thereby to deceive And when Quakers are pursued hotly about Miracles they Smilingly say John the Baptist wrought 〈◊〉 Miracles and yet his Mission was Extraordinary and immediate as K. Alledged at my House and oâ— improved it and Particularly against the Nâ— England Ministers and they suppose they have gained the Day but methinks K. as I told him and all others may justly be ashamed of Producing this all an instance for the Future for tho' John wrought no Miracles yet being Co-temporary with our Lord Jesus and his Apostles and they who wrought many Miracles confirmed this Mission that he was the Promised Elias but the Immediate Mission of Quakers never was confirmed either by their own of by the Miracles of others tho' some of them have presumed boldly on Miracles which Propheseing Miracles As the Eating Quaker in England Justly made the Monument of Gods Wrath and Monster of Mankind For daring to imitate Our Lord in that Miraculous Action of His Fasting Forty Daâ—… and Forty Nights in the Wilderness And Solomoâ— Ackles who Boastingly challenged Ministers to Fasâ— with him and Justly Punished for his Vnchristian anâ— hold Arrogance Another once in Barbadoes to king upon him to Prophecy the Death of a Child which in all humane Probability was beyond all expectation of Recovery but GOD to confound his Boldness and discover him to be a Deceiver was pleased to restore the Child who Lived in health for many Jews and the Quaking Prophet was necessitated shamefully to Publish his Recantation wherein he affirmed he had Belyed the Spirit of God And if so it is no Wonder they Belye their Neighbours but any man may see how they come off with their Lying Wonders and so shall come off in the End with their immediate Mission but it is at Length come to this that you must recieve their Verbal testimony or remain altogether dissatisfyed about their Extraordinary Call tho' some as Keith informed us at my house run that Self-Confounding and Universal Gulf of Miracles in Spirit a New invented Phrase of worse then mans Wisdome far from the Language of the Spirit of God whose Saving Operations are not Miracles at all to the Spirit of God and if Miracles they are Gods Properly and not Quakers but this with many more Phrases of heirs has no Foundation in the Scriptures And we desire to know how many of them ever Spake with Tongues who were not Taught them in the School or Learned them of others Farewel then immediate Mission if you take it not upon the Words of a Quaker And that Presbyterians and Independants and then only as he invidiously expresses it should run to the Church of Rome and Pope for to derive the mission â—…ll and ordinition from thence is the grossest caâ—…ny and most notorious Lye that could be batched â—ut of hell and must be of Satan the Father of Lyes â—ut if K had asserted this of such has hold no ordination but from the hands of a Bishop or Prelate he might have had some plea for his charge for Rome and all that Party sufficiently know there are none so opposite to nor so faithful and Zealous against them as Dissenting Protestants were no not Quakers themselves who would not have been so great at the English Court in the late Reign if they had therefore a Noted Person lately gained from Rome affirmed The Dissenting Protestants were the Bulwarks of the Protestant Interest in Europe And I must greatly suspect what K told me at my House as another Lye and Calumny that Mr. John Cotton of Hampton in New-England acknowledged in a Publick Dispute that He derived his Ordination from the Pope and the rather because he abused me upon his Return to Mr. Davis affirming the same thing of me that I owned cur Mission and Ordination from the Pope of Rome but I am confident his own Conscience could not but witness the contrary to his Face But it is to be Feared it was not the First time he had Learned to Baffle Conscience in more Weighty Matters For I not only Abhorred Disclaimed and Denyed it but Positively and Plainly Affirmed Our Mission was from Jesus Christ and Warranted from the Scriptures Hence I give caution to all not to be Credulous of K's words however so confidently affirmed but he were no fit Deciever if nor Possessed with a Spirit of Lyes and Calumnys But we can easily Justify ourselves from this Aspersion thrown invidiously upon us by Quakers and particularly by K. in all his Publick and Private Discourses and also in some of his Writings repeated over and over with an empty noise of Words for 〈◊〉 we should say with Calvin that he and others oâ— our Primitive Reformers were Evangilists extraordinarily Raised and Immediately Called of God in that great Exigence of the Church in calling the People of God out of Popish Darkness and Superstition in bringing them out of Babylon yet this will prove but a slender Argument for Quakers holding Extraordinary Calls and immediate Missions to be Gods ordinary and usual uninterrupted way to the end of the World because it might be allowed of in that juncture of the Necessity of the Church for though our Lord himself the King of his Church at the beginning of the Promulgation of the Gospel Called some in an Extraordinary Manner though at the same time they had an External Call from Christ as man yet as soon as the Christian Church began to Encrease he Commands them to use second Means for that Calling and Separation of others to the Holy Office of the Ministry in an Ordinary and Holy Separation to that Sacred Work as Paul and Barnabas was commanded to be Separated and there was Casting of Lots used in supplying the number of the Apostles and the Apostle Paul commands Timothy and Impowers him to Ordain Elders in every Church and not to neglect the Gift that was given him by Prophecy with the Laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery who are Commanded to Lay Hands suddenly on no man without sufficient proof of his Parts and Piety And further for their direction in this Scriptural and Orderly Separation and Ordination God has laid down all the Qualifications of Ministers of the Gospel which Quakers can never find in all their Teachers especially of the Feminine Sex As to our Reformers receiving their Ordination Mission and Call from Rome and conveying it to us which would seem to be the first great puzling and confounding Argument I shall answer it in these following particulars 1. I would inquire of all Quakers whether God in that great defection and universal Corruption of the Church under Romish Idolatry had then a Church in the World though in the Wilderness to deny all Churches whether Visible or Invisible really belonging to God Jesus Christ were to overthrow many Promises of God to his Church of Building her upon an immoveable Rock and that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against her and it is inconsistent to
Holy-Ghost who are One GOD is Great and Glorious and ought to be Reverently conceived expressed in Scripture words which the Holy-Ghost hath Taught but not in words of Mans Wisdom Page Ninth Tenth In mentioning the Offices of Christ being Three Viz. Prophet Priest and King he should have mentioned how that not only without us he did perform these Offices and now is both Priest and King in Heaven whither he is ascended but that also within us Viz. All true Believers in him he is both Prophet and King and Priest also who offereth up their Prayers unto God and by whom they have access unto God beside that Christ is not only King Priest and Prophet over his Church but Bishop Shepherd Physitian Captain and Husband c. as the Scripture declareth And that he saith Christ revealeth the Will of God to us by His Word and Spirit in Page 10. He delivereth this matter very barely and obscurely for he does not tell people where they may find the Spirit of God he doth not instruct them That the Spirit of God is in them to teach them and open the Scriptures unto them And tho' he delivereth diverse things in his Catechism concerning the New Covenant yet he neglecteth a Principal matter belonging to the same Viz. That God hath Promised in his New Covenant to teach His People Himself and to dwell in them and walk in them and that they shall be his Temple c. Page 10 11. Although he mention the death and Sacrifice of Christ for sinners yet he doth not well that he doth not hold forth that Christ died for all and tasted Death for every man as the Scripture expresly declareth which is a most great and weighty testimony of Gods universal Love for sinners Page Eleventh Tho' he say The Holy Spirit worketh faith in us and Uniteth us to Christ yet he doth this very barely and obscurely yea in contradiction to his and his Brethrens Doctrine who say all inward Divine Revelation and Inspiration is ceased since the Apostles Days if so then the Holy Spirit hath ceased to work or operate on mens hearts for his operation is not in the dark or in a blind and insensible manner but in Light and Demonstration sensibly and clearly revealing his power in them opening the eyes of their understanding and thence it is that the Spirit of God is called in Scripture the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and that Spirit worketh in true Beleivers Page Eleventh That he calleth Regeneration a New and Spiritual Birth by the Spirit of God is true but this Contradicteth His and His Brethrens Doctrine who say they have no infallible Spirit and all Divine Revelation is ceased and that there is no immediate communion with God or his Spirit which is False Doctrine and contrary to Scripture and the Saints Experience who know that as they are Born of Gods Spirit so they are sensibly Fed and Nourished by the Spirit of God and Suck the Breasts of their Heavenly Mother Jerusalem from above and feel themselves embraced by the same as sensibly as the Child feeleth the Mothers Embraces and see and behold Her Beauty hear her voice and Language and all this is Spiritually and Inwardly known and witnessed in all True Believers Again that he saith True Believers are United to Christ is true and very comfortable but is in contradiction to His and his Brethrens Doctrine who say it is Blasphemy to affirm that Christ is really in the Saints for if he be not really in them by himself they cannot be United to him for true Union requireth the near presence of the things United one to another as the Body cannot be United to the Soul if the Soul be not really in the Body and all true Believers are United to Christ in Heaven by their being United to the measure of him in themselves as the Members of the Body are United to the Head by being United to a measure of the same Life and Spirit in them that is in the Head Page Eleven Twelve He defineth Effectual Calling to be A powerful call of God whereby he calls and draws sinners out of Sin into Grace which as it is true so is in contradiction to him and his Brethren who say All inward calling and speaking of God is ceased and there is no other Voice or Word of God but the Scriptures and yet he confesseth all have not that Effectual Calling who have the Scriptures Again he concradicteth by saying that God calleth and draweth sinners out of sin unto Grace and yet in Page Twelve saith All are still sinners And in Page Thirty saith The Godly cannot keep Gods commands perfectly And His Brethrens Doctrine is that the Saints sin in every Though Word and Deed. Page Fifteen He saith Justification and Adoption are acts of God without us and make only a Relative change but no real change and are compleated at once And in Page Sixteen He saith Justification Adoption and Sanctification once had can never be wanted all which are False and hurtful Assertions and contrary to Scripture for Gods Justifying Believers is his speaking peace to them in their Consciences and Absolving them from Condemnation as a Judge absolveth or cleareth an Accused Person and surely that is within and if not within he should have told where without if he mean in Heaven thiâ— can be no assurance nor comfort to any unless it be revealed and done also within in mens hearts Again that God maketh any men to be his Children without a Reâ—change is most absurd is not Faith and Regeneration a real change and none are made the children of God but by Faith and Regeneration and again to say that Sanctification and Justification cannot be lost is moâ—… absurd and serveth to flatter people iâ— great sins yea the greatest as if they were still Saints for according to this False Doctrine David remained a Saint and perfectly Justified when he committed Murder and Adultery and at this rate the worst of men may be Saints while such but the Scripture saith No Murderer nor Unrighteous Person can Inherit the Kingdom of God but they must be washed c. But if they still remain Saints after Murder they may inherit Gods Kingdom for all the Saints are in measure in Gods Kingdom Page Twenty-four Concerning the Sabbath he expresly Contradicteth the Scripture which expresly enjoyned the seventh Day to be kept and not indifferently one of seven Page Twenty-six He most grosly wrongeth and most falsely accuseth the People of God called in scorn Quakers saying that the Quakers and all Profane Persons are enemies to a Sabbath but it is no new nor strange thing that Gods People is numbred with Transgressors of the greatest sort seeing Christ our Lord and Head was so used by men high in an outward Profession and the people called Quakers own Christ to be the True Spiritual Sabbath or Rest of all True Believers the substance and thing signified by the
revealing the Will of God to us by Hiâ— Word and Spirit page 10.4 The Spirit of Goâ— applies to us the Redemption purchased by Christ page 11.5 In the same page being the Author of Regeneration or the New Birth according to the Scriptures Joh. 3.6 The Spirits sanctifying of us page 15.7 That he teaches us to pray aright and acceptable to God page 41. From hence every one may learn what credit to give to Keith's worth and Calumnies for the future and though he constructs my Compassion over the tender Souls in aâ— American Desart to be a reflection against the Scâ— and English in Virginia I am satisfied it has nâ—… been so Received by them for whom it was intended neither judged so by the Spirit of God whâ—… much after the same manner pitties and compassiâ—nates the Ignorance of his own people by the Propheâ— Hos 4.6 My People are destroved for lack of knowledge And I am perswaded Quakers should nâ— have so great success in drawing aside silly Soul from the Truths and Ways of God if it weâ— not for the abounding Ignorance of Virginia anâ— other dark Corners of the World who have noâ— yet received and comprehended the Light shiniâ— about them and even their ignorance of thâ— Fundamental Truths contained in the Catechâ—… And none deserves more to be pitied for their â—…norance than Quakers and of the most Fundameâ—tal Truths notwithstanding of their high pretenâ— â—o the Spirit and Light within as John Drummond 〈◊〉 Reputed and Received Quaker a Reader of Keith's Books with many others who lately at my House at Poccamok before Keith and several other Witnesses published his gross Ignorance of that Fundamental Article That none could be Saved without Faith in Jesus Christ from which I understand since that he had oft reproached me drawing his own ignorant conclusions from thence And if Quakers are ignorant hereof what can they pretend â—o know Another general charge is That I nothing help the Ignorant neither do I direct them to the true Vision but whoever will but consider how many Fundamental Truths are laid down in the Catechism for the Edification of the Ignorant and plainly asserted That Christ teaches his People with his Word and Spirit and if this be not the true Vision of God Quakers must lose themselves and be puzzled in finding of it but he rather would insinuate what harm it would do if received but this may discover how far men are for keeping sinners in ignorance by possessing their minds with a dislike of this mean of Knowledge which leads and directs sinners to the Scriptures as the great mean of Knowledge and profitable for instruction containing all things necessary to be known by Christians and also to Christ and his Holy Spirit the Author and Efficient Cause of Knowledge who can Enlighten without means in a most immediate manner but most ordinarily conveyes Knowledge by Means and Ordinances of his own Appointment concurring with his Holy Spirit blessing and making them effectual to whom he pleases And in Catechism many savoury truths delivered no fins indulged most duâ—ies relating to our general and special callings enjoined Now â—ow the receiving such a form of sound words containing positive Diâ—vinity should be prejudicial and Kieth's works stuffed with Quibling and Sophistical Controversy his teachings filled with often repeated Calumnyâ— against all the Reformed Churches and Vn-scripâ— turaâ— or unheard of Long-winded Similitudes which amuse the deluded and ignorant should become profitable let every one determine and I am perswaded none has received or can receive injury therefrom but by slighting and disregarding it And this my experience can testifie that since the Catechism was opposed by Quakers they have had a more universal and kindly welcome and reception And here is no new Doctrine but what Keith had oft seen in the Catechisms of our Reformed Churches which he had oft impugned with all his might and Sophistry and his repeating his old Arguments is only with vain Ostentation to show himself among a poor ignorant and deluded people and once possessing them with this that what he delivers is immediately from the Spirit of God he may deliver what he will as infallible and never to be questioned Having answered his Generals I proceed to examine his particulars and he suffers not the first page to pass without a Censure because I have affirmed God made the World out of Nothing and that this is not only true and agreeable to Scripture that to word and expresâ— it otherwise were inconsistent with the Revelation of God and it were to jump in with the Adversaries of Gods Truth for we cannot conceive of Creation without saying it was made out of Nothing which all dâ—scribe to be Preductio ex nihilo therefore as many places of Scripture as but mention Creation say as much as I have done for which I am quarrelled Did not Creation give the First Being to all things that were made and consâ—quently were all nothing before God commanded them to be for was not Light nothing till God said Let there be Light Further if God made the World he either made it out of his own Essence or some pre existent matter from Eternity or produced it out of nothing I presume you will not be so absurd as to assert any of the first two not the first for so the Essence of God should become divisible and corruptible not the second for then some matter should be Co-eternal with God which were blasphemy to affirm And it is no small argument of the Omnipotence of God to declare and affirm especially to young ones the World was made out of nothing seeing they know not that it is implied in the word Creation for because of the Omnipotent Power of God in Creation Acclamations of Praise are ascribed to him Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth Acts 4.24 In that joynt Acclamation of the Apostles Lord thou art good which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is And it is no adding to the Word of God while nothing is delivered but Gods Mind in his Word though Keith next in his pretences to Nailer himself should discover so much palpable weakness as to censure it again And I have also asserted in my Catechism that there is no work so peculiar to any of the Persons of the Holy Trinity but all of them have a hand in each so that his advice which he calls sufficient is prevented if he haâ— diligently read and considered it as he has said In page 3. He chargeth me for mentioning no other Teacher but the Scriptures to direct us to Seâ— and Glorifie God this is no strange imputation froâ— Quakers who notwithstanding of all their fair pretences yet have uttered many vilipending expression thereof calling it a dead Letter a nose of Wax Pâ—… Ink Divinity Keith in his publick Teachingâ—
AN ANSWER TO George Keithâ—… Libel Against A CATECHISM Published by Francis Makeâ—… To which is Added by way of â—…script A Brief Narrative of a Late Difference among the Quakers begun at Philadelphia BOSTON Priâ—…ed by Benjamin Harris 〈…〉 of the BIBLE over-agâ—… 〈…〉 MDCXCIIII Imprimatur Increase Mather March 31st 1694. Christian Reader SVch is not only the Impiety Irreligion and Contradiction to clear Scripture Light which the Doctrine of the Quakers is stuffed withal but the Unreasonableness Nonsense and Self-contradiction which 〈◊〉 â—arries with it that it may well seem a wonder to men of Vnderstanding that it hath not long since been Exploded and that the Abetters of it have not been a shame and ridicule to themselves and one to anotherâ— and that it had not died alone if no attempts had been made against it by so many worthy Champions of the Truth and indeed there can be no other account given of it but that God in his awful and righteous Judgment hath left men to Believe a Lie because they received â—ot the Truth in the Love of it 〈◊〉 so a Deceived Heart hath turned them aside that they cannot say is there not a Lie in our Right hand and were it not that there are so many Labouring of such ignorance as to think that holding our peace were a yielding up the cause it were pity at this time of day to take so much notice of their Scriblings as to waste Paper in replying upon them But since there is a kind of a necessity for it lest the sacred Oracles should see◠〈◊〉 some not sufficiently defended without it it may not be thought unadvisable to comply with the second part of the Wisemans Antithesis Prov. 26.5 and though no Truth is to bâ— foregone yet when the Foundations arâ— stricken at and those Articles on which our hopes for Eternal Life are built bâ—…Vndermined it is time to arm in Defence of them The following Discourses then will bâ— found both seasonable and profitable 〈◊〉 which the venome and sophistry of â—rand Apostate and one of the moâ—… 〈◊〉 caried Supporters of that totteriâ—… Fabrick of Enthusiasm are detected and the perverse spirit which God hath sown among them in suffering them to lay open each others follies is discovered by the Reverend and Judicious Author We do therefore Commend him and these Labours of his to the Blessing of God who alone can recover the fallen settle the wavering and confirm such as stand and make the faithful Endeavours of this his Servant become instrumental to these Desired Ends. Increase Mather Iames Allen Samuel Willard Iohn Baily Cotton Mather An Epistle to the Reader Reader I Cannot but admire the Instability of many who are so easily and soon drawn to Embrace and Espouse that perswasion and way of those called Quakers and that because of an outward and seeming Sanctity that is to be found and to be discerned among many of them consisting only in Negatives making up a Pharisaical Righteousness made of those things that are not peculiar to Quakers only of not Swearing Drinking and Ranting but if they would but cautiously Look before they Leap they would find the principles of many of the Reformed Churches as much against all those and many more evils as theirs can be and thousands of Professors exceed them in a shining Holiness and Christian Universal Piety and though others walk disorderly and not answerable to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus is not to be imputed to our Profession Principles or manner of Worshipping God otherwise all Religion would soon be rejected and Quakerism it self would be soon deserted The most of their Religion is composed of Negatives for many of them are as void of the positive part of Religion as worshipping God in the publick private and secret Duties of Religion as many moral Heathens who if they had but Learned their usual tone and grown sullen and unmannerly might pass for Quakers all over the world If we take a view of their principles in believing every one of them severally by themselves and the Books of particular Writers they are not only repugnant to truth contrary to Gods Word and the publick received Doctrine of the Churches of Christ for many Centurys past but also dangerous and damnable They cannot be looked upon as a Church having not unanimously-and fairly or faithfully published all their opinions and principles which is the cause many Espouse they know not what they have not in any of their Writings declared their Church Order Constitution Government nor Discipline They have no orderly way of Admission for Teaching Officers but as many men women as say the Spirit of the Lord is upon them must be received though they can give no convincing proof but to those already Deluded to their way from which they want the pure and powerful Preaching of the Gospel and all Administration of Sacraments which they slightly ridicule rather than own they hold or maintain a common Christ in all even in the Reprobate in whom the Spirit of God says Christ is not a sufficient saving Light and grace in all even the children of Darkness denying Original and Damnable Guilt in any Infants even in their natural State Railing against Singing of Psalms denying the Resurrection of the same Body many of them scoff at the Imputed Righteousness of Christ for our Justification and Salvation maintaining an absolute perfection for many years in this Life by a Popish Possbility of keeping all Gods Commands of which neither they nor Papist could ever in any age produce one known Instance Reader I offer here some Sheets to thy impartial perusal which was occasioned by a Paper writ by George Keith and delivered by his own hands into the hands of Mr. George Layfield at Rehoboth in Pocamok from whence as many as read may soon conclude this debate was first set on foot by themselves and by promoting it gave occasion for Laying open both their Principles and their practises more in these corners of the World then they have yet been In which Answer I have given Reply to all the Calumnies and Charges in that Paper against my Catechism which I am obliged to Justifie and Defend And the only Apology why I have not Enlarged in the proof of some points and particularly of our Doctrine concerning the Sabbath though I have sufficiently vindicated my Charge because they are fully handled by others And concerning this Subject I Recommend Keith and all of them to Caudree and Palmer Mr. John Brown sometime of Holland and Mr. Matthew Crawford and whoever answers them shall answer me If any should Censure me for my tediousness in answering I had finished it a year ago but by reason of my tedious Affliction not Transcribed until now I had a visit from Keith at my house in Virginia which though promised and intimated by his Harbinger to be on Fryday was not performed until Saturday in the Afternoon by the uncertainty of their coming was
be called Fundamentals as Salutations by words and Gestures Covering and Vncovering the Head condemning Preaching in Steeple Houses Churches Yea I appeal to the impartial and unbiassed Reader if the Catechism Composed by F. M. contains not more of the Principles of Religion then one containing Quakers Principles Composed by several Hands as Crook Pennington Burroughs Parker Smith and several others now I refer my self to every man how invidious and unjust it is to Charge a Catechism composed by one with Omissions while so many pretenders to immediate Revelations and Inspirations are guilty of so great Omissions and vain Repeticions and there is not a Book which I have seen writ by George Keith but may as justly lie under this Charge as my Catechism it were vain Ostentation to disown it And for my own part I have ever observed in all the Writings of men Ignorance Infirmity and Imperfection to magnifie the Excellency of the Scriptures above all Books of mens Composure but it is no strange thing to find Quakers quarrelling our succinct way of composing our Principles for young ones because they are opposite to so early Edification which practice is very inconsistent with Scripture Precepts and Presidents of Training a Child when young bringing up Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and Timothy knew the Scriptures from a Child and the advantage of an early Instruction is witnessed by the experiences of many Godly in all Ages where attended with the Blessing of God and pursued with Exhortation until they arrive at a riper age Now I leave all to consider how insignificant an imputation this of Omission is Another general Charge is that I have not declared from whence I have Received these things and that I have owned in the Title Page of my Catechism to be but a Collection from others These are heavy Charges with him therefore shall answer them particularly 1. Any that reads his Paper may understand he is as guilty of that Omission as any of his Neighbours for he has not told from whence he had what is delivered in this Paper and it was the best policy for he durst not assert it was from the Spirit of God because of the falshood and malice it contains as I shall make appear 2. If they are the Truths of God and agreeable to Scripture it is easily determined from whence these Truths are which were questioned by few until G. K. whose Trade has been to Foment Contention and stir up strife in the Churches of Christ in the World and whose Arguments are so slender and thred bare that they scarce deserve an Answer 3. If I inclined to stuff my Doctrines and Discourse upon all occasions with enlarged Accounts of Conversion or a work of Grace with concomitant and consequent Experiences of the Operations of Gods Holy Spirit as Keith pretends to do I might amuse my Hearers but Actions and Conversation are better demonstrations of a work of Grace then all Keith's vain boasting Language which with his self magnifying Language can be esteemed nothing else then a Crying up and Preaching himself instead of Christ for though Paul oft declared his Conversion and gloried in his Attainments it was that the Free Grace of God might be exalted and self abased which Quakers are rarely acquainted with either in Praying or Teaching as many who have heard them always declare And because Keith has shewn himself void of Charity by shooting his invidious Thunderbolt at a distance e're he knew or saw me or I him That I am infallibly a great stranger to the dealings of Gods Spirit on the hearts of his People I am constrained to Justifie my Office from those Uncharitable Calumnies and that Grace might be magnified by giving this Relation in the sight of an All seeing and Omnipresent God that e're I Received the Imposition of Hands in that Scriptural and Orderly Separation unto my Holy and Ministerial Calling that I gave requiring satisfaction to Godly Learned and Judicious Discerning Men of a work of Grace and Conversion wrought on my heart at fifteen years of Age by and from the pains of a Godly Schoolmaster who used no small diligence in Gaining Tender Souls to Gods Service and Fear since which time to the Glory of his Free Grace be it spoke I have had the sure Experiences of Gods various Dealings with me according to his Infinite and Unerring Wisdom to my unspeakable comfort whereby all may see how far Grace is expected and desired with Gifts to qualifie for the Ministerial Office for not only was this required of me but is expected of all Ordained by Presbyters which experience shall enable me not to value what Keith or any other Quakers shall ignorantly and groundlesly affirm in judging rashly of my State for we are looked upon as of the World and they only the People of God as they commonly Cauterize us but this is our comfort we shall not be Judged in the Last Day by Quakers who must as well as their Neighbours give an account of their rash and uncharitable judgings to a most Righteous Judge 4. And that it is a Collection from the Scriptures of the Living God I never will deny but glory in it it Keith mean from others it is faâ—… and there is â—o mention of those others in the 〈◊〉 Page what hath Keith Published in most of his Books but Collections and many of them from the worst of men Hereticks long since consured with some wild sophistical and unscriptural Notions of his own both repugnant to Scripture and opposite to his Quaking Brethren And Turpe est dectori eum cuâ—pa redarguit ipsum He asserts I declare not that it is God or Christ or the Spirit of God that convinceth or reproveth people of their sins but this is so false a Calumny that none in charity can judge Kâ—ith to be so great a Perfectionist as he proclaims himself to be and this every one may be satisfied in if they will but turn over to page 12 where it is plainly delivered That God in Turning or Calling Sinners unto himself does convince them of Sin and Misery Enlighten their Minds with the Knowledge of Christ Renews their wills c. which is also the judgment of all my Brethren and particularly of those of the Westminster Assembly both in their Shorter and larger Catechism And whereas he charges me with this that I mention but little of the Spirit of God at all and that this may appear as falâ—e as the former I refer my self to every Reader and especially those who have read and considered better then Keith hath done and let them turn over to the several pages where I have made frequent mention of the Spirit of God in so small a Volumn ascribing to him that which was and is his peculiaâ— work 1. As being the Original Author and Inditer of the Scriptures page 3.2 As being one distinct from the Father and the Son page 4.3 Oâ— Christ's
in him and to whom He is Actually a Saviour and that those Three Offices include All that Christ did and was Requesite to be done as Mediatour None even Kieth himself cannot deny as he readily owned at my House all was Reducible to those Three Offices which are all we have mentioned in the Scriptures and those Three are very Obvious and Plain 1. He is called and that Deservedly The Greaâ— Prophet of His Church according to that Promise of and Prophecy concerning him A Prophet shalâ— the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto hiâ— Brethren Him shall ye hear in all things And thiâ— Promise was fulfilled in his Coming and Executing this his Prophetical Office by being the Great Gospel-Preacher to his Church and People Declaring the Way and Means of Salvation by a Mediatour delivering the Will of His Father This was Prophesied also of him in Isaiah 61.1 2 3. and Hebr. 3.1 He is called the Apostle of our Profession And He is the Sole Teacher of the Mysterys of Salvation from the Father Matth. 11.27 No Man knoweth the Father save the Son and he to whom soever the Son will reveal him And this Our Great Prophet do's not always immediately else K's Teachings and all the Teachings among Quakers were most needless and vain but 1 By the Holy Scriptures Profitable for Doctrine and able to make the Man of God Wise unto Salvation 2. By His Messengers and Ministers whom he has commanded to Go and Teach all Nations and sent to give Warning to His Churches and People Therefore from their Office and Teaching called Teachers And Lastly by his Holy Spirit in the Hearts of his People where Christ dwells not Substantially as Quakers say but Spiritually by Faith and so is united by Faith tho' Locally Distant without the Presence of the things United as K. would insinuate and assert in his Paper For if there can be a Moral Union and Relation standing firm betwixt a Husband and Wife the one in Europe the other in America and a Natural Union and nigh Relation between Parent and Child much more between Christ in Heaven and believers on Earth by a Spiritual and indissolvible Union by Faith which is not an absent Christ to Believers with whom he is by Gracious and Spiritual Influences in their Hearts And K's Subtle and Sophistical Arguments from the General and Universal Presence of Christ as God to his special and Gracious Presence as Mediatour will take Place with none but Ignorant and Deluded Quakers for so the Devils in Hell should enjoy as great a Priviledge as Believers on Earth And also it is granted that he is the Eternal High-Priest of His Church who Offered and gave Himself a Sacrifice once upon the Cross for Sinners and by the Efficacious Merits of this Death renders the Persons and Services of his People acceptable unto God not only Teaching them by His Holy Spirit what to pray for as they ought but also continues an High-Priest at the Right-hand of God making continual Intercession for Believers Heb. 7 15. Wherefore he is able to Save them to the uttermost that come to God by Him seeing he ever Liveth to make Intercession for us all which is fully and soundly delivered in the Catechisms and Confessions of Faith of our Divines of the Westminster Assembly And Lastly He is the Sole King Head and Law-giver of his Church by which Kingly Power and Authority he Appoints Laws and Statutes for the Counsel and Direction of his people even to the binding of Conscience with the whole inward man in whom Christ does Rule and Reign even in and over such as subject their Souls to his Government suffering Christ to Reign over them 2 He Subdues and Conquers sinners Naturally Rebels to himselâ— making them from an Un-willing a Willing People in the Day of his power 3 In defending of his Church from all their Enemies assuring them the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against them 4 He restrains the Fury and rage of and Finaly executes his Wrath on all His and their Enemys And we never did disown that the special Fruits of all these Three Offices are wrought in the heart of Believers which is inconsistent with that Prophet Priest King in all men according to Quakeâ— Doctrine while the Scripture affirms they are Reprobate in whom Christ is not And it is plaiâ— the Quakers common Christ is not the true Mediatour and Messiah who only dwells in the hearts oâ— Believers by Faith and not of Infidels that do not so much as know by any kind of knowledge aâ—… yet they are Enlightned by him as they say with 〈◊〉 sufficient and saving knowledge How unnecessaâ—… must it be to multiply Offices in our Mediatouâ— seeing all are reducible to those Three and must he not be a Man of a Perverse Spirit and contentioâ— mind that would raise a Debate upon this head and K's Evasion and Quibble for this is extreemâ— silly and weak for saith he the Commands 〈◊〉 Gods Moral Law are reducible to two yet 〈◊〉 branched out into Ten for the first Division 〈◊〉 the Divine Commands was by God himself into tâ— Tables or two Commands yet the same Gâ—… makes the Enumeration or Divisiâ—… 〈◊〉 to ten but no such Warrant can be produced for this Enumeration or Multiplication of Offices in our Mediator for it were as impertinent and idle as if every Duty required and every Sin prohibited in every Command were a new Command and there should be thrice ten instead of ten and what must be thought of those that multiply Offices in Christ calling every thing that Christ is called a new Office in the Mediator as a Father a Shepherd an Husband Physician c. Whence he is called the Way a Rock a Door a Vine all which denote no new Offices but signifie his Richness Fulness Benefits Love and Favour to Believers denoting that Spiritual Relation to Believers and Christ's usefulness to them in all Estates and Conditions His next Charge Page 10 11. I have affirmed Christ Died or was Sacrificed for Sinners Now let any determine whether this Answer does not set forth the Fruit and Satisfaction of Christ's Death for Sinners for if he Died for Sinners and for our Sins is it not enough to us for if we had not been Sinners we should not have stood in need of Redemption and if sinners were Redeemed no others did want it And tho' he seems to reprehend it with Scripture Language yet his Charge is more obscure and defective then that he finds fault with either that quarrelled at must be true or false or deficient if true why Censured if false let Quakers speak their minds plainly if deficient there must be some for whom Christ Died besides Sinners If I have not multiplied words to humour captious and critical Quakers I hope I shall never have cause to repent it where I Studiously avoided all prolixity and endeavoured all succinctness and brevity But to return to the