A brief answer to two papers procured from Friends in Maryland the one concerning Thomas Budds favouring John Lynam &c., the other concerning his owning George Keith's principles and doctrines.

A brief Answer to two Papers procured from Friends in Maryland, the one con∣cerning Thomas Budds favouring John Lynam, &c. the other concerning his owning George Keith's Principles and Doctrines.

WHereas there is two Papers procured from Friends in Maryland, on purpose to defame me, I think fit to give a true relation of the whole matter, and leave it to the Consideration of all Impartial Friends of Truth: The matter then is this, as followeth, viz.

About twelve Years ago John ••ary and his Wife came to Burlington, and shew a Letter from G. F. directed to him and three other Friends, in which they were advised by G. F. to vi••it Friends in West Jarsey, and Friends not knowing of the differences betwixt them and Friends in Maryland, they were kindly received, and her Testimony owned. When they went back Robert Stacy and my self took the opportunity of going in their Boat to the Meeting at West-River, where some of Rob. Stacy's old Acquaintance came to visit us, and much frequented our company, viz. John Lynam and his Wife, Edw. Serson, and others, all of them being strangers to me. Now I found Friends to carry it very straitly to us, but not one of them did in the least inform me the reason of their strait carriage all the time of the Meeting, or that John Lynam and his Wife, &c. were out of unity with Friends, but observed that they were suffered to speak in their Mee∣tings; and what information I had of the matter it was from

some of the above-said Persons that much frequented our com∣pany, and who no doubt would make the best of their own Cause, which I had not favoured, had Friends discha••ged their duty to me, by giving me an account of their being out of Unity, &c. for when I came to have a right ••nformation concerning them, I writ to Friends my sence thereof, and did also write a Letter to John Lynam, &c. advi-sing them to be reconciled to their Brethen; and the next time that I was at the Meeting at West-River, which was about two years ago, where I publickly declared against that Conten∣tious Spirit in J. L. and his Wife, &c. declaring it (as they say in their Paper) to be a killing Spirit, which I still own, believing that J. L. and the rest, (having so many years con∣tinued in that contentious Spirit) had lost their condition, and were thereby become very unfit to preach so frequently as they now do. But it is very strange that Copies should be given out of the Meeting-Book, to let People know the hurt they say I received by a few days accompanying with the said Persons, when at the same time they own their Ministry, and John Lynam is one of the 28 Judges against G. K. and his Friends, altho' a stranger to the Differences. But the reason of the reviving of these old matters is to insinuate into People that I having once been mistaken, so as to favour such bad Spirits as John Lynam and the rest, I might also be mistaken in my Friend G. Keith. To which I say, That it was not suddainly that I joyned with G.K. but after diligent search and enquiry into the matter, and earnest Supplication to the Lord, that he would guide me aright, I was drawn forth to joyn with G. K. in his Christian Testimony, and witness Peace and Satisfaction from the Lord therein. And notwithstanding the 28 Judges say, that G. K. is fallen from the High Places of Israel, as a man slain in his High Places, and become Treacherous to the Spouse of his Youth, & as a man without the fear of God before his Eyes; G. K. is a living man, and it

is the Glory of God, Prosperity of Truth, and Salvation of Souls that he travails for; and these things are Slanders and Lyes writ on purpose, by prejudiced men against him, to slay him in his Reputation, and lessen Peoples Love to him and his powerful Gospel Ministry, and to hide their own Ig∣norance, Error & Unbelief in those Fundamental Principles of Christian Doctrine, which are the Foundation Cause of the present Difference and Seperation.

The other Paper, which they also recommend to Friends, (signed by Henry Hosier, John Frue and Charles Hollesworth) saith, viz. Ʋnderstanding that Thomas Budd is one with George Keith, owning his Principles, which for some Years past he by his own mouth declared & cautioned several to beware of, saying, there were dangerous Doctrines that would break forth among us before long by George Keith.

Answer; I do freely acknowledge that I am one with G. K. in his present Christian Testimony, and own his sound Chri∣stian Principles; but that he doth hold any dangerous Do∣ctrines, or that dangerous Doctrines are broken forth amongst us who are joyned with G. K. remains for them to tell where∣in; if they had known of any dangerous Doctrines among us, it had been more Christian in them to have writ to us and told wherein we were in an Error, than to have sent Papers privately abroad, insinuating as if there were dangerous Do∣ctrines broken forth among us; by which it appears, they are either ignorant of the Doctrines & Principles we own, or unbelievers therein, and for their better In••ormation, I recom∣mend to their perusal the Sheet called. An Account of the Sin∣cere Christian Faith of some of the faithful People called Qua∣kers in Pennsilvania, &c. wherein I hope will be found no dangerous Doctrines. But that dangerous Doctrines are held by them that we meet apart from, will easily appear by a few things mentioned, that are well known to be true, viz. The Fitzwater said to me, in the presence of divers Witnesss, That

he did not own any Man Christ Jesus as Mediator in H••a••en with∣out him, but the Grace of God within him; and tho' I complain∣ed against him to Friends of the Ministry at their Meeting at Burlington, yet they dealt not with him, nor so much as blamed him, which manifests they are one with him in his Un∣belief. And the Act of their Monthly Meeting may witness what dangerous Doctrines they hold, viz. That the Light is sufficient to Salvation without any thing else, viz. without the Man Christ Jesus, and without the Faith of his Death, Resurrection, Ascention and Mediation, which is that something else we hold to be necessary to make a man a true Christian, as well as to believe in the Light within.

And whereas they say, That I said after a mysterious manner, That a Star would fall, cautioning all to beware of the Times that were coming. In answer, I say, that several Stars are fallen, and many apostatized from the Faith, witness W. Stockdale, who said, That to preach Faith in Christ within, and in Christ without was to preach two Christ; and Arthur Cook put G. K. to prove by Scripture, that we were to believe in Christ within and in Christ without. And in opposition to G. K's affirming the necessity of the Faith of Christ without, as well as in Christ within, Tho Lloyd said, That Christ within did all and argued some hours, That we might be Christians good enough without all Faith of Christ as he dyed for our sins, rose again, &c R. Young said, That he never read in all the Scriptures of Christ without, but that Christ was seperated from his Body in the Cloud, &c. Also, witness some here called Quakers at Philadelphia hiring men to fight, and signing Commi••sion so to do, and furnishing the Indians with Powder & Lead to go to war with other Indians, and some called Ministers among them being worldly Judges and have sentenced to Dea••h, &c. and their Persecution by fining and Imprisoning of some of their Brethren for asserting the antient Principles of Truth and faithful Friends, which they are apostatized from.

Thomas Budd.