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
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
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
Cyrus had a Soul and Body and did exist in flesh and blood an Hundred Years before he was born for he is called by Isaiah Gods Anointed before his Birth Isaiah 45. 1. Ans. If this be not gross Socinianisme and Samosatenianisme I leave unto all understanding and sound Christians for to Judg For both the Socinians now and Samosatenians of old denyed that Christ was before Mary and so doth this Author contrary to the express Testimony of many Scriptures cited and opened in my Book called The Way cast up to which again I Refer the Reader and what a gross and unchristian yea Blasphemous comparison is this of the Author betwixt Cyrus and Christ as if Christ were no more Gods Anointed before his outward Birth in the Flesh than Cyrus was before his birth and so by this means all the Saints from the beginning of the World unto the outward birth of Christ containing near about four Thousand Years had no Christ nor no Saviour no Head no Mediator nor indeed nothing of the Heavenly and Spiritual Anointing or Unction and so had nothing of the Holy Ghost which is that Anointing for how could they have it without Christ who is Gods Anointed originally and first of all and from and by and through whom it cometh down and is conveyed unto the Saints even as the Oyl that was poured on Aarons Head ran down from the Beard unto the skirts of his Garment Now that David and all the Saints before Christ came in the flesh were in measure anointed with the holy Unction or Anointing even the same wherewith the Saints are now Anointed see Psal. 23. and Psal. 133. 1 2. And how did they receive this Oyl or Anointing but from Christ who is Gods Anointed first of all and by whom it descendeth unto them of whom Aaron the high Priest was the Figure or Type therefore Christ was Gods Anointed from the beginning not only before Cyrus but before all other men according unto Prov 8. 23. I was anointed from the beginning so the Hebrew word Nissakti doth signifie as I have already shewed in my Book or ever the Earth was Moreover when Paul said the Fathers of old drank of the Rock and that Rock was Christ was this only a Prophecy of Christ who but one so blind and grosly ignorant as the Author of this Pamphlet can so affirm Nor do thefe Scriptures Cited by thee Mat. 3. 16. Luk. 4. 1. concerning Christ his being anointed with the holy Ghost after his outward birth prove that he was not anointed before For in contradiction to thy self thou grantest he was Anointed before he was born as indeed he was both then and also from the beginning The Fifth Animad hath nothing in it of Argument against what I have affirmed only he perverteth some of my words as the Reader may fee by comparing his words and mine together and this he often ufeth not willing to suffer my words to stand as they are but seeking to Vail and darken them with his perverse minglings and additions Pamphlet Animad 6. They believe that the Man Christ did suffer was slain and Crucified when our first Parents sinned and doth suffer is slain and Crucified as often as man sins and Apostatise contrary to Heb. 9. 26. and 1 Pet. 18. that testifie that the man Christ Jesus was personally and really slain Crucified and offered for sin but once the other is but either in Decree Promise Type or Metaphor Ans. These Scriptures are only to be understood of Christ his Sufferings in the body of flesh so that he did but once die and suffer for sin in the outward body and in his outward person which doth not hinder but that he suffered and was slain inwardly and spiritually in mens hearts by sin both before and since he suffer'd in the body of flesh which was Crucified at Jerusalem for the writer to the Hebrews did tell of those that fell away that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh Heb. 6. 6. And if thou saist this is but in the Metaphor I Answer admitting it in a sense so to be yet a real suffering is implyed under that Metaphor as also when the Spirit is said to be quenched somewhat real is understood under that Metaphor and so in the present Case although the slaying and Crucifying of Christ may be said to be a Metaphor or Figurative Speech yet some real suffering analogous in some true respect unto what he did suffer in the outward is thereby understood and that I did acknowledge a Metaphor in that expression is clear by my very words cited by thee where I say the measure of the life of the Lamb came to be slain as it were in them by transgrefsion here the words as it were signifie a Metaphor which yet hindereth not that the suffering of this innocent Life of Christ was real according unto its own kind and nature Pamphlet Animad 7. In Answer to Amos 3. 13. he saith As well might they say that God as God hath now and had then such Eyes Ears Feet Hands as we have for the Scripture speaks of him frequently after that manner Ans. I no where Read in all the Scripture that God hath such Eyes Ears Feet and Hands as we have fo that in this thou dost grosly pervert the Scripture it self For although the Scripture speaketh at times of Gods Eyes Ears Feet and Hands yet they are not said to be such as ours and though these words are metaphorical they have also somewhat that is real understood by them by way of Analogy his Eyes signifying his infinit Knowledg and his Hands his Power c. and although I do also acknowledg that the words Amos 3. 13. are Metaphorical yet a real suffering is implyed under them which is the suffering of the Spirit of Christ as he is the Heavenly man Lamb of God for in that respect only he doth or can suffer properly nor is it any contradiction or inconsistency as thou seemest to make it that the same Life or spirit of Christ may be alive in it self and yet Slain or Crucified as to the sinner no more than it is any contradiction or inconsistency that the soul is as it were dead unto the dead body in which it lived and yet remaineth alive in it self even when it is in the body as it was in the case of Eutichus whom Paul raised from the Dead Acts 20. 10. In his Animad 8. he bringeth no new matter but what my former Answer doth give a sufficient Reply unto for the words Rom. 6. 9. are to be understood of Christ his being raised from the Dead in that body wherein he suffered so that he died no more as in the Head no nor yet in many of the Members in whom that precious Life of Christ shall never any more be slain or quenched but it cannot be so said of all seeing some may fall away and Crucify him afresh unto themselves Pamphlet Animad 9.
In Answer to my Arguments from some places of Scripture in the old Testament thou sayest By the same way of arguing Christ did from the beginning really take upon him Angelical Nature as well as mans Nature Ans. That Nature which Christ did take from the beginning did and doth excel in its very being the Nature both of all men and also of all the most glorious Angels and yet according unto the same Nature he is somtimes called Angel and somtimes Man Angel there not signifying the common nature of Angels but only his High Office and Dignity thereof for Angel is as to say Messenger or one that is sent and therefore it doth not follow from this that Christ took on him the common Nature of Angels as he did the seed of Abraham when he was born the son of David according to the Flesh. And thy other instance concerning the man riding upon a red Horse is no less impertinent Zech. 1. 18 For although some places of Scripture have only an allegorical sense it followeth not that none have a proper and the proper sense is to be kept where nothing doth perswade unto the contrary as indeed nothing doth perswade to the contrary in the present case but many things concurr together to establish the true and proper sense Pamphlet Animad 10. Here he bringeth forth no matter of argument but onely some queries which I might altogether wave yet for the sake of others I shall say that which may suffice unto any sober enquirer And to the First I say this Life and Spirit of the man-hood of Christ is one with the Holy Ghost by an oneness of union even as the man Christ is one with God but as the Holy Ghost doth signify the Spirit of God simply considered the Spirit of Christ as man is distinct from the Holy Ghost as really as the man-hood of Christ is distinct from the God-head but not divided or separated there-from To the Second I answer that the Spirit of Christ as he is the Heavenly Man is not properly a creature but only as it is taken improperly largely for a Divine Production Emanation but properly it is rather an Emanation or Generation than a Creation To the Third I say a Spiritual Body can well enough penetrate another that is either not Spiritual or if Spiritual yet not in that degree as the other Now when I say according unto the Scripture that Christ had Spiritual Flesh and Blood from the beginning wherewith he fed the Saints by that Flesh and Blood I mean a Spiritual Body in the highest degree and how one Body more Spiritual can penetrate another in a less degree we have a Figure or shaddowy resemblance in the outward light that doth easily penetrate both christal and air To the Fourth I say it is very easiy to conceive how Christ is called the Second Adam although as man he was before Adam who is called the first man namely in respect of the outward birth in the flesh and also in some respect in the inward birth of Christ in us when we are regenerated and made new creatures in him for commonly the first birth which is of the nature of the first Adam as in the Fall hath place in men before Christ the second birth be formed in them and yet Christ himself and his Spirit Life and Soul as he is the Heavenly Man was and is before Adam and all Creatures the first and the last of whom John said there cometh a man after me which is preferred unto me for he was before me And thus according to Solomons advice in the Proverbs I have answered the Fool in his folly lest he should seem wise in his own Eyes Pamphlet Animad 11. Here he bringeth no argument but only querieth and seeketh to ensnare but I am aware of his serpentine cunning and can easily escape it by the grace of God which is given unto me and whereas he laboureth to bring G. F. younger and me into a contradiction his work is vain for according to G. F. I say the true Eternal God is Light and that Light is in us But God doth shine in us in Christ the Heavenly Man or Second Adam who is in us for God was and still is in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself Again whereas thou sayst by way of query Was the man that appeared frequently to the Patriarches without the spring of this Soul and life of Christ. I answer Nay for that man was Christ even the same that afterwards came in the flesh of the Virgin Mary And whereas thou sayst let them produce one Scripture and they shall carry it where it is said The man or Man-hood became flesh it saith The Word was made Flesh I answer these words The Word was made Flesh cannot be restricted or limited to the outward birth of Christ in the Flesh for the Word was made Flesh from the beginning which Flesh was the Saints food in all Ages and the Word made Flesh dwelt in them according to Joh. 1. 14. The word was made Flesh and dwelt in us for so the Greek doth bear it and so was it Translated by divers of them called the Fathers But that Christ the Heavenly man took part of Flesh and Blood with the Children see Heb. 2. 14. And that this he who did so partake with men of Flesh and Blood was not God separately and abstractly considered but God in Union with the Heavenly Man-hood and Soul of Christ is clear from other Scriptures as 1 Cor. 15. 47. Joh. 3. 31. Joh. 6. 38. Now these words Joh. 6. 38. I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will most clearly signifie that the Soul of Christ came down from Heaven to take Flesh for God simply considered could not say I came down from Heaven not to do my own will for God always doth his own will which being most Holy is a Law both unto Christ the Heavenly man and also unto all others this Scripture with many others I did bring in my book The way cast up for proof of what I have affirmed whereof thou hast taken no notice so as to give any reply But lastly whereas thou sayst in this Twelve Animadversion In the next quotation Mark he saith As man he was the Son of God at which thou art offended it seemeth therefore that this is no part of thy Creed viz. That Christ as man was the Son of God even when born of the Virgin Mary But if thou denyest this I ask thee who was the Father of Christ as he was man but God For if he had another Father then he was not born of the Virgin which if this be not rampant blasphemy for any called a Christian to affirm I leave unto all true Christians for to Judge Or if thou denyest that Christ was the Son of God before he was born in the Flesh thou art Guilty of Gross Socinianisme and contradictest the Scriptures Testimony in many places Pamplet
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
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
Light when it is contracted or gathered together by the help of a burning Glass that it burneth or kindleth any ordinary combustible matter as any other fire doth But seeing such a debate is more proper for naturalists and belongeth to that called natural Phylosophy I shall not insist thereon only I inform the Reader who is not acquainted perhaps with such things that the opinion which holdeth light and heat to have no body is almost generally now rejected in the Schools as false and as a meer old fiction of some old Popish School men grounded upon some mistaken notions of Aristotle and upheld by the Jesuits to uphold their absur'd Doctrine of Transubstantiation when they teach That the colour and tast and smell of the bread wine being but meer accidents do remain without all Substance of the bread and wine after the consecration and as absur'd and ridiculous is their doctrine who say that light hath no body that is proper unto it but is a meer accident or quality in the Air For as well may the Jesuits say that the colour smell and tast of the Bread and Wine having no body or substance of the Bread and Wine are only accidents adhering in the Air. But why dost thou not answer to my other examples brought from Scripture as namely how the natural Life and Soul do principally reside in the head and heart and yet emanate into all the members of the body and how the Sap and Moisture residing principally in the root of the Tree goeth forth into all the branches even so the life and light of Christ as he is the Heavenly Adam residing principally in himself doth emanate and stream forth into all his members and in some respect into all things Is the Sap and Moisture a meer accident having no substance and is not the Soul of Man substantially in all the bodily Members although residing more principally in the heart head Pamphlet Animad 17. They believe this Heavenly man-hood to be a creature contrary to John Crooks Counterfeit convert p. 63. that true light which is called the Life of Christ John 1. 4 9. and lighteth every man that cometh into the World is not a creature Keith saith it is a creature Ans. To this I have answered sufficiently above upon Animad 8. that the Spirit or Life of Christ as he is the Heavenly man is not so properly or strictly a creature But men have not only the Spirit of Christ in them as he is Man but also as he is God and the Light Life and Spirit of Christ as he is God or the word simply considered in it self in no sense can be said to be Created But the word made Flesh may in that sense be said to be Created as it is said to be made for Made Created and Formed are commonly of one Signification And that the word was made Flesh from the beginning I have proved in my book because the Saints in all Ages did feed upon the Word made Flesh and the Word made Flesh dwelt in them Now in what sense I understand that the Heavenly man-hood and Soul of Christ is Created I explain in my book in these words p. 135. Therefore to the end that the word may be ingrafted into us and we again ingrafted into it the Word must be Incarnate or made Flesh as we are for all men are a sort of Flesh and so called in Scripture in comparison of God that is purely Spirit and though the Souls of Men are Spirits yet comparatively as unto God they are as it were Flesh and thus the Word is become Flesh that is to say hath advanced a Step or degree neerer unto us than it was in God before any thing was made and the Word was first of all made Flesh to be the root and soundation of all other Created beings and for which they are Created for it is a more noble Creation than all things else Here by my words quoted at large in my book it may be seen how and in what sense I understand the Heavenly man-hood of Christ to be Created namely as the word is made Flesh also Christ himself designed by Wisdome Pro. 8. 24. doth expresly say of himself when there were no Depths I was Formed and again v. 25. before the Hills I was Formed for so doth the Hebrew word Cholalti most properly signify and is used elsewhere in Scripture to signify the Creation of other things so that Made Formed Created do commonly signify one and the same Nevertheless I do acknowledge that Christ the Heavenly Man is not so properly or strictly to be called a Creature or Created Made or Formed but rather generated and he is the Son of God rather than a Creature of God even as a Man's Son is not called his Creature but his Son and yet he doth truly and properly partake with the Creatures otherwise he could not be a perfect Midle or Mediator betwixt God and Men who are Creatures But seeing this production or bringing forth of Christ from God the Father is so great a Mystery it is by no means to be curiously disputed about but simply to be acknowledged believed and admired and not to be expressed in words which mans wisdome teacheth but what the Holy Ghost Teacheth such as the Scripture words are which say The Word was made Flesh and Christ the Heavenly man is the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth and the first-born of every Creature and concerning his wonderful Generation it is said Who can declare it and he is called the New Man who is Created after God c. and so to these Scripture Names I keep close where I am safe and where the malicious accusations of the adversaries of truth cannot reach unto me And by what is said the reader may easily understand that there is no real contradiction betwixt John Crook and me for whither J. C. mean by the true Light which is the Life of Christ the Light of the Word simply considered or the Word made Flesh I am at no contradiction with him for according to the first That Light can in no sense be called a Created Light and according to the second namely As the Word made Flesh or as the Spirit of Christ as man it is not properly Created nor in that strict and narrow sense is it to be so called as the other Creatures are Pamphlet Animad 17. That Scripture in Heb. 9. 11. Not of this Building is grosly corrupted by the Author c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is rightly translated building or structure It is not always taken for the Act of God in framing something out of nothing nor the effect of Gods so Acting but it is taken in another sense in some places as 1 Pet. 2. 13. Ans. That Scripture Heb. 9. 11. Is not at all corrupted but truely translated and the sense of it truely given nor doth thy weak and frivolous reasoning prove the contrary for
he is the Heavenly Adam as Spiritually present with his Church in all Ages although they do not believe his outward Coming and Birth in the Flesh which is a great Sin unto them But thine and their Sin is greater who although in words ye Confess unto his outward Birth in the Flesh yet Deny his real Spititual Presence in the Church either before or since his outward Coming and Birth in the Flesh. And surely thy Blasphemy is no less to call the True Christ of God as he was and is in all Ages even from the Beginning a Child of our own Begetting than the Blasphemy of those Jews was who when he came in the Flesh called him the Carpenter's Son Pamphlet Can Flesh and Blood and an Human Soul be said to Ray and Beam from God who is a Free and Simple Spirit Answ. Christ's Soul is Heavenly Divine and Spiritual and so is that Flesh and Blood of his whereof I speak which he had from the Beginning And it may properly and safely enough be called an Emanation from God the Father according unto Christ's own Words who said He did proceed and come forth from the Father and whose Goings forth have been from of Old or from the Age. But then Emanation in this Sense doth not signifie That the Thing which doth so Emanate is belonging to the very Essence of that from which it doth so Emanate For these who call it an Emanation do acknowledg that it is a Distinct Being or Production of a Thing distinct from the Godhead although next unto it and most nearly united with the same as so indeed the Heavenly Manhood of Christ is Pamphlet Therefore you shall hear he hath denyed it again in the next Quotation Answ. This is another gross Abuse and Perversion For I have not denyed that Christ his Heavenly Manhood may be said to Emanate from the Godhead as one Being or Essence may be said to Emanate from another Being or Essence distinct therefrom Only I say That the Godhead it self hath no such distinct Parts within its own Essence or Being as Center or Rayes but rather is all Center according to that noted Saying of H. Trismegistus Whereas the Soul of Christ hath its Center and Rayes distinct by way of Emanation and yet that which Emanates is of the real Being and Essence of the Soul as truly as the Center Pamphlet Animad 18. This then may as fitly be spoke of them as of the Man Christ Jesus that in G. K. and J. C. dwells all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. 9. How doth the Christian savour this Is it not Rampant Blasphemy See Piscator and he Translates the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Col. 2. 9. Essentialiter Essentially And Calvin likewise upon the Scripture saith That God hath in Christ Essentially appeared unto us Answ. I altogether deny the Consequence That because the Essence of God is in us that therefore the Fulness of the Godhead can be said to dwell in us bodily for that is only proper unto Christ who is the Mediator betwixt God and Us in whom that Fulness dwelleth immediately and to which it is immediately united And forasmuch as we cannot contain the Fulness of Christ but only a Measure of him therefore the Fulness of the Godhead cannot be said to dwell in us and yet we must partake of that Fulness which dwelleth in Christ because we partake of Christ in whom the Fulness is And this is no Blasphemy but words of Truth and Soberness and cannot but savour well and comfortably unto every true Christian namely that God dwelleth in us in Christ according to Christ his own Words unto the Father Joh. 17. 23. Thou in Me and I in Them and according unto John He that confesseth the Son hath the Father also 1 Joh. 2. 23. And as for Piscator his Translation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially it doth nothing hinder but rather helpeth to consirm the Truth of what I affirm For if the Fulness of the Godhead dwell in Christ Essentially or in its true Essence then it is clear that if any Measure of Christ dwell in us that a Measure of that Fulness of God himself dwelleth in us for no Measure or Part of Christ is empty of God Which Fulness of the Godhead as also the Measures of it are not to be understood Simply as in God himself who properly hath no Parts nor Measures but in respect of his Appearance and Manifestation towards us which Appearance or Manifestation of God hath its Fulness in Christ and its Measures in us according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ received by us For concerning Christ it is said That God gave not the Spirit by Measure unto him But to every one of us the Grace or Gift namely of the Holy Spirit is given according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ. And thus we see that the Scripture holdeth forth Measures of the Spirit given unto us through what we receive of the Measure of Christ But Christ hath that Spirit in Fulness or without Measure And the Spirit of God both in Christ and in Us s of the same Essence with God Again As to the Words of Calvin cited by thee they do also confirm the same Truth and over-turn thy gross Assertion For if God hath appeared unto us Essentially in Christ and that we are Partakers of Christ himself by a real Participation of him as Calvin doth else-where acknowledge then together with Christ we are also Partakers of God for God revealeth himself in Christ Essentially and Christ revealeth himself in us Pamphlet Whosoever then hath God Essentially in him hath the whole Deity in him for the Essence is the whole Deity Answ. The Essence of the Deity as I have said hath not Measures properly in it self but yet the Scripture alloweth us to speak of the Measures of the Spirit of God which is one Essence or Being with God Which Measures in Us and Fulness in Christ are to be understood in respect of Manifestation And according to this Distinction of fulness and measures that is warranted by the Scriptures I deny thy Assertion that who ever hath any measure of the Essence of God hath the Whole or Fulness and the plain tendency of all thy work against us is not only to rob the Saints of Christ the Heavenly Man but also of the Holy Ghost and consequentially of God and then finally of all Goodness Vertue and Grace And indeed this is the real and naked tendency of the Doctrine of all those who contend so earnestly against the real and proper in-being or in-dwelling of Christ in the Saints as he is the Heavenly Man and second Adam to bring us at last if they could to deny that we have either God in us or the Holy Ghost for if the Essence of God dwell only in Christ and that Christ dwell not in us then indeed it should follow that we have nothing of
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
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