The Principles of the Protestant Religion Maintained, Introduction · Reflections 1
Reflections on his Title-Page and Epiſtle.
In his Title he talks high and looks big, and would hold the world in hand that he had at once routed, broken & disbanded all the Orthodox Churches in Chriſtendome, and proved that they had neither Doctrine, Miniſtry, Worſhip, Conſtitution, Government, Sacraments, nor Sabbaths, but what are Surreptitious, and not belonging to the true Church of Chriſt: and truly if men would be dared out of their Religion, he hath bid as fair for it as any we know, but how farr they fall before his [in-words] acknowledged Teſt, is yet to be Tried: And be it known to all men, That we are not yet ſenſible of the wounds that he hath given, any further than as the Name of GOD is blaſphemouſly abuſed by him, and drawn in to patronize his filthy dreams. When we read his Inſcription, Benhadad ſeems to be riſen agen, who ſent that confident Threatning, 1. King. 20.10. and the Anſwer of the King of Iſrael is enough. ver. 11.
He had ſo much Pride and Gall to crowd into the Title, that he is fain to borrow a Room in the left-hand page, to put in a few Scr…pture Citations, maliciouſly abuſed and miſapplied, which, whether they belong to our Churches and Miniſtry let the Day declare: we are not to ſtand or fall at the menacing Praedictions of an Enthuſiaſt.
He directs his Epiſtle to us, giving his word for it (ſo far as it will go) that the book was written in good will to us; and if to ſlander and calumniate with bittereſt Invectives, may paſs for a Demonſtration, he hath proved his Love to be Extraordinary: and truly it is as much as we expect from one of his humour.
There is little obſervable here, but what will be met with in the Treatiſe, and once to Anſwer ſuch paltry ſtuffe is enough, if not to much: It may therefore be paſſed over with two or three Remarks.
He calls us to turn our minds to the Light of Chriſt within us, for our better information; we have done it as well as we can, & it tells us, That his Aſſertions are bold, preſumptuous, and Haeretical.
He tells us, It is the ſame ſpirit that gives to all Readers a right under ſtanding of Scripture; but if ſo, why then have not all the ſame underſtanding of it, but Contradictory? Can it be the Spirit of God, who is alwaies the ſame?
He bids us to Believe in Chriſt, and joyn our minds to His divine Illumination, and He will anoint the eyes of our Ʋnderſtandings, & we ſhall have our eyes open to ſee &c. q. d. If we will ſee of ourſelves, then He will give us Ability to ſee: this may be no Contradiction in a Quakers Logick.
We have him alſo in a fit of Charity, (and we are beholden to him, for we ſhall not alwaies find him in ſo good a mood) granting that ſome of us may be in ſome ſenſe of the true Church; which how it ſhould be when we have neither Doctrine, Miniſtry, Worſhip, &c. of a true Church among us, let him ſee to that: But we have him afterwards, putting on his Spectacles, and then he retracts his Charity with a witneſs.
We have him alſo nibling at the Doctrine of Perſeverance, which we ſhall ſhortly find him beating down with Axes and Mauls, and there ſhall take him to task. Only It is worth the while to obſerve, what a notable (and no doubt inſpired) Doctrine he recommended to us, viz. That the Quickning in a man, as it abides, it is impoſſible it ſhould periſh: To paſs the Nonſenſe of it (which muſt be allowed a Quaker, or you undoe him) let us note its profoundneſe, If Grace continue, it cannot be loſt, a thing cannot be and not be at the ſame time; could Delphos have delivered a more myſterious Oracle?
Finally he tells us plainly that his Deſign is to turn away our Hearers from us, under the Title of Falſe-Teachers; i. e. he aims at no leſs than the ſubverting of all the Churches of Chriſt in New-England, yea, in all the World: A Gygantick Eſſay! But let him do his utmoſt, as long as Chriſt ſits upon His Throne we are not diſmayed. As for the Imputation of being Falſe Teachers, we can (thro' Grace) appeal to many of our Hearers, in Paul's words, 2. Cor. 3. beginn.