N00442:139
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.
And now manum de Tabula.—I shall now break off; and there is a passage in the Quakers Catechism, which at last obliges me thereunto; pag. 94. Let none Reason about us, for ⟨p. 105⟩there [that is, in REASON] they can never know us, nor come unto us. You see that if ever you come unto them, you must have No Reason for it; and it is very true: You see also, that No Reason can find them out, and therefore 'tis in vain to meddle any further with them. When I first looked upon Quakerism, I may say, Fatuita• Dogmatum me reddidit securum, I thought no Fishes but silly Shrimps or Pouts could be taken with it; but alas, 'tis not every Town in these Colonies, that has the privilege of Ipswich, where Quakers that creep into many other places, find the Soil as disagreeable to them, as the Serpents do in Ireland; I now see so many swallow the Hook, that some Labours and Warnings for your preservation are loudly called for. And I have this to say of it; It is among the Abominable Idolatries committed by the Quakers, that their Apostle Fox in his Great Mystery, lashes out into such words as these (as Mr. Faldo cites them) Thou makes a great pother, that any should witness, He is equal with God; Is not the Soul without Beginning? it is Infinite in it self, a part of God. As this one thing is enough to show the wickedness of Quakerism; so the prevailing of Quakerism is enough to confute the Thing; Souls ▪ that can digest Quakerism sure have little of God in them: they serve but as the Salt of the Flesh they live in; and have nothing Infinite, but their madness. But I beseech you ⟨p. 106⟩then, to Beware of Quakers and of Quakerism. I entreat you to take heed, in the first place, of their Heresies; and then of their Practises; especially the horrible want of Household Piety, which they are noted for. I request you, therefore to profit under the means of Grace, and receive the Truth in the Love of it, that you may not be judicially given up to their strong Delusions. I Address you, in the words of John, 1 Ep. 3.18, 26, Little Children, There are many Antichrists, whereby we know that it is the the Last Time. These things have I written unto you, concerning them that Seduce you. And in the words of Paul,