substance he was created of in those words The Lord God also made the man of the dust of the earth after his own likeness yea in the Image of God created he him so that I say he made Adam of this dust below and therefore it is the body of man is natural so of a heavy gross substance viz. flesh blood and bone Reason How or which way was man framed in the image of God and so compleatly made in the similitude of the Creator seeing mans body is of such gross mortal substance and Gods body thou sayest is of a bright fiery glorious chrystall immortal substance what likeness or image can mans be like unto God then tell me Faith In the creating of man the Lord God onely spake the word onely unto the dust of the earth and immediately the vertue thereof brought forth a living man of pure flesh blood and bone like unto God himself as near as could be so that I say it was not the visiblility of their persons that differed in the least but the glory of them onely for this by Faith I know God was an infinite spiritual body in all parts perfectly holy and Adam was a finite natural body of perfect innocency resembling that Divine form of God that created him Reason What then was the nature or spirit of Adam Angelical or was it Divine Faith I say though Adams body was made of the dust and appointed for generation so natural yet this from an unerring spirit I know that his Soul was not natural but supernatural or Divine and that because it was formed according to the invisible glory of the Eternal Spirit Reason What then was not Adams nature Reason so a reasonable creature if not then Adâ—m was unreasonable so not like unto God Faith From the Lord of Glory I say that if the nature of Adam had been rational in his creation then it could not have been Divine but of Angelical desiring nature of unsatisfaction in its self but that Divine Soul of Adam which was created after the likeness of the Eternal God did consist of several Heavenly properties in its measure answerable unto those Divine qualifications in the glorious Creator above all measure for the Soul of man is not without its several properties and yet they are all in a Heavenly Harmony in that the joy of Soul that Adam did possess arose in him from one Divine Heavenly voice called the Spirit of Faith which was all satisfaction in himself with his present condition not having the least thought of further happiness then what he enjoyed already thus as the Divine nature of the Eternal Spirit was variety of infinite satisfaction in it self So likewise the Soul of Adam being composed of the same qualifications was variety of satisfaction in it self also according to its measure Now if the nature of Adams Soul had been as thou sayest rational in his creation then through want of the Divine nature of Faith Adam would alwayes have been desiring after something that he wanted like unto the Elect Angels for this I know the nature of Adams Soul could not possible have any reason in it and that because the very nature of reason is not onely as aforesaid but it is too serious in its consideration whether things be good or right that are propounded to its understanding when on the contrary that nature or breath of Faith which singly was intirely given to Adam without the least consideration perfectly knowing the excellency of a thing as soon as ever it is presented unto it and therefore Adams nature must needs be Divine as Gods is and supernatural though cloathed with pure nature onely Reason If it be as thou sayest that Gods nature is all Divine Heavenly Faith without pure reason at all and Adam was onely partaker of that nature which thou sayest is so immortal pure that it is all Divine Heavenly satisfaction in its self How came it then that Adam having that nature of Divine satisfaction in his own Soul did fall from that happy and innocent condition wherein he was created Faith From the revelation of faith in my soul I declare that in the nature of God there is not the least motion of the purest reason at all that being onely the angels nature as aforesaid neither is it possible there should be in that thou hast heard in that chapter treating of the angels creation that reason in the purest sense is but a meer desire of the enjoyment of something that is above it so no real satisfaction in its self therefore if the nature of God were pure reason as Papists Episcopal Presbyter Independent Anabaptist Ranter Quaker and all Atheistical opinions of thy seed affirm then I say the Creator that gave satisfaction to another is not satisfied in its self and so in thy reason would follow there is something above God that must give satisfaction to God which from an unerring spirit is cursed blasphemy when it is written In him all fulness dwells and Col 2. 9. he it is that filleth all in all And again it is written There is Isaiâ—h 43. 10. none like him above him or before him or that shall be after him for a spiritual body of all divine heavenly faith and therefore it is written the wonderful transendent vertues of faith in so much that there is not the least let or doubt but whatever it believeth shall come to pass and to faith there is nothing unpossible that its revelation moves it to do when on the contrary reason is such antiphathy that it is a body of meer imaginary desires and no reality cloathed with fear let and doubts of faiths eternal power Now though the soul of Adam through the divine purity of its nature was immortal and uncapable of any rebellion against the glorious spirit of its Creator yet because its body was natural and had its beginning of this dust below his immortal soul having its being in a piece of clay was become subject through temptation to be transmuted from its present condition of his created innocency for this faith knows though the soul of Adam was of a divine nature yet because it was a created nature distinct to it self it was become a Son or Servant yea subject to its divine God and that through deep temptation he was subject to be transmuted into a sinful condition through which both soul and body might not onely be subject to natural death but also full of fear of eternal death or casting out of the spiritual presence of a divine Majesty to bring forth his heavenly disign of a more transcendent eternal glory that he had prepared through suffering to be enjoyed by his divine image at the last day with himself face to face Reason I conceive if Adam had such divine immortal heaven life breathed into him which thou calls his soul that was of the same property and nature of the divine God he might by that life have withstood all
by the man how the Devil got into him nor how this Devil or Devils went out of him and got into the Herd of Swine nor what become of those Devils in the Sea whether drowned in the Sea or no but however so as I have said before so I say again that there is no Devil without a body that can torment another neither can that Devil if he were not generated in man either come in or go out of man but he must be seen otherwise he is no Devil at all as for instance the distemper of man cannot be cast out but it may be seen and felt in the foul and stinking body that poysoned and distempered the minde of man And how dost thou know that the Soul of man leaveth or goeth out of the body at the hour of death CHAP. 9. Shewing what the Soul is and what it is that dieth how that the Soul which is the life of the body can dye and nothing else but life that dieth Reason VVHY I believe the Soul cannot dye because I conceive it a thing impossible the Soul being an Eternal Spirit cannot be capable of death and besides Solomon saith Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it So that it is my believe the Soul cannot dye Faith Though this Principle be fully cleared in the Prophets Book called joyful news from Heaven yet I shall reveal the truth of it upon another account that the Soul is mortal so capable to dye otherwise it could not live Eternal for as nothing but life can dye and that life being dead shall be made capable to live a life Eternal Reason Before thou proceed any further let me but hear how that nothing but life can dye which it is conceived by all knowing men that life which thou callest the Soul is immortal and cannot dye Now that natural life that runs in the blood may dye and therefore it is confessed when a man is murthered or hanged his breath is stifled and so the natural mortal dies yet all this while as Salomon saith The Soul goeth to God that gave it Faith Having in our former writings made it appear that Solomon was the highest pitch of Reason that ever was so what he spake was onely knowledge in nature and not by the Revelation of Faith therefore no Scripture For Reason imagineth things that are not and things that cannot be understood by any sober man much less by a man in Revelation as to think that an immortal Soul or Spirit should be limited to a mortal body which is as possible as light and darkness to dwell together as an immortal Soul to live in a mortal body therefore I say that the Soul and body of man are one distinct living and dying essence for the Soul or Spirit in the womb by degrees congeals together into a rational fire of blood and water and so in due time become a compleat body of flesh blood and bone so that the life that is in man is not Divine but natural onely Reason This is strange that the Soul or Spirit of a child should conceive in the womb that being a breath or gift of God and not generated in or by the seed for I read that God breathed into Adam and he became a living Soul so his Soul was not immortal but mortal and so is all man-kind Faith However it is strange to thee yet I know it is a real truth to me that the Word by which God first created life in man that Word or Breath was immortal which by his fall became mortal as at large is cleared in the seventh Chapter and this know God never created but male and female and gave life but once and since every life in its kinde hath generated bearing seed in its self so that from my Revelation I say that the rational Soul or Spirit of man lyes secretely hid in his seed like unto a spark of fire which spark doth quicken it self into a living form like unto his nature and so having cloathed it self with flesh his Soul or Spirit runs invisibly through the whole body and so is one entire substance being both conceived into life in the womb togegether and both living together upon the earth their appointed time and being both polluted together with sin is it not requisite that they should dye together and turn to the dâ—st and nâ—n-being again until the general bodily Resurrection of all man-kind Reason I know no other but that every man hath in him a good Spirit and a bad spirit as it is written The spirit lusteth Gal. 5. 17. after the flesh and the flesh agaâ—nst the Spirit and these are contrary So that by the learned it is believed that there is a natural life and an Eternal life in one man otherwise the body and Soul are both one which in Scripture I never read that these were both one bâ—t two one fleshly and the other spiritual Faith Didst thou know the truth of what thou hast said then wouldst thou know as followeth that every man in his fallen spirit hath remaining a little light or motion in him to justifie all the righteous proceedings of the Creator in his Conscience at the last day yet mind what I say he hath but one Soul or Spirit in him for that which the Apostle calls spirit in this place was a Divine light of life received unto the dark understanding by vertue of a word speaking from the eternal Spirit of the Lord of glory and not the essence of the holy Spirit for I know that those who do expect a glory to come in the invisible Heavens do confess that the spirit of the Divine Majesty is inâ—â—nite unchangeable immortal eternal therefore how thinkest thou it possible for men or Angels to be capable of the indwelling of the 〈…〉 nce of his Eternal Spirit and that which the Apostle calls flesh was mans own Spirit which consists of nothing but confused lying imagination or cursed carnal reasoning against the Heavenly light aforesaid Now that I may answer the last clause of thy demand that the Soul and body is one it is written All the Souls that came with Jacob into Egypt which came Gen. 46. out of his loins were threescore and six â—ouls again it is written Thy Fathers went dowâ— into Egypt with seventy persons Deut. 10. So that it is plain man is sometimes called Soul and sometimes is called a body or person or Soul Body and Spirit and yet man is but one living essence or substance However the learned of thy seed pretend they know much of this when indeed they know the least of all as to separate a mortal soul from a mortal body or to unite an immortal Soul to a mortal body which is as possible to make light and darkness God and Devil one Reason This is strange that none but thou shouldst know or dâ—scerâ— the Soul immortal when
A PARADISICAL DIALOGUE BETWIXT FAITH and REASON DISPUTING The high mysterious Secrets of Eternity the like never extant in our Revelation As touching God in Eternity how he became time in flesh and how he dyed in the grave and ascended to his glory again ALSO What the Angels are in form and nature and how the Angel became a Devil and that Devil man and that this World was prepared for the Devil so this the Devils Kingdom and what the Soul is with the place of its glory and torment With a brief Narration what a Commission is and how many Commissions there are what the difference of their worships and how that the Law was given to the Devil with a brief discourse on the Catechism the Lords Prayer and the Creeds as also a Divine Prospect to the Elect of the Lord. Written by Law Claxton the onely true Bishop and faithful Messenger of Christ Jesus Creator of Heaven and earth London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by William Learner at the Blackmoor near Fleet-bridge 1660. INDEX Chap. 1. SHewing whether God be a Spirit without á body or that God is a body of flesh and bone glorified Chap. 2. Shewing whether the Father became not a Son which Son was Christ and by death became a Father to all Eternity now in heaven glorified Chap. 3. Shewing Christ is the onely God and Father Creator of Heaven and earth now it is to be revealed what God and Father that was and where he was that Christ so often called upon when he was upon earth Chap. 4. Shewing whether the Angels were the first that God created and of what he created them with their nature and form and what was the cause of the Angels fall above all the rest Chap. 5. Shewing whether this World was before the Angels or no and whether this World was made of something or nothing and how it came into form and being and whether it shall for ever thus remain Chap. 6. Shewing of what matter Adams body was created and what was his nature soul or spirit and by what means he came to lose that estate he was created in Chap. 7. Shewing who it was that tempted Eve and Adam whether it was the Angel aforesaid and if so why is he called a Serpent Beast or Tree c. and how and which way they were deceived and what effect it hath ever since produced Chap. 8. Shewing whether Cain was not the first Devil and who are his seed or children and what Devils those were so frequently spoken of in Scripture Chap. 9. Shewing what the soul is and what it is that dyes how that it is none but the soul which is the life of the body that can dye Chap. 10. Shewing what Heaven is and how many heavens there are what the nature and form thereof Chap. 11. Shewing what Hell is and where it is what the form and nature of its torment Chap. 12. Shewing what Authority a Commissioner hath in the vertue of his Commission what the effects and operations thereof Chap. 13. Shewing what the Law is at large and in short and whether any can keep the Law and when he is said to keep the Law and when not Chap. 14. Shewing whether that prayer doth not belong to all and whether by prayer we may come to the knowledge of God and whether it is our duty to make use of the Lords prayer Chap. 15. Shewing whether there be any truth in the faith of the Church of England expressed in the Creeds or Articles recorded Chap. 16. Shewing in eighteen Propositions the invincible mighty great Authority that is intrusted with a Divine Commissioner Also an eternal whip or scourge for the Quakers for belying the Holy Ghost A PARADISTICAL DIALOGUE BETWIXT Faith and Reason Disputing the high Mysterious Secrets of Eternity the like never yet extant in our Revelation CHAP. 1. Shewing whether God be a Spirit without a body or that God is a body of flesh and bone glorified Reason FRiend having such a convenient opportunity to have some conference with you my request is to know your judgement as touching the true God and that the more in this distracted age There are so many opinions concerning him That some holds him forth an Infinite Spirit c. others say Though God be a Spirit yet there are three Persons in the Godhead the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these three are one God the same in Substance equal in Power and Glory Now if thou please let me hear what thy judgement is of God Almighty Faith Notwithstanding this hodg-podg it matters not me what thou or all the wise men of the world hold For from the Spirit of Revelation I infallibly against men and Angels affirm That God the Creator of Heaven and earth is in the Person and Form of a man Reason How is it possible that God the Creator of all forms should admit of a form of his own Faith I say unless that Divine heavenly Faith or Nature had a Form or Person of his own he could not have created man after his own form image or likeness Reason Yea I grant God created man after his own image in righteousness and holiness but no otherwise Faith Ah pitiful Soul how thy riches choaks thee and thy wisdom blindes thee from believing in the true God that thou shouldst conceive that righteousness or holiness can be created without a form or didst thou ever read or hear of any holiness in any other creature but man onely so that thou canst not say this or that is holiness without a form and that the form of man above Reason What necessity or what ground can be shown that God who is the Creator of all forms should admit of a form of his own Faith It was the greatest ground of all for if God had not a form of his own it had been in vain to create either Angel or man in his form and that because he created them to behold his glorious person Reason Why cannot the glory of God be seen unless he admit of a Person and what matter of glory can be delighted onely in a single Person for I conceive him more glorious when he is a Spirit without a bosty for then he can fill Heaven and Earth wiâ—h his glory and every creature that he hath made then beholds iâ— in that they enjoy part of it Faith I say no glory can be seen without a Personal Substance nay it cannot bear the title of glory without a body for the glorious Spirit that ever was if it had not a body were nothing at all in that a Spirit cannot be seen so no delight in that which is not for what delight could man have with his wife if she had no person And whereas thou sayest God having a Person cannot fill Heaven and earth with his glory I say without his Person he could fill nothing at all As for instance what glory can there be in a
created them of that dust without or above this visible heaven yea I say by his word speaking unto that spiritual dust aforesaid there came forth an innumerable Angelical Host in persons or forms like men and not bodiless spirits as thy seed vainly affirm and the nature of their Angelical Spirits are pure reason onely Reason And was the fallen Angel created of the same matter as the other were and had that Angel the same form and nature as the rest of the Angels had if so why did not he sâ—and with the rest or the whole host of the Angels fall with him Faith I affirm that Serpent-Angel was created of the same matter and had the same form and nature yet was more wise or God-like in his creation than all the elect Angels of glory I say why he could not stand with the rest was the Creator fore-knowing that his Prerogative Royal would compel or move him to create this Angelical Reprobate in reference to his divine justice so that for the manifestation of his most glorious power unto elect men and angels his wisdom saw it most fit to endue this angel with more piercing rational wisdom and brightness of person than all his Angelical companions and that because he was decreed to the greatest shame and pain and not onely so but because the elect Angels should admire their Creators wisdom and power when they should see the out-cast condition of the highest created glory and themselves be filled with new declarations of honor praise and glory unto the Divine Majesty for his free electing love towards them through which they were ensured eternally to reign in their created purity This and no other was the cause why this Angel should fall from the rest Reason I have read as it is thus written That God spared not the 2 Pet. 2. 4. Angels but cast them down into hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgement so that I believe there was more then one in that the Scripture speaks in the plural and not the singular viz. Angels and not Angel Faith I infallibly affirm there was but onely one Reprobate Angel created at first for know this as there was but one man Adam cast out of his heavenly Paradise of created purity in soul and body as also all his seed or generation were cast out of their spiritual peace with him so likewise there was but one angelical Serpent cast from his rational created purity and that was the Serpent-devil which deceived Eve Now the Angels which were cast out with him were of his seed or generation through his union with the intrals of Eve where he had this world prepared for him and his generation Reason And was there no other way to manifest the greatness of his glory but by creating a seed or generation against himself and his seed that so he might damn one and save the other or what prejudice had it been for his Divine Majesty to have formed all in nature like himself as well as in form so that all might have enjoyed eternal happiness Faith I say there was no other way to manifest his divine excellencies unto angel or man but what he hath done if there had I am confident he would never have created any thing on purpose for eternal sufferings and that the more thou mayest think the wise Creator would never have suffered any creature to become rebellious against himself for the occasioning of such strange transactions in this world and suffering both of himself angel and man I say if he could have possessed his infinite glory in creating of every thing unto eternal pleasure Reason Why who was besides himself that should let or hinder what he had a mind to do but he might form all of the nature of himself as aforesaid Faith It is true though there was none besides himself yet I say that the Creators Royal Will and Pleasure was that glorious wheel that moved him to create or form any creature at all and sure I am it was unpossible for God to create the spirits of angels and men to be both of the nature of his own spirit or either of them to be of his divine nature then would the variety of his wisdom power and glory been all lost for want of distinction Moreover if angels and men had been both of Gods divine nature in their creation then in stead of their being capable to be transmuted into a higher or lower condition at the divine pleasure of the Creator would they not rather have been unchangable Creators then changable creatures therefore that God might impede all that might prevent his divine purpose he created the bodies of the angels spiritual and their spirits rational and he made the body of the man Adam natural and his soul spiritual and the cause was this that if their spirits and bodies had both been of the divine nature then it had been unpossible for them to change or commit any evil no more then the Creator himself where then had been all the wonderful transactions of his glorious Majesty or what had been formed in stead of creatures but Creators onely Reason How or which way came the angels forth living creatures if that life that brought forth their forms had not been in God so came forth from God infused into them as it was into Adam Faith Though the angels came forth living bodies in the forms of men yet that life was not in God nor of the nature of God but onely a created light of sensible life of divine joys proceeding from the eternal spirit by vertue of a word speaking through his heavenly mouth unto those elements aforesaid for I say that the uncreated essence or Godhead-spirit of an infinite Majesty was utterly uncapable to be conveyed unto finite created being for infiniteness is onely capable of its own glorious center and after the angels were formed into living bodies the divine Majesty and those created beings were become distinct in their essences for everlasting also the angels by apparant sight of their Creators face might know themselves to be but creatures yea subject to the divine pleasure of God that made them Reason I all along judged Gods nature to be pure reason and the angels nature the same and if not of the nature of God how or by what means came they obedient to the commands of God Faith Whatever thou hast judged of Gods nature thou art altogether mistaken for the nature of God is all-all-divine heavenly Faith and therefore the nature of the angels was and are of a contrary seed subject to mutability for the angels spirits are pure reason onely And what is the purest reason is it any thing else but all pure desires and what is the original of the most purest and perfects desire is it not a want of something that is desired or a kinde of unsatisfaction until its desire be satisfied from something that is not inherent in it self
and therefore from the Lord of everliving faith I say it is thy ignorance that undervalues him nay it is unpossible that there should be the least motion of the purest desire in that nature which is all fulness of divine satisfaction in it self or how is it possible that spirit which hath desire in its nature should enjoy fulness of content in its self therefore though God created that Angelical Reason of all pure desires I say no spiritual man will call it the Divine Nature of God because there can be no kinde of desire in that Nature of the immortal God that is variety of all glorious satisfaction in it self but this I know from the eternal Light of life that the Creator by his infinite wisdom and power from a word speaking unto that dust aforesaid could create yea did make divers living creatures and yet not one motion of those created beings was inherent in his Heavenly Spirit so that I say the Spirits of the Elect Angels are not in the least of any part of the glorious Nature of his Spirit but onely a created rational Spirit of all pure desires so that I affirm the uncreated Godhead it self is unto the created being of Angels or men either a Law of perfect Faith and pure burning love in them towards God unto life Eternal or else a fiery Law of unbelieving burning envy in them against Gods Elect men and Angels unto Eternal death and therefore from the Lord of all Light and Life I affirm all the Angels were equally created under one Law the which mortal Law was written in their Angelical Natures motioning in them that all obedience was properly due unto their Creator which had made them such marvellous creatures Reason But then how or which way came this about that this Angels nature was pure Reason and that as thou sayest in a more greater measure than the Elect Angels Now if their standing or falling lay in none of them How came it then this Angel could not keep his standing as well as the rest Faith I know that though their spirits were created perfectly pure in their kind and measure yet if they were not continually supplied with inspiration from that Divine glory which gave them their beings instead of continuing in their Angelical brightness their spirits would become nothing else but a bottomless pit of imaginary confused darkness of aspiring wisdom above the Creator for the Elect Angels spirits being pure Reason the very nature of them is to desire after the knowledge of that incomprehensible glory which gave them their beings and I say it is the variety of his Divine Excellencies flowing to their desiring natures is that heavenly food that is prepared for their eternal preservation therefore I say the continuance of the reprobate Angels being expired the Creator onely withheld the inspirations of Divine glory from him and immediately for want of that spiritual meat to satisfie that desiring nature his God like purity became nothing else but imaginary impurities of secret aspiring desires above the Creator so that his former pure Reason was become nothing but a loathsome sink of unclean reasoning concerning the true knowledge of the Creator whether he were the Creator or no and instead of honouring the Creator for his unsearchable wisdom of forming out of a little dead dust such an innumerable Host of Elect Angels for his personal Society I say this Angel at the blind barr of his lying imaginations he secretly arrains the wisdom of the infinite God in creation and condemned it as weakness it self in comparison of his imaginary vvisdom this Angel being lifted up with the wisdom of his spirit and glory of his person he beheld the Wisdom and Persons of all the Elect Angels as simple uncomely creatures in comparison of him and his wisdom and then beholding himself with the Creator he imagines his personal wisdom more capable of a Divine Throne than he that sate thereon also he began to imagine a new creation of his own supposing as if he had been the Creator he could have formed more glorious creatures than the Angels without dust or any other matter or if he must have matter to form things wiâ—hall he imagined by his word speaking or thinking he could have created as many spirits without bodies as he saw fit or if he saw good he could have transformed their spiritual bodies into any other nature or form after he had created them and not to continue in one nature and form alwayes for he thought it want of wisdom and power in the Creator that the bodies of the Angels might not be transmuted into any condition at the pleasure of him that formed them therefore in the midst of these and such like his irrational wisdom of imaginary impossibilities so elevated his out-cast spirit that secretly he utterly abhorred that the Creator or any other creatures should remain in being unless he onely might bear rule over them all So that when the secret pride and envy of the Angelical reprobate was at height of unthroning the Creator or else a dissolution of all then the glorious Creator revealed his spiritual cruelties unto his holy Angels and answerable to that he would have done for a Creators glory in the visible sight of his Angels God condemned him to be cast out of his personal presence and Heavenly Throne or Kingdom for everlasting and immediately like unto lightning he was thrown down into this perishing world where his desired Kingdom of God-like Government was prepared for him and his lineal Angels where they are reserved in everlasting chains of darkness and unbelief until the Judgement of the great day Reason What advantage did the downfal of this reprobate Angel produce to the rest of the Angels and wherein did any glory redound unto God and whether was that Angel thrown and what became of him after his fall Faith As unto the Elect Angels there was great advantage for thereby they were all filled with variety of new Heavenly praises in their mouths of Honour Power Praise Glory Majesty Wisdom Mercy Meekness Justice Righteousness or any other Divine Excellencies that could be named to their glorious Creator for his electing free love unto them eternally to abide in their created purity to behold his glorious face and for his wonderful wisdom in creating such Angelical perfection in them from an everlasting rejection of desperate burning envy in utter shame and from this it was great glory did attend the personal Majesty of God and the place he was thrown unto was this earth prepared for his kingdom where here he was in his spiritual form onely the nature of his spirit was changed as aforesaid CHAP. 5. Shewing whether this world was before the Angels or no and whether the world was made of something or nothing and how it came into this form and being and whether it shall for ever thus remain Reason SEeing thou hast thus far revealed thy knowledge of these secrets let me
hear thy thoughts whether this world was in being before the Angels because thou sayest the Angel was thrown into this world Faith Thou hast raised that which neither thou nor any of thy Seed can answer in that this and other that shall be revealed is onely to the Seed of Faith therefore for thy conviction and the satisfaction of the Seed of the Woman I against Angel and man declare and infallibly affirm that the substances of earth and water in this world and that glorious World above were from all Eternity in the Creators presence uncreated senseless dark dead matter like unto water and dust that had no kinde of life light or vertue in them in the least so that I say this world upon the account aforesaid was before the Angels creation Reason By the learning of this world we have understood that those substances of earth and water was not Eternal onely the Creator speaking the word so they came in being also it is written In the beginning God created the Gen. 1. Heaven and the Earth so that I understand there was no earth nor water till it was created Faith As I have said before so I say again this doth not belong to thy seed to know it for it is written Through Faith we understand the worlds were framed by the Word of God Heb. 11. 3. So that by Faith I say that earth and vvater vvas Eternal and the vvord frame or create is to make formlesâ— dead vvater into sensible living forms for thou maist read That earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep c. So that there vvas an earth and vvater though dead and dark so vvithout form Novv the vvord creating or framing vvas to give life and light to those substances of death and darkness and therefore it is vvritten The Spirit of God moved upon the waters and said Gen. 1. 2. let there be light and there was light So that against Angel or man I positively affirm that the earth and the deep vvater vvere essentially one Chaos of confused vvater distinct from the Creator and vvhereas it is said In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth is thus to be understood that of the matter of vvater and earth that vvas formless and void God by a vvord speaking did create a formable vvorld as a place of convenient residence for such mortals as thou and I to inhabit in Reason Though it be consented that the earth and vvater in the beginning vvas dead and dark yet I cannot see but they vvere created so not eternal for it is vvritten I create light and I create darkness so that it vvill follovv God Isaiah 45. 7. created them vvithout form and void Faith In ansvver to this it is vvritten That God is light and in him is no darkness at all yet it is vvritten Darkness was upon the deep So that I knovv from eternity the Divine 1 John 1. 5. Nature of the Creators Spirit vvas nothing but immortal fiery glory of Life and Light so vvithout Controversie the dead earth and dark deep vvater never proceeded all Life and Light out of his glorious mouth and vvhereas thou sayest God created darkness is not intented as thou supposest but the meaning is that he created those Souls that vvere naturally dark into a marvellous light as these Scriptures vvill plainly manifest The light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not and again I will open their John 1. 5. eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God vvith many such places but not one Scripture that God created or gave any being or beginning unto dead dark senseless earth and water aforesaid Reason I cannot yet understand but that God created that confused Chaos of water and earth and so of nothing by his word speaking this world was made Faith Though thou be the Seed of Reason yet in this thou art unreasonable to think that ever those dark dead Elements of earth and water should have their Original from his glorious Spirit I say their natures being so contrary it is impossible they should proceed the one from the other For alas What is death or darkness is it not through the absence of life and light and is not life being overcome by death absolutely become death or darkness or utter silence for a moment and if light and darkness life and death meet together is there any peace between them until one hath swallowed up the other If this be so as it is so then without Controversie earth and water were uncreated substances eternally distinct from the God of Life Light and Glory and that the more it is written And darkness covered the face of the deep therefore I say it is but a dream and a lye to say that God created all things of nothing or that God created that confused Chaos of water and earth it is all one as if thou shouldst say there was no Creator at all but earth and water and such like dead stuff as they are Reason It is written God made a Firmament and divided the waters that were under the Firmament from the waters which were above the Firmament Now was this Firmament Eternal as the rest Faith I say the Firmament that is visible was Eternal though it was of that dead dark matter as the other was Now the word making is the same creating which is no other then as aforesaid to make that which was dead and dark to be lively light and therefore God made Sun Moon and Stars and set them in the Firmament to give light upon this earth so that the Sun is the life of the earth the Moon the life of the waters Reason What then is the Nature of the Water and the Earth above this visible Firmament the same with this water and earth in this world Faith No in nature they are not the same for that above the Firmament is immortal spiritual when as this is mortal natural And therefore the Angels and all the creatures therein being created of that matter are spiritual immortal bodies when as man and all creatures herein are natural mortal bodies and therefore it is written There are Heavenly Bodies and earthly bodies celestiaal and terrestial the one above durable this below perishing that above sutable for such a glorious personal Majesty as the Creator is CHAP. 6. Shewing of what matter Adams body was created and what was his Nature Soul or Spirit and by what means Adam came to lose his state he was created in Reason THen tell me of which of the two substances was the body of Adam created of that above or this below Faith There is no Dispute to the contrary but that Adam was created of this earth below in that he is numbred among this visible creation as in Genesis is related And that Adam was to be Lord and rule over them and the Scripture tells thee what
Spirit also and yet the Nature Soul or Spirit of either God Angel or Man cannot be worshipped without a body for there is no Spirit whether immortal or mortal celestial or terrestial but it hath its own body and that sutable to its own nature as if its Spirit be an immortal glorious Spirit so is his body immortal glorious also and if its Spirit be mortal earthly so is its body mortal earthly also and this I say all bodies whether of God Man or Beast are invisible and seeth that which is without yet it self cannot be seen by any outward sight For who seeth the Spirit of a man save he that hath it So that I say if God were a Spirit without body he could not be seen so not worshipped no more then a Kings Spirit without a body could be honouâ—ed and therefore God being a spiritual body must be worshipped in Spirit And where thou sayest Feel me for a Spirit hath no flesh and bone as ye see me have I say from those words of the Lord Jesus it doth not in the least conclude that a Spirit is not cloathed with flesh and bone for I affirm the Apostles as well as others were dark in many things till Christ was glorified they supposing that Spirits might be seen without bodies and that by the eye of nature therefore Christ walking uâ—on the Sea and appearing among them the Doors and Windows being shut was the main cause of their sudden fear supposing they had seen a Spirit so that for the future and clearer satisfaction Christ tells them a Spirit hath not flesh and bone as ye see me have though I be all Spirit yet feel me and behold my wounds and the print of my nails so that understand a Spirit without flesh and bone cannot be seen or felt unless a spiritual body so that against Angels and all thy Seed I affirm that God that Christ which said to the woman of Samaria God was a Spirit I say that self same Spirit was not in Heaven but in Christs body alone CHAP. 2. Shewing whether the Father became not a Son which which Son was Christ and by death became a Father to all Eternity now in Heaven glorified Reason THou hast told me all along that God hath a body in the form of a man and now thou sayest that the Spirit of God was in Christs body and not in the body of God the Father Where then was the body of God when his Spirit was in Christ Faith I shall affirm that as the Spirit of God was in Christ so the body of Christ was the body of God Creator of Heaven and Earth not two but one yea the very self-same body Reason Oh Friends this is a strange saying indeed that the body of God the Father should be the person of Christ If so how or which way came he down from Heaven to Earth it is so mysterious that it is beyond my reach or understanding Faith What is strange to thee is familiar with me for thou reads and understands not though it is frequently written in Scripture That Eternity was to become time yea immortality was to become mortal which is no less that the Father was to become a Son as it is written The seed of the Woman shall Gen. 3. bruise the head of the Serpent and to Esaiah it was revealed these saâ—ings For unto us a Child is born and unto us a Esay 9. 6. Son is given and his Name shall be called wonderful Counsellour the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace and again it is written In the beginning was the Joh. 1. 1 2 Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God which Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst men So that I affirm the coming down of the immortal personal God was clouded in those sayings The holy Ghost stall come Luke 1. 35. upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also the holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Reason I do not deny the truth of those sayings but do believe that Christ was the Son of God conceived by the holy Ghost but how or which way God was this Son I cannot tell neither do I believe that God did any more unto her then he did unto Adâ—m when he made him a living Soul the Scripture saith He breathed unto him and he became a living Soul So in the same manner I conceive God breathed into Mary and by that breath she conceived the Seed of God in her womb and so she not knowing of man called him the Son of God and not God for God was in Heaven when he was upon Earth Faith From my Seed-spring I say that the Childe that vvas conceived in the vvomb of Mary so called a Son Was the Mighty God the Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace yea that Babe in her vvomb vvas the very God For the Word was God and became flesh and who was the Rower of the Highest that overshadowed Mary but God Creator of Heaven and Earth take notice that the knovvledge of these sayings vvas not to be revealed to thy Seed for saith the Prophet Vnto us yea unto us Prâ—phets and the Messengers of the Lord a Son is given and a Child is born and therefore thou canst not tell hovv God the Creator should become a Son and Saviour but imagines God as he vvas a Spirit breathed into her vvomb as he breathed into Adam and so by that breath she conceived a man-child as touching this I tell thee there is great difference of a living and a dying Seed for by that breath Adam became life and by her overshadovving she vvas not made alive but had a conception in her living vvomb novv there can be no conception vvithout a Seed and that Seed must first dye before iâ— quicken to life again as it is vvritten Before the Wheat grain dye it abideth alone So that against Angels above and all their Seed belovv I affirm as from the Scriptures before is proved that God the Creator in the form of a man vvho is the onely Povver of the Highest did descend from his Throne and Kingdom as svvift as thought and his vvhole body pierced through her secrets in a Trance and in a momeâ—t dissolved into Seed and there died from an immortal Father and quickned there to a mortal Son of flesh blood and bone so called Christ Jesus the Saviour of the world Reason Oh admiration this is a report of astonishment that for my part I never never read or by the hearing of the ear ever heard till now that God in the form of a man should as thou sayest vvith that form descend from Heaven and for ought I knovv of as large proportion and bigness as thy self enter the vvomb of Mary and the greatest vvonder of all is that God vvith a body as big as thine should descend like lightning from Heaven and
Reason Seeing the Serpent before he tempted Eve was called A Tree of knowledge of good and evil surely then that good was not cursed but the evil onely and on the contrary Eve partaking in her womb of the evil seed must be evil also Faith Though the Angel had been a Tree in his first estate which knew nothing but good before Eve or Adam had any sensible beings yet being fallen from his created purity he was become a Tree of sin or evil onely So that he was a cursed out-cast Tree from the glorious presence of life Eternal before his visible appearing unto Eve so that he was far from repenting of rebellion against God yea altogether uncapable of reproof of sin whereby he might be restored from his wretched estate that he did utterly abhor both God and man unless he might be Ruler over them when on the contrary Eve through temptation was overcome by the Serpent yet she had some relenting light of life left in her after her rebellion which occasioned a secret shame and confusion of Soul in her so that she was capable of being made a good Tree again yea a Tree of more transcendent glory than she was before Reason By this I understand that the Seed of the Woman and the seed of the Angel were two contrary seeds then tell me whether the Seed of the Woman was before or in his fall and the Seed of the Woman blessed before or after his fall Faith That there is two Seeds or Trees of Eternal life thou maist read A good Tree cannot bring forth evil fruit nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit therefore by their fruits they are known So that the Serpent angelical tree being reprobate to all manner of evil therefore he and his seed of men and women vvere not onely cursed in the vvomb of Eve but also before the world vvas but on the contrary innocent Eve being a good Tree in her creation through her proceeding from the Divine Nature of the Tree of Eternal glory so that it vvas impossible that she and Adam or any of their Seed should eternally perisâ—â— because they vvere Trees Elected to bring forth good fruit unto everlasting life and glory long before the creating of this vvorld Reason Hovvever thou seems to prove that it was no natural Tree so no natural apple then vvhat dost thou say to those sayings vvhere he is called A Serpent and cursed above all cattel Gen. 3. and every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the dayes of thy life So if it vvere not a natural Serpent that tempted Eve Why then doth not Cain and all his seed being as thou sayest of the Serpentine nature yet men and vvomen I say why do not those men go upon their belly and lick up dust vvhile they live in this vvorld Faith Hovvever thou or all thy seed vainly dream of Apples pulled from vvoodden trees or of a natural Serpent or an evil spirit in the body of an ignorant horned beast or any such like imaginary fancy concerning the deceiving of Eve yet I having the Spirit of Revelation do knovv that the Serpent vvhich beguiled Eve vvas that Angelical Reprobate cast dovvn from the Kingdom of glory also I knovv that the Serpentine Angel deceived Eve not upon a natural account but a spiritual account in that she vvas ignorant of lusting after a man until she had obeyed the Serpents voice Novv vvhen the curse vvas denounced upon the Serpent and his seed that Angelical Serpent vvas not vvithout but vvithin the vvomb of Eve as aforesaid and he vvas called a Serpent because of his exceeding subtility Novv if it had been a natural Serpent vvithout her vvhat prejudice had the tenour of that curse been to Eve or Adam It vvas as good to him to eat of the fruit of the Tree as the choicest things that one being as natural to him as to the other and also what dammage had it been to the woman for to curse a natural serpent without her or suppose that curse had been denounced against an evil spirit distinct from the soul and body of Eve what harm would that have been to Adam and Eve or their generation or who should regard a Curse upon any devil in the least so that he himself be not that evil spirit or devil so cursed and who is it but that serpentine nature the devil that goeth upon their belly and lick up the dust of this world is it not that unclean reason and wicked imagination that was in Cain and now is in all his angels who are the lords of this earth or god of this world whose spirits wholly thirst after things that perish and are never in their proper center but when they are licking that is feeding upon gold and silver riches and honor of this world which is no more then the dust of the earth which the fair Ladies and rich men of the world lick up all the days of their life Reason Suppose it should be granted that that serpent by whom Eve was beguiled was none of the trees of this creation or an evil spirit in the body of a natural serpent as by me is believed but it was an absolute serpent devil as before hath been related by thee and that it entered into Eve and in her womb was pronounced cursed by the Creator and so naturally brought forth himself a cursed Cain of her seed what was this unto Eve or why should she suffer any kinde of punishment for being overcome by an enemy that was too mighty for her Reason Though the soul of Eve was not onely purely created in its kinde like unto other creatures but it was also of the very same nature of his most glorious spirit that formed it so that she could not be ignorant in the least that all obedience was most due unto her Creators command also the Creator by his royal will for the manifestation of his glorious power might give his creature a spiritual law yea life and light in its self and yet reserve to himself the prerogative power of it so that the Creator might present unto the view of his image a serpent devil for the trial of his workmanship and yet might upon pain of death forbid his creature for having to do with that tree or of hearkning to it in the least also I know the divine Creator might leave his divine image unto his present strength through which by a subtile enemy she might be tempted and overcome to commit evil with the angel against its Creators law and yet its sin be upon its own head and that because it rebelled not onely against its divine light but principally because their was no law to bind an infinite Majesty to protect Eve in her created purity and whether her enemy was too potent for her that was hid from her eyes by the unsearchable wisdom of the Creator so that seeing the wonderful wisdom
and ways of the Lord are past finding out then thou wouldst forbear reasoning against the Creators prerogative power and yield thy self to be damned at his pleasure CHAP. 8. Shewing whether Cain was not the first devil and who are his seed or children and what devils those were that are so frequently spoken of in Scripture Reason WHat then dost thou say that Cain was the first devil and was there no evil spirit before Cain and if so prove that Cain is called a devil Faith From the divine spirit of the Lord of glory I affirm as before is proved that the angels were the first sensible living formes that ever were created and that reprobate angel as I have said dissolved into seed in the womb of Eve and there conceived into flesh blood and bone her first-born Cain yea the first devil and father of the damned so that against thee and all thy seed I say there was no other devil before Cain and that thou mayest know Cain is called a devil read these Scriptures Not as Cain which was of that wicked one and slew his brother Again it is written He that soweth the good seed is the son of man and the field is the world and the good seed are the children of the kingdom and the tares are the children of the wicked one and the enemy that soweth them is the devil Again Ye are of your father the devil John â— 44 and the lusts of your father ye will do he hath been a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there was no truth in him when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father thereof Now then what sayest thou was not Cain the first murthering lying man that ever was born of a woman Reason I have read in Scripture that there are evil angels or devils living in the Ayr and a devil amongst them called Beelzebub the prince of devils now I judge the devil is of such an invisible spirit that he is here there and every where and so can infuse evil thoughts into man and man cannot see the devils that tempts him Faith If this be as thou sayest what need any man trouble himself with the least fear of eternal death whatsoever wickedness is committed by him For I say if any man be tempted to evil by any devil but what is in his own nature onely that devil or evil spirit is to be eternally damned and the man to be set free and if sin issued not from mans uncleane reason or lyng imagination within him how is it possible that any man should be so tormented as thy seed are with inward burnings through a secret fear of eternal sufferings rising in them from the guilt of former evils committed against the light of conscience Now if it were possible for thee to know that the subtility of the prince of the ayr that rules in the hearts of children of disobedience was thy own imaginary reason or evil spirit that is the prince of all airy disputes concerning God devil angels heaven hell eternal glory or shame to come then thou wouldest see the truth of what I speak Reason What then dost thou say there never was is nor shall be no other devil but men and women and if so from whence comes that devilish nature in man and whether all have not the devilish nature in them and if so how shall any man escape damnation Faith As unto this thy Question I answer as aforesaid There never was no devil till the angel became a man-child of flesh blood and bone and that evil nature ever since hath generated in all the sons and daughters of Adam since his fall both reason and faith lay hid in that seed that conceived in the womb So that I say as Adam and Eve the womb of all living had both reason and faith in them so of necessity it must follow that all that are begotten or generated by them must needs partake of both natures so that I affirm that all the righteous as the wicked have the devils nature in them and yet the seed of the woman shall escape damnation Reason What then dost thou say that the devils have faith in them and yet shall be damned and the true believers have reason in them and yet shall be saved Now there being both seeds in one as the other how comes it that all are not either damned or saved certainly faith being as thou sayest of the nature of God then that faith in the devils must return to God again Faith I say Gain the father of all devils had faith in him as all his children have at this day as it is written touching the four seeds speaking of them that hath the seed sown on a Luke 8 13 rock when they hear they receive the word with joy and these having no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away And it is written the devils believe and tremble Jam. 2 19 so that if thou were not stone-blind thou mightest see that there is no other devil but men and women and that faith in them doth cause many secret feares of damnation and yet that faith in them shall never return to God nor they themselves saved for this I know that faith that is in the seed of the serpent shall die with them and rise with them for the devils shall rise all reason and no faith or shall not be capable to ascend to glory when on the contrary the blessed of the Lord all their Faith in their life time out-topped reason by which he came to the knowledge of God so that at his death his reason shall dye with him insomuch that at the Resurrection he shall rise all Faith and no Reason so shall be able to ascend to glory Reason What then shall become of natural fools and children that understand neither Faith nor Reason shall they all be damned if they be of the Serpents seed Faith From an unerring Spirit I speak it there is neither child nor fool that dies uncapable of the breach of the Law that shall be damned so that herein the Justice and Mercy of God appears that as he will damn whom he will so he will damn none unjustly therefore I say let them be children or fools though the seed of the Serpent yet they shall be raised to the glory their father had before his fall viz. the estate of the Angels Reason If there be no other Devil but Cain and his generation of men and women What Devils were then those from these Maâ— 4. 1. Scriptures where it is written Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil which Devil taketh him up into the holy City c. again it is Mark 5. 2. written Satan entered into Judas c. and it is written Out of Mary Magdelen Christ cast out seven Devils with many hundred
a word and a stab when as the Jew Devil is subject to the Law he is reasonable in that he will moderately try the innocent by the Law so that God saw good the Devils should have a Law to curb them yea torment them and condemn them for ever Now the rule that the Seed of Faith doth walk by is not by the Law but by Faith as it is written The Law of faith hath freed us from the Law of sin and death though most of Rom. 8. 2. thy Seed do conclude themselves believers yet I say that freedom onely belongs to a Commission and the believers thereof as the Apostle includes all believers with him are free from the Law and none other For Chrâ—st is the end of Rom. 10. 4. the Law for righteousness to every â—one that believeth And what though I have been a great sinner yea so great murther excepted that there was few beyond me yet now being washed sanctified yea justified that I am now no longer under the Law but under Grace which none of thy â—eed shall ever attain too notwithstanding they seek it with tears Reason What then do all believyrs of thy Commission keep the Law and not any of the seven Churches keep the Law as well as thou What then dost thou say of the Quakers and many others that are very moderate just men insomuch that none can tax them with the breach of any of the ten Commandments Faith I say in the experience of my Revelation there is not any keeps the Law but those that are freed from the Law as aforesaid and sure I am there is none in the perfect Law of Liberty but the Seed of the Woman which Seed of Faith doth run in the line of one Commission to another so that I can speak for no more then I finde in the publique profession thereof not denying but there may be here one and there one scattered up and down which if the report of our Commission came but to the hearing of their ear they would embrace it as the rest of our believers do But truly I speak it there are so few known and not known that there is not a hundred to ten millions of the contrary Seed that will or can believe the report of a Commissioner as touching the true God and therefore we may say with the Prophet Who hath believed our report or to whom is the Isa 43. 1. Arm of the Lord revealed that is the arm of Faith revealed So few there was in every Commission that they were but a little yea and that a very little flock in comparison of the non-commissionate Churches And whereas thou supposeth by the moderate carriage and just dealing betwixt man and man the Quakers with many other of thy Priesthood generation may keep the Law as well as the believer of a Commission I shall moderately answer thee in that saying of James That whosoever shall keep the whole Law and Jam 2. 10. yet offend in one point is guilâ—y of all So that I say though the Quakeâ—s of all the seven Churches do nearest keep the Law yet in that they offend in the first command they are guilty of all for it is written Thou shalt have no other Gods Exo. 20. 3. but me Now as aforesaid thou hast heard me in the first and second Chapters that there is none of your seven Churches Sons of Generations but you have other gods besides Christ the oneâ—y God some of you saying God is a Spirit without form and this Spirit God is within you and others of you will have no God but Nature onely and the rest of thy Bâ—bâ—lonish brood will have one Spirit to have three persons So that from the knowledge of the true God I tell you all are guilty of the Law though I acknowledge the Quakers exact walking and therefore I love them yet in that they are ignorant of the knowledge of the true God which is life Eternal I say your Directories forms of Prayer the Creed Baptism breaking of Bread and set days of Fasts and Thanksgiving and such like stuff are not onely a breach of the first but second Commandment all which have a form of godliness but not the power So that I say they are no less then Idols and graven Images of thy own invention and therefore it matters not though some of you keep all the rest of the Commands and not know the true God thou art guilty of all Reason Then if a man come to the knowledge of the true God that is sufficient notwithstanding he break all the rest of the Commands because thou saith Thet keeping of all the rest is nothing without he know that God which thou hast revealed Faith However it is thy pleasure to misconstrue me in that thou knowest not the indwelling of truth in me yet this is the thing I said unto thee That though any of thy Seed keep all the Commands but the first in that they keep not all they are guilty of all for this I knovv the knovvledge of the true God leads forth a soul to keep all the Commandments of God for in that I knovv him therefore I love him and so keep his Commandments as it is vvritten If ye love me keep my Commandments Reason What then dost not thou sin because thou knovvest the true God and keeps his Commands then I must say thou art more righteous and perfect then any man upon earth for it is vvritten If we say that we have no sin we 1 John 8. deceive our selves and the truth is not in us vvith such like places Faith Let me tell thee if I sin I do not keep the Lavv as it is vvritten Whosoever commiteth sin transgresseth the 1 Joh. 3 4. Law for sin is the transgression of the Law But in that I have knovvn the true God vvhich Seed of God remaining in me I cannot sin because I am partaker of the Divine Nature of God Now if I should say that I have no motionâ— to sin I should deceive my self and the truth is not in me for I knovv there is a great difference betvvixt a motion and an act for it is to be understood not he that thinketh a sin but he that committeth sin is of the Devil as all thy Seed are at a loss as touching the mysterie of this secret not understanding a motion from an act and therefore thousands of thy Seed perish for want of knovvledge in that saying of Christ That whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Mat. 5. 28. from hence concluding that if thou dost but lust after her thou mightst as vvell lie vvith her and soo too too many of thy seed do commit the act indeed vvhen if thou hadst a discerning betvvixt a thought and an act thou hadst not defiled thy soul as it is vvri ten When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when
was surrendred into the Person of Christ alone so that after that all the gifts or influence of the Holy Ghost came from Christ as it is written when Christ was ascended to glory then he fills the Apostles full of the Holâ— Ghost which then appeared in the form of a Cloven Tongue and not in the form of a Dove So that it is clear though the Holy Ghost be one intire Divine invisible life in Christ yet take notice the gifts thereof are divers so that the gifts of the Holy Ghost hah various forms though the Holy â—host hath no form but man and that Christ alonâ— And therefore minde the gross darkness of all thy Seed in their Creeds as though the Holy â—host had a Person of its own so the Lord and giver of life when it is written in divers places That Christ is the way the truth and the life I am that bread of life he that believeth on me hath everlasting John 4. life and in his saying to the woman of Samaria But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life So that the Holy Ghost must needs be in Christ in that Christ is the giver of life and yet such blinde reason as thee will have the Holy Ghost in a Person distinct from Christ the Lord and giver of life when to thy shame thou heareâ—t that Christ alone John 11. 25. is the Resurrection and the Life insomuch that he that believeth in Christ though he were dead yet shall he live So thus much in confutation to the authors and believers of of those Creeds Yea from the Revelation of my Faith I infallibly against Angels and all thy Seed of Reason conclude â—hat so many of them so living and so dying in the belief thereof shall with thee perish eternally Yea in the Vertue of our Commission I say there is no God that can or will deliver thee or them to all Eternity A DIVINE PROSPECT FOr the Elect of the Lord that after our departure shall come to the belief of this our last Commission though ye knew us not in our life time yet you have the Revelation of faith left upon record by which you will be supported in believing John Reeve and Lodowick Mugglton the last Commissioners that ever shall appear in Reasons Kingdom as also that I am the onely Bishop or Messenger in Revelation bearing witness against all Gain sayers to the truth of this Spiritual Commission now in being and so to remain till time be no more on this side of death then and at which day it shall be made manifest that we and onely we were the last Messengers of Jesus Christ who at the day of Resurrection shall ascend to glory in the publique view of our Enemies as also all other believers who credited our report not weighing their lives unto death Which when we and all that knew us are in silent dust then I say our Revelation will be in great esteem bâ— the next generation of faith succeeding And therefore that there may be no division among you from the Lord of Glory I reminde you of these enâ—uing Propositions they being a breviate of all the chief heads that my Revelation hath reduced from the Commission 1. You are to believe There was to be three Commissions before the end of this world thus recorded The Spirit Water and Blood and these are the three that beareth witness upon earth 1 John 5. 8. 2. It is to be believed That a Commission is given forth by laudible voyce of words to the hearing of the ear from the mouth of the Lord Jesus in the highest Heavens 3. It is to be believed That who ever pretends a Commission not being one of these are real whimsies notions yea lies and no truth 4. It is to be believed That though a Commission consist of few words without encrease yet their Revelations are various and encreaseth daily 5. It is to be observed That the two last Commissions are not to offend or defend in point of Externals but either active or passive to yield due obedience to King Governor or any other Magistrate whatsoever 6. It is to be believed That no Commission ought to be obedient to any formal Dispensation but in their time or place hath power to curse either Angel or man that in opposition thereof shall hold forth other Doctrine 7. It is to be believed That neither of the two former Commissions was to understand what God in his Form and Nature was in the Creation as this our Commission doth 8. It is to be believed That our Commission alone doth understand how this God and Father after intelligence given to Mary by the Angel descended from heaven as swift as thought into the womb of Mary and there dissolved his immortal body into seed and from thence quickned himself into a mortal body of flesh blood and bone so called a Son 9. It is to be believed That the Eternal Father now become a Son had the Supreme power within him that quickned his Godhead being perfectly dead in the grave to life again without the help of either Father God or Spirit without him whatsoever 10. It is to be believed That the Prophet Elias in his transmutation that nature of faith in him became a chariot of fire so struck out the gross Elements viz. Water Earth and Aire and in that fiery faith of his own ascended to glory to represent the Person of God while he took his journey in the flesh 11. Also it is to be believed That our Commission alone in the Revelation thereof hath the true knowledge of these things as also what the form and nature of the Angels are of what they were created and wherefore created and what was the cause of the Angelical fall above the rest and why and wherefore he was cast into this world in the presence of Adam and Eve 12. It is to be believed that never any but our Commission knew that it was that said Angel that in his whole form entred the womb of Eve and there dissolved into Seed and conceived into flesh blood and bone by which Eve was deceived so called a Beast Serpent Tree of Knowledge of good and evil that so none of that Seed might understand what it was and how it was Eve was deceived 13. It is to be understood That none but our Commission knows that this dissolution of the Angel in the womb of Eve became Cain the first Devil and Father of all the damned 14. It is to be believed That there never was is or shall be any other Devil but men and women and that for the most part he is the comeliest of all other of that form 15. It is to be believed That none but our Commission knows that the souls of both Faith and Reason are mortal ever since the fall of Adam and shall dye and rot in the grave till the day of Resurrection and that
though dead five thousand three hundred years ago yet at the day of our glorious Gods appearance each seed or soul shall arise with bodies suitable to their natures that soul or seed of faith that believed in our Commission shall ascend to meet its Saviour in the ayre and that soul or seed of Reason that despised our Commission shall arise a spiritual body upon this earth tormented to all Eternity 16. It is to be believed That the Kingdom of glory where Christ the onely God his Elect Saints and Angel doth and shall inhabit to all eternity is non-globical where God and his mighty Angels can at their pleasure with their bodies fly as swift as thought ten thousand miles in a moment and when he pleaseth God can stand sit lie in as narrow a compass as my self for none but our Revelation knows that there is an immortal Earth Sea Fish Fouls Beasts Hearbs Trees yea all things immortal glorious there as they are mortal deformed here and all this for the contemplation of God his Elect Saints and Angels to whom let all ye that have or shall have belief in our Commission so living and so dying in the truth of our Revelation sing praise glory and honour that ye shall see and enjoy what now ye do believe as touching our Commission 17. It is to be believed that certain men and women have and will seeingly come to the belief of our Commission insomuch that they have rejoyced in it contended for it yea have said they desired to depart this life in the belief of it and yet being according to birth the seed of Reason and not the seed of Faith in time of persecution riches glory and honour of this world fell away to their eternal perdition as I could name some but wo wo for as sure as Christ is God they shall never see that glorious Kingdom aforesaid 18. And lastly it is seriously by you to be observed That by believing the truth of what I write you will finde great satisfaction when I am taken from you that as this is the last Commission so the the the truth yea the onely truth that shall remain to the end of this bloody unbelieving world to reminde you of this one thing that it is not to be expected many to come to believe a Commission as to a notional dispensation for in the two former Commissions they cryed out Two of a Tribe one of a City so few in their Commissions that the Prophet Elâ—jah said I even I onely am left and they seek my life to take it aâ—ay and then saith Isaiah Who hath belâ—eved â—ur report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed So few that in the time of Christ at his sayings they were so hard to be understood that there fell away 70 at one time nay none stuck to him but the Apostles and a few more And then in the second Commission there was so few that really believed that sometimes Paul had but two or three stood by him in the faith And now in this our last they are so few that they are not worth the numbering among the multitude of notional Churches and therefore forget not that saying of Christ Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it But herein comfort your selves that those few of you that really enters in shall feel yea see and behold your God face to face yea sing out triumphing voyces of joy with eternal harmonies of divine musick for ever yea for ever in that glorious Kingdom aforesaid prepared for Christ your God and you his Elect Saints with the Elected Angels world without end so that ye shall sit stand lie walk go flie at your pleasure having nothing to say but glory here is the height of glory in the presence of our Saviour yea an endless glory without end These twenty particulars underneath asserted in the Quakers Downfal by Scripture proved and in that Revelation infallibly confirmed that Law Claxton the onely Bishop and true Messenger of our last Commission doth in the death of his soul seal them a real truth in confutation to the Quakers blinde Reasons imagination which are as followeth 1. That faith shall dye in the heel and reason in the head 2. That the Angel did descend into the womb of Eve 3. That a spirit cannot live without a body p 28. 4. That we and our God are cursed to all eternity p. 28. 5. That Christ or God is above the Stars with a body of flesh and bones 6. That God that Christ said was a spirit the meaning of his Revelation was that his invisible soul was that God or spirit abiding onely in his person p. â—9 7. Thaâ—â—eason is the seed of the Serpent 8. That by faith reason shall be kept in eternal death 9. That God gave Faith â—easâ—n and Sense but onâ—e 10. And that Faith Reason and Sense have in all generated in its kinde form and nature as in p 40. 11 That the Devâ—ls Kingdom and Reasons Kingdom are one 12. That God doth damn as well as save and that not for any evil thing done as he hath asserted in p. 58. 13. That we acknowledge no other God but what was within us 14. And that we conceive this God was an infinite nothing and so made all things of nothing 15. That the light in us is darkness 16. That an Infinite Spirit without a body is nothing 17. That we say God hath no form 18. That all the time Paul was cloathed with a corrupt persecuting spirit he was a vessel of honour in the account of God 19. That God is all Faith and no Reason and that Reason is of the Nature of the Devil p. 31. 20. That it was the wisdom of the flesh that made a chief Magistrate as in p. 36. In the next place I return as the Majestie of Christ the onely God in condemnation of your Diabolical perjâ—red lies against the holy Spirit of the nature of the most high God now revealed in us his last powerful infallible Prophets and Messengers of his eternal Majestie in the highest Heavens brought upon record in our Revelation as in your Reasons libel verbatim are asserted by that son of perdition J. Harwood 1. L. C. said He would prove God to be a man flesh and bones as we are Now ye the Believers of our Commission take notice that of which of these twelve particulars before quoted you by my pen finde silence we own as eternal truth but the rest that I set my pen against was not our words but Reason the Devil-lying imagination by those aforesaid Quakers as do but observe and thou mayest discern how I binde them hand and foot from their supposed light yet real darkness as seriously minde the first forged lie 3. L. C. said He had nothing of God in him and many other places nought of God in him Answ That you the blessed of the Lord may know
this was forged by their own lying imagination do but read the third affirmation in p. 37. of the Quakers Downfal and there you shall read the nature of God in all men more or less c. 5. L. C. said The Devil was the author of this light in the world Answ Now the words that was then said were That Reason the Devil was the light within them but in the Quakers Downfal you shall finde all along that Christ as he was Creator of Heaven and earth by his word of Faith created this light now in being 8 L. C. said He had damned the Lord Mayor seven or eight years ago and a thousand within this eight years and that he had justâ—fied forty or fifty Ans Now ye of the seed of Faith may discern of what seed or spirit these men are of when it is not unknown to you it is not above two years and a half since I first heard of this Commission Now indeed Lodowick Mugleton said some of those words that the Lord Mayor with Recorder Steel and the whole Jury with thousands more had by them been damned 9. He pronounced damnation to George Fox junior and to John Harwood and said several times he would speak no more to them yet after did and said he would answer no question but after did Ans Had but any discerning soul been there he might have beheld the spirit of Cain in them so cruel so tempting that they pull'd us by the Coats and with diabolical speech said they would ensnare us so that I could not but tell them I did not think there had been such a violent spirit in them c. Now after their condemnation charging them with their blasphemy and witchcraft carriage this they esteemed an error or weakness in us 12. One of them said That a spirit hath flesh blood and bones contrary to Christs words Answ Now do but read their first particular and compare it with this last and then judge of what a dark formal hypocritical Rabsheca nature the chief heads of these Quakers are of insomuch that I say were it not that I know ye are all the seed of the Serpent so in darkness I might admire ye should say this or that is blasphemy when as we have told you we onely are the Judge of the Scripture and what we judge is blasphemy heresie or a lye is so and no other For this I infallibly say the first Commission was onely understood by the second Commission and the first and second Commissions are onely understood by our Commission so that the notional Churches have nothing to do with Scripture much less to say the two first Commissions were truth and the last Commission a lye From the Lord of Gloâ—y I say that as theirs were truth in their time and place so now is ours the onely commissionate truth now in being and therefore let me but tell you this once that your Pharisaical preaching and praying with your moderate civill walking aâ—e all but as diâ—t or the dunghil yea as a menstrous cloth not knowing the true God So that from the seed of Gods own body I say ye had better been generated a Snake or a Toad then a rational understanding man as in the day of an account when it is too late you will acknowledge but then in vain FINIS ERRATA PAge 106. line 25. for that faith can take up the words of faith read that faith can take up the words of reason as reason can 〈◊〉 up the words of faith
have seen in my own Soul as the Tide doth ebbe and flow into the Ocean so doth the Revelation of Faith ascend and descend beholding the glorious throne of Eternity with unspeakable raptures not utterable by pen or tongue Reason I cannot understand how God being a person and yet a Fountain of endless Glory should fill heaven and earth in that a person is finite in one place and heaven and earth is large so that if Gods glory be in every place then there his person must be also Faith Dost thou not see in nature that one fountain doth supply many families how much more then can the Etetnal Fountain supply many Souls with that heavenly divine water and yet from his single person in heaven glorified and as that fountain from Ware is directed to supply the necessity of London and yet the head spring keeps its place so doth the fountain of Eternal glory retain it self in its being and yet fills heaven and earth with its streams of glory Reason Thou sayest God is onely in heaven and yet it is written the heaven of heavens cannot contain God he is of such a large infinite vastness and spiritual bulk or bigness that not onely heaven but earth also must be his habitation and therefore it is written that with a humble and contrite spirit God will dwell And again it is written Heaven is his throne and the earth his footstool And the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof So that I believe God is not onely in heaven but earth also so that from these and many other places I judge thou limitest the unlimited God and so makest him that is infinite in heaven and earth to be finite onely in heaven and that in one single person of his own Faith Thou takest upon thee to prove thy reason by Scripture when Scripture were never written for thee neither doth it belong to thee as in its place thou shalt hear and therefore have patience and I shall interpret the meaning of those Scriptures First thou sayest the heaven of heavens cannot contain 1 Kings 8. 27. God and yet it is written whom the heavens must receive till the restitution of all things Now when Faith comcompares Acts 3. 2â— these two together it knows the truth of one from the other for when I consider Solomon endued with thy wisdom that he spake those words not experimentally but dubiously as minde the 27 verse and then peruse that chapter and thou shalt finde it in three several places recorded thus And hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place how should heaven be Gods dwelling-place if the heaven of heavens cannot contain him So that in truth those words of the Apostles who were endued with the spirit of revelation is to be believed when Solomons cannot in that he spake not by revelation but from the intricate promise of God to his father David And in the same chapter he acknowledgeth Gods dwelling-place to be in heaven and not in the temple and where it is written with an humble and contrite heart God will dwell is not there intended God will dwell in my heart by his person but by faith as it is written that Christ Eph. 3 1â— may dwell in your hearts by faith c. as minde the words of the Prophet Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place by my person there I dwell and by my faith in an humble heart and where it is written Heaven is my throne and Psal 24. 1. the earth is my footstool do still confirm that God hath a body otherwise what should he do with a throne or a footstool But now to convince thee that it is not to be understood this earth but that glorious earth above the stars where God when he pleaseth doth stand as firm in as narrow a compass as I do upon this earth And that the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof is not by me denied but that it is the Lords by creation and not by his personal habitation For God by his person is not in this world but by his Law or powerful word of creation therefore saith David Whom have I in heaven but thee So that it is no limitation but his infiniteness to be in heaven and not in this earth at all Reason Notwithstanding all this I cannot understand how God should be in the person or form of a man but there must be some other above him that must create God in that form Faith Though thou canst not understand yet to me it is revealed that God without beginning had a form and none but Divine Nature did create himself Creator and yet he knew not how he came to have his being Reason O admiration what shall I say of thee that God should not know how he came to be God by this thou makest God finite yea ignorant of things past and to come Faith Say what thou pleasest yet this I will tell thee that it is the nature of inâ—â—niteness not to know it self for that which knows things past present and to come is not infinite but finite in that there is an end of any further knowledge but the infiniteness is to know no beginning nor no ending for if he had known how he came in being then he would know his ending and so in process of time cease to be God Eternal Reason I have read in Revelation 1. that it is written I am Alpha Rev. 1. 8. and Omega the beginning and the ending whâ—ch is which was and which is to come the Almighty so that from hence I understand that God had a beginning and knew how he came to have his being Faith Thou hast read but dost not understand what thou readest as observe it is not there intended I am the beginning and ending of my self but this is the meaning I am the beginning and end of the Creation so that without me the world with all creatures therein had no beginning nor no ending without me as unto this I am Alpha and Omega and neither the beginning or ending of this world is hid from me for by my knowledge it came in being and so must have its ending but as unto infiniteness or eternity It is without beginning or ending of dayes and the not knowing either its beginning or ending is that which makes it eternal and yet there is nothing done but what flowes in the glorious body of God Reason Notwithstanding this I am not satisfied that God admits of a Form but a Spirit onely for it is written God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and John 4. Truth and then it is written Feel me a spirit hath not flesh and bone as ye see me have So that it is clear God is a Spirit without flesh and bone so an infinite Spirit onely Faith As God is a Spirit so man is a