both and so hâ—s dealt unâ—aiâ—ly and not only in these but in many more Particulars hath he abused perverted and confounded our words as well as the Scriptures which would fill a Volumn to open distinâ—tly He makes no Conscience of belying us and grosly perverting our Words and Intentions 'T is probable he would take it as an Affront and Injury if we should retalliate upon him or enumerate the Consequences of his Carnal Conceits to shew what a strange Chriâ—t he has set forth But at present wee 'l suppose these two to follow from his Doctrine until he reconcile and clear himself better then he has yet done viz. 1. Thâ—t Christ being wholely in the highest Heaven and his Body there more bright then a Thousand Sons Antid p. 6. yet cannot be seen by any Teliscope or Prospective Glasses as many unseen Stars may He must needs be at a wonderful vast Distance from his Saints and Members on Earth 2. That his very Spirit or Soul is so bound up in that Body at that vast height and wonderful distance in Heaven that it cannot so much as extend to any Saints upon Earth to viâ—it and comfort them in any of their Tryals or See p 10. Temptations Satan it seems has more Power to come and tempt them then Christ has to come to help them though beyond measure endued with Divine Power sad and inconsistent News And yet the Flesh of Christ is such as giveth Life to our Souls in quickning of us to Righteousness Antid p. 7. It seems then his Flesh extends farther then his Spirit But the true Christ is not divided His Heavenly Humanity and Divinity act in Union in quickening whom â—e will the Seed that he has sown in the Souls of men and the Spirit of Life that he breaths in are of himself as truly as that HOLY THING conceived in the Virgin was of the Holy Ghost And was not Christ spiritually formed in the Saints by the same Power of the Holy Ghost And Christ said He that eateth my Flâ—sh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him John 6. 56. Moreover We do both firmly believe that the Worlds were made by the Son of God and that by him all things consist he being that Word that was with God and that was God in the Beginning and that this Son of God was the first born of every Creature and the first begotten of the Dead and since by Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead And also we do as really confess according to holy Scripture That this Son of God in due time took upon him a real Body prepared for him of the same Flesh and Blood which the Children had Hebr. 2. 14. was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead Rom. 1. 3 4. That this Christ the Son of God took upon him the Form of a Servant and was made in the Likeness or Habit of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Deaâ—h of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him c. Phil. 2. So that he being come sâ— low as to be thus made and fashioned as in the similitude of men as man his Soul was capable of Humiliation Sorrow and Affliction for Mankind and of sympathizing with his Servants yet still was the Only begotten of the Father and was full of Grace and Truth the express Image of his Father's Substance he was also made a quickning Spirit to all who are spiritually quickened by him he was taken up into Glory he was glorified with the Deity or God himself with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the World began he ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things for it hath pleased the Father that ALL Fulness should dwell in him So that the True Christ is neither divided nor may we entertain such Mean Low Carnal Thoughts of this Son of God this only begotten of the Father as That he is a FINITE Creature in a natural earthly Body in Heaven and he therein wholly separate as one there circumscribed or limited to such a wonderful far Distance as is supposed from all his Saints and Church on Earth We have neither thus learnt Christ or received the Son of God nor thus read of him in the holy Scriptures under those Terms but have a Measure of the Knowledge of the Son of God as the Father hath revealed him in us Finally There is no more Inconsistency or denying the Man Christ between our confessing his Ascention into Heaven and Glory yea far above all Heavens and his coming again in Spirit to be spiritually present with and in his Church then is in these Testimonies of the holy Apostles viz. 1. That Saying of Peter Who is gone into Heaven and is on the Right Hand of God 1 Pet. 3. 22. And Behold I lay IN SION a Chief Corner-stone elect precious 1 Pet. 2. 6. As also Heb. 4. 14. Seeing then that we have a great High Priâ—st that 's passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Compared with Hebr. 12. 24. Ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant c. Ephes 1. 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead and set him at his own Right Hand in the Heavenly Places Compared with Ephes 2. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 5. Christ dyed for our Sins he was buried rose again the third day was seen of Cephas then of the Twelve c. Compared with 2 Cor. 4. 11. We which live are alway delivered unto Death for Jesus's sake that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest IN our mortal Flesh Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me c. Rom. 8. 10. If CHRIST BE IN YOU the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU except ye be Reprobates Let our Adversary Answer these Scriptures if he can but we suppose he dares not accuse them with Inconsistency nor any of them with denying the Man Christ But if W. H. be minded to busie himself with an Answer or Reply to this Treatise and thereby put his Hearers to further Charge with his Books we would advise him first to consult with some of his learned Brethren who are wiser then himself that they may view his Work before it go to the Press and take special Care that he writes pertinently and consistently lest he run into further Absurdities and self-contradictions
Ascention or being in Heaven W. H. thou art quite out Again that Change that we believe Christ Jesus to have had into a State of Glory which as the Son he had with the Father before the World began doth not at all deny Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah as most unjustly thou hast accused us both in thy Antidote and Animadversions p. 6. for it was the same Jesus that so prayed Father glorifie thy Son glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was John 17. 1. 5. yet it is a plain falshood to say that We suppose that the manhood as thou calls it that was taken of the Virgin is turned into an Immeâ—se iâ—finite being a Deity It was never our Supposition p. 6. that the meer â—lesh Blood that the Son took of the Virgin which was part of the same the Câ—ildren had became a Dâ—ity an Immense infinite being when thou wantest proof for thy Slanders against us thou must needs Invent and Forge suppositions meanings and absurd Consequences for us Oh! perverse Man is this to support thy Credit and Trade among thy Hearers to say we do suppâ—se that which never entred into our Hearts W. H. His Soul was in the Saints We may dispare at this rate ever by words to understand one another here 's Babel p. 8. Answ In Babel thou art who accusest and revilest us and drawest thy absurd Meanings upon us without understanding us shewing thy ignorant Confidence Of the Soul or Spirit of Christ we shall speak anon Against our saying He Christ had all Power in Heaven and Earth given him and therefore could descent at his pleasure and he promised to be with his Disciples alway to the End W. H Objects To Argue from Christ's Power to his will was never accounted strong or right Reasoning * But the learned and Zealous Protestants affirmed Christ's Spiritual presence with his Church in opposition to the Papists Doctrine of his Carnal presence in their Sacrament The Papists argued thus against the Martyrs for their Transubstantiation viz. God had Power to turn Bread into his natural Body Ergo p. 8. Ans A most gross perversion and abuse not only against us but against Christ's own Testimony whereby his WILL to be with his Disciples to the end of the World as well as his Power to come again unto them is signified And JESUS spake unto them saying ALL POWER is GIVEN unto me c. Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World Mat. 28. 18 20. But W. H. has denyed Jesus Christ to be here on Earth as he is Man that is either as to his Body or Spirit Antid p. 2 3. It is not a Corporal and carnal Vnion between Christ and his Members that we plead for that 's not the Controversie nor do we speak of the manhood being locally or Personally present with and in the Saints as he would Insinuate p. 9. But the spiritual presence of Christ Jesus according to his promise Mat. 28. 20. As the SON of God to whom all Powâ—r IS GIVEN according to his own sense And though our Adversary has denyed the Holy manhood of Christ even in the Spirituallity of it that is as to his Spirit to be on Earth in or with his Church yet hath he confessed that CHRIST is in the Saints by his Spirit Antid p. 5. And that Christ hath alway been present with his Disciples in the discharge of their ministerial Gifts and will be to the end of the World by HIS Spirit Animad p. 9. Where 's now the Controversie Is the heavenly Man Christ wholely separate from his Church and Members not only in Body but in Spirit also yea circumscribed in some place as far as the highest Heavens are supposed from the Earth Antid pag. 6. As a Man may be many Miles distant from his Wife c. Anim. p. 9. And yet this same Christ alway present with his Disciples And as there 's one Soul throughout the natural Body of man the same in the Head and in every Member so ONE Spirit in Jesus Christ the Mystical Head and in every one of his Members the Saints Anim. p. 9. Now if thiâ— man meant really as he speaks as to the spiritual Presence and Union of Christ Jesus with and in his Saints and Church on Earth and would lay aside his Enmity and Confusion and keep to Scripture-Language the Controversie between him and us would be at an end But in p. 10. he has framed a Dilemical Quarrel against the Spirit of Christ being in every Saint which he sayes we invest with the Office of the holy Ghost which he concludes cannot be so either with or without the Body nor yet extending from it in Heaven to every Saint upon Earth For that were to render the Soul of Christ immense iâ—finite and then there must be a new created God in time the Soul of Christ's Manhood was created in time Error is Crookedness Absurdity and Rottenness quoth W. H. And yet he saith The Saints ought to worship the Humane Nature of Christ in Vnion with the Deity Anti. p. 6 7. And that the Humane Nature giveth Life to our Souls p. 7. Can it do so and yet his Spirit not so much as extend to us though immensly impowered with the Deity How doth he darken Counsel by words without Knowledge And W. H. leaves us not thus but has another fling at us p. 19. But he Christ is on Earth the Quakers say at least in one essential part of his Manhood His Soul is in every Saint You see Error is big-bellyed and fruitful And p. 20. 30. Refining Religion and the blessed holy true real operative Manhood of Jesus Christ into Air Wind Fancy Nothing ‖ Gross Lyes c. Rep What a heap of jumbled Arguing mudled Stuff with a most false Conclusion against us is here as if we went about to annihilate the most holy and glorious Manhood of Jesus Christ Now we would query of this Man First If the Soul and Spirit of Christ be not one and the same 2. If he was the Son of God before the World was what then is his Soul and in what time created 3. If the Spirit of Christ and the holy Ghost be separate or divided 4. If Jesus Christ in all the parts essential and proper to him viz. in Body and Soul or Spirit be so circumscribed and limited in Heaven as in no sense or degree to be in or with his Saints or Members on Earth then how is his own Promise or Saying made good Lo I am with you alway to the End of the World And how has the Father given the Son Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as the Father gave him John 17. 5. And doth not God send the Spirit of his Son into Believers Hearts that thereby they might partake of his holy and heavenly
Nature and Humanity of the same Mind the same Meekness Gentleness Humility Kindness Fear of the Lord Obedience c. that was in him Else how can any be true Christians If W. H. answers viz. I grant that Christ is present with and in his Saints by his Spirit that I mean the Holy Ghost who is God and infinite and can be and is in * See Antid pag. 13. all the Saints both that are in Heaven on Earth at once not the Spirit of the manhood an essential part that is a finite Creature ‖ He confessâ—th that the Consideration of the Manhood of Christ in Heaven doth give Boldness Access in Prayer God hath rendred himself much more familiar to us this Way We are very apt to be swallowed up with the abstracted Thoughts of the Deity But does this Man pray to and worship Christ as a finite Creature that has not Power to extend his Spirit to him No but as in Vnion with the Deity then we hope as in that Union he has Power to minister of his own Life and Virtue to all that believe in his Name However he grants that as God Christ is in all his Saints in Heaven and Earth Well shew us the Father and it sufficeth us To which Christ answered He that seeth me seeth my Father also John 14. Therefore the true Knowledge and Sight of God is through his Son as his words are page 10. Now Christ as God is immense as to his Presence he is every where and as to his Saints he is with them always and in them by his Spirit Antid pag. 5. Rep. Now you have his Opinion how Jesus Christ is in and with his Saints that is That the immense infinite God is in and with them But is nothing essential to the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus the Son of God as such extended to them See but what a Labyrinth the Man runs into through his deviating from plain Scripture-Language dividing Christ the Head from his Body to such a vast distance as he knows not the Omnipresence of an infinite God who questions But how does he own his SONSHIP or Manifestation Operation or Dispensation of the SON of God as such or as Mediator between God and Men or the Kingdom of the Mediator And when Christ said All Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto me Lo I am with you alway is this only as an infinite God Who then gave him this Power And who gave the Son Power over all Flesh or impower him to give Eternal Life Did God give it to himself Did not the Son say My Father is greater then I But if as a Son he be wholely excluded and separate from the Saints on Earth how said he If any man love me I and my Father will come unto him and make our Abode with him And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father Gal. â— Is there nothing of the heavenly and holy Manhood in this Spirit of the Son but only the meer infinite Deity it self or does it then mediate intercede or cry Abba Father to it self without Respect to any lower State or Dispensation as a Son as the Way and Means to come to God or to Christ Jesus as the eminent Instrument and Workman of God as Mediator The Gospel we have received we had it in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost who are inseparable and not divided either in Heaven or in Earth We have nakedly confessed Jesus Christ the Son of God as having all Power in Heaven and Earth to be both God and Man he is that Immanuel God with us And hath not he Power as such to breathe upon and inspire his Saints and to give Light and Life to Mankind without any lessening or limitation to his own Being as Jesus Christ the Son of God It is the Spirit of the Son wherein we receive of his Life Vertue and Power and its only in and through the Mediator that Man is capable of receiving the Knowledge of God For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Whose Knowledge and In dwelling we have in measure received according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ whereby we feel him to dwell in our Hearts by Faith as truly as we know that God dwelleth in us and we in him because he hath given us of his Spirit Jesus Christ received the Spirit without Measure we by Measure Moreover is not all the Graces and Operations thereof in us and spiritual Good we receive from God to our Souls said to be through Jesus Christ a Phrase frequently used in Scripture who said also Without me ye can do nothing And how is Christ Jesus the Way to the Father given for a Covenant and Leader to his People and for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth if not at all upon Earth and why did he say No man cometh unto the Father but by me Was this considered only as God without any Condescension as a Son or Mediator below the meer Deity were not this to confound the Order and Manner of the holy Ghost's plain and distinguishing Testimonies in Scripture relating to the Dispensation of Christ Another Instance we have to prove the Blessed and Heavenly man Christ Jesus not now upon Earth in or with his Members with respect to HIS Spirit or spiritual Presence and that is Act. 3. 21. Whom the Heavens must receive till the Times of Restitution of all things ‖ Which God had spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the World began These words he leaves out If quoth W. H. they would mind this one Scripture it would put an End to all their Cavils which Times let them dare to say are already come pag. 9. Answ Dare he say that these Times of Restitution of all things spoken by the holy Prophets are not begun in these Gospel-Times wherein Christ's spiritual Appearance Dispensation and Revelation is made known what 's the Restitution and the Times of it Is it not a Restauration gathering and making up the Church of Jews and Gentiles into the spiritual Fellowship and Faith of the Son of God who therein are the Seed of Abraham whom God promised to bless in sending Jesus to turn away every one from his Iniquities see Acts 3. 20. to the end And are not those Times of Restitution Gospel Times New-Covenant Times Let it be considered according to Scripture how far the Times of Restitution of ALL things spoken by the Holy Prophets extend and what that Restitution is and it will appear Whether those Times and that Restitution are not begun and whether or no its now a Time to perswade People that Christ Jesus is not
true meaning of Scriptures here thou art calling Evil Good and Good Evil and because the Scriptures declare of some Works which do not avail therefore thou concludest there are none available to Salvation although wrought by the Spirit of the Lord but that which thou callest Faith alone must save and all who assert the contrary they lead to the Covenant of Works and so to Popery to work for Life which is a heavy Yoke sayest thou Surely had the Apostle James been on Earth in our Dayes thou wouldst have noted him for a Papist when he saith Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee mine by my Works and wilt thou know O vain man that Faith without Works is dead even as the Body without the Spirit and by Works is Faith made perfect Well may we say as the Prophet David did It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law But thou art much mistaken in us for we work not of our selves for Life but the Life helpeth us worketh all our works in us and for us and his Yoke is easie and his Burden is light â—n be it known to thee God hath a People upon Earth at this Daâ— though thou knows them not unto whom it is become as â—n eat and Drink to do his Will and who can do nothing against the Truth but for it and their Obedience is not as Egyptian Slaves for Fear of a Whip page 91. of thy Book and so thou goest on and sayest although you Christians come not up to that Height the Law requires yet do not they love God more and obey better that apprehend God's Love in Christ Vnchangeable to them then they that after all their Toyl fear they may fâ—ll short But what doth that Love signifie that keeps not his Commands He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me saith Christ And he that loves the Lord with all his Heart and his Neighbour as himself fulfils the Law and if there be any other Command it is briefly comprehendâ—d in thâ—s Rom. 13. 9. Mat. 22. 40. for on these two hang all the Law and the Prophets for Love worketh no ill But according to your Love is your Obedience and according to that is your Assurance of God's Love to you for it seems you do but apprehend that his Love is unchangeable to you but the Assurance which God's People had in former Ages and in this also is another thing for his Spirit which acteth them in their Obedience to him the same bears witness with their Spirits that they are his Children Thou sayst It is sufficiently manifest there are Errors amongst us and we have been weighed and found too light and tryed and found Drâ—ss Answ What hast thou weighed and tryed us with seeing thou dost not profess the Spirit to be thy Rule which is the just and equal Ballance The Spiritual Man or he that is led by it judgeth all things by yet himself is judged of none and nothing else is sufficient to try Spirits but the Spirit of Christ so we may be Gold weight enough too for ought thou knows and if thou sayst Thou hast tryed us by the Scriptures if thâ— Spirit be not thy Rule therein thou mayst fail for those that persecuted Christ to Death thought they tryed him by the Scripture when they condemned him as a Blasphemer and no question bâ—t they thought their Conceivings or Apprehensions from them were right else they would never have said His Blood be on us and our Children Thou sayest O that you were built upon Christ the Rock his Person is the Rock of Eternity not tâ—e Light in every man Answ We are built upon the Rock of which the Fathers drank For they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. He who said Before Abraham was I am which was before all Time who in Time took upon him that prepared Body of Flesh wherein he did the Will of God this is the Rock of Eternity the Foundation upon which Abraham and all the Saints of old did build But thou wilt say Abraham saw he was to come and upon that he built 'T is true he saw his Day but what was that which gave him to see Christ was to come in the Flesh Was it not a Measure of his Spirit in Abraham by which he was qâ—ickened and made alive unto God Christ's own words do fully declare it Mat. 22. 32. by which he put the Saducâ—s to silence which say There is no Resurrectioâ— I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob now God saith he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living This is that first Resurrection in which he had a part over which the second Death shall have no Power Thou sayest We may hold out in a Day of Man's Persecution and Opposition but when the Tempestuous Sea of God's Justice beats upon us in an Hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment then the Sandy Foundation of our own Righteousness will fall and so thou bidst us Take heed that our Faith be the same with that which Peter professed whâ—ch was that of the Person of Christ Answ That Faith which will carry through inable to hold out in the Patience in a day of Man's Persecution and Opposition is more likely to be the True Faith and to be upon the Right Foundation then that which will not but yours will not uphold you in a day of Man's Persecution and therefore is very unlikely to uphold you when God's Justice beats upon you in an Hour of Death and in a Day of Judgment to come Thou sayest Against which Faith of the Person of Christ all the Powers of Hell shall not prevail but our Profession is thou sayest that not Christ Jesus of Nazareth but the Light in every man is Christ and against this Faith we may be sure it being false the Gates of Hell will never prevail for Satan will never fight against it Answ That we profess Jesus of Nazareth is not the Christ is wholely false and although Satan will never fight against the False Faith yet he hath already fought and prevailed against those that are in it and he doth still prevail over them first to make them believe a Lye and then to keep them in that Belief which is That although Sin which he hath wrought in them do continue in them while they live yet they may be saved when they dye And that he doth fight against the true Faith which we are in is very evident also and stirs up all the Force and Power he can too although to little purpose else what meaneth and from whence cometh all that Opposition we have mâ—t with ever since we were a People unto this day for he knows that it strikes at the Root and Foundation of his kingdom which is Darkness and the works thereof and
therefore he is come down in great Wrath because he knows his Time is short Thou sayest Do thou Repent poor Woman and do thy First Works and go to God as a poor Sinner and not think as thou fearest I do through Pride that I am rich and have need of nothing whenas I am blind miserable and naked and thou seest this to be my state Answ This Exhortation was given by Authority from him who held the Seven Stars in his Right Hand Rev. 2 4 5. to those that had left their first Love and to others that were neither hot nor cold whom God would spue out of his Mouth Rev. 5. 15. Now hast thou the Testimony that thou speakest from the same Authority and in the same Power and Spirit which is very unlikely to be seeing thou dost not profess the Spirit to be thyâ— Rule And also Canst thou make it appear that I have left my first Love and am neither hot nor cold or else of necessity these two things will follow First That thou speakest when the Lord hath not spoken to thee And secondly That thy Exhortation is improper and impertinent to me Thou also sayest Thou counsellest me to buy Eye-salâ—e to see my Poverty Nakâ—dness and Raiment which â—s Iâ—puted Righteousness that I be not found naked in the Day of Christ Answ If thou did know where to direct me to buy this Eye-salve certainly thou wouldst have bought some for thy self that so thy own Eyes might have been opened and not have manifested so much Blindness and Ignorance as thou hast done in this thy Work and also discovered thy own Nakedness notwithstanding all thy pretence to imputed Righteousness it will not cover thee in the day of Christâ— for all Coverings then will be found too short and too narrow except the Covering of his Spirit But if I should take this thy Counsel tâ—en mightest thou truly call me silly Woman to dispossess my self of the Earnest and First Fruits of an Everlasting Inheritance made manifest and enjoyed within for a bare Apprehension or Imagination of being saved by the Imputation of that Righteousness which Christ wrought wholely without me not that I do believe that it is possible for any to be saved without the real Imputation of his Righteousness but that is not imputed to any but those in whom his holy righteous divine Life is in some measure brought forth by the Operation of his eternal Spirâ—t to live and reign even in their mortal Bodies and then according to his Promise his Spirit that dwells in them it shall take of his and give it unto them But I have not so learned Christ as to be so easily perswaded out of him neither can all the false Aspersions and ignominious Terms which thou and all that joyn with thee can cast upon his pure holy Way of Truth those that walk therein make me out of Love with it but still his Reproach is greater Riâ—hes then all the Treasures of Egypt And this further I have to say to thee It will 〈◊〉 much more to thy Advantage and Safety to desist from teaching and giving Counsel to others and going about to try their Spirits till thou comest to know the most sure and infallible Guide thy self to try thy own spirit for in this state wherein thou now standest thou art but one of those blind Guides which will assuredly lead all that follow thee into the Ditch and therefore thou wilt do very well to take that good Counsel which Christ gave for it properly belongs to thee Mat. 7. 5. Thou Hypocrite first cast out the Beam that is in thine own Eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the Mote that is in thy Brother's Eye Mary Stout REader Note that in part of the Impression of this Book there happened this Mistake in the Title Page line 18. viz. Christian for Convert the Title of J. Crook's Book being the Counterfeit Convert as 't is mention'd in pages 10 35. Pag. 7. line 13. for 18. read Ezek. 28. and for 19. read Mat. 17. p. 32. l. 17 for in Form r. inform The literal defects or any of points may be perceived by the current of the matter