say Such an absurdity was never the assertion of the people called Quakers viz. That either every one pretending to be guided by the light within or distinguished by the name Quaker is therefore guided by the same light in all discourses or so to be owned by the said people This which they have already said is sufficient to overturn his evasion as because the Quakers do all pretend an infallible Spirit that therefore all must be acknowledged to have that infallible Spirit and to be guided thereby which doth no more follow than that because all the Independants so called pretend to one Rule the Scripture that therefore all that they or any of them speak write or do is according unto the Scripture which instance of parity they did bring in their foresaid answer pag. 13. Yet do not thereby grant that any of the people called Quakers are guilty of any such Blasphemous Doctrines as before cited To which W. H. hath made no reply and therefore it is returned upon him as wholly unanswered as also the whole substance of their last book which W. H. hath not answered nor indeed hath not so much as pretended to give a particular answer unto the greatest and most Principal part thereof And therefore these Friends see it not needful to give any further answer to what he calleth his Winding Sheet until he give a particular answer to the several parts of their book and they look upon his sheet to be no Winding-Sheet for them but that it is an evidence he hath spent all his strength and is as it were a dying man that is no longer able to hold out in this controversie and that therefore it may be more fitly called a Winding-Sheet for VV. Haworth himself than for them FINIS