Answer to George Keiths Libel, Title page – To the reader 3
AN ANSWER TO George Keith… Libel. Againſt A CATECHISM Publiſhed, by Francis Make… To which is Added, by way of … ſcript. A Brief Narrative of a Late Difference among the Quakers, begun at Philadelphia.
BOSTON, Pri…ed, by Benjamin Harris, … of the BIBLE, over-ag… …. MDCXCIIII.
Imprimatur,
Increaſe Mather March 31ſt. 1694.
Chriſtian Reader,
SƲch is, not only the Impiety, Irreligion, and Contradiction to clear Scripture Light, which the Doctrine of the Quakers is ſtuffed withal; but the Unreaſonableneſs, Nonſenſe, and Selfcontradiction, which … …arries with it; that it may well ſeem a wonder to men of Ʋnderstanding, that it hath not long ſince been Exploded: and that the Abetters of it have not been a ſhame and ridicule to themſelves, and one to another… and that it had not died alone, if no attempts had been made against it by ſo many worthy Champions of the Truth: and indeed there can be no other account given of it, but that God, in his awful and righteous Judgment, hath left men to Believe a Lie, becauſe they received …ot the Truth in the Love of it: … duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page ſo, a Deceived Heart hath turned them aſide, that they cannot ſay, is there not a Lie in our Right hand? and were it not that there are ſo many, Labouring of ſuch ignorance, as to think that holding our peace, were a yielding up the cauſe, it were pity, at this time of day, to take ſo much notice of their Scriblings, as to waste Paper in replying upon them. But ſince there is a kind of a neceſſity for it, leſt the ſacred Oracles ſhould ſee… … ſome, not ſufficiently defended without it, it may not be thought unadviſable to comply with the ſecond part of the Wiſemans Antitheſis, Prov. 26.5. and, though no Truth is to b… foregone, yet when the Foundations ar… ſtricken at, and thoſe Articles on which our hopes for Eternal Life are built, b… Ʋndermined, it is time to arm in Defence of them.
The following Diſcourſes then will b… found both ſeaſonable and profitable, … which the venome and ſophistry of …rand Apoſtate, and one of the mo… … caried Supporters of that totteri… Fabrick of Enthuſiaſm, are detected; and the perverſe ſpirit which God hath ſown among them, in ſuffering them to lay open each others follies, is diſcovered by the Reverend and Judicious Author. We do therefore Commend him, and theſe Labours of his to the Bleſſing of God, who alone can recover the fallen, ſettle the wavering, and confirm ſuch as ſtand, and make the faithful Endeavours of this his Servant become inſtrumental to theſe Deſired Ends.
Increaſe Mather.
Iames Allen
Samuel Willard
Iohn Baily
Cotton Mather
An Epiſtle to the Reader.
Reader,
I Cannot but admire the Instability of many who are ſo eaſily, and ſoon drawn to Embrace and Eſpouſe that perſwaſion and way of thoſe called Quakers, and that becauſe of an outward and ſeeming Sanctity, that is to be found, and to be diſcerned among many of them conſiſting only in Negatives, making up a Phariſaical Righteouſneſs, made of thoſe things that are not peculiar to Quakers only, of not Swearing, Drinking, and Ranting: but if they would but cautiouſly Look, before they Leap, they would find the principles of many of the Reformed Churches as much againſt all thoſe, and many more evils, as theirs can be, and thouſands of Profeſſors exceed them in a ſhining Holineſs, and Chriſtian Univerſal Piety; and though others walk diſorderly, and not anſwerable to the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus, is not to be imputed to our Profeſſion, Principles or manner of Worſhipping God; otherwiſe all Religion would ſoon be rejected, and Quakeriſm it ſelf would be ſoon deſerted. The moſt of their Religion is compoſed of Negatives; for many ofthem are as void of the poſitive part of Religion, as worſhipping God in the publick, private and ſecret Duties of Religion, as many moral Heathens, who if they had but Learned their uſual tone, and grown ſullen and unmannerly, might paſs for Quakers all over the world. If we take a view of their principles in believing every one of them ſeverally by themſelves, and the Books of particular Writers, they are not only repugnant to truth, contrary to Gods Word, and the publick received Doctrine of the Churches of Chriſt for many Centurys paſt; but alſo dangerous and damnable. They cannot be looked upon as a Church, having not unanimouſly-and fairly, or faithfully publiſhed all their opinions, and principles, which is the cauſe many Eſpouſe they know not what; they have not in any of their Writings declared their Church Order, Conſtitution, Government nor Diſcipline. They have no orderly way of Admiſſion for Teaching Officers, but as many men, & women, as ſay, the Spirit of the Lord is upon them, muſt be received, though they can give no convincing proof, but to thoſe already Deluded to their way from which they want the pure and powerful Preaching of the Goſpel, and all Adminiſtration of Sacraments, which they ſlightly ridicule, rather than own; they hold or maintain a common Chriſt in all, even in the Reprobate, in whom the Spirit of God ſays, Chriſt is not; & a ſufficientſaving Light, and grace in all, even the children of Darkneſs, denying Original and Damnable Guilt in any Infants, even in their natural State; Railing againſt Singing of Pſalms, denying the Reſurrection of the ſame Body; many of them ſcoff at the Imputed Righteouſneſs of Christ for our Juſtification, and Salvation, maintaining an abſolute perfection for many years in this Life, by a Popiſh Poſſbility of keeping all Gods Commands, of which neither they, nor Papiſt could ever in any age produce one known Instance.
Reader, I offer here ſome Sheets to thy impartial peruſal, which was occaſioned by a Paper writ by George Keith, and delivered by his own hands into the hands of Mr. George Layfield at Rehoboth in Pocamok, from whence as many as read, may ſoon conclude, this debate was firſt ſet on foot by themſelves, and by promoting, it gave occaſion for Laying open both their Principles, and their practiſes, more in theſe corners of the World, then they have yet been. In which Anſwer, I have given Reply to all the Calumnies and Charges in that Paper against my Catechiſm, which I am obliged to Juſtifie and Defend. And the only Apology why I have not Enlarged in the proof of ſome points, and particularly of our Doctrine concerning the Sabbath, though I have ſufficiently vindicated my Charge, becauſe they are fully handled by others.And concerning this Subject, I Recommend Keith and all of them to Caudree and Palmer, Mr. John Brown, ſometime of Holland, and Mr. Matthew Crawford; and whoever anſwers them, ſhall anſwer me; If any ſhould Cenſure me for my tediouſneſs in anſwering; I had finiſhed it a year ago, but by reaſon of my tedious Affliction, not Tranſcribed until now.
I had a viſit from Keith at my houſe in Virginia, which though promiſed and intimated by his Harbinger to be on Fryday, was not performed until Saturday, in the Afternoon, & by the uncertainty of their coming, was prevented of having any of my Friends preſent, though ſome few dropped in occaſionally, at which time we had ſeveral Charges and Queſtions, concerning ſeveral things, which were too tedious to Rehearſe here: but I wiſh they had been Recorded then, to prevent many miſ…epreſentations, that were ſpread abroad by that Party. And though there was no real Debate; & he oft told me, he came not to Diſpute with me, yet ſoon after they boaſted of a Victory; which if they find after a diligent peruſal, & impartial conſideration of theſe Sheets, let them improve and poſt it if they will. Yet after ſome Diſcourſe, be impudently charged me as a Falſe Teacher, andchallenged me to a Publick Diſpute before the Multitude, which I ſcorned with a ſharp retorſion, and that for theſe reaſons: 1. Their Principles were unknown, becauſe never unanimouſly agreed upon, nor fairly Publiſhed to the World, therefore not to be Diſputed within words. 2. We ſhould Diſpute before an ignorant and illeterate Multitude, who ſhould be moſt incompetent Judges. 3. Becauſe he would run into Learning, and I muſt follow, and ſo what ſhould be Delivered, ſhould not tend to their Edification, but fall to the ground, and be Loſt. But afterwards I gave him a Challenge to oppoſe my Catechiſm, or Principles in Writing, and he ſhould have an Anſwer to every Particular; though Keith gave not the leaſt intimation of this Paper left behind him, though he dropt an Expreſſion, which I underſtood not then, that he would Write no more then he had done; this I took for Declining my Challenge: Now I Leave it to all to Determine whoſe Challenges or Overture was faireſt, for 1. What either of us ſhould Deliver, ſhould be on Record, and we could not fly from it. 2 If the Hearing a verbal Debate, in angry words, ſhould Edifie, much more a written Debate, frequently read over. 3. Ma…y might be Judges of a written Debate, who …ad no opportunity of hearing it Diſputed …ublickly. And as I have prefixed his Paperverbatim, ſo I expect the ſame priviledge for mine, if any Anſwer is Publiſhed. I have greater and better work then Controverſie to Follow; but in the Strength of the Lord, ſhall not only Defend my Principles ſtill by Writing, but if called thereunto, ſhall rea…ily Seal them with my Blood. And ſo I Leave thee Reader to the Counſel, and Direction of God, whoſe Unworthy Servant I am in the Lord Jeſus. Amen.
At Rehoboth in Pocamok Maryland. This 26 July, 1692. Francis Makemie.
Reader,
I alſo offer thee, theſe Following Queſtions which I expect and deſire Reſolution and Satisfaction, from ſuch as are concerned, and that Plainly, Poſitively, Sincerely and Faithfully, according to the Judgment of all of that Party, without Obſcurity, Equivocation, or Subtile and Unfair Reſervation, and ſo I bid the… Farewel, and Remains as above
F. M.