is no diference between them and me I will cite a passage or two out of a Manuscript from Pensilvania it is a thing that will satisfy your Consciences as much as any thing I brought the Manuscripts they were read at the yearly Meeting at London 1694. and something was objected to the hand and it was asked at Samuel Jennings my Adversary whether it was the hand of that man and he said he believed it was and you will find it is matter of Doctrine at the bottom for which they have Excommunicated me however they would cloak it Let them retract their Errors and I will forgive them my Excommunication See the Book called Light and Life pag. 41. See what is here said by G. Whitehead That there is not an outward coming of Christ to Judg the Quick and Dead What I prove from G. Whitehead is proved from W. Penn for W. Penn has Authorized his Book therefore it is the proof of them both Here is the place Moreover Christ said The Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels c. Matt. 16.27 28. Luke 9.26 27 Now what is that Glory of the Father in which his coming is is it visible to the Carnal Eye And when was that coming to be Is it now to be looked for outwardly But farther we do acknowledg the several comings of Christ according to the Scriptures both that in the Flesh and that in the Spirit which is manifest in several degrees as there is a growing from Glory to Glory But three comings of Christ not only that in the Flesh at Jerusalem and that in the Spirit but also another coming in the Flesh yet to be expected we do not read of but a second coming without sin unto Salvation which in the Apostles days was looked for And as concerning that noted place 1 Thes 4.17 brougt by W. B. to prove Christs coming without us to judgment G. W. denyeth it to be meant of his Personal coming and useth a Sophism to contradict it and wrest it to his inward coming whereas all the stress of his Sophism lies in that We We that remain but the true Sense of these words is those Saints those Believers that shall be living at that day shall not prevent them that dyed in Christ before It is an enallage personae frequent in Scripture putting we for they live that or James therewith bless we God and Curse men Now all these proofs he has Allegorized to Christ within he has allegorized away his Birth his Death Resurrection and Ascension and coming to Judgment and so we have nothing from Scripture to prove Christ's Death to be of any benefit to us and we have no Argument to prove he came in the Flesh And so all the proofs against Jews and Philosophers he has Allegorized away Thus you have had a proof from G. Whitehead and W. Penn. Now if you will adjourn the Meeting to some other time or continue it a while longer I am content And I hope I have proved that I am not Petulant and that I have had just cause to accuse them of these Errors I was presented by a Grand jury at Philadelgpia and the Presentment would have been Prosecuted if the Government had not been changed and I had been accused for endeavouring to alter the Government which is Capital by their Law and they would have found me guilty of Death had they not been turned out of the Government tho I was innocent And when I objected against the Jury they would not suffer one of the Jury to be cast Now it I had been guilty of any Trespass and Offence against K. William and Q. Mary the King is alive and God bless him do you think that Governour Fletcher put into the Government by King William and Queen Mary that was the Governor there if he had found me guilty of High Treason he would have passed me but he ordered them to let fall the Indictment Then the Company desired G. Keith to proceed if he had any more proofs against G. Whitehead G. Keith Yes I have Says G. Whitehead to R. Gordon Dost thou look for Christ's coming again to appear outwardly in a bodily Existence If thou dost thou mayest look until thy Eyes drop out before thou wilt see such an Appearance of him Now see how G. Whitehead has excused this he says He did not mean it of Christ's coming to Judgment but he meant it thus because R. Gordon would needs have it that Salvation was delayed till Christ's outward coming I am apt to think he abuses R. Gordon not that I would vindicate R. Gordon in every thing for I think he did overcharge the Quakers in some things at that time but now I do not accuse or acquit him But I say he says he only opposed that false Notion of R. Gordon as if the Saints remained under their Pollution till the Resurrection from the Dead Can you think so He was a Protestant and no Protestant will say any such thing We say we are saved by hope I say in a Scripture sense we may expect that great Salvation then even from all charge of Sin tho not from any stain of Sin Not that the sense of Pardon is not made manifest before that day but that in that day all that have Repented and Believed he will clear them before God Angels and Men. The Devil will be ready to accuse them in that day but Christ will then clear them It will be a great solemn Assize and there will be a solemn Acquitment to all that have sincere Repented of their sins and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ Quaker Let the passage be read out G. Keith If we had not had these oppositions we might have saved an Hour I will read the passage Dost thou look for Christ as the Son of Mary to appear outwardly in a bodily Existence to save thee according to thy words p. 30. If thou doest thou mayest look until thy Eyes drop out befor thou will see such an appearance of him Ye see these are plain and express words agianst Christ's outward coming The Scripture saith we are saved by hope and hope that is seen is not hope our great Salvation in the full accomplishment of it is at the Resurrection and Christs last coming then will be the great Discharge and Acquitment according to 2 Tim. 1.18 and 2 Tim. 4.16 The Lord grant that we may find mercy in that day and that our sins may not be laid to our charge And Acts 3.19 it is said Repent and be Converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshment shall come c. The word is very well Translated when the times of Reanimation shall come the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quaker I desire to be heard a word G. Keith I have not done yet I beg of you I shall be but short I had said I had upward of six Manuscripts What
false Accusation and Defamation and I offer to prove it at the said Meeting Fifthly Whereas the Second Days Weekly Meeting of the People called Quakers in Lombard-street London hath approved or Countenanced the above-mentioned Scandalous Books and another late Book from Pensilvania signed by Caleb Pusey falsly called by him A modest Account from Pensilvania of the Principal Differences in a Point of Doctrine c. I charge them to be guilty of great Injustice against me as also of being guilty of the false Accusations Perversions Forgeries and false Doctrines contained in the said Books by their approving the same and allowing them to be publickly sold next Door to their Meeting-place by one of their own Profession If it happen that few or none of the above-mentioned Persons shall be present at the said Meeting being conscious to themselves of the badness of their Cause yet I do hereby declare and publish my full intention to be present God willing with my Friends at the said Place and Time appointed to make good the Charges against them And any moderate and Friendly People of other Professions have freedom to be present so far as there is room in the place to receive them without Crowd or Throng to hear what shall be said and proved in these matters above-mentioned GEORGE KEITH London the 11th day of the Third Month called May 1696. And here I think fit to give a true Account of the Just Cause I have to intimate such a Meeting IN my book called A Seasonable Information and Caveat against a scandalous book of Th. Elwood I made a profer to Th. Elwood to meet him at any Place and Time that he would appoint to prove him guilty of gross Forgery in matters of Fact c. and also of false Doctrine But he did no wise assent to any such proffer nor gave any rational Excuse for his Rufusal pretending he would not give G K. an Opportunity to gratifie the Rabble and disgrace his Profession he yet made of Truth by so publick a discovery of his ungoverned Passions What is this but great hypocrisie And no doubt if he or his Party thought to get any advantage against me such a Publick Appearance either in regard of the Cause or of what he and they call my ungoverned Passions they would greedily embrace it But the reality of the matter is they are not willing their great injustice as well as their insolent carriage and most unruly Passions in clandestine places should be discovered shutting the doors upon all but themselves that none that were equal and impartial Hearers and Observers might be present to be a check to their rude and insolent carriage against me many speaking to me at once which some among themselves reproved at the first Yearly Meeting I appeared among them Thus they seek to murther the Reputation of the Innocent in secret places And instead of assenting to my just proffer he prints another book against me filled with more than double to what was in his former book of Forgeries Perversions False Accusations and Misrepresentations And I having neither time nor ability of outward Estate to print Answers to him and others that heap book upon book against me with no charge to them they having got a way without any charge or cost to them to Print what they please And things being thus I appeal to all moderate persons whether this my intimation of such a Meeting in the defence of the Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity as the necessity of Faith in Christ as he outwardly suffered at Jerusalem to our Salvation Justification and Sanctification by the Blood of Christ outwardly shed the Resurrection of the Body that dyeth and Christs coming without us in his Glorified Body even the same that formerly suffered Death for our sins to Judge the Quick and the Dead All which I offer to prove have been opposed and contradicted by some of them being the common Faith generally and in common professed by Christians in all professions and for the defence of which all sincere Christians are jointly concerned and also in my just vindication both as a man and a Christian be not justifiable and commendable it being the best way I have at present to clear the Truth and my Innocency and discover their great injustice towards me and to Answer the proud and insulting boastings of my Adversaries And whereas in my late Book called A short List of some of the vile and gross Errors of Geo. Whitehead c. I proposed a just demand to William Penn to give me an Opportunity for him to make good his Charge against me at any publick Meeting of the People called Quakers in or about London instead of his assenting to my just Demand there comes forth a Third Book of Tho. Elwood multiplying his gross Forgeries Defamations and Misrepresentations against me and also containing most false and Antichristian Doctrine to the great dishonour of the blessed Name of Christ and the Christian Religion And as if G. W. and W. P. were not alive or not able to Answer for themselves he will needs Answer for them and the said Tho. Elwood puts a most impudent and notorious perversion upon my plain words in my Proposition to W. Penn saying of me as he has worded his Demand he seems to have bespoke a Publick Meeting that he might have done it himself see page 159. and page 160. of his Truth defended As if saith he he wanted such an Opportunity to prove himself an Apostate Let the Reader but read my words in my own Book and at the first sight he will see the Cheat and Forgery Observe Reader my words p. 32. And let him signifie to me the time and place where he will make it to appear I say not when I will that his Charge against me is true May I not well say that ever such a gross and impudent Forgerer Wrester and Perverter of a Mans words should be allowed or permitted to be an Agent Patron or Champion for what they call the Body of the People named Quakers and their Ministry is a sign that they are at a low Ebb when they make use of such Tools as T. E. is whom I can and do offer to prove not only to be guilty of gross Forgeries and Perversions and Antichristian Principles but grosly ignorant in that which he pretends to have knowledge of Humane Learning and who is guilty of Pedantick trifling and quibbling from meer Errors of the Press not so duly corrected yet obvious to any intelligent Reader And to my demanding the like Justice to be done me as some Years ago we demanded of the Baptists against Thomas Hicks he answereth in his last book falsly called Truth defended pag. 158. That betwixt that and this of mine there is in parallel For saith he in that there was a people concerned on each side c. Whereas W. P 's calling G. K. Apostate affects no body that I know of saith T. E. but himself and
judged an Apostate for changing his Opinion of some Men especially when he finds cause so to do Quaker You are fallen from your former Principles G. Keith If you prove me not to have changed in any Fundamental Principle ye ought not to charge me to be an Apostate I know not any Fundamental Principle nor indeed any one Principle of the Christian Faith that I have varied from to this day ever since I came among the Quakers which is about Thirty Three Years ago therefore I ought to be cleared of that Imputation Quaker H. Gâ—ldneâ— began to speak G. Keith Art thou deputed to Answer to what I have Charged them with Stranger They have declined your Meeting and yet several persons it seems are deputed by them to speak Auditors G. Keith go on with your Charge G. Keiâ—h There is another passage in G. Whiteheads book wherein he denies the Divinity of Christ and he deceives the Nation and the Parliament by telling them They own Christ to be both God and Man and believe all that is recorded of him in the Holy Scripture and no wonder he has deceived me In his pag. 24. Light and Life he saith To tell of the word God Co Creator with the Father is all one as to tell of God being Co-Creator with God if the Father be God and this is to make two Gods two Creators c. For God Co-Creator with the Father implyes two Ye see this is positive and he puts this Censure on the Baptists words Thus Nonsense Confusion and Blasphemy is heapt up against the Light within Quaker We tell you that whereas G. Keith hath Printed several Books they have Answered them from time to time and he has left two Books unanswered and whatever he will print to the contrary we will defend our Principles G. Keith They have a Publick Stock I have not they are able to raise some Thousands of Pounds sooner than G. Keith can raise an Hundred Here some Noise being raised in the Meeting by some discontented persons Auditors Let there be a Moderator chosen G. Keith If there be any Offence do not charge it on me I desire you for the Honour of the Nation and of the City of London to be still It is a Mob from Grace-church-street to make a disturbance Then that passage in G. Whiteheads book was read again See here the Son of God his Eternal Generation is denyed If he had a Father then there are two Gods And here is as plain a denying Christ to be God as any Socinian can be guilty of Quaker Nat. Mark The casual dropping of words is no proof G. Keith I have proved to you already he disowns Christ to be God Now I will prove he has denyed him to be Man And then there is that great Article of our Faith lost and the Object of the Christian Faith denyed Here is G. Whiteheads Answer to T. Dansons Synopsis of Quakerism as he calls it p. 18. This is in the book called The Divinity of Christ asserted recommended by W. Penn Reason against Railing p. 185. See how G. Whitehead takes him up and how he banters him If the Body and Soul of the Son of God were both created doth not this render him a Fourth Person c. But the stress I lay is in the words following But herein whether doth not his and their ignorance of the only begotten of the Father plainly appear Where doth the Scripture say that his Soul was created For was not he the brightness of the Fathers glory and the express Image of his Divine Substance But supposing the Soul of Christ was with the Body created in time c. Here ye see he will not own that Christ had a Created Soul Th. Danson being a Presbyterian Minister did plead That Christ as Man had a created Soul This G. W. makes an inconsistency as if he could not be God also This was the Errour of Apollinarius who said Christ was without a Humane Soul for he was the express Image of his Father But supposing the Soul of Christ were created with the Body c. That which I would have you take notice of is this Where does the Scripture say his Soul was created Quaker Waite That was only a Question G. Keith Well it was his way of Disputing as is ordinary to him and many others Anâ— such way of Questioning plainly imperteth a Denyal Next I prove that G. Whitehead says He has not the Body of a Man And then I hope I shall have performed what I promised See his Nature of Christianity p. 29 41. Here I undertake to prove that G. Whitehead denies that Christ in Heaven has any Bodily Existence without us It he has said otherwise in any of his late Printed Books I am glad of it But let him retract these for these have done much mischief Now when I said he was Orthodox I mean not as he was Heterodox For there is a G. Whitehead Orthodox and a G. Whitehead not Orthodox I did not know G. Whitehead not Orthodox till lately I do not say there are two persons in George Whitehead he is but one and the same person in this and some other things Orthodox and not Orthodox George Whitehead contradicting George Whitehead he is accountable for these Contradictions and not I. I own it that I have cited divers passages out of his later books that are Orthodox to prove him sound but I did not then know when I so cited him that he was guilty of such gross Errors as since I have found by a further search into his books Let him retract his Errors and well enjoy his Orthodoxy Ye know contradictory Propositions cannot be both true I shall read to you p. 29 41. of his Nature of Christianity This is posteriour to his former book In Page 29. Or dost thou look for Christ as the Son of Mary to appear outwardly in a Bodily Existence to save thee according to thy words page 30. If thou dost thou mayst look until thy Eâ—es drop out before thou wilt see such an appearance of him This is but one place that is that Christ will not so appear But why will he not so appear but because he has no Bodily Existence without us That I come now to prove for which I shall read to you in his pag. 41. And that he existeth outwardly bodily without us at God's right Hand What Scripture Proof hath he for these Words And then what and where is God's right Hand Is it visiblâ— or invisible within us or without us only And is Christ the Saviour as an outward bodily Existence or Person without us distinct from God and on that Consideration to be worshipped as God yea or nay And where doth the Scripture say he is outwardly and bodily glorified at God's right Hand Do these Days express the Glory that he had with the Father before the World began in which he is now glorified And where doth the Scripture say And here is the
thing that rivets Where doth the Scripture say that he is outwardly and bodily glorified at God's right Hand Do these Terms express the Glory that he had with the Father before the World began Now G. Whitehead's way of writing is to question his Adversaries which is the Socratical way of disputing and arguing against his Adversary But let me go on Again see his Book called Christ ascended above the Clouds All that I have yet cited out of G. Whitehead's Book Light and Life and that of the Divinity of Christ and Nature of Christianity W. Penn has own'd them all in his Reasons against Railing pag. 185 186. This Book was printed and also this called Christ ascended above the Clouds Anno 1669. Now for the Page and Matter p. 21 22. John Newman his Opponent's Words were from Rev. 1.7 Those that pierced him in his Body of Flesh shall see that Body visibly come again G. W. answereth These are not the Words of Scripture but added Altho to add or diminish be forbidden under a Penalty Rev. 22.18 19. yet this Man's Presumption leads him to incur that And Christ in the Days of his Flesh when he visibly appeared to the World said Yet a little while and the World seeth me no more Now again I shall read to you John Newman's Words which G. W. doth so much blame From Rev. 1.7 Those that pierced him in his Body of Flesh shall see that Body visibly come again Is there any thing here offensive Nothing but what is the declared Opinion of the Church of Rome the Church of England the Presbyterians Independents Baptists and mine all along tho I have been a Quaker near about 34 Years Quaker Then it is much that in 34 Years thou shouldst not correct them before G. Keith This Assertion that G. Whitehead charges with Heresy see how he answers it These are not the Words of Scripture but added altho to add or diminish be forbidden under a Penalty Why John Newman here only uses the word Body to his coming again and G. Whitehead finds fault with that and G. W. brings a Proof from John 14.19 Yet a little while and the World seeth me no more that those that pierced Christ in his Body shall not see that Body visibly come again Here is a Proof that Christ was evanished The World shall see me no more The Translation will not prove G. Whitehead's Position even as it is But it may be better translated as yet Yet a little while and the World shall not see me As yet the Greek being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet i. e. nondum or not as yet Does this prove that Christ has no Body at all This is very bad Reasoning Quaker If the Translation be not good why do you make use of it G. Keith I own it a good Translation and Thanks be to God we have such a Translation â—et that in some Places it may be better translated the Quakers themselves as well as all 〈◊〉 Professions do acknowledg such as have a little Hebrew or Greek that is one 〈◊〉 there are two or three Places more I will give you only a few of my Proofs and 〈◊〉 rest to a further Opportunity P. 24. says J. Newman By denying any perso◠〈◊〉 â—â—ing of Christ without all Men at the right Hand of God but only a feigned 〈◊〉 within then Remission of Sins must die and Faith also for want of the Object 〈◊〉 This I look on to be good Doctrine And if you deny that G. K. turning 〈◊〉 to his Opponents Henry Goldney and Nathaniel Marke who spoke by turns sometimes one and sometimes another and stood close by him in the Gallery a Favour his Adversaries would scarce have allowed to him in any such Dispute at Grace-Church-street Meeting-place or elsewhere ye may speak to which they not replying G. K. further said I think this is a good Deduction Now to this G. Whitehead answers p. 29. I defend not J. Newman in all he owns but so far as he holds the Truth And if a Papist say the Truth against a Jew I am ingaged to defend him in it This manner of excluding God's right Hand and Christ to a Limitation out of his People in a personal Being which are no Scripture-terms still implies him to be a personal God or Christ like the Anthropomorphites and Muggletonians Conceits of him And again pag. 69. he saith And these Words Christ in Person remote in his Body of Flesh c. and not in any Man are not Scripture but added What strange Conceits would J. N. put upon the unlimited God like the old heretical Monks of Egypt called Anthropomorphites By these Words of G. W. all Papists Church of England-men Presbyterians Independents Baptists who believe that the Man Christ has any bodily Existence in Heaven as he thinks are Anthropomorphites and Muggletonians So you see all of you are Muggletonians as well as I. But mark the Words of John Newman above-mentioned which are sound and I say whoever under a Christian Profession deny Christ to have any personal or bodily Existence without us in Heaven whatever Notion they may have of Christ within it is but a feigned Christ within but who have the true Knowledg and Faith of Christ within to wit of his Spirit Light and Grace within that leads them to own and confess to the Man Christ without as well as to his Spirit within There is no Church-of England-man Presbyterian or Baptist c. that holds that Notion that the Godhead has the Shape of a Man but the Manhood of Christ has the true Nature of Man And what Shape Christ's Body has now that I leave but I believe he has the self-same Body in Heaven that he had on Earth the same I say for Substance and Essence of Body tho wonderfully changed in Manner and Condition Another Quaker Then you reflect on an Act of Parliament which allows the Translation of the Scriptures if they be not truly translated Note This Man's Impertinency and Prejudice as if to say a Place of Scripture may be better translated which all the Learned of all Professions of English Protestants do allow were a Reflection on the Parliament how earnest is this Man with other of his Brethren to make the Innocent an Offender Is this your Christianity G. Keith Here is a Book of G. Whitehead's called The He-goats Horn broken I hope this Meeting will give Satisfaction to many and therefore that it may be profitable I desire you to keep Silence Quaker N. Mark I have a Proposition to make I would not interrupt but I desire to be heard if I may have leave G. Keith Will you speaking to them all four that spoke sometimes one and sometimes another take upon you to vindicate your Friends then you may say what you will Quaker George I desire thy Leave to be heard G. Keith If you will but speak briefly Quaker N. Mark The Proposition is
this 1. I tell you I am here accidentally 2. I observe that G. Keith takes the Liberty of putting his own Interpretation on the Passages of several Books and since G. K. has departed from the Quakers he has taken on him to write several Books which are extant and over and over he makes his Appeal to this Assembly which I desire you to consider how improper and impracticable it is to decide it here Therefore what he purposed to urge here if he will print it and proceed no further in this Meeting I will be at the Charge of whatever he shall print G. Keith I say If he would lay me down five hundred Pounds I would not break up this Meeting till it is over Stranger He will pay for it i. e. N. Marks G. Keith But it is upon Terms Quaker Began to speak thus they oft sought to interrupt him to divert the Proofs G. Keith Thou knowest thou art not so qualified to speak in this Auditory Let me go on with my Proofs I prove further that G. Whitehead writing against one Jo. Horn reflects on him scornfully he calls his Book the He-goats Horn broken Now see whether G. Whitehead has not broken his own Horn rather It is a Shame the Reflections they have made on Men sounder than themselves Let me read the Words The He-goats Horn broken or Innocency c. in answer to two Books against the Quakers Printed London 1660. Now if I understand any thing of true Divinity or Theology the Passage this Man or Men for there are two of them lays down here is a sound Passage which G. Whitehead contradicts Now here is the Passage and do you judg of it And where we lay down this as Tho. Moor's Principle That their Nature is restored in Christ and that their Nature is a filthy Nature This they say is falsly expressed and perverted and yet J. H. and T. M. a little after say thus viz. That our Nature Kind or Being as in us not in Christ is corrupt and filthy in it self yet Christ took upon him our Nature not as it is filthy in us by Sin in it And they say That we might as well have taxed the Apostle of Confusion for saying Men by Nature do the things contained in the Law p. 11 12. Now here is G. Whitehead's Answer We may justly tax these Men for Confusion indeed but not the Apostle for here they cannot discern between the sinful Nature and the pure Nature for the Nature of Christ is pure so that it 's not their Nature for their Nature is filthy and therefore it is not in Christ Observe Christ did not take upon him Jo. Horn's Nature No says he As I have oft told G. Whitehead that he and W. Penn will needs imbrace false Notions in Philosophy they will needs seem to be Philosophers by Divine Inspiration as well as Ministers and Preachers by it But it is a sad thing that their false Philosophy should destroy their Faith Now here is a false Notion that Christ could not take on him Man's Nature except he took on him the Pollution of it As if the Pollution of Sin were an essential Attribute of Man's Nature Now Sin if it be like Scarlet is no more essential to the Nature of Man than Filth to a Garment for a Garment is the same Garment still whether it be filthy or clean Therefore I say our blessed Lord might well take on him our Nature and the Nature in us be sinful and in him pure and holy And Jo. Horn distinguishes so Now judg ye whether G. Whitehead has broken Jo. Horn's Horn yea or no or rather whether has he not broken his own Horn Thus I have done as to the Object of Faith at present at least Now I come to the Act of Faith or the Vertue of Faith See for the Proofs William Penn his Quakerism a new Nick-name for old Christianity p. 12. Printed Anno 1672. This Book is without the Printer's Name and most of W. Penn's Books are without it tho they persecuted William Bradford in Philadelphia for printing some of my Books without putting his Name Here is the Point Jo. Faldo makes this Charge against the Quakers p. 12. Christianity was introduced by preaching the promised Messiah and pointing at his humane Person but Quakerism by preaching a Light within Now if I had this to answer I would have said Any Quakerism I know of that I learned was introduced into my Heart both by believing in Christ without and in Christ within at once and by one Faith but instead of that he answers thus I answer That this is nothing injurious to the Quakers at all but highly on their side for had they preach'd a Christ now coming in the Flesh they had dented his true and only great visible Appearance at Jerusalem which all true Quakâ—rs own Since tâ—en they believe that Appearance but therefore need not preach whâ—t is not to be again And that the whole Christian World besides have so long aâ—d lazily depended on it without their thirsting after his inward holy Appearance in the Conscience c. This is the thing I come to Since then they believe that Appearance but therefore need not preach what is not to be again if every one of them believe there was such a Man that was born of a Virgin and died for our Sins sixteen hundred Years ago they therefore need not preach that he was so born or that he died for our Sins c. Christ is not to be born again is not to die again c. We need not preach it but throw it over the Shoulder and give it up and bury it in Oblivion from Posterity Judg if this â—e not the true Consequence Let them retract these Errors and not say I am an Apostate for telling them of them As I told G. Whitehead there are Errors in thy Books as well as others and either thou or I must correct them and he was very angry with me Lâ—t them retract them and not count me a Liar for telling them of them But let me again râ—ad out the entire Paragraph Since then they believe that Appearance but therefore need not preach what is not to be again There it clinches they need not preach what is not to be again Take notice also of his uncharitable dealing here if he had said many it might have past But he says the whole Christian World has lazily depended on it Is there none in the Christian World but the Quakers that thirst after the Power of God in their Souls I was never so uncharitable to think so There is more yet p. 6. The Distinction between Moral and Christian The making holy Life legal I know none that do so of any that are sincere in all the Professions in Christendon and Faâ—th in the History of Christ's outward Manifestation has been a deadly Poison these latter Ages have been infected with to the Destruction of Godâ—y Living and apostatizing
of those Churches c. Another Proof I bring against W. Penn is out of his Address to Protestants p. 119. printed 1692. the second Edition corrected and enlarged But this Passage remains in it however I will begin a little before the main thing For it seems p. 118. a most unreasonable thing that Faith in God and in keeping his Commands should be no part of the Christian Religion But if a part it be as upon serious Reflection who dare deny it then those before â—nd since Christ's time who never had the external Law and have done the things contained in the Law their Consciences not accusing nor Hearts condemning but excusing them before God are in some degree concerned in the Character of a true Christian for Christ himself preached and kept his Father's Commandments and came to fulfil and not destroy the Law and that not only in his own Person but that the Righteousness of the Law might also be fulfilled in us Now comes the main thing Let us but soberly consider what Christ is and we shall the better know whether Moral Men are to be reckon'd Christians What is Christ but Meekness Justice Mercy Patience Charity and Vertue in Perfection Can we then deny a meek Man to be a Christian a just a merciful a patient a charitable and vertuous Man to be like Christ But in this way of arguing there is a Fallacy these Moral Vertues are a Part of a Christian as Animal is a part of the Definition of a Man and belong to the Genus of a Christian But there are two things in the true Definition of a Man the Genus and the Differentia they have the Genus but not the Differentia therefore it is true to say every Man is an Animal but it is not true nor good Logick to say every Animal is a Man Let us but soberly consider saith William Penn what Christ is what is Christ but Meekness and Justice and Mercy and Patience And now take notice I would not misconstrue what I have read by William Penn's Argument a Man may be own'd to be a Christian and yet disbelieve that Christ is either God or Man if he own or practise a Habit or Quality of Moral Vertue as that of Justice and Meekness c. and practise accordingly tho he believe not in Christ if he have but some Moral Habits So that here the Jew is the Christian the Mahometan is the Christian the Pagan is the Christian and the professed Pelagian is the Christian tho they deny any inward supernatural Principle and call the Light within only natural as many sober and moral Men do why then have they so fiercely contended against such Men denying them to be Christians in whom as much of Moraâ—ity has appeared as in many of tâ—em But it is strange to heathenise all Christendom through calling them the World and christianise Heathens for their Morality See again the Christian Quaker p. 125 126 127. let me but recommend it to you to read the Book This Christian Quaker it is a Folio Book he bestows about three Pages to define what a Christian Quaker is In all this large Deâ—â—nition not one word of the Man Christ who is God over all blessed for ever to be the Object either of this Christian Quaker's Faith Love or Homage it is too large to reciâ—e but I recommend it to you to read it and shall go to the next Again see the Preface to R. Barclay's great Volume p. 36. where he makes the Work of Regeneration greater than the Manifestation of the Son of God in the Flesh R. Barclay is my Country-man I will not be partial to him on that account but I do not now blame any thing in his Book I know he is the soundest Writer among them But the thing I blame is a Preface supposed to be writ by W. Penn and however commended by G. Whitehead and some others By the Stile it is thought to be W. Penn's and it commonly goes under his Name These are the Words O Reader great is the Mystery of Godliness And if the Apostle said it of the Manifestation of the Son of God in tâ—e Flesh if that be a Mystery and if a Mystery it is not to be spelt out but by the Revelation of the Spirit how much more is the Work of Regeneration a Mystery that is wholly inward and spiritual in its Operation Who is sufficient for these things Now pray take notice that I tell you I cast no Reflection on R. Barclay I blame nothing at present in his Books tho there may be things both in his Books and mine that may need Correction If there be any Reflection on him it is chiefly this that such an unsound Preface should be put to his Book for I can sufficiently prove that R. Barclay's Doctrine is plainly Antipodes to this Doctrine O Reader great is the Mystery of Godliness for which is cited 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the Mâ—stery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh c. which all Christendom judg to be God manifest in Christ's outward Body of Flesh and but consequentially of his Spirit and Grace in Men and I think it 's the greatest Mystery next to that of the Holy Three in One and One in Three the Manifestation of the Son of God in that Body of Flesh is next to that Now you see how he makes Regeneration in a Believer a greater Mystery than the Manifestation of the Son of God in his Body of Flesh How much more saith he is the Work of Regeneration a Mystery For the other here 1 Tim. 3. â—6 he does not say it is a Mystery but he puts three ifs to it If a Mâ—stery c. Pray was our blessed Lord a mere Shell Was he like the Shell of an Egg without the Meat of an Egg or was he like the Shell of any Fruit and no Kernel in it Was there any Holiness ever in any Prophet or Apostle but it is like a Drop to the Ocean to what was in â—ur blessed Lord Therefore to compare the Work of Regeneration to the Incarnation of our Lord so as to equal it he prefers it and does not equal it only I appeal to you whether is it not a most abominable Error and whether it doth not make every regenerate Man not only equal to the Man Christ but greater for we truly value any Man as more holy according as the Manifestation of God is more in one Man than in another It is not enough to say he has unadvisedly dropt this Doctrine but it is his main Aim in divers of his Books See W. Penn's Rejoinder p. 330 337 340. where he makes Christ in the Gentiles a greater Mystery than Christ incarnate p. 335. J. Faldo is now in his Grave and I confess I never thought I should be raised up to vindicate J. Faldo I cannot say I ever read the fourth Part of this Book of W. Penn's called his Rejoinder till within this
for comparing the Books of Friends to the Books of the Greek and Latin Fathers p. 99. For further Discovery In comparing says Tho. Ellwood the Books of Friends to the Books of them called the Greek and Latin Fathers he has not done as a Friend and Brother but as an Enemy in supposing Friends Books to have been written by no better guidance nor clearer sight than theirs who lived and writ in those dark times You see how modest they are here Auditors They gave a shout signifying their dislike that the Quakers Books should be preferred so far to the Greek and Latin Fathers next to the days of the Apostles Quaker N. M. It is very well that the whole Paragraph be read that it may give the more satisfaction to the Auditory which was accordingly done T. Ellwood saith He viz. G. K. turns off and says I reflect not only on him but on the late Christian Teachers and Writers who have corrected the Errors and unsound Expressions contain'd in the Books of them called the Greek and Latin Fathers Now hear what he further says In comparing the Books of Friends to the Books of them called Greek and Latin Fathers ut supra Quaker J. Waite I have made few Observations on the whole one or two particular the other are general The first is that he charges G. Whitehead and W. Penn to destroy the Object of Faith Now when he speaks of some Doctrines that were preached by him in 1678 and that he was reproved for saying it was lawful to pray to Jesus Christ he has vindicated W. Penn as to this Point who said he did so Also he has vindicated G. Whitehead saying that He directed not to what either of them could say but what Scripture says and he cites them a clear passage that was then believed by him and I believed by all Quakers The other particular Observation I did note is that the Quakers have not used recite the whole Author they write against and I appeal to you whether G. Keith in the opposition he has made has ever repeated a whole Author These are my particular Observations The general is that what has been casually dropt and I believe there are none concerned on this occasion but I say they may sometimes be apt to drop some Expressions that they will not stand by But to urge these against the whole Party is too hard and is very uncharitable and therefore I hope you will not conclude the whole body concerned in it And G. Keith hath been conversant among us eight and twenty years or more and has preached the Doctrines owned by us and writ many Books that related to fundamental Articles of Faith I believe him that they were owned by the People he was joyned with And at the yearly meeting the charge against him and his expulsion was not matter of Doctrine but Practice which was turbulent And therefore he has apostatized from what he was before from the meekness and integrity that is agreeable to the Doctrine of Christianity Stranger G. Keith I see you are almost spent I will answer for you He says it was the whole body that was against you it was the worse that the Excommunication should be from the whole yearly Meeting without mentioning any thing in particular For a man to apostatize is to apostatize from the whole Faith but for a man to differ with respect to particular things this is not Apostasie G. Keith The words of the Excommunication run thus I am a man of no Christian Spirit I have dismember'd myself from the Church of Christ If they had said from this particular Society it might have passed but they say from the Church of Christ And why Because there is no Church of Christ on Earth but the Quakers and no Representative of them but the Yearly Meeting in Gracechurch-street You see how weak that man's Objections are The Auditory shouted Quaker H. Goldney This man asserts a Lye and then the People are taken with it as if it were a Truth G. Keith If I have spoken amiss I am willing to be brought to a tryal He says I have answer'd many Books wherein I have not recited all the Books I have answer'd It is true and I blame not them for not doing so But they say I only take bits and scraps here and there I say what cause have I to recite G. Whitehead and W. Penn's whole Books to you when they have not done so I think it sufficient to give an account of their sense from full Periods and Paragraphs He says I have already cleared George Whitehead and William Penn from that charge that they have not destroyed the Object of Faith And I say I have proved that they have destroyed the Object of Faith if they have at other times Owned it let them disown and retract their Errors I am not to account for their Contradictions They have Contradicted themselves they have disowned the Object of Faith and if I have charged them with it this is no Contradiction in me but in them Quaker H. Goldney made an interruption while G. K. was speaking as he oft did and gave great offence to the Auditory with his impertinencies and reflections calling G. K. Lyer Impostor Apostate G. Keith The reading of this Paper if ye please shall conclude this Meeting After T. Ellwood came out with his further discovery I made my Complaint to the Monthly Meeting at Bull and Mouth against the Forgeries and false Accusations that his Book was filled with and I begged of them that they would hear my Charge against him but they would not suffer me they said I might print as T. Ellwood did but I said I could not they have a Stock I have not Whereupon I went to some of the Church-Party that favour'd me and told them if I could not get a meeting to hear me my design was to give forth a printed Advertisement of a Meeting to clear myself of these things and they might be present if they would Some of their Party said to me George do not they or some of them would give me a meeting Accordingly they gave me a meeting They took notice of some of Ellwood's Forgeries and Abuses some of them have I hope that Courage that I believe they would not be offended nor afraid if I named them They have said in their Paper T. Ellwood has done me wrong Quaker H. Goldney Let us know their names who they are G. Keith We must use some little Policy as well as ye Some of them are eminent among you Here is a Copy of a Paper containing an account of the matter There were I think nine or ten of them H. Goldney if I should name them would not deny them to be his Brethren Quaker H. Goldney I dare thee to name their names or else thou art a Lyar an Impostor a Cheat I dare say it is a Cheat. And turning to G. K. he said O thou Lyer thou contentious Creature G.
Keith See this little man's passion now what is he but a Creature and a contentious Creature I contend for Truth he and they against it I will not name them without their consent only bid this angry man Henry Goldney be silent and I will read their Paper containing their Censure against T. Ellwood in divers particulars The true Copy of a Paper containing a Censure and Judgment of a Meeting of Friends owned by Tho. Ellwood's Brethren to be in Vnity with them and generally in good Repute among them held at London the 12th Month 1694 in divers weighty particulars IN Thomas Ellwood 's Book entituled A further Discovery c. pag. 31 Thomas Ellwood blames G. K. for mistating the Controversie and cunningly sliding in the word Within when he knew it was not in the words charged nor in the words proved A true Copy of the three Judgments p. 6. are these words All which are something else than the People called Quakers understand by the Light to wit the light in every man's Conscience which G. K. alledgeth is Proof that G. K. intended the Light within In Benjamin Chambers Letter dated Philadelphia the 24 th of the fourth Month 1693. one of the four credible Evidences against G. K. are these words following The substance of what Tho. Fâ—tzwâ—ters had said to wit that according to his own Apprehension of thee thou didst not believe the Light of Christ within Man is sufficient for Salvation without something else To which words thee didst then in the audience of the Meeting forthwith reply No more I do not without something else In John Delaval 's Letter dated the 24th of the 10th Month 1692. are these words cited out of G. W. 's Book That the Light which is sufficient to convince of Sin and leads out of it is sufficient to guide unto Salvation but such is the Light of Christ in every man John Humphry's Two Letters read and both to the same purpose T. E. Further Discovery c. pag. 101. are these words And this makes a Verbal Confession yea a bare Verbal Confession sufficient to yoke them as he phrases it together in Church-Fellowship Reasons and Causes of the Separation pag. 22. ad finem Tho. Elwood leaves this out viz. Touching these necessary and fundamental Principles of Christian Doctrine as well as that their Conversation is such as becomes the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Pag. 36. That the Church of Christ is the multitude of sincere Believers in Christ who ought to manifest their Faith to one another by the living confession of the Mouth flowing from the living Faith in the Heart accompanied with the seal and confirmation of a Holy and Christian life and conversation Pag. 103. Tho. Ellwood accuseth G. K. for giving of false Quotation or forging Quotation out of Robert Barkly's Book G. K's Quotation compared with Robert Barkly's agrees as quoted Reasons and Causes c. pag. 16. for Substance of Doctrine pag. 24 25 26. in express words pag. 106. T. E. admits of Substance Further Discovery p. 19. Tho. Ellwood accuseth G. K. that he blames Friends that they were gone too much from the outward to the inward But G. K. p. 20. which Tho. Ellwood brings for Proof saith That he blames some persons for not rightly and fully preaching Christ without so that Tho. Ellwood's consequences seems not fair but strain'd Pag. 22. Tho. Ellwood accuseth George Keith of a Fallacy in declaring he refused not to go forth at the Yearly Meeting which Fallacy alledged was That G. K. should refuse to go out some one day of the yearly meeting but that not appearing to us by any Quotation the supposed Fallacy appears not And further whereas Tho. Elwood alledges thaâ— he was led into this Mistake by G. K's obscure way of writing for altho' in pag. 14. nor 18. of the Book Reasons and Causes as Tho. Ellwood unduly argueth yet in pag. 3. Plea of the Innocent quoted by himself pag 19 of his first Book called an Epistle c. we find G. K. gives account the Yearly Meeting at Philadelphia was in the first week of the 7th month 1691. Further Discovery p. 26 Tho. Ellwood saith G. K. asks why they contradicted the sound Judgment of a Monthly Meeting at Philadelphia passing due Censure upon W. S. sixth month thereafter and saith It doth not sound as if it came from a sound Judgment as if a Judgment now were capable of contradicting a Judgment that should be given six months after whereas it appears by the date of the Judgment given by the publick Friends to be nine months after the Yearly Meeting the first being as above the 1 st of the seventh month 91 the other bearing date the 4 th of the fourth month 92 The which Book Tho. Ellwood being so conversant in looks as if he could not be ignorant of the adjourned Meeting being six months after the Yearly Meeting to wit the 27 th of the twelfth month as appears in pag. 10. Reasons and Causes and that wherein the supposed Judgment of the Yearly Meeting is is dated nine months after the Yearly Meeting In the same Book pag. 35. Tho. Ellwood alledgeth That he no where gave that as the only or any Reason why the Meeting could not adjourn to wit because the Book and Clark was gone Pag. 36 37. he adds Let G. K. clear himself fairly of this if he can till then I shall take it for certain that that Monthly Meeting was ended and broken up part of the Friends gone away the Clerk gone the Book in which the Proceedings of the Meeting should be recorded gone before the adjournment was made and consequently that Adjournment not good but invalid Ditto pag. 42 43. Whereas Tho. Ellwood should have brought matter of Fact to prove G. K. guilty of the Separation instead thereof he argues as we think unfairly by logical Nicety Pag. 42. he blameth G. K. greatly for not putting the Printer's name to some of his Books But it 's well known this hath been the frequent practice of the People called Quakers not to put the Printer's name to their Books in times of suffering Pag. 91. Tho. Ellwood alledges he did not understand that the Doctrine of the Faith of Christ as he died being necessary to our Christianity and Salvation c. was by him reputed a Doctrine in Controversie between G. K. and others in America when in several places of his Books it plainly appears it was the principal Doctrine in Controversie See Reasons and Causes pag. 8 21 22. with many others G. Keith The Paper is read the Question was not concerning the Light indefinitely but whether the Light within was sufficient to Salvation without the Man Christ and his Death c. Thomas Ellwood accuseth me unjustly That I cunningly slid in the word Light within as if that were not the state of the Question but Light indefinitely comprehending Christ both Light without and within But
I have a Paper that some persons concerned in this Challenge have sent that they desire may be read Which was consented to G. Keith The truth is I could be almost content to go away and say nothing to it there is so little of value in it They say I began with them but they began with me in Pensylvania I was doing my duty in preaching Christ without and Christ within they charged me with preaching two Christs I went to some of them about it but they took their part against me I laid it before the Ministry at the Yearly meeting they also took their part Now you know he that affirms on him lies the business of proving W. Pen when I was opening a place of Scripture he charges me with being an Apostate and Impostor Here he charges me with being an Apostate I say to him it belongs to make his charge good but he goes away At the Yearly meeting I put it to him to make it good I do not doubt but this meeting will sound through the Nation They urge me to Printing I say again I have not either Estate or Time to print Book upon Book And tho' I have not answer'd the said two Books why may not I say as they do They are not worth answering As for example There is a Book called The Snake in the Grass I would not vindicate all things in it but they have been urged to answer it their Answer is it is not worth answering This man that prints this half-sheet says it cannot be supposed that G. Keith can answer eighteen sheets of Paper in a Meeting Why can it be â—upposed But G. Fox can answer an hundred sheets of Paper in a few Pages He has answer'd Books of ten or twelve sheets in a few lines And as for their upbraiding my Friends for not bearing the charge of Printing my Books they that own me here are not many of them rich and I would not put them to it But now there is the thing the Controversie is whether the rich Church or the poorer Church be the Ch. of Christ G. Keith's is the poor Church and theirs is the rich Church and I am not asham'd of my Poverty seeing I have not done any dishonest thing I have weaken'd my Estate by printing what I have printed already there is a Printer here that can own I have paid near forty pounds to him for Printing Now they upbraid me for my Poverty Their Church is the true Church because the rich Church and ours the false Church because the poor Church Quaker N. Marks You should hear one side but with one Ear and leave the other free for the other side G. Keith I am perswaded the Reasons given in the Paper read at the beginning were no just Reason for their not appearing But though some comparisons are odious yet give me leave to make a comparison May a Malefactor make this excuse You shall not call me before a Justice without my consent If a man rob me I may complain of him as a Robber and without his consent call him to account but here is a strange thing injuring men may not be called to account without their consent it will trespass against the Law and intrenches upon liberty of Conscience I was advised to go before the Lord Mayor of London and I did and told him I hoped it would give no offence to Authority for the things I was concerned in were the common Doctrines of Christianity if there be any Tumult says I it shall not be on my side And the Lord Mayor was pleased to consent to it Now their printed Paper seems to reflect on the publick Authority and not what I have done And thus the Meeting peaceably ended between the second and third hour in the Afternoon Note If any of my Adversaries object That divers of these Proofs here brought were brought formerly in my Book against W. Penn and G. W. call'd A short List of the vile and gross Errors which T. Ellwood hath replied to in his printed Book called Truth defended I answer I know not any one of them that he has sufficiently answer'd unto to give the least Satiâ—faction to any sound Christian his Answers being meerly Evasions and Perversions as I should have shown if he had appear'd But beside there are many new Proofs here brought beside the former which I am well satisfied they can never truly answer but by a sincere and free Confession of their gross Errors and a hearty retracting and relinquishing them And if any that were present at that Meeting or may happen to read this printed Account with the proofs brought out of their Books in full Periods and Paragraphs as often as there was any occasion are desirous to see the Books and to read the Proofs in the said Books that were then brought or any others that may be brought I freely offer them that are sober and impartial persons to let them have the free sight and view of them leisurely to read and consider them if they please to call at my House And I the rather make this Offer because divers of these Books are not easily to be had not being in the hands of many And because I had not time enough to read divers other great Proofs that I had being hinder'd with the impertinent Digressions of those that interposed whom we had no just Cause to hear pretending no Deputation from the persons they spoke for and therefore only were permitted by Favour to shew their Impertinencies I therefore think fit to add some other few very considerable Proofs out of these mens Books and perhaps one or two out of Books approved and commended by them and some few more of W. Penn's and George Whitehead's Self-Contradictions AN APPENDIX CONTAINING Some other Considerable Passages for Proofs out of these Mens Books relating to the foregoing Heads and some few more of W. Penn's and G. Whitehead's Self-Contradictions which were design'd to have been read at the Meeting at Turners-Hall 11th of the Month call'd June 1696. but for the Diversions made could not then be read IN George Whitehead's Book called The Divinity of Christ he hath this most unsound and scandalous passage concerning Christ how a Sacrifice and his Blood In his Answer to T. Danson's Synopsis of Quakerism p. 70. first he sets down the words of John Owen thus The Sacrifice denotes his Human Nature whence God is said to purchase his Church with His own Blood Acts 20.28 for He offer'd Himself through the eternal Spirit there was the Matter of the Sacrifice which was the Human Nature of Christ Soul and Body His Soul was made an Offering for Sin Isa 53.10 His Death had the Nature of a Sacrifice Against these sound words of John Owen he quarrels and contradicts thus Answ These passages are but darkly and confusedly expressâ—d as also we do not read in Scripture that the Blood of God by which he purchas'd his Church is ever call'd
the 2d Days meeting I only at present note these few gross things in it First He mis-states the Question which was not That the Light within is sufficient for Salvation without something else for the Light within or Grace within Paul and Peter c. is sufficient to Salvation without thousands of some things else as without thousands of Caleb Puseys and all of us but not without the Man Christ without us But the true state of the Question was and is That whereas they blamed my Assertion viz. The Light within is not sufficient to Salvation without something else They are obliged to hold the Contradictory which is The Light within is sufficient to Salvation without any or every thing else true Contradictions being betwixt the one Particular the other Universal but it hath been my Lot to have to do generally with such ignorant Men of late in dispute that know not either by true Logick or common Sense what a true Contradiction is 2. Page 8. His false quotation of my words citing my Book called A Refutation pag 38 39. where he brings me in saying It is a real degree of Blasphemy to say This Light cannot make Satisfaction c. But I use no such words therefore this is a gross Forgery which I charge upon the Second day's Meeting for in all that Treatise I neither said nor intented any thing of the Light within making Satisfaction for the Question there treated of by me was not about Satisfaction but Revelation what the Light within could reveal And I was so far from affirming the Light within as we give Obedience to it to make any Satisfaction for our sins that I plainly said pag. 41. ad finem That man's most exact Obedience to the Light in him cannot be an Atonement or Propitiation unto God for sins past or present 3. His Fallacy or Forgery pag. 12. in feigning a Contradiction on me concerning the express Knowledge of Christ necessary and not necessary whereas I never said it was universally necessary but only to such who have the occasion to hear it preach'd therefore I distinguished betwixt the Express and Implicit saying this last was universally necessary the former only to Particulars 4. Pag. 15. His most gross Assertion which is justly charged on the Second day's Meeting who have approved his Antichristian Book That surely Jesus of Nazareth cannot be something else than the Light Spirit and Power within For at this rate the Jews who own and confess to the Light within and Pagan Philosophers who blasphemed against the Man Jesus of Nazareth yet confessing to the Light within may be said to confess Jesus of Nazareth and if Jesus of Nazareth be not something else than the Light within then it is in vain to preach any Christ without that was born at Bethlehem and conversed at Nazareth But he is guilty of gross Forgery to infer it from my words He says pag. 14. The Word only is alone and admits of nothing else but I answer It admits not of another Christ but it admits of something of Christ without us that is not within us as Christ that died for us is the only Saviour this only admits not of another Saviour or Christ within us yet it admits of something of Christ within us that was not outwardly crucified viz. His Grace and Spirit As concerning the pretended Confession of Faith called Our Ancient Testimony renewed of our Adversaries from Pensilvania subscribed by Caleb Pusey and above Thirty six more though the Scripture-Words as therein recited we own yet seeing they and particularly he who have differed from us in Pensilvania have declared a contrary sense to all these Places of Scripture touching the things in Controversy betwixt us and have neither in that Confession nor elsewhere renounced their former Errors whereof they have been proved guilty their Confession is but a mere Sham and Mock-Confession G. K. ERRATA Page 17. line 7. for Days read Words Page 48. line 44. read clear me A Sermon preached at the Meeting of Protestant Dissenters called Quakers in Turners-Hall London on the 16 th of the Second Month 1696. Being the Publick Day of Thanksgiving for the Deliverance of the King and Kingdom By George Keith To which is added A Testimony of Fidelity and Subjection to King William the Third from the aforesaid People on behalf of themselves and others of the same Persuasion with them Printed for B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhill THE General History of the Quakers containing the Lives Tenents Sufferings Tryals Speeches Letters and Travels of all the most Eminent Quakers both Men and Women from the first Rise of that Sect down to this present time Collected from Manuscripts c. A Work never attempted before in English being written originally in Latin by Gerard Croese and now made publick against their present Yearly Meeting in London To which is added Fox's Conference with Oliver Cromwell The Tryals and dying Speeches of the Quakers executed in New-England An Account of their Marriages and Burials A Quaker's Letter to King Charles II. charging him with several vile Practices Keith's Learned Speech at his Tryal in Pensilvania The Tryals of Mead and Pen. Pen's Speech to the Judges His Conference with the Princess Palatine His Sermon before Her The Princess's Letter to Geo. Fox Margaret Fox's Letter to a General Meeting of Women held at London in the year 1692. A very particular Account of the Women Preachers Hester Bidly's Speech to the late Queen Mary Her Entertainment at Versailles by King James Her Letter to the French King Her Discourses with him The great Sufferings of two Quaker Women in the Island Malta The Rarity of Mary Fisher's Voyage to Adrianople The Audience given this Maiden Quaker by the Grand Signior The Present State of the Quakers As also a Letter writ by George Keith and sent by him to the Reverend Author of this Book containing a Vindication of himself and several Remarks upon this curious History Price Bound 5 s. Printed for John Dunton at the Raven in Jewen-Street †Note There is an additional Postscript by me G. K. put to this Book of G. W. Nature of Christianity the which Postscript I left in a Manuscript at London and with the Quakers printed with this of G. W. I acknowledg my want of due Consideration that I did not better consider G. W. his Words in that Book having many Years ago read it but too overly and not having seen it since for many Years till of late but I am sure I did really then believe as I now do that Christ as Man did outwardly and bodily exist without us for Proof of which see my Words in that additional Postscript above-mentioned p. 73. where at n. 11. I blame R. G. for saying That the now present glorified Existence of that Body or Man Christ that suffered at Jerusalem is denied by some Teachers among us I confess I happened to find divers Passages in G. W.'s and other
Quakers Books that seemed to me unsound but in an Excess of Charity I did construe them to be better meant than worded and that they had rather unwarily slipped from them than that they were the Expressions of their unsound Mind until that of late I had found them to justify the same and the like unsound Words in my Adversaries in Pensilvania and to hate and excommunicate me for telling them of them * And by this same Argument they need not preach his Example of holy Life nor the Example of the holy Lives of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles nor the Creation of the World nor any of God's gracious Providences towards his Church and People in former Ages they all being past and Persons not to live again in Mortal Bodies But why do the Quakers labour to keep up the the Remembrance of their deceased Friends and their Works and Sayings and collect them in Print for Posterity Is not the keeping in Memory the Birth Life Death and Resurrection c. of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ infinitely of more Value to be remembred and what is the way to have it remembred according to God's ordinary manner of working if not by preaching O what great Blindness and Ignorance is this of W. Penns * See his and my Answer to the Students in Aberdeer called Quakerism confirmed in the Collection of his Works called Truth triumphant pag. 627. Prop. 3. we say That the same Seed and Life is in us which was in him viz. the Man Christ and is in him in the Fulness as Water in the Spring and in us as the Stream As the natural Life is in all the Members but more principally in the Head and Heart without any Division so this spiritual Life and Nature is both in Christ our Head and in us by which he dwelleth in us as the Spirit of Man doth in the Body Again p. 628. Prop. 10. As for the Satisfaction of Chritst without us we own it against the Socinians c. And pag. 629. The Doctrines of the Incarnation Sufferings Death and Resurrection of Christ c. are necessary every where to be preached See the Places at more length than which nothing can be more contradictory than W. Penn's Doctrine as will appear in divers Places in this Treatise from his own Words faithfully quoted out of his Books ‖ This Writer is J. Reuclinus de verbo mirifico lib. 3. cap. 2. Gal. 3.16 ‖ But is not the Serpent or Devil without Men as well as within many Men (a) See W. Penn's Rejoynder pag. 284. And G. W. Light and Life p. 44. (b) See his Book pag. 35. called The Capital Principles (c) It is no more Nonsense than many good Christian Teachers have used to expound and open the Types of the Old Testament and to shew how they directed to Christ the Antitype yea divers Quakers Preach the Types as directing to Christ and his Spirit within And G. Fox used much to Preach upon the Types of the Old Testament as the Booths they made at the Feast of Tabernacles and the Lamps in the Temple and the Snuffers how they had a Spiritual signification And shall any Christian say that none of these Types signified Christ without but only Christ within (d) See for this in the Church-History of Socrates Scholasticus lib. 2. c. 7. and c. 25. (e) Note The Meeting was for most part orderly and attentive if any little Disorder happened it was by occasion of W. Pen's Party and particularly by Henry Goldney that threw printed Papers among the People in the Meeting on purpose to make a Disturbance but what Disturbance happened it was soon ended by the Care and Diligence of the Marshal sent by the Lord Mayor to prevent any Disorders (f) Note here two Gods of one Kind and Nature by his absurd Logick and false Philosophy one that worketh another that is wrought Oh gross Darkness and Ignorance in G. Whitehead (g) The Saints are partakers of the Divine Nature and so are they of the Holy Ghost is therefore the Holy Ghost a Work or Effect wrought in us This is to comfound the Creator with the Creature and is a Divinity more fit for Bedlam than any sober Society of People (h) And in Egypt we hear that Chickens are bred of Eggs simply by heat without the Hen. (i) N. Marks doth not profess himself to be Infallible being not of the Ministry But whence is it that the Laicks should own themselves Fallible and the Minâ—stry Infallible But at last it is come to this that some of the Ministry are Fallible also but such Principal Ministers as G. W. are not (a) Tho some in Scotland being influenced with their false reports have seemed to disown me yet others have not and some of them have writ kindly to me and owned me (a) Arthur Cook a Preacher and Justice of Peace in Pensilvania (b) Too high a Title for such who are quilty of such gross Errors (c) The third was 〈◊〉 they blamed me for saying the best Saints had need to come alwaâ—s to God by the 〈◊〉 â—or the Man Christ Jesus they said They could come to God withâ—ut him and this 〈◊〉 of Doctrine is to be found in W. Shewen's Book a Quaker greatly owned by them Treatise of Thoughts see pag. 37.38 (a) And I was cleared by a publick Writ signed by the Deputy Governor C. Markham and the Counsel in Philadelphia which I have to show See the Nature of Ch. pag. 29. * The real Quaker A real Protestant Nature of Christian p. 29 * G. Keith doth not charge it on the whole but only on the Guilty and such as cloak and excuse them * Note They told me It was sufficient to name a Few of Many to prove T. E. guilty of wronging me in his Books Let the Quotations be read out of R. B's Anarc * There is not mentioned any Day Month or Year wherein the yearly Meeting at Philad was held (a) Note W. Penn as is proved hath said We need not preach it the necessary consequence whereof is They need not believe it (b) So nor have they answer'd my Book Gross Error and Hypocrisie detected nor my Book against Samuel Jennings So here are Two for Two But I think I have effectually answer'd them here as to the main and so I hope will many others judge (c) I call it not G. Keith's Church otherwise than as related to them as one of them as I call the other their Church N. Mark 's Church i. e. to which he is related but he did well to own his Fallibility seeing he gave so great a Proof of it not long ago by severely accusing a poor innocent Maid-servant of his of Theft whose Innocency soon after was manifest to him * Called the Christian Faith