our Society But this is altogether false I own no other Door but Christ and he both as sincerely believed in not with a bare literal historical Faith but a divine spiritual Faith begot in our hearts by the Spirit of Faith and as sincerely confessed the sincere living Confession flowing from a sincere living Faith in the heart XXXVIII pag. 61. His perversion That I make a bare profession verbal confession or Declaration of Principles Doctrines and Practises the Terms of Church-communion This is false I make them not the Terms at all when the profession is but barely verbal but when the Confession or Profession floweth from the living Faith of Christ and from his Life in the heart I said and still say they are secondary Terms of Church-Communion the inward life of Christ in the heart being the principle XXXIX p. 61. His perverting of my words to a wrong sense never intended by me my words being The Causless Groâ—â—â— p. 8. But that some Principles and Doctrines and points of Faith are necessary to be agreed upon c. and to be owned professed and declared by us to be as it were the Terms c. As if my sense were That men were to contrive and cut out their own Terms But how doth prejudice blind and byass him Knoweth he not that men may well agree together in one faith by the Spirit 's inward working in their hearts as well as they may agree together in one prayer by the Spirit without contriving and cutting out their own Terms I mean not by agreeing or agreed an humane political contrivance or design but a divine agreement XL. p. 60 61. His perversion first in most fraudulently putting a false gloss upon my words about the word agreed on and next deceiving and abusing his Reader as if I did put the same gloss upon R. B. his words p. 48. of his book The Anarchy Also his most disingenuous endeavouring to make the Reader believe I wrong R. Barclay in citing some words of his and that because I cite not so many of his words as he thought fit to cite after me in that place p. 48. But I cited as many as were sufficient to prove That it is R. Barclays Doctrine and Testimony that Principles and Doctrines and the Practices necessarily depending on them are as it were the Terms that have drawn us together and the Bond by which we became centered into one body and fellowship and distinguished from others yet not this so the Bond but that we have also a more inward and invisible the Life of righteousness And in my book called The Reasons and Causes of the Sep. p. 24 25. I have cited R. B. his words at great length to confirm his agreement with me in this particular which he will never be able with all his silly quibles to overthrow But when he cannot fairly dispute he goes to pervert and invent false things first he quarrels with the word agreed but I did not say R. B. used the word agreed but it must needs be his sense That whoever believes the same Doctrine by the Operation of the Spirit of God in their Hearts they must needs agree in that faith Secondly he saith R. B. doth not make a bare profession verbal confession any Terms at all and no more do I and to suppose I do is an invention of his own Thirdly he saith The Principles Doctrines and Practises themselves he calls not the Terms and Bond strictly and properly but as it were But that manner of Phrase as it were doth not hinder that they are truly in his sense the secondary Terms or Terms in part and that properly enough but they are not the only or principal but the inward Life of Righteousness as man's body may be said as it were to be the man and yet not the principle part of the man for that is the soul XLI p. 62. His gross perversion insinuating that in my book Some Reasons and Causes c. p. 16. I had cited R. B's words but it was not his words but his Doctrine that I mention in that place as to the substance of it but not as to that particular Circumstance of answering to some plain questions with yea or nay This Circumstance I did not say was in R. B's book but the substance of the Doctrine but all his proof that it is not his Doctrine is that he assures the Reader it is not but let the Reader compare my Citations at length in my Reasons and Causes of Sep. p. 24. 25. and he shall find it is his Doctrine notwithstanding T. E. his boldly affirming it is not XLII p. 58. His perversion by insinuating That all the most necessary Principles and Doctrines of our Faith both common and peculiar are published and made known by the general Consent Advice and Approbation of the most Judicious Wise and Understanding Friends now alive In answer to my proposition desiring it might be so he saith by way of insinuation Is that a new thing to be done now I reply it is a new thing yet to be done and I believe he is not able to shew me that book where it is done by general consent for it is not the consent of a few or of the Second Days Meeting at London who take too much upon them and have published and recommended books that Truth cannot stand by that I mean but the general Consent of the most Judicious Friends the which if it were done were not to be imposed but to be recommended to other Friends XLIII p. 62. His perversion as if I said That the lesser matters of plain Languages and plain Habit c. were so the Terms of Friends Communion as if every one should thereby be intituled to our Communior who speak the plain Language wear plain habit but I neither said nor thought any such thing XLIV p. 62. His perversion in owning these lesser things when sincerely performed to be fruits effects and signs of that inward and invisible Life of Righteousness but not the Terms so much as in part as if fruits effects and signs joyned with the inward life of Righteousness were not a part of these Terms which is as much as to say because the body is not the whole man therefore it is no part of a man XLV p. 64. His error and perversion in laying more weight on these lesler matters of plain language plain habit c. than on the outward profession and confession to the great Doctrines and Principles of the Christian Faith This is apparent from his words XLVI p. 64. His perversion in falsly charging me That I spurn disdainfully at the advice given me to retract the bitter Language as some call it in my books whereas I modestly promise to do it when they have told me what hard or bitter words I have given to any that are not due unto them withal desiring some to give me their good Example Is this any disdainful spurning XLVII p. 64. His
good Apology for his printing against me taking it for granted that he hath proved me to be a deceiver But whether he hath not failed in his proof I leave to all truly judicious and impartial to judg after they have duly perused and weighed my Answer which I hope e're long to make publick He did not well consider that what did seem to make for him against me would really make for me against him and all Others that approve his scandalous book and blame me for that which this his assertion clears me of thus shewing himself to be no wise nor well experienced Soldier to put his own best Weapon into the hand of him he supposeth to be his Adversary The Answer to T. Elwood mentioned in this Epistle called A seasonable information c. I intend God willing to make publick with the first convenience if nothing be done forthwith by that party that hath approved and promoted his book to call it in and disown it I remain in true Love Your Friend in the Truth George Keith POSTSCRIPT to Tho. Elwood ANd because as the Scripture saith of making many books there is no end I do here in a Christian humble spirit not like Goliah but like little David confiding Only and Alone in the Lord and in his powerful Name assisting me make this proffer to Th. Elwood or any others that approve and promote his book at any place and time that he or they will appoint at London providing it be some Meeting-place of Friends that is large and all sober and moderate persons whether Friends or friendly people have freedom to be present to meet him and them and to prove him guilty of gross Forgery in matters of fact Perversion Misrepresentation and false Accusation in many Particulars and also that he is guilty of false Doctrine and Contradiction not only to the holy Scriptures but to some of his own former books And it is as just and reasonable in me to demand a publick free Meeting with him and them that approve and promote T. E. his book in order to prove him guilty of gross Forgery c. as it was in G. W. and W. P. and others concerned wherein I was one to demand a publick and free Meeting with the Baptists in order to prove Th. Hicks guilty of the like Crimes and the Baptists yeilding to such a Meeting at Friends demand how can I be blamed in demanding the like Justice or they excused if they deny it G. K. A Seasonable Information and Caveat Against a Scandalous Book of Thomas Elwood CALLED An Epistle to Friends c. Whereas Th. Elwood hath Printed a Scandalous Book against me called An Epistle to Friends c. in great disunity and against the Mind of many Friends and contrary to the Gospel Order Professed by us although approved and promoted by a Party equally prejudiced against me for my faithful Christian Testimony to the Truth of Christ Upon a diligent Review and Examination of his scandalous Book I find in it at least fifty several Perversions and Misrepresentations and divers of them downright Forgeries and Fictions in matter of Fact and false Accusations the which in Order follow with their several respective Answers I. HE falsly accuseth me in his Title Page of a Spirit of Contention and Division that as he saith hath lately appeared in me and some few others that joyn with me who have made a Breach and Separation from Friends in America For seeing by a Spirit of Contention he meaneth it in the worst Sense as Contending against faithful Friends or Separating therefrom This is a false Charge we remain in Unity with faithful Friends in America and elsewere and contend only against Error and wicked Practises and are only separate from Unbelievers and such as the Scriptures command us to be separated from Rom. 16. 17. A Place of Scripture cited in his Title Page which makes against him for they in America whose unjust Cause he hath taken to defend hath caused Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and therefore we ought to avoid them and there is a godly Contention we ought to be found in so as to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. And we are commanded to be separated from Unbelievers such as these are from whom we were separated in America though they themselves began the Separation and not we And these he calleth some few are about Sixteen Meetings II. pag. 9. He falsly accuseth me that I blame Friends That they were gone too much from the outward to the inward this is a down right Forgery I never blamed any for going too much to the inward for it hath been my Perswasion and that from a true Experience that the more any Man doth come to the inward even to the Grace and Gift of God in his Heart the more he hath a due esteem of Christs Death and Sufferings and precious Blood that was shed for the Remission of Sin and the more his Faith is increased in Christ as he dyed for us and rose again and is our Mediator in Heaven But because I have blamed some Persons for not rightly and fully Preaching Christ without and Faith in him as well as in Christ within therefore he hath forged this Fiction against me That I blame Friends that they were gone too much from the outward to the inward but from his manner of falsly charging me it plainly appears as well as from the words of some others that it was their Sense to preach Christ without and Faith in him it draws from the inward and from the Gift of God within but this is both false and contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles recorded in the Scriptures III. pag. 15. He falsly and unjustly chargeth me with Robert Hannoy's Book as if it were mine both for Matter and Stile and that I cast it upon him For as I have divers times declared as I had no hand in the Printing it but was against it so divers things in it that seemed to some most offensive I was not concerned in though as I have also freely delared and is well known to many divers of the words contained in some of these Queries I spoke them in the yearly Meeting and so far I was concerned but not in Printing them IV. He not only falsly accuseth me but is guilty of an absolute Forgery and Fiction in matter of Fact That I refused to go out at the yearly Meeting in Philadelphia held in the 7th Month 1691. and that my refusal to go out was the occasion of their delay to give Judgment against W. Stockdale for which as a proof he cites my Book called Some Reasons and Causes c. pag. 14. But let the Reader that loveth to see with his own Eyes read that Book and he will find no such thing either in that page or any where else for I went out at the yearly Meeting when I was desired
perversion in feigning me to have retracted the acknowledgment I made of my inward infirmities But that I acknowledged I had justly offended any in words or deeds relating to our differences in Pensilvania or elsewhere I say it is false as divers can witness XLVIII His perversion in misapplying James 1. 26. and 3. 11 12. to me which most properly and duly belongs to himself for surely he that is guilty of so many Perversions Fictions and Forgeries in matrers of fact as well as otherwise and false accusations and bitter Language without any just cause bridleth not his Tongue and hath not that sweet Fountain of the Water of Life in him XLIX p. 67. His perversion in falsly affirming that I was not condemned in Pensilvania without hearing conviction or Tryal for as none of their Judgments intimate that I was so much as present so the Evidences given as describ'd in some of the books sufficiently prove it L. His falsly charging me That I am not in Unity with faithful friends and falsly and bitterly accusing me of hardness that I said in my printed paper called The Causless Ground c. I declare my real intention to remain in Unity with all faithful friends every where and his false and gross flander That my meeting with friends and continuing to exercise my gift of Ministry among them is a very great exercise and burden to friends and also his slandering me That I gave such interruption and made so great disturbance at the first publick Meeting I appeared at in London as the like hath scarce been known in any Meeting in that City Here is a complex and bundle of false Accusations and Misrepresentations to which I answer briefly thus As I am at present in Unity with faithful Friends so I still declare my sincere Intention to remain in Unity with faithful Friends and neither he nor any of his Abettors can prove me guilty of making any breach or violation of true Unity with faithful Friends seeing I am one with them in Doctrine and Practise and the sincerity of my Spirit and Heart is to be judged by the sincerity of the Doctrine I Preach and the Innocency of my Life and Conversation in Practise as Christ hath taught to judge the Tree by its Fruits But it is too great Presumption in T. E. and some others to judge that a Mans Spirit is wrong when they have nothing wherewithal to blame him justly either in Doctrine or Practise I do believe that he and such as he vainly boast of a false Gift such a high Gift or Spirit of discerning is not given to him or them nor indeed is commonly given to all sincere Christians and if such a Latitude be allowed that a Man shall be condemned to be of a wrong Spirit when they have nothing justly to charge him with either in Doctrine or Conversation What Confusion shall this bring in and disorder and rash and false Judgment The innocentest Man living shall at this rate be condemned by saying he is of a wrong Spirit And as some innocent Men have thus been most unjustly judged so some very bad have been justified upon this high pretence of a Spirit of discerning to judge Men without regard to their Fruits But the general rule that Christ hath given us is to be observed above the vain pretences of some proud boasters which is to judge the Tree by its fruits and even in that case to give a right Judgment is a spiritual gift of God and proceedeth from a true spiritual discerning But is it not apparent in T. E. and some others that promote his candalous book that they seek to drive me forth from the Unity and Fellowship of Friends by suggesting reporting and publishing false things against me as David's accusers did against him concerning whom he complained to Saul 1 Sam. 26. 19 If the Lord hath stirred thee up against me let him accept an Offering But if they be the children of men they are cursed before the Lord so the Latin Version of Juâ—ius for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other Gods But my faith and hope is in the Lord whose blessed power I feel that I shall be preserved in Unity with the Lord and with his faithful People notwithstanding the evil Endeavors of T. E. and his Party who seek to drive me out from abiding in the Inheritance of the Lord. But I am so far from pronouncing a Curse upon them for their evil devisings against me that it is my sincere desire that God may bless them with true Repentance for that and all their other Sins And as to the Exercise of my Ministry among Friends hundreds bear Witness that my Ministry is both refreshing and Edifying to them and is burdensom to none but to the ignorant and unfaithful and such as are prejudiced against me by false Reports And as to that Interruption and Disturbance that happened at the first publick Meeting I appeared in at London many can and do bear me Witness that I was not the Cause nor beginning of it And why should T. E. or any other call it a Disturbance in me to bear a publick Testimony against a Man that ought not to be owned to be a Minister of Christ viz. S. J. because of his proud and persecuting Spirit and Practises nor ought it to be reckoned a disturbance when Error and false Doctrine is Preached in a Publick Assembly in a zealous Christian Spirit to reprove it when things are come to that pass especially that private Reprof is not regarded for in my so doing I have the Example of Friends of good Note that have done the like before me And why doth not T. E. remember the disturbance he himself made which I heard some say was greater than that other at a publick Meeting at Grace-Church-street some time ago the most publick Meeting of Friends at London that gave great Offence to hundreds in his speaking against a Person whose Ministry was well owned by hundreds some of which cryed out on him at that time shame shame And as to my general Department in Meetings many can bear me Witness it is peaceable having no Inclination nor purpose to interrupt any though divers have uncivily and unchristianly Interrupted me and otherwise behaved most unfairly towards me And to this bundle or summ of Fashoods and Misrepresentations in the last place let it be added his accusing of my innocent true Words as savouring of a boasting Spirit because I humbly and modestly did mention my Thirty Years Labor in the Work of the Ministry and God having blest my Labors with great Success in being an Instrument to the bringing many unto the blessed Unity and Fellowship with his Spirit and one with another in the same I appeal to all that have a true Savor whether these Words savor of a boasting Spirit I only using them by way of Argument to perswade some that had