whether they do not savour of a persecuting spirit; and, whether they are not of an evil tendency, as before signified, to stir up persecution against us. And knowing that he hath most abominably and falsely traduced our sufferings, and so reproached our whole body as a people, and that in this public manner in his pamphlet, we do expect that justice and right from you his brethren, as that you should give out a public testimony against his injury done us and our sufferings in this case, and allows us our consciences and religion therein, how erroneous and mistaken soever you think them. Otherwise, if you refuse to do us this right, and so, connive at your brother Hicks' iniquity, we must look upon you so far concerned in the guilt thereof, as not doing us that right and justice, that truth, equity, and reason require of you. So, if you intend to clear and acquit yourselves, be ingenuous, plain, and open in this matter, which doth so nearly concern you; Thomas Hicks being a brother, and teacher among you, against whom we call for judgment and justice to be done us, in as public a manner as his abuses and injuries are, in print.

God knows, who beareth witness with my spirit, and is my record, that I bear no ill will nor prejudice to you, or any of you, whatever any bear towards me. And for those things wherein your brother T. Hicks hath abused and wronged me, I desire he may repent thereof, and I wish he may find a place for repentance. As also that you who are concerned in society with him, may clear and acquit yourselves of his inveterate spirit and gross abuses against us, who bear love and good will towards you and all men, believing that there are some among you that are more tender and honest, and of a better spirit than T. H. for whose sakes I have written thus much, and not for his. For he hath shown himself dirty and wicked, who hath made no conscience to forge, and spread many notorious lies and slanders against us.

However, take notice of this, that it will not be reputable for you to allow or own him as a teacher among you, nor for you to sit under him, (who hath no power either over his tongue or passion,) unless he repent, and as publicly revoke, judge, and condemn his gross errors, abuses, lies, slanders, and forgeries, as he hath broached and spread them. And if you suffer him go on as a preacher among you, without a public reproof from you, and his open recantation, it will lie upon you as upholders of a persecuting spirit, and render you uncharitable and unchristian professors of christianity, for suffering such a notorious piece of wickedness, as this of T. Hicks' to proceed from among you unreproved.

But I really desire the Lord may open your eyes, so that you may clear yourselves; and that envy and prejudice may cease and die among you, that you may not die and perish in it.

A SERIOUS REFLECTION

UPON SOME OF

WILLIAM BURNET'S CHIEF ARGUMENTS,

ABOUT THE

RESURRECTION OF THE SAME FLESH,

IN HIS BOOK STILED

THE CAPITAL PRINCIPLES OF THE PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS.”

W. B.-Arg. 1. "If Jesus Christ did rise again with that body that went to the grave, then there is a resurrection from the grave of the same body, &c. But Christ did leave the grave empty, &c. Ergo."

Arg. 2. If Jesus Christ rose from the dead with flesh and bones, yea with the same flesh as was nailed to the cross, (John xx. 27,) then there is a resurrection from the grave of the same flesh that goeth to the grave. But Christ did rise in the same: Ergo."

Answer. This man's work savours of flesh and not of spirit. The consequence of both his propositions is inconsistent, and so his argument is fallacious; for Christ's flesh saw no corruption, being raised the third day it did not corrupt in the sepulchre, much less turn to dust or earth as others do. Therefore the instance or comparison is unequal in this case, though it holds for a more spiritual end and advantage than this drives at. The apostle instanced the resurrection of Christ by the glory or power of the Father, that men might believe in that power. He did not say that Christ's flesh was raised up the third day, that you might believe that the same flesh (as gross part) of yours that goes to the grave and turns to dust shall be so raised, as this man argues. For Christ's resurrection was preached, that their faith might be in God, who raised him up; that men might in this life receive and feel the spiritual benefit thereof to their immortal souls, and so partake in this life of the power of his resurrection, to be raised up with Christ, in order to reign with him in glory hereafter as for instance, "know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death; therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Rom. vi. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, to the end. "And buried with him by baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who

hath risen him from the dead." Col. ii. 12, 13. As also to the same purpose, read Rom. viii. 11 and x. 9.-Eph. ii. 1.-1 Pet. iii. 18, 19, 21.-1 Cor. xv. 45.-Phil. iii. 10, 11.-1 Cor. vi. 14.-2 Cor. iv. 14-John vi. 39, 40.—Col. ii. 20, and iii. 3, 4.— Eph. i. 20, and ii. 6.-Col. ii. 12.-1 Pet. i. 3, 21.-Heb. xi. 35.-1 Thes. v. 10, 11.

By all which it is evident, that Christ's death and resurrection was not preached for a carnal end, but for a spiritual benefit here, and an eternal advantage hereafter.

But whereas our opposer carnally infers from Christ's arising, "a resurrection of the same flesh that goeth to the grave :" his shortness in this, and the shallowness of his fleshly apprehension, comes under this further consideration; 1. that all flesh and earthly bodies of men do not go to the grave, in his sense. It is said, "the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of heaven; the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them." Psal. Ixxix. 2, 3. See also Jerem. xxxiii. and xix. 7. Therefore these were not laid in graves of the earth. It is also apparent, that the flesh of many is wasted away with sickness before they die, or their bones be laid in the grave and likewise many undergo such great sicknesses and calamities in their life time, as do corrupt and waste their flesh and blood, that so often as they are restored to health again, they have new flesh, or renewed bodies thereof; and then, what a vast bigness would their bodies amount to, if raised with all the self-same flesh that they had in their life time? Moreover, through great judg ment and sore exercise David said, " my bones cleave to my skin." Psal. cii. 5. And my knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh faileth of fatness." Psal. cix. 24. And as Elihu signified, when man is chastened with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain, so that his life abhorreth bread; his flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones (that were not seen) stick out: his soul draweth near unto the grave, &c. Job xxxiii. 19, 20, 21, 22. Through such judgment and chastisement, they who have known the polluted flesh consumed away, are not so much concerned for the same flesh, as these our fleshly opposers are, whereby they show, they never experienced such chastisements, nor underwent such judgment, that God might hide pride from them, and keep back their soul from the pit." Their proud flesh would always live, and be reserved to eternal glory. Whereas he whose flesh is consumed away, through the chastisements of the Lord, and who comes to see that God is gracious therein unto him, to "deliver him from going down to the pit," who saith, "I have found a ransom ;" it is said of such a

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one, his flesh shall be fresher than a child's; he shall return to the days of his youth." Job xxxiii. This is not old flesh that was consumed away through chastisements. And as all flesh is not the same flesh; so all bodies are not of the same kind, as hath been fully showed. It were more meet, for Baptists and others, to wait to see judgment and chastisement from God upon them, to the consuming and wasting away of their corrupt flesh, than to quarrel for it, and cry," this body, and this very flesh, shall arise again out of the grave, even as Christ's did, and with these very eyes I shall see God," (pointing at their present flesh and carnal eyes :) when they do not know but that their flesh may be divers times consumed and wasted through judgment or sickness before they die; and so often, in the mean time, new flesh, or bodies thereof, restored them, as was hinted. Which if truly obtained as a token of their inward renewing unto God, were much better and of more concernment, than thus carnally to quarrel for their old corrupt flesh. W. B. Arg. 3. Upon Job, chap. xix. 25, 26, 27. . If Job had that faith, that with his flesh he should see God, then it was not in other flesh; nor yet another eye, but it was both with his flesh, and with his eye, that after this life h should see God. Therefore do I conclude, that the fleshly body of man shall be raised out of the dust, to see God."

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Answer. By all which assertion and conclusion, we may see and still conclude, how gross and carnal these Anabaptists are in their apprehensions and thoughts concerning God; thus to render him visible to their flesh and fleshly eye, supposing that Job in his belief herein, and God in his being, were like themselves; whereas God is invisible and an infinite spirit, not made up of flesh and bones, to be seen with flesh and carnal eyes. As also the man has perverted Job's words, which are, (as translated,) though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God," Job xix. 26, (who before said, my flesh is clothed with worms. Job vii. 5.) It is not, that with my flesh, or fleshly body, I shall see God after worms have destroyed it ;" but " in my flesh I shall see God." Neither did Job quiet himself in his perplexity with the belief that his flesh should see God, as is imagined; but that he should see God, as afterwards he did, when he said: "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor myself," &c. Job xlii. 5.

Now that wherein Job was quieted, was, that he knew that his Redeemer lived, who should redeem him out of all his troubles that he had in the flesh; and that after his outward body was destroyed, being out of his perplexed flesh, he should see God in an immortal state. He had no reason to quiet himself. upon any confidence in, or concerning that flesh, when he was

so disquieted and perplexed in it; for those words, chap. xix. ver. 26, are differently rendered in the margin thus: "After I shall awake, though this body be destroyed, yet out of my flesh shall I see God." See the margined bibles of the last translation, with Hebrew notes and various translation. Now there is a great difference between seeing God with my flesh, and seeing God out of my flesh, after it is destroyed.

But to these men that believe, that with their flesh or fleshly bodies they shall see God, he may say, as he said to the wicked, "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them (to wit, thy iniquities) in order before thine eyes." Psal. I. 21. Yea, thou thoughtest that I was so like thyself, that thou mightest see me with thy flesh and fleshly eyes. But thy thoughts in this were very carnal, and thy apprehensions very gross; thou shalt find thou art mistaken. I am an invisible all-seeing Spirit, that searches hearts, and penetrates through the dark spirits and cogitations of men, to bring their secret thoughts to judgment, and set their evil actions in order before them.

And there were those that saw Christ's outward or bodily appearance, that had “neither heard the voice of God, nor seen his shape." John v. 37. And Philip said to Christ, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." It was not enough for them, nor yet a seeing the Father, to see Christ's body or person; both Father and Son being truly and savingly to be seen in spirit. And said Christ: a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have." The Anthropomorphites, who were Monks inhabiting the deserts of Egypt, held, that God was a person in the bigness and stature of a man, mistaking that saying, "Let us make man in our image," applying it to man's outward similitude, (and so to the blasphemous Muggletonians.) and therefore that God is visible to the carnal eye and fleshly body: from which these Baptists' doctrine, of seeing God with their flesh and fleshly bodies, is little different.

W. B.-Arg. 4. “The fourth witness to this truth is Martha, John xi. 24. Her brother Lazarus being dead, she believed, that he should rise again at the last day in the resurrection. If the resurrection of dead Lazarus, or that of Lazarus laid in the grave, was believed and assented to by Martha," &c.

Answer. That Martha had such a belief, from the Jews' opinion of the resurrection, as she intimated, of Lazarus' body, (which Christ did then raise,) is not the matter in question. But that they and she had it from Christ, or the true and spiritual understanding thereof, doth not therefore follow; but rather the contrary, from Christ's own following reprehensive diversion. After Martha said: "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day;" Jesus said unto her,