well agree with his former account of his and many others leaving our Societies this should not Increase but Diminish our Number tho' I am willing to agree with him in this I hope our Doctrine and Faith doth take place with many and yet will more abundantly The Lord hasten to accomplish and fulfil these good things he hath promised that his dear Son our Lord Jesus Christ may come to Reign in all Hearts who has paid so precious a Ransom to God for them As to the Misery our numerous Proselites are under in Partiality and Prejudice that what is published by our Party passes for Truth not only in Doctrine and Fact but that they conceive a peculiar Presence of God as a continual Blessing that accompanies them and the same Conceit we have in all we say or do and that we are so affected with the relish and savour of it that it puffs us up with intolerable Pride while it appears to us under a disguise of Humility That we should be so Partial and Flatter our selves is even against Reason to believe for People are most apt to Flatter themselves in an easie way but few are willing to be byassed in that which may expose them to manifold Sufferings and Exercises it must be the dint of Reason and force of Conviction that must effect that to which if God be pleased to give the Sense or Seal of his Spirit or Presence I will grant to him it is a Confirmation past controul and this is so far from being the Misery of any People that it is the greatest Blessing whatsoever he may think But that we conceive a peculiar Presence of God in all we say or do I cannot tell how to give him Credit for but desire proof for I believe it is a mistake as well as he is mistaken that we are so affected with the Relish and Savour thereof that it puffs us up with Intolerable Pride I see his Charity is near at an end towards us however he ought to pity us the more because as he says This intolerable Pride appears to us under a disguise of Humility which is the opposite to Pride well he had need to have some good evidence since he takes upon him to judge other Mens Hearts and remember our Saviour's Doctrine Judge not that ye be not judged for with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged This rash judgment of his puts me quite out of conceit with his fine Comment on true Humility His eleventh Page appears to me to be a kind of Preachment much like one of G. K's new Sermons What he says of a proud and obstinate Generation of Men who under pretence of Subjection to a Power above the Magistrate being very delusive in the Appearance of it By which one might conclude if one were as rash in Judgment as he that he was gotten from under that Delusion to pretend Subjection to a Power above the Magistrate If the good Men the Martyrs in Queen Mary's time could have done so they might have saved their Bodies from the Flames however those that believe Magistracy to be God's Ordinance and are desirous to be subject to God cannot be ill Subjects notwithstanding R. B's Insinuations He Insinuates that being taught that Reasoning is Dangerous in things of Religion they stop their Ears and close their Eyes c. If any that comes to us should be so unwise it 's to be feared they may not continue so long with us as R. B. did for these that comes to us had need to have both their Eyes and Ears open for there is a daily Cross to be born by all the Disciples of crucified Jesus His Envy grows so big that he cannot let the Dead alone even that Person whom he in 1694. gave Testimony had laid down his Head in Peace now he accounts him of a melancholly Temper and an ignorant Education which blown up by a Spirit of Enthusiasm gave Birth to his Faction in those Hurricane Times when the Church lay despoiled of her Power and Priviledges So that by this Man's Account not only G. F. but even all the Quakers are stark Naught this is he which judgeth others guilty of great Uncharitableness Let us hear what G. K. says of the Quakers since he was disowned by them even in 97. in his Explications p. 39. viz. But yet I do affirm that I have found divers that go under that name that to my Understanding and Apprehension have made a good Progress in spiritual Experiences and other spiritual Attainments of Knowledge and Vertue and I do continue in my real Perswasion and Belief that there was a good Work of God upon the Hearts of many of that People and his mighty Power did stir and operate in them as I hope it doth still continue in some to do unto this day Thus Keith corrects Bridgman and well he may if we consider what George must of necessity once have known to Pity is now vain and to Pray for I want Faith so shall leave him to God But since R. B. refers for Proof to the enterance of the Journal of the Deceased I shall refer thither also not doubting but the impartial will differ with Bridgman in their Judgment G. F. was well known in his Day and both his personal Acquaintance and Works gives Bridgman the Lye This Man is so very gross I shall on this Head only return him as a further Reply what Michael returned the Devil The Lord Rebuke thee What he would Insinuate of the Rise of the Quakers that it was when the Church lay spoiled of her Power and Priviledges as tho' the Quakers were then in great Prosperity and Peace whenas in Truth they were also great Sufferers and many of them in Prisons and Dungeons for their Testimony however this young Convert talks like a gallant Son of the Church and as bravely doth he undertake to inform her it 's young days for him to conceit himself wiser than his Teachers yet he is seeking out Expedients how to heal the Breach and restore the Wastes his present Thoughts are by a laborious and diligent Instruction of Youth and detecting of Error by open and free Conferences judiciously managed in divers parts of the Nation How the Ministers of the Church will like this I will not determine But to me it seems they were defective in R. B's Account or else what need is there of this Proposal if he would not have them to be more Diligent and Laborious And if so they are not Diligent and Laborious enough consequently Defective or would he have them take in Him and F. Bugg to their Assistance How he would have the Conferences managed in the divers parts of the Nation he hath not sufficiently taught he only says Judiciously but whether he intends that the Church shall Summons all the several Societies of Christians in the Nation to Dispute as G. K. Summon'd the Quakers at Turner's-Hall or the Church shall state as she sees meet
Words Three Persons or Three Hypostases have made great Contention in former times and divers judged to be Pious and Learned Men have denied them and disputed against them as namely Jerome against the Three Hypostases and Augustine disputed solidly Lib. 5. 7. de Trinitate That the Words Three Persons are not properly applicable to the Mystery it self although he doth not know what other Names to give them And surely it is too great Presumption and Curiosity in any Man to dive further into this Mystery than what God hath been pleased to reveal or to give Names to it and yet it is more Presumption and smelleth rankly of a Persecuting Spirit to impose upon others these words which the Spirit of God hath not Taught nor left upon Record in the Scriptures and yet because we do not own these Word 's of Man's Wisdom and Spirit to cry out against us as Blasphemers and Deniers of the true Christ whereas we the Quakers believe in and own the true Christ more according both to his Godhead and Manhood more according to the Truth and the Testimony of the Scripture than our Accusers do as I hope in its due place to shew And in p. 87. saith Nor indeed is there any need of these Terms Three Distinct Persons but rather they darken than explain the Mystery which have occasioned not only some of the Vulgar but even some of them called the Learned to Err grosly in their Conceptions about the Mystery it self sure I am they are in an Error occasioned in great part by these unsound and unscriptural Terms of Three Persons in the Trinity for Persons signifies Substances and not the Modes or Properties of One Substance Thus Keith when a Quaker spoke truly of the Quakers tho' now he acts in a contrary Line These Men must be acknowledged to be either Insincere formerly or else they are Insincere now For as we were we are if we were Erroneous then Keith was Insincere for declaring us Orthodox If we are Orthodox Keith is Insincere now for declaring us Heterodox Nor is it in this one Particular for if it might be of Service I believe I could make it appear that he has declared us in all our Principles Orthodox Here in this one Particular we may observe how zealously he Defends our Consciencious Scruple not only by the Authority of these Fathers but also from the Unscripturalness and ill Consequences of such Terms withal fully declaring our Sincere Belief in the Holy Three which may be sufficient to shew we are Sound in Faith touching the Trinity so called I shall not for Brevity's sake say any more to Vindicate our consciencious Scrupling these Words and Terms used by R. B. to express these Mysteries by but shall proceed to shew by a Quotation or two that we are Sound in the Faith touching the Doctrines themselves out of that Book which is generally received by the Society But by this as we do not at all intend either to equal our selves to that Holy Man the Lord Jesus Christ who was Born of the Virgin Mary in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells Bodily nor to destroy the Reality of his present Existence so neither do we as some have falsly callumniated us For though we affirm that Christ dwells in us yet not Immediately but Mediately as he is in that Seed which is in us whereas he to wit the Eternal Word which was with God and was God dwelt Immediately in that Holy Man He then is as the Head and we as the Members he the Vine we the Branches so God dwells otherwise in the Man Jesus than in us We also freely reject the Heresie of Apolinarius who denied him to have any Soul but said The Body was only acted by the Godhead As also the Error of Eutiches who made the Manhood to be wholly swallowed up of the Godhead Wherefore as we believe he was a true and a real Man so we also believe that he continues so Glorified in the Heavens in Soul and Body by whom God shall Judge the World in the great and general Day of Judgment Neither do we hereby intend any ways to Lessen or Derogate from the Atonement and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ but on the contrary do Magnifie and Exalt it For as we believe all those things to have been certainly translated which are recorded in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Birth Life Miracles Sufferings Resurrection and Ascention of Jesus Christ so we do believe that it is the Duty of every one to believe it to whom it pleaseth God to reveal the same and to bring to them the Knowledge of it Yea we believe it were Damnable Unbelief not to believe when so declared nevertheless as we do firmly believe it was necessary that Christ should come that by his Death and Sufferings he might offer up himself a Sacrifice to God for our Sins who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree so we believe that the Remission of Sins which any partake of is only in and by Vertue of that most satisfactory Sacrifice and no otherwise for it is by the Obedience of that One that the free Gift is come upon all to Justification Barclay's Apol. 334.335 Thus having given these Quotations of our Faith by which it doth evidently appear how falsly this R. Bridgman hath insinuated against us as well as the Soundness of our Faith is sufficiently declared I shall now proceed and be more Brief because what he offers in the main is but Trifling He adds That without the true Faith of them we cannot be saved which true Faith he acknowledges ought to be wrought by the Operation of the Spirit I would hope since he belteves it of so great Concernment he will take care for one or else notwithstanding all his other Performances and going to Church he is like to remain still Ignorant of the true Faith of them besides how can he be fully assured whether he has the true Faith of them wrought by the Spirit without sticking to his Quaker-Principle of Immediate Revelation I would see this R. Bridgman and G. Keith to give over playing upon words which is only a trying of Skill If they would betake themselves like Sampson to the great Pillars of our Religion our known and acknowledged Principles this were far more Manly than raising up a Man of Straw to Fight with for then if they could overthrow them it would render them Sampsons indeed Now G. K. when a Quaker accounted Immediate Revelation as stated in his Book on that Subject and the Universal Principle of Light and Grace which Principle he States and Proves in his Books The Universal Free Grace of the Gospel asserted the two great Principles or Pillars of our Religion as differing from other Societies of Christians therefore Oh ye mighty Men to work R. B. proceeds to Teach of what necessity it is to every one to be rightly inform'd concerning those above-mentioned Doctrines adding
all the Principles of the several Societies and so refute them and none of the several Societies to be there or if present not suffered to vindicate their several and respective Principles or he intends all to have liberty to oppugn one another's Principles tho' this is a Power R. B. I am apt to think will scarce grant Dissenters Or must the Church be sole Plaintiff and all others only Defendants The words open and free Conferences implies all the several sorts should have liberty to vindicate their several Principles of what consequence this might be to the King 's Peaceable Government I will leave to more competent Judgments and the Churches Consideration R. B. having made these Proposals to the Church proceeds very warmly declaring what a lamentable thing it is that in a Christian Nation the publick Seals and Badges of its Communion should be slighted neglected opposed and rejected by a sort and number of Men that will not be accountable in matter of Fact for their Mistakes and Abuses That he here intends the Quakers I need not to Question for I take his whole Paper to be designed as a valliant Sally against them yet seeing he doth not also tell us what these publick Seals and Badges are I must be at a loss what he intends thereby his words are general and doth imply we are guilty of slighting neglecting c. all the Seals and Badges of the Christian Religion which is a high Charge yet since it is false we may the better bear it Now with his leave I conceive the Seals and Badges of the Christian Religion are many I would ask him whether not Swearing be not one And what he thinks of Mat. 5.33 34. Also whether to preach the Gospel freely be not another And what he thinks of Mat. 10.8 And whether not to Fight nor Persecute make not up two more And what he thinks of Mat. 5.38 39. 26.52 John 18.36 James 4.1 2 Cor. 10.4 Luke 9.55 56. Mat. 13.28 29 30. Nay doth not Christianity take in the Moral Law And if so then will come in loving our Neighbour as our selves which Badge I should have been glad to have seen more worn by him that would have given some evidence of his being Religious for I am satisfied true Christianity doth not destroy Morality for I think an honest sober and just Liver is preferable to a superstitious Pilgrim and that there is more Virtue in Praying for our Enemies than visiting an old Relick I see not how he comes to reckon us a sort and number of Men that will not be accountable in matter of Fact for our Mistakes and Abuses For he gives no Instances I may say he has a fine Art in abusing by whole-sale without proof We have always been ready to give a sincere account of the Hope that is in us which is evident from the many Acounts on that Head published and all has been our readiness to take notice of every occasion that did offer wherein it might be of Service I hope R. B. would not have us take our Religion upon his Authority Would he be for Whipping in as well as out of the Temple When once Religion is turned from inward Sense to outward Prescriptions and from Conviction and Reason to implicite Faith and blind Obedience I think a true Sense of God will be far gone it will then be time for the Magistrate to see that the Laws are duly executed for Conscience must be much a-sleep All that he has hitherto offered has been only his bold and envious Say-soes and Charges without all shew of Proof wherefore it is high time for what he has further to offer to produce some sort of Evidence he begins thus It is a most lame and scandalous Insinuation against the Institution and Practice of outward Baptism which G. Whitehead advances in his Rector Examined p. 27. saying When this Rector meaning Mr. Meriton can demonstrate a probatum est of such Virtue in that poor Element as he calls it of Water-Baptism as to cure polluted and distempered Souls as if the issue or effects of a Means that is prescribed must determine the right or lawfulness of its Institution or Practice without any Exception he may at the same rate question the Authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles in their Teaching and Preaching because many that heard them were not effectually cleansed 'T is a wonder to see a Man of such Pretentions so lame in Matter and so abusive in his Charges His charging G. W. with lame and scandalous Insinuations against the Institution and Practice of Water-Baptism and yet offer no better proof than this one saying of G. W's to the Rector we must understand that G. W's thus speaking was even natural from the Comparisons brought by the Rector viz. Naaman's washing in Jordan and the blind Man's washing in the Pool of Siloam To which G. W. argues ad hominem that if the Rector could demonstrate such Vertue in Water-Baptism to the curing Mens Souls of their Infirmities as Jordan had to Cure the Body of Naaman and the Pool of Siloam had to restore Sight to the Blind then his Comparisons were of force otherwise why did the Rector bring them Was it only to fill up Paper Now if the Rector and this R. B. would from hence allude the Efficacy of Water-Baptism to the Curing of Souls since we must grant neither of these Waters had that Vertue essentially in them being only made effectual by the Grace and Blessing of that Power which appointed them will it not then be proper to enquire into the effects to see if they be answerable and that which gives greater Suspicion that R. B. grants Water-Baptism available to Cure the Soul is his Comparison of Christ's and the Apostles Preaching that G. W. might at the same rate question their Authority because that many that heard them were not effectually cleansed Now tho' many that heard them were not yet many that heard them were So tho' a great many that are baptized with outward Water remain uncleansed yet if either the Rector or this R. B. can make proof that many or any are cleansed by Water-Baptism it will answer G. W's probatum est for G. W. is not so unreasonable as not to admit of any Exceptions so that R. B. may dispose of his lame and scandalous Insinuations elsewhere But till such time as R. B. can make such proof let him not blame us in holding to those Remedies that we know are appointed by God for that purpose and that are effectual for that end as the Blood of Christ and the Operation of the Holy Ghost R. B. adds And in the Commission that was given Mat. 28.19 there is no more mention made of outward Teaching than of outward Baptism and the Quakers may as well reject Teaching with Words as Baptizing with Water What way he has to propound to Teach the Nations the Faith of Christ save by Words I know