Doctrinal Error and unfound Again â— â—5 That these Gentiles who did call upon the Name of the Lord and were SAVED were not under any outward Administration of the Gospel Sureâ— this Gospel then was somewhat inward under the inâ—ard Administration whereof they were say I is most evident he saith from the Objection framed by the Apostle Rom. 10.14 15. and his answer thereunto Who p. 36. explains what the hearing and the â—ing heard was The hearing that Faith comes he â—escribes to be a Hearing by the Word in the Mouth and Heart and that which they heard or obeyed was not the Law or Light of Nature but the Gospel whence he infers So that the VERY GOSPEL hath been preached unto ALL otherwise they shouâ—â— never have been charged with not having obeyed 〈◊〉 This the Reader may find both more largely cited anâ— argued upon in my People called Quakers cleared p. 27 2â— and Keith against Keith p. 13 to 17. and by this maâ— see that it is not only his Sense of some particulaâ— Scriptures but matter of Principle and Doctrine whereâ—â— we have shewed his Self-inconsistency and which it yâ—â— remains upon him to reconcile or retract one of them and not think to lurk under some general tearms of 〈◊〉 undue Application of a Scripture or two or as tâ— word is commonly used in the New Testament and teâ—â— us as in his Preface he neither retracts nor renounceâ— any one Assertion contained in his former Books that evâ—â— was judged by him as an Article of Faith For as whâ—â— the Gospel is is an Article of Faith so had he retractâ—â— his former Assertion thereof he must have made thâ— Acknowledgment which rather than do how doth twist and twine § 7 He gives in his § 7. a passage out of Vni G p. 43. where he speaks of the Lord 's sending his Sâ— into the World both in the outward and inward 〈◊〉 that thus the Seed of the Woman doth bruise the Seâ—â—pents head upon which he bids us Note I did not plâ— our Salvation wholly upon Christ's inward Appearance 〈◊〉 upon God's sending him both in the outward and inward 〈◊〉 bruise the Serpents head Answ Nor have we chargâ—â— him that he did For 't is one thing to place our Salvâ—â—tion upon God's sending his Son both in the outward and inward and another thing to fix it so upon a Bâ—â—lief and Persuasion of God's sending him in the ouâ—â—ward that a Man cannot be Saved without that Knoâ—â—ledge and Faith even where the means of knowing are not afforded which is that we have shewed his former and latter Sentiments so contradictory in Yet one 〈◊〉 I think to observe here viz. That he not only 〈◊〉 in the same Page where this Citation is given â—hat Christ even inwardly Crucified is both the Wisâ—om of God and Power of God unto them who beâ—â—ve but a little lower after having told us The most proper and usual Signification of the word iâ— to be in not among or unto and that we are always to take the most usual and proper Signification of the word where no cogent reason moves to the contrary 〈◊〉 none doth here viz. 2 Cor. 5.19 he adds Christ was not Crucified outwardly either among the Galaâ—â—ians or Corinthians and the Riches of Christ that Paul told the Gentiles of was not any outward thing which they were to find outwardly nor did he bid â—hem go any where without to find these Riches but â—reached God and Christ and the Kingdom and the Word near even in themselves So that if G. K. be â—â—e credited who hath not yet retracted this when Paul speaks of God's being in Christ reconciling the â—orld unto himself and putting IN them as he then â—â—dred it the Word of Reconciliation he was 〈◊〉 them of any outward thing or an outward Cruâ—â—â—â—xion but of God and Christ's Kingdom and Word 〈◊〉 in themselves Will G. K. say so still Or will 〈◊〉 say the contrary Nay he will do neither but drop 〈◊〉 as unwilling to appear open and plain He proceeds to tell us He did not understand that the â—ging Men simply to the inward Principle so as only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Light Word or Spirit within was a bringing â—n to the Christian Faith but that it was a proper means Preparation and Introduction c. And a little lower 〈◊〉 distinguisheth between the Genus and Difference superâ—â—ded and that the true definition of a true Christian takes both which is the Substance of what he here offers â—sw What he once thought of the Gentiles who had not the Knowledge of Christ as he was to 〈◊〉 in the Flesh himself shall declare Omitting then 〈◊〉 many Instances we have already brought out of his fâ—mer Books I shall transcribe two neither of them â—â—â—tracted The first I find in Way cast up p. 44. whâ— he not only allows That whoever in any AGEâ— Place of the World joyned their Hearts unto 〈◊〉 Grace and did believe and obey its Teachings made them good and pious Men but also in the 〈◊〉 Page corroborates it by a Testimony out of Justin Mâ—â—â—tyr thus Such was Socrates among the Grecians whâ—â— Justin Martyr in one of his Apologies did expreâ—â— call a Christian and classeth him with Abraham 〈◊〉 Again In his Book of Divine Imm. Rev. among 〈◊〉 several Testimonies of the ancient Fathers which in p. â— he saith are owned by the People called in Derision Qâ—kerâ— he gives this as one p. 158 159. out of Jusâ—â—â— Martyr That who liveth with or according to 〈◊〉 Word are Christians as among the Grecians Socraâ— Heraclitus and many others and adds When Justin Martyr calleth them Christians it is to be â—derstood in part that Christ was in part known 〈◊〉 Socrates although we find not that Socrates had 〈◊〉 Knowledge of Christ as he was to come in the Fâ— and suffer Death c. Now hence I ask him Whâ— is the most distinguishing Character of a Christian tâ— Genus the inward Conformity to the Divine Word or the differentis some discriminating Token by 〈◊〉 outward Belief and Conformity devoid of the inwaâ— Subjection of Spirit That they who have both hâ— much the Advantage is undeniable But whethâ—â— where one is wanting which is the best truest aâ— most properly a Christian he that knows not thâ— Christ is come in the Flesh hath Suffered c. yet liâ— according to the Word or he that hath that Knoâ—â—ledge and liveth not according to the Word I lea◠〈◊〉 every true Christian to consider As also Whether 〈◊〉 as live according to the Word have been reputed 〈◊〉 G. K. Christians in part and know not that Christ as to come and suffer in the outward either are not â—ved or must have their Saving Faith given them â—er they are dead as G. K. hath insinuated Presâ— and â—d Chur. p. 112. And now I am upon this subject I shall take a step 〈◊〉 what he saith § 8. p. 24. and consider it under one â—at many
THE Fig-leaf Covering Discovered OR Geo. Keith's Explications and Retractations OF Divers Passages out of his former Books Proved Insincere Defective and Evasive By JOHN PENINGTON Thou art weighed in the Ballances and found wanting Dan. 5.27 Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee Luke 19.22 Qui alterum incusat probri ipsum se intueri oportet LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sowle near the Meeting-house in White-Hart-Court in Grace-Church-street and at the Bible in Leaden-hall-street near the Market 1697. The Fig-leaf Covering discovered c. THE share I have had in this Controversy depending between G. K. and his quondam Brethren the People called Quakers hath not been so much Argumentative that I found ready done to my hands as to turn his own Weapon upon himself and detect the Inconstancy and Contradiction of the Man who while pretending to give a List of others gross and vile Errors as in his True Copy p. 17. and reflecting on several of our Friends by name without excepting any as holding gross and vile Errors opposite to some of the fundamental Doctrines of Christianity and yet so Hypocritical as not to own and retract in publick their Errors exposed in publick even lest such Retraction and Correction should lessen their Honour and Esteem among their too credulous Followers and Admirers see Preface to Gross Errors p. 2. yet had not then essayed to correct his own which by his own confession True Copy p. 17. Needed both further Explanation and in some part as he mincingly worded it an Emendation and Correction This gave me occasion after having inspected his Books wherein I found many Contradictions both doctrinal and personal as well as Absurdities to be engaged in laying them before himself and others the which I exhibited in three Tracts the one entituled Apostate Exposed the other People called Quakers Cleared and the third Keith against Keith the first and last of which he is still Debtor to who have more than once called upon him for them they having been promised in the third Month 1695 and at length told him upon the great Joy and Peace he pretended to have in his publishing a lame Retraction of his former Exposition of two Scriptures which yet fell abundantly short of what had been proposed by him That perhaps had I not forced him to it by exposing of him he had stayed yet another Twelve-month before he had given them as in my Keith against Keith p. 90 91. Now after long Importunity like the Widow to the unjust Judge he emits something which he entitules Explications and Retractations of divers Passages contained in his former Books which that it may not want for noise and perhaps to stave off the work he is already clogged with he gives out may at present suffice for a Reply to T. E 's and my late and former Books Five of which now stick upon his hands Yet lest he should seem wholly to fore-close himself from a larger Answer he tells us p. 42. he hopes to do it E'RE VERY LONG This naturally leads me to call to mind how he hath served T. E. with respect to two of his which he told us in his Postscript to his Gross Errors printed Anno 1695 it was PROBABLE a due answer might be given to in due time which due time is not yet come with him but he hath laboured to shift it by more Artifices than one For seeing what just ground I may have at least to suspect him the Composer of those seven Queries proposed by the Bishop of London's Chaplain to our Yearly Meeting Anno 1695 and made publick by himself which he improved to cut himself out new work while the old lay on his hands as if it had been therefore designed 't is manifest from his Summoning us to meet him at Turners-Hall alledging want of Time and ability of Estate to print answers to us and his since telling us in his Book Antichrists and Sadducees p. 21. that he hath offered to answer Vivâ voce that there is no end of answering in print few will be at the pains to compare book with book and the Charge is too great for him that he would fain have shifted that free and open way of answering by the Press which he had drawn us into and where we had pursued him by appointing without our consent a day to Arraign us at his Bar wherein had we complied he might as I once told him have run off from the Cause he was hampered with and uneasie under and by wrangling a-fresh upon some out-skirts of the Controversie have drop'd the main one Now this Project failing What doth he do Betake himself to answer T. E. in Print Nothing less But then he tries whether he can set the Church of England and the Protestant Dissenters upon our Backs informeth them Vile Errors are boldly and avowedly promoted among a sort or Gang of Quakers as are not only as bad as any Popery but MVCH WORSE than the WORST of Popery in divers respects animates them to suppress our Books and disturb our Meetings else Papists will out-do them in Zeal c. Ant. Sadd. p. 40 41. It is after all this when none of these ways would take that the poor Man is fain to pretend he hath answered them all at once in the Book before me To which he prefixeth a Preface wherein he excuseth his delay as having found divers more Passages that needed an Explanation and some of them a Correction above what he had discovered when he published his purpose So that it is to be hoped it is now effectually done in his own Judgment But it seems our great Brags telling of great matter of Contradictions and other Absurdities found in his Books justly occasioned a longer delay Which I think should rather have forwarded him I will assure him had he collected those Passages out of his Books ready to my hands which I was fain to tumble over his Books for it had eased me and facilitated my work As to his telling his Reader We â—ave an Itch to Scribble repeating the same things over â—gain and again that we manifestly pervert his words palâ—ably bewraying our Ignorance and Folly seeing he preâ—ends if God permit he may hereafter discover it in divers â—articulars I shall only say thus much that were he â—ot one of those he once spoke of that are more ready falsly to Accuse than justly to Prove he might have suspended his Brag till he had brought his Proof along with him Thus much to excuse his Delay now for beginning with us before he had swept his own House he alledges four things 1. That his free Acknowledgment might excuse him from beginning with his own Books till he had brought us to an equal Acknowledgment or upon our stubborn and pertinacious Conceit of our Books he might the more justly expose us as guilty not only of Errors but of holding them pertinaciously All which with respect to us is meerly precarious a
which Christ Jesus was and is and in which he is now glorified in the Heavens that he is the Root and Vine not simply as the Word but as the Word incarnate and as dwelling in that most pure and wonderful Vessel that suffered at Jerusalem So that here he could distinguish between the Holy Manhood that dwelt in the Vessel and the Vessel in which it dwelt between that which was in time and created and that which was from the Beginning He tells us that T. E. hath argued in his late Book but where he saith not that if Christ be a Creature he is not God Then adds But all who have the sound Faith believe that Christ as Man is a Creature or created Being but as he is the eternal Word he is God and not a Creature whereupon he suggests we do not own Christ hath a Two-fold Nature essential to him the one Vncreated as God the other Created as Man Answ He slanders us for as we own a Two-fold Nature in Christ so we confound them not that which was created and that which was uncreated For we say as he himself said in the Citation given even now as he is the eternal Word he is God and not a Creature but that God was Born of the Virgin Mary and died we read not So that by distinguishing as G. K. once did between the Holy Temple which is united to the Godhead and in which the Godhead dwells bodily and the Word which is God and not appropriated to that Vessel what is only applicâ—â—ble to the Godhead we confound them not together which the asserting the Creature or what was createâ— to be God would do Nor doth he explain what I means by Christ as Man his being a Creature Doth 〈◊〉 mean the outward Flesh and Blood which Way cast 〈◊〉 p. 102. he saith is not the Man but the Soul or inward Man such as Christ was even from the Beginning Or doth he mean what he calls elsewhere the Vessel or Temple in which Christ Jesus now is For the Man doth shift and vary his tearms so often that it is hard to know whereto to hold him Else methinks he should not find fault with another's saying The Creature is not God The next Quarrel is at W. P. whom he cites not fairly although he saith W. P. expresly saith it in his Serious Apology p. 146. W. P's words are these He that laid down his Life and suffered his Body to be Crucified by the Jews without the Gates of Jerusalem is Christ the only Son of the most High God but that the outward Person which suffered was properly the Son of God we deny What G. K. gives is thus and as he saith expresly ' That Man or outward Person that suffered at Jerusalem is not properly the Son of God in which he is doubly injurious First in concealing that part where Testimony was born by W. P. that he who suffered was Christ the Son of the most High God 2ly In adding the word Man which was not there but only outward Person which besides the pretending to give the words expresly is so much the worse in him in as much as he hath distinguished between the Man Christ and the Vessel or Temple in which the Christ Jesus now is But these Tricks will do him no good but be a means further to detect and expose his Fraudulent dealing § 3 The next passage he gives is out of Rect. Corr. p. 27. Before he enters upon the Explication of his â—wn Sense now he vents an old Slander against G. W. not oftner brought by him than rejected and refuted â— such by T. E. of which G. K. takes no notice here viz. that he knew not in the least for how could he know that was not knowable but a malitious and false Charge â—hat G. Whitehead had put the Sense upon Heb. 9.28 in â—rejudice to Christ's coming without us to judge the World 〈◊〉 his glorified Person which since he hath found he saith Yet in p. 28. of these Explications after having alledged 〈◊〉 without proof that G. W. and other leading Men among â—he Quakers have by their printed Books led them into this â—oul Error he as if he were conscious to himself of â—ver-charging them adds although now he and some â—thers seem to own it that Christ will outwardly come again â—hough lest this Grant should seem too favourable to â—ch to whom he will not be Just he insinuates that if 〈◊〉 Scrutiny were made among them one by one few among â—hem in comparison would be found to own it in respect of â—e many that would deny it Thus instead of fairly conâ—ssing his own fault in traducing us undeservedly he â—eaps up False Accusations without proof and that â—e the Fruits of Prejudice and Enmity for which will â—e Bitterness to him in the end when Christ shall â—ome to Judge him except he unfeignedly repent He hath not spent so much time in venting groundâ—â—ss Calumnies at others but that he will make amends â—r it if that will do in being as short when he comes 〈◊〉 his own part He is convinced he saith p. 27. that â—e true Sense of those words Heb 9.28 is of Christ's outâ—ard Coming the second time in his glorified Body to judge â—e World but he shall not enlarge to give his Reasons at preâ—t why he so understands it nor to answer LARGELY â—e Reasons he gave in that Book for that would take up too â—ch time and it sufficeth that he retracts that Sense formerly given which he thinks is the more general sense Christian Expositors Answ One would think that froâ— the third Month 1695 to the tenth Month 1696. 〈◊〉 which this came out as I take it had been time enoâ— to have made his Work more compleat if not by 〈◊〉 consent he should have had eighteen or nineteen Montâ— longer to have done it in But I guess there was somâ—â—what else in the Wind he can better find time to cut oâ— new Work Summon us to his Court at Turners-Hâ—â— and bespatter us behind our Backs than cope wâ— those Reasons he offered in that Book for I am peâ—â—suaded they are too Mighty for him and that he woâ— not have given us this little if he could possibly haâ— avoided it with any Credit However I observe he 〈◊〉 modest all of a sudden that he will not averr all Châ—â—â—stian Expositors are of his Mind nay he doth but thiâ— it is the more general Sense of them which is preâ— fair for a Man that runs on at his rate and is not oveâ— much upon the guard in his Assertions And it is 〈◊〉 he will allow any to be Christian Expositors who aâ— not of his Mind Somewhat was the matter sure thâ—â— he is no more Positive nor Uncharitable Yet that he may not seem to have nothing to say 〈◊〉 himself though he will not cope with his former Reâ—â—sons he alledgeth that whereas it is said He will aâ—â—pear the second time without Sin
formerly the Gospel is NOT the Words the Unbeliever hath that but the Gospel he knows not it is â—id from him Christ himself is the great Preacher of that and his now saying that neither the Scriptures nor the Spirit and Light is the Gospel barely and abstractly considered He then said Christ preached it immediately he now tells us a little below It cannot be conceived without some Form of Words and Propositions that consist of words inwardly conceived and cannot be outwardly preached without some Form of Words outwardly expressed whereby he confounds a Declaration of or concerning the Gospel with the Gospel it self quite beside his Sentiments formerly That it was spoken in Man by Christ by the powerful Breath of his Spirit which surely may be without a Form of words as outwardly The one the Unbelievers may read hear and know and yet noâ— know the Gospel But will he say the Gospel was never communicated by the Divine Breath without a Form of Words seeing he now makes the outward Preaching and the thing preached so inseparable to the Gospel that neither of them are Gospel in the abstract And whereas he tells Imm. Rev. p. 213. The Gospel was preached unto Abraham Abel Enoch Noah and to all Believers who lived before Scripture was writ in a Book and that it was spoken into their Hearts by the Spirit of Jesus Christ c. Will he now maintain that they had both the Scripture Words and the Spirit and Light in order to make it Gospel Could not Christ in speaking into their Hearts be conceived without some Form of Words or was it not Gospel till so conceived Nor will his Allegations from p. 55 to 71. and p. 69 stand him in any stead For the first Reference is wide no passage assigned and though I cannot find any thing there to help him off yet I find in p. 56. what makes against him viz. The best of words uttered from Christ himself in the days of his Flesh or from any oâ— the Apostles or Prophets and yet recorded in Scripture cannot reveal the Father nor the Son neither they point only at that which reveals and were spoken and writ for that end that People might come to the Principle of true Knowledge in themselves see also p. 59. Whence I Query Cannot the Gospel which is the Power of God unto Salvation reveal the Father or doth that Gospel point only at that which reveal Or is that which reveals the Father which he saith the best of words cannot do as it is opened in Man by the Son no Gospel till outwardly preached or written Thus for want of Sincerity to retract and by labouring to defend as Congruous what is so Contradictory is the Man entangled and the more he toils the more he is perplext His second Reference instead of doing him any good further lays him open For though he doth there assert the Light as the Principal thing yet not in ordine ad idem not with relation to the Gospel for which end he here adduceth it for there was no Dissertation thereof there His words are these One takes himself to read Commentators to furnish him for the Ministry another to read Hypocrates and Galen to become a Physician while their hands are out from the Light of Christ which gives true Knowledge and Ability to Minister either to the Soul or Body and is the principal thing Mark he doth not say it is the principal thing of the Gospel he was not defining Gospel here but what was the principal thing â—o make a good Minister or Physician nor did he say â—eading of Hypocrates or Galen was Gospel in the abâ—tract but the Light was the principal thing or that â—hey and the Light together make up the Gospel in the â—ull and adequate Sense thereof This I urge to shew â—he Man's Falshood and Deceit who offers so remote â—n Instance and wide from the subject we are treating â—f to prove that to which it had no coherence and all â—o cover himself that the Shame of his Nakedness â—ight not appear which now is so much the more viâ—ble by this fresh Demonstration thereof From hence he sallieth to a Discourse about the Scripâ—ures being called the Word of God That he may ratifie our Adversaries he represents it an unprofitable â—rtful and groundless Contention on our parts especially â—r Friend B. Cool having in a late Book of his said That as they declare the Mind of God with respect to us and are his Commands to us they may in that respect bâ— called the Word or Command of God to us And so saitâ— G. K. all other Professions in Christendom own them and nâ— otherwise Answ Till he be more steady to what himâ—self owns I deem him no fit Voucher for others mucâ— less for all other Professions in Christendom Yet foâ— the sake of such to whom he labours to traduce us 〈◊〉 reply We contend not meerly about Words but aâ— some Men have erred in denying the immediate Internaâ— Revelation is a continuing Gospel-Privilege so havâ— they also in mis-applying what hath been said in thâ— Scriptures concerning the Word of God whence iâ— hath come to pass that as the Jews of Old thought iâ— them to have Eternal Life while not coming to Chrisâ— John 5.39 so these not attending to nor coming tâ— Christ as inwardly revealed have set up the Scripture as their Rule in opposition to an inward Guidance by the Spirit of God in these days assigning to them whaâ— was spoken of the Divine Inshining Words Now tâ— undeceive these and direct them to an inward Prinâ—ciple in themselves our Friends have been led to thiâ— Distinction not in Derogation to the Holy Scriptures nor through an Itch of Contention but as a necessarâ— Medium to six Mens Minds upon that Word which iâ— able to save the Soul and enlighten the Eye which thâ— best of Words could not do without it Yet very unfâ— was G. K. to fling this stone who himself hath botâ— used and defended this very Distinction in his Help iâ— time of Need p. 65. a passage not yet retracted foâ— there he not only tells us Though the Holy Scripâ—tures declare of this Word yet they are not thaâ— Word more than a Map or Description of Rome oâ— London is Rome or London or the Image of Caesar iâ— Caesar or Bread and Wine is the Body and Blood oâ— Christ c. But also allows They may borroâ— the Name and sometimes be so called as the words or Prophecy of Isaiah is called by himself his Vision c. He should therefore have first retracted his own unprofitable hurtful and groundless Contention as he calls it in others before he had bestowed his Censures upon us But the Man's Malice hath run him a-ground who needed not by this repeated instance to have given fresh Evidence of his Instability we having enough to load him with besides and more than he can fairly get from under were he not judiciously infatuated
without Examination And yet pretends in the Title Page hereof that these may at present suffice for a Reply to T. E's and my former and latter Books At this rate it is easie Answering whole Volumes However if the Reader be disposed to see what I have affirmed out of him upon this Subject he may find it in My People called Quakers cleared p. 17 to 22. and Keith against Keith p. 69 to 71. I Answered what he then had offered in Ant. and Sadd. with relation to his distinction of Explicit and Implicit though he having now vamped a new one upon it I have touched upon none but that here and for the old ones refer as above But he adds upon Supposition that any such thing can be found in my Books I retract and renounce it which is Childish all over Can a Man retract or renounce a Passage upon Supposition and not know what the Passage is Or can we suppose him sincere and that he would renounce or retract it if he knew it when he takes so overtly notice of and conceals from his Reader the Passages from whence we have deduced his former Sense with respect to the Knowledge of the History and of the Mystery Again if it be sufficient to say upon Supposition any such thing can be found I retract and renounce it without assigning the Citations given methinks he need not have been these 18 Months poring at it but a few Lines by way of Advertisement with respect to the many Contradictions and Absurdities objected against him out of his Books That upon Supposition they are to be found he retracts and renounceth them might have served For this is the length and breadth of G. K. his Retractation here § 19 His mis-paging a Place in Imm. Rev. hath led him to invert the number of his Paragraphs I shall therefore following the due order of the Pages begin with his § 20. G. K. had said p. 253 254. When the Vital Energy and Influence of the Life of Christ is suspended upon the Soul of a Man and ceaseth to act or operate so as to give any sensible refreshment or enjoyment of it self unto the Soul this is as proper a Death as when a Man dieth for when a Man dieth his Soul dieth not in it self but unto that Fellowship it had with the Body This I have given more largely than G. K. hath done in these who began only from the words This is as proper a Death after having acknowledged not that the passage is unsound for when did he ever say so But that it is unsafely worded he retracts it he saith and instead of that now averrs the unio◠betwixt Body and Soul being broken is more properly a Death the other he takes to be understood rather figuratively than proper And his Reason is the Soul doth wholly cease to act in that Body while it is dead but Christ ceaseth not oft-times to act in a dead Soul by sharp Reproof Conviction for Sin and fresh Visitations in order to quicken and renew it Answ Were I to Argue the Point with him I might tell him what he brings is not in ordine ad idem The Soul 's dying as to its Fellowship with the Body are the tearms of a Position whence it is said to be dead so in like manner its Fellowship with the Life of Christ being broken is that which denominates it spiritually dead But what is this to Christ his acting in it who is not dead whatever the Soul be by Reproof Conviction or renewed Visitations which yet may be for ought that he hath offered to the contrary by even renewed Vivifications or Enlivenings This shews he states not the Matter fair However as an Evidence of the Man 's Mutability and Self-inconsistency and present Darkness I observe that he who so lately unjustly Charged G. W. with Allegorizing away the Birth Death and Sufferings of Christ in the outward would do the like to the inward rendring the breaking of the Union betwixt Soul and Body to be more properly a Death than the other which he now takes to be understood rather figuratively than proper Whereas himself in the instance I gave above § 4. out of Imm. Rev. p. 15 16. to the natural Man as he there calls him his objecting that these the outward Senses of Seeing Hearing c. are only but Figures and Metaphors asserts That the outward things are but Figures of the inward and spiritual which as far exceed and transcend them in Life Glory Beauty and Excellency as a living Body doth a shadow and concludeth that this whole Visible World with all the Glory in it is but a shadow in respect of the spiritual and inward And will he now say the Name the Denomination is more properly applicable to the Shadow than to the Substance to the Figure than to the thing figured Which yet is the natural tendency of his late halting Retractation so bewildred is the Man in his Undertakings and driven to his shifts to patch up his late Notions without an effectual disclaiming of his former Writings § 20 So having given us a Citation out of Imm. Rev. p. 256. where he had said Christ according to his Spiritual Birth in the Saints is the Seed of the Woman which yet of late he will not allow us to say he betakes himself to this silly shift that he did understand it but Allegorically and by way of Allusion and never intended that Christ was not the Seed of the Woman in the true and proper sense of the words without all Allegory as he was Made of a Woman and Born of the Virgin Mary c. Answ But what then will become of his saying Way Cast up p. 99. Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday to Day and for Ever Was he so only Allegorically by way of Allusion and not really and properly so Or was he Born of the Virgin Mary from the beginning He told us then Yesterday is from the Beginning to Day at present and for Ever in all Ages to come and added This is the promised Seed which God promised to our Parents after the Fall and actually gave unto them even the Seed of the Woman that should bruise the Head of the Serpent And therefore though the outward coming of the Man of Christ was deferred according to his outward Birth in the Flesh for many Ages yet from the beginning this Heavenly Man the Promised Seed did inwardly come into the Hearts of those that believed in him c. And must all this be turned off as only Allegorical and by way of Allusion Were not himself under a Delusion he would say otherwise Having told us his present and former Belief that by Gen. 3.14 Christ's Birth after the Flesh was really intended which we question not for one Scripture may have a Literal and Mystical Sense both real both proper as this hath he adds But this Allegorical Allusion of Christ's Birth in the Saints I did not ground on Gen.
were Saved by Christ before his coming in the â—sh as well among Gentiles as Jews I nothing question 〈◊〉 I never did saith he Answ His former Belief I â—pute not his latter I have given out of Presh and â—d Ch. p. 112. even now So that if he believe Soâ—tes and others were Saved who had not the Knowâ—â—ge of Christ as he was to come in the Flesh outâ—rdly it is not that that Faith they then had was â—ving with Eternal Salvation as he of late phraseth it 〈◊〉 they must either be born again into the World to â—ceive it in some other Revolution or at least have â—t Faith they received not WHEN LIVING 〈◊〉 or after their Death in their passage through the â—lley of the Shadow of Death as I have also observed my Keiâ—h against Keith p. 108 and elsewhere This â—t we have more than once proved upon him so that 〈◊〉 present stating his Belief reacheth not the Matter Controversie and wherein we have shewed the Conâ—diction between his former and latter Writings Now to return to his p. 22. whence I made this Diâ—ession in order to prove that the bringing Men to 〈◊〉 inward Principle had been proposed by him as Inâ—ductory to the bringing them to the Christian Faith 〈◊〉 referrs us to his fifth Argument in Vni Gr. p. 88 to 〈◊〉 and cites a passage out of p. 92. the Scope whereof â—s a treating of the true and only Method to bring Peoâ—â—â— to own the Scriptures to own Moses the Prophets and Christ in the Flesh his miraculous Birth Doctrine 〈◊〉 This Method he now saith he very well approves of 〈◊〉 for as the Knowledge of Christ the Word Incarnate or 〈◊〉 Flesh presupposeth some Knowledge of God and of his Word to preach to People that are ignorant of God and of his â—â—vine Perfections that there is a God and what his Diâ— Perfections are is very proper and necessary Answ 〈◊〉 was at this once before Ant. and Sadd. p. 27. and I aâ—â—swered him in my Keith against Keith p. 69 to 71. 〈◊〉 of that he takes no notice here notwithstanding he gâ— out in his Title Page this Book of his may at presâ— suffice as a Reply to T. E. and my late and form Books against him Who had he designed to hâ— been as good as his word he should here have takâ— notice of my answer especially in as much as what 〈◊〉 now offers is in effect the same with what he 〈◊〉 brought before and I had replied to But the Maâ— willing both to cut his Work shorâ— and that the Pâ— should be bigger than the House as if he were buildâ— a second Mindus That which I objected then and 〈◊〉 do is that this Method of beginning with the Preaâ—â—ing of the inward was not only with respect to the Gâ—â—tiles who were Ignorant that there was a God a what his Divine Perfections are but even with respâ— to the nominal Christians therefore it answers not 〈◊〉 end adduced by him That it respected even the Pâ—â—fessors of Christianity I prove first from the Objecâ—â—on there raised That the Quakers have no Method aâ— G. K's answer That they have the best and only trâ— Method in their Words and Writings first to tuâ— People to the Light c. Now the Method used 〈◊〉 us in our Words and Writings being with respect 〈◊〉 the so called Christians his meaning must also relate them And when he adds a little below It is 〈◊〉 want of this true Order in Preaching the Gospel thâ— Men have had so little Success hitherto and that 〈◊〉 Lord hath blest it to us with wonderful Success c. it is plain he was not writing to or of the Preachers that were going to the Indies among the Heathen but to his Countrymen that dwelt among us and disliked our Method which he said had been blessed with wonderful Success and that was here also the like he had said Way to City of God p. 156 157. wherein he assigns it as a Method the Lord hath taught us to hold forth to People to whom I pray only to Turks Jews and Pagans whereby they attain unto Holiness to a being made conformable to the Holy Life of Jesus Christ and come to know the true and great End and Use of his outward coming Now as the knowing the true and great End of Christ's outward coming presupposeth a Belief that he was come for we are not speaking barely of the witnessing the inward Effects thereof but of knowing the Use and End of it this Method must needs be intended to relate to both and not the Gentile only And therefore G. K. is the more â—nsincere in alledging he still approves of this Method as if his Judgment then and now were the same as it is not as well as in restricting that to the Gentiles which was not so intended when given What he builds here upon this false Foundation falls in Course § 8 He begins his § 8. with a touch at his late Exposition of the piece of silver Luke 15.8 for which as â—e referrs to his Sect. I. § 13. so do I to the same in â—ine Then he pretends firmly to remain in his Faith of God his making Salvation possible to all Men which hath â—een considered in § 1. of this Section At length he â—cknowledgeth that diverse of the Arguments which is 〈◊〉 pretty large reference he hath used to prove the Truth 〈◊〉 that Principle are not so proper and demonstrative nor â—re several places of Scripture as Rom. 10.7 8 9 10. 〈◊〉 it 2.11 12. 1 Cor. 12.7 and that several Parables but he names none brought in Arg. 10. p. 60 to 65. so duly applied to that Effect Therefore the undue applicaâ—tion of these places of Scripture or any other that can be founâ— to that Effect but who must look them up for him Or when will he give them us in the next 18 Months Or some other Revolution he freely retracts he saith which though that necessarily respect the inward Principle of God's Grace c. yet THESE PLACES are nâ— to be understood only and alone of that but respect that brigâ— Gospel-dispensation that had then appeared in the World 〈◊〉 the Apostles Preaching c. Answ This Retractatioâ— terminates not to an acknowledgment that he waâ— unsound formerly for when did he allow that 〈◊〉 wonder but to an undue application of three Scriptures the rest the Reader is left to guess at and thâ— divers of his Arguments of which he particularizeâ— but one and out of that Cites no passage are not 〈◊〉 proper and demonstrative nor duly applied to thaâ— Effect which shews the Man would fain represent everâ— thing which he is fain to say something to as Motâ— while Beams are the tearms he liberally bestows upoâ— us and that of things he falsly lays to our Charge Yeâ— seing he now saith these places of Scripture are to bâ— understood not only of the inward but of the brigâ— Gospel dispensation the Apostles
Rect. Corr. p. 29. the words of Hilarius that it was to excuse G. F. and not that he did not believe that Christ had the true Nature of Man consisting of a true reasonable created Soul and a true Body for that he aid always believe that he did partake of Mary 's substance c. Answ He hath not fairly stated the Matter in Controversie as well as that he assigns not where our Charge is to be found That he had the true Nature of Man as we our selves acknowledge so have not objected it against G. K. but whether Christ who partook of the Nature and Image of Man from the Seed of Mary did not partake of a Nature and Image much more Excellent than that of Man in its greatest Glory from God and his Seed who did really sow a most Divine and Heavenly Seed in the Virgins Womb which as it supplied the Males Seed so it had much more in it and brought forth a Birth that as it had the true and whole Nature of Man so it had a Perfection above it not only in accidental qualities but even in Substance and Essence they are his own words in Way to City of God p. 131. and not yet retracted And again whether in as much that after Death it was not subject to Corruption the Name Human be not too mean a Title whereby to express it far less that it should be called so now when it is glorified and is altogether Heavenly and Spiritual the Scripture no where giving unto his Body such a Name as Human but that the first Man is of the Earth earthly the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. Heavenly as himsâ—lf declares Rect. Corr. p. 27. is that which we have of late laid before him in opposition to his late Carnal tearms of Human Humanity and imposing them upon us Who have therefore blamed the Word Human Humanity and Humane Nature as applicable to Christ because we did believe his Manhood Nature as G. K. saith was more Excellent than that of other Men So that his Judgment given formerly of G. F. and others and which he here repeateth as it was truly stated then so is it the same still although he now chargeth it without proof upon divers Quakers indefinitely without naming any that they have used the terms Humanity and Humane with reference to Christ which till he be more particular who have so done and where as well as how whether Controversially keeping to their Adversaries tearms or as declaraâ—ive of their Faith and approving of those tearms deâ—erves not my further notice But he never thought he pretends that any of them â—enied him as Man to be a Creature or to have been proâ—uced by Generation of and from the Properties of Man in â—â—ary as some of them have he saith but who these some are nor where they have so said he declareth not but after his wonted manner accuseth without offering proof A blind way sure of Answering of Books for â—s such he gives out this Book in his Title Page Yet â—hat Christ was Born of the Virgin and that that Body was Created and consequently a Creature we deny not although that he was produced by Coagulation or by Generation of and from the Properties of Man in Mary a Notion started by R. Cobbet answered to by St. Crisp renewed by G. K. in his True Copy p. 22. and replied to by T. E. in his Truth Defended p. 134 c. a Book G. K. is still Debtor to is what we do indeed deny â—s even G. K. hath done formerly Who in Rect. Corr. p. 27. besides what have offered even now with respect to the Word Human thus hath it Even the outward visible Flesh which he took of the Virgin seing it was not PRODUCED or formed by HUMAN GENERATION then not from the Properties of Man in Mary say I but by a Divine Conception through the over shadowing of the Holy Ghost and did far excel the Flesh of all other Men that ever were since the Name Human is but too mean a Title c. Again p. 29. he quotes Hilarius that Jesus Christ was not formed by the Nature of Humane Conception and that the Original of his Body which he affirmed to be an Heavenly Body yet had of the Virgins Substance in it is not of an Human Conception that both the Soul and Body of Christ are of a more Excellent Nature than these of other Men although having all that belong to the true Essence of Man either in Soul or Body And saith further Why is the Flesh Conceived of tâ—â— Holy Ghost judged by the Nature of an Humane Body Thus far G. K. out of Hilarius which how reconcilâ—able it is to that Notion that Christ was produced 〈◊〉 Generation of and from the Properties of Man in Mâ— which to be sure is Human I leave to the Reader tâ— judge in the mean time shall observe what he faith 〈◊〉 his Way to the City of God which also gives Evidence â—â—gainst him He begins p. 131. thus Even accordinâ— to that Birth he was the Son of God no less than tâ—â— Son of Man as having God for his Father as he haâ— the Virgin Mary for his Mother Is this an Humâ—â— Generation then a Generation produced of and froâ— the Properties of Man in Mary or a Divine one Thâ—â— it is not Humane not produced by Human Generation or Human Conception he hath told us above in tâ—â— Instances there given and in Way to City of God p. 13â— 133. after having described this Birth to be a certaâ—â— middle Nature Substance or Being betwixt thâ— Godhead and Mankind transcending even the Naâ—ture of Angels he calleth it the Heavenly or Diâ—vine Substance or Essence which was both Conceiveâ— in Mary and is inwardly Conceived in the Saints Are then the Properties of Man in Mary and this middle Nature this Super-Angelical Nature this Heavenly and Divine Substance relatives Or do they signifiâ— the same thing That what is predicable of the one iâ— also of the other Or is it not rather manifest thaâ— G. K. is in Confusion and Darkness Self-contradictory and yet not Candid enough to own it and as loth to retract it He Queries If Christ's Humanity be not a Creature oâ— Created what is it Answ Himself hath said Way Casâ— up p. 104. not yet retracted Let all the Scriptures be searched and it shall not be found that Christ became Man and took to himself the Soul of Man at his Conception in the Womb of the Virgin Mary but only that he took Flesh and was the Son of Mary David and Abraham according to the Flesh but according to his Heavenly Nature even as Man he was the Son of God whose Name is Wonderfull Counseller the Mighty God the Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace Thus much of his Holy Manhood but that which was born of the Virgin he calleth ibid. p. 113 14. That Vessel and Temple that Suffered at Jerusalem in
equally false with the former Thus we see what he wants in Evidence he makes up in Slander and all to patch up his own poor Cause which the more he tacks on of such kind of false Allegations the worse it looks § 11 Thus he pretends to have performed what he promised with respect to those Books of Imm. Rev. Rect. Corr. and Truths Defence which how effectually I have already observed what is wholly pretermitted may advise at the close The next Book he nibbles at is Help in Time of Need printed Anno 1665 of which he saith p. 37. All these passages so far as I did understand them to respect the People called Quakers as a visible Body of People together with the GENERALITY of their Ministry and GENERAL way of Worship and Discipline c. I retract as being too large and ample a Commendation of them GENERALLY considered And I freely and willingly acknowledge my weakness and short-sightedness in having so high and great an Esteem of them GENERALLY considered Answ Then it may yet be true with respect to some among the Quakers but not to the Generality Let us hear then what he said then of them in general and see whether he will now allow it to be true of some of them in order whereto I shall give some of his own words he hath in this Page cited with my Observations from his general Retraction in Crotchets He then said Now the Light hath shined forth in such clearness that we i. e. as now interpreted some of us have seen to the bottom of all Babylon's Treasures And we to wit some of the People called Quakers do witness this day come and broke up among us in pure perfect Brightness every one in their measure c. And we viz. Not the Generality but some of us have seen the Bride the Lamb's Wife the New Jerusalem descending from above from God out of Heaven And her Light is like unto a Stone most precious like a Jasper clear as Chrystal and we some of us have seen the Frame and Proportion of this City with the Walls and Gates of it within which our i. e. some of our feet have stood And the Lord hath made us some of us Citizens of this City and Stones of this Building And as the Ministry and Worship of the Church or House of God among us viz. among some of us is Spiritual so is the Order Discipline and Government among us i. e. some of us And now what I have declared unto you and the Manifestation of the Spirit of Truth will shew much more even the perfect Pattern of the House of God in the Mount concerning these things which are necessary and expedient in order to a through cleanly and perfect Reformation we i. e. some of us the People of the Lord called Quakers have fallen upon them being taught and directed by the Wisdom of God Thus far out of G. K. in which what I have inserted in Crotchets shews the natural Tendency of this present Retractation If this displease such among the Church of England-men and Protestant Dissenters he now would fawn upon as too large a Character of any of us perhaps for their sakes in his next he may retract it yet further That he did not do it now I do not so much impute to any remaining Esteem of any of us as that the Man is loth to be thought wavering in his Judgment and that therefore it would go easiest off to make it general which he may hereafter restrict as narrow as he pleaseth Yet let me add The Quakers neither in the General nor in the Particular do not any more need his Testimony for them who is gone from that which gave it than Paul did that of the Pythones Damsel who said These Men are the Servants of the most high God c. Acts 16. v. 16 17. What I touched upon transiently in my Quakers Cleared c. p. 42. opposing this Book to that of Truth Advanced being designed only as an Indication of the Instability of the Man who would pretend not to see it not that we craved his good word However to palliate his having said formerly The Church was come out of the Wilderness he alledgeth The chief Leaders among the People called Quakers led him into it Answ I presume it was not long since he thought himself a Chief Leader among them more fit to lead than to be lead But why then did he entitule his Book Help in the Time of Need from the God of Help and not rather Help from the Leading Quakers Again in p. 55. when he entituled that part The long-looked for Day of God broke up among us the Lord's People called Quakers Writ in the Fear and Will of the Lord he should rather have said Written Parrot-like as I was taught And when he said p. 62. The Ministry is Spiritual and so are the Ministers Men taught of God he should have added As I have been told But who led him to say he witnessed his day come and broke up among us in perfect Brightness â—s p. 58 Did they lead him thus to vaunt of his own Condition beyond what was read O Shameless â—onfused Proteus He alledgeth indeed at the top of p. 38. His Zeal â—nd Fervour did carry him too far that he had great inâ—ard Experience of the Lord's Love and Goodness at that â—â—me more I doubt not than he hath now that he is â—nsible and truly convinced he had too far exceeded in the â—houghts of his Spiritual Attainments both then and since This since I question not to be too true whatever â—e did then and that he freely retracts and revokes whatâ—ver passages are to be found in this or any of his latter Books â—hat are justly Offensive on the account of his going beyond â—he due Bounds of his real Growth and Spiritual and inward â—ation in the Truth so far as any thing of the least mixâ—re of Mistake or Vntruth is to be found therein And â— 39. That he adheres â—o his Testimony in this and all other â—s Books as to Matter and Substance of many weighty â—ings therein and the good Advice he gave to his Countryâ—en in that Book c. All which are general Tearms 〈◊〉 if designed for Deceit to lurk under who while preâ—â—nding to retract every thing wherein he exceeded or â—here a Mixture of Mistake and Untruth is to be found and assigning no passage in particular retracts nothing in effect but gives himself Scope to extend or restrict it as he pleaseth hereafter which is no Evidence of a sincere and hearty Sorrow And what he adheres to he leaves us as much in the Dark concerning as if he chose rather to walk in Disguise than to be open and plain Again How shall it appear he had a certain Guidance in any thing when even what he is willing we should allow him to have retracted he hath been as positive in and laid as high as what he
would yet be thought to adhere to Who if he stiâ— account that Advice good he then gave to his Country-men must still think That Prelacy is a Limb of Antichrist that his Country-men ought to have kept their Voâ— against it as in p. 37. 39. of which I shall give morâ— in § 13. which if he still dare defend as he hath comâ—mended his Advice then given to be good Counsel stiâ— those of the Church of England may consider what 〈◊〉 kind of Proselyte he is like to prove if they shouâ— take him in and if the Counsel were not good Whâ— did he not rather revoke recall and retract that Advicâ— given in that Book than applaud it as good Bâ— the Man seems willing to keep in with both if he caâ— not knowing perphaps whom he may need a Proâ— from most § 12 In his next he gives a Citation out of Help p. 63. where he had said Now we need not say Whâ— will go down into the Grave and bring up Christ 〈◊〉 us or who will ascend to Heaven to bring hiâ— down to us or who will go over the Seas and briâ— us Tidings of him from Jerusalem him whose Naâ— is the Word of God we of a Truth witness near 〈◊〉 even in our Hearts so that we need not either aâ—â—cend descend or go forth c. Upon this he telleâ— us what T. E. hath brought against him out of 〈◊〉 Book called Truth Defended p. 110 111. for this is the only time he hath cited any Book and Page of all that he hath alledged against us which I wave taking notice of for two Reasons First For that G. K. is still Debtor to that Book of T. E's and the Answer to G. K. his Narrative and I design not so farr to gratifie him in picking out a single Passage in a Book while he overlooks the rest to which long since he made a shew as if he would emit an Answer 2ly As my design is not Controversial but the detecting the Man's insincere Explications and Retractations of his former Books so the doing that here and exposing G. K's false Gloss will of it self make void what is alledged by him out of T. E. relating to this Quotation The Importance then and signification of his words above he thus gives p. 40. We need not say who will go over the Seas and bring us Tidings of him from Jerusalem where 〈◊〉 suffered in the Flesh for all sincere Christians are well satisfied with the Faith they have already of Christ by the â—â—tward Testimony c. So that they neither seek nor need â—y other ground of Confirmation to their Faith either of an â—tward Voice from Heaven or from beyond the Sea from â—erusalem c. Answ Ground of Confirmation to their â—aith were not the Tearms mentioned in that Book â—herefore would he have kept to his own Logical Rule â—ould not have been added here Again as he calls 〈◊〉 a little below The word of Faith which Paul preached and Moses before him which was able to Save them that turned their Minds thereto c. â—o in Imm. Rev. p. 77. he had said He reveals the whole Council of his Will by the word of his Mouth the Light reveals the whole Will of God he need not go forth to seek a Law without him or a Teacher without him the Word is near to which Moses â—pointed the Jews and Paul the Romans Now if â—y both spake of one word and both said Men need not ascend descend or go beyond the Sea to fetch it and G. K. hath cited them both as concurring in the one and the same Testimony then G. K. his Allegation whereby he would restrict it to Christians already satisfied who needed no Voice from Heaven oâ— Jerusalem as a Confirmation of their Faith falls to thâ— Ground in course seing it was good Doctrine before seasonable Doctrine before and the Cause alledged thâ— holds now even by G. K. his own Confession viz. Thâ— the Light reveals the whole Will of God and wâ— able to Save them even in Moses's day who gave 〈◊〉 to be taught and led thereby Had he indeed urgâ— that the word nigh in Moses his day and the woâ— nigh in Paul's day was not the same and that there wâ— need of ascending descending and going beyond tâ— Sea in Moses's time which then ceased when Chriâ— was offered up how Unscriptural soever this hâ— been yet there had been some colour for his preseâ— Exposition whereas it being the same now as theâ— and attainable not by ascending descending c. 〈◊〉 an inward witnessing it then as now the limitingâ— to satisfied Christians who seek not a ground of Câ—â—firmation of their Faith is both an Abuse of the Teâ— and a false Gloss upon G. K. his Sentiments formerâ— which it had been more to his Credit to have retractâ— than thus to have sophisticated § 13 Herewith G. K. winds up his Citations 〈◊〉 of his former Books As for his other Books callâ— Way to City of God Way cast up and Light of Truth answer to R. Gordon or any others of the like Naâ— and Importance which is a pretty wide Reference saâ— he alledgeth he seeth no present need to vindicate tâ— from our Perversions and Wrestings as he calleth thâ— and that one not called a Quaker but of another Commâ— whom he names not perhaps that he might not 〈◊〉 â—over the Author of the Snake in the Grass said to him that instead of doing him a Diskindness they had done him a great Kindness Again p. 42. That in diverse printed Treatises of his whereof he names none but a printed Letter at the end of G. Croes his general History of the Quakers and his Anti. and Sadd. without assigning Page or Passage he hath given divers Explications of most he doth not say of all but of most of the Quotations brought by us against him The which I take to be so idle shifting and loose a way of Writing denoting Guilt and Insincerity that barely to repeat it is to answer it which when he shall think fit to descend into Particulars a particular Reply may perhaps be given to The next thing I observe is that he thus bespeaks his friendly and juditious Reader If any of my above-given Explications seem to him in any degree strained beyond what the genuin Sense of the words will bear though I know not any one such I am freely willing that what he thinks in any degree strained he may take it if not for a genuin and proper Explication if so be it is in the least inconsistent with the Truth of the Holy Scripture to be my plain and free Retractation For what I cannot fairly defend by Exâ—lication I am freely willing to correct and amend by Reâ—ractation p. 42. Answ This is Nonsence all over Can the Reader at the same time deem it strained not 〈◊〉 genuin and proper Explication and yet allow it to â—e a plain and free Retractation For
he say to the purpose those I bring not but these he hath entirely overlookt What G. K. had asserted of Christ's Bodily Presence not being sufficient to the Church that Christ is Mediator as he is in Men T. E. hath given in his Answ to Narr p. 87 88 108. out of G. K. his Imm. Rev. p. 59 120 121 107. and Way to City of God p. 127 139. none of which G. K. takes any notice of Of Christ's Resurrection-Body that it is not Carnal but Spiritual T. E. giveth in his Truth Defended p. 127. and Answ to Narr p. 47 55. out of G. K. his Rect. Corr. p. 23 24 44 54 55. also overlookt by G. K. I shall be very Cautious in what I bring out of my Quakers Cleared in as much as G. K. hath pretended to Answer it in his Ant. and Sadd. designing only to give such Quotations as he hath slipt over both there and here although G. K. his Entituling these as what may at present suffice to the Answering T. E. and my former and latter Books I might have been excuseable had I took him at his word which he so seldom keeps to and brought them nevertheless Therefore leaving him to supply that defect when his E'RE VERY LONG comes that he emits a larger Answer to mine and also over-passing what I have already hinted § 4. of this Section touching Baptism and the Supper that his Retractation of what he had said in his Truths Defence and Rect. Corr. related only to his Exposition of two Scriptures viz. Mat. 28.19 and 1 Cor. 11.26 and out of my Sect. I. § 18. wherein I gave what he had omitted out of Imm. Rev. p. 228 232 and 242. I shall only offer that what I gave out of Vni Gr. p. 28 29 â—0 34 35 36 56 57 58 115. concerning an inward saving Illumination given to the Gentiles the Gospel its having been Preached to all and that the Word of Faith within was the main and principal â—hing in Opposition to his Sentiments of late he hath â—ice slipt over both in his Ant. and Sadd. of which I gave notice in my Keith against Keith p. 71. and also here in these What I have alledged to him in my Keith against Keith p. 9 to 36. as inconsistent with what he had delivered in his Chr. Faith p. 6 7. Truth and Innocency Defended p. 19 20. Further Discovery p. 17 18. and Truth Advanced p. 70 71. out of G. K. his Light of Truth p. 11 15. Postscript to Nature of Christianity p. 65 70. Vniversal Grace p. 8 21 22 24 25 26 36 52 53 54. Looking-glass p. 28. Imm. Rev. p. 77 103 105 109 111 112 113 213 221 227. Way cast up p. 44 45 95 99 100 103. Rect. Corr. p. 50 150 187. Truths Defence p. 70 114 121 141 212. Divine Imm. Rev. p. 26 27 63 54 55 79 154 158. Plain Short Catechism p. 9. These G. K. toucheth not upon in the least To which I shall add what one W. C. a Church-man hath gleaned out of him in Two Small Tracts the which whoever presented them before him he wilâ— not pretend I suppose not to have seen The first was Entituled Mr. G. Keith at Turners-Hall Contradicting Mr. G. Keith at the Tolbooth of Aberdeen who there opposeth to several Passages in G. K's Ex. Narrâ— Quotations out of his Imm. Rev. p. 200 243 244 231 4. chiefly respecting the Object of Faith a Fundamental Principle as in p. 5 to 10. of that Book In hiâ— Second Letter stiled Mr. Keith no Presbyterian no Quaker c. from p. 7 to 15. he gives G. K. hiâ— Contradictory Sense relating to Baptism the Supper Sinless Perfection Election and Reprobation and Comâ—mon and Saving Illumination and that out of G. K. hiâ— Quakerism Confirmed as to be found in the Collectioâ— of R. Barclay's Books p 586 618 619. and Vni Grace p. 105. I wave what was there also brought noâ— only out of the Pages fore quoted by T. E. or mâ— but even those out of Vni Gr. p. 74 75 76. becausâ— tho' those Passages are not touched upon by G. K. yet something having been brought by him out of those Pages although with different Ends and upon a different Occasion I will rather not insist on it than administer a seeming room for Exception Without making any further Comment upon these Omissions of G. K. having shewed what we expect from him I shall only observe that notwithstanding he could not but be Conscious to himself of his manifold Pretermissions and evasive Shiftings of what he hath touched upon in the close he presumeth to say he prays to God we may have a Heart given us of God if not to follow him as an Example yet to follow the Example of other GREAT PENITENTS for he that hideth his Sin will not prosper c. Which besides the taking the Name of the Lord in vain shews great Hypocrisie and great Scaredness as well as Ostentation in ranking himself among other great Penitents forgetting it seems or at least little regarding the Wise Man's Counsel viz. Let another Man praise thee and not thine own Mouth a Stranger and not thine own Lips Prov. 27.2 Whether the friendly and juditious Reader he would lately bespeak on his side will not think this strained and undeserving the Applause he craves is left to his mature sedate and impartial Consideration Beel-house 23d of the First Month 1696 7. J. P. ERRATA PAGE 3. Line 14. and l. 32. p. 6. l. 26. p. 8. l. 24. p. 12. l. 9. for Retracâ— read Retractation p. 4. l. 20. f. sâ—â—ing r. waving p. 8. l. last r. withâ— p. 9. l. 22. r. Doctrines l. 28. r. a profitable p. 10. l. 15. r. thing l. 29. r. â— commended p. 12. l. 19. f. perusing r. perverting p. 13. l. 14. r. givenâ— p. 15. l. 33. r. Endowment p. 19. l. 20. r. Capernaumites l. last and p. 20. l. â— r. Capernaumitism l. 30. f. and r. or p. 23. l. 30. f. I r. and. p. 24. l. 8. afâ— Christ r. as he came in the â—lesh l. 11. r. Spirit l. 28. after Flesh r. face to faâ— p. 25. l. 2. after not r. say l. 20. f. that r. the. p. 28. l. 20. r. Christ's p. 3â— l. 20. r word p. 3â— l. 10. r. judicially p. 32. l. 6. r. of our p. 33. l. 7. f. r. after p. 31. l. 8. f. Seed r. Heir l. 14. f. 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Truth l. 1â— f. they r. he p. 69. l. 2. r. respect to p. 74. l. 13. r. tell p. 81. l. 20. f. 69. â— 6â— p. 92. l. 1 r. appropriating p. 93. l. 8. f. the r. that l 24. dele for p. 99. â—â— f. this r. his p. 102. l. 1. r. advantage p. 107. l. 5. r. initiated l. 20. f. ascribeâ— r. asserted
begging of the question who himself had once acquitted us and that even from the Errors he would now fasten upon us yea and out of some of the same Books he then cited in our Vindication and we still continue to defend as unjustly imputed to us whereas his own let him call them Errors or some more diminutive name if he please he hath assigned as needing both Explication Emendation and Correction His second Assigning his own to be Motes ours Beams is too idle for me to take notice of as thinking his Testimony on his own behalf not valid His Thirdly alledging our Excommunicating him is as shallow For had not that drawn him to be Vindictive it would rather have stirred him up by a free and open Retraction to have approved himself to have exceeded us in Confessing and Forsaking And his lastly is all of a piece with his second That what he hath retracted or renounced was never judged by him an Article of Faith and that we have not proved him contradicting in his latter Books any Article of Faith asserted in his former Books To which I reply Had he not done his work by halves he would have found cause to have retracted his doctrinal Errors Errors which every body else that knows what Errors are will acknowledge to relate to Articles of Faith and which as suc◠we have exhibited and argued upon which must be left to the indifferent Reader 's Judgment who hath read his and our Books In the mean time I enter upon examining those before me which he hath here pretended to explain or correct which I also submit to the Judicious whether they relate not to Articles of Faith and also whether G. K. hath at length done his Work Well Sincerely and Conscientiously or on the contrary Sect. I. § 1 Beginning then with his first Section Containing as he saith divers Explanations and Emendations of Passages out of his Book of Immediate Revelation not ceased Printed Anno 1668 and reprinted with an Appendix Anno 1676 in his § 1. he saith Some but who he saith not are offended at the Term Immediate Revelation and mis-construe it to a wrong Sence never intended by him as if he thereby did signifie such a Revelation as did give us the Doctrinal Knowledge and Faith of Christian Religion and Principles thereof without the Holy Scriptures or other outward means of Instruction To which I answer The People called Quakers are not concerned in this Charge at least with respect to the Term Immediate Revelation for they allow the thing and dispute not against the Term. And what himself hath said on behalf of the Necessity and Usefulness of Immediate Revelation the Book it self will plainly evidence Yet lest this Reference may seem too general a way I dislike in my Antagonist let the Reader consult the Preface and he will find G. K. there represents this Doctrine of Immediate Revelation a great and weighty Matter which it hath been in his Heart once and again from the Lord to write of saying that It REMAINETH and is of necessary continuance in the true Church Not only for the Preservation Safety and comfortable Walking of the Saints with God but also in order to Men and Womens becoming Saints And that there is no Immediate Revelation now-a-days as the common Priviledge of the Saints he accounts such a Fundamental Error in Men that the greatest part of their other Errors are built on it as 1. That the Scriptures outward Testimony is most necessary and that no true and saving Knowledge of God is to be attained but by the Scriptures being read or heard See Preface p. 1 2. Now hence I argue If it be an Error according to G. K. to assert that the Scriptures outward Testimony is most necessary and that no true and saving Knowledge of God is to be attained but by the Scriptures being read or heard Then it is G. K. his Sense and not a Mis-construction thereof that a Saving Knowledge of God may be attained by Immediate Revelation without the help of the Scriptures and that the Scriptures outward Testimony is not most necessary in his Judgment And this Saving Knowledge must be a Knowledge of the Christian Religion except he be prepared to retract his Retraction But to obviate this Offence and Mistake as he terms it he recommends the Reader to what he hath said from p. 38. to p. 42. of that Book but cites no passage out of it where I distinguish saith he of means intermitting and transmitting and shew that it is the intermitting means that hinders the Revelation to be Immediate but not the transmitting Answ Here he Shuffles the Debate here is not whether Revelation be Immediate or no when transmitted through organized Instruments either the Holy Scriptures or Men divinely inspired but whether he hath asserted such an Immediate Revelation is not ceased as is received with either the one or the other That the Reader may inform himself of even in p. 40 within the compass of G. K. his Reference for he there saith We find that he sometimes useth outward means and sometimes he useth them not but conveigheth unto us from and through his own Seed and Birth in us the living Manifestations and Communications of his Life Will and Council many yea MOST TIMES without all Means or Instruments from without for most times we are left alone as to Instruments or Means without us I would advise him therefore in his next either to retract this Passage which is within the Pages he hath so lately recommended to us or his referring us thereto to obviate the pretended Mistake and Offence for this Passage will hamper him else Now let us see whether he mends the matter by his other Book called Divine Immediate Revelation for he tells us that in p. 44. thereof as an instance He did own the Holy Scriptures to be a necessary means to give us the true Knowledge and Faith of Christian Doctrines and Principles But that his own Citation saith not but only that all other Doctrine and Heads of the Christian Religion which he calls special the other general Religion are made known to us by the Scripture means the Holy Spirit inwardly inlightning and inspiring c. Which doth not prove that they are a necessary means a sine quâ non that without which the Knowledge cannot be conveighed but that they are profitable and useful means when attended with Divine Illumination and Inspiration and therefore not ad rem What he would have noted that twelve Years ago he distinguished between Gentile and Christian Religion saith he between special and general Religion say I though some call this a new Doctrine in him so to distinguish I think hath little of weight in it except he had told us who his Accusers were For my part I do not account it a New Doctrine in him to distinguish between special and general Religion yet I do esteem it a Contradiction to say as in p. 63. of
that Book Cornelius received the Spirit immediately and yet obtained it further by means of Peter's Preaching And again to assert It is an Error to say Cornelius had the Holy Ghost in his Gentile State but the Holy Ghost was promised PARTICULARLY to Believers in him to such ONLY who believe in Christ crucified and raised again c. Truth Advanced p. 70. neither of which he hath yet retracted He goes on Seeing the word Immediate Revelation is no Scripture Term though Revelation is I can freely consent that the word Immediate be not pressed or imposed on any Answ This is idle all over We are not entring into a Strife of words with him but will he retract the things will he say Revelation is not Immediate now a days which in two former Books he hath asserted that it is and entitled one of them Immediate Revelation not ceased the other Divine Immediate Revelation continued in the True Church and told us the ill Consequences of denying it assigning it as such a Fundamental Error that the greatest part of their other Errors are built on it and indeed the whole Superstructure of their Church and Ministry as to its outward Constitution see Preface to Imm. Rev. p. 1. This were he sincere he would either retract or fairly maintain but instead of that he playeth upon words and acts the Sophister to his great Shame were he not past it For whereas even in p. 42. of Imm. Rev. a Page he recommends us to even now he could then say These who minister not immediately from the immediate Communications of Life in their own Hearts can do us no good for they cannot Minister and transmit the Communications of Life who have it not in themselves such are Wells without Water and Clouds without Rain said he then Now such Ministers who he knows still oppose Immediate Revelation and deny an immediate Call are by him reputed Pious which is far from being Wells without Water and Clouds without Rain for to such was reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever Jude 12.13 and perhaps given with a design to lick their Fingers as well as that he hath laboured to irritate them against us for to suppress our Books and disturb our Meetings that he might be eased of that Task he is so uneasie under and hath hitherto so unsuccessfully wearied himself with § 2 To sweeten them and make Friends to himself of what he might as well account the Mammon of Unrighteousness as Wells without Water and Clouds without Rain he in § 2. mincingly gives part of what he had said in the Preface to Imm. Rev. viz. His blaming them who say the Scriptures are a filled-up Canon c. And p. 4. of the Book it self Though no new Essentials are to be added yet a new and fuller and clearer Testimony may be added concerning the same old Essentials This last passage he clips egregiously for he there said Now though we say That the Scriptures are a full and perfect Testimony of all the Essentials of the Christian Religion yet we believe contrary to these of the National way that they are not a Canon so filled up as no more is to be added unto them from the same immediate Inspiration of the Spirit of God through his Servants of the SAME AUTHORITY with them for though no new Essentials are to be added yet a new and fuller and clearer Testimony may be added concerning the same old-Essentials Now as it is not his present Interest to give his Belief contrary to those of the National way for he craves their help against us so instead of being so sincere as to retract it he slips it over in silence And that his Belief now and his Belief then may not seem to interfere he puts a Trick upon his Reader concealing those words where he had said the Scriptures are not a Canon so filled up as no more is to be added to and from the conclusiv◠words drawn from the Premises he bids us note th◠words may be added as importing the Possibility of such◠thing as if he had delivered nothing positive had no◠asserted they were not a Canon so filled up as no mor◠is to be added to but had been only proposing an Addition as a thing not impossible A plain downrigh◠Retraction even of an Error had been more to hi◠Credit than this false and deceitful Subterfuge whereby the Man shews he rather labours to put a false Gloss upon his Cause than ingeniously to Recant what now he is unwilling to defend To this he adds Whether God shall be pleased to add to the Books of the Holy Scripture other Books of the same Authority in any time to come before the end of the World I judge it not safe for me to determine either in the Affirmative or the Negative Answ If he had not by with holding that part of the Citation I have given and a perusing the Sence of that which he hath given which he could never have done unespied had he cited the whole as he ought cast a Mist before his Readers Eyes it would have been obvious that G. K. formerly was so far from not judging it safe for him to determine the Matter Negatively or Affirmatively that he hath given his own Sence in the Affirmative that Books of the same Authority with the Scriptures may be added Who were he now otherwise minded and of an honest Mind not to mis-guide and abuse his Reader would rather have retracted and given this as the Fruit of his second Thoughts than to have offered this as his then Sentiments which were not so and would have been evident not to have been so had the Citation been fairly given I am perswaded that as the Learned among the Church of England will readily see so the Pious will abhor his palpable Deceit and Prevarication § 3 In his § 3. He labours to excuse his blaming them who deny that there is an Infallible way whereby to discern the True Ministers and Members of Christ's Church from the False he had added in that Preface to Imm. Rev. Whence proceeds that promiscuous mixt Number of Teachers and People whereof their Church is composed who are GENERALLY void of any Experience of a gracious Work in their Hearts but this he slily drops as not ingenious enough to retract it nor daring to defend it by telling us Though such a discerning was given at times to the Prophets and Apostles and others extraordinarily endued whereby to know Mens inward States without regard had to their Fruits yet the general way that Christ hath given whereby to know Men is by their Fruits of Words and Works whether Good or Evil. Answ Surely he makes meer Babies of Men of other Perswasions if they may not be supposed to know as well as himself that at times extraordinary Men have been extraordinarily qualified Nor was it in debate then between him and his Antagonists whether the Prophets and Apostles had the Gift of discerning