Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	holy_a	person_n	23,263	5	5.9853	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57809	The Quakers refuge fixed upon the rock of ages, though the swelling waters dash never so violently to overturn it wherein is prov'd, that the narrative of Ralph James is an absolute lying-wonder, according to his own definition : and also, the great controversie between the people of God called Quakers, and others, about the holy spirit of God and the Scriptures, truly stated, and very briefly discoursed, as it is owned by the Quakers, and the truth cleared from the false suggestions and deceitful insinuatins of the anabaptists about the said controversie : in answer to a subtil pamphlet, lately published, intituled, The Quakers subterfuge or evasion overturned : also a few queries propounded unto Ralph James, and the author of the subterfuge &c. / by Robert Ruckhill ; to which is added another postscript in answer to some queries propounded in the said pamphlet, wherein many untruths are suggested ; but herein the truth is cleared, and the evasion and deceit of the Baptists made more fully manifest by John Whitehead.	Ruckhill, Robert.; Whitehead, John, 1630-1696.	1673 (1673)	Wing R2169; ESTC R21457	28,153	51

try both the Scripture and all other spirits and doctrines by And that this is substantiall Truth by the assistance of the same holy Spirit I shall prove when I come to state the great Controversie In the mean time both my self and all unbyas'd persons may safely and modestly conclude that the Narrative of R. James is a Lying wonder and that the Title of T. R. his Book is True And here it well worth our serious Observation what a near Resemblance there is between the Anabaptists in their precited Impostures and pretended Cures of R. A. and his Family Mary Brown c. and the old Popish Priests and Friars in times past with their Consederate Impostors and Cheats as the Boy of Bilson and other Female Impostors who seemed to be possessed with strange Devils See the Book called A Guide to Grand-Jury-Men published by a Person of Reputation Barnerd of Batcomb they acted Mad Prancks even beyond Wonder and Strange Frisks above Admiration but then in the height of all their Counterfeit Extasies and seeming deplorable Passions in comes the Exorcising Priest with his Et verbum caro factum est and with that as with an effectual Charm sets all at rights again to the great Honour and Reputation of his declining Religion How near a kin the Practices of these Parties are however different in their Principles I will not take upon me to determine but leave it to their own Consideration that they may unfeignedly Repent and do so no more only shewing this Difference between them That the Anabaptists by preaching the Flesh of Christ put their Mary Brown into her Stiff-necked Extasie and Delphick Fit But the other cured their Confederates by the same Means See the Narrative of that Edition where the Story of M. B. is pag. 15. and the Title Page In the next place is considerable what a great Noise to no purpose this Author makes about the Evidences brought by the Quakers to invalidate the Narrative and affirms that they are either abused or forged but instead of proving this Charge he meerly trifles and spends two whole Pages to no purpose at all but sure he either hath not seen or else will not see T. R. his 2d Book wherein there are so full and pregnant Testimonies and Certificates and so candidly obtain'd that Envy it self cannot detect them And here ●sith it 's no more then Justice and Duty to render unto all men their Due I cannot without the merited Reproach of Odious Ingratitude and Injustice any longer deser the Payment of the just Debt of a Sober Acknowledgment of that Generosity and Nobleness of Mind which at that time Appeared in an old Acquaintance Doctor Lincoln Parson of Panton where R. A. dwells who calling the said Richard Anderson in the presence of above twenty of his Neighbours into the open Street there publickly examined R. A. in the presence of his Neighbours and before five other Witnesses concerning all things in the said Certificate expressed and after a full hearing of the whole matter dismissed the five Witnesses with words to this Effect Gentlemen say●● he you have heard the Examination and Testimons o● R. A. concerning the Business ●e are come to enquire about I know you will improve it to the best Advanture of your cause I perceive some of you are come very ●ar therefore being unwilling you should return without good Satisfaction I have taken this pains with him Anderson cannot deny what he hath here testified before us all but if he should recede from any thing he hath said we shall all bear witness against him Thus Dr. Lincoln and I hope it will be no offence to him or any of his Friends that I have thus far presumed in discharge of my duty to render him his due Hereupon the five Witnesses above said set down twelve of the Neighbours Names who were there present not as Witnesses but as Indifferent Spectators of the whole Transaction to the end that if any Person seeing the Certificate should Question or Scruple the truth of any thing there specified by having recourse to any or all the persons there nominated they might with more Facility inform themselves of the Verity of all things there certified this was their real End in setting down the Names without the least Purpose of Injury or Offence unto any as it s said some do indiscretly surmize and because one Book may come where another does not I conceive it not amis to insert the said Certificate in this place The Certificate THese are to certifie all Persons that desire to know the Truth That upon the Six and Twentieth Day of the Moneth called June 1672. Richard Anderson of the Town of Panton in Lincoln shire in the Presence of above Twenty of his Neighbours Dr. Lincolne Parson of the Parish being also present did declare That he never was at a Quakers Meeting but Once in his Life time and that at an Assize-time at the Castle of Lincoln he did hear them declare about a Quarter of an Hour and saith that Ralph James was then with him and further saith That he never was a Quaker nor owned by any of that People for he saith they never knew him and further did affirm That he had no Child Leprous and that Child the Baptists did say was Leprous and since Dead he shewed us alive and in Health and the said R. Anderson and his Neighhours did unanimously affirm That the Child had not any Deprosie nor other Distemper save only some Running Sore which was cured by Directions from one called Ms. Bouer so far as they understand the said R. Anderson further affirming that neither himself nor any of his Family were troubled with any such Painful Distemper as the Baptists say they had These things were not only affirmed by the Man himself but confirmed also by divers Inhahitants of the Town in the open Street in Panton in Lincolnshire The Five Witnesses then and there present William Garland Joseph Pope Augustine Smith William Baldwin Nathaniel Ball. These Persons whose Names are under-written were Inhabitants in Panton and present at the Examination and Answers of Richard Anderson before Doctor Lincoln their Parson and they with divers others then present said If Anderson altered from what he had there said they should be Witnesses against him and assert what is above certified William Dorrin Robert Minto Henry Walch John Emming Robert Drink Richard Walesby Richard Horton Katherine Hall Samuel Mathers George Anderson James Hall John Chapman Now it being so eminently cleare that R. Anderson never was a Quaker neither in Principle nor Practice I demand what though R. A. pronounced R. James a leper What though his Child had been Leprous What though himself his Wise and his Family were afflicted with grevious Pains what though Ralph James and his Brethren had cured them Yet what were all this to the Quakers How is this reflective upon them who are wholy unconcerned in R. Anderson For if R. A.

believe That I own no Body of Christ but the Church and what ever I say to the contrary he would have to be obscured or else he might have had the honesty to have printed this Answer to his Second and Third Queries with the Queries thmselves for it hath been in the Hands of him or his brethren above seven Years Wherefore I shall now appeal to God and spiritually minded men to judge Whether I who did do confess Christ's Glorious heavenly Body or he who cannot discern it but hold forth a Circumscript human Body of Flesh and Bones out of every believer whilst on Earth we are Worthy to be rendered as denyers of the Body of Christ and unfit to preach the Resurrection Ascension and Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 4. Query Whether by the Words people of God thou meanest the Church of Christ in visible profession of the Gospel according to the patern of the Churches in the Apostles Dayes Answ by the words People of God I mean such as are in the new Covenant of Light in whose Heart God hath written his Laws and in whose inward Parts he hath put his Fear who know and believe Christ in them and do hear his Voice and follow him as their Head and Leader as did the true Churches in the Apostles Dayes but I do not believe every gathering of people that are got into an outward or visible Profession of the Scriptures and in Imitation have gotten into some outward things which the true Church in the Apostles Dayes practised are the People of God because I am sensible such as are Aliens in their minds from the Life of God which the Apostles and primitive Christians were in may get their Words and imitate them in Outward Forms and Practises whilst they deny the Power of Godliness which they lived in 5th Query Whether the People called Quakers are gathered constituted and governed in Church-Capacity according to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles Answ Yea for we are gathered in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ who is present with us as he promised to be alwayes to the end of the World and we are governed by him who is given to be the Head over all Things to the Church of which we are Members and have Elders ordained in every Country who take the Over-sight of the Flock of God not by Constraint but willngly and in the Power of the Lord Jesus receives True Believers and rejects Hereticks who have refused Admonition according to the Apostle's Doctrine who was an able Minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit And notwithstanding Christ's bidding the other Apostles before his Ascension Go Teach and Baptize all Nations said He was not sent to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel and how ye who are so much for Water-Baptism come to take your selves concerned to Baptize with Water by Virtue of that Commission given before Christ's Ascension ye may do well to manifest since the Apostle Paul did not so take himself concerned in it but according to that Commission which he received from the Lord who appeared unto him delivering him from the People and the Gentiles he laboured to open the blind Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from Satan's power to God Acts 16 17 18. as we do according to the Call and Precepts given us of the Lord who is also manifest in us by whom we are taught not to run because others were sent nor to act without Power from on High but to go as we are led and commanded by the Lord and act in the Motion of his Power whereby we have been made a Sweet Savour to God in them that believe and in them that perish though in one the Savour of Life unto Life and in the other the Savour of Death unto Death and God hath so blessed our Labour that many Thousands are brought to the Knowledge of the Son of God and to Unity in the Faith which gives Victory over the World wherein they are growing to a perfect Man and to the Measure Fulness and Stature of Christ Though we thank God we have Baptized none of them in Water but have instructed them to the blessed Appearing of the Lord. Jesus Christ who Baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire having his Fan in his Hand throughly to purge the Floor and those which have waited for the Appearing of the Lord and received him to be their Leader Way and Baptizer are baptized with one Spirit into that one Body which is his Church of which they are Living Members fitly joyned together by Christ who is their Head who gives them Life and sills them with the Virtue of his Love wherein they Edisie one another So Christ is the Door into the Sheep-sold whereat all that are accepted by him do enter And this way of gathering constituting and governing the Church is according to the Doctrine of Christ his Evangelists and Apostles as appeareth at large in their Writings And although thou in thy 6th Query sayst doubtless it is not because we are not gathered according to thy Apprehension of some particular Verses quoted by thee I must tell thee thou therein takest that granted which we never gave thee and therefore we need shew no Authority for the Abrogating that Order of Gathering Constituting and Governing the Church of Christ which was in the Apostles dayes since our Practice doth more establish it in the Substantial Part then yours who have visible Doors whereat to enter as your Water-Baptism instead of Christ's Baptism and other Ways whereat to climb up like Thieves and Robbers Joh. 1. which steal the Saints words and imitate their Practices as in all Ages False Prophets have imitated the True and False Worshippers have imitated the True Worshippers as ye do thinking because Christ said before his Ascension Go teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit therefore Thomas Grantham and Ralph James must go Teach and Baptize in Water though they have neither seen the Lord Jesus Christ nor heard him speak Nor will they believe in the holy Spirit as the principal Guide but have the Boldness to try its Doctrine or Teaching in these dayes by their own understanding of the Scriptures which ever leads men to speak Evil of and condemn those things which they cannot understand to be according to Scriptures though they be never so consonant to the Mind of the Spirit which they received which gave forth the Scriptures And therefore laying aside all vain Jangling we would perswade you and all men to learn of Christ Jesus the Second Man that is a Quickening Spirit by whom ye are reproved when ye do Evil that ye may know his Mind in your selves and do it and then ye may better understand it as declared by others Although thy Seventh Anti-Query is in part answered by what is before written yet I shall now manifest That Richard Anderson neither was conversant

Circumcision Temple-worship and that Hand writing of Ordinances which was contrary to them And as little Reason has he to accuse us since we only by the Power of the Lord cry down their Baptizing with Water by virtue of a Commission that was given to other men to Baptize into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit which Baptizing with Water and other Imitations not to be inferr'd thence they so much Idoliz'd as to tearm them the Way of Life above and to deliver from Hell beneath and press them as absolutely necessary to Salvation though they can shew us no Scriptures which so terms them and holds them forth and therefore should they not as such be received So whilst this Authour would prove us opposite to the positive Laws of God and not sincere favourers of the Light within he is found in that state himself for as much as he puts mans Changeable Understanding and Judgement which is Darkness for Light and thereby would so Obscure the Glory and Lustre of that true and unchangeable Light which Lighteth every Man that comes into the World as if there were many things which he hath no Cognisance or Knowledge of though indeed no secret is hid from him and as if he had no power now to teach and direct people in this day contrary to fallible Mens apprehensions of the Scriptures how people should worship and serve God but were limited to outward and shaddowy things which he calls positive Laws when as indeed all who are gathered in the New Covenant have the substance it self the Law in the Heart to which they are to be Obedient and know the Lord to be their Law giver and Leader who is also a Light to the Gentiles that he may be for Salvation to the ends of the Earth Wherefore this Author and all people may do well to come to that Light that therein they all may know God from the least to the greatest and be taught by him least trusting to their own natural understanding and Judgment to perform worship to God and not to his holy Spirit which is but the Light of their own fire they at last be forced to lye down in Sorrow Lincoln the ●2 day of ●th 11. Monteh 1672. John Whitche●d Something added by C. H. TO the Intent none may stumble concerning the Contrariety that appears by Certificates printed o● both hands relating to Rich. Anderson let the Reader observe I being in London the 7th of the 2d Moneth 1673. met with Tho. Wilson of Atherstone in Warwickshire who has been reputed a Baptist Teacher for many years who told me to this Effect That he had been on purpose at Panton in Lincolnshire to seek after the truth of the Matter and making inquiry of One of the Chief of that Place as to the Credit of R. A. had this Answer returned That he did believe if the Quakers came one Day to R. A. whatsoever he did Say or Confess to them yet if the Baptists did come on the Morrow he would say any thing they would have him to say Therefore all honest inquirers by this and other things that do appear so plain may safely thus conclude That the Foundation and Bottom of all the Baptists Building here in being found so Rotten and Deceitful the whole Building thereupon is like unto it and shall all fall down together to the Shame and Confusion of all such who hereby have made Lyes their Refuge and foolishly taken the Name of the Lord in vain C. H. THE END

pedetentim to tract this Author onely shall endeavour to wipe away that immerited Aspertion of Untruth and Immodesty which the Author under hand hath cast upon the Title Page of T. R's Book by proving their Narrative to be worthily stiled The Anabaptists Lying-Wonder and so proceed to such other Particulars as lie in my way That the Narrative of R. James is deservedly called A Lying-Wonder and that by their own Definition of a Lying-Wonder appears thus First Because it is False in it self 2dly It is brought to maintain a Falshood 3dly To Oppose a Truth That the Narrative is False in it self hath abundantly appeared in the two Books of T. R. beforesaid both by Testimonies Certificates sufficiently witnessed beyond all Contradiction But in regard this Author and some Independents in these Parts still urge That Rich. Anderson was a Quaker at least in Principle let 's hear what they say for themselves wherefore they should be believed This Author in the 10th page of his Subterfuge urgeth That R. A. was a Quaker n Principle and that for these Reasons First In that he restifies at a high rate for the Light Within 2. In that he hath proclaimed the Quakers to be the People of God and owned of God as was Moses 3. Because R. A. went in the Conceits of his own Heart on an Unsent Errand But what 's this to the Quakers Here is all the united Strength the Anabaptists and other Professors are able to make to prove R. A. a Quaker But will these poor Remains of their shattered Forces do it Surely nay Will the Devil 's frequent and open Confession that Christ is the Holy One of God prove him to be a Christian Or will that Pythoniss Acts 16. her following Paul and Silas many dayes perhaps more then they affirm R. A. conversed with the Quakers crying These Men are the Servants of the Most High God which shew unto you the Way of Salvation prove her a true Proselite and Convert to that Way of Salvation unto which with the Preachers thereof she had born so clear a Testimony Let the Sober-minded judge And if so ample Testimonies as clear and full as any they instance R. A. gave to the Quakers will not prove the said Conclusions then let Shame cover the Faces of the Anabaptists and their envious Confederates until they have Repented and taken as much Pains in the Vindication of God's Eternal Truth owned by the Quakers as they have taken in Opposing it Neither ought R. Anderson his pronouncing R. J. a Leper from the consideration of a Scripture as he confesseth and they own see Subterfuge p. 11. and then not sent by the Light the Quakers witness to to their own Contradiction as they before suggested nor his falfe Pretending to Heal the Sick which they urge he attempted but sail'd I say neither of these ought of Right to reflect upon the Principles or Doctrines of the Quakers or prove him one of their Prophets any more then the Sons of Sceva the Jew their naming over them that had Evil spirits the Name o● Je●us and Paul was reflective upon the Principles and Doctrine of Paul or proved them to be Prophets of the Christians who though they were not smitten with Leprosie or other inward Pains yet got they their Coates rent off their Backs and their Bones Beaten for their Presumption Thus it is manifest their Narrative is false in respect of the Father and no truer in the Child which R. J. affirms in his Narrative was smitten all over with Spots which they call Leprosie and since Dead as his Letter affirms but now after their Cross Examination of R. A. they are glad with Shame enough to exchange their Lepresie for a Simple Sore and the Dead Child is yet Above to the shame of chose Impostors were they not past Shame See Subterfuge p. 13. As Impious also is their Pretence That the Child was smitten with Leprosie for the Father's Offence sith R. A. has affirmed before two credible Witnesses men of honest Repution namely Tho. Markam and Edw. Gilliat both of Brigg That the Sore which they call Leprosie was upon the Child some time before the Father pronounced the Leprosie And the Truth of this is yet further demonstrable from R. Anderson's own word as recited by this Author himself in the 13th page of his Subtersuge where as in a vain flourish pretending to produce some considerable Proof of the Child's Reprosie he hath these words But now saith he let us hear what R. Anderson himself saith who being asked by their own Witnesses there named Whether he had not a Child that was smitten with Leprosie after he had pronounced R. James a Leper R. Anderson answers as this Author records it That he had a Child THEN that did break out into Sores Mark Reader he does not answer directly to the Question as they expected he would for then he should have said His Child was smitten with Leprosie afterwards but on the contrary his Answer clearly implies what is before proved viz. That the Child had the Sore upon it even THEN when the Father pronounced the Leprosie And here R. James and his Adherents have not onely Abused the World with their Lying-Wonder but also falsly Accused the Impartial Justice of the Most Righteous God who never yet would edge the Teeth of any Child when the Father only had eaten Sower Grapes much less would smite an Innocent Child for the Father's Offence with so Sore a Punishment as Spots which they call Leprosie all over whilst yet the Father's Sin was not Committed Let every sober man consider what spirit these men are of As for the Eye and Ear-witnesses of the Asslictions of R. A. his Family which the Quakors with good Reason call'd for this Author proceeds in his old mode of Subtilty and instead of producing them he tells us That there are Neighbours that say They dore member some Afflictions in R. A 's Family about Nine Years since but would not be brought into Question c. Would any man in his Wits bring such pittiful stuff as this in such a Concern Who knows not but most Families where Children are at one time or another are under some Affliction This is just like the Author But doubtless if he had any Witnesses to the Purpose he would not fail to produce them in such a Case as this where the Credit of their whole Party lies at stake therefore since he produceth none Reason must needs conclude he hath none for in such Cases the Maxim hold true De non apparentibus et non ex●●●e●●ibus eadem est Ratio And thus as their Narrative is proved salfe in it self so it was brought to maintain all the Falshood before said to wit concerning R. A 's Leprous Child afflicted Family and the Manner of their Healing all proved Falshoods And it was brought to oppose this Truth that the holy Spirit of God is the only true Standard to Judge and

also the Authority of the Holy Spirit as he speaketh in them And shew us also how it cometh to pass that Men mistake them notwithstanding And you must also prove That the Scriptures are indeed a Competent Judge of the Holy Spirit as he appeareth in his Servants And you must invalidate all whatsoever is here written and proved to the contrary And if you shall fail to do all this by clear Proofs and evident Demonstrations of Truth for Trifling and Impertinency will not serve your turn nor Lyes shall no longer be your Refuge then will your Vizards be taken off your Faces and your Refuge of Lyes will be swept away and in the sight of the Quakers whom you Despise and of the whole Nation you will appear to your great Shame and Contempt to be what indeed you are For they that dwell at Jerusalem and their Rulers because they knew him not nor yet the Voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath Day they have fulfilled them in condemning of him Acts 13.27 A few Queries to Ralph James and the Author of the Subterfuge Overturned c. by them to be Answered in Truth and Plainness I. WHether is our Lord Jesus Christ whom the Scriptures testifie to be the Light and Salvation of God to the Ends of the Earth the only true Way of Life on high to avoid from Hell beneath yea or nay If yea then whether to affirm Water-Baptism to be the Way of Life on high to avoid from Hell beneath be not abominable Idolatry at least if not Blasphemy II. Supposing Water-Baptism were the Appointment of God as other things of like signification in former Dispensations have been yet if the Ministers thereof should Idolatrously intrude it into the Place and Office of Christ our Saviour that is affirm it to be the Way of Life to avoid from Hell beneath whether such Idolatrous intrusion be not as signal a Pollution of the said Ordinance of Water-baptism as the like Abuse of the Ordinances of God Isa 1. did pollute and render them abominable unto the Lord If yea then whether it be not high time for all and every Man concerned therein to arise and depart thence as not being their Rest it being so filthily polluted III. Seeing the Latin Verb baptizo is synonimous with the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to dip or plunge whether T. R. his calling your Water Baptism dipping in Water or your calling it the Way of Life on high to avoid from Hell beneath be the greater Abuse of the Way of the Lord and therein of God himself Answer plainly IV. Seeing it appears by the Scriptures that the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ wrought their Miracles Acts. 3.6 and cured Diseases by the Name of Jesus of Nazareth then Whether the Sons of Sceva their pretending to do the like Miracles by the same Name doth prove them to speak the very Language and Spirit of the Apostles yea or nay If nay as most certainly nay then with what Reason or Conscience canst thou affirm that R. Anderson in exhorting R. James to turn to the Light within spake the very Language and Spirit of the Quakers this Query is to the Author of the Subterfuge c. that he may clear himself from Deceit if he can V. Whether the Testimony which that Pythoness gave unto the Persons and Doctrine of the Apostle Paul and Sylas is not given as fully Acts 16. and at as high a Rate as any Testimony ye can pretend R. Anderson gave to the Persons or Doctrine of the Quakers And whether in such Testimony she appeared as a Proselite of the Christian Faith and as a Prophetess of the Christians yea or nay if nay then shew unto the Quakers and the whole Nation if you can why R. Anderson his testifying for the Persons and Way of the Quakers as ye pretend he did but prove it not should prove him a Quaker or appearing as one of their Prophets he being by your own Confession at that Time possessed with a Spirit of Delusion as she was then with a Spirit of Divination VI. Seeing R. James avers in his Narrative That R. Anderson pronounced him a Leper from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot and that the same Judgment as he said was fallen upon one of his Children Whether you are not very deceitfull and unworthy Persons thus to abuse the Quakers and the whole Nation with a Counterfeit and ●orged Story of such a horrid Leprosie sith in exchange thereof you are now at last glad to accept of a Simple Sore And if ye think to avoid the Horror of your Guilt and Shame with this Evasion He said so he said so charging the poor Man your own Member with a Lye Then Whither doth not this evidence to the whole Nation your implacable Envy and Malice against an Innocent People that durst with so great Confidence attempt to asperse and slander them only upon the false and single say so of such a Person as even your selves then judged to be a false Prophet and possessed with a Spirit of Delusion And if your inveterate Envy and Malice herein be manifest to the Nation as doubtless it is then let the Nation and the whole World judge whether R. James be not infected with a more dangerous Leprosie then ever Mirjam was and like to continue so without Repentance until his Dying Day VII It being evident to the Nation that R. Anderson was no Quaker his Child not leprous his Wife and Family not so diseased as you pretended nor your Church such Workers of Miracles as you boasted but your whole pretence a meer malicious Juggle and Imposture which yet you pretend to be an Eminent Hand of God! Such a Witness of God little less then a Miracle tending to the Honour of God Exaltation of his Wayes and Appointments Establishments of his People Decision of the great Controversie Strength to the weak Hands and feeble Knees of his poor People c. and then to conclude thus And the Lord was mercifully pleased to hear our poor Prayers for them and to restore them c. with such like seeming devout Words wherewith your Letters and Narrative are repleat All this considered it s queried whether the Quakers and the whole Nation may not without the least Breach of Charity safely conclude that ye Anabaptists and Independents who have been either Actors Contrivers Asserters of or Witnesses to this Mischievous piece of Pageantry are the most notorious Dissemblers with God and the World and the very'st Hypocrites that ever our Lord Jesus Christ pronounced Wo against Quit your selves if you can VIII Whether they that make no Conscience to be Jugglers Lyars Hypocrites proud Boasters and the like or they that discover detect and affirm them to be such are the great Offenders IX Whether they that call and are call'd Rabbi Rabbi do not break that express Command of Christ Mat. 23.8 10. yea or nay If

that he would for advantage rather wilfully mistake our Principles then have a right Understanding of them And he hath further shewed his Dishonesty and Malice in that he would misinform others and prejudice them against the Truth it self by wresting my Words out of the Sence wherein they were spoken Wherefore that you may rightly understand this case I declare that the Words which were spoken by me were spoken in an Exclusive Sence and that upon the Occasion of T. G's Magnifying the Body of Christ equal with or above him for whom the Body was prepared whereupon I still say that the Christ or Son of God is not made up of that which is or was mortal and that nothing which was mortal was properly or strictly called Christ he neither understood my Words right nor would admit me to explain them till he had rashly condemned them as Heresie Which notwithstanding I still look upon the Words to be very true Words in that Sence that they were spoken in for I say still that the Body of Christ which was mortal excluding the Soul and Spirit was not nor could properly be called Christ or Man annointed because that the Immortal Soul and Spirit of man are the more Noble part of Man and therefore may Justly challenge the Prerogative to denominate for without Soul and Spirit a mortal Body neither is nor can truely be term'd Man no more can the mortal Body of Christ without the Soul Spirit and Life of Christ which is Immortal be term'd Christ which if you do but understand and mark well that although I said nothing which was mortal was called Christ but that Christ had once a mortal Body which dyed upon the Cross then may ye more easily judge whether it be possible forem or any other which Thomas Grantham hath a Mind to slander to escape the Scourge of his Tongue since he is so blindly rash upon no better Grounds to charge me both with grevious Heresie and denying the Body of Christ and that for no other Reason but because I distinguish betwixt Christ and the Body of Christ which was prepared for him to do his Fathers Will in Heb. 10. And the Eternal Word or Son of God which was glorified with the Father before the World began John 17. Who took upon him the Form of a Servant and in that prepared Body did his Fathers Will is more noble both in Glory and Dignity then either the Soul Spirit or Body of Man in as much as by and for him Man was made and by him only Redeemed and Restored Therefore may and ought he who was and is that true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Joh. 1.9 to be held forth and preached as the only Lord and Saviour of Man-kind and the Manhood which through Mercy to us was taken into Union with this Eternal Power and God-head should not be divided from nor cryed up in Opposition to the Eternal Word or Son of God as they who only know Christ after the Flesh are too subject to do And of them is he who in his 3d Query renders me unfit to preach the Resurrection Ascension and second Coming of Christ because I could not own that he hath such a Body as he had imagined but did testifie of and have shewed unto People that Eternal Life which was with the Father as the Apostles did 1 John 1.1 2. by and in which Life Mortality was swallowed up after Christ had finished what the Father gave him to do on Earth Then he who came down from Heaven to bring Man to God ascended into Heaven to his Father and our Father at whose right Hand having accomplisht his Work he sitteth down and is glorified with that Glory which he had with the Father before the World began in a Body sutable to his Spirit consisting of heavenly Flesh and Bone of which Body neither T.G. the Author of these Queries nor Natural Philosophers in their Wisdom do comprehend the Dimensions and therefore would limit him in some thing who ascended that he might fill all things Eph. 4.10 and is not contained in any Created Being so as to be absent from other created Beings Ep. 2.20 21 22 23. and much less is he absent from his faithful Disciples and Followers who whilst on Earth were and are made to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.5 6. And that Christ hath such a Coelestial Body as I have here described I never denyed neither at Spilsby Sleeford nor else-where as Thomas Grantham with whom I have publickly Disputed in those Places slanderously reports I did but I am perswaded that he cannot bring one of these several Hundreds of People that heard us which is not byassed to his Judgment or influenced by him that will say I denyed Christ to have now any Body besides his Church though I have several times denyed T. G's Assertion wherein he hath affirmed That Christ hath now a Body of Flesh and Bones circumscript or limited in that Heaven which is above and out of every Man on Earth And perceiving that he stood conceited in his Fleshly Apprehension and Knowledge wherein he had conceived the Lord of Glory to be like unto Corruptible Man I asked him Since be denyed Christ to be in and with Believers whilst upon Earth where that Body was he spoke on and how big or what a one it was To which he answered in his haste That it was such a one as his consisting of Flesh and Bones and in yonder Heaven which is above pointing towards the Clouds to which I replyed Nay thy Flesh is sinful and corruptible and Rotteness shall enter into thy Bones neither can thy Body come in the doors being shut nor appear in another Form as Christ did whereupon he mended his Words and did except Sin and Corruption but still stood in that which discerns not the Lords Body but would limit it to a particular Place and out of every Man on Earth shewing his Ignorance both of the Kingdom of God which is within and of Christ within who is not a Spirit without a Body as Believers do experience who were and are true Members of his Heavenly Body of his Flesh and of his Bones Ep. 5.30 and these do eat Christs Flesh and drink his Blood and dwell in Christ and Christ in them John 6. and the Spirit and Body of Christ is not divided but wheresoever the Spirit and Life of Christ is it is in the Body of Christ and they which believe have Eternal Life abiding in them whereby they are quickned and joyned to the Heavenly Body of Christ and also supplied with Nourishment in him who is the Head of the Body the Fulness of him that filleth all in all But notwithstanding I have freely declared that which was and is my faith concerning the Body of Christ I perceive that T. G. hath very uncharitably resolved because he cannot discern the Lord s Body of which we speak to