again to prevent the spreading of it any farther among the People they then use Threats and laid their Commands upon them which yet did not stop the Mouths of those that Witnessed what they had seen and heard then they farther threatned them and let them go finding nothing how they might Punish them no doubt that was their great Grief but it was great Joy and Comfort to them the Sufferers and they lift up their Voice with one Accord and said Thou art God which hath made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is And the multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and there was no lack And that did not please the High-Priest nor their going about with this Testimony which struck at the Priests and their Hierarchy and tended to bring the People from them and their Synagogues and to promote that Law that of necessity would cause a Change of the Chargeable and Changeable Priesthood that took Tythes and lived upon other Mens Labours and did not profit the People at all And this Testimony of these Men that they termed Unlearned and Ignorant Men tended to bring People to a free Teacher and to the Spirit of God that would make them however dispised Wiser than all their former Letter-learned Teachers that they had heaped to themselves whilst they had Itching Ears And when the Word of the Lord increased and the Number of Disciples multiplied in Jerurusalem greatly and a great Company of the Priests were Obedient to the Faith and a faithful Witness Stephen full of Faith and Power did great Wonders among the People there arose certain of the Synagogue of the Libertines and they being not able to resist the Wisdom and Spirit by which he spake suborned Men the old trade which said We have heard him speak Blasphemous Words against Moses and against God and they stirred up the People the Elders and Scribes And great hath been the cry of Blasphemy Blasphemy since that day charging an Innocent People with Blasphemy against God against Christ and against the Scriptures but who were stirred up of old by the Designs of the Libertines Priests and Elders Who were the Inconsiderable People that depended so much on the Credit of the Priests And no doubt but the Priests thought that to charge them with the Changing the Customs delivered by Moses which the Popularity as much dislike as Blasphemy would get them on their sides And thus in Holy Writ we may find them that had the Name of God's Priests and that highly pretended to Religion and yet sought themselves and their own gain and by their Lyes and Lightness caused the People to Err Often were the Instruments of much Trouble Exercise Suffering and Affliction both to the true Witnesses and Prophets of God and faithful Followers and sincere Believers in Jesus Christ who were accounted Mad and Movers of Sedition Turners of the World upside down Pestilent Fellows a Sect that was almost every where spoken against and the way that they worshipped God was called Heresie although they did as we sincerely do believe all things written in the Law and in the Prophets and have hope towards God and believe there shall be a Resurrection both of the Just and Vnjust and have no other Gospel to Preach but that the Tenure of which is Glory to God on High Peace on Earth and good Will to all Men with whom we desire to follow Peace and Holiness being full perswaded that without it no Man shall ever see God to his Comfort And our Friends call none false Ministers that are found in the Spirit and Practice of the Ministers of Christ that keep his Commandments and follow his Advice as they have freely received so freely give and that preach Christ without and within as he ought to be preached for he is not divided such Ministers we account true Ministers But if any will pretend to be his Ministers and are not by their Fruits manifest to be in the Spirit and Doctrine of Christ but transgress and abide not in it and are found by their Works and Fruits to be in the Spirit and Practice of the false Prophets Ministers and Teachers that teach things they ought not for filthy Lucre sake not agreeable to Christ's Doctrine and the Holy Scriptures and seek to draw Disciples after them and do as the false Prophets and Priests afore-mentioned did such we account False Ministers but we Love and Honour the True SECT XII Their Blasphemous Adoration given to Geo. Fox and Vindicated by other Quakers We shall conclude the Quakers Creed with this Section which shews they Began and End with a Lye for it 's not the Quakers Creed nor ever was by them made but disowned And if they can by good and sufficient Evidence prove from any Letter writ by any that we own wherein Blasphemous Adoration was given to G. Fox we will disown it But without sufficient Proof and clear Evidence we hold not our selves obliged to take notice of any Letter pretended to be wit by J. C. or J. A. that died so many Years since and of whom we have better thoughts esteeming them Faithful Men and that they are at Rest with the Lord. And to Conclude we hope hereby it will appear the pretended Reasons and Errors for which these few weak People say they leave the Quakers will appear to be none But that sound Reasons are wanting Errors are not proved their Forgery is Manifest and Envy Detected and their Folly and Weakness laid open and they pitied and their Work to do And as empty Things make the greatest Sound so these Men to make the Number seem great by their saying Published by some who have joyned with Mr. Geo. Keith in the City of London and did formerly meet with him at Turner's-Hall and in divers parts of the Country as Huntington Reading Bedford and Colchester When all these we are perswaded except Children are scarce Six besides those who for some time before they joyned with G. K. were not in Unity and Fellowship with us And did not he talk of Gathering a pure People out of all Professions And doth he now lead them back to that Church which he called A LIMB OF ANTI-CHRIST and of whose whole Ministry he said WILL consist of Vngodly Men the wicked being still preferred by the wicked and so he is now preferred among them to still up the Number altho we are perswaded that there are Conscientious Men among them and in half that time if he lives so long among them as he was among us we doubt not but he will sufficiently manifest himself to be Conceited Troublesome and Impatient if he meets with Contradiction as any they have had amongst them for many Years and them few who follow him to them we are perswaed will not prove their best Members altho' they may be more Hot Angry and Malicious then them who are of a long standing among them and more Wise and Moderate But to the Lord we leave him and them and Pray God to forgive them if it be his Will for all the hard Speeches false Accusations foul Representations of us our Christian Principles Doctrines FINIS
not W. P. also And against the Godhead Suffering and others tinctured with Socinian Principles as if the Manhood of Christ that was Born of the Virgin excluding the Eternal Word was the only and whole Christ whereas Christ was before his Body of Flesh and therefore He is said to come in the Flesh and to have taken Flesh And if we consider Christ as he was before the World was by whom all things were Created and in respect of his Godhead the Body was not that but the Garment of it when he Assumed it What say you now was that Person or Body only properly the Son of God according to Geo. Keith to Cotton Mather If not Where is the Error and your Reason for leaving the Quakers And in that Book out of which you took that Citation unless you took it on Trust you may find a plain Confession of our Faith in God Christ and the Holy Spirit in p. 149. of W. P's Serious Apology We do believe in One holy God Almighty W. P 's Serious Apology p. 149. who is an eternal Spirit the Creator of all things And in One Lord Jesus Christ his only Son and express Image of his Substance who took upon him Flesh and was in the World and in Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurrection Ascention and Mediation perfectly did and does continue to do the Will of God to whose holy Life Power Meditation and Blood we only ascribe our Sanctification Justification Redemption and perfect Salvation And we believe in One holy Spirit that proceeds and breathes from the Father and the Son as the Life and Vertue of both the Father and the Son a measure of which is given to all to profit with and he that has one has all for those Three are One who is the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last God over all blessed for ever Amen SECT IV. Justification by the Righteousness of Christ denyed Before we Reply to this we make this Remark That here they do not say by the Quakers or by some Quakers as if they were Conscious to themselves they ought not so to Charge them yet they have made this Note viz. Note Reader Here is Justification by the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ as the Meritorious and Fundamental Cause thereof before God plainly denyed for that was and is wholly without us And now to their Proof Justification by Christ's Imputative Righteousness W. P 's Serious Apology p. 148. and wholly without us And indeed this we deny and boldly affirm it in the Name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils and Arm of the Sea of Corruption which does now deluge the whole World Now these new Converts and Creed-Makers say That here Justification by the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ is denied which shews they do not well understand the Doctrines of those that they have joyned with nor of G. K. neither who hath mis-led them as by what 's before quoted of him on this Head to which we refer and desire them to consider what G. K. saith Serious Appeal p. 10. W. Penn's words are not so to be understood concerning Justification as if he excluded Christs Righteousness which he fulfilled in his own Person but only he denyeth that any can be Justified by that alone without Faith and Repentance c. And if this will not satisfie we shall add a Quotation of a Doctor of the Church of England and quoted by G. K. the new Sworn or Ordained Preacher as it is in his Serious Appeal p. 65. Dr. Cave concerning Justification in the Life of Paul Sect. 9. N. 15. Works of Evangelical Obedience are not opposed to Faith Serious Appeal p. 65. in Justification in that Faith as including the New Nature and keeping God's Commandments is made the usual Condition of Justification nor can it be otherwise when other Graces and Virtues of the Christian Life are made the Terms of Pardon and Acceptanee with Heaven and our Title to the Merits of Christ's Death and the great Promise of Eternal Life Citing Acts 2.38 3.17 Mark 11.25 26. 1 John 11.7 By which it appears we must Walk in the Light as well as Believe And we shall conclude this Head to shew how falsly these Men charge us and foully they contradict G. K. now a Preacher of that Church they pretend to be joyn'd to in some of his words viz. We deny not but affirm That our Justification is by the Righteousness or Obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed unto us Serious Appeal p. 50. but we also say It is Imputed to none but such who have Faith Repentance and sincere Obedience and that is true inward Righteousness wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ Nor doth Edward Burrough and William Penn if their words be duly construed contradict what I have Affirmed And it is false Doctrine and contrary to the Doctrine of the holy Scripture to say Fresh and Ind. visib Churches p. 201 202. That Justification is only by Christ's Righteousness without us imputed unto us and received by Faith alone and not by any Righteousness of God or Christ imputed unto us or wrought in us And G. K. writing this long since W. P. writ the other it shews there was no disagreement then whatever now is pretended SECT V. The Quakers account themselves Equal with God And for Proof they quote Francis Howgill's Works p. 232. and Geo. Fox's Saul's Errand p. 8. viz. He that hath the same Spirit that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Serious Appeal p. 60. is Equal with God Now concerning this hear G. K. For it may be supposed that you that have left the Quakers to follow him should have Regard to his words what he saith to those that would six this on G. F. viz. It is not to be Regarded and W. Penn hath sufficiently Vindicated G. F. and also G. F. hath cleared it in his Book That he did witness both the Son and the Holy Spirit revealed in him who are equal to God the Father And therefore as G. K. said may we say Indeed if Quakerism were such a thing as you and such as you Represent it to be and would fain have People believe it to be or that the â—oth part that you say of it were true it were most abominable and such that hold it would be most unworthy and not fit to be esteemed Men far less Christians But blessed be God our Religion is not that which ye would make it to be nor are we such as ye describe and it 's a great Question to us if you do heartily Believe these things that ye say of us to be true either in General or in great part and if you do not believe so the greater is your Sin as G. K. said to C. M. SECT VI. The Death and Sufferings of Christ undervalued by the Quakers This is a false Charge But hear their Proof as quoted by them True it is they own
Offices and Works of those Three and this being granted by us in the sincerity of our Hearts we are excused and cleared And that we always did hold as above altho' falsly charged with Error is well known to them that well know us and notwithstanding these Persons pretend this for one of their Reasons for leaving us it 's Base as well as Foolish and very Idle for any to pretend to leave a People or Society for that which they never held and to alledge for Proof what was writ against those that did falsly accuse us many Years since in those things And the Orthodox antiently did not agree about these School-Terms which were invented since the Apostles days ibid. P. 4. to guard against the Arrian Sebellian and other Heresies and we are altogether free of them and detest them from our very Souls no sober Christian will therefore Judge uncharitably of us in that respect For what W. Penn argueth as concerning Three Persons he only argueth against the invented Names Persons as G. K. affirms Serious Appeal p. 10. if he may be believed by these New Creed-Makers and also that Persons in all proper Languages doth signifie Substances and not meer Properties or Relative Attributes which W. P will not deny to be in God SECT II. P. 9. The Blood of Christ outwardly Shed undervalued by some Quakers p. 10. Proof as Quoted The Sheding of that Blood Out of G. W's Ligot Life p. 64. let out by the Spear was an act of a wicked Man and the Spear an Instrument of Cruelty which to lay the meritorious Cause or Stress of Justification upon it 's false Doctrine says George Whitehead This is another pretended Antichristian Error against the very Foundation of the Christian Religion and one of the particular Reasons as they call it for which these Persons leave the Quakers Now if this be so the contrary sure must be Christian and Orthodox with them let 's therefore hear it and it will be as followeth The Sheding of that Blood let out by the Spear was not an act of a wicked Man and the Spear was not an Instrument of Cruelty which act to lay the meritorious Cause or Stress of Justification upon is not false Doctrine Will these new Creed makers say so But we who are so greatly Abused Rom. 8.24 25. 5.1 9. and foully Represented by our Adversaries Believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the Dead who was delivered for our Offences and raised again for our Justification and therefore being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ who dyed for us Being now Justified by his Blood we shall be saved from Wrath through him For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life And if any would suggest from this Retortion of G. W. upon his Antagonist's words That the Quakers slight or undervalue the Blood of Christ that was Shed without the Gates of Jerusalem about 1700 Years since they grosly Abuse them and evilly Intreat them for as before we in Sincerity declare and in Humility and with true Thankfulness Bless God we have Peace with him through our Lord Jesus Christ who we firmly believe died for us and being now justified by his Blood we shall be saved from Wrath. And as G. K. saith It is only the true Believer who hath Faith in Christ Jesus whom God Justifieth so it is only he that is truly Sanctified Presb Ind. c. p. 122. and Regenerated and Born again of the Spirit of God whom God doth Justifie And it 's a true Figure of false Christians as G. K. saith p. 130. Ibid. who would have Christ divided and say They believe in Christ without them but do not believe and Receive Christ within them as God the Father doth Reveal him Nor saith G. Keith Serious Appeal p. 50. doth Edward Burroughs and William Penn if their words be duly construed contradict what I have affirmed But that Men are justified by Christ's Righteousness as the requisite Condition and Terms in order to that Imputation and that David lying in his Sins of Adultery and Murder remained justified we deny And let these New Creed-Makers prove that any owned by the Quakers or in Unity with them undervalue the Blood of Christ outwardly Shed for what they Cite out of G. W. doth not prove it SECT III. That God and Christ is in Heaven is denyed by some Quakers And the Proof brought by them is viz. But that the Outward Person which suffered Serious Apology by W. Penn. p. 146. was properly the Son of God we utterly deny This they pretend is against the Foundation of Christian Religion and as a proof of the Quakers Errors and Antichristian Principles which G. K. and others have endeavoured to render with as ugly a face as they can put on it Let us again try this backward and assert the contrary since it 's urged by them that are gone back and examine them a little on it That the outward Person that suffered was properly the Son of God we sincerely own Do you own this and condemn W. P. and some Quakers and leave all the Quakers for this and your other Reasons And do you know and believe that outward Person or Body only that suffered Death on the Cross which the Soldier pierced with the Spear was from all Eternity or of an eternal Generation and that That outward Person or Body only was Glorified with the Father before the World was as the Son of God who was before that Body that Suffered on the Cross Consider these things And whether these things do not proceed from a Spirit of Prejudice and Envy Serious Appeal p. 6. 15 to render us no Christians as G. K. said to C. Mather so far is he and we may say are you from that Candor of giving a favourable Construction upon W. P's Words that you shew more Inclination to Clamour and Reproach than Inform or Convince Come hear G. K. in this Case Because he C. M. cannot fix his false Charge upon me of denying Christ p. 25. Ibid. he essayeth but with as ill Success to fix it upon my Brethren as dear Isaac Pennington whom I well know to be a true Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and a sincere Lover of him even the Crucified Jesus and whose Soul I believe is in Rest with Christ in Heavenly Glory And as to his words We can never call the bodily Garment Christ but that which appeared and dwelt in the Body it is easie to put a fair and charitable Construction on it as well as on Christ's words when he said ☞ He that hath seen me hath seen my Father and yet many saw Christ's Body of Flesh that never saw the Father But to clear the thing J. P. speaketh this in Opposition to Socinians and did
confesseth That the Light within in a true sense is God and Christ the Eternal and Essential Word as in his Antichrists and Sadduces p. 23. Surely Christ within and Christ without are not two Christs Christ without is not another Christ than Christ within Surely then God and Christ the Eternal and Essential Word is all-sufficient and able to save from Sin Wrath and Damnation nevertheless God hath respect to Christ Jesus his Mediion Suffering and Dying for us in his so saving us And is this denying Jesus of Nazareth to be the Son of God Oh for Shame what a proof is here And then saying again The Quakers say they own him to be the Christ that was Born of the Virgin so they do and yet affirm Christ is the Light the eternal and essential Word as G. K. saith and if he hath changed his Principles we have not and he is become Heterodox and yet would be counted Orthodox and is not that 's his fault and not ours And if he will espouse those things for Truth which he hath called Errors and exploded as such and say and unsay and do any thing for Money Let him consider there will a day of Reckoning come and he must Appear before him that will judge Righteously and Reward him and you according to your Works SECT IX The Holy Scriptures denyed by Quakers This is a false Charge But they Quote thus Christ left nothing in Writing as the Rule that we hear of W. Penn 's Christian Quaker p. 142 144. and doubtless had he intended the Rule of his Followers to have been a written Rule he would have left it upon Record with all Particularity this must be believed and that done on Pain of Eternal Death If the Scriptures were the Rule of Faith and Life c. Christ by his Disciples and other Holy Prophets left something behind them which we are perswaded were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope And we do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures are a good Rule but not the Only and Chief yet we should be glad all would walk according to them and not impose their Meanings and Interpretations upon others and say as G. K. hath said That Water in Matth. 28.19 is meant and Water is not meant because not expressed nor by any just and true consequence is proved to be meant And yet he saith I still Adhere to my former Advice that nothing be required by one sort from another Retract p. 34. as an Article of Faith or Doctrine in common to be believed but what is Expresly delivered in the Scriptures in plain express Scripture Terms Now if this Advice were kept unto by such that esteem it a Doctrine in common to be Believed viz. That the Scriptures are the only Rule of Faith and Practice they would be uncapable to prove it is expresly declared in the Scriptures that they are the only Rule of Faith and Practice as they would also be unable so to prove and in plain and express Scripture terms many other things which we hold and they call Errors to be such ☞ And we call them to make such a Proof for we are not so Ignorant to undervalue or deny the Holy Scriptures they being our Evidence to prove our Doctrines by and of Divine Authority and nothing that is contrary thereto do we hold notwithstanding all the Clamour and Noise against us we do in all sincerity declare We esteem them the best Book that ever we Read and have great Comfort by them and bless God that by his good Providence he hath preserved them to this day and do Exhort People in the Fear of God to be diligent in the Reading of them and that also they would receive that Holy Spirit they testifie of and that the holy Men of God were moved by to write them that thereby and waiting in it they may come rightly to understand them and the things of God therein testified of SECT X. The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's-Supper denyed The Proof they Alledge is as followeth as quoted by them I affirm VV. Penn's Reason against Railing p. 108 109. That Circumcision is as much of force as Water-Baptism and the Paschal Lamb as the Bread and Wine and we can testifie from the same Spirit by which Paul renounced Circumcision that they are to be Rejected as not now Required Let them prove by express Scripture and in plain and express Scripture words they are now Required and ought to be Received as Articles of Faith and Practice by all true Christians in such express and particular manner as they are used by the Church they and G. K. have now joyned themselves to And let them consider what G. K. hath said on these Heads that said in his first Narrative p. 15. I know not any Fundamental Principle nor indeed one Principle of the Christian Faith that I have varied from to this day Now if these be Fundamentals or any Principles of the Christian Faith he knows not that he hath varied from them to this day Who declared Acts 8.38 Serious Appeal p. 15. Doth not prove that Christ's Baptism with Water for as the Practice of Circumcision after Christ's Resurrection doth not prove it a Gospel Precept no more doth the Practice of Water-Baptism But both Christ and John did Teach That Christ's Baptism was with Fire and the Holy Ghost but no where is it said He Baptized with Water Nothing can be more Clear that Tertullian was not for but against Infant-Baptism they can give no Evidence in Church-History Serious Appeal p. 33. P. 30. for Infant-Baptism Christ commanded not these words to be used in Baptism In the Name of the Father and of the Son c commonly called the words of Iustitution As he can never prove any such Institution so he hath Zuinglius against him who saith expresly Lib. de Bap. p. 66. Tom. 2. Christus Jesus Baptismi formulam qua uteremur his verbis non Instituit quemadmodum Theologi hactenus falso Tradiderunt i. e. Christ Jesus did not Institute the Form of Baptism in these words to be used as the Theologues have heretofore falsly delivered And as to the Supper which you call a Sacrament we advise you to Read and Consider what he hath said on that Account We deny not but he i. e. Christ took Bread and brake it Truth 's Defence p. 138. after Supper and having given thanks he gave it unto his Apostles saying Take Eat this is my Body and likewise the Cup saying Drink ye all of it c. But where is it called a Gospel Ordinance or a standing Command of Christ unto the World's End ☞ Let 's have Express Scripture for this and prove in plain and express Scripture Terms if it be an Article of Faith or Doctrine in common to be believed And saith G. K As for 1. Cor. 11.23 24. which J. A. bringeth to prove that