THE Plea of the Innocent Against The False Judgment OF THE GUILTY Being a Vindication of George Keith and his Friends, who are joyned with him in this present Testimony, from the False Judgment, Calumnies, False Informations and Defamations of Samuell Jenings John Simcock, Thomas Lloyd, and others joyned with them, be­ing in Number Twenty Eight. Directed by way of Epistle to faithful Friends of Truth in Pennsilvania, East and West-Jarsey, and else-where, as Occasion requireth.

John 7. 50, 51. Nicodemus said, Doth our Law judge any Man before it hear him?
Acts 25. 16, 17. It is not the manner of the Romans, said Festus, to deliver any man to dye, before that he which is accused, have the Accusers face to face, and to have License to answer for himself, concerning the Crime laid against him,
Psal 58. 1, 2. Do ye indeed speak Righteousness, O Congregation! Do ye judge Vprightly, O ye Sons of Men! yea, in Heart you work Wicked­nes, you weigh the Violence of your Hands in the Earth.

The Plea of the Innocent, &c.
Directed by way of Epistle to faithful Friends of Truth in Pennsilvania, East and VVest-Jarsey, &c.

Dear Friends & Brethren every where, to whom this may come;

WE dearly Salute you in the Love of God: The occasion of this present Writing is in Vindication of the Truth, and Us, the detamed Witnesses of it, and particularly of George Keith, from the false Judgment, Calumnies, false Infor­mations and Defamations of S. Jennings, John Simcock and Thomas Lloyd, Pretended [...]reachers, and others joyned with them, being in Number twenty eight, in their late Epistle sent to the Monethly and Quarterly Meetings in Pennsilvania, East and West Jarsey.

First of all, whereas they pretend to give an Account to these Meetings of the Tedious Exercise and Vexatious Perplexity they have met with in their late Friend George Keith, for several Months past. In this they have dealt most unfairly, and uniustly with him, in that they have given no account of the Occasion of that called by them the Tedious Exercise & Vexatious Perplexity, &c. which because they have not given, we see fit to do the Truth and all Friends of it, to whose hands this may come, that Justice, as to give you a true In­formation of the Cause and Occasion of the late Difference that hath happened betwixt divers of them, that hath signed their Epistle, and these the chiefest among them, and G. K. which was this, vizx. About fifteen Moneths ago, William Stockdale, an Antient Preacher, having accused G. K. of pre [...]ching Two Christs, because he preach­ed Faith in Christ within, and Faith in Christ withou [...]; the which G. K. hearing, after he had private [...]y dealt with him, laid his Com­pl [...]in first before about twelve of the friends of the Ministr [...] met at the House of R [...]bert Ewer, who having done nothing in the said Meeting to [...]ing W. Stockdale to due Conviction or Condemnat [...] for his said Error, but rath [...]r for the most part d [...]d excuse and defend him, as can well be proved by divers Credible Witnesse, then pre­sent, [Page 3] only two of the said Friends of the Ministry then present, viz. John H [...]rt and John D [...]lavall dissented from the rest; then G. K. did again lay his C [...]mp [...]int before Friends of the Ministry at the last Yearly Meeting at Philadelphia in the first week of 7 Mon. 1691. and soberly desired to have their sence and judgment, Whether he was guilty of preaching Two Christs? or W [...]ether W. S. was not guilty of Blasphemy, for saying Christ within and Christ without are Two Christs? and no less than six several Meetings were had about this matter in that time of the Yearly Meeting, and the first Meeting continued about ten hours, viz. from about nine in the fore noon, to the time that Candles were lighted in the evening. And it must needs be granted. That it was a time of tedious Exercise & vexatious Perplexity in all the six Meetings; but who was to be blamed for it, deserveth your serious Examination. Is it not matter of Astonishment, that such an easie Question being proposed to so many men called Mini­sters of Christ, all highly pretending to the Spirits immediate teach­ings and leading, and to be in a degree of Christianity above all other Professions in Christendom, (there being assembled of these ca [...]ed Ministers out of these three Provinces about forty or fifty, if [...]ot more) six Meetings could not determine it, viz. W [...]et [...]er to p [...]each Faith in Christ within us, and Faith in Christ without us was to preach Two Christs, or One? Whereas G. K. had many Witnesses to clear him, that he alwayes said, when he tre [...]ted on that subject, that Christ within us, and Christ without us was but one Christ, the [...]ea [...]ure of the Gift of Christ within us, and the Fullness without us, in the Man Christ Jesus, being one Lord Jesus Christ; a sincer [...] Christian, though in the lowest degree, and but a Babe in Christ, could have easily determined and resolved this Question, and given ju [...]gm [...]nt against W. S. being guilty of Blasphemy against the Son of M [...]n, (though not against the holy Ghost) for his blasphemous Assertion, That to preach Faith in Christ within, and Faith in Christ without, was to preach Two Christs; for according to him. Christ without is a false Christ, he being a great Owner in Pretence and words of Christ within; and yet which will be matter of Admi [...] ­ration to all Impartial Persons that hear it, who have the least true Knowledge in the Mystery of Christ) t [...]i great and solemn Assembly of so many high Pretenders to be Ministers of Christ, were at a great stand and demur [...] to determine, and in the conclusion of the sixth [Page 4] Meeting gave but a very slender and partial determination and judg­ment concerning it; which yet, such as it was, was not intimated by any Order of the Meeting, as themselves have acknowledged. And indeed such was the Partiality, as well as the Ignorance and gross Un­belief that openly and manifestly appeared in these Meeting, whereof sufficient Proof can be given, and that of divers owned and esteemed great Preachers among us, that is scarcely credible, a hint whereof we think necessary to give for your true Information. In one of these six Meetings T. Fitzwater, in Prayer, said, O God, that dyed in us, and [...]aid down thy Life in us, and took it up again, &c. After he had ended his Prayer, G. Keith, G. Hatcheson and J. Hampton (but f [...]w or none others) greatly blamed T. F. for his [...]rayer, for it appeared to them as Blasphemy; and surely it is not only contrary to Scripture, but to the express Testimony of Friends, That God is Immortal, and cannot dye; yea, G. W. in his book called Judgment fixt, expresly saith, God cannot be impri [...]oned or imbond [...]ged, with other words to that effect, and so cannot dye: Another called Robert Young, a great Preacher among them, openly said, as many can bear witness, in one of these Meetings, That he did not find Christ without in all the Scripture, further positively affirming That Christ, when he ascended into the Cloud was seperated from his Body, and tho' one or two checkt him a little, for his a [...]ertion, yet no further notice was taken of it to bring him to any Condemnation for his Blasphemy. Also, Arthur Cook, in one of these Meetings ac­cused G. K. for saying, at the Meeting at R. Ewer's house, That Christs Body that was crucified and buried, is gaue into Heaven, and was and is in Heaven, even the very same Body; which G. K. most freely acknowledg­ed he had so affirmed, and that Christs Body was not changed in Being or Substance of Body, but in Manner and Condition. And whereas at one of these Meetings G. K. had complained against J. Simcock, that he had questioned G. K. at the the Meeting at R. Ewer's, saying, Did Christs Bones rise? which G. K. affirmed, and proved from Scripture; but the said J. S. boldly deny'd that he asked any such Question, until John Delavall and W. Brad [...]ord affirmed they heard him question it. And not only John Simcock and Arthur Cook, and others did openly blame G. K. both at the Meeting at R. Ewer's, and at other Meetings at the Yearly Meeting, for imposing a Novelty upon his Antient Brethren, but more especially and principally Thomas Llyod, who was the great At­torney for W. Stockdale, and the great Mouth of all these that opposed [Page 5] G. K. in his Testimony to these [...] Fundamental Principles and Doctrines of the Christian Faith, did oft object against G. K's Imposing an Vnscriptural Faith on his Brethren, all which is so openly known to many, that we judge, they scarce have the Confidence themselves to deny it; but what was this Unscriptural Faith that they did blame G. K. for imposing on [...], Antient Brethren? even no other but this, That we ought to believe in Christ without us in Heaven, as well as in Christ within for Salvation; and That Christ is an Heaven, having the true Na­ture of Man, both of Soul and Body, the same he had on Earth for Being, but wonderfully and most gloriously changed in Condition and Manner, and is not only God in Heaven, but both God and Man, and yet one Lord Jesus Christ; and many are Witnesses, how at the School-house Meeting, as well as at these other Meetings aforesaid, T. Lloyd a [...]gued, That Faith in Christ without us, as he dyed for our sins, & rose again, was not necessary to ou [...] Sal [...]ation; which his Son-in-Law J. Delavall openly contradicted, bringing for his Proof Rom. 10. 9, 10. And at one of th [...]se Yearly Meeting, T. Llyod said, Christ within did all; which J. Wilsford con­tradicted, saying, That he did not b [...]lieve, for Christ without did some­what when he dyed for us. And at a [...]other of these Meetings [...]am [...]ll Jenings having rudely & uncivilly stopt G. K. in his Testimony, when he was recommending to them, seriously to consider, whether it was not their Duty to preach Christ outwardly more than they did, said, I [...] thou preached Christ without less, others might preac [...] him more; whereof divers present took great notice, and was very offensive to them, as well as to G. K. and did signifie that S. Jennings was too much a Prea­cher at his own will, as well as prejudiced against G. K. that because he would not seem to follow G. K. he and others would not preach what G. K. preached, tho' true. And this is but a hint of many more things that could be mentioned, as Instances of their gross Ignorance, Unbelief and Blasphemy that some of them showed themselves openly guilty of at these Meetings, and others their being guilty of gross Partiality and Hypocrisie, labouring to cover these men in their Im­pious blasphemies against Christ Jesus the Son of Man, was it there­fore any matter of Wonder or Cr [...]e, that G. K. being zealous and fe [...]vent for the true Faith, and Doctrine of Christ, so much openly contradicted by some of them, and questioned by others at these Mee­t [...]ngs a [...]o [...]e [...]aid, was stirred in spirit to use sharp words against them, which yet were all true, and therefore no Railing, nor yet blame­worthy? [Page 6] even as it is said of Paul, That his Spirit was stirred in him, [...]oen he saw the City (viz. of Athens) wholly given to Idolatry [...]. And suppose that G. K. did exceed at times, the one Bounds, by great pro­vocations on their side, is it not great Hypocrisie, and Partiality of these men so severel, to judge him, and wholly to conceal, not only their own Ignorance, Error and blasphemy, but the ext [...]eam Passion, the rude, uncivil and unmannerly Speeches they uttered against him, both in these Meetings, and afte [...]nce, calling him, Reviser o [...] his B [...]ethren, Acc [...]ser of the Brethren, Brat of Babylon, One that alwayes endeavoured to keep down the Power of Truth, drawing from the Gi [...]t of God; calling him also, Pope, Primate of Pennsilvania, Father Confessor accusing him of Railing, Envy, extream Passion, and a Turbulent and Vnsubdued Spirit, and not only so, but most uncivilly and unchristianly, yea, inhumanely otherwise treating him in these Meetings, often six or ten all at once speaking to him, and some pulling him by one sleeve, and others by the skirts of, his Coat, more like Mad-men than Sober; and some bidding him go out, and when he essayed to go out, and pray­ed th [...]m to let him go, others pulling him back, and det [...]ining him; so that greater Confusion was scarce ever seen in any Meetings pre­tending to Christianity; and why do they conceal all this their [...]ude, and b [...]se, and inhumane Carriage, as well as uncivil words towards G. K. but to demonstrate their Partiality and Hypocrisie, at least to give us a fair occasion to demonstrate it, and what Partial and Hypo­critical men they are, whom God hath in great measure already dis­covered, and we doubt not will further discover in due time.

And many of these men have discovered no less Ignorance and Error in the late Difference that hath happened betwixt G K. & I. Pitzwater who hath openly in the face of a Monthly Meeting accused G. K. for denying the sufficiency of the Light; and the thing at last is come to this Issue, that by the Act of, a Monthly Meeting, held at Philadelp [...]ia the 26. 3. m [...]n. G. K. is condemned for saying. The Light is not sufficient without something else; and at the next Monthly Meeting following T. Lloyd did acknowledge, in the open hearing of all present, whereof many are ready to bear witness, & which we judge they will not deny, That by that something else they knew that G. K. did hold (as he hath [...]oft declared, both in publick Testimonies, & other occasion Discourses) The Man Christ Jesus without us, and what he did and s [...]ffered for us on Earth, and what he now doth for us in Heaven; Whereupon G. K. said [Page 7] If this be a Guiltiness, That the Light within doth not save us, or is not sufficient without the Man Christ Jesus, and his Death, Resur­rection, Ascention & Mediation for us in Heaven, I own my self guilty; but by their thus condemning G. K. for his sound Doctrine, and clear­ing T. F. they have declared openly their being no Christians, and therefore it is no Railing nor Ungodly Speech to call them Ignorant Heathens, for it is their proper Name due to them, seeing they will not own any thing else, not the Man Christ Jesus, but only the Light in them to be sufficient and necessary to their Salvation; but for a more full account of their thus publickly renouncing the Man Christ Jesus we refer to two Papers of Minuts writ by G. K. of what passed at the last Quarterly and Monthly Meetings about this matter. But whereas some of them say, They have not cleared T. F. let all impartial men, who read their act recorded in their Monethly Meeting Book, (a copy of which with great difficulty we have at last obtaine [...]) judge whether their words in the said Act doth not clear him, when they say, The Meeting saw no Reason to give Judgment against him, in this particular above-mentioned, as much as when the Grand Jury bring­eth [...]n their Verdict of an Ignoramuus into the Court, doth not clear the Person accused for that time? and whether this their clearing of him, is not further confirmed by their allowing & countenancing him to preach and pray in their Meetings, and the last clause of their Paper concluding That T. F's charge in it self was true.

2dly, Whereas in their Epistle they use a great many words in Com­mendation of what formerly G. K. was, and how once he walked in the Counsel of God, and was little in his own Eyes, and his Brethrun honourable in his esteem, and that he was lovely in that day, when the Beauty of the Lord was upon him, and his Comliness covered him; and other high words of Commendation, scarce given to many far more worthy than he. It i [...] very apparent, that all this is but on purpose, first to raise him up as it were on high, that they may seem the more to throw him down into their deep Pit of Infamy & false Judgment they have given against him, together with their deceitful & hypocritical Lamentation over his Fall from the high places of Israel, as a man slain in his high places; this is not unlike to their Predecessors, the Persecuting Clergy of the Church of Rome, who before they burnt that worthy Servant of Christ John H [...]s, they caused be put on him his Priestly Robes & then afterwards stript him of them, on purpose the more to defame him, and render [Page 8] him vile before the People; the which as they were doing, that worthy Servant of Christ called to remembrance that White Vesture which Herod put upon Christ to mock him withal, as Fox doth relate it in his Book of Martyrs, pag. 739. Tom. 1. But we would have these men to know, that G. K. needs none of their hypocritical and mock La­mentations, but rather let them in good earnest weep for themselves, and for th [...] in great Ignorance, Error and Unbelief, that some, if not all of them have sufficiently discovered themselves guilty of; and most of them of their great Prejudice and Hypocrisie, and all of them of their Folly, and rash and false Judgment, which will be their own burden, & for which we wish them true Repentance. And seeing their Accusa­tions against G. K. lie much in bare generals, we see no cause further to take notice of them, as they contain bare generals, as his [...]e [...]ng guilty of Anger, En [...]y, Cruelty, Treachery, and other false & reproach­ful Speeches they give out against him, but to show, that for want of particular matter against him, they thus labour to defame him so much in bare Generals, a way common to all Sophisters & false Accusers. And for the Hard Words they alledge he used to call some of them, as Fools, Ignorant Heathens, Inf [...]els, Silly So [...]ls, Lyars, Hereticks, Rotten Ranters, Muggl [...]tonians, &c. G. K. saith, and that in the uprightness of heart, that he never gave such Names to any of them, but to such as he can prove did deserve them; and for which he can appeal to all impartial men that profess, Christianity, whether they to whom he gave such Names, did not deserve them; as when one of them said to him in his own house, in the hearing of some present, That seeing to preach Faith in Christ without, did give Offence to his Brethren, and was like to make a Division among Friends, it was best to let it alone, as Paul said concerning eating of Flesh, i [...] it did offend his weak Brother; this W. Gabitas said to him, whereupon G. K. said, (as he solemnly declareth, and as some do witness) Thou silly Soul, or little Soul, dost thou compare the preaching of Christ crucified to eating o [...] fl [...]sh? And to call men Fools and Sots, yea, blind and dark Sots, that deserve it; hath been the practice of some very eminent Friends for no greater cause than some have given, who have openly renounced the Faith of [...]hrist without them, as necessary to their Salvation, as we can sufficiently prove some of them have done, w [...]o deservedly may be called Ignorant Heatheus, Infidels & Hereticks; and if G. K. did ca [...]l fome of them Lyars, he can prove they were such, and that is no Railing to call a Lyar by his true Name; so did Christ [Page 9] call such as deserved it, and so did Paul; and divers of them that have signed that Epistle, have called G. K. openly in a Meeting Lyar, and other unworthy and base Names, without all just ground; a [...]d there­fore it is base Partiality in these men to condemn G. K. for that which they are guilty of themselves, some of them having not only called him Lyar, but Apos [...]ate, and worse than Prop [...]ne, as particularly S. Jenings, in the hearing of divers credible Witnesses; and Arthur Cook, (who is of thei [...] side, tho' his hand is not at th [...]n Paper, being absent) at the School-house-Meeting did openly call him M [...]ggletonia [...] for affirming, That Christ had the true Body of Man in Heaven, the which Body was not [...] where; of this many can bear witness; & at the same time the said A. C. would not acknowledge that Christs appearance to Paul, menti­oned 1 Cor. 15. 8. was without him, alledging it was Only within, & put G. K. to prove, Where we read in Scripture of Faith in Christ within and Christ witho [...]t, as also to p [...]ove, that Cornelius was faithful to the Light within, or had the Light within. And T. Lloyd hath used very uncivi [...] ex­pressions to G. K. in some of those Meetings, one time saying, No man could differ with G. K. but he was in danger o [...] the Li [...]e of his Soul by him, which G. K. was greatly offended with, and judged the most unchasit­able saying that e [...]er any of his greatest Enemies gave him, this T. L. knoweth himself guilty of, & hath laboured since to put a cloak upon it, but that could not cover it; and at another time said, G. K. had been a more vexatious Adversary to Friends than Hicks or Scanderet, or the greatest Enemies; & at other times he hath said to G. K. Must I truckle under thee? which seemed very strange to G. K. and some others, and seemed to proceed from great Pride and Self-conceit, to which G. K. answered, A thou art not to truckle under me, so nor am I to truckle under thee, but let us both truckle under Truth. And it is but too apparent than T. Lloyd, S. Jenings J. Simcock, A. Cook most especially, and others of them concerned in Government and Magistracy, take occasion on th [...] account to exalt themselves, and lord it over G. K. and his Friends, and seek to oppress and run him down, because of their worldly Power and Greatness, and of this many are sensible, that these places of worldly Government have done them much hurt, in other respects, and espe­cially that of late they countenanced the use of the carnal Sword, and some—hired men to fight, for recovering a Sloop from the Priva­teers, and all this is a lowed & countenanced by the Authority of these men, who have joyned in false Judgment against G. K. but i [...] they had [Page 10] known their own state aright, they would rather and in the first place have judged themselves for that which hath brought our Profession under such great Reproach. And for calling them Ranters who deny Faith in Christ without, as necessary to Salvation, and only prosess Faith in Christ the Light within them, as we can prove divers of them do, G. K. hath for his Example G. F. whom he hath heard call such Ranters, who say, They believe only in Christ the Light [...] in them, & not in the Man Christ without them; also he hath the Example of G. Whitehead, who saith to J [...]ff. Bull [...], T [...]oa who canst not see the consistency of Salvation by the Light within, AND by the Man Christ J [...]sus, art gone from the Light into lma­ginations; And by this (Censure of G. W.) it doth manifestly appear that the Monthly Meeting of the other side here at Philadelphia, who meet ap [...]rt from us, is gone from the Light into Imaginations (and what is that but Ranterism?) for they have declared by their late Act of their M [...]thly Meeting, the 26. 3. mon. 9. That they see no reason to give Judgment against T. F. for accusing G. K. that [...] denyed the Sufficiency of the Light, seeing four Credible E [...]id [...]ces gave Testimony, That they ear [...] him say, [...] did not believe the Light was sufficient without something else; and at their last Monthly Meeting it was confessed by L. L. as the Month of the Meeting, That by that something else, they knew G. K. meant the Man Christ Jesus without us, & what he did & suffered, or us on Earth, and what he now doth for us in Heaven, to wit, his Intercession for us, &c. Wherein they have declared themselves exactly to be of the mind of J. Bullock, (a great Adversary to Truth and Friends, and whom G. W. hath well answered) who do not she the consistency betwixt Salvation by the Light within, and by the Man Christ Jesus; and therof [...] by the Judgment of G. W. they are gone with J. B. from the Light into Im [...]ginations, and may be justly reckoned Adversaries to Truth and to faithful Friends, as well as J. B. And notwithstanding of their ac­cusations against G. K. as if he were not in unity with Truth and faith­ful Friends, G. K. hath many hundreds to bear him witness, that he is In unity with Truth and faithful Friends, not only in Old-England, but in all places where they are; and they have heard him on all occasions earnestly, to declare his being in unity with all faithful Friends every where, and that he doth believe that there are many that are faithful, and have had the true Christian F. V. from the beginning, and that they still continue in it, and that the Faith and Doctrine he doth preach, is she same that Antient Friends had from the beginning, and which all [Page 11] sound and faithful Friends at present have. And as for his giving hard Names and Words to any, it was but conditional, upon supposition of their holding such Errors, which they did seem to favour & argue for, except to two or three, to whom he was more positive, because of their boldly asserting these Errors, some of which are now boldly and openly asserted by them generally.

Thirdly, whereas they say, That G. K. charged their Meeting with be­ing come to cloak Heresies and Deceit, and that there were more Doctrines of Devils, and Damnable Heresies among the Quakers, than among any Professions of the Protestants. In this they are very unfair, and give a false Relation, as can be prov'd by credible Witnesses, he did not charge the whole Meeting, but a Party or Faction of them, that sway'd and influenced others; for there were divers of that Meeting that stood for G. K. at that time, which was the Meeting held at Burlington last, tho [...] J. D [...]lavall and W. Byles are now declined; and G. K. did say, That no such Damnable Heresies and Doctrines of Devils were tollerated in any Pro­stant Society, as these here did among them; but he never charged the Body of Friends with these things, out always made a distinction; and G. K. might well say so concerning them that have opposed him here, who have exceedingly labour'd to cloak that damnable Heresie of W. S. That to preach Faith in Christ within and without, is to preach two Christs; and with the like Industry have they labour'd to cover T. F. whom they heand utter Blasphemy in his Prayer, and never brought him to convi­ction for it; & tho' T. Budd, at the last Meeting of Ministring Friends at Burlington, charged him with saying, That he owned no Man Christ Jesus as Mediator in Heaven without him, but the Grace of God within him, yet they gave him no check for it; & at the last Yearly Meeting, in the presence of divers Friends he argued against G. K. That Christ was only a Spirit in Heaven, and had nothing of the Body of Man in Heaven; this is he also who said to G. K. at another Meeting, He had not learned that lesson, whether it was the [...]odhead or some what else that Christ took of the Virgin, that was nailed to the Cross. And at a late Monthly Meeting that party hath cleared the said T. F. & told, That the Light is sufficient without any thing else, excluding the Man Christ Jesus, and his Obedience, Death, Resurrection, Ascention and Mediation for us in Heaven, all which are something else than the Light; and G. K. might well say, no Protestant Society would tollerate these damnable Heresies, nor indeed would the Church of Rome. Also, some of their chief Members are [Page 12] guilty of denying the Day of Judgment, and any Resurrection but wh [...] they have already attained, owning no Resur [...]ection but Christ, and ha [...] ­ving attained to Christ, they reckon they have attained to all the Re­surrection they expect, as Rob. Owen, one of the false Judges, and W [...]l [...]. Southbe, one of the Evidences against G. K. And J. [...] another of the false Judges, said lately on [...] day Meeting. That Christ was a Mediator for no Drunkards non Wicked Persons, but for his own Disciples, expresly contrary to Scripture Testimon, in many places, Isa. 53. 12. Psal. 68. for it is by the Merits and Intercession of Christ that a [...] m [...]n, even wicked men of all sorts have a day of Visitation, and are inwardly enlightned by Christ, and such who improve it not, but live and dte in their sins, hinder not but that it is a benefit to it self. Also, the same Person, some time ago at a Meeting in East-Jersey, said in Prayer, Lord that we may not dote on the Body, to neglect the Life; which was very of­fensive, and is an unsavoury irreverend [...] to every Pious Chri­stian; for to dote on it, is too much to love it, but this none can do; for we cannot too much love the Lords glorious body, nor any thing of him, but the more truly we love his Body, the more we enioy of his Life inwardly, and the more we enjoy of his Life in us, and love it we love his Body, and prise and esteem still more and more a [...] the Suffer­ings of his Soul, and his Bodily Suffering, Death, Resurrection & As­cention in that [...]ody, hoping that he will charge our low Body, and fa­shion it like to his glorious Body. All which, and other gross Errors, being considered, [...] denying Gods Presence in all his Creatures, arguing If God be i [...] Herbs and Grass, than who trample on Herbs & Grass, trample on God Horrid Blasphemy▪.] as one ar gued, & charged G K of Blas­phemy [...] Mo. Meeting, for saying, God was present in all his Creatures, even Gross, Herbs, &c. Hence a new dispute hath risen among some, W [...]etner God be present in Li [...]e? some arguing, they are no part of the Cre­ation. Are not these things enough to make sober Ears to tingle; by all which, and much more that can be proved, it may sufficiently ap­pear, what great reason G. K. had to say, No such damnable Heresies, &c. are tollerated in any Christian Society, as are among many [...] away, called, Quakers. Another preaches, That Christ cureth mens Souls perfectly at once, and maketh them free of all sin; and when we are perfect we are Kings, & are not to beg or pray to God for then selves. And openly in a Meeting at J. Goodsonn's S. Jenings accused G. K. as also did J. S [...]mcoak for preaching Faith in Christ without us, calling it the Prosessors Faith, and the Faith of all Chris. endom, that did not profit them. And T. Ducket, another great States-man (the [...]) and Preacher, declared at the Meeting at Rob. [Page 13] Ewer's, when G K. made the first Gomplaint to them against W. S. that he could not determine, whether that Body [...] was crucified, was [...] on not; but, said he, let the Church determine it, if the Church determine it, we shall, I hope, submit, which was more like a blind Mass-Priest, than a judicious Protestant Minister. And S. Jenings hath sufficiently dis­covered his great Ignorance, as in some other things (and joyning with them that sa [...], the Light is sufficient without something else, and requiring G. K. to give an absolute Submission to their judgment, which G. K. calling Ra [...]k Popery, S. J. took out his Pocket-Book and writ it down before G. K. had ended the sentence) so in openly declaring in a mens Meeting, That to do Gods business, we needed Gods Wisdom and Power, but to do our own business, as men, we needed it not; which G. Keith, Geo. [...], Rob. Turner, J. Hart, and several others, publickly testified against, but the Meeting gave no judgment against him. And notwith­standing th [...] this S. J. hath severely blamed G. K. that he refused to submit to him and his Associates, who were joyned in a Faction against G. K. for his faithful Testimony, yet he hath refused to submit to the judgment not only of the mens Meeting here at Philadelphia, in a small worldly matter betwixt T. B. and him, but refused to submit to the Judgment of a Meeting of the most eminent Friends, viz. G. F. G. W. and others, appointed at London to hear the difference betwixt Edw. B [...]utno [...] and him, concerning the Trust committed to him by E. B. as his Deputy Governo [...], the which, tho' he ref [...]sed to submit to their Judgment, yet they judged him guilty of betraying his Trust, and the came away [...] England in dis-unity with the most faithful Friends at London, on that very account; and had he had his due, Friends here would scarce have suffered him to preach and pray in Meetings, far less to have ruied in their men and womens Meetings, as since he hath done, first in West-Jersey, of whose too severe Government, People in that Province were generally weary, and of other his proud and lofty Car­riages, and now here in Pennsilvania, who hath already shown himself too high and impe [...]ious both in Friends Meetings, and worldly Courts, as is but too weit known to many, and yet this ignorant presumptuous and insolent man hath been one of the main Opposers & Threatners of G. K. threatning him; That they will let him know that though he deny their Judgment, yet they shall judge him, but seeing they have given false Judgment against him, a G. K. could expect no better from his declared Opposetrs, and Adversaries both to Truth and him, it is no cause of [Page 14] Offence for G. K. to say, he trampled their Judgment as Dirt under his sect; for Dirt is good for something to fatter the Land, but false Judg­ment is good for nothing, except to discover what ignorant and pre­judiced men these are against the Trut [...]. Another of the false Judges is one W. Walker, Novice, who began to preach before he had the out­ward sober carriage of a Friend, known to be a prejudiced Person a­gainst G. K. for reproving his false Doctrine, first in private, then more publickly, he having said in a publick Meeting, That a man might speak unsound words in the L [...]e; and at another time in a publick Meeting, he bid us wa [...]t that the Scepter might depart from Judah, &c. to at Shilo might come; and many other most gross & impertinent things he hath spoke in Meetings, fathering a [...] upon the Spirit. And a for J. Delavall his declining from G. K. and turning most severely against him and his Doctrine, but of late formerly preached by him, is sufficient [...] known to many, as well as his accusing of G. K in a thing he could not prove, but essayed to do it with a dreadful Oath, saying, As God was in Hea­ven it was true, which to be sure is as real an Oath, as that was under the Law, The Lord liveth. Another of the false Judges is Paul Saunders very sately a great pretended Friend of G. K. and who hath greatly owned in words G. K. Doctrine, and came to that called our seperate Meeting, at least one first day, as joyning with us, and yet now hath joyned with these false Judges against us, and yet but a f [...]w da [...]s before, he told G. K. That he believed ere long they would thrust him out from among them, for it lay on him to preach among them, what that something else was, that was necessary to their Salvation, besides the Light, to wit, the Man Christ Jesus without us. Let none be offended that we name these mens Names, for seeing they have named G. K. in their Paper containing false Judgment, and put their Names to it, we hope none can justly blame G. K or us that love him, to name their Names to things we can prove sufficiently against them; besides, some of them have complain [...]d that in our Book, Some Causes of Seperation, we named not Names, and therefore seeing it is desired, we have named some; & it were an easie matter to give such a Character of every one of them that have signed that Paper of false Judgment, as may render them unqualified men to give Judgment in such a weighty case, not only for the Ignorance of most of them, as well as their Prejudice, but for the great suspicion that some of them lie under of a scandalous Life, as Drunkenness, Vn­uleanness, &c. and as for W. Yardly & N. Wal [...]e, as we can prove them [Page 15] both very ignorant men, so they are not of a very good Fame among their Neighbours, and for that distaste, some stay from Meetings, as we are informed. And one George Gray from Barbadoes, almost wholly a stranger to these matters of difference, taking all on trust from them, except what hath lately happened in some late Meetings, hath showed himself too foolish and rash, as well as ignorant; and the like may be said of H. Wi [...]is, of Long-Istand, wholly a stranger to our Differences, but what he had by report, and who lately before divers Witnesses at the house of W. Brad [...]ord, openly declar'd himself an Unbeliever, as con­cerning Christs coming without as to judge the quick and the Dead, which is a great Article of the Christian Faith.

4thly, As concerning their blaming G. K. for objecting against their Discipline, and his preparing a Draught, which he presented them, G. K. gave no just Cause to be offended at this; hundreds here-away of the more sincere sort of Friends, do object, as well as G. K. against the too great laxness of Disciplire amongst us, and that there is but little in­spection into the good Lives and Manners of them that profess Truth among us, far less into their Faith, so that men may almost believe any thing, and yet [...]e owned, if they come to Meetings, and use plain Lan­guage and plain Habit, and be not grosly scandalous. And as to his Draught that he prepared and presented to the Yearly Meeting, 1690. he was very moderate in it, and did not press it on them; and he is so for from being ashamed of it, that he has now sent it to Friends in Old England, to consider of.

5thly, Their blaming G. K. for his earnest desiring that they and we might agree to draw up some Principles and Doctrines of Faith in the most necessary things, to qualifie our Church Members, and distinguish Believers from Vnbelievers, has no just ground, but is rather worthy of Commen­dation; for hundreds see the necessity of such a thing among us, espe­cially here-away. And for his saying, That he knew none given forth by th [...] Body of Friends, it is true, he hath so said, and if they know any intire Confession or Declaration of Faith in all necessary things, and sufficient to end the present Differences, let them produce it; we know that particular accounts of Principles and Doctrines have been given forth by divers particular Friends, as G. F. G. W. E. B. J. C. and divers others, but not by the Body of Friends, or any Yearly Meeting, so far as we know, except the Rhode-Island Sh [...], which they do so much oppose. For their offering to give a Confession in Scripture words, when [Page 16] they have given us to know, they have a sence contrary to Scripture, no more can satisfie u [...], than when Papists, Socintans, Muggleton [...]an [...], &c. say they will give us a Confession of their Faith in Scripture words: They have greatly blamed G. K. for imposing unscriptural words & terms on them; and yet when asked, what these terms are? they never did or can show, unless that some of them have said, to preach sath in Christ within and without us, is unscriptural. And what else can it be but gross Vnbelief & Paganism to find fault so much with preaching Faith in Christ without us, & his being in Heaven in the same body that suffered, being necessary to our Salvation; for tho' the words [without us] or the same Body] be not express Scripture words, yet seeing they are according to the true sence of Scripture, who can blame G. K. or any other to preach them, viz. That Faith in Christ, as he dyed for us and rose again, is necessary to our Salvation, and that Christs Body that was crucified, and buried, rose again, and is gone into Heaven? Surely none but Infidels and Ranters, but no lincere Christians will deny these things; and yet all the Imposition they can alledge on G. K. is, That he did preach Faith in the Man Christ without them, as well as Faith in Christ the Light [...] them; & that Christ hato the true Body of Man in Heaven, and in that Body he will come and appear without us to judge the quick and the dead. And the 27. 4. mo. at Franksord Mo. Meeting, in discourse without door before many Friends, T. Lloyd blamed G. K. for imposing unscriptural words ō them, G. K. pressed him again and again to show in any one particular, but he would not give one instance; then G. K. desired him to answer one Question, viz. Whether to believe that Christ dyed for our sins, and rose again, was necessary to our Salvation? but T. L. waved it, saying, I will prove out of thy Books, thou wast not o that Faith sometime ago, which G. K. denyed, well knowing what is in his own Books. And it may be noted, that T. Lloyd, S. Jenings, J. Delavall & S. Richardson, came to the said Meeting to countenance the reading of their Papaer of false Judgment against G. K. and his Friends, having put it into the hands of W. Preston to read, who offering to read it, the far greatest part of the Meeting forbad the reading of it, declaring, That nothing ought to be read in their Meeting without the general consent of the Meeting; but this unruly and disorderly man, (who hath otherwise showed his Prejudice against G. K. & particularly that when G. K. was declaring at another Meeting, W. P. interrupted him and called him Lyar, when yet it was preved that he was the Lyar himself at that very time) did presume to read the Paper [Page 17] against the mind of most of the Friends present; and T. L. S. J. S. R. J. D. and A. M. were so far from giving any check to this disorderly proceeding, and Imposition upon the true Liberty and Right of the Mee­ting, that they encouraged it, and one of them, without the least occa­sion given, did threaten to bind an honest Friends to the Peace, S. Jenings calling out for a Constable. Thus these who by their Place should be good Examples of Justice and good Order, are Transgressors of it.

6thly, For their proffering to refer the Differences in matter of Doctrine either to the Yearly Meeting here, or to the Yearly Meeting at London, by their drawing up a Confession, and transmitting it to them, which they blame G. K. for refusing; G. K. saith, that he told them he had good cause to refuse referring it to the Yearly Meeting here, there being a Faction that pre­vailed in the last Yearly Meeting, to hinder Justice to be done to the truth, but he did not refuse to refer the Difference to Friends in England, as ha­ving any fear that they would condemn his Doctrine, but if he had pro­mised any such Referrence or su [...]mission as was required, it would have been called a breach of his Promise, if he had preached any of these Do­ctrines disputed betwixt them and him, and if God had moved him to preach them, he should either have disobeyed that Motion, or seemed to break his Promise; and therefore he refused to come under any such tye, especially seeing it could not be expected that an Answer could come from England in less than a years space; And by a marvelous Providence of God, within a few dayes after this dehate, Friends Letters came to us, confirming G. K's Doctrine in every particular then in Difference be­twixt him and them, and since that they cry out, Who denyes these things? when it is well known, and can well be proved, many did deny them. And whereas they further say, That they would have given a Confession out of a Book o [...] G. K's concerning the main Matter in Controversie, is but a de­ceitful Cover, like to others; that Book giveth them no strength in the matter of Controversie; but if they think it doth, they should have men­tioned it; for nothing is more deceitful than bare Generals; However, let it be well noticed, they grant there is a main matter of Controversie in Doctrine betwixt us; but they should have told what that main Mat­ter of Controversie is, to wit, Faith in Christ without us, as he dyed & rose again, being necessary to our Salvation, according to Rom. 10. 9. 10. but this they dare not openly do, fearing the People, as the Pharisees feared the Jews of old, in the case of John.

7thly, Whereas they say, This Meeting having tenderly and orderly dealt with him for his abusive Language, and disorderly Behaviour, &c. [...] [Page 18] cannot be a thing more falsly, hypocritically and impudently alledged; for they did not so much as call him before them at that time, so far as he can understand, altho' one of them lately told G K. that they sent W. Byles for him, but nothing of this was intimated to any of his Family, and he being absent from the Town, & knowing nothing of their further intention against him, did not purposely absent himself; it was unchri­stian, and short of Heathen Justice, to condemn him and his Friends, with­out hearing them, they never yet having had any fair hearing to clear themselves; for even Nicodemus could say, John 7. 51. Doth our Law judge any man before it hear him? And did not our Friends at London blame the Baptists for cleari [...]g Tho. Hicks, and condemning W. P. and others without a fair hearing of them; nor was that enough that they sent for them, for they being then absent, was a sufficient excuse, and so it was to G. K. if they had sent for him; nor was he ever brought upon Tryal, in order to any Conviction, before these of the Ministry, but that Mock-Tryal that they had at Bur [...]engton last, where A. Cook accused him of be­ing guilty in two particulars, viz. That four or five years ago he heard him blame Friends of the Ministry at the Yearly Meeting at the Center, for mis­quoting the Scripture. To which G. K. answered, he did not blame them, so far as he can remember, but caution them, not to mis [...]ote the Scripture, as many can witness, which was seasonable and necessary, seeing too fre­quently Scriptures are both mis-quoted and mis-interpreted, as particu­larly not long ago in a publick Meeting A. Cook did expound these words, Isa. 53. 5. By his Stripes we are healed, not of Christs Stripes that he suffer­ed without us, but of the stripes that he giveth us in our hearts; and when T. Fitzwater prayed in a pub. Meeting, Lord Jesus, who a [...]t still cru­cified without the Gates of Jerusalem; and at another Meeting, told, T [...]at [...]en crucified Christ without the Gate, when their Minds went from the Light in them; and according to this perverse Exposition, when the Scripture saith, Let iu go forth therefore unto him without the Camp, Heb. 13. 13. the sence would be, Let us go [...]orth from the Light in us; which to be sure is very false and absurd Doctrine. And further, G. K. did expostulate with them, against A. C. that he should so many years conceal this, and now bring it forth, was contrary to Gospel Order: The next thing whereof A. C. accused G. K. was, That he heard him revile his Brethreno, Pennsilva­nia, to Friends of Rhode-Island, calling some of them Heathens, &c. To which G. K. answered, that he denyed, that he reviled any of them, but if he had A. C. had no witness to prove it, and the Scripture saith, Re­ceive not an Accusation against an Elder, but [...] two or three Witnesses: [Page 19] A. C. said, Friend [...], ye know the Scripture saith, the Ear tryeth words, as the Mouth tasteth meat; if I speak from a true Spirit, ye have a diseeruing, and then what need of Witnesses? To which G. K. replyed, This is a great abuse, for at this rate one might accuse A. C. of Adultry, and if he can get but some men pretending to a Spirit of Discerning, say, that he speaks true, tho' the thing be false, he shall be condemned: This is an Invention that A. C. hath hit upo [...], which the Priests that accused Christ, had not found out, or had they found it out, it would not have done, for the Law re­quired Witnesses, and so doth the Gospel; but the prevailing Party in the Meeting was so far from giving check to this most unjust and unchri­stian way of accusing G. K. without Witnesses, that they suffered S. J. to assault him with a new Charge, which he could not prove. And there fo [...]e their usage and dealing with G. K. at this said Meeting was most un­sai [...] and unjust, in that G. K. was the first Complainer, and they had de­layed doing Justice to Truth, in bringing W. Stockdale to Condemnation for his Blasphemy, for about ten Months, and now they permitted any Accusation to be made against him, without Witnesses, which gave him just cause to tell them, he declined their Judgment, because they had ma­nifested themselves to be his opposite Party, and prejudiced against him. And yet after all this for them to abuse Friends, by writing to them such a gross Falshood, That they had tenderly and orderly deals with G. K. is Abominable Hypocrisie.

8thly. Nor are they more fair and just in accusing G. K. for Traducing and Villifying the two Old England Friends, T. W. & J. D. But they can­not prove, that G. K. either said or did any thing but what was just and christian concerning them; and it is too manifest that they were abused, deceived and byassed by them of the other Party with Flattery and false Insinuations they gave against us, letting us have scarce any their Com­pany; and they being thus deceived concerning us, used many indirect Reflections, mentioning Haman, Baal, Saul and Aaron, which the Hearers generally understood, they did intend G. K. and when he asked them, If they did mean him, and in pronouncing Woes, &c. they were not positive to clear him, yet G. K. was exceeding sparing towards them until after they had openly blamed him and his Friends for the Seperation, and prophe­cyed against us, which caused G. K. to tell them they were deceived con­ce [...]ni [...]g us, and for their better understanding desired them appoint a Meeting for that end, which they not imbracing, and J. D. comparing our Differences here, which are as great as ever any was among any pro­fessing Christianity, To Childrens falling out about Trifles, caused G. K. and [Page 20] some others to go away to their own Meeting, but G. K. put not on his Hat until he was out of the Gallary, and out of the hearing of J. D.

9thly, Whereas they say, They would have G. K. cease to offer his Gift among them: What great Non-sence, Confusion and Contradiction is this in them, to suppose that G. K. hath a Gift to offer, after they have ren­dered him as bad as the worst of men possibly can almost be, as fallen on the soaring Mountains, slain in his high Places, gone into a Spirit of E [...]miry, Wrat [...], Self-Exal ation, &c. and as a Person without the Fear of God before his Eyes, in his Anger and Envy, being Cruel against them, with much more. Surely if all this be true, G. K. cannot be said to have the least grain of true Piety; for he who hateth his Brother is a Mhrt [...]erer, and no Murt [...]erer hath eternal Life abiding in him; and according to Friends Doctrine and Principle, No Impious or Wicked Man hath any Ministerial Gift to offer, as this Paper supposeth or alloweth him to have: This Confusion and Self-contradiction of their Paper, showeth (with many other things in it) what a false Spirit it noth come from: And many hundreds have a true judg­ment and sence of G. K. that he continueth in a living sence to God, and hath aliving Ministry, which hath a living Seal from the Spirit of God in the hearts of hundreds and that he is no such man as they in their Pre­judice & Ignorance describe him to be. And for their blaming us for the [...]eration, in that they have given false Judgment against us, for it lieth [...] in door, as appeareth by our Book, Some Causes of the Seperation, &c. which they have not taken notice of, nor can they contradict; for all the matter therein is truth, only there was a mistake of one mans name, viz. [...]mer [...]y Adams, who was not at the Meeting, but we could have set down many others to make them up sixty, at least, and the matter in that Book lieth at their door to answer, if they be able.

10thly. Whereas they say, G. K. at Meetings since the Seperation, like an open Adversary, hath revised, several Friends, by exposing their Religious Re­putations in mixt Auditories of [...] some hundreds, &c. This is altogether false, for it is no reviling to speak the Truth; & they cannot prove that G. K. hath spoke any thing of them but what is true, altho' they have [...]orted both publickly and privately [...]ant false thing [...], and among the rest their late defamatory Paper of Condemnation; and its but just and rea­sonable he should defend himself, and his Testimony.

And now in the Conclusion, we do first Solemnly Appeal to God, the Righteous Judge of all men, from the false Judgment of these prejudi [...]ed men against us, and next to all faithful Friends and Brethren here in America. and in [...]ld England. Scotland and Ireland, or else-where, to [...]udge betwixt [...] and them as the [...]nerring and infallible Spi [...]ot shall be found and known to give them [...] Judgment and Discerning; and with great Assurance heace and Joy in the Lord, to him [...]e commit our Righteous [...] G K T B

[Page 21] Some brief Observations on their seeming Condemnation of William Stockdale, which is rather, as to the main, a clearing of him, and condemning him only as to some Circumstance, and more severely and unchristianly, and most falsly condemning G. K.

First. VVHereas they say, They being prevented in their Meetings of late to proceed orderly in business, by reason of a Turbulent & unsubdued Spirit (meaning without all doubt in G. K.) but having respite at this time, have considered, &c. This is great Hypocrisie and Deceit in them; why were they prevented in their Meetings of late? did G. K. by his Spirit lay violent hands either on their Tongues or Pens, that they might not have given true Judgment against W. S. in a case so plain, that a company of Children well instructed in the first Principles of Christia­nity (the eldest of them not exceeding fifteen years) could have given a just decision in less than one quarter of an hour? But how could G. K's Spirit hinder them at the Yearly Meeting, when he went out at their desire tho' there was no cause for hi [...] so doing, more than for any of them, for it, was not G. K. but Christ Jesus that was mainly concerned in this Affair, for whom, and for his Glory, (if they had any zeal for him) they ought to have been as much concerned as G. K. but it is fullfilled in them what is writ in Scripture of some, that loved the praise of men more [...]an the praise of God. But why did they take no time since the Yearly Meeting? Why did they not take a quiet time to do it in G. K's absence, when he was almost six Months absent in N. England, betwixt his first Complaint and that Mee [...]ing at Burlington last first Month, ha [...]ing gone twice into N. England, and was each time absent about three Months? And why did they nothing at the Meeting at Burlington against W. S. but heard false Accusations, without all Proof, against G. K?. Why are they so partial and hypocritical to pretend they had not time till now the 41. 4. mo. 92. for about 15 Months past? Why did they not call and appoint an extra­ordinary Meeting of Friends, as they have formerly done upon a far less occasion, as when thep presently called a Meeting at the House of Samuel Carpenter, to pass Judgment against the Publishing of the Rhode-Island Sheet, called The Christian Faith, and against William Bradford for Print­ing it tho' [...] was warranted to print it [...] the de [...]ire of the Mo [...] Meeting o [...] Rhodrr-Island, which hath as great Authority to print without them, a [...] they here have to print without those, unless they here will say, that Philadelphia is the Church of Rome in America, as Samuel Jenings called [Page 22] it the Metropolitan, little considering that the Apostacy came in by such means.

Secondly, Whereas they say, The Friends then present concluded of a Judg­ment in [...] matter, but were prevented of publishing the same by reason of George [...]eith's [...]ruly Behav [...]our, and extream Passion, which abruptly broke up the said Meeting. But this is another piece of their Hypocr [...]e, they should have said, if they would have said truly, what Judgment was given, ye were prevented of publishing of it by the unruly Behaviour, and proud and insolent Carriage, as well as unjust proceedings of Sam. Jenings and Arthur Cook, who would not suffer the [...]udgment given to be published, after G. K. was called into the Meeting, until G. K. should be tryed for reviling his Brethren, which G. K fervently and earnestly contradicted, crying out against their Injustice, and Arbitrary Method, contrary to the way of worldly Courts, in the like case, though some time after S. J. was pleased to say, That Courts allowed of Discount; So that according to S. J. the Blasphemy of W. S. shall be discounted for, and set off, against G. K's reviling his Brethren, if he had been guilty thereof, which they can never prove. And whether A. Cook was not guilty of extream Passion, who did in a Quarterly Meeting, whereof many can bear witness, pronounce a Curse against G. K. saying, George, thou hast made this Breach, and Wo be to thee from the Lord, and yet none of that Party reproved him for so doing?

Thirdly, Wherereas they give their Judgment, That W. S. is reprove­able and blame-worthy for uttering the said words (viz. That G. K's preaching Christ within and Christ without, was preaching two Christs) they being an Offence to many sound and tender Friends, and that be condemn the same. It doth plainly appear, that their Judgment is but a bare shadow, or formality of Judgment, rather than any substantial, effectual, weighty and sollid Judgment against him, which if it had been, they would have aggravated it with other words and expression, and principally blamed him for his words of Unbelief and Blasphemy against the Son of Man, greatly offensive to God; but instead of that they say, They being Offensive to many sound and tender Friends: Why are they so severe to G. K. against whom they cannot justly charge any thing, either in Doctrine of Life, saying of him, He being a Man without the Fear of God before his Eyes, &c. Is it a greater Offence to them, that they are dishonoured, or that the worthy Name of Christ is dishonoured, by as open denyal of him, as W. Stockdale did, by saying, To preach Faith in Christ within and Faith in Christ without, is to preach Two Christs; for at [Page 23] this rate, Christ without is to him but a false Christ; and this to them is so small a fault, that to deny Christ without us, they will not say in their Judgment, it is an Offence to God, but they say, It is an Offence to many sound and tender Friends; Oh! great Hypocrisie, and want of Zeal to the Glory of God and Christ, though they are full of Zeal to their own Honour, that will stink, and doth already stink for this their great Partiality and Injustice, as well as their great Ignorance, Error and Unbelief?

Fourthly, But why do not the words of their Judgment run thus, That W. S. did say, to preach Faith in Christ without, and in Christ within, was to preach two Christs, &c. but that they are guilty themselves of not ha­ving this Faith; for not long ago, A. Cook questioned G. K. at a Mens Meeting, which many can witness, Where we did read in Scripture, that we are to believe in Christ within [...], and in Christs without us? And tho' of late, some of them say, they have a reverend esteem of Christ with­out, of his Death, Sufferings, Resurrection and Ascention, yet none of them preach at a necessary matter of Salvation, to believe it, that ever we heard of, except John Delavall, who hath of late changed his Faith, and got a far worse. And it cannot be supposed, that they hold Faith in Christ without them to be necessary to their Salvation, seeing many of them that belong to the Monthly Meeting, have given their Judgment, That the Light is sufficient to Salvation without something else, which is a plain excluding the Man Christ Jesus from having any part in our Salvation, and leaving him only the bare Name or Title of a Savi­our; and if so, then they had as good have wholly cleared W. S.

Fifthly, It is great Confusion and Contradiction in these of that side, to condemn W. Stockdale, if they were in good earnest, and to clear Tho. Fitzwater; for if the Man Christ Jesus be our real Saviour, and that his Death, Resurrection, Ascention and Mediation for us without us in Heaven, hath any part in our Salvation, then the Light doth not save us without some [...]what else; and therefore T. F. is guilty of Condemnation; But if T. F. be cleared, then the Man Christ without us is no real Saviour at all, and ought not to be preached, nor Faith in him, but only the Light within, and W. S. at this rate is in the right of it, and they have done ill to pass Judgment against him. I know no way to reconcile this, but to say, their Judgment against W. S. is a Mock-Judgment or show, without any Reality.

Sixt [...]ly, They unjustly blame G. K. for non giving W. S. Gospel-Order, and take no notice how W. S. gave him no Order at all, either of [Page 24] Law or Gospel, accusing him falsly behind his back, without speaking to himself; whereas G. K. gave him good Gospel Order, but that their Prejudice blinds them that they see it not. William Stockdale gave not Offence to G. K. alone by himself, but to him in the presence of two others that were with him; and for what he had by Hear-say from ano­ther, was no just ground of Offence to him, until it was confirmed by W. S. himself, as it then was; and therefore not being to him alone, it was no Transgression of Gospel Order, that he did not speak to him alone afterwards. But why should Samuel Jenings blame G. K. for [...] giving Gospel Order to William Stockdale, when he knoweth in his Con­science, he never spoke to G. K. in private, by way of Admonition, before he again and again accused him to Friends of the Ministry, fo [...] Reviling his Brethren, which is a false Accusation.

Sevent [...]ly, That they blame him for calling Will. Stockdale an Ignorant Heathen, [...]he being, as they say, elder in the Truth, and in Years. Then according to them, a man may be in the Truth, and a good Christian, and say, Christ without is not the true Christ.—But why is Heathen a bad Name? for if every honest Heathen be a true Chri­stian, as he is, according to that Principle held by their Monthly Mee­ting, That the Light is sufficient without the Man Christ, and without the Faith of his Death, Resurrection, Ascention and Mediation, which is that something else than an honest Heathen is a true Christian; and therefore by their own Principle, to be called a Heathen is no Reviling, and to be called Ignorant, is no Reviling, when a man is so; also, T. Lloyd hath argued much, both at the Yearly Meeting, and at the Mo. Meeting ad­journed to the School-house, Than an honest Heathen was a Christian. And seeing harder Names have been given by some of best Note among Friends, to them that denyed Womens Meetings, &c. and other lesser things belonging to the Skirts of Religion, having called them Incar­nate Devils, Wretched Apostates, Wolves, Dogs, see Judgment fixt, Pref.) let all sincere Christians judge, whether they who deny the Lord that bought them, deserve not much more sharp Reproof? and yet no such Hard Names did G. K. give them.

By George Keith, Thomas Budd▪
THE END.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.