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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	grace_n	sin_n	7,861	5	4.4662	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62157	Some queries proposed, to the monethly meeting of the Quakers at Aberdeen; the sixth day of June, 1700. By Robert Sandilands With their answers thereto; together with some remarks thereupon. Published by authority. To which is prefixed a letter from George Keith, sent to the Quakers in Aberdeen, containing a very serious and Christian expostulation with his old friends, &c.	Sandilands, Robert.; Keith, George, 1639?-1716. aut	1700 (1700)	Wing S663; ESTC R220626	23,403	36

without which we cannot be Justified But G. W. is a litle more distinct in his 2d part of the Christian Quaker p. 126. where he sayeth But what proof hath he from Scripture that the sheding of CHRIST'S Blood was the meritorious Cause of Justification so through that whole 3d chap. he labours to prove that properly speaking it is by the Spirit and Light or CHRIST within we are Justified And in his Antidote p. 39 He affirms that the blood of his viz. CHRISTS outward blood as well as the water that came out of his side had an allegorical and mysterious signification as well as an outward and literal even of the Spiritual blood and water of Life which being compared with what he says in his Light and Life p. 59 in which he plainly denys that the material blood of the Sacrifice was a type of the material Blood of CHRIST for that were to say sayeth he that material Blood was a type of that which was material this is to give the substance no pre-eminence above the type So that tho as G. K. observes in his 3 Narrative p. 73 G. W. c. grant that a man called CHRIST was outwardly born dyed had his blood shed c yet all this was an allegory and had an allegorical signification of CHRIST truly and really without an allegory born within them crucified and dead within them his blood shed within them buried risen ascended within them atonement reconciliation c. within them And seeing they deny the merit and efficacy of CHRIST'S death and blood without and of what he did and suffered without us they are justly charged to allegorize it away that is to make no other account of it then of the History of Hagar and Sarah and other types Symbols and allegories of the Old Testament W. P. is yet more express speaking of our Justification by the Righteousness which CHRIST hath fulfilled in his own Person for us he says in his serious Appology p. 148 And indeed this we deny and boldly affirm it in the Name of the LORD to be the Doctrine of Devils and an Arm of the Sea of Corruption which does now deluge the whole World I could quote many more Passages but I refer to these following G. Ws. Light and Life p. 38. 40. c. W. Batlies Coll. p. 22 23. 577. Q. 12. Is it altogether and wholy as necessary for us to believe in CHRIST without us for our Eternal Salvation as to believe in his Spiritual Light within us and is not the Faith in the Man CHRIST as he dyed for our Sins and rose again and is at the Right Hand of GOD and maketh intercession for us according to Rom. 8. 34. necessary to be Preached frequently as well as his inward appearance by every true Minister of CHRIST A. We believe as in our Answser to the second Query that it s altogether necessary for us to believe in CHRIST without us for our Eternal Salvation where the means of the knowledge thereof can be had And also that the Faith in the Man CHRIST JESUS as he dyed for our Sins and rose again and is at the Right Hand of GOD c. is necessary to be Preached by all true Ministers as they are led thereunto by the Spirit of GOD and which is frequently practised amongst us as may be witnessed by such as come to our Meetings according to 1 Cor. 1. 23. R. The Limitation in this Answer is useless for I speak only of such as have the means and as to our Faith in CHRIST without us R. Bs. sayeth in pag. 9. of his works and whereas thou sayest you see the Apostles judges the knowledge of CHRIST Crucisied to be that one thing necessary we deny sayes R. B. that the knowledge of His being outwardly Crucified is that one thing necessary for People must know him in them And as a confirmation of this in the second Proposition of his Apologie page 269. he sayeth Which Revelation of God by the Spirit whither by outward voices or appearances dreams or inward objective manifestations in the heart were of old the formal object of their Faith and remains yet so to be since the object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages and in Consequence to this last part he sayes pag. 279. that which now cometh under debait is what we have asserted in the last place viz. that the same continueth to be the object of the Saints Faith to this day c. here is not one Word of Faith in CHRIST without us but on the Contrary the formal object of the Saints Faith in all Ages is inward Revelations and the Light within G. F. sayes in his great mystery p. 47. The Light which every one hath that cometh into the World is sufficient unto Salvation without the help of any other means or discovery W. P. sayes Quakerism a new Nickname pag. 12. And since they believe that outward appearance i. e. JESUS at Jerusalem they need not preach what is not to be again So then by this the Birth Life and Death c. of the Holy JESUS needs not to be Preached and indeed a great deal of the Bible is to be laid aside and not Preached according to this Maxim of W. Ps. and W Bailie an antient Writer among them sayes see his Goll p. 308. and so he taught them to Pray Our Father c. Not to look at his Person and to pray to him as a Person without them but bid them pray to the Father Then by the same Rule if not pray to Him we are not to believe in Him as a Person without us But the Reader may observe that however orthodox A. J. c. seems to be in their Answer in affirming that Faith in the Man CHRIST JESUS as he dyed c. where the meanes of the Knowledge thereof can be had c is necessary to be Preached by all true Ministers yet it is with this Proviso as they are led thereunto by the Spirit which clause seems to destroy that obligation which immediatly before they had acknowledged for suppose any or all the Preachers among the Quakers be indifferent in this matter and so quite neglect as generally they doe Preaching the Necessity of Faith in the man CHRIST without us here is a shift ready they may plead this for their excuse and say they are not led thereunto by the Spirit of God Q 13. Do you Believe that all that were saved in any Age of the World had their Sins forgiven them for the Man CHRIST JESUS his sake and on the account of his most Holy and perfect obedience unto Death and that what Light and Grace all Men ever received from GOD in former Ages or now receive or shall her after receive to the Worlds end it is given to Men for the Man CHRIST JESUS his sake by his Purchase and Merits and Continual Mediation and Intercession A. We Answer affirmatively and firmly believe it Acts 4.

12. R. This Answer the Reader may be pleased to compare with the Quotations in the Remarks on the 10 and 12. Answers Q. 14 Did not the LORD JESUS CHRIST by his most perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself which he offered up unto GOD fully satisfy the Justice of his FATHER and so pay the Ransom for the sins of Mankind Q. 15. Did CHRIST suffer the punishment due for the sins of fallen Man and did he make full payment in mans stead for the debt contracted by sin A. To both which last Queries we answer that we believe that the LORD JESUS CHRIST did freely offer himself an acceptable Sacrifice for the sins of Mankind and that the FATHER of his great mercy accepted of that Sacrifice as a sufficient expiation for the sins of the whole World as in these Scriptures 1 Pet. 1. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 Pet. 3. 18. John 10. 14 15 17 18. Verses R. This Answer to the 14 and 15. Queries may be compared with the 11th Question in G. Ws. Appendix to the 2d part of the Christian Quaker p. 242. where it is asked whether Divine Justice did propperly and strictly require a full payment and punishment upon CHRIST in mans stead for all the debt contracted and injury done by fallen man to which it is answered No CHRIST'S sufferings were not of that nature or intent c. and thereafter he says p. 244 and see p 240 All these Scriptures relating to CHRIST'S sufferings as Isa 53 c. do all intimat GOD'S great kindness and Condescention in CHRIST JESUS and his humiliation and deep suffering under the weight and burden of sin and as by the Grace of GOD he tasted Death for every man all which fall greatly short of proving our adversaries charge against him viz that GOD poured down his Wrath and Revenge on his innocent SON for satisfaction to Divine justice in mans stead that have done the injury I say all the Sciptures alledged by them can never prove this c. Here we have a positive answer to the Queries and no shuffling or shifting the matter as A. J. and his Friends do in their answer And W. P. in his Rejoinder to Io. Faldo p. 284 and 255 Justifyeth W. Smiths saying CHRIST in us offereth himself a living Sacrifice to GOD for us by which the Wrath of GOD is appeased to us And G. W. in his Light and Life p. 44. doth also justify the same but what he sayeth is too large to be here inserted and therefore I refer the Reader to the Book it self and to G. Ks. 3 Nar. p. 24. W. P. in his reason against Railing p. 9. sayes That if it is our duty to forgive without a satisfaction received and that GOD is to forgive us as we forgive others then is a satisfaction totally excluded See also his Sandy foundation wherein he expresly argueth against CHRIST's satisfaction and insists largely on it I have not the Book at present by me so cannot quote exactly any passage out of it But above all that which I think is most horrible and blasphemous and undervaluing the sufferings of our Blessed LORD E. B. of great esteem among them sayeth in his works p. 273 printed 1672 and which his friends reprinted and approved of the sufferings sayeth he of the People of GOD called Quakers in this Age is greater suffering and more unjust then in the dayes of CHRIST or of the Apostles what was done to CHRIST or the Apostles was chiefly done by a Law and in great part by the due execution of a Law c. Q 16. Do the best works that any are enabled to perform even by the assistance of the Spirit merit pardon of sin and eternal Life A We answer negatively we have no merit all is of free Grace and mercy through CHRIST Tit. 3. 5. R. This Answer seems to bespeak a humble and self denyed frame of spirit and I am very glade to find such come from A. I. c. But I am sure their Friends books are filled with a great deal of self exaltation and abasing of all others and too much spiritual pride and boasting of their faithfulness as that by and for which they merited or hoped to attain eternal Life may be too much observed in most of their preachings and as an evidence for what I say let the Reader consider what Samuel Fisher sayeth in his Rusticus c. p 90. that because evil works saith he are the meritorious cause of our Condemnation therefore good works are the meritorious cause of our Justification See also p. 84. 88. ibid. and see also G. Ws Voice of Wisdom p. 36. Q 17. Shall the Man CHRIST JESUS come again and appear without us to judge the Quick and the Dead A. We answer affirmatively yea He shall according to these Scriptures Mat. 25 31. Acts 17 31. This Answer may be compared with what G. W. says in his Light and Life p 41. but three comings saith he not onely that in the Flesh at Jerusalem and that in the Spirit but also another coming in the Flesh yet to be expected we do not read of but a 2d coming without sin unto Salvation which in the Apostles days was looked for And in his CHRIST ascended c p. 21. 22. c. not only denyeth any personal comming of CHRIST yet to be at the end of the World but denyeth him to have a Personal Existance in Heaven without the Saints and chargeth it to be Anthropomorphism and Muggletonism See also W. Bailies Coll p. 29. Q. 18. Is there any Resurrection of the Dead that all or any of the Deceased Saints wait for and doth the same Natural Body that Dyeth rise again or is the Resurrection nothing else but what ye have already or what ye shall have immediatly after Death A. We believe that there shall be a Resurrection both of the Just and of the Unjust according to the Scriptures Acts 24 15 1 Cor. 15 5. also the same Chap. from 35 to 38 verse and we believe that the Resurrection is not already past nor is that which we shall immediatly enter into after Death R. By this answer to this 18 Q. A. J. and his friends shift the question intirely for I know that verbally they seem to own a Resurrection but that our Natural Elementary bodies shall rise again they utterly deny and oppose So G. W. argueth most violently against it in the second part of his Christian Quaker p. 352. 353. c. and so doth W. P. in his reasoning against railing p. 134 137. If the thing saith he can be the same and notwithstanding changed for shame let us never make so much stur against the Doctrin of transubstantiation for the absurdity of it is rather out down then equalled by this carnal Resurrection And R. Hubberthorn sayes Coll. p. 121 these are they that plead for a life in sin while they are here and that say that the Saints glorified in Heaven do yet hope for

Errors I had Charged them with but if you will give your selves the Liberty to Read my late Books and particularly the two I now send you I hope ye will be convinced of the Truth of my Charge as diverse hereaway both in City and Country through the Mercy of God are so convinced but I fear that some among you are too deeply guilty of some of the same Errors And if ye in particular are not how can ye in Conscience own them to be your Christian Brethren whom I have proved so evidently guilty of them as particularly the chief Teachers among the Quakers hereaway some Living and some Deceased And I earnestly request you to distinguish betwixt any good things either in Doctrine or Practice which ye have seen or observed in me and whatever was contrary thereunto so as to cleave unto the former and only reject the latter What Honesty or Sobriety and Christian Practice ye ever saw in me I hope to persevere in it and increase in the same and I desire you to do the like but reject your Errors your Uncharitableness of Judgement towards others your Spiritual Pride and over high Esteem of your selves Believe not every Spirit either in your selves or others but try the Spirits and bring all Doctrines and Practices to the Test of the Holy Scriptures and pray God to give you that True Light and Discerning to help you to make an Impartial Examination It hath been a great default generally among the people called Quakers and remains among them too much to Countenance Ignorant Persons if they pretend to the Spirits Teachings and Motions to Preach and Pray and Travel from Place to Place as Teachers of others when yet they want to be taught the first Principles of Christianity and it s to be feared ye have such ignorant Teachers among you I am sure I remember when some of you used to blame it in my hearing and as I desire you to make a distinction betwixt what is right and wrong in any of my former Doctrines or Practices I hope none of you could ever charge me with any Immorrality or Scandalous Conversation when among you but that if I wanted an Attestation to that I think ye would do me that Justice to give me an ample Testimony so I would have you to know that I continue grounded and firmly perswaded as to that most necessary and excellent Doctrine of Gods Inward Teachings by his Holy Spirit Light and Grace and his gracious operations and Assistances to enable us and all good Christians to perform every acceptable Service to him And whatever ye or any others may or doe judge of me I bless my Gracious God that I feel my self a living member of CHRIST's Body by partaking daily of the Life and living Vertue of the Head JESUS CHRIST our Lord and a Living branch upon that living Vine and my care is and ever I hope shall be to abide in him which I bless God for I find by true experience that I can remain and abide such and yet be reformed in many things in my judgement and diverse practices from what I formerly was It hath been a great mistake in us to think that we could not be more holy or soholy as we think we are or were without being so excessivly uncharitable towards others and so contrary to them in our Perswasions and Practices when as many of their Perswasions and Practices were better then ours and others of them more inoffensive I hope ye will excuse my writing thus largely unto you for it is in true Love and good will however you receive it and as I have said I do not expostulat with you for your injuring me for I have more injured you though not by any Immorality but by being instrumental to have in any wayes misinformed you I pray God forgive you and me I remain your truly wel-wishing Friend George Keith London 17th 2d Moneth 1700. To Andrew Jaffray John Robertson Alexander Gellie John Forbes Robert Gordon John Glennic And the rest of the Monthly Meeting of the people called Quakers at Aberdeen Something of weighty importance modestly proposed to your serious Consideration FRIENDS Forasmuch as there hath been and is some just cause given to apprehend that many among the People called Quakers have not a found Faith touching diverse great and weighty Doctrines and principles of the Christian Religion plainly delivered in the Holy Scriptures for both mine and others satisfaction and also for your own vindication if so be which I should be truly glade of and rejoice in that ye manifest your selves to be really innocent and clear of those gross Errors and Heresies which the chief English Teachers among the Quakers have been and are still charged guilty of and upon which account only I have in good Conscience been concerned to leave communion with them not finding that they have in the least as yet cleared themselves of the same which they can never well do without a publick and ingenuous retractation of those many unwarrantable and unsound passages in their Books You are therefore earnestly desired and requested to give your plain and candid Answer in writing to these following Queries Querie 1. Whether the Holy Scriptures containing the Old and New Testament called the BIBLE in their plain and literal meaning Or the Light within be the certain fixed and standing Rule whereby to judge and determine matters of contraversie as to Religion Here followers the Quakers Answer Ans We believe that the Holy Scriptures containing the Old and New Testament called the BIBLE as having come from the Spirit of GOD and being written by Men Divinly inspired which we most firmly Believe they were when they are opened and explained by the same Spirit of GOD which gave them forth they being of no private interpretation 2 Pet. 1. and 20. are an Infallible Rule of Faith and Life unto all to whom GOD hath in his Providence been pleased to communicat them for they being the things of GOD cannot be understood but by the Spirit of GOD 1 Cor. 2. 11. Remark This Answer to the 1 Q. being in all appearance sound and orthodox if they have no secret reserved meaning and agreeable to the sense of all sound Protestants I am heartily glade that they have deserted the unsound and hetrodox Doctrine that some of their principal Teachers both in Scotland and England have vouched in their writtings in relation to the Holy Scriptures being the Rule of Faith and therefore the Reader may be pleased to compare this their Answer with what Robert Barclay says tho I confess that he and G. K. were the soundest and m●st Orthodox Writters among the Quakers in See R. Rs. works pag. 299. his explanation of his 3d proposition among his Theses Theologicae The principal Rule saith he of Christians under the Gospel is not an outward Letter nor Law outwardly written and delivered but an Inward Spiritual Law ingraven in the heart the Law of the Spirit

the Resurrection of their Bodies c. See also W. P. his Invalidity of I. F. vindication p. 373 c. Q 19. Whither outward Baptism with Water and the outward Supper called the LORDS Supper be not Divine Institutions and Ordinances of our Blessed LORD JESUS CHRIST commanded by Him to be continued and practiced to the end of the World A. First as for Baptism we believe that as there is one LORD and one Faith so there is one Baptism Eph. 4 5. which is not the puting away the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience before GOD by the Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST 1 Pet. 3 21. And this Baptism is a pure and Spiritual thing to wit the Baptism of the Spirit and Fire by which we are buried with him Rom. 6. 4. And puts on CHRIST Gal 3 27. that being purged and washed from our sins we may walk in newness of Life being risen with him through the Faith of the Operation of GOD Collos 2. 12. Of which the Baptism of John was a figure whose ministry was to decrease but CHRIST to increase Iohn 3. 30. and who said himself I indeed Baptise you with Water to repentance but He that cometh after me is mightier then I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear He shall baptise you with the HOLY GHOST and with Fire Mat. 3. 11. Here are two Baptisms mentioned whereof certainly Johns was the figure and CHRISTS the continuing substance and though Johns was continued or practiced for a season yet Paul that great Apostle who was not a whit inferiour to the chiefest Apostles 2 Cor. 11. 5. expresly affirms that outward Baptism was not within his Commission from CHRIST read 1 Cor. 1. 17. As for the sprinkling of Infants called Baptism we find neither Precept nor Practice of it in all the Scriptures of truth and therefore judge it to be a meer humane Tradition And as for the Outward Supper we do believe that the communion of the Body and Blood of CHRIST is inward and Spiritual as to the substance which is the participation of his Flesh and Blood by which the Inward man is daily nourished in the Hearts of those in whom CHRIST dwels 1 Cor. 10 chap. 16. 17. verses John 6. 32. 33 35 Of which things the breaking of Bread by CHRIST with his Disciples was a figure which they even used in the Church for a time who had received the substance for the sake of the weak even as abstaining from things strangled and from blood the washing on anothers feet and the anointing the Sick with Oyl all which are commanded with no less authoriy and solemnity then the former and the two last of them as true outward Signs or Simbols of Inward Grace as the Bread and Wine yet seeing they are but the shaddows of better things they cease in such as have obtained the substance Acts 15. 20. John 13 14 Ja. 5 14. Where these forementioned things are commanded or institute R. It is indeed to be much lamented that the whole Body of the Quakers every where is too well agreed as to their disowning and Contempt of our Blessed SAVIOUR's Institutions especially Baptism and the LORD's Supper But A. J. c. might have given a shorter Answer for I designed not by these Queries that either they should prove what they hold or that I should disprove the same And therefore for a full Reply to what either they have here alledged or what R. B. and others of the Chief English Teachers among the Quakers have argued against the Continuance and practice of outward Water Baptism and the LORD's Supper I refer the Reader to Geo Keith's Book called the Arguments of the Quakers against Baptism c. wherein they are intirely consuted and fully Answered And which Book I do not know that the Quakers have so much as pretended to Answer Q 20 Lastly if ye be realy sound and sincere in the Faith of the great fundamental Truths of the Christian Religion are ye not then bound in Conscience to manifest the same and that both by disowning and condemning by a publick Testimony all those gross Erroneous and Unchristian passages which have been and may still more and more be discovered out of your ancient and chief Friends Printed Books Observe so far only A. J. c. recited this last Querie and wholly omitted all the rest And I doe hereby offer to prove the same before any Judicious Indifferent Persons as it shall please GOD to give me an opportunity by producing such Palpable Quotations out of the said Books directly contradicting the plain Testimony of the Holy Scriptures and contrary to the necessary essential point of Christian Faith and Doctrine and if ye be clear and Innocent as I said already ought ye not likewise to disown all such for your Christian Brethren that have opposed and who doe still continue to oppose any of those precious Truths of the Gospel which have been universally received by all true and sound Christians I doe expect your positive and candid Answer by your plain and simple Affirmation or Negation to each of these Queries by which you may prevent any Suspicion of quibling or equivocating to be sent with all Convenience to Aberdeen the 5th day of the 4th Moneth called June 1700. Your Real Welwisher ROBERT SANDILANDS A. We are realy sound and sincere in the great and fundamental Truths of the Christian Religion and we are ready to manifest the same but we are not bound in reason to receive the Testimony of an avowed Adversary against our Brethern and if he have any thing to charge against them among whom he resides he wants not opportunity to do it face to face and we doubt not but they can clear themselves sufficiently This Answer to the above written Queries was drawn upon the 7th day of the 4th moneth called June 1700 And signed as follows Alexander Gelley Robert Barclay Iohn Forbes George Forbes senior Robert Gordon William Taylor Andrew Jaffray Iohn Robertson Robert Gerard Daniel Simson Iohn Somervaile William Glenny James Wallace Iohn Merser Robert Keith Yet at the desire of some of the Magistrats so many of our Number as are present have again signed the same with their own hands Observe They first gave a Copy of their Answer unsigned and which they brought to the Publick Mercat place and Copies thereof given to divers Persons afterwards they brought their Answers much Corrected with large Additions with several names at them but all write with one hand and that not being satisfactory it was returned to them again At last they delivered it Signed Authentically by severals of their own Hands Andrew Jaffray Alexander Gelley William Taylor Daniel Simson Robert Keith Iohn Sommervaile Robert Gordon George Forbes Senior Iohn Merser Iohn King R. I should truly rejoice and be heartily glade to find both A. J. c. And all others among the People called Quakers manifest themselves to be realy sound and sincere not