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A65854
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The Christianity of the people commonly called Quakers vindicated from antichristian opposition sincerely tendered in behalf of the aforesaid people and their ancient friends by some of them.
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Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing W1912; ESTC R27067
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25,012
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34
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is very plain I believed and therefore I have spoken Psal. 116.10 2 Cor. 4.13 And there were many true Believers before the Scriptures were writ who wanted not a true Foundation or Rule 'T is wonderful strange this old great Doctor should represent such Doctrins as these either Antichristian or Unchristian The Lord teach him better and humble him unto Repentance for his unchristian and uncharitable Opposition Charge 14. Against E.B. for saying All who go before the moving of the Spirit their Prayers Preaching and Ordinances I deny c. We own the immediate Spirit of God which was before the Scripture was written to be the Rule of our Conversation And against G. Keith viz. We are to wait for an immediate Call Motion c. to preach pray or give thanks and forbear till it be given Charge 15. Against being infallibly guided by the infallible Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and speaking from the Mouth of the Lord. Charge 16. Against that which was spoken from the Spirit of God in any being of as great Authority as the Scriptures or greater and our Friends pretending to speak or write by one and the same Spirit according to measure by which Christ and the Apostles and Prophets spoke Obs. We do not perceive any Antichristianity or Unchristianity either justly chargeable upon these Passages but rather on this Doctor for so judging them all From which it naturally follows 1. That he is for praying and preaching before or without the moving of the Spirit of God and so runs when the Lord never sent him contrary to the true Prophets Christ and his Apostles Doctrin and Christians Practice Jer. 23.21 22. 1 Pet. 4.11 2. He does not own the immediate Spirit of God and Christ to be the rule or guide of his Conversation contrary to Christ and his Apostles Doctrin 3. Nor waiting for any immediate Call or Motion from God to preach pray or give thanks so that he promotes only a Will-Worship which God never accepts 4. Though we always confess the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be given by divine Inspiration and prefer them before and above all other Writings or Books and in no wise question the Truth of them yet we must needs allow the holy Spirit from whence they came the preference and its immediate Teaching and Speaking in the Soul as of greater Efficacy Power and Authority to that Soul than the bare writing or Scripture without or only reading thereof though it contain the same Words immediately taught And so Christ and his Apostles living and powerful preaching in and from the powerful motion of the holy Spirit as being of greater Efficacy Power and Authority than the outward Writing or Scripture it self simply or abstractly considered as distinct from that Spirit tho' the Words preached and the Words written may be the same For the Gospel as livingly preach'd came not in Words only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1.5 For the real Authority Efficacy and Service the Holy Scripture has upon a Soul is from the holy Spirit or Word of Life giving the true Belief and right Understanding thereof But we may suppose that our Adversary's Charge in this Point is from his not owning the immediate teaching of God or preaching by the immediate motion and guidance of his blessed Spirit in these days but only by Tradition his Acquirement by reading and study of other Mens Works and Lines made ready to his Hand and therefore that he wants divine Power Authority and Efficacy in 's Ministry And then he might be more ingenuous to lay aside his Trade of Preaching and leave the People to read the Holy Scriptures without his meanings or private Interpretations upon them Charge 17. In this he accuses our Paper asserting our Christianity with a Tedious and Obscure Harangue under pretence of enjoying the spiritual Part of Baptism and the Lord's Supper but neither Refutes nor Answers what we have writ in that Case both of our Christian Experience and agreeableness to holy Scripture so the less notice need be taken of his Charge against our Friends for Asserting the Baptism of the Holy Ghost Charge ibid. And that the Bread and Wine being no other than a Figure of a spiritual Thing which is the Substance which being witnessed the Figure or Shadow is not obliging being ended i. e. In the New Covenant Charge 18. Against some of our Friends telling them That they set up their Carnal Ordinances in Christ's stead calling them their Means and not witnessing the immediate Appearance of Jesus Christ in their Souls drawing them in his Life and Testifying against the beggarly Rudâ—ments of the World and their Carnal Observances Obs. What more than a Figure does this Doctor suppose the Bread and Wine which they minister to be in the Sacrament so called Does he think them to be the Substance which is Christ If not then 't was very unadvisedly and uncharitably done to charge our Friends as Antichristian or Unchristian either in this Point for calling the outward Elements of Bread and Wine c. A Figure only as Protestant Martyrs esteemed them Vid. Dr. Cranmer Disp. at Oxford c. 3. v. Mar. In opposition to the Papists affirming them to be the Substance Christ. Let him therefore tell us what he esteems them if not a Figure For the Spiritual Substance is Christ he is that One Bread John 6. 1 Cor. 10. and his Spiritual Baptism is The one Baptism Ephes. 4. and in him the Shadows and Figures are ended Charge 19. About the Resurrection That W.P. said To assert the same Body that falls shall rise is inconsâ—stent with Scripture Reason c. And against another Friend for saying The Seed of God is hid in thee c. Obs. He having not wherewithal justly to charge us with denying the Resurrection it self for that we never did but always believed it of both the Just and Unjust and that they shall come to Judgement every Man for himself Now our Friends are charged because they believe a Spiritual Resurrection in opposition to their Adversary's asserting a Carnal or Sameness of Bodies to rise wherein this Adversary's Charge reflects upon the Apostle's Testimony in this Case as well as on our Friends as Unchristian For the Apostle answers such Fools Questions by way of Allusion plainly And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that Body that shall be c. God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed his own Body There is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15. ch and 35 36 37 44 Verses c. Which is no other than what our Friends believe and hold Charge 20. Of Christ's second coming to Judgment against this Question i. e. Where proves he that Christ's second coming without Sin to Salvation is a Personal Coming Obs. And where proves he that it is Unchristian to ask such a Question to any that holds it Or that
and Robert Barcley especially G.K. in opposition to several of their and our ancient Friends and Brethren i. e. R.H. Ja. Parnell E.B. W.D. I.N. G.F. G.W. W.P. T. Speed c. The first Five being deceased And we have cause to assure our selves that both G. Keith and R.B. would abominate this false Brother's Attempt to make Divisions between them and their ancient Brethren divers whereof are gone and have laid down their Head in Peace And as to his giving these Commendations of G.K. as agreeing with them i. e. Protestants in this important Truth of the Divine Word assuming the true Nature of Man in Soul and Body into an immediate Vnion c. That Jesus Christ is true and perfect God and true and perfect Man c. very largely and fully c. All which Truths we firmly believe and own But says the false Brother Others in as great Repute among us as G.K. clearly contradict him which we do not believe Whereupon we solemnly declare that we find nothing asserted by G.K. and R.B. where rightly cited but we really own in the matter and intent thereof as about the Holy Scriptures the Word the blessed THREE in Heaven Christ's Divinity and Manhood Body Sufferings c. And also we do not find but what our Ancient Friends have written in these Points are reconcilable to the other upon a fair and rational or charitable Interpretation of their true Intentions and Meanings and taking due and serious Notice of the Tenor and Import of what they writ upon each Subject without mangling or curtailing as this and other Adversaries are apt to do where any things seem to oppose or vary as to some Terms or Expressions no doubt they may be easily reconciled by the Authors i. e. some of our Ancient Friends and G.K. and R.B. though many cannot so learnedly express their Minds and Meaning as they Howbeit this false Brother N.N. who seeks Division and Discord among Brethren feignedly pretends to defend G. Keith and the Protestant Churches against G.F. E.B. and others and says that G.K. owns as fully as they can desire the Doctrin intended by the Word TRINITY which he says they contend not for but the Doctrin intended the Truth of the thing it self we deny not says G.K. That these THREE are one in Nature and Substance yet Three otherwise than by mere Name Operation or Manifestation c. Being distinct in their relative Modes and Properties G.K. and R.B. are for us says he and hopes some of us are of their Mind and so far we may very well be call'd Protestant Quakers and says God forbid that we or the major part of us should approve such as say they are Prophets but are not but have said and done such things as are not to be named among Christians or Men. By these partial Insinuations this false Brother would still render us a divided People and some who are esteem'd as Ministers of Christ among us very suspicious and odious Though we know no reason to disown or protest against either W.D. E.B. R.H. I. P G.W. W.P. or the rest named by him because he has reviled and abused them as no Protestants nor to disown our Friends G.K. or R.B. whom he pretends to defend for we have a true tender and Christian esteem of both even of them all and of their Christian Testimonies and innocent Conversations and Sufferings for Christ. The Author of the Libel or false Brother condemns many things he neither answers nor refutes He supposes Contradiction in Matters reconcilable He reproaches the Dead whom he did not answer nor confute when Living One principal Contradiction supposed is this Title of a Paper i. e. Certain Papers which is the Word of the Lord and yet may not the Scripture be so called We say such a Title to any Paper or Writing is improper from the word should be instead of which is the word we shall not stand by the said Title as 't is worded without such Amendment Yet charitably think it was worded contrary to the intent and meaning of the Author for Paper and Ink cannot be the Word of the Lord nor can the Eternal Word be contained therein Yet that Word hath and may immediatly move upon the Spirits of some to speak and write and that 's our case The words cited against G.W. and others Thus Viz. and here thy Antiquity thy Reasons and about the 3 Persons thou dreamest of which thou wouldst divide out of one like a Conjurer are all denyed and thou with them i. e. his dark Reasons and Imaginations shut up in perpetual Darkness c. G.W. positively disowns the Words and affirms they are none of his and that he writ not that part of the Answer to Townsend which was about the Year 1654. yet looks on the words as wrong writ or wrong printed and that he raced them out or corrected them long since where he has met with that Answer For instead of and the 3 Persons it should have rather been about the 3 Persons And G.W. shall neither stand by nor own those words as charged after he see them in Print he was sorry his Name was to that Paper without distinction between what he writ and what he did not write in it wherein those words are which give the Occasion Let this Advertisement clear G.W. and others and suffice wâ—ry charitable and ingenuous Reader as we hope it will And now seeing this false Brother has so much commended Geo. Keith and Robert Barcley as to their Soundness in Doctrin c. We say there is matter sufficient in their Books in Vindication of the Doctrins Principles and Christian Religion of the People called Quakers which if this false Brother should oppose he 'll run into further self-contradiction against them he has so highly applauded Besides his Misquotations uncharitable and unjust Reflections and Falshoods here omitted and his wicked Attempts to sow Discord cause Divisions and Contentions among Brethen he most unfairly picks and nibbles here and there at our Friends Books and Words taking them in Pieces Bits and Scraps here and there leaving out the stress and explanatory Part of the Matter in divers things we could evince And thus 't is possible for a disingenuous Person to do by the best of Writings And lastly Whereas this false Brother would hear whether we would protest against the Errors his Letters implead c. Yet neither tells us his Name nor Residence nor how to direct to him nor who this N.N. is that 's subscribed to his Letters nor what religious Society he belongs to we have more to say or write to him for his better Information if we knew his Name and where he lives to direct to him and we should not be unwilling to subscribe our Names to such Defence as we have Cause to make in Truths and our own behalf for we are only defensive in these Controversies which this and other obscure and sculking Adversaries have begun against us the peaceable People called Quakers now in a Time of Liberty and Freedom from open Persecution which is an Indication that these secret peevish Smiters do secretly envy our present Liberty and therefore are in the same persecuting Spirit with our open Enemies and Persecutors This N.N. should come forth like a Man and discover himself that some of us whom he has accused might have some friendly Discourse with him which probably might tend to his Convincement and better Satisfaction if not obstinately set to oppose For hitherto he lurks he smiteth privily in the Dark he sitteth in the lurking Places to murther the Innocent he skulks privily to shoot at the Vpright in heart like the wicked If he would be plain and let us know how and whither to direct to him by his right Name it would give us Opportunity to let him hear more particularly from us till then excuse our Brevity FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Thomas Northcott in Georgh-Yard in Lombard-street RObert Barclay's Apology for the true Christian Divinity as the same is held forth and Preached by the People called in scorn Quakers being a full Explanation and Vindication of their Principals and Doctrins c. G. Keith's Way to the City of God His Way cast up and the Stumbling-blocks removed His fundamental Truths of Christianity His true Christ owned as he is true God and perfect Man His Rector corrected His Truths Defence G. Fox the Younger's Collections E. Bathurst's Truth 's Vindication G. F's Heavenly Salutation His true Christian distinguished from the false A Narrative concerning Grace Watson's Death Abigal Fisher's Salutation of true Love Buds and Blossoms of Piety with some Fruit of the Spirit of Love and Directions to the Divine Wisdom Mankind Displayed or the History of the Little World being curious Collections out of the best Authors of the most wonderful and remarkable Things that have been performed by Men and Women in the several Ages of the World c. Scephen Strisp's Epistle concerning Present and Succeeeding Times Grammatista or the young Grammarian being a very useful selling Book containing Bills Bonds and Receipts c. * To this †I subscribe Geo. Whitehead Psal. 10. 11.2