WHereas there is a Printed Sheet induſtriouſly ſpread, called, The Chriſtian Teſtimony of ſome called Quakers at Reading in Berkſhire, to ſome Fundamental Truths of the Chriſtian Religion; containing 12 Queries and Anſwers (and a Copy of a Letter) ſign'd by George Jaques, William Paine and Robert Sandiland, againſt ſome Preachers at Reading, called Quakers; wherein they tell their Reader a Story of the ſaid Preachers, that they refuſed to give them an Anſwer to their ſaid Queries, ſent to Tho. Curtis, William Soundey and Benjamin Coales, above a Month ago. 2Now was it ſuch a great Crime, to deſerve to be thus expos'd in Print, and that their own Friends and near Neighbors too, on purpoſe to render them no Chriſtians, becauſe they had not an Anſwer in that time? Let all ſober People judge in this Matter.
Again they ſay, They had threatning, uncivil Language given them, and were denied a Meeting of publick Conference. As to this they do very ill to charge T.C. W.S. and B.C. after this manner, it being utterly falſe that ever, to their knowledge, they did give them any uncivil Language; and as to a Meeting of Conference, we may ſay more in what follows: But they go on, and tell of diſorderly Oppoſition and Confuſion in the publick Meeting-houſe, the 27th Septemb. 1696. This alſo is very unfair, to charge the Three Preachers above mentioned withal, for Two of them were out of Town that Day; and as for W.S. how can they, with any Face of Honeſty, charge him with it? Had Robert Sandiland been ſo innocent and peaceable, there would have been no ſuch Diſorder that Day, nor at other times.
And as for their Charge againſt the three accuſed Perſons, as that they were unfound in Doctrin; we never heard any ſuch Complaint until of late our Oppoſers took Offence, and watched to get occaſion againſt them to beſpatter them and other Friends, and then make a Man an Offender if he did but miſtake a Word; which is very Unchriſtian-like.
But the beginning of this Fraction, and of their taking this Courſe, was this: When George Keith came to Reading, George Jaques and ſome others affecting him, entertain'd ſome hard Thoughts againſt ſeveral Friends, thinking they did not well like him, and that we were not kind enough to him; for before he came we lived in much Love, as on a religious Score: Then ſeveral eſpouſing his Cauſe, began to diſcourſe much of him and his Notions, until at length they began to be very hot and contentious, notwithſtanding Friends have indeavoured to perſuade them, that there was not ſo much difference as to thoſe things (which they call eſſential Principles) between3 them and us, but for want of a right Underſtanding of each other (which is no juſt ground for them to make this Clamor) for at ſome Conferences, where things were moderately diſcourſed, ſome of them, G. J. by Name, ſeem'd to be pleas'd that we ſo well agreed; afterwards, they ſent thoſe Queries mentioned, which Friends never refuſed to anſwer: They ſay they were ſent above a Month ago; which ſhews that they were in great haſte to Print, that they could ſtay no longer: Thoſe Queries then were as induſtriouſly ſpread in Writing, and that before two of the accuſed Perſons had ſo much as read them; for one of them had not ſeen them before they were ſpread far and near: Then they were earneſt for an Anſwer, which was never refuſed, but as opportunity offered Friends gave them the beſt Satisfaction they could by Words, Face to Face, as looking on that to be the moſt Friend-like to open our Hearts one to another, than to write Papers, living ſo near one to another, and familiar Friends, (which practice hath been very hurtful;) but nothing would ſerve a hungry Mind after Contention, but we muſt write an Anſwer to their Queries, tho' Friends had ſpoken to moſt of them, which in effect was according to their own Poſitions, and agreeable to Scripture.
And as for their Challenge to give them a Meeting of publick Conference; and to this we are required to give an Anſwer in a ſhort time, becauſe (as may be ſuppoſed) they were in great haſte to bring forth this printed Sheet to make themſelves Popular, that they might ſet up a Meeting by themſelves; Thomas Curtis and Benjamin Coales made this Propoſition to G. Jaques, &c. That at any time they would meet them Two and Two at a time, where they pleaſed, if it were every Day (except any thing more than ordinary of Buſineſs ſhould happen to prevent) till they had indeavoured to ſatisfie every one of them that was diſatisfied, excepting againſt none but Robert Sandiland, whom we have juſt ground to object againſt; for he that ſeems to be Religious and bridles not his Tongue,4 it is but Vanity; and he that may be called a Quaker, or pretends to be one, and yet have the Impudence to ſay, That if he had known the Quakers had held ſuch Things, he would as ſoon have put his Head in the Fire as joined with them: Surely ſuch a one is not fit to be a Preacher among a People, whom he ſo unworthily vilifies. More might be ſaid, but we ſhall forbear at preſent.
It may be obſerved that G. Jaques, &c. to whom T. C. &c. made the laſt Propoſition, ſeem'd willing to comply therewith to meet Two and Two at a time; but when they had conferred (as we ſuppoſe with R. S. and his Wife) they returned an Anſwer, That they did not except of our Propoſition; and ſo they went on to finiſh a Meeting-place, and ſet up for themſelves in Gutter Lane. And then their Agent John Knapp was very diligent to give abroad the printed Sheet, who hath ill requited his Friends for their Kindneſs to him in time of Need. But we are heartily ſorry for them, eſpecially thoſe that are honeſt-hearted, who are betrayed, and are going they know not whither, being liſted up in their own Imaginations above the Simplicity of that Truth, which will out-live all thoſe that oppoſe the Work of the Lord, and his Servants therein.
From a Monthly Meeting held at the Meeting-houſe in Sun Lane in Reading,27th 9th Month, 1696.
IT was the Saying of wiſe Solomon, That in making many Books, there is no end, &c. And if every one ſhould Write or Print what they believe is true Religion, it were the way to fill the World with Books. Many Teſtimonies have been5 publiſhed by particular Friends of their Faith, and alſo in a general way, of our Belief who are called Quakers, concerning the Principles of True Religion, at ſundry times; yet ſo unhappy is the Age in which we live, that ſome that are Contentious will not believe: However, for the Sakes of others, we have this to ſay in theſe following Particulars.
I. We do ſincerely believe, That there is but one only true and living God, who is a Spirit, the Creator and Upholder of all Things by the Word of his Eternal Power, who is Infinite and Incomprehenſible in himſelf; and all Words of Men and Angels cannot define him as he is, being in all, through all, and over all bleſſed for ever, whom all ought to fear and dread.
II. We ſincerely believe in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, both as he was the eternal Son of God from the beginning, glorified with the Father before the World began, and alſo as he was the promiſed Seed ſpoken of, Gen. 3.15. The Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpents Head; which the Prophet Iſaiah pointed at, Iſa. 7.14. Behold a Virgin ſhall be with Child and bring forth a Son, and (thou O Virgin) ſhalt call his Name Immanuel; which being interpreted is God with us: Which in due time was born of the Virgin Mary at Bethlehem in the Land of Judea, Mat. 2.15.
III. We believe, That the Man Chriſt Jeſus, according to the Fleſh, was the Seed of Abraham, to which the Promiſe was made, That in him (to wit Chriſt) all Nations of the Earth ſhould be bleſſed, Gen. 22.18. Who was the Son of Abraham, and the Son of David, &c. Mat. 1.1.
IV. We believe, That the Man Chriſt Jeſus had a real Soul that was not the Godhead, and a real Body that was not the Godhead; but in a moſt holy and myſtical Union of the Divinity and Humanity in One, better known and underſtood through a living Faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, than to be expreſſed in Words, Pſal. 16.10. Acts 2.27.
V. We alſo believe, That the ſame Chriſt Jeſus that was born of the Virgin, was the Son of God, having no immediate Father but God, Luke 1.35. Jo. 1.39.
6VI. We do believe, That Jeſus Chriſt, as to his Human Nature, was in all things like unto us, except Sin; yet the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelt in him Bodily: He was both God and Man and yet but One Chriſt, the Nature of the Manhood being moſt gloriouſly united with his Godhead, according to Tim. 2.5. Heb. 2.16. And to this we may add that Saying of the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 1.8. Whom having not ſeen ye love; in whom though ye ſee him not, yet believing ye rejoice with Joy unſpeakable and full of Glory.
VII. We do verily believe, That Chriſt's Body that died on the Croſs and was laid in the Sepulchre, did riſe again the Third Day, and that he aſcended up into Heaven after his Reſurrection, according to the Scriptures: And that Heaven into which Chriſt hath aſcended in the moſt glorified Nature of Man, is above the Earth, a Place of unexpreſſible Glory with his Father: And as he that dwells in Heaven is unlimitable, ſo is the Place of his Habitation above the reach of the carnal Mind to define where it is; yet meaſurably we poor Mortals taſte of it here on Earth, ſo that we believe it is not included in us, nor excluded from the Regenerate; Chriſt is Lord of Heaven, yet as to his Godhead he is meaſurably within us, by his Grace, Light and Spirit; For he that hath not the Spirit of Christ, is none of his.
VIII. We are juſtified and cleanſed from Sin by the precious Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, that was outwardly ſhed; and we are ſanctified by that precious Blood, through the Spirit of God that dwelleth in us, 1 Cor. 6.11.
IX. We believe, That it is neceſſary for all to believe in Chriſt Jeſus, as he came outwardly for our Eternal Salvation; and alſo to believe in his ſpiritual Appearance, Grace and Light, wherewith he hath Inlightened every Man that cometh into the World; and in the Spirit of Truth, which is ſufficient to lead and guide into all Truth: Alſo living Faith in Chriſt as he died for our Sins, and to reconcile us to God, and roſe again, and is at the Right Hand of God making Interceſſion7 for us, according to Rom. 8.34. is neceſſary to be Preached, with his inward and ſpiritual Appearance, by every true Miniſter of Chriſt, as God ſhall require it by his Spirit, John 1.9. Mat. 16.13.
X. And we believe it is abſolutely needful for every Man and Woman that do profeſs themſelves to be Chriſtians, and hope to be ſaved by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to be very careful that they are certain and know in themſelves, that they are true and faithful Witneſſes of their own true and unfeigned Repentance towards God, and that they ſo believe as to have ſaving Faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and rightly to know what the Apoſtle ſaith, viz. Not by Works of Righteouſneſs which we have done, but according to his Mercy he ſaved us, by the waſhing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Tit. 3.5.
XI. We believe, That all that are or ſhall be ſaved in any Age of the World, have their Sins blotted out and forgiven for Chriſt's ſake, and on the account of his moſt holy and perfect Obedience unto Death; and what Light and Grace all Men ever did, doth or ſhall receive to the Worlds end, it is given to Men for the Man Chriſt Jeſus his ſake, and by his Purchaſe and Merits, and continual Mediation and Interceſſion, 1 Tim. 2.5.
XII. We believe, That Chriſt Jeſus ſhall come again to judge the Quick and the Dead, according to Act. 1.11. And that God hath appointed a Day, in the which he will judge the World in Righteouſneſs by the Man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given aſſurance to all Men, in that he hath raiſed him from the Dead, Act. 17.31. but in what manner he ſhall come, we muſt ſubmit to the Pleaſure of the Almighty.
XIII. We faithfully believe, That there will be a Reſurrection both of the Juſt and Unjuſt; and if our Hope were only in this Life, we were of all Men moſt miſerable: Chriſt Jeſus ſaith, That he is the Reſurrection and the Life, and he that believes in him, tho' he were dead, yet ſhall he live; and he that lives and believes,8 ſhall never die. We believe, That the deceaſed Saints are at Reſt in the Kingdom; for we do not believe a Purgatory or Place of Cleanſing hereafter; For as Death leaves, Judgment finds; but we believe, That there is a Reſurrection of the Body more than what we have already attained, which after the Diſſolution and putting of that which is Corruptible, we ſhall attain to the full Injoyment of that which we now, through Mercy, have the Earneſt of, Knowing that he which raiſed up our Lord Jeſus, ſhall raiſe us up alſo by Jeſus, 2 Cor. 4.14.
XIV. We believe, That Body that dieth ſhall riſe again, but wonderfully changed; yet ſo far the ſame Body, as it is poſſible for a Natural Body to become a Spiritual Body; God will give it a Body as it pleaſeth him, 1 Cor. 15.38. In ſhort, the Reſurrection is a Myſtery too great for the carnal Mind to perceive; and the things of God knows no Man, but the Spirit of God: Let us therefore take the Counſel of an eminent Man; viz. To be ſolicitous to know the Power and inward Operation, whereby we may be made Sons of God, and attain to the Reſurrection of the Dead, as being Children of God and of the Reſurrection: If Men walk in the true Light, and ſo truly ſerve and pleaſe God here on Earth, they ſhall not need to doubt or diſpute about their future Being in Heaven; their Buſineſs is to get thither, and God will well accommodate them there; Men ought not to be too curious and ſcrutinous in Matters beyond their Reach, as to the manner of their future Beings, or how they ſhall be reſerved for eternal Rewards.
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