Offices and Works of those Three and this being granted by us in the sincerity of our Hearts we are excused and cleared And that we always did hold as above altho' falsly charged with Error is well known to them that well know us and notwithstanding these Persons pretend this for one of their Reasons for leaving us it 's Base as well as Foolish and very Idle for any to pretend to leave a People or Society for that which they never held and to alledge for Proof what was writ against those that did falsly accuse us many Years since in those things And the Orthodox antiently did not agree about these School-Terms which were invented since the Apostles days ibid. P. 4. to guard against the Arrian Sebellian and other Heresies and we are altogether free of them and detest them from our very Souls no sober Christian will therefore Judge uncharitably of us in that respect For what W. Penn argueth as concerning Three Persons he only argueth against the invented Names Persons as G. K. affirms Serious Appeal p. 10. if he may be believed by these New Creed-Makers and also that Persons in all proper Languages doth signifie Substances and not meer Properties or Relative Attributes which W. P will not deny to be in God SECT II. P. 9. The Blood of Christ outwardly Shed undervalued by some Quakers p. 10. Proof as Quoted The Sheding of that Blood Out of G. W's Ligot Life p. 64. let out by the Spear was an act of a wicked Man and the Spear an Instrument of Cruelty which to lay the meritorious Cause or Stress of Justification upon it 's false Doctrine says George Whitehead This is another pretended Antichristian Error against the very Foundation of the Christian Religion and one of the particular Reasons as they call it for which these Persons leave the Quakers Now if this be so the contrary sure must be Christian and Orthodox with them let 's therefore hear it and it will be as followeth The Sheding of that Blood let out by the Spear was not an act of a wicked Man and the Spear was not an Instrument of Cruelty which act to lay the meritorious Cause or Stress of Justification upon is not false Doctrine Will these new Creed makers say so But we who are so greatly Abused Rom. 8.24 25. 5.1 9. and foully Represented by our Adversaries Believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the Dead who was delivered for our Offences and raised again for our Justification and therefore being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ who dyed for us Being now Justified by his Blood we shall be saved from Wrath through him For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life And if any would suggest from this Retortion of G. W. upon his Antagonist's words That the Quakers slight or undervalue the Blood of Christ that was Shed without the Gates of Jerusalem about 1700 Years since they grosly Abuse them and evilly Intreat them for as before we in Sincerity declare and in Humility and with true Thankfulness Bless God we have Peace with him through our Lord Jesus Christ who we firmly believe died for us and being now justified by his Blood we shall be saved from Wrath. And as G. K. saith It is only the true Believer who hath Faith in Christ Jesus whom God Justifieth so it is only he that is truly Sanctified Presb Ind. c. p. 122. and Regenerated and Born again of the Spirit of God whom God doth Justifie And it 's a true Figure of false Christians as G. K. saith p. 130. Ibid. who would have Christ divided and say They believe in Christ without them but do not believe and Receive Christ within them as God the Father doth Reveal him Nor saith G. Keith Serious Appeal p. 50. doth Edward Burroughs and William Penn if their words be duly construed contradict what I have affirmed But that Men are justified by Christ's Righteousness as the requisite Condition and Terms in order to that Imputation and that David lying in his Sins of Adultery and Murder remained justified we deny And let these New Creed-Makers prove that any owned by the Quakers or in Unity with them undervalue the Blood of Christ outwardly Shed for what they Cite out of G. W. doth not prove it SECT III. That God and Christ is in Heaven is denyed by some Quakers And the Proof brought by them is viz. But that the Outward Person which suffered Serious Apology by W. Penn. p. 146. was properly the Son of God we utterly deny This they pretend is against the Foundation of Christian Religion and as a proof of the Quakers Errors and Antichristian Principles which G. K. and others have endeavoured to render with as ugly a face as they can put on it Let us again try this backward and assert the contrary since it 's urged by them that are gone back and examine them a little on it That the outward Person that suffered was properly the Son of God we sincerely own Do you own this and condemn W. P. and some Quakers and leave all the Quakers for this and your other Reasons And do you know and believe that outward Person or Body only that suffered Death on the Cross which the Soldier pierced with the Spear was from all Eternity or of an eternal Generation and that That outward Person or Body only was Glorified with the Father before the World was as the Son of God who was before that Body that Suffered on the Cross Consider these things And whether these things do not proceed from a Spirit of Prejudice and Envy Serious Appeal p. 6. 15 to render us no Christians as G. K. said to C. Mather so far is he and we may say are you from that Candor of giving a favourable Construction upon W. P's Words that you shew more Inclination to Clamour and Reproach than Inform or Convince Come hear G. K. in this Case Because he C. M. cannot fix his false Charge upon me of denying Christ p. 25. Ibid. he essayeth but with as ill Success to fix it upon my Brethren as dear Isaac Pennington whom I well know to be a true Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and a sincere Lover of him even the Crucified Jesus and whose Soul I believe is in Rest with Christ in Heavenly Glory And as to his words We can never call the bodily Garment Christ but that which appeared and dwelt in the Body it is easie to put a fair and charitable Construction on it as well as on Christ's words when he said ☞ He that hath seen me hath seen my Father and yet many saw Christ's Body of Flesh that never saw the Father But to clear the thing J. P. speaketh this in Opposition to Socinians and did
not W. P. also And against the Godhead Suffering and others tinctured with Socinian Principles as if the Manhood of Christ that was Born of the Virgin excluding the Eternal Word was the only and whole Christ whereas Christ was before his Body of Flesh and therefore He is said to come in the Flesh and to have taken Flesh And if we consider Christ as he was before the World was by whom all things were Created and in respect of his Godhead the Body was not that but the Garment of it when he Assumed it What say you now was that Person or Body only properly the Son of God according to Geo. Keith to Cotton Mather If not Where is the Error and your Reason for leaving the Quakers And in that Book out of which you took that Citation unless you took it on Trust you may find a plain Confession of our Faith in God Christ and the Holy Spirit in p. 149. of W. P's Serious Apology We do believe in One holy God Almighty W. P 's Serious Apology p. 149. who is an eternal Spirit the Creator of all things And in One Lord Jesus Christ his only Son and express Image of his Substance who took upon him Flesh and was in the World and in Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurrection Ascention and Mediation perfectly did and does continue to do the Will of God to whose holy Life Power Meditation and Blood we only ascribe our Sanctification Justification Redemption and perfect Salvation And we believe in One holy Spirit that proceeds and breathes from the Father and the Son as the Life and Vertue of both the Father and the Son a measure of which is given to all to profit with and he that has one has all for those Three are One who is the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last God over all blessed for ever Amen SECT IV. Justification by the Righteousness of Christ denyed Before we Reply to this we make this Remark That here they do not say by the Quakers or by some Quakers as if they were Conscious to themselves they ought not so to Charge them yet they have made this Note viz. Note Reader Here is Justification by the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ as the Meritorious and Fundamental Cause thereof before God plainly denyed for that was and is wholly without us And now to their Proof Justification by Christ's Imputative Righteousness W. P 's Serious Apology p. 148. and wholly without us And indeed this we deny and boldly affirm it in the Name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils and Arm of the Sea of Corruption which does now deluge the whole World Now these new Converts and Creed-Makers say That here Justification by the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ is denied which shews they do not well understand the Doctrines of those that they have joyned with nor of G. K. neither who hath mis-led them as by what 's before quoted of him on this Head to which we refer and desire them to consider what G. K. saith Serious Appeal p. 10. W. Penn's words are not so to be understood concerning Justification as if he excluded Christs Righteousness which he fulfilled in his own Person but only he denyeth that any can be Justified by that alone without Faith and Repentance c. And if this will not satisfie we shall add a Quotation of a Doctor of the Church of England and quoted by G. K. the new Sworn or Ordained Preacher as it is in his Serious Appeal p. 65. Dr. Cave concerning Justification in the Life of Paul Sect. 9. N. 15. Works of Evangelical Obedience are not opposed to Faith Serious Appeal p. 65. in Justification in that Faith as including the New Nature and keeping God's Commandments is made the usual Condition of Justification nor can it be otherwise when other Graces and Virtues of the Christian Life are made the Terms of Pardon and Acceptanee with Heaven and our Title to the Merits of Christ's Death and the great Promise of Eternal Life Citing Acts 2.38 3.17 Mark 11.25 26. 1 John 11.7 By which it appears we must Walk in the Light as well as Believe And we shall conclude this Head to shew how falsly these Men charge us and foully they contradict G. K. now a Preacher of that Church they pretend to be joyn'd to in some of his words viz. We deny not but affirm That our Justification is by the Righteousness or Obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed unto us Serious Appeal p. 50. but we also say It is Imputed to none but such who have Faith Repentance and sincere Obedience and that is true inward Righteousness wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ Nor doth Edward Burrough and William Penn if their words be duly construed contradict what I have Affirmed And it is false Doctrine and contrary to the Doctrine of the holy Scripture to say Fresh and Ind. visib Churches p. 201 202. That Justification is only by Christ's Righteousness without us imputed unto us and received by Faith alone and not by any Righteousness of God or Christ imputed unto us or wrought in us And G. K. writing this long since W. P. writ the other it shews there was no disagreement then whatever now is pretended SECT V. The Quakers account themselves Equal with God And for Proof they quote Francis Howgill's Works p. 232. and Geo. Fox's Saul's Errand p. 8. viz. He that hath the same Spirit that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Serious Appeal p. 60. is Equal with God Now concerning this hear G. K. For it may be supposed that you that have left the Quakers to follow him should have Regard to his words what he saith to those that would six this on G. F. viz. It is not to be Regarded and W. Penn hath sufficiently Vindicated G. F. and also G. F. hath cleared it in his Book That he did witness both the Son and the Holy Spirit revealed in him who are equal to God the Father And therefore as G. K. said may we say Indeed if Quakerism were such a thing as you and such as you Represent it to be and would fain have People believe it to be or that the â—oth part that you say of it were true it were most abominable and such that hold it would be most unworthy and not fit to be esteemed Men far less Christians But blessed be God our Religion is not that which ye would make it to be nor are we such as ye describe and it 's a great Question to us if you do heartily Believe these things that ye say of us to be true either in General or in great part and if you do not believe so the greater is your Sin as G. K. said to C. M. SECT VI. The Death and Sufferings of Christ undervalued by the Quakers This is a false Charge But hear their Proof as quoted by them True it is they own
that which Died was his Body i. e. Christ dwelt Eminently in him But that Body saith W. Penn is in no Man Ergo that can't be the Christ in his sense which is incapable to dwell in Men. If this be an Error and the contrary Truth then these Creed-Makers hold that which died was his Godhead not his Body i. e. in which Christ Eminently Dwelt But surely they do not consider what their Tutor G. K. saith Serious Appeal p. 27. He saith Christ cannot as to himself properly and strictly in a literal sense be killed or crucisied in Men Mind that then the Body that Suffered and Died by G. K's Account was not properly the Son of God nor crucified in Men. Neither do the Quakers hold that Body that Suffered for all Men is in all Men For the Body as G. K. saith in the same page that Christ was to Suffer in as a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World Note Here is that Body of Christ distinguished by G. K. behoved to be a Clean and Holy Body as it was a Lamb without Spot and the Death behoved to be a real Death Which could not be of the Godhead and it would be Blasphemy to affirm The Godhead died and Ignorance to assert That Body that died is in all Men but it 's sound Doctrine to assert and Preach That Christ who is properly and not Figuratively called Light as G. K. affirms Augustine said Is the true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World John 1.9 and so is in all Men And which Light Word or Spirit within G. K. saith as quoted in his Book of Retractations p. 21 22. It hath pleased the Lord to send his Son into the World both in the Outward and Inward in a weak and low Appearance that he might shew forth the more abundant Glory in that which was so low and weak in Appearance to prevail over the greatest Power that stood in his way for thus doth the Seed of the Woman bruise the Serpent's Head And this will bring People naturally to own the Scriptures and things therein declared to own Moses and the Prophets to own the Dispensation of God to the Jews in that day and to own Christ in the Flesh his miraculous Death his Doctrine Miracles Suffering Death Resurrection and Ascension together with the wonderful End and Design of God therein c. And this Method I well Approve of still saith G. K. And so do the Quakers and are firm in this Faith altho' weak in Appearance and despised of Men that He in whom they have believed Christ the Light that many hate because their Deeds are Evil shall prevail over the greatest Power that stands in the way and that God will tread Satan down and make him like Ashes under the Soles of their Feet who love and live in Him against whom and those that are built upon him all the Powers of Hell nor the Rage and Enmity of Apostates shall never be able to prevail against them For he that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision and Christ whom God hath set upon his holy Hill shall break them with a Rod of Iron and shall dash them to pieces like a Potter's Vessel SECT VII The Resurrection of the Body denied c. Urged for Proof as followeth I do utterly deny W. Penn's Invalidity of J. Faldo's vindication p. 369 370. that this Text 1 Cor. 15.44 is concerned in the Resurrection of Man's Carnal Body at all But the Two States of Men under the first and second Adam Men are sown into the World Natural but they are raised Spiritually through Him who is the Resurrection and the Life and so they are the Sons of the Second Adam Will these Creed-Forgers say They do own that this Text is altogether concerned in the Resurrection of Man's Carnal Body and not in the Two States of Men under the First and Second Adam and that they are not raised Spiritually through Him who is the Resurrection and the Life and that they are not so the Sons of the Second Adam If they do will this be good Doctrine Read what G. K. saith on this Head Because we own an Inward Quickning Serious Appeal p. 52. and being Raised with Christ in our Souls and Inward Man that therefore we deny any future Resurrection of the Body after Death which we deny not but affirm against Ranters and vain Notionists And as for his Citing W. Penn's Words arguing against that same Numerical Body P. 9. its Rising at the Resurrection it is clear that he understandeth the same exact Number of small Particles or Dusts neither more nor less than what is commonly Buried and what hurt is there in that And we affirm as our Friends often have that we believe there will be a Resurrection both of the Just and Unjust and if any Man now shall say How are the Dead raised and with what Body do they come We answer as Paul did â— Cor. 15.39 36 37 38. Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it dye And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that Body that shall be but bear Grain it may chance of Wheat or some other Grain But God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him to every Seed it s own Body And it 's false to say as these Folks do in p. 13. 14. That we mean other things and maliciously to compare us to the Papists And its wrong to suggest that if what we say is true then Christ did not dye for we firmly believe Christ dyed according to the Scriptures and that he died for our Sins and yet we are not afraid to assert That the Life of the Word that was in the beginning with God and was God which Life is the Light of Men dyed not And yet we sincerely believe Christ bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree of the Cross and Shed his Blood even the same Christ that was born of the Virgin Mary and was Crucified Dead and Buried and Raised again and is ascended into Heaven and ever liveth to make Intercession for us and therefore in Contradiction to these Errers and Strayers from the Lords Way we affirm That he we Own profess and Believe in is the Christ of God to whom one day they all must be accountable and receive a Reward according to their Works SECT VIII Jesus of Nazareth denyed to be the Son of God For Proof they quote viz. The Light within sufficient to Salvation without any thing else G. Whitehead's Antidoe p. 28 viz. Without the Man Christ Jesus and Faith in him If what G. Whitehead hath asserted be a Truth then we may bid adieu to Jesus of Nazareth Answ This is is a piece of Forgery for what 's pretended as above to be in G. W's Antidote is not there to be found as quoted but by search we find G. W. there writes viz. s seeing G. K.
confesseth That the Light within in a true sense is God and Christ the Eternal and Essential Word as in his Antichrists and Sadduces p. 23. Surely Christ within and Christ without are not two Christs Christ without is not another Christ than Christ within Surely then God and Christ the Eternal and Essential Word is all-sufficient and able to save from Sin Wrath and Damnation nevertheless God hath respect to Christ Jesus his Mediion Suffering and Dying for us in his so saving us And is this denying Jesus of Nazareth to be the Son of God Oh for Shame what a proof is here And then saying again The Quakers say they own him to be the Christ that was Born of the Virgin so they do and yet affirm Christ is the Light the eternal and essential Word as G. K. saith and if he hath changed his Principles we have not and he is become Heterodox and yet would be counted Orthodox and is not that 's his fault and not ours And if he will espouse those things for Truth which he hath called Errors and exploded as such and say and unsay and do any thing for Money Let him consider there will a day of Reckoning come and he must Appear before him that will judge Righteously and Reward him and you according to your Works SECT IX The Holy Scriptures denyed by Quakers This is a false Charge But they Quote thus Christ left nothing in Writing as the Rule that we hear of W. Penn 's Christian Quaker p. 142 144. and doubtless had he intended the Rule of his Followers to have been a written Rule he would have left it upon Record with all Particularity this must be believed and that done on Pain of Eternal Death If the Scriptures were the Rule of Faith and Life c. Christ by his Disciples and other Holy Prophets left something behind them which we are perswaded were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope And we do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures are a good Rule but not the Only and Chief yet we should be glad all would walk according to them and not impose their Meanings and Interpretations upon others and say as G. K. hath said That Water in Matth. 28.19 is meant and Water is not meant because not expressed nor by any just and true consequence is proved to be meant And yet he saith I still Adhere to my former Advice that nothing be required by one sort from another Retract p. 34. as an Article of Faith or Doctrine in common to be believed but what is Expresly delivered in the Scriptures in plain express Scripture Terms Now if this Advice were kept unto by such that esteem it a Doctrine in common to be Believed viz. That the Scriptures are the only Rule of Faith and Practice they would be uncapable to prove it is expresly declared in the Scriptures that they are the only Rule of Faith and Practice as they would also be unable so to prove and in plain and express Scripture terms many other things which we hold and they call Errors to be such ☞ And we call them to make such a Proof for we are not so Ignorant to undervalue or deny the Holy Scriptures they being our Evidence to prove our Doctrines by and of Divine Authority and nothing that is contrary thereto do we hold notwithstanding all the Clamour and Noise against us we do in all sincerity declare We esteem them the best Book that ever we Read and have great Comfort by them and bless God that by his good Providence he hath preserved them to this day and do Exhort People in the Fear of God to be diligent in the Reading of them and that also they would receive that Holy Spirit they testifie of and that the holy Men of God were moved by to write them that thereby and waiting in it they may come rightly to understand them and the things of God therein testified of SECT X. The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's-Supper denyed The Proof they Alledge is as followeth as quoted by them I affirm VV. Penn's Reason against Railing p. 108 109. That Circumcision is as much of force as Water-Baptism and the Paschal Lamb as the Bread and Wine and we can testifie from the same Spirit by which Paul renounced Circumcision that they are to be Rejected as not now Required Let them prove by express Scripture and in plain and express Scripture words they are now Required and ought to be Received as Articles of Faith and Practice by all true Christians in such express and particular manner as they are used by the Church they and G. K. have now joyned themselves to And let them consider what G. K. hath said on these Heads that said in his first Narrative p. 15. I know not any Fundamental Principle nor indeed one Principle of the Christian Faith that I have varied from to this day Now if these be Fundamentals or any Principles of the Christian Faith he knows not that he hath varied from them to this day Who declared Acts 8.38 Serious Appeal p. 15. Doth not prove that Christ's Baptism with Water for as the Practice of Circumcision after Christ's Resurrection doth not prove it a Gospel Precept no more doth the Practice of Water-Baptism But both Christ and John did Teach That Christ's Baptism was with Fire and the Holy Ghost but no where is it said He Baptized with Water Nothing can be more Clear that Tertullian was not for but against Infant-Baptism they can give no Evidence in Church-History Serious Appeal p. 33. P. 30. for Infant-Baptism Christ commanded not these words to be used in Baptism In the Name of the Father and of the Son c commonly called the words of Iustitution As he can never prove any such Institution so he hath Zuinglius against him who saith expresly Lib. de Bap. p. 66. Tom. 2. Christus Jesus Baptismi formulam qua uteremur his verbis non Instituit quemadmodum Theologi hactenus falso Tradiderunt i. e. Christ Jesus did not Institute the Form of Baptism in these words to be used as the Theologues have heretofore falsly delivered And as to the Supper which you call a Sacrament we advise you to Read and Consider what he hath said on that Account We deny not but he i. e. Christ took Bread and brake it Truth 's Defence p. 138. after Supper and having given thanks he gave it unto his Apostles saying Take Eat this is my Body and likewise the Cup saying Drink ye all of it c. But where is it called a Gospel Ordinance or a standing Command of Christ unto the World's End ☞ Let 's have Express Scripture for this and prove in plain and express Scripture Terms if it be an Article of Faith or Doctrine in common to be believed And saith G. K As for 1. Cor. 11.23 24. which J. A. bringeth to prove that