Soul of Christ be Immense and Infinite and this is too much for us to swallow for then there must be a new created God in time because every Infinite and Immense is God Now the Soul of Christ's Manhood was created in time who can make that which is crooked straight Error is crookedness absurdity and rottenness when it comes to the tryal In the close of this I would ask them whether in these two Scriptures viz. Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God it s upon me the Lord hath anointed me and Joh. 3.34 For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him By the Spirit is to be understood the Soul of Christ the Essential part if not as I believe then have I an easie way of reconciling my self in this matter telling them that when I grant that Christ is present with and in his Saints on Earth by his Spirit that I mean the Holy Ghost who is God and Infinite and can be and is in all the Saints both that are in Heaven and on Earth at once not the Spirit of the Manhood an Essential part that is a finite Creature therefore their notion is ridiculous They cannot pass over the report I made of Will. Bates a Neighbour what he should say viz. that what was taken of the Virgin had now no being They question whether I truly state the matter and censure me sharply to be of a creeping peevish insinuating spirit to seek an occasion against my Neighbour and to notify him in Print Pag. 7. Answ It was so exceeding gross and blunt a speech that having an occasion to write upon this Subject of the Manhood of Christ I could do no less then Print it and surely instead of condemning me they should have censured their Brother Bates for speaking so rashly and plainly as that there is not a starting hole no bit of any equivocation no room left to leap back which is not the Quakers way of expressing themselves Now that it may appear that I had a right call when I went to discourse with Will. Bates and therefore am wrongfully censured by these men to be of a creeping spirit seeking occasion against my Neighbour c. and that I have stated the matter right read the following Certificate Be it known to all whom it may concern that we whose names are subscribed do testify that it was through our motion and desire that William Haworth was present at the discourse we had with William Bates and that we did more then once hear him plainly say that what Christ took of the Virgin had now no being Sept. 19. 1676. Daniel Doughty John Albury Stephen Tothil We evidently see now they are not all guided by one and the same Infallible Light else that Light is not one with it self in that it directs them to contrary Opinions Will. Bates saith that which was taken of the Virgin had now no being These Hartfordians Pag. 7. That the Man Christ did neither perish nor vanish in any thing Essential to him as to his Spirit or Body Who can bring the two Poles of North and South together let them as can reconcile these two sayings But withal let me ask them whether Visibility Materiality Finiteness and having the same shape be not Essential to the Man Christ there is none in their wits can deny it but these men as hath in some measure already appeared and will farther appear in the progress have taken away the Visibility Materiality Finiteness and having the same Humane Figure from the body of the Man Christ they have then herein manifested themselves no less than gross Lyers and Cheaters for there hath something Essential perished as to his Soul and Body according to their Doctrine withall let them remember that I had more proof for my Charge against them then meerly my opinion as they of the Barbican Dispute Pag. 4. when as I have such a plain loud witness as this viz. that which was taken of the Virgin had now no being But here is still more against our Opinion viz. Christ is now a man in Heaven if so how then can we disintangle our selves from that thing charged upon us in the 8th Page that in this we resemble the carnal Opinion of the Anthropomorphites who hold that God is like unto Man in shape and form and that he hath a right and and left hand as Men have which likewise Mugleton holds What would these men be at when shall we find them constant my soul pitieth their instability how are they tossed to and fro did they not all along say in words that Jesus Christ was a Man in Heaven had the Essentials of a Man soul and body Now if he hath a Humane body it must necessarily have a Humane shape why then they Symbolize with that Brute Mugleton as much as Wee and if they be concerned let them answer for themselves only you see by their way of reasoning they believe not a word of what they say viz. That Christ is a Man in Heaven but equivocates in all otherwise why would they produce this We can answer for our selves we are not guilty of having any such gross carnal conceptions of the Deity as to think or say that the Humane shape is the shape of the Deity we abhor such idolatrous thoughts we know what the Scripture saith and believe it Isai 40.25 To whom then will you liken God or what likeness will you compare him to Deut. 4.12 Ye saw no similitude but only heard a voice but we say the Word was made Flesh Joh. 1.14 and in that Flesh ascended into Heaven hath that same Body and Soul there and it is still in union with the Deity the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily in him Col. 2.9 but the form and figure the Body hath there is not the form and figure of the Deity but of the Manhood the Godhead is Infinite and Immense And when we speak of Gods right hand and Christs sitting there we mean a state and place of Honour Power and Glory that Christ upon his Ascension was exalted to Still they dispute against that they seem to own viz That Christ is now a Man in Heaven If his being ascended into Heaven hinders him from being on Earth why not his ascending far above all Heavens from being in Heaven Pag. 9. Here is a second of the Objections as they say of my own framing Answ In my last little Book I opened this Phrase viz. Far above all Heavens Any of the three Senses I gave is safe and good First Far above all Heavens is no more then that in Psal 68.18 from whence this is taken nay the very same with it Thou hast ascended on high 2. By the Heavens may be understood the visible Heavens that may be seen with the bodily eye because of their nearness to us 3. Or Heavenly Powers Angelical Nature and Perfection Now let us draw up their Argument Jesus Christ ascended on high above the lower Heavens
that may be seen and is more excellent and higher then any Angel Ergo he is not in Heaven that cannot be seen with the bodily eye because of its distance from us Are you not convinced mightily with such strong Argumentations In Eph. 1.20 21. He is said to be set far above every name that is named not only in this World but that which is to come Ergo Christ is above the Father this is the same way of Reasoning That Christ as to his Manhood hath been upon Earth and is upon Earth at least as to his Soul since his Ascension they attempt to prove here Pag. 9. from the Scriptures that speaks of his coming to his Disciples since that time John 14.2 If I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you vers 18. I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Answ The first place speaks of his coming at the day of Judgment when he will instate his Saints in their full Glory and Happiness in body as well as soul this is the secónd Personal appearance of Jesus Christ which is not yet but will be at the times of the restitution of all things as the Scripture speaks The other Scripture speaks of his coming in the power of the Spirit to their hearts to comfort them in the evil days wherein they should be cast then they are nothing at all to their purpose to prove Christ personal Descension upon Earth either as to his Soul or Body since his Ascension into Heaven Another Objection is drawn from John 3.13 No man hath ascended up to Heaven Pag. ibid. but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of Man which is in Heaven Here is a third of the Objections which they say is of my own framing and it 's brought here against Christ being now in Heaven as to his Manhood I have in my last answered it fully to which you may have recourse as to what they beg here I can grant them the whole without any loss to my cause or gain to theirs Christ was spiritually in Heaven with his Saints when on Earth and is spiritually on Earth with them now he is in Heaven The Reader knoweth what we mean by the spiritual presence of Christ with his Saints They say Pag. ibid that of his coming the Apostles had signs and evidences who by him wrought Miracles Acts 4.10 i. e. the Miracles that the Apostles wrought were signs of his Personal coming that he hath been upon Earth since his Ascension as to his Manhood Answ There were Miracles wrought by Moses and Eliah and Elisha and what they did they did by the power of Christ who is God blessed for ever Therefore Christ Jesus did Personally appear upon Earth and came again from Heaven in his Manhood before ever he had a Manhood or ever did ascend into Heaven risum teneatis Amici Miracles wrought by the Apostles were only Signs of the coming of Christ in Power and Spirit Here now comes their exceptions against four of the Properties of the Manhood of Christ as they stated by me what pity is it that they should take so much pains to oppose themselves in their own confession The Manhood of Christ since the Ascension is the Object of Sense is hath been seen with the bodily eye and may be seen Stephen saw him thus in my last To this they Object Pag. 10. but before I name their Arguments I here cry out of open and manifest wrong in that they Quakers have twice or thrice endeavoured to make the Reader believe that I asserted there was no more in Stephen 's seeing the glory of God and the Son of Man in Heaven than what was natural that he had no extraordinary assistance and strengh from God in it Pag. 11. but to place all this sight upon carnal and bodily eyes these are their words whereas they had writ my own words before viz. Stephens sight was strengthened after a wonderful miraculous way so that he pierced to the Heavenly glory with his eye this was more than what was natural no doubt mark that whether this be not wilful forging judge ye But to their Arguments against Stephen's seeing Christ in Heaven with his bodily eye it being strenghthened by the Lord. 1. According to my own confession Christ was passed into the invisible Heavens Ergo he could not be seen Pag. 10. Answ Their Argument is only a Childish quible about the word invisible if I had but in the stead of it said unseen there would not have been any ground for this cavil but I did indeed think I should be taken in that sense and I believe was by all but the Quakers Should I say many of the Stars are invisible will any understand me that they are not capable of being seen by any Teliscope or Prospective glasses or that they are not ordinarily seen because of their great distance and the weakness of our sight Children will play with Rattles Arg. 2. Pag. 11. The ground of Stephen 's seeing the Heavens opened and Jesus on the right band of God was on his being full of the Holy Ghost Answ If meerly being full of the Holy Ghost be the ground Then Moses and all the Prophets-saw the Son of Man standing at the right band of God before he was the Son of Man or ever did ascend thither for they were all filled by the Holy Ghost And then Barnabas and all the Disciples in the second Chapter of the Acts saw the Son of Man in Heaven and then this that is related of Stephen in this History that we took to be a singular remarkable thing is but what is common to all Saints filled with the Spirit besides how can this meerly as such be the ground of Stephens sight of Christ in Heaven when the wicked shall see Christ coming in power and great glory Rev. 1.7 Every eye shall see him it cannot be meant of a spiritual sight for every one hath not a spiritual eye For ought I can learn these men understand nothing more nothing besides some spiritual sight that Stephen had of Jesus Christ on Earth in his own heart else why do they mention the vision that John had as a parallel instance Pag. ibid. John saw the golden Candlesticks and in the midst thereof one like-the-Son of Man Now those Churches that were represented by the seven Candlesticks were then upon Earth stay and hear the conclusion Ergo when Stephen looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and the Son of Man at the right hand of God the Heavens being opened All this was no more then seeing Christ on Earth the light in his own Heart and Conscience O for a little plain heartedness and honesty The instance is not parallel John's we say and believe were only Spiritual Revelations in extasies and trances Stephen's was an Ocular Vision Let me add this to these poor unbelieving Creatures why should it seem a thing
have so frequently caught them jugling equivocating quibling cogging the Dice that we can no more trust them they have said much here more then ever I read in any of their books we would be glad if they were real but behold with the very same breath they unsay it again Pag. 15. This exaltation was not that he might remain in a place remote mark that and separate from his body which he is the head of giving this reason for it For this were to keep body and head asunder adding that the Son of Man had power to descend at his pleasure to come again bringing Matth. 28. I will be with you always to the end of the World Note here is one of the Objections as they say of my own framing the rest will follow They had pray remember in the beginning utterly denyed the matter charged here they are willing to own a good part of it viz. That Christ is not in Heaven a place remote They confessed just now that the same man Jesus Christ that died was raised and ascended But let us enquire whither did he ascend They answer into Heaven But may be mean a state of glory no a place of glory say they but observe the next question in order Where is this Heaven Is it above or beneath Is it remote and and far off or is it near their answer is It must not be remote it must then be near at hand it must be where the Mystical body is and part of it I am sure is on Earth for the head and body must not be asunder why then when they say the same man ascended into Heaven they mean nothing but that Globe which we call the Earth that Heaven they call Gods dwelling place but they mean the hearts of Men he changed not his state only but place at his ascension but that change of place was such you must know that notwithstanding he was here on Earth as to his Manhood for his soul was in the Saints we may despair at this rate ever by words to understand one another Here is Babel indeed Language confounded But he had all power in Heaven and Earth given him and therefore might descend at his pleasure and he promised to be with his Disciples alway to the end To argue from Christs power to his will was never accounted strong or right reasoning The Papists argued thus against the Martyrs for their Transubstantiation viz. God had power and was able to turn the Bread into his Natural body ergo when as the Word his revealed Will declared it otherwise and called it Bread after it was blessed would it be a good argument Christ hath all power in Heaven and Earth given him therefore he may be crucified over again when as the will of God is revealed in the Scripture Heb. 9.26 that he is but once to be offered in the end of the World so in this case Christ though he hath all power can do nothing contrary to his own Will revealed Now it 's plainly revealed that Christ as to his Manhood is not to descend frequently upon Earth but is to abide in Heaven an appointed time which is not yet finished Acts 3.21 Whom the Heavens must receive till the times of restitution of all things If they would mind this one Scripture it would put an end to all their cavils and guide them in this controversy What was received into Heaven His Manhood only as for his Deity it is Infinite and can in no wise be said that the Heaven received it Now how long is the Heaven to receive this Manhood Till the times of the restitution of all things which times let them dare to say are already come he hath not then as yet descended here on Earth as to his Manhood Notwithstanding he hath fulfilled his promise and hath alway been present with his Disciples in the discharge of their Ministerial gifts and will be to the end of the World by his Spirit The reason of this which they produce why the Manhood must not be in a place remote Because that Head and Body would then be asunder Answ It 's not possible for Christ and the Church his Body to have some union without a corporal touch The Sun is in the Firmament at a great distance yet we have some kind of union with it a man may be many miles distant from his wife yet he hath some kind of union with her we took this union to be Mystical and Spiritual not corporal and carnal as there is one soul throughout the natural body of Man the same in the head and in every member so one Spirit in Jesus Christ the Mystical Head and in every one of his Members the Saints whereby they are united to him 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Let it be judged now whether the Quakers are not those that know Christ after the flesh when they speak of the Manhood being locally present with and in the Saints otherwise there can be no union they think But Christ being present in Spirit which I grant must needs say they Pag. 6. be an overturning of what I have assorted and a contradicting my self and therefore they call upon me to reconcile it how I can But why so because that the Spirit of Christ is an Essential part of the Manhood the same with his Soul Now if Christ be present by his Spirit in his Saints then must he be in some part of his Manhood oâ— Earth I have read there were some formerly that held the Holy Ghost did inform the Humane bod of Jesus Christ instead of the Soul but this opinion of the Hartford Quakers is much worse for they grant that the Soul or Spirit spoken of is an Essential part of the Man Christ in the very same sense with me and yet saith it is in every Saint investing it with the Office of the Holy Ghost Let us try this notion if the Soul of Christ's Manhood be present on Earth with and in his Saints then it must be one of these two ways Either with or without the Humane body united to it or separated from it if in and with the body united then the Humane body which was taken of the Virgin is likewise with and in every Saint on Earth and so is become an Infinite and Immense Spirit and is ceased from being a Humane body this is so monstrous we dare not believe it Or 2. It is separated from the Humane body in its presence with the Saints then is not Jesus Christ a man in Heaven as they have confessed it is but a dead body in Heaven This we cannot receive He was dead once but is alive now and he is to be alive for evermore Rev. 1.18 If they say that needs not viz. that the Soul should be separated from the Humane Natural body it may be and is in it still in Heaven and extended from it to every Saint upon Earth Then must the