thus hath it Seing G. Keith's Answer to R. Gordon implies that the Light Power and Spirit within is Christ the only Mediator and Saviour and that so to assert is not to assert another Christ than Jesus of Nazareth then surely Jesus of Nazareth cannot be something else than the Light Power and Spirit within because Jesus of Nazareth is the ONLY Christ Mediator and Saviour and SO is the Light Power and Spirit within acknowledged to be And if the same then not any thing else Thus far C. Pusey now where is G. Keith his Inference Where the Antichristianism Where the abominable Non-sense Perversion and Contradiction to Scripture c Where doth the Friend deny him to be a real Man consisting of Soul and Body or that he is our Mediator and Saviour Nay if applicable to either of them it must be to G. Keith himself whose the Assertion is not to C. Pusey for citing it and arguing from it ad hominem He that will so palpably abuse a Man to his Face as I may so say when Evidence so near to be produced what will he do behind his back But perhaps he thought every Reader would not scan it and so it might have passed From G. Keith his having in that Book of Truth 's Defence urged that nothing should be pressed as Articles of Faith but what is delivered in plain Expressions of Scripture Words the Friend put seven Queries to him from p. 56 to 59. wherein he demands express Words of Scripture for several of G. Keith his Assertions whereof G. Keith takes no notice except of the third Query about the four hundred Pieces of Silver Abraham Purchased the Burying Place with which I have remarked under my second Head but gives him six Queries by way of Retortion To which I say when he hath answered those Queries grounded upon his own thesis whereby he ought to be bound I may give an answer to his which as stated are not our Principles but his own unfair deductions He goes on p 19. Though I remain still in the same mind that no Article of Faith should be urged on any but what is Contained in plain express words of Scripture or so agreeable to express Scripture as the common sense of all Mankind that hears Scripture words must acknowledge c. Yet I see not why I should be so confined to express Scripture words in things that I require no man to own or believe as Articles of Faith c. And towards the bottom For there are many things both in my Book called Truth Advanced and in many other of my Books wherein I may possibly differ from others in Judgment yet I leave them to their Liberty to dissent as I desire to be left to my Liberty to believe as I judge God hath persuaded me Answer Waving the additional Terms so agreeable to express Scripture as common sense c. wherein he is likely enough to make himself the Judge what is and what is not so I tell him Of what kind many of his are even with respect to Articles of Faith hath in part been manifest and have been Communicated in several parts of this my treatise yet we deny him not a Liberty to dissent as persuaded in himself so long as his Dissent affects himself only and he is not quarrelsom with us stigmatizing us as Atheists Sadducees Sadducean Fraternity c. As he hath done upon account of doctrines himself allows to be Articles of the Christian Faith yet therein hath run so wide from Scripture Terms and Expressions as hath been shewed But we would if possible hold him to his own rule that if it be only safe to keep close to Scripture words and expressions he should do it at least in Articles of Faith of which that of the Resurrection is one And in as much as he urgeth upon us p. 39. That Scripture 1 Pet. 3. 15. of being ready to give an answer of the reason of the hope that is in us surely it cannot be amiss in us to demand the like of him as well as to shew the reason of our dissent from him where we find him incongruous and absurd as well as Unscriptural What remains p. 20. Being but a repetition of his former Slanders relating to the suffitiency of the Light within so excluding our Lord Jesus of Nazareth his Death Sufferings c. From being Concerned in our Salvation and his suggesting our not owning Justification by Christs Blood outwardly shed as he offers no Proof though he hath oft asserted the Contrary on our behalf I shall barely reject them as false Charges not desiring to fatigue my Reader And now for a close of this part G. Keith having so often insulted over his Opponent as a Miller Philosopher one going beyond his Last his Sphere of knowledge who had better keep working at his Mill to his own Trade of Grinding or Sawing Timber See p. 5. 11. 15. c. I shall wind up these with some few instances declaring what himself once thought and said of that whereupon he now so values himself as an indication that even herein the Man is changed from better to worse In his Book called Help in time of need Printed Anno. 1665. he thus saith Away with the education of Youth at Universities and Colledges of Philosophy so called I may say of them which Luther stuck not to call them in his Day that they are the stews of Antichrist p. 75. 76. Again p. 76. ' And the Philosophy so called which is taught them is but meer Deceit and Pedantry which even I came to see when among them And towards the bottom I certainly know the Human Wisdom or Learning is one of the MAIN Bulwarks of Antichrist against the Revelation and setting up the Kingdom of Christ in the Earth and because this is arising and shall rise down must the other go and all who seek to uphold it shall fall therewith Surely then G. Keith hath no such great cause to vaunt himself over another for his Skill in that Learning which himself confesseth to be a main Bulwark of Antichrist which must fall with its upholders wherein G. Keith may chance to be a truer Prophet against himself than he is aware of In his Book of Immediate Revelation Printed Anno. 1676. he saith Then down should all the PROUD LORDING LOFTY CLERGY with their many degrees of DOCTORSHIPS LORDSHIPS and MASTERSHIPS pass who being Strangers to the true knowledge are vainly puffed up in their Fleshly minds by the form of knowledge in the Letter as I was my self whilst among them and thought all Men Idiots and Unlearned who were not Skilled in that litteral knowledge but the Lord by his Grace brought me to see the Vanity of all that knowledge c. p. 137. But now it is happened unto him according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again c. 2 Pet. 2. 22. And what God once brought him to see the
Gods Grace whereby we are sanctified Further Discovery p. 17 18. Printed Anno 1694 If that in ward Principle whereby Men are sanctified were purchased by Christs Death and Blood what became of both Jew and Gentile before Christ's Death Were they without an inward Principle and unsanctified Himself shall resolve the Question anon In his Book stiled Truth Advanced Printed Anno 1694 he thus hath it It is not said that Cornelius had the Holy Ghost in his Gentile State although he had a great measure of Gentile Sincerity and Righteousness Nor is it any where to be sound that ANY received that Holy Ghost which Christ promised PARTICULARLY to Believers in him but such ONLY who believed in him even Christ crucified and raised again p. 70. And in the next Page That Holiness that is a Conformity unto Christ the second Adam and is the proper and peculiar effect of the new or second Covenant is far more excellent than any Righteousness or Obedience that is but the effect of the first Covenant or Ministration and is but a Conformity to the first Adam his Righteousness and maketh not Sons but Servants or if Sons but Sons of Hagar or the first Covenant And under this first Covenant Ministration the Spirit is called in them the Spirit of Fear and Bondage but the filial Fear and Love and other Gospel Vertues are the far more excellent And here the Spirit is called the Spirit of Adoption or Sonship that helpeth us to cry Abba Father And as the Spirit of God is called in Scripture the Spirit of Faith c. So it is called the Holy Spirit or Spirit of Holiness because it worketh a peculiar Degree and kind of Holiness in all true Believers in Christ Crucified c. above what the most upright Gentiles do Witness or Experience in their meer Gentile State The Law made nothing perfect and that Law was not only the Law without but even the Law WITHIN both in Jews and Gentiles until the Faith of Christ the one Offering come to be revealed by which one Offering he hath for ever perfected all that are sanctified p. 71. Let the Reader bear these things in Mind or recur to them upon occasion for on this hinge hang most of the Observations in the ensuing Quotations which belong to this Head Now before I bring his former Books in Evidence against him I think needful to Premise that I have not here delivered Mine or my Friends Sentiments pro or con for or against but barely wielded my Adversaries weapon against himself for his Writings abound with Contradictions as I have already observed in my Apostate Exposed and that other called People called Quakers cleared c. who though he could tell others that They are not so sincere as to own and retract in publick their Errors exposed in publick even lest such Retractation or Correction should lessen and abate their Honour and Esteem among their too credulous Followers and Admirers See Preface to Gross Error p. 2. yet himself is the Man that offends in that wherewith he unjustly taxeth others forgetting or at least little regarding what Paul saith Rom. 2. 21. Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self c. For although he represented his very minute viz. Not touching any of the great Doctrines and Principles of the Christian Religion but relating to some Places of Scriptures unduly applied to prove or defend things that were Truths but did not really prove these Truths True Copy p. 18. and hath promised to correct and retract them p. 17. yet it remains undone to this Day which is above a Year ago If he be so unwilling to correct small faults what would he be to greater But before I have done with him I doubt not to evince he had no Reason to cast the first Stone especially against the Innocent when himself was so deeply culpable To that end hear him Light of Truth Triumphing Printed Anno 1670. thus That the new Covenant requireth doing is plain from Deut. 30. 14. But the Word is very near unto thee even in thy Mouth c. which Word the Apostle Paul expounds to be the Word of Faith and Righteousness of Faith Rom. 10. 8. which he preached and that was the NEW COVENANT p. 11. Hence I argue if the Word near be the Word of Faith c. be the New Covenant then who hear it and obey it are not under the first Covenant only held under the Custody and Safe-guard of the Law c. but the Word of Faith being closed in with the Faith is revealed And surely the New Covenant is Saving and Perfecting Page 15. He proposeth a few Queries to R. Gordon to shew as he alledgeth that the Nature and Light by which the Gentiles did the things contained in the Law and knew God was that of Christ 1. How could they do the things of the Law but by the Divine Nature of Christ seeing without him men can do no good thing And I Query Whether the Divine Nature of Christ whereby God is known be without the Holy Ghost or whether the Divine Nature of Christ did not even then make perfect for in Truth Advanced p. 70. he denies Cornelius c. had the Holy Ghost and p. 71. that the Law within made perfect before the one Offering came to be Revealed 2. How could they be excused but by Christ 3. How could they be without excuse who disobeyed if they had no Principle given them sufficient whereby to perform their Obedience 4. How did some of them PERFECT the Law and judged the Circumcision and was Jews inwardly and had Praise of God if not by Christ Could they perfect that Law that it self made nothing perfect Again is the Jew inward who hath praise of God by Christ without the Holy Ghost but a Son of Hagar Surely this Man had need have looked at home and retracted his own Errors before he had been so brisk upon others 5. How could they clearly see the invisible things of God but by Christ the Son seeing it is said None knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him And though these invisible things are clearly seen in or through the things that are made yet not without that which is to be known of God manifest in them which God had shewed unto them which gave them an Eye or Understanding to see his Invisible Power and Godhead in these things And now I query How doth the Son reveal these invisible things but by the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10. Do Men see the Invisible Power and Godhead without it Or is that Administration that gives to see the Invisible Power and Godhead Evangelical or Legal Imperfect or Perfecting But fighting against Truth blinds Men. Again he tells his Adversary Thou secretly Labours to prove that the Name of Jesus Christ Redeemer and Saviour belongs only to the Word as it was manifest in that particular Body and Form of Man born of
Scripture was writ And yet did they not receive the Holy Ghost Could not that Law that Command that Word make Perfect Had Men Faith in Christ and could not that Faith save in their Days Monstrum horrendum Page 105. He tells us that Moses falls a declaring concerning the New Covenant Deut. 30. from ver 11 to 16. the Probation whereof he gives in the next Page both from Jer. 31. 32. and Rom. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. And in p. 107. thus hath it The Jews and People of Israel who lived in Moses's Time and were SAVED it was through Faith in this Word in this Prophet raised up in them in their Hearts not at a distance but nigh the Word is nigh in thy Heart And this is Christ in them the Hope of Glory the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations but was EVER made manifest in his Saints but in the latter Days more clearly c. p. 107 108. Query Had Men Faith in Christ the Word Was the Mystery ever made manifest in the Saints and yet was the Law within in sufficient to make perfect till since Christ was offered up in the outward Having transcribed many verses in 119 Psalm concerning the Word he queries p. 109. What Word this is whether the Letter of the Scripture oâ— that Word of Faith Paul and Moses long before spoke of and its effects upon David he tells us anon saying This quickned him this strengthned him this comforted him this taught him and made him wiser than his Teachers This was as Oyl unto him a Lamp unto his Feet and a Light to his Paths in this his Steps were ordered verse 133. in this he worshipped he prayed he sung Psalms and all his Springs were in this p. 111 112. But I query if the Law within made nothing perfect until the one Offering was revealed how came David by his Quicknings Strength Comfort Instruction Wisdom Light fresh Springs c For now we are got a step beyond proving that the Gentiles were savingly enlightned and by occasion administred from G. Keith driven to evince out of his former Writings that the Patriarchs before Christ was born and suffered had such a Law within them as did make them perfect Are these the Fruits of an imperfect Law to quicken strengthen c. or will he who once contended that many were saved and attained unto perfect Peace and Reconciliation with God in their Souls now deny it to David a Jew both inward and outward as he must do if the Law could not make perfect How is he confounded how engaged in what is and will be too hard for him Solomon comes next From what he â—â—ys of Wisdom's crying at the Gates in every City G. Keith queries Is not her crying c. the same with Jesus Christ his standing at the Door c. p. 113. And I query Whether to them that opened unto him even during that Administration he did not come in and Sup with them for G. Keith immediately quotes Rev. 3. 20. to adapt it to Solomons saying 2dly Whether such had the Holy Ghost And 3dly Whether the Law within such made them perfect in that Age G. Keith goes on thus The Gospel was Preached unto Abraham Abel Enoch Noah and to ALL BELIEVERS who lived before Scripture was writ in a Book and it was spoken into their Hearts by the Spirit of Jesus Christ and the Saints who then lived and were inspired of God preached the Gospel and the Gospel is the same in all Generations for it is the Everlasting Gospel Rev. 4. 6. But now the Declarations Discoveries and Manifestations of this one Gospel have been many and different under the Law more darkly in the Time of the Prophets more manifestly in the Time of the Apostles Yet more manifestly and yet all ONE GOSPEL and we preach no other but the same Everlasting Gospel which is the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. See p. 213. Now hence I query Whether the Gospel Preached unto Abraham Abel Enoch Noah c Were the Law within Abraham c And whether it made them perfect 2dly Whether these Believers who lived before Scripture was writ in a Book who had that inspeaking into their Hearts by the Spirit of Jesus Christ partook of the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Holiness of Adoption or Sonship or of the Spirit of Fear and Bondage only Were they Sons of Hagar or Sarah Of First or Second Covenant 3dly Whether those inspired Men who preached the Gospel which he allows to be the same in all Generations had ALL OF THEM the Doctrinal Knowledge and Faith of Christ Crucified and preached it to others And this I the rather urge for as much as Truth Advanced p. 42. he denies that Paul means the Gospel is the Power of God simply and abstractly considered without all Doctrine and doctrinal Knowledge and Faith of Christ Crucified All Saints have the same Spirit and Word of Prophecy in some measure more or less that the Prophets had who ever directed People to the same Spirit and Word in their Hearts from which they spake that they might in themselves hear the same Word and Spirit whereby the true Faith comes p. 221. Is this Spirit and Word saving Is it perfecting in all Ages Can a Man hear it and obey it and yet be without the Holy Ghost But hear him again This second Adam is called the quickning Spirit by whose quickning Vertue the Souls of ALL the Holy Men and Women were made and kept alive unto God as truly before he came in the Flesh as after for they did all eat the same spiritual Meat c. Which was Christ yea they did eat his Flesh and drink his Blood as TRULY REALLY in measure BEFORE he came in that Body of Flesh as the Saints have done since p. 227. To the same purpose he expresseth himself in p. 258. and in Way cast up p. 95. and in Rector Corrected p. 95. This shews what he once thought of the Holy Men and Womens Condition in those first Ages of the World who then only placed the difference in Degree not in Kind now will not allow more then Gentile Sincerity and Righteousness where Faith in Christ crucified is not revealed as well as that he concludes all before Christ was visibly offered under such an inward Law as made not perfect How he will reconcile such a State to that of eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood let him look to In the mean while as he queries Truth Advanced p. 184. in his query 10. Can any Eat the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood who have not the Faith of him as he GAVE his Body of Flesh to be broken and his Blood to be shed for us So I query Could any do thus before it was given or broken Or had all those Holy Men and Women he spoke of even now so much as the Faith or Knowledge that it should be broken Having offered what Citations I at present
proposed out of this Book the next that comes in course is The Way Cast up Printed Anno 1677. He there saith Paul takes notice of some among the Gentiles in the time of Heathenism who were a law unto themselves and did by Nature to wit the Divine Nature of the Word Ingrafted in them James 1. or by their own Nature restored and repaired by the Grace of God as Augustin Expounded that place the things contained in the Law And such was Socrates among the Grecians whom Justin Martyr in one of his Apologies did expresly call a Christian and classeth him with Abraham c. p. 44 45. Several things are Remarkable here one that in the time of Heathenism some Gentiles partook of the Divine Nature which hath been oft touched upon already 2dly That their Nature was repaired and restored by the Grace of God Qu. Was that Grace insufficient or imperfect Can Nature be restored or repaired by that which makes not perfect By any thing less than God's Holy Spirit 3dly That Justin Martyr classed such an one with Abraham and calls him a Christian 4thly That here he boggleth not at the appellation in this Book Printed Anno. 1677. Though he doth afterwards Anno. 1694. Saying in Truth Advanced p. 46. If they were real Christians they had some Knowledge and Faith of Christ the Messiah as he was to come in the Flesh But now the Man being altered no wonder that his Expressions vary If the Saints before Christ came outwardly in the Flesh had not Eat of the Flesh of Christ and Drank of his Blood they could not have had Life by him but they had Life by him and therefore c. p. 95. Christ hath Lived in all Saints as well before he came in the Flesh as to his outward Birth as since p. 100. Did he Live in them and did they Feed on him even before his outward Birth and yet the Law within Jew and Gentile not make perfect till after it Though the outward coming of the Man Christ was deferred according to his outward Birth in the Flesh for many Ages yet from the BEGINNING this Heavenly Man the promised Seed did inwardly come into the Hearts of those that believed in him and Bruised the Head of the Serpent and destroyed him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil the Stronger Man entering the House and dispossessing the strong Man and Casting him out p. 99. When the Head of the Serpent is bruised the Power of Death the last Enemy destroyed the Devil Dispossessed and cast out and the stronger enters Hath not the perfect Law the Law which doth make perfect taken place Again Thus the Word was made Flesh even from the beginning and dwelt in us as in ALL AGES and they beheld his Glory c. p. 103. Is this Indwelling where the Glory is beheld without the Holy Ghost or unable to perfect the Work Now I come to his Book Stiled Way to the City of God Printed Anno. 1678. where he saith Even at Mans Fall the Seed of the Woman was given not ONLY to Bruise the Serpents Head but also to be a Lamb or Sacrifice to attone and pacify the Wrath of God towards Man p. 125. Is this Bruising the Serpents Head attonement c. Witnessed where the Holy Ghost is not received Is not this State a Gospel State beyond Gentile Sincerity and Righteousness And where these Effects are wrought doth not the Seed of the Woman make perfect He tells us We are not too nicely to make a difference betwixt the Influence and effects of his outward and inward Sufferings but to understand them in a perfect Conjunction and that the End of his Sufferings in both was this viz. 1. Both to quench and allay the Wrath of God 2. to purify and Cure Men c. p. 139. Had G. Keith taken the Counsel he then gave he would not have so depretiated the Law within nor denied the receiving the Holy Ghost to the Conscientious Heathen to whom the outward was not revealed as he hath done of late His Book called Rector Corrected Printed Anno. 1680. Comes next There he denies not but that some rare and singular Gifts of the Spirit have been given unto some of these called Heathen some whereof have Prophesied of Christ and others uttered some Divine Sayings that could proceed from no other Principle but the same Divine Spirit that was in the Christians p. 50. Qu. Is this Divine Spirit the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Holiness which these had while to Cornelius he allows only a great Measure of Gentile Sincerity and Righteousness had these a Law within them that made perfect which of late he will not admit to Jew or Gentile until Christ the one Offering was Revealed For it seems they had the same Spirit the Christians had How should this be if the Holy Spirit was Peculiar to the latter Days to them who believed in Christ Crucified c. For that not being done the benefits Annexed and Apropriated thereto could not be received Again that these generally had so much as a belief that the Messiah should come and suffer and rise again is what will stick hard upon him to prove if he dare assert it especially considering that the Disciples who conversed with Jesus were even after his Resurrection so far from believing it either Explicitely or Implicitely a late phrase of his that they disbelieved it and it seemed to them as idle Tales Lu. 24. 11. Yet if that were granted that all these had this belief of the Messiah that he should come c. Yet if he will believe himself which he hath small cause to do Considering his windings and twistings of late they could not have that holy Spirit which the Christians had that Holy Spirit being as he saith peculiar to believers in Christ Crucified not in Christ to be Crucified In the same Page he quotes a saying of Seneca thus There is a Holy Spirit in us that Teacheth us as we Treat him So here 's a Heathen hath outstript G. Keith by confessing to more than a great Measure of Gentile Sincerity and Righteousness even to the Holy Spirit in the Gentiles And that G. Keith may find to his Sorrow one Day Again God gave his Holy Spirit to instruct them and the Spirit in the Jews made them to believe in Christ as well before he was Born in the Flesh as since and therefore he is called the Spirit of Faith as being the Author of it in all them that believe p. 150. Is this Consonant to his saying Truth Advanced p. 70. Nor is it any where to be found that any received that Holy Ghost which Christ promised particularly to the Believers in him but such only who believed in him even Christ Crucified and Raised again Will he distinguish between Gods Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost or make two Holy Ghosts He queries Was not the Spirit of Christ in Moses And Christ the Lord
answered and a new one raised ver 35. to which in ver 36. Paul replied Thou Fool c. The one said there is no Resurrection the other disputed inquisitively about the Modus or Manner of it how And with what Body And were distinctly answered So that in this G. Keith grosly errs and needs Correction as he once told the Rector of Arrow But the Translation with what Body doth not please him who seems to think well of nothing but what himself hath a Hand in He would have it with what quality why not rather what kind of Body and adds this their querying was a sort of arguing against the thing it self p. 16. First he imposeth his own Version then a Dogmatical Inference without Proof which as such I reject as I do also his slander against us a little below that we argue against the Resurrection of the Body it self from the Manner of it Against C. Pusey's having shewed G. Keith his contradictory Assertions to be as little reconcileable to Reason as the Popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation G. Keith alledgeth that professing to hold a Resurrection of the Body but not of that same Substance falls in with the Popish Transubstantiation Answ Surely to say It is no more a Body of Flesh Blood and Bones but a pure aethereal or heavenly Body and yet that the Substance remaineth the same that it was on Earth which G. Keith hath confessed to p. 4. is more like their Doctrine who say The Form of Bread remains yet it is the real Flesh and Blood of Christ than our saying with the Scriptures Thou sowest not that Body that shall be but God giveth it a Body as it hath pleased him and to every Seed it s own Body 1 Cor. 15. 37 38. For as he hath said in another Place we have good Company even the Apostle Paul on our side which he hath not for himself What follows as a Charge against G. Whitehead and W. Penn That the Saints get the Resurrection immediately after Death and that they both argue against the Deceased Saints expecting any Resurrection of the Body c. He not offering to prove upon them out of any of their Poâ—ks I lightly pass over as knowing G. Keith too well to trust to his general Accusations and them better than to Credit such Evidence against them Nor shall I engage in what he further offers p. 17. relating to their differences in America whereto I am not Privy Yet may say that a free and bold laying open of our Sufferings when hardly and illegâ—lly dealt with as in the Case of W. Penn and W. Mead their Tryals bears no Proportion to giving a Magistrate ill Language and provoking Terms for we have not so learned Christ Neither need G. Keith ask his Opponent p. 18. a Proof that he is a Man of a wrong Spirit adding What oâ—e evil thing hath he proved against me in all his Book either in Doctrine or Conversation For any that compares the Book and Answer together in a right Spirit will see there is sufficient to detect G. Keith to be of a wrong Spirit And what is wanting there himself hath made up since in bitterness in envy in reviling and slandering Gods Heritage which I pray he may be sensible of before too late In p. 18. G. Keith makes a general Reference to what C. Pusey gave in several Pages out of his Truths Desence p. 169 170 171. And upon the whole saith he remains in the same Mind still that he would have nothing urged nor pressed as Articles of Faith but what is delivered to us in plain express Scripture Words which he saith is the Substance of that large Citation Answ The Substance of that Citation was more comprehensive than so as who so please to read it in the Original cited above may find wherein he declares that Charity and makes those Proposals of Concord with the otherwise Minded as suits not with his late Actions Yet from what he hath here given as the Substance of that large Citation the Friend Objects p. 53. that this Advice could not find Place with G. Keith when so often desired and queries What Uncharitableness is this when we offer to express our Faith in Scripture Words for you to say we have another Sense than what we speak see his p. 54. G. Keith makes Answer It is false in him to say that this was so often desired but could not find Place I said again and again We shall take your Confession in Scripture Words provided ye will condemn your Errors that are contrary to express Scripture Words But this saith he they would never do And perhaps they held no such Errors as he charged them with and so had none to condemn say I However this being true that such an offer was made by Friends and thus replied to by him which is so far from never refusing that it includeth a refusal in tying them to such Terms as no Innocent Man can comply with without an implicit acknowledgment of Guilt the next thing I observe is that whereas his Opponent queried How know ye that we have a Sense contrary to Scripture Words G. Keith Answers They have sufficiently discovered it not only by one or two unsound Expressions but Multitudes of them as their Letters and Manuscripts there and the Printed Books here sufficiently prove Answ This Reference is wide enough What is in their Letters and Manuscripts there we know not nor are we like for ought I see though he hath long threatned us with them Again what Printed Books here doth he mean What is their Title In what Page Who the Author Surely he thinks his Credit is great that the Reader must take all from him upon trust without Examination But at length he comes to one particular Case by which we may give a guess of the rest It is in haec verba We need go no further for a Proof saith he than the most gross and Antichristian Expressions and Sayings of Caleb Pusey himself in this very Treatise for whereas he hath plainly affirmed p. 15. ad finem That Jesus of Nazareth cannot be something else than the Light Power and Spirit within Now can there be any thing more contrary to express Scripture than this Assertion Was not Jesus of Nazareth a real Man consisting of Soul and Body in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily And is that Body and that Soul and that fulness nothing else but the Light within us O abominable Non-sense and Perversion and Contradiction to Scripture and all true Reason Ans By that Time I have given C. Pusey his Words I doubt not but to make appear that G. Keith is a Man nullius fidei not to be trusted For this he calls a plain Affirmation was but an Inference or Deduction from what G. Keith had laid down and no ways designed as here alledged to deny Jesus of Nazareth to be both God and Man C. Pusey p. 15 16.
Outward In p. 23. He saith It most evidently appears from the express Words of my Book of Universal Grace p. 120. That I did not then hold that the Light within was sufficient to Salvation without any thing else as without Christs outward Coming c. Answ It will sufficiently appear to them who duly consult the place that even according to G. Keith the other Nations viz. the Gentiles were not destitute of the main and principal thing even of the Manifestation of the Light and Spirit of the Son in their Hearts and that those that did improve it did both know the Lord and his Laws and were JUSTIFIED through Faith in him c. And it will also appear to such as will cast an Eye upon what he hath said no longer ago than in the Year 1691. in his Presb. and Ind. Chur. p 116. that he then held that It is no less than real Blasphemy to say that the Light within is not sufficient to give that Knowledge of God that is necessary unto Salvation Now if this doth not depretiate the blessed Effects of Christs outward Coming when delivered by G. Keith which is the Scope of what he offers in the Page under my Consideration why must it be rendred so to do when delivered as he suggests by us except to gratifie his rancour who will allow that Exposition to his own Words he denies to others In page 24. He makes my Charge to be That he did formerly hold that Christs inward coming saves where the outward is unknown in which he renders me guilty of gross Forgery and Perversion for he seldom Charges lower in any thing that affects himself of Forgery seeing I cite no passage out of any of his Books where he expresseth these words Where the outward is unknown c. But is it Forgery to give his words without a Citation If so it is his own beloved Crime Yet had he but turned over the next Leaf in my Book and minded what he read he might have found that I bring him in saying The outward Coming sufferings and Death of Christ may have and hath a true and real influence upon them who know it not expresly Again Why may not many receive an advantage by Christ the second Adam's Obedience even in the outward who never knew it expresly c. This might have shut his Cavil out of Doors had it not been so Natural to him to Wrangle He adds They for that is the word he useth when he brings any thing out of my Book are guilty of grosly Perverting my words and sense as if I did hold that Christs inward coming saves with Eternal Salvation without all Knowledge of Christs outward coming What means he by the tearm Eternal Salvation which yet were none of my words are not all that are saved here saved with Eternal Salvation Or must they be fitted in Purgatory or in some other Revolution But he is offended that the words explicit and implicit which I find not but in his late Books are by me called a late Distinction saying The place of his Book cited by me saith no such thing yet acknowledgeth that in divers of his late Books he hath distinguished betwixt the express and implicit Knowledge c. But hath he made that distinction formerly if not it is a late distinction His alledging that it is implyed that though not exprest yet was really understood by him is idle for it is not what he understands but what he gives us to understand what he declares that is properly called his Distinction But he Vindicates it as what all true and Orthodox Christians hold though he names none as well as infers it from Eph. 3. 6. Which is wide from the purpose The Apostle tells v. 5. That it was not made known as it is now How Not expresly but implicitely That he saith not although G. Keith doth who in p. 25. from Rom. 16. 25 26. queries Now what is made manifest but Express And what is kept secret but Implicit So then if the Reader would know what implicit means G. Keith resolves him it is what is kept secret I thought it had not deserved to be called Knowledge while kept secret while not manifest but that the opening the unvailing the revealing a thing gives me to know it but this Profound Mystick hath got a new knack of expounding words and interpreting the Scriptures as if Men were saved by a knowledge kept secret from them He queries Why will they not allow it the tearm implicit as well with respect to the knowledge of Christ without us as of Christ within us Answer I gave him no occasion thus to object yet reply because the knowledg of Christ within is immediate by a divine sensation the other not always so Now from my following words That G. Keith's distinction was to serve a turn which he falsly chargeth upon G. Whitehead who was not concerned in my Book otherwise than iâ— his Postscript as if he thought me too mean to wreak his Spite at he falls upon G. Whitehead for excusing a passage of G. Fox's which himself had defended Serious Appeal p. 60. And also others excusing Is Penington saying Can outward Blood Cleanse The drift whereof is to prove what we readily grant him that when our Friends sense hath been perverted we have Distinguished My Objection against him was that his were not cogent will he Object the same let him detect them as I have done his Yet I cannot but take notice of that passage of my Fathers Can outward Blood Cleanse for it seems droppeâ— by him as with a design of mischief When I shall take occasion to add That my Father denied not the attonement made by Christ offering up his Blood in the outward to such as received him into their Souls but acknowledged the remission of his Sins thereby aâ— may be seen in his Book stiled Flesh and Blood of Christ both in the Mystery and in the outward c. Printed in his works Part. 2. p. 180. And that G. Keith well knew him to be a true believe in the Lord Jesus and a sincere Lover of him even the Crucified Jesus himself hath declared Serious Appeal p. 25. Alike mischievous is he in Insinuating G. Whitehead his excusing Solomon Eccles his Blasphemy as he terms it in saying The Blood that came out of Christs Side was no more than the Blood of another Saint Though G. Whitehead sought to Evince that S. Eccles'â— meaning was better than his words yet he also declared that he did not make S. Eccles's Expressions therein especially as Construed by our Adversaries to be an Article of our Faith See Light and Life p. 59. To this being formerly alledged by G. Keith hath T. Ellwood answered in Truth Defended p. 111. Which G. Keith takes no notice of but renews his Slander as if it had been new so unfair an Adversary is he From my arguing That the word Express â—s a word of Course with
my citations out of two of his former â—â—oks where he allowed that the true and â—NLY Method to bring People into the Faith â—â— acknowledgment of the Christian Religion was first to inform them of an universal inâ—â—rd Principle which would when this Foundation was laid bring them to own the Scripture and what Christ did and suffered c. And thaâ— the contrary was not good order and method he grants it here p. 27. but with a reserve and limitation saying What is necessary in the first place to be Preached to them that havâ— little or no true Knowledge of God or of an inward Principle is one thing and what is first to â—â— Preached in order to bring Men to the Christian Faith and Religion more immediately and proâ—â—mately is another Answer When he said â—â— I cited him in my p. 23. This is the trâ—â— method and order which the Lord hâ—â— taught us to hold forth unto People â—â— the first place to point and turn their minâ— unto the Light of Jesus Christ c. Again my p. 24. It is for want of this true order in Preaching of the Gospel that mâ—â— have had so little success hitherto c. Wâ—â— he writing to some Preachers that were â—â—ing into the Indies among the Heathen or â—â— his own Country-Men that lived among â—â— Did we hold it forth to be Preacht in â—â— first place with a restriction to those paâ—â— of the World where the outward was â—â— revealed or indefinitely Besides if to â—â— Gentiles it was to be Preached in the first plaâ—â— as that which would give them the knowledge of the outward why not to the Christiaâ— who are attained to a belief of the outwards yet too many undervalue the inward seeiâ—â— such as have had a belief of the outward wâ—â— be confirmed therein by the inward as wâ—â— as others taught it who had not known it befoâ—â— even as himself hath confessed He conculdes What do my Adversaries bring against me on this Head to prove my self Contradiction Nothing at all saith he therefore they shew themselves stronger in falsly accusing than in justly proving adds he Answer Had he not been stronger in falsly accusing then became him he had not thus falsly accused me For I proved his self-Contradiction and told him where viz. In Nameless Bull p. 10. 11. Which I had quoted before in my p. 11. It is true I did not there give the words at length having done it before but I gave the Title and Page of his Book and referred to my having already given it in that very Book So that he hath Slandered me wittingly In p. 29. of my Book I compared his saying It is not the meer outward name that saveth but the Life the Power of Christ that quickens cleanseth and purifieth by this they might be saved for it is the Life that saveth Rom. 5. 10. With a Friends saying as himself gives it that the Blood which cleanseth from all Sin was the Life and the Life was the Light which he then termed a perverse Exposition and called the Friend Bold Ignorant Soul and I deemed as authentick as G. Keith his saying the same Under this he is uneasy and having skipped many pungent places from p. 25. to 29. to come at it whereto he forgets ever to return such a Slippery Adversary have I to deal with he Labours as to justify his own so to brand the Friends words For himself he pleads p. 28. He doth not in the least Remember that ever he gave that Exposition on 1 Jo. 1. 7. And perhaps when Examined the Friend may say He doth not in the least remember he ever did so But hath G. Keith never unduly applyed places of Scripture to defend things that were Truths but did not really prove these Truths either by express Words or proper Consequence Let him Consult what himself hath acknowledged True Copy p. 18. If so why so harsh upon the Friend Had he then retracted those Errors or hath he done it yet when he fell so roughly upon the other Or hath he forgot what Christ said to such an one Thou Hypocrite First cast out the Beam out of thy own Eye c. Matt. 7. 5. Thus much o the exposition Now to the Doctrine it self Is it true Doctrine that the Life Cleanseth G. Keith hath said it the Friend hath said it Charity makes the best Construction But G. Keith's Charity begins at home and ends there too for he reserves none for his Neighbour If I had said nothing but the Life within saveth or cleanseth from all Sin they might have justly so argued saith G. Keith on his own behalf if the Friend had said nothing but the Life within saves c. G. Keith might have justly so argued say I. He goes on There are several Concurrent Causes in the great Work of our Salvation and cleansing from Sin which though agreeing in one Harmony yet one Cause is not the other therefore their Argument is Vain and False Answer Argument I made none but comparison of sentence with sentence nor do I yet see wherein the Friend could be unfound if G. Keith be found for this explication is as applicable to the one as to the other My quoting him Though Prophets and Apostles preached him Christ as in the form of a Man yet they Preached him also and that more generally as a Light to the Gentiles yea and to Jews also he terms a false and perverse sense upon the word more generally as if he did signify by it more frequently which he saith he did not but by more generally that he did and doth understand that his inward appearance was more general than his outward therefore what was in it self more general they Preacht to be so And then tells us how much oftner they Preached his outward than inward appearance wherein he saith not true Now that this is a false Gloss and shews he wants Sincerity the words and his sense then plainly intimating that more generally had relation to Preaching not appearance will appear upon consulting the place Light of Truth p. 16 17. In order whereto let us recur to the Spring to the Objection his Adversary raised which was not that Christs inward appearance was more general than his outward but that our saying as the place hath it That Christ was sometimes Preached as Crucified to the Jews but MORE GENERALLY a Light to the Gentiles inferred two Christs which G. Keith tells him is a most pitious and abominable wresting of those words and that though the Prophets and Apostles preached him as in the form of a Man yet they Preached him also and that more generally as a Light to the Gentiles yea and to the Jews also Here is never a word either in Opponent or Respondent that his inward appearance was more general than his outward that what was in it self more general they Preached to be so which G. Keith would now foist in but as the SOMETIMES
related to his being Preached as Crucified to the Jews so the MORE GENERALLY as a Light to the Gentiles was also restricted to the so Preaching him yet with this addition that G. Keith then allowed it yet further that it was more generally Preached to both Jew and Gentile A Contradiction had been more excusable than such a deceitful Cover His Secondly cites no Page of mine in particular but hath a general reference from p. 15. to 33. which gives him scope to skip as he pleaseth They perversly infer saith he from my words that whereas I formerly made the knowledge and Faith of the History of Christs outward coming not Essential to Religion now I did make it Essential This he accounts Palpable Forgery denies any of the citations I bring prove it and at last recurs to his late distinction of implicit Knowledge and Faith But this is a meer begging of the question that who were saved by the inward had ALL of them the implicit Faith and Knowledge of the outward not brought till of late whatever he pretend of his understanding it so all a long and is impugned by me p. 14 15. particularly from Luke 24. 10 11. From whence I again argue That the Disciples themselves were so far from having an implicit Faith in Christ that he should Dye and rise again that they disbelieved it It seemed to them as idle Tales and they believed them not and that even after he had sent them out two and two and the Devils had been subject to them Chap. 10. ver 1 and 17. If the Reader be disposed to cast an Eye back to my p. 15 to p. 33. he will yet more evidently see I have not wronged him and perhaps be convinced wherefore G. Keith dropped them To his Thirdly Wherein he repeats his Notion concerning Cornelius not having the Holy Ghost in his Gentile-State c. as it hath been largely treated of in this very Tract under my first Head I referr thereto Yet he persisting p. 29. to deny the Holy Ghost is in Wicked Men or the pious Gentiles and that none have it but Believers in Christ crucified and yet acknowledging the Word near to be Christ an Administration of the Gospel to be given in all Ages of the World the Spirit the same the Rule the same the Faith the same see Universal Grace p. 8. Immediate Revelation p. 107 108. Truths Defence p. 70. forecited shews he would divide Christ from his Spirit and is contradictory A further instance whereof take out of his Book of Divine Immediate Revelation p. 63. where he saith Cornelius received the Spirit immediately and yet obtained it FURTHER by means of Peter's Preaching Whereas now he denieth he had the Holy Ghost in his Gentile-State But it is become habitual to him since he turned from Truth to contradict himself and his former Writings To my Question Whether any Prayer is heard by God but what is put up by his Spirit He Answers Nay but Servants and Pious Gentiles such as Cornelius was in his Gentile-State may be and are helped to Pray by the Spirit having the influence of the first Ministration of the Spirit which though remotely Preparatory yet doth not instate the Soul into Union with the Spirit c. Whence had he this Or how doth he prove that Mens Souls are not in Union with the Spirit when helped to pray by the Spirit Surely as there are Degrees of Ministration so there are Degrees of Union and Degrees of Acceptance Diversities of Gifts but the SAME Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 4. But he goes on And were not my Adversaries extream blind and ignorant they might understand how the Apostle calleth one and the same Spirit the Spirit of Servitude and the Spirit of Adoption Rom 8. 15. Doth he bring this for or against himself If the Spirit in the Son and the Servant be one and the same Spirit it must be the Holy Spirit It is Everlastingly Holy in its self Holy in every Operation and Ministration in Man but in Degree the Administrations differ the Law must be passed under before the Sonship is known it is the Spirit of Holiness in every step so denominated from its Effects though the Sonship is not the first step He goes on These Mens arguing that Men may be Eternally Saved c. who have no Faith or Knowledge of Christ without them do sufficiently declare what Heathens they are and of what little value they make the Faith and Knowledge of Christ Crucified and that their Religion is nothing but Deism c. Answ We do not believe that that Faith is not necessary to Salvation to us to whom the means of knowing it is offered but the contrary But that where it is not revealed it is not of Necessity unto Salvation G. Keith hath granted There it is more than Deism yea Christianity for believing in the Light they do believe in Christ See Universal Grace p. 117. and p. 30. In his Fourthly he cites a Passage of mine imperfectly out of Rector Corrected p. 150. and then makes his flourish To a Question of the Rector of Arrow whether the Light within sufficiently tells us that the Messiah is come born had real Flesh dyed c. G. Keith Answers that it doth teach That there is a God that created all things that he is most Holy Just and Wise a plentiful Rewarder of them that fear him c. and that these are AS NECESSARY Truths as any c. See my p. 22. Upon this I argued and G. Keith hath dropt both Quotation and Argument If the Holy Ghost be given ONLY to the one Faith not to the other surely that one Faith must needs be the most necessary Faith Now to the other part that many who never had the Scriptures yet if faithful to the Light whether they have not been accepted have not believed in the Light by believing in Christ who is the Light he queries But where is my Contradiction here Answ Even in what I have cited above and he hath craftily left out He goes on Did I ever say That Men may believe in the Light or Christ within and never at any Time from first to last believe in Christ without either explicitely or implicitely For this they bring no Proof and I believe they cannot saith he Answ It was not the Rectors Question Whether they that dyed without it and had it not at first should have it at last in some other Revolution Perhaps neither of them dreamt of that Distinction when the Book was wrote Nor whether they should have it explicitely or implicitely but whether the Light doth sufficiently tell it He should in his Answer have made that Distinction if he would have it allowed him now but instead of that to an indefinite Question he gives an indefinite Answer asserting there are Truths as necessary that it doth teach and that they that believe in the Light believe these necessary Truths thus revealed believe in Christ and are
within compared with Christ without he tells us we deceive our selves Answ That it was such a Manifestation as gave the Knowledge of God and of all his Laws and Statutes needful to be known by them are his own Words And seeing theâ— were destitute of something what was that they had not and now have not whence they are denominated Gentiles that which he queried upon as I instanced in my p. 31. seeing it hath been so in Times past why may it not be so now but even that which we have from whence we are denominated Christians From my Book he sallies to G. Whitehead's Postscript whither I now follow him His Notion of the Revolutions I had deduced from what himself had laid down in his Book called Truth Advanced The same G. Whitehead charges upon him from Personal Conference to which in general G. Keith replies by referring to his Book called Truth and Innocency Defended wherein the Reader may find he is rather Evasive than plain and to his Appendix to the General History of the Quakers without citing any Passage out of them and then excepts against G. Whitehead's Evidence from his Words If I mistake not adding in a Scoff Is this like Infallible George Whitehead See p. 31. To which I Answer The Words having been spoken about twelve Years ago it became not G. Whitehead to be over Positive as to every Circumstance as whether it was the first Point in difference betwixt them whether the Transmigration was to be of all Souls or of some of them and how many particular Scriptures he argued from c. but as to the Main he is Positive I am sure saith G. Whitehead he argued for that Notion of the Revolution of Humane Souls in a Book of his in Manuscript which he shewed me before he went over into America that he then disswaded him frâ—â— Printing it and withal that G. Keith told him since his return he had brought it over with him as in said Postscript p. 50 51. So that G. Keith's flourish is very Empty and Idle G. Whitehead's Evidence being in so many respects full and positive He goes on If such a Manuscript were such a Crime in G. Keith to render me an Apostate I find no ground he hath so to suggest and gone from Truth why did not G. Whitehead give me Gospel Order c Answ I do not find but he did give Private Admonition and thaâ— it had that Effect as to disswade him from Printing it But that every Error in Judgment should Anathematize a Man and render his no Brother especially while kept Private and not Divulged he may see is not our way by the friendly Correspondence afterwards helâ— between G. Fox G. Whitehead and him which although he now make so ill an use of as if iâ— were Hypocrisy in them so to do as to excuâ—â— his late calling G. Whitehead Dear Geo. Whitehead even when his Heart was not with him and his Brethren but he had broke out intâ— Enmity and Prejudice yet are not the Case Parallel But leaving G. Whitehead a while let me return a little to the Book saith G. Keith which shews he assigns the Book to another Author notwithstanding his former laying it to G. Whitehead That which comes next is this Whereas G. Keith in an Answer to an Objection that Adam dyed not that Day that he sâ—â—ned c. had alledged that Adam not living a â—â—â—pleat thousand Years which in Scriptures signifies sometimes a Day Psalm 90. It may be said he lived not a whole Day I replied That this is a Principle of the Revolutionists is plain to all that know their Principles and that it is his is also manifest there G. Keith stops but I go on in that he gives it as one of the Answers to the Objection Upon this he Vaunts saying p. 32. What lame Evidence and Argument is this And then tells us Justin Martyr and many others Worthy Antient and Late Christian Writers held that a thousand Years in Scripture sometimes signifie a Day which they might for ought I know for he thinks it enough to assert without directing us where to find it and at length gives us the same from Scripture But all this will not help him the Question is not whether a thousand Years doth not in Scripture sometimes signifie a Day but whether it did so in that Place where it is said to Adam In the Day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye and whether giving that Interpretation there to that Objection did not involve him in the Notion of the Revolutionists who so construe the Place and therefrom labour to defend their Notion Though he like not to be esteemed a favourer of Revolutionism telling us in the last Line of this Page his not daring to defend it did not proceed from fear of being defamed but seeing he pretends to no such Assurance in the Case c. Yet would he fain perswade us we make Paul and Beza alike guilty in the Case of the Revolutions if the Words of Paul Gal. 3. 22 23. be but well considered Answ That that Place speaks of a State after Death doth not appear â—â— G. Keith doth in saying So that had they dyed in that State they could not have perished even as the Man-slayer was safe in the City of Refuge Thus in my p. 33. I quoted him out of Truth Advanced p. 43. On the contrary the Author to the Hebrews saith As iâ— it appointed unto Men once to dye but after this the Judgment so Christ was once offered Heb. 9. 27 28. So have I answered one Scripture by another And now he need not say as he here doth p. 33. Suppose that twelve Years ago I was in an Error will that prove that I hold them still For his holding them still is proved by other Mediums of which the Instance above iâ— one Nor yet hath he cause to suggest that it is too probable if G. Whitehead could have revealed any secret that would have taken away his Life he would have done it For that is but a malicious Insinuation what G. Whitehead declared being now no secret in it self nor was it probable that what G. Keith communicated to him and designed to Print was imparted as a Secret Now we are come to my Fourth Head of Christ and the Saints glorified Bodies wherein I opposed G. Keith's Notion in Truth Advanced p. 111. saying Paul distinguisheth between the Belly and the Body saying God will destroy the Belly but he doth not say he will destroy the Body for seeing after the Resurrection of the Dead Men shall need none of the Meats of this corruptible World nor shall they need a Belly to put them in as Guts and Draught or any gross Parts as Men have â—ow This I represented as a very carnal Conception of the Resurrection and opposed to his former Sentiments wherein he declared the glorified Bodies both of Christ and the Saints to be wholly Spiritual
For indeed what Analoge is there between a spiritual Body and that Body which is not to be destroyed but only the Belly Guts and Draught of it Herein he seems well-deserving the Character of a Carnal Conceiver which I fastned on him and this Answers G. Keith's Query Do these Words prove that I have Carnal Conceptions of the Resurrection like those Sadducees To the second Did not the Sadducees altogether deny the Resurrection I Answer Yes Yet the Idea they conceived thereof in such as did believe it was very carnal witness their Instance in the seven Men that married one Woman But upon a groundless Presumption that I had inferred his saying that Men should have Belly Guts and Draught after the Resurrection which I never intended he bestows his vulgar Rhetorick of Perversion and downright Forgery upon me then refers p. 34. to his Book called Truth Advanced which I am willing enough the Reader should see for there he will find more of the same Leaven and lastly his Answer to the Bishop of Aberdeen's queries which was Extant as he saith thirty Years ago Answ His former Sentiments therein being sound if they were so doth not prove his latter were so But that he hath contradicted himself in this and other particulars is too notorious I doubt not to such as have read my former and 〈◊〉 read these The next thing is concerning Water-Baptism and the Supper wherein I shewed thaâ— one while he pretended to be moderate in his Judgment concerning them another while represented theâ— as abolished Shadows and legâ— Rites buried and not to be raised up again as iâ— my p. 35 to 42. More Instances I could give but I reserve them till further Service calls foâ— them these being shifted by him though upon occasion of my opposing some of his Queries in Truth Advanced p. 183 184. tâ— his declared contradictory Sense formerly â—â— alledgeth that they were simply proposed by hiâ— as Queries and plainly distinguished from Positions and that at Turners-Hall some made the excuse They did but Query Answ That Account or Narrative of what passed at Turners-Hall being given by himself who is a Party and none of the fairest Adversaries I dare not confide in and therefore apply my self to himself thus That if I did believe he would deny there were affirmative Interrogatives Queries in the Nature of Affirmations I would hunt for a passage I lately saw in a Book of his that would give it against him For that these were so coupled with Positions not distinguished from them is plain in that they were proposed as tending to Love Peace and Unity among the Sincere Professors of the Lord Jesus Christ see Truth Advanced p. 173. which if he will not be bound by what are they brought for or what a slippery Chapman will these Men have of him But to go on from his adding of these Sincere Professors that they held the Head and Build on the true Foundation and yet differ in some lesser Matters I observed that at the same Time no Epithets were with him black enough upon his quondam Friends whom he sometimes boasts he hath been upwards of thirty Years amongst G. Keith taking hold of that Passage hold the Head and build on the true Foundation and giving the other the slip renders us so unchristianly uncharitable as he saith we too evidently shew we are as to judge none in Christendom differing from us in Profession hold the Head or are Sincere Professors of the Lord Jesus Christ but we only But he runs too fast and in his Prejudice outruns himself We do not so judge though he while so unchristianly uncharitable they are his own Words to his quondam Friends and yet seeking to claw with others that he might Nest somewhere deserved that rebuke Now let us hear what a kind of Retractation he makes The Reader may perhaps expect some great matter if he be enformed what large Notice he hath given before hand above a twelve Month ago and how he bespoke his own Praise in the being free to do it For in his Book called True Copy Dated in the third Month 1695. in Order to introduce what he called A short List of the Vile and gross Errors of G. Whitehead J. Whitehead W. Penn c. he freely acknowledgeth that upon a review of his former Books of Immediate Revelation Universal Grace Rector Corrected and Truth defended he hath found some Passages and Words that not only need some further Explanation but even in some Part an Emendation and Correction And thanks Almighty God that has not only given him to see them but has given him that Humility of Heart Love to Truth and regard to the Salvation of Souls that he can freely both acknowledge and correct his former Mistakes after the example of some worthy Ancients True Copy p. 17. What could be expected from hence but something besides flourish from such as did not know G. Keith especially considering he hath took Time for it All he gives is this I am not ashamed says he here p. 34 35. to own my general Mistakes I have been under concerning divers Places of Scriptures particularly Relative to Water-Baptism and the Supper as Mat. 28. 19. and 1 Cor. 11. 26. And some other Places of Scripture relative to some other Matters especially in the Misapplication of some Places to prove certain Truths which these Places did not prove And I am so far from being ashamed to Publish this Confession that I have great Peace and Joy in it Answ This Confession is as Lame as he pretends in another Place G. Whitehead's Evidence to be but two particular Scriptures named the rest General as if he designed a reserve when more of his Contradictions are laid open who notwithstanding the Joy and Peace he pretends to have in his Publication is very uneasily drawn to this little and perhaps had not I forced him to it by exposing of him had stayed yet another twelve Month before he had given them which yet Falls abundantly short of what was proposed in his True Copy no Emendation or Correction being yet extant to those four Books he there both promised to exhibit and assigned as needing them Thus Parturiunt montes nascitur ridiculus mus All G. Keith's empty crack ends in a Ridiculous Boast I shall follow him upon this subject though he unseasonably interposeth what comes not in course In his p. 36. upon his querying whether it may not be said there is one Baptism â—s there is one Land called America though the Map or Figure of it is also called America even as there is but one Spiritual Baptism with the Holy Ghost though the outward Baptism with Water is also called Baptism I opposed thereto his asserting That the Scriptures are not that word more than a Map or Description of Rome or London is Rome or London or the Image of Caesar is Caesar or Bread and Wine is the Body and Blood of Christ to which after a
Christ Jesus of Nazareth without us is nothing of Christ and calls it a blasphemous Assertion and Consequence which follows not from his Words Answ The Friend gave G. Keith his Words not his own which as I have stated more fairly than himself hath done I leave with the Reader whether the Consequence be forced not natural or whether it proveth that the Friend placeth all on the Light within nothing on Jesus of Nazareth without us Or whether G. Keith had ground from hence to insult that his Opponent had neither Learning nor good Exercise of humane Reason but had better kept working at his Mill as well as that I may put G. Keith in Mind what he once said that a Docta Ignorantia or a learned Ignorance is more safe and to be preferred to an uncertain Knowledge or Science falsly so called See Truths Defence p. 77. G. Keith goes on Seeing that he would infer from my Words That Jesus of Nazareth cannot be something else than the Light Power and Spirit within it is plain that it is both their Sense and his that Jesus of Nazareth is nothing at all of Christ without us which is a plain Contradiction to themselves and to himself in the following Words Thus far G. Keith But how will he prove our Sense and his to be that Jesus of Nazareth is nothing at all of Christ without us if that sense be so immediately Contradicted in the following words This shews he wants candour and would take things by the worst handle to fasten an imputation not only upon the Friend himself but his Brethren also which he confesseth is contradicted by him Who had he not sought an occasion to misrepresent us mought have entituled us at least to what he calls the contradictory Sense Now C. Pusey his Words were these upon G. Keith's saying The Light is Christ but the Man Christ is something else he queried Whether the Man Christ be become something else besides Christ And adds but to wave such Comparisons which shews his were not Assertory but argumentative ad hominem a Comparison G. Keith drew him to To this I say The Man Christ who was made or became Flesh John 1. 14. who said of himself I am come a Light into the World Chap. 12. ver 46. is not something else besides Christ And seeing himself hath said Way cast up p. 102. That it is not the outward Flesh and Blood that is the Man but the Soul or inward Man that dwelleth in the outward Flesh or Body that is the Man most properly such as Christ was even from the beginning I ask Whether the Maâ— Christ that was even from the beginning be become something else besides Christ And seeing God hath said I am the Lord and beside me there is no Saviour Isa 43. 11. Whether this infers a denial of what Christ who is thâ— Light did and suffered without us in that prepared Body c. And that the Friend himself did not believe that Jesus of Nazareth is nothing at all of Christ without us as unduly aspersed by G. Keith hear him in his Modest Account p. 16 17. where he thus hath it Though we cannot yield to G. Keith in these his Terms That the Light is not able of it self and consequently that God by G. Keith's own Words who saith the Light is God is not able to save because we believe Beside him there is no Saviour yet we do not in the least Question but dearly own and acknowledge and believe the Way and Means that the Lord was pleased out of his infinite Love and good Will to Mankind to take in order to redeem him from Sin and Death as sending his only begotten Son into the World not only as a Light but also as Man in the prepared Body to offer up himself a most acceptable Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World which Offering the Lord was pleased to accept of and by his Spirit and Power it is made Effectual for the Reconciliation and Salvation of all those that repent of their Sins and truly believe in his Name And that God doth not save any without respect to that great Offering we all grant and truly believe c. This as it is a full Vindication of the Friend that he did not undervalue but highly prize what Christ hath done without us so it needs no further Comment than a Reflection upon his Adversaries Disingenuity who kept this back while he laboured to suggest the contrary thereto as the Friends sense and ours He saith further He C. Pusey so mingles my words with his own that no Man can distinguish the one from the other c. And I think he is unwilling rightly to distinguish that he may pervert them For whereas the Friend had said And that God doth not save any without respect to that great Offering we all grant and truly believe For as G. Keith saith The Lord having ordained it so to be how can or dare we say therefore That he was or is not Sufficient by his Light Power and Spirit to save without something else Surely this seems to me too Presumptuous an Expression for was not that Body prepared of God And what was done in it Is it not said God did it by him G. Keith in p. 6. leaving out And that God c. and beginning with For as G. Keith saith lays Forgery to the Friends Charge as if having ordained related not to God's saving by that great Offering but to the following Query Concerning the Sufficiency of the Light which is a poor insult From hence he taketh occasion to infer the Necessity of God's Saving by Christ and that he could not save us without respect to the Man Christ in the outward otherwise he could or should contradict his own Ordination c. which is granted him even by the Friend But whether antecedently to Gods purpose he would have saved us without the Death of his own Dear Son a thing he tells us Exact Narrative p. 25. is above Mans Capacity and that he wholly waves that Dispute is what I shall wave insisting on yet with this Caution which the Friend also gave him in his p. 18. viz. Let us not undertake to argue as if there were any thing that God by his Light Spirit and Power is not sufficient to do and we need not debate any longer about it What follows relating to Matter of Fact transacted beyond Sea whereof I can pretend to no certain Knowledge and their Relations do so vary I must leave to the Persons concerned to Answer if they see meet not being willing to undertake a Defence of what I am not Privy to nor to justify them if in ought they have exceeded though I dare not trust his Evidence Yet his alledging that he Printed nothing about their retaking a sloop till a considerable Time after twenty eight of the Ministers had excommunicated him to which Sentence some that gave the Commission did put their Hands is
Vanity of is again become his Glory so that he again thinks such to be Idiots and Fools who are not Skilled in that Pedantry himself formerly was and of late is vainly puffed up by though if he will believe himself Truths Defence P. 69. Printed Anno. 1684. he hath no such great cause for he there saith As to my Learning that is but very ordinary and a thing I neither can nor OUGHT to glory in His Learning I shall not endeavour to debase His Glorying in it and depretiating others for want of it whilst himself hath represented that kind of knowledge so pernicious is what drew me to offer these which leaving with the Reader I thus conclude my answer to his Cavils against the Book stiled Modest Account and betake my self to G. Keith's Postscript who thus introduceth himself p. 40. It may seem strange how it comes to pass saith G. Keith that while so many pious and Learned Men are Judged to be found in this Nation not only of the Church of England but among the Dissenters and Non-Conformists there are found so few among them all that do imply their gifts to oppose such Vile Errors as are holdly and avowedly promoted among a sort an GANG of the People called Quakers not only as bad as ANY Popery but MUCH WORSE than the WORST of Popery in divers respects c. Answer What those Principles of ours are which he counts much worse than the worst of Peopery he is so far from proving upon us though he exclaims as virulently as the Jews of Old who said Men of Israel help This is the Man that teacheth all men every where against the People and the law and this place Act. 21. 28. that he doth not so much as name them The Papists Doctrine of Transubstantiation of Purgatory of Invocation of Saints which is at least a tacit rejecting of Christs Mediatorship and their deifying the Virgin Mary as the Saviour of Mankind with attributes to God and Christ are so bad in my Judgment whatever they are in his that there need none worse And if our Principles had really been much worse than the worst of these methinks his Pious and Learned Men of all Perswasions should not have been so supine these 40. Years that they need now to be stirred up to creep in at the Tail of an Apostate to do his Drudgery for him and that such an one who not only makes such poor earnings of it but perhaps for 25. Years together hath defended us and our Principles against them and particularly in his Looking-Glass for Protestants Printed Anno. 1674. endeavoureth to make it appear as he gives out in the Title-Page that the Quakers are the truest Protestants because as he there saith their Testimony agreeth with the Testimony of the Antient Protestants in the most weighty things c. And whereas he denominateth us a gang I would fain know what Gang he is of now And I was going to put a harder Question to him what Gang he intends to be of next but that I believe he cannot resolve me neither knowing his own Mind nor who will trust him Yet by what follows he bids fair for the Papists as if he had an Aking Tooth after them I am Confident saith he if such Antichristian Errors and Heresies were but the TENTH PART so avowedly broached in the City of Rome or any where else in Popish Countries these esteemed Watchmen among them would be more alarmed to oppose them c. Then most among Protestants do There 's a Box on the Ear for such as will not be at his Beck Methinks he rates his betters as if he had got a Benefice already But stay Ad huc tua seges in herba est he must learn more Manners to his Benefactors if he expect Promotion who if he be thus malapert now what will he be when he hath caught the Fish Now to make sure Work of it he labours yet further to incense the National Ministers against us and anon the Civil Powers yet would fain Men should think It is farr from him to desire the least Sufferings to come on our Persons or Estates as he pretends in the next Page But as the Dutchman says Dit gaet zo verre al 's hy voeton heeft it goes as far as it hath Legs to stand on in Order whereto he layeth before them That we have provoked such as have differed from us to publick Disputes Viva voce and have oft gloried over them who refused to answer us that their cause was Bad c. He knows who hath said Deceit lurks in Generals Wish he assign Time Place and Person perhaps he may be answered for Circumstances of things much vary the Case They may have detracted us behind our backs Vivâ voce they may have insulted over us when absent c. with more that I might insist on But if he will accuse let him descend to particulars till then wonder not Reader that I reject such Evidence The Case with him which Galls him and makes him wince so is that when he had defamed and falsly aspersed us in Print to which we answered by Print we could not be drawn to quit that Defence by a Vivâ voce debate to which he had summoned us Now not being gratified here and we objecting the inequitableness of such a procedure the turbulency of the Man where of this present Postscript is a sufficient Indication and the unsuitableness of the time with respect to the Publick Peace of the Nation he bursts out into this Extravagancy as if he designed that Men of all Ranks should be let loose upon us In Order whereto he applies himself in the next Place to the Civil Authority telling them p. 41. It would be a commendable and praise worthy thing to enceurage such a Practice throughout the Nation that Men of true Piety and Solid Learning might beallowed and countenanced to refute these vile and abominable Errors of these chief Leaders and Teachers among the Quakers at the end of their Meetings c. and to give Order that all such Books of them called Quakers as can readily be found as great store of such there are he saith that contain such vile and abominable Errors c. may be suppressed and witnessed against by publick Authority Answ I doubt not but this Work would please him well especially if he might have an Inquisitors place of it whereby he might both gratifie his revenge against the Quakers and also pick up some little income to help him against that ruine and want which W. Penn his calling him Apostate tended to expose him to as himself complains Advertisement p. 4. Yet two things I would put him in Mind of first that he even now Proposed that with what measure we have met to others with the same to mete to us again Would he have been willing to have been thus served by the Powers of this Nation when he termed Prelacy a Limb of Antichrist and declared