Christianismus primitivus, or, The ancient Christian religion, in its nature, certainty, excellency, and beauty, (internal and external) particularly considered, asserted, and vindicated from the many abuses which have invaded that sacred profession, by humane innovation, or pretended revelation comprehending likewise the general duties of mankind, in their respective relations : and particularly the obedience of all Christians to magistrates, and the necessity of Christian-moderation about things dispensible in matters of religion : with divers cases of conscience discussed and resolved / by Thomas Grantham ...

Object. 8. * 1.1 That the Terrestrial Bodies should be so desirable to the Souls of the Righteous after dissolution, (for the compleating their Felicity, and per∣fecting their Glory) appears plainly inconsistent with their desiring here to be dissolved; and to be absent from the Body, to enjoy and possess a Building of God, an House Eternal in the Heavens.

Or that the Souls of the Righteous should be so variable, as to desire to be absent from the Body, and presently after dissolution, to desire the resuming of the same earthly Body, or a reunion to it. This implicitly accuseth the Souls of deceased Saints, with being in their Affections, both earthly, varia∣ble, and unquiet, as in a kind of Purgatory, which we can never assent to.

Answ. 1. This Objection is plainly foolish; As if it were a fault in the Souls of the Righteous to desire what they know is the Will of God. They know God hath decreed both the Death and Resurrection of the Body; the first brings them to a rest from their Labours; the second gives them a full enjoyment of the Fruit of their Labours. The Righ∣teous Soul is not so unkind as to desire to enjoy all the happiness, and that the Body should perish for ever, which in its place did and suffered for Christ as well as the Soul. It is therefore very rational that the Soul should desire to be dissolved and reunited, &c. However it seems the Souls of the Quakers desire no such thing, as any reunion with their Bodies, and yet they would have the World believe they own the Resurrection of the Body; but that they do so, I do not, nor I hope never shall believe them till they change their minds.

2. Well, what think you of Christ's Soul? It left the Body, and de∣lighted to do the Will of God, in being separated from it by death, Heb. 10. His Soul may rationally be supposed to be as happy after death as any Saints whatsoever. And yet we are sure (and let who dare deny it) that it was united to the Body again: And it is also certain, that his Soul desired to be glorified with his Body, witness the Prayers which proceeded from his Holy Lips on that account; and it knew as well that Christ ought to suffer death, and so enter into Glory, and therefore his Soul de∣sired that also; yet was not variable, earthly, unquiet, nor in a Purgatory, or inconsistent: No, let these pertain to the Quakers, whose abuses they are, by which they would obscure the Glorious Truth of the Resurrection of the Body, both of Christ and all his faithful Followers.

Finally; Let all that fear the Lord, beware of the dangerous conse∣quence of these Objections; and let me hereby provoke those that are particularly concern'd, to examin that Book whence I have taken these Objections, and to give a full Answer to it; for it is so framed, as it re∣quires a diligent hand to lay open the subtilties and cunning craftiness thereof; by which the Pen-men thereof do certainly lie in wait to turn Men away from Christianity, in the plain honest simplicity thereof, in many of the most important particulars of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Whitehead.