A Survey of Quakerism, Title page – To the reader
A SURVEY OF Quakeriſm, As it is STATED IN THE Profeſſed Doctrine and Principles OF THAT PARTY: With a Serious REFLECTION ON THE Dreadful Import thereof, to Subvert the very Being and Reality of the Chriſtian Religion.
By a Lover of the Truth.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns, at the Lower end of Cheapſide, near Mercers-Chappel, 1677.
Licenſed and Entred according to Order.
To the READER.
Chriſtin Reader,
IT ſhould be a ſad and unpleaſing Subject, this to converſe with, in a time when ſo much is on every hand to cauſe grief, if the defence of the Truth, and a Being guarded againſt the contagion of ſo horrid a way, did not neceſſarily require the ſame; which, beſides a ſurpriſing call, and preſſing deſire of ſome, for whom I owed greateſt reſpects, hath occaſioned theſe few lines to go forth to the World; I may ſay, with much averſion of ſpirit otherways thereto. It ſeems peculiar to this Age, to have out-gone all former times, in a new and unuſual way of ſinning, and a daring inſolence to oppoſe the Truth, whilſe ſuch amazing Prodigies of Atheiſm, Prophanity, and Error do at once meet together: To let this generation ſee how inexcuſable they are, if Judgment from the Lord, yea ſome unuſual and ſtupendious ſtroke thereof, do ſurprize them, where ſo loud a cry goes before of its coming. But it is well the Truth abides ſure and immoveable, and we know muſt out-live, with a growing ſplendour and brightneſs, this ſo remarkable an hour of the power of darkneſs; yea, hath that Authority, not only on the Conſcience of ſuch who embrace it in love, but on its Enemies, as muſt enforce ſome awe and dread on the greateſt blaſphemers of the time, whether they will or not. The Virgin-daughter of Zion hath deſpiſed thee, and laughed thee to ſcorn; the daughter of Jeruſalem hath ſhaken her head at thee; whom hath thou reproached and blaſphemed, and againſt whom haſt thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high, even againſt the holy One of Iſrael? Should it not deeply affect ſuch as love Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to ſee ſuch a party crouding in the ſtreets and highways of Britain, whoſe expreſs deſign is ſo obvious, not to darken only, but ſubvert the whole of the Goſpel in the Incarnation, Death, and Sufferings of our glorious Redcemer, and of his being truly God and Man in two diſtinct Natures, united in one Perſon? (Oh, if we ſhould be bereaved of this ineſtimable treaſure, we were bereaved indeed!) Yea ſuch, whoſe work is to depreſs the credit and authority of that great and ſacred Inſtrument of Truth, the Scripture, in the light whereof the redeemed of the Lord, now in Glory, have got thus ſafe to Land, without any other Light or Rule beſides
this to walk by; and on which ſo innumerable a company have adventured hitherto, bearing their witneſs to its truth and faithfulneſs, whoſe record we know to be true: and ſome ſhould reckon themſelves under ſingular engagements to ſeal this Truth though with their dying breath; That in all the ſteps of the Lords way, even ſuch as ſeem moſt dark to theſe who look on them at a diſtance, aſſuredly he is what he hath declared himſelf to be in the written Word. I ſhall only add, what with much confidence I may here witneſs, that as I know no quarrel but one, with any of that way, which is for the Truths ſake; I could not but judg I had too ſure ground, to charge theſe as their Principles and Doctrine upon them, which they have publickly owned to the World, (if they keep not ſome reſerved ſence, contradictory to their own words) and ſo far as I can reach, without any known retractation.