A serious appeal to all the more sober, impartial & judicious people in New-England to whose hands this may come ... together with a vindication of our Christian faith ... / by George Keith.

CHAP. I. (Book 1)

WHereas Cotton Mather in his late Address seemeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lay great weight on the Opinion of Richard Baxte•• (whom he calleth Reverend Baxter) concerning th•• Quakers, I thought fit to Transcribe some few Passages of Richard Baxter in a printed Book of his, called, Directions for weak distempered Christians, that may be of some service to that injured People, called in scorn Quakers. In pag. 142. of that Book, he saith, 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 Charity, 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 credible Persons of most Parties, yet) you shall find that Passion and Partiality prevaileth against Consci∣ence, Truth and Charity in most that are sick of this Disease, and that the Envious Zeal which is described, James 3. doth make them think they do God Service, first in believing false Reports, and then in venting them against those that their Zeal or Faction doth call the Enemies of Truth. And a little after he saith, pag. 143. Most Christian is that Advice of Dr. Henry Moore, That all Parties of Christians would mark all the good which is in other Parties, and be more forward to speak of that, than of the Evil: And this (saith Baxter) would promote the Work of Charity in the Church, and the interest of Christianity in the World; whereas the overlooking of all that's Good, and aggravating all the Evil (and falsly feigning more than is True) is the Work of greatest Service to the Devil, &c. Now if both Richard Baxter and Cotton Mather had well practised this Advice, they would not have been so Uncharitable to the People called Quakers.

But seeing C.M. layeth so great weight on his Reverend Baxter, as he calleth him (though I find not any where that he calleth Paul, Peter or John, or any of the Prophets or Apostles by such a high desig∣nation) even by Baxter's own Judgment, neither G.K. nor his Bre∣thren, who are of his Faith, are guilty of any Fundamental Errors, that are repugnant to the Essence of the Christian Faith: And it is a

thing generally acknowledged by all Protestants, That where any Man 〈…〉〈…〉 ••ociety of Men, err not in a Fundamental Article of the Christian ••••••th, we ought to have Charity towards them, as our Christian ••••ethren, if in some other things they are under some Mistakes, and ••••at their Conversation and Practice be free of Scandal. And that I ••ay the more effectually make it apparent, how that by the Judgment 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Richard Baxter neither G.K. nor his Brethren who are of his Faith, ••••e guilty of any Fundamental Errors touching the Christian Faith, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 think fit to transcribe (faithfully) a Passage in his fore-cited Book, pag. 84, 85, 86. where he undertaketh to describe the intire Essence of the Christian Faith, as to the matter of it. The Foundation Principle (saith he) or Fundamental Matter is God the Father, Son and holy Ghost, the secondary Foundation or Fundamental Doctrine, is those Scripture Pro∣positions that express our Faith in God the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost: When we name three Persons as the Object of the Christian Faith, we express Names of Relation, which contain both the Persons, Nature and Offices, and undertaken Works, without either of which God were not God, and Christ were not Christ, and the holy Ghost were not, in the sence of our Articles of Faith, the holy Ghost; as we must therefore believe, That there is one only God, so we must believe, That God the Father is the first in the holy Trinity of Persons; that the whole Godhead is perfect, and infinite in Being, and Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness, (in which all his Attributes are comprehended, but yet a distinct Ʋnderstanding of them all, is not of absolute necessity to Salvation;) That this God is the Creator, Preserver, and Disposer of all things, and the Owner and Ruler of Man∣kind, most Just and Merciful, that as he is the beginning of all, so he is the ultimate end, and the chief good of Man, which before all things else must be loved and Sought. Concerning the Son, we must moreover believe, That he is the same God with the Father, the second Person in Trinity, Incarnate, and so became Man, by a Personal Ʋnion of the Godhead and Manhood [He omitteth his being conceived of the holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin, Mary, which was needful to have been exprest, it being a great Article of our Christian Faith] That he was without Original or Actual Sin, having a sinless Nature, and a sinless Life; That he fullfilled all Righteousness, and was put to Death, as a Sacrifice for our sins, and gave himself a Ransom for us; and being buried, he rose again from the dead, and afterward ascended into Heaven, where he is Lord of all, and interceedeth for Believers; That he will come again,

and raise the dead, and judge the World, the Righteous to Everlast•••••• Life, and the Wicked to Everlasting Punishment: That this is the on•• Redeemer, the Way, the Truth and the Life, neither is there access to th•• Father but by him, nor Salvation in any other. Concerning the Holy Ghost we must believe, That he is the same one God, the third Person in Trinity, sent by the Father and the Son to inspire the Prophets and Apostles; and tha•• the Doct••ine inspired and miraculously attested by him, is true; that he i•• the Sanctifier of these that shall be saved, renewing them after the Image of God in Holiness and Righteo••sness, giving them true Repentance, Faith, Hope, Love, and sincere Obedience, causing them to overcome the Flesh, the World, and the Devil, thus gathering a holy Church on Earth to Christ, who have, by his Blood, the Pardon of all their sins, and shall have Ever∣lasting Bl••ss••dness with God: This (saith Richard Baxter) is the Essence of the Christian Faith, as to the Matter of it.

And now, as concerning that judged by Richard Baxter the Essence of the Christian Faith, as to the Matter of it, I declare sincerely, without all Equivocation or mental Reservation, in the true and ge∣nuine sence of the Words, that I have transcribed out of his said Treatise, that I know not wherein I or my Brethren, of my Faith and Perswasion differ from him in any one particular, as to the matter of it, or substance therein contained; the only exception we have, is against that unscriptural Term or Phrase of Three Persons, or a Trinity of Persons, but we own sincerely, That our Faith ought to be, and is in God the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost, and that these Names are Names of Relation, respecting the Relations, as well as the Re∣lative Offices, and Works of those Three; and this being granted by us, in the sincerity of our Hearts, we are excused or cleared by John Calvin, for whose Memory I suppose C. Mather hath as full and great esteem as for R. Baxter; for in his first Book of Institutions, cap. 13. n. 5. he saith expresly, Ʋtinam quidem sepulta essent (se invent•• Nomina (as he expresly calleth them) Trium Personarum) constaret modo, hec inter omnes Fides, Patrem, et Filium, et Spiritum esse unum Deum, nec tamen aut Filium esse Patrem, aut Spiritum Filium, sed pro∣prietate quadam esse distinctos, ne{que} enim tam precisa sum austeritate ut obnudas voculas digladiari sustineam; In English thus, I wish (saith he) the invented Names (viz. of Three Persons) were buried, providing this Faith were manifest among all, that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is one God; and yet that the Son is not the Father, nor that the Spirit is the

Son, but that they are distinct by a certain Property (to wit, in their ••••lative Attributes, as that the Father did beget the Son, and the ••on was begotten of the Father, and that the holy Spirit did proceed ••••om both) for I am not of such precise Austerity (said Calvin) that ••or bare small Words I would contend; and withall he confesseth, That the Orthodox antiently did not agree about these Terms or invented Words, ••••at he acknowledgeth, were invented since the Apostles dayes, to guard ••gainst the Arrian, Sabellian, and other Heresies. And therefore since we are altogether free of these Heresies, and that we detest them from our very Souls, no sober Christian will judge uncharitably of us in that respect. And as for the word Distinct, if some of our Friends, taking it to signifie distant or seperated asunder one from another, as in remote and distant places, have refused it, in this and other mat∣ters, as indeed sometimes, at least vulgarly it doth so signifie, as when we say, America is distinguished from Europe, by a great & spacious Sea interveening, they ought not to be accused for so doing, seeing in that other sence of the word Distinct, that is more in use among Schollars, as when we say, Things are distinct when the one is not the other, they own a Distinction, as that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, (though he is our Father, and is expresly call'd in Scripture the Everlasting Father) and Christ's Manhood and Body is not the Godhead, and yet one Christ; as the Body of a Man is not his Soul, and yet Body and Soul is one Man; and in this second sence we do allow the word distinct. And as to the Manner of receiving the Christian Faith, we grant with him, first, That it must not only be received, as true, into our Understanding, by a special divine Illumi∣nation, that is supernatural, but must be imbraced by the Will, Heart and Affections, as good, yea exceeding good, and worthy of all ac∣ceptation, by a special divine Motion, and working of the holy Spirit, that is supernatural, in & upon the Will, Heart and Affections: 2dly, That as touching all the peculiar Mysteries and Doctrines of Faith, the Scriptures have been Instrumental, by and together with the immediate working of the Spirit, to beget in us the true Faith of them: But in this we differ, I suppose, from him, as well as from C. Mather and his Brethren of New-England, that whereas they hold, That the Spirit of God worketh in Believers Effectively, but not Obje∣ctively, or by way of sensible Object, or sensibly and perceptibly by its own Self-Evidence and Demonstration to mens Hearts and Souls; We affirm,

That the Spirit of God worketh in Believers, both Effectively 〈◊〉〈◊〉 also Objectively, or by way of sensible Object, or sensibly and ••••••¦ceptibly, by its own Evidence and Demonstration to mens Hea•••••• and Souls: And this, divers call'd Protestants have acknowledged 〈◊〉〈◊〉 us, though denyed by C.M. and his Brethren of New-England; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yet I suppose R. Baxter will not call this a Fundamental Error in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 People called Quakers, seeing it contradicts none of the Fundame•••••••• Articles delivered by him in his said Treatise.

And if any say, or object, That if the Spirit worketh by way of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sensible Object, upon the inward and spiritual Senses of Believers, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 would make void all use of the Scriptures, as being so much as the Instru¦ment, or Instrumental to our Faith. But I Answer, denying this Con∣sequence, and by distinguishing the Object of our Faith, to wit, that the Scriptures are the Instrumental and secondary Object of our Faith, and the holy Spirit the principal and primary Object of our Faith (as it is sensibly felt to work upon our inward and spiritual Senses) together with the Father and the Son: Even as in outward and natural Objects that work upon our outward and natural Senses, some are principal, and others are instrumental; as in our natural sight of visible Things on Earth, as Horses, Woods, Trees, Beasts, the Sun's Light is the prin∣cipal Object of our sight, but the things are at least the secondary and instrumental Object thereof; or, as when we read on a Book, the Light that we read with is the principal Object, and the Letters of the book are the secondary and instrumental; and though we cannot see the Letters of the Book without some light, yet we may see light, yea, the Sun himself, if we have good Eyes, without the Book; and so God, and Christ, and the Spirit may be inwardly seen, felt and known, and is frequently seen, felt, known and enjoyed by the inward and spiritual Senses of Believers, without all present use of Letters or Books, when the Knowledge is Intuitive and Sensible. But as for the Doctrinal Knowledge, as we acknowledge it is requisite, in order to bring us to so high an enjoyment of God and Christ, as Vision, or Intuitive Knowledge, or Intuition, so we grant, it is commonly wrought in us and increased by means of the holy Scriptures, instrumentally working with the holy Spirit, and that therefore the hol•• Scriptures are of great profit and service to all Ranks and Conditions of People, yea, to such of the highest spiritual Attainments, while remaining in the mortal Body.

I 〈…〉〈…〉 therefore with, and in behalf of my Friends and Brethren of 〈…〉〈…〉 Faith and Perswasion with me, in all parts of the World, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this Solemn Appeal to you, the more Sober, impartial and Judi∣•••••••••• People in Boston, and else-where in New-England, to whose 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this may come, Whether Cotton Mather is not extreamly Un∣••••••••••itable, and possessed with a Spirit of Prejudice and envious Zeal, 〈…〉〈…〉 R. Baxters phrase) against the Quakers in general, and me in ••••••••••cular, as guilty of manifold Heresies, Blasphemies, and strong 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to the rendering us No Christians, in the lowest degree or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (while, I suppose, he hath som Charity to some in the Church of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, called Papists, and to Lutherans, A••minians, and divers others, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 differ widely from him) yet agreeing in the afore-said Funda∣mentals, when we hold the same Fundamentals of Christian Doctrine, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Faith, both with Rich. Baxter, and many others, as so declared by ••hem. And notwithstanding of Cotton Mathers strong Asseverations ••gainst us, as if we denyed almost all, or most of the Fundamental Articles 〈◊〉〈◊〉 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 Publishers of our Doctrines and Principles, and Preachers among us, generally owned and approved by us, as men of a sound Judgment and Understanding. And as for his Citations out of the Quakers printed Books & Treatises, I would have you to consider, that most of them all are borrowed, and taken not from our own Books, but from our professed Adversa∣ries, men known well enough to be possessed with Prejudice against us, such as Thomas Hicks and John Faldo, and others, who•• our Friends in Old-England, and particularly George Whitehead and William Penn have largely answered; yea, I do here solemnly charge Cotton Mather to give us but one single instance of any one Fundamen••al Article of Christian Faith denyed by us, as a People, or by any one of our Writers or Preachers, generally owned and approved by us. And if perhaps there be any Citations that C.M. cites out of our Books, that he hath read, that seem to confirm his Charge in one or two particulars against us; I do sincerely answer, that I am at a loss to find them in these Books, partly because divers of these Books cited by him, I am altogether a stranger to them, and know not where to find them in all America, and partly because he not citing

the Chapters, Sections, Parts or Pages of them, that may be 〈…〉〈…〉 here in America, I cannot, but with great pains and expence of 〈…〉〈…〉 find them out; and I judge I can much better spend my precious 〈…〉〈…〉 than in searching of them; and it sufficeth to me, and I hope dot•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 many others, that according to the best Knowledge I have of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 People called Quakers, and these most generally owned by them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Preachers and Publishers of their Faith, of unquestioned est•••••• among them, and worthy of double Honour, as many such there: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I know none that are guilty of any one of such Heresies and Blasp••••¦mies, as he accuseth them. Yet we deny not, but as it hath happe••¦ed, and doth daily happen to Writers and Preachers belonging to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 other Societies, so it may have happened to some among us, to hav•• at times in writing or speaking, delivered things not so warily and cautiously worded, in every respect, as need were: But in this case▪ all but prejudiced Persons, will say, If it can be found, by comparing their words one with another, that their sence or meaning is found, though not so altogether safely or cautiously worded in every respect, Charity is to be allowed, and the best Construction ought to be given to their words, or they themselves, or their Friends for them, in respect of their absence or decease, who did best know them, ought to be allowed to give their sence of them, as I have done, in the sincerity of my heart, according to my best understanding and know∣ledge of them; and I think I should know, and do know these called Quakers, and their Principles, far better than Cotton Mather, or any or all his Brethren, having been conversant with them in publick Meetings, as well as in private Discourses, with the most noted and esteemed among them for about Twenty Eight Years past, and that in may places of the World in Europe, and for these divers Years in America: And I further say, That if any things, through inadver∣tency, have been said or writ by any of us, and that it can be found so to be, and that a charitable Construction cannot be safely and sin∣cerely put upon them, but that they do contradict the holy Scriptures, and the wholsom Doctrine therein delivered by the holy Prophets and Apostles, we do sincerely deny and disown them, and declare our be∣ing ready, with all possible sincerity, to disown them, upon due notice and advertisment; for though we affirm, That the Spirit of God in us, and all Belie••ers, in every discovery it gives, is infallible, yet we have never judged our selves absolutely infallible, nor did we ever

place or fix an absolute Infallibility upon any Man, or Number, of ••••••iety of Men since the Apostles dayes; but through Gods mercy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are sensible of our danger of being liable to Mistakes, as well as ••••her men, if we be not duely humble, watchful and careful to keep ••lose and chaste to the pure openings, teachings and leadings of the infallible Spirit of Truth. And we readily grant the great benefit we have by the holy Scriptures, as being instrumental, by and with ••he immediate working of the Spirit, to preserve us from Error, or if any be overtaken in an Error, and beguiled by the Enemy, to Re∣cover and Restore them there-from; therefore it is, that in all respects we prefer the Scriptures, both to our own, and all other Writings; and if any Doctrine or Practice be found contrary thereunto, upon due and impartial Examination, we say, it ought to be disowned and denyed; for the Scriptures of Truth, and the Spirit of Truth that gave them forth, can never contradict the one to the other.