Little flocks guarded against grievous wolves. an address unto those parts of New-England which are most exposed unto assaults, from the modern teachers of the misled Quakers. In a letter, which impartially discovers the manifold haeresies and blasphemies (2024)

The First Argument.

A Person that pretends, An Assurance from the Spirit of God, for a thing that is a Direct LYE in matter of Fact, is one from whom all that are concerned for their Souls, are to Turn away.

But such a person is George Keith.

All men will and should beware, how they deal with a convicted Lyar; honest men usual∣ly can as little endure the sight of a person that makes no Bones of a Lye in matter of Fact, as Erasmus professes in his Collequies. But when a man that comes with a LYE shall Fa∣ther that Brat of the Devil (for such is every Lye!) upon the Holy Spirit of God, that sa∣cred Spirit of Truth; surely the Impiety is risen to a monstrous Elevation. And now I think, that George Keith is chargeable with no less a wickedness. He has not only forfeited all Reputation for Inspiration, as much, as the Quaker, that a while since pretended, That he came with a Message from the Lord, unto a per∣son who was it seems then out of the Way by

being out of the Town; but he has Ly'd like Ananias himself. I do not mean, in his Ac∣count of Ralph Jones and his Cows at Barnsta∣ble, which is affirmed to be a Lye: but I mean in his Printed Letter to the Ministers of Boston. In that Letter he says, He is well assured by the Spirit of God, That the Doctrine, which we preach to the people is False; and says he, The particu∣lar Things I charge on you are these,—The last of them is, That the Scriptures ought to be believ∣ed only for their own outward Evidence, and Testi∣mony, and not for the inward Evidence and Testi∣mony of the Holy Spirit in mens Hearts. Now this is a Doctrine directly contrary to what we have preach'd a thousand times over. For, tho we do say, That the extraordinary ways by which God Revealed Himself to his People, before & for the writing of all the Scripture, are so Ceased, that we have no warrant now to look for them, yet we grant, that all Believers do still enjoy the special Illuminations and Assistences of Gods Ho∣ly Spirit; and we hold that without a special Influence of the Holy Spirit in the Hearts of men, the Scriptures cannot be duly and aright Be∣lieved. But that which makes the LYE of this Keith more inexcusably impudent and notori∣ous is this. In that Letter he says, That he has diligently examined our Confession of Faith, and thereby Learnt what we Preach. Now [to see how he wanted the Memory so necessary for such persons] in that Confession, there is one whole Article, to assert this Doctrine,

That

the Heavenliness of the matter [of the Holy Scriptures] the Efficacy of the Doctrine, the Majesty of the Style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole, the full Disco∣very it makes of the only way of mans Sal∣vation, the many other Incomparable Excel∣lencies, and the Entire Perfections thereof, are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly Evidence it self to be the Word of God;

yet notwithstanding, Our full Perswasion and As∣surance of the Infallible Truth and Divine Au∣thority thereof, is from the INWARD WORK of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our Hearts. If this do not prove Keith a LYAR of the first magni∣tude, there never was yet a Lyar from the Be∣ginning. And you shall now hear how Impeni∣tent he is in his Lying. I did in print Admo∣nish him of this Lye, because it was in Print he vented it; but he does in Print Reply up∣on me, Thy Affirmation is False; and adds ano∣ther Lye to it; by saying, That we deny the inward Revelation of the Holy Spirit in the Hearts of the Saints. And lest here should not be Lye enough, he further says, Dr. Owen denies that the Scripture derives its Evidence from the Inward Revelation of the Holy Spirit in Mens Hearts. Whereas Dr. OWEN in the Book to which, I suppose, he refers, expresly says, That the Scripture be Received as the Word of God, there is required a twofold Efficacy of the Spirit; The First respects the Subjects or the mind of man,

that assents to the Authority of the Scripture. And then the Doctor spends more than four whole Pages, to tell us, That the Spirit of God communicates a Spiritual Light unto men, and with his work of Illumination takes off the per∣verse Disposition in their minds, and Effectual∣ly perswades them to receive the Truth; and therewithal gives them a Spiritual Sense or Tast thereof in themselves in order hereunto. Thus palpably does Keith you see cover l, e with lye, and yet it Rains through after all. I durst refer it unto any sober Quaker in the world, whether Keith be not now Convicted of gross Lying in matter of Fact: I do here, in auditu quam plurimorum, charge him as an Egre∣gious lyar; and let him lay his Action against me when he please.

Wherefore when Keith comes among you, you must consider him as an Impenitent Lyar, who ha's yet blasphemously Entituled, the Blessed Spirit of our God, unto his LYE. But will you then hear such a man as a Preacher of the Truth? or must you not reasonably suspect all his pretended Inspiration; I say, Beware the Geese when such creatures Preach! The society to which he belongs, if he belong to any, are so far, No Christians, if they don't endeavour to bring him unto open repentance for such crimes as these.

The Second Argument.

A Person that has (if not certain, yet) fear∣ful

marks of the Ʋnpardonable Sin upon him, is one from whom all that would be concerned for their Souls are to turn away.

But such a person is George Keith.

The Apostle tells us, That we are not to pray for those that have committed the Ʋnpardonable Sin; I am sure then we should not suffer any such doleful sinners to prey on us. I know 'tis no easy thing to conclude who are Guilty of that Sin, and we should not be hasty, and sudden in such conclusions. Nevertheless there are such Persons who have upon them, the Direful marks, of their being Not far from the Great Transgression; and for some of them, Keith has been observable. He has been enlightned, and had formerly much of his education and conversation among the people of God; never∣theless he is a most Infamous Apostate from the Truths and Ways of God, professed among them; and of an Apostate he is become, as far as his Chain will reach, a Persecutor; for besides all his malicious Railing, at the Mini∣sters of God, which the Scripture calls Perse∣cution, he levels his Writings at no Design more plainly, than to get them starved of all their poor Subsistence in the world; which was Julians way of Persecution. Were the Trans∣migration of Souls a Truth, you might, when you see Keith, imagine that you see Alexander the Coppersmith, alive among us, doing much harm to the Religion of which he once made, like Alexander, a no mean profession; and

with a no less vrazen Impudence, than knock∣ing Diligence, hammering of mischief against the true Ministers of God. But he stops not here; for he has arisen to the Malice of Blas∣phemy against a special work of Gods Holy Spirit. There were four young people sensibly and horribly possessed with Devils, in Boston, where of the whole Town which is the most populous of the whole English America, had full satis∣faction The Ministers of the Town by no∣thing but solemn and zealous prayers over those possessed persons, obtained from our good God, such a deliverance for them all [ and they are now all alive upon the spot!] as has been heard and read with wonder in more than both Englands.

Well, This Keith in a pamphlet emmitted by him, to Reproach the person that now writes, Reprochfully more than once calls these Prayers,

A Co••ju••ing of the Divel.

And aftewards again puts the style of Charms and Spels upon them. And yet he knows, That it is our profession

To pray by the Holy Spirit of God;

yea, that we suffer for that profession: and he has cause to think that those prayers were made by, The Spirit helping our I••firm••t••es. Now for him to call these prayers, but so many works of the Devil! I'le assure you 'tis very like that sin, for which our Lord Jesus told the pharisees, They should never be forgiven. It is bad enough in the Quakers to say of the best Ministers, as Parnel does They

are meer Witches: but for a man to put the name of Witchcrafts upon the most serious and successful of our prayers I say tis a most horrible Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of God. And which is further admirable; Keith does in a page or two before, charge mee with

Falsifying the Holy Scripture and Alledging a Down∣right Falsehood, upon Christ himself,

because I say'd in a Sermon, We are told in Math. 12, 26. Satan is no divided against himself. Now, I confess, I took that for the sense and scope of the Text; and I am deceived, if I have not the generality of Interpreters of my side. Yea, 'tis plain, that our Lord Jesus is there vindicating himself from the cursed aspersion (which Keith has cast upon the poor Servants of the Lord Jesus here) of

casting out Divels by charms and spells;

and His Argument is from the subtilty and policy of the Devil. For if Devils do so side with our Lord as to confirm His word, by the casting out of Divels, the Devils Kingdome would be so Divided as to be quickly Ruined; but the Devil is too cunning to admit of such a Division in his Monar∣chy.

Whereas, Keith affirms, That Christ doth not so much as imply, That Satan is not divided against Satan. Yea, says he,

'Tis utterly False, for Satan is divided oftimes against Satan; and his Kingdom is divided also.

Behold, how concerned Keith is to wrest from our Blessed Jesus, the chief Argument, by

The Third Argument.

A Person that pretends the Instruction of Souls, in the only way of Life, and yet is full of shameful Self-contradictions in his Instructi∣ons, is one, from whom all that are concerned for their Souls are to Turn away.

But such a Person is George Keith.

Verity is a thing marvellously Consistent with it self; where you see Inconsistencies, you may suspect a cheat is intended for you; now Keith has good store of them. Among these, I will not insist. upon this, That George Keith all over his Writings does exclaim against our Fathers

that lived near forty years ago, as the most hi∣deous Murderers and Bloodsuckers in the world, and a most persecuting generation: And yet in that printed paper, which he calls A call to us; his words are,

O unthankful Nation; ye are gone from that tenderness, sobriety, and sim∣plicity, that was among you and your Fathers sometime ago.

What? is he angry because we don't continue the Tenderness, which two pages after he styles, more Inhumane, cruel, and Barbarous, than what is in most of all sorts of man∣kind? But I shall confine my self to this mans more Doctrinal Contradictions. Keith and his Friends are mighty Ready to find Contradictions in other men; and will make what they can't find. Thus one Delaval, in an Appendix to a Late Book of Keiths, raises hideous Tragedies against my self, as a self-contradicter; because, in one page of a Discourse, Entituled, The Serviceable Man, speaking of the present Gene∣ration in this Country, I say, There are Church∣es in it, Where we may see proportionably as much of God as in any spot of Ground which the Chil∣dren of Adam walk upon. And almost thirty pages after, speaking to the Rising Generation, I do to awaken them (not Affirm, but) En∣quire, Whether as they grow up, they will not give their Fathers cause (if the Dead could express themselves) to Rebuke them for their not walking in their ways? And if this be any Contradiction! Ridicula Capita! A Dutch Wo∣mans unintelligible Bubling at one of their pri∣vate

Meetings would as much Enlighten me, as the Impertinent Scribling of this man affects me. But indeed, if one would see Contradicti∣ons, Let them only look into one Book of Keiths; and in that one Book, I will note but a few of them, that would occur upon a stricter Exami∣nation; it is the one Book, which he Entitles, The Presbyterian and Independent Churches in New England brought to the Test. The very Title of that monstrous Book, tells us, that these Chur∣ches have neither the Doctrine, nor the Mini∣stry, nor Worship, nor Constitution, nor Govern∣ment, nor Sacraments, nor Sabbaths which be∣long to the true Church of Christ: and who would now expect Salvation under the conduct of Churches thus False upon all accounts be∣yond that of Rome it self? And yet within a Leaf or two, in an Epistle to those very Church∣es, he says,

He has a true Charity concern∣ing a Remnant among them, that they belong to Christ, and are the Real Members of His Body, which is his Church; and that they are the Sheep of Christ.

But in the Book it self, which is a Box of poyson as bad as what the Title promises; is it not a Contradiction to say, page 1. The Scriptures contain a full and en∣tire Declaration of all Christian Doctrine; and to say in the same page, Yet they do not contain the whole Mind, Will and Counsel of God? Or, will he grant, that we are to enquire after Du∣ties and Comforts, which are no part of Christi∣an Doctrine? Either Keith contradicts himself:

or he would have us to believe (and so indeed he would!) some things which are no Christi∣an Doctrine at all. Is it not a contradiction, to say, page 32.

We are not assured that any man is in that state of perfection, that they may not by Humane Frailty depart from the infallible Teachings of the Spirit of God;

and to say in page 204.

'Tis false Doctrine to hold, That no men ever since the Apostles Days, are assisted by any Infallible Spirit, as the Prophets witnessed of old?

Or, will he say, That the Writers of the Scripture, did by Humane Frailty therein, sometimes depart from the Infallible Teachings of the Spirit.

Is it not a conradiction, to say in pag. 74. We no where find in all the Scripture, that God hath Reprobated any part of mankind before the foundation of the world; And in the same page, To allow, That Gods Purpose and Holy Will concerning them that finally perish, is from be∣fore the foundation of the world. And in a page, or two after, to confess,

That God has a special and peculiar care towards all that shall be saved; the number of whom is most infallibly known to God; and, That God in his Infinite Counsel [which is Eter∣nal] permits others finally to resist His Grace?

Is it not a contradiction, to say, in pag. ••7. Election goes before reprobation and is not Coaevous with it; and yet own a page or two before,

That Gods purpose concerning them that perish, is from before

the foundation of the world, and it considers them as having resisted the call of God?

Or is it not a flat contradiction, to tell us, That there is Election without Reprobation, which is to say, That among diverse objects, there may be some chosen before and without others; and yet others not Left out, not Rejected, not Omit∣ted in the choice. Is it not a contradiction, to say, in pag. 87. The Holiness of the Children of Believers only signifies a nearer capacity that some have to become actually Holy in time; and yet say the page before, All have a possibility to be Converted and become the Children of God; (and to mend the matter add in his own Vindication p. 87. All Infants are clean! By which also the express words of the Apostle, in 1 Cor. 7. 14. are most expresly contradicted?) is it not a Contradiction to say, in pag. 99. That our Doctrine of,

Reprobation, makes the effectual use of means absolutely impossible to any, so as to leave them under Discourage∣ment.

While he himself tells us, that there are Elect, and that none but these shall be Saved? The man seems to be one of Mahomets Angels. Mahomet saw certain Angels (as the Turkish Bible tells us) that had Horns which were half Fire and half Snow; the Inconsistencies which were on Ovtside of their Heads, are got into the Inside of this mans, who (by the way) is not so good a Christian as many thou∣sands that at this day dwell in Constantino∣nople. Thus the sixth Section in his

Chapter of Justification, does not only contra∣dict the tenets of them that are most Men of Renown in the Congregation of the Quakers, but also give away the whole cause which he is pleading of, by saying, The Lord Jesus Christ is the alone and only Foundation and ground of Justification. Is it not a gross Contradiction, to tell us in pag. 140, 141. That our Doctrine of

Perseverance is a most false, wicked, pernici∣ous, poysonous Doctrine, and a most wonder∣ful piece of confusion;

and yet grant in di∣vers other pages,

That if God suffers those whom He hath drawn at any time, to depart, they shall certainly be reclaimed; nay that eve∣ry one of them shall certainly be Saved, and none of them shall finally perish!

Do's not he inform us in pag. 147. that a

True believer may be only in the first Covenant!

and is not that a Contradiction! Is it not a most Jangling sort of Contradiction, to tell us in pag. 156. That whereas we say.

The best of the Saints cannot perfectly keep the Commandments of God, but doth daily break them, This is most expresly contrary to Scripture in many places, and quite opposite to the very nature of the New Covenant;

and yet acknowledge in pag. 161. That those who have the most Noble Degree of Holiness may yet fall short; and in pag. 162. That the best of men have motions to sin, and these motions arising from the Natural and Mortal part still remaining in them! Is it not

a Contradiction to tell us in pag. 193. That we

have no reason to keep the First day of the week, as our Sabbath;

and yet confess in that very page,

It is commendable in Christians, to to set apart the first day of the week, for rest from employments, and to help the mind in its Spiritual Exercises?

These & many more such Thwarting things you shall find his writings entangled with; so that you shall never know where you are, or what he would have. If Keith be what some take him to be, he might have known that there is in the Popes palace an Officer called the Corrector of Contradictions, through whose hands all the Popes Bulls are to pass. Keith should have made his Book to have passed through the Hands of that Officer, that it might not have been so full of Bulls. Indeed, I doubt I have done the world a diskindness by noting of these Contradictions in him; for he will go near now to print ano∣ther Volumn of equal Blasphemies, but of great∣er Confusions, to Reconcile these two Champi∣ons George and Keith; which two wandring Stars being in opposition, have an Aspect, that foretels the downfal of Quakerism. But af∣ter all, tis I, and not He, that must solve this ap∣pearance, and Reconcile them. Know therefore that the design of this Heretick has been, cheef∣ly to raise a Dust and a Noise, in the midst and by the means of which he might make the peo∣ple suspect their Ministers to be False-Teachers.

The Fourth Argument.

A Person that shall expresly Renounce both the Religion and the Saviour which the Saints have hither to ventured their Souls upon, is one from whom all that are concerned for their Souls are to Turn away.

But such a Person is George Keith.

Man, by taking to Himself an Humane, but sin∣less Body and Spirit, being Conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the Virgin Mary; and so was and continues to be God and Man, in two Di∣stinct Natures, and one person for ever. Never was any sinner saved but by This Glorious Me∣diator; 'tis He, whom all the Saints of God have hitherto trusted with all the Important and Eternal Concerns of their Never-dying Souls. But it seems, Keith does Renounce this JESUS CHRIST, in the close of all his Wri∣tings, notwithstanding the, Hail Master! which he had before treated our Lord withal. He has Another Jesus Christ, for you, ye People of New-England; and will you Hear such a Man, any more than you would a Turk or a Jew, holding forth among you? or will you not rather satisfie your selves, as Peter did, There is no other Name, whereby we may be Sa∣ved?

You'l be desirous to understand, What CHRIST it is, that Keith is a Disciple of? in∣asmuch as in some of his Confessions, he seems to fall down before our Lord, and say, Jesus of Nazareth, I know thee, who thou art, The Holy One of God. Now, I know no better way to guess at his meaning, than to repair unto the Writings of the Quakers that have gone before him; doubtless, it is their CHRIST, that he is a Believer in, or else they are the most unhappy of all Wanderers, while they suffer him to lead them. It was an Expression among the

Printed Questions of that famous Queker Pen∣nington, We can never call the Bodily Garment, Christ, but that which appeared and dwelt in the Body. The Quakers in Pennington's Days own∣ed, That there was such a man, as Jesus the Son of Mary, and that God, or rather Christ, was in him. But all this is no more than they profess'd also of Themselves; and there∣fore Pennington also says,

That which he took on him, was our Garment, even the Flesh and Blood of our Nature; which is of an Earthly perishing Nature; but He is of an Heavenly Nature, and his Flesh and Blood, and Bones are of his Nature.

In short, I cannot ex∣press the Mystery of their CHRIST, in better Terms, than Mr. Faldo has done it for them;

There was an Heavenly, Spiritual, Divine Body Constituted of Flesh, Blood and Bones, in which Christ came from Heaven; and he put that Body, into the other Body of our Nature, which He took of the Virgin; and that outermost Body, He lest behind, when He Ascended into Heaven, no-body knows where; and this Heavenly, Spiritual Body, is the Man Christ, which is in the Quakers; and so the Quakers are as com∣pleat Christs, as ever the Son of Mary was; for they also have the Divine Nature of Christ, dwelling in a Body of Spiritual Flesh and Blood, and those their Bodies which we see, are but the outward Tabernacles of the God, and the Man Christ Jesus.

It seems,

Writings of the Quakers? Here I suppose, this Christ, is that Light within, which the Quakers do so much magnify, omnify, Deify; 'tis to this, that we must repair for all our Light; and for the sake of this, we must have Penningtons Blessing upon us, My upright Desire to the Lord for you (says he) is, That he would strip you of your Knowledge of the Scripture according to the Flesh! though with my consent, we will soon∣er be stript of our SKIN, Yea, and our FLESH too, than of our Scrip∣ture. I must profess, I do not now wonder at what Mr. Hicks quotes as the Words of one Robert Wastfield,

You are not able to bear what we have to hold forth concerning him; should we deliver what we hold concerning Jesus Christ, we should be stoned in the streets.

Neighbours, I will animadvert no further upon these things; but say of them, as the worthy Mr. Faldo does, He that can digest such Fables as these, has a stomach hotter than an Ostrich! and add, That the Curse of the Lord Jesus belongs to the man that Pro∣pagates them, or Embraces them.

The fifth Argument

A Person that makes himself a Writer among the people of God, but in his Writings discovers upon all occasions, a marvellous Giddiness, Ignorance, and Falshood, is one from whom we should all Turn away

But such a person is George Keith.

Our Lord will not send Ridiculous Persons upon such Special Messages, as Keith pretends unto; but so Ridiculous, and therewithal so Slanderous is our Keith, as that methinks where∣ever he comes, every sensible man should say concerning him, Lo you see the man is mad; wherefore then have you brought him to me! It would fill almost as many pages as Keith has written, to recount the Instances wherein he has made himself Ridiculous; but I will touch upon a few in that one book, which calls our Churches to the Test. If any man whose name is Mather, had written about God's an∣swering the returns of the Prayers of his people; it had been a piece of Nonsense? but Keith has in a new Book strained and found a way to clear it. Is it not admirably argued, The word is compared unto the Rain and the Dew and to bread; Now the Drops of Rain and Dew, and the small Grains of Flower in Bread, cannot be numbred; therefore the Scripture contains not all the Word of God: And yet se pag. 78. of that Book, whether this be not the profoundest of his Arguments! Did the Ridiculous man mind what he writt in pag. 12. where he cites, Cant. 2. 4. He brought me into his Banqueting House; And AGAIN, The King hath brought me into his Wine Cellar. What AGAIN was there! Is it not the same Text, and the same word? Can any thing be so Ridiculous as the Rabbinical Fopperies, which he sometimes

makes ostentation of? Is he not Ridiculous, when he interprets the Things made, in Heb, 12. 27. to be Man made, or made by men, when they were the things of Gods making, even the Ordinances of the old Testament! And as Ridiculous is he in h••s exposition of 1. Pet. 4. 11 in pag. 49. Is it not Ridiculous for a man to allude unto 1. Pet. 2. 2. The Sincere Milk of the Word, and then tell us, That the Word of God is not the Milk but the bottle? One would think none but one that had been at a∣nother bottle could so unreasonably express himself. Tell me whether it be not Ridicu∣lous, to allow singing, yet condemn Singing with Notes or Tones.

Is it not Ridiculous, for a man that says,

Ministers can require no Maintainance from the people,

to prove it from 1 Cor. 9. 14. The Lord has ordained, that they who preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel? ••s not this a pretty Argument,

If God hath positive∣ly ordained, that Ministers of the Gospel shall have Maintainance, then the people may choose whether they will maintain them or no.

But see whether in p. 55. Keith have it not, if he have any at all. Is not the man Light-headed, when he says, Light being used as a Name of God, is no Figurative or Tropi∣cal Expression? And when he says, Light is im∣mediate, though it comes through a Medium? Does not he talk in page 16. about an Ef∣ficacy as well as a Sufficiency, or of a Sufficient

Efficacy, in the Grace which God hath provided for them that are never saved, and never have the Effect of that Grace? Is it not one of his Revelations, That

Christ bestows Adoption only on his Brethren?

which is as much as to say, None but the Adopted are Adopted! Can any thing be so Ridiculous as this man, in pag. 169. Where he finds fault with us, for cal∣ling our Assemblies together, by a Bell, be∣cause we should have,

A Gospel-Bell to Ring and Sound in our Hearts, and call us toge∣ther?

or have his Friends got the property of the Cynocephalus in the Temple of the Egypti∣an Serapis? or are they qualify'd like the man in Germany, who never can speak a word, but just precisely at one a Clock? One of the gra∣vest Writers in the world, cannot forbear a Sarcasm on this occasion; he tells the Qua∣kers, our Bells are not carnal ones, as they call them; for if they were flesh they would never be able to sound so high and far as they do. But if the Quakers don't allow Bells, we shall see they can afford Libels before we have done; which are things that one archly derives, as being Lies, because false, and Bells because Loud. And Keith too carries about a Carnal Clapper in his head. Is it not Ridiculous to make an Invisible Work in mens hearts to be the ga∣thering of a visible Church? Is it not Ridiculous to tell us, That the Baptism with Water, ap∣pointed by our Saviour and practised by his Apostles, belonged only to Johns Dispensation?

Is not the man Infatuated, when he tells us,

No words of Institution are commanded to be used in Baptism, but the Command is, Go Teach & Baptise all Nations in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost?

Were not a man Intoxicated with something besides Water, he could never discourse at so wild a Rate; I say Intoxicated, because he that will have none but a Spiritual Water in the Baptism of our Lord, must permit me to mind him, that there is a Spiritual Drunkenness. From such a Giddiness 'tis, that he tells us, about the Sabbath of the Lord, Exod. 20. 8, 9. Saith no∣thing of one Day in Seven, but only of a Seventh Day; as if a Seventh Day were not One Day in Seven! From the same Giddiness 'tis, that he tells us, The Sabbath is Christ; and goes to prove it from Heb. 4. 9, 10. as if Christ En∣tred into Himself! And it is in this Rapture of high Speculations, that he tells us, In the New-Testament there is no outward Day. [What? must our Days now go by Clocks that strike on∣ly on the Bells in our Hearts?] Yea, that we can't prove, that the Fourth Command Enjoyned the Jews to keep an outward Seventh Day. Seve∣rinus Boetius that had the skill to make the first Clock, never had the skill to find out such a Day; to be measured by his Ingenious Ma∣chin. I hope this Rare Invention, of, An In∣ward Day, will be acknowledged by the Mathe∣maticians of this Age, as a fore-runner to, The

Scriptures were given of them. Yea, he can slander a whole Assembly of Divines at once, by saying, They expresly word what he recites in pag. 155, 156. as it is recited there; which is u••••erly false; 'tis he that has worded it so; and fathered some things upon them, which they do not speak. Why does he represent us, in pag. 258. as telling people, That if a man Dy in his sins, his Faith shall save him, tho he Live and Dy in his sins? If he did not mean himself to Live, in the sin of slandering, or to be a man of no Faith until he Dy? Into what a Bears Skin does he Slanderously put us, when he says,

That Notoriously scandalous persons Lyars, Deceivers, Drunkards, &c. are quali∣fy'd Members of our Church?

I say, He is a scandalous person, Lyar, Deceiver, for saying so; and there is not one of our Churches, but what would on the account of those Qualifica∣tions Excommunicate him, if he had been under their Inspection. Is it no Slander upon thousands of Godly People in the Country, when he says, Our Sacrament has no inward spi∣ritual signification to us? Indeed, he all along is full of opposition; but he can tell rather to whom, than to what: he is resolved the Pastors and Churches of New-England shall be sound∣ly rail'd at, that so unwary people may be decoy'd into a detestation of them; and in order to this, he childishly makes up a man of his own Clouts and Rags, and calling it by a New-English Name, he falls to pelting of it.

He misrepresents most of our Doctrines, and this very wilfully, to make us odious; and as among the Russians, a Knave will sometimes convey his own Goods, into another mans House, thereupon crying out agianst him as the Thief; so Keith puts Words and Things upon us, which we never thought of; and then raises the Country with a Cry of, Thieves, Thieves! Ranters! Blasphemers! False-Teachers! and what not? This si the manner of the Man. As for the Slanders that he raises upon our En∣deavours to Evangelize the Indians, I have al∣ready in the Life of our Venerable Eliot refu∣ted them with (I hope) a sufficient Efficacy: But as it was of old asked, about the Pro∣phets, Who is their Father? the Answer to such a Question about the Lyars, will give you to see what a person you have to deal withal, when Keith comes among you, seeking whom he may devour.

I remember, I mention'd Ignorance among the Accomplishments of this man; and of That also, you shall have one little Specimen,

I will not here inlarge upon, that foolisla Banter of Keiths, in pag. 202. 203. of his late Reply upon our Answer unto him. We thought, and might well think that he had spoke Non-sence, by saying We call'd our Duties, but not saying what we call'd them; and we inform'd him thereupon, That we call'd them Dirt and Dung and Nothing. So in truth, we thought we might, because the Apostle Paul,

in Phil. 3. 8. had call'd his Duties by no bet∣ter a Name. Well, you shall see whether Paul George are of a mind, and whether George will not count himself a better man than Paul! Sayes

Keith, Ye call them Dirt and Dung, and yet ye continue to offer up this Dirt and Dung unto God, but Remember that God will cast the Dirt and Dung of your Sa∣crifices on your Faces. And surely, seeing by your own confession, your Prayers are Dirt and Dung, they cannot be that pure Offering which God promised his people should Offer up unto him.

Now, was there ever seen such a Fool in Print! This man has Learn'd his Catechism, I see, which teaches him to deride those that shall in their prayers acknowledge themselves to be, Miserable Sinners. Its a Good Lad! But indeed, will Keith dare to brag before the Almighty God, that his own prayers, are not as Dirt and Dung, before those Pure Eyes which cannot look upon iniquity! Neigh∣bours, t'will be but just for you to disdain as Dirt and Dung, the Preachments of such a Proud Fool, as will not confess his own Prayers to be but as Dirt and Dung before the Lord; you have to do, Cum Siercore, when you have to do with such a man.

But this is not the thing which I intended. It is this; He had said,

The Baptizing of In∣fants, was not the practice of the Church, during the first Century,

Upon this we rejoined, Origen and Cyprian tell us, that the

Apostles gave Order for the Baptizing of Infants; & Augustine tells us, The Baptism of Infants had been universally practised in the Church ever since the Apostles. And we thought that these had been as credible Reports about the First Centu∣ry, as we could have when we had not many Wrtings of those that lived in it; except we could prove, which Keith would like, that the Mystical Dionysius was of that Century. But Keith, who makes a mighty Lerry with Quo∣tations from the Ancients, resuming of this point, makes that Foolish Return, That Origen, Cyprian, and Augustin, be not Scripture; pray who said, they were? and he falsely insinu∣ates as if we practised Infant Baptism upon their Authority; upon which he adds,

Ye can give no Evidence in Church-History, that Infant Baptism, was practised until Cyprian's Time, past two hundred years from Christ's Resurrection.

An Assertion to which there needs no Rejoinder, but what Calvin made upon them that uttered the like, In eo Foedissime Mentiuntur; siquidem nullus est Scriptor tam Ve∣tustus, qui non ejus Originem ad Apostolorum Sae∣culum pro certo referat. You see, No less a man than Calvin, had call'd Keith, A most fil∣thy Lyar, for so speaking; and from Calvin let him take it. The poor man doubtless thought, that our young Libraries in America, had not yet got any of the Fathers in them; but he is mistaken. We can tell him, that Origen flourished a little before Cyprian; and

he says in his fourteenth Sermon on Luke, Lit∣tle Ones [Parvuli] are Baptised for the Re∣mission of Sins; with much more to that pur∣pose. And in his 18th. Sermon on Leviti∣cus, he says, Secundum Ecclesiae observantiam, etiam parvulis Baptismum dari; it had been a custome and usage in the Church of God. Nor is it any other than a Cavil, to object, That these and more such passages were the Interpolations of Ruffinus afterwards. But be∣cause Keith may tell us, That Origen dy'd not very long before Cyprian, and he is not such a Computer of ••••mes, but that you may allow him a handful of Minutes to prevent or excuse the mistakes of his Chronology; I shall ask him, what Age Tertullian lived in? Whether he lived not in the Century before Cyprian? Well, Did not this very Tertullian, Acknow∣ledge that the People of God then made Haste for the Baptism of their Children, while their Innocens Etas, their Innocent Age was yet upon them? But perhaps the Tertullian whom Cypri∣an would call his Master, will be no Master to our Keith.

I shall therefore again ask him, whether Ire∣naeus did not live before Cyprian, and even be∣fore Tertullian too; and whether Jerom do not reckon him A man of the Apostolical times! Now that man is utterly a stranger to the Language of the Ancients, who do's not suppose Infant-Baptism intended by him, when he saies Infan∣tes Renasc*ntur. I cannot for my Life, Divine,

[although Keith have call'd me A Conjurer] what Keith can say to these things; except he should think to put his Reader off with that flamm, that Tertullian & Irenaeus, are no Church-History. But if here be not enough, what will he say to Hyginus, who was Martyred, Anno Dom. 144. Of whom, Church-History men∣tions, the Orders which he had about those, Qui Infantes tenent dum Baptizantur; who held up the Infants to be Baptized? Or, if t'was Justin Martyr that wrote that Ancient piece, Quest. & Resp. ad Orthodox. You there have an Author living at the farthest in the very next age to that of Apostles, affirming, That Baptized Infants obtain the good things that come by Baptism. Or, if that Piece were spuri∣ous, yet in the Dial. cum Tryph: we have that Justin Martyr who lived, as is judged,, even in the Days of the Apostle John himself, say∣ing,

That all alike might then Receive Bap∣tism, which is the Spiritual Circumcision.

It is impossible for Keith now to come off, un∣less he will tell us, that though we do find Infant Baptism asserted by the Church History, to be attended within less than Two, yea less than One Hundred years after the Resur∣rection of our Lord, yet, He did not mean outward years, When he affirmed the contrary; he spoke of inward years, which may differ as much from ours, as the Lunar do from Solar ones. I take the more notice of this matter, be∣cause I do Divine that Keith may write a

Book, to prove, That the Ancients were all Qua¦kers. For I find Keith ever now and then showing this Mark of Hypocrisy; That he commends the Dead Saints, but condemns the Living Ones. Just like Penn; who in the Name of the Quakers, professes an high esteem for the English Martyrs; and yet of those Mini∣sters who now agree perfectly with them, in all the principles and practices of Christiani∣ty, he says, They are the Pest os the World, the old Incendiaries to mischief, and the best to be spar'd of Mankind. So, I don't know, but Keith may try to hook into his party all the Departed Saints of our Creed; not only the Reformers, but even the Fathers too, whom he seems inclinable to the Applauding of. But if ever he do, pray see what a Trusty Recorder and Reporter of Antiquity you'l be troubled with! He will impose upon you, with bold but false Representations of all Antiquity; and his word is not to be taken for any thing he says. This is Keith; and now say, whe∣ther This be not one, from whom all that have any Love to their own Souls are to Turn away. He is all over Leprous, and particularly has. The Plague in his Head: it is but an wholsome Caution for you, to avoid a person so Infecti∣ous.

Having now done with George Keith, it re∣mains that I set before you, a little part of that Spiritual Armour, which may defend you against the Assaults of Quakerism. As for

speak not according to that Word, there is no Light in them. Lay down your own Principles, in plain, brief, close Terms, and ask them, Which of these they Deny? What they Deny, be you ready to Defend; thus, Resist them and they'l flee from you.

Devil himself did not own the Bible to be the Word of God, when our Lord made him to Fly, by fetching three Texts out of Deuterono∣my to him? Let them see, That you'l try that Method upon Them; and do you see, whether they will be worse than He.

but it was by the Illapses of rapturous Extasies, that these Inspirations were convey'd into the Subjects of them. The Inspirations were not common to all Believers, nor were they Habitual in those few which had them; nor were they Augmented by the Industry and Experience of the Godly. Ask them whether Paul do not evidently make a Difference be∣tween the Illuminations of all good men, and the Inspirations of some, in 1 Cor. 7. 40. After my judgment, and I think also that I have the Spi∣rit of God. He gives his Advice, as a Saint that had the Spirit of God Enllghtning of him as he does other Saints; whereas, if that Advice had been immediately Inspired into him, he did not well to make his own Judg∣ment bear a part with the Infallible Authority of God. See likewise 1 Cor. 12. 39. Are all Prophets? Challenge the Quakers to do any of those Miracles, or to speak any of those Lan∣guages, which many of them that were of old Inspired, could. You need not go to prove, That such Inspirations are so ceas'd, as that they are not ordinarily to be look'd for. Let them, if they can, prove that they be Not Ceas'd. Yet that you may fully silence them, Turn them to 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have a more sure word of Prophesy, whereunto ye do well to take heed, as unto a Light shining in a dark place, until the Day dawn, & the Day-star arise in your Hearts. Look on the Context. Ask them, whether the Prophesy of Scripture be not the

more sure word, which is there said to be, More sure, than a voice from Heaven, or any Immediate Revelation in our Days? Ask whe∣ther, those that Peter then wrote unto, had not Christ in them, as much as any Quakers now? Or whether it be not said of them in the Be∣ginning of the Epistle, That they had obtain∣ed like precious Faith with the Apostles? and whether these were not now to preferr the Scriptures before a voice from Heaven it self? Tell them, that the word [until] does not always intimate, that afterwards the thing must be [No more] See Mat. 5. 18. But we must Give Heed, unto the Scripture, [That so] the Day-star of Gospel Administrations may arise in our Hearts; and continue thus to do [until] our Lord Christ Himself do come un∣to the Judgment of the World.

Christ, and Christ Himself, who gives the Light. Grant them also, That all the Saints have a most Intimate and wonderful Union with Christ, so that the Spirit of Christ, or Christ by his Spirit, is in them the Hope of Glory. But then let them know, That Christ our Light, is not thus in all men; 't••s a priviledge peculiar to the Saints, who are the Mystical Body of Christ. Maintain against them, That the Light in all men which Rebukes them when they do amiss, is not, The Man Christ Jesus. Ask them, whether the Light within were born of the Virgin Mary? And whether 'twas the Light within which Encountred all the Things mentioned in the Gospel? Dispute after this manner with them; The Christ of God condemns men for all sin. But the Light in many a man does not so. Ask them, whether many a man does not sin, when yet he acts according to his Light? Enquire of them, how we shall know Light within, from Thought within. Quote them Joh. 16. 2. The time cometh, that whosoe∣ver killeth you, will think that he does God Service. Ask them, whether their Light reproved them, when they Thought they did God Service in what they were about? Quote them, Acts 26. 9. I verily Thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Na∣zareth. Ask them, whether that Light which Approved, a man when he did many things a∣gainst Jesus, could be Christ or no? Did Thought within, bear witness against these Dam

nable Sins? If yet they are obstinate, ask them, whether their Magistrates ever had a Light which directed them to punish a filthy Woman for Exposing her self stark naked be∣fore their own Eyes in a publick Assembly, to prove her Attainment of that Innocency which is without shame? Ask them, if they know of no such thing that has lately happened? Or, whether when the Light has not hindred seve∣ral such Light Hussies, from those unnatural Pranks, in the Light among us, their Light ever taught 'em to bear due Testimonies against them? Once more, They say, All men have this Light within. Pray then, turn them to, Eph. 2. 12. At that Time, ye were without Christ. If they go to perplex you with Joh. 1. 9. That was the True Light, which Lighteth every man, that cometh into the World. Answer them; You own that our Blessed Mediator, doth both Instruct, and Comfort, the Souls of poor Sin∣ners; Tell them, He is the True Light, in op∣position to the Ancient Figures and Shadows, which were but so many Dark Lines of him. Tell them, That even the Light of Reason is a Light, which the Son of God has blessed all Man∣kind withal. It is rather as a Creator than as a Redeemer, that all men Receive Light from Our Lord; and the Context there, do's Marvelous∣ly Suit this Exposition; let the Quakers prove a better if they can. But if it must be under∣stood of Enlightning with Gospel-discoveries, tell them yett, it implies not that every individual

man, is therewith Enlightned; it means, That all who are Enlightned have their Light from him. Show them Col. 1. 28. We Preach, warning e∣very man, and Teaching every man. Ask them, whether the Apostles ever did so to every In∣dividual Man. Show them Psal. 145. 14. The Lord upholdeth all that fall. Ask them, whether it implies any other, but that all who are up∣held are upheld by God alone. And finally Confess to them, That by [every man] may be meant Jews and Gentiles, without such Li∣mitations as were before the Incarnation of our Lord. Put them upon proving this Ex∣position to be false.

of God, ye have taken, and by wicked Hands have Crucify'd. Let them tell you, whether the Treason of Judas was not one of the Things in the Delivering of our Lord Je∣sus into the Hands of them that Crucify'd Him! and whether even This also were not by the Determinate Counsel and Fore-knowledge of the Almighty? And do you tell them, That you do not conceive the Liberty of the Creature to be taken away by the Decree, no, nor by the Influx neither, of the first cause upon all second causes: but that there may be Necessi∣ty, where there is no Coaction or Compulsion; and that we may act most Voluntarily when we act most Necessarily. If they taunt at you, That you render God the Author of Sin; tell them, No; tell them that God may be the Author of an Action done by Man, when Man only is the Author of the Evil in that Action; tell them, That God may Purpose to withold, & He may withold, from men the Grace which He never ow'd them; and no Blame ly upon God, for the Sin which will follow thereupon, and admi∣nister innumerable occasions for His Glory. Ask them, whether God Foreknow all that comes to pass? or see Act. 15. 18. Well, if God have not also Decreed it, then God knows many things but conditionally; and His Know∣ledge is but fallible and uncertain; and then there are some things whereof God is not the Determiner; but the Free-will of man will make the Counsel, and so the very Essence of

God Himself to depend upon it. Away with such Blasphemies!

ha's not Chosen al. Ask them whether the Rest are not passed by? Do's not the Apostle say, in Rom. 11. 7. The Rest were blinded? see, Rev. 17. 8. Force them to read, Jude. 4. There are certain men, who were before of old Ordained unto this Condemnation. When and How Ordained? Show 'em, That our Sin is the only cause of Damnation. Do not say, That God made men to Damn them. Yet bid 'em consider that in Rom. 9. 17. But show 'em, That the cause of Reprobation is Gods Will. If Sin were the cause of that, ask, why are not all men Reprobates? for all men might come under the consideration of Sinners before the Lord. God will Damn particular persons for their sins; hence He did Eternally Decree to Damn those persons for their Sins. But what was the cause of the Decree? Fetch your Ac∣count of it from Mat. 11. 26. Even so, Father, for so it seemed Good in thy sight. If they now begin to Blaspheme, That then God is partial or cruel; say to them, with the Apostle in this case, in Rom. 9. 20. Nay but, O man, who art thou that Repliest against God? Yet make it ap∣pear, That none are to be hence discouraged from the use of means. Ask them, whether when a Battel is to be fought, God has not certainly Decreed, who shall fall in that Battel; and whether any Souldier should therefore forbear doing his utmost for his own Preservati∣on.

and so from three they would encrease to nine, and so in Infinitum. You dont want any help of mine, to show you the Folly and poorness of such a piece of Sophistry. If they Boggle at the word Person, tell 'em what, A Person in the Godhead signifies. It means not, A Distinct Substance, but A Distinct Subsistence; it is, The Divine Essence subsisting in a Relative property. Cause them also to Read Heb. 1. 3. His Son—the Express Image of his Person.—There you see the Father is a Person. Cause them again to Read, 2. Cor. 2. 10. I forgave it in the Person of Christ. There you see the Son is a Person, to be represented. Pilate call'd him, in Math. 27. 24. This Just Person; a Quaker is worse than a Pi∣late, if he will not own as much. And then for the Spirit,—He that can descend from Hea∣ven in a Bodily shape is a Person: but we find Luk. 3. 22. The Holy Ghost descended in a Bodily shape.

Intent, either of God or Christ, that His Blood should purchase Life Eternal for all the Chil∣dren of Men. Ask of them, whether our Lord by His Death has not bought Faith for them that have it, even the Faith which qua∣lifies them for Benefit by his Death? Is there any Believer, that can dare to say concerning his Faith, The Blood of Christ never bought it for me? Well then, If the Blood of Christ as purchasing Salvation, were intended for all Mankind, was not the Blood of Christ as pur∣chasing the Condition of Salvation so intended? But, how comes it then, that all Mankind have not that Faith which is the Condition of Salvation? They will say, 'tis meerly because the Sinner says, I won't; but what will they say, when they must own, that our Lords Death is to purchase the Sinners being over∣come to say, I will? Ask them further, What the vertue and success of our Lords Death de∣pends upon? Is it wholly left unto the Free∣will of Man? will then be the principal in his own Salvation. Yea, this I say; if the Number of persons Interested in our Lords Death, be not fixed and settled, it were possi∣ble, That no man at all should ever be the better for it! Horrible to be spoken! And Si∣mon Peter were no more beholden to the Me∣rit of our Lord, than Simon Magus was. Ask them, whether they can be so Absurd (though they have as large a Gift at Absurdity as any people in the world) as to think, That God

I apply my self to the Quakers for a Commu∣nion with them, I will make use of His Testi∣monial, without wh••ch, I know they will not now Receive me.

You see then, how that by works a man is Justi∣fy'd, and not by Faith only. Let them not baf∣fle you, about this Fundamental Article. We cannot be legally just before God, until we are Owners of a Righteousness that fully satisfies the Demands of his Holy Law. Even Bur∣roughs the great Oracle of the Quakers tells us, God accepts not any, where there is any Fail∣ing; or, who do not fulfil the Law, and answer every demand of Justice. Ask them, whether it be not said in Rom. 4. 6. God Imputeth Righ∣teousness without Works? and let them (if they can!) soberly tell you, what they think of it. If they say, The works of Faith are our Righ∣teousness, ask them, whether they be the Works wrought before we are perfect? or af∣ter? if the Works before, then God will pro∣nou••c•• us Legally Righteous, while we are yet Legally Ʋnrighteous; for our works have not fully answered His Law. If the Works after, then wo•• ••o us all; for we shall not come thereto until we Dy. Cite unto them, Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath Fedeemed us, from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. And ask them, whether our being set free from the Curse of the Law, is not in our being Justi∣fy'd? Cite them before those Texts, in Rom. 5. 9. Being now justify'd bp his Blood, we shall be saved from Wrath thro him; and in Rom. 3. 4. Being Justify'd freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Christ; and in Eph. 12. 6. We have Redemption through His Blood,

the Forgiveness of our Sins. And make them fall before the force of 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21. and Mat. 26. 28. and Rom. 5. 10. and Phil. 3. 9. with many more. After all, if they answer you, as Edward Burroughs does one that enqui∣red, whether there be any other Righteousness by which the Saints are Justify'd, than what Christ works only in them; Thou Beast (says he) to whom the Plagues of God are due, and upon whom the Wrath of God must be Accom∣plished, who wouldest have another Righteousness, than that which Christ works in the Saints: Don't return such foaming Language to them again; but only say, That you despair of es∣caping the Plagues and Wrath of God, with∣out another Righteousness. If they are so ex∣travagant, as to speak what William Pen writes, It is a great Abomination to say, God should condemn and punish his Innocent Son, that he ha∣ving Satisfy'd for our sins, we might be justi∣fy'd by the Imputation of his perfect Righteous∣ness; Only Reply, That it is a great Abomi∣nation unto you to hear such Abominable Blas∣phemies!

know, you don't plead that Wickedness may live, but you plead that Repentance mayn't dy while we live. Tell 'em, that they do but enflame the most Cursed and Hellish Pride, while they Nourish a vain opinion of Perfection here. Let them know that such as the Scripture some∣times calls the Perfect, are the Sincere, and not the Sinless ones. Show them in, phil. 3. 11. Not as tho I were already perfect. Ask them, whether Paul, who was then an old Believer, and an old Apostle too, were not as perfect as any Quaker, yea, or any Christian, in our Days! •• Point them, to ver. 15. Let us, as many as be Perfect, be thus minded. Ask them, whether well-grown Saints are not there called Perfect Ones; and yet, whether the most Perfect must yet be thus Minded, as you Read before, Not as tho I were already Perfect. Ask them, whether Holy David did not Cry out, Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into Judgement with thy Servant, for in my sight shall no Flesh Living be Justify'd. Quote 'em-Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a Just man upon Earth, that doth good and sinneth not. And Jam. 3. 2. In many things we offend all. And accept not of Quibbles for Answers to such a plain Conviction. If they will yet make a Pother, Let loose Paul again upon them. Let 'em hear the complaint of Paul, in Rom. 7. 19. The Good that I would, I do not, but the Evil which I would not, that I do. Put 'em to it, whether the Best of them, do not always make the same complaint; if

they do not, then do you pass that Censure upon them, The Best of them is a Briar. The very Best of them are Stark Naught. Let 'em also hear a Better man than the Best of them, Exclaming, in Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man, that I am, who shall deliver me from this Body of Death! Ask them whether we shall not have a Body of Death in us, till, The Death of our Body? If any of them do pretend a full deli∣verance, from the Wretchedness of that Body, say to them, That they are most Wretched Bo∣dies themselves, and under the Deadly power of that Body still. Enquire of them whether Idle Words, Be not Sins: and Convince them that they have been Guilty of several such in that little while that they have been talking with you. If after all, they will say, They or any of their Friends, Have no Sin in them, knock 'em with that Scripture, in 1. Joh. 1. 8. If we say we have no Sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. Tell them, That if they will Deceive themselves, they shall not Deceive you; and so have done with them.

in Regeneration? If this can be utterly lost, ask them, How it Remaineth? Ask them, whe∣ther those that are Converted, are not also Justify'd? Let them know, That you think, They are; because Paul thought so, in Rom. 3. 30. whom be called, them He also justified. But then let them tell you, whether they that are once pardoned, are not ever so? or, turn them to Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their Ini∣quity, and remember their sin no more. But, if once men fall into an Ʋnconverted, they must then fall into an Ʋnjustify'd State again. If you have leisure for it, make them feel the force of such Texts, as that, in John 10. 28. Neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand. Ask them, whether they that are pluck'd out of a state of Grace, are not pluck'd out of our Lords Hand? And that in 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. Ask them, whether it be not now past all doubt that none who really are among the Renewed, and Gracious Peo∣ple of God, can wholly go out from that Number? Recommend unto their Considera∣tion, the precious, Heart-melting, Mediatory Prayer of our Lord Jesus, in Joh. 17. 16, 20, 24. I pray that, thou shouldest keep them from the Evil; I pray for them that shall believe on me; Father I will that they also, whom thou hust given me, be with me, where I am, that they may behold my Glory. Ask them, whether

all Saints were not concerned in this Prayer; and whether this Prayer will not preserve them and their Grace from being Lost for e∣ver? See Luk. 22. 32. Finally, Ask them, from 1 Pet. 1. 5. Whether the Saints are not, Kept by the mighty power of God, thro Faith un∣to Salvation? If they object, That Peter or David fell so as to become utterly Ʋnsancti∣fy'd; never grant them That. Affirm, That the sudden prevalency of the Flesh in David, or Peter, did not so Biass their Hearts, as that hereupon they Habitually preferred the Crea∣ture above God; nor did they become Habi∣tual Unbelievers, As for David, he still went on in the ordinary course of Religion and if he had been, with Deliberation put up∣on it, he would still have chosen God before the world. As for Peter, we are sure, His Faith failed not, in the swoon of his perfidy. If they bring Instances of Apostacy, tell them they bring but so many Instances of Hypocrisy. And if at last, they Bark, That the Doctrine of Perseverance is an Enemy to Holiness, give 'em to see, That men are for that, under ne∣ver the less Obligation, but under the more En∣couragement, to work out their own Salvation. Show 'em that passage in Act. 27. 24, 31. Lo, God has given thee all them that Sail with thee; Paul said to the Centurion, and to the Souldiers, except these abide in the Ship, ye cannot be saved. Own also to them, That tho a Saint may fall into very scandalous Evils, yet those Evils will

Eclipse his Evidences; nor can a man have the credit or comfort of a Saint until such Evils be Repented of.. In fine, if they pro∣duce from Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6. High Attainments that may be fallen from; then from verse 9. prove, That these High Attainments are none of the Better Things, which Accompany Salvae∣tion.

you will reckon the Infants of Believers to have the like priviledge in the Dayes of the New Testament until the Anabaptists can find where our Lord Jesus has expresly cut them off; and that you cannot imagine the Lord has now deprived the Infants of the Godly; of a priviledge which they had from the Beginning: for, either He must have done it, in Anger, or in Kindness; not in Arger, because God has no new Controversy with our infants; not in Kindness, because 'tis a mercy unto our Infants to sustain this Rela∣tion. And then tell them, That all Members of the Church are to be Baptised. Moreover, Tell them, That holy Persons are to be Bapti∣sed: now, 'tis said, about the Children of Believers, in 1 Cor. 7. 14. They are holy. Fi∣nally, Tell them, They that belong to the Kingdom of Heaven, are to be Baptised; now 'tis said, about the Children of Believers, in Mat. 19. 4. Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. And show them from Act. 15. 10. how our Lord graciously reckons our Children, his own Disciples; now shall not his Disciples be Bap∣tised?

go to make us forego the Sacrament of the Supper; and whereas 'tis justly stigmatized as a wicked Sacriledge for the Papists to cheat the common people of the Wine in that Ordi∣nance, when our Lord foreseeing it, expresly forewarned it, saying, All of you drink you of it: it is a more Diabolical Sacriledge that these Robbers are to be charged with. Confute them, from 1 Cor. 11. 23, 24. I have Receiv∣ed of the Lord, that which also I Delivered un∣to you: This Do. Ask them, whether our Supper of the Lord, were not a Command of the Lord? Is not a sacred use of Bread and Wine in Church-Assemblies pressed by the Apostle, as Enjoyned by the Lord Jesus? Will they now tell you, That it is an Ordinance only for weak Believers? Then say, That you are one of Them, and will accordingly observe it, though a Crew of Dead Hereticks, will have no Communion with it. And yet also say, That many of the Corinthians, to whom this Order was given (as well as to us) were Enriched in all Knowledge, and were Justified, Sanctified, Washed, and were united unto Christ, and were as able to see through Shadows as a∣ny of the Quakers: nor when Adam was perfect in Paradise, was he too high to use a Seal of Gods Covenant. And say, That E∣vangelical Shadows of our Lords own Instituti∣on, are not Repeal'd, not useless; and that he that shall Despise them, can expect not a Spiritual Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ,

Feeding upon the Husk, tell them, they are Swine for saying so. And if they declare as Keith do's, that their Ordinary Meals are a Celebra∣tion of this Institution, tell them, That men who pretend every Collation they have at a Loose Tavern to be as Divine a thing as what we have at the Lords Table, are as profane as the Creatures who do not eat of the Childrens Bread.

then there is a preheminence in the Bodies of men, above the Bodies of Beasts; which is to give So∣lomon the Lie. Who but men Turned into Bruits would argue thus? pray, take heed, Neighbours; they have got a Lycanthro∣py upon them.

you may prove out of Ezek. 43. 27. that the Eighth Day, or the Day after the Seventh, was of old Prophesied to become the Christian Sab∣bath. 'Twas Typify'd by the Solemnity on the Eighth Day of the Feast of Tabernacles. If none of these things will satisfie them, give a Rest, unto the Disputation.

XVII. Thus have I been helping of you, to Assert many Truths of God; you shall now give me leave to Assert one more before we part. I see cause to Assert, That the Faithful Men, which receive and atttnd the care of your Souls, with a solemn separation thereunto, are to be treated no otherwise than as the Ministers of God among you. If any of them do prove scandalously and incurably Ʋnfaithful, it should be the Endeavour of their Neighbours, that they may be removed from their Ministry. Yea, blessed be God, the Hunter of Souls ne∣ver sticks the Dart of any gross miscarriage, into the side of any one poor Hart among us, but the whole Flock soon pushes him out of their company. And yet if a Minister become an Apostate, you must not then have your minds Royled with an Imagination, That all the Ministerial Acts of that man while he was yet a secret stranger to the Grace of God, were null, & void; that the Sacraments whereof this man was the Dispenser, were all invalid; or that the Conversions, whereof this man was the Instrument, where all In∣Insincere.

that you do not forget that Command of our Lord, in Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and submit your selves; for they watch for your Souls. They gladly spend their Time, their Strength, and their All, to Serve you, in your best Interests; and all the Dis∣couragements you give unto them, the Glori∣ous Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven says, Ye did it unto me! See Mat. 10. 40. and Luk. 10. 16. The more that the Quakers call them as William, Pen has taught them, A cursed Stock of Hire∣lings, the more cause have you to countenance them; and if they must be Dogs, yet the Sheep are Fools if they part with them, be∣cause the Wolves call them so. To Preach for Hire, is a vile thing; but for you to give Hire unto them that Preach, for what they do, is but just; Has not our Lord said, in Luk. 10. 7. The Labourer is worthy of his Hire? Does now Paul say, in 2 Cor. 11. 8. I took wages? It is no easy Employment, which they have Devo∣ted themselves unto; But most of them can say with him, I profess, were it not for the Be∣lief of the Greatness and Necessity and Excellen∣cy of the Truths I am to Preach, and for the will of God, and the good of Souls, I would be a Plow-man, rather than a Minister. If they are Faithful, they deserve more than ever yet you did for them. Had they been brought up to another Calling, or would they yet apply them∣selves to a meaner Trade, they might Live as w••ll as any of you. You owe them a Living,

while they are in their Warfare for you; and yet you see, none of them do Sue or Strain, for any of the Dues which may be unjustly detained from them; the voluntary Agreements and Disbursem*nts of their Parishes is all that they hitherto subsist upon. If they are pru∣dently concerned about their Subsistence, 'tis because they have Read that word, in 1 Tim. 5. 8. If any provide not for his own, he is worse than an Infidel. And the Quakers are worse than Infidels, when they clamour against a com∣fortable Provision for the Ministry: the worst of Infidels do honourably maintain those that are set apart for the supposed Service of their Souls. Do not think that your Ministers are more Burdens than Blessings among you. No man that contributes Liberally towards the Maintainance of the Ministry, finds himself at the years end, a penny the poorer for it; but a secret Influence of Heaven prospers the Affairs of such a man: while they that go to withhold more than is meet, prove but Penny wise, and Pound foolish, at the last. Some lit∣tle Towns in this Country, that have been at the most considerable Expences for their Mi∣nistry, are upon observation, the most Thri∣ving Towns in the Country; and the Israelites were but Enriched upon it, when the Tribe of Levi, which was not a fortieth part of the peo∣ple, had as much Maintainance as Three of the Twelve Tribes beside. Pray consult, Mal. 3. 9, 10. Ye are cursed with a Curse, for ye have Rob∣bed

me. Let there be Meat in my House, and prove me now herewith, if I do not pour them out a Blessing. The Ministers of the New Testa∣ment, are as worthy Men, as those under the Old; and yet if they might have a quarter part of what the Levites had, it would help them to attend upon their work, without such Di∣straction in them, as is now too often unprofita∣ble to their Hearers. But if Moses took such care for his Ministers, may we think that Jesus (the Son over His House) takes no care at all for His? The Holy God will blast the Spirit, as well as the Estate of that man, who shall not confess that a Portion of his Estate, more peculiarly belongs unto the Lord; indeed, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is a Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck, may well challenge those which Abraham own'd as the Rights of Mel∣chisedeck; now, let the Ministers of our Lord Jesus, receive but Half of those Rents, and it will more than satisfie them; yea, 'twill be upon Experience found, That the Souls of them that are most Liberal this way, are for Grace and Joy the Fattest, in the Congregati∣on; God makes His Word most useful to them that most Encourage it. But if after all, you will think, that the Families of Mini∣sters who wast their Lives for your Souls, must not have Bread enough to keep Life and Soul together in them, or if those grievous Wolves that Lead the Modern Hereticks, must have a Muzzle chapt upon the Oxen which Tread out

there [that is, in REASON] they can never know us, nor come unto us. You see that if e∣ver you come unto them, you must have No Reason for it; and it is very true: You see also, that No Reason can find them out, and therefore 'tis in vain to meddle any further with them. When I first look'd upon Qua∣kerism, I may say, Fatuitas Dogmatum me red∣didit securum, I thought no Fishes but silly Shrimps or P••outs could be taken with it; but alas, 'tis not every Town in these Colonies, that has the priviledge of Ipswich, where Quakers that creep into many other places, find the Soyl as disagreeable to them, as the Serpents do in Ireland; I now see so many swallow the Hook, that some Labours and Warnings for your preservation are loudly called for. And I have this to say of it; It is among the Abominable Idolatries committed by the Quakers, that their Apostle Fox in his Great Mystery, lashes out into such words as these (as Mr. Faldo cites them) Thou makes a great pudder, that any should witness, He is equal with God; Is not the Soul without Begin∣ginning? it is Infinite in it self, a part of God. As this one thing is enough to show the wick∣edness of Quakerism; so the prevailing of Qua∣kerism is enough to confute the Thing; Souls that can digest Quakerism sure have little of God in them: they serve but as the Salt of the Flesh they live in; and have nothing, Infi∣nite, but their madness. But I beseech you

then, to Beware of Quakers and of Quake∣rism. I entreat you to take heed, in the first place, of their Heresies; and then of their Practises; especially the horrible want of Houshold Piety, which they are noted for. I request you, therefore to profit under the means of Grace, and receive the Truth in the Love of it, that you may not be judicially gi∣ven up to their strong Delusions. I Address you, in the words of John, 1 Ep. 3. 18, 26. Little Children, There are many Antichrists, whereby we know that it is the the Last Time. These things have I written unto you, concerning them that Seduce you. And in the words of Paul, 2 Tim. 3. 13, 14. Evil Men and Sedu∣cers shall wax worse and worse; Deceiving and being Deceived. But continue thou in the Things, which thou hast Learned and been Assured of. If ever you would see the Spirit of Antichrist, and of Deceiving, you may see it in the Spi∣rit of Quakerism. For my own part, I expect a world of Malice and Railing from that Spi∣rit which I have thus been Detecting of. When I was preparing one of my Little Books for the Press, a Devil from the mouth of a pos∣sessed person threatned me with much Dis∣grace for what I was about; whereupon im∣mediately, George Keith Printed a Ridiculous Pamphlet, on purpose to Revile That very Book. But I have now more cause than ever, to look for all sorts of Calumnies from George Keith and his Associates; especially, if Mr.

their own: Such as, THOU, and THEE, and, THE HAT; for there must be Sacraments in the Kingdome of Darkness, as well as in the Chur∣ches of our Lord. I have observed, Fifthly, That the Quakers in their Disputations, do not love to be ty'd unto the Subject, of the Argument; but are much for Digressions and Excursions; and especially such as may cast their Antagonist into some Disadvantageous Passion; which plainly argues the Extreme wretchedness of their cause. I have Observ'd, Sixthly, That the Quakers like the Ancient Pharisees and Hypocrites Con∣demned by our Lord, will mightily Applaud those that are Dead, and at the very same time spend whole volleys of Curses upon the Living Saints, that are of the very same Creed and way. I have observ'd, Seventhly, That he who has to do with the Quakers, has to do with almost all the Hereticks that ever appear'd upon the stage; only with this Difference, that former Hereticks have had some Reason, and these have nothing but Clamour with them. Lastly, I have Ob∣serv'd, [and when I have Observ'd That, I will have done observing; for they are not Stars in a Telescope, but Mates in a Microscope, which I thus Observe.] That in the Quakers and the Papists are fulfilled some of the Signs, that the Coming of our Lord is at hand: while the Papists do in their Transubstantiation, as in Mat. 24. 26. say, Behold, Christ is in the secret Chambers; which may be Rendred, in the Cupboards, (where they put Bread:)