hath part in the first Resurrection over him the second death shall have no power and he is willing that the doctrine of the Resurrection of the body of Christ as the first fruits of the Resurrection of the bodies of the Saints should be perpetuated though some say now of such as once was said of Paul Acts 17. that he was a setter forth of strange gods because he Preached unto them Jesus and the Resurrection and this query doth not altogether excuse the Author from that spirit but James here is three things for thee to prove by plain Scripture and not by thy consequences least thou be guilty of that which you of your way have charged upon the Priests 1. To prove Christ commanded water baptism since his Resurrection 2. To prove that his servants practiced it by vertue of that command after his Resurrection 3. That he commanded outward washing to be practiced after his Resurrection in memorial of his Resurrection and that the practitioners did it so accordingly all which thou seems to affirm in thy query and to take it for granted and then a more particular answer to them all thou mayest receive according to the Scripture of Truth Q. 4. Whether those that deny the Ordinance of breaking bread as it was instituted by Christ and practiced by his Primitive Saints are willing the memorial of Christs death and blood-shed should remain among his Saints until his next coming Answ Those who deny any Ordinance or institution of Christ to those of whom he required it and to that end for which he appointed it as the cause of his requiring it at their hands are transgressors and are not willing that the end or cause of his commanding it should be fulfilled or accomplished nor do not wait or look for his appearing the second time without sin unto salvation but believe they are saved though they commit sin and believe that freedom from all sin they can never attain while living in this visible world and such are not onely unwilling that the memorial of Christs death and blood-shed should remain among his Saints but are both ignorant and unbelieving that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses all that know it and believe in it from all unrighteousness and presents them perfect unto God without spot or wrinkle or any such thing and such onely as thus believe celebrate the memorial of Christs death and blood-shed as are dead with Christ and such are free from sin and such though they neither eat bread nor drink wine but feed upon locust and wild hony or are content with a dinner of green herbs such I say do truely shew forth the Lords death in their conformity to it and his blood shed in that their hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience to serve the living God in truth and righteousness Q. 5. Whether those that say that Scripture 1 Cor. 11.26 is meant of Christs coming in Spirit do not in effect say that the Ordinance of breaking of bread was appointed for unbelievers to eat and drink damnation till Christ come to them in Spirit Answ Was it not in the same night in which he was betrayed that he took bread and is not Christ a spirit and his coming in spirit or doth he come out of the spirit or is there a coming of Christ and not in the spirit is Christ and the spirit divided or can he come and he not in the spirit and the spirit in him and where Christ is present is not the spirit there also and he in it and it in him and yet but one And doth it at all follow in sound judgement or good understanding that they who say the 1 Cor. 11.26 is meant of Christs coming in spirit must needs or in effect say that the Ordinance of breaking bread was appointed for unbelievers to eat and drink damnation till Christ come to them in spirit any more then it follows that the Disciples had no power at all because they were commanded to wait at Jerusalem for the promise of the Father and that they should receive power after the Holy Ghost was come upon them Acts 1.4.8 ver or any more then it may be said of Christ that his words implyed or that he in effect said that his Disciples had not his spirit at all in them and so were none of his when he said to them in these words how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 and yet all that time God was their Father and they could not ask aright without the spirit and yet Christ saith how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that ask him so do they who say that the coming of Christ in 1 Cor. 11.26 is his coming in spirit in effect say any more or otherwise that those had not the spirit at all or were unbelievers to whom Christ said take eat this is my body which is broken for you c. because they were to wait for a further and fuller manifestation of him in them and he went away in that fleshly appearance that he might come again unto them and abide with them for ever and this Christ prayed for and performed accordingly John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one c. so that to say till he come is meant of Christs coming in spirit doth no more deny or in effect say that the breaking of bread was appointed for unbelievers to eat and drink damnation c. then Christ in saying the Father would give his holy Spirit to them that ask him in effect said that God would give his holy Spirit to them that asked or prayed without the Spirit or then Christ in effect said that they who waited in their wills and in the form without the power should receive power after the Holy Ghost was come upon them or then in effect Christ should say they had not the holy Spirit at all as yet because it was to come upon them and so till he come though meant of his coming in Spirit yet doth not follow but those to whom Christ spake had a measure of his Spirit already come to them and was in them and so commanded them not to eat and drink damnation but by eating of that bread and drinking of that cup they were to shew the Lords death till he come and then when he was come who was shewed by that eating and drinking the shew needed no longer the thing shewed being come and witnessed the bread indeed and drink indeed was known and Eternal life inherited Q. 6. Whether it is not granted by those that seem to deny it that the forecited place directs the Church at Corinth to the use of an Ordinance seeing some might eat this bread and drink this cup which is also called flesh and blood unworthily but those that eat truly that flesh that is meat indeed and drink that blood
endeavoured to make outward water to be may be easily seen by the upright in heart who saith not onely it must continue because fitted to the New Testament as Circumcision was to the Old and so in like manner as the Teachers of Circumcision thrust in that upon the bewitched Galatians and said except they were Circumcised they could not be saved do not all you whose judgement this is do the same concerning your water when you say It is fitted to the New Testament as Circumcision was to the Old And do not you make Proselites by your outward water as they did by Circumcision But as if this were not enough thou saist Outward water is that one Baptism spoken of by Paul joined with the one Faith one Lord and the one God as if that outward water either lets into the union with Christ or the want of it makes void the union and yet you say in words that union with Christ must precede and fit the subject before a right can be to water and yet what it should be that should make you cry up water so much I know not seeing you have no positive Command by Christ in plain words for it except through the cunning craftiness of the old serpent who gives leave to cry up and to rest upon any thing that is outward on purpose to busie the mind upon and to blind the eye from looking at or upon any thing revealed within that onely can give the knowledge of God in Christ and manifests to the Souls its union with and compleatness in Christ Jesus both as to the true Circumcision and Baptism Col. 2.11 12. The next Question thou saist Thou understands not which was whether such do truly discern the Lords body eat his flesh and drink his blood who do imagine of the flesh blood and bones of Christ as the Jews did And yet as if thou wert concerned in the Query though thou understand it not as thou saist will return some kind of answer to it which is not the part of a wise man to give an answer to that which he positively saith he understands not as thou dost but thy answer makes it manifest that thou art not sensible of that fond imagination which runs in the minds of filthy creatures who defile the flesh for thou saist If it be meant of the believing Jews who did believe that Christ rose from the dead with his flesh and bones as himself testifies such may truly discern the Lords hody eat his flesh and drink his blood c. Doth not this answer savour of a Jew outward Or art thou mistaken as thou wast in thy former quotation when as there is neither Chap. nor vers to be found so in this also seeing thou names onely flesh and bones and the Query was flesh and blood and bones as a real man hath or dost thou imagine of Christ that he had or hath flesh and bones onely and no blood like a real man If so speak plainly in thy next Book that I may know thy Opinion in this particular and name thy proof or if it be the Errata of the Printer let thy next be rectified that thou hadst forgotten to put down the blood and so I may pass it by for the present To the next Question which is whether that flesh which is meat indeed and that blood which is drink indeed be not spiritual and that which quickneth and nourisheth up to eternal life all those that feed thereon To this thou confesseth but cannot know it but in the light no more then the Jews did who said how can this man give us his flesh to eat And it is as hard a saying now as it was then though easilier confest now because it is written and may be read To the last Query which is What is that flesh that profiteth nothing And what is that flesh after which Christ was once known yet henceforth know we him so no more To which thou returns this answer Christ in John 6.63 shews that it is the Spirit that quickneth and therefore without that all is without profit whatever is done in the flesh without the Spirit and so if you take it of being implyed in Ordinances with the flesh or outward man onely it profiteth nothing This is thy answer to the first part of the Query viz. What is that flesh which profiteth nothing Can any wise man take this for an answer to the Question or is it not a declining the Question and answering to another Question of thy own framing As if thou had been asked whether that worship that is performed in the flesh or outward man onely without the Spirit of God profiteth or not If this had been the Question then thou hadst returned an answer somewhat pertinent but the Question that thou was to answer to was What is that flesh that profiteth nothing Considering what the foregoing Question was and thy answer to it viz. that there is a flesh that is spiritual and doth nourish to eternal life all those that feed thereon then comes this Question in the next words as depending upon the foregoing Question and what then is that flesh that profiteth nothing seeing there is flesh that nourishes up to eternal life But thou in stead of giving an answer what flesh it is that profiteth nothing tells a story of what ever is born in the flesh or outward man without the Spirit profits not c. A Child that reads his Primer might have said so much by rote out of the Catechism and yet thou quotes John 6.63 as if thy answer were intended to that place of Scripture as if thou didst believe the Question was grounded upon that place which answer of thine doth manifest as if Christ were speaking in this place of worshipping in the flesh without the Spirit and instructing his Disciples that the worshipping in the flesh without the Spirit profiteth nothing which thing though true in it self yet not true in this place as being the thing Christ was at this time teaching his Disciples for he was here rather rectifying and informing of them aright seeing they seemed to be prejudiced at Christs foregoing words about eating his flesh and drinking his blood and saying at the 57. ver he that eateth me even he shall live by me and at the 58. ver This is that bread which came down from Heaven not as your fathers did eat Manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever and at the 60. ver Many therefore of his Disciples when they heard this said This is an hard saying Who can hear it When Jesus knew in himself that his Disciples murmured at it he said unto them Doth this offend you What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are life So that it is manifest Christs drift and scope in
this place is to satisfie his Disciples that murmured about his telling them of of eating his flesh and drinking his blood and to take them off from looking at his outward fleshly presence as if his outward flesh or outward words were that which they were to feed upon or alwaies to expect to hear but there was another flesh to be known and other work to be read in the inward man by the Spirit for that quickneth and those words are Spirit and life but the flesh profiteth nothing so by this may the enlightned understanding see and read plainly the scope and drift of Christs Words and not to be spoken in that sence which thou and others in your vain minds conceive but have a deeper understanding which the children of light are acquainted withal so that the Query yet remains unanswered by thee viz. what then is the flesh that profiteth nothing And for thy answer to the second part of the Query viz. and what is that flesh after which Christ was once known yet henceforth know we him so no more to which thou answerest To know any man or Christ after the flesh it was to know according to the natural line of Abram and so according to the first Covenant but now know we him no more that is not by a natural descent but he that is in Christ is a new Creature and all the old things of the first Covenant are passed away and all things are become new and thou quotes Philip. 3.3 4 5. and saith We will help to clear the sence of this place viz. what is that flesh after which Christ was once known yet henceforth know we him so no more By this answer to the Query thou hast but manifested thy ignorance of Christ after the Spirit for doth the knowledge of Christ after the Spirit teach to deny the natural descent of Christ after the flesh seeing it is reckoned up as one of the Israelites Priviledges viz. of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.4 5. Or is Christ changed from what he was Or is he the same yesterday and to day and for ever And doth the Apostle Paul teach to forget the Genealogy of Christ from Abram Or hath he forgotten his love to his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh which he saith Rom. 9.3 he could wish himself separated from Christ for them Or doth he instrust children after they are come to the knowledge of Christ no more to know their Parents after the flesh or natural descent or any other man after any natural line Surely to say so had been crime enough against the people called Quakers then might thou have had some ground to cry out of their disrespect to Superiours and of the neglect of children in not obeying their Parents and subjects in not giving honour to Magistrates and of servants in not obeying of their Masters after the flesh which in thy Book thou seems to blame the Quakers for their remisness therein and dost thou do the same thing Or dost thou go about to interpret Pauls words to such a sence Whereas he himself was so far from denying his natural descent or linage or outward Priviledge that upon occasion he reckons it up again and again and stands upon it and is not condemned for it and doth he write to the Corinthians to know no man after the natural line or descent No not Christ himself What doth Paul make void Matthews and Lukes reckoning up of the natural line or descent of Christ from Abraham Are we no more to know Christ so What do the Christians with it in their Bibles then if Christ be no more to be known so But let us see if the Apostle Paul have one word tending that way in that place thou quotes 2 Cor. 5.16 For he is speaking how the love of Christ constrained them at the 14. ver and the cause of it because saith he we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Wherefore from henceforth know we no man according to the flesh for so it is and some translations read it so yea though we have known Christ according to the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ c. James Pope what ground is here for thy conceived imagination therefore wait upon the Lord in the light of his Son that thou may be made alive by God by being his workmanship in Christ Jesus and then thou wilt know how the word henceforth in the 15. ver answers to the word henceforth in the 16. ver and then thou wilt see how such inventions and interpretations of thy own brain are some of those old things which then thou wilt behold passing away as thou becomes a new Creation and all things will be of God and in that day thou wilt know the first Covenant and its vanishing by the new everlasting Covenant which is Gods free gift but known to none who are alive without the Law and have their first husband living such must know a bitter cup and a day of death before ever they can be married to Christ Take this in love to thy Soul James Pope for this is the Word of the Lord to thee and is of nearer concernment to thee then as yet thou art aware of And for that of Philip. 3.3 4 5. it proves nothing of thy conceit and invention but rather may serve to condemn thee who art comparing outward circumcision and outward washing together as being fitted to the New Testament as outward circumcision was to the Old but we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh neither Faith in any outward washing with outward water but our Faith stands in Christ alone in whom we are compleat both as to the true Circumcision and to the one Baptism and to the one bread in which we have Communion together in the body and as many as are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit and are of one heart and one Soul and do not deny any of the Gospel Ordinances or plead for the abrogating of them as thou saist the Query seems to suppose but this we plead against will-worship and all likenesses and dead imitations in the worship of God for by the Gospel of our Salvation are we made alive and do not rush into Gods service without fear and the leadings of his Spirit having in times past felt by experience and smarted for having a form of godliness but not sensible of the power and a name to live and accounted as worshippers but were in the