N00442:87
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.
V. Assert, That the Light (or power) in every man, which condemns him after he hath don• amiss, is not, THE CHRIST OF GOD.
Grant them, that we have a Light which is a Ray from the Sun of Righteousness, as being the work and gift of our Lord, who was the Creator of Man, and has put a Conscience into him. It is this Conscience, which is, The Candle of the Lord. Yet let them know, That you can distinguish between Causes and Effects. You can distinguish between a Light given by ⟨p. 65⟩Christ, and Christ Himself, who gives the Light. Grant them also, That all the Saints have a most Intimate and wonderful Union with Christ, so that the Spirit of Christ, or Christ by his Spirit, is in them the Hope of Glory. But then let them know, That Christ our Light, is not thus in all men; 'tis a privilege peculiar to the Saints, who are the Mystical Body of Christ. Maintain against them, That the Light in all men which Rebukes them when they do amiss, is not, The Man Christ Jesus. Ask them, whether the Light within were born of the Virgin Mary? And whether 'twas the Lig•• within which Encountered all the Things mentioned in the Gospel? Dispute after this manner with them; The Christ of God condemns men for all sin. But the Light in many a man does not so. Ask them, whether many a man does not sin, when yet he acts according to his Light? Enquire of them, how we shall know Light within, from Thought within. Quote them Joh. 16.2. The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he does God Service. Ask them, whether their Light reproved them, when they Thought they did God Service in what they were about? Quote them,