A Survey of Quakerism, Section 3
SECT. III.
HAving touched a little the moſt concerning Tenets, which theſe great adverſaries of Jeſus Chriſt, and his Truth, do publick own in their Doctrine; we would in the ſecond place ſeriouſly conſider, what ſo ſtrange and amazing an attempt againſt the Truth can mean, or what theſe poſſibly intend, except they have concluded the Chriſtian World to be turned wholly Atheiſtical, and to have ſo far loſt all Senſe and Impreſſion of Truth, as that they need not hide their deſign to perſwade men to quit Religion and Reaſon at once; whilſt with ſo ſtrange a confidence they own, yea thus in the open Light, dare offer ſuch an aſſault to the Church.
1. To give up at once the whole of Chriſtian Religion and quit that good and old way, wherein ſince Abel the Righteous, and Enoch who walked with God, it is ſo clear the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apoſtles, yea the whole race of the Saints have to this day walked, to come over, and embrace a way, that if no other were known for Religion in the World, it might give Atheiſm ſome warrant to judg there were none at all. What have we to leave to poſterity ſo precious as the Truth? or what can any other gain, and advantage amount to, if this be loſt? And why did ſuch an innumerable company of Martyrs, on whom the Spirit of God, and of Glory was ſeen to reſt, ſeal it with their blood? Was it not to ſtand in defence of the Goſpel, and of theſe Truths which they ſo viſibly oppoſe?
2. And is the Night ſo dark, as ſuch a Party dare come forth, to have us believe there hath been no true Church in the World, but ſince theſe twenty or thirty years paſt (except what hath its riſe from John of Leyden, Thomas Muntzer, &c. whoſe ſteps, in moſt of their Doctrine they ſeem to follow); yea that the great ſubſtantials of Chriſtian Religion, until now, have been but ſome impoſture or miſtaken thing; and all ſuch, who were the excellent of the Earth in their time, who expreſly owned the ſame Doctrine, and died in the Faith thereof, which the Proteſtant Church doth at this day, as can be unanſwerably demonſtrated, have been but falſe witneſſes againſt God? for however they may ſeek to ſhift this, by undeniable Conſequence it muſt follow, either Quakeriſm is a horrid Impoſture, or the Truth, and way of God hath not been found out till now, and the Church both under the old and new Teſtament hath ſteered her Courſe by a wrong compaſs, in taking the Scripture for her Rule.
3. Is all ſight of the Truth ſo far loſt as that it ſhould be eaſie for ſome to come forth, and impoſe upon the World a new Bible, a new Guide to follow, which every one may find within himſelf, to perſwade us to build on another Foundation than that of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the chief cornerſtone, Epheſ. 2. 20? Yea thus put in our hand, inſtead of the great Realities of the Goſpel, a new device, and mould of their own framing? Or do they think their Authority ſuch as is enough to patronize a Doctrine, that gives an expreſs lie to the God of Truth in the moſt clear diſcoveries of his Word.
4. It may ſeem a ſtrange and amazing aſſault, to obtrude a way of Religion, in the face of the Chriſtian Church, in ſo manifeſt a contradiction to the whole experience of the Saints, and that ſeal, which in all ages they have put to this Truth, that the Scripture is the Power of God to Salvation; and is that mean whereby he maketh the ſimple wiſe, that it is the very way whereby Jeſus Chriſt keepeth intercourſe with his Church here on Earth; and ſuch as no line, nor tittle thereof did ever deceive any that adventured on the ſame. This we are ſure, is, and hath been, the Teſtimony of the followers of the Truth, ever ſince that great Truſt of the Oracles of God was committed to the Church, which they have put in their Teſtament, and with their dying breath have owned; how oft in this bleſſed way of the Word hath the Lord ſealed their inſtruction, whilſt under ſad and dark plunging, yea thus hath made Life, Power, and enlivening Influences, even to the melting of their heart, break up when under their greateſt deadneſs?
5. It is a ſtrange attempt, and ſeems a new eſſay the Devil intends to try in acting forth a Party not to diſpute the Scripture, and Chriſtian Faith out of the World, but to brawl it away in an unuſual manner of reviling, as if they would out-cry the Truth with a continued flood of noiſe and reproach; whilſt they know there is no ſerious and ſober Chriſtian, but under the A we of God, is reſtrained from anſwering them at their rate. But yet for anſwer, here is nothing needs ſeem ſtrange, when we ſee, 1. How hard it is to fix in ſuch a way as error and deluſion, or find land, when men once are carried off the Truth, and do lanch out into that horrid gulf of error; but ſeducers muſt wax worſe and worſe, 2 Tim. 3. 13. 2. How in all times it may be diſcernable, that a deluſion is a turning men judicially mad, and their deliberate acting to deceive others, hath the very ſame effect on themſelves; nor is it ſtrange ſuch aremarkable ſtir and noiſe is made by the Spirit of Error which thus rages, when at this day let looſe, knowing his time is ſhort: and that ſuch an hour of the Power of darkneſs doth but go before ſome great and remarkable reſtraint, yea that this is near; for which with an aſſured hope upon that bleſſed Warrant, and Security of the Scriptures of Truth we wait and believe.