The people called Quakers cleared by Geo. Keith from the false doctrines charged upon them by G. Keith and his self-contradictions laid open in the ensuing citations out of his books / by John Penington.

3. That the Gentiles were savingly Enlightned, who knew not the History of Christs outward com∣ing, &c.

G. K. tells us in Truth Advanced, page 42.

Whereas Paul saith, That the Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation, he doth not mean, that it is the Power of God simply and ab∣stractly considered, without all Doctrine and Doctrinal Knowledge and Faith of Christ Crucified And p. 44. I do positively affirm, (saith he) according to Scripture, that Eter∣nal Life and Salvation is only to be had through the Faith and Knowledge of Christ Crucified, &c.

See more from p. 38. to p. 57. And in Further Discovery, p. 16.

That I have affirmed, (saith G. K.) that this Faith is indispensably necessary to all, viz. in order to Eternal Salvation, to Believe in Christ, as he Died for us, and Rose again, I freely own it, that I have so affirmed, and do still so affirm.

Again p. 18.

We are Sanctified through a living Faith in Christ, as he Died for us, and that Faith is necessary to Men's Regeneration and Sanctification, as well as to Remission of Sins, and therefore is necessary to all. And a little lower, He cannot give me an instance of any that ever knew the Mystery of Christ within, but also knew in some measure the Mystery of Christ without,

(compare this with my Ci∣tation even now out of Appendix, page 242.) And again,

To suppose, (saith he) a Faith in Christ, that doth not respect his outward coming in the Flesh, and Death and Suffe∣rings,

but only and alone that inward com∣mon Illumination, that is in all Mankind, is to set up an Unscriptural and Antichristian Faith, opposite to the true Christian Faith.

To these I shall add another out of Seasonable Information, p. 30. viz.

The Work of San∣ctification is ascribed in Scripture to Christs Blood and Sufferings, as well as to his in∣ward Appearance, and to both indispensably necessary, and to Faith therein.

Now al∣though he hath sufficiently contradicted these sayings, in what hath been cited already, (and particularly Appendix, p. 242. Rector Corrected, p. 150. &c.) yet he having more of them, I shall bring some out of his Book of Universal Grace.

There was such a Principle in them, [the Gentiles] whereby they did the things con∣tained in the Law; Therefore it was a Principle of the very saving Light and Life of Jesus Christ, which is that Divine Nature mentioned, 2 Pet. 1. 4.

Thus far p. 28. Now let him tell me, whence this Divine Nature was influenced, if not from the Divine Spirit or Holy Ghost, which lately he would not allow to Cornelius, but only a great measure of Gen∣tile Sincerity and Righteousness?

But he goes on, p. 29. thus,

These Gen∣tiles did the things contained in the Law, so that they were excused, yea and justified, and did receive the reward of Glory, Honour and Peace in so doing. In divers of these Gen∣tiles, the Seed was raised,

[that's beyond

Gentile Sincerity, without the Holy Ghost, sure]

which is that Divine Nature or Birth, by which they did the things contained in the Law, and so were justified by him, &c.

But it seems some were ready to Argue then, as he hath done since, that there can be no justification without Faith in Christ, but these Gen∣tiles had not Faith in Christ, therefore, &c. to which he answers by denying the second Propositi∣on,

For if they did cleave unto, (said he then) and Believe in the Light, they Believed in Christ, for he is the Light, nor is the outward name that which saveth, but the in∣ward Nature, Virtue and Power, signified thereby, which was made manifest in them, and thus is Christ even that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that which may or must be known of God, p. 30.

[But this he will not allow to us now.]

The Gentiles, were not so cast off, but that as to what was the main and principal thing, to wit, the word of Faith, the Gentiles did share with the Jews, and that whoever among the Gentiles, did Believe and Call up∣on the Name of the Lord, were saved no less than the Jews, p. 34.

This was the priviledge of the Gentiles no less than of the Jews, to have this word so near unto them, as to be in the Mouth and in the Heart.

That these Gentiles, who did call up∣on ☞ the Name of the Lord, and were saved,

were not under any outward Administration of the Gospel, is most evident from the ob∣jection framed by the Apostle, v. 14, 15. and

his answer thereunto, p. 35.

(Compare with Truth Advanced, p. 70. cited above.)

The hearing that Faith comes by, (he tells us, p. 36.) is the hearing by the word, even that Word that was in their Mouth and Heart. And a little lower, as a Comment upon those Words, They have not all obeyed, he bids us mark, the Apostle doth not say, They have not all obeyed the law of Nature, or the Light of Nature, but they have not all Obeyed the Gospel, so that the very Gospel (adds he) hath been Preached unto all, other∣wise they should never have been charged with not having Obeyed it.

But I put him to prove, that the History of Christ his Conception, Birth, Crucifixion, Resurrecti∣on and Ascension, hath ever been Preached to all, either Explicitely or Implicitely, seeing he saith, the very Gospel hath been: And Second∣ly, That whether, where the very Gospel hath been received, or that which he here calls the very Gospel, the Holy Ghost hath not been given.

The Gentiles were not so cast off of God, but that they had the same Mercy, as had the Jews, in relation unto the Chief and Substan∣tial thing—They [the Scriptures] point unto some Manifestation of him, in and a∣mong the Gentiles in all Ages, sufficient unto Salvation, p 56.

Kiss the Son lest he be angry—Now that they are bid to Kiss the Son, doth plainly import, that the Son was held forth, and given unto them of the Father in 'true Love, that they might Kiss him, i. e. that they

might enjoy him, which doth again infer, that there was such a Manifestation of the Son let forth unto them, which was suffici∣ent into Salvation, else, How could they be required to Kiss him, if he were not of∣fered and made manifest unto them? And how could he be offered unto the Gentiles, to Kiss him, if it were impossible for them so to do? p. 57.

if G. K. will not believe himself, who doth he think will believe him? But to proceed.

Christ in Scripture is called the Salvati∣on of God, which was in some measure made known, or manifest in them, though not as to the OUTWARD NAME, yet the Power, Light and Life, p. 58.

What, though they knew not the outward Name, if they knew the Nature, the Spirit, the Life which slays Sin and cures the Soul? It is not the meer outward Name that saves, but the Life, the Power of Christ that Quick∣ens, Cleanses, Purifies, and by this they might be saved: For it is the Life, that saveth Rom. 5. 10. p. 115.

How often hath G. K. of late been uneasie under this Doctrine, as if it Depreti∣••ted what our Lord did and suffered in the outward? And in his Further Discovery, p. 10. he calls a Friend, Bold Ignorant Soul, for Preach∣ing, That the Blood which cleanseth from all Sin ••as the Life, and the Life is the Light, calling a perverse Exposition. And the Reason seems to be, because the Friend said it: Had G. K. said it, it mought have past for Authentick; or he hath said the same.

That the knowledge of him [Christ] at in the outward, is of necessity unto Salvati∣on, we grant not, save ONLY where it is Revealed, and there it is very useful and comfortable, p. 117.

(Compare with the Quotation out of Further Discovery, page 16. above.)

From our common Adversaries allowing that Children may be saved, G. K. infers,

Why may not also some Men (who are as it were but Children and Infants, even Babes in Christ, as to Spiritual Knowledge) he saved without that clear, distinct Knowledge of his outward coming, being born of his Spirit, &c. p. 117.

This he speaks of the Gentiles, as will be obvious to any that con∣sult the Book, for it immediately follows the Quotation above. That which I observe is this, That here he allows them to be Babes in Christ, Born of the Spirit; but in his Truth Ad∣vanced, p. 70. Cornelius is denied to have had the Holy Ghost in his Gentile State. Are Babes in Christ, who are Born of the Spirit, with∣out the Spirit? Or is not their Food Spiritual, to wit, the sincere Milk of the Word? But this Man must be made manifest: To that end, hear him again.

He [Christ] left not the other Nations destitute of the MAIN and PRINCIPAL thing, even the manifestation of the Light, &c. which would have given them the Knowledge of God, and of all his Laws and Statutes NEEDFULL to be known by them, had they improved the same aright—

And seeing it hath been so in times past, why may it not be so now, p. 120.

(Let G. K. answer his own Question, if he can.)

Though the outward Teachings, which proceed from the Light, are truly profita∣ble, yet are they not of such absolute neces∣sity, as if God and Christ could not be known, where the outward occasions of hearing are wanting, p. 121.

Thus G. Keith, one while asserting, that Faith in Christ, as he Died, Rose again, Ascended, &c. is indispensably necessary to all; another while, that Men have been saved without it, (which upon what hath been premised, I leave with the Reader, whether it hath not been sufficiently proved upon him) puts me in mind of an Observation a Friend made, viz.

That he knew not what could palliate it, but the strange Notion of the Revolution of Humane Souls, which makes it more than probable, that they shall have opportunity, one time or other, before the end of the world of Hearing this Faith and Doctrine Preached, and may receive it, though now they Die with∣out it. But this point (adds he) must be tenderly touched now, because few are ripe for it; yet how far he (G. K.) hath counte∣nanced it, is known to many.

See State of the Case, p. 12. Yet I remember also, how stoutly G. K. confuted him, by telling him he was extreamly Ignorant, had neither the true Faith, nor a true Notion of the sufficiency of the Light within, (Further Discovery, p. 16.) I shall therefore, to avoid his attacking me in

like manner, barely give an instance or two out of his Book, called Truth Advanced, and leave it to the Reader to judge.

His Answer to an Objection, That Adam Died not that day he Sinned, but lived many years after, he divides into three Heads. His last is this,

As it is observed by some, (saith he) neither Adam nor any of his posterity living a compleat thousand years, which in Scripture signifies sometimes a day, Psal. 90. it may be said, he lived not a whole day, p. 23.

Now that this is a Principle of the Revolutionists is plain to all that know their Principles; and that it is his, is also mani∣fest in that he gives it as one of the answers to the Objection. What? Can he hold to nothing? But be self-inconsistent in every thing?

Again, p. 42. he saith,

Who are under the Law, and obey it, according to what their Ability doth reach, they are held there as in a Custody, or place of Safety, as the Man∣slayer in the City of Refuge, in the time of the Law,

till the Faith come to be Revealed. This word [till the Faith come to be Revealed] is a plain indication of his Notion, though he dare not desend it; for they dying in this City of Refuge, when should the Faith be Revealed to them, except in some other Revolution?

Some had a measure of Sincerity and Up∣rightness, under the Law or Legal Dispen∣sation, both of Jews and Gentiles, who had not the Faith and Knowledge of Christs Death and Resurrection, and all such were

in a state of Safety for that present time, so that had they died in that State, they could not have perished, even as the Manslayer was safe in the City of Refuge, p. 43.

This is again a Token that he leans to the Revolutio∣nists, whose this is, not to the Scriptures, that say, In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be, Eccles. 11. 3. See also Heb. 9. 27. where it is said, It is appointed unto Men once to die, but never twice to die, for he adds, But after this the judgment.

This, with my Animadversions above, are what I propos'd to close this Head with, and come to the next.