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Lodowick Muggleton D [...] the 11 of [...] March 16 [...]7/8: then Aged 88 years 7 months. & 11 Dayes.

THE ANSWER TO WILLIAM PENN Quaker, His Book, Entituled, The New Witnesses proved old Hereticks.

WHEREIN He is proved to be an ignotant spater-brain'd Quaker, who knows no more what the true God is, nor his secret Decrees, then one of his Coach-hors [...]s doth, nor so much; For the Oxe knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters Scrip, but Penn doth not know his Maker, as is manifest by the Scriptures, which may inform the Reader, if he mind the Interpretation of Scripture in the Dis­course following.

  • I. That God was in the Forme, Image and likeness of Mans bodily shape, as well as his Soul from Eternity.
  • II. That the substance of Earth and Matter was an eternal, dark, sensless Chaos, and that Earth and Matter was eternal in the Original.
  • III. That the Soul of Man is generated and begot by Man and Woman with the Body, and are inseparable.
  • IV. Th [...]t [...]he Soul and Body of Man are bo [...]h Mortal; and doth die and go to dust until [...]he Resurrection.
  • V. That to fulfil the Prophecy of Es [...]ias God descended from Heaven into the Virgins Womb, and transmi [...]ted his spir tual body into a pure natural body, and become a Man-Child, even the Childe Jes [...]s Emanuel God with us.
  • VI. That God by his Prerogative Power hath elected the seed of Adam to be saved, and hath pre-ordained the seed of the Serpent, such as Penn the Qua­ker is, to be damned, without any other indu [...]ement, but his own Preroga­tive Wi [...]l and Pleasure.
  • VII. A Reply to the Discourse between Penn and me.
  • VIII. What is meant by the Armour of God, the Wilderness, and the wilde beasts I fought with in the Wilderness.

By LODOWICK MUGGLETON.

LONDON, Printed in the Year 1673.

The Epistle to the Reader.

I Have read over William Penn the Quakers Book, written a­gainst Reeve and Muggleton, and I have taken notice of all those proofs of Scripture he hath brought against those six points of doctrine, or heavenly secrets, to prove them heresies — Also I have taken notice of all those Passages in his Book, that is of most con­cernment to the Reader to have Answered, And these six points have been sufficiently treated of in our Writings already, wh [...]ch might satisfie the minde of any person that hath any true light in their understandings, so that there need not have been any further dispute or discourse upon these thi [...]gs; but because here is risen up of late another young Serpent, learned William Penn the Quake [...]; who hath undertaked to write in behalf of the Quakers Anti­christian doctrine, which denieth the body of God without them: that owneth no other God but the light in man;— which is the absolute spirit of Antichrist in this last Age, as will appear in this Treatise;— but the Quakers people are very brag that they have got such a Champion for their Captain, as l [...]a [...]ned Penn to fight their battels, who hath bin brought up at th University to read Histories and old Authors Judgments in matters of Religion; and Penn hath found in those old Authors books, that some of these secrets of God were owned by some formerly, but were judged to be heresies by the aforesaid old Authors;— but Reeve and Muggle­ton never read any of those books, nor never knew that there was any such opinions held forth by any man till Penn hath discover­ed them, so that we pickt up no knowledge at all in these six se­crets, from any books whatsoever on earth, but the book of the Scripture only, and the three books in Heaven that were opened unto us by the Revelation of the seed of faith, the seed of God in us, which will appear in this Treatise; therefore to put a stop to the Quakers glorying in their Champion, and to satisfie the desires of some friends, I shall put my self to that trouble which I was ve­ry unwilling unto. I shall give Answer to his wicked and ignorant Pamphlet, who hath discovered the Antich i [...]tian spirit in the Qua­kers, [Page] more Apparent then his brethren that were before him; — Let the Reader minde and observe, that his book consisteth, the Substance and Matter of it, of three parts: The first part is to stir up the Civil Magistrate to the persecution of this doctrine and Commission of the Spirit, as may be seen in his Epistle, his words are these, It will appear both reasonable and necessary, that by an [...]x­ternal Judge and Witness they should be tried, and if upon their Ar­raig [...]ment at the Bar they be found only to have patcht up old Phantasms together, I hope they will be judged to be both horrible Impostors, and their Commission to be a meer counterfeit. Here the Reader may see what the Quakers spirit would do if it lay in their Power; they would have an external Judge to punish others for matters of Re­ligion, which doth discover what is in their hearts had they power to effect it. The second part of his bo k consisteth much upon old Au [...]hors books, and of their Judgm [...]nt upon Her [...]sies, which Penn hath read at th [...] Univ [...]rsity, and how he endeavored to finde out the soul of man, if he could but have seen him Anatomized a­live, he doth imagine he could have found out the soul of the man if it had been mortal. The third part of Penns book doth consist of cavilling Arguments against the true sence of every word, and so he raiseth Quibbles and Animadversions, as he cal [...]s them, a­gainst all things of most concernment, which are spoken as plain as can be spoken in the English tongue; but Penn hath Acted the part of Jack Pudding in a Play; he answereth crossely to every word to make the Peo [...]le laugh, so he is counted the most witty that can quibble most; Penn is counted a witty man because he hath rais d more Quibbles against the plain truth, then all the Quakers before him, wh [...]ch will appear more at large in this [...]r [...]atise, if minded by the Reader in the Chapters following.

CHAP. I.

HEre followeth the Answer to William Penn the Quaker his Book written against Reeve and Muggleton, who hath declared as a great secret to the world, that God is not an Infinite Spirit in every place at all times, he calls old Heresie. In Pag. the 6. Penn saith, it is contrary to the Scrip­tures, which say, He measures out the Heavens with his span, nor, can the heaven of heavens contain him. Penn saith, that this is against Scripture; we prove his first proof of Scripture is Deut. 33.26, 27. the words are these, There is none like to the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Penns words: If the God of Jeshurun be the true God, and none be like to him; then saith he, Cannot mans bodily shape be the likeness of the true God: and saith, consequently, If Muggletons God be in the likeness of mans bodily shape, he is not the true God, because he is not that God of Jeshurun which none is like unto.

Pag. 7. Penn saith, If the Almighty God were but of the dimention of a middle statured man, how could he be said to ride upon the heavens, and the sky, and to have his everlasting arms under a people, many of whom being singly bigger than himself: For by Muggletons Principles, saith he, we are still to keep to the literal sence.

Muggletons Answer and Interpretation, to prove by Scripture, that the God of Jesurun was at that time when Moses spake those words in the Image likeness, and shape of mans body, and that the body of the first man Adam was created in the Image of God, in respect of his bodily shape, as well as his soul, for if the man Adams soul was created in the Image of God, his body was created and made in the Image of God also: For God gave every creature a body suitable to that life or soul he created; and seeing he hath said, that he hath made man his own Image, and hath denied all things which he hath made to be his Image but man [Page 2] only; so that mans body is the Image and likeness of God as well as his soul, else God would have made some distinction between them. For this, I say, if God should have made mans soul like himself, and his body of another shape, it would have been ridi­culous for Moses to say that God made man in his own Image and likeness, if the body of man had not been the Image of God as well as his soul: Let the Reader consider that it is the life or soul that gives shape and form to all bodies whatsoever, both heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies, and without life and soul there can be no bodies at all, neither in heaven nor in earth; so that if God made man in his own Image and likeness, and breathed in him the breath of life, which was his holy nature, whereby man became a living soul: So that if the soul of Adam was of Gods holy nature, so was his body of Gods holy form, shape, and likeness; also else God did not make man in his own Image, he made but part of man in his own Image and likeness, and not the whole man, which is hor­rible wickedness for any man to affirm as wicked Penn the Quaker doth.

For by his Assertion, he maketh God that great Negromencer or Cunjurer, to make the soul of man in his own Image, and his body of another shape. This Opinion of Penns hath been the cause that so many learned men hath studied the Art of Cunjuration and Ni­gromancy, and several curious Arts of that nature by the figure; and this Opinion hath been the cause of so many Witches, ima­gining that Spirits may appear without Bodies, and Spirits raised without Bodies, as I have shewed more large in the Interpretation of the Witch of Endor. This opinion is it self more darker than Pitch.

Again, if Penn the Quaker could separate the Image of God, the Soul of man, from the Body, and let me see Gods shape, image and likeness stand by it self, and the body that is not Gods image, shape, nor likeness stand by it self, as blind Penn saith; then all people might see what is Gods Image, and likeness, and what is not, and so mens minds would be satisfied, and know Gods Image, and likeness, when they see his Holy Nature or Seed stand by it self, and the body and shape of Man by it self, which Penn saith is another shape, and not the Image and likeness of God.

Again, I shall prove by Scripture, that God himself was in the form and sh [...]pe of mans body from Eternity, or before t [...] World was made, or before he created this visible World, and all other [Page 3] Creatures here below; and because the beginning of man is but as yesterday five thousand odd hundred years standing, and cannot comprehend by its reason what Eternity is, nor how to conceive that the Eternal Being, which we call God, should admit of any form, shape, or likeness at all in its own Being; yet the reason in man will call God the being of Beings, and that this Eternal Being hath given forms and shapes to all other Beings, but hath no form nor shape of its own. This is the Imagination of reason in man; this is the Angels nature that was cast down from Heaven upon this Earth, and this Imagination of reason is that which is reserved in chains of darkness until the judgment of the Great Day, and Willam Penn the Quaker is one of those Angels that was cast down in the seed of that reprobate Angel, who deceived Eve, and is re­served in chains of darkness until the Judgment of the great Day: This I know to be true.

But to the matter in hand, to prove by Scripture, that God was in the form and shape of mans body as well as his soul, before the world was; I desire the Reader that things of this nature cannot be understood but by Faith: For as the reason in man is the evi­dence of things that are seen by the natural sight or light of the eye here in this world, as the natural light, sight, and understanding in man it doth distinguish things by their forms, and shapes: A Horse of one shape, a Cow of another; and so of Sheep and Dogs, and all other Creatures else here in this world that hath the breath of life in them, they are distinguished by their forms and shapes: Now if any of these creatures that have the breath of life in them, if they had no body, form, nor shape, how could you give that breath of life a name? what would you call it? As for example, a Horse hath the breath of life in him, and is a strong creature; Now if this Horse had no form nor shape, what would you call him, or what work would he do for you, if he had no body, shape, nor form for his breath of life to dwell in: For this I say, there is no breath of life can proceed, or have any being at all, but in a body and shape▪ for there is no shape in breath of life; and where there is no body n [...]r shape, there is no breath of life at all, for there can be no br [...]th of life at all without body, form and shape; there­fore the reason of man hath given names to every creature that hath the breath of life in them, according to the form and natures of their bodies, and shape of them.

So likewise Faith is the evidence of things not seen, and the subst [...]nce [Page 4] of things hoped for; for as in Heb. 11.3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen, were n [...]t made of things which do appear. So that by the spiritual and heavenly light of faith in man, he that hath faith in his heart, may see by the eye of faith, the form, nature, and sha [...]e of God who is Eternal, as man by his natural sight doth see the forms, natures and shapes of Creatures here upon earth, and that faith doth evidence to me, and all that hath true faith in them, that God was a glorious spiritual person, in form like a man from Eter­nity, even as sure as the natural sight of man doth evidence to him, that he hath seen the faces, bodies and proportions of many men here upon earth; likewise faith is the evidence to me, that God made the glorious Angels, spiritual Bodies, in forms and shapes like man, and like his own form and shape, and that they are capa­ble, being spiritual Bodies, to ascend and descend at the pleasure of God, and at their own pleasure, and that these Angels are enu­merable, and that God made these Angels of that earth and waters above the Firmament of Heaven, even of that earth and Chrystal-waters, where his residence or person was eternally before this world of man was made.

And that the Angels were all males in forms like man, not to in­crease in number, nor decrease in number, but to give praise and glory unto God their Creator for ever and ever. Furthermore Faith is the evidence to me, that God created out of that Earth and Chry­stal waters aforesaid, all manner of Celestial Creatures in Heaven, as there is here upon Earth; so that God made all these Creatures here upon Earth in the beginning from that pattern in the Hea­vens; so that God created the terrestal Creatures here on earth, as Horses Bulls, Lyons, Dragons, Rams, Dogs, Fish, and Foul, and all other Creatures that hath the Breath of Life, and Man to rule over them from that pattern of his creation in the Heavens of all manner of Celestial Creatures, and as Angels were Spiritual Bodies like unto God himself, but not of Gods own nature: there­fore he made man of this terrestal earth, being of a more grosser matter, and breathed into him the breath of life, which was his own Nature, even the nature of Faith; so that the man Adam was created compleatly the Image and likeness of God both in form and nature, though an earthly terrestial man, answerable to the Angels bodies that were created, celestial, spiritual, and heavenly, according to the pattern God saw he had created in the Heavens; [Page 5] only this is to be observed by the Reader, that all those Celestial Creatures which God created and made in the Heavens above, as well Angels as other Creatures, they were all created male Crea­tures, not to encrease, nor to decrease, as I said before; neither was there any female created in the Celestial Heavens.

CHAP. II.

BEcause what creature soever God made in the Celestial Hea­vens to set forth his glory, they were not to encrease and multiply, nor to decrease, die, and lessen, but to set forth their Creators glory for ever. For Female of all Creatures, as well as Women, God made on purpose to increase and multiply here in this World; so that one generation might pass away, and another come, even to the end of time: For as to increase and multiply had a beginning of time, as the creation of this world had a be­ginning of time; so there will be an end of time to this world, and an end of increasing and multiplying both of man, and of all other creatures whatsoever. Furthermore all those living Crea­tures in Heaven above, did God create out of that earth and mat­ters above the Stars, all manner of Celestial Creatures, with Spi­ritual Bodies, every thing in its kind for his own glory, before it came into Gods heart to make this world, or to make man in his own Image. And further God made all Celestial Creatures in Heaven with Spiritual Bodies; and without a body did God make no living Creatu [...]e at all: neither did God make those Spiritual Creatures in Heaven of nothing, but he had matter to make them of: viz. Earth and Water, as aforesaid.

So that by Faith a man may perfectly know what God was, and is in his form, shape, and nature from Eternity, and what form and nature Angels are of, and of what matter and substance God made Angels, and all other Celestial Creatures their spiritual bodies of in Heaven above the Stars, viz. of that gloriou [...] Earth, and Chrystal Seas, or waters above the Firmament of Heaven, the Scriptures are full to prove, the persons and nature of Angels, and the form, person, and nature of God; yet for want of faith, men understand them not, therefore I cannot expect that unbelieving men should understand what matter and substance God made all creatures in Heaven of, seeing the Scriptures hath not declared it as it hath the other; but the Faith that is of Gods own Nature, is not tied so as [Page 6] to know no more than what is written in publick: For true Faith is the substance of these things hoped for: by him that hath Faith in his heart, and the evidence of things, he never saw by the eye of reason, nor by the sight of the natural eye: I know these things will be looked upon by unbelieving men as idle tales, yet these things may be understood by faith, as well as Paul did under­stand by faith that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God.

So that the Reader may see, that God hath framed two Worlds by his Word; that is, the Celestial World, where none but Spiri­tual Bodies are, and this Terrestial World, we now see, where none but Terrestial and Natural Bodies are, where is Mortality in­creasing and decreasing continually, as long as this World doth last; so that by Faith a man may as well understand, and know what substance and matter God made Angels, and all other Crea­tures of in that world above, which is called the world to come, because it is yet to come to us, as to know by faith, that this world was framed by the Word of God, or had a beginning, or ever shall have an ending. Th [...] by Faith a man may see as perfectly what God is in Heaven above the Stars, and what Crea ures God hath created there in a Celestial State, and what their forms, shapes and natures are, as really as a man may see the glory, persons, forms and shapes of Kings and Princes, and the forms, natures and shapes of all living Creatures under the Firmament of Heaven, by the eye of sence and reason. Thus the Reader may see that Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, by the eye of sence and reason.

In the next place I shall interpret those Scriptures Penn brings to prove that God is not in the shape of a man in respect of his Body; and that man in respect of his body is not the Image of God. These are Penn's words, and the Scripture he brings to prove it, is Deut. 33.26, 27. where it is said, There is none like to the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the Heaven for thy help, and in his Excell [...]ncie on the skie, the Eternal God is thy refuge▪ and under­neath are the everlasting Arms, and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and say, destroy them.

Muggletons Answer and Interpretation let the Reader mind, that this place of Scripture doth no ways prove that God is not in the shape of a man, and that man in respect of his body is not the I­mage of God, but doth prove altogether that man is the Image of [Page 7] God in respect of his body as well as his Soul: Mind, that the God of Jeshurun spoken of here by Moses is that very same God Moses speaks of Gen. 1.26. And God said, Let us make man in our Image, after our likeness. In verse 27. So God created man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he him, male and female created he them. These words the Reader may see are plain: Now the Question is, Whether Moses did really believe when he wrote those words, that God made man in his own Image and likeness: I do re­ally believe that Moses his faith did cause him to speak as he did believe, as David said in another case, I believed, therefore I spake. And that Moses faith did see by Revelation that God was a glori­ous spiritual body, in form and shape like a man, when God crea­ted man, and from Eternity, else Moses would never have writen those words without any destinction; & this was the Prophets Faith, and the Apostles Faith, and I am of that Faith, being made Par­takers of the like pretious Faith and Revelation of Moses, like­wise I know that Moses Faith was, that man in respect of his bo­dily shape, is made in the Image of God, and that Gods person, body and shape, though Heavenly, Spiritual and Glorious, was in Form and Shape like a man from Eternity, and is so still, and will be of the same Form and Shape to Eternity: I wonder how the Imagination of Reason in man, came to derogate from the sence of such plain positive words, to imagine the Soul of man to be the Image of God, and not of his Body; so that one half of man is the Image of God, and the other half not: I know the cause is, that the Imagination of all men in the world, are by na­ture in Chains of darkness, and [...]h [...]ll be reserved in Chains of darkness, until the Judgement of the great day; then shall all men know that God was in the Form and Shape of mans body, as well as his Soul, and that mans body was the Image of God as well as his Soul; but all men shall not see God Face to Face, only such as did believe he had a Face and Body in this Life.

Secondly, This God of Jeshurun is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob; the God of Jeshurun was the God of Jacob or of Israel, and God made Moses King in Jeshurun, that is Moses was made King to lead and guide the Inheritance of Jacob, in that he gave forth a Law to the Children of Israel, as you may see in the 4. and 5. verses of this Chapter. Moses commanded us a Law, even the Inheritance of Jacob: And he was King in Jeshu­run, when the Heads of the People, and the Tribes of Israel were [Page 8] gathered together. So that the God of Jeshurun was the God of Israel, or the God of Jacob: The same God that made man in his own Image, and that spake to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and appear did unto them in the form of man, and made Covenants and Pro­mises unto them, that their Seed should be his Inheritance; And Moses was made King here on Earth, of the God of Jeshuruns Inheritance; so that this Scripture makes not to Penns purpose to prove, that man is not the Image of God in respect of his bodily shape, but altogther the contrary.

In this Chapter, Moses blesseth the twelve Tribes of Israel, and blessing them, he instructed them and encouraged them to trust in that God, that had done so many wonderful things by his hand in in the midest of them: Saying, there was none, meaning no God like unto the God of Jeshurun, that is there was no God like unto the God of Jacob, God of Israel, who rideth upon the Heaven for thy help, and his Excellency on the Skie. 27. verse, The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting Arms; and he shall thrust out the Enemy before thee, and shall say destroy them. What doth this signifie as to Gods Form, being like unto mans body, because there is no God like unto the God of Jeshurun; therefore shall we conclude, that mans body and shape was not made in the Image of God, as well as his Soul, because there is no other God, nor man can do those wonderful things, as the God of Jeshurun did; these words of Moses were only to encourage the People to trust in that God, that had brought them out of Egypt with a high hand, and parted the Red Sea that they might go on dry Land, and had thrust out their Enemies before them: So that these things they had experience of, might cause them to trust in the God of Israel, or in the mighty God of Jacob, and not rebel against him.

CHAP. III.

BEcause there was no God could do such mighty works, not like unto the God of Jeshurun, even the God of Israel, who rideth upon the Heaven for their help, which no other God can do, and his Excellency on the Sky, to help his People Israel; for he could des­cend in a Pillar of fire by night to help his People, and descend in the Pillar of a Cloud by day, to discomfort his Peoples Enemies; so that the God of Jeshurun being a spiritual body, can descend in a Cloud from the Sky, and ascend in a Cloud to the Sky agan, so [Page 9] that a spiritual body may be said, to ride upon the Skie in his Excel­lency, which no other God can do, and in this regard there is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, the God of Jacob, the eternal God who created man in his own Image, who Moses said in the 29. verse Happy art thou O Israel: who is like unto thee O People, saved by the Lord, the Shield of thy help, and so forth. This is the true Interpretation of these Scriptures, so that the God of Je­shurun is the same God that made mans body and shape, in his own glorious Image, and that the God of Jeshurun, which none was like unto; was at that time in form like a mans bodily shape, only Gods body was spiritual, heavenly and glorious; there­fore able to ride upon the Heaven, and upon the Sky, which no other God nor mortal man could do: Therefore none like unto the God of Jeshurun, the mighty God of Jacob, who made man in his own Image and likeness, in respect of his bodily shape, as well as his Soul. This was the true meaning of Mo­ses, only this hint I would give the Reader to understand, that the Imagination upon the Heaven, and upon the Sky, without a body, when the unclean Spirit of Imagination goeth out of a man, it rideth upon the Sky without a body, seeking rest but can find none, so it returns into the body again, and there abides till death; because no rest can be had to any Spirit whatsoever without a body; therefore it is that none is like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the Heaven, and upon the Sky with his Spiritual body and soul together, because his Spirit and Soul, though it be the eternal Spirit, it cannot be without a bo­dy eternal also.

Page 7. Penn quotes 1 Kings 8.27. and 2 Chron. 26. chap 6 18. verse. to prove that God was not in the form of a ma [...], when he made man in his own Image, the words were S [...]lo [...]ons w [...]r s, when he built the Templ [...]; his words are these; but w [...]ll [...] deed dwell on the Earth▪ behold the He [...]ven and the H [...]v [...]n [...]f Heavens cannot contain him.

Penns wo [...]ds to this saith he, If the Earth on which [...] many m [...]llions of men, be not able to re [...]eive God as he is [...] Comparison of limittng him to any place suitable to sa [...] a body a [...] Muggleton saith he hath the very Heaven and the H [...], Hea­vens cannot contain him. Ce [...]tainly saith he, this immence and i [...]f [...] ­nite being must be of a larger extent, then the proportion of a [...] ­tal man, his own Creature.

Answer, What an ignorant Conclusion, doth this ignorant blind Anti-Christian Quaker, draw from these words of Solo­mon; as to those words of Solomon, I say he was no Pen-man of holy Writ: Therefore his Words nor Books he writ, were no true ground of Faith to others, for he had no true Faith him­self, if he had it would have kept him from that sad fall, he had when he was old, as may be read at large; neither was Solo­mons Books write by inspiration of the holy Spirit of Faith, as the Prophets and Apostles writings were; therefore it is said that all Scripture is given by inspiration and holy men spake as they were inspired by the holy Spirit: But Solomon was never counted by the Prophets, nor Apostles a holy man; he is com­mended for natural Wisdom above all that were before him, and that shall come after him, and for legal Justice and Righte­ousness between man and man, when he came first to possess the Kingdom; but he was nev [...] counted an holy man, but rather unholy, in that his heart was not perfect before the Lord, as his Father Davids was, but did fa [...] to horrible Idola­try; so that Solomon was no Scripture Wri [...].

This I prove by Christs own word [...], after h [...] wa [...] risen from the dead, see Luke 24.27. And beginning at Moses and all the Pro­phets, he expounded unto them in all the Scrip [...]ures, the t [...]ings con­cerning himself, and in 44 verse of that Charter, he speaketh more fully to it. And he said unto them, these are the words that that I spake unto you, while I was yet with you▪ that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Mos [...]s, and in the Prophets▪ and in the Psalms concerning me. So that Christ doth ex­clude Solomon, from being any Scripture Writer; because So­lomon was no Prophet, neither had he the Spirit of prophecy, neither did he ever write any thing concerning Christs coming in the Flesh, as Moses, the Prophets, and David his Father, who wrote the Psalms did; so that the Reader may see that these words, that Penn brings to prove, that God is of such a vast bigness, that the very Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him, is no Scripture nor ground of Faith for any man; neither do those words any ways in the least, disprove that the eternal God, was not in the form and likeness of man, when he made man in his own Image.

I confess that Solomon was a Wise man in things of nature, beyond all that were before him, or shall come after him, even [Page 11] beyond his Father David; but in spiritual and heavenly things, David was beyond him, and David did believe that God was in the form and shape of a man from Eternity, how else could David in the Spirit Prophecy, say the Lord said unto my L [...]rd, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine Enemies my Footstool: So that David did really believe that God who w [...] i [...] Heaven, his Lord and Creator of both Worlds, would take upon him his Seed in the Womb of a Virgin, and so be­c [...]m Davids Son; so that Davids Lord, is become Davids Son; if a [...]a [...] understand this Mystery, any better then those Jews did th [...]ked with Christ, when he asked them this Question, let unde [...]tand it, and it will be for their good.

So that Davids Lord was in the form of man, before he be­came Davids Son, a [...]d when he had taken Davids Seed upon [...]im and s [...] [...]ecame Davids Son, he was in the form and shape [...] so that God never was in any other form or [...] [...]hape and Image of a man; and who ever [...] [...]f God, as I my self once did, are in a [...] apprehended God to be so big as So­lom [...] [...]nn [...] Q [...]er doth, that the Heaven, and Heaven of H [...] [...]an him, I had no peace, because I could find Go [...] [...] [...]or such a God that cannot be contained, nor confined to n [...] place at all, neither to Heaven above, nor to the Earth beneath, is no God at all, but the meer Imagination of Reason and the Devil: For if God be so big, without any form or shape, to fill the Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens, so that three Heavens cannot contain him, his bulk is so big, and yet an infi­nite Spirit, without any form, nature or substance; indeed such a God as this cannot be in the likeness of mans bodily shape; neither could Moses properly say, that God made man in his own Image, neither in respect of his bodily shape, nor of his Soul; except Penn will infer that the Soul of man is an infinite Spirit, and may live without a body, and being the Image of God, the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain the Soul, after it is gone out of the body: this ridiculous inference will follow this vain conceit of God being a great and infinite Spi­rit, without any body, form or substance; and by Penns Asser­tion all other Creatures that have life in the Seed, may be the I­mage of God as well as man; for if God be so big, that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him: Then this Earth and the [Page 12] creatures therein must contain him, and so a man may find God as well here upon earth in other creatures as well as man, even as in Heaven. So that the Reader may see, that if they have any faith in the Scriptures, that this Immense, as Penn calls it, even God, the Infinite Being, is of no larger extent than the propor­tion of a mortal man, his own creature. So much in answer to Penns second Scripture proof.

CHAP. IV.

3. PEnns third Proof of Scripture, Psal. 40.12. Who hath measu ed the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heaven with his span▪ and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measu [...]e, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a b [...]lance.

Penns words to this; He that cannot measure the waters in the hollow of his hand, and mete out the heaven with his span, and com­prehend the dust of the earth in a measure, and weigh the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance, is not the true God: But a God of mans stature can never do that, therefore the true God is not such a one, neither can such a one be the true God.

Answer. Penn thinks he hath drawn a strong Argument from this Scripture, to prove, that God is not in the form of a man, nor of the stature of a man. This is right Antichristian-Quaker-like, which will give no m [...]anings nor interpretation of Sc [...]ip­ture: for an Interpreter must give meanings of words, else how shall men understand one anothers meanings. We see here in this world how necessary an Interpreter is where a man comes in a strange land, that the people of that land may know his meaning, and what he would have them to do for him. So likewise a l those people that are travelling to Heaven, seeking eternal life by searching the Scriptures, for in them people think to find eternal life; there is great need of an Interpreter to give them the meanings of the Scriptures, else they will be in the same condition as the Eunuch was in his Charet: The place of Scripture he read was this; He was lead as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before the shearer, so opened he not his mouth, Acts 8.32. So Philip ran to the Charet, and said [Page 13] unto the Eunuch, Ʋnderstandest thou what thou readest? and he said, How can I except some man should guide me. That is, except some man interpret the Prophets words, and give me the mean­ing whether the Prophet meant himself, or some other; how should he understand Scriptures except some man do interpret them, and give meanings to them. But Penn hath given no in­terp [...]etation nor meanings of any of those Scriptures he hath alledg [...]d against God being in the form of man; and if I should do as he doth, give no meanings nor interpretation of Scrip­tures, what would my writings signifie; the Professors of the Scriptures would not be so offended at me as they are, for I could alledg seven places of Scripture to one of them Penn doth quote, that doth contradict those places he doth alledg, to prove his assertions he draweth from those Texts; but he gives no meaning nor interpretation, which is the cause they are so un­profitable to all people, which doth neither offend the minds of people that are not of their belief, nor comfort those that do believe them, as experience hath shewed abundantly, as many can witness. But I know the gift of Interpretation and mean­ings of Scripture words are profitable to all other men but to blind Anti-Christian Quakers, I know it is of no profit to them; therefore I do not interpret Scriptures, and give meanings for their sakes, but for those who shall come to understand interpre­tation and meanings of Scripture words, therefore I shall inter­pret the meaning of those words of the Prophet Isaiah as fol­loweth.

Let the Reader mind, that the Prophet in the Chapter before did prophesie to Hezekiah King of Judah, That Jerusalem should be destroyed, and carried captive unto Babylon. And in this 40th Chapter he prophesieth of their deliverance out of captivity again. Also he prophesieth in this Chapter of John Baptist, and of the preaching of Christ by the Apostle [...]. But the Jews not understand­ing the Scriptures, thought these Prophesies i [...]redible, because they thought the time long before t [...]ese things would [...]ome to pass. So that the Prophet doth persw [...]e them to be comforted, and to trust in Gods omnipotent Po [...]er, even Judah's God. There­fore say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God▪ he sh [...]ll feed his flock like a shepheard, he shall gather the lambs wit [...] [...]is ar [...]s, [...]d carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

This Prophecy was fulfilled when Christ began to Preach, and John Baptist began to baptise the Children of Judah and Israel, at Jordan near Jerusalem, where the Sadduces and Pha­risees, that generation of Vipers, came to John's Baptism. Like­wise the Prophet Isaiah in his Prophecy incourageth every man that believeth in the God of Israel, the mighty God of Jacob, to put their trust in him, and in no other God whatsoever, be­cause no other God is so Omnipotent and Powerful as the God of Israel; who by his Wisdom, Power, and Knowledg, mea­sureth the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance. Now if this Scripture must have no interpretation nor meaning given of it, What gross absurdities will follow, viz. that the very palm or hollow of Gods hand is so big that it doth hold the great Seas, and great Rivers of waters in the hollow of his hand. By this Rule a man may inferr, that Gods hand is the Vessel or foundation to bear up the waters of the Sea; which indeed is nothing but the very Earth under the Waters, which Penn calls the hollow of Gods hand. Likewise Penn doth imagine, that Gods hand is so big that he can span from one end of Heaven to the other, and that Gods Comprehension and Understanding is so big and large a measure to hold all the dust of the earth in it, and that God is so big, even as a pair of Scales or Balance in which he hath weighed the great Mountains and the Hills in.

CHAP. V.

REader, Suffer me a little to describe the Quakers Imaginary God without a body. Penn saith, God is an infinite, great, vast Spirit, without any form or shape at all, and holdeth the Waters in the hollow of his Hand. Now the hollow of this imaginary infinite Spirits hand, is that hollow earth that holdeth the great Seas, and waters of the Earth, this is the hand of an infinite Spirit that hath no body. 2. The Firmament of Hea­ven, the substance of it is the Span of an infinite Spirit without a body. 3. That this infinite Spirit without a body can compre­hend [Page 15] and understand, and hold all the dust of the Earth in its head, yet a Spirit without a body. 4. That this infinite vast Spirit without a body, can weigh the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in ballance, without a head of understanding; here the Quakers God is described, he holdeth the Waters in the hollow of his hand, yet hath no hand. 2. He spanneth out the Heaven with his span, yet hath no Fingers nor Thumb. 3. He comprehends the dust of the Earth in a measure, yet hath no head. 4. He weigheth the Hills and Mountains in a ballance, yet hath no Arms, nor body: This is the Quakers God which they do worship, and this is the Quakers Faith, else Penn would never have brought this Scripture, to prove that God is not in the form of a man, nor no form at all.

Yet the Scriptures speaks of God having all parts as a man hath, as here in this place the Prophet speaks of Gods hand, and of his comprehension, which must be in the head; Moses tells us of Gods face, thou canst not see my face and live, and Heaven is Gods Throne, and Earth is his Foot-stool, and that God hath a Nose and Breast, and Thighs and Arms and Fingers and right hand and left hand, the Sheep shall stand on his right hand, and the Goats on his left hand; these expressions the Scriptures are full off: Therefore it is for certain that Moses and the Prophets did belive and know, that God was in the form of man, when he said let us make man in our own Image; else the Prophets would never have talked so oft of Gods Face, Arms, Hands, Brest, Nose that smelled a sweet savour, Legs and Feet, if God had been no form at all, as Penn doth vainly i­magine, and if it be granted that God was in any form at all, when he created this World; Is it not the safest and the best Faith, to believe he was in the form of a man, seeing he saith, he made man in his own Image and likeness, else those words of Moses cannot be true; for an infinite Spirit without body and shape, could never have made man in his own Image and likeness; except he had made man an infinite formless Spirit, without a body as himself is; as Penn doth affirm that God hath no form nor body, nor likeness at all but an infinite vast Spirit, that fills all places at one time, which in effect is an infinite nothing: For if God had no body nor form of his own at all, then it will follow, that he must be an infinite no­thing at all; or else he must be the Earth, the Waters, the Air, [Page 16] the Firmament, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the life of every Creature, both Rational and Sensitive and Vegitive Creatures, even the all in all; to conclude, there is nothing in Heaven a­bove, nor in the Earth beneath, nor in the Waters, but God himsel [...]; for if God cannot be confined to no particular place, as Penn saith, he must partake of the miseries here on earth, as well as the joys of Heaven: why, because he cannot be con­fin'd to Heaven which is the Throne of Glory, but must be here on Earth his Foot-stool at the same time; so that no place is empty of Gods presence, no not so much as Hell, but God is present there at one and the same time. This is Penn the Qua­kers God, as doth appear by the inference he draweth from these Scriptures afore-mentioned.

For the Readers sake, I shall interpret those words of Scrip­ture, how God may be said to have measured the waters in the hollow of his hand: The meaning is, That in the beginning when God created the heaven and the earth, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, Gen. 1.2. For the waters were over the face of the earth, and did cover the earth; therefore it is said, That darkness was upon the face of the deep waters; and Gods Spirit, that is the Word of his Power, moved upon the face of the waters; and by the voyce of God entring and moving upon the face of the waters, he created Light out of the substance of Water. For the Reader must mind, that by the Word of God the Worlds were framed. The Word of God may be called the Spirit of God, in that no word can be spoken but it must proceed from a spirit, and a spirit cannot utter words but from a body; so that there must be body, spirit and word, and all but one Being; neither can any one of these three be destroyed, but all three are destroyed; and if one of these three do live for ever, all three do live for ever, because they all three are but one entire distinct being of it self. But let that pass.

So that God, by his Word, moving upon the face of the Wa­ters, he created by his Word out of that substance of water, the Sun, Moon, and Stars; by his Word he made them bodies of light: But before he made the Sun, Moon, and Stars; he created by his Word, out of those Waters, that was over the face of the deep, the Firmament of Heaven, it was made by the Word of God, out of that substance of water that was upon the face of the deep in the beginning; and this Firmament is [Page 17] called Heaven, which God made of that water that was over the face of the deep; and this Firmament which God created out of the substance of water, it doth compose the Globe of the earth round, so that the earth stands in the midst of the Fir­mament; so that the Firmament is underneath the earth, as it is above the earth, and by the Word of the Lord the earth stand [...]th in the midst of the Firmament upon nothing but by the W [...]d of Gods Power [...]hen he created it; only this observe, though God maketh the earth to stand upon nothing, yet he did not make the earth it self, the substance of earth of nothing, but the substance of earth was an Eternal Chaos; for God never made any thing of nothing, though he maketh a substance to stand or hang upon nothing: And those bodies of light, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, God set them in the Firmament of Heaven, to give light upon the earth; And after God had made the Fir­mament of Heaven, and those lights aforesaid out of the sub­stance of that waters that was over the face of the earth, then God said to the residue of the waters, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land ap­pear: and it was so. (As in verse 9.) This one place where the waters were gathered together was the hollow of Gods hand, because God by his Word caused the waters to gather together into that place he appointed them, even to that one place they now remain: And this was Gods handy work, and in this sence God may be said to have measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, because he prepared a place in the earth by his Word speaking, to hold the waters in a hollow place in the earth, both deep and large, to hold these deep waters in this deep place in the earth, and these waters are called Sea; so that the deep, that holdeth the waters of the Sea, may be called the hollow of Gods hand; and that he doth hold the waters of the Sea in the hollow of his hand, because he keepeth the waters of the Sea in i [...]s bounds, in that he hath set a Governour the Moon, over the Waters, to ebb and flow, and keep them within bounds.

CHAP. VI.

ANd as for Gods meting out the Heaven with a span, that was when God created the Heaven in the beginning, Gen. 1.1. The Heaven is the Firmament, as I said before, and God hath by his Wisdom and Power of his word, meted out the Firma­ment of Heaven, to compass the Earth, as I said before; and being Gods handy work in the Creation, at the beginning it may properly be said, that he hath spanned out the Firmament with his span; and whereas he comprehended the dust of the Earth in a measure: That was when God had by his word speaking, caused the Waters to be gathered into one place, then the dry Land did appear, as in verse 9. and it was so, then God could comprehend the dust of the Earth in a measure, why be­cause he could then see the length and breadth of it, and did see that the dust of the Earth, would be a place fit for all mortal Crea­tures, which he intended to make to live in, and God did mea­sure in his wisdom and understanding and Counsel, the length and breadth of this dry Land that did appear, and God knew it would serve for a good use, for mortal Creatures to live and inhabite in, to set forth his glory in the Creation; and in this sence God may be said to comprehend the dust of the Earth in a measure.

3. God may be said to have weighed the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a balance, that is, when the waters were ga­thered tnto one place, by the word of the Lord in the beginning, then did the Mountains and Hills appear in sight, and when God saw them he weighed the great Mountains and the lesser, in the balance of his mind, and he saw that the Mountains and Hills of the Earth, would be very good, and useful for those Creatures he did intend to create; for the Hills and Mountains of the Earth were covered with water, before the Spirit of God moved upon the waters, in the beginning when God created this visible world, as it was in the days of Noah when the world was drowned, as may be seen, Gen. 7.19, 20. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the Earth, and the Ark went upon the face of the Waters: Atd the Water prevailed exceedingly upon the [Page 19] Earth, and all the high Hills that were under the whole Heavens were covered, fifteen Cubits upwards did the Waters prevail, and the Mountains were covered: Thus the Hills and Moun­tains were covered with Water, before God created this world, in the beginning as Moses doth declare; and in this sence God may be said to have weighed the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a balance of his own Wisdom, Counsel and Under­standing; and yet the person of God, no biger then a middle statured man; this is the true interpretation and meaning of the Prophet Isaiahs words: Much more might be said in this point but it would be too large, hoping that the Readear will under­stand what is written as to this point.

4. Penn quotes Isa. 40.18, 19, 21, 22. To prove that God is not in the form of a man, his words are these, to whom then will you liken God, what likeness will you compare unto him. The Workman melteth a graven Image, and the Goldsmith spreadeth it over with Gold: Have you not known, have you not heard, hath it not been told you from the beginning, have you not understood from the Foundations of the Earth; it is he that sits upon the Circle of the Earth, and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashopers, that stretches out the Heavens as a Curtain, and spreads them out as a Tent to dwell in.

Answ. What doth this signifie to Penns purpose, or any wise doth prove that God is not in the form of a man; he gives no interpretation, nor meaning at all of those words of the Prophet Isaiah; for the Prophet doth in this place upbraid the House of Israel, for making of graven Images, and worshiping them for Gods: Now these People that did make these graven Images, and did worship them for Gods, were the Children of Jacob, whom God had chosen above all People in the world else; and that they ou [...]h [...] to worship the God of their Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jac [...]b; whose God was he that made man in his own Image and likeness, who spake to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Moses, and to their Fathers the twelve Patriarchs, they that knew God to be in the form of man in Heaven, they never made any graven Images as Gods to worship; but those Chil­dren of Jacob, that were ignorant of Gods form and nature; the [...] made Images as the Heathen did, to worship them as Gods, and [...]ey made their Gods of several forms; sometimes like a Castle, or like a young Bull, and sometimes like a Giant and o­ther [Page 20] Images, after the Heathen manner; & this making of graven Images of Wood and Stone, guilded over with Gold, and con­secrateth it for a God, and fall down and worship the work of their own hands; as if this Image had created the World, and all Creatures therein, and brought them out of the Land of Egypt: What is this to Penns purpose, this doth no ways prove that God is not in the form of a man, nor that man is not the I­mage of God, in respect of his bodily shape; but Penn gives no Interpretation nor meaning of these words, of the Prophets Isaiah, he only names the words of the Scriptures, & so leaves it.

Now it will be necessary, to give them the meaning of these words of the Prophet Isaiah; to whom will you liken God, what likenss will you compare unto him; the meaning is this, you Idolatrous minded People, to whom then will you liken God, what likeness will you compare unto him: the Reason of man saith, we will get cunning Workmen, that can Carve Wood and Stone, and that is Skilful in melting all sorts of Metalls, and of Silver and Gold; the Workman that can Carve Wood & Stone shall frame us out a God, that shall perhaps be like a Giant, like a man, or like a Calf, or some other Crea­ture, as the Power in being would have it; and when the Work­man at Carving hath done his part, then the other Skilf [...]l Wo [...]k­man at melting of Metalls of Silver and Gold, with the ad­vice of the Goldsmith, spreadeth it over with Gold, and when it is finished and made glorious to the natural Eye sight, it is de­dicated and consecrated by the Priests and Powers to be a God, and that all that are under that Power, must fall down and wor­ship that golden Image, as in Daniel 3.1. Nabuchadnezzar the King, made an Image of Gold, whose height was threescore Cubits, and breadth thereof six Cubits; he set it up in the Plain of Dura, in the Province of Babylon; and in the 2 verse. The King did dedi­cate this Image to be worshiped, by all his noble Lords and People of his Realm: Now what form or shape this great Image was off, is not made manifest; whether it was in the form, shape or like­ness of a man, or like a Calf, or any other Creature is not speci­fied; but of what form soever the Image was like, it was dedicated to be a God to be worshiped, and it is very like this Image had Eyes but could not see, and Ears but could not hear, and a Nose but could smell, a [...] Feet but could not walk, and a Head but could not unde [...] Mouth but could not speak through the Throat: [...]; yet this Image must be a God [Page 21] the Kings own making, and all People must fall down and wor­ship this golden Image as God, that could neither see, hear nor speak.

And such kind of Gods as these, did the Children of Israel worship, and forsook the living God, that spake to their Fa­thers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; therefore did the Prophet I­saiah reprove them for making of graven Images, and dedicat­ing them for Gods, to worship them; so that they did liken the living God that crea [...]ed the Heavens, and the Earth in the be­ginning, and that sits upon the Circle of the Earth; he who hath laid the Foundations of the Earth, likewise he hath stretch­ed out the Firmament of Heaven as a Curtain, and spread them out as a Tent, to dwell in the living God; may be said to sit upon the Circle of the Earth, because he hath laid the Foundation of the Earth by his word, and he knoweth by his wisdom and understanding, how the Earth hangs and stands up­on nothing, as the Reason of man can see, yet it standeth firm; and no God else can remove it out of its place, nor cause it to fall; so that the living God by his Wisdom and Power, know­eth how the Foundation of the Earth was laid in the in the be­ginning, when he created all Creatures here in this world, and the Earth for his Footstool; it being the most inferiourest work of all Gods Creation, so that by his Wisdom and Power may be said, to lay the Foundations of the Earth: Now let the Reader consider, that he saith the Foundation of a Tower, hath matter and substance to lay the Foundation with, for without matter and substance no Foundation can be laid; so when God laid the Foundation of the Earth, there was the matter and sub­stance of Earth, before he laid the Foundation of the Earrh; else it could not properly be said that God laid the Foundations of the Earth; if the Earth had not been before he created it in the beginning, and if it be granted that the Earth and Waters were before God created the Heavens and the Earth in the be­ginning, as is most true, they were; then I say, the Earth and Wa­ters must needs be eternal; for the word create the Heavens and the E [...]rth, doth not signifie that God made them of nothing, neither did God lay the Fondation of the Earth with nothing, he had m [...]tter and substance viz. Earth and Waters, which were et [...]r [...]l substances, for the eternal God to work upon; for God di [...] never m [...]ke any thing of nothing, as man doth vainly img [...], but more of this in the next point.

CHAP. VII.

SO that by Gods Wisdom and Power in creating the Hea­vens and the Earth, he may be said to sit upon the Circle of the Earth: And as for his stretching out the heavens as a curtain, and spread them out as a tent to dwell in; The meaning is, that when God created the Firmament [...]f Heaven in the beginning, he spread forth the sky, as we see, round about the earth, as a curtain; so that the sky is under the earth, as it is over the earth; and by his Wisdom and Power, by his Word speaking, he hath drawn the Sky or Element, even as a curtain, over the face of the whole earth, that no living creature that is mortal, may see through the curtains of Heaven; and, on the other side of these curtains, God hath made himself a tent to dwell in, even a kingdom of eternal Glory, which no mortals can see by the eye of sence and reason. This is understood by Faith only, as I said before; this is the true meaning of the Prophets words: And this God of Israel that did these great things in the begin­ning, was he that made man in his own Image and likeness; and that the living God was before he made man in the form and likeness of man, and in no other form and likeness, only his body was spiritual, heavenly and glorious, as I said before.

In Pag. 8. saith Penn, In this passage is a most pregnant over­throw of this vain Opinion. First, saith he, That God of whom man can make a likeness, is not the true God: and saith, But such a one is Muggletons, therefore not the true God. Secondly, saith Penn, If God was of mans figure and stature, then Goldsmiths were able to make his likenes [...]: But, saith he, this the Scriptures utterly deny, and ask, What likeness will you compare unto him? Saith he, Therefore God is not in the bodily shape of man.

Answer. Here the Reader may see the black darkness of this Anti-Christian-Devil, Penn the Quaker: That because Gold­smiths, or other Crafts-men may make the Image of a man, and so make the Image and likeness of God; therefore God must have no body nor form of his own at all. Let the Reader con­sider, that if God hath no body nor form of his own, he is in a worse condition than the Creatures which he hath made; for [Page 23] he hath made all creatures that hath the breath of life in them with bodies, and the body and life of all creatures doth rejoyce and are glad; and without a body there can be no life, nor joy, neither in God, Angels, nor Man, nor no other creature that hath the breath of life. Now shall any man that is not stone blind in his understanding, believe that God who created and made all things with bodies, and yet himself hath no body at all, but is an infinite vast Spirit without any body or form, or shape at all of his own? A man may as well say, that a spirit without a body may build all the Churches in London that were burned down by the Fire: as to say, that God who created the two Worlds Celestial and Terrestial, and the creatures therein; had no body of his own: Or a man may as well take a beautiful spi­rited Woman without a body to his Wife, and see how he can love a spirit without a body. This is as possible for man to do, as it is for Gods Spirit to be without a body: nay, it is as possible for the spirit of a man to build a Tower without its body, as it is for God to create the two Worlds, and all Crea­tures therein, without a body of his own. Again, if God hath never a body of his own, but is an infinite vast Spirit without any body at all, and yet he fills Heaven, and Earth, and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him; Where then is God contained? Sure he is contained some where? And if the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him, he is of such a vast bigness; Sure the imagination of man doth imagine Gods Spirit to be bigger than it is: It is a marvellous thing to me now, that a Spirit without a body should be in all places at one and the same time, and fill Heaven and Earth also. But by Faith I know that Gods body is no bigger than a middle statured man, and that his Godhead Spirit is contained in that body; only but this Wisdom, Power and Glory, doth fill Heaven and Earth, neither doth the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens con­tain his power and glory; for he is as well by his power on Earth, by his Mercies to some, and his Judgements to others; nay his Power is in Hell also with the damned, so that Gods power is every where at once, in that he hath written a Law in the Seed of every Creature, both in Heaven above, and in the Earth beneath, and in the Waters under the Earth; and in this sense, God may be said to fill Heaven and Earth, and that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him; but as to the person [Page 24] and body of God himself, he is contained now in the Heavens only, and his person is contained when he pleases, in a lesser compass then a mans person can be contained.

But Penn the Quaker, hath imagined God to be an infinite Spirit, without a body, of such a vast bigness, that the Heaven of Heavens, nor the Earth cannot contain him; his Spirit is so big that it cannot be confined to any particular place; by this Assertion God is contained in the Air, and in the Earth, and in the Waters, and in the Beasts of the Field, and in the Fowls of the Air, and in the Fish in the Sea, and in man, and in the Shape of the Trees, and Grass of the Field; by Penns Assertion God is in all these, by his great vast Spirit without a body, for he imagines that God is the life of every thing; so that the Trees could not grow, if Gods Spirit were not in the Sap of them, and so of all things else: Thus ridiculous is learned Penns conceit of Gods gseatness, so that God must be beholding to the bodies of the Creatures, which he hath made to dwell in; be­cause he hath never a body of his own big enough, for his great vast Spirit to live in; Is not this an absurd Faith, that Penn the Quaker holds forth, let all sober men Judge.

Mind Reader, that because Reeve and Muggleton doth de­clare, that God is but in the form & stature, and bigness of a man, as is said by Moses, and that a man may Carve, and make the Image of man, and so the Image of God, of Wood or Stone, and worship it for God; so that man may make the Image and likeness of God, as they do the Image and likeness of Angels, and other Creatures; must it therefore follow, that because Gods Image and likeness, is made in the form of mans bodily shape, as is most true it is; must men worship this Image as God, and believe the Image he hath made to be a God; this is great blindness and horrid Idolatry, so that because there may be an Image of God made by man: Therefore Penn will not have God to have any body or form at all, but an infinite form­less nothing, so that no Image can be made of an infinite no­thing, this is Penns God that he doth worship, and wnile he seems to worship a God that hath no form at all, he becomes the greatest Idolator of all, and worships every form for God, [...]s the light in man is his God, the life of the Beasts of the Field his God, the Firmament of Heaven, the Earth, the Waters, [...] Fowl, the Fish, the Trees, the Grass, are his God: for saith [Page 25] he, God is every where and in all places at one time, and never confined to any particular place, no not in Heaven above neither can the Heavens contain him, but he is every where, as Penn the Q [...]aker saith.

CHAP. VIII.

SO that he doth worship a God, that hath neither body, form, nor shape; even an infinite nothing, or else a God that is all Forms and Shapes, and the Image and likeness of all Creatures else, both in Heaven and Earth, as well as mans Image and like­ness: Nay, by this Assertion of his, God's Spirit or essence, is in the Earth, and in the Waters, and in the Firmament of Hea­ven, and in the Clouds, and in the Air, and in the Sun, Moon and Stars; so that in effect by this Assertion, these things are the body of God. and the Image and likeness of God, as much as man: For if God's Spirit be of such a vast bigness, that can­not be contained nor confined to any one particular place, but is in all places at one time by the Essence of his Spirit, it is so infi­nitely big, then the great vast Earth and Waters, and Air and Clouds as aforesaid, are all Gods bodies; so that God must have so many bodies as there is distinct substances, so that instead of Gods being in the form, shape and likeness of man, one particu­lar form and shape; by Penns Assertion it must needs follow that if God be an infinite vast Spirit without a body, and cannot be confined nor contained in one particular place; It must be con­cluded that God hath so many bodies as there is Creatures, and and that every formless substance is Gods body, and the I­mage and likeness of God, as well as the bodily shape of man.

This is that Anti-Christian Spirit in the Quakers, in these last times, in opposition to the Spirit of Christ, who inspired Moses, the Prophets, and Apostles with Revelation to write Scripture; and they do every where declare that God made man in his own Image and likeness, in respect of his bodily shape, i [...] [...]hat God did always appear to the Fathe [...]s of old, in the form and shape of man, as the Scriptures are full to prove, as followeth.

[...]
[...]

Exod. 3.2. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him, in a Flame of Fire, out of the midest of the Bush, 4. verse and when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midest of the Bush, and said Moses, Moses.

1. Here the Reader may see, that God did appear to Moses, in form like a man in the Bush; and God spake to Moses, and God was confined to that particular place, at that present; which no Spirit without a body can do: For if God's Spirit without a body be every where, and cannot be confined to one particular place, but fills all places at all times, and no places neither in Heaven nor in Earth, can be empty of God's presence, as Penn doth assert; I say such a God as this hath never a mouth nor Tongue to speak; for this I say, no Spirit withour a body can speak any words at all, but that God that made man in his own Image and likeness, in respect of his bodily shape, did appear unto Moses here in the Bush, in the form of a man, though in a Flame of Fire, and did speak apparent words unto Moses, as a man speaks to his Friend.

2. See Gen. 6.14. And God said unto Noah, the end of all Flesh is come before me: and in Gen. 6.1. And God remembred Noah and every living thing; and in Gen. 9 1. And God blessed Noah and his Sons, and said unto them be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the Earth, Chap. 9. and 6 verse, Who so sheddeth mans Blood, by man shall his Blood be shed; for in the Image of God made he man, and in the 9 verse, And I will establish my Covenant with you, and your Seed after you, and in the 15. verse, And I will re­member my Covenant, which is between me and you; and 16 ver. And I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting Cove­nant, between God and every living Creature.

Here God did appear to Noah in the form of a man, and spake unto him plain words; and he remembred Noah, and and God blessed Noah and his Sons, with the blessing of fruit­fulness, and multiplying and replenishing the Earth, with the in­crease of Sons and Daughters; and God gave them a Law that they should not shed mans Blood; why? because man was made in the Image of God, for in the Image of God made he man; therefore did God establish his Covenant with Noah and his seed after him; and that God would remember his Covenant, which he made between man and himself; and that God would look up­on his Covenant, that he had made with Noah and every liv­ing [Page 27] Creature; and that he might remember his everlasting Co­venant between God and them: Here the Reader may see that God can speak words, which he could not do without a Mouth and Tongue: Likewise we read that God blessed Noah and his Sons, which he could not do without a Mouth and Tongue; likewise God gave them a Law, that they should not shed mans Blood, which he could not do without a Mouth and Tongue; likewise God did establish his Covenant with Noah, and his Seed after him; which he could not do, had he not a Head like a mans Head that hath Wisdom, and Understanding in it, to make Covenants with man. Also God would remember his Cove­nant, which he made between man and himself; so that God hath a memory in him, to remember what Covenants and Pro­mises he makes to man; likewise God would look upon his Covenant, that he might remember his everlasting Covenant, between God and them: Here we see that God hath Eyes to see, as a man hath to look what Promises and Covenants he maketh with man, that he might remember to perform them on his part, though man fail on his part; these things God could not do if he had not Eyes to see; he could not be said to look, and if he had no Mouth nor Tongue, he could not speak, nor utter words, nor make no Covenants with man; and if God had no Head, he could have no Wisdom, Understanding, nor Memory at all: For this I say, a Spirit without a body, it hath no being at all; why, because it is nothing at all, but a Fi­ction of mans Brain, that hath proeceded out of his Imaginati­ons. Yet Penns God is a Spirit without a body, that can nei­ther hear, nor see, nor smell, nor speak, nor remember; this is Penns God that cannot hear, because a Spirit without a body, hath no Ears, nor smell because it hath no Nose, nor speak be­cause it hath no Mouth nor Tongue, nor see nor look because it hath no Eyes, nor remember because it hath no Head, nor Un­derstanding, nor Wisdom; to sum up all, a Spirit without a body is nothing at all, but a thing created out of mans blind I­magination, which hath created to it self a Spirit without a body, which he calls God, and the Imagination of man, hath created to it self a Devil, to be a Spirit without a body; the one Spi­rit he worships for God, and the other Spirit he is affrighted at, as his Devil: Thus he hath created by his Imagination a God, to worship a Spirit without a body, and a Devil to fright him, [Page 28] a Spirit without a body also: Thus Penn the Quaker doth wor­ship a God of his own making, and so becomes the greater spi­ritual Idolater, then those that worshiped the golden Calf; this is Penns God that he doth worship, a Spirit without a body, this is none of my God, neither is it that God that made man in his own Image and likeness.

CHAP. IX.

3. AGain it is said Gen. 5.22. Enoch walked with God, 24. verse, And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him, so Gen. 6.6. It repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth, and it greived him at his heart.

Here the Reader may see, that God is no great vast Spirit without body, which can walk and talk with man: neither can a Spirit without a body be capable to repent, nor to have any such passion as to be capable of grief of heart; why, because a Spirit with­out a body hath no heart, to be sensible of wrath and anger, with that which it hath made, because of its disobedience, nor pleased with those Creatures, which do obey his Will, why? because a Spirit without a body hath no heart, nor will to be pleased or offended, nor capable to walk or talk with man; neither can a Spirit without a Body be capable to repent, these things belong only to such a God that hath a Body of his own, and the true God being a spiritual Body in Form like man, he seeing the wickedness of man was so great, more great then he thought it would be, when he suffered the Serpent to beguile Eve, in that the Seed of the Serpent, men and women should Act such things as were unnatural, as [...]e People in the old World did; and now God by experience, saw that the wickedness of man was so so great beyond what he expected, that it repented him that he had made man upon the Earth, and he was greived to the heart; by this the Reader may observe, that God did not know all things past, present, and to come: ne [...]th [...]r is that infinite that doth, for if God should know all things past, p [...]esent and to come, then there is nothing more for [...]d to know; therefore his knowledge must be finite, but the nature of infiniteness is to increase in new K [...]edge, n [...] Joys, and new Glo [...]i [...] [...]ernal­ly; so that when God saw the wickedness of ma [...] [...] s so great, [Page 29] beyond what he expected as aforesaid, it repented him that he had made man upon the earth, a [...]d it gri [...] [...] him to the heart: So that now God is resolv [...]d in himse [...] [...]ew res [...]lut [...]n, to destroy the thing which he had made, [...] th [...] world by water. So that God hath a progit [...]nsel [...] to increase in knowledg and understanding and w [...]w knowledg doth arise in God, he knoweth how to [...]xpo [...] [...] for his own glory, both in the preserva ion and exal a [...] o of what creatures he pleases, and in the abasement an [...] dest [...]c ion of others of his creatures. And this is the nature of I [...]niteness, and of a Progitive Power, which is above all Law; and this In­finiteness and Progitive Power is in the body of God, even he that created man in his own Image and likeness.

So that Enoch being an holy man, in that he believed in God, and in that he was a righteous man, and did nothing contrary to the Law written in his heart. God loved his holy Faith, being his own nature, and his obedience to the legal Law written in his heart; so that God walked with Enoch, and revealed his secrets unto him, and shewed unto him that God was in the form of man from Eternity, and Enoch walked with God, in that he did believe God was in a glorious form like man from Eternity, and in that he did obey Gods Law written in his heart; so that his righteousness did exceed all men that were upon the earth at that time; so that God revealed unto him glorious things, in that he gave him to know that God was in the form of man, a spiritual body; and gave him the spirit of prophecy, that this spiritual body should be transmitted into a pure natu­ral body, so that God should be upon this earth, and eat and drink with man as a man. This, and many other wonderful things did Enoch prophecy of concerning God in the books of Enoch, which Noah, Abraham, Lot, Isaac, and Jacob, and the twelve sons of Jacob did read, as may be seen in the testimony of the twelve sons of Jacob, and in the Scriptures, that maketh mention of Enoch, and how he was translated.

Observe his Body was translated and immortallized as well as his Soul, and his Body went to Heaven as well as his Soul; for this I say; there n ver was any soul or spirit that went to heaven without a bo [...]y since the world began, nor [...]ever will to the worlds end. For if the soul goeth to heaven, the body goeth to heaven also; for God will not endure to have spirits in Heaven [Page 30] without bodies, because his spirit cannot be without a body himself, nor no other creature he hath made in heaven nor in earth; so that what spirits soever goeth to heaven without bo­dies, God will surely cast them out of heaven for ever. So that it may be clear to the Reader that hath Faith to understand the Scriptures, that Enoch did know and believe God to be in the form of mans bodily shape, a spiritual body, and that this spiri­tual body would transmute it self into a pure natural body, which was Christ, and that this Christ should be the very God that should eat and drink with man as man, and that the seed of the Serpent should put him to death. Now if the man Christ Jesus his body and soul was the Lord of Life, as the Scripture saith; then certainly he was God when he was upon earth, and his soul suffered death, as the Scriptures are full to prove: But I shall speak more fully to this hereafter. Likewise it may be clear to the Reader, that no soul nor spirit can go to heaven without its body, and that Enoch his body was translated with his soul, and so went both to heaven, being but one personal substance, neither can they be seperated one from the other. This is a standing truth, but few understand and believe it.

4. See Gen. 6.8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God. So Gen. 8.20. And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and every clean foul, and offer­ed burnt offerings on the altar. And vers. 21. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour, and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake.

Here the Reader may see, that Noah was a just and perfect man in his generation, in so much that he found grace in the eyes of the Lord, in that he walked with God. So that God revealed himself to him, because he had Faith to believe God, and he acted the righteousness of the Law written in his heart towards man. For this is to be minded, that God always chuse such men, and revealed himself unto them that were righteous in their generation; and if Reeve and Muggleton had not been innocent and free from the breach of the Law written in our hearts, and righteous in our generation in these last times, when so much wickedness hath been acted by the Professors of godliness in these times; God would never have chosen us, [Page 31] nor have revealed himself unto us, as he hath, though de­spised by the seed of the Serpent, such as Penn the Quaker, and others.

CHAP. X.

BUt the Serpent said as much by the Lord himself when on Earth, as they do by us, but let that pass. Here the Rea­der may see that Noah did believe and know that God was in form like a man, because he found grace in his eyes; for Noah knew that a spirit without a body had not eyes nor heart to shew favor: but that God that was in the Image and likeness of himself, who had eyes in his head to see that Noah was righteous before him, Gods heart did love him, and shewed favor unto him, and gave him Revelation, knowledg and understanding of himself, and of his form and nature, and to be a Preacher of Righteousness. So that by Faith towards God, and righteous­ness towards man, he walked with God as Enoch did, but was not tranflated as Enoch was, but died, and is in the earth at this day; so that he shall not go to heaven until all the rest of the sa­ved of the Lord go to heaven, but his flesh doth rest in hope, as David saith, until the Resurrection.

Likewise we see, that Noah was in such a high esteem with God, that when he offered up Sacrifices to him, he was so well pleased with it, that the Lord said he smelled a sweet savour; insomuch the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake; here we see God hath a Nose to smell, and a heart to promise; so that except a man were stone blind, he could not deny God to be in the form and likeness of man; for a Spirit without a Body hath no Nose to smell, nor Heart to promise, but is without form and void of all sence, it can neither hear, see, nor smell, nor taste, nor handle, nor speak, nor walk, but is an eternal stilness, as I have heard several of the Ranters say; and Penns God and his Faith is the same as the Ranters is, this I know to be true.

5. See Gen. the 14.18. And Melchizedek King of Salem, brought forth Bread and Wine, and he was the Priest of the most high God; and 19. verse, And he blessed him, and said blessed be [Page 32] Abraham of the most high God, Possessour of Heaven and Earth. Mind Reader, this Melchizedek King of Sal [...]m, that brought forth Bread and Wine to Abraham, it was God himself, that did appear unto Abraham in the form of a man and blessed him: Now to take off the doubts that do arise in all mens hearts, because the words are so dubious-set down by Moses, without any Interpretation; it seemeth strange, that God himself should be a Priest, and bring forth Bread and Wine to Abraham; the Case is thus; in those times, when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their Sons were upon the Earth, before Moses was born, and called to write the Scripture; there was amongst the righteous Fathers, the Books of Enoch and his Prophecies, and he speak­ing in his Books of a Priesthood of the high God, and prophe­cying of another Priesthood of Aaron, and the righteous Fa­thers of old, knowing that it would be a long time after their deaths, before the Priesthood of Aaron would take place.

They according to the writings of Enoch did seat up Priests unto God after that time that Melchizedek had blessed Abraham, with the Titles of Melchizedek, the Priest of the most high God, and they did offer up Sacrifices by this Priest, as unto Mel­chizedek; and they called the Priest Melchizedek, the Priest of the most high God, and they payed Tyths to this Priest, as un­to Melchizedek the Priest of the most high God, as they did af­terwards to the Priesthood of Aaron; a hint of this may be read in the Testimony of the twelve Patriarchs at their deaths: For Abraham was going after the slaughter of Kings, to give the tenth of the spoil, unto that Melchizedek the Priest; as no doubt but he had done several times before, as in the 20. verse, and gave him Tythes of all; but this Melchizedek King of Sa­lem who brought Bread and Wine, as the Priest of the most high God, who blessed Abraham was God himself, onely to signifie unto Abraham, and those of the Faith of Abraham, that in the fulness of time he would take upon him the Seed of Abra­ham in the Womb of a Virgin, and so become very man to offer up himself unto sin and death, and to rise again the third day, and so become an high Priest after the order of Melchizedek; he that can understand this Mystery, let him understand.

For it may be clear to the Seed of Faith, that this Melchizedek King of Salem, which blessed Abraham, was God the Father and Creator of all things, as we may be seen Heb. 7.1. For [Page 33] this Melchizedek King of Salem, Priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, and blessed him, vers. 2. to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being by interpretation King of Righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of Peace, vers. 3. without Father, without Mother, without descent, having no beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a Priest continually.

Here it is clear, that this Melchizedek that met Abraham and blessed him, was God the Father, and Creator of all things; and it may be as clear to those that have the true light of Faith in them, that this Melchizedek, the Eternal God, was in the form of a man; and further, it is plain, that God himself did officiate the office of a Priest himself, and took upon himself the title of the Priest of the most High God, notwithstanding he was the most high God himself; and he acted as God to Abraham, even as a friend of God, and gave him Bread and Wine to comfort him, and blessed him. Thus the Reader may see, that God was in the form and likeness of man from Etern [...]ty, and this Mel­chizedek King of Salem, the Priest of the most [...]igh God, was the Eternal God himself, who was without Fathe [...], without Mo­ther, and without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life: This must needs be the Eternal [...]od himself, who made man in his own Image and likeness.

CHAP. XI.

ANd as for his being made like unto the Son of God, abideth a Priest continually; that was to signifie to Abraham that this Melchizedek the Eternal God would take upon him the seed of Abraham, and would become a Son of Abraham; and as he had been Abrahams Father, so he would in the fulness of time become Abrahams Son; and this Jesus Christ was that Melchizedek that took upon him Abrahams seed, and became Abrahams Son, and Abraham became Gods Father. This is the mystery of God indeed, yet the Scripture is full to prove it; for this Christ is called the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the Son of Seth, the Son of Adam, the Son of God.

Now mind that all these men were called the Sons of God before God took upon him the seed of Abraham in the Virgins womb; but when that child Jesus was born of a Virgin, then those men aforesaid were called his Fathers; so that David in spirit called his Son Christ Lord, and yet he knew at that time by the spirit of Prophecy that God would take his seed upon him, and become his Son, and call himself Christ; for God took not upon him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abra­ham, that is, he took upon him the seed of Faith that was in Abraham, and not the nature of Angels, which is the seed of pure reason in the Angels; so that God took upon him his own nature that he breathed into Adam, even the breath of life that became seed in him, that is, the seed of Faith: Therefore Adam is called the Son of God, and God is called Adams Son, and Adam is called Gods Father, in that Christ is called th [...] Son of Adam, the Son of God; that is, God became a Son as aforesaid, and suffered death, and rose again, and ascended up to heaven again, from whence he came, and is now an high Priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedeck, being now entred into the some glory which he had before the world was, and is sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, in the same glory which he had before he descended from heaven into the Virgins womb. Thus the Reader may see that Eternity became time, and time is become Eternity again.

6. See Gen. 28.12. concerning Gods appearing to Jacob, And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the Angels of God ascending and de­scending on it. Verse 13. And behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. Verse 16. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep and said, Surely the Lord is in this place: this is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven. So in Verse 22. And this stone which I have set fo [...] a pillar, shall be Gods house. And Gen. 32.1, 2. And Jacob went on his way, and the Angels of God met him: and when Jacob saw them, he said, This is Gods host. So see Gen. 32.24. And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. Verse 27. And he said unto him, What is thy name? and he said, Jacob. For as a Prince hast thou power with God and man. Verse 29. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell [Page 35] me, I pray thee, thy name: and he said, Wherefore is it that th [...]: askest after my name? and he blessed him there. Verse 30. And Jacob called the name of the place Veniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

These are plain proofs of Scripture, to prove that God was in the form of man from Eternity, and that he made man in his own Image and likeness in respect of his bodily shape; because God always appeared to the Fathers of old, though a spiritual body, in the form and shape of mans body; neither did God ever appear in any other shape, but the shape of man, because it was his own shape: for it would have been a ridiculous thing for God to make man in his own image and likeness, and he himself to have no body, form nor likeness at all: Which way then could he have had any converse with man, neither could man have had converse with God; for an Infinite Spirit with­out any body, could never appear to man, nor converse with man, nor bless man: What blessing can a spirit without a body give to any man that hath a body.

This is the most absurdest opinion that ever was, that God should be a spirit without a body▪ This opinion did arise first from the children of Cain, and so it run through the Heathen; and the Q [...]kers Antichristian spirit is no other but the spirit of Cain, and of the Heathen. But the Children of Adam, and of Seth, and of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and those of their seed, did know that God was in the form of man in respect of his bodily shape, and God did always appear unto th [...]m i [...] the form and likeness of man in respect of his bodily shape, as he did here unto Jacob in his dream, he saw a ladder reach from earth to heaven, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it; and that the Angels that ascended and descended up and down this ladder were spiritual bodies in forms like men; and the Lord of Heaven and Earth, he being a spiritual body in form like man, stood above it, or at the top of the Ladder, ready to come down, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father, and the God of Isaac. So that Ja [...]ob knew the place where he saw this Vision was no other but the House of God, and the gate of Heaven: And as he went on his way, the Angels of God met him in the forms of men; and when he saw them, he said, This is Gods host; and Jacob knew that God followed hard after his host of Angels; so that when they [Page 36] were passed by, Jacob was left alone, then cometh God in the form of a man, wrestleth with Jacob until the breaking of the day.

CHAP. XII.

ANd God said unto Jacob what is thy name, and he said Ja­cob, and God said, as a Prince hast thou power with God and men; so that Jacob wrestled and prevailed with no less per­son then with the Eternal God himself: and seeing that he had prevailed as a strong Prinee with God, he was emboldned to ask his name; but the Lord God would not tell him any other name, but what he had told him before, I am the Lord God of thy Father Ahraham, and the God of Isaac; but however God blessed him, and Jacob knew it was the God of Heaven, that wrestled with him: For saith he I have seen God Face to Face, and my life is preserved. Now Penn the Q [...]aker, do you be­lieve that it was a Spirit without a body, that discoursed and wrestled thus with Jacob; did Jacob prevail with such a God, that is a formless Spirit without a body: I wonder how you dare to justifie such a God in publick, seeing the Scriptures are so full against your Anti-christian Spirit, that denieth the body of God, that made man in his own Image and likeness, in re­spect of his bodily shape, as well as his Soul; and what clear­er proof of Scripture can be given to prove the eternal to be in the form nnd likeness of a man, and that mans bodily shape and likeness is the Image of God, then this Scripture; concerning Jacob and God wrestling with him.

7. Again to prove God to have body and form like man, see Exod. 42.12. And the Lord said unto Moses, come up to me into the Mount, and be there and I will give the Tables of Stone; and Moses went up into the Mount of God. 15. ver. And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount-S [...]na, and the Cloud covered it six dayes, and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the Cloud. 17. ver. And the s [...]ght of the glory of the Lord, was like de­vouring Fire in the top of the Mount, in the Eyes of the Children of Israel, 18. ver. And Moses went into the midst of the Cloud, and gat him up into the Mount, and Moses was in the Mount forty [Page 37] days and forty nights; Exod. 33 9. And it came to pass as Moses entred into the Tabernacle, the Clouded Pillar descended and stood at the Door of the Tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. ver. 10. And all the People saw the Clo [...]dy Pillar stand at the Taber­nacle Door, and all the People rose up and wo [...]shiped▪ 11. ver. And the Lord spake unto Moses Face to Face, as a man speaketh to his Friend.

Here the Reader may see, that God did appear unto Moses in the form of a man, and spake plain words unto him, and said unto him, come unto me into the Mount; so that God did confine himself into that place of the Mount, only to talk with Moses: Also God gave Moses Tables of Stone; observe those T [...]bles of Stones that God gave Moses to write on, were no Stones of this Earth, but Stones that were of a purer nature; even Stones of that Earth above the Stars, only to signifie that God had written the Law in the Stony heart of man who receiv­ed this Law written in his heart, from the Seed of the Serpent that was thrown down from Heaven, even that Serpent that be­guiled Eve; likewise God being a spiritual body, but of the stature a of mi [...]dle statured man, he could come down from Hea­ven in a Cloud upon the Mount, and when Moses went up un­to the Mount of God, then did God descend from Heaven in a Cloud up [...]n the Mount, and covered the Mount with the Cloud, and the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sina, and the Cloud covered it six days.

That is, the brightness of Gods person did shine upon the Mount, which no natural Eyc could look upon him, only the Cloud covered his bright glory; so that Moses might speak with him Face to Face, though he could not see his Face; yet God called unto Moses out of the midst of the Cloud, and at the sight of the glory of the Lord it was like devouring Fire in the top of the Mount, in the Eyes of the Children of Israel; yet notwithstanding Moses went into the midst of the Cloud, and was in the Mount forty days and forty nights; likewise when Moses entred into the Tabernacle, the Cloudy Pillar de­scended and stood at the Door of the Tabernacle, and the L [...]rd t [...] l [...]ed with Moses; observe the Tabernacle was always below the Mount, and when God had any thing to reveal to Moses when he was in the Tabernacle: God always descended in this Cloudy Pillar, and it always stood at the Door of the Taber­nacle [Page 38] and out of this Cloudy Pillar which stood at the Door of the Tabernacle; did God speak to Moses Face to Face, as a man speak [...]th to his Friend.

By these Scripture words, a man may clearly see that God is a spirit [...]al body, in form like a man, and did always appear so to the righteous; and we see that God being of no biger sta­ture then a man, being spiritual, he can subscribe his person into what particular place he please, and speak with what particular pers [...]n h [...] please to speak unto, and he being of a like spiritua l fiery body, that the very Clouds shall bear him up, and the Clouds shall descend from Heaven with him in it, at his command; and at his command the Clouds shall ascend, and carry him up to Heaven again; even as a Kings Chariot doth carry him here on Earth, up Hill and down Hill: Such a God as this do I own and believe in, and do deny such a God as Penn the Quaker worshipeth, who is a Spirit without any body or form at all; that can neither hear, nor see, nor speak, nor be subscribed to no particular place, but is at all places at one and the same time, and nevertheless from being in all places at one and the same time; such a kind of God as this, will do a particular man but little good in time of trouble; neither wi [...]l this God deliver Penn himself, nor save him from that Sentence and Judgement, that a mortal man hath given him in the [...]ay of account.

8. See Exod. 34.34. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the [...]aile off, until he came out. 35. ver. And the Children of Israel saw the Face of Moses, that the Skin of Moses Face shone; and Moses put the Vaile upon his Face again, until he went in to speak with him; so Numb. 12.4. And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Mi­riam, and they three came out. 5. ver. And the Lord came down, in the Pillar of the Cloud, in the Door of the Tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forth. 6. ver. And he said hear now my words, if there be any Prophet among you, I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a Vision, and will speak unto him in a D [...]eam. 7. ver. My Servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 8. ver. with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark Speeches, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold.

Here the Reader may see clearly that God is in the form of man; for Moses was a man, and that Moses when he went to speak with Go [...], he took the Vaile off his Face, until he had done speaking with God, and when Moses came from talking with God, he put the Vaile over [...]. [...]ace a [...]ain, because the Children of Israel should not look upon th [...] Face of Moses, be­cause [...]e Skin of his Face did shine, nor speak unto [...]m, ex­cept th [...] Vaile was upon hi [...] Face; likewise we see that the Lord sp [...] suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, and that God said unto them hear now my words; if there be a [...]phet among you, I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a Vision, and will speak unto him in a Dream; my Servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house; with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark Speeches, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold.

Observe Moses was a man, and he spake to God mouth to mouth; so that God had a mouth as well as Moses. Secondly, that Gods talking with Moses mouth to mouth, made his face to shine so bright that the people could not look upon Moses face. Thirdly, that the Lord descended and came down from Heaven in the Pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the Tabernacle, and that God called out of the Pillar of the eloud unto Aaron and Miriam. Fourthly, that God doth make him­self known to some by Vision and Dream. Fifthly, That God spake familiar words unto Moses as a man speaks to his friend. Sixthly, That Moses did see and behold the similitude of the Lord; that is, Moses did see and behold that God was in the form of Man, according to his own revelation in Genesis; God made man in his own Image, and likeness. These Scriptures are full to prove, that God is a spiritual person in form like a man, and that he is subscribed to one particular place at a time, where he please; and that his person was contained only in the Pillar of the cloud when he descended from Heaven upon the Mount, to talk with Moses, and there was no God in Heaven for that season, but his Power only, until he did ascend to Heaven in the Pillar of the cloud again. Thus God was and is when he please, contained and subscribed to a particular place, even in the Pillar of a cloud upon the Mount of Sina, and God was no [Page 40] where else in his person at that time but there. This God was Moses and the true Prophets God, and this is Reeve and Mug­gletons God.

CHAP. XIII.

9. THat made man in his own Image and likeness in respect of his body as well as his soul, this was the God that the righteous Fathers of old did serve and believe in, as I have shewed before; neither is there titles of honour attributed but to a person; and though we do know, and believe the everlast­ing God, who made man in his own Image and likeness to be a spiritual body or person; yet this spiritual body its clearer than Christal, brighter than the Sun, sw [...]fter than thought when he please, yet a body. This Penns imagination cannot compre­hend; this is that God of Jeshu [...]un that rideth upon the heavens, and in his excellency on the sky, and sitteth upon the circle of the Earth; he being a spiritual body, he rideth upon the wings of the wind, in that he hath made the clouds for the pavement of his feet; and he hath commanded the winds to drive the clouds which way he please, even as a King doth his Charet upon earth. He maketh the Clouds to descend from H [...]aven to Earth with his person in it, when he please; and he command­eth the cloud to ascend from earth to heaven again when he please.

And when he please he rideth in a Cloud about the Circle of the Firmament of Heaven, and overlooketh the Circle of the Earth, yet his bulk and bigness but the dimention of a middle statured man, yet his body being of that clearness, and brightness, and swiftness, the Clouds can carry a spiritual body with ease, and can ascend and descend, as we read that God did ascend and descend in the Pillar of the Cloud when he spake to Moses and Aaron in Mount Sina; likewise we read that God set a Ladder on the Earth, which the top reached up to Heaven: This Ladder was for the Angels, being spiritual bodies, to descend and ascend, and this Ladder was made of the Clouds; and the steps of the Ladder that reached from Earth to Heaven, were but three steps, to signifie the three Commissions, or three Re­cords,

[...]

CHAP. I.

Or three Records upon Earth, to wit, the Water, Blood and Spirit, Answerable to those three Records in Heaven of Father, Word and Spirit: And as this Ladder bad but three steps from Heaven to Earth, to signifie, that God would descend from Heaven but three times to speak unto men to the hearing of the eare, to give them Commission here on Earth, that they might all three A­gree in one to bear Record to those three in Heaven, of Father, Word and Spirit, to be but one Personal God, in the Forme and Likeness of Mans bodily shape.

SO that God hath made the Clouds as a Ladder with three steps for the Angels and himself, to descend and ascend when he pleased:— and whereas it is said, that Jacob saw in his Vi­sion the Angels come down the Ladder first, it was to signifie that the dispensation of Angels should be Acted first upon this earth by Moses and the Prophets: and whereas it is said, That God was upon the top of the Ladder that reached to Heaven:— and after the Angels were passed by, then God that sate at the top of the Ladder, he came down and wrestled with Jacob, to signifie, that he would descend from Heaven into the Womb of a Virgin, and become very man, and would suffer death, and shed his most pre­cious blood for the redemption of the seed of Abraham and Isaac his Fathers:- and that his Apostles should bear witness that he shed his most precious blood:— And for this Record of theirs, their bloods should be shed also, which came to pass: and this was the Record of blood here upon earth, Answerable to the Record of the Word in Heaven; and this was the second step and dis­pensation from Heaven Acted upon this earth by Christ and his Apostles:— and the third and lowest step of this Ladder is the dispensation or commission of the Spirit now in this last Age, when God spake unto John Reeve, and gave Lodowick Muggleton to be his mouth: This Commission of the Spirie hath bore witness here on Earth to that one God in heaven, called Father, Word [Page 2] and Spirit, to be in the form [...] of mans bodily shape and likeness; and that he made Man in hi [...] own Imag [...] and likeness, wi [...]hout any mental Reservation; an [...] [...]is Record of the Spirit, it hat [...] been in being upon this earth above 20 years; and as those that were spi [...]ituallized in the other tw [...] Commissions, as Moses, Elijah and Christ, that ascended up to Heaven in a cloud, to signifie, that all the true seed in their Commissions in the Resurrection shall ascend up to Heaven in clouds also:— and so shall we the Witnesses of the Spirit, and all true believers of this third and last R [...]cord of the Spirit in the Resurrection rise spiritual bodies, and shall be caught up with clouds to meet the Lord in the Air; this is the true Inter­pretation of Jacobs Vision.

Further, I s [...]y, it is clear by Scriprure, that spiritual bodies doth descend from Heaven in Clouds, and asc [...]nd to Heaven in Clouds, as may be seen Mat. 17.3. And behold, [...]here appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him: This M [...]ses and Elias came down from heaven in a cloud upon that high mount [...]in, as may be seen from ver. 5. While he yet spake, behold a bright Cloud over-sha­dowed them, and behold a voice out of the Cl [...]ud which said, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him. It is clear, that this bright cloud brought Moses and Elias from heaven upon that Mountain;— and they ascend [...]d up to heaven again in that bright cloud: so in Acts 1.9. While they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight, and carried him up to Heaven, as may be seen, ver. 10. so that spiritual bodies may ascend up to hea­ven in clouds as charets, even as natural bodies are carried up and down in charets here upon this earth.

And this is to be minded by the Reader, that there never went any souls or spirits to heaven in a cloud without bodies:— for if the spirit ascended in a cloud, the body ascended in a cloud also:- they came both together, and go both together, and are never se­parated the one from the other;— Furthermore, God hath made several sorts of clouds;— some bright and white clouds, and some [Page 3] black clouds and clouds of fire:— and all these several sorts of clouds are Gods char [...]ts for spiritual bodies to ride in, or to descend or ascend, as may be seen, 2 Kings 1.11 concerning Elijah and E­lisha, And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked, that behold there appeared a Charet of Fire, and Horses of Fire, and parted them both asunder.— Here the Rea [...]er may see, that God hath in hea­ven Charets of Fire, and Horses of Fire:— and he hath command­ed the strong whirlwind to do his work, to b [...]ar up the fi [...]ry hor­ses and fiery charets, with the body and soul of Elijah in i [...] to hea­ven:— These things will seem to Antichr [...]st [...]an-spirited Qu [...]kers, who hath no saith in the Scriptures but as idle tales:— yet it i [...] the real truth and Power of God to those that have saith to believ the Scriptures, and doth understand the Power of God to them, it will be peace and satisfaction of mind:— for these things are pos­sible with God; and it i [...] possible for the seed of Faith t [...] believe, but it is impossible for the Seed of the Serpent, such as Penn the Quaker is, to comprehend or understand by his Reaso [...], Gods Forme, Nature, nor handy Works not here on earrh, much less his handy Works in Heaven.

In the next place I shall give the R [...]ader to understand in a measure, how far a man may make graven Images, and how far not;— and why [...]od was so ang [...]y with the people of Israel for making graven Images, and punishing them for it:— We read in the second Commandment Moses gave to Israel, the words are these, Thou shalt have no other Gods but m [...], or before me: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image, or any likeness of any thing tkat is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the eart [...]: thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, &c.

Observe Reader and minde: First, that there is things in h [...]a­ven above, as God himself, and Angels, and all other creatures in a glorious celestial state; likewise, there is things here on earth, as man, beasts and other creatures; and there is things in the a­ters [Page 4] under the Earth, as Fish and Fowl; Now observe, we finde in Scripture, that it was lawful to make graven Images of things in heaven above, as Angels and Cherubims, as Solomon did, yet God did not blame him for it, but rather commended him: like­wise we see that cunning Workmen doth paint and carve out Images here upon earth; the Images and Pictures of Kings and other great men, and all sorts of beasts upon the earth, they are carved and painted out by skilful Workmen; also the skilful Workman with his Tools and Implements doth carve and paint out all kinde of Fish and Fowl that are in the Waters under the Earth, yet God doth not blame men for it, nor charge them wi [...]h doing that which is unlawful.

CHAP. II.

So that a man may make the Image of God in heaven above, in wood or stone, as well as they do make the Image of Angels, and the Image and Picture of Christ, and yet be blam [...]less; but here lieth the unlawfulness of making graven Images, in setting this graven Image apart for his God, to worship it; so that a man wor­ships a God of his own making, which can neither speak, hear, see, walk nor stir from the place he is set, except he that made this God take it and remove it to yonder place; for here lieth the wicked blindness of mans undetstanding, he being made a living man himself, by a living God in heaven, — he ought to worship this living God that made man in his own Image and likeness, a li­ving man to worship a living God: but be cause Men cannot see that living God that made him, therefore he will go make him­self a dead God of wood and stone, and guild it over with Gold, and set it in such a place that he m [...]y see his God he hath made, and worship it.— Now this worshipping of graven Images that hath not life in them, is that which God condemns and will pu­nish: As for example, when Christ was upon earth a living man, It was lawful to fall down and worship him, as several did that saw him: but if you shall draw out his Image and likeness in wood, stone, Gold or Silver, and bow down and worship this [Page 5] Image, though it may be very like him: yet you worship an I­dol; as for example, we see the Picture and Image of the King in many signes; and the Picture and Image is very like him; but if any man shall bow down and worship this Image or Picture of the King as he doth to the Kings Person that is alive, it is great Ido­latry.

But for a man to make this Supplication and Petition to a live King, is no idolatry, but allowable of God, ther [...]fore the Jews were condemned by the Prophet Isaiah, and by the Prophet Eli­jah, for bowing their kne [...]s to Baal, why, because the Image of Baal had no life in him: neither could he see, hear, smell, taste, speak nor stir from the place where they see him:— This was hor­rible idolatry, for which Gods Anger was kindled against them: but to bow the knee to a King that is a [...]ive, or any other man in Authority, and to do obeisance to them is no idolatry, but com­mended and commanded of God, for the inferiour person to do re­verenc [...] to the Superiour p [...]rson: and it was a practice of the Fa­thers of old to bow themselves to them that were above them, as Abraham the father of the Faithful, when he s [...]w thr [...]e Angels in the Fo [...]ms of men, he bowed himself eoward the ground: and the two Angels that came to Lot, when he saw th [...]m he rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground: likewise Jacob when he met his brother Esau bowed himself be­fore him with his face toward the ground: likewise Josephs bre­thren, when they came to Egypt to buy corn, they bow [...]d down themselves unto Joseph with their faces to the earth s [...]veral times in obeisance to Jo [...]eph.

Besides, it was always the custom of the righteous as well as the wicked, to bow thems [...]lves, and to shew ob [...]isance and reve­rence to gre [...]t men in power that is alive, and it is j [...]stifiable in the sight of God and man: but if any man shall off r up sacri­fice, or make any Prayer or Petition, or bow them [...]elves, and yield obedience and reverence to the golden Image, or any other [Page 6] Picture or Image that hath no life in i [...], that can neither hear, see nor speak as the Priests of Baal did to the Image Baal, and as the Israelites did ro worship the golden calf: and as the Heathen all the world over did wo [...]s [...]ip Imag [...]s, as David saith, the Heathen worship I [...]g [...]s that see not, th [...]y hear n [...]t, neither can they speak t [...]rough the throat; so that it is not unlawful for Workmen to make the Image and liken [...]ss of ma [...], which is the Image of God, nor to mak [...] the Image and l [...]keness of Christ, [...]or the Image of the King or any other man; or t [...]e Image and lik [...]n [...]ss of all kind of beasts, fowls and fishes, a [...] is c [...]mm [...]n y in sig [...]s to d [...]stinguish one from the other, as some ha h the Image of a King, some the Image of a Lion, and others th [...] Image of a Lamb, therefore called, The Sign of the Holy Lamb.

These Images are all lawful for Workmen to make; but for a man to worship this Image he hath made, though it be the Image of the King himself, nay, though it be th [...] Image of God the King of Heaven, whose Image may b [...] ma [...]e as the Image of Christ is made, the only wise Go [...] in the state of m [...]rtality, as he was upon the earth, and now he is in glory, he retaineth the same Image, forme and likeness as he did when h [...] was upon earth; so that the skilful Workman may make the Image and likeness of God as he doth another man, yet no man ought to worship this image and likeness of God, though set up by Authority; and who­ever doth worship this Image made by man, they do worship an idol, and are liable to those plagues God hath threatned to those that worship idols; and this was the great fin the children of Is­rael committed, which was the cause of Gods Anger, which cau­sed him to remove them out of that Land which he gave them; so that a man may worship the living God, who is in the forme and likeness of man, but not his Image, that hath no life, which is made by man. Secondly, a man may bow himself with his face to the ground to an Ang [...]l, as Abraham and Lot did, but not to the Image of an Angel. Thirdly, a man may bow his face to the ground to a King, as Josephs brethren did to him, but not to [Page 7] the Image of the King: This is the true meaning and minde of God in that second Commnn [...]ment. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, nor the likeness of a [...]y thing in Heaven above, nor in the Earth beneath, nor i [...] the waters u [...]der the Earth; Thou shalt not bow d [...]wn thy s [...]lf to them, nor serve them. And to conclude this point, we see that God d [...]th not f [...]rbid the making of graven I­mages, and lik [...]n [...]ss [...]s of t [...]ings in heaven above, nor in tne Earth beneath, nor in the waters under the e [...]rt [...]; but he doth forbid all men not to worship nor bow down th [...]mselves, nor serve those images and like [...]sses of things in heaven above, nay, thoug [...] it be the image and [...]ikeness of God himself, so that no image whatso­ever is made by man, man ought not to w [...]rship it; and who­ever doth bow [...]imself to any image whats [...]ever, though dedica­ted to an holy use, he is an idolater, and guilty of the breach of the second Commandment, and so liable to that punishment the living God who i [...] in the forme of Man in Heaven hath threatned to those that worship idols.

In page 8. Penn brings that place in John to prove God to be a spirit without a body, where Christ said to the woman of Samaria, God is a Spirit, and they that wo ship bim, must worship him in spirit and in truth; saith Penn to this, but the only wise and in visi [...]le God is that infinite Spirit, therefore not confined to any bodily shape.

Answer 1. That a spirit hath no being at all without a bodily shape, let it b [...] infinite or finite; and except a spirit be confined to a bodily shap [...], it is nothing at all; for a spirit can have no existence, nor being no where, nor in no where without a body;- neither can there be any body that hath life in it without a spirit, for spirit and life cannot be separated from its body, for if the body be alive the spirit is alive: and if the spirit and life be dead the body is dead also, so that there no spirit neither finite nor in­finite can be without a body, n [...]ither in God, Angels nor men, nor no other living creature, neither in heaven above, nor in the [Page 8] earth beneath. Secondly, a man may as well worship God in spi­rit and truth without a body, as for God to be a spirit without a body; for God doth expect worship and obedience from bodies, and not from spirits without bodies; but if God himself hath no body of h [...]s own, as Penn saith, how shall his creature which he hath made worship such a Go [...], a spirit that cannot be confined to no bodily shape, neither in Heav [...]n nor in earth. Thirdly, if Penn could but let me see some os the Q [...]akers spitits when they go out of their bo [...]ies, as they say; how t [...]ey do worship God in spi­rit and truth without bodies, then I might see Gods Spirit with­out a body also: but it is t [...] be doubted, that they do not know one anothers spirits thems [...]lves, having no bodies, as they did when their spirits were confined to these bodies of flesh, blood and bone; in my thoughts, their bodies did become their spirits when they had b [...]di [...]s ve [...]y well, for I have seen several of their spirits whe [...] they had bodies, b [...]t a [...] a [...]e gone out of the body the [...] is none knows one Q [...]kers [...]pirit from another, nor which was which, for w [...] [...] any [...] spirits cannot be found by God hims [...]lf, fo [...] [...] any [...]it whatsoever without a body; an [...] [...] wi [...]hou [...] b [...]y shall ever stand b [...]fo [...] [...]e [...] P [...] ­ther did Christ in [...]d to make [...]he woman believe, that G [...]a spitit without a body; neither did he expe [...]t her to worship God in spirit and truth without a body, for the one is as possible as the other.

CHAP. III.

FOR though Christ said, That God is a Spirit, and those that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth: he knowing that God is a spiritual body, therefore said to be a Spirit; and that man is a natural body, therefore he must worship this God that hath a spiritual body, in spirit and in truth of heart that is in mans natural body; for he that worships God that hath a spiritual body of his own, doth worship God in spirit and in truth; [Page 9] and no man can worship God in spirit and in truth of heart with­out a body; so that if God were a spirit without a body; a man may as well be a spirit without a body, and may worship such a God in spirit and truth without a body, which is ridiculous and inconsistent with Reason; but she understood that God was a spi­ritual body in heaven, and that his body and spirit was one per­sonal God, and that her [...]wn body and spirit was natural; yet she kn [...]w, that this natural spirit a [...]d life in her natural body, ought to worship God, her Creator and Rede [...]mer in spirit and in truth of heart, with all her soul, and with all her strength. And those that do so doth worship God in spirit and in truth, so that if na­tural bod es and natural spirits can worship God in spirit and in truth, it will follow that God is a spiritual person also. More might be said in this, but I shall pass it by.

Likewise Penn quotes, Rom. 8.3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through tho flesh, God sending his own Son in the like­ness of sinful flesh, for sin condemned sin in the flesh, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the forme of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.

Penns Reply to this: He grants that Christ took upon him, not only the shape of a man, but the flesh and blood of a Virgin, and saith the Question will then be this, Whether Christ had this shape be­fore he took it: And in page 9. Penn saith, God is not in the likeness of sinful flesh, nor made in the likeness of man: And in page 10. Penn saith, To conclude, if he, will interpret Gods Hands, Armes and Span, to signifie his Power, as is most true, saith he: Then, saith Penn, I will also explain Gods Image to be Holiness, which, saith he, is also true.

Answer. Here Penn grants, that God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh;— Observe, if Christ were Gods own Son then he was the express Image of his Fathers Person, he being the only begotten Son of God; and if the Son were in the forme of man, then he that begot him must n [...]eds be in the forme and [Page 10] shape of man also:— for a spirit without a body could never be­get a son with a body like man, for every thing begets its like; so that if God begot a Son in his own likeness, and that in the shape of Man, as the Scripture saith; then it will follow, that God the Father of Christ was in the forme and shape of Man before he begot him: neither can Pauls words be true, except God hath a body, forme and shape of his own, because he hath begot a Son in the Womb of a Virgin, in the forme of man, nay, very man. And this Man Christ Jesus is said to be the express Image and bright­ness of Gods Person: so tha [...] Paul did conclude, that Gods Person was in the forme of mans bodily shape, as is most true. Is it not gross ignorance for a man to say, That God was in no form nor shape when he made Man in his own Image and likeness, seeing he hath begot a Son since, that which is the express Image and brightness of Gods Person; and what testimony can be more sure, to prove that God was in the forme of Man, in respect of bodily shape, from Eternity: but be [...]ause Jesus Christ his only begotten Son, was in the forme and shape of man when he was upon earth, and when he was in the liken [...]ss of sinful flesh, he was at that same time the express Image, and brightness of Gods Person; and he doth retain that body, forme and shape still in heaven: so that the visible Body of Christ is sufficient to p ove, that God had a Body like man when he made Man in his own Image and likeness in respect of his bodily shape: Let the Reader consider, did ever Moses, the Prophets, Apostles or Christ himself, pray to a spirit without a body: Did Christ say, Father, if it be possible let this Cup pass from me, Not my Will but thy Will he done. Did he pray these words to an infinite spirit without any body, that can neither hear, see nor be confined to no particular place, what need soever his Son had of his help. All this will not convince the spirits of these blinde Quakers that carrieth their God within them, who are hardned in their hearts, as Pharaoh was, for eternal dam­nation.

Secondly, Penn doth confess, that this Son of God took upon [Page 11] him the forme of a servant and was made in the likeness of man Thirdly, Penn doth confess that Christ took upon him not only the shape of a man, but the flesh and blood of a Virgin, and sai [...]h the Question will then be this;— Whether Christ had that shupe before he took it.

Answer: That the Spirit of Christ, and the Spirit of God is all one and the same spirit, this the Quakers doth acknowledge, and think none that doth own the Scriptures doth deny:— And if it be granted, that the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God are but one spirit, as is most true: then this will be the result, that when Christ took upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likeness of man: God also took upon him the forme of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man also. Secondly, Christs spi­rit and Gods spirit being but one spirit, then when Christ took not only the shape of a man, but the flesh and blood of a Virgin also; for God and Christ were always together, and never were divided nor separated one from the other in thems [...]lves, though it seemeth otherwise to us.

And to Answer your Question, whether Christ had the shape of a man before he took it of the Virgin; To this I say, he had the shape of a man from Eternity: and this Christ was he that said, Let us make man in our own Image and likeness. This he spake in relation to a twofold condition, that is, he was now when he made man in the Creation in a ipiritual, heavenly and glorious estate and condition in the Throne of the Father and Creator, the Al­mighty God, the great Jehovah:— but I will become a childe in the womb of a Virgin, and will take upon me the same seed of Adam, when I created him, even the seed of faith, which I sowed in his heart in the day when I created him, even my own seed of faith, and I will become in the condition of a servant, and will be found in the shape of man, and be as a servant to my own crea­tures, though I made them all, and am Lord of them all, yet I will be as a servant to all; so that Christ had the shape of man before [Page 12] he took upon him the forme of a servant, and the flesh and blood of a Virgin:— but flesh, blood and bone he had not, before he took upon him the s [...]ed of Abraham, for flesh, blood and bone is proper only to natural bodies, and not to spiritual bodies.

So that God hath been in two states and conditions, but his fo [...]me and shape hath be [...]n all one, even the forme, Image and likeness of man: so that it may be clear to those that hath the true light of faith in them that Christ was in the forme and shape of mans Body, before he took the flesh and blood of a Virgin

Thirdly, page 9. Penn saith, God is not in the likeness of sinful flesh, nor made in the likeness of men: Observe, a little before he did own, that Christ the only begotten Son of God was found in the shape of man, and that he took upon him the flesh and blood of a Virgin, and took upon him the forme of a servant, and that God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and that Gods Son was made of no reputation. Fourthly, page 10. Penn saith, To conclude, if he will interpret Gods Hands, Armes and Span, to signifie his Power, as is most true: then saith Penn, will I also explain Gods Image to be holiness, which, saith he, is also true.

Answer. I do acknowledge that Gods Hands, Armes and Span doth signifie his Power, as is most true: but this I say, there can be no Power without a spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, and there can be no spirit of Wisdom and Understanding without a body, that hath Hands and Armes, that can span out the heavens by his Wisdom, and lay the foundation of the earth with his under­standing, this wisdom and und [...]rstanding it comes from a body that h [...]th Hands and Armes; As for example, a wise Builder, he layeth the Foundation of a Tower very strong, he spanneth and squa [...]eth out the length and the bredth of it by his wisdom and und [...]standing, and this he do [...]h from a body: for it is impossible f [...] any Power whatsoever to have any being at all without a [Page 13] body: nor for any wisdom, understanding or sense, of seeing, hear­ing, tasting, smelling or spanning, to have any b [...]ing at all with­out a body, as it is for a spirit to build a Tower, City or House without a body;

Fifthly, you say you will explain Gods Image to be holiness without a bo [...]y: but you are not so good as y [...]ur word, you do not explain it at all; but you say. if Muggleton wil [...] have it, that because God made man after his own Image, and that a man hath head, eyes, nose, ears, hands therefore God hath such t o, there­fote Penn will explain Gods Image to be holiness without a body, and this is all the proof he gives.

CHAP. III.

Answer. You know that Muggleton doth affirm, that God hath a head, ears and hands as a man hath; but it seems Penns God hoth no head, no eyes to see, nor ears to hear, nor hands to handle; This as true a word as ever Penn spake in his life; his God is a headless God, without ey [...]s, ears, nose or hands; he is stark blind, having no eyes to see, and so thick of hearing having no ears o hear; nor smell, because he hath no Nose: therefore let Penn cry ever so loud, he cannot hear him, for his God is holiness without a body, which is nothing at all,— but the true God that made man in his own Image and likeness hath a body of his own, and hath a h [...]ad as a man hath to un [...]erstand, eyes to see, ears to hear, a nose to smell, and hands to handle, therefore he is called a holy G [...]d, a righteous and just God, a merciful God, for if he had no body he could have no holiness, nor give any righteous Iudgement, nor shew no mercy at all to sinners; if God had no body, he could not have written that righteous Law in every mans heart, to accuse him wh [...]n he doth evil, and to excuse him when he doth well: b [...]sides, it is a common custom with p [...]ople to say, such a man is a good man, a holy, just and righteous man; Now is it not the body of man that doth act holy; just and righ­teous [Page 14] actions between man and man, and such are called good-spirited men, and righteous before the Lord, as Noah was found righteous before the Lord, and Lot is called rig [...]teous Lot, because he entertained the two Angels, so that there can be no holiness to­war [...]s G [...]d, but in the body of man, which is our most holy faith; so that there can be no holy faith to believe in Go [...] but in the bo­dy of man; neither can God be a holy God except he hath a body, so that holinesse without a body is not the true God: but a God of mans imagination, a meer nothing at all. This is Penn the Quakers God.

In the next place, I shall prove by Scripture, that Iesus Christ was that God that created the World in the beginning, and that made man in his own Image and likeness.— the first Sc [...]ipture to prove Christ to be God and man, is Isa. 9.6. For unto us a Child is b [...]n, unto us a Son is given, and the Government shall be pon his shoulder, and his Name shall be called Wonde [...]ful Councellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. This was a P [...]o­phecy, that God would become flesh, an [...] become a little Childe, even the Child Jesus, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace; so likewise in Isa. 7.14. Behold, a Virgin shall con­ceive and bear a Son, and shall call his Name Emanuel, which is by interpretation, God with us. Here it is clear, that the Prophet I­saiah did prophecy, that God would descend from Heaven into the Womb of a Virgin, and take upon him the seed of Abraham, and not the nature of Ang [...]ls; for seed and Nature is a [...]l one thing, but he took upon him the seed of David, in as much as the Virgin was of Davids lineage, and God that was Davids Lord did becom Davids son, in that he become a little Child in the Womb of a Virgin of Davids seed; this was that Childe Iesus, the mighty God, the everlasting Father: This is the Mystery of all Mysteries God menifest in the flesh of that Childe Iesus.

Thirdly, in Mat. 1.23. Behold, a Virgin shall be with Child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call his Name Emanuel, which b [...]ing [Page 15] interpreted, is God with us; so Luke. 1 35. And the Angel Answered and said u [...]to her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called she Son of God.

Reader, observe here the Prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled, that God should descend from Heaven int [...] the W [...]mb of a Virgin, and become a Son of David, and Son of God, and very God, even the Child Iesus, the mig [...]ty God and everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; he is called a Son, because he was born of a Virgin; Now minde, who it was that begot this Chil [...]e J [...]sus in the Womb of a Virgin; it was the Holy Ghost and the Power of the most H [...]gh, was the holy God himself, and he descen [...]ed from Heaven into the Womb of the Virgin, and transmuted his spiritual body into a pure natural body, and so became a Man childe, a Son, a Savi­our; the plain meaning is this, that God the Fat [...]er and Creator of all things begot hims [...]lf in [...]o a Son in the Womb of a Virgin, and so changed all his Titles as he was God the Creator, to the Titles of Sonship as he was God the Redeemer: so that when Ie­sus Christ was upon earth, then was Ema [...]uel, which being inter­preted, is God with us, so that whoever doth truly believe and understand that Iesus Christ was both Father, Son and holy Spi­rit, may say, that God is wit [...] us; and to satisfie the Reader, why Christ is called the Son of David, it is this, he is the Son of Da­vid by the Mothers-side, and by the Fathers side the Son of God, because the Virgin, in whose Womb he c [...]nceived himself, [...]aking her seed upon him, she being of Davids seed and tribe; and Davtd being of Abrahams seed; and he taking this seed upon him in the Womb of a Virgin, he became very man: so that by the Mothers side he was Davids Son and very man, but by the Fathers side he was very God, and in this fence Christ was very God and very man, and he that was Davids Lord and Creator of Heaven and Earth, is now become Davids son, and in this sense Christ is called the Son of David If any man hath ears to hear, let h m hear and understand this great Mystery of God manifest in [Page 16] the flesh, and it will be for his good.

Fourthly, this will appear to be truth, Iohn 1.2. In the Begin­ing was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ver. 2. The same was in the Beginning with God, ver. 3. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made, ver. 4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men, ver. 6. There was a man sent of God whose name was John, ver. 7. The same came for a witnesse, to bear witnesse of the light, that all men through him might be saved, ver. 8. He was not that light, but was sent to bear wit­nesse of that light, ver. 9. That was the true light which enlightneth eve­ry man coming into the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not, ver. 14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst men.

These Scriptures are remarkabl [...], to prove that Christ was the eter [...]al God▪ and that it was he that created the World in the be­g [...]nning, and that ma [...]e Man in his own Image and likeness; for he was in the beginning the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and all things were made by him that is, by Christ, and w thout him was nothing made that was made, so that Christ by the Power of his Word in the beginning made all things that are made, so that Christ was in the forme, shape and likeness of mans b [...]dily shape before he made all things, else he would never have taken that forme and shape of man, had he not had that before be took it, likewise we see by this Scripture that in the beginning that this Christ was God the Father, and Creator of all things; and that it was this I [...]sus Christ that cre­ated man in his own Im [...]ge, fot this Christ was in the Beginning the Word, and the W [...]rd was with God, and the Word was God, and there was nothing made that was made but what this Word did make, and this W [...]r [...] made man in his own image and like­ness, so that it may be clear by these Scriptures, that Christ was and is that God that created man in his own image and likeness, and that Christ the only God had that image and likeness, befo [...]e it [Page 17] came into his heart to create this world, or man in his own Image; but this twofold condition in God, transmuting his spiritual body into a pure natural body, it hath confounded the wisdom of Rea­son, the fallen Angels nature in all men in the world.

Likewise in Christ was life eternal, and his life was the light of men, and Iohn Baptist was sent to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe.— Now Iohn pressed no man to believe in any other God, but this Iesus Christ that was the true light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world. Now who can enlighten all m [...]n that cometh into the world, but he that is the only God; and this God was in the world, and the world knew him not, and the world was made by him. Now who could make the world but God, therefore Christ must needs be God as well as man; he that made the world, and was in the world, and the world knew him not; so that the world could not know Christ to be God and man, but some few he chose out of the world did know that Christ was God and man, and that he only had the words of eternal life: and further, they did know that this Christ was that Word that was made flesh, and dwelt among them, and they saw his glory but as the glory of the only be­gotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Thus the Reader may see, that doth understand Prophecy, Revelation and Inter­pretation of Scripture, that Christ is both God and man in one single person, forme and likeness of man.

CHAP. IV.

I shall give the Reader some further proof, that Christ is God as well as man: so Col. 2.9. the Apostle speaking of Christ saith, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; what fuller expression can be uttered to prove Christ [...]o be God; for if all the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily in that Person of Christ, how then can there be any other God, either in person or spirit, but what is in Christs body, for all the fulness of the God­head [Page 18] is confined within that body of Christ; so that God is not such a great bulk to fill heaven and earth, as Penn the Quakers im­aginary God is, that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him; yet we see, that the Apostle Paul did believe, that Christ a middle-statured man d [...]d contain all the fulness of the Godhead bodily in him; and this is Reeve and Muggletons faith also: but Penn doth abhor such a God as is no bigger then a middle statured man should create the heavens and the earth, and make man in his own image, he doth abhor and defie such a God that is no bigger then a man, as I can prove from his own hand-writing; but let that pass.

These Scriptures a forementioned I have interpreted, to shew that Christ was God when he was upon earth, when he was in the condition os a son or a servant more like then a God, for Eternity was then become time, and so was exposed to sufferings, even to death it self; but now he is risen again from the dead, and ascend­ed up on high, and hath given gifts unto men, and is entred into the same glory which he had before the world was, and is sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, so that time is become Eternity again, so that Christ is now b [...]come the eternal God in glory again, as may be seen Rev. 1.18. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to [...]ome the Almighty. This Alpha and Omega is Christ the Almighty God that is now in the Throne of his glory, as may be seen ver. 11. I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last, ver. 13. And in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to his foot, ver. 14. His Head and his Hairs were white like wooll, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, ver. 15. and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters, ver. 16. And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his Countenance was as the Sun shineth in its strength, ver. 17. Saying unto me, fear not, I am the first and the last, ver. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am [Page 19] alive for evermore▪ Amen; and have the Keyes of Hell and o [...] death.

These Sayings of Iohn doth clearly prove, that Christ is God Almighty, now upon the Throne of glory, where he was before, and that Christ is that Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come the Al­mighty: the meaning is, that Christ is now upon the Throne of glory, therefore said, which is and which was, that is, Christ was Almighty God, the Alpha and Omega in the beginning of this world and from eternity: And which is to come, that is, Christ the e­ternal G [...]d, the Alpha and Omega, sh [...]ll co [...]e again in the clouds of Heaven with his Army of mighty Ange [...]s to put an end to this wicked world, and to raise the dead, and to give Iudgment upon the wicked and unbelieving, that despise [...] a Personal God, that would not have him to rule over them, because he had a body and shape like man, as wicked Penn the Quaker hath, and he is to come to reward the righteous who did believe him to be their God, their King, their Rede [...]mer; and that he is able to raise the dead, and give them everlasti [...]g life, according to his Promi [...]e, when he was upon earth, which no Antichristian-spirited Qua­ker doth believe.

And this Christ is he which Iohn saw like unto the Son of man, in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks, with a gar­ment down to the foot: the seven golden Candlesticks were the seven Churches of Asia, and the Son of man in the midst was Christ, and being clothed with a garment down to the foo [...], was his fl [...]sh he suffered death in, was now glorified with the same glory which he had before the world was. This was that garment down to the foot: and Christs Head and his Haits which had not a place to lay it on when he was upon earth is now in glory, white like wooll. as white as snow; and those eyes of his that w [...]pt over Ierusalem, are now as a flame of fire: and his feet that were wiped with the hair of the Womans head when he was upon [Page 20] earth, are now in glory, like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a Furnace; And h [...]s voic [...] that was not heard in the streets when he was upon earth, but was as dumb before the shearers, but now in glory his voice is as the sound of many watets; And when he was upon the earth, there proceeded out of his mouth soft, meek and milde words, even to his enemies, even as butter and oyl, as was prophecied of him; but now he is in glory there cometh out of his mouth a sharp two-edged sword: it will prove a sharp two-edged sword indeed to you Antichristian-spirited Quakers, that denieth his Person that suff [...]red death to have any being, and the countenance of Christ when he was upon earth▪ which was sad, because of the sufferings he went through, with the temptations and persecutions from devils continually; but now he is in glo­ry, his countenance is as the Sun shineth in his strength: and this Christ that was upon earth is the first and the last, and it is he that liveth and was dead, and behold he is alive for evermore. A­men.

And he by the suffering of death upon the Cross here on earth, in that he quickned again out of death unto life by his own Power, the [...]efore called a Quickning Spirit; he hath got power [...]over death and the grave, in that death could not keep him in the grave, as it doth us, because he was that Quickning Spirit, that quickned in his own body of flesh and bone, and raised it again, he hath gotten the K [...]ys of Hell and of death: he hath gained to himself by his death and rising again a greater power then he had before the world was, in that he [...]th Power now to keep the seed of the Serpent, such as Penn the Quaker is, in Hell▪ and un­der eternal death▪ as I am sure he wil, for his defying the living God in the forme of mans bodily shape and l [...]keness.

Thus I have proved by Scripture, that God was in the forme of man from E [...]ernity, in opp [...]sition to Penn the Quaker, that saith in [...]is Pamphl t, that God is not in the sh [...]pe of man, neither is m [...]n bodily shape the image of God, and saith, God is an in­finite [Page 21] spirit without any body at all. Also I have proved that Christ Iesus was both God and man when he was upon the earth: and that he is God Almighty, the everlasting God now in glory; I have been larger upon this point then I thought, but this being the most needful point of all for man to know, it being life eter­nal to know the true God, and not to know the true God is death eternal; and as I have prove [...] by Scripture, that God was in the image and lik [...]ness of man bef [...]re the world was, therefore God said, Let us make man in [...]ur own image and likeness; the Scriptures are more full to prove this point then any one thing, therefore I shall only name some places of Scripture, that doth say, Man is the Image of God, and so conclu e this p [...]int.

Gen. 1.26. And God said, Let us make man in our image and likeness; and ver. 27. so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them; so Gen. 9.6 Who so sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God mode he man; so 1 Cor. 11.7. For a man ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God; so 1 Cor. 15.49. And as we have born the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly; and ver. 47 the first man is of the earth earthy, the se­cond man is the Lord from Heaven, so 2 Cor. 4.4. lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should sh [...]ne unto them: so Col. 3.10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that cre­ated him; so Heb. 1.3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his Person.

Thes [...] pl [...]ces all prove that man is the image of God, in re­spect of his bodily shape, w [...]thout any Allegorical or mystical meaning; and so much in Answer to this point which Penn calls Old Her [...]sie; but I say it is an old standing truth ever since God made Adam in his own image and likeness in the beginning, as will appear in the foregoing discourse to those that have any true light in them.

CHAP. V.

The second Point is, That God did not create the Heavens and the Earth out of nothing, but the substance of Earth and Matter was from Eternity.

This Penn saith is inconsistent with Scripture, he will prove; I desire the Reader to mind [...] how weakly and poorly he doth pr [...]ve what he saith, and what silly ignorant Arguments be a l [...]g [...]th against Earth and Matter b [...]ing eternal; his proof he gives against it is not worth the trouble to Answer; I am ashamed, that you being a learned man, should se [...] Pen to paper and write no better; Reply. To satisfie the people I do abhor to answer it, but that the Quakers will boast and say, that Muggleton was not able to Answer Penns book, it was so deep a learned Piece, written by learned Penn the Quaker; upon this Account I must say something to it.

I shall set down all his p [...]oofs of Scripture, and the chief Ar­guments he brings that is of any concernme [...]t, to prove that this opinion of Earth and Matter, how it should be inconsistent with Scripture to be eterna [...].

Penns first proof of Scriptu [...]e is Gen 1 [...]1.2, In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth, and the Earth was without forme and void. Penns Argument to this, page 12. saith he, If they were created bef [...]re they were formed, as saith the place, then Creation and formation are not one and the same thing, and saith he, either the Au­thority of Scriptures must be denied, or else Creation is first a bringing forth of the Chaos or rude substance. Secondly, Penn page 13. quotes Isaiah 48.22, 23. Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, I am he, I am the first, and also am the last, my Hand also bas laid the Foun­dation of the Earth: Penns Argument upon these words, saith he, Wherefore thus I argue, If God was before so much as the foundation of [Page 23] the Earth was laid, then was neither the Earth nor Foundation of it from Eternity with God,— but the text affirms, that God was first or before the very foundation was ever laid.

Thirdly, Penn quot [...]s John 1. [...], 13. And the Word was God, all things were made by him s Penns Argument to th s, sa [...]th he, If all things were made by him then, b [...]th Heaven and Earth. because they are part of all things were made by him,- but the place saith, all things or whatever has being were made by him, therefore all co-eternal of Earth or Heaven with the Everlasting God is excluded and re­fu [...]ed.

Fourthly, Penns Argument to conclude this Head; For by him are all things created, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist, Col. 1.16, 17. And thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the He [...]vens are the works of thy hands, Heb. 1.10. And in page 14. Penn saith, Nor can their idle shift any way secure t [...]em from t [...]e dint of those Scri­ptures, nor the Arguments built upon them, viz maki [...]g is fa­shioning; so God made the Heavens and the [...]rt [...], as a Carpen­ter makes a Door or a Chest; he fashi [...]ns it [...]f w [...]od, but he does not make the wood: Penn saith, [...] distinctio [...] fi [...]ter for Be [...] ­lam then men pre [...]ending to b [...] in their wits: and saith he, can they think, that it was harder to Almighty God to create out of no­thing the more inanimate or lifeless part of Heaven and Earth, then to compose that variety of excellent creatures, and to infuse that great spirit and soul, by which they are refectively instincted or acted. These are his own and the most considerable Argu­ments that Penn brings against this point, to shew how inconsist­ent it is with Scripture, for he never gives any interpretation nor meaning of any Scripture he quotes; The Reader may consider the strength of Penns Arguments, and see whether they be satis­factory to the mind of man, that God created this vast Earth and great waters of nothing, if not, then earth and wat [...]rs must needs be eternal; but those that are satisfied with his Arguments let [Page 24] them keep to it, I shall not disswade them from it, only I shall give Answer and prove to the contrary by Scripture, that earth and waters was eternal, as followeth.

Answer, Gen. 1.1, 2. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth, ver. 2. And the earth was without forme and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters. Minde Reader, here it was that I said unto Penn that Moses set the cart before the horse, that is, he set that first which should have been last, and the last first, as it was a common thing for Prophets and Christ himself, to things that were Acted last to speak of them first; it is an ex­pression Christ useth often, that the first shall be last and the last first, as may be exp rienced in that Parable, Mat. 20.8. so when even was come, the [...]rd of the Vineyard saith unto the Stew­ard, call the Labour [...]rs, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first; here we see, he that had wrought but one hour in the day was paid his wages first of all, and he that had wrought twelve houres that was first hired, was paid his wages last of all, and had no more but his penny neither; as in ver. 16. this Parable did relare to the Jews that were first hired o [...] chosen of God to work in the Vineyard of Gods Worship, set up by his Steward Moses, which people had wrought in the Vineyard of Gods Worship many hundred years, which was twelve hours in the day, and he that wrought but one hour in the day was the Gentiles, and by believing in Christ in the last houre of the day, when Christ was upon earth, they received their peny of Peace, and assurance of everlasting life in themselves, by working one houre in the Vineyard of faith, so that the Iews that had wrought twelve hours in the day und [...]r Moses Law did murmure, that the Gentiles that wrought but one houre in the day in believing in Christ that was now come, that they should receive the penny of everlasting life first, and so easi [...]y, that had done so little wo [...]k for it, nothing but to believe; I sp ak t [...]is on [...]y by the way, to shew that the S [...]iptures are full of such expressions, that the first shall be last and the last fi [...]st.

So it was by Moses, he spake that first that should have bin spoken last; where he saith, in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth; Now, if Moses had said, In the begin­n [...]ng the Earth was without forme and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep, and that the Spirit of God moved up­on the face of the waters; and that God created out of this dead sensless earth and waters the heaven and the earth, into this ex­cellent order as we see, as was the true meaning of Moses, then Penn would never have made this Objection; but because Moses spake that first which should have bin spoken last, according to the rule of Reason, but not by the rule of faith, which by the rule of Reason is like setting the cart befo [...]e the horse, as Moses doth in several other places as well as this, as I could name, but it would be too tedious; and this manner of sayings, it hath blind­ed the eyes of the seed of the Serpent, such as Penn the Quaker is that they might not understand the Scrip [...]ures, so that this place of Scripture doth no ways prove that G [...]d gave a b [...]ing to those great substances of earth and water.

For the words following doth make it appear, that Earth and Water was eternal in their substance and b [...]ing, in these words, And the earth was without forme and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep: The meaning is, that the earth was covered with water, so that it could not be se [...]n by God him [...]elf, therefore said to be void, so that the earth was under the waters eternally, but void of any sight, either to God himself▪ or Angels, or any other celestial creature in heaven above b [...]fore this World was made; likewise the substance of earth that lay eternally hid under the waters, was void of any forme or vertue; but when Gods Spirit had moved upon the deep waters, and caused them to be gathered together in one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was so, as may be seen, ver. 9. Then did God create the Earth. Minde, God created out of the substance of matter that was a et [...]rnal; He cre­ated light, ver. 3. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. Now this light was made of something, God did not make light [Page 26] of nothing; he made light of those deep waters that had dark­ne [...]s upon the face of it eternally, until Gods Spirit moved upon the face of the waters, and made light out of that substance of water, that was eternally dark b [...]fore.

Ver. 4. God saw the light that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness; that is, that part of the dark wate [...]s, which he by the word of his Power had made l [...]ght; he divid [...]d or set it a­part from the dark waters as a thing fin [...]shed, ver. 5. And God called that [...]e [...]e of work which he had finished light day, and that part of the waters that was not yet finish [...]d he called night, And the Evening and the Morning were the fi [...]st day; This w [...]s Gods first days work, ver. 6. And God said, let there be a Firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters, ver. 7. And God made the Firmament, and divided the waters which were under the Firmament from the Waters above the Firmament, and it was so.

Here Go [...] created by th [...] Word of his Power the Firmament out of another part of t [...]ose deep dark w [...]ters, whose substance was eternal, ver. 8. And G [...]d cal [...]ed the Firmament Heaven, and the Ev [...]ning and the Morning were the second day: Minde Reader, God hath bin two days making the light and the Firma­ment of Heaven out [...]f the water, [...]r substance of water, before the earth or d [...]y land did app [...]ar: so that God did n [...]t create the Earth bef [...]r [...] the Earth di [...]appear, though Moses is pleased to set it in the first pl [...]c, yet the Cr [...]ation of the Earth was Gods third days work, as may be seen ver 9. And G [...]d said, Let the Wa­ters under the Heaven be gathered unto one place, and let the dry Land appear, and it was so, ver. 10. And God called t [...]e [...]ry land Earth, and the gathering together of the Wat [...]rs cal [...]ed he Seas, And God saw that it was good, ver. 11. And God said, Let the Earth bring forth Grass, the Herb yielding seed, and the fruit [...] tree yi [...]l [...]ing fruit after his kinde, whose seed is in it s [...]lf upon the Earth, and it was so.

CHAP. V.

Minde here was no mention of any Earth untill the third day, n [...]ither did God see the Earth that lay eternally hid under the wa­ters until the third day he had commanded the waters to be ga­thered unto one place, so that the earth must ne [...]ds be eternally hid under the watets: likewise, the Gras [...], Herbs and Fruit trees, that did grow out of the earth, they had the seed in themselv [...]s eter­nally, God gave no seed to them, as is exprest, ver▪ 12. And the earth brought fort gr [...]ss and herbs, yielding seed after its kind [...] and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in it self after his kind, and God saw that it was good, and the Evening and the Morning were the third day.

The fourth day out of the s [...]bstance of Water that was gather­ed together unto one place, ver. 14. And God said, Let there be lights in the Firmament of Heaven to divide the day from the night, and let them be so tim [...]s and for seasons, and for days an [...] years, ver. 16. And God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also, and God saw that it was good; and the Evening and the Morning were the fourth: so by faith we understand that God made the Body of the Sun, and the body of the Moon, and the bodies of the stars, of that substance and matter of water that was upon the face of the deep, and by the Power of his Word, speak­ing into those bodies of water congealed by his word, gave light into them to shine upon the earth, and to run their course to the work God appointed them to do as long as this world doth last: F [...]fth day, God made out of the iubstance of water all manner of Fish, and gr [...]at Whales, and all manner of Fowl God made of the substance of water: so that whatever God made, he had ma [...]r and substance to make it of, and that God did never make any thing whatsoeve [...] of nothing, For of n [...]thing comes nothi [...]g. And the Evening and the Morning was the fifth day.

Ver 24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living crea­tures after his kind, cattel, creeping things, and beasts of the earth after his kind, and it was so; so ver. 25. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattel after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and God saw that it was good; And in ver. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our own image and likeness. Here is Gods six days work. Now, let the Reader minde, that God made all these things spoken of before, out of these two eternal substan­ces of Earth and Water, Likewise, God made out of the sub­stance of Water the Firmament of Heaven, rhe Sun, Moon and Stars, Fishes, Whales and Fowl tha [...] flie in the midst of Heaven were made out of the substance of water. the beasts of the field, cattel of all kinde, and all manner of creeping things upon the earth, and Man himself God made of the dust of this earth, that was an eternal Chaos until God in the beginning created or form­ed it, as we see: A [...]d this take notice, that God made all things of the substance of water first, and God made the beast of the earth, and man of the su [...]stance of earth last

Thus I have given the interpretation of Gods six days work, and how that the substance of Earth and Water was eternal, in their being an essence; and how that God out of these two sub­stances of earth and water, did create or made all things what­soever; all the light of Sun, Moon, Stars, and Firmament of hea­ven, with all their bodies, and all other creatures whatsoever. that hath the breath of life in them, and that God did not make any thing whatsoever of nothing, as Penn doth blasphemously af­firm, so that the R [...]ader may see the gross ignorance of that opi­nion, that God made this vast earth and waters of nothing, and the better understand the Answer to Penns Arguments, as follow­eth.

First, as for that place Gen 1.1, 2. In the beginning God cre­ated the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without forme [Page 29] and void, I have answered b [...]fore; s [...]wing that Mose [...] spake that last which should have been first, so that Penns Arguments built upon that Text falls to the ground.

Secondly, Penn quotes Isa. 48. [...]2, 1 [...]. Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called I am he, I am the first and also am the last, my Hand also hath laid the Foundation of the Earth; Penns Argu­ment upon these words; Wher [...]fore thus I argue, if God was before so much as the foundation of the Earth was laid, then was neither the Earth nor foundation of it from Eternity without God; but the Text affirms, that God was first or before the foundation was ever [...]aid.

Answer, To what purpose is this Scripture alledged, for we do own that God is the first and the last, and that he was in being in Heaven above the Stars, and did create all manner of celestial creatures, spiritual bodies, as Angels, before th [...] foundation of the Earth was laid; Now minde, though God was before the foundation of the earth was laid; he d [...]th not say [...]e was be­fore the substance and matter of earth was; to speak plain. God doth not say he was before the dark sensless Chaos os earth and wat [...]r; for it is plain, that the earth was without form and void from the sight of God himself, [...]n da [...]kness wa [...] upon the face of the deep, so that there was deep waters, and earth under the wa­ters in the beginning when G [...]d began to create, and when Gods Spirit moved upon the fac [...] of the deep waters, there was matter a [...]d substance; th [...]re was water and da [...]kness for Gods Spirit to work upon before God beg [...]n to work or create, so that the dark waters must needs be the [...]e before; i [...] b [...]fore God b [...]gan to cr [...]at [...], or b [...]so [...]e t e beginning, then eternal, except God did first span out of his g [...]eat vast spirit wi [...]ut a body th [...]s [...] da [...]k waters, an [...] then [...]e sets himself to w [...]rk to make light bodi s out of those dark wat [...]rr that came out of his g [...]t spir [...]t, so that Gods Spi [...]it without a body must needs be exceed [...]g [...]a [...]ge▪ t [...]a [...] could cause such vast substances of [...]arth and wa [...]rs ou [...] of his gr at v [...]st Spi [...]it without a b [...]dy; I did not th [...]k [...]at a [...]pi [...]it without a [Page 30] body had bin so large, as Penn doth blasphem [...]usly assert, yet by Penns Argument it must be so.

Again, if God ma [...]e this vast [...]rth a [...]d waters of not [...]i [...]g, would it not have b n easier f [...]r God to have ma [...]e the Firm [...]ment, Sun, Moon and Stars, and all Fish, F [...]wl and beasts of t [...]e earth, and every thng t [...]at [...]a [...]h the b [...]eath of life, and Man himse [...]f, of no­thing; God might easi [...]r have made these excellent cr [...]a [...]ures of nothing, then for hm to mak [...] this great vast earth and waters of nothing; I do a [...]mi [...]e that the imagination of man should conceiv [...] such a monstrous God that can make such great sub­stances of earth and water, and the grea [...] rock [...] and mighty stones in the ea [...]t [...] of no [...]hing; but Penns God is a [...]pir [...]t without a b [...]dy, that can do all this by [...]is own confession; but my God that hath a body of his own never did any such thing he always ha [...] matter and power to make his cr [...]atu es of; methinks, it [...]s a wonderful great P [...]wer in God to raise the dead [...]gain at the last day, and to reward every man according to his wo [...]ks, as th [...] Scriptures saith, This is a great work for God to do, yet this power is nothing in comparison of such a pow [...] t [...]at could make this vast ea th and waters of nothing, then by t [...]e same power he may bring them to nothing again [...] so t [...]at as they were made of nothing, so they shall turn to nothing agai [...]; is this were so, it would be well for Penn and all R [...]probates to be turned into nothing, then rheir conditi­on wou [...]d be as happy as we that are somet [...]ing, and shall be som­thing again in th [...] Resurr [...]ct [...]on.

And as fo [...] Gods laying the foundation of the earth, we do ac­knowledge that God id lay the foundation of the earth in the beginning, bu [...] the earth was before he laid the foundation, for he could n [...]t lay a founda [...]ion o [...] earth except he had earth to lay, it doth not say that God said the foundation of ths earth with not [...]i [...]g: but in the beginning, after God had found out this earth that was eternally bid under the d [...]ep waters, then God laid the foundation of the earth by the Power of his Word, so [Page 31] surely congeal'd an [...] strongly cl [...]' [...] together that it shall never fa [...]l, but it shall stand to eternity; y [...]t neverthel [...]ss the substa [...]ce of earth was b [...]fore G [...]d laid t [...]e foundation of it; for Man may as well say, that a wise Bu ld [...]r may [...]ay the foun [...]ti [...]n of a stately Tower, with [...]ut any matter or substa [...]ce, no, not so much as earth for his foundation; the [...]ef [...]re Ch [...]ist saith, a wis [...] Builder buildeth his house upon a Rock: now this R [...]ck w [...]s b [...]fore, he did not make this Rock is foundatio [...] of not [...]ing, [...]he Rock was before, he made it a foun [...]ation to build upon: Likew [...]se, th [...] fo [...]lish Buil [...]er that built upon the sand, tha [...] made the sand his fou [...]dation, or laid a foundation of and to build upon: This foolish B [...]il [...]er did not make the sand, the sand was b [...]f [...]r [...]: so it was with God, [...]e laid the foun [...]ation of the earth in the begin­ning, but the substance of earth was before he s [...]id t [...]e foundation of it, s [...] that th [...] substance and matter of earth was bef [...]re God laid the found [...]tion of earth, if before then eternal: for the S [...]ri­ptures doth not say, that God laid the foun [...]ation of th [...]s earth from eternity, but from the beginning, when God created the Heaven and the earth, then God laid the foundati [...]n of the earth as w [...] see: but the s [...]b [...]ta [...]c [...] of the [...]arth was before he laid the foundation of it: so that this Scripture maketh noth [...]ng to Penns purpose, but altogether [...]o the contrary.

CHAP VI.

Thirdly, Penn quotes John 1.2.13. And the Word was God all things were made by him: Penns Argument to this, If all things were made by him, then both Heaven and Earth, because th [...]y are part of all things: but the Place says, all things or whatever ha [...] being w re made by him: saith Pe [...]n, Therefore all co-eternally of Earth or Hea­ven, with the everlasting God, is excluded and refuted.

Answer. We do acknowledge the Word was God, and all things w [...]re made by him; and that he made Heaven and [...]a [...]th, and all things else in the beginning: but what is this to Penns purpose? [Page 32] This doth not prove that God made the heaven and earth of no­thing, neither doth it pr [...]ve, that all things that G [...]d has made to be coeternally with God, neither doth it exclude nor refure at all, that the substance of Earth and Water was not an eternal Chaos of dead, sensless matter and substance, but altogether to the contrary.

Fourthly, Penns Argument to conclude this Head, For by him were all things created, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist, Col. 1.16, 17. And thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the Earth, and the Heavens are the Works of thy Hands.

Answer, We do own the words of these Scriptures to be truth, that the Lord in the beginning laid the foundation of the Earth and the Heaven [...] are the works of his hands, as I said before, so I say still, God did not lay the foundation of the earth with nothing he had the substance of earth to lay a foundation before he laid it: neither was the Heavens the works of [...]is hands made of nothing: God had matrer and substance to work upon, void Earth and Waters, even as a man hath to lay the foundation of an house, for God cannot work upon nothing no more then man can: and the Scripture doth say, that God laid the foundation of the Earth in the beginning, whic [...] is clear, that the substance of Earth and Water was before the beginning of this world, even eternal: but it was in the beginning when God b [...]gan to create this world, then did he work upon these two dead sensl sse substances of earth and water, that were eternal in their essence and being, and by his handy work he created the Firmament of Heaven out of that sub­stance of w [...]ter, as I said before; and wh [...]n God had disc vered to himself the earth or dry land that lay hid under the waters, then he created the earth as we [...]ee, and laid the foundation of it in this order as we see this G [...]d did in the beginning, but the sub­stance of e [...]rth and water was eternal, a [...] I said before.

Page 14. Penn sa th, Nor can their idle shift any ways secure them from the dint of those Scriptur [...]s, nor the Arguments bui [...]t upon them, viz. making is fashioning, so God made the Heavens and the Earth, as a Carpenter makes a Door or a Chest, he fashions it of wood, but he doth not make the wood; Penn s [...]ith, A distinction fitter for Bedlam then men that are in thet [...] wits; and [...]aith he, how can they think that it was harder to Almighty God, to create out of nothing the more inani­mate and lifeless part of Heaven and Earth, then to compose that va­riety of excellent creatures; and to infuse that great spirit and soul by which they are refectively instincted or acted.

Answer, That the dint of those Scri [...]tures, nor Penns Argu­ments built upon them, doth no ways touch the foundation, that earth and water was not eternal, but proveth altogether that they were eternal; and all Penns Arguments built upon those Scri­ptures will prove but an idle shift indeed, to himself a [...]d all that believe him; And what doth the word create, making or fa­shioning signifie, but the making of the fashion of something that had no frame or fashion before; therefore it is said, that the earth was without forme and void, that is, it was void of all form in the beginning, when God began to create, but not void of substance, so God made that which was substance without forme into forme; so God created the earth, that is, he made that form­less earth into forme to set forth the glory of his Workmanship, therefore it is said, Heb. 11.3. Through faith we understand the Worlds were framed by the Word of God; here we see, that framing is cre­ating or setting the world into such a frame and order, as we see; but this doth not prove, that God had no matter nor substance to make this excellent frame of earth and heaven, and all creatur [...]s therein, but proveth to the contrary.

And you have made a fit comparison your self, that though a Carpenter doth make a Door or Chest, he fashions it of wood, but he does not make the wood; so it is with God, he hath framed the Heavens and the Earth, and hath fashioned them, and all crea­tures [Page 34] else, as we see; but the substance of earth and water he made them not, no more then the Carpenter made the wood, so that this distinction that is counted by learned Penn more fitter for Bedlam then men in their wits, is become the chief distinction to bring down the wisdom of the Serpent which is so high exalt­ed: and that which Penn quotes, the wisest speech of all, he hath discovered his great ignorance, and the deepest darkness in his minde of all, in these words, And, saith he, can they think it was harder to Almighty God to create out of nothing the inanimate and life­less part of Heaven and Earth, then to compose that variety of excel­lent creatures, and to infuse that great spirit and soul, by which they are refectively instincted or acted. This is more like Bedlam in­deed then a man of Learning; I shall deal truly with you, and with the Reader, that we do n t only think, but do perfectly know, that it was harder for God to make this vast earth and wa­ters of nothing, then it was to make the Firmament of Heaven and all those excellent creatures which he hath made; nay, with reverence to God the Creator, we know he never did nor never could make any thing whatsoever of nothing, For of nothing comes no [...]hing: Methinks it is sufficient to satisfie the minde of man, to b [...]li [...]ve and honour the eternal God, the infinite Creator, in that he hath made such variety of excellent creatutes, and Man in his own image and l [...]keness of something; and God hath glory e­nough, in that he hath framed the Heavens and the Earth out of those two dark substan [...]es of earth and water; but the seed of the Serp nt, such as Penns is, will not honour such a God that cannot make this vast earth and waters of nothing.

Neither did G [...]d ever infuse that gr [...]at spirit and soul into any creature whatsoev [...]r; but when God created every living crea­ture by the Power of [...]is Word speaking, it revived breath of life according to its kind, for if he mad [...] their bodies by his Word, his Word gave them life also: so that his great spirit and soul as you call it, was n [...]t infused into no creature at all, but within his own body, which is no b gger then a midd e statured man, even the [Page 35] same bigness and height as Christ was of when upon earth: I suppose you may reade in the History what stature Christ was of when he was crucified: and whoever believes in a God of a big­ger bulk, then he believes in a false God, as most of ynu Quakers do.

Thus I have given an Answer unto those Scriptures and Argu­ments Penn the Quaker hath alledged against earth and water, be­ing an eternal Chaos of da [...]k sensless substance: and for the Readers better information, I shall propound these Particulars following.

1. That the substance of earth a [...]d watet were from all Eter­nity uncreated, sensless, dark and dead matter, like unto water and dust, that have no kind of life, light or vertue in them at all. Sec ndly, it is an opinion of the Learned, that those substances Earth and Water were not eternal, but they have imagined that the Creator spake the Word and so they came to be: and after he had given them their being, he formed all things that were made out of them. Thirdly, there is no Scripture that maketh mention of any such thing, as Gods giving being to earth and watet. Fourthly, neither can it be proved by Scripture, that God gave being to the vast dead earth, and dark deep water: neither did those two substances of earth and water proceed out of Gods Mouth, but their being in the Original was eternal, and will be eternal. Fifthly, there is not a word throughout the scriptures, that God gave any being or beginning unto dead, dark, senseless earth and water. Sixthly, can Penn tell where God was resident when he gave a being to earth and water, for earth and water were uncreated substances eternally distinct from God. Seventhly, that earth and water were an eternal Chaos of confused matter, essentially distinct from God the Creator. Throughout the Scri­ptures, no man can finde one word or tittle in reference to the deep waters its beginning, therefore of necessity it must be eternal. Eighthly, tha [...] the waters covered the Earth before God began [Page 36] to create, wherefore the earth being as it is in the deep waters, must ne [...]ds be one essence eternally with those deep waters, and in the earth, before Gods Spitit moved upon the waters, and the Earth was inclosed as a Prisoner in the womb of darkness under the waters, so that the waters were under the earth, and above the earth, and the waters under the earth did bear up the earth, and the earth in the middle did bear up the waters that covered the face of the ea [...]th, this was an eternal Chaos: Earth and Water was eternal in their substance and being.

Thus much in Answer to the second point, that Earth and Wa­ter was eternal, and that it is a standing truth, and that Penn, Augustine, and Aristotle the great Philosopher were in a great errour, and were grossely ignorant, to affirm, that God made the substance of earth and water of nothing, and no such great here­sies as they themselves did own, in that they judged the truth to be heresies: Who made Augustine a Judge of heresies? not God I am sure, but he spake as those blinde men did at that time, when darkness overspread the earth.

CHAP. VII. The third Point Penn calls old Heresie is, That the soul is gene­rated or begotten by the Man and Woman with the body, and that the body and soul are inseparable.

In Page 16. Penn saith, 'That this is contrary to Scripture-Testimony he will prove: His first pr [...]of is, Eccl. 12.7 the words are these, the spirit to God that gave it: Penns Argument upon these words, saith he, 'No carnal generation can bring forth a pure spi­rit, external matter producing only external matter of its own kind, but, saith he, the soul of man is a spirit, as the words ex­press'd by Reeve and Muggleton, saith he, therefore no man gets the soul or spirit of a man when he generates the body. Secondly, Penn saith, 'That which returns to God came from God, but the [Page 37] soul of every man turns to God for sentence, and consequently came from him. This is all the Scripture Penn brings to prove the soul is not generated with the body.

Answer, First, that place, Eccl. 12.7. is no Scripture, as I have shewed before, they are the words of Solomon; he was no Pen­man of holy Writ, neither did he know himself from whence the soul of man came, nor whither the soul goeth, no more then Penn doth, for the soul of a man and the soul of a beast was all one to Solomon, and their breath was all one, and they went both to one place; the one went to God as well as the other: neither had man any preeminence above a beast in Solomons judgement, and Penn is of the same mind of Solomon, so that Penns Argument from that place signifies nothing to this purpose, That the soul is not generated with the body.

But I shall prove by Scripture, that the soul is generated and be­gotten by man and woman with the b [...]dy, as in Gen. 1.28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. Now I shall n [...]t dispute whether a carnal generati [...]n can bring forth a pure spirit; but the thing which we say and do affirm, is, that the soul of man is begotten in generati­on with the body, neither can a [...]y man g [...]t a body in generation without a soul; for if a man doth not b [...]get a soul, then he begers no body at all, so that a b [...]dy cannot be begotten by man nor beast without life and soul; so that no souls can com [...] forth of the womb without bodies, nor bodies without souls; for if the soul or life be dead when it cometh out of the womb, the body is dead also; if the soul be alive, the body is alive also, there is no separating one from the other.

Page 13. Penns first A [...]gument, saith he, Such as is the sort, such must be that which produceth it; but, saith he, it is spiritual; and saith, Now that which generates the bod [...] of man, [...] m [...]e [...] ­ly visible matter, it cannot produce an i [...]lect [...]

Answer, That God breathed into man the breath of life, and he [...]ecame a living soul. Now this breath of life became life and soul in Adam, and this life and soul became seed in man, for a bo­dy without life cannot have any seed in it, for life lies in the seed, and seed lies in the body, e [...]se God would not have bl [...]ssed them with the blessing of increasing and multiplying; to multiply must be by gen [...]ration in the seed, so that though God breathed into Adam the b eath of lif [...], and he be [...]ame a living soul, Minde, God did so to none else, for Adam was made and not bego [...]ten, but all men else are begotten and not made; as Adam was in full propor­tio [...] of a man, he did not grow bigg r nor higher, then what God made him at the first; but all m n since are begotten, therefore borne a childe, and groweth to a man, so that the soul of man is generated and begotten with the body, except you would have God to make ev [...]ry man in the world at mans stature; and God breathed the breath of life into him that he may become a living soul as at the first, which is ab [...]urd.

Then it must needs be, that when Adam begot Seth in his own likeness, that he begat Seths soul as well as his body by generati­on, when he knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and did bear Seth, a righteous seed, in stead of righteous Abel, so that the breath of life God breathed into Adam is now in Adams seed, and by generation man begets th li [...]e and soul of man as well as the body, else God hath n [...]t finished his work of Creation, but must be put to the trouble continually to give souls to every lustful person that gets bodies, so God must be accessary to their lusts, and approve of them, in that he gives souls to them, bastards that hath their bodies gotten unlawfully; And God hath given a strict Law that man should not commit fornication nor adultery; yet when men hath done this contrary to his Law, he comes and gives this childe a soul to that body the man got unlawfully; this and many other absurdities will follow from that opinion, that man begets the body only, and God infuseth the soul of man; be­sides, how comes it to pass that a Childe doth grow in the womb [Page 39] without lif [...]; and which way doth Go [...] c [...]nvey life and soul into the body of the childe in the Womb, seeing man doth not beget the soul, but the body only; Again, if the [...]e were any dead bo­dies brought forth of the womb, of mans b g tting, and af [...]er it is brought forth dea [...], that God would give th [...]s dead child life and soul, then it would appear, that man got the body, and God gave the soul: but I know this cannot be experienced by no [...]e upon earth, so that it may be clear to the eye of r [...]ason it self, which is the devil, that the soul of man is generated and begotten with the body, for the spirit or soul of man li [...]th in the see [...], and p [...]oduceth life and soul that is spiritual, in that the soul worketh righteous­ness unto man, and worshipp th that divine spiritual God that made man in his own image in spirit and in truth, as righteous Seth did in his time, so that visible matter the seed of man doth pro­duce an intellectual soul or spirit.

2. Argument of Penn; saith he, If man got the soul, then would that soul be as well the Image of the Father as the body, and partake as entirely of the Fathers nature and disposition in all respects: but, saith he, Experience shews us, that sober Parents have wilde children, and righteous children debauch [...]d Parents, therefore Parents do not generate the soul.

Answer, that man doth get the soul as afor [...]said in the seed, for the soul lieth secretly hid in the seed, and no man can see the soul in the seed, until it gets a body to cl [...]ath it self with: for no invi­sible life whatsoever can be seen but by its body, for every seed has its own body, so that when man begets a body, he begets a soul also: and this soul man begets is as well the Image of the Father as the body, for the Fathers spirit can be no more known nor seen without its body, then the soul of man can be seen with­out its body: and the soul of man doth partake of the Fathers nature, even the seed and nature of faith: and the cause why so­ber Parents have wilde children, and righteous children have de­bautched Parents, is, because that man hath two seeds in his na­ture, [Page 40] ever since the fall, viz. the seed of God, the seed of faith, and the seed of the Serpent the seed of reason: now when man gets a childe by generation: if the spirit of faith which is Gods own na­ture be most predominate in the seed in the conception, then that childe comes to be a good so [...]er man, and cometh to believe in the true God, and is an elect vessel, but if the seed of the Serpent the se [...]d of reason be uppermost in the conception, then when that childe comes to be a man, if not given to be a debaucht man, he will be given to blaspheme and despise the true God, with other wickednesses in nature, whereby he comes to shew himself to be of the seed of the Serpent a reprobate: and take notice, which of t [...]ese tw [...] seeds be uppermost in the conception, will be lord of that mans hody as long as he liveth, and when he dieth, that which was servant in this life shall never be raised neither to happiness nor misery; as thus, if the seed of faith was uppermost in a mans concept [...]on, then it guides a man and is lord over the seed of rea­son in man, so that this seed of faith in man shall be raised to eter­nal ha [...]pinesse, and th seed of reason that was servant in this life shall never rise again: so on the contrary, if the seed of reason be uppermost in a mans conception, it will appear and be his guide, and lord over the seed of faith in him, so that the seed of faith is servant to this mans reason, so that when this man is raised again his reason that was lord in this life shall be raised again to eter­nal misery: and that seed of faith in him that was servant in this life shall never rise again: for there shall not be two voices in man, nor two seeds in the Resu [...]rection, but every seed its own bo­dy, the seed of faith its b [...]dy, and the seed of reason its body; and this I know, that the seed of reason the seed of the Serpent was uppermost in Penns conception, and is his lord, and this seed of rea­son in him shall be raised again, and he shall have but one voice in him in the R [...]surrection, even the voice of reason the devil in hell, that lake which cannot be quenched.

And furthermore, the cause why a righteous man may beget a rep [...]obate, a serpent, a devil, [...]s because the seed of reason was up­permost [Page 41] and most predominate in the conception, and a wicked man, a serpent, a devil, may beget in generation, a Saint, an e­lect vessel, because the seed of faith in his nature was uppermost in the conception of the childe when he begat him; this may be experienced by Iacob and Esau, the fa her and mother were both righteous. ye [...] one was loved of God and the other hated; to speak plain, the one was elect, and the other a Reprobate; and so we read of wicked King Saul, branded for a reprobate, yet he begot a right [...]us son, an elect v [...]ssel, Ionathan; and the cause why, we cannot discern which is of Gods Nature, and which is of the Ser­pents nature.

CHAP VIII.

It is b cause the Angels bo [...]i [...]s are in formes like God and like m n in respect of their bodies, though their natures are not the same as Gods nature; and that Angel that was thrown down from Heaven that deceived Eve, his forme of body was like the forme an [...] body o [...] God, but his nature was pure reason fallen, and by his deceiving of Eve, all men in the world are made partakers by generation of the seed of reason, that is, of the seed of the Serpent Angel, which is the cause that so many devils are gene­rated and begotten in this world.

Thirdly, Penns third Argument, saith h [...], If soul and body be in­separably generated, then the Sexes as well belong to souls as bodies, the which as it is absurd, so would be men and women in that very distincti­on [...]o all eternity, and whoever read of she-souls or female souls

These are Penns own words without any alteration in the least, therefore I shall desire the R ad [...]r to consider of them, and make sense of them to their own satisfaction, for I can make no sense of them, neither can I tell what he meaneth by them, so I shall give no Answer to it, but leave it to the Reader to satisfie themselves in it.

Fourthly, Penns four [...]h and [...]ast Argument to this p [...]int, and [...] his great [...]st [...]r [...]ng [...]h; sait [...] he, If s [...]ul and body were [...] a [...]d i [...]separably g [...]ner [...]t [...]d [...]y man; sait [...] he, [...]hen in all [...] no more d [...]fficu [...] to fi [...]d [...] o [...]t t e soul then any other [...] cast of [...]pe [...] [...] of him given a [...]l have at the [...] hea [...]s [...] i [...]ssible [...] [...]ut [...]n [...] [...]hould [...] the [...]nd [...]n­ten [...] of [...]uch [...]re hearts [...]nd [...] were [...] vain, we shall conc [...]ude the s ul is [...] [...]er ins [...]parab [...]e from t [...]e body bu [...] of an [...].

Answer, [...] shall p [...]ov [...] by Scri [...]tur [...], [...] and [...] inseparably generated by man, as [...] [...]sed th [...]m, and God said unto them, Be fruit [...]ul and multip [...], and [...]eplenish the earth; here God bl [...]ssed Adam and [...]e wit [...] Law of gene­ration; Now how could they increas [...] and mul [...]i [...] [...]d replen [...]s [...] the earth, but by generating and b gett [...]g of so [...] daught [...]rs. Now did God give them leave to generate and b [...] [...]o [...]ies only without life and soul, and when [...]y had m ltiplied in genera­ [...]ing of b [...]dies. then Go [...] would com [...] a [...] infu [...]e som [...] of his great sp [...]rit into those bo [...]ies w [...]ich w [...]re g [...]nerate [...] [...]y them: was this Gods blessing he gave unt [...] them, that they s [...] u [...] gen [...]rate and beget bodi [...]s, and he would pu [...] souls into them as fast as th [...]y be­get bodies; by this rule t [...]re was no life in th [...] seed of Adam and Eve; and this I say▪ if there had not been life in the seed, there could have bin no b [...]i [...]s generated neith [...]r; and if it b [...] g [...]ant d, that there is an invisi [...]l [...] life in the seed, else no body cou [...]d be ge­nerated at all: so that if the invisible life in the seed doth ge­nerate and [...]rodu [...]e a bo y, else no body at al [...] coul [...] be g n [...]rated nor begotten [...]th same invisible life in th [...] se [...]d, that [...]th in ge­neration produce a visible body, it produceth a visible soul also, so that body and soul is generated by man and wom [...]n, and was the true meaning of God, when he said, Increase and multiply and replenish the earth with Sons and Daughters.

But by Penns Ass [...]rtion he makes God to b [...] a Negromancer or Conjurer, to cause spirits to enter into dead bo [...]ies and carry them about, and make them to w [...]k, wa k and talk f [...]r a time, an [...] when sickness or death c mes to the body, then that spirit God puts into their bod es slips out of their bo [...]ies when they stand in most need of the Spirits assista [...]ce it is [...] away from the body, n [...]e k [...]oweth [...]th [...], except into t [...]e [...]ir: T [...]is [...]s Penns opini [...]n, and he is not shamed to publish such a gross [...] ­no [...]ant principle in the [...]gs o [...] natures bo [...]i [...]s, the bea [...]t [...] of the [...]art [...], and t e Fowls: [...]d in the mi [...]st of [...]aven, and the Fish in the wa [...]r, [...] b [...]sed them, and placed a Law [...]ene­ration in t [...]e [...] [...]crease and multiply and replenish the earth an [...] [...] and t [...]ey cannot inctease and multiply no other way but by [...]ration [...] a [...] do y [...]u Penn believe indeed, that the b [...]ast [...] beget [...]e [...]ife and soul of the beast in gene­ration as well as the bo [...]ies, won cannot deliver [...]ours [...]lf f om the d [...]rt of this Scr [...]pture. A g [...] [...] upon [...] do you be [...]ve that the beasts of the ea [...] [...] gener [...]e [...] and that Gods vast spirit doth [...] life and [...], for the beasts have [...]ife and s [...]ul in them as man [...] [...]nd God ble [...]ed the beasts with the same law of generation to increase and mul­tiply and replenish the earth, as he did [...]o man [...] and we see by ex­perience, that man and beast doth i [...]c [...]e [...]se and multiply in the earth no other way but by generating [...] now t [...]e c [...]se is, whether you Penn do believe, that the life or soul of the b asts be genera­ted with their bodies, I or no: if you g a [...]t th [...] b asts generate and beget the life and soul with th body, and that there can be no separating the life and soul of a beast from the body, but if one be destroyed the other is destroyed also: the cas is the same with man: if a beast beget body and s [...]ul in generating, by ver­tue of that invisible lffe in the s [...]ed, through the warmness of the Womb, it congealeth body and substance together, and in its sea­son, as God hath appointed to nature, this invisible life in the seed, it quickens int [...] a sensible and visibl [...] life, and this visible life cannot be seen but by a visible body, so that without contro­versie, [Page 44] if the beast beget soul and body by generating, as is most certainly true, so without controversie the soul of man is gene­rated with the body, and he that begetteth the body of his son begets the soul also, neither can the [...]e be any separation of soul and body one from the other, for they were both generated and b [...]got together, th [...]y came both nto the world together, they b [...]th l [...]ved together, and both die together, and shall both rise to­geth [...]r in the Resurrection, the Scriptures are full to prove this point.

See Gen. 49.1. And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful and multip [...]y and rcplenish the earth; and in Gen. 8.17. Bring f [...]rth with thee, every living thing that is with thee of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattel, and of every creepi g thi [...]g that creepeth upon the earth, that they may breed abundantly in th [...] earth, and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth: so in Gen. 46.22. these are the sons of Rachel which were born to Iacob, all the souls were fourteen; and ver. 25. these were the sons of Bilbah [...]h [...] ba [...]e unto Iacob, all the souls w [...]re s [...]ven, ver. 26. All the souls that came with Iacob into Egypt, that came out of his loines, all [...]h [...] souls were threescore and six, ver 27. And the sons of Ioseph that w [...]re born in Egypt were two souls, and the s [...]uls of the house of Iacob which came into Egypt were three­score and ten.

Can there be any plainer and clearer Scripture, that the soul and body of man is gen ra [...]ed and begotten by man; If so many souls came out of the loyns of Jacob, they must needs come out of his loins in his seed by generation, so that he begot the souls by generating with those w [...]men as well as their bodies; but what shall a man say to blinde serp [...]nts; a man had as good throw stones against the winde, as speak to them of Scripture, or meanings and interpretations of Sc [...]ipture; but for Penn the Quaker, he cannot understand that the soul can be generated with the body, though the Scripture be [...] so clear, and Nature doth prove it every day, [Page 45] one soul or other is generated, but all will not stop his mouth, nor open the eyes of his understanding, for he is as ignorant of this as he was of earth and water being made of nothing, in that he w [...]uld have G [...]d to infuse some of that great spirit and soul into those bodi s that are generate [...], and not for man to beget soul and body: this is that Antichristian spirit rules in the Quakers people in t [...]ese last tim [...]s.

Who would [...]ave thought that learned Penn had be n so blinde and igno [...]ant of th [...] law o [...] generation: but I see God hath don [...] by him as he did by those Serpents in Christs time, he hath eyes but sets not, ears but h [...]ars not, and a heart but he understands not: but he being given ov [...]r to blindness of minde, as well in the natural as in the spiritual: yet he hath searched about the Colledge at the University to finde out the soul of man, when the bo [...]y was cut op [...]n, so that if the soul be generated by man, Penn counts it no difficult thing to finde out the soul when a man is Anatomized then any other part: and if Penn could but see a living man open­ed or dissected, as he hath seen at the University living beasts A­natomized, it would not be impossible but rational: but that [...]enn m [...]ght behold the very thoughts, purposes and intents of such mens hearts and souls.

CHAP. X.

Answer, y [...]u say you have seen living beasts Anatomiz'd: did you ever see the soul of a bea [...]t after it wa [...] cut u [...]? if you have, whether the soul of the beast w [...]re s [...]nsible or no: you mig t see the heart of the beast, but no life nor sense in it, b [...]cause the soul of the b ast was dead, by Anatomizing it alive they kill [...]d the soul, and when you saw the beasts hea [...]t you saw th [...] beasts d [...]ad s [...]ul: y [...]u mig [...] bett [...]r h [...]ve seen the life and soul [...]f the beast w [...]e [...] it was al ve: fo [...] wh [...]n th [...] b a [...]t was alive, it shew [...]d what the heart, life [...]nd soul was, i [...] yiel [...]i [...]g obedience to its Driv [...]r, even to be killed: so that a man may bette [...] b hold the thought, [Page 46] purposes and intents of mans heart and soul, while he is alive, and not anatomized; and it is no difficulty to behold the thoughts, purposes and intents of mans heart and soul that is alive; but when a man is anatomized, there will be no thought, purpose nor intent to be found at all, for out of the heart or soul that is a­l [...]ve, cometh evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft and such like.

Here Penn hath shewed his ignorance of t [...]e soul of man, and knows not what it is n [...] more then the beast you have seen anato­mized alive did know its own soul; but I do kn [...]w what your soul is, and the thoughts, purposes and intents of your heart and soul by what you have written, for out of th [...] abundance of your heart your m [...]uth hath spoken, such gross ignorance, that i [...] is a shame that a man of Learning, a University-man should utter such gross sottish ignorance in rhe course of nature, that canno [...] understand that the soul of man, and the souls of all other creatures are gene­rated with the body, and are ins [...]parable from the body, and we see the same inerease of men and women by generation every day, as is with the beast and all other creatures, according to Gods holy Ordinance in the beginning, so I shall conclude the Answer to that point.

Penn quotes Socrates, Augustine and Theodorus, that judged this principle to be heresie; these men that l [...]ved in that da [...]k time of the world, that were as ignorant of the truth as Penn himself, who gave them Authority to be Judges of her [...]sies that knew not the truth, nor were not in the truth th [...]mselves; they would have judged the Apostles doctrine heresies if rhey had lived in their time, therefore what heed is there to be taken what those men in those times judged that had no Commission from God, but let that pass.

Fourthly, that the foul of man is mortal, and that the soul and body go to dust, and resteth there until the general day of Resur­rection.

Penn saith, it is inconsistent with Scripture; I prove, the fi [...]st Scripture Penn brings, to prove that the soul of man is not mor­tal is Gen. 2 7. And the Lord God formed Man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of life, and Man became a living soul; Penns words to this, saith he, If the breath of life made a dead body live, then the priva [...]ion of the br [...]ath makes a live body dead. Secondly, Penn saith, this is further proved thus. If it was living breath before it entred into the bo­dy, it must be living breath after it is withd [...]awn from the body. Thirdly, Penn saith, though some of those things wh [...]ch are li­ving may die, because they live by the borrowed or lent life of another, yet very life as life cannot die; and sai [...]h, it is impos­sible that the breath of life, or soul of man ean suffer death, at here understood:

Fourthly, he quotes 1 Kings 17.2 [...], 21. and Elijah stretched himself over the childe three times, nnd cried and said, O Lord my God I pray thee let this childs soul come into him again; and the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

Penns words to this; saith he, if the life was withdrawn when the body lay dead, saith he, but the soul was separated; and when it did return, and had resumed its forsaken dead body, it revived the dead body again, and saith, therefore the soul died not with the body at all. Fifthly, Penn quotes Luke 12.4. B [...] not afraid of them that kill the body, and after have no more that they can do: saith Penn to this, if Reeve and Muggleton speak true, then he that kills the body kills the soul too, for he cannot kill the one with­out the other. Sixrhly, Penn quotes Rev. 6 9. I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and they cried with a loud voice, How long dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth.

Penns words to this; saith he, If their souls lived after their bodies were slain, then they did not die together; for they cried for vengeance on the blood-thirsty inhabitants of the world; saith he, therefore souls are not mortal as bodies are; and saith, in short their bodies were slain, their souls were alive; their bodies were in the Grave, their souls under the Altar worshipping God day and night for ever and ever: These are the most consider­able Scriptures and Arguments Penn doth alledge against the mortality of the soul.

Answer, that this point of the souls mo [...]tality, and that the life or soul of man doth die, and that man is wh [...]lly mortal, it hath been sufficiently proved by writing already, both by Scripture and Experience daily amongst us, that might co [...]vince the heart of any man, except his heart b [...] harder then any flint-stone; and the Quakers hearts are more hard then any mans heart upon earth to be convinced, because of that seeming righteousness in outward appearance, hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their hearts, so that no light of life eternal can enter i [...]to them, not so much as to acknowl [...]dge themselves convinced, much less converted; but I knowing t [...]ey are led and guided by the spirit of Antichrist in these last times; I am the better satisfied in their opposition to truth; I am hated of all other religious people as well as of them, and have bin p rsecuted by them, yet they are sooner con­vinced of what they heard me spe [...]k, then ever any Quaker was that did not believe me, the [...]efo e I sh [...]ll only give the interpre­tation of those Scr ptures Penn brings to prov [...], that the soul is not mortal, nor will not die, and that will Answer all that he hath built upon them.

The first Scripture is Gen. 2 7. And the Lord God formed Man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of life, and Man became a living soul.

Answer, First, that breath of life God breathed into Adam, [Page 49] which made him become a living soul; it was immortal breath when it came from God, and so was the breath of life in all other creatures; it was given by the immortal Word of God; but this breath of life God breathed into Adam was more particular and peculiar then in any other creature; but God breathed this breath of life into an earthen v [...]ssel, whereby this breath of life that was immortal as it was in G [...]d, but being breathed into an earthen ma [...], that was made of the earth this immortal breath was mor­tallized, yet in a perfect innocent state, and so was all other crea­tures in a p [...]rf [...]ct innocent state, not capable of any sorrow or death, but all lived in a Paradisical state, and Peace here on earth, only the man Adam was capable of temptation of the Serpent-Angel without him, b [...]t not of any temptation within him as we are ever since, being generated and b [...]gotten we are pa [...]takers of the Serpent-Angels seed and nature in us, so that the temptation of the devil is now generally within every man, so that this invi­sible devil which is so f [...]ared by all people is no where else, but within man; so that man is become an absolute d [...]vil, as the Scriptures are full to prove but that is not my busine [...]s n [...]w, but the matter in hand; Minde, that though Adam was of the earth earthy, and was created in a perfect innocent stat [...], and the breath of life that was breathed into him was immortal, as it was in God; but b [...]ing breathed into an earthen vessel, as I said before, the immortal breath of life was mortallized, yet this perfect in­nocent state Adam was created in, was as an eternal state to earth­ly bodies, had he kept in it, beca [...]se no si kness nor death could have touched him; this state I had once a great desire to attain unto, but it being revealed to me, that no man that is ge­nerated and begotten, that is Partakers of the Serpents seed in his conception, can attain u [...]to that state and condition Adam was created in▪ but must unavoidably [...]artak [...] of the fallen state of Adam, and must die, and in time it w [...]s revealed unto m [...] which way I should attain that eternal estate of Adam in the Kingdom of eternal glo [...]y [...]bove the stars

How [...]ver, that breath of life God breathed into Adam, it was the breath of the immortal God, and the breath of life in all o­ther creatures immoreal, so long as Adam stood in obedience to God his Make [...], and no death could have touched him, nor no crea­ture else that God had made, so that Adam and all creatures else sh [...]uld have liv [...]d upon this earth for ever, and n [...] kind of death should have l [...]id hold upon any creature, which had the breath of life in it as well as Adam, but by the disobedience of Adam sin entred into the world, and death by sin, so that the immortal and Para [...]isical state of Adam, and all other creatures that had the breath of life in them, is now become mortal and must die; even the soul of Adam as well as the souls of the beasts must die.

For now Sin was entred into the world, and death by Sin, t [...]ere­fore God said, In the day thou eatest there [...]f thou shalt surely die; Mind, that as soon as sin entred death entred, so that Adams immo [...]tali­ty was quite lost; as soon as death entre [...], life and immor [...]ality in Adam and all creatures else must die; in that very day sin en­tred into Adam, life and immortality was l [...]st, and became mor­tality, God d d not say to Adam, Thy b [...]dy shall surely die, for that was l feless before the breath of life was breathed into it; therefore without dispute that breath of life that ma [...]e him a li­ving soul must die; And when the sentence of d [...]ath entred upon Adams life and soul: Death entred upon the life and soul of all creatur [...]s God had made who had the breath of life in them.

CHAP. X.

For all creatures were cursed for his sake, and his curse was to die the death, even his soul as well as his body; he that was the Image of God must die the death, and turn to dust: besides, it was Adams soul which was commanded not to eat of the forbidden fruit, therefore that life and soul of them both must die: neither [Page 51] is any thing capable to die but life and soul: is it not the life and soul that gro [...]ns under sickness? is it not the life and soul of man that fears the pains of death? the body is not sensible of pain at all: for we see that when a mans Arm or leg is cut off that limb feels no pain at all: but the rest of the body that hath life in it, is sensible of pain and fear of death, because his life and soul is in him stlil, so that nothing dies but life and soul, for it is the life and soul that eats, drinks, walks and talks, that doth rejoyce and is glad, and that is sorrowful and doth grieve, that doth g od and doth evil: it is the soul that lives, and the soul that dies, there­fore it is said, The soul that sins shall die: is it not the soul that doth murder, commit adultery and steal: and w [...]en God said, Thou shalt not do no murder. thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, did he not give this law to t [...]e soul of man as well as his body: and could the body act any of these things without the life and soul, therefore without controversie the soul that sins must and doth die.

And when man sheddeth mans bloo [...], doth he kill the soul or life of the man, I or no: if the soul slips out of the bo [...]y of man when mans blood is shed, and his soul receive no harm: why then doth Iudg [...]s put men to death that did shed the other mans blood: he did but separate his soul from his body, he did not kill the soul of the man, and will you put him to d [...]ath for parting two friends one from th [...] other, viz his soul from his body, and pe [...] ­haps his soul is g ne to God, a better place th [...]n it was in his b [...] ­dy, yet we see the man must be hanged for separating the soul from the body; but if Penn shall object and say, that when the Iudge giveth sentence upon a man for murder, that he shall be hanged till he is dead, that this mans soul did not die notwith­standing his body was hanged according to the Iudges sentence, by Penns Assertion it must be so: for, saith he, the soul and life cannot die as it is life, but if Penn and those of that opinion were but hanged but one half-hour, they would find by experience that their souls were killed and were dead in their bodies, as all others are that are hanged.

But the Scripture saith, and so do we, that nothing doth or can die, but life only; so that it may be clear to those that are not stone-blind, that the soul of man is mortal and doth die, neither can it be separated from the body, but as both are begot toge­ther and both born together, so both live together and both die together, and both are laid in the Grave together until the Resur­rection; God shall raise that dead soul into a new life, and that new life shall have a new body, even as the grain of wheat leav­eth the old bo [...]y b [...]hinde in the earth, and bringeth forth a new body with increase; so shall the soul of man, when it is quick­ned again by the Powerful Word of God, it shall bring forth a new body, every seed it [...] own body with increase, to the righte­ous increase of jo [...]s eternal, and to the wicked increase of eter­nal miseries. This is the true interpretation and meaning of this place of Scripture.

Secondly, Penn b [...]i [...]gs 1 Kings 17.211 to prove, the soul goeth out of the bo [...]y and doth not die, where Eliah prayed ihat the Childes soul might come into him again.

Answer, The meaning is, that Elijah did pray in faith unto God to strengthen his faith, that he might have power to raise this childs li [...]e out of death again, therefore he stretched himself upon the child, and [...]rayed, that the Childs soul might come into him again; th [...]t is, that the Childs life and soul might quicken in the body of t [...]e Chi [...] again, for Elijah knew the soul of the Chil [...]e was dead. y [...]t by the war n fl [...]sh, and the faith and prayer of th [...] Prop [...]et, [...]b g [...]t life in the Child again, so that the s [...]ul that was [...]ead i [...] the bo [...]y of the Childe, is become life in the Chi [...] again; and that life that di [...] quicken out of death, by the power o [...] faith, and Prayer of t e Prophet it runs through the veins of the Childes body, and so t [...]e Childs soul may be said to come into him again, so that the soul n [...]ver w [...]nt out of the Childs body, but was absolutely dead in the body, for this I say, if the soul of the Childe had bin gone out of th [...] body, then Elijah did [Page 53] not raise the dead childe to life again, for it cannot properly be said he raised the dead child to life, if the soul of the child was not dead, but slipt out of the body, and lived in some o [...]her place without any body at all, if the soul went to God while it was ab­sent from the body, sure God would never have parted with the innocent soul of the childe agai [...].

And I know, that Elijah would not have done the child so much wrong, as to pray to God to send the childs soul from heaven a­gain to this earth, for the chil [...]e to suffer another sickness, and another turning out of t [...]e body afterwards, as Penn doth vainly imagine; but the thing is clear, where true light is in the under­standing, that Elijah did raise the Child, whose soul was absolute­ly dead in the body of the child to life again, and Elijah by the power of fa th and prayer, for he prayed in faith, and whatso­ever he asked in faith he received; and he asked this of God, that he might have power to raise the soul of this child that was dead to life again, and it was granted him; the Prophet Elisha did the same thing to another childe afterward, so that nothing is more sure then that the life and soul of man is mortal, and doth die with the body, and cannot be separated one from the o­ther; this is the ttue interpretation and meaning of this place of Scripture.

Thirdly, Penn quotes Luke 12 4. The words are these, And I say unto you, my Friends, Be not afraid of them that can kill the body, and after that havt no more that they can do.

Answer, The meaning is, that Christ did forewarn his disciples not to be afraid of persecu [...]ion for his s [...]ke, nor of death it self, for he knew that some of them should suff [...]r death for their faith in him; for they can put you to deat [...] but once, that is the fi st death, or natural death, and when they have done so, there is no more that they can do, so that the fi [...]st death they can put you to is counted but as killing the body, b [...]cause they cannot kill your [Page 54] natural life and soul, except they kill your natural body; and be­cause they cannot come at your soul except they kill your body first, therefore ir may be called but killing the body, and after that men have no more that they can do, though the malice of the devil would do more if they could, but he can but kill this na­tu [...]al lfie, because the devil is but natural himself, therefore he can kill no further [...]hen his power can reach, which is to kill this natural life, and that which is counted but k [...]lling the body.

But, saith Christ, I will forewarn you whom you shall fear; Fear him that is able to destroy b [...]th soul and body in hell, that is, fear him that is able to cast soul and body into Hell in the Re­surrection, when he shall raise them again, then will God cast them bodies and souls into hell, that put you to this natural death, or first death, which was but for a moment, and then they had no more that they could do; but their death shall be the second death, where body and soul shall be cast into hell-fire, where the worm of consci [...]nce never dies, nor the fire of hell will never be quenched to eternity; this will God do in the Resurrection, where death shall always live and never die to eternity, theref [...]re fear him that hath such a power to punish with eternal death, to cast those Persecutors and Murderers that killed your b [...]dies into a lake of hell for ever and ever: so that no souls can be cast into hell-fire without bodies; for as no soul can act any good with­out its body, n [...]ither can any soul act any evil without its body, so that body and soul together shall receive the reward of the good actions of faith and patience, and other vertues of everlast­ing life in the Kingdom of eternal glory, both body and soul, and that body and soul that hath done evil, by persecution and shed­ding of blood, and other unrighteous actions shall receive the reward of their deeds in the Resurrection, shall be cast both body and soul into hell-fire, where their torment shall have no end, be­cause it is eternal, so that the soul cannot be punished in hell-fire without its body, nor no soul can be made happy in heaven with­out [Page 55] its body; but take notice, that every soul and body both righ­teous and un [...]ighteous doth taste of the first death, and when God shall raise the dead soul again, the soul or life will be a new life, and it will bri [...]g forth a new body with it, every seed of life its own body, so that the body cannot be killed only, but the soul is killed also, which could not be if the soul were not mor [...]al, as well as the body; for those souls and bo­dies which God doth cast into Hell are not mortal, but immortal and eternal, both soul and body, and can never cease to be there­fore called Hell, which is the second death, where the Wo [...]m ne­ver dies, nor the Fire never goeth out to Eternity; so that no soul is capable of torment in hell fire without a body, nor no soul capable to enjoy eternal salvation without a body; and this can­not be till the Resurrection, which Penn the Quaker and the whole body of them doth deny the Resurrection of the dead with bo­dies, ot that there will be any such general day of Resurrection, ot at least they hope there will be no such thing, which if there be not then it will be well for Penn, and the rest - but if there be such a thing, as I do know by faith there will, then will Penn and others of them suffer those torments aforementioned; and this is the true interpretation and meaning of Christ in this place of Scripture.

CHAP. XI.

Fourthly, Penn quotes Rev. 6.9. And when he had opened the fifth Seal, I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the Testimony which they held, ver. 10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long Lord holy and true, dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth.

Answer, Minde, the words are plain, that it was the souls of the Saints that were slain under the Altar; it doth not say, the bo­dies of the Saints were slain under the Altar, but their souls that were slain under the Altar; They cried day and night unto God [Page 56] for vengeance on them that killed their souls; their bodies ne­ver cried for vengeance; neither doth Iohn say, their bodies were slain under the Altar, but their souls that were slain under the Al­tar for the Word of God, and for the Testimony they held, an [...] not thei [...] bodies, as Penn deth vainly imagine; so that this pluce of Scripture i [...] clear, that the soul of man is mortal, and doth die, because it was their souls that were slain under the Altar; and Iohn could not properly nor truly have said, that their souls were slain under the Altar, if their souls had been immortal, and had slipt out of their bodies, and were not slain at all.

So that their souls had no cause at all to cry unto God for ven­geance, seeing their souls were not slain, their souls were only turned out of their bodies, and sent to a better place, even to God himself; for if it were as Penn saith, that their bodies were slain, and their souls were alive, their bodies were in the grave and their souls under the Alrar worshipping God day and night for ever and ever: how contrary is this to reason it self, if it were as Penn saith, then those that were slain under the Altar had more cause to cry unto God for a blessing upon those Persecutors that shed their blood, why, because they did but let their souls out of the blood of their bodies, th [...]y did not kiil nor slay their souls, but let them slip [...]ut of their bodies, and sent them to a better place, where they do worship God day and night, so that their souls that were slain under the Altar had no cause to cry aloud fot venge­ance, seei [...]g their souls could not be slain, as Penn saith, but only turned out of their bodies and sent to a better place to worship God day and night without bodies: and their bodies were quiet in the g [...]ave, what harm then did those murderers do to those men that sent their souls to G d to worship him, and their bodies to the grave, where they were quiet and still, so that neither bodies nor souls were not slain, nor s [...]fered no harm, what cause then had th [...]y to cry for veng [...]ance [...] them that shed their blood, seeing th [...]ir souls were [...] slain, as Penn saith, but sent to God to wor­ship him, which was a bette [...] place then in those days they lived in before.

This is the Q [...]akers main point of doctrine which they believe and teach, and th [...]y are not ashamed to publish it; it would make a man that hath any true light of faith in him, to loath such a principle as this, and s ew it out of his mouth, for it is the very foundation of darkness, for all those foolish, sottish and ign [...]rant imaginations of spirits appearing and walking without bodies, and of spirits assuming bodies that are not their own, which is nothing else but the power of darkness ruling in the im [...]ginati­ons of mens hearts, where the lig [...]t of faith doth not shine in mens hearts; and this opinion, that the soul slips out of the body when men die; it hindreth the light and understanding of all other heavenly truths whatsoever.

Therefore let the Reader consider, that the life is in the blood, and the life doth subsist in the blood, and the life is the fire, heat and warmness of the blood; now if the blood be shed, the fire, heat and warmness of the blood goeth out, so that the blood groweth cold, and the cause why the blood is c [...]ld, is because the fire of life, heat and warmness that was in the blood is grown cold, and ceaseth to be, that is, the life or soul dieth in the blood, and goeth out as the snuff of a candle when the blaze is blown out, so that the light never goes out of the blood, but di [...]th in the blood, so that t [...]e soul or life of man hath no existence nor being at all after the blood in the body is shed, and hath lost its heat and warmness; and where the dead body is laid, the dead soul is laid there also until the Resurrection, which people think may be a great while; bur it will not be one quarter of an hour to the dead soul before it shall be raised again, for there is no time to the dead, six thousand years is not a quarter of an heure to the dead, but time, years and days belongeth to life that can number his days, years and times.

Now I shall write a few words to satisfie the Reader, how these that were slain uder the Altar could cry for vengeance, see­ing they were dead under the Altar, the meaning is, that the [Page 58] blood of those that were sl [...]in for the Testimony of I [...]sus, it did c y virtual y and effi [...]ci [...]usly u [...]to God, that he would avenge their b ood a [...]cording t [...] his Wil [...] and romise: and so God doth hea [...] t [...]e cry [...]f their bloo [...] that was slain under the Altar: I say, Go [...] d [...]th hear th [...] cry of th [...]m, as he did hear the cry of the blood of Abel i [...] came up unto God; as in Gen. 3 10, And God said unto Ca [...]n, What hast thou done? the voice of th [...] brother [...] blood crieth un­to me from the gr [...]und. Now minde, Abels soul was killed, and wh [...]e his blo d was spilt upon the ground, his soul was spilt up­on the ground, for his blood cried from the ground unto God for vengeance upon Cain.

So in l [...]ke manner the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and the Testimony they held, did cry unto God for venge [...]nce on those that shed their blood, Now will you Penn say, that Abels s [...]ul was worshipping of God in a better place, then when his soul was in his body, and yet his blood cried from the ground where he was killed unto God for vengeance up­on Cain; and we read, that God did avenge the blood of Abel up­on Cain, for this very Act only in ki [...]ling his brother Abel; yet Penns saith, Abels soul was not killed, nor did not di [...], it was his body only that was slain, though his blood was spilt upon the ground, yet his life and soul escaped and went to God a better place to worship God in spirit and in truth without any body at all. This is the Q [...]akers faith, and the main point of faith they have amongst them.

Let the Reader consider these two things, and they may see how contrary this is to Reason it self, and to Scripture: First, the iife and soul of every living creature lieth in the blood, and if the blood be spilt upon the ground, then the life in the blood must of necessity die together; for they lived together, and never we [...]e parted asunder, therefore both died together. Secondiy, observe that what life soever doth live in flesh and blood, and no flesh can l [...]ve without blood, and no blood can be without life in it; so [Page 59] that who [...]ver killeth the body, he killeth the blood, and whoever killeth th [...] blood ki [...]l [...]t [...] the [...]o [...]l and life in it, so t [...]at i [...] may be clear to these t [...]at are n [...]t stone blind in thi [...]gs of nature, that the soul of man i [...] mo [...]ta [...] as his b [...]y is, and doth die and turn to dust until the R [...] [...]ction, when G [...] sh [...]ll raise that dead soul and bo [...]y out o [...] t [...]e d [...]t ag [...]in, then sh l [...]at dead soul bring forth a new life, or new s [...]ul wit [...] a new b [...]y, that shal be capable of eternal happiness, or et [...] nal m [...]ery, because their bodies shall be spiritual and n [...]t natural bodi s, no [...] natural souls, as now neither sh [...]ll that new l [...]f [...] lie i [...] t [...]e bl [...]od as it doth now in our natural bodies: neither shall that new [...]oul and body that is raised in the Resurrection be capable of ever b [...]ing annihilated by death, as this natural soul and body is, but shall endure to eternity.

Also this is to be observed by the Reader, that Penn doth not understand that a man may worship God in spirit and in truth in these natural souls and bodies that may and doth turn to dust, but when the spirit is sl p [...] out of this natural b [...]y, and gone to God, that is, a spirit without a body, as he dot [...] vainly imagine, then their spirits without any body shall worsh [...]p him in spirit and truth without bodies; This is the Qu [...]kers vain imaginations: A­gain, if Abels blood did cry from the ground for vengeance upon Cain, as is plain by the words he did, yet Penn saith, Cain did not kill Abels soul, but his body only, then that s [...]ntence God gave upon Cain seemeth something cruel, because from Penns Asserti­on Cain did not kill his brother Abels soul, he did but pa [...]t his s [...]ul from his body, he did but send his soul to G [...]d but a litt e before its time: he did not kill his soul, for Penn saith, life as it is life cannot die: so Cain did but separate his soul from his body, and was that such a hainous crime that Cain should be so punished, as to be a Fugitive, Vagabond and Renegade upon the face of the earth all his days, and be damned to eternity aft [...]wards, surely no; I speak this that men might be ashamed of the Quakers faith, but to conclude, it is clear, that Cain did kill the l [...]fe and soul of Abel, and it is as clear, that the lif [...]s and souls of those Saints that [Page 60] were slain under the A [...]tar for w [...]sh pping the true God cry unto him to avenge their bloo [...] up [...]n these persecuting d [...]vils t [...]at dwel upon the earth, so that it may be clear to those th [...]t are not st [...]ne-blind, that the soul of man is mortal and doth die; and this is the true interpretation and meaning of Iohn in this place.

CHAP, XII.

Pe [...]n [...]ath read at the University some old blind Authors that [...] [...]int of t [...]e so [...]s Mortality to be Heresie and [...] [...]pinion.

[...]ift [...]ly. Penn saith, but their most admirable secret of all is, that God des [...]ended with his body in the shape of man, dissolved himself into the Vi gins womb, and so brought forth himself a M [...]n childe, who af [...]r he ha [...] liv [...]d to su h an Age, was crucified a [...]d really died, or c [...]ase [...] t [...] be either God or Man for three days an [...] nights.

Penn saith, that this is [...]n tht [...]e pa [...]ticulars highly inconsistent with Scripture: I prove first, sairh Penn, God did not so trans­mute his divine nature i [...]to fleshly mortal nature: and the Scri­pture he brings to p [...]ove this, is Iohn 8.56, 57, 58 the words are t [...]ese, Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day, then said the Iews unto him thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? I [...]sus said unto th [...]m, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am.

Page 24 Penns Argument to this Scripture, saith he, If that which was b [...]fore Abraham, and yet then in b [...]ing, the same was G [...]d, as none that own the Scriptures do deny, then, saith he, be­caus [...] that outward visible body was not befo [...]e Abraham, that was not G [...]d; and saith, I hope none will believe the eternal Deity was transmuted or transubstantiated into that visible body. And in Penns s [...]cond Argumen he saith, Then that fleshly body, mean­ing, [Page 61] Chrisls Body was not God, or the eternal God was not sub­stantially transmuted into that fleshly body of Christ.

In page 28. Penn saith, it was impossible for God to transub­stantiate h mself from an immortal Deity to a mortal man. In Page 30. Penn saith, that the immo tal God could never die or cease t [...] [...]e, is manifest, and the contraty, saith he, blasphem [...]usly false; These are Penns own words and chief Arguments and Scriptur [...] he doth alledge, against that admirable Secret or My­st [...]ry of God manifest in flesh, as was spoken of by his servants t e Prop [...]ets, and now declar'd m [...]re plainly by Reeve and Mug­glet [...]n.

Answer, That this heavenly secret it doth consist with Scri­pture I prove, and that God did transmute his divine nature into fleshly mortal nature. Secondly, I shall prove by Scripture that Iesus Christ was that very God that bless [...]d Abraham, and Abra­ham saw by faith, that this eternal God that blessed him, would in the fulness of time transmute that spiritual eternal body, into a pure natural body of fl [...]sh, blood and bone in the Womb of a Vir­gin, so that Immor [...]ality and Life became pure Mortality and D [...]ath, that is Go [...] became flesh that he might b [...]come capable to die; and Abraham by faith did see Christs day, that he was very God manifest in a body of flesh, and that God should eat and drink with man as man, and in this sense Abraham did see his day, and rej [...]yced that God would become a body of flesh, so that Christ mig [...]t well say, Before Abraham was I am, for I am the ve­ry same God that blessed Abraham when I was a spiritual body in eternal gl [...]ry in Heaven ab [...]ve the stars, but I have transmuted that heavenly body which was eternal, into a pure natural body of flesh in the Womb of a Vir [...]in, and am become mortal, and hath made my self capable to suff [...]r the pains of death, to lay down my G [...]dhead-life for the redemption of the seed of Adam, so that Christ when he was upon earth was the same God that was before Abraham was, only he was not in the same condition [Page 62] as he was in before Abraham was; this is hard to be understood by the seed of the Serpent, yet Serpents will confess with the mouth that nothing is too hard for God: if so, why should it be too hard for God to transmute his spiritual body into a pure natu­ral body, in all things like man, sin only excepted, and so make himself in [...] [...]apacity to die, to be put to death by his own c [...]ea­tu [...]es, w [...] sh ul [...] this be thought too hard for God t [...] do, but Penn th Serp [...]nt devil saith, It was impossible for G d to t [...]n­substantiate himself from an immortal Deity to a mortal man, yet the Scriptures are full to prove the same.

Mind [...] Reader, That God d [...]d descend from Heaven in that spiritual body he had when he created man in his own Image into the Womb of the Virgin, and transmuted that spiritual body he had from eternity into a pure natural body in all things like unto man, sin excepted, which was Iesus Christ: This was God be­came flesh, and dwelt among men: This was that childe Isaiah by the Spirit of Prophecy called, The Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace; This is he in whom all the f [...]l [...]ess of the Godhead dwelt bodily. This Christ was he Paul speaketh of, God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, helieved on in the World, received up into glory. This is that Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the be­ginning and the end: This ts he that was dead and is alive, and be­hold he lives for evermore. This is he that said when he was upon earth, I have Power to lay down my life, and I have Power to tak [...] it a­gain, I lay it down of my self, no man taketh it from me. This is he that made his soul an offering for sin. This is he that poured his soul unt death, by which he became a Conquerour over sin, de [...]th and Hell. This is he that hath washed my soul, and the souls of all others, that hav [...] faith in his bloud: This is he that did rise a­gain from death to life: This is the Lord f [...]om Heaven who is that quickning Spirit: This is he that shall judge the quick and the dead; This is he that shall raise the dead at the last day.

And the dead souls in the Graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth of the Graves, some to the Resurrection of eternal glory, and some to the Resurrection of eternal damnation, as I am sure Penn is one of those that shall receive the sentence of eter­nal damnation in the Resurrection, as hath bin given him here by me, because he hath trampled the blood of Christ under foot, as an unholy, unprofitable and useless thing; in that he saith the soul of Christ did not die, with other base undervaluing expres­sions against Gods P [...]rson and bodily forme, but hath adored in his imagination a formless confus [...]d spirit, that hath neither form nor shape, to be above the Lord of Life, that never was without a form. This Iesus Christ is he that is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, even the mighty God of Iacob: This is he that was be­fore Abraham in a spiritual body in form like man: This is he that transmuted his spiritual body into a pure natural body, even the body of Christ in the Womb of the Virgin, as afore­said.

This is he that said to the Iews, Before Abraham was I am. These places of Scripture doth clearly prove, that God did transmute his spiritual body into a pure natural body, even the body of Christ, and that Christ must needs be God and man, therefore called God our Saviour, much more might be said in this [...]oint, but there hath bin sufficient proof of this before in this Treatise and else­where, that may satisfie the soul of any that hath the true light of faith in them.

But I know many Scriptures may be alledged against these Scriptures I have named, which would be too tedious to answer or to interpret, for the Scriptures without an interpretation and m [...]aning d [...]th contra [...]ict one the other more then any Writings whatsoever, theref [...]e there is a n [...]cessity that p [...]ople should be­lieve the Interpreter, else the Scriptures will be of little benefit to any man.

There is several Arguments mo [...]e t [...]at Penn hath raised out of the imagination of reason, the d [...]vil in him, against this point: but they are so confused and unprofi [...]able, that it would not be worth the while t [...] disprove, for he ra [...]seth several Arguments against Elias r [...]presenting the place of God the Father, while God went that jou [...]ney in the flesh, 33 years, was Elias in the Throne of the Fat [...]er: b [...]t this hath bin so publickly proved by Scripture already, many y [...]ars [...], so that I shall not give any Answer to tho [...]e A [...]guments he [...]e: but this is to be consi [...]ered by the Read­er, that one while Penn will have the eternal God to be so big, that he cannot be su [...]sc i [...]ed to any particular place, and another while [...]e [...]oth ride upon the sky, and upon the Circle of the earth, which if God filled all places at one time, and could not be sub­scri [...]ed [...]r contained in no particular place, then h [...] could n [...]t stir no w [...]ere, for all Places in Heaven and Eart [...] are full with his Omnip [...]es [...]nce, so that it would be impossible for God to ride up­on th [...] sky, or upon the Circle of the Earth: for such a God that can ride or move from one place to another, doth not fill Heaven a [...] Earth with his Presence, as Penn doth assert; An [...]ther while Penn will have nothing too hard nor impossible for G [...]d to do, no, not to make the vast earth and d [...]p waters of nothing; yet ano­ther while he saith, it was impo [...]sible for God to transmute him­self from an immortal D [...]ity to a mortal man, and that it is as impossible for God to become a creature, or to dissolve his own infinite, eternal and immortal nature, into a mortal nature, so that sometimes there is nothing too hard nor impossible for God to do, and at another time there is several things too hard and im­possible for God to do, as aforesaid; but I shall desire the Read­er to minde the first point treated upon, that God was in the form and likeness of mans bodily shape from eternity, and that will prove this point more clear, so I shall leave it to the Readers to consider and conclude this point, that the immortal God being in the forme of man did descend from Heaven into the Womb of the Virgin, and dissolved or transmuted himself into a pure natural body in the VVomb of the Virgin, which was Christ Iesus, as the [Page 65] Scriptures doth testifie, and as I have proved at large in the fore­going discourse.

I perceive Penn hath read, some old Authors Books that hath judged this heresie also; but he that leaneth upon their judge­ments that condemned the truth of God for heresie, will surely perish to eternity, for they would have said as much by Christ himself had they lived in his time.

CHAP. XIII.

Sixthly and lastly, that God hath elected some men to eternal sal­vation, and hath predestinated other some to eternal damnation, with­out any other inducement then his own Will and Pleasure.

Penn saith, this principle is accurss'd by Scripture, I prove; his first proof is Ezek. 18.21. the words are these, The soul that sin­neth, tt shall die, the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son, the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, ver. 22. but if the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my Statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Penns Argument drawn from this Scripture, saith he, If righteousne [...]s or wickedness be the ground of Gods rewarding or punishing the souls of men, then, saith he, there is no Predestination without consideration had to their works, and saith, therefore such De­crees are denied and dis [...]wned. Secondly, Penn saith, If man may turn from his righteousness and wick [...]dn [...]ss: and saith, But men may turn from either, and accordingly they will be rewarded; And also saith, Therefore no such predestinated damnation or sal­vation.

Answer, That this place of Scripture doth no ways relate to E­lection and Reprobation concerning eternal life and ete [...]nal death in the least, but altogether to the contrary, as will appear thus; [Page 66] Minde the scope of the words, The soul that sinneth it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: but if either the father or son do commit wick [...]dness, it shall be punished with natural death bef [...]re Natures course is run; and if either the father or the son doth work right [...]ousness, he shall have the reward of his righteousness he hath wrought, that is, he shall have the benefit of the legal Law, and shall not be cut off from the Land of the living, as long as his natural life doth last; likewise, if t [...]e fa­ther or the son hath committ [...]d wickedness in his life-time, yet if he shall turn from t [...]is wickedness, and k [...]ep Gods legal statutes, that is, follow the Law written in his heart, that is, Thou shalt not do no Murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit a­dultery, nor bear false witness and the like, and do that which is right between man and man, which righteousness is but the righ­teousness of the legal L [...]w written in mans heart; as if a man doth this he shall surely live in it all his days, and shall not die be­fore Natures course be run; likewise the son shall not suffer death for his fathers sin, nor the father shall not die for the sons sin, but he that sinneth shall die fot his own sin; and if the father be righteous, it shall not save the son from death: and if the son be righteous, and the father wick [...]d, the sons righteousness shall not deliver the father from death before the course of nature is run, but he shall be punished with death for his own ini­quity.

For this is to be minded by the Reader, that God said in the Commandment, He would visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hated him; Therefore it was a Proverb among the people of the Jews, that if children that had fathers that were wicked, the children of those fathers were heartless to work righteousness themselvs, seeing the sins of their fathers must be visited upon them to the third a [...]d fourth generatton: they thought it was a vain thing to serve God themselves, seeing their fathers sins must be charged [Page 67] upon them, therefore it was God took off the murmuring of the people, and doth promise that every one that sinneth, let it be the father or the son, he shall die for his own iniquity; or if either fa­th [...]r or son doth work righteousne [...]s, it shall be rewarded upon his own head according to his righteousnes [...]; and if either father or son that hath commitied wickednes, do h return and repent of i [...], and do that which is right between man and man. he shall be for­given that wickedness he committed before, and shall not die for his former iniquity.

So that this Scripture doth relate only to a legal righteousness, and to a legal punishment, and being put to death by legal [...]lagues and punishments for sin, and hath no relation not in the least to E­lection or Reprobation, or to [...]ternal salvation or damnation, for the keeping of that Law or Commandment could not give life, neither did God intend to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation to eternity. Penn might say that were unutterable cruelty in God indeed, to punish a child eternally for his fathers sin, but that punishment God threatned to visit upon the children to the third and fourth gene­ration, it was temporal and not erernal, as famine, sword, pesti­lence and natural death, as is exprest abundantly in the Old Te­stament, so that Gods rewarding of Mans legal righteousness, it was a [...]d is with temporal blessings of this life, and his punishing men for committing wickedness, and breaking that legal Law written in mans heart as aforesaid, he punisheth them with tem­poral punishments, even in this life, with death it self; as for example, is not there many a man for stealing, put to death for that very Act, before he hath lived out half his days: and is not many Murderers cut off by the legal Law before his days be half ex [...]ired; and is not the Adulterer and Adulteress many tim [...]s de­stroyed by that foul disease the Pox, in the midst of their days, and these sins of the fathers are many times visited upon the children, to the third and fourth generation, by shame and disgrace to the children among men, besides diseased bodies, poverty and beggery [Page 68] sticketh close to the children of wicked fathers, but the punish­ment of eternal damnation God doth not inflict upon any man for the sin of his father; but for his own sin only. This is the true interpretation and meaning of this Scripture, and that this place doth no ways relate to Election and Reprobation to Eternity in the least.

Secondly, Penn quotes 1 Tim. 2.3, 4. the words are these, For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, ver. 4. Who will have a [...]l men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Penns Argument d [...]awn from these words, saith he, If the Apostle writ by the Spirit of God that gives to know the Minde of God; then it was the good-will of God, that all men not excluding any upon a Predestination, should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved: and consequently, saith he, there is no pred [...]stinated restraint upon mens understanding from knowing the truth, nor fore-appointed from their en­j [...]ying the end of such true knowledge, even the salvation of their souls.

Answer, That this place of Scripture hath no relation at all to El [...]ction and Reprobation; for Paul doth plead more for Gods P [...]erogative Power, in electing and reprobating men by his own Prerogative Will and Pleasure, without any relation to good or evil Actions, then any man whatsoever, as I shall prove here­after; and if Paul sh [...]uld deny el [...]ction and reprobation in this place, as Penn doth infer, then he would grossely contradict his own writing, Rom 9 11. which he so strongly disputeth and argu­eth for; but I p [...]rceive Penn is blind and ignorant, and hath not been well-read in the Sc [...]iptures, his Minde hath been exercised at the University, more upon old Histories, and studying to find out the thoughts of mens souls when their bodies were opened and dead, but w [...]en their bodies were alive, he never knew what thoughts, pu [...]poses no [...] intents they had in their hearts, not by their words and actions; but when they were cut up, he thought to find [Page 69] their thoughts to find the inside of man, but that their souls were slipt out before they were opened. This is only a word by the way, to shew that Penn is grosly ignorant of the Scripture, that did not reade Pauls mighty strong Arguments for Election and Re­probation; and quote these words of Paul to overthrow all that Paul had written before; because Paul saith, this is good and ac­ceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth.

This doth not disprove Gods Election; but Paul speaketh these words only to encourage men to believe in Iesus Christ, in as much as we Apostles are Ministers of Christ to preach life and salvation by believing in him, we are willing that all men that hear us should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved, for we not knowing who is Gods Elect, and who is not, but by their belief or unbelief of our doctrine: and it is our desire, that all that hear us might believe us, as well as some, and be saved, and in this sense the Apostle might say it would be acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth; but when Paul saw that some men did bel [...]eve his doctrine, and some men did not believe but persecuted his doctrine, he knew then them to be e­lected to salvation that received his doctrine, and those to be te­probated to damnation, that did reject, despise and persecute his doctrine, which made him wish himself accursed ftom Christ for his Friends and Kindred in the flesh; he was so sensible, that his Kindred in the flesh were of the reprobate-seed, and pre-ordained of God to be blinded and hardned, to oppose the truth, that they might be damned to eternity: if Paul had not known this, he would never have wished himself accursed from Christ for their sakes, but that he knew himselfe el [...]cted and chosen of God, and that God could not alter his Decree, and curse him now, he had chosen him and blest him: also he knew God had teprobated his Brethren and Kinsfolk in the fl [...]sh, that they should not believe the truth declared by him, but should perish in unbelief to eter­nity. [Page 70] Therefore it is said in Scripture, that as many as were or­dained to eternal life believed; this Paul was sensible of, and could not alter his Decree in Reprobation, no more then he could in Election. This is the true interpretation and meaning of Pauls words in this place.

CHAP. XIV.

Thirdly, Penn quotes 2 Pet. 3 9. The Lord is not slack concern­ing his Promise, as some men count slackness, but is lo g suffering to us­ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to re­pentance. Penns Argument drawn from these words, saith he, The long-suffering of God, either related to the Elect or Repro­bate, or neither, and saith, not to the Elect, because there is no need of fearing their perishing; and saith, not to the Reprobate, for there is n [...] possibility of their repentance, and saith, therefore to neither: and saith consequently, either the place is spurious or deceitful, or else those kind of Elections and Reprobations are meer Phantasms; and saith, Let these few instances serve, of those hundred that might be mentioned most expressely to con­firm the same.

This is the whole strength Penn hath, and Scripture he hath brought, to prove that this Principle of Election and Reproba­tion is accursed by Scripture, Also Penn hath given eight Rea­sons against Gods Prerogative Power in Election and Reprabati­on, but they are the very absolute Reasonings of a Reprobate, and he hath discovered himself plainly to be one of the seed of the Serpent, a Reprobate that will be damned to eternity, in that he harh opposed, denied and blasphemed in a high nature the Prerogative Power and Will of God, in charging the Creator with being unrighteous, unjust, and more truel then men or de­vils, for electing some men to salvation, and reprobating some men to damnation for his own glory. First, saith he, it renders God most unwise. Secondly, he saith, it greatly disparageth his [Page 71] Justice. Thirdly, he saith, it quite destroys his mercy, and ren­ders him the most cruel of all Beings. He saith, but above all things it strikes at the very Root of Gods Rectitude and faithful­ness, and makes him worse then the worst of men or devils. Fifth­ly, he saith, this principle would defile his ete [...]nal inherent holi­ness, by making him as well the fa [...]h r of sin as of destruction. Sixthly, he saith, but this would st [...]in the gl [...]ry of the Almighty, unless it be compleated in the eternal destruction of far the great­est part of mankind, Seventhly, he saith, this dest [...]oys all Gods Works in reference to Gods unalterable Decree, because Man cannot by his good works nor his evil wo [...]ks alter Gods D [...]cree, saith he, and therefore will I give my self unto the liberty of the flesh, and enjoy the pleasures of this life whilst I can have them. Eighthly, he saith, it destroys all Government, since who cares how desperate he is, or what injury he does, who conceiting to himself his Post is pitcht, his estate set, and that unchangeably, but breaking all Laws, takes his revenge on what will bring him to condign punishment for his exorbitancies.

Answer, That these reasonings [...]roceeded out of the imaginati­ons of your own heart, which is the devil, that replies against Gods Prerogative Power, do you know that a Prerogative Pow­er is above all Law, and there is no disputing against that Power except you be able to wage war with him; there is no way to deal with a Prerogative Power which is above all Law, but by submitting unto it, for what a Prerogative Power doth, it is for his own will and pleasure to set forth his glory, and there can be no glory to that power if all were happy and none miserable; therefore if God should not pre-ordain some men to be saved to set forth the glory of his mercy, and pre-ordain some men to be damned, to set forth the glory of his Justice. What ground should any man have, to praise God for his mercy towards him, seeing all men may obtain the same if he will, then if I have ob­tained it by my righteousness, I received no mercy from God, it was a reward du [...] for my righteousness; but seeing the case is so, [Page 72] that all men by nature are children of wrath, that is, all men are concluded under sin and death, as well the seed of Adam, the elect seed, as the seed of the Serpent, the reprobate seed; so that these two seeds have replenished the earth with millions of men and women, more then can be numbred; now these two seeds being sown in the field of this world, and they are both fallen from that excellent estate that God created them in, viz. the Serpents seed is f [...]llen from that Angelical estate wherein he was created; and t [...]e seed of Adam is fallen from that Paradisical and innocent state he was created in, so that God hath sowed the field of Adam fallen, as Wheat in the field of this World; and he hath sowed the seed of the Serpent fallen from his state, as tares in the field of this world, aod they both grow together.

Now, it would make a man admire, and think it impossible for God to separate these two seeds again, evcn the tares from the wheat, that is, the seed of Adam from the seed of the Serpent a­gain, and that the seed of Adam, the Wheat. the Elect of God, shall be gathered into Gods Barn in the Kingdom of glory; and the tares, the seed of the Serpent, the Reprobates, shall be burnt with unquenchable fire here upon this earth in the Resurrection, when time shall be no more; but saith doth comprehend how God can do this, therefore it is said by Paul, That all that died in Adam shall be made alive in Christ; but those that died in the Serpent-Angel shall never be made alive in Christ, why, because all that died in Adam are the Elect of God, and shall be saved in the Re­surrect [...]on, and all that died in the Serpent are reprobated, and shall be damned in the Resurrection, and this God will do for his own glory, neither could his glory be so exceeding splendent if he did not do thus.

Again, how is it possible that any man should know himself a R [...]probate, and that God hath pre-ordained him unto eternal damnation for to set forth his glory? or how shall any reprobate know his post is pitcht, his state set in Gods Decree, whereby to [Page 73] encourage him to be avenged of that Decree, and act wickedness the more. This is impossible, for any reprobate to know himself to be a reprobate, and that God hath appointed him to be damn­ed, except he do such things as Cain and Iudas did, and then he would avenge himself, nor do no wicked Action to any but to himself, as Iudas did; for it is the nature of reason in man, that if he did certainly know that he should be damned, let him do well or ill, then would he be more righteous then before; for the cause why men do such wickednesses and exorbitancies, it is be­cause they do not know that they are reprobated, and shall be damned to eternity; if they did, they would avoid the doing those things seven times more then they do.

For the n [...]t knowing a man is pre-ordained to be damned, is one main cause that makes him Act such wickedness as he doth, because he not knowing he shall be damned, he hopes for mercy, notwithstanding his wicked Actions, which if he knew he were a reprobate, he would Act better things then he doth now he doth not know it; as for example, if you Penn the Quaker had known your self to be a reprobate, as well as I do, you would never have blasphemed against the living God in the forme of a man, as you have done: now you do not know your self to be a reprobate, and pre-ordained to be damned.

For this I say, a man may by faith know his own salvation and election, and the salvation of others, therefore it is that Pe­ter saith, Make your Calling and El [...]ction sure, for if you do these things you shall never fall; so that a man may be sure he is elected and shall be saved: but man by s [...]b [...]r reason, can never know that he is reprobated, and sha [...]l certainly be damned, though he may fear he shall, yet he hopes he shall not. Again, a man being sure of his own salvation and election, he knoweth perfectly that another man is a reprobate: as for example, I do perfectly know that you William Penn, George Whitehead, George Fox and several others of you, Quakers, that they are reprob [...]tes, a [...]d pre-ordain­ed [Page 74] to be damned to eternity, to set forth Gods glory as vessels of wrath: this I do perfectly know, but you know it not, and which way will you deliver your selves from Gods decreeing you in the seed to be damned to eternity, for Gods glory; and my knowing it will be so unto you in the Resurrection; for as I know my self to be of the seed of Adam, the seed of faith, and shall be saved; so I do perfectly know that you are the seed of the Ser­pent, the seed of reason, and must be damned, and you no ways can avoid what I have said.

In the next place, that the Reader may be throughly convinced of Gods Prerogative Power, and submit unto it, as I have done, in his electing and reprobating men and women, some to be sa­ved, and some to be damned: the Scripture is as full for this very thing, as for any one point whatsoever as may be seen by these Scriptures following.

CHAP. XV.

Isa. 42.1. Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth, so Mat. 24.21, But for the Elects sake those days shall be shortned, ver. 24. insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect: so Mark 13.20. And except that the Lord had shortned those days no flesh should b [...] sa­ved, but for the Elects sake whom he hath chosen he hath short­ned the days; so Luke 18.7. And shall not God avenge his own E­lect which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them: so Rom 9.11. For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to Election might stand, not of works but of him that calleth, ver. 12. It was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger, ver. 13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, ver. 14. What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God, God forbid, ver. 15. for he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will [Page 75] have compassion, ver. 16. so it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy, ver. 17. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my Power in thee, that my Name might be declared throughout all the earth, ver. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardneth, ver. 19. Thou wilt say their unto me, why doth he yet finde fault, for who hath resisted his Will, ver. 20. Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? ver. 21. Hath not the Potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel u [...]to honour, and another unto dis­honour, ver. 22. What if God willing to shew his wrath, and to make his Power known, endured with much long-suffertng the vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction, ver. 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory; so Rom 11 5. Even so th [...]n; at this present time also there is a remnant, according to the Electi­on of grace; and ver. 7. but the Eiection hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded; so Col. 3.13. Put on the [...]fore as the El [...]ct of God holy and beloved, bowels of mercy: so Tit 1.1. Paul a ser­vant of God, and an Apostle of Iesus Christ, according to the faith of Gods Elect.

Here the Reader may see that God hath elected some men to be saved, and rejected some men to be damned; here it is plain and clear, that the Prophets, Apostles, and Christ himself, did know that some men were elected to salvation, and some men are pre­destinated for damnation, on purpose to set forth the glory of God, without any relation to righteousness or unrighteousness; but meerly to shew forth the Prerogative Power of the Creator: for what glory could be given to God for his mercy and salvation; if the Creature that is saved did not know that his fellow-creature had no mercy shewed to him, neither doth God shew mercy to his elect, because his sins are less then the sins of the reprobate, for [Page 76] many of the Elect hath committed greater sins then the reprobate hath, yet because they are the seed of Adam, and so elected, God doth shew mercy unto them; and though many of the Serpents seed that hath been righteous all their days between man and man, and hath committed far smaller sins in mans arcount; as for example, the sin against the Holy Ghost is counted by righteous men but a small sin, only for speaking a word against the holy Spirit, calling it the spirit of the devil; God doth judge this sin unpardonable, which legal righteous men count but a small sin, which God counteth the greatest sin of all; and God hath pardon­ed great scarlet sins that hath bin as red as scarlet upon the soul of man, and this sin that is looked upon by legal righteous men as no sin, but thinks they do God good service in blaspheming against the Holy Ghost, in calling the Spirit of truth a devil; which you Penn and many of you Quakers have done. This God doth count the greatest sin of all, and hath said that it shall never be forgiven, neither in this life, nor in the l [...]fe to come, but all manner of sins else shall be forgiven unto men.

So that God will retain his Prerogative Power in election and reprobation for his own glory. for he hath made all things for his own glory, and the wicked for the day of wrath: now if God hath made you Penn and others for the day of wrath, as I know he hath, how will you help your self; and though you reply and say, Why doth he yet finde fault, who hath resisted his Will? God doth own that you have not resisted his will, for he made you on pur­pose a vessel of wrath, to set forth his Prer [...]gative Power in your condemnation, and he hath made me a vessel of mercy to set forth his Pre [...]ogative Power in my eternal salvation: This I perfectly know; and though you reason against your Creator, and do count him more cruel then the worst of men or devils, God doth own this also, and doth exercise his Prerogative Power upon his creature, as the Po [...]ter doth upon the clay, he maketh one vessel to hon [...]ur and another to dishonour, and how shall the clay prevent the Potter f [...]om doing what he will, neither can any man pre­vent [Page 77] himself from being a vess [...]l of wrath, nor from being a ves­sel of mercy no m [...]re then the clay could; but he that made both these vessels knoweth h w to dispose of them for his own glory, and the vess [...]l of w [...]ath is as necessary for Gods use as the v [...]ssel of mercy; for in that he hath made a vessel of wrath fitted for dest [...]uction, it is that [...]e might make known the riches of his glo­ry on the vessels of mercy, w [...]ich he had prepared unto glory; Also t [...]is is to be o [...]served, that the clay doth not know whether the Potter will ma [...]e it a vessel to honour or to dish [...]nour, nei­ther doth men that are born into this world, that God the Potter of Heaven hath made th [...]m vessels of wrath, or vessels of mer­cy, until it is revealed u [...]t [...] t [...]em by that seed of faith that is risen in them; and wh [...]n a man knoweth his own salvation, and that he is an elect v [...]ssel, he may easily discern anoth [...]r to be a repro­bate, a vess l [...]f w ath app [...]inted to be damned, though he doth not know it hims lf.

Again, it may he objected that the tlay that the Pott [...]r maketh vessels of one to hon [...]ur and another to dishonour; it is a senseless lump, and feeleth no more pain on the fire, th [...]n the honourable vessel at the Kings Table is sensible of honour. Answer, That God the Potter of Heaven hath a Prerogative Power over a living vess [...]l, as a living man hath over dead clay; because he is rhe Fat [...]er and Giver of all life to man and beasts, and all other crea­tures th [...]t h [...]th life: for as dead clay do [...]h set forth t [...] wis [...]om and workmanship of livi [...]g man in making vessels of d [...]ad clay for his own [...]se, [...]onour and gl [...]ry; s [...] is it with God, he mak [...]th v [...]s­s [...]ls of wrath to live in t r [...]nt to et rnity: and he maketh ves­sels of mercy to live in Joy and [...]ea [...]u [...] f [...]r evermore, to s [...]t f rth the gl [...]ry of his mercy s [...] [...]at [...]h th [...]s [...] v [...]s e [...] must liv [...] eternally, else Gods [...]y would b eclipsed and y [...]iled, and n [...]t se [...]n in the s [...]our o [...] it: a [...] [...]e cau [...] w [...]y this [...]ust be i [...], i [...] b cause G [...]d harh a Prero [...]ative Powe [...] [...]ver all life, as the Potter hath ev [...]r dea [...] cl [...]y: This p [...]in [...] Pa [...]l doth prove with undeni [...] Arg [...]ings, so that this point of el [...]ction an [...] r [...]ptobation [Page 78] is prove [...] by Scriptures and it was the faith of the Prophets, and the faith of the Apostles, and it is Reeve and Muggletons faith, yet Penn saith, it is highly inconsistent with rea [...]n; but I am sure it [...]oth consist with faith, and with the Scriptur [...]s, as hath bin a­bundantly proved before.

Yet Penn saith, this Principle is accurst [...]y Scripture he will prove, and saith, that Antiquiry both knew and abhorred this opinion, and quo [...]es J [...]se [...]h [...]s and several other old Authors, which kn [...]w not the r own [...]lection no more then Penn doth, t [...]at cau­s [...] them a [...]d him to abhor the truth of God, and the Apostles faith, an [...] the Prerogative Power of God, to limit his Will and Power t [...] th [...]ir da [...]k imag [...]na [...]i [...]ns: I know the cause why they abhorred [...]his pri [...]ciple [...]f el [...]cti [...]n and reprobation, because the did not know t [...]emselves elected nor t [...]eir own salvation nei­ther; neither did they make their own calling and election sure, if they had, they would never have abhorred their own election, that God had made them v [...]ssels of mercy; f [...]r reason in man [...]s subject to abhor that another should be made in a better condition then himfelf, or that God should shew more mercy to another then to him: this is abhorred by men that knows not rheir own election and salvation; but I know they lived in a dark time of the world, and in ignorance of the true God and of his Power: so I shall leave them to him to judge them, as they judg [...]d his truths to be heresies: Thus I have given Answer to t ose six Points, or Secrets of God which Penn calls Heresies, which may satisfie the Reader that can understand the Answer afor [...]said: and they may see t [...]at I have proved by Scripture t [...]ose six P [...]ints and Se­crets of God to be of absolute necessity for ever [...] man and wo­man to understand and believe, against Penn the Quakers Asser­tions and Arguments.

In Page 36. Penn saith, that there was one Buddas that writ se­veral books, and his end was to break his neck: and Penn saith, It is to be feared that a worse will befal miserable Muggleton, even [Page 79] torment of spirit, as Reeve is sai [...] to [...]ave left the world in: and in page 37. Penn desireth the Reader to de [...]ay not to pass the just senten [...]e of Impostor and C [...]unterfeit up n them and their Com­mission.

CHAP. XVI.

Answer, That Iohn Reeve did not leave the world in torment of spirit, as hath bin said unto you and unto [...]thers; but he left the world in as much Peace of minde, and confidence in the Com [...]is­sion of God that spake unto him, as could be exprest by man, as some can witness at this day that are alive: but some that saw his departure, that closed up [...]is [...]yes, and heard his l [...]st words, are dead since: but I l ok upon it but a vain thing for us to v n­dicate our selves from slanders, lies and evil repor [...]s, for there is no stopping the mouths of Serpents: lik [...]wise, you say ir is to be feared, that miserable Muggleton will have a w rse death then breaking his neck. I kno [...] it would be the joy of the Quakers hearts if such a thing sh [...]u [...]d befal me: but God hath preserved me from all casualt es f [...]om my birth to t [...]is day: I never had no broken bone, sprain, bursenness, diseases of b dy, nor no defect in nature to this day: and I do not question but the good Provi­denc [...] of God will preserve me from all Accidents of Nature to my lives end: but from pers [...]cu [...]ion and abuses from wicked men I ca [...]not promise my s [...]lf t [...] be s [...]cure, for mine enemies are more th [...] I can number f [...] multitu [...]e, but the Law d [...]th preserve me from them, therefore I do ye [...] live in [...]he [...]a [...]d of the living, and am made able to withstand the malice and hatr [...] of all mine ene­mies: Besides, what would it advantage you Quak [...]rs and o­thers that are under my sentence, if such misfortune should hap­pen unto me, it might be some comfort to o [...] r [...] that cometh af­ter you, but it will advantage you nothing at a l: for what I have said concerning you, and several others of your mighry men, i [...] shall stand like a rock that cannot be moved, and like the Law [...] of the Medes and Persians that cannot be alte [...]ed, de [...]iver your s [...]lves [Page 80] if you can, And as for your desiring to pass the just sentence of Impostor and Counterfeit upon us and our Commission: To this I say, it is not proper to call a man Impostor, except a man had made a professi [...]n of truth before, which Reeve nor Muggleton ne­ver did, because we never did know the truth until about twenty yea [...]s ago, except you do count the Puritane Religion was the truth indeed: I was a zealous [...]uritane before, and I did fall f [...]om that Profession to an honest just life between man and man, and if that was an Impost [...]r, then thousands and many of you Q [...]akers you [...]selves are Imposto [...]s: for I have known many [...]f you did fall from be ng purita [...] to be R [...]nters, and from Ran­te [...]s to Quak rs, so th [...]t you Q [...]kers are double Impostors [...]y t [...]is [...]u [...]e: But this I say, you Quakers cannot properly be Im­postors, because y [...]u never were i [...] truth, nor are not in truth now. But [...]f I should fall f [...]om this faith I have declared ab v [...] 20 years, then sh [...]u [...]d I be an Impostor indeed: likewise, whoever ha [...]h be­lieved our d [...]c [...]in [...] of truth which we have declared, and hath made a profession [...]wn it, and to love and justifie it, and shall aft rwa [...]ds fall [...], and question the truth of it, and rebel a­gainst it, s [...]ch a [...] Impos [...]ors ind ed, for no man can properly be said to b [...] an I [...]po [...]tor, but he that falleth from a true Prophet, true A [...]ostle, or true Minister of Christ; but there is never a man in [...]he w [...]rl [...] at t [...]is day that can become Impostors, but such as h [...]ve mad [...] a profession of Reeve and Muggletons Commission, and f [...]l [...]om it, as af [...]esaid, such indeed are Impostors, and none else, s [...] that the R [...]ader may s [...]e the gro [...]s ignorance of learned Penn t [...] Q [...] ke [...] that doth not know wh [...] is an Impostor and who is n [...].

Aga [...]n, I understand t [...] t Penn [...]ath b [...]en brought up to L [...]arn­ing at the Unive [...]s [...]ty o [...] ear [...]h, to reade old Hi [...]i [...] and old Au­t [...]o [...]s Iudg [...]ments c [...]c [...]r [...]i [...]g [...]er [...]sies, an [...] to fin [...]e out t [...] thoughts, purp [...]s [...] an [...] int [...]nts of mans hea ts, w [...]en they are [...] ­p [...]n [...]d [...]y t [...]e [...]to s: b [...] tha [...] th s [...]ul w [...] th [...] [...] before, [...]s P [...]nn [...] I n [...]g [...], so that no th ughts, p [...]p [...]s [...]s [...]or intents of [Page 81] the mans heart could be found when the body was Anatomized, so that Penn concludes that the soul cannot die but is immortal, else the thoughts, purposes and intents of a mans heart might be found when his body i [...] cut up; this is Penn the Quakers faith, and he is not ashamed of it: but who would have th [...]ught that learned Penn should have discovered such ignorance and blind­ness of minde, for he hath exprest great ignorance in quoting so many Popish Authors opinions and judgements upon heresie, which knew not the truth themselves; but do you Quakers in­deed believe that Augustine, Eusebius, Socrates the Philosopher, and many others you have named. were endued with an infal­lible Spirit, or had any Commission from God to be Iudge what was heresie and what was truth in their time: if so, why then do you Q [...]akers revolt from those old Authors practice and opi­nion as to your doctrine.

For they never did own the light in man to be the very God, as you Quakers do; and do you think that Augustine and the rest would not have condemned the Quakers principle for heresie if it had been in their time? they would have judged it to be the greatest heresie of all others: for a man to believe there is no o­ther Go [...] but the light within man, and that neither the Father nor the Son hath never a body of their own, Augustine and all those old Authors would have judged this to be Antichristian he­resie indeed. I thought you would have bin ashamed to bring old Authors that lived in the dark time of the world to prove your doctrine. Did I ever bring any Author to prove what I say against you, but the Scriptures and my own revelation for what I have d clared: but Penn ha [...]h shewed his gross ignorance, to bring old Authors to prove what he saith; for Fox the Qua­ker hath said, that they could have known the minde of Christ, and that they were in Ch [...]ist before the world was, if no Letter of Scripture had been written; so that Penns knowledge is far be­low Fox his father, notwithstanding his gteat Learning, there­fore I perceive Penn is very ignorant, and hath had no experi­ence [Page 82] n [...]r r [...]velation of the light of Christ within him, but what he hath read out of th [...]s [...] old Authors books, which doth cause him to talk [...]nd write af [...]er this rate; and for my part I never s [...]w any of thos books [...] sp [...]aks of, neither did I ever reade a­ny of those points [...]hey cond [...]mn f [...]r heresie

We never read no books but the Bible and the revelation of the seed of faith arising in m, h [...]th led me by the hand to know the meaning of the Scriptur [...]s, and hath given me such appear­ance, that no question could be asked in spiritual things, but they have bin easie to me; therefore I sha [...]l say this unto you Penn, who hath bin brought up at the Vniversity on earth several years, and there you have read several b [...]oks, as you have exprest, wher­by you do judge these th [...]ngs to be heresie, because those books did judge them heresie; and are you sure th se men you approve of would not have judged Christ himself when on earth, to have bin a Blasphemer and Deceiver, as t [...]ose did that heard him speak; and would not those old Authors have persecuted the A­postles, as those did in their time for Liars and Deceivers, had they lived in the Apostles time; yea, I am sure they would: for this is a certain rule, that he that will persecute a man for error in Religion, will as soo [...] persecute the truth as errour, and call the truth heresie, for truth doth cause men to be more mad to persecute it as heresie, why, because the reason of man cannot grapple with it, nor comprehend it, which causeth him to be an­gry and persecute it as heresie: neither did G [...]d ever give non­commissionated men power to judg [...] of her [...]sie in spiritual things, yet Penn hath no other proof for those six Heads to be old here­sies, but the Antiquity of old Authors books, which Penn hath read at the Vniversity, as may be read in his book.

CHAP. XVII,

But whatsoever I have learned in spiritual things, and as to these six Heads, it is from the Vniversity of Heaven, for I have [Page 83] bin at school in the Vniversity of Heaven almost 22 years: And I saw three Books in Heaven, and they were given me all three to read in; and the first book I read in it was the book of the Law of sin and death, which is the Le [...]te [...] of the Law of Moses, which is a killing Letter, which saith, Thou shalt not do no murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not steal, and the rest; so that this Book of the Law was a Book of death to those that committed these things; and as I read a little further I found this Law of sin and death written in my own heart and in the heart of every man; and I saw that all men in the world were under this law of sin and death, and that God had concluded all men by nature under this law: and in as much as no man could keep this law written in his heart perfectly, but break it either in thought, word or deed, therefore it is that every man lieth under the Iudgment of this law written in his heart, therefore this book of the Law that was given for life, that whoever did do it should live in t, yet b [...] r [...]ason no man could keep it perfectly, it became the book of death in all men, which when I had read I was exceedingly troubled and perplexed in my mind what I should do to be saved: then I turned my self to reade in another book that was opened to me, even the book of Conscience, and I read in this book to see if I had bin guilty of any of those things in the book of the Law in act: and I read in the book of my Conscience, that I was not guilty of any actual breach of this law written in my heart, which was some ease to my minde, that if I were to suffer eternal death by this law, yet my torments would be the less, because I had committed no actual sin; yet seeing that both righteous and unrighteous were con­cluded under sin, and are by nature children of wrath by thi [...] law of sin and death; And that when G [...]d did raise the dead at the last day, both small sinners and gteat sinners, and that they should be judged by these two books, viz. The Book of the Law written in mans heart, and the bo [...]k of Conscience, when they are open­ed at the last day, as in Rev. 20.12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God, and the books were opened, and an­other bo [...]k was opened which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written tn the book, according to their works; then was I exceedingly troubled what [Page 84] to do; and I read in the book of Conscience again, saying, Hold fast thy integrity and do not let it g [...], but as thou hast bin righte­ous, keep thy self righteous still; and a little while after this, there was given unto me the b ok of life to reade in, and it was opened unto me by the revelation of the seed of God, the seed of faith in me, and I saw my name written in the book of life, and that the second death should not have power over me, an [...] that I should be judged out of the book of life in the Resurrection, to wear a Crown of life and glory to eternity; and I have read in the book of life above twenty years, and in the book of life I saw all those wonderful mysteries and revelations the Prophets and A­postles had concerning God being manifest in the flesh, and the devil being manif [...]st in the flesh, of Hell, of Heaven, of Angels, and their natures, and of the rise of the two seeds, and of the fall.

These things and many more have I read out of these three books in heav [...]n, viz. The book of the Law, the book of Consci­ence, and the book of Life; in these three books in heaven is con­tained the Original and Councel of God in all things which he hath created, both in heaven above, and in the eatth beneath, and of his secret Decrees, which in a m [...]asure he did reveal unto the Prophets and Apostles of old, and in a measure Reeve and Muggle­ton hath learned out of those three bo [...]ks aforesaid the same knowledg, as those that went before us, and when the book of th [...] Law was opened, I saw several of the Quakers people, and more especially their Ministers were judged out of those things which w [...]re w [...]itten in the book of the Law, and the book of Con­s [...]ience, and they were judged out of these two books to suffer e­ternal death, why, because they made the light of the Law written in their hearts to be very God, and in as much as their Conseien­ces condemns them for rebellion against this God, the Law writ­ten in their hearts, they are judged out of those two books, that i [...], they are j [...]dged and condemned by their God the llght of the law within t [...]em, and the Conscience condemns them for rebelli­on against the light of the law within them which is their God. A­gain, [Page 85] the Ministry of the Quakers are led and guided by the Spi­rit of Antichrist, that is, the spi [...]it of reason the devil transform­ed like unto an Angel of light in these last times, that hath clo­thed themselves with an out side righteousness, seemingly more pure then any Saint, both in their words and apparel, no word must be placed out of j [...]ynt, and as for Apparel it must be plain, no ribbon, lace, nor gold button must be wore by them, and a­bove all, be sure y [...]u keep your Hat on before a Magistrate, nay, put not your Hat off before the King himself, and let not the wo­m [...]n mak [...] any ob [...]isance to the King hims [...]lf, lest it be counted worshipping the K ng; th [...]s is some of the Quakers out-side righ­teousne [...]s, which se [...]meth to out-strip the righteousness of the Prop [...] ts, Apostles and Saints in their time: but as to the righ­teousness of saith, which is the righteousn [...]ss of God, the Qua­kers pe [...]ple are the wo [...]st of all, for they deny that God was ma­ [...]ifest in the fl sh of Christ, they deny that Christ is God and Man, they deny the blood of Christ to be of any value to re­deem them that b [...]li ve in it f [...]om etetnal death, they deny and say the soul of Christ did not die, they deny tha [...] the same body of Christ, of flesh and bone, that was laid in the grave, that did rise again, they deny that the same body of flesh and bone, that suff [...]ed death, that rise again and ascended up to Heaven, to be n [...]w a glo [...]ified body in H [...]aven in the form of man, as when he was upon earth; t [...]ey deny the Resurrection of a body when Christ shall raise the dead at the last day: and if this be not the Antichristian spirit in this last Age, then there never was no spi­rit of Ant [...]christ in the world at all, as s spoken of in Scrip [...]ure; but I have had perfect knowle [...]ge that the Quak rs Ministry is the abs lute M [...]nist [...]y of Anti [...]ist in these last times, and that t [...]ey shal be judged out [...]f th [...]se things w [...]ich were written in the b [...]k of the law which they call G [...], and the bo [...]k of Con­science which hath reb [...]l d [...]gai [...]st [...]is l [...]w, for I have known several Q [...]kers that hath committed Actions of lust when they w [...]re upon the rant, ev [...]n against consci [...]nce [...] f [...]r which several of th [...]m hath [...]ec [...]ived judgement in this life, even the soul dis­ease, [Page 86] poverty and beggery, besides their damnation hereafter.

CHAP. XVIII.

And when the book of life was opened, I saw many old Au­thors that did pro [...]hecy that the t [...]ue God was in the forme and likeness of man, when he c eated man in his own image, and that he would descend from heaven to earth in the Womb of a Vir­gin, and became v [...]ry m [...]n and very God, and be found in the shape of man, and b [...] like unto man in all things, sin excepted: and that he should suffer death, and rise again by his own power, and ascend up to the same glory which he had before the world was: these and many more glorious things did I see when the book of life was opened; and I saw in the book of life the Au­thors of this faith, that God was a spiritual body in forme like man from eternity; and I saw in the book of life Enoch that walked with God, and Noah who was righteous in his generati­on, and righteous Lot who received the two Angels, and Abraham the father of the faithful, Isaac, Iacob, Moses, the Prophets and Apostles: These were the Fathers of old that prophecied and declared the same things that Reeve and Mugg [...]eton hath, so that these truths and secrets of God that Penn and his old Authors calls heresies, were declared and prophecied of by those holy men of God aforesaid, whose Names I saw w [...]itten in the book of life; and I saw when the book of life was op [...]ned unto me, that Reeve and Muggleton were the two last Prophets and Witness [...]s of the Spirit, to finish the Declaration of that great Mystery of God, as was prophecied of by his servants the Prophets, God manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen [...]f Angels, preac [...]ed unto the Gentiles, be [...]ieved on in the wo [...]ld, r [...]ceived up in [...]o glory: Thus I have given the Reader some Account of the old Authors of those six principles [...]f truth as are substanti [...]lly proved by Scri­pture befo [...], as Reeve and Muggle [...]on hath declared, in opposition to those old Authors Penn hath brought out of those books he hath read at the Vniversity to prove them old heresies. Thus I [Page 89] have given Answer t [...] those six points that are of greatest con­cernment for men to k [...]ow, without which there can be no per­fect peace to the m [...]nde of man in this life, nor assurance of peace in the life to come

The last thing for me to speak something to tha [...] is of concern­ment in Penns book by way of Reply is the dispute between us in page 38. I confess I did sp ak two unsavoury words in the dis­course being provoked, which I will not [...]eny, as may be seen in the following d scourse; and if those two words had not bin ut­tered by me Penns book had not bin worth two farthings but for waste paper; but them two unsavoury expressions put a great lustre to his book, and doth yield comfort to many serpent-de­vils: but to the matter in hand, I do acknowiedge that many of those passages between him and me in the dispute, were as true as they are related by him; but some of them are false as they are set down, indeed as Penn saith, he did stay too l [...]ng b [...]fore he writ them down, so that his memory failed him, that he hath writ some of those passages that passed between him and me false, and some true, but it would be too tedious for me t [...] rep [...]at whats false and what true, either w [...]ll signifie but little to the Reader; to let them pass as they are, I am willing that mine enemies sh [...]ul [...] suck what sweetness they can out of them, or what poison, for I am very well satisfied in what I said to h m: and as for those two passages [...]hat seems to be unsavoury, I shall g v [...] th [...] re [...]son by and by. Page 41. Penn calls me a liar, for saying William Smith the Quaker was dead, it seems he was not dead is was repo [...]ted: but if Penn had stayd his book a month longer he had b [...]en f [...]nd a liar for saying h [...] is y [...]t alive, for now he is really dead, and pas­sed through the fi [...] [...]eath into the second death: but let Penn call to minde what f [...]ls, lying and wicked [...]eports hath bin rai­sed of me b [...] Quakers a [...]d others, how many times I have been dead, and in [...]rison to the j [...]y of their hearts, an [...] that Reeve left the world in torment of spirit. These wicked lies and slanders [Page 88] have bin reported of us, but more especially of me, yet knowing my own innocency I never charged any for reporting these lies of me.

The second thing in this discourse was this, that I said William Penn the Quaker, thou art a Cheat and a Deceiver: neither did I speak this without some ground, for it was told to me in what par [...]iculars both at Cambridge and in Ireland by persons that knew Penns beginning▪ and what his life was b [...]tter then he did him­self: The R [...]ade [...] may perceiv [...] that this was befo [...]e he had a rule of any estate, but what his father allowed him, but those persons are since dead, theref [...]re they shall be nameless, and the things they re [...]orted of him shall be nameless also before he p [...]ep­ed after t [...]e Qu [...]kers: but if they did slander him and report lies of him, th [...]y we [...]e too blame, and if his conscience be clear, and not guilty of those things, th [...]n let the blame rest up [...]n the head of those that reported li [...]s, and his innocency will b [...]ing peace in himself, so far as it ex [...]n [...]; but upon these words Penn and his friend George Whitehead said, though it was not their principle to use the law, yet perhaps, said they, his f [...]iends may make use of the law to make me prove what I said: and upon their threatning what his friends might do, I did so scorn what his friends could do in that matter, that I said I cared not a fart for them, nor what they could do: and threatning what they could do by the law if they would use it; whereupon I did say I did not value not care a turd for him nor his friends, nor what they could do by the law in that matter, neither did I care what they could do in the law no more th [...]n the abovesaid: but let the Reader minde the pride of th [...]se Quakers hearts, that because Penns fa­ther was a man of estate, and in some power in the N [...]tion Af­fairs, therfore he b [...]asted of his friends, what they might do by law [Page 89] I never heard any poor Quaksr-beast [...]f their friend, and if Penns fa­ther had not been born before his son, he would never have boasted of his friends, but if he had been born before his father, as I was born before my father, he would never have boasted of his friend [...], but might have bin cloathed in an old thread-bare black-suit, like a sequestred b [...]gging Priest, as I did look like; My meaning is, I do count all those fathers that gets estates, and leaves it to the son that never knew the getting of it, but the spending of it, such mens fathers were born before them, as Penns fa [...]h [...]r was; but such fathers that are poor and can give the son nothing, and yet the son by his labour and industry getteth a livelihood for himself, and doth rather help his father then hinder him, such a son may be said to be born before his fa [...]her, as I was that never received six pence portion [...]f my father; and if Penn had been born before his father as I was, I believe his suit had been more thread bare then mine, for it is known by many that Penns father his beginning was low and mean, his d [...]scent far lower then mine, that hath left me nothing, yet by the fortune of War, and his facing about to the right and left, and somthing else besides, he hath left his son a considerable estate; and I do wish his son to make much of that unrighteous Mamon his father hath left him, and say, Soul, take thine ease for thou hast Goods laid up for many years, for I am sure it is all he shall have both in this life and in the life to come; and fur her. Pe [...]n shall know to his eternal pain and shame, that my God whose dimension is no b [...]gger nor higher then a middle-statured man, as I said to him; and that I do ju­stifie that saying of mine still, that I would not give a pin f r that God which would sav [...] us both, now I have given sentence of damnation upon you, neither would I give a rush for that God that cannot d [...]e; for our faith is in that God that made man in his own image, whose dimension is no bigger then a middle-statured man, even the bignes of Christ Jesus, who became a little Child, and when he was a man he poured out his soul unto death, and was absolutely dead for such a space of time, as the Scriptures doth testifie.

Thus I have said something in Answer to every particular Passage in Penns Book that is of Concernment, and to the Disputes be­tween them and me; and as for the latter Part of his Book, it contains nothing but a R petition of our words, and the drawing Ob­jections out of his o [...] da [...] imagination against them: If he would [...] himself to read the Scriptures and observe Contradictions [...] [Page 90] them as he hath in our Books, he might bring ten contradictions in Scri­ptures, for one he hath picks out of [...] Writings, but I shall leave it to the Reader that hath read those Books, and doth understand, whether they be not as good sence, and builded upon as sure a foundation as any Writings whatsoever, as the Scriptures themselves.

To consider and conclude. LODOWICK MUGGLETON.
AN END.

Here followeth A Declaration what the whole Armour of God is, and what is meant by the Wilderness; And a Description of the wilde Beasts I fought with after the manner of Men in the Wilderness, as I was journeying and travelling towards the heavenly Canaan, in those six years time, from the year 1662. to the year 1668. con­cerning my Travels through the spiritual Wilderness of Mens hearts in Mortality, towards the spiritual and hea­venly Land of Canaan.

As followeth,

IT was the good Pleasure of God to chuse me one of his two Last Prophets and Witnesses of the Spi­rit, to declare that great Mystery of God being be­come flesh, or God being made flesh, as the Scripture saith; and for that purpose the Lord God did give me understanding of his minde in the Scriptures, above all men in the world at this day;— which thing hath bin made manifest, and is clear to many by those Writings set forth by John Reeve and my self:— This Commis­sion given of God unto me; it was the third day of Fe­bruary 1651.— And then was I chosen of God t [...] be John Reeves mouth, as Aaron was to be Moses's mouth: — And as Aa [...]ons Rod in his hand did smite the Ea [...]th and Waters of Egypt; in the natural it brought many na­tural plagues upon the Egyptians; and Aa [...]ons Rod swallowed up the Egyptians Rods; so hath this C [...]m­mission of the Spirit caused spiritual plagu [...]s to f [...]ll upon many despising spirits, upon their s [...]ul [...] and [...]o­dies [Page 2] to Eternity; and when they have cast down many Curses upon me, I have cast down but one Curse upon them, and it hath swallowed up all their Curses, so t [...]at none are to be seen:— And the curse I have cast [...]wn is but one curse to th [...]m, and it hath swallowed up all th [...]ir curses, so that none a [...]e to be seen, and [...]he curse that I cast down, it [...]oth remain alone upon a l serpentine spirits of men and women.

Al [...]o it is recorded in Scripture that Moses and Aaron we [...]t thr [...]ugh the natural wilderness, toward the pro­ [...]ed Land of Canaan a temporal Land, yet a type of t [...]e spiritual and heavenly Canaan, and much trouble and opposition did they undergo in the wilderness, with the seed of the Serpent; yet they being armed with the Armour of God, even the Commission of God that was put upon them:— as upon Aaron the Mitre of sal­vation was sat upon his head, the breast-plate of h li­ness and righteousness was tied fast to his breast:— the Ephod of Prophecie was as a white garment down to his feet:— and the holy Oyl of wisdom and understand­ing was poured upon his head; it wet not his beard a­lone, but it drenched his beard throughout;— And finally, it did run down his skirts and rich Attire throughout,— signifying the soun [...]ness of doctrine and integrity of life being the Urim and Thummim. This was the Armour of God put upon Moses and Aaron in that Commission of the Law: and this preserved them from all their enemies that fourty years in the wilderness, as they journeyed toward that temporal Land of Ca­naan.

So likewise hath God in these last times chosen John [Page 3] Reeve and my self his two last Pro [...]hets and Witnesses of the Spirit, to lead the Israelites inde [...]d into the spiri­tual and heavenly Land of Canaan, which the other was a type of,—that is, all true believers, of this Com­mission of the Spirit might enter into eternal rest:— that is, to have the Assurance of everlasting life in thems [...]lves:— this is true rest in the soul of man which many can witness at this day:— and let it not, seem strange, or hard, or a thing impossible in these our days, for men and women in the Assurance of everlast­ing life abiding in them here in this life; for many can witness the truth of it: for true faith is the evidence of things not se [...]n by the eye of reason, but by the eye of faith only,

Also I reade in the Scripture, that the Apostles were clothed with the whole Armour of God in their Com­mission of the Gospel, as Moses a [...]d Aaron was in their Commission of the Law,— and that many be ieving Is­raelites did enter into their rest; that is, had the Assu­rance of everlasting life in themselves, and so did enter into the Paradice of God, and into the spiritual rest and heavenly Canaan, that all true believers doth enter into in this life: this is that Paradice the Thief on the Cross did enter into that very day he beli [...]v [...]d on Christ.

And that the Reader may understand that all Com­missionated men that are chosen of God, hath the whole Armour of God put upon them, that they may be made able to encounter with all wilde Beasts, like men without them, who are yet in the wilderness, and not entred into their rest, as it was with Moses and Aaron, [Page 4] as afotesaid:—so it was with the Prophets afterwards, how did they fight in the Name of the Lord with Lion-like men, Dragons, Tigres, Serpents, Scorpi­ons, in the time of their Commission.

And the Apostles having the whole Armour put up­on them, as you may see Rom. 13.12. Paul exhorteth the Romans that believed his Doctrine of Christ, to put off the works of darkness, and to put on the Armor of light;— Now what the worhs of darkness were, are expressed in the words before:— and what the Armour of light is, its exprest in the words following;— so in 2 Cor. ver. 7. Paul sheweth how the Apostles of Christ and true believers were endued with the Word of truth, and by the Power of God, and by the Armour of righ­teousness on the right hand and on the left, made able to encounter with all enemies within themselves and without, as may be seen in the words before and after in thar chapter.

Also you may see Ephes 6. from the 10. to the 17. ver. Paul exhorting all true beli [...]vers of his Gospel, to put on th whole Armour of God:— The words are these as f [...]lloweth, beginning at the 10 verse— Finally, my Brethren be strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his might: ver. 11. Put on the whole Armour of God, that you may be able to s [...]and against the wiles of the devil, ver. 12. [...]or we wr [...]stle not against fl [...]sh and blood, but against Prin­c [...]pa [...] against [...]wers against the Rulers of the darkness of [...]e world, ag [...]nst [...]piritual wickednesses in high places, v [...]r 1 [...] Whe [...]efore [...]a [...] unto you the whole Armour of God, That you may be [...]e to withstand in the evil day, and ha­ [...]ing [...]em all to sta [...], ver. 14. Stand therefore, ha [...]s [Page 5] your loyns girt about with truth, and having on the breast-Plate of rig [...]t [...]ousn [...]ss, v [...]r. 15. And your feel [...]h [...] with the Preparation of the G [...]s [...]el of P [...]ace, ver. 16. Ahove all taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of t [...]e wicked, ver. 17. and tak [...] the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sw [...]rd of the Spirit, whi [...] is the Word of God.

Here the Read [...]r may se [...], that the true Apostles, and the true believers of them were armed with the who [...] Armour of God, which made them able to stand, a [...]d to encounter with all wicked Principalities of R [...]ligi­on, which were becom [...] spiritual wickednesses in hig [...] places: and as Princi [...]ties and Powers which became as Rulers in the darknes of mens minds, to worship stocks and ston [...]s, as the Ephesians did the Goddess Di­ana; and as your Hea [...]hen Philosophers and Poets, who did imagine God to b [...] t [...]e spirit and life of every crea­ture; and so by cons quence they conclude, that God is nothing el [...] [...]ut Nature, and so doth adore an infinite unknown [...]ing of Beings, as the Quakers doth, and so they worship the Creature more then the Creator, as the Quakers doth for the Heathen; God is in them as they imagine, their own life b [...]ing the life of God, thinking God to be the Earth, the Waters, the Ele­m [...]nt, the Air, so they live, and more and more have their being in God.

So the Quakers Christ within them is so big too fill Heaven, Earth, the Air, and all the Quakers bodies be­sides; for the Philosophers, Heathen Poets, and the Quakers, God is all one God, for neither of them will own that God hath a Person or Body of his own, not [Page 6] now, hereafter, nor never had:— Also the Apostles [...]d encounter by this Armour of God, with the Sex of [...]e Sadduces, who denieth any Resurrection of a body [...]ter death; and with the Pharisee, who was tied to the Observation of the Cer [...]monial Law of Moses, these were Principalities and P [...]w [...]rs, and spiritual wicked­nesses that did [...]ule in the dark minde of man in the A­postles time, as well as persecution in t [...]e Rulers of the Jews, therefore called spititual wickednesses in high places, because the imagination was high in rhose men aforesaid, to oppose the doctrine of Christs Death, Re­surrection and Ascension, which the Apostles preach d.

But the Apostles having put on the whole A [...]mour of God, and more especially th [...] shield of faith, th [...]y w [...]re able to encounter and dispute against all Traditional Ceremonies used in the [...]aw of Moses, and against all Heathen Philosophy and H athen Poe [...]y, and to prove that Iesus was the Ch [...]st and that C [...]ist was now a­live in that body he suffe [...]ed de [...]th in, And this I say, none but such as hath put on the whole Armour of God could have fought against such wicked Principaliries and Powers in high places, as afore [...]aid, but commis­sionated men, and those whose faith was strong.

Thus God hath put on his whole Armour upon his chosen Prophets and Apostles, and with these weapons have they fought with many strange beasts after the manner of men; as Herod that great red Dragon, Rev. 12 and Herod that Fox who beheaded John Baptist, and that generation of Vipers that came to Johns baptism, and Serpents that talked with Christ, and fat bulls of Ba­shan [Page 7] in Davids time, and that devil that tempted Christ, these were all m [...]n, yea, wise, prudent and honourable men; yet called in Scrip [...]ure Dragons, Serpents, Vi­pers, Bulls, Dogs, D [...]vils, Foxes, with many other Names that belongeth to veno [...]ous hurtful beasts, yet all but men; thes [...] w [...]re those b [...]asts the Pr [...]phets and the Apostles fought with in th [...]ir time; and with such b [...]asts have we the Witnesses of the Spirit fought with, which would be too large to t [...]ll of all the acts and battels that hath bin fought by us the Witness s of the Spirit, since the y [...]ar 1651. but [...] shall wave a [...]l things in this place from the year 1651. to the year 1662. [...]nd shall only speak of s me of the most remarkable pas­sages and b [...]tel [...] that I have foug [...]t with several wilde beasts this six years: I thought it convenient to let the Reader [...] th [...] t [...]uth of what hath ha [...]ned in some part within this six years; but what hath bin acted by us the Witn ss s of the Spirit the 11 yea [...]s b [...]fore, that may happen be recorded before I die for the age to come, therefore I sh [...]ll only speak of some particular passages t [...]at ha [...]h bin acted by me in this six years time, as follow [...]th.

It was made known unto me by the Revelation of faith, before I had a Commission from God, that I should enter into that heavenly and spiritual Land of Canaan; and it was sh [...]wed me by Revelation, that I must pass through the Wilderness unto it, where many wilde beasts and venomous creatures should seek to de­vour me, or destroy me, which thing I did not well un­dtrstand at that time:— but afterwards, Appearance shewed me what the Wilderness was, and what wilde beasts and venomous creatures should seek to devour or [Page 8] destroy or devour me; b [...]t t [...]e voice of faith said unto me, Be not afraid, be strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his might, that hash cho en thee one of his last Prophets, and Witnesses of the Spirit, to encounter with all wil [...]e beasts thou shalt me [...]t with:— And as the first Aaron God chose to pass through the Wilderness toward the t [...]mporal Land [...]f Canaan; he was clothed with the Armour of God, as aforesaid:— The Mitre of salvati­on was set upon his head, the breast-plate of holiness and righteousness was tied fast to his breast, the Ephod of Prophecie was as a pure white garment down to his feet, and gi [...]t about his loins with a pure Girdle of Gold, blew [...]urple and Scarl [...]t; and the holy Oyl, con­secrated Oyl of the Lord was poured upon his head, and it ran down to his feet.

So likewise when God chose me to be John Reeves mouth, it was brought to my minde, that Aaron was given to be Moses's mouth, and there was put upon me at that time the whole A [...]mour of God, which I did not well un [...]erstand at present; but the Revelation of faith hath shine [...] to me since in a large measure:— there was put upon my head at that time the Helmet of sal­vation, and upon my breast was put the breast-plate of righteousness; the breast-plate was double righteous­ness, the righteousness of the Law, and the righteousness of faith: and ab [...]ut my waste I was girt with the Girdle of Truth, and my feet were shod with the doctrine of heavenly peace, and in my left hand there was put the shield of faith, and in my right hand the two-edged sword of the Spirit: thus being Armed with the whole Armour of God, I was to travel through the Wilder­ness to the heavenly Land: I have met with great op­position [Page 9] in the wilderness, as I have journeyed this 17. year; but I shall speak but of some few things that [...]ath fallen out this six years, as I said before.

N [...]w let the Reader observe and minde what Wil­derne [...]s that was John the Baptist did come preaching, Mat. 3.1 It is said, He came preaching in the Wilderness of Iudea; sure it cannot be supposed by wise sober men, that it was any natural Wilderness, where natural wilde beasts do live, but altogether to the contrary, as you may see ver. 5. where it is said, Then went out to him Hierusalem and all Iudea, and all the Region round about Jo [...]dan: sure this multitude of people would ne­ver have gone into the wilderness to have been bapti­zed of Iohn, had the wilderness been far from the Ci­ties of Hierusalem and Iudea; and can any sober ratio­nal man imagine, that the Pharisees and the Sadduces, who wer [...] wise, prudent and honourable men, would have gone into the wilderness to have been baptized of Iohn, had the wilderness been far from Ierusalem; surely no, therefore that wilderness Iohn came preaching in, was no natural wilderness, for it would have bin a vain thing for him to preach to trees and bushes, or wilde beasts; besides, that cannot properly be called a natu­ral wilderness that hath such a multitude of inhabi­tants near it.

But some may say, What wilderness then was it he preached in? To this I say, the barren hearts of the people that dwelt in Ierusalem and Iudea, and the Re­gion thereabout was that wilde [...]ness he preached in; and they werc called a wilderness because of the barrenness of faith in their hearts to believe his report, that [Page 10] Christ the Saviour was now at hand. as doth plainly appear in Mat. 4— And if it be obj cted, Where then did John baptize? To that I say, it was a little di­stance, a mile or something more, or such a matter from the City and Towns where water was, as it is in several places near London, as Hackney, Bowe, and such like; so the people came to him out of the Cities and Vil­lages where the water was, to b [...] baptized of him in Iordan, so that the wilderness Iohn preached in, and the wilderness Christ was said to b [...] in, when he was tempted of the devil, as in Mat. 4. was no other wil­derness but the barren unbelieving hearts of the people of the Iews that dwelt in Ierusalem Iudea, and the Re­gion round about, and n t any natural wilderness, as ignorant people do vainly imagine, but a spiritual wilderness in the hearts of men being barren of all true faith according to the Prophecie of Isaiah, Mat. 3.3. speaking of Iohn the Baptist, saying, The voice of one crying in the Wilderness, Prepare ye the Way of the Lord, make his paths streight; this w [...]s that spiritual wil­dernessed hearts that Ioh [...] preached in. and that Christ fasted in when he was tempted of the devil, and no natural Wilderness, whatever m n do imagine to the contrary; for this spiritual wilderness in mens hearts, is in opposition to that natural wilderness Moses and Aaron led the children of Israel through, toward the temporal Land of Canaan.

And such a like Wilderness as this have I journeyed towards the heavenly Canaan this many years, and have preached or declared the doctrine of the true and the right devil—in the wilderness of England, that is, in the barren unbelieving hearts of the seven Churches of [Page 11] Europe; and some of all the seven Churches hath ei­ther heard me speak, or seen my Writings, and a few of all the seven hath believe [...]:— yet the wil [...]erness is very large still, and I have travelled already through the sixth part of the wilderness, with great hat [...]ed, malice and persecu [...]ion from several wilde beasts in t [...]e wil [...]erness of England, that is, the six Chur [...]s and n [...]w there is only one part mor [...] of this wil [...]e [...]s for me to journey through, before I can c [...]me at th [...] pro­mis [...]d Land:— and the wilde b asts doth l [...]ve in this latter part of the wilderness, being nearer t [...] t [...]e Land of Canaan then the other— for this part seems to b [...]r­der upon the edge of the heavenly Canaan, wh ch makes the wilde beasts that in [...]abi [...] t [...]ere, to rage and roar at m:— for they are exceed [...]gly moved at the sight of me— fearing that I should slay them with the two-edged sword of the Spirit that is put int [...] my mouth, and pass into the promised Land, which God hath promised me and a [...]l true bel [...]evers of this Com­mission of the Spirit.

Therefore I shall l [...]t the Reader understand some part of the o [...]position and batt ls that I have fought, with the wilde beasts in this part of the wilderne [...]s, which seemingly lieth upon the edge of the heavenly Canaan, is as followeth in the year 1662.

As I was journeying in the Wilderness of Derbyshire, there came many Serpents, and put forth their stings, thinking to have stinged m [...] by the feet; but my feet being shod with true heavenly peace, their stings could not enter, so I smote them with the two- [...]dg [...]d sword that was in my right-hand, and wounded the heads of [Page 12] most of them and th ir v [...]nomous stings was cut off so, that they could not hurt, [...]o they c [...]ept away; the Ser­pents were five or six Q [...]akers at Nottingham and Mans­fi [...]ld.

After this I journeyed a little further, and there came forth another Serpent; he was not speckled, but more like the colour of an old Adder, and something brown; when he saw me he lift up his head, and put forth his sting a great way out of his m [...]uth, thinking to have stinged me in my loins, betwe [...]n the breast-plate and the feet: but I having the Girdle of Truth about my loins, his sting could not enter, so I sm te him upon the head with my sword of the spirit, and cut off his sting, so that he cannot hurt no [...]e with his sting no more:— this Serpent Adder was Edward Bourne, the Quaker spoken of in my book, called, The Neck of the Quakers broken.

After this, as I was journeying a little further in the Wilderness, towards the Promised Land, there came forth out of the Fearn and Molsie ground, two fiery Serpents, whose stings were present death, where the brazen Serp [...]nt could not be looked upon immediately: but I being Armed with the whole Armour of God, I knew my self able to encounter with them both:— but when they had both sight of me, they crept apace till they came near me; they looked very fierce and fiery, and their stings were very long and poisonous; and they lift thems [...]lves up both together, and thrust their stings at my breast, supposing it should have touched my heart:— but I having a double breast-plate of righ­teousness upon my breast which covered my heart, that [Page 13] is, the righteousness of the Law, and the righteousness of Faith was on my heart, and upon my breast, so that their stings could not enter there:— they seeing this, their stings could not enter my breast, they both lifted themselves up a little higher, standing as it were upon their tails with long fiery stings:— they made at my head. But I having the Helmet of salvation upon my head, so that they could not enter there neither:— so they both lift themselves up again, and made at my face, but the shield of faith in my left hand kept them off; so with the sword in my right hand I smote them both at one blow upon their heads, and cut out both their stings that came out of th ir mouths, and they could do no hurt any more, but any childe might handle them, and not be hurt by them, b cause their fiery poi­sonous stings was taken out of them, by one blow of the two-edged sword I smote them with, so they crept away from me, and I pursued them no further;— they hid themselves in the mosse ground in the wilderness, their stings being both cut out and wounded in the r heads; it is thought one of them died a w [...]ile after of the wound in his head, and the loss of his sting.

These two fiery Serpents, they w re William Smith and Samuel Hooton, two Quakers spoken of in my Book, called, The Neck of the Quakers broken; there was many venomous beasts as Vipers, Asps, &c. that leaped on me, but I cast them off me to the ground, but several of the Vip [...]rs l [...]aped upon me again, thinking to have poison­ed me with their stings; but I did as Paul did, cast th [...]m into the fire;— so I did cast them into the fire of Hell, there to burn eternally: also there was many Wasps [Page 14] whose stings was in their tai [...]s flying about me to sting me, but their stings could not hurt me:— this battel was fought with those two fiery Serpents, and other ve­nomous beasts in the year 1661. as may be read in that book aforesaid.

After this, as I was travelling a little further in the Wilderness, there came forth a great red Dragon, ve­ry fierce and fell; he was exceeding fat and full of fury; he had two great wings on the sides of his breasts, and his tongue was as it were all in a fire, with the poi­son that was in it, as if it had been long soak'd in poi­son many days: and when he opened his mouth he cast forth poison, and whoevet this poison did bite up­on, it did venom and much hurt; but as soon as ever this Dragon perceived me come towards him with the two-edged sword in my right hand, and the shield of faith in my left hand, he lift up his two great wings, and stood as it were upright upon his feet, and thrust his tongue a great way out of his mouth:— so I drew near unto him, and he cast forth poison upon my breast, but my breast plate being double as aforesaid, the poison could not enter:—so I smote him on the breast between hes wings with the two-edged sword, and loosened his two wings, so that no strength was in them to bear him up any longer, and he seeing himself wounded in the breast, he roared and cast forth poison out of his mouth upon my head:— but I having the Helmet of salvation upon my head, the poison could not touch not so much as an hair of my head, so as he put forth his tongue a­gain, thinking to pour out his poison upon my face, I smote him with the sword in my hand another blow, and cut off great part of his venomous tongue, so that [Page 15] he departed from me, being wounde [...], into the thick bushes, among the Serpents and Adders in the Wilder­ness, as we go to the heavenly Canaan, and there this Dragon died about a year and little more after he was wounded:—This great red Dragon it was Richard Farns­worth Quaker, as may be read in the Neck of the Qua­kers broken, and of the battels fought between him and me, this was in the year 1663

After this it c [...]me to pass, as I journeyed a little fur­ther in the Wilderness, in the year 166 [...] there came forth out of the mossie ground a speckled Serpent, and when he heard the sound of my feet, he came out of his hole, and would have stung me by the feet, for he clinged or winded round my feet, but could not get his sting to enter, so I smote him upon the head with my two-edged sword, and as I lift up my sword from off his head, the edge that was uppermost cut off his sting, so he crept away with the wound in his head, and his sting, out into his hole or dunghil again:— so I heard no more of him to this day; - This speckled Serpent was Thomas Taylor Quaker, who was then in prison in Yorkshire, it may be seen, his serpentine nature, and wicked poisonous sting he put forth against me, and the truth declared by me, in the Letter I writ to him, which is joyned to the Neck of the Quakers b oken.

Afier this, as I was journeying a great way further in the Wilderness of England, something near the Land of Promise, in the year 1667. there came out of the thick wood a great old fat Fox; this Fox had no hornes, but however he had ears, and they stood both upright. as stiffe as if his ears had been hornes.— Also [Page 16] this Fox had two teeth before as sharp as Needles, that what Duck or Goose-Neck he set these two fore-teeth in, were sure to be carried away, in that he threw their bodiks upon his back, and kept their Necks between his two sharp teeth like Needles, and his ears being strong and stiffe, they could not roul off his neck: This Fox seeing me travelling in the Wilderness, marvelled that I sh [...]uld pass through so many dangerous places, where Dragons, Serp [...]nts, and several other venomous beasts did inhabit, and yet not slain nor wounded no where:— so this fat Fox he leaped at my Neck, thinking his two sharp teeth should have met together, as formerly they had in several others:— but I bare him off my Neck with the shield in my left hand, and with the swo d in my right hand, I smote him upon one ear, which mak s it hang down, and cannot stand up stiffe like the other.— Again, this Fox leaped at my breast, and as he was leaping up, I smote him upon the two sharp teeth with the e [...]ge of the sword, and brake them in pi [...]ces, which made him raging mad, because he can­not now bite me nor no body else more, for his two sharp teeth like Needl [...]s are broke to pieces, and his ears that stood so stiffe like a horne, it now hangs down, it only hangs by the skin.— This fat Fox I fought with in the Wilderness, it was old George Fox the Quaker, as may be seen in that Book of mine, called, A Looking-Glass for Quakers, how they may see themselves to be right devils.

Afterwards in the year 1668. I journeyed further in the Wilderness, where the wilde beasts of divers kinds were very thick, g [...]ac [...]ng in the barren Wilderness, [Page 17] some feed upon moss and short grass, others upon the dust in the Wilderness; some upon Acornes, Haws and Sloes, and such things as the Wilderness would afford; this part of the Wilderness, it was something near Ior­dan, as London something near the Land that flows with milk and honey:— and before I did encounter with any wilde beasts any more, I thought to be still and rest a while; but as soon as I had laid down my sword and shield, thinking to have a little rest after the battel I had fought with the great Fox aforementioned:— and knowing that I must fight with several wilde beasts in this place:—but as soon as ever I thought to take a little rest, there came suddenly upon me a wilde Bull; I ne­ver saw him nor thought of him, till he roared at me, his Noise gave a great sound in the Air as if it had thundred, and he was almost upon me before I could take up my sword and shield: his hornes were short but very sharp and strong, and his sharp hornes were run­ning, full butt at my breast, thinking to run them through my heart before I could take up my sword and shield to defend my self; but I laid my two hands upon his two horns, and by that strength w [...]ich was given m [...] I slang him about, and he burst asunder an [...] died in [...] ss then three w [...]eks after, so was I delivered f [...]om t [...]is fierce wilde Bull, who would have d [...]troy [...] me wi [...] his sharp hornes at one push, had he entred my bre [...]st; [...]ut by the strength of my God whom I s [...]rved, he bu [...]st in sund [...]r, and so died, and I received no harm; T [...]is w [...]lde Bull who roared [...]t me, and ran his h [...]rnes at my breast, it was Thomas Lee Sp [...]ak [...]r of t [...] Q [...]ak [...]rs.

Afterwards, in the year 1668 I journey [...]d a little fur­ther in the Wilderness near Jourdan-London; there came [Page 18] forth out of the dirty mire a wilde Bore; his b [...]isles were all off his back, and he was so besmeared and dawb'd with his own dung that his flesh could hardly be s en, also he stank, that a man might have smelt him at a great distance before he came n [...]ar; he was very giddy in the head, as if h [...] were phrensie in t [...]e brain, f [...]r he could live with l [...]ss food then any of the wilde b [...]asts in the wildern ss, b [...]ing much given to fast­ing, which made h s head to totter or jogg [...]e, and his ey s dazzle, and his brains to hang l [...]se; sure he batt'ned in his own dung, which made him so to gl [...]ry in [...]is shame; for he would run among many clean beasts, as if he were as clean as any, w en as the clean b [...]asts could not endure the sm ll of this wilde bore:— This wilde b re h [...]d two long tusks stuck [...]ut of t [...]e two sides of his mouth, and with th [...]se he did hurt many, for where he smote with his tusk he made a wound:— so he hearing the sound of my fe t as I was travelling in the wild rn ss, this wilde bore c [...]me gruntling with a few brissl [...]s about his neck, stood upright w [...]th his two great tusks a great way out of his mouth; he see­ing me, he made at me with all h s might, thinking to have [...]mote his tusk into my l [...]g but I smote him with the two-edged sword b [...]tw [...]en his two ears which made him sh ke his head, for his ears are l [...]os [...]; and he find­ing his head very dizzy, but h [...]s tusks yet sound, he made at me again, thinking to have wounded me in the leg;— so as he was throwing his head aside, as bores use to do, I smot [...] him upon that tusk next to me, and the sw [...]rd went through his mouth, and brake the o­ther tusk also, so that he is now disabled for ever for doing any more hurt, either with his h [...]ad or with his teeth; this wilde bore is one Solomon Ecle Quaker, [Page 19] spoken of in that book, called, A Looking-Glass for Geo. Fox the Quaker.

After this, in the year 1668. it came to pass, that many Vipers who leap [...]d upon me with p [...]is [...]n [...]us stings, but I cast them off me into the fi e of hell, but there came two Vip [...]rs abo [...]e all the rest, which leap­ed upon my breast, thinki [...]g to v nom my heart, so as to make my breast swell:— b t I having a breast-plate of double righteous [...]ess, as af [...]resaid, th [...]ir venomous tongues could not enter, so I wiped them [...]ff my breast, and they fell on the ground, so they recovere [...] them­selves again, and they both together leap [...]d upon my head; but the Helmet of salvation being up [...]n my head, for that was never [...]ff me night nor day t [...]is 17 years, so their venomous tongu [...]s could not [...]ter t [...]e e neither; so I cast them down upon the gr [...]und again:— then immediately one of these Vipers leaped at my face, with great venom in his tongue against me and my Go [...]; I se [...]ing th [...]s, I smote him w [...]th the edg [...] [...]f the sword, even thr [...]ugh and through his ven [...]m [...]us tongue, and cast the body of him into that eternal fire of hell, wh re he can in no wise get out; the other Vi­per s [...]eing his fellow [...]ip r thus smitten, and thus sen­tenced by me, he also leaped at me, so I smote him with the edg [...] of the sword also, even the sentence of et rnal death; then th [...]y were both enraged, and in a flame with the fire of hell, and so departed from me, ca [...]ing ou [...] abun ance of poison, and foam of venom out of t eir mouths at m [...] at their departure: and a matter of five days after this battel was fought with these two strange Vipers: I hea [...]d that one of thes [...] two Vipers was going out of the body, but it was a matter of [Page 20] twelve weeks after he received his deadly wound, be­fore he did quite depart or go out of his body:— These two Vipers I f [...]ught with, it was upon the 7th. day of October, in the year 1668. and these two vip [...]rs George Whitehead an [...] Josiah Cole two Quakers, and Speakers of the Quakers; and since Iosiah Cole is gone out of the body, as they do vainly imagine, but I say he is gone through the first death into the second death, where George Whitehead shall go in his time, where they shall never see light more to eternity: These were two [...]uch vipers as came to Johns baptism, Matth. 3.7.

After this it came to pass, as I was journeying in the wilderness near Jordan, there came forth of the Wilderness a young spruce Serpent, he was very quick and nimble: he was hardly a year and an half old, his sting was hardly grown to perfection, for he knew not well wh [...]ther hi [...] sting was in his head or in his tayl: if he had he would have had a care of leaping upon the swords Point as he did; he had bin in the Wilder­ness but a year and an half, or thereabouts, amongst some old S [...]rp nts▪ Fox [...]s, Dragons, Vipers, Bores, Bulls, a [...]d oth [...]r wilde beasts:— an he hearing so ma­ny of these Serpents and wilde beasts to be overcome and beaten before m, and yet I received no wound:— he was conceit [...]d, being young and nimble, to leap at the first leap upon my h [...]a [...], thinking if he could sting me th [...]re, h [...] mig [...]t trample me under his belly, or that I might fall under his belly, and as he drew near me, or cr [...]pt near me, he put forth his sting out of his m [...]uth, it was sharp and long, but very small and sl [...]n­der, bur it was poisonous enough for the time of its [Page 21] growth; and as he beg [...]n to r [...]is [...] himself up to leap at me, I smote h [...]m [...] h [...]a [...] with the [...]ge of the sword, and the p [...]int f the s [...]ord went through his sting, so that hi [...] [...]ting [...] n [...]t hu [...]t now at all, though he hath end avo [...] sin [...]; so he went among the wilde be [...]sts in the wil [...] a [...]d [...]i th in some hole in the earth— Th [...] yo [...] [...]nt i w [...]s Wil [...]iam Penn the Younger Q [...]ake [...] [...]h [...]n w [...]ed i to the Qua­kers Antichristi [...] p [...]inciple, be [...]g a scholar, grew so proud, and full [...]f c [...]c [...]it [...]d wisdom, that he would trample me a [...]d [...] u [...]der his feet as dirt, for which things s [...]k [...] [...]at c [...]w [...] th a [...] v [...]ngeance of t [...]at God-Man, the L [...]rd J [...]s [...]s [...]hri [...], who [...] I own, pursued and overtaken several [...] t [...]at [...] Cr [...]w of A [...]tichristian Quakers, who despiseth such a G [...]d that is in the fo [...]me of a man. I have his own Writing to shew the truth of this.

After this battel with the young Serpent, being in the Wilderness near to the waters of Jordan, the Ser­pents, Vip [...]rs, and all manner of wilde beasts were ve­ry brief, that I could have very little respite for fight­ing with one or other of them:— for they were more numerous in t [...]is part of the Wilderness then in all the rest which I travelled through; so I being weary, was willing to rest my self a while, before I journ [...]yed any further; but as s [...]on a [...] I was laid down to rest, there came forth of the thick bushes in the wilderness an old she-speckled Serpent, and I heard her hiss very loud as she crept out of the bushes before I saw her;— so I arm­ed my self ready, but when I saw her I marvelled, for I did not think that she-Serpents had such long fiery poi­sonous stings; it was more long and poisonous then any he-Serpent I met with before; but that I knew she was [Page 22] the Mother of another he-Serpent sp [...]ken of before, I should have rather taken her for an old she-B [...]ar [...]ob­bed of her Whelps, for after she had first hiss d aloud, afterwards she roar'd and spit poison out of her mouth; the poison lay upon the top of her tongue like soap-suds, and a sharp sting like a Needle stuck out a pr [...]tty way beyond the p [...]ison:— so I viewed he as she crept n [...]ar me, and as she lift up her self, stand [...]g as it were upon her tail; she put forth her tongue w [...]th the sha [...]p sting like a Needle, and the poison like soap-suds upon it; so I viewed it well, I smote her upon her poisonous tongue with the edge of the sword, an [...] cut the sting and venom quite out, so that she is disabl [...]d for ev [...]r doing any more hurt with her sting: This she-Serp [...]nt was E­lizabeth Hooton the Mother of Samuel Hooton a she-Qua­ker; her Letter is to be seen and my Answer to it.

And immediatly after the battel was ended with this she- [...]erpent,— there c [...]me forth out of the Wilderness, being a [...]gry t [...]at this she-Serpent was so disabled by my sword,— three ma [...] bulls, they roared upon me, I heard [...]eir noise for th [...]y roared altogether, but I saw none o [...] th [...]m [...]or th [...]y would not appea [...] because I should not s [...]e what colour they were of [...]o [...] smite them with the edg of t [...] sword in my right han [...]: but I supp [...]se th [...]y we [...]e [...] Quaker [...]: they se [...]t a large Letter to me with nev [...]r a [...]ame b [...]spal [...]etters [...]n [...]; s v ral other ser­p [...]nts and wi [...] beasts [...] t [...]e Wi [...]erness have I fought with this year 1668. [...]t thes mentioned are the most emi [...]nt to [...] upon Re [...]rd.—Thus after the manner of men I hav [...] sought wi [...] several sorts of beasts in the Wilderne [...]s, as Paul d [...] in his time, in hope of the Resur­re [...]t [...] of the dead, some to ever [...]a [...]ting glory, and some to endless misery, Cor. 15.32.

FINIS.

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