part of them Viz. Whom they had lost and from whom they were separated by their Sins as if I had taught for Doctrine that Christ came to save God and Christ that they were lost or as that God or Christ needed Salvation whereas my following words plainly show my real sense Viz. That God had not lost himself nor Christ had not lost Christ but Men had lost both by their Sins XVI Pag. 126. And therefore said Paul 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing among you in you save Jesus Christ and him Crucified he Preached every where Christ Crucified that he might be Raised up in them Here Note Tho the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can be Grammatically Translated in you yet they will not always admit of that Translation otherwise in many places the sense would be marred as 1 Cor. 15. 12. How say some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It cannot be with good sense Translated in you but among you And as to that place 1 Cor. 2. 2. and Coloss 3. 1. Both these places are to be understood of Christ as he was outwardly Crucified And but consequentially of his inward appearance and the true sense of Pauls words is this that he determined not to show himself wise or skillful among them in any other Knowledge or Wisdom but in the Knowledge of the Crucified Jesus how he is the gift of the Fathers Love to poor Sinners to save them from Sin and Wrath and what the great Benefits and Blessings are we have by him and by his Death and Sufferings Resurrection Mediation and Intercession for us in heaven which doth include his inward appearance consequentially so that I freely Acknowledge my Weakness and Shortness in understanding in training these and some other places of Scripture to prove what they did not so directly and properly prove the which undâ—â— application of both these places 1 Cor. 2. 2. and Gal. 3. 1. Both here and where-ever they may be found in any other of my Books particularly Universal Grace p. 43. I retract and correct as above-mentioned Yet I would not have any to think that I relinquish my Testimony to Christs Inward appearance in the Souls of Men and Gods Inward Revelation and Teaching by his Spirit in Men for I remain in the same Testimony as to the main and I hope so to do while I live in that and in all other parts of it relating to essentials of Christianity and Spiritual experiences and all openings of Truth at any time given to me of the Lord and delivered by me in this or any other of my Books therefore let none Judge amiss of my free and Christian Acknowledgement in this or any other mistakes that upon a further discovery I am made free to acknowledge retract and correct XVII Pag. 137. Then they would turn their Backs upon them and their Colledges would become like the Abbacies at this day Here Note The great Rudeness and Unmannerliness I saw in many of them called Collegians and other unchristian Behaviour in our Meetings and in other places drew this passage from me yet let none from this conclude that I either then was or now am against Schools of good I earning either of Divine or Natural Things but it is the Abuse and Irregularity of them that I then was and now am against And I do not think that true Divinity can either be truely taught or truely learned without God's inward teachings and illumination and that there are but too few that are so taught it is but too apparent Yet that many called University-men have had and may now have a good measure of true spiritual Knowledge I dare not be so uncharitable to deny And I cannot omit to mention the great benefit I had by reading the truly pious books of several pious English Writers and also of some of my Native Countrey before I came among the Quakers not only John Wickliffe who was an Oxford Scholar but Luther and most of the first Reformers from Popish Darkness Idolatry and Slavery were University-men and the English Martyrs Cranmer Ridley Latimer c. XVIII Page 230. The Historical Knowledge and Faith viz. of Christ's outward coming in the flesh birth life death c. is not an essential part of true Religion but an integral Here Note That by the Historical Knowledge and Faith I did understand that Knowledge and Faith that respecteth the History of Christ's Birth Life Miracles Death Resurrection Ascension c. with all the Circumstances of Times Places and Names of Persons as related by the four Evangelists which elsewhere I have called the express or explicite Knowledge and Faith which many of the Faithful never had But the Doctrine of Christ simply considered is one thing and the History or Historical Revelation of the many Circumstances of times places and persons c. Relating to that Doctrine is another thing The Knowledge and Faith of the first may be had and was had by many without the second and as the first I call express or explicite with other Christian Writers so the other may be called Implicite and is Implyed in the other the explicite I hold not to be Universally necessary to Salvation but to whom an opportunity is given to have it made known but the Implicite I hold is Universally necessary to all that shall be Eternally saved And I know not any thing to be found in all my former Writings to the contrary notwithstanding of the attempts of my ignorant Adversaries who affirm it and whom I have sufficiently Answered in diverse of my Late Books particularly that called The Anti-Christs and Sadducees detected However upon supposition that any such thing can be found in my Books I retract and renounce it And I had far rather contradict any unsound assertion ever held by me than contradict the least truth warranted by Holy Scripture Nor is it properly to be guilty of a Contradiction for a Man to correct his former Errors but my Adversaries are guilty of foul Contradictions who both together affirm and deny the same things as if two Contradictories could be both true at once which no Sober or sincere Men will allow XIX Page 20. And thus Christ according to his spiritual birth in the Saints is the Seed of the Woman for that the Saints are the Woman that bring him forth after the spirit and are his Mother as Mary brought him forth after the flesh and after the spirit also Here Note That I call Christ with respect to his being formed in the Saints according to Gal. 4. 19. The seed of the Woman It is plain from the whole Series of my discourse in that place both before and after for some Pages that I did understand it but Allegorically and by way of Allusion and never intended it that Christ was not the Seed of the Woman in the true and proper sense of the words without all Allegory as he was made of a Woman and was born of the Virgin called Mary really and truly according to the flesh And his Birth thus after the flesh as he was born of the Virgin at Bethlem in Judea I did always believe as I do at present so believe was really intended and foretold in these words Gen. 3. 15. And as Mary was the immediate Mother of Christ according to the flesh so Evah who was the Mother of all Men was his Mother remotely But the Allegorical sense of
find that I have used that very distinction and largely insisted on it in several pages of that book And in p. 29. I say giving the sense of Paul 's words By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Rom. 3. 20 By Law there is understood the Law of the first Covenant which came by Moses and it 's true no justification is by that Law whether it be understood of Moses his outward ministration Or of the same Ministration of Moses in the Spirit where the Law is Writ but in Tables of Stone till the Seed be raised by which the Law is fulfilled But in diverse of the Gentiles the Seed was raised which is that divine nature or birth by which they did the things contained in the Law and so were Justified by him who gave them power to fulfil it And whereas they strongly alledge out of this Book and some other of my former Books That I had formerly Asserted Men might be Justified and Saved without all knowledge and faith of Christ without us as he was Crucified c. But upon a diligent search into my Books and an Impartial Examination of all the places cited by them to prove it I can find no such thing and my so frequently cautioning the Matter all along wherever I had occasion That the express knowledge and faith of Christ's death is not universally necessary to Mens Salvation so that as I have noted in my Book called The Antichrists and Sadducees detected some of my Adversaries ten several times at least in the Words and Passages they have quoted out of my Books bring me in using the word Express still saying the express knowledge and faith of Christ's death is not universally necessary c. is sufficient to clear me with all intelligent and impartial Men that I still held some knowledge and faith of Christ though not express yet implicit was universally necessary to Mens Salvation IV. Pag. 9. And as he viz. Christ had his Flesh in the outward which was a Vail so he hath his Flesh in the inward which is a Vail also the Word became Flesh and dwelt in us said John Here Note Though I deny not the Flesh of Christ in the inward in an Allegorical and Metaphorical Sense as above Explained § 4. Sect. 10. yet I freely acknowledge I have unduly and improperly applied that place Joh. 1. 14. 1 Tim. 3. 16. to the Flesh of Christ in the inward as likewise I have made the same undue Application of that place in my Book called The Way cast up as in Page 133 134. and possibly in divers other Places and Books which undue Application wherever it is in any of my Books I do Retract judging it to be improper And though I might possibly excuse it to be only said by way of Allusion yet even in that respect I Retract it having found by too great Experience that too frequently Allusions do great hurt and are an occasion to ignorant People to draw them from the true Sense of that place of Scripture really intended by the Spirit of God to which the Allusion is made And though I am not against Allegorical Expositions of some places of Scripture warranted by Scripture or such as cannot be truly understood without an Allegory nor do I condemn universally Allusions to some places of Scripture yet for the sake of the Ignorant that may be hurt thereby I judge they had better be not used in many cases and when used in any case it should be told that it is but an Allusion V. Pag. 9. Thus it is sown natural viz. the Divine Seed but is raised Spiritual Here Note This is but an Allusion and was no wise intended in prejudice of the Resurrection of the Body for in this san Book Pag. 70. I plainly Assert the Resurrection of the Body as thing not yet attained by the deceased Saints But because as is a ready said Allusions in many cases are not safe I wish I had in used it in this case and therefore let it be as unsaid and the rathe because to my certain knowledge some great Preachers among that sort of Quakers that are turned my Adversaries do wholly apply all that is said in 1 Cor. 15. of the Resurrection to the inward rising of the Soul or the Seed within And I have more than once heard some Preachers among the Quakers wholly Expound that place 1 Cor. 15. 14. If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain of the inward rising of the Life in the Hearers when the Ministers speak And one of their Ministers did so strongly Assert it that in a private Conference with him I could not by the best Reasons I could bring persuade him that it was meant of a Resurrection of the Body after death VI. Pag. 20. So that it is manifest by this Expression That which may be known of God Rom. 1. 19. And as it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is understood the Gospel And a little after I say aggreeable unto this is that the same Apostle writeth unto the Colossians 1. 23. That the Gospel has been preached to every Creature which is under Heaven but according to the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every creature i. e. in every man as when Christ said to his Disciples Preach the Gospel to every creature Here Note that by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul meant an inward divine supernatural Principle in the Gentiles who had not the Gospel outwardly preached unto them which he saith was manifest in them and which God had shewed unto them and which he calls the Truth that many held in unrighteousness v. 18. I still hold and that in a figurative way of Synecdoche it may be called Gospel or as the word Gospel may be extended to a more general signification than is commonly used in Scripture I will not deny for taken at large it may signifie any Intimation of God's Love Goodness and Mercy to sinful men and in this sense it may be said that the Gospel hath been preached in every Creature i. e. in every Man And as the Divine Principle Word and Light within preacheth in some sort the Love Goodness and Mercy of God to sinful men in order to their salvation so every creature without or so to speak the whole Creation both without Man and in Man himself doth preach it as it is said Ps 19. 1. The Heavens declare the glory of God c. Not only the glory of his Power Justice and Wisdom but also the glory of his Mercy Love and Goodness towards men Yet I must needs acknowledg that I am fully convinced that it is not a due application to apply this to the word Gospel as it is generally used in Scripture and particularly by Paul in these places quoted by me Ro. 1. 16. and Col. 1. 23. and 1 T. 3. 16. therefore I do freely retract and correct my undue
be applied unto them which was figured by the Offering under the Law that was to be offered for every male child and by circumcision of every male child that sufficed also for the Female which was implied under the male SECTION III. Containing divers Explanations and Emendations of Passages in my Book called The Rector Corrected Printed at London 1680. And in my Book called Truth Defended Printed at London 1682. BY Christ his giving his Flesh for the Life of the World we understand both the offering up of his Flesh as his dying for us upon the Cross and also his giving us his Flesh to eat and his Blood to drink for even as the Priests under the Law were to eat of the Sacrifice and to have the Blood sprinkled upon them so Believers under the Gospel are to eat the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood And pag. 26. Although the Saints do not eat the visible Flesh of Christ to wit by the Bodily Mouth and drink his visible Blood yet they partake of the benefit and virtue of both his Flesh and his Blood and the substance of both doth remain which is his glorified Body in Heaven and the virtue of which doth really extend unto the Saints both in Heaven and on Earth by which they are spiritually refreshed and nourished as with Meat and Drink and thus we do not divide Christ c. Here note that as by divers other Quotations out of my Books it hath been proved that I did not place all our Salvation upon the Light within excluding the Man Christ without and his Flesh and Blood that was outward and visible but that I did lay a great weight upon it so the like appears by this present quotation And whereas pag. 25. it is said and indeed it is very plain by the words of Christ that by his Flesh and Blood John 6. 50 51. he meaneth Only Spirit and Life The word said he that I speak unto you are Spirit and Life it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing Whether the Word only being there is a Typographical Error or was an oversight in me for want of due consideration I hold it needful to retract and correct it and accordingly I so do and that it was at most an oversight in me for want of due consideration and that by it I did not intend that the Faithful did not partake of the unspeakable benefit of the Flesh of Christ that was outwardly Crucified and of his Blood that was outwardly shed and that the virtue of it did not extend unto them for that is above plainly affirmed but my sense was they were not to eat it with the bodily Mouth but by Faith so as to have the virtue of it conveyed unto them by a living Faith in him which virtue may be said to be Spirit and Life and the Words that he spake had a spiritual sense and signification and not such as the carnal Capernaumites did conceive Pag. 29. So we see he viz Hilarius findeth fault with the word Humane as well as G. F. Here Note That my bringing the words of Hilarius to excuse G. F. was not that I did not believe that Christ had the true nature of Man consisting of a true reasonable created Soul and a true Body for that I did always believe and that he did partake of Mary's Substance for so did also Hilarius believe But seeing Christ had a miraculous Conception and Birth above all other Men therefore I did judge that G. F. and some others with him meant only by blaming the word humane and humanity humane Nature as applicable to Christ that his Manhood Nature was more excellent than that of other men But I never thought that any of them denyed him as Man to be a Creature or to have been produc'd by Generation of and from the Properties of Man in Mary as some of them have But of late divers of the chief Teachers among the People called Quakers have used the terms Humanity and Humane with reference to Christ But what they understand by it is not easie to determine for if Christ's Humanity be not a Creature or created what is it seeing it cannot be the Godhead and T. Ellwood hath argued in his late Book That if Christ be a Creature he is not God But all who have the sound Faith believe that Christ as a Man is a Creature or created Being but as he is the Eternal Word he is God and not a Creature But this they think a contradiction not owning that Christ hath a twofold Nature essential to him the one uncreated as God the other created as Man and yet but one Christ therefore they have said That Man or outward Person that suffered at Jerusalem is not properly the Son of God So W. Penn expresly faith in his Serious Apology pag. 146. Pag. 37. Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many and unto them which look for him he shall appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. Whether these Words may not very safely be understood and are not really meant of Christ's appearing in the Heart to destroy Sin I desire the Reader to consider Here Note The occasion of my giving this Sense to these Words in Heb. 9. 28. was in defence of G. Whitehead who had before that given the same sense to them and which Thomas Wilson whom I answered had blamed as a false Interpretation But at that time I knew not in the least that G. Whitehead had put that sense on that place in prejudice to Christ's coming without us to judge the World in his glorified Body and Person as since I have found for not only did he deny this place to be meant of his Coming without us to Judgment but any other places that his Opponents brought to prove his outward coming to Judgment he turned them all to his inward coming as that in 1 Thes 4. 15. and that in Matth. 16. 27. and brought that in John 14. to prove that Christ was not to come in Person or in a Personal Existence to judge the World Yet a little while and the World shall see me no more This positive unbelief of theirs which I had but of late discovered by a more narrow search into their Books hath awakened me I confess better to consider things that both I and they had formerly written and upon better consideration I declare I am convinced that the true sense of these words above-mentioned is of his outward coming the second time in his glorified Body to judge the World and it is called his Second Coming as denoting his former coming which was in his state of Humilation but his Second Coming shall be in a state of Glorification I shall not enlarge to give my Reasons at present why I so understand that place of his coming without us nor to answer largely the Reasons I gave in that Book that it was to be understood of his inward coming for
application of these places of Scriptue to the inward Principle as to what it did or doth discover and reveal universally in men and particularly in such of the Gentiles to whom the Gospel was not outwardly preached for upon a more diligent search into the holy Scripture I find that in all places in the New Testament where the word Gospel is used it signifieth the Doctrine of salvation by the promised Messiah that was outwardly to come and did come in the true Nature of Man together with the spiritual blessings that men were to receive by him of which the inward principle of God's Grace Light and Spirit within both in general to all and in special to believers in a more excellent degree and manner of Operation and Influence is but a part Yet I confine not the Gospel even in this sense to outward preaching by the Ministry of Men or Books for it was preached to Adam and Eve after the Fall by God himself and so was it to Abraham and Job and so it is probable it has been to divers even to some Gentiles singularly favoured without the Ministry of Men though in God's ordinary way it is preached by the Ministry of Men God himself by his Spirit and divine Influence inwardly accompanying the same to work the true Faith of it in the Hearers Therefore whatever Doctrine Men preach or have at any time preached the great Subject whereof is not the promised Messiah to wit the Crucified Jesus as the main Foundation of all the Spiritual Blessings of Light and Grace and divine Influences of the Spirit within it is not the Gospel in the proper full and adequate Sense and Signification of it as the Scripture useth it And as concerning that place in Colos 1. 23. and other such places as I have noted above though the Greek Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft properly Translated in yet not always and there is no cause so to Translate it here but rather to for the Apostle Paul in that place means the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ Crucified and the Grace and gift of the Holy Spsrit given of God to Men through him as it was preached by him and the other Apostles and Evangelists in that clear and bright Dispensation of it that was then given And though it was not at that time actually preached to all Men nor to all Nations yet because it began then so to be preached and was certainly to be preached to all Nations and will be so preached before the end of the World therefore after the Prophetical Phrase of Scripture That which was to be done is said to be done VIII Pag. 43. And that it hath pleased the Lord to send his Son into the world both in the outward and inward in a weak and low appearance that he might show forth the more abundant glory in that which was so low and weak in appearance to prevail over the greatest power that stood in his way for thus doth the Seed of the woman bruise the Serpents head Here Note That I did not place our Salvation wholly upon Christ's inward appearance but upon God his sending him both in the outward and inward to bruise the Serpents head And that I did not understand that the bringing Men simply to the inward Principle so as only to believe in the Light Word or Spirit within was the bringing them to the Christian Faith but that it was a proper means by way of preparation and introduction in order to the gathering of People into the true Faith of Christ which is the whole aim and scope of my fifth Argument in that Book from P. 88. to 94. where note these words p. 92. And this will bring People naturally to own the Scriptures and things therein declared to own Moses and the Prophets to own the Dispensation of God to the Jews in that day and to own Christ in the Flesh his miraculous Birth his Doctrine Miracles Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension together with the wonderful end and design of God therein c. And this Method I very well approve of still for as the knowledge of Christ the Word Incarnate or made Flesh presupposeth some knowledge of God and of his Word so to preach to People that are ignorant of God and of his Divine Perfections that there is a God and what his Divine Perfections are is very proper and necessary that they may be brought into some true knowledge of him which they cannot be brought into without some Divine Illumination of the inward Principle the Internal Word and Light But all this is an introduction and preparation to dispose the Souls and Hearts of Men to receive the Christian Faith and Religion and is not the Explicite Christian Faith it self no more than the Porch that leads into the House is the House though it may be said to be a part of it as in the definition of a Man that he is a living Creature or Animal is not his true definition but the Genus of it which is but a part at most but when the difference is superadded that he is a Rational or Intellectual Living Creature that is his true definition And so the true definition of a true Christian and sincere Believer in Christ is he who not only believes that there is a God and that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God c. but that the Word was made Flesh and that the Son of God by Eternal Generation became the Son of Man by a miraculous Generation in time and so is both God and Man and yet not two Sons of God but one not two Christs but one This is the true Christian Explicite Faith like a Tree spreading forth its boughs and branches together with the other great Truths of the Christian Doctrine delivered in the Holy Scriptures with rich and precious Fruit to which the implicit Faith in some Virtuous Gentiles may be compared to that same Tree when it was in the Seed or but a little sprung up into the Bud or Blade as Christ compared the Kingdom of God to wit the Evangelical Dispensation Mark 4. 26 27 28 29. Compare this with what is above quoted out of that Book p. 6. § 3. of this Section and with what is said p. 61 of that Book VIII P 63. Which peice of silver betokeneth the divine principle c. Luke 15. 8. Here Note This undue Application is Retracted and Corrected above in the first Sect. § 13. And in fine although I firmly remain in my Faith and Persuasion of the Truth of that great Principle of the Universal Love and Grace of God making Salvation possible to all Men and that in order thereunto Christ hath Inlightened every Man that cometh into the World which universal Illumination is an universal Benefit that all Men have by his dying for them as is largely urged by me particularly from p. 31 to 34. in that Book and in divers other places and
take it if not for a genuine and proper Explication if so be it is in the least inconsistent with the truth of the Holy Scripture to be my plain and free Retractation For what I cannot fairly defend by Explication I am freely willing to correct and amend by Retractation As concerning the late abusive Books published in Print against me as well as the former by T. E. and J. P. and others containing vile Errors in point of Doctrine gross Perversions base Slanders trifling Defences in their own and others Vindication I defer my larger Answer to them to another occasion which I hope may be e're very long if it shall please God to afford it unto me Having thus far proceeded to explain amend and retract those particular passages in my Books above-mentioned which I judged my Duty so to do from true Conviction and out of real love to Truth I conclude with my making a general Retractation which I do freely and humbly of all passages either in my Books above-mentioned or in any others of my Books not mentioned in this Treatise in so far as they are not perfectly consistent with the holy Scriptures and the divine Doctrines and Testimonies delivered in them and likewise I submit all that I have at any time given forth in Word Writ or Print by way of Doctrine in Religious matter to the Test Touch-stone and Rule of the holy Scriptures as the greatest the best and most authentick Rule and Standard of Truth compared with all Testimonies Writings and Books of Men whatsoever renouncing revoking retracting disowning and denying whatever is contained in any of my former or latter Books that doth not perfectly agree with the holy Scriptures Which general Retractation I make for this Reason because it is possible that divers other particulars in my Books which I have not observed may need correction therefore until I see other particulars to need Correction which how soon I see I am ready to correct I hope this general Retractation will suffice And if any shall inform me or show me either by Word or Writ any particular passages in any of my Books that may need further Correction and Amendment they being enabled so to do by a divine Illumination I shall receive so most kindly and as amost friendly Office and judge my self greatly obliged to be thankful unto them But if any presume or proffer to make any seem Corrections in my Books or pass Censures on passages in them without a right understanding or from a spirit of Prejudice or a scossing taunting airy Unchristian Spirit as my late Adversaries have done whereby they have shown and continue daily to show their great Ignorance and Perverseness of Spirit they have their Reward and they will but still more and more expose their Folly and Enmity for indeed so blind with Ignorance and Prejudice my-late Adversaries have been particularly Tho. Ellwood and John Pennington and Caleb Pusey that the soundest Passages for most part in my Booke in relation to Doctrine they have blamed and censured though geâ—â—â—â—y such as most need Correction they have past without the least censure However as my great Comfort is that both they and I shall stand e're long before the Supream Judge of the whole Earth to whom I have committed my Righteous Cause and I do still commit it and make my humble Appeal to him acknowledging my many sinful defects and imperfections for which I humbly beg pardon of God for Jesus Christ's sake and for all my other Sins and hope for it and have in measure the sense and Faith of it being fully perswaded in my Conscience both by the divine Testimony of the Holy Scriptures without me and the divine Testimony of the Holy Spirit within me and also by the concurrent Testimony of all true Christians in all Ages of the truth of that doctrine God has raised me up to contend for which three are as a threefold Cord that cannot be broke that whatever my Imperfections are in managing this great Controversie my Cause is Just and my Heart is sincere before him so it is a great comfort to me that many throughout these Nations far and near have a good understanding of the present Case and though my Adversaries seek to overwhelm me with a thick Cloud of Infamy grounded on Falshoods and Calumnies yet the Truth and Integrity of my Testimony will overcome it all and will shine forth and be manifest and the Generation to come of the Posterity of many of that People who now account me their Enemy and pour out Curses and Lying Prophesies against me will regard my Testimony and it will be a good savour unto them This trust and hope I have in my gracious God whose I am and whom I serve and it is a considerable advantage unto me that some of my greatest Adversaries have acknowledged they have nothing against my Morals nor Doctrine and it is come under the Observation of many that hear them in their Meetings how admirably they are changed of late to preach the very same Doctrines which formerly they have so fiercely opposed in all that were not of their way and for which they have Excommunicated me but they cannot be judged sincere until they plainly Retract their former Errors And finally with a free and willing mind I make a general Retractation of all the hard Names and uncharitable Censures I have at any time either by Word or Writ past on any differing from me in point of Judgment that have not deserved them humbly desiring their Forgiveness wherein I have in that case justly offended them And though I do with deep regrat acknowledge and blame my too great rashness in giving hard Names and passing uncharitable Censures on divers with whom I have differed in point of judgment being engaged in the heat of Controversie and divers times provoked by the hard Names and uncharitable Censures that some of my Opponents have given me which provocation I should not have given way to but rather according to what the Scripture requireth to have sought in meekness to instruct them that opposed themselves if God peradventure would give them Repentance yet I was never so uncharitable as to think or judge that few or none were truly Pious or of a true Christian Spirit or that did belong to the true Church of Christ but such as were of the same outward Profession with me for the Contrary I have several times signified in Print and as I have been charitable in my Judgment with respect to others with whom I have distered in Controversal points when I did think they held the Head and built on Christ the true Foundation though some part of what they built was but Hay Wood and Stubble so it is my resolution by divine assistance to be yet more charitable in judgment concerning others that differ from me in the lesser matters when they agree with me in the greater and whose manner of Life and Conversation is suitable to their Christian Profession But as for such who deny the Lord that bought them and hold such Antichristian Principles as oppugne the great Fundamentals of the Christian Religion as I have sufficiently proved my late Adversaries to have done the greatest and best Charity that I can extend unto them is to deal roundly and plainly with them and give them and their vile Errors such sit and proper Names as they deserve and as the Scripture giveth to such who were guilty of such vile Errors in former times But the nasty and unclean Terms and Words worse than Billingsgate that some called Teachers among the Quakers and some of which are my present Adversaries have given to their Opponents I account it my mercy that I never had the faculty of them and yet so impudent have these my late Adversaries been to accuse me for giving hard Words to such unto whom they have given an hundredfold much harder and I have this with other great advantages over them that I have freely and willingly Retracted them as well as other things that I saw cause and occasion for which I find not that any of them in the least have done and are not like to do until their Crown of Pride come down and they see themselves to be fallible men having Infirmities and Defects like other Men which I pray God they may see and find Mercy to Repent of all their Errors and Evils before it be too late and may have a. Heart given them of God if not to follow me as an Example yet to follow the Example of other great Penitents and obey the Command of God that requireth every Man both to confess and forsake his Sins for he that hideth his Sins will not prosper but if we confess our Sins he is just and faithful to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness G. K. THE END Pref. Imm. Rev. Pres Imm. Rev. Pag. 12. lin 2. 2d Edit pag. 22.