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
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
Holy-Ghost who are One GOD is Great and Glorious and ought to be Reverently conceived expressed in Scripture words which the Holy-Ghost hath Taught but not in words of Mans Wisdom Page Ninth Tenth In mentioning the Offices of Christ being Three Viz. Prophet Priest and King he should have mentioned how that not only without us he did perform these Offices and now is both Priest and King in Heaven whither he is ascended but that also within us Viz. All true Believers in him he is both Prophet and King and Priest also who offereth up their Prayers unto God and by whom they have access unto God beside that Christ is not only King Priest and Prophet over his Church but Bishop Shepherd Physitian Captain and Husband c. as the Scripture declareth And that he saith Christ revealeth the Will of God to us by His Word and Spirit in Page 10. He delivereth this matter very barely and obscurely for he does not tell people where they may find the Spirit of God he doth not instruct them That the Spirit of God is in them to teach them and open the Scriptures unto them And tho' he delivereth diverse things in his Catechism concerning the New Covenant yet he neglecteth a Principal matter belonging to the same Viz. That God hath Promised in his New Covenant to teach His People Himself and to dwell in them and walk in them and that they shall be his Temple c. Page 10 11. Although he mention the death and Sacrifice of Christ for sinners yet he doth not well that he doth not hold forth that Christ died for all and tasted Death for every man as the Scripture expresly declareth which is a most great and weighty testimony of Gods universal Love for sinners Page Eleventh Tho' he say The Holy Spirit worketh faith in us and Uniteth us to Christ yet he doth this very barely and obscurely yea in contradiction to his and his Brethrens Doctrine who say all inward Divine Revelation and Inspiration is ceased since the Apostles Days if so then the Holy Spirit hath ceased to work or operate on mens hearts for his operation is not in the dark or in a blind and insensible manner but in Light and Demonstration sensibly and clearly revealing his power in them opening the eyes of their understanding and thence it is that the Spirit of God is called in Scripture the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and that Spirit worketh in true Beleivers Page Eleventh That he calleth Regeneration a New and Spiritual Birth by the Spirit of God is true but this Contradicteth His and His Brethrens Doctrine who say they have no infallible Spirit and all Divine Revelation is ceased and that there is no immediate communion with God or his Spirit which is False Doctrine and contrary to Scripture and the Saints Experience who know that as they are Born of Gods Spirit so they are sensibly Fed and Nourished by the Spirit of God and Suck the Breasts of their Heavenly Mother Jerusalem from above and feel themselves embraced by the same as sensibly as the Child feeleth the Mothers Embraces and see and behold Her Beauty hear her voice and Language and all this is Spiritually and Inwardly known and witnessed in all True Believers Again that he saith True Believers are United to Christ is true and very comfortable but is in contradiction to His and his Brethrens Doctrine who say it is Blasphemy to affirm that Christ is really in the Saints for if he be not really in them by himself they cannot be United to him for true Union requireth the near presence of the things United one to another as the Body cannot be United to the Soul if the Soul be not really in the Body and all true Believers are United to Christ in Heaven by their being United to the measure of him in themselves as the Members of the Body are United to the Head by being United to a measure of the same Life and Spirit in them that is in the Head Page Eleven Twelve He defineth Effectual Calling to be A powerful call of God whereby he calls and draws sinners out of Sin into Grace which as it is true so is in contradiction to him and his Brethren who say All inward calling and speaking of God is ceased and there is no other Voice or Word of God but the Scriptures and yet he confesseth all have not that Effectual Calling who have the Scriptures Again he concradicteth by saying that God calleth and draweth sinners out of sin unto Grace and yet in Page Twelve saith All are still sinners And in Page Thirty saith The Godly cannot keep Gods commands perfectly And His Brethrens Doctrine is that the Saints sin in every Though Word and Deed. Page Fifteen He saith Justification and Adoption are acts of God without us and make only a Relative change but no real change and are compleated at once And in Page Sixteen He saith Justification Adoption and Sanctification once had can never be wanted all which are False and hurtful Assertions and contrary to Scripture for Gods Justifying Believers is his speaking peace to them in their Consciences and Absolving them from Condemnation as a Judge absolveth or cleareth an Accused Person and surely that is within and if not within he should have told where without if he mean in Heaven thiâ— can be no assurance nor comfort to any unless it be revealed and done also within in mens hearts Again that God maketh any men to be his Children without a Reâ—change is most absurd is not Faith and Regeneration a real change and none are made the children of God but by Faith and Regeneration and again to say that Sanctification and Justification cannot be lost is moâ—… absurd and serveth to flatter people iâ— great sins yea the greatest as if they were still Saints for according to this False Doctrine David remained a Saint and perfectly Justified when he committed Murder and Adultery and at this rate the worst of men may be Saints while such but the Scripture saith No Murderer nor Unrighteous Person can Inherit the Kingdom of God but they must be washed c. But if they still remain Saints after Murder they may inherit Gods Kingdom for all the Saints are in measure in Gods Kingdom Page Twenty-four Concerning the Sabbath he expresly Contradicteth the Scripture which expresly enjoyned the seventh Day to be kept and not indifferently one of seven Page Twenty-six He most grosly wrongeth and most falsely accuseth the People of God called in scorn Quakers saying that the Quakers and all Profane Persons are enemies to a Sabbath but it is no new nor strange thing that Gods People is numbred with Transgressors of the greatest sort seeing Christ our Lord and Head was so used by men high in an outward Profession and the people called Quakers own Christ to be the True Spiritual Sabbath or Rest of all True Believers the substance and thing signified by the
Jewish Sabbaths and New Moons and other Types and Figures of the Law yet they set apart the First day of the week from Servile Labour and spend it Religiously in Publick and Private Religious exercises as their Neighbours can witness among whom they live and give up noâ— only that Day but many other days anâ— times to the Worship of God and aâ—… careful to live to God all the days oâ— their life Page Twenty-eight What he delivereth in his Catechism concerning Ministers is most Lame and Defective He saith People 〈◊〉 to maintain their Miâ—isters that is a principal thing with him but he faileth iâ— these Three great Particulars 1. That he doth not inform people that none are true Ministers of Christ buâ— such as are really Holy and Godly Men and have a Living Experience of the work and dealings of Gods Spirit in their heart that so they may Preach their own Spiritual Experiences unto people as Daviâ— did who said Come and I will tell you whâ— God hath done for my soul and as these did who said What we have heard and seen anâ— handled of the word of Life we declare 〈◊〉 you 2. That he doth not inform People concerning the true Call of the true Miâ—…sters of God and of Christ who aâ— called and furnished by the Spirit of Chaist in the work of their Ministry to Preach and Pray but seeing he and his Brethren called Presbyterian Ministers deny this manner of immediate calling by the Spirit of God they run to the Church and Pope of Rome by that Dirty Channel and Conduit to have their Call conveyed to them for they know that their Presbyterian Church nor indeed any other called a Church hath been a Visible Church ever since the Apostles Days but only the Church of Rome hath called her self the Visible Church and they confess and say with us that the True Church of God hath been that Woman who hath fled to the Wilderness and hath not been always visible but hid and that for about Twelve Hundred Years and so had no visible Officers or Ministers to call their successors And therefore they derive their Call and Authority by the Church and Pope of Rome as James Durham in his Commentary on the Revelations and many others whose Call and Ordination Dr. Owen so called hath refuted and these called Independent Ministers whereof John Owen was one have another poor shift and evasion saying they are called by the Church but if the Church was not visible for so many ages the Church could not call them the Ministers are before the Church and therefore cannot be called by the Church originally but all these poor shifts are in opposition to the inward Call and work and motion of Gods Spirit in the hearts of the Faithful which if they knew they would never run to such broken Cysterns to Draw Water 3. That he doth not inform people that all true Ministers of Christ as they have freely received so they freely give without desiring or bargaining for any setled maintenance nor exacting it by force as Presbyterian Ministers commonly do Page Thirty Nine Forty He doth very barely and obscurely and very defectively and in some things falsly deliver his Doctrine concerning Baptism and the Lords-Supâ—per he doth not distinguish Christs Baptism which is with the Holy Ghost and Fire from Johns Baptism that is with Water he barely alledgeth that Children of Believing Parrents Viz. Infants are to be Baptized he giveth no account by what Authority oâ— Call they Baptise for they have no other Call but by the Pope of Rome and they have learned that practice of Sprinking or pouring Water on a Childs Forehead and calling it Baptism from the Church of Rome which they call the Where of Babylon and 〈◊〉 concerning the Supper of the Lord he is also very defective and he and his Brethren usuâ— and assume an Authority to themselve to Consecrate and Administer the Supper because of their Ordination originally deriv'â— by the Pope but all good Christians maâ— and ought to Eat and Drink remembring Christs Death and may and do receive him by Faith together with their outward eating with Prayer and Thanksgiving and so fulfil Christs Institution without any Prelate Presbyter or Priest of the Popes making for all true Christians are a Kingdom of Priests unto God and have the Word and Spirit of Prayer that only doth and can Sanctify their Eating and Drinking c. If any Question the Truth of this Copy they may satisfie themselves by perusing the Original at Rehoboth in Pocamok Mary-Land A Short Answer to George Keith's Lybel Against a CATECHISM Published by F. M. And left in the Hands of Mr. George Layfield I Am not a little surprised to receive from the hands of Mr George Layfield a paper containing so many mistakes false unjust and invidous charges against a Catechism Published by F M. and the rather because of his high pretences to an immideate mision and vain boasting of an extraordinary Apostolick call iusulting over all others from unusual high and enthusiastick attainments compleat perfection and unheard of experiences which the most serious and Godly are strangers unto and what they have any experince of most modest in discoursing of them and selfe denyed under their greatest enjoyments I shall wave two things First it's being delivered without a subscription whereby it is to be looked upon as a Libel not â—o be Answered nor Regarded Secondly that complementing and flattering preamble they have ever Condemned in others and withal am glad 〈◊〉 hear they have any Charity for any of a different Opinion from themselves which coming to heaâ— their Teachers will procure at any time First He begins with a general Charge of many Errors false and unsound things comprehended in the Catâ—chism And next He asserts the Author to be guilty of many Omissions and this from one pretending to Learning who has diligently read and considered it as he says is so insignificant and idle Imputation which all modest and ingenuous men must never disown and that there are Omissions wilful and designed Omissions I shall never deny for after it was first Composed I did Compendize and Abreviate it ofter than once to suit it to the Capacities of such for whom it was prepared even young ones to whom Quakers have had little regard hitherto as to their Instruction in Religious Fundamentals Neither have I seen any Writings of Quakers even those pretending to give accounts of their Principles but justly may be charged with greater Omissions then any yet discovered in the Catechism Published by F. M. as the Doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in the God-head the Ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer the Pattern of all Prayer and George Fox his Received Catechism industriously spread by Quakers not only savours of Humane Learning and words of mans wisdom but guilty of many weighty Omissions and fills up a great part with stuff wherein there is no Religion far less can they
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—