N00442:134
Little flocks guarded against grievous wolves. An address unto those parts of New-England which…
Little flocks guarded against grievous wolves. An address unto those parts of New-England which are most exposed unto assaults, from the modern teachers of the misled Quakers. : In a letter, which impartially discovers the manifold heresies and blasphemies, and the strong delusions of even the most refined Quakerism; and thereupon demonstrates the truth of those principles and assertions, which are most opposite thereunto. : With just reflections upon the extreme ignorance and wickedness, of George Keith, who is the seducer that now most ravines upon the churches in this wilderness. / Written by Cotton Mather. ; A character of the ring-leaders among the Quakers. ; [Four lines from Timothy]Little flocks guarded against grievous wolves. An address unto those parts of New-England which are most exposed unto assaults, from the modern teachers of the misled Quakers. : In a letter, which impartially discovers the manifold haeresies and blasphemies, and the strong delusions of even the most refined Quakerism; and thereupon demonstrates the truth of those principles and assertions, which are most opposite thereunto. : With just reflections upon the extream ignorance and wickedness, of George Keith, who is the seducer that now most ravines upon the churches in this wilderness. / Written by Cotton Mather. ; A character of the ring-leaders among the Quakers. ; [Four lines from Timothy]
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thus have I briefly fetched from the Panoply of G•d, some of those Weapons, which you may keep off the Quakers with. But when you have beaten them, every other way, they will fall to Railing at the Country, for putting three or four Quakers to Death, between thirty and forty years ago. Now for That, after you have Disclaimed all Inclination to Persecution, you need only Quote three Things unto them. First, Quote 'em the Laws which were then acted upon. The Ge• neral Court therein expressly Recognize, That no Humane power is Lord over the Faith and Consciences of men; but the Quarrel against the Quakers of those Days, they Declare to be. Their Speaking and Writing Blasphemous Opinions; Despising of Government, and the Order of God, in Church and Common-wealth: and seeking to gain Proselytes unto their pernicious ways; and their Impetuous Attempts to undermine our peace. Ask of them, whether one William Harris among the Quakers, did not publish Writings ⟨p. 101⟩against all Earthly Powers, Parliaments, Laws, Charters, Magistrates, Princes, &c. Now this was the Spirit of the Quakers which then suffered: and in my opinion the Quakers do not wisely now to profess themselves of that party. The Government was then in its Infancy, and finding that so little a thing as Astray Swine, was then able to shake it, it was no wonder, if it saw cause to make severe Laws against the Assaults and Inroads of those more dangerous Beasts, which would certainly have broke up the plantation, if they had not been some way Restrained. The Jesuits never Undermined Old England more than the Quakers did New, in that Critical Time; nor were Blasphemies ever so notorious, as theirs, when they would ordinarily say to our people, We deny thy Christ! We Deny thy God, which thou callest, Father, Son, and Spirit: Thy Bible is the Word of the Devil, &c. Now, ask, whether the Laws of England against both Jesuits and Blasphemies, are not far more severe than any that ever were among us, against the Quakers? Next quote 'em a passage in a Vindication of New-England from a certain Lying Address lately Printed; where 'tis said, Of late, none has troubled the Quakers. These Laws were but begun to be Executed, before the New-Englanders grew sensible of their Error in making them; and of themselves, by disuse they died away, long before their Charters were dis•••bed.