thereby to deceive And when Quakers are pursued hotly about Miracles they Smilingly say John the Baptist wrought 〈◊〉 Miracles and yet his Mission was Extraordinary and immediate as K. Alledged at my House and oâ— improved it and Particularly against the Nâ— England Ministers and they suppose they have gained the Day but methinks K. as I told him and all others may justly be ashamed of Producing this all an instance for the Future for tho' John wrought no Miracles yet being Co-temporary with our Lord Jesus and his Apostles and they who wrought many Miracles confirmed this Mission that he was the Promised Elias but the Immediate Mission of Quakers never was confirmed either by their own of by the Miracles of others tho' some of them have presumed boldly on Miracles which Propheseing Miracles As the Eating Quaker in England Justly made the Monument of Gods Wrath and Monster of Mankind For daring to imitate Our Lord in that Miraculous Action of His Fasting Forty Daâ—… and Forty Nights in the Wilderness And Solomoâ— Ackles who Boastingly challenged Ministers to Fasâ— with him and Justly Punished for his Vnchristian anâ— hold Arrogance Another once in Barbadoes to king upon him to Prophecy the Death of a Child which in all humane Probability was beyond all expectation of Recovery but GOD to confound his Boldness and discover him to be a Deceiver was pleased to restore the Child who Lived in health for many Jews and the Quaking Prophet was necessitated shamefully to Publish his Recantation wherein he affirmed he had Belyed the Spirit of God And if so it is no Wonder they Belye their Neighbours but any man may see how they come off with their Lying Wonders and so shall come off in the End with their immediate Mission but it is at Length come to this that you must recieve their Verbal testimony or remain altogether dissatisfyed about their Extraordinary Call tho' some as Keith informed us at my house run that Self-Confounding and Universal Gulf of Miracles in Spirit a New invented Phrase of worse then mans Wisdome far from the Language of the Spirit of God whose Saving Operations are not Miracles at all to the Spirit of God and if Miracles they are Gods Properly and not Quakers but this with many more Phrases of heirs has no Foundation in the Scriptures And we desire to know how many of them ever Spake with Tongues who were not Taught them in the School or Learned them of others Farewel then immediate Mission if you take it not upon the Words of a Quaker And that Presbyterians and Independants and then only as he invidiously expresses it should run to the Church of Rome and Pope for to derive the mission â—…ll and ordinition from thence is the grossest caâ—…ny and most notorious Lye that could be batched â—ut of hell and must be of Satan the Father of Lyes â—ut if K had asserted this of such has hold no ordination but from the hands of a Bishop or Prelate he might have had some plea for his charge for Rome and all that Party sufficiently know there are none so opposite to nor so faithful and Zealous against them as Dissenting Protestants were no not Quakers themselves who would not have been so great at the English Court in the late Reign if they had therefore a Noted Person lately gained from Rome affirmed The Dissenting Protestants were the Bulwarks of the Protestant Interest in Europe And I must greatly suspect what K told me at my House as another Lye and Calumny that Mr. John Cotton of Hampton in New-England acknowledged in a Publick Dispute that He derived his Ordination from the Pope and the rather because he abused me upon his Return to Mr. Davis affirming the same thing of me that I owned cur Mission and Ordination from the Pope of Rome but I am confident his own Conscience could not but witness the contrary to his Face But it is to be Feared it was not the First time he had Learned to Baffle Conscience in more Weighty Matters For I not only Abhorred Disclaimed and Denyed it but Positively and Plainly Affirmed Our Mission was from Jesus Christ and Warranted from the Scriptures Hence I give caution to all not to be Credulous of K's words however so confidently affirmed but he were no fit Deciever if nor Possessed with a Spirit of Lyes and Calumnys But we can easily Justify ourselves from this Aspersion thrown invidiously upon us by Quakers and particularly by K. in all his Publick and Private Discourses and also in some of his Writings repeated over and over with an empty noise of Words for 〈◊〉 we should say with Calvin that he and others oâ— our Primitive Reformers were Evangilists extraordinarily Raised and Immediately Called of God in that great Exigence of the Church in calling the People of God out of Popish Darkness and Superstition in bringing them out of Babylon yet this will prove but a slender Argument for Quakers holding Extraordinary Calls and immediate Missions to be Gods ordinary and usual uninterrupted way to the end of the World because it might be allowed of in that juncture of the Necessity of the Church for though our Lord himself the King of his Church at the beginning of the Promulgation of the Gospel Called some in an Extraordinary Manner though at the same time they had an External Call from Christ as man yet as soon as the Christian Church began to Encrease he Commands them to use second Means for that Calling and Separation of others to the Holy Office of the Ministry in an Ordinary and Holy Separation to that Sacred Work as Paul and Barnabas was commanded to be Separated and there was Casting of Lots used in supplying the number of the Apostles and the Apostle Paul commands Timothy and Impowers him to Ordain Elders in every Church and not to neglect the Gift that was given him by Prophecy with the Laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery who are Commanded to Lay Hands suddenly on no man without sufficient proof of his Parts and Piety And further for their direction in this Scriptural and Orderly Separation and Ordination God has laid down all the Qualifications of Ministers of the Gospel which Quakers can never find in all their Teachers especially of the Feminine Sex As to our Reformers receiving their Ordination Mission and Call from Rome and conveying it to us which would seem to be the first great puzling and confounding Argument I shall answer it in these following particulars 1. I would inquire of all Quakers whether God in that great defection and universal Corruption of the Church under Romish Idolatry had then a Church in the World though in the Wilderness to deny all Churches whether Visible or Invisible really belonging to God Jesus Christ were to overthrow many Promises of God to his Church of Building her upon an immoveable Rock and that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against her and it is inconsistent to
prevented of having any of my Friends present though some few dropped in occasionally at which time we had several Charges and Questions concerning several things which were too tedious to Rehearse here but I wish they had been Recorded then to prevent many misâ—epresentations that were spread abroad by that Party And though there was no real Debate he oft told me he came not to Dispute with me yet soon after they boasted of a Victory which if they find after a diligent perusal impartial consideration of these Sheets let them improve and post it if they will Yet after some Discourse be impudently charged me as a False Teacher and challenged me to a Publick Dispute before the Multitude which I scorned with a sharp retorsion and that for these reasons 1. Their Principles were unknown because never unanimously agreed upon nor fairly Published to the World therefore not to be Disputed within words 2. We should Dispute before an ignorant and illeterate Multitude who should be most incompetent Judges 3. Because he would run into Learning and I must follow and so what should be Delivered should not tend to their Edification but fall to the ground and be Lost But afterwards I gave him a Challenge to oppose my Catechism or Principles in Writing and he should have an Answer to every Particular though Keith gave not the least intimation of this Paper left behind him though he dropt an Expression which I understood not then that he would Write no more then he had done this I took for Declining my Challenge Now I Leave it to all to Determine whose Challenges or Overture was fairest for 1. What either of us should Deliver should be on Record and we could not fly from it 2 If the Hearing a verbal Debate in angry words should Edifie much more a written Debate frequently read over 3. Maâ—y might be Judges of a written Debate who â—ad no opportunity of hearing it Disputed â—ublickly And as I have prefixed his Paper verbatim so I expect the same priviledge for mine if any Answer is Published I have greater and better work then Controversie to Follow but in the Strength of the Lord shall not only Defend my Principles still by Writing but if called thereunto shall reaâ—ily Seal them with my Blood And so I Leave thee Reader to the Counsel and Direction of God whose Unworthy Servant I am in the Lord Jesus Amen At Rehoboth in Pocamok Maryland This 26 July 1692. Francis Makemie Reader I also offer thee these Following Questions which I expect and desire Resolution and Satisfaction from such as are concerned and that Plainly Positively Sincerely and Faithfully according to the Judgment of all of that Party without Obscurity Equivocation or Subtile and Unfair Reservation and so I bid theâ— Farewel and Remains as above F. M. Several mixed Quaeries to be resolved by Quakers in this juncture for the Justification of themselves and satisfaction of all July 26th 1692. Question I. WHat is the Reason Quakers are so far Metamorphosed or Changed both in Judgment and Practice at this Day from what they once were at their first rise in Europe II. What is the Reason Quakers that look upon themselves as the only pure Church in the World has never yet adventured to Publish a form of sound words according to the Apostles language containing a confession of their faith and principles unanimously agreed upon among themselves as all other churches in the world have done III Seeing they own themselves divinely inspired from an immediate call and Apostolick mission why they have not adventured to publish interpretations of Scripture seeing they condemn so far disapprove all other Commentaries as far from the mind of God and full of gross Errors and mistakes IV Wherefore did they write and Bark so much against all witnessing to truth conviction of falshood in Judicatures by an oath as sinful and unlawful under the Gospel and now in Pensilvania and Mary-Land seem only to quarrel the manner and way of Swearing on the Book according to the English Form and are willing to Swear now in Judicatures with lifted up hands which many look upon to be more solemn than the former V. Whether it be the same individual numerical Body for substance which falleth that shall rise again at the Resurrection notwithstanding of Changes in Respect of Quality VI. If there be a sufficient and saving light in all men to instruct direct and to teach them what necessity is there for multiplying so many Teachers both of Men and Women among Quakers VII Why Quakers are so hot and Zealous for K. James a Popish and Abdicated Prince and was never so for any other Protestant King tho' King WILLIAM and Queen MARY has been kinder than any other by giving a Liberty established by Law VIII Whether the same individual Josus that was cloathed with Hesh suffered and died at Jerusalem is the same that rose again and is ascended to Glory and the same they hold substantially in all men and women IX How Christ the Spirit of God saving Grace and Light can be in those who have not the least knowledg of him as Mediator and Intercessour between God and sinners X Whether the omission of duty as prayer or any other duty for a certain time a week a month or a year is excusable in Quakers before an all-seeing and Just God from this pretence that they had no impulse or motion of the Spirit thereunto XI Why they use not means for edifying reforming those of their families by calling them together reading Scripture daily to them praying with for them as other Christians in all Churches and Ages have done and is approved in the Word of God XII Wherefore Quakers have not adventured to publish their doctirnes publickâ— taught which they say is immediate from the spirit of God as most other Churches have done frequently XIII Seeing they decry the civil salutations of the Kingdom people among whom they live what warrant can they produce for their singular ugly bad natured way of salutation their Males Females taking one another by the hands or wrists continuing a â—onsiderable space wringing them hard looking stedfastly in each others faces without one word speaking XIV Whether it is Christ compleatly as modiator you believe in and is in all men XV Whether two men differing in a Fundamental truth absolutely necessary to salvation can be guided by the same infallible Spirit XVI Whether Quakers do direct their Prayers to God in themselves or to God in Heaven XVII Where God is really personally substantially is he not in all fulness of Grace and Goodness XVIII What Worship or Divine Service do the heathen nations perform unto the Living and True God XIX Whether the inflicting of corporal punishments on children servants other offenders and hiring of men to take a Vessel by force from Privateers be not an using of the carnal Weapon XX Whether the receiving of
be called Fundamentals as Salutations by words and Gestures Covering and Vncovering the Head condemning Preaching in Steeple Houses Churches Yea I appeal to the impartial and unbiassed Reader if the Catechism Composed by F. M. contains not more of the Principles of Religion then one containing Quakers Principles Composed by several Hands as Crook Pennington Burroughs Parker Smith and several others now I refer my self to every man how invidious and unjust it is to Charge a Catechism composed by one with Omissions while so many pretenders to immediate Revelations and Inspirations are guilty of so great Omissions and vain Repeticions and there is not a Book which I have seen writ by George Keith but may as justly lie under this Charge as my Catechism it were vain Ostentation to disown it And for my own part I have ever observed in all the Writings of men Ignorance Infirmity and Imperfection to magnifie the Excellency of the Scriptures above all Books of mens Composure but it is no strange thing to find Quakers quarrelling our succinct way of composing our Principles for young ones because they are opposite to so early Edification which practice is very inconsistent with Scripture Precepts and Presidents of Training a Child when young bringing up Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and Timothy knew the Scriptures from a Child and the advantage of an early Instruction is witnessed by the experiences of many Godly in all Ages where attended with the Blessing of God and pursued with Exhortation until they arrive at a riper age Now I leave all to consider how insignificant an imputation this of Omission is Another general Charge is that I have not declared from whence I have Received these things and that I have owned in the Title Page of my Catechism to be but a Collection from others These are heavy Charges with him therefore shall answer them particularly 1. Any that reads his Paper may understand he is as guilty of that Omission as any of his Neighbours for he has not told from whence he had what is delivered in this Paper and it was the best policy for he durst not assert it was from the Spirit of God because of the falshood and malice it contains as I shall make appear 2. If they are the Truths of God and agreeable to Scripture it is easily determined from whence these Truths are which were questioned by few until G. K. whose Trade has been to Foment Contention and stir up strife in the Churches of Christ in the World and whose Arguments are so slender and thred bare that they scarce deserve an Answer 3. If I inclined to stuff my Doctrines and Discourse upon all occasions with enlarged Accounts of Conversion or a work of Grace with concomitant and consequent Experiences of the Operations of Gods Holy Spirit as Keith pretends to do I might amuse my Hearers but Actions and Conversation are better demonstrations of a work of Grace then all Keith's vain boasting Language which with his self magnifying Language can be esteemed nothing else then a Crying up and Preaching himself instead of Christ for though Paul oft declared his Conversion and gloried in his Attainments it was that the Free Grace of God might be exalted and self abased which Quakers are rarely acquainted with either in Praying or Teaching as many who have heard them always declare And because Keith has shewn himself void of Charity by shooting his invidious Thunderbolt at a distance e're he knew or saw me or I him That I am infallibly a great stranger to the dealings of Gods Spirit on the hearts of his People I am constrained to Justifie my Office from those Uncharitable Calumnies and that Grace might be magnified by giving this Relation in the sight of an All seeing and Omnipresent God that e're I Received the Imposition of Hands in that Scriptural and Orderly Separation unto my Holy and Ministerial Calling that I gave requiring satisfaction to Godly Learned and Judicious Discerning Men of a work of Grace and Conversion wrought on my heart at fifteen years of Age by and from the pains of a Godly Schoolmaster who used no small diligence in Gaining Tender Souls to Gods Service and Fear since which time to the Glory of his Free Grace be it spoke I have had the sure Experiences of Gods various Dealings with me according to his Infinite and Unerring Wisdom to my unspeakable comfort whereby all may see how far Grace is expected and desired with Gifts to qualifie for the Ministerial Office for not only was this required of me but is expected of all Ordained by Presbyters which experience shall enable me not to value what Keith or any other Quakers shall ignorantly and groundlesly affirm in judging rashly of my State for we are looked upon as of the World and they only the People of God as they commonly Cauterize us but this is our comfort we shall not be Judged in the Last Day by Quakers who must as well as their Neighbours give an account of their rash and uncharitable judgings to a most Righteous Judge 4. And that it is a Collection from the Scriptures of the Living God I never will deny but glory in it it Keith mean from others it is faâ—… and there is â—o mention of those others in the 〈◊〉 Page what hath Keith Published in most of his Books but Collections and many of them from the worst of men Hereticks long since consured with some wild sophistical and unscriptural Notions of his own both repugnant to Scripture and opposite to his Quaking Brethren And Turpe est dectori eum cuâ—pa redarguit ipsum He asserts I declare not that it is God or Christ or the Spirit of God that convinceth or reproveth people of their sins but this is so false a Calumny that none in charity can judge Kâ—ith to be so great a Perfectionist as he proclaims himself to be and this every one may be satisfied in if they will but turn over to page 12 where it is plainly delivered That God in Turning or Calling Sinners unto himself does convince them of Sin and Misery Enlighten their Minds with the Knowledge of Christ Renews their wills c. which is also the judgment of all my Brethren and particularly of those of the Westminster Assembly both in their Shorter and larger Catechism And whereas he charges me with this that I mention but little of the Spirit of God at all and that this may appear as falâ—e as the former I refer my self to every Reader and especially those who have read and considered better then Keith hath done and let them turn over to the several pages where I have made frequent mention of the Spirit of God in so small a Volumn ascribing to him that which was and is his peculiaâ— work 1. As being the Original Author and Inditer of the Scriptures page 3.2 As being one distinct from the Father and the Son page 4.3 Oâ— Christ's
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
say God had a Church among the Jews under their Defections and Failings away to Idolatry and Superstition Now where Christ has a Church though Invisible in the Wilderness there are the Essentials of Religion Ordination and Church-constitution tho' much infected with Error and corrupted with Romish Superstition and these Essentials are still Gods and to esteem his and not theirs who are the chief Instruments Heads and Authors of all the Corruptions under that Defection to whom only and properly belong those Errors Corruptions Idolatries and Superstitions they have invented and introduced to the Church And yet the soundest of Divines believe that upon all Reformations which undoubtedly are originally and efficiently of God a people or particular persons leaving and Renouncing the Abominations of Antichrist and their submitting to and embracing the Truth of the Gospel and the Purity of all Ordinances and Worship abandoning the Pope as their Head and Subjecting themselves to Christs Kingdom they are ipso facto Constituted Churches of Jesus Christ and the Gospel Truths Ordination and Ordinances VVord and Sacraments they adhere to are not theirs nor from those they Separated from is Keith ignorantly and invidiously asserts but they are still the Lords and belong to Jesus Christ for even in the Church of Rome and under Antichrist there were Ordinances of Jesus Christ VVord and Sacraments Praying Preaching and Praising of God tho' much vailed and corrupted and consequently they had Ministers or Officers to Dispense these Ordinances who undoubtedly had some of the Essentials of Ordination which was the Lords and nothing was properly Antichrists but Antichristian Corruptions of which he is Author for differentia constituit speciem so that we no more have Ordination from the Pope upon Reformation then we have Baptism and the Lords Supper Reading and Praising and Quakers have Prayer Teaching the Scriptures and their new Observation of the First Day of the VVeek And we would gladly know from what part of Gods Word is it or can it be made to appear that upon every Defection and Corruption of the Church God will Beget and Create New Churches in an immediate manner under the Gospel more man under the Law For after the Defections of Israel and long continuance in Idolatry upon their Repentance and Reformation from all their Coruptions and Abuses they were Re Established 〈◊〉 Adâ—…itred unto all the Ordinances and Priviledges of the Church of God and what does Keith think of them and their Reformation dâ—are he affirm they had all their Ordination and VVorship from Jereboam Who made Israel to Sin and other chief Idolaters so it will unquestionably follow that neither we our Ordination Doctrine VVorship nor Sacraments while warranted from the Authoâ—ly of Gods VVord are from Rome the Pope or any Prelate in the VVorld as Quakers after the manner of Satan would Accuse the Brethren Thus Keiths invincible Armado is beat to pieces whereby he thought to have overthrown all Churches who have obeyed Gods Call and are come out of Babylon And we are confident that a great part of our Teachings are Christian Experiences to which we oft publickly do Appeal for Confirmation of what is delivered and many Preachers have a peculiar way of Preaching their own Experiences And finally as he begins so he closes shuts up his Paper with groundless False Calumnies and invidious Reflections affirming I assert and alledge False things concerning Baptism and the Lords Supper and First concerning Baptism he saith First I do not distinguish between Johns Baptism and Christs In answer to this I Freely assent to any and all the distinction made in the Scriptures which is not in Substance or Essence but in Fruit and Efficacy and the same distinction I still make between our External Administration and Christs Efficacious Blessing thereof for what John said we and all Ministers of the Gospel to the end of the World must still acknowledge we Baptise with Water but Christ and he alone Baptiseth with the Holy Ghost and with Fire And if the Baptism Administred by Christs Disciples in His Name Authority and Presence was Christs and no doubt it was the same with Johns for Substance as you or any other may Read John 2.22 23 24 26. verses For 1. That Baptism wherewith Christ and His Disciples Baptised in the Land of Judea was Water Baptism 2. It was an outward visible and discernable Baptism to Spectators saith Johns Disciples to him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan the same Baptizeth and all men come unto him it is observable that it was not the Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with Fire as distinct from the outward Ordinance for it is said John 4.2 Jesus himself Baptised not but His Disciples yet it is called his in the 1 v. of this chap. and in the 22. v. of the former chap 1 Because done by his Disciples 2 By his Command and Authority And it was the same Baptism his Disciples and Apostles performed in all and Every Church where they Preached the Gospel according to that last Commission of Our Lords immediately before His Ascension Matth 28. and last Go Teach and Baptise al Nations and Lo I am with you to the end of the World Hence Four things are observable in this Text. 1 That Teaching of Nations yea All Nations by external means and instruments is a Standing and Perpetual Ordinance in the Church of Christ to the end of the World 2 That as many as are Called Ministers of the Gospel are also Commissionated To Baptise also Go Teach all Nations Baptising them 3 That Water Baptism or the External Ordinance is that Enjoined or Commanded in the Words and not the Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with Fire for it is enjoined to meer men who can do no more then John could do who Professed he Baptised with Water and yet we believe many who were Baptised by John received also the Holy Ghost otherwise a very empty and insignificant Ordinance and unprofitable to all if nothing else was reaped thereby but Sprinkling or Washing with Water and yet the Outward Mean Ordinance and Administration was from John and the fruit efficacy and blessing was from Jesus Christ and it is bold impudence and Arrogant Presumption for any to pretend to Baptise with the Holy Ghost and with Fire which is Christs peculiar Work and Prerogative And Keiths answer here unto in his Book is void of all satisfaction to any Intelligent Person for he affirms tho' no man Baptize with the Holy Ghost efficiently yet they may instrumentally we who use the outward mean Instrument and Ordinance may through the Blessing of God and Efficacious Presence of Christ's Spirit and undoubtedly are made Instruments of the Inward Grace Life and Advantage of that Ordinance but how Quakers can be Instruments of Baptizing Spiritually who are opposite to and ridicule the outward Ordinance which is the only proper means and instrument of Gods own Appointment I cannot resolve unless they
many are Unqualified for the Ministry this is a weighty Ground indeed and a just Cause and it is not to be doubted but applicable to both Partys so that a seperation from them both is Warrantable which all good Christians are to pray that God may accomplish to the Glory of his own Name and the Honour of Truth as the Issue of the begun Controversy and Confusions and alass it must be strange that all these things have been concealed so long since the Rise of Quakers in Europe and none found Faithful or Zealou sâ—or Truth among them to bring them to Light until this very Prejudice Passion and Malice or envy among them for it is not to be doubted but K in his Travels over the World could not meet with as many Insufficient Teachers as are now among them in the Government of Pensilvania East and West Jersys and also Innumerable impertinencys Inconsistencys Errors and Falshoods as he has been sensible of of late abounds among them so that it is to be feared he has been moved from Prejudice Passion and other Quarrels whereby he has taken this time and place for assuming the Honour of New Reformer for what he charges them with is no New thing but known by all who have converst with that Party to have been their Constant Sentiments as much known to K as any now in being for the Time he has followed that Novelty And according to the Present State of Affairs and Notable Alterations in a Place so the Discourses of all Regulated and Directed for most places of this Province this Division has given all Partys a Theme of Discourse and Subject of Debate and K in his Postscript to his Reasons gives a Brief account of the matters Controversed both at Meeting and other Places we suppose for the Information of Inspired Men. As 1 Whether we are only to believe in Christ Within or in him without also and in Heaven Our Advocate with the Father 2 Whether to Preach Faith in Christ within and Faith in Christ without be to Preach two Christs 3. Whether it be a Doctrine necessary to be Preacht to Believe in Christ without 4 Whether Christ's Body that was Nailed to the Cross and was Buried and Arose again be with him in Heaven Some of them saying as Keith told me at his House it never Rose but Evanished or Remained in the Grave others saying it arose but after it Ascended in the Cloud was separated from it others say it is a Nicety and to be ignorant of it does not hinder a man from being a true Christian and a Minister of Christ Others saying it is a dividing of Christ Others accusing of some for Denying the Sufficiency of the Light within from all which it is evident notwithstanding of all their high pretences to Immediate inspirations and Extraordinary Illuminations from he Spirit of God what great Error Ignorance and â—lindness they discover to the World 1. Their Ignorance of Christ Jesus our Saviour whom to Know is Eternal Life and whom Quakers say is dwells substantially in all of them and if so could it be possible to Remain so I gnorant of him as they proclaim themselves to be and who in their right wits but must look upon them as deluded Souls rather than Inspired from Heaven 2. They know not how necessary the Faith and Knowledge of the true Christ as Mediator is to make a true Christian real Minister hence they plainly tell us what Christians and Ministers will pass among Quakers even such as neither know Christ aright nor believe the true Knowledge of him necessary seeing they call Christ-man Ascended and Glorified in Heaven a Nicety conclude all such Christless Christians and Christless Ministers As an Appendix to the reasons we have an Account of the Faith of Quakers published by Keith and called in its Frontispiece the Faith of some Quakers in Pensilvania which is an Argument of their difference in Principles and Fundamentals but this will not do being so far from being Quakers Principles every where that they are not even the Principles of all in Pensilvania and for any thing I know but of a very few for tho' itis the Ambition of both Parties to Increase their Numbers Engross Followers yet to this Account of Faith he has procured but five Subscribers beside himself and as I am Informed men of mean Parts and Account but that I may briefly animadvert all Lovers of Truth concerning this Account of Faith which should be Fundamentals chiefly I shall deliver something in general and something particularly And in general 1. It is more guilty of Deficiency and Omission then a Catechism lately Censured by him to which he has an Answer for there are none acquainted with Quakers Principles can conclude this Account to be Faithfu or Full 2 Their Faith is here so obscurely delivered in Scripture Language in controversy as to the Exposition of them between them and the Reformed Churches that except in some few things that are not Fundamentals they are the Faith of others as well as of Quakers and so not fairly done But particularly 1 In page 29. He owns a particular Election of all that shall be Saved before the Foundations of the World which he must never recede from 2 Page 30. He is lame in describing the Corruption conveyed from Adam to his Posterity and says It is not Imputed to Damnation but if there be any Sin not Damnable with Quakers Death must not be the Wages of Sin with them neither must the Loss of our Original Righteousness or the Image of God be Damnable Strange flattering Doctrine to Natural Sinners 3. He says Page 31. That the common Ministration which they say is in all even in their meer Gentile State is of a Saving Nature tendencyâ—…in a general way so that any may see what a Change is in this mans mind from all Quakers who still have asserted the Sufficiency of this Universal Grace for Salvation for here he neither calls it Sufficient nor Saving but only it is of a Saving Nature and tendency and yet Page 32. He contradicted by saying it is sufficient to Save every man 4 He omits wholly any thing concerning the Covenants of Works and Grace which are undoubtedly main points of Faith seeing it is according to the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace every Sinner must be Saved and Christ is Mediator of the New Covenant 5. He tells us nothing of Women Teachers at all in his Section concerning but perhaps he dare not tell his mind yet in that point as he says of other things 6. He Transiently runs over the Ten Commandments 7. He continues to cry down Swearing in Witnessing to Truth while they decry the name they really maintain and practice the thing in all Courts in Pensilvania 8. He fills up a whole Section of their Faith with Baptism and the Lords Supper but seeing it is known to all they deny the use of both they should be ashamed