A Survey of Quakerism, Section 6
SECT. VI.
IN purſuance of this ſubject, whilſt ſuch a darkneſs is over the Churches of Chriſt, and the very Foundations like to be ſhaken; It ſhould be this day a ſerious call for our enquiry, what ſolid Improvement might be made of ſuch a Tryal in this ſtrange appearance, and growth now of Quakeriſm for clearing of the Holy and unſpotted way of the Lord, and our being farther ſtrengthned in the Faith; ſince it is ſure, that nothing is here before our eyes, but what brings a convincing Seal therewith to the Truth, and may be an antidote againſt its own poyſon; if we but conſider,
1. That the neceſſity of Day and Night, and of the Ordinances of Heaven, to continue as they are, is not more clear from the Truth of the Word, than that Hereſies muſt be in the Church, that ſuch as are approved may be made manifeſt, 1 Cor. 11. 10. And if theſe were not, the Scriptures would want an undoubted witneſs of its Truth and Certainty.
2. That it is undeniably clear, this is the very time and ſeaſon of bringing forth thoſe monſtrous Births in the World, according to the Scripture-Prophecies thereof; for the Spirit ſpeaketh expreſly to the latter times, 1 Tim. 4. 1. and gives warning, that this will be one of the ſpecial and greateſt Tryals of the Chriſtian Church, whereof the Old Teſtament doth make but little mention: yea thus it may be underſtood, why ſuch a Party now muſt have ſome blacker dye, and a ſingular edition of groſsneſs, beyond all that have gone before, as ſuiting to a greater Light, and more flouriſhing times of the Church, than former ages have known.
3. Is there not advantage here, for being more confirmed in the good ways of the Lord, that no ſuch length the Principles of this adverſary come, and there's nothing ſo horrid and amazing in their Doctrine, which in the Scripture hath not been foretold; ſuch as damnable Hereſies, even denying the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2. 1. even ſuch as tend not to darken the Truth only, or a building hay and ſtubble on this Foundation, but moſt viſibly raze the ſame?
4. It ſhould be for our ſtrengthening alſo in the Truth, that nothing is ſo ſtrange in this marvelous depth of error and deluſion, as to the way and manner of its ſpreading in the Church, but what hath been foretold by the Holy Ghoſt; to be brought in privily, by ſubtile inſinuation, and a ſowing of theſe tares while men ſleep; yea how ſuch ſhall make merchandize of their ſouls, for in nothing more is the ſlight of men, and cunning craftineſs whereby they lye in wait to deceive, known to the World, than in this Trade which ſeducers drive, to turn thoſe they converſe with from that ſimplicity which is in Chriſt: but as thus Error in its firſt approaches knows how to take on a cover; Is it not ſeen alſo where once this is aloft, and deluſion drunk in, with what diſcernable fury and violence ſuch are then driven: ſo as all may know what mean theſe clouds (which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of) carried about with a tempeſt, 2 Pet. 2. 17. which are then hurried by a judicial ſtroke, and can find no fixing?
5. This one thing, I confeſs, ſeems aſtoniſhing, and that whereat ſome pretend moſt advantage for their ſtumbling at the way of God, to ſee at what rate ſuch have walked under a profeſſion of godlineſs, not only as to Light, but with a convincing evidence of their being ſerious and tender therein, who at laſt to the amazement of the World have fallen into a viſible Apoſtacy from the Faith, ſo as to come even to that dreadful length therein of being Quakers; yea thus may ſeem to bring in queſtion that great Truth of the perſeverance of the Saints. But it's well we have the Scripture to go to, and know what this means, whilſt nothing here is ſuch as does not convincingly anſwer to what is expreſly ſhewed us there, and ſhould confirm more than ſhake; if we conſider, 1. Though it is true that Hereſie, as other works of the fleſh, may be conſiſtent with a regenerate eſtate; yet is it impoſſible for the Elect to be deceived into a falling from the Faith, without ſome gracious recovery, as is ſhewed Matt. 24. But we know this way is the purpoſe of God made effectual, concerning all he hath from Eternity predeſtinate to life, as is expreſs from Scripture, 2 Theſ. 2. 13. That they are choſen to Salvation, through ſanctification of the ſpirit, and belief of the truth, though the evidence of this recovery in ſome, where it hath been in Truth, may be but little diſcernable to others: The Lord ſo diſpoſing in his infinite Wiſdom, that his People may be taught an alone recumbence on the Word, even when his Works ſeems to juſtle therewith. 2. We know no ſuch length in profeſſion of the Truth, from which any have fallen through the prevalence of Error, can go beyond thoſe who after they have eſcaped the pollutions of the World through the Knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, are yet again intangled therein, and overcome, 2 Pet. 2. 20. or beyond thoſe degrees of Conviction, and common Illumination, that may even have ſome tranſient taſte of the good Word of God, and of the Powers of the World to come, Heb. 6. 5, 6. To which the Apoſtle ſhews ſome may come, even that length by a temporary Work of the Spirit, who have yet fallen into a moſt dreadful Apoſtacy from the Truth, and oppoſition thereto, with the greateſt hight of malice; in both which Scriptures may be ſeen, that it is ſuch an Apoſtacy there meant, as follows upon the prevalence of Error and Deluſion. 3. With what marvelous plainneſs doth the Holy Ghoſt in the Word ſpeak to this Caſe, that we may know what it means, and have no cauſe for ſtumbling, when it ſhall become the Churches Tryal, as we ſee Mat. 13. 5. in that ſeed which fell upon ſtony places, where it had not much earth, and forthwith ſprung up, becauſe it had no depthneſs of earth; but when the Sun was up, was ſcorched, and becauſe they had no root, withered: a Truth, I may ſay, is not more expreſs in the Scripture, when we read it with our eyes, than its ratification in after-times in the Church hath oft been on many a ſad inſtance, ſuch as after their being enlightned have ſprung up, yea. forthwith, with a haſty growth, and too early appearance, but no ſolid growing to the root; yet ſuch, as for a time have moſt remarkably ſeemed to out-run thoſe who had in Truth received the ingrafted word, by a more forward profeſſion, than whom none have been a ſadder ſight to the generation they lived in, and by as remarkable a withering, have too viſibly witneſſed the want of root; in which I muſt ſay, and with ſome confidence appeal to any ſerious diſcerners of the time about this remark, if in ſuch who have moſt obſervably fallen from the Truth, and plunged into that gulf of Error, ſome precious evidence hath not been of ſuch ſpringing up forthwith, and haſty appearance in profeſſion of the Truth, that hath taken the growth more to the bloſſom, than to any ſure founding under the ſenſe of their ſinful, and loſt eſtate by Nature.
6. This alſo ſeems ſtrange, and may be ſhaking to ſome; How tenacious and violent ſuch uſually are found in this way, even when ſilenced with the cleareſt diſcoveries of the Truth: ſo as it is rare almoſt in an age to find an inſtance of one, who after ſome obſervable Hight of Illumination beyond others hath ever found a recovery, or ſhown their returning by repentance after he hath thus fallen into damnable Hereſies, as the Apoſtle terms them. But is not here alſo a convincing and marvelous ſeal to the Scripture; if men will but ſeriouſly read what is ſo clear, 2 Pet. 2. 20. and that Heb. 6. How dreadful an arreſt, thus in the Holy Judgment of God, is put on this kind of Apoſtacy, even beyond the moſt groſs falling away from the Truth in practice, which ſhould cauſe fear to all that ſtand, and do yet retain their ſtedfaſtneſs? Yea is not the reaſon of this there alſo held forth, that it is a putting the Son of God to open ſhame, and ſo direct a doing deſpite to the Holy Ghoſt, in counteracting his Workings and Diſcoveries once put forth in the ſoul? For my ſelf, I muſt confeſs, nothing in thoſe times I have found more ſhaking (who before a higher Judg than Men, have ſome confidence to ſay, The greateſt joy I have upon Earth, is to know that aſſuredly the Lord is God, and the certainty of his Truth): But I muſt here alſo profeſs, how in this I have found cauſe for being more confirmed, yea with admiration to conſider, How many ages paſt, ſuch things have been foretold; what ſore aſſaults the ſpirit of Error and Deluſion ſhould give the Church, with ſo expreſs circumſtantiating of this Tryal, in its whole frame, conveyance, and manner of appearance, as hath been ſeen in the Event, and at this day before our eyes, which by the Holy Ghoſt only could be revealed to the Church, and could never have been ſuppoſed, or entred into mens thoughts at a diſtance.