N00442:25
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.
Among the modern Leaders of the missed Quakers, you must give me leave to set a special remark, upon one George Keith, who rather then leave the Churches of God unmolested, has in express term ▪ contradicted the Tremblers that have written before him; and yet on the other side lest he should be a pure Keithian, alone by himself, he puts in, My Doctrine is one with theirs. By the Respect which Keith finds among his friends, One may see what an unsettled and uncertain Thing it is to be among them. Heretofore, they made Lamentable outcries, against that which they call, Outward Learning; and the way to be applauded with them, was to have the qualifications of the Li quatri Illiterati, at Norcia, a Town scarce ten Leagues from Rome; where they do at this Day choose their own Magistrates, but use an ⟨p. 14⟩exact care, That no man who is able to write, or to Read, shall be capable of any share in the Government. Whereas, That which now renders Keith to be A great one, among his Friends, is, That he ha's a little Outward learning, that is the outside, or Bark and shell of a Scholar with him: tho he be most horribly venomous, yet he has a pearl in his head, and they make him their head upon that account. It is a passage which Mr. Tompson cites, from their paper sent forth into the world, pag. 3. The word, which is the Original, was before Tongues were and your Original, which will break all your Tongues and Original to pieces. Pilate had your Original, of Hebrew, Greek and Latin, [where, by the way, their light failed 'em; for, when did we make the Latin our Original?] who crucified Christ. He that draws back into many languages, as into Hebrew and Greek ▪ draws back into the Naturals and so draws into confusion. But the Ministers of God, who preach the Everlasting Gospel, draw up into one Language; and so the Priests, and all that Trade into Natural Languages we utterly deny.
Among the modern Leaders of the missed Quakers, you must give me leave to set a special remark, upon one George Keith, who rather then leave the Churches of God unmolested, has in express term ▪ contradicted the Tremblers that have writt before him; and yet on the other side lest he should be a pure Keithian, alone by himself, he puts in, My Doctrine is one with theirs. By the Respect which Keith finds among his friends, One may see what an unsetled and uncertain Thing it is to be among them. Heretofore, they made Lamentable outcries, against that which they call, Outward Learning; and the way to be applauded with them, was to have the qualifications of the Li quatri Illiterati, at Norcia, a Town scarce ten Leagues from Rome; where they do at this Day choose their own Magistrates, but use an