Light of the Truth because he quarrels this that the Truth is made so easie plain to be discerned and the reason or ground given by this worthy Author why the Churches of Christ are necessitated to use such novelty of words if they may be so called is when the Truth is to be Defended against Rangleâ—… who deride it with Quibbles so the Old Fathers being troubled with False Doctrines were necessitated to express themselves in exquisite plainness least they should leave any crooked by ways to the wicked to whom the doubtful Constructions of words were hiding Holes of Error therefore it was that the Fathers in Confutation of Arius were necessitated in asserting the Divinity of the Son to call him HOMOUSION or Consubstantial with the Father And against Sabellius who denied all Distinction between the Father Son and Holy Ghost but what was Nominal the Defenders of Truth were necessitated to say there did subsist in the Unity of God aâ— Trinity of Persons which is most suitable to thoughâ— not rigidly the same with the Language of John There are Three and these Three are One Trinity Tres Vnes or Tres in Vno Trinity Having offered these Generals I come particularly to the Charge for asserting there are Three Persons in the God-head All that Keith would seem to Alledge is only that it is not Scripture Language whereby he would seem to favour the great Fundamental Principle most of his Brethren have been blasphemously barking against these Thirty or Forty Years and devoutly to say There are Three in One But it were to be wished that he and all of them would demonstrate themselves according to their usual boasting more skilful in the Scriptures then any of their Neighbours by declaring freely ingenuously what those Three are called that are but One God and what Substantive they joyn with the Adjective three which is distinguished in the Father Son and Holy Ghost and then they would have dealt plainly without all Popish Equivocation or Reservation which all that Read their Books and frequently Converse with them will find the generality of Quakers as guilty of as any subtile Jesuit at St. Omers For if this great and Fundamental Truth would be made plain to the Edification of the Church of God to which it is so highly necessary that God can neither be known believed in or called upon aright without it then some denomination must be ascribed and given differing from one another in Incommunicable Properties for they must either be three somethings or three nothings the former being rejected if three somethings they must be either three Gods three Essences three Parts of the same Essence or three Qualities or three Names or three Manners or wayes of Subsisting To assert to Three Gods were insufferable Blasphemy Though Josiah Coal is as guilty of as great Blasphemy in a Letter to George Fox which as it came from a Quaker was also Approved of by Pen himself in his Answer to Mr. John Faldo a Minister I lately saw in London which for the Readers satisfaction and abhorrence of all I shall here Insert Dear George Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life has reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the Begetting of many again unto a Lively Hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in â—he powtr of the Highest in which thou Rules Governs â—n Righteousness And thy Kingdom is Established in Peace and the Encrease thereof is without End Let Pen and as many as will dare to Justifie this consider the Language of the Righteous God Hâ— that Justifies the Wicked and he that Condemneth thâ— Just even they both are Abomination to the Lord. But to return To assert Three Essences were to conceal Three Essentially Distinct which were to fall in with the former absurdity To receive or be lieve three parts of the same Essence or God head which were most inconsistent with that Oneness and absolute Simplicity in the Nature of God which cannot be conceived divisible and to call the three in one three qualities or accidents were to believe accidents in God which were absurd and to asseâ—… nothing else but three Names were to fall in with the long since exploded Heresy of Apollinarius and to hold Faith repugnant to the Rule of Gods Word whence he has twice Three Names and yet asserted to be but Three only so that it must be Three Distinct Manners Methods or Wayes of Subsisting and is Termed in the Schools Ens and Modus Entis And according to the unanimous Opinion of our Reforming and Reformed Divines A Person in the God-head is whole God not absolutely or simply considered but by way of some personal Properties or a manner of Being or Distinct Subsistence haveing the whole God-head in it Vsher and Calvin call a Divine Person a Subsistence in the Divine Nature which having relation to the other is distinguished from them with Incommunicable Properties So that though the Father Son and Holy Ghost be really and essentially the same in Essence or Being yet they have something differing from one another for if the Word Joh. 1.1 had been simply and absolutely God without any thing peculiar to 〈◊〉 self it had been improper and amiss to have said 〈◊〉 was not only God but with God To which Dâ—ctrine Tertullian agrees saying there is in God a certain Disposition or Distribution which changeth nothing of the Unity of the Essence I need not heap up these manifold Testimoâ—ies both of old New Testament asserting Three in One and One in Three and if any quarrel the word person they shall find this plain Scripture Language Heb 1.3 speaking of Christ the Second Person in the Trinity saith He is the Brightness of his Fathers Glory and Express Image of his Person can any serious and illuminated Reader pass over this Text without owning the word Person to be Scripture Language and that the Father is a Person distinct in Person from God the Son for he is not called the Fathers Person Remark it Reader but the Express Image of his Fathers Person And if none must be called a Person but the Father as some Quakers have said then what was Christ's Person when Mediator having two Natures of God and man not mans personality for so Divine Nature would have satisfied in the Person of the Humane Nature which would imply no small Absurdities or he should be the Person of the Father which were repugnant to the formerly cited Text Our Mediator was without all Person And finally if the Father is a Person and the Son the Image of this Person why not the Holy Ghost a Person also and Three in One and One in Three The Next Charge is and that a Weighty one in P. 9 10. And that is for mentioning only Three Offices of Christ as Mediatour a Prophet Priest and King And that Really Savingly and only to those that Believe
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 Greaâ— Prophet of His Church according to that Promise of and Prophecy concerning him A Prophet shalâ— the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto hiâ— Brethren Him shall ye hear in all things And thiâ— 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 himselâ— 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 Quakeâ— Doctrine while the Scripture affirms they are Reprobate in whom Christ is not And it is plaiâ— the Quakers common Christ is not the true Mediatour and Messiah who only dwells in the hearts oâ— Believers by Faith and not of Infidels that do not so much as know by any kind of knowledge aâ—… yet they are Enlightned by him as they say with 〈◊〉 sufficient and saving knowledge How unnecessaâ—… must it be to multiply Offices in our Mediatouâ— seeing all are reducible to those Three and must he not be a Man of a Perverse Spirit and contentioâ— mind that would raise a Debate upon this head and K's Evasion and Quibble for this is extreemâ— 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 tâ— Tables or two Commands yet the same Gâ—… makes the Enumeration or Divisiâ—… 〈◊〉 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
a Competent maintainance or necessary Aliment by Quaker teachers however so freely and Voluntarily given without appointment of humane law and all compulsion be a Preaching the Gospel freely A True Copy of George Keith's Paper Delivered to Mr. George Layfield At POCAMOK in MARY-LAND KIND Friend George Lay-field my Dear Love in the Lord Jesus Christ Saluteth thee with Earnest Supplication and Prayer to God for thee that God who hath begun his good work in thee may perfect it until the Day of Christ and that the Precious Seed that God hath Sown in thy Heart may grow not only to be the greatest of Herbs but a great Tree bringing forth Fruit to Gods Everlasting Praise and to thy Souls Everlasting Comfort and Happiness As concerning the Catechism Published by F. M. I have diligently read and conâ—dered it and tho' it holdeth forth diverse true things yet it hath a great mixture of Error and many false and unsound hurtful things it doth contain which my present shortness of time in these Parts doth not permit me to mention in most particulars and as the same Catechism aboundeth with many Errors so it falleth exceeding short in not mentioning in the least many necessary Truths and Doctrines which are of great necessity to be taught unto people as belonging to the first Principles of Christian Religion which he altogether omitteth nor doth he in the least declare that he receiveth any one of these things delivered by him in his said Catechism from any inward opening or discovery of Gods Spirit in his Heart Nor doth he mention any one thing of his own experience of the work of God in his heart but as his Title Page sheweth his whole Work is but a Collection from others he mentions nothing in all his Catechism that people are to be turned or directed to God or Christ or the Spirit of God in them he telleth not People that it is God or Christ or the Spirit of God convinceth them and reproveth them for sins of all sorts as Lying Pride Envy Coveteousness Unbelief he doth not instruct People how they are to find God and Christ in their Hearâ—… and how they are to wait in silence 〈◊〉 mind and thoughts to hear God and Chriâ— speak inwardly unto them in their Heartâ— in the silence of all Flesh and how theâ— are to have God and Christ and the Hâ—ly Spirit to dwell and walk in them and tâ— teach them over and beyond all outwarâ— teaching he mentions very little of the Spirit at all and what he mentions of it is very Obscurely so that without breach of Charity I can freely say he is a great Stranger to the inward Dealings and Workings of Gods Holy Spirit in the Hearts of his People and whereas he mentions his Compassion over the Tender Souls in an American Desart ready to perish for want of a Vision in his Epistle to the Reader his Catechism can nothing help them in that respect for not one word in all his Catechism directeth People were to find the true Vision of God in any measure but on the contrary according to his and his Bretherens False Faith all true Divine Vision and Revelation and all Divine Inspiration is ceased since the Apostles Days both among Teachers and People and God hath committed His Counsel wholly to Writing the former ways of Gods revealing himself being ceased and they say further there is no inward voice or word of God in people but the Scripture is the only Word and only Rule all which is most false and hurtful Doctrine and doth more hurt where it is received then all his Catechism can do good And all the People in Virginia both English and Scots whom he seemeth to reflect upon for their Ignorance have the Holy Scriptures without and the Holy teachings and illuminations of God and Christ within to teach them what is needful to their Salvation if they will hearken thereunto far better then this Catehism of F M. which is defective and wanting of many Principal and necessary doctrines belonging to the Christian Faith In the first Page of his Catechism He saith God made the World out of Nothing but this is no Scripture Language and indeed in very many of his Answers he holdeth not to Scripture Language but useth the invented words of Mans Wisdom not according but contrary unto the Holy Scriptures May it not suffice to say God Created aâ— things by Jesus Christ as the Scriptures declareth without adding to the Word of God Page Third He mentions no other Teacher but the Scriptures given to men to serve and Glorify God And thus according to him all these great Nations who have not the Scriptures are wholly left without all Teaching of God to Serve and Glorify him in the least measure but this is expresly contrary to Scripture which say concerning the Gentiles who had not the Law outwardly delivered in Scripture that they did show the work of the Law in their hearts and what was to be known of God was manifest in them for God had shown it unto them and when they knew God they Glorified him not as God and Christ the Light of the World hath enlightned every man that cometh into the World and teacheth every man in some measure to serve God which is to obey him otherwise they could not have sin if there were nothing in the Gentiles to require obedience or service of them unto God It had been much better in this Authour to have instructed People that they had some other helps and means of knowledge with the Scriptures and these some outward and some inward although it is to be granted that the Scriptures are the best of all Books outward yet there is the Book of Gods Creation and the Book of His Providence over all his Creatures that are no small helps and means in their place being duely used and together with God Christ and the Spirit are inwardly present to teach all People in some things to serve God and as every one is faithful in the little more is given to them Besides that the Writer of this Catechism should have joined the spirit of God Christ with the Scriptures as the Opener Interpreter of them informing people that the Scriptures are the Organ Instrument of Gods Spirit that Gods Good and Holy Spirit is the principal Author and cause of all true knowledge of God as he doth inwardly inspire and enlighten every one and that there is no true saving knowledge of God and Christ without the Spirits Inspiration and Teaching and that how much soever people read or hear the Scriptures if they neglect or turn away their minds from Gods inward teachings by his Word Spirit and Light within their hearts they remain Blind and Dark and Ignorant of God Page Third That he saith there are Three Persons in the God-head this is not Scripture Language to say Three Persons The Mystery of the Three to wit the Father the Son and the
be called Fundamentals as Salutations by words and Gestures Covering and Vncovering the Head condemning Preaching in Steeple Houses Churches Yea I appeal to the impartial and unbiassed Reader if the Catechism Composed by F. M. contains not more of the Principles of Religion then one containing Quakers Principles Composed by several Hands as Crook Pennington Burroughs Parker Smith and several others now I refer my self to every man how invidious and unjust it is to Charge a Catechism composed by one with Omissions while so many pretenders to immediate Revelations and Inspirations are guilty of so great Omissions and vain Repeticions and there is not a Book which I have seen writ by George Keith but may as justly lie under this Charge as my Catechism it were vain Ostentation to disown it And for my own part I have ever observed in all the Writings of men Ignorance Infirmity and Imperfection to magnifie the Excellency of the Scriptures above all Books of mens Composure but it is no strange thing to find Quakers quarrelling our succinct way of composing our Principles for young ones because they are opposite to so early Edification which practice is very inconsistent with Scripture Precepts and Presidents of Training a Child when young bringing up Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and Timothy knew the Scriptures from a Child and the advantage of an early Instruction is witnessed by the experiences of many Godly in all Ages where attended with the Blessing of God and pursued with Exhortation until they arrive at a riper age Now I leave all to consider how insignificant an imputation this of Omission is Another general Charge is that I have not declared from whence I have Received these things and that I have owned in the Title Page of my Catechism to be but a Collection from others These are heavy Charges with him therefore shall answer them particularly 1. Any that reads his Paper may understand he is as guilty of that Omission as any of his Neighbours for he has not told from whence he had what is delivered in this Paper and it was the best policy for he durst not assert it was from the Spirit of God because of the falshood and malice it contains as I shall make appear 2. If they are the Truths of God and agreeable to Scripture it is easily determined from whence these Truths are which were questioned by few until G. K. whose Trade has been to Foment Contention and stir up strife in the Churches of Christ in the World and whose Arguments are so slender and thred bare that they scarce deserve an Answer 3. If I inclined to stuff my Doctrines and Discourse upon all occasions with enlarged Accounts of Conversion or a work of Grace with concomitant and consequent Experiences of the Operations of Gods Holy Spirit as Keith pretends to do I might amuse my Hearers but Actions and Conversation are better demonstrations of a work of Grace then all Keith's vain boasting Language which with his self magnifying Language can be esteemed nothing else then a Crying up and Preaching himself instead of Christ for though Paul oft declared his Conversion and gloried in his Attainments it was that the Free Grace of God might be exalted and self abased which Quakers are rarely acquainted with either in Praying or Teaching as many who have heard them always declare And because Keith has shewn himself void of Charity by shooting his invidious Thunderbolt at a distance e're he knew or saw me or I him That I am infallibly a great stranger to the dealings of Gods Spirit on the hearts of his People I am constrained to Justifie my Office from those Uncharitable Calumnies and that Grace might be magnified by giving this Relation in the sight of an All seeing and Omnipresent God that e're I Received the Imposition of Hands in that Scriptural and Orderly Separation unto my Holy and Ministerial Calling that I gave requiring satisfaction to Godly Learned and Judicious Discerning Men of a work of Grace and Conversion wrought on my heart at fifteen years of Age by and from the pains of a Godly Schoolmaster who used no small diligence in Gaining Tender Souls to Gods Service and Fear since which time to the Glory of his Free Grace be it spoke I have had the sure Experiences of Gods various Dealings with me according to his Infinite and Unerring Wisdom to my unspeakable comfort whereby all may see how far Grace is expected and desired with Gifts to qualifie for the Ministerial Office for not only was this required of me but is expected of all Ordained by Presbyters which experience shall enable me not to value what Keith or any other Quakers shall ignorantly and groundlesly affirm in judging rashly of my State for we are looked upon as of the World and they only the People of God as they commonly Cauterize us but this is our comfort we shall not be Judged in the Last Day by Quakers who must as well as their Neighbours give an account of their rash and uncharitable judgings to a most Righteous Judge 4. And that it is a Collection from the Scriptures of the Living God I never will deny but glory in it it Keith mean from others it is faâ—… and there is â—o mention of those others in the 〈◊〉 Page what hath Keith Published in most of his Books but Collections and many of them from the worst of men Hereticks long since consured with some wild sophistical and unscriptural Notions of his own both repugnant to Scripture and opposite to his Quaking Brethren And Turpe est dectori eum cuâ—pa redarguit ipsum He asserts I declare not that it is God or Christ or the Spirit of God that convinceth or reproveth people of their sins but this is so false a Calumny that none in charity can judge Kâ—ith to be so great a Perfectionist as he proclaims himself to be and this every one may be satisfied in if they will but turn over to page 12 where it is plainly delivered That God in Turning or Calling Sinners unto himself does convince them of Sin and Misery Enlighten their Minds with the Knowledge of Christ Renews their wills c. which is also the judgment of all my Brethren and particularly of those of the Westminster Assembly both in their Shorter and larger Catechism And whereas he charges me with this that I mention but little of the Spirit of God at all and that this may appear as falâ—e as the former I refer my self to every Reader and especially those who have read and considered better then Keith hath done and let them turn over to the several pages where I have made frequent mention of the Spirit of God in so small a Volumn ascribing to him that which was and is his peculiaâ— work 1. As being the Original Author and Inditer of the Scriptures page 3.2 As being one distinct from the Father and the Son page 4.3 Oâ— Christ's
retaining all the Essentials both for matter and manner waving only some occasional and accidental Circumstances therefore Administers it in Bread and Wine 2 He Reflects on us by charging us with Popish Consecrations but in this and many things else he cannot be so Ignorant as Malicious for he knows we abhor all Popish Consecration And all we do is only to Pray to God for a Blessing on the Elements that God would be pleased to vouchsafe his Gracious Presence and Sanctify the Elements of Bread and Wine making his own Ordinance Effectual for the Spiritual Nourishment of Believers and as we Eat Bread and Drink Wine so we may Feed by Faith and Spiritually upon Jesus Christ and what Popery is here let the World judge All this K has seen in our Directory for Publick Worship Lastly In his Book he Quarrels our Eating in this Ordinance so Sparingly and would seem to approve of a Plentiful Meal and a full Stomach and commend the Quantity but I am sure this is not Spiritual but Carnal Arguing to the Pampering of our Flesh and Flatly contrary to the Apprehension Paul gives to the carnal Corinthians even Eating at the Lords Table to the Nourishment of their Bodies which was a great and Sinful abuse of that Holy Ordinance 1 Cor. 11.22 What have ye not Houses to Eat and Drink in or despise ye the Church of God showing that Eating the Lords Supper is another thing then Eating at home only to the Nourishment of our Bodys for which the Holy Ordinance of the Lords Supper was never instituted FINIS A Brief Narrative of a Late Difference among Quakers begun at Philadelphia HAving in August 1692. Satisfied my Longing Desire in visiting Pensilvania I no sooner Arrived in that Government but perceived a Remarkable Difference between the Gestures Behaviour of Quakers there all others I have been acquainted with elsewhere Males and Females using that Masculine way of Bowing the Body and Alarmed with a Rent and Division between the Quakers in Philadelphia who are divided into two Factions and Partys and soon meeting with two Pamphlets Pulished to acquaint the World therewith and that by G. Keith who is the Head and Ringleader or Publick Mouth of one Party And Thomas Lloyd President and Deputy Governour head of the other Party the matter in Difference was occasioned by G. Keith his urging them to Publish their Fundamental Truths and Principles as a Confession of their Faith and Unanimously agreed upon which he saith has never been yet done and from what rent and seperation has already arisen upon the first motion of such a design is no difficulty to determine what shall Unquestionably happen before its accomplishment the points already mentioned where in the Difference Lies are weighty Fundamental and Saving absolutely necessary to Salvation As 1. Concerning the only Object of Saving Faith even Christ Jesus God-man Saviour and Mediator 2. Concerning the Sufficiency of the Light in all men to Salvation which Light they Call Christ our Saviour and that I may give a Narrative to the Word I shall give a Relation from their own VVritings also from their own Testimonies and the open and publick Discourses of both Parties I Converst with while at Philadelphia 1. I shall give an Account of what G. K. has Published in a Book called The Plea of the Innocent being a Vindication of G. K. and his Followers from the false Informations Judgments and Defamations of Thomas Lloyd Samuel Ginnings John Simcock and others to the number of Twenty Eight It happened many Months ago that Thomas Lloyd and his Party had signed an Epistle to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in Pensilvania East and VVest Jarsey Informing them of the tedious Exercise and vexatious Perplexity they met with in their Late Friend G K for several months past from whence the Reader may warrantably conclude two things 1 That there hath been much Division Contention Jangling and Difference among themselves ere it broke forth to publick view and no private measures of Inspired Judges could prove effectual for reconciling those divided Parties who used to take away either justly or unjustly all those Differences aâ—mong themselves about Civil and VVorldly Matters which gives to believe it was a Matter in Debate among them of another Nature of greater weight of a considerable continuance some say for fifteen Months e're that Fire of contenton broke forth into a Flame 2 That these Twenty Eight pretended Preachers at this time look on George Keith and consequently all his Party none of their present but late Friend and consequently now their Enemy and so the name Friend must no longer be a general Epithite or universal title peculiar to that Party or George Keith must be only a Late Quaker The Occasion of all this Clamour Heat is given by K. pag 2. To be an Accusation of K by W. Stockdale an ancient Quaker Teacher For Preaching two Christs because he Preached Faith in Christ within them Faith in Christ without and if this was a new thing from K. his frequent Teaching before must have been void of Christ and so Christless Sermons or if he did it was so obscurely delivered that he was never plainly understood till now But K having dealt privately with the said Stockdale but unsuccessfully laid his complaint before twelve of their Ministry in a meeting at Rt. Ewers house who rather defended and excused Stockdale then Condemned him whereby ten of these able Doctors two only diffenting became as Guilty of Ignorance Errors as Stockdale himself And next the Yearly Meeting at Philadelphia and so at length six several Meetings had this matter in debate and under their determination who gave so slender a determination at last that they all appeared rather at a stand and demurr about it K. Justly accuses them of partiality Ignorance Unbelief pag. 4. Reader all may easily perceive from the unchristian Labyrinth in which these men have involved themselves about so weighty and so plain a Fundamental how great Strangers they are to the True knowledge of the Gospel Mystery of Christ Jesus that of six several Meetings of their greatest Dons in the three forementioned Governments they are in confusion about the Christ to be Believed in for our Salvation and understand not Christ as he is Revealed in the Scriptures God Man Suffering and Dying for us whence it is evident what Christ the generality of Quakers have been hitherto believing in which is clear from the Prayer of Thomas Fittz-Watter at a Meeting saying O God that Dyed in us and Laid down thy Life in us and took it up again c. Which G. K. justly called Blasphemy if this Spiritual Man suppose Christ as God Mortal is most inconsistant with Scripture which affairms that to him belongs Immortatity and absolute Eternity both a parte ante post and by this prayer directs it to something within himself and not according to Divine Pattern to Our Father