he for his 'till he Reply thereto In the next Place he labours to palliate the Contradictions I charged upon him relating to the different Characters given both of the Episcopal Clergy and Dissenting Ministers in his former Books to what he gives them in his Expostulation but therein he useth such poor Evasive Shifts as shew he is hard put to it He would fain reconcile them or at least seem so to do that 's his Drift he 's loath to have it thought that George contradicts Keith but all his Daubing won't serve 't is untempered Mortar he useth that won't stick and so the Crack becomes wider than it was before I urged Quotations out of three of his Books viz. 1. Help in Time of Need. 2. Way cast up 3. Presbyterian and Independent Visible Churches of these he takes Notice only of the first saying For which he citeth some Passages in a Book of mine called Help in Time of Need Printed above thirty Years ago As if I had quoted nothing out of any other Books of his upon this Subject but withal let him take Notice that 's within these thirty three Years consequently they either much changed for the better or else he much for the worse since Now though I am at my Liberty to quote passages out of any Book of his to disprove his following Evasions yet that he may see his own weapon turned against himself in this Point now in Debate I shall confine my self to this one Book having Proof enough and to spare from thence to drive him out of his subterfuges He begins his Matter thus But none of these Passages prove that I did judge there were none among them all Church of England and Dissenters Pious and Learned for indeed I was never so uncharitable This Man who will needs Print Books had need to go to School to learn that from particulars to the Vniversal the Consequence is not good Answ What if he had not said they were universally bad so as to include every individual yet I do affirm his Words extend far beyond Particulars even to the Generality yea to so great a Majority as falls very little short of Universal as may be seen in Help in Time of Need p. 36 37. Where taxing the Ministers with Preaching up that then in 1664. which they had preached down three or four Years before adds Which breeds no small Admiration to poor People as if they had changed their God but I know well generally they have kept their God all along very constantly among all their Changes being such the Apostle mentions GENERALLY whose God is their Belly and this Master they have served and do serve very faithfully making every Change answer its desire Here 's a Charge upon Ministers GENERALLY which how consistent it is with true PIETY needs no Comment Again p. 29. Now Judas fell from his Ministry as saith the Scripture in selling his Master which GENERALLY your Ministers have done and have they not thereby fallen from their Ministry supposing but not granting they had once been true Ministers This is general again as inconsistent with Piety as the other but this is not all see p. 24 25. And were not the set Forms of Prayer cryed down also in Scotland as lifeless barren things and the Service Book denied and now ye have again licked up that Vomit and through your Cities Men set up MOSTLY also SCANDALOUS in their Conversations at such Hours of the Day or Night to read a set Form of Prayer And is there any material Difference between this and the Service Book And have not your BRETHREN IN ENGLAND taken it up again And when it 's offered to you to read will ye not also do the like There is no Question of it but MOST of you will and WORSE also when ye are put to Tryal Again p. 75. And that whereon there is so much stress laid to wit the calling of the People or Patrons is NOT OF GOD but of Babylon for in the State they are in they will be loath ever to call a good Man unto them SUPPOSING HE COULD BE FOUND but such who will wink at their Faults and run with them thereinto Well to conclude this Point I shall give one Instance more and that is in p. 35 36. viz. And were it not for a livelyhood and worldly Honour and Respect would SO MANY betake themselves to such a Work And does not your gain from your quarter which you so punctually Exact and they that will not put into your Mouths ye prepare War against them and your removing from one Parish to another where ye can have a fatter Stipend manifestly prove ye are moved thereto rather from a Principle of Covetousness then from any desire of doing good to the Souls of the People And how came MANY of you to be Teachers Was it not the design of your Fathers and Relations who saw it a ready way for them to put you in a way of Livelihood and sent you to Schools to learn the Calling as ever the Shooemaker or other Tradesman past his Apprentiship and then becomes free to use the Trade The thing is well known and I speak it with regret and have not many of your selves some time a Day intreated the Lord that he would send a Purge and put away out of his House such BUYERS and SELLERS and now the Lord is come to make the Purge and who of you can abide the Day of his coming The Purge goes so deep it 's like to scourge you ALL out of Doors and e're you be put out ye will rather hold in who are in and seek to uphold one another but ye shall ALL fall together What saiest thou now Reader are these Quotations a Description of PIOUS Men or the contrary Do they refer to Particulars only Here 's in so many Words generally mostly a doubt whether a good Man be to be found amongst them and at last all methinks that should be something a-kin to Vniversal and truly a little unlike his Expostulation which begins thus It may seem strange how it comes to pass that while so many Pious and Learned Men are judged to be found in this Nation not only of the Church of England but among the Dissenters and Nonconformists c. Now I am ready to conclude this contradictory to the former and perhaps some others may do so too he would do well to undeceive us if he can Philosophy is the next point he goes upon he tells us What I said of the Philosophy then taught in the Colledges of that Nation many Learned and Pious Men in both Nations will assent to be true to wit the Jesuit Philosophy for that was it which was then taught and which I learned almost word by word out of Jesuit Authors Answ That Jesuit Philosophy was then and there taught may be true for ought I know I have no reason to contradict him but the question with me is Whether no other Philosophy besides
unjust charging me with Malice both with respect to them viz. that Gang of Quakers above mentioned and with respect to such whom I directed my Expostulation unto Answ I wonder he counts any thing at all therein worth noticing I know he hath a good Opinion of his own Doings how Malicious soever and truly I am ready to think reputes but few Books besides his own worth much notice those wrote against him none at all But in Proof of what he calls their unjust charging c. He says nothing to the purpose for after he hath used some circumlocution which I shall take notice of by and by he slips off by the help of his Sophistry and to blind the Matter queries But how doth he prove that I am Malicious to the Pious and Learned in the Church of England or among the Dissenters They and not he nor his Gang are a fit Judge of this Am I Malicious either to the one or the other to tell them I would not have the Papists out-do them in Zeal for the Christian Faith Is it not an evident Argument of my Love to them Answ I had proved how and wherein before if he had but had the honesty to have took notice of it but since by the Legerdemain of these Queries he would cast a Mist before his Readers Eyes I shall state the Case anew He quarrels with the Quakers Prints Book after Book against them at length They answer him He for a while answers them too after a sort but finding their Arguments begin to pinch him his false Coverings wherein he wrapt himself like to be pulled off he drops that Method appoints a Meeting at Turners-Hall Summons some of them thither they perceiving his Craft that 't is only to shift off his Shoulders the Load their Books had laid on by Evading their Answers in Print under the notion of a general answer by word of Mouth refuse to appear and pursue him in the Press thereupon he calls out to the Pious and Learned of the Church of England and Dissenters to employ some of their Time and Labour to refute those vile Errours boldly as he says avowed and publickly broached among a Gang and sort of Quakers What is this this less then calling for their assistance against the Quakers because he finds himself not sufficient of himself to go through with the Cause he hath undertaken and what is the whole from the beginning to the end but a series of Malice against the Quakers The Argument he uses to these Pious and Learned is this I am confident if such Anti-christian Errours and Heresies were but the tenth part so avowedly broached in the City of Rome or any where else in Popish Countries these esteemed Watchmen among them would be more alarmed to oppose them by Word and Writing than most among Protestants do Is not this a Malicious insinuation as if Protestants were more Supine Careless and less zealous for the true Christian Faith than Papists and to what end I pray but to make them as spightful as himself He goes on Which would seem to cast a Reflection on the Protestant Churches if some able Men c. Now here is not only a calling them out awaking them as it were out of a Sleep as if they had been all this while Slumbring regardless what Errours or Heresies crept in but that also under the Pain and Penalty if they did not rouse up of lying under the weight of his Reflection Therefore whether this was an Argument of his Love to them or the contrary I dare leave with the Pious and Learned to determine themselves And now shall resume what I had before skipt to come at this Passage viz. Their Application of that Place in Acts 21. 28. against me is very abusive and shameless The Jews cried Men of Israel help But against what Against Paul and the worthy Name of Christ which he bore Testimony to Did I make any such cry to help against that worthy Name or any true Professors of it by my inviting them to oppose the vile Errours that are contrary to it Answ This is but a begging the Question that his Antagonists are not true Professors of the worthy Name of Christ is but gratis dictum he says it we deny it Affirmanti incumbit probatio he that affirms must prove therein he falls short we say there 's no such danger of any opposition to the worthy Name of Christ by our promoting those Doctrines which he calls vile Errours and insinuates us guilty of so that 't is Men of Straw he Fights against But on the other hand the Application of this Scripture belongs to him on this account Those malicious Jews who opposed the Apostle accused him of that which he was not guilty of upon a false surmize as may be seen in the following Verse and upon that foul mistake stirred up the People against him which how parallel it is with the state of the Case between G. Keith and us is apparently discernable by an intelligent Reader who understands the state of the Controversie between us Nex he endeavours to Evade but not disprove what I urged in relation to his endeavours to stir up Persecution against us but doth it so lamely upon the foot of some idle Excuses in his Expostulation and Narrative that to retaliate him in his own Language I think it not worth the least regarding The Third Head viz. He chargable while a Quaker with what he reflects upon the Quakers for in relation to Disputes he says So far as it contains a false Reflection on me I shall not notice Answ Neither shall I notice his caling it a false Reflection any farther than to tell him 't is but rarely if ever that he is brought to acknowledge any thing to be true that is alledged against him But adds he in so far as it tells a most impudent untruth with respect to the People called Quakers I cannot omit it for whereas I have said that many of their chiefest Teachers have with great boldness provoked such as differed from them to publick Disputes This he denieth to be true Answ His charge of an impudent untruth I retort back upon himself for his Assertion I neither Affirmed nor Denied but left him to prove as my words themselves will plainly manifest see Brief Observations p. 11. thus That the Quakers have with great boldness provoked to Publick Disputes he says indeed but doth not prove it Now pray whose Face has most Brass in it mine for so saying or his for falsly charging me He goes on But the colour they would put upon it is that what they did was to clear themselves and to detect the Abuses put on them as if they had been only on the Defensive part in all publick Oppositions they made in Congregations and elsewhere whereas it is abundantly known they were the first Aggressors c. Answ I won't grant him an Ace but require Proof of all that he says and as
the Paper by him called The nameless Bull being my warrant for so doing which are That the said George Keith is gone from the blessed Unity of the peaceable Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ and hath thereby separated himself from the Holy Fellowship of the Church of Christ Whereby it appears that 't was his Turbulency in the Opposition he made whereby he manifested himself gone from Unity with and separated from the Fellowship of the Church and gone from the peaceable Spirit of Christ so not a bare faithful opposing of what he deemed Errours that drew that Judgment down upon him For if he had in Calmness and Coolness objected what he esteemed Erroneous and managed his Cause in a peaceable Temper of Mind until he were either Convinced of his Errour in so thinking of them or by strength of Argument offered in the Spirit of Meekness he had Convinced them that they really were in Errour I presume that Meeting would not have given forth that Paper against him He proceeds to a 2. But where is the far different Case Why they shouid suppress my Books and the Civil Authority should not suppress theirs Answ I then told him where but since he takes no Notice of it shall tell him again part of what I then offered 1. We had Right and Title to such an Authority over him and his Books at that Time as a Community or Society amongst whom he then pretended Membership and yet contrary to the Method now long since practised amongst us and which himself while himself had practised as well as others Published the said Books without the Approbation of those with whom we had Fellowship with an apparent Design to leaven a Faction for himself 2. His were bought and paid for and so became the real Property of the Purchasers ours he proposes should be suppressed by the Civil Authority without mentioning so much as one word in the least of being paid for by the Seizers which is an Invasion of Property and if therein he sees no difference the reason must be because he won't for the case is plain enough Again Why My Books would have been a Bone of Contention to infect some with the same Spirit of discord Answ That they have so been notwithstanding the Precaution used by purchasing all that could be got by their being Reprinted here by our old Adversaries and by their gratifying those two Apostates F. Bugg and T. Crisp setting them to Scribling anew and giving new Life to their old Contentious Work is so evident that a Man may as well deny the Sun 's Shining at Noon-day as deny that He queries But must not the Truth be contended for Are we not commanded to contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints And such was the contentions of my Books and of my Spirit Answ This is but a begging the Question a taking for granted the thing in Debate we say as well as he that our Books contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints therefore his contention against us groundless Who must determine this The impartial Christian Reader I think therefore to him I leave it He thinks it seems he hath the advantage we the disadvantage for my part I can see no ground for such a Supposition but am contented he should hug himself with the Fancy if he will not be undeceived but let him have a care lest while he compasses himself about with the Sparks of his own kindling in the end he do not lie down in Sorrow The rest of his Reflections on this Head he spends in flinging contumelious Reproaches on our Books which being nothing but Recrimination without Demonstation and in substance answered already as a weak blast of empty Air I pass over He concludes with a Passage he takes a long stride back to pick out of my Sixth Head I therein only gave him a gentle touch about the Revolutions but rubbing on a Sore place he cannot bear it I had perhaps slipt it over now had he not committed a blunder unbecoming a Man of his Reading I told him Brief Observations p. 16. It would almost tempt a Man to conclude if the Doctrine of Revolutions were as probable an Hypothesis as G. Keith hath represented it to be that the Soul of Erostratus were come again in this Incendiary Having relation in that comparison to the Man who set on Fire the Temple of Diana at Ephesus which was so rare a piece of Workmanship as to be reputed one of the wonders of the World with intent to perpetuate his name to Posterity by a Wicked Deed since he could not by Virtuous Actions whose Name was Erostratus To this he says Were I inclined to retort his idle story of Erasistratus against me c. Now upon Examination I find that this Erasistratus was a famous Physician of Aristotle's Family which how he came to overlook I know not but believe if I had been guilty of such a Trip he would have paid me off with the Epithets of Bold Novice Ideot Junior Sophister c. But now let us see what it is he could retort upon us says he I might say these my late Adversaries who place all upon the inward Principle excluding the Man Christ Jesus from being our Saviour are the old Stoicks Epicureans Pelagian Brittains redivive and other Ethnick Philosophers who bitterly opposed the Christian Faith Answ I know no Quakers guilty of this Charge therefore the Foundation of his Retortion is a Bare-fac'd Calumny for we place not all upon the inward Principle but what God hath joyned together we dare not put asunder neither do we exclude the Man Christ Jesus from being our Saviour but say that the Man Christ Jesus and the Light within which proceeds from Him in whom the Fulnessd wells are one and not divided and He as outwardly offered up and Ascended into Heaven where He sits at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High and as inwardly revealed in the Hearts of his true Believers is one compleat Saviour And wherein G. Keith represents us to believe otherwise he very well knows he greatly Slanders us having himself often declared the contrary Whereof I have given many instances but shall now add another out of the often already quoted Book viz. Help in time of Need p. 78 79. And now whether ye will hear or forbear this I do declare unto you in the Name and Power and Authority of the Living God the Day of the Lord is of a Truth broken forth among us and ye shall look till your Eyes fail you and Rot within your Eye holes e're ever ye see another day or appearance of Jesus Christ to your comfort then what we the People of the Lord called Quakers do witness Come and yet more abundantly Coming and if ye will not hear my Soul shall Mourn for you in secret places and Weep before the Lord on your behalf Well here 's a large Testimony on the Quakers behalf therefore either he falsely