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—
a Competent maintainance or necessary Aliment by Quaker teachers however so freely and Voluntarily given without appointment of humane law and all compulsion be a Preaching the Gospel freely A True Copy of George Keith's Paper Delivered to Mr. George Layfield At POCAMOK in MARY-LAND KIND Friend George Lay-field my Dear Love in the Lord Jesus Christ Saluteth thee with Earnest Supplication and Prayer to God for thee that God who hath begun his good work in thee may perfect it until the Day of Christ and that the Precious Seed that God hath Sown in thy Heart may grow not only to be the greatest of Herbs but a great Tree bringing forth Fruit to Gods Everlasting Praise and to thy Souls Everlasting Comfort and Happiness As concerning the Catechism Published by F. M. I have diligently read and conâ—dered it and tho' it holdeth forth diverse true things yet it hath a great mixture of Error and many false and unsound hurtful things it doth contain which my present shortness of time in these Parts doth not permit me to mention in most particulars and as the same Catechism aboundeth with many Errors so it falleth exceeding short in not mentioning in the least many necessary Truths and Doctrines which are of great necessity to be taught unto people as belonging to the first Principles of Christian Religion which he altogether omitteth nor doth he in the least declare that he receiveth any one of these things delivered by him in his said Catechism from any inward opening or discovery of Gods Spirit in his Heart Nor doth he mention any one thing of his own experience of the work of God in his heart but as his Title Page sheweth his whole Work is but a Collection from others he mentions nothing in all his Catechism that people are to be turned or directed to God or Christ or the Spirit of God in them he telleth not People that it is God or Christ or the Spirit of God convinceth them and reproveth them for sins of all sorts as Lying Pride Envy Coveteousness Unbelief he doth not instruct People how they are to find God and Christ in their Hearâ—… and how they are to wait in silence 〈◊〉 mind and thoughts to hear God and Chriâ— speak inwardly unto them in their Heartâ— in the silence of all Flesh and how theâ— are to have God and Christ and the Hâ—ly Spirit to dwell and walk in them and tâ— teach them over and beyond all outwarâ— teaching he mentions very little of the Spirit at all and what he mentions of it is very Obscurely so that without breach of Charity I can freely say he is a great Stranger to the inward Dealings and Workings of Gods Holy Spirit in the Hearts of his People and whereas he mentions his Compassion over the Tender Souls in an American Desart ready to perish for want of a Vision in his Epistle to the Reader his Catechism can nothing help them in that respect for not one word in all his Catechism directeth People were to find the true Vision of God in any measure but on the contrary according to his and his Bretherens False Faith all true Divine Vision and Revelation and all Divine Inspiration is ceased since the Apostles Days both among Teachers and People and God hath committed His Counsel wholly to Writing the former ways of Gods revealing himself being ceased and they say further there is no inward voice or word of God in people but the Scripture is the only Word and only Rule all which is most false and hurtful Doctrine and doth more hurt where it is received then all his Catechism can do good And all the People in Virginia both English and Scots whom he seemeth to reflect upon for their Ignorance have the Holy Scriptures without and the Holy teachings and illuminations of God and Christ within to teach them what is needful to their Salvation if they will hearken thereunto far better then this Catehism of F M. which is defective and wanting of many Principal and necessary doctrines belonging to the Christian Faith In the first Page of his Catechism He saith God made the World out of Nothing but this is no Scripture Language and indeed in very many of his Answers he holdeth not to Scripture Language but useth the invented words of Mans Wisdom not according but contrary unto the Holy Scriptures May it not suffice to say God Created aâ— things by Jesus Christ as the Scriptures declareth without adding to the Word of God Page Third He mentions no other Teacher but the Scriptures given to men to serve and Glorify God And thus according to him all these great Nations who have not the Scriptures are wholly left without all Teaching of God to Serve and Glorify him in the least measure but this is expresly contrary to Scripture which say concerning the Gentiles who had not the Law outwardly delivered in Scripture that they did show the work of the Law in their hearts and what was to be known of God was manifest in them for God had shown it unto them and when they knew God they Glorified him not as God and Christ the Light of the World hath enlightned every man that cometh into the World and teacheth every man in some measure to serve God which is to obey him otherwise they could not have sin if there were nothing in the Gentiles to require obedience or service of them unto God It had been much better in this Authour to have instructed People that they had some other helps and means of knowledge with the Scriptures and these some outward and some inward although it is to be granted that the Scriptures are the best of all Books outward yet there is the Book of Gods Creation and the Book of His Providence over all his Creatures that are no small helps and means in their place being duely used and together with God Christ and the Spirit are inwardly present to teach all People in some things to serve God and as every one is faithful in the little more is given to them Besides that the Writer of this Catechism should have joined the spirit of God Christ with the Scriptures as the Opener Interpreter of them informing people that the Scriptures are the Organ Instrument of Gods Spirit that Gods Good and Holy Spirit is the principal Author and cause of all true knowledge of God as he doth inwardly inspire and enlighten every one and that there is no true saving knowledge of God and Christ without the Spirits Inspiration and Teaching and that how much soever people read or hear the Scriptures if they neglect or turn away their minds from Gods inward teachings by his Word Spirit and Light within their hearts they remain Blind and Dark and Ignorant of God Page Third That he saith there are Three Persons in the God-head this is not Scripture Language to say Three Persons The Mystery of the Three to wit the Father the Son and the
Accomack compared it to a Letter wrote from an absent Husband to his Wife which as soon as he Return is to be laid aside any may easily apprehend whâ— this Gentleman would be at who also in his Boâ—… though he would make fools believe he commenâ— the Scriptures yet immediately he accuses it of 〈◊〉 sufficiency and imperfection and affirms there aâ— several things which the Scriptures Teaches not 〈◊〉 which we must have immediate Revelations anâ— Daniel Acres a Teacher in North Carolina declaâ—… to me it bordered with Blasphemy to call the Scriptures the Word of God But he further affirms 〈◊〉 should have joyned the Spirit of God and Christ with the Scriptures and that I should not only havâ— done it but that it is really done every Reader 〈◊〉 find page 10 where it is taught That Christ Reveâ— his Will by his Word and Spirit neither dare any 〈◊〉 sert I have said it was only the Scriptures excludâ—… Christ or the Holy Spirit of God and yet we havâ— ground from the Scriptures themselves to affirm 〈◊〉 the Scriptures are a rule to which we are directed 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God our Saviour too and the fulâ—e and sufficiency of the Scriptures for our direction 〈◊〉 asserted from the Spirit of God though we are uâ—nimous in depending on the Blessing of God presence of Christ and concurrence of his Holy Spirit to make the Scriptures effectual to our Salvation with all other Means and Ordinances yet the Scriptures are the Rule for our Instruction and Direction though Christ and the Holy Spirit of God the Opener up and sole Interpreter of the Scriptures to us as all of us Teach Believe and Own which is evident from our Praying before and after all our publick and private Administrations which many Quakers are absolute strangers to as John Porter of Elizabeth River who never was heard to Pray either before or after Teaching this Savours of Opus Operatum I say the Holy Spirit of God endues us with skill to understand apply and obey the Scriptures so that Quakers confound the Rule with the skill in making use of that Rule but our judgment is fully delivered in answer to that Question in the Assemblies Catechism How is the Word made effectual to Salvation and that all that read these Sheets may see how pernicious it is to quarrel our Doctrine concerning the Scriptures let them peruse those following Scriptures 1. Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness and in the foregoing verse The Holy Scriptures which is able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Jesus 17 That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work and are we not directed to the Law and to the Testimony but no where directed to the Light in all men and consequently in the Heathen and Reprobate to be our Guide to Glory Our Saviours advice favours and confirms our Judgment Search the Scriptures for in them you think ye have Eternal Life and they are they that testifie of me And we find our Lord in dealing with the Capcious Jews appealing to the Scriptures as the Rule of Faith and Judge of Controverties saying It is written and Cites the Prophets oft for their Conviction and charges them with ignorance of the Scripture as the cause and ground of their Error saying Ye Err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God And though dim Natures Light the Rellicks of one fallen from perfection and the works of Creation render all inexcusable for their Ignorance of their Creator yet are very lame and insufficient fully to teach their Duty or to discoveâ— all their sins or teach them the knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ our Redeemer whom Quakers say is in all men but can this Jesus of their be the true Christ and savingly in all men seeing there are Nations and Kingdoms who have not the least remote or dim notions of Christ the Son of God as Saviour or Mediator between Sinners and God who was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself and if so as Quakers affirm then blinded Pagaâ— Nations are in as brave a case as the Churches oâ— Christ to whom the Oracles of God are committed who are pronounced blessed beyond all others 〈◊〉 Gods Chosen Inheritance and particularly from the great and transcending priviledge of enjoying 〈◊〉 Revealed Will of God to whom the Divine Oracles were committed and blinded Nations were ouâ— Predecessors within some few Centuries past And what Keith understands by silent waiting 〈◊〉 God which he calls a silence of mind and thoughts 〈◊〉 I fear neither he noâ— any Quaker for him can ever demonstrate from plain Scripture Testimony and 〈◊〉 is not the first time they have been puzled to tell 〈◊〉 what it is though some have preferred it to the Reâ—ding of the Scriptures and a Mean appointed 〈◊〉 God for right understanding of the Scripture 〈◊〉 this new notion of theirs is warranted no where in the Scripture some of them have taken upon them to call it a silent posture of the heart without thinking good or evil but this is so strange a conceit that it is inconsistent with the nature of the heart and spirit of man which is in the judgment of most and solid experience of all so stirring and active a thing that it is never at quiet or rest but always employed about either good or evil and this so many as call a Spirit Res Gegitandi say is while man is asleep but further it is inconsistent with Scripture waiting for herein there must be an exercise of the Graces of Faith Patience Hope c. Psal 4.1 I waited patiently for the Lord and he enclined unto me and heard my Cry here is both the exercise of Patience and the use of Prayer in the Psalmists successful waiting and how this can be without exercising the heart about good or evil this is much like the Commentary and vulgar glâ—ss of Quakers on that Text Mat. 6. â—6 When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut the door or according to these able Commentators shut thy heart which is an unfit frame for God to whom we must open and before whom we must pour out our hearts Another Instance of Scripture waiting very unlike Quakers waiting you may find in Lam. 3 26. It is goâ—d that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord and let every one be â—umpire in this case whether there can be the exercise of those Graces where the heart thinks neither good nor evil and they are often puzled to satisfie us whether their silent waiting be publick or private Worship for if it is not done in Faith it must be sin and consequently no acceptable Service to God if private or secret it ought to be gone about with as great secrecy and to go too
Light of the Truth because he quarrels this that the Truth is made so easie plain to be discerned and the reason or ground given by this worthy Author why the Churches of Christ are necessitated to use such novelty of words if they may be so called is when the Truth is to be Defended against Rangleâ—… who deride it with Quibbles so the Old Fathers being troubled with False Doctrines were necessitated to express themselves in exquisite plainness least they should leave any crooked by ways to the wicked to whom the doubtful Constructions of words were hiding Holes of Error therefore it was that the Fathers in Confutation of Arius were necessitated in asserting the Divinity of the Son to call him HOMOUSION or Consubstantial with the Father And against Sabellius who denied all Distinction between the Father Son and Holy Ghost but what was Nominal the Defenders of Truth were necessitated to say there did subsist in the Unity of God aâ— Trinity of Persons which is most suitable to thoughâ— not rigidly the same with the Language of John There are Three and these Three are One Trinity Tres Vnes or Tres in Vno Trinity Having offered these Generals I come particularly to the Charge for asserting there are Three Persons in the God-head All that Keith would seem to Alledge is only that it is not Scripture Language whereby he would seem to favour the great Fundamental Principle most of his Brethren have been blasphemously barking against these Thirty or Forty Years and devoutly to say There are Three in One But it were to be wished that he and all of them would demonstrate themselves according to their usual boasting more skilful in the Scriptures then any of their Neighbours by declaring freely ingenuously what those Three are called that are but One God and what Substantive they joyn with the Adjective three which is distinguished in the Father Son and Holy Ghost and then they would have dealt plainly without all Popish Equivocation or Reservation which all that Read their Books and frequently Converse with them will find the generality of Quakers as guilty of as any subtile Jesuit at St. Omers For if this great and Fundamental Truth would be made plain to the Edification of the Church of God to which it is so highly necessary that God can neither be known believed in or called upon aright without it then some denomination must be ascribed and given differing from one another in Incommunicable Properties for they must either be three somethings or three nothings the former being rejected if three somethings they must be either three Gods three Essences three Parts of the same Essence or three Qualities or three Names or three Manners or wayes of Subsisting To assert to Three Gods were insufferable Blasphemy Though Josiah Coal is as guilty of as great Blasphemy in a Letter to George Fox which as it came from a Quaker was also Approved of by Pen himself in his Answer to Mr. John Faldo a Minister I lately saw in London which for the Readers satisfaction and abhorrence of all I shall here Insert Dear George Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life has reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the Begetting of many again unto a Lively Hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in â—he powtr of the Highest in which thou Rules Governs â—n Righteousness And thy Kingdom is Established in Peace and the Encrease thereof is without End Let Pen and as many as will dare to Justifie this consider the Language of the Righteous God Hâ— that Justifies the Wicked and he that Condemneth thâ— Just even they both are Abomination to the Lord. But to return To assert Three Essences were to conceal Three Essentially Distinct which were to fall in with the former absurdity To receive or be lieve three parts of the same Essence or God head which were most inconsistent with that Oneness and absolute Simplicity in the Nature of God which cannot be conceived divisible and to call the three in one three qualities or accidents were to believe accidents in God which were absurd and to asseâ—… nothing else but three Names were to fall in with the long since exploded Heresy of Apollinarius and to hold Faith repugnant to the Rule of Gods Word whence he has twice Three Names and yet asserted to be but Three only so that it must be Three Distinct Manners Methods or Wayes of Subsisting and is Termed in the Schools Ens and Modus Entis And according to the unanimous Opinion of our Reforming and Reformed Divines A Person in the God-head is whole God not absolutely or simply considered but by way of some personal Properties or a manner of Being or Distinct Subsistence haveing the whole God-head in it Vsher and Calvin call a Divine Person a Subsistence in the Divine Nature which having relation to the other is distinguished from them with Incommunicable Properties So that though the Father Son and Holy Ghost be really and essentially the same in Essence or Being yet they have something differing from one another for if the Word Joh. 1.1 had been simply and absolutely God without any thing peculiar to 〈◊〉 self it had been improper and amiss to have said 〈◊〉 was not only God but with God To which Dâ—ctrine Tertullian agrees saying there is in God a certain Disposition or Distribution which changeth nothing of the Unity of the Essence I need not heap up these manifold Testimoâ—ies both of old New Testament asserting Three in One and One in Three and if any quarrel the word person they shall find this plain Scripture Language Heb 1.3 speaking of Christ the Second Person in the Trinity saith He is the Brightness of his Fathers Glory and Express Image of his Person can any serious and illuminated Reader pass over this Text without owning the word Person to be Scripture Language and that the Father is a Person distinct in Person from God the Son for he is not called the Fathers Person Remark it Reader but the Express Image of his Fathers Person And if none must be called a Person but the Father as some Quakers have said then what was Christ's Person when Mediator having two Natures of God and man not mans personality for so Divine Nature would have satisfied in the Person of the Humane Nature which would imply no small Absurdities or he should be the Person of the Father which were repugnant to the formerly cited Text Our Mediator was without all Person And finally if the Father is a Person and the Son the Image of this Person why not the Holy Ghost a Person also and Three in One and One in Three The Next Charge is and that a Weighty one in P. 9 10. And that is for mentioning only Three Offices of Christ as Mediatour a Prophet Priest and King And that Really Savingly and only to those that Believe
publick with it is visible Hypocrisie to be seen of men If publick Worship it must tend to the Edification of others but how the perfect silence without all Admonition Rebuke Prayer Instruction or expressions of Praise edifies is unconceivable and as they meet so they disperse oft without the least motion to speak which demonstrates how fruitless many such Meetings are and what they amuse the World with their imaginary experiences of refreshments from their silent Meeting when nothing is said they must needs be like those which an English Congregation received from a Quaking Dutch woman Teaching in an unknown Language and what reason we have of believing their boasted of Experiences from negative imaginary Worship and they regard not the Experiences of thousands of the Godly of ravishings of Soul and ineffable Joy and Comfort from Praising of God in singing of Psalms and from Communicating in the Supper of the Lord as performed by us and in most of the Reformed Churches In the next place he condemns our asserting and believing there are Three Persons in the God head It is no wonder to find so great and transcending a Mystery rather to be Reverenced Adored and Believed then Reasoned and Disputed as it has been mistaken and quarrelled both by Ancient and Modern Hereticks in the World I encline not to 〈◊〉 up the gross Errors of Ancient Hereticks concerning this Doctrine as of Apollinarius Arrius Rhofinus Nestori us Sabelius and others and am not a liâ—… concerned that Quakers pretending to so great and so good things should joyn hand in hand with such whose subtilties have been long since cunningly silenced and exploded and that they by their frequent and scurrilous Barkings against so Fundamental â— Truth as Solomon Acles who in Barbadees asserted this Doctrine to be a Presbyterian Fiction and most others of that Gang I have conversed with had most ignorant and gross Notions of a person dreaming it to be some gross material visible and corporeal Substance like unto man and looked upon it an absurdity to apply any such thing to God at all and here I find one of their Learned and Litigious Champions quarrelling Three Persons in the God-head or Divine Essence and how such men can be Reconciled among themselves I leave to those that are concerned I must confess if I understood what Keith intends by this Charge so obscurely delivered I could with greater fulness and particularity answer and waving that uncharitableness he was notoriously guilty of concerning me and others I conceive he only contends about words by calling Three Persons in the God head not Scripture Language but words of mans wisdom as all our Doctrines and Writings are commonly Calumniated by such And this I must Animadvert the Reader that I am the more confirmed in that which I charged him with at my House that most of his Writings are quibling Controversies and his Debates a disputing about words little to the Edification of Souls but tending to Foment Divisions in the Churches of Christ upon Earth of which he had been a great Instrument already by making perverse Disputings his Trade in the World and to confirm it he brings a sublime and transcending Mystery rather to be adored and believed then disputed and brought under the Debate of men of corrupt minds but 1. If words not expressed in Scriptures in the same Letters and Syllables be words of mans wisdom and an adding to the Scriptures the Words of the Living God then all Expositions of Scriptures though agreeable to Scripture if not numerically the same words must be condemned and thrust out of doors and then what will become of most of Keith's Teachings which are delivered in publick as immediately from the Spirit of God yet stuffed to the amusing rather than Edification of his Hearers with unscriptural unusual and unheard of Allusions of a Key and losing and finding a Key as also of a Table and covering of a Tabling with Trenchers and Napkins and a Cupboard at Home and no Meat in it as also a Husbands Writing Letters to his Wife while absent all which was delivered in Long winded Discourses at Thomas Fooks his House in Onankok and Nusswaddux to numerous and mixed Auditories of men and women rather offended then edified and affrighted from then engaged to Quakers Principles or Practices 2. If I should make it appear that Quakers are as guilty of using words not to be found in the Scriptures as any of their Neighbours will not all men believe them very perverse to Ceâ—sure others for that which they practice themselves and consequently from Keith's words aâ— to the words of the Scriptures And 1. Let any be prevailed with to observe the Writing of this Litigious Author which is filled in every page with Humane Learning and Scholastick Notions making as much use of School Art in all his sophistical Argumentation as any that has put Pen to Paper as heâ— himself owned the use of Humane Learning in all his Writings 2 I shall instance to you from themselves not only words but sentences and phrases which none could ever yet find or hear of in or from the Scriptures some whereof are Pens others belong to Barclay others are usual and common in the mouth of most Quakers as those uncouch phrases of Miracles in Spirit which Keith made use of at my House a measure of God as if God were divided in parcels from the Spirit in Ward by ravening the Seed in Captivity ravening comprehending brain fleshly comprehensions Traditional Read Knowledge Vulturous Eye with many others and for words none more new and invented without any foundation in the Scriptures then some used by Quakers as Vehicle of the Spirit Fermentation of the Spirit and many such like 3. How much is it to be Lamented that the frequent Debates and needless Janglings of Keith concerning this Subject could not have sufficed him he must now upon his running Circuit raise a new Debate and Controversy about words which is Censured in the words of the Holy Apostle 1 Tim 6.4 He is proud knowing nothing but doting about Questions and Strifes of words whereby cometh Strifes Railing Evil Surmisings 5. Perverse Disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness from such turn away or withdraw thy self And all such are Censured in the words of Holy Calvin that Eminent man of God Lib. 1. Cap. 13. The Hereticks bark at the name Person and others too precise Carp at all words devised by men and would have all to restrain not only their meanings but their very words strictly within the bounds of Scripture who are be Calvin Charged as unreasonable who quarrel words expressing nothing but what is testified and approved by Scripture and what hinders saith he but we may in more plain words express such things as are mysterious to ordinary Capacities where there are necessary grounds urging thereunto such saith he as quarrel this must be reputed to be grieved at the
in Heaven and Rt. Young one of their pretended Teachers said that he did not find Christ without in all the Scriptures and further that Christ when he ascended into the Cloud was seperated from his Body and Arthur Cook accused G. K. for saying that Christs Body that was Crucified and Buried is gone into Heaven and was and is in heaven even the very same Body which Cook and others called a Novelty imposed upon his Ancient Brethren And John Simtock asked G. K. Did Christs Bones Arise and Thomas Lloyd did object against G. K. his imposing Unscriptural Faith on his Bretheren further that Faith in Christ without us as he Dyed for our sins and rose again was not necessary to Salvation and further that Christ within did all Can any Repeat such Blasphemous expressions without horrour when they consider the deplorable case of such as are Lead and Taught by these men who openly publickly and avowedly profess their Ignorance of the true Christ which is but One and can be no other even He that was Born of the Virgin Mary Suffered in the World was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem was Buried Rose again with the same Body having his wounds upon him as he shewed to Thomas the Apostle after some time of Converse in the World proving thereby the Reality of his Resurrection was received Bodily into a Cloud in the open view of his Apostles and Ascended into Heaven now Sits at the Right Hand of God the Father making continual intercession for sinners the same Man-Christ that Liveth for Ever Ever shall come in his Glory with all his Holy Angels to Judge the World in Righteousness at the Last Day All which is abundantly testified in the Holy Scriptures And now whosoever Believes not in Christ nor receives him as described in the Word of God seeing he himself says John 5.39 They are they that testify of him it may warrantably be concluded they believe not in him at all therefore I leave it to others to determine what sort of Christians Quakers must needs be and also what we must judge of their Sufficient Saving Divine Light of which they have been boasting universally and magnifying them selves from above all others in the world and what do they now think of their immediate Call and Apostolick Mission seeing they discover themselves so grosly Ignorant and so much in the dark about the Foundation of our Salvation even Christ Jesus who is so fully described in the very Letter of the Scriptures And this Breach is Risen to such a height that the Railings Revilings bitter uncharitable Accusations they were wont to vomit maliciously against all the Reformed Churches are now justly turned against one another for Lloyd and his Party fly out against Keith calling him a Reviler of the Brethren Brat of Babylon Accuser of the Brethren one that alwayes endeavoureth to keep down the power of Truth drawing from the Gift of God calling him also Pope Primate of Pensilvania Father Confessor accusing him of Envy extream Passion a turbulent unsubdued Spirit Let the Authors of these make good their Charge or let them take what follows Shall ever such a man be followed by such as have given him such a monstrous Character as none but the greatest of Impostors deserve and it is observable that in all which K has Published for he has carried the day in his Prints that he has not fairly nor fully Explained himself for it wants to be determined when Christ is said to be in all men by the name Light whether he and his Party who say with all Quakers He is substantially in them believe him to be in them as Mediator and Saviour as K. seems to assert in his Grounds of Separation pag. 32 William Pen in Reason against Railing asserts the true Light with which every man is Enlightned to be sufficient for Salvation and how Pen G. K. and his Adversaries can jump again into a Knot after so plain and palpable Difference about their great Fundamental of the Sufficiency of the Light within I Leave it to other Judges to determine and it deserves observation that in their Epistle to their Brethren and their Commendation what high lofty and proud Titles of Commendation scarce applicable to men they gave to G K. as That he Walked in the Counsel of God was Lovely in that Day When the Beauty of the Lord was upon him and his Comeliness covered him and immediately with the same Breath they throw him down and look upon him as Fassen from the high Places of Israel as a man Slain in his High Places as they fix hard names upon him as formerly so he payes them home again in the same Coin calls Lloyd and his Party which are some thousands Fools Ignorant Heathens Infidels Silly Souls Lyars Hereticks Rotten Ranters Mugg letonians c So that if we were inclinable to give them Names we have no Room for they have done it to our hands themselves And I must confess they are better able than we for they are better acquainted with one another and privy to their Errors Heresies and other Hidden Works of Darkness which they have hitherto been ashamed to Publish to the World and yet it is admirable to think where these men find such a stock of Confidence as to wipe their mouths and say they have not Railed all this while but all they have said on both sides is in the uprightness of their hearts all these Names given are Truth I shall leave them so disproving neither one of Lloyds Party William Gabitas desired K to forbear Preaching Christ without seeing it gave Offeence to his Brethren as Paul did concerning Eating of Flesh an able Doctor indeed and very probable to have Christ in him who valued the Preaching of Christ Crucified no more than the Eating of Flesh and must not such Brethren as take Offence as such Doctrine be acted by a Diabolical Spirit Thomas Lloyd in a Publick Meeting affirmed no man could differ with G. K. but he was in danger of the Life of his Soul by him and farther that he had bin 〈◊〉 more vexatious Adversary to Friends then Hicks or Scanderet or the greatest Enemies sure such Untharitableness and Ranchor must have great provocations flow from no good Spirit another proud and self conceited expression of a plain Quaker Must I truckle under thee indeed it was not fit a Governour should and further G. K. affirmed That no such Damnable Heresies and Doctrines of Devis were Tolerated in any Protestant Society as among Quakers at Philadelphia if this Charge is true I am perswaded it will extend to most Quakers in the World or they must yet be in Confusion and Undetermined about their Principles Many other most dangerous Positions were urged and disputed among them savouring of nothing but Blindness and Error as one that owned no man Christ Jesus as Mediator in Heaven without him but the