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A89410 An answer to George Keith's libel. Against a catechism published by Francis Makemie. : To which is added, by way of postscript. A brief narrative of a late difference among the Quakers, begun at Philadelphia. Makemie, Francis, 1658-1708.; Keith, George, 1639?-1716.; Mather, Increase, 1639-1723. 1694 (1694) Wing M307; ESTC W24940 61,656 129

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revealing the Will of God to us by Hi● Word and Spirit page 10.4 The Spirit of Go● applies to us the Redemption purchased by Christ page 11.5 In the same page being the Author of Regeneration or the New Birth according to the Scriptures Joh. 3.6 The Spirits sanctifying of us page 15.7 That he teaches us to pray aright and acceptable to God page 41. From hence every one may learn what credit to give to Keith's worth and Calumnies for the future and though he constructs my Compassion over the tender Souls in a● American Desart to be a reflection against the Sc● and English in Virginia I am satisfied it has n●… been so Received by them for whom it was intended neither judged so by the Spirit of God wh●… much after the same manner pitties and compassi●nates the Ignorance of his own people by the Prophe● Hos 4.6 My People are destroved for lack of knowledge And I am perswaded Quakers should n● have so great success in drawing aside silly Soul from the Truths and Ways of God if it we● not for the abounding Ignorance of Virginia an● other dark Corners of the World who have no● yet received and comprehended the Light shini● about them and even their ignorance of th● Fundamental Truths contained in the Catech●… And none deserves more to be pitied for their ●…norance than Quakers and of the most Fundame●tal Truths notwithstanding of their high preten● ●o the Spirit and Light within as John Drummond 〈◊〉 Reputed and Received Quaker a Reader of Keith's Books with many others who lately at my House at Poccamok before Keith and several other Witnesses published his gross Ignorance of that Fundamental Article That none could be Saved without Faith in Jesus Christ from which I understand since that he had oft reproached me drawing his own ignorant conclusions from thence And if Quakers are ignorant hereof what can they pretend ●o know Another general charge is That I nothing help the Ignorant neither do I direct them to the true Vision but whoever will but consider how many Fundamental Truths are laid down in the Catechism for the Edification of the Ignorant and plainly asserted That Christ teaches his People with his Word and Spirit and if this be not the true Vision of God Quakers must lose themselves and be puzzled in finding of it but he rather would insinuate what harm it would do if received but this may discover how far men are for keeping sinners in ignorance by possessing their minds with a dislike of this mean of Knowledge which leads and directs sinners to the Scriptures as the great mean of Knowledge and profitable for instruction containing all things necessary to be known by Christians and also to Christ and his Holy Spirit the Author and Efficient Cause of Knowledge who can Enlighten without means in a most immediate manner but most ordinarily conveyes Knowledge by Means and Ordinances of his own Appointment concurring with his Holy Spirit blessing and making them effectual to whom he pleases And in Catechism many savoury truths delivered no fins indulged most du●ies relating to our general and special callings enjoined Now ●ow the receiving such a form of sound words containing positive Di●vinity should be prejudicial and Kieth's works stuffed with Quibling and Sophistical Controversy his teachings filled with often repeated Calumny● against all the Reformed Churches and Vn-scrip● tura● or unheard of Long-winded Similitudes which amuse the deluded and ignorant should become profitable let every one determine and I am perswaded none has received or can receive injury therefrom but by slighting and disregarding it And this my experience can testifie that since the Catechism was opposed by Quakers they have had a more universal and kindly welcome and reception And here is no new Doctrine but what Keith had oft seen in the Catechisms of our Reformed Churches which he had oft impugned with all his might and Sophistry and his repeating his old Arguments is only with vain Ostentation to show himself among a poor ignorant and deluded people and once possessing them with this that what he delivers is immediately from the Spirit of God he may deliver what he will as infallible and never to be questioned Having answered his Generals I proceed to examine his particulars and he suffers not the first page to pass without a Censure because I have affirmed God made the World out of Nothing and that this is not only true and agreeable to Scripture that to word and expres● it otherwise were inconsistent with the Revelation of God and it were to jump in with the Adversaries of Gods Truth for we cannot conceive of Creation without saying it was made out of Nothing which all d●scribe to be Preductio ex nihilo therefore as many places of Scripture as but mention Creation say as much as I have done for which I am quarrelled Did not Creation give the First Being to all things that were made and cons●quently were all nothing before God commanded them to be for was not Light nothing till God said Let there be Light Further if God made the World he either made it out of his own Essence or some pre existent matter from Eternity or produced it out of nothing I presume you will not be so absurd as to assert any of the first two not the first for so the Essence of God should become divisible and corruptible not the second for then some matter should be Co-eternal with God which were blasphemy to affirm And it is no small argument of the Omnipotence of God to declare and affirm especially to young ones the World was made out of nothing seeing they know not that it is implied in the word Creation for because of the Omnipotent Power of God in Creation Acclamations of Praise are ascribed to him Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth Acts 4.24 In that joynt Acclamation of the Apostles Lord thou art good which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is And it is no adding to the Word of God while nothing is delivered but Gods Mind in his Word though Keith next in his pretences to Nailer himself should discover so much palpable weakness as to censure it again And I have also asserted in my Catechism that there is no work so peculiar to any of the Persons of the Holy Trinity but all of them have a hand in each so that his advice which he calls sufficient is prevented if he ha● diligently read and considered it as he has said In page 3. He chargeth me for mentioning no other Teacher but the Scriptures to direct us to Se● and Glorifie God this is no strange imputation fro● Quakers who notwithstanding of all their fair pretences yet have uttered many vilipending expression thereof calling it a dead Letter a nose of Wax P●… Ink Divinity Keith in his publick Teaching●
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 li●… 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 ● 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 Ce●sure others for that which they practice themselves and consequently from Keith's words a● 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 he● himself owned the use of Humane Learning in all his Writings 2 I shall instance to you from themselves not only words but sentences and phrases which none could ever yet find or hear of in or from the Scriptures some whereof are Pens others belong to Barclay others are usual and common in the mouth of most Quakers as those uncouch phrases of Miracles in Spirit which Keith made use of at my House a measure of God as if God were divided in parcels from the Spirit in Ward by ravening the Seed in Captivity ravening comprehending brain fleshly comprehensions Traditional Read Knowledge Vulturous Eye with many others and for words none more new and invented without any foundation in the Scriptures then some used by Quakers as Vehicle of the Spirit Fermentation of the Spirit and many such like 3. How much is it to be Lamented that the frequent Debates and needless Janglings of Keith concerning this Subject could not have sufficed him he must now upon his running Circuit raise a new Debate and Controversy about words which is Censured in the words of the Holy Apostle 1 Tim 6.4 He is proud knowing nothing but doting about Questions and Strifes of words whereby cometh Strifes Railing Evil Surmisings 5. Perverse Disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness from such turn away or withdraw thy self And all such are Censured in the words of Holy Calvin that Eminent man of God Lib. 1. Cap. 13. The Hereticks bark at the name Person and others too precise Carp at all words devised by men and would have all to restrain not only their meanings but their very words strictly within the bounds of Scripture who are be Calvin Charged as unreasonable who quarrel words expressing nothing but what is testified and approved by Scripture and what hinders saith he but we may in more plain words express such things as are mysterious to ordinary Capacities where there are necessary grounds urging thereunto such saith he as quarrel this must be reputed to be grieved at the
in him and to whom He is Actually a Saviour and that those Three Offices include All that Christ did and was Requesite to be done as Mediatour None even Kieth himself cannot deny as he readily owned at my House all was Reducible to those Three Offices which are all we have mentioned in the Scriptures and those Three are very Obvious and Plain 1. He is called and that Deservedly The Grea● Prophet of His Church according to that Promise of and Prophecy concerning him A Prophet shal● the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto hi● Brethren Him shall ye hear in all things And thi● Promise was fulfilled in his Coming and Executing this his Prophetical Office by being the Great Gospel-Preacher to his Church and People Declaring the Way and Means of Salvation by a Mediatour delivering the Will of His Father This was Prophesied also of him in Isaiah 61.1 2 3. and Hebr. 3.1 He is called the Apostle of our Profession And He is the Sole Teacher of the Mysterys of Salvation from the Father Matth. 11.27 No Man knoweth the Father save the Son and he to whom soever the Son will reveal him And this Our Great Prophet do's not always immediately else K's Teachings and all the Teachings among Quakers were most needless and vain but 1 By the Holy Scriptures Profitable for Doctrine and able to make the Man of God Wise unto Salvation 2. By His Messengers and Ministers whom he has commanded to Go and Teach all Nations and sent to give Warning to His Churches and People Therefore from their Office and Teaching called Teachers And Lastly by his Holy Spirit in the Hearts of his People where Christ dwells not Substantially as Quakers say but Spiritually by Faith and so is united by Faith tho' Locally Distant without the Presence of the things United as K. would insinuate and assert in his Paper For if there can be a Moral Union and Relation standing firm betwixt a Husband and Wife the one in Europe the other in America and a Natural Union and nigh Relation between Parent and Child much more between Christ in Heaven and believers on Earth by a Spiritual and indissolvible Union by Faith which is not an absent Christ to Believers with whom he is by Gracious and Spiritual Influences in their Hearts And K's Subtle and Sophistical Arguments from the General and Universal Presence of Christ as God to his special and Gracious Presence as Mediatour will take Place with none but Ignorant and Deluded Quakers for so the Devils in Hell should enjoy as great a Priviledge as Believers on Earth And also it is granted that he is the Eternal High-Priest of His Church who Offered and gave Himself a Sacrifice once upon the Cross for Sinners and by the Efficacious Merits of this Death renders the Persons and Services of his People acceptable unto God not only Teaching them by His Holy Spirit what to pray for as they ought but also continues an High-Priest at the Right-hand of God making continual Intercession for Believers Heb. 7 15. Wherefore he is able to Save them to the uttermost that come to God by Him seeing he ever Liveth to make Intercession for us all which is fully and soundly delivered in the Catechisms and Confessions of Faith of our Divines of the Westminster Assembly And Lastly He is the Sole King Head and Law-giver of his Church by which Kingly Power and Authority he Appoints Laws and Statutes for the Counsel and Direction of his people even to the binding of Conscience with the whole inward man in whom Christ does Rule and Reign even in and over such as subject their Souls to his Government suffering Christ to Reign over them 2 He Subdues and Conquers sinners Naturally Rebels to himsel● making them from an Un-willing a Willing People in the Day of his power 3 In defending of his Church from all their Enemies assuring them the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against them 4 He restrains the Fury and rage of and Finaly executes his Wrath on all His and their Enemys And we never did disown that the special Fruits of all these Three Offices are wrought in the heart of Believers which is inconsistent with that Prophet Priest King in all men according to Quake● Doctrine while the Scripture affirms they are Reprobate in whom Christ is not And it is plai● the Quakers common Christ is not the true Mediatour and Messiah who only dwells in the hearts o● Believers by Faith and not of Infidels that do not so much as know by any kind of knowledge a●… yet they are Enlightned by him as they say with 〈◊〉 sufficient and saving knowledge How unnecessa●… must it be to multiply Offices in our Mediatou● seeing all are reducible to those Three and must he not be a Man of a Perverse Spirit and contentio● mind that would raise a Debate upon this head and K's Evasion and Quibble for this is extreem● silly and weak for saith he the Commands 〈◊〉 Gods Moral Law are reducible to two yet 〈◊〉 branched out into Ten for the first Division 〈◊〉 the Divine Commands was by God himself into t● Tables or two Commands yet the same G●… makes the Enumeration or Divisi●… 〈◊〉 to ten but no such Warrant can be produced for this Enumeration or Multiplication of Offices in our Mediator for it were as impertinent and idle as if every Duty required and every Sin prohibited in every Command were a new Command and there should be thrice ten instead of ten and what must be thought of those that multiply Offices in Christ calling every thing that Christ is called a new Office in the Mediator as a Father a Shepherd an Husband Physician c. Whence he is called the Way a Rock a Door a Vine all which denote no new Offices but signifie his Richness Fulness Benefits Love and Favour to Believers denoting that Spiritual Relation to Believers and Christ's usefulness to them in all Estates and Conditions His next Charge Page 10 11. I have affirmed Christ Died or was Sacrificed for Sinners Now let any determine whether this Answer does not set forth the Fruit and Satisfaction of Christ's Death for Sinners for if he Died for Sinners and for our Sins is it not enough to us for if we had not been Sinners we should not have stood in need of Redemption and if sinners were Redeemed no others did want it And tho' he seems to reprehend it with Scripture Language yet his Charge is more obscure and defective then that he finds fault with either that quarrelled at must be true or false or deficient if true why Censured if false let Quakers speak their minds plainly if deficient there must be some for whom Christ Died besides Sinners If I have not multiplied words to humour captious and critical Quakers I hope I shall never have cause to repent it where I Studiously avoided all prolixity and endeavoured all succinctness and brevity But to return to the