A snake in the grass, caught and crusht, or, A third and last epistle to a now furious deacon in the Church of England, the Reverend Mr. George Keith with some remarks on my former epistles to him, especially that against plunging in baptism / by Trepidantium Malleus.

A snake in the grass, caught and crusht, or, A third and last epistle to a now furious deacon in the Church of England, the Reverend Mr. George Keith with some remarks on my former epistles to him, especially that against plunging in baptism / by Trepidantium Malleus.

Table of contents

Title page

A Third and Laſt Epiſtle to Mr. George Keith.

A Third and Laſt Epiſtle to Mr. George Keith.

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Reverend Sir,

WHEN Men Dethrone their Judgments, and Reaſon, and put their Humours and Paſſions in their Place, no wonder if they run as a Coach and Horſes that have loſt their Guide or Charioteer, here and there; every where, and no where: Such cannot only caſtrate Authors, but make Legions for Hiſtories; and like Pioneers of Rome, call for Fire from Heaven, but fetch it from Hell. This you will grant, ſome Bapts have lately done (vulgarly Anabaptiſts): They have employ'd a Socinian to Argue, and a worſe to Rave; this Fire, all the Water in which ſuch are plung'd, cannot quench. But no wonder, when D. Ruſſel was not aſhamed to put Bleſſed Calvin in ſuch a Hue and Dreſs, as if an incatnate Devil; and put not only Caſtellio, that rank Arminian, that call'd Solomon's Canticles a prophane Book; but Servetus himſelf, that call'd the Trinity a Cerberus, in ſuch glorious Array, as if a terreſtrial Angel; for this was he burnt, not for being an Anabaptiſt.

[Page] Felix quem faciunt ▪ I am charg'd with a Notion never known before; That Baptizo ſignifies not once to Plunge in all the New Teſtament, tho ſo many Criticks ſay the contrary.

1. Theſe Criticks ſay with me, and others, the Word ſignifies other ways, of waſhing too. So Leigh, who is inſtar omnium, and cites for me, Mat. 3.11. What ſay you to this Bapts? now if you leave them in one thing, why not I in another?

2. Bernardus non videt omnia. They were fallible Men. Rhegius the famous Man of France, whoſe Life, Clark in his blundering way, hath written, found out the right Conſtruction of Ovid.

Nam vos mutaſtis & illas.

Tho ſo many Generations before miſtook it. M. Mead diſcover'd the [...] to be the Doctrine, not of Divels, as we read, but Mediators, call'd by Heſiod and others, Demons. That the Genitive was not of the Efficient, but Matter: All now yield to this true Diſcovery, tho' New, I might name New Diſcoveries, as in Philology, Divinity, ſo in Philoſophy, particularly the Ingenious Eſquire Boyl.

3. Yet this Diſcovery was not mine; I gave another the Honour of it, who ſince, I find had it from other Authors before his time. I confeſs I was the firſt Man that gave 'em the Name of Bapts, which, no doubt, will continue.

[Page]The Blood of Beaſts offer'd in Sacrifice, and the Water of Purification was by Pouring, or Sprinkling, not by Plunging or Dipping. John therefore that came in with his Baptiſm, cannot be ſuppoſed to have any Baptiſm but what harmonized with the Jewiſh ones; we find alſo, not only in the Law, but the Prophets, glorious things mention'd of Goſpel Times, from this Practice, Iſa. 2.15. So ſhall he Sprinkle many Nations.

Ezek. 36.25. Then will I Sprinke clean Water upon you, and you ſhall be clean. Look we farther; when the Goſpel was Planted, and all fulfill'd, how all is expreſt Tim. 3.5, 6. They were ſaid to be ſaved by the waſhing of Regeneration; how? ſhed▪ as Acts 2.17. Pouring of the Spirit proves all: I am of his Mind, who ſaid, Baptizing in Enon was ſo far from proving Plunging, That it diſproves it. They therefore left Bathabara; ſays he, becauſe the Waters were Deep, and not ſo fit for Baptiſm; and came to Enou, for the Rivulets there, were fit for Baptiſm but not Plunging.

Reverend Sir, I am much importun'd to Write you a Third Epiſtle about your Sermons at Turners Hall, and G. Church lately Printed, but I long refus'd.

1. Becauſe I have often appear'd for you▪ but I am Anſwer'd, that matters not, This is not ad Idem.

2. Becauſe I think I have done it already: I find but little you have ſaid about the Liturgy, Ceremonies, and Epiſcopacy, but what [Page] I have Anſwer'd in my Apology▪ in my Letters to Mr. Laſly, and Friendly Epiſtle to you. I pray look on all once again: You approved then of what I did. How came you ſo ſoon chang'd? It would be an Abuſe clapt on my Readers, to deceive them of their Time, and Money, to tranſcribe what they know I then wrote.

3. Becauſe I think ſome things in the Sermons are too triflng and unfit for an Anſwer, as your Gloſs on theſe Words. He that breaketh one of the leaſt of theſe Commandments, ſhall be called the leaſt in the Kingdom of God. So the Ruſhing of many Waters, and other Places brought for your Confuſions in your Liturgy. To Cite, for Epiſcopacy, Pſalm. 45.16. Iſaiah 60.17. Is ſuch playing with God; I dare not do it with Mr. Keith, ſomewhat like the Expoſition you gave of that Text. The dead cannot praiſe thee; Thoſe that be dead in Sin, in your Loyal Sermon Printed five Years ſince.

I was, Sir, your Herrer in G Church; in the Afternoon, when I came there, I ſaw the Reader with his Spectacles on his Noſe, and both with Eyes cloſe to the Book, thus reading Prayers to his God. No Eyes nor Hands lift up to Heaven in any praying Poſture, but both as nail'd to the Book, for fear of not reading right, as if the Poor Man had not loſt only the Power of Godlineſs, but the uery Form of it too. Many Ignorant Prophane Men in Prayer, that never ſend their Hearts to Heaven, ſend their Eyes and Hands [...]twards it.

[Page]Mr. Keath, let you and I talk privately; for it would not be ſafe to ask you openly, whether you can believe, That the great God, the Bleſſed Jeſus, the Holy Spirit, [...]ever ſent qualify'd Men for their Work (for unqualify'd ones run before they are ſent) to read other Mens Prayers to God? Were it not for ſome Penal Laws yet in force againſt Diſſenters, I ſhould go near to ſay, That for ſuch a one to read other Mens Prayers to God, is not only as Scandalous, but ten times more ſo, than to read other Mens Sermons to the People? When the Apoſtle tells the Church, the Gifts God gave Men, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Propheſying, Interpretations, &c. Never mention'd he the poor, poor, pittiful poor Gift of Reading.

When the Jewiſh Church was in its Swadling-Clouts, and fed with Milk, taught by many Ceremonies, God made every one of them himſelf, not they; yet then there were no Forms, no Liturgies for the Prieſts to read, or People to hear when they came together.

As weak as they were, they were not ſo weak. Who dares now impoſe under the Goſpel-Diſpenſation, when the Church is become a Man, and much more, as of the Grace, ſo of the Gifts of the Spirit is now poured out.

You pleading up Conformity, unhappily choſe this Text, (the beſt to caution us againſt it.) Luke 1.6. And they were hath Perfect, walking in all the Commandments, and Ordinances of the Lord, blameleſly.

[Page]1. Why, good Mr. Keith, were Zachary and Elizabeth commended for walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of Men? No, the Phariſees were ſeverely Cenſur'd for this by our Lord, and ſo the Churches by Paul. With an in vain do you worſhip me. And I am afraid of you. I hope, Sir you have not loſt your Senſes, if you were ſo weak to think we had loſt ours.

2. Can you charge any of us, againſt whom you moſt ſet your ſellf at that time, with not walking in the Commandments and Ordinances of God? Your Work lay then not with the Quakers. Zachary obſerv'd Circumciſion, Sacrifices, &c. Not waſhing of Hands, Philacteries. We obſerve Baptiſm and Lord Supper, not Croſs nor Surplice: No wonder. I overheard a Clergy-man ſay in the Church; your Sermon was nothing to the Text.

Was it not a lovely ſight to hear you declaring againſt Schiſm, who ſoon lept from Turners Hall, after the Sacrament receiv'd, to a publick Church? To tell us, you were only as a Catechiſt there, or that the Biſhop gave his Conſent, is poor thin Sophiſtry; what is his Lordſhip ſuch a Plenipotentiary, as if all Power were given to him in Heaven, and in Earth, That he can make Schiſm no Schiſm, and Lay-mens Preaching lawful, without Ordination? You were pleas'd to tell us, That there were no lawful Sacraments, where was no lawful Adminiſtrator. That no Man was a lawful Adminiſtrator but one Ordain'd by a Biſhop, [Page] &c. That all other Churches wanted what was integral (Epiſcopacy): I thank you, that on my Letter to you, you were pleaſed to leave this out in the Printed Sermon. Dared you thus to fly in the Faces of the Reformed Churches, Holland, Geneva; and now bleſſed be Cod, Scotland, and other Churches who own Presbytery, and that by Divine Right? For thoſe Proteſtant Churches that have Biſhops, they only preſide in Synods, and out of them are as other Men; no Spiritual Courts, &c. Such an Epiſcopacy, and Biſhop Ʋſher's Epiſcopacy, many Presbyterians would yield to. You know Bp. Jewel, Bp. Davenant, and others; Even Mr. Hooker himſelf in his Eccleſ. Pol. as well as honeſt Biſhop Crofts in his Naked Truth, abhorr'd your Notions. Theſe never thought Epiſcopacy of Divine Right, nor doubted the validity of Presbyterian Ordinations beyond Sea. You cannot be ignorant, That when two Scottiſh Miniſters were made Bps. in the Reign of James the 1ſt. when one objected their not having Epiſcopal Ordination, how ſharply he was reproved by a Prelate and others for his Objection? Laud, that Semi-Proteſtant, talkt as you do; he and you have but little Thanks from your own, for ſuch bold Aſſertinns: If you are a Laudenſian already, Sir, what will you be next? A Cardinal's Cap was offer'd him. I hope God will keep you from the Temptation. When one talkt before the preſent Biſhop of London at your rate, he gravely and wiſely ſaid, He was [Page] [...]ot there to judge Chriſtian Churches, Theſe wilde Notions I have conſider'd in my two fore-named Books, and there I refer; and if you think it convenient to Reply, Anſwer me there as well as here. It was not long ſince you told the Anabaptiſts they were in the right about the Subject and Form of Baptiſm: Some are pleas'd to ſay, I Cured you of theſe Errors. Then Independency was the beſt Government; but for Presbytery, I confeſs you never had a good Word then; and why? becauſe they were not pure enough in admiſſion to the Lord's Table: Yet gave a jump to Epiſcopacy (I thought you would as ſoon turn to the Church of Rome.) You are now gotten among pure Communicants: The Church was lately in the Wilderneſs, and you had found in the Revelations ſhe would not come out theſe Thirty Years. Well, ſeeing the Mountain will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the Mountain. Seeing the Church will not come out of the Wilderneſs to you, you are gone to her in the Wilderneſs (ſo it is) to get her Bleſſing too whilſt you live. You then told your Friends, Baptiſm was an Ordinance of Chriſt, but there was not an Adminiſtrator upon Earth.

To be plain, I wiſh, That as you have long left the Quakers for talking of a Chriſt within, not of a Chriſt without; you have not run among them that talk of a Chriſt without, not of a Chriſt within. I was not a little ſurpriz'd, looking lately into your Quakeriſm no [Page]Popery, A Book done with all imaginable Subtilty, to find you aſſert Perfection in the Quakers Senſe and Phraſes, and with Robert Barclay on 1 John 1.8. to diſtinguiſh, aliud eſt peccare, aliud peccatum habere. And what I found in your Immediate Revelation, you may imagin. Are you not changed in Principles? Had W. C. harped on theſe things, I had never written my Reprimand. Whoever heard you

1. Hearty in the Confeſſion of ſin to this Day?

2 Sigh, or ſhed one Tear for deluding Thouſrnds of Souls to Quakeriſm, Deiſm, as you now call it?

How come you to have ſo many good Words for the Papiſt in the Sermon I heard?

I am inform'd, you are deſir'd to tell us where (as you ſay) Mr. Baxter ſaid, The Sign of the Croſs was no more than the putting of a Thread about a Man's Fingers, to put him in mind of what he wou'd remember.

1. Women and Children more do thus then Wiſe Men.

2. I remember no ſuch Words of his, tho' I have read ſo many of his Books. But he declared often he could not conform here. In his Life written with his own Hand, he call'd it p. 199 a Hemane Sacrament, a Tranſient Image: Are not your Studies fill'd not only with Calvin's Work, but Mr. Pool's Synopſis, the Works Of Dr. Owen, and other great Diſſenters, as well as our Studies with ſome of your Biſhops Works. When, where and how got Bp. [...]tillingfleet.[Page]Bp. Tillotſon and other Biſhops and Clergy-men, their Learning. That you talk at ſuch an idle rate, as if the Cabaliſtical Notions were ſtill working in your Head, or Tranſmigration of Souls, That all our Souls were in Adam's Head, as Legions of Divels in one Man; Are you [...]u [...]ed [...]ere?

Was it proper to tell us at Turner's Hall, That you believed M. Penn and the Quakers, would find Mercy with God, notwithſtanding their Errors, and yet offer to prove, they owned not one Article of the Chriſtian Faith; and yet that Faith in a outward Crucified Chriſt, was neceſſary to Salvation. Theſe are Myſteries I cannot fathom, nor any Man elſe.

2. Is it proper to tell us what Refreſhment you find at Common-Prayer? (Once in Quakeriſm) I knew a Man that would ſay all Drinks were ſweet to him, ſtrong or ſmall, freſh or dead. One ſaid, he found great Refreſhment, when he ſaw the King's Head cut off.

3. Was it proper to tell us of your Converſion and Change of Heart before a Quaker, and when ſo? No, Sir, deceive not your ſelf, you were no Convert when you made ſo light of Sin, &c. And deluded ſo many Thouſands, and I am bold to ſay it without the breath of Charity, if you were not converted ſince, you never were cdnverted at all.

4. Was it proper ſo much to value your ſelf for your Catholick Charity, and yet be ſo ſevere on a ſudden on the beſt Reformed [Page] Churches? Well, Sir, when you are a Biſhop, or a Beneficed-Man, if Perſecution came again, I will never live in your Dioces, nor in your Pariſh. You tell us Timothy was a Biſhop. I pray how many thouſands or Hundreds by the Year had my Lord Biſhop? Was Timothy's Dioces as large as the Biſhop of Londons! &c. In Epheſus moſt of them were Pagans; was he the Biſhop of theſe too? he Drank too little Wine, and preached too often, in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon to be a Biſhop. Theſe take Care of Mint and Cummin; not of the weighty matters of the Law.

Sir, if your Zeal for your new gawdy Spouſe, in all her Trinklets, be ſuch that there can be no Intimacy, I pray you there may be no Enmity. Preach Repentance, Faith, and Goſpel Obedience; and if it pleaſed you to decline ſuch Frequent and ſever laſhing others, the Quakers themſelves, as well as us in the Pulpit, conſider, at your leaſure, whether it be not beſt.

Excuſe my not following you at large, not only for the reaſons before named; my Referring you to my Apology, and firſt Frinedly Epiſtle to you; but to be plain, it would be a burden too heavy for my Shoulders, to bear the Expence of all the Impreſions of all my Books, were I not, of late more conciſe then once. I may be larger in time; perhaps you may hear from more then one, you change often and yet Confident ſtill; Are the Diſſenters indeed the Cauſe of the Prophaneſs [Page] of your Church, by not complaining in the Spiritual Court? They would be angry ſhould we tell them why we do ii not, what Man was ever Excommunicated for Drunkeneſs, Whoredoms, Swearing, or other ſinns in the two laſt Reigns, or to this day, tho under a good King? Seek to win the Quakers by kindneſs; and mention not their private Concerns in the Pulper. which I ever hated to make a Place of Controverſies and Contention.

I am brought to this work with very great difficulty; I deſired fitter and greater Men to appear. They refus'd charging you with former Diſputes againſt the Trinity &c. and yet declareing you ever were ſound in the Faith; ſo that, ſay they, you are if this be true, a Sound Quaker (or unſound one if you will) ſtill. The importunity of my Friends hath prevail'd with me to this Third and Laſt Epiſtle to you; I pray you, as a Wiſe Man, give over, your weak Pleas for your Ceremonies, as that the Saints in the Revelations appeared in white. Why have you not Crowns on your Heads and Palms in your Hands too? If the Surplice makes you look like Saints above, what do the Black Gowns under make you like? So that if this Ceromony repreſents any thing, It is the Hypocrite who is a Saint without, and a Devil inſide; or ſuch a Whited Wall as Paul named the High Prieſt, o [...] whom he ſay'd, God ſhall ſmite thee on the mouth.

[Page]L me ask you at parting, ſome plain Queſtions? How wicked a thing is it to excommundcate or ſwear to read a Writ of excommunication, (if occaſion be) againſt ſome of the beſt of Men, for Toys and Trifles? When the Fox was ſet to keep the Geeſe, King Charles the Second a Papiſt, to protect your Church, you know what was done by Men that perhaps would ſmile to hear any talk ſeriouſly of Chriſt and the Life to come.

What if Anabapriſtry had gotten the Aſcendant; were in its Zenith, were it unlawfull to withdraw, or ſeparate, if it had the ſtamp of Authority? If Presbytery were ſo. Could Mr. Laſhly and other Epiſcoparians comply? what becomes of your Plea, about the Jewiſh Church, if not?

How odious was it to tell the World, what Encouragement you had to come among Diſſenters? which to my certain knowledge, was a miſtake? what London Noncon Miniſters ever viſited you, my ſelf excepted?

Tell me plainly, and like a Man, why not a Croſſe in the breſt at Prayer, with thoſe good C [...]riſtians as you call them of the Roman Church as well as one in the Forehead in Baptiſm; with our Ceremony-Mongers in your Church?

Why not Holy-Water, to ſignifie the Sprinkling of the Blood of Jeſus, as well as a Surplice, or Sacrum Pallium, to ſignifie Purity? Or would you conform to theſe, if the [Page] Law require them? If you ſay, No, why not as well as to thoſe you conform too? If you ſay, Yes; what end is there of theſe Fooleris, or vain additions to the Divine Law? Is this to ſtand faſt in the Liberty wherewith Chriſt hath ſet us free?

If you ſay, as I hear you do; a Surplice is no more than a Gown; what Man ſhould you go to your Table (or a Place nor ſo ſweet) with it? This would be accounted a Prophanation of the Holy Garment.

Dare you take Ignorant, Scandalous, Sponſers in Baptiſm, to make them perfidious by a Humane Law. Or to ſay over the Graves of the greateſt Atheiſt, Heretick, or Debauch? you hope he is gone to Heaven.

Did you ever read Acts 20.28▪ That you talk of Epheſus having a Dioceſan? Or know you no better an Evangeliſt, but to make him a Prelate? Anſwer what others and my ſelf have ſaid of theſe Matters.

Do you not, with a Bluſh, look on your late Ordination in a Chamber, without one word of Prayer to God, or Counſel to you But what was in the Service-Book? The Biſhops generally do their Work more ſolemnly and gravely. Was it thought any thing good enough for you?

If Croſs kneeling, or other Ceremonies were lawful, but not neceſſary, as you all ſay▪ How dare you impoſe them on us that think them ſinful? Read Rom. 14. Baptiſm ſhall not be adminiſtred, if the Parents conſent not [Page] to, the Croſs. The Lords Supper ſhall not be adminiſtred to the beſt of Men all their days, if they cannot kneel. Anſwer this to God another Day, if you can. You impoſe on Chriſt, as well as us, to dedicate a Child by a Humane Superſtitious Signe to him.

If a Book of Sports, or any other wicked Paper were to be read, would you not ſeek for a Diſtinction, to bribe Conſcience? for Conſcience may be ſo. What will you do on the 30th of January, &c. In your Shop of falſe Hearts and Faces too? A disjointed Fabrick. Put Preferment in the other Scale. Is it proper to Invite any Men into a dangerous Peſt-Houſe, by telling them they may live there? He that conſorts with Pelicans, cannot but ſmell of the Wilderneſs, &c.

Was it not expedient, bottoming you Burſineſs on, 1 Luke 6. To have conſider'd the difference between the Jewiſh Church and Chriſtian? How far the firſt was National (tho' I acknowledge I own it not to be ſo, in that Senſe as is commonly ſaid) Have we one High-Prieſt, &c. Go then to the Church of Rome. What Church could Zacary or Elizabeth, if they ſeparated, go into, &c.

My Old Friend, but new Enemy, you have a Male (many Males), in your Flock: ability of ſpeaking aptly to God by Prayer, and to the People by Counſel in Sacraments, and other Miniſterial Adminiſtrations: Offer not to the Lord a corrupt Thing, for he is a great King: Offer it to thy Governour; ſee whether [Page] he would accept it: Should Ingeniou [...] Mr. Keith make a Speech to K. William, and in the cloſe pray for his welfare; would he be pleas'd to ſee him take out a Book and read another Mans Speech and Prayer before him▪ VVould you, could you read the Liturgy in your Family, Morning and Evening? I believe not: You generally approve not of the lazy Creatures, that do, (tho they may plead that Ignorance you cannot): If not, tell me Sir, at parting: Can you imagin God is well pleaſed with that lazy, careleſs VVorſhip of yours in his own Houſe, That you, or not only moſt ſerious Men; but ſober Men cannot be pleaſed with in their own? Is this to ſtir up the Gift of God in thee? Dare you to offer to the Lord that which coſt you nothing▪ If you do create me any Trouble for my Plainneſs, as ſome think you will; I plead, you are the Aggreſſor, I onely the Defendant▪ I am againſt any Diſſenters beginning with you, if you with us, I pray give us leave to Reply and vindicate our Cauſe againſt your Charge, if not, to be plain, we will take it. If you are ſet already on Perſecution, do your worſt, I only ſay of my ſelf: The VVill of the Lord be done.

Tho you cloſed your Sermon I heard, without one VVord of Prayer to God, I will not end my VVork ſo with you, who, as I am inform'd, every where Preach againſt all Diſſenters. The Lord rebuke thee.

[Page]And now Mr. Deacon, let me know your Office, and how you come by it? A Deacons Work is to take care of the Poor. Have you left the Word of God to ſerve Tables? A Deacon to Preach, to Baptize, and give only one Element in the Lord's Supper, is not a Creature of God's making, but Mans, or — To Ordain; to Preach, and not permit to do it without a Licenſe after; what ſhall we call it? You may go up and down with your Prayer-Book to Baptize, and ſo regenerate more then we Non-cons can do by all our preaching. For when you have mumbled out a few VVords, and Baptized a Child, he is regenerated and born of the Spirit, immediatly; and if he die before he hath committed any actual Sin, he is undoubtedly ſaved.

Since we are all guilty of Schiſm in our Meetings, when you were not ſo at Turners-Hall, becauſe you had the Biſhop's leave, as you pleaded: Do you think, if the Biſhop gave us leave to do as we do, we were clear of the odious Crime of Schiſm you and your Fraternity charge on us? If we be in danger of going, to Hell for Schiſmaticks, will he not have ſo much pity on our Souls, to ſpeak one word to ſave us from endleſs Miſery? VVere you a Catechiſt, as you ſay, what Catechiſm taught you then, or who were the Children, or younger ſort ſo taught? You choſe a Text, rais'd Doctrines, made Uſes as others do to my Knowledge. This Plea was the moſt Non-ſenſical [Page] Harangue I ever heard from Mr. Keith.

When you talk of the Ignorance of ſome Scottiſh Presbyterians. I pray remember Thouſands of the Sons of the Church. What get you by ſuch Stories as theſe you talk of? Of a Scottiſh Presbyterian that Catechis'd a young Man in the Church.

Q. Who made Man? A. God. Q. Who made Woman? A. I cannot tell, that is not in my Catechiſme. Q. Who made the Deel. (Devil)? A. I cannot tell. Miniſt. God made him. A. Did he? I think it was the worſt Days mork that ever he did▪ Do not ſuch Ignorant Cattle abound every where?

Seeing you, and many of your Communion often urge Mr. Baxter's Authority, or Opinion againſt us. I pray you conſider, How in his Engliſh Nonconformity, a large Book, written ſince the Revolution, he tells us what manner of Saints be in your Church: He ſays a certain Doctor of Phyſick gave an Account, That Eight Hundred Perſons, in ſuch a time, dyed of the French Pox in London.

Now ſaid the Brisk Old Gentleman; if Enquiry were made, I doubt not, there could not be found Eight of thoſe Eight Hundred, but what were of your Church, except ſome good honeſt Women, who got it of their Husbands of that Communion. He that pretended to give an Anſwer to that Book, Wrote like one who underſtood not Five Pages in it. But what a Noiſe is hear? [Page] Mr. Baxter ſaid this, and Mr. Baxter granted that. What then? It may be a foul, a very foul Error for all that. Mr. Baxter was neither yours nor ours. He disown'd himſelf to be a Presbyterian, we thank him. You that talk ſo much; oh the excellency of Peace and Union, but will not part with Ceremonies for it. Conſider the Story Mr. Alſop told Dr. Stillingfleet, almoſt Twenty Years ſince. They were like that Gentleman, who pretended to be at Deaths-Door for a Coy Lady that refus'd him, but ſhe being importun'd by his Friends to accept the Gentleman, and ſave his Life, ſaid let him then Clip his Whiskers. He being told this, reply'd, I will not part with one Hair of my Face for any Lady in the Land. King Charles pleas'd himſelf with the Story and its Application, and ſaid Mr. A. gave a true Character of the Men he deſcribed.

You ſee, Sir, I am not yet in the Number of your Defamers. I dare not ſay if George Keith, and not William Pen, had taken the Chair when George Fox dyed, we had never heard of George Kieth, the Reformed Quaker. I believe Dr. Hicks, and Mr. Laſhly two ſtrenuous Advocates for the Church of England, have reconcil'd you to Liturgies, Ceremonies, [...]nd Epiſcopacy. They who call you Aeſop, forget what a Wiſe Man Aeſop was, and who ſaid; He hath made us, and not we our ſelves.

[Page]With out a Complement, I know I yet Love you, and value you for thoſe acompliſhments God hath bleſt you with? you are a Man of Thought, and if it plea [...]d you to Viſit, as before, you ſhould be as Welcom [...] to me as ever without harping on any unpleaſant String, but ſeeing you refuſe this, and love not a Diſſenter, I only ſay, I am ſorry I have loſt ſo good, ſo Ingenious a Friend, to ſerve whom I wolud yet ride or go far. Give over Preaching up, every where, Conformity to the vain Traditions of Men, or cenſuring the beſt of Churches: But Cry aloud, ſpare not, Lift up your Voice like a Trumpet, ſhew to the laſy Prelates and Prieſts, their Tranſgreſions; and to the Drunken, Swearing, Whoring, Members, and Communicants of the (ſo Call'd) Church of Eegland, their Sins▪

I never doubted, but among you, on the one Hand, and the Anabaptiſts on the other, are found ſome as God like men as are in the World; and pray, you may be in the Number, I hate the leaſt thought of doubting any Mans Integrity or State, for his Opinion in theſe Matters. I dare not ſay, ſuch a Man wrongs his Conſcience, Sins againſt his Light: I did not, when I read (or rather ſay'd without Book) the Liturgy or attended on it. Neithe [...] may Mr. Keith, as far as I know, The Searcher of Hearts knows from what Principles, he Acts, and what ends he propounds to himſelf▪ He now knows, or may know; and Men and Angels ſhall know another Day. Bleſſed [Page] is the Name and Memory of Humble Bp. Ʋſher Devout Bp. Hall, Holy Dr. Connot (and others and Zealous Dr. Hornick of whom I know extraordinary inſtances of Converſe with Heaven; May the Name and Memory of my Dear Old Friend Mr. Keith be bleſſed alſo.

Some ask us, may a Man be ſaved in the Church of England? Yes, what need then of Nonconformity?

I ask. May a man live on Barly-Bread and Water? Yes, What need then of good Meat and good Drink?

May a Man live and go up and down London ſtreets Winter and Summer, naked, above the Waſt? Yes, A Jacobite did it ſeveral Years, what need then of a ſhift or Coat, about theſe Parts. May a Man be in a Houſe with them that Dye with the Itch, Small Pox, or Plague it ſelf, and yet live? Yes, what need then leaving that Houſe? Need enough, tho the Separation were call'd Schiſm, and forbidden by the civil Magiſtrate with penal Laws.

I ſuppoſe you will quickly hear from others; If from Mr. Owen, I pitty you: Conſider, I pray you what he hath done above moſt Men, about Ordination by Presbyters, not Biſhops As many Reformed Quakers have gon back again on the News of your Conformity, ſo I doubt more will. Are you to be made a Biſhip? Have you not been already Conſecrated in a Dream? I would rather you were ſ [...] times then once otherwiſe. M [...] [Page] know the Story Bp. Latimer mentions in one of his Sermons, of a Biſhop that thundered when he ſaw one of the Bells want a Clapper; one pointed to the Pulpit, there is a Bell that hath been without a Clapper for two years paſt, provide one there. Mind not, great Sir, Toys and Trifles, with the neglect of the great Matters of the Law. The good words you have for the Papiſts, do the Diſſenters a kindneſs, under your keen Cenſures of them. Grotius had not one good Word for Calvin; gets up all the little Stories he could agginſt him, a [...] Judica [...], prout [...]mas, & odiſti; amas, & odiſti, prout libet, &c. Nay, toucheth him as to his Morals; when learned Papiſt have been his Compurgators here; as Mr. Baxter hath learnedly, and unexceptionally proved in his Key for Catholicks, yet he had many a good word for the Catholicks (for ſo he always call'd the Papiſts) at laſt he ſays, That Humour or a ſpirit of oppoſition (or words of the ſame import) made ſome charge them with Idolatry, when they were no more guilty of it, then the Jews in looking towards the Ark, and about Tranſubſtantiacion, he talks of Transelementation. Grotius Appendix. Are not ſuch good Sons of the Church of England, which in her Homilies and Liturgy, charges the Church of Rome with Idolatry?

FINIS.

[Page]

§

[Page]

A SNAKE in the GRASS Caught and Cruſht.

OR A Third and Laſt Epiſtle to a now furious, DEACON in the Church of England, The REVEREND Mr. George Keith, WITH Some Remarks on my former Epiſtles to him, eſpecially That againſt Plunging in Baptiſm.

[...].

Pythagoras.

By Trepidantium Malleus.

LONDON: Printed for John Marſhal, at the Sign of the Bible in Grace-Church-Street. 1700.

Information about this book

Title statement

A snake in the grass, caught and crusht, or, A third and last epistle to a now furious deacon in the Church of England, the Reverend Mr. George Keith with some remarks on my former epistles to him, especially that against plunging in baptism / by Trepidantium Malleus.

Trepidantium Malleus.

Edition statement

1700

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A67845

ID [STC]

Wing Y87

ID [STC]

ESTC R25218

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

08794215

ID [OCLC]

ocm 08794215

ID [VID]

41866

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A67845)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 41866)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1272:18)

Source

— A snake in the grass, caught and crusht, or, A third and last epistle to a now furious deacon in the Church of England, the Reverend Mr. George Keith with some remarks on my former epistles to him, especially that against plunging in baptism / by Trepidantium Malleus., Trepidantium Malleus., Keith, George, 1639?-1716..

Extent

24 p.

Printed for John Marshal,. London :: 1700.. (Reproduction of original in the British Library.)

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