The general history of the Quakers containing the lives, tenents, sufferings, tryals, speeches and letters of the most eminent Quakers, both men and women : from the first rise of that sect down to this present time / being written originally in Latin by Gerard Croese ; to which is added a letter writ by George Keith ...

Something Added in Behalf of the People called Qua∣kers, both with respect to the Historian, and also G. Keith.

ANd therefore after the perusal of this Hi∣story, and George Keith's Letter ad∣ded, it's desired this may seriously be consi∣dered; it being mostly taken out of a Book of George Keith's, printed by him, Anno 1692, Intituled, A Serious Appeal. Wherein he takes notice of Directions for weak and dis••empered Chri∣stians: and saith▪ may be of some service to that Injured People, called in Scorn Quakers, p. 1.

From my own observation, which with a grieved Soul▪ I have made in this Generation, I hereby give warning to this and all succeeding Ages, that if they have any regard to Truth, or Chari∣ty, they take heed how▪ they believe any Factious partial Historian or Divine, in any evil that he saith of the Party that he is against; for though there be good and eredible Persons of most Parties, you shall find that Passion and Partiality prevail∣eth against Conscience, Truth and Charity in most

that are sick of this Disease, and that ehe Envi∣ous Zeal which is described, James, cap. 3. doth make them think they do God service, first, in be∣lieving false Reports, and then in venting them against those, that their Zeal or Faction doth call the Enemies of Truth, which Directions G. K. quotes out of Richard Baxter.

And G. K. saith, p. 1, 2. of the Serious Ap∣peal;

And it is a thing generally acknowledged by all Protestants, that where any Man, or Society of Men, err not in a Fundamental Article of the Christian Faith, we ought to have Charity towards them, as our Christian Brethren, if in some other things they are under some Mistakes, and that their Conversation and Practice be free of Scan∣dal.

And that we do not err in any Fundamental Article of Christian Faith; hear G. K. further in our behalf.

Serious Appeal, p. 6.

And notwithstanding of Cotton Matther's strong Asseverations a∣gainst us, as if We deny'd almost all, or most of the Fundamental Articles of the Christian and Protestant Faith, yet he shall never be able to prove it. That we are guilty of this his so extreamly rash and uncharitable charge, either as in respect of the Body of that People, called in scorn Quakers, or in respect of any particular Writers, or Pub∣lishers of our Doctrines and Principles, and Preachers among us, generally owned and appro∣ved by Vs, as Men of a sound judgment and un∣derstanding. And as for his Citations out of Qua∣kers

printed Books and ••reatises, I would have you to consider, that most of them all are borrowed and taken not from our own Books, but from our professed Adversaries, men known well enough to be possessed with Prejudice against us, such as Tho. Hicks, and John Faldo, and others, whom our Friends in Old England, and particularly Geo. Whitehead, and William Pen, have large∣ly answered; yea, I do here solemnly charge C. M. to give us but one single Instance of any one Fundamental Article of Chaistian Faith de∣nyed by us as a People, or by any one of our Wri∣ters or Preachers, generally owned and approved by Vs.

Serious Appeal, p. 7. G. K. saith;

Far∣ther, it sufficeth to me, and I hope doth to many others, that according to the best knowledge I have of the People called Quakers, and those most ge∣nerally owned by them, as Preachers and Publish∣ers of their Faith of unquestioned esteem among them, and worthy of double honour, as many such there are. I know none that are guilty of any one of such Heresies and Blasphemies: And G. K. further saith in the same Page, They— who best know them (the Quakers) ought to be allowed to give their sence of them, as I have done (saith he) in the sincerity of my heart, ac∣cording to my best understanding and knowledge of them, and I think I should know, and do know these called Quakers, and their Principles—

Note, He had then been among us about 28 years, and a Preacher the greatest part thereof, and may well therefore be suposed to know onr Do∣ctrines: and the Defection he would now Insinu∣ate,

must needs be very sudden, were we so dege∣nerated in Fundamentals since 1692. when his Book here cited was published: as his Prejudice or Enmity doth now represent.

But if the Reader inspect the State of the Case as Explained by Sam. Jennings. Truth Defend∣ed, &c. by Tho. Ellwood. A Modest Account from Pensilvania, by Caleb Pusey. And The Apostate Exposed by John Pennington, it will evidently appear, the Defection is in himself.

Serious Appeal, p. 10. G. K. Vindicates William Penn, arguing about the Trinity, or Three Persons, saying,

••e, i. e. William Penn, only Argueth against the invented Names [Persons] as Calvin doth acknowledge them, which, in all proper Languages doth signifie Sub∣stances, and not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Properties, or relative At∣tributes, which W. P. will not deny to be in God.

In the Book above, p. 11. In the Name of the People called Quakers, saith G. K.

We Zealously believe, that the Man Christ is in Heaven without us, in his Glorified Body of Man, the same for being he had on Earth, but wonderfully changed in manner and condition. But yet we cannot approve of the Two Carnal Conceptions of many Carnal and Ignorant Professors.

Book forecited, p. 61. G. K. saith,

The least Babes in the Truth are not without frequent Prayer, both in their Houses, and at their Tables, although not so very frequent vocally; yet some∣times

vocally, as God is pleased to give an utte∣rance, and at other times, only with our hearts, which God accepts; for vocal and external words of Prayer, are not so essential to Prayer; but that true Prayer may be, and is, most frequently without it.

Thus hath G. K. justified these, and many o∣ther of our Doctrines and Practices, after 28 years conversation among us as aforesaid: though now, in his late Books, since he is gone out from us, he joyns with this Historian against us; and it may be of both said, in G. K's own Quotation, p. 1. of the Book above-cited, that Passion and Partiality prevaileth against Conscience, Truth and Charity; and that the Envious Zeal, described, James, c. 3. doth make them think, they do God service, the one in venting, and both in falsly reporting against those that their Zeal or Faction, doth call the Ene∣mies of Truth. But let the Reader seriously per∣use the following Testimony of our Friends in Pen∣silvania, and its hoped it wi•••• manifest, that we are sound in those Christian Doctrines briefly there∣in asserted.

And as to our particular Remarks, we shall refer the Reader to what may in some short time be Pub∣lished, part thereof being Writ in Latine, and is al∣ready publick in Holland, and may be Translated into English, with farther Remarks on divers things and passages in the fore-going History and Appendix, and which when made publick, will more fully and particularly detect the Historian and George Keith: And whereas the Historian hath wrongly stated the Difference between the year∣ly

Meeting and G. K. as also given a wrong Re∣lation of Passages and things therein, the Imparti∣al Reader at present is referr'd to A true account of the Proceedings, Sence, and Advice of the People called Quakers, at the Yearly Meeting of Faithful Friends and Brethren began in London 1694. Published by Robert Hannoy in a Pam∣phlet so intituled as above.