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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	contain_v	law_n	moral_a	2,485	5	9.8922	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39298	An answer to George Keith's Narrative of his proceedings at Turners-Hall, on the 11th of the month called June, 1696 wherein his charges against divers of the people called Quakers (both in that, and in another book of his, called, Gross error & hypocrosie detected) are fairly considered, examined, and refuted / by Thomas Ellwood.	Ellwood, Thomas, 1639-1713.	1696 (1696)	Wing E613; ESTC R8140	164,277	235

his Divine Seed and Body extended into us And thus he is the incarnate Word or Word made Flesh dwelling in our Flesh c. VVay cast up p. 133. And G. Keith in his answer to the Rector of Arrow said I put thee to prove by any one place in all the Scripture that Christ hath now any other Flesh or Body but that which is Spiritual Rector Corrected p. 24. and again p. 54. As concerning the Body of Christ that was Crucified was it not again raised up to be made a living Body And after he arose and ascended was it not a Spiritual Body Why then says G. Keith to the Rector sayst thou shew a syllable that intimates a spiritual Body Is not Christ's Body a spiritual Body which he hath now in the Heavens Shew a Syllable that Christ hath any other Body but that which is spiri●ual And p. 55 he says What is that Body of Christ mentioned by the Apostle Col. 2.17 which puts an end unto the outward Observation of Meats and Drinks new Moons and Sabbath-days Is that only the outward Body that was Crucified If thou sayst yea then thou dividest Christ whereas Christ is not divided And p. 44. he says That there is no such a distance betwixt Christ that is gone into the Holiest and his Saints upon Earth as thou imaginest see but ver 19 20 21 22. of Heb. 10. And in p. 23. speaking of the Power and Vertue of the Body of Christ that rose and ascended a spiritual and glorious Body he says But this vertue is not any visible thing nor is the glorified Body of Christ visible Flesh and therefore says he to the Rector thou dost grosly erre to say as thou dost the Son of Man is visible Flesh For seeing the Body of Christ is glorified and wholly spiritual as the Body of every true Believer shall be at the Resurrection how can it be visible Flesh And adds he Christ the second Adam is called in Scripture the quickning Spirit but not visible Flesh. Therefore says he in this see how he banters him thou ' dost grosly erre and needest Correction None of these Passages hath ever yet been retracted by G. Keith that I have seen or heard of and therefore he is the more to be blamed for blaming G. Whitehead for asserting Christ's Body to be a glorified spiritual Body not a gross carnal visible Body of Flesh which he himself says it is not He hath one Cavil more upon this Head against G. Whitehead and a m●●r Cavil it seems to be He grounds it on a passage he takes out of a Book of G. Whitehead's called The He goats Horn broken written about 36 years ago in answer to two Books written by three Opposers whereof one was named Io. Horn and G. Keith seems to fancy that this Book of G. Whitehead's had that Title as alluding to the Name of Iohn Horn and he took occasion from thence to make himself and his Auditors some Sport about it Nar. p. 19. But unless he had be●ter ground to go upon than bare likeness in ●ound of words he may be mistaken for all that For I could shew him a Book written some years before that by R. Hubberthorn called The Horn of the He-goat broken in Answer to a Book published by one Tho. Winterton betwixt which Name and Title there is not the least likeness of sound That which G. Keith objects to G. Whitehead here is That he contradicts a passage in his Opponents Book which G. Keith says if he understands any thing of true Divinity or Theology is a sound Passage viz. That our Nature Kind or Being as in us not in Christ is corrupt and filthy in it self yet Christ took upon him our Nature not as it is filthy in us by sin in it c. How sound this Passage is I will not here dispute because I would not dilate Controversie to feed a carping Mind in a peevish Adversary neither will I presume to question G. Keith's understanding any thing of true Divinity lost I should be thought as ignorant as he is arrogant But yet I think it may be worthy of consideration how far that Passage is sound which says Our Nature Kind or Being is corrupt and filthy in it self not only as in us by sin in it but in it self And how suitable it was for Christ to take upon him a Nature that was corrupt and filthy in it self That Christ took on him the Nature of Man though it be not in Scripture exprest in those terms that I remember may in a right sense for the word Nature is taken in divers Acceptations be admitted The Scripture says he took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men Phil. 2.7 And that Forasmuch as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same Heb. 2.14 And in verse 16. it is said He took on him the Seed of Abraham But the Margin expresses it more agreeably to the Greek as G. Keith knows thus He taketh not hold of Angels but of the Seed of Abraham he taketh hold Now I do not find by G. Whitehead's Answer that he denies that Christ took Mans Nature but that he taxes his Opponents with Confusion in two respects● one for that they excepted against his former wording of their Assertion thus That their Nature is restored in Christ and yet that their Nature is a filthy Nature and Christ took upon him their Nature The other that to free themselves from the imputation of Confusion in the former they say He might as well have taxed the Apostle with Confusion for saying Men by Nature do the things contained in the Law Rom. 2.14 And yet by Nature Children of wrath Ephes. 2.3 In which two places G. Keith I presume will not deny the word Nature to be used very differently Now to this G. Whitehead's Answer was We may justly tax th●se Men with Confusion indeed but not the Apostle for here they cannot discern between the sinful Nature and the pure Nature for the Nature of Christ is pure so that it 's not their Nature for their Nature is filthy and therefore it is not in Christ that is as it is filthy Then he goes on to shew their Confusion in the other part And their bringing that of Rom. 2.14 Ephes. 2.3 together to prove their confusion sheweth that they cannot discern between that Nature by which Men do the things contained in the Law and that Nature by which Men break the Law and are Children of wrath but make as if it were all one Now I do not ●ind G. Keith is able to make any great advantage by his Cavil against G. Whitehead He says indeed Our blessed Lord might well take on him our Nature and the Nature in us be sinful and in him pure and holy But will he say that that Nature which our Lord took on him was sinful or corrupt and filthy in it self Which

Penn's Words that a Man may be owned to be a Christian and yet disbelieve that Christ is either God or Man it carries in its front too evident Marks of Envy and Injustice to be regarded by any who bear not the same Marks For did W. Penn there treat of Iews Mahometans Pagans Or of such as have a general Faith of Christianity but never adhered to any particular Party as his express Words are in that 118. p. Nay does he not there directly mention such as believe in God and Christ For setting forth the Partiality and Cruelty of those professed Christians who would renounce a meer just Man their Society and send him packing among the Heathen for Damnation he thus expostulates the Case And pray What 's the Matter Then subsuming the Person of an Opponent he answers Why though this Person be a sober Liver yet he is but a general Believer his Faith is at large 'T is true He believes in God but I hear little of his Faith in Christ Then replies Very well Does he not therefore believe in Christ Or must he therefore be without the Pale of Salvation Is it possible that a Man can truly believe in God and be damned But adds he As he that believes in Christ believes in God so he that believes in God believes in Christ For he that believes on him that raised up Iesus from the Dead his Faith shall be imputed to him for Righteousness Rom. 4.22 c. And in p. 119. having enumerated several Moral Vertues and alluding to the saying of Wisdom Prov. 8.15 By me Kings Reign and Princes decree Iustice so may I say here says he By Christ Men are Meek Just Merciful Patient Charitable and Virtuous And adds he Christians ought to be distinguished by their Likness to Christ and not their Notions of Christ by his Holy Qualifications rather than their own lofty Professions and invented Formalities Does not this plainly shew he treated there of those that professed the Christian Religion preferring such of them as in their Lives shewed most of Moral Vertue and true Goodness to the highest Pretenders and most flourishing Talkers without it But that which still falls heavy upon G. Keith is that he should thus cavil at W. Penn who himself in his former Books not yet retracted by him has so far out-gone W. Penn on this subject and has also expresly extended Salvation by Christ to the Gentiles or Heathens that knew nothing of him outwardly For instance In his Book called Vniversal Grace p. 28. he says There was such a Principle in them speaking of the Gentiles whereby they did the things contained in the Law Therefore it was a Principle of the very saving Light and Life of Jesus Christ which is that Divine Nature mentioned 2 Pet. 1.4 And in p. 29. he says These Gentiles did the things contained in the Law so that they were excused yea and Iustified and did receive the Reward of Glory Honour and Peace in so doing Again in the same p. he says In divers of these Gentiles the Seed was raised which is that Divine Nature or Birth by which they did the things contained in the Law and so were Iustified by him who gave them Power to fulfil it And in p. 30. Answering an adverse Argument which was this There can be no Justification without Faith in Christ but these Gentiles had not Faith in Christ therefore c. He says I deny the second Proposition for if they did cleave unto and believe in the Light they believed in Christ for he is the Light nor is the outward Name that which saves but the inward Nature Virtue and Power signified thereby which was made manifest in them and thus is Christ even that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may or must be known of God c. I could multiply Instances of this kind out of that and other Books of his if it were needful but these at present may suffice In p. 21. of his Narrat he recommends to his Auditory the Book called The Christian Quaker and so do I to every Body but with different Ends He out of ill-will I out of good-will to the Truth therein defended He refers in particular to p. 125 126 127. which Pages he says are bestow'd to define what a Christian Quaker is and he Objects that in all this large Definition there is not one Word of the Man Christ who is God over all blessed for ever to be the Object either of this Christian Quaker's Faith Love or Homage That which he calls a Definition of a Christian Quaker is indeed an Answer to a Question put by Tho. Hicks which was Who he or they are that obey the Light c. In answering which W. Penn doth not so much meddle with Faith and Doctrine as set forth the Life Practice and Sufferings of such as truly obey the Light especially in those things wherein they are acted diversly from or contrary to other People It is therefore no prejudice at all nor ought to be objected either to VV. Penn or the Christian Quaker that in that Answer to Hicks's Question the Man Christ is not mentioned as the Object of Faith c. since the Object of Faith c. is not there treated of but presupposed and taken for granted Yet G. Keith might have observed that Christ Iesus was there mentioned and that with respect to his Manhood For in p. 125. The true Quaker who obeys the Light is represented to be one That willingly drinks of the Cup of bitter Mockings and yields to be baptized with the Baptism of deep Tryals Christ Iesus his Lord drank of and was baptized with which Cup and Baptism our Lord Christ took and was baptized with as he was Man And there is also in p. 127. a Testimony born to the Blood of Jesus Christ and the Vertue of it in these Words So is the Light the Just Man's Path that in every Age still shined brighter and brighter in which the cleansing Blood of Iesus Christ is felt to cleanse from all Sin And in Quakerism a new Nick-name p. 5 and 6. Sect. 8. out of which G. Keith pickt a Cavil but lately answered he might have read these Words Christianity then is not an Historical Belief of the Exteriour Acts the true Christ did in that bodily Appearance which is but historical Christianity But a firm Belief in him that so appeared lived died rose and ascended both as testified in the Scriptures of Truth and more especially as he breaks in upon the Soul by his Divine Discoveries as the true Light inlightning every Man This said VV. Penn there I call Christianity His next Cavil is concerning the Mystery of Christ with respect to his coming outwardly in that Body in which he suffered for Mankind at Ierusalem and his coming inwardly in the Hearts of Men working the Work of Regeneration in them This he objected formerly in his Book called The true Copy and I answered largely to it

to Friends Printed in 1694. from p. 51. to p. 56. And again in another Book of mine called A further Discovery Printed the same Year from p. 93. to p. 98. Which latter is one of those Books G. Keith hath not replied to He taxes VV. Penn with uncharitable Dealing in saying above The whole Christian VVorld has lazily depended on it Is there none says he in the Christian VVorld but the Quakers that thi●st after the Power of God in their Souls I was never so uncharitable to think so cryes he But had he had either Charity or Iustice he would not have thought VV. Penn by saying the whole Christian World intended every individual Person in the Christian World When the Apostle Iohn said The whole VVorld lieth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 Did he mean there was not one Person in the whole World but what lay in Wickedness When Iohn said All the VVorld wondred after the Beast Rev. 13.3 Did he mean every individual Person in the World No sure the VVoman that fled into the Wilderness Chap. 12.6 did not wonder after the Beast for she fled from the Beast When Mathew says The whole City came out to meet Jesus Mat. 8.34 Did he mean that there was never a man nor woman left in the City G. Keith knows that that way of speaking is Figurative used Syn●chdochically the greater part being taken for the whole And in his Serious Appeal in Answer to Cot. Mather p. 9. he could urge that by way of Defence saying The Denomination of a thing is taken chiefly from that which is the greatest part and he might have taken it so here had not Enmity had too great a part in him For in p. 7. of the same Book W. Penn mentions Churches which is more extensive than particular Persons in these latter Ages in whom there might once have been begotten some earnest living Thirst after the inward Life of Righteousness This G. Keith might well have observed for he makes another Cavil out of the foregoing part of this very Sentence which was this p. 6 7. The Distinction betwixt Moral and Christian the making Holy Life legal and Faith in the History of Christ's outward Manifestation Christianity so it should be read the Words Christianity and Manifestation being transposed and misplaced in the Printing as is obvious has been a d●adly Poyson these latter Ages have been infected with to the Destruction of Godly Living and Apostatizing of those Churches in whom there might once have been begotten some earnest living Thirst after the inward Life of Righteousness This Passage depends upon the different Definitions of Christianity given by I. Faldo and W. Penn. I. Faldo it seems defining Christianity said By Christianity we are not to understand all those Matters of Faith and Practice which Christianity doth oblige us unto This W. Penn excepted against as reckoning that All those Matters of Faith and Practice which Christianity doth oblige us unto might well pass for Christianity Yet Faldo having granted that Christianity takes in whatever is worthy in those Religions it hath super●ed●d yea the very Heathens From those Words VV. Penn inferred This then does not make Christianity a distinct thing in kind from what was worthy as he calls it that is Godly among either Iews or Heathen This is in p. 2 3. of VV. Penn's Book called Quakerism a New Nick-name for Old Christianity and having argued upon it in p. 4 5 and 6. and shewed the hurt and mischief that ensues upon rejecting Moral Vertues from being any part of Christianity he there concludes in the Words G. Keith carps at viz The Distinction betwixt Moral and Christian the making Holy Life legal and Faith in the History of Christ's outward Manifestation Christianity has been a deadly Poyson these latter Ages have been infected with to the Destruction of Godly Living c. As tending to perswade People too apt to be easily perswaded to looseness that a bare historical Belief of Christ's outward Appearance in the Flesh is of more value and advantage to them than a Vertuous Pious Godly Life To this G. Keith tacks another Proof as he calls it against W. Penn and then makes his Reflection on both together That other Proof he takes out of W. Penn's Address to Protestants p. 118 119. thus For it seems a most unreasonable thing that Faith in God and keeping his Commandments should be no part of the Christian Religion But if a part it be as upon serious Reflection who dare deny it then those before and since Christ's Time who never had the external Law nor History yet have done the things contained in the Law their Consciences not accusing nor Hearts condemning but excusing them before God are in some degree concerned in the Character of a true Christian. For Christ himself preached and kept his Father's Commandments he came to fulfil and not to destroy the Law and that not only in his own Person but that the Righteousness of the Law might be also fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 Now says G. Keith comes the main thing Let us but soberly consider What Christ is and we shall the better know whethe● Moral Men are to be reckoned Christians What is Christ but Meekness Iustice Mercy Patience Charity and Virtue in Perfection Can we then deny a meek Man to be a Christian A Iust a Merciful a Patient a Charitable and a Virtuous Man to be like Christ G. Keith says In this way of arguing there is a Fallacy These Moral Vertues he says are a part of a Christian and belong to the Genus of a Christian. But there are two things in the true Definition of a Man the Genus and the Differentia They have the Genus says he but not the Differentia And I pray which is of most moment in this Case the Genus or the Differentia To have the Kind and Nature of a Christian or to have only some outward Character or discriminating Difference to distinguish a Christian from a Child of God as namely an historical Faith of Christ's outward Appearance in the Flesh at Ierusalem But since G. Keith allows these Moral Virtues to be a part of a Christian he needed not on this score have fallen so foul on W. Penn for he might have observed in those Words himself has cited that that which seemed to W. Penn so unreasonable a thing was That Faith in God and keeping his Commandments should be no part that is should by some be accounted no part of the Christian Religion And the Inference he made from what he had offered to shew it was a part of the Christian Religion was that If it be a part he does not say If it be the whole Then those before and since Christ's time who never had the external Law or History yet have done the things contained in the Law c. are in some degree concern'd in the Character of a true Christian. But for that extravagant Inference G. Keith would draw from W.