THE Quakers Complaint AGAINST GEORGE KEITH, Humbly Presented to the CLERGY OF THE Church of England, Who have Lately Received him into their Communion, and suffered him to Preach in their Pulpits.  
WITH SOME REASONS WHY THE People called QUAKERS HAVE Excommunicated George Keith, etc. Clearing them from the Aspersions cast upon them by him.  
London: Printed, and Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster, 1700.   

THE Quakers Complaint AGAINST George Keith, etc.  
FRIENDS,  
WHereas George Keith, when professing himself to be of our Communion, yea, of the Truth itself, tho' known by the People of the World by the Denomination of Quakers, did cast (as Evidence can be brought out of his Books) such Aspersions upon Us, that its evident and demonstrable out of our Books printed, and hereafter Quoted about the same time, that we never had Unity with his Doctrine; his Books held forth, That that outward Person that suffered at Jerusalem was properly the Christ of God; yea, the holy Thing that was born of the Virgin Mary, was the Christ of God. And likewise he preached up that the same Christ as God and Man in one Person is now in Heaven, and from thence shall come to Judge the World, and at whose coming the Dead in the Graves shall be raised.  
O Friends, these Doctrines did he hold forth to us, which Doctrine plucks up our ancient Testimony by the roots. O how were we pressed down when we heard him preach up those things which shall be no more again, and in a divine Sense of what we believe, we have firmly and innocently held forth in our Preaching and Writings, as hereafter Quoted: That these Doctrines held by us, are the real Doctrines of the Truth, and these are our ancient Testimonies, yea, they are the truth; pray consider, the truth is the truth, and it changeth not: And tho' this said G. K. chargeth us to be guilty of denying the Lord that bought us; that we do not believe that outward Person that suffered at Jerusalem, to be the Christ of God; yet Friends, O marvel not thereat, for we do declare it, and our Books do declare, that we never did believe, That the outward Person was the Christ, the Son of God. We own that Christ, the Son of the living God, who was with the Father before the World was, dwelled in that bodily Garment, and we did always declare that we could never Call that bodily Garment Christ; therefore we thought it necessary, in our Wisdom, to take off those Aspersions that the said G. K. did cast upon us, while he was of us; for tho' he boldly and zealously affirmed, that we owned that holy Thing to be the Christ of God, in answer to R. G. and in his Way cast up, yet we say it was not our Opinion, since we have known the truth. O Friends, we would declare a little of the Foundation that we held forth, when we were first raised to be a People, which will be worth your Observation; but before we proceed, we tell you by way of Confirmation, that these Quotations following, which are truly Quoted out of our Books, are the Real Doctrines that We in the beginning professed, and held forth; the Foundation that we laid was, that People might be turned inward to Christ within, and not regard a Christ without; we are not to mind Christ any more after the Flesh, nor to look for Justification by outward Blood, but to Christ in us, who is born in us, his Blood shed in us, Crucified in us, and offers up himself a living Sacrifice to God for us, by which the Wrath of God is appeased to us. Ah, this inward Blood; we found the Priests of the Nations ignorant of; and this inward Mystery was the Foundation, and Object of Faith, that we turned People to; we did not bid them believe in Christ as God and Man in one Person without them; but we declared, to say that Christ is God and Man in one Person it is a Lie, and thus as the Foundation was laid, and Truth broke forth; O, it grew and prospered, and such hath been our Esteem for the ancient Testimony of our Elder Friends, who have born the burden and heat of the Day, and is gone before us.  
First, Our soundest Friends never preach up Christ as God and Man in one Person now Glorified in the Heavens, to be the Object of our Faith, but only the Light within, which George Fox, the Apostle of this Age, and first Minister among us, taught us to believe was whole Christ God and Man, Flesh, Blood and Bones. And we were greatly refreshed in the Testimony of an ancient Minister of the Gospel among us, namely Thomas Gilpin, the 22d. of the third Month, which the World calls May, at our Yearly Meeting at Gracious Street, who said, that the Light within being the more sure Word of Prophecy, it was most safe for us all to trust to that, and not to any outward thing, by which outward Thing we know very well he not only meant the Scripture which G. F. did teach us to call Death, Dust and Serpent's Meat, but also, that outward Person which suffered at Jerusalem which G. K. calls Christ; and, to be be plain, we are not a little offended with some of our Preachers, who now begin to contradict our ancient Testimony, and some of them (of whom we might have expected better begin to contradict their own ancient Testimony, preaching now Christ without us, too much favouring G. K.'s vain Notions, and we never used till of late that Truth's Adversaries has been tampering with some of our Ministers, to confess our Sins in our Meetings, because we thought that we had attained to a Sinless Perfection.  
Our great concern was to be inwardly exercised by Christ only after the Spirit, for it's the Spirit that quickens, the Flesh profits nothing; and this Flesh our worthy ancient Ministers taught us was that fleshly Garment that suffered at Jerusalem, that profits us nothing to believe that it suffered.  
2dly, And next to this we were greatly concerned to cry out against fine Clothing, as wearing of Silk and Gold, superfluous Buttons and Button-Holes, we were against curious Buildings, lofty Horses, Coaches to ride in, Waiting-Men and Waiting-Maids, against wearing of Periwigs of all sorts, and Bowing and Respecting of Persons, tho' some now take Liberty herein, to our great Grief: And the Foundation of Quakerism (which is a new Nickname for old Christianity) was thus laid. And, Friends, Truth is the same that ever it was, and changeth not: We are acted by the same Principle as ever we were; and tho' many are gone away from us, and many more are like to go off by the Aspersions George Keith and other Adversaries of Truth have cast upon us, yet a Remnant will stand to the ancient Testimomy, and take the advice given this Yearly Meeting by that worthy Minister T. Wilson, not to dispute with Truth's Adversaries, for that stopped the Wells from Springing, but the way to unstop the Wells, especially in younger Friends, was to read the Servant of the Lord's, George Fox's Epistles, he did not bid us read Paul's, nor Peter, nor John's, &c. (mark that.) Indeed great fear is upon us, for some begin to think themselves wiser than their Teachers, and run to the Steeple-Houses, not only after George Keith, but other Priests, and begin to run down our ancient Testimony, and slight George Fox and other ancient Friends Books.  
And now, Friends, know, that for G. K.'s preaching up Faith in Christ, God-Man without us, and denying the sufficiency of the Light within to Salvation without any thing else; by which, as W. Penn said at Ratcliff Meeting, 1695. (when he was so transported with the Glorious Power of God, that he could not tell whether he was sitting, standing or kneeling when he pronounced the Sentence of Apostasy on George Keith) that this Doctrine was plucking up the. Testimony of Truth by the Roots. Thus having cleared Friends from G. K.'s Aspersions we shall conclude, desiring you to peruse the following Quotations out of our Books, wherein you will more fully see our Doctrine.  

Concerning the Scriptures.  

W. P. in his Quaker, a new Nickname for old Christianity, p. 71  NO Command in Scripture is any farther obliging upon any Man, then as he finds a Convinction upon his Conscience, otherwise Men should be engaged without, if not against Conviction, a thing unreasonable in a Man.  
(Note, According to this, there can be no Sins of Ignorance.)  

Shield of Truth, J. P. p. 11.  He that saith the Letter is the Rule and Guide of the People of God is without, feeding upon the husk, and is Ignorant of the true Light.  
The Question being put, whether the Quakers did esteem their Speaking to be of as great Authority as any Chapter in the Bible.  

Serious Apology, p. 49.  G. W. Answers, That which is Spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any, is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and Chapters are, and greater.  

Mene▪ Tekel, p. 22.  How can, or dare any say, without the highest Blasphemy, that the Scriptures is the Word of God.  

G. F. ans. west. pet. p. 30.  If ever you own the Prophets, Christ's, or the Apostles, you will own our Writings, which are given forth by the same Spirit and Power.  

E. B 's work p. 105.  You are in the Witchcraft, who observe Commands from without from the Letter.  

News out of the North, written from the mouth of the Lord, from one who is naked, and stands naked before the Lord clothed with Righteousness, whose Name is not known in the World, risen up out of the North, which was Prophesied of, but now is fulfilled, called G. Fox, page 14.  Your Original is carnal Hebrew, Greek and Latin, and your Word is carnal, the Letter and the Light is carnal, the Letter— Their Original is but Dust, which is but the Letter, which is Death.— And their Gospel is dust Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which is the Letter.   

Concerning the Trinity.  

G. Whitehead etc. in Ishmael, etc. in Answer to Mr. Townsend, p. 10.  The Three Persons which thou dreams of, which thou would divide out of one, like a Conjurer, are all denied, and thou shut up with them in perpetual darkness for the Lake and Pit, for thou hast no Scripture that mentions any such things.  
That frequent, 
W. P. his Sandy Foundation, p. 12.15.  but impertinent distinction, that God is One Substance, but Three in Persons, or Subsistences— A most absurd Blasphemy— They the Trinitarians must necessarily conclude their Kind of Trinity a Fiction.  
It's requisite I should inform the Reader concerning its Original: Thou mayst assure thyself it's not from the Scripture, nor Reason, since so expressly repugnant it was conceived in Ignorance, brought forth and maintained by Cruelty.  
The Scriptures do not tell People of a Trinity, 
G. Fox 's Great Mist. p. 246.  nor Three Persons, but the Common-Prayer Mass-book speaks of Three Persons, brought in by the Father the Pope.   

Concerning Christ.  
That the outward Person that suffered was properly the Son of God, 
W. P. Ser. Apol. p. 146.  we utterly deny.  
Your Imagined God beyond the Stars, 
Sword of Lord drawn p. 5.  and your carnal Christ, is utterly denied. To say Christ is God and Man in one Person, is a Lye.  
The Devil was in thee, 
G. F. Great Mist. p. 250  thou sayest thou art saved by Christ without thee, and so hast recorded thyself a Reprobate.  
Faith in Christ's outward manifestation, 
W. P. Qua. new Nick, p. 6.  a deadly Poison these latter Ages has been infected with.  
The Suffering of the People of God (Quakers) in this Age is more unjust than in the days of Christ, 
E. B 's work, p. 273.  or the Apostles. What was done to Christ, or the Apostles, was chief done by a Law, and in great part by the due Execution of a Law.  
The Blood of Christ was no more than the Blood of another Saint. 
S. Eccle's Letter to R. Porter. G. W. Truth defending the Qua. p. 22. p. 65.   
Christ's coming in the Flesh was but a Figure. Faith in Christ without Men is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine.  

* Serioas Apol. p. 148  This we deny, viz. Justification by the Righteousness which Christ hath fulfilled in his own Person for us (wholly without us) and boldly affirm in the name of the Lord to be the Doctrine of Devils, and an arm of the Sea of Corruption, which does now deluge the whole World.  
Death came by actual Sin, 
Ib. 148.  not imputative; therefore Justification unto Life came by actual Righteousness, not imputative.  
Christ (in us) offereth up himself a living Sacrifice to God for us, 
Light and Life, p. 44.  by which the Wrath of God is appeased to us. Vindicated by G. W.   

Concerning Baptism and Supper.  
I affirm, 
W. P. Rea. agst. Rail. p. 108. 109.  That Circumcision is as much in force as Water Baptism, and the Paschal Lamb as Bread and Wine. And we can testify from the same Spirit by which Paul Renounced Circumcision, that they are to be rejected as not now required.  
Your Baptism and Sacraments as you call it, 
G. F. News out of the North, p. 14  and all your Ordinances, and Churches, and Teaching, it's Cain's Sacrifice. Their Sacrament, as they call it, is Carnal, Their Communion Bread Wine is the Table of Devils, and Cup of Devils.  
To say that sprinkling Infants with Water is Baptism into the Faith of Christ, 
E. B. works, p. 109. 191  this is the Doctrine of Devils.   

Concerning the Resurrection.  
I do utterly deny that this Text, 
W. P. in his Invalidity of J. Faldo vind. p. 369. 370.  1 Cor. 15.44. It is sown a natural Body, it's raised a spiritual Body, etc. is concerned in the Resurrection of Man's carnal Body at all. But the two States of Men under the first and second Adam, Men are sown into the World natural, so are they the Sons of the first Adam: But they are raised spiritual through him who is the Resurrection and the Life, and so are they the Sons of the second Adam. Who came to raise up the Sons of the first Adam from their dead to his living; their natural to his spiritual Estate. But perhaps it will be objected that the 47th Verse, The first Man is of the earth earthy; and part of the 49th Verse, We shall all bear the Image of the heavenly, seem to imply a bodily Resurrection, but let the whole Verse be considered, and we shall find no such thing, etc.  
The Apostle (1 Cor. 15.44.) does not say, The natural is made a spiritual Body, 
T. Ellwood in his Ans. to G. K's 1st. Narrative, p. 149.  or the natural Body and the spiritual Body is one and the same Body; but he sets them in opposition, as two distinct Bodies. The Body that is put in the Grave is a natural Body; but the Body that's raised is a spiritual Body. And that none might think this spiritual Body was the same, he adds, There is a natural Body, and there is a spiritual Body.  
If a thing can be the same, 
Rea. agst. Rail. p. 134  and not withstanding changed, for shame let us never make so much stir against the Doctrine of Transubstantion, for the Absurdity of it is rather outdone than equalled by this carnal Resurrection.   

Concerning Christ's coming to Judgement.  
What is that Glory of the Father in which Christ's coming is? 
G. W. Light, Life, p. 41.  Is it visible to the carnal Eye? And where is that coming to be? Is it now to be looked for outwardly? We acknowledge the several come of Christ according to the Scriptures, both that in the Flesh and that in the Spirit. But three come of Christ, not only that in the Flesh at Jerusalem, and that in the Spirit, but also another coming in the Flesh yet to be expected, we do not read of.  
Dost thou look for Christ as he was the Son of Mary to appear outwardly, 
Id. Nat. Christianity. 29.30.  in a bodily Existence, to save thee? If thou dost, thou mayst look till thy Eyes drop out, before thou wilt see such an Appearance of him.  
And as for that, 
Id. Brief Discov. of Joh. Horn, p. 9  1 Thes. 4.15. concerning the coming of our Lord from Heaven which Men blindly put afar off; the Saints who then were alive remained unto it. So their Conversation, (viz. a Heaven within them) they did not say their Conversation was at a distance, above the Clouds, from whence you look for a Christ.   

Concerning Heaven and Hell.  
There is none have a Glory and a Heaven but within them. 
G. F. Mist. p. 214.   
To deny the Locality of Heaven and Hell not very offensive, 
W. P. Rejoiced, (viz. p. 179.  and it looks too Carnal and indeed Mahometan (viz. to assert it.)   

Concerning the National Ministry.  
The Idle Gormandizing Priest of England run away with One hundred thousand and fifty Pounds a Year under pretence of God's Ministers. 
W. P. Guide mistaken, p. 18. — No sort of People have been so universally through Ages, the very Bane of Soul and Body of the Universe, as that abominable Tribe (of Priests) for whom the Theatre of God's most dreadful Vengeance is reserved, to Act their Eternal Tragedy upon.   

Concerning the Dissenting Ministry.  
An Illbred Pedantic Crew, 
W. Pen 's Quaker a new Nickname, etc. p. 165.  the Bane of Religion, and Pest of the World, the old Incendiaries to Mischief, and the best to be spared of Mankind: Against whom the boiling Vengeance of an Irritated God is ready to be poured out.  
And we have nothing for them (the Clergy) but Woes and Plagues, 
W. P. Serious Apology, p. 156.  who have made Drunk the Nations, and laid them to sleep on Downy Beds of soft Sin-pleasing Principles, while they have cut their Purses and picked their Pockets. Tophets prepared for them to Act their Eternal Tragedy upon, whose Scenes will be renewed, direful anguishing Woes, an Eternal Irreconcilable Justice.  
The Quakers are in the Truth, and none but they. Quakers Chall. p. 3.  
His (meaning the Lord's) Sons and Daughters (that's the Quakers) are going abroad joyfully in the Power and Strength of the Almighty.— Howl, Woe and Misery, all ye Priests, ye blind Priests.— All Nations and Languages, Tongues, and Kindred's and People, tremble before the Lord's Host, and the Lord's Army. News out of the North, by G. F. p. 28.  
None of these Quotations above are yet Retracted by the Quakers.   
FINIS.