that the monthly Meeting in the first Month last there mentioned was in the next Month following in the Year 1692. see that very Year mentioned page 27. unless he can find out some Month or Months betwixt the 12th Month of the Year 1691. and the 1st Month of the following Year 1692. X. page 24. He most perversly and ignorantly doth alledge by a sort of Argument that is so silly and weak that scarce an ordinary School boy would use it that if this Act of T. L's viz. His withdrawing from the monthly Meeting adjourned where I begin it was the cause of the Separation then it could not be the Separation it self but the Separation must come after this as the Effect follows the Cause and of this Argument he is so conceited though ridiculously weak that though I answered it in the yearly Meeting to the Satisfaction of many at which time I advised him to beware of falling into the Ditch of that called Philosophy yet he brings it up again and is not ashamed to Print his ignorance and expose it not to say his folly but the Answer I gave him then I now again give him more largely that though the efficient Cause cannot be the Effect yet the formal Cause is the Effect in part as all Logicians or School men that treat on the Nature of Causes and Effects do teach and the material Cause is also another part of it and thus the Soul and Body are the formal and material Causes of a Man and yet they are the Man Wood and Stone and Fashion or Figure of the House are the material and formal Causes of the House and yet they are the House So T. L. and his Faction going away out of the Meeting and his rude and disorderly manner of doing it denying them to be a Meeting and consequently to be the Church were the material and formal Causes of that begun Separation and that evil Spirit that set him and them at work was the efficient Cause of it and the final Cause was to exalt themselves over their poor Brethren that as they ruled in the State most of them being Magistrates that went out so they might rule in the Church and exercise a Tyranical and Arbitrary Power Papist like over them which they not long after discovered by their open Persecution of Fining and Imprisoning for Conscience Sake And thus I have assigned the four general Causes of that begun Separation made by them which this unjust Man by his Sophistical wrangling would cast upon us XI He falsly alledgeth that the change of the Meeting in Philadelphia from the Bank to the Center was in Course page 30. This I prove to be false and a fiction because as the time of the Course of it was not yet come nor did come either so soon before or after so T. L's puting it to a Vote by giving a Sign whether it should be removed or not the Sign being They that stood should be for its removing they that sate for it s not removing but this not being according to the way and order of Truth nor vielded to we gave no regard to it farther then to prove by it the Meeting was not changed by Course but by Will and Arbitrary Power and 't is no wonder that they had an influence on many to joyn with them having the worldly Government in their Hands XII page 33. His Perversion of Thomas VVilsons Words that gave Evidence against me at the Yearly Meeting that I said I believed they removed the Meeting to force me to meet with them proveth that they that used that force toward me were guilty of the separation and the cause of it For can there be any greater cause of separation or breach than to force Mens Consciences as some of them thought to force me to joyn in Prayer with them whom I could not in Conscience joyn with for their unchristian Usage towards me one of them having publickly cursed me in the Mens Meeting saying VVoe be to thee from the Lord another calling me in the Meeting Babylons Brat and none of them censuring these wicked Actions and they knowing that I was not like to be forced by them to joyn with such in Prayer they knew how to find an occasion against me to disown me And how many Hundreds here in England Friends as well as others have been separated from other Professions because of their seeking to force and compel them to a way of VVorship they could not in Conscience own So their seeking to force me proves they had a design to disown me And so Thomas VVilson's saying that he juddged me out of my own mouth judgeth him and them out of their own Mouth XIII His Perversion in blaming me for having a private Family meeting my House hence casting the Separation upon me to instruct my Family and pray in my Family saying page 33. That I give no account by whose appointment or what Authority that Meeting was held so that by his Sentiment Men must not instruct their Families nor pray in their Families without Authority and Appointment of the Mens-Meeting or if they do they must let none others be present though the Act of Parliament now expir'd and repeal'd permitted Five beside the Family His Clamour about our meeting at the Barbadoes House is idle and impertinent we met not there till they had separated themselves from us and denyed the Monthly Meeting And after this who can say but we had liberty to meet where we thought fit Besides that they not only threatned to keep us out of the Bank Meeting but most rudely abused us when we met in it at our ordinary times having a Right to it as good as theirs always interrupting any of us that spoke though we never interrupted them and at last sending some by their Magistratical Authority with Saws and Axes to knock down our Gallery but they were prevented by some that knocked down both the one and the other which I had no hand in directly nor indirectly XIV p. 35. His Perversion that I affirmed a Power to alter choose change pull down and set up Meetings as I pleased and the foundation of this Forgery is by his own confession because I declar'd my Sense by way of Proposition That it were good to have but one publick Meeting on First days and the remaining part to be used in private Families Now Reader judge what ground he had from my simple Christian-Proposition to invent this Forgery XV. He grosly perverteth my Words that because I said It was good to have but one publick Meeting on First days thereby inferring that it was not good according to my sense but evil to have two publick Meetings on First days and that therfore to keep two was against my Conscience But let the Reader judge what perverse Reasoning this is Pag. 36 37. Knoweth he not a Distinction betwixt two goods and the one either equal to the other or better than the other as
glad to have kept Meetings with many or most of the People of the Meeting of the other side after the Separation was begun believing and knowing that they were in great measure beguiled and led astray by their Leaders that they were too much given up to follow yet retaining a measure of Simplicity but we could not meet with them in Peace after their Leaders on the other side had begun the Separation not having freedom given us or Permission peaceably to exercise our gift among them but were always interrupted and molested when we met together and otherwise most unchristianly abused And thus I hope I have sufficiently shewed the good Consistency betwixt my saying I and my Friends had Unity with the most there at that Meeting considering the Circumstances then of that Meeting and yet did remain in a Separation both of Spirit and outward Fellowship from many of that Meeting both then and since and the same Answer here given may serve to answer the same Objection and Accusation made against us very unduely in the Book called The Christian Doctrine and Society of the People called Quakers page 18. of the said Book XXIII page 47. His Perversion of my words about the word many and very many in my saying it was my charitable Perswasion that the worthy Name Christian doth belong to very many of that People where by very many he construeth my Sense to be only these few I had an experimental proof of through intimate Conversation and frequent verbal Communication with since I came last into England But this is a gross Forgery and Perversion for I did really mean not them only but all them whom I have at any time formerly bad Experience of their Christianity by intimate Conversation and verbal Communication either in England or any other part of the World that have given me no occasion to think otherwise of them as many have not though some have and my Charity leads me to believe and judge that there are very many called Quakers that are true Christians both in Faith and Practice that I have had no outward knowledge of but I cannot in Charity esteem them Christians who have unchristian'd themselves either by their bold and open contradicting the great Truths of Christianity or by their persecuting and otherwise unjust and wicked Practises XXIV page 48. His Perversion of my words that though I said in my last Book called The causless ground c. I have not charged the People called Quakers either in the general or in the plurality he will needs have it to be understood only of these few I have intimately conversed with since I came last into England Oh! How hath prejudice blinded him But how can he or I either be positive to say the People called Quakers are good Christians either in general or in the plurality when Geo. Whitehead hath told us in his printed Epistle printed about four years ago at London and was re-printed in Penstlvania called A Christian Epistle to Friends in geneneral c. That few sincerely seek the Lord c. And very few have their Minds and Spirits really and inwardly exercised in frequent Prayer and daily Supplications to God or in heavenly Meditation or spiritual Contemplations in Gods pure and spiritual Laws Ways Judgments and Works or in holy Scriptures by the Holy Spirit which opens them but too many have their Minds Hearts and Affections taken up with these fading Objects and things below or overcharged with the love of Riches Caâ—es and Cumbers of this Life to compass the Earth wherein many a good Talent has been hid and poor Soul buried in Captivity And concerning Friends Children and young Persons he saith It 's but few in Comparison that come in at that door viz. the work of Regeneration And who will say that the worthy Name of Christian doth belong to such And yet by G. W's charge they must be at least the plurality when very few do otherwise though some formality and something of the form of Truth as he saith they may have by outward Education But let none think I blame G. W. in this it may be a true charge for what I know to the contrary but why should I be so much blamed for charging neither the generality nor plurality but some particulars when he hath charged many more with things as bad as Errors in Principles and that publickly in Print beside that Errors in Practise do commonly go along with Errors in Principle But it seems strange to many as well as to me that Errors in Principle as Pride vanity of Apparel Covetousness Envy Backbiting may without offence be publickly reproved by word of Mouth in Meetings and also in Print but Errors in Principle must not be reproved and witnessed against either in publick Meetings or in Printed Books Do Errors in Practise as Pride vanity of Apparel Covetousness Envy and the like when publickly witnessed against in Print or in Meetings open the Mouths of Adversaries and grieve faithful Friends less than Errors in Principles unless it be said that reproving Errors in Principles reflect upon the Preachers but reproving Errors in Practise reflect only upon the People but if any of the Preachers be guilty why may they not and ought they not to be as publickly reproved as the People unless we respect Persons and that both for their Error in Doctrine and Practise Is it not a just charge upon some called Preachers which Christ charged upon the Scribes and Pharisees They loved the Praise of Men more than the Praise of God and therefore cannot beat to be reproved for it hath been the general default of Teachers and Leaders of the People in former times to hide their own Faults and expose the Faults of others especially of such as did not flatter them and gave them not honour enough before Men. And nothing can be said against my Printed Books in reference to my publick witnessing again the Errors in Principles whereof some are guilty in Pensilvania and elsewhere but what may be as much said against G. Whitehead his reproving these great Vices and Immoralities among many called Friends having the Name and form of Truth Have my Books tended to the dishonor of God disservice to Truth reproach and grief of Friends for my Printing against the vile Errors whereof some called Friends are guilty And hath not G. Whiteheads printed Epistle had as much that tendency for his printing against the vile Practises of many more than ever I charged But in reality I judge and many others do judge that the faithful witnessing against Mens gross and vile Errors either in Doctrine or Practise is no proper and direct cause of such Effects as the dishonour of God the disservice of Truth the reproach and grief of Friends but on the contrary the proper and direct cause of Gods being honoured Truth cleared the Reproach removed and faithful Friends comforted with a publick Testimony borne against such publick Sins and
good Apology for his printing against me taking it for granted that he hath proved me to be a deceiver But whether he hath not failed in his proof I leave to all truly judicious and impartial to judg after they have duly perused and weighed my Answer which I hope e're long to make publick He did not well consider that what did seem to make for him against me would really make for me against him and all Others that approve his scandalous book and blame me for that which this his assertion clears me of thus shewing himself to be no wise nor well experienced Soldier to put his own best Weapon into the hand of him he supposeth to be his Adversary The Answer to T. Elwood mentioned in this Epistle called A seasonable information c. I intend God willing to make publick with the first convenience if nothing be done forthwith by that party that hath approved and promoted his book to call it in and disown it I remain in true Love Your Friend in the Truth George Keith POSTSCRIPT to Tho. Elwood ANd because as the Scripture saith of making many books there is no end I do here in a Christian humble spirit not like Goliah but like little David confiding Only and Alone in the Lord and in his powerful Name assisting me make this proffer to Th. Elwood or any others that approve and promote his book at any place and time that he or they will appoint at London providing it be some Meeting-place of Friends that is large and all sober and moderate persons whether Friends or friendly people have freedom to be present to meet him and them and to prove him guilty of gross Forgery in matters of fact Perversion Misrepresentation and false Accusation in many Particulars and also that he is guilty of false Doctrine and Contradiction not only to the holy Scriptures but to some of his own former books And it is as just and reasonable in me to demand a publick free Meeting with him and them that approve and promote T. E. his book in order to prove him guilty of gross Forgery c. as it was in G. W. and W. P. and others concerned wherein I was one to demand a publick and free Meeting with the Baptists in order to prove Th. Hicks guilty of the like Crimes and the Baptists yeilding to such a Meeting at Friends demand how can I be blamed in demanding the like Justice or they excused if they deny it G. K. A Seasonable Information and Caveat Against a Scandalous Book of Thomas Elwood CALLED An Epistle to Friends c. Whereas Th. Elwood hath Printed a Scandalous Book against me called An Epistle to Friends c. in great disunity and against the Mind of many Friends and contrary to the Gospel Order Professed by us although approved and promoted by a Party equally prejudiced against me for my faithful Christian Testimony to the Truth of Christ Upon a diligent Review and Examination of his scandalous Book I find in it at least fifty several Perversions and Misrepresentations and divers of them downright Forgeries and Fictions in matter of Fact and false Accusations the which in Order follow with their several respective Answers I. HE falsly accuseth me in his Title Page of a Spirit of Contention and Division that as he saith hath lately appeared in me and some few others that joyn with me who have made a Breach and Separation from Friends in America For seeing by a Spirit of Contention he meaneth it in the worst Sense as Contending against faithful Friends or Separating therefrom This is a false Charge we remain in Unity with faithful Friends in America and elsewere and contend only against Error and wicked Practises and are only separate from Unbelievers and such as the Scriptures command us to be separated from Rom. 16. 17. A Place of Scripture cited in his Title Page which makes against him for they in America whose unjust Cause he hath taken to defend hath caused Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and therefore we ought to avoid them and there is a godly Contention we ought to be found in so as to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. And we are commanded to be separated from Unbelievers such as these are from whom we were separated in America though they themselves began the Separation and not we And these he calleth some few are about Sixteen Meetings II. pag. 9. He falsly accuseth me that I blame Friends That they were gone too much from the outward to the inward this is a down right Forgery I never blamed any for going too much to the inward for it hath been my Perswasion and that from a true Experience that the more any Man doth come to the inward even to the Grace and Gift of God in his Heart the more he hath a due esteem of Christs Death and Sufferings and precious Blood that was shed for the Remission of Sin and the more his Faith is increased in Christ as he dyed for us and rose again and is our Mediator in Heaven But because I have blamed some Persons for not rightly and fully Preaching Christ without and Faith in him as well as in Christ within therefore he hath forged this Fiction against me That I blame Friends that they were gone too much from the outward to the inward but from his manner of falsly charging me it plainly appears as well as from the words of some others that it was their Sense to preach Christ without and Faith in him it draws from the inward and from the Gift of God within but this is both false and contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles recorded in the Scriptures III. pag. 15. He falsly and unjustly chargeth me with Robert Hannoy's Book as if it were mine both for Matter and Stile and that I cast it upon him For as I have divers times declared as I had no hand in the Printing it but was against it so divers things in it that seemed to some most offensive I was not concerned in though as I have also freely delared and is well known to many divers of the words contained in some of these Queries I spoke them in the yearly Meeting and so far I was concerned but not in Printing them IV. He not only falsly accuseth me but is guilty of an absolute Forgery and Fiction in matter of Fact That I refused to go out at the yearly Meeting in Philadelphia held in the 7th Month 1691. and that my refusal to go out was the occasion of their delay to give Judgment against W. Stockdale for which as a proof he cites my Book called Some Reasons and Causes c. pag. 14. But let the Reader that loveth to see with his own Eyes read that Book and he will find no such thing either in that page or any where else for I went out at the yearly Meeting when I was desired
Evils And though I had a foresight and sense that Enemies of Truth would seek to take advantage from my printed Books yet I had also a sense and foresight as I have expressed in my Book page 6. Some Reasons c. That in the conclusion they would be disappointed and that after a little time their great glorying and seeming gratifyings would be turned into discontent and trettings For on the other hand doth it not greatly stop the cry and reproach that Adversaries of Truth cast upon Friends when they find us cordially zealous in our Testimony against all things reproveable among us whether in Doctrine or Practise and will it not much more occasion their outcry and reproach to find us if so any of us should so do covering and excusing what is not excusable And whereas I said in my said Book That the publishing such account of things might be occasion of grief to many which some seek to take advantage against me for I did not think that the simple Relation or Account of these things would or could be any proper cause of grief to faithful Friends but I did judge and so I do still judge that the gross Errors whereof I did give an Account that too many in these American parts were guilty of would be a just cause and occasion of grief to faithful Friends but neither the Relation in Print nor I the Relator of it should be blame-worthy for the same more then if a News-Letter should come forth in Print giving a Relation or Account of some great loss and destruction of our Country-men or near Kindred and Relations at Sea when the things related do and ought to afflict us with grief but who will say we should blame the Relation or him that hath faithfully related it to us but rather that we should give him thanks for his faithful Relation And indeed I judge farther Friends should have been justly grieved with these vile Errors and wicked Practises that too many professing Truth have been guilty of and it had been more becoming all professing Truth among us to have been deeply humbled before the Lord and to have lamented these things with Weeping Mourning and Fasting then to have found fault so unjustly with the zealous Testimony I have borne against these things that they might have approved themselves like these in Ezekiel 9. 4. That did sigh and cry for all the Abominations that were done in the midst of Jerusalem whom the Lord commanded to have a Mark put upon that they might be spared when the City should be destroyed And if my Books or the things therein related have been instrumental to move any unto such godly grief for the great ignorance unbelief Errors in Doctrine that some are guilty of repugnant to the Christian Faith so as to be humbled before the Lord for these Evils with Prayer unto God that he would cause his Light and his Truth to shine forth to the dispelling these Foggs and Clouds that such who are in such Darkness Ignorance and Errors may be recovered I have cause in that respect to rejoyce and have in a great part my end answered XXV page 49 His gross Perversion and Reflection on the yearly Meeting in his saying supposing it were true That no untruth or falshood in matter of fact hath been discovered in his Books it was not the proper business of the yearly Meeting to judge of the matter of fact contained in his Books which were alledged to have been done in America by Persons not there to answer or give an account of them And page 50. He saith Therefore let none think that because the yearly Meeting did not declare the matters of fact in his Books to be false therefore they are all true Here note 1. He grants that the yearly Meeting did not declare the Matters of fact in my Books to be false and for matter of Doctrine they do not blame me in the least and yet he holds that I am justly censured and blamed by the yearly Meeting which seemeth to me an unparalleled instance of unjustice he casts on the yearly Meeting to blame me for things in my Books that are neither matter of Doctrine nor matter of fact for whatever can be said or written in a Book must needs be one of these two either matter of Doctrine or matter of Fact I know not that ever I heard or read of the like instance that a Book or the Author of it was blamed when nothing either in Doctrine or Fact was declared blame worthy But it seems this Man thinks himself to be more sharp sighted than the yearly Meeting that hath as he thinks discovered matter of fact to be false in my Books and that is That I cast the Separation off from my self and lay it upon Friends and that it was so he alledgeth did appear in the opening and stating that matter in the yearly Meeting but he only saith it but doth not prove it And if it did appear in the yearly Meeting how comes it that he saith The yearly Meeting did not declare the matters of Fact in my Books to be false Is not my clearing my self of the blame of the Separation a matter of Fact in my Book this he saith the yearly Meeting hath not declared to be false in matter of Fact therefore they have not declared it that my clearing my self of the Separation is false and consequently they have not declared the contrary but that my clearing my self of the Separation is true wherein he by his own Confession hath plainly contradicted the Judgment of that called The yearly Meeting Paper which layeth it at my door viz. The Separation so far as I have been concerned therein and yet I judge they lay it not so much at my door as by their own words they should lay it at the door of them of the other side for they plainly say And as to the Separation among Friends in America arising from the unhappy Differences c. So here what can be more plain than that they make the Differences betwixt us in America to be the cause of the Separation as the word arising doth plainly import And seeing the original ground and Cause of the Differences was the unsound and erronious Doctrines held by them of the other side which that Paper called A true Account of the Proceedings c. Doth own them to be guilty of it plainly appears they of the other side were the culpable cause of the Separation and it lyeth mainly at their door in that respect and no otherwise doth it lye at my door but as I opposed their erronious Doctrines and if for this any will lay it at my door as being the innocent cause of it I need not much contend with them though I still say I began not the Separation even as the Differences in Doctrine betwixt Luther and such as joyned with him on the one hand and the Pope and Church of Rome on the other hand caused a
nothing of falshood in it but much truth can nothing come but that which is good as the proper and direct effect thereof But if the publick reproving of mens errors and vices be the proper and direct cause of hurt and mischief the same argument will prove that when the Prophets did publickly reprove the errors and vices or the sins of the people that were then the Church of God by visible profession and did record them tho not in Print for it was not then in use in books that they were the proper and direct cause of hurt and when John reproved the Pharisees and Christ reproved most sharply Priests Scribes and Pharisees that they were proper causes of hurt and especially the recording of them in books that have remained to posterity and which some have made an ill use of and Paul's withstanding Peter to his Face and committing it to writing that he was to be blamed was the proper cause of hurt c by this unfair and undue way of arguing Also when Friends did print books reproving the Errors of Doctrine in other professions by the same argument they were the proper and direct cause of hurt to open the mouths of Papists against them XXVII pag. 51. His perversion and false charge That I have sought occasions by my late book to throw more Reproach on Truth and Friends But how can faithful witnessing against Error be a throwing Reproach on Truth and Friends of it he may as well say one contrary produceth another Truth produceth Error Light Darkness Good Evil all which is false XXVIII His perversion and fallacy in seeming to own the Doctrine in my book The Causeless Ground c. pag. 3. and yet altogether waving the chief thing of Doctrine wherein the Controversie lieth betwixt them of the other side and me and as I judge betwixt him and me viz. That the Faith of Christ as he died for our sins and rose again is necessary to our Christianity and salvation that God doth justifie us and pardon our sins for Christ's sake who died for us through our faith in him that is always accompanied with sincere Repentance c. But his leaving out wholly this period and clause that is so material shewing the great difference betwixt us in relation to the Christian faith I question not is to hide his and his brethrens errors in Pensilvania whose evil cause he hath taken up to defend And it will appear clearly so to be by noticing that he joyns not the work of sanctification in the heart to Christ's outward appearance but to his inward appearance Whereas had he the true Knowledge and Faith of Christ he would joyn and attribute the work of Regeneration and Sanctification both to Christs inward and outward appearance and hold forth and assert the Necessity of the Faith of his outward appearance as well as of his inward appearance in order to the work of Sanctification and Regeneration and would inform people that the true Faith in Christ as he did outwardly appear and die for our sins is not a bare historical and literal Faith but a living Faith wrought in the heart by the power of God and his Spirit inwardly revealed But that he doth not joyn the work of Regeneration and Sanctification to Christ's outward appearance Death Refurrection Ascension and Mediation in Heaven but to his inward only is clear from pag. 54. where he saith the Doctrines whereof as well those that related to the outward appearance and work of Christ in the flesh as those that relate to his inward appearance and work of Sanctification in the hearts of his people were in the first Ages of the Christian Church fully and clearly held forth and believed and pag 55. he distinguishing betwixt the Doctrines we hold in common with other professions that have always from the beginning been asserted c and those Doctrines that respect the inward appearance he saith Yet those Doctrines that respect the inward appearance and manifestation of Christ Jesus by his Light Grace and Spirit shining and working in the hearts of men and women from the beginning carrying on and perfecting the work of Regeneration Sanctification and Salvation have been more largely insisted on So that it is evident he attributes the work of Regeneration and Sanctification only to Christ's inward appearance because he gives this as the Reason why the Doctrine of his inward apperrance is more largely insisted on than the Doctrine of his outward appearance that Sanctification is wrought by his inward appearance and not by his outward appearance viz. his Death Blood Resurrection Ascension Mediation wherein he erreth fundamentally for the work of Sanctification is ascribed in Scripture to Christs Blood and Sufferings as well as to his inward appearance and to both indispensibly necessary and to Faith therein For we are said to be sanctified viz. through Faith in it And he was wounded for our Transgressions and by his stripes or Dolors we are healed Isa 535. 1 Pet. 2. 24. XXIX His gross and bold Fiction and Forgery in saying p. 57. Whatever jealousies and Dissatisfactions any of other professions had entertained against us on this account before they had no ground or occasion given them Whereas now he hath given them occasion tho unjustly and without cause to entertain wrong Jealousies of us But this his bold Fiction is false in both Parts 1. That other Professions had no ground of Dissatisfaction given them touching these Doctrines before my Books came forth for they had but too much ground from too many unsound Expressions contained in their Books and which some of that Profession have objected to me and which I could not answer otherwise than to acknowledge them to be unsound but it would take up too much time at present to mention them and the Books and Pages where these unsound Expressions are to be found But if T. E. or any else put me hard to it I can produce for Evidence but too many that to my certain knowledge have offended and stumbled many of other Professions 2. That I have now given them occasion to entertain wrong Jealousies of us for on the contrary by my faithful Testimony to sound Doctrines of the Christian Faith and against the opposite Errors I asserting that these Errors are not chargable on the body of Friends nor on the plurality but on certain particular Persons this is the most effectual way and indeed the only way to remove these Jealousies against us But nothing can be more effectual to confirm their Jealousies against us than to find any among us either to deny that any such erronious Doctrines are chargeable upon particular Persons when 't is clear as the Light of the Noon-day they are chargeable or to excuse and cloak them with such strained glosses as they cannot bear and make the Offence the greater XXX page 52. His Perversion and Fallacy in construing my words That the Doctrine of Christ Crucified c. was buried
in silence as if I understood it generally or universally and respected all Friends every where whereas my words have a Restriction and Limitation very expresly for I do not say buried in silence by all or most part or opposed by all or most part but I say buried in silence by some and opposed by others which I did chiefly intend with respect to these parts of America where the Controversie began among us about Preaching The Necessity of the Faith of Christ without as well as of Christ within and the Faith of his Manhood as well as of his God head being necessary to our Christianity and Regeneration But I confess I find it buried with too many here away in England as well as there I found it buried in America And for all this Mans loud Clamour against me until he clear himself more than he hath done I can conclude no other concerning him but that the true Faith of Christ Crucified and the true and sincere Doctrine of it is buried with him also as in the Sequel will further appear XXXI His Fallacy in excusing them who do not Preach the Doctrines relating to the Birth Death Resurrection Assention c. of Christ as to the outward body are not so frequently and constantly declared in our publick Meetings saith he Ye know also that the Servant is not to frame his Message himself but to deliver the Message his Lord gives him to deliver c. Plainly importing that the Lord doth not call his Servants or Ministers so frequently to Preach the Faith of Christ without as of Christ within this proveth that in the Opinion of T. E. the Doctrine and Faith of Christ without is not so Necessary to Regeneration as the Faith of Christ within or rather not at all absolutely necessary for it is absolutely and indispensibly Necessary to Salvation to believe that Christ died for our sins and rose again according to Rom. 109. 8 It cannot be supposed that God will be wanting to move and call all his Servants to preach frequently all that is necessary to Salvation to all to whom they preach Therefore his supposing the preaching of it not being so necessary to be so frequently preached as that of his inward appearance giveth us cause to believe he doth not judg the Faith of Christ without necessary to Salvation but the Faith of Christ within only XXXII pag. 54. His fallacy and perversion in feigning and inventing another excuse as thread-bare as the former and as a fig-leaf that cannot cover his Nakedness nor that of his brethren who gave the same deceitful excuse as he doth to which his frivolous excuse I did sufficiently answer him when he gave it at a meeting of Conference when he was present in the Upper Room at Grace-Church-street about the time of the Yearly Meeting last viz. That though the Doctrines of Christ's inward appearance were generally lost and forgotten yet the Doctrines relating to the outward appearance of Christ in the flesh c. were not lost but retained and preached through all Ages and by every sort or sect of professed Christians To which I then answered him and I now again answer The true Doctrine of the Faith of Christ without as he came in the flesh c. was as much lost in the time of the Apostacy as the true Doctrine of the Faith of Christ within to wit not the bare historical literal Faith of Christ that I confess was not lost but the true living Faith and the Doctrine of it was as much lost as that of his inward appearance tho none of them was universally lost the which true Doctrine teacheth That the only true saving Faith of Christ's Death c. is wrought in mens hearts by divine Illumination Revelation and Inspiration and is taught and begot by the Spirit in mens hearts But T E. will not say that this was not lost therefore his excuse in this also is vain and insufficient and indeed as touching all these Doctrines that have been retained in the time of the Apostacy whether of God or Christ c. tho the literal Knowledge and Faith of them hath not been lost yet the spiritual knowledge of them hath been lost as much as the knowledge and faith of Christ within for the true knowledge of both is but one knowledge and the true faith of both is but one faith XXXIII Pag. 57. His perversion of my modest Proposition about correcting some unsound words in some Friends Books as if with purpose I did hunt for discover and expose if I can the nakedness of such as in Comparison of my self may justly be reputed and called Fathers in the Truth But I refer my self to the impartial Reader whether my modest Proposition can bear such uncharitable construction However let it be granted that some might be reputed Justly my Fathers in the Truth some of whose words being unsound and finding that they have done hurt to weak Readers and are like to do hurt to more I should not think that any good Christian man that loves the Truth more than men would judge the worse of me for correcting them tenderly and Christianly not as an Enemy but as a Friend and Brother XXXIV pag. 58. His perversion in falsly accusing me That I have taken up Ham's work by which he reflects not only on me but on the late Christian Teachers and Writers who have with deserved praise noted and corrected the errors and unsound expressions contained in the books of them called Greek and Latin Fathers as Erasmus Skultetus and divers others commendably have done and as Friends have corrected the weak and unsound expressions of divers of the blessed Martyrs and others that have gone before us who were in Christ as to time before us XXXV p. 58. His perversion of the Scripture words concerning Sem and Japhet their going backward to cover their Father's Nakedness as if there were not a further matter and mystery in it For if it had been only that they must not see their Father's Nakedness they might have covered their Face and Eyes and gone forward and not see their Father's Nakedness XXXVI pag 59. His perversion of my modest proposition That every one owned by us to be a Member of our Christian Society give some Declaration of their Faith which he makes to be an humane imposition thus changing the commandment of God to an humane imposition for it is a commandment of God as to believe with the heart so to confess with the mouth that God hath raised Christ from the dead And we are commanded to hold fast the profession of our Faith which we cannot do unless we first have it and we cannot have it without some Declaration of words for Works however so good without confession will not prove a man to be sound in the Christian Faith nor will confession alone without good works XXXVII p. 59. His perversion of my words That I make a verbal confession the door of admittance into
our Society But this is altogether false I own no other Door but Christ and he both as sincerely believed in not with a bare literal historical Faith but a divine spiritual Faith begot in our hearts by the Spirit of Faith and as sincerely confessed the sincere living Confession flowing from a sincere living Faith in the heart XXXVIII pag. 61. His perversion That I make a bare profession verbal confession or Declaration of Principles Doctrines and Practises the Terms of Church-communion This is false I make them not the Terms at all when the profession is but barely verbal but when the Confession or Profession floweth from the living Faith of Christ and from his Life in the heart I said and still say they are secondary Terms of Church-Communion the inward life of Christ in the heart being the principle XXXIX p. 61. His perverting of my words to a wrong sense never intended by me my words being The Causless Groâ—â—â— p. 8. But that some Principles and Doctrines and points of Faith are necessary to be agreed upon c. and to be owned professed and declared by us to be as it were the Terms c. As if my sense were That men were to contrive and cut out their own Terms But how doth prejudice blind and byass him Knoweth he not that men may well agree together in one faith by the Spirit 's inward working in their hearts as well as they may agree together in one prayer by the Spirit without contriving and cutting out their own Terms I mean not by agreeing or agreed an humane political contrivance or design but a divine agreement XL. p. 60 61. His perversion first in most fraudulently putting a false gloss upon my words about the word agreed on and next deceiving and abusing his Reader as if I did put the same gloss upon R. B. his words p. 48. of his book The Anarchy Also his most disingenuous endeavouring to make the Reader believe I wrong R. Barclay in citing some words of his and that because I cite not so many of his words as he thought fit to cite after me in that place p. 48. But I cited as many as were sufficient to prove That it is R. Barclays Doctrine and Testimony that Principles and Doctrines and the Practices necessarily depending on them are as it were the Terms that have drawn us together and the Bond by which we became centered into one body and fellowship and distinguished from others yet not this so the Bond but that we have also a more inward and invisible the Life of righteousness And in my book called The Reasons and Causes of the Sep. p. 24 25. I have cited R. B. his words at great length to confirm his agreement with me in this particular which he will never be able with all his silly quibles to overthrow But when he cannot fairly dispute he goes to pervert and invent false things first he quarrels with the word agreed but I did not say R. B. used the word agreed but it must needs be his sense That whoever believes the same Doctrine by the Operation of the Spirit of God in their Hearts they must needs agree in that faith Secondly he saith R. B. doth not make a bare profession verbal confession any Terms at all and no more do I and to suppose I do is an invention of his own Thirdly he saith The Principles Doctrines and Practises themselves he calls not the Terms and Bond strictly and properly but as it were But that manner of Phrase as it were doth not hinder that they are truly in his sense the secondary Terms or Terms in part and that properly enough but they are not the only or principal but the inward Life of Righteousness as man's body may be said as it were to be the man and yet not the principle part of the man for that is the soul XLI p. 62. His gross perversion insinuating that in my book Some Reasons and Causes c. p. 16. I had cited R. B's words but it was not his words but his Doctrine that I mention in that place as to the substance of it but not as to that particular Circumstance of answering to some plain questions with yea or nay This Circumstance I did not say was in R. B's book but the substance of the Doctrine but all his proof that it is not his Doctrine is that he assures the Reader it is not but let the Reader compare my Citations at length in my Reasons and Causes of Sep. p. 24. 25. and he shall find it is his Doctrine notwithstanding T. E. his boldly affirming it is not XLII p. 58. His perversion by insinuating That all the most necessary Principles and Doctrines of our Faith both common and peculiar are published and made known by the general Consent Advice and Approbation of the most Judicious Wise and Understanding Friends now alive In answer to my proposition desiring it might be so he saith by way of insinuation Is that a new thing to be done now I reply it is a new thing yet to be done and I believe he is not able to shew me that book where it is done by general consent for it is not the consent of a few or of the Second Days Meeting at London who take too much upon them and have published and recommended books that Truth cannot stand by that I mean but the general Consent of the most Judicious Friends the which if it were done were not to be imposed but to be recommended to other Friends XLIII p. 62. His perversion as if I said That the lesser matters of plain Languages and plain Habit c. were so the Terms of Friends Communion as if every one should thereby be intituled to our Communior who speak the plain Language wear plain habit but I neither said nor thought any such thing XLIV p. 62. His perversion in owning these lesser things when sincerely performed to be fruits effects and signs of that inward and invisible Life of Righteousness but not the Terms so much as in part as if fruits effects and signs joyned with the inward life of Righteousness were not a part of these Terms which is as much as to say because the body is not the whole man therefore it is no part of a man XLV p. 64. His error and perversion in laying more weight on these lesler matters of plain language plain habit c. than on the outward profession and confession to the great Doctrines and Principles of the Christian Faith This is apparent from his words XLVI p. 64. His perversion in falsly charging me That I spurn disdainfully at the advice given me to retract the bitter Language as some call it in my books whereas I modestly promise to do it when they have told me what hard or bitter words I have given to any that are not due unto them withal desiring some to give me their good Example Is this any disdainful spurning XLVII p. 64. His