false Accusation and Defamation and I offer to prove it at the said Meeting Fifthly Whereas the Second Days Weekly Meeting of the People called Quakers in Lombard-street London hath approved or Countenanced the above-mentioned Scandalous Books and another late Book from Pensilvania signed by Caleb Pusey falsly called by him A modest Account from Pensilvania of the Principal Differences in a Point of Doctrine c. I charge them to be guilty of great Injustice against me as also of being guilty of the false Accusations Perversions Forgeries and false Doctrines contained in the said Books by their approving the same and allowing them to be publickly sold next Door to their Meeting-place by one of their own Profession If it happen that few or none of the above-mentioned Persons shall be present at the said Meeting being conscious to themselves of the badness of their Cause yet I do hereby declare and publish my full intention to be present God willing with my Friends at the said Place and Time appointed to make good the Charges against them And any moderate and Friendly People of other Professions have freedom to be present so far as there is room in the place to receive them without Crowd or Throng to hear what shall be said and proved in these matters above-mentioned GEORGE KEITH London the 11th day of the Third Month called May 1696. And here I think fit to give a true Account of the Just Cause I have to intimate such a Meeting IN my book called A Seasonable Information and Caveat against a scandalous book of Th. Elwood I made a profer to Th. Elwood to meet him at any Place and Time that he would appoint to prove him guilty of gross Forgery in matters of Fact c. and also of false Doctrine But he did no wise assent to any such proffer nor gave any rational Excuse for his Rufusal pretending he would not give G K. an Opportunity to gratifie the Rabble and disgrace his Profession he yet made of Truth by so publick a discovery of his ungoverned Passions What is this but great hypocrisie And no doubt if he or his Party thought to get any advantage against me such a Publick Appearance either in regard of the Cause or of what he and they call my ungoverned Passions they would greedily embrace it But the reality of the matter is they are not willing their great injustice as well as their insolent carriage and most unruly Passions in clandestine places should be discovered shutting the doors upon all but themselves that none that were equal and impartial Hearers and Observers might be present to be a check to their rude and insolent carriage against me many speaking to me at once which some among themselves reproved at the first Yearly Meeting I appeared among them Thus they seek to murther the Reputation of the Innocent in secret places And instead of assenting to my just proffer he prints another book against me filled with more than double to what was in his former book of Forgeries Perversions False Accusations and Misrepresentations And I having neither time nor ability of outward Estate to print Answers to him and others that heap book upon book against me with no charge to them they having got a way without any charge or cost to them to Print what they please And things being thus I appeal to all moderate persons whether this my intimation of such a Meeting in the defence of the Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity as the necessity of Faith in Christ as he outwardly suffered at Jerusalem to our Salvation Justification and Sanctification by the Blood of Christ outwardly shed the Resurrection of the Body that dyeth and Christs coming without us in his Glorified Body even the same that formerly suffered Death for our sins to Judge the Quick and the Dead All which I offer to prove have been opposed and contradicted by some of them being the common Faith generally and in common professed by Christians in all professions and for the defence of which all sincere Christians are jointly concerned and also in my just vindication both as a man and a Christian be not justifiable and commendable it being the best way I have at present to clear the Truth and my Innocency and discover their great injustice towards me and to Answer the proud and insulting boastings of my Adversaries And whereas in my late Book called A short List of some of the vile and gross Errors of Geo. Whitehead c. I proposed a just demand to William Penn to give me an Opportunity for him to make good his Charge against me at any publick Meeting of the People called Quakers in or about London instead of his assenting to my just Demand there comes forth a Third Book of Tho. Elwood multiplying his gross Forgeries Defamations and Misrepresentations against me and also containing most false and Antichristian Doctrine to the great dishonour of the blessed Name of Christ and the Christian Religion And as if G. W. and W. P. were not alive or not able to Answer for themselves he will needs Answer for them and the said Tho. Elwood puts a most impudent and notorious perversion upon my plain words in my Proposition to W. Penn saying of me as he has worded his Demand he seems to have bespoke a Publick Meeting that he might have done it himself see page 159. and page 160. of his Truth defended As if saith he he wanted such an Opportunity to prove himself an Apostate Let the Reader but read my words in my own Book and at the first sight he will see the Cheat and Forgery Observe Reader my words p. 32. And let him signifie to me the time and place where he will make it to appear I say not when I will that his Charge against me is true May I not well say that ever such a gross and impudent Forgerer Wrester and Perverter of a Mans words should be allowed or permitted to be an Agent Patron or Champion for what they call the Body of the People named Quakers and their Ministry is a sign that they are at a low Ebb when they make use of such Tools as T. E. is whom I can and do offer to prove not only to be guilty of gross Forgeries and Perversions and Antichristian Principles but grosly ignorant in that which he pretends to have knowledge of Humane Learning and who is guilty of Pedantick trifling and quibbling from meer Errors of the Press not so duly corrected yet obvious to any intelligent Reader And to my demanding the like Justice to be done me as some Years ago we demanded of the Baptists against Thomas Hicks he answereth in his last book falsly called Truth defended pag. 158. That betwixt that and this of mine there is in parallel For saith he in that there was a people concerned on each side c. Whereas W. P 's calling G. K. Apostate affects no body that I know of saith T. E. but himself and
the Blood of another Saint his intent was saith G. Whitehead as to Papists and you whose minds are carnal c. This never was my Quakerism For my belief all along was that Papists and Baptists and all have a Benefit by Christ's Death Now it is come to this That the Blood of Christ is no more to Papists and Baptists than the Blood of another Saint His next Defence of S. Eccles's Letter is That it was no more simply as to the matter of Blood Then they may with Reverence be it spoken as it was reported some have said say it is no more than the Blood of a Thief simply as to the matter of Blood but it may be affirmed that simply considered it was more than the Blood of any Saint for as it was never defiled with sin so his Body of Flesh and Blood had a Miraculous Conception above all other Men though it had the true Nature of our Flesh and Blood yet it had an Excellency above that of all other Men. But let us consider these words of S. E. which G. W. saith might satisfie any Spiritual or unbyassed Mind I do very highly esteem of the Blood of Christ to be more Excellent c. Here is Solomon Eccles's Fallacy and George Whitehead's Fallacy also Now you know what Blood they mean and see what Blood G. Whitehead means The Blood is Spiritual and Inward the other is a Type It is confessed saith G. W. Light and Life pag. 56. That God by his own Blood purchased to himself a Church Acts. 20.28 Now the Blood of God saith he or that Blood that relates to God must needs be Spiritual he being a Spirit and the Covenant of God is Inward and Spiritual and so is the Blood of it So you see he doth not allow the Blood outwardly shed to relate to God or to be the Blood of the New Covenant or that God purchased his Church with that Blood outwardly shed on the Cross Is not this a plain Justification of Solomon Eccles's Letter That that Blood is no more than that of another Saint judge ye who are Intelligent Again He judges none of them guilty of Blasphemy therein as he saith pag. 58. Light and Life viz. Neither Solomon Eccles nor W. Burnet But wherein does he charge him I find not in any thing I cannot produce and read to you many of my Proofs for want of time but two or three to every following Head You have had an Account of them as to Justification Now it is worth your while to see how these pretended Infallible Men contradict one another W. Penn Reason against Railing falls in with T. Danson and Argues like a Christian though in Contradiction to himself elsewhere That no Obedience that Man can perform to God by the help of the Spirit is strictly Meritorious according to the Law of God This is good Doctrine and so is the Reason too because it is but finite and I would make use of the same Argument But G. Whitehead in Answering this Argument Answers T. Danson thus Whereas T. Danson Argues That the Obedience and Righteousness wrought in the Saints by the Spirit is but finite and therefore not Meritorious G. Whitehead denies this that it is finite and saith it is infinite So that by his Argumenâ— our Obedience and Righteousness that God works in us is equal to God himself Now I will read the Passage W. Penn's Reason against Railing Pag. 82. Rewardableness is a work without which God will not bestow his Favour and yet not the meritorious Cause for that there is no proportion betwixt the work that is finite and temporary and the Reward which is infinite and eternal in which sense both the Creature obeys the Commands of God and does not merit but obtain only and God rewards the Creature and yet so that he freely gives too A good Protestant Argument and good Protestant Doctrine so far but that he contradicts it again by opposing the necessity of Faith in Christ crucified for Justification and totally excluding Christ's Satisfaction in order to Justification and Remission of sin You see W. Penn says the Work is finite and temporary and therefore does not strictly Merit But hear G. Whitehead in his Book called The Voice of Wisdom against Antichrist c. pag. 36. Printed at London Anno 1659. The Righteousness which God effects in us is not finite but infinite for Christ is God's Righteousness and Christ is formed in us Gal. 4.19 And so that Righteousness which God works in us by his Spirit is of the same Kind and Nature with that which worketh it for the Saints are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Now if you think I have read wrong read it your selves Quaker I do not think so only I think the whole Paragraph should be read I hope you have all so much Christianity as rather to hope that what G. Keith has pretended to be a Proof that he cannot prove it than that he can For it were well if there were no Party of People that there could be any Proof against G. Keith I wish I had no occasion to produce any Proofs of this kind Quaker To pick here and there a piece out of two or three Books it is impracticable G. Keith They should have been here then to have defended it I will read the whole Paragraph to you Now I would haste to a Conclusion I have proved to you that they have excluded the Blood of Christ that we are not justified by the Blood outwardly shed I come to prove that they say we are not sanctified by that Blood I shall read to you G. Whitehead pag. 49 50 51. Here is one Proof if ye think this is not enough I will bring more Neither did I ever read says the Baptist that it was the Blood or Life of Christ in his People that we are justified by Now here is G. Whitehead's Answer Light and Life pag. 59. The Spirit of Christ which is Life doth both Quicken Sanctifie and Justifie the true Believers John 6.63 1 Cor. 6. And that Blood and Water that 's said to cleanse is not of another kind but agrees in one with the Spirit all which is known within and the Effects thereof So you see he takes it away from the outward Blood and gives it to the inward Blood Auditors Go to the next Head G. Keith That is but G. Whitehead's Proof I shall give you W. Penn's Proof Auditors Let us hear it G. Keith I would be loath to mention this Man Is Pennington However this Question is in his Book and I charitably think this Passage dropt from him unawares I wish I could have that ground of Charity to others of them But Truth ought to be more Precious to me than any Man I only mention his Name as to the Subject we are on Jo. Faldo thinks that he has made Is Pennington his own Can outward Blood wash the Conscience p. 29. A plain
and G. W. over-ruled them and influenced them against me with Prejudice and some they over-awed and frighted There was a Person that came to me and told me he would rather suffer his Life to be taken from him or his Right Hand to be cut off before he would sign a sentence against me And some others that were not free to consent to them did purposely absent and this I told them in their yearly Meeting that there was such a person that had so spoke to me that day they asked me who it was I told them I desired to be excused in not telling his Name that was not convenient After I was gone they called over the Roll one by one and the poor man seeing it coming to him says You need go no further I am the Man now what is this but to set up something like the Spanish Inquisition And there is one viz. T. E. hath applyed that passage in Scripture Master is it I but the question there was Is it thou And tho I had cause to think that divers then present did not in Conscience consent to their false Judgment but thought it too severe as some has since acknowledged yet I did not know as to the last Meeting that of all them that were present that I had one that Sympathized with me they were all silent and were-over awed by G. Whitehead and W. Penn's Party And this poor man above-mentioned has come to me since and disowned that false Judgment and declared to me before two Witnesses he did not joyn with them in it He says I am disowned by them where I live I suppose he means the Scots do I Live among them this is a notorious falshood Stranger All this is very impertinent to the business in hand G. Keith I happened to drop an Expression in Pensilvania finding the same Errors there I have now mentioned in their Books here that no Protestant Society would suffer such Errors as these no not the Church of Rome it self my words were that no Protestant Society would Tolerate them They began with me There was an universal neglect among them of Preaching Christ Crucified and concerning Faith in him Preaching only the Light within and Christ within Whereupon a little while after I began to Preach this and they stood up against me and charged me with new Doctrine and one appealed to the Monthly Meeting whether they ever heard of such Doctrine Preached in the Quakers Meetings directing them to Faith in Christ without us I answered The more shame and it was now full time to begin if it was never Preached in the Quakers Meetings before But that to witness against Error and sharply to reprove it is no Argument of Apostazy I have most effectual Proofs from the Quakers themselves Ed. Burrough's says It is no breach of the Peace to witness against Error Truths Princip G. Fox says He was moved by the Lord to testifie against False Teachers that deceive the People with false Doctrine Now if they be guilty of these things I say I am not to be blamed to withstand their false Doctrine They say I began first to Print which is true but they sent out their defaming manuscripts against me to England Barbadoes Maryland before I Printed a line against them What is the last Remedy against oppression Why Printing Therefore I began G. Fox p. 15. Some of the Principles of the Elect People of God called Quakers I hope this one Testimony of G. Fox will clear me that I am not guilty of the breach of the Peace in the Church for opposing their Doctrines Some Principles of the Elect People of God signed by G. Fox Says G. Fox Moved of the Lord written from the Spirit of the Lord for the cleansing of the Land of all false Teachers Seducers and Deceivers and witches who beguile the People and Inchanters and Diviners and Forgerers and Hirelings and which is for the good of the People Now was this man of a Turbulent Spirit What work did G. Fox and G. Whitehead make What breach upon breach did they make on all other Professions whereof they had been formerly as Church of England Presbyterian Baptists Do not mistake me I Reverence Divine Providence that I became a Quaker But if I had known they had had such Errors among them I would as soon have put my Head in the fire as have owned such among them But I am of the same Faith as I have been above this thirty years Quaker It has been here asserted that he has been a Quaker above thirty years and he has Vindicated their Doctrine he is a Studious man and our Books have been publick always now for him to come now and call over all Books that he has by not opposing consented to it looks as if he had Apostatized from what he formerly held Auditor Did he ever write against these Principles he now holds Quaker He has constantly Vindicated our Principles G. Keith Whereas they say I have not taken notice of their Errors I say I can appeal to W. Penn and G. Whitehead that in the year 1678. three Ministers of London rose up against me and I opposed their Errors at that very time Auditor What Ministers were they G. Keith They were Quakers They accused me of three Principles in my Book called The way cast up The first was That Christs body rose out of the Grave They said it never did 2. That I said It was Lawful to Pray to Jesus Christ Crucified They denied it and dared me to give an Instance of one English Quaker that I ever heard Pray to Christ Whereupon W. Penn said I am an English-man and a Quaker and I own I have oft Prayed to Christ Jesus even him that was Crucified And they answered He is not an Antient Friend of the Ministery and G. Whitehead a man Antient in the Ministery told them there were forty or fifty present It is neither what W. Penn nor what G. Keith says but let Scripture decide it and he took the Bible and oponed it and Read 1 Cor. 1.2 To all that call upon the Lord Jesus Christ both their Lord and Ours Their answer was Paul was dark and ignorant as G. Keith is For our part we know better Quaker Will you say this and not mention their Names G. Keith I will not do it it is not convenient there is one of them a Citizen of very good repute and therefore it will be better to conceal his Name Auditor Go on to the last head Quaker H. Goldney you ought to name his name particularly if thou dost not thou art an Impostor Auditor He has done enough G. Keith I think it not convenient we must use a little Policy as well as you Jo. Delawall Published a Manuscript against me wherein he charges me with Heresy for saying The Light within was not sufficient without something else and that something else was Christ without us Now they say there
was scandalized with these words An Hundred Years ago the Church of England has very well answered this fallacious Argument of W. Penn's that is the same with the Socinians in her Homily on Salvation the First Part. And here he gives Nine Arguments to prove that the Notion of Christ's Satisfaction for Sin brings with it Nine irrational Consequences and Irreligious But they are so weak and insignificant that it were but loss of time to mention them here or answer them Only give me leave to add These very Persons G. Whitehead and W. Penn after they have thrust out of Doors by their false Logick Christ's Satisfaction without us they own that Christ in us offereth up himself a Sacrifice to appease the wrath of God Now if free forgiveness exclude the Satisfaction of Christ without us by W. Penn's Argument by the same it does as much exclude his Satisfaction within us pray mark that Now you have heard a Proof from W. Penn let me come to Geo. Whitehead again You shall have here a rare Dish of Divinity not that I would provoke any to Lightness But I have read many Books in my time but I never read such a Book except the Ranters in my Life Popery is Orthodoxy to it No Popish Priest will Argue as he has done G. Whitehead's Light and Life pag. 8. He blames here W. Burnet for saying The Blood shed upon the Cross sprinkles the Conscience Sanctifies Justifies Redeems us Now here is G. Whitehead's Censure of him Observe here a two-fold stress is laid upon that Blood 1. Merit to Salvation 2. Work to Sanctification And so he hath set it up above God for God could not save he saith Observ To say That Christ's Blood merits Salvation is to set it up above God for God could not save he saith Now he wrongs W. Burnet I know not the Man his words are these which some where or other I have noted W. Burnet says Christ as God without being Man he could not save But I wholly wave that Dispute I think it is above man's Capacity whether Antecedently to God's purpose he could have saved us without the Death of his own dear Son But God having so ordained it consequentially to his purpose it may be as safely and truly said as when the Scripture saith God cannot lye Is it any Reflection to say God cannot lye and that he cannot contradict his purpose And the Scripture says God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ I hope then he cannot save us without the Man Christ because he has said he will not and the Man Christ is a Joynt-Saviour with God the Father Again pag. 38. G. W. brings the words of W. Burnet thus Bapt. Now the Quakers would be so far from directing Men to go to the Material Temple at Jerusalem that they make it but a vain thing to look to Jerusalem to the Antitype of that Temple viz. to Jesus Christ as he was there crucified or to that Blood that was there shed for Justification p. 24. Now see the Answer The Quakers see no need of directing Men to the Type for the Antitype neither to the outward Temple nor yet to Jerusalem either to Jesus Christ or his Blood knowing that neither the Righteousness of Faith nor the word of it doth so direct Rom. 10. And is it the Baptists Doctrine to direct Men to the Material Temple and Jerusalem the Type for the Antitype What Nonsense and Darkness is this And where do the Scriptures say the Blood was there shed for Justification and that Men must be directed to Jerusalem to it It may be questioned whether there may not be some need to expound the Types as directing to Christ though not to practâ—ce them But let that pass Now he says it is contrary to Rom. 10. to direct People to Jesus Christ as he was crucified at Jerusalem But let the Bible be Judge He has not cited the Verse but the Verses he aims at I shall read Ver. 5 6 7 8. For Moses describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doeth those things shall live by them c. See Verses 6 7.8 Now in their Preachments they have used to stop there and go no further But read the 9th Verse If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved And where was it that God raised Christ from the Dead Was it not at Jerusalem And there he died where he rose And Christ when he took the Cup said Drink ye all of it this is the New Testament in my Blood shed for many for the remission of sins And I believe he meant his Blood shed was the outward Blood of his Body Stranger Read the words again Which G. Keith did G. Keith You see G. Whitehead has falsified the Scriptures and made them to say what they say not as if to direct to Jesus Christ as he was crucified at Jerusalem and to his Blood that was there shed were contrary to Rom. 10. whereas it is plainly according to Rom. 10. 9,10 Quaker It may be something following may explain it read on Which G. Keith did Light and Life pag. 39. Whereas that Blood shed is not in being pag. 40 But the true Apostle directed them to the Light which is so much opposed by the Baptists to walk in the Light for the Blood of Jesus to cleanse them from all sin 1 John 1. And he died for our sins but rose again for our justification which Resurrection surely was after the shedding the blood outwardly G. Keith Neither W. Burnet nor no Baptist place the all and whole of our Justification on Christ's outward Sufferings and shedding his blood For I say with them and all Christendom That if Christ had died and not risen again he could not have been an Atonement for our sins Therefore both his Death and Resurrection are concerned in our Justification Give me leave to tell you one Passage The. Ellwood thinks to put a trick on the Reader and says it is wrong Printed and that it should have been for instead of to and he charges some Typographical Errors in my Books on me He says it was corrected in his Copy with a Pen buâ— he does not say G. Whitehead mended it He says it should be thus read Either for Jesus Chrisâ— or his Blood He thinks that will so turn it that it mends the matter but it mends it nothing at all And G. Whitehead has it to to to several times See pag. 38 39. Where do the Scriptures say saith G. W. the blood was there shed for Justification and that Men must be directed to Jerusalem to it Again in pag. 61. Light and Life he saith Another while People must seek their Saviour above the Clouds and Firmament contrary to the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 10.6 Another while they
must look to Jerusalem for Justification to the blood that was there shed contrary to Deut. 30.13 14. and Rom. 10. Is not this abominabâ—e Perversion of Scripture to confirm his Antichristian Doctrine Light and Life pag. 61. What Confusion what a Labyrinth and Uncertainty is he in and does he bring his Hearers into saith G. Whitehead of Will. Burnet because according to Scripture he asserts that Men must be directed to Christ for Justification and Salvation both as he suffered at Jerusalem and as he rose again and is ascended into Heaven above the Clouds and Firmament Next you shall hear Solomon Eccles's Letter That the blood of Christ is no more than the blood of another Saint Quaker N. M. I beg a Favour Here are several things urged as false Doctrine which refer to several places of Scripture which Scriptures ought also to be read G. Keith They have been read except Deut. 30. Rom. 10. is a repetition of Deut. 30. This is only to prolong time and hinder me to proceed in my Proofs But if the Auditory please I will read both Deut. 30. and Rom. 10. Auditory There is no need go on and read Solomon Eccles's Letter G. Keith Before I read the Letter let me read these Lines in G. Whitehead his Light and Life pag. 8. W. B. saith he tells of looking to Jerusalem to Jesus Christ as he was there crucified or to that blood that was there shed for Justification Contradiction That Christ that restoreth man's loss is both to be sought and found in Heaven c. but in contradiction to both the Reception of the Spirit the only means the gift of Christ to us and his being revealed in us by his Spirit Here you see G. Whitehead makes it a Contradiction that we must look to Christ as he died at Jerusalem and as he is now in Heaven Judge ye if this be a Contradiction but in Contradiction to both he saith it is a Contradiction to direct to Christ our Saviour as he died at Jerusalem and that Christ that saveth us is revealed within us by his Spirit Now the Letter which G. Whitehead does own it is a Letter of Solomon Eccles it is this Robert Porter TAKE heed of belying the Innocent for I hear that thou hast reported to a Friend of mine that I should say That the Blood of Christ is no more than the Blood of another Man I never spake it but do very highly esteem of the Blood of Christ to be more Excellent and Living and Holy and Precious than is able to be uttered by the Tongues of Men and Angels I mean the Blood which was offered up in the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 But the Blood that was forced out of him by the Soldiers after he was dead who before that bowed his Head to the Father and gave up the Ghost but thou sayest that was the Blood of the New-Covenant which was shed after he was dead which I do deny yet I did say That was no more than the Blood of another Saint These were my Words which thou art wresting to thy own Destruction And for the other Lye that thou chargest me withal that I should say That the Blood of Christ should fall to the Ground within a twelfth Month it is false and never was spoke by me But I did say That the Baptists and Independants and Presbyterians and Pope are all of one Ground and none of you understand the Blood of Jesus Christ no more than a brute Beast therefore repent for God will suddenly overthrow your Faith and your imputative Righteousness too for the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness which he did at Jerusalem and without the Gates the Pope the Episcopal the Presbyterian Independants and Baptists shall fare all alike and shall sit down in Sorrow short of the Eternal Rest But the true imputative Righteousness of Christ we own but it is hid from you all till the Lord do open an Eye within you Stranger Who Printed that Letter G. Keith W. Burnet the Baptist Preacher Have you any Testimony of their owning that Letter T. Slaughter I can answer to the Letter G. Keith It may be thou art the Man T. Slaughter I am not the Man but I have had a Copy of the Letter It was writ to one Porter at Wheâ—stone and the Letter is true Auditors Pray Sir where do you live and what is your Name T. Slaughter My Name is Thomas Slaughter I live at Darking I have a Son that is a Tallow Chandler that lives in Bow-Lane where you may have an Account of me G. Keith George Whitehead doth not question the Letter to be true but defends it and as much opposeth Justification by the outward or material Blood of Christ as Solomon Eccles doth Here is a weighty Passage George Whitehead says in his Book Light and Life which T. Ellwood transcribes and vindicates T. Ellwood represents G. Whitehead And this is one of the Books they say in their printed Paper they have sent and read at this Meeting I have not answered And this is G. Whitehead in Effigie I had charged G. Whitehead for saying That Christ's material Blood shed at Jerusalem was but a Type of the Blood we were justified by T. Ellwood finds fault with me for this And you shall see T. Ellwood's Vindication and how far G. VVhitehead has owned or disowned S. Eccles's Letter All things under the Law says VV. Burner in the Type was purged with Blood and this Blood was material Blood and not mystical and that Blood that Christ shed in order to the effecting the Salvation of Man must needs be visible and material Blood These are VV. Burnet's Words Now G. VVhitehead says Baptist All things under the Law in the Type was purged with Blood and this Blood was material Blood and not mystical and that Blood that Christ shed in order to the effecting the Salvation of Man must needs be material and visible Blood Answ. Do but mark here what sad Consequence he has drawn as if one should Reason that because the Type was material visible and not mystical therefore the Antitype or Substance must needs be material and not mystical By this all Mysteries or Divine things are excluded from being either Spiritual Antitype or Substance whereas it was the Heavenly things themselves that are in Christ in which consists the Substance and End of Types and Shadows But to say that material Blood was a Type of that which was material this is to give the Substance no Preheminence above the Type especially if neither of them be mystical nor in being or like as if one should say one Type was a Type of another Whereas both the Heavenly and more perfect Tabernacle and Altar with the Heavenly things are all a Mystery and Spiritual the Offering and Living Sacrifices are Spiritual the Passover Spiritual the Seed Spiritual the Bread the Fruit of the Vine Spiritual the Oyl the Flesh and the Blood which give Life to the Soul yea the
for comparing the Books of Friends to the Books of the Greek and Latin Fathers p. 99. For further Discovery In comparing says Tho. Ellwood the Books of Friends to the Books of them called the Greek and Latin Fathers he has not done as a Friend and Brother but as an Enemy in supposing Friends Books to have been written by no better guidance nor clearer sight than theirs who lived and writ in those dark times You see how modest they are here Auditors They gave a shout signifying their dislike that the Quakers Books should be preferred so far to the Greek and Latin Fathers next to the days of the Apostles Quaker N. M. It is very well that the whole Paragraph be read that it may give the more satisfaction to the Auditory which was accordingly done T. Ellwood saith He viz. G. K. turns off and says I reflect not only on him but on the late Christian Teachers and Writers who have corrected the Errors and unsound Expressions contain'd in the Books of them called the Greek and Latin Fathers Now hear what he further says In comparing the Books of Friends to the Books of them called Greek and Latin Fathers ut supra Quaker J. Waite I have made few Observations on the whole one or two particular the other are general The first is that he charges G. Whitehead and W. Penn to destroy the Object of Faith Now when he speaks of some Doctrines that were preached by him in 1678 and that he was reproved for saying it was lawful to pray to Jesus Christ he has vindicated W. Penn as to this Point who said he did so Also he has vindicated G. Whitehead saying that He directed not to what either of them could say but what Scripture says and he cites them a clear passage that was then believed by him and I believed by all Quakers The other particular Observation I did note is that the Quakers have not used recite the whole Author they write against and I appeal to you whether G. Keith in the opposition he has made has ever repeated a whole Author These are my particular Observations The general is that what has been casually dropt and I believe there are none concerned on this occasion but I say they may sometimes be apt to drop some Expressions that they will not stand by But to urge these against the whole Party is too hard and is very uncharitable and therefore I hope you will not conclude the whole body concerned in it And G. Keith hath been conversant among us eight and twenty years or more and has preached the Doctrines owned by us and writ many Books that related to fundamental Articles of Faith I believe him that they were owned by the People he was joyned with And at the yearly meeting the charge against him and his expulsion was not matter of Doctrine but Practice which was turbulent And therefore he has apostatized from what he was before from the meekness and integrity that is agreeable to the Doctrine of Christianity Stranger G. Keith I see you are almost spent I will answer for you He says it was the whole body that was against you it was the worse that the Excommunication should be from the whole yearly Meeting without mentioning any thing in particular For a man to apostatize is to apostatize from the whole Faith but for a man to differ with respect to particular things this is not Apostasie G. Keith The words of the Excommunication run thus I am a man of no Christian Spirit I have dismember'd myself from the Church of Christ If they had said from this particular Society it might have passed but they say from the Church of Christ And why Because there is no Church of Christ on Earth but the Quakers and no Representative of them but the Yearly Meeting in Gracechurch-street You see how weak that man's Objections are The Auditory shouted Quaker H. Goldney This man asserts a Lye and then the People are taken with it as if it were a Truth G. Keith If I have spoken amiss I am willing to be brought to a tryal He says I have answer'd many Books wherein I have not recited all the Books I have answer'd It is true and I blame not them for not doing so But they say I only take bits and scraps here and there I say what cause have I to recite G. Whitehead and W. Penn's whole Books to you when they have not done so I think it sufficient to give an account of their sense from full Periods and Paragraphs He says I have already cleared George Whitehead and William Penn from that charge that they have not destroyed the Object of Faith And I say I have proved that they have destroyed the Object of Faith if they have at other times Owned it let them disown and retract their Errors I am not to account for their Contradictions They have Contradicted themselves they have disowned the Object of Faith and if I have charged them with it this is no Contradiction in me but in them Quaker H. Goldney made an interruption while G. K. was speaking as he oft did and gave great offence to the Auditory with his impertinencies and reflections calling G. K. Lyer Impostor Apostate G. Keith The reading of this Paper if ye please shall conclude this Meeting After T. Ellwood came out with his further discovery I made my Complaint to the Monthly Meeting at Bull and Mouth against the Forgeries and false Accusations that his Book was filled with and I begged of them that they would hear my Charge against him but they would not suffer me they said I might print as T. Ellwood did but I said I could not they have a Stock I have not Whereupon I went to some of the Church-Party that favour'd me and told them if I could not get a meeting to hear me my design was to give forth a printed Advertisement of a Meeting to clear myself of these things and they might be present if they would Some of their Party said to me George do not they or some of them would give me a meeting Accordingly they gave me a meeting They took notice of some of Ellwood's Forgeries and Abuses some of them have I hope that Courage that I believe they would not be offended nor afraid if I named them They have said in their Paper T. Ellwood has done me wrong Quaker H. Goldney Let us know their names who they are G. Keith We must use some little Policy as well as ye Some of them are eminent among you Here is a Copy of a Paper containing an account of the matter There were I think nine or ten of them H. Goldney if I should name them would not deny them to be his Brethren Quaker H. Goldney I dare thee to name their names or else thou art a Lyar an Impostor a Cheat I dare say it is a Cheat. And turning to G. K. he said O thou Lyer thou contentious Creature G.
I have a Paper that some persons concerned in this Challenge have sent that they desire may be read Which was consented to G. Keith The truth is I could be almost content to go away and say nothing to it there is so little of value in it They say I began with them but they began with me in Pensylvania I was doing my duty in preaching Christ without and Christ within they charged me with preaching two Christs I went to some of them about it but they took their part against me I laid it before the Ministry at the Yearly meeting they also took their part Now you know he that affirms on him lies the business of proving W. Pen when I was opening a place of Scripture he charges me with being an Apostate and Impostor Here he charges me with being an Apostate I say to him it belongs to make his charge good but he goes away At the Yearly meeting I put it to him to make it good I do not doubt but this meeting will sound through the Nation They urge me to Printing I say again I have not either Estate or Time to print Book upon Book And tho' I have not answer'd the said two Books why may not I say as they do They are not worth answering As for example There is a Book called The Snake in the Grass I would not vindicate all things in it but they have been urged to answer it their Answer is it is not worth answering This man that prints this half-sheet says it cannot be supposed that G. Keith can answer eighteen sheets of Paper in a Meeting Why can it be â—upposed But G. Fox can answer an hundred sheets of Paper in a few Pages He has answer'd Books of ten or twelve sheets in a few lines And as for their upbraiding my Friends for not bearing the charge of Printing my Books they that own me here are not many of them rich and I would not put them to it But now there is the thing the Controversie is whether the rich Church or the poorer Church be the Ch. of Christ G. Keith's is the poor Church and theirs is the rich Church and I am not asham'd of my Poverty seeing I have not done any dishonest thing I have weaken'd my Estate by printing what I have printed already there is a Printer here that can own I have paid near forty pounds to him for Printing Now they upbraid me for my Poverty Their Church is the true Church because the rich Church and ours the false Church because the poor Church Quaker N. Marks You should hear one side but with one Ear and leave the other free for the other side G. Keith I am perswaded the Reasons given in the Paper read at the beginning were no just Reason for their not appearing But though some comparisons are odious yet give me leave to make a comparison May a Malefactor make this excuse You shall not call me before a Justice without my consent If a man rob me I may complain of him as a Robber and without his consent call him to account but here is a strange thing injuring men may not be called to account without their consent it will trespass against the Law and intrenches upon liberty of Conscience I was advised to go before the Lord Mayor of London and I did and told him I hoped it would give no offence to Authority for the things I was concerned in were the common Doctrines of Christianity if there be any Tumult says I it shall not be on my side And the Lord Mayor was pleased to consent to it Now their printed Paper seems to reflect on the publick Authority and not what I have done And thus the Meeting peaceably ended between the second and third hour in the Afternoon Note If any of my Adversaries object That divers of these Proofs here brought were brought formerly in my Book against W. Penn and G. W. call'd A short List of the vile and gross Errors which T. Ellwood hath replied to in his printed Book called Truth defended I answer I know not any one of them that he has sufficiently answer'd unto to give the least Satiâ—faction to any sound Christian his Answers being meerly Evasions and Perversions as I should have shown if he had appear'd But beside there are many new Proofs here brought beside the former which I am well satisfied they can never truly answer but by a sincere and free Confession of their gross Errors and a hearty retracting and relinquishing them And if any that were present at that Meeting or may happen to read this printed Account with the proofs brought out of their Books in full Periods and Paragraphs as often as there was any occasion are desirous to see the Books and to read the Proofs in the said Books that were then brought or any others that may be brought I freely offer them that are sober and impartial persons to let them have the free sight and view of them leisurely to read and consider them if they please to call at my House And I the rather make this Offer because divers of these Books are not easily to be had not being in the hands of many And because I had not time enough to read divers other great Proofs that I had being hinder'd with the impertinent Digressions of those that interposed whom we had no just Cause to hear pretending no Deputation from the persons they spoke for and therefore only were permitted by Favour to shew their Impertinencies I therefore think fit to add some other few very considerable Proofs out of these mens Books and perhaps one or two out of Books approved and commended by them and some few more of W. Penn's and George Whitehead's Self-Contradictions AN APPENDIX CONTAINING Some other Considerable Passages for Proofs out of these Mens Books relating to the foregoing Heads and some few more of W. Penn's and G. Whitehead's Self-Contradictions which were design'd to have been read at the Meeting at Turners-Hall 11th of the Month call'd June 1696. but for the Diversions made could not then be read IN George Whitehead's Book called The Divinity of Christ he hath this most unsound and scandalous passage concerning Christ how a Sacrifice and his Blood In his Answer to T. Danson's Synopsis of Quakerism p. 70. first he sets down the words of John Owen thus The Sacrifice denotes his Human Nature whence God is said to purchase his Church with His own Blood Acts 20.28 for He offer'd Himself through the eternal Spirit there was the Matter of the Sacrifice which was the Human Nature of Christ Soul and Body His Soul was made an Offering for Sin Isa 53.10 His Death had the Nature of a Sacrifice Against these sound words of John Owen he quarrels and contradicts thus Answ These passages are but darkly and confusedly expressâ—d as also we do not read in Scripture that the Blood of God by which he purchas'd his Church is ever call'd
of Holiness attainable in this life Nor doth the praying for Forgiveness imply universally the want of it more than the praying for the Spirit implieth the want of it Again Whereas it was said in the above Narrative That G. Whithead hath allegorized away the Birth Death Resurrection and coming again of Christ without us to Judgment take these plain Proofs 1. His allegorizing away his Birth prophesied of by Isaiah 9 6. Unto us a child is born a Son is given This he expoundeth of Christ born within He-Goats Horn Page 51. 2. He allegorizeth away his Resurrection expresly denying that Christ was bodily seen of Paul and perverting that place in 1 Cor. 15.8 to Christ within Page 51. 3. He allegorizeth away his coming without us to Judgment in these Scriptures Matth. 16.27 28 1 Thes 4 15 16 17 Light and Life Page 40 41. 4. Both he and Richard Hubberthorne allegorize away his Burial Light and Life Page 52. and He-Goats Horn Page 62 perverting that Scripture Isa 53. He made his grave with the wicked he adulterates the true Translation and turns it in the wicked which the Hebrew doth not bear Where see a most absurd account of the Resurrection turning it wholly to the Resurrection of two Seeds in two Bodies within men 5. He allegorizeth away the Resurrection of the Saints Bodies by his perversion of that place of Scripture Who shall change our vile body and fashion it like to his glorious body Phil. 3.21 to a change of the Body that the Apostles and Saints witnessed before death and yet in contradiction to that in his Real Quaker a Real Protestant Page 105. he understands that very place of a change of the vile or low and humble Body like unto the glorious Body of Christ as a thing to come Some other of Geo. Whithead's Contradictions 1. GEO. Whithead in his Light and Life page 69. thinks him a very blind and ignorant man that reckons Bodies Celestial and Terrestrial to be all one in Matter and Substance and yet the same G. W. in malice of the Independant Agent pag. 17. recited and approved by John Pennington Apostat expos'd p. 16. owns that Christ's Body now in Heaven is the same in substance he had on earth So by his own words he hath declared himself to be a blind and ignorant man and yet Infallible otherwise by his own word no true Minister 2. In a late printed Half sheet signed by him and seventeen more he owneth Christ to be both God and Man and owneth the Humanity of Christ making it synonimous with Manhood and yet it is proved in the above Narrative that he neither owneth him to be God or Man finding fault with W. Burnet for saying that Christ as God had a Father and had Glory with God before the world began arguing as the Socinians do that this would imply two Gods sâ—e Light and Life page 47. Again He finds fault with T. Danson for saying that the Man Christ had a Created Soul Answer to T D. 's Synopsis p. 18. And he blames R. G. for saying Christ hath a Bodily Existence without us in Heaven Nat. of Christianity page 41. 3. In his late Answer to the Queries sent to the Yearly Meeting of the people called Quakers at London signed by Dr. Lancaster Chaplain to the Bishop of London he owns the Blood of Christ that was outwardly shed to be a part of the Sacrifice even Christ's Blood that was shed without the gates of Jerusalem together with the whole Sacrifice of himself both of Soul and Body was a true Propitiation and Atonement for man's Reconciliation and Peace with God for Remission of sin through a living Faith and true Repentance c. But in his Light and Life he denieth that the outward Blood was that by which we are either sanctified or justified and calleth it a Type and saith the shedding of it was a wicked man's act from whence he inferreth that we are not justified by the outward Blood but pleadeth that the Offering Passover Blood by which we are cleansed is within as the New Covenant is and not without See in the Narrative above And this sort of Unchristian Doctrine G. Whithead as many others did receive neither from the Spirit of Christ within nor from the Holy Scriptures but as it seems from G. Fox who in a printed Paper of his having this Title To all People in Christendom concerning Perfect Love c. also concerning Christ's Flesh which was offered which printed Paper I have it is joined with some other printed Papers under this general Title Several Papers given forth for the spreading of Truth See Page 55 57 59. hath very unsound and unchristian Doctrine concerning Christ's Flesh that is the Offering in which is the belief by Christ's Flesh meaning not his outward Flesh Some of his words I shall faithfully recite as followeth that to me are very unsound and I believe in general to all sound in the Faith And Christ according to the flesh crucified the Lamb slain that flesh of his which is a Mystery when the first Adam's and Eve's flesh was defiled and so death reigned from Adam to Moses pag 55. And Pag. 57. So Adam's Eve's flesh was defiled but the flesh of Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world yet his flesh never corrupted which flesh is the offering for as he was God he did not dye and this flesh is a Mystery and in this flâ—sh Note is the belief that takes away the sin that never corrupted that is the Offering for sin and the Blood of this flesh cleanseth from sin p. 58. Now they that are in the belief of this flâ—sh and offering sees over all offerings to the beginning into the Glory which was with the Father before the world began for all outward Offerings and Sacrifices was given to man after he fell and the Lamb slain which Offering is a Figure of Christ the Seed to be brought forth and offered up and he the Top stone over all laid to end and finish all the outward Offerings and Types and Shadows and in him there is none Page 59. So through this Offering is the Reconciliation through the offering of his flesh that never corrupted but takes away corruptions and his Blood cleanseth from Corruptions the Life real And so this pure Flesh this Offering is set over all which never corrupted which must be your meat if you live Though there is more in all these things which is hard to be uttered and cannot be uttered Yet Annot. It seems what G. Fox did not so fully utter as to this Mystery George Whithead had a mind to utter in his Book called Light and Life that may be as a proper Key to these dark Sayings of George Fox If any object to me as Th Elwood hath done in his Book falsly called Truth defended That I have in some of my Books owned Christ's flesh and Blood within I answer I confess it but no otherwise but