THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE AND SOCIETY OF THE People called Quakers, CLEARED FROM THE REPROACH OF THE LATE DIVISION OF A FEW IN SOME PART OF AMERICA; As not being justly chargeable upon the Body of the said People, there or elsewhere. Printed in the Year 1693. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them diligently which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them, Rom. xvi. 17. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evilspeaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you, Ephes. iv. 31, 32. THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, &c. WHEREAS divers accounts have been lately published in print, of some late division and disputes between some persons under the name of Quakers, in Pennsylvania, about several fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, (as it is pretended by one party,) which being particularly mentioned, and thereupon occasion very unduly taken by our adversaries, to reproach both the Christian ministry and the whole body of the people commonly called Quakers, and their holy and Christian profession, both in England and elsewhere, though no way concerned in the said divisions or matters charged; but rather grieved and troubled at it, and at the indiscreet and reproachful management thereof in print, to the amusing and troubling the world therewith, and giving occasion to the loose, ignorant, and profane, to slight and contemn the Truth, and the interest of the tender religion of our Lord Jesus Christ; We are therefore tenderly concerned for Truth's sake in behalf of the said people, (as to the body of them, and for all of them who are sincere to God, and faithful to their Christian principle and profession,) to use our just endeavours to remove the reproach, and all causeless jealousies concerning us, touching those doctrines of Christianity, or any of them pretended or supposed, to be in question in the said division; in relation whereunto we do, in the fear of God, and in simplicity and plainness of his Truth received, solemnly and sincerely declare, what our Christian belief and profession has been, and still is, in respect to Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God; his suffering, death, resurrection, glory, light, power, great day of judgment, &c. We sincerely profess faith in God by his only begotten Son Jesus Christ, as being our Light and Life, our only way to the Father, and also our only Mediator and Advocate with the Father.* That God created all things; He made the worlds by his Son Jesus Christ, He being that powerful and Living Word of God by whom all things were made ;† and that the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit are one in divine being inseperable; one true, living, and eternal God blessed for ever.‡ Yet that this Word or Son of God, in the fulness of time took flesh, became perfect man-according to the flesh descended and came of the seed of Abraham and David, || but was miraculously conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary.§ And also further declared powerfully to be the Son of God, according to the spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection from the dead. T That in the Word or Son of God, was life: and the same life was the Light of men; and that He was that true Light which enlightens every man coming into the world.** And therefore that men are to believe in the Light, that they may become children of the Light. Hereby we believe in Christ the Son of God, as He is the Light and Life within us; and wherein we must needs have sincere respect and honour to and belief in Christ, as in his own unapproachable and incomprehensible glory and fulness, as He is the Fountain of Life and Light, and giver thereof unto us; Christ, as in himself and as in us, being not divided. And that, as man, Christ died for our sins, rose again, *Heb. xii. 2. 1 Pet. i. 21. John xiv. 6. 1 Tim. ii. v. iii. 9. John i. 1, 2, 3. Heb. i. 2. + 1 John v. 7. Mat. i. 23. ¶ Rom. i. 3, 4, ii. 5. ‡‡ 1 Tim. vi. 16. + Ephes. Rom. i. 3, 4. ** John i. 4. 9. tt John xii. 36. Isa. |