A Survey of Quakerism, Section 7
SECT. VII.
NOw in the cloſe, I ſhall touch a little the appeal formerly propoſed to that very Light within, which this Party of the Quakers ſo much cry up as an infallible Guide, ſince it cannot poſſibly be underſtood another thing than that Tribunal of the Conſcience, under the great Judg, ſet up in every mans Breaſt; If even before that Light they can ſtand, without horror and amazement at their own way, and ſome enforcing conviction of the Truth of thoſe particulars, I atteſt their Conſcience in.
1. If a corrupting of the Affections did not previouſly concur to corrupt their Judgment; and if this change in their way might not, to their own diſcerning, be ſound to begin firſt in ſome reigning, and predominant luſt. It is ſure, the Scripture finds the root of Error and Hereſie to be there, Gal. 5. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 19. And it is eaſie for the World to ſee how viſible a riſe diſcontent, croſs events to their deſigns about outward things, a begun wearying of the very form of Godlineſs, yea ſome hope and inſinuation of advantage from another airth hath in many inſtances, given to this, and effectually influenced their taking up a lax conception of Religion, and then turning over to ſuch a way.
2. I may here appeal to the Conſcience of moſt who have ingaged with that Party: if they were ſincere, and earneſt in profeſſing the Truth before they quilt it, or knew what it was to be ſwayed by Principles of their own, with that ſolid founding thereon, as they could ſay, no incitement from example, or the Teſtimony of others, but the felt Power of the Truth on their ſoul did influence ſuch a profeſſion: Since it is undeniable, how many from extream leudneſs, and ere they had any appearance of being Chriſtians, have made this leap over to the Quakers; ſo as it can be no wonder, that they on eaſie Terms, part with that which they ſo lightly took up, and never in earneſt knew: yea it is notoriouſly known how ſome of the chief among them have as an Argument for perſwading others to deſert the way of the Lord, expreſly owned this; that while they were once under the ſame profeſſion with them, and ſeemed to be moſt ſerious therein, yet 'twas but for a ſhew only, and they found never any Truth or Reality in this way, which is indeed not ſtrange, for they could not find that which they were not then at all ſeeking after.
3. To that Light within, that they ſo much pretend to, I muſt appeal, If they can poſſibly caſt the Judgment and Authority of the Scripture, without having that very Light within to riſe up, and witneſs againſt them; and if their Conſcience be not wholly ſtruck dead, can deny that witneſs thereto; How? by a clear manifeſtation of the Truth, it commends it ſelf to the Conſcience of every one, as a ſafe ground whereon to repoſe their ſoul; yea, If it bear not that viſible Impreſs of its Divinity, that all may know how it is framed to correſpond with the inward Man, and to judg and exerciſe a Power over the Conſcience, with the moſt retired thoughts, as well as the Actings of Men.
4. Let the Conſcience, and that Light within ſpeak, if Natures Light can be a teſt and meaſure of ſupernatural Revelation; when, except they do violence thereto, they cannot but know that the greateſt Truths of Chriſtianity indiſpenſably neceſſary to Salvation, yea the whole contrivance of the Goſpel, is ſuch as could never poſſibly have entred into the hearts of Men, if the Scripture had not revealed the ſame.
5. Can they, without a contradiction to that very Light within, deny what in all times is made obvious to the view of the World, that irreſiſtible and efficacious Power of the Word accompanied by the Spirit, to be ſuch as converteth the Soul, enlightens the Eyes, and maketh wiſe the ſimple; and what innumerable Inſtances of real Converſion from the Power of Satan to God, hath in all ages been thus wrought; in whom it might be evidently ſeen, that the more vigorous luſtre the Power of Holineſs in theſe had, the more cloſe alſo hath their adherence been to that Doctrine now oppoſed, and trampled on by the Quakers.
6. As they can give no reaſon for that bitterneſs, and wrath againſt thoſe who own the Truth, and from whom they can pretend no perſonal injury or provocation but for the Truths ſake; let their Conſcience alſo ſpeak, if againſt any they are thus more ſtirred than theſe, where the moſt convincing appearance of God in his Image ſhines forth; yea if they do not more eaſily comply with them, in whom nothing of ſerious Religion can be ſeen, than ſuch, being indeed ſcorched with that heat that enforces them to rage and blaſpheme.
7. Muſt not their Conſcience enforce this conviction upon them, that in the Church of Chriſt, from which they are gone out, there are ſtill Miniſters of the Spirit, and not of the dead Letter and empty ſound, and a Miniſtration of Power and Life found to go along with theſe bleſſed Ordinances they ſo avowedly contemn; yea, that by this Doctrine of the Church they have now quit, the followers of the Truth do in theſe times, as well as in former ages, receive the Spirit, and know the certainty thereof, that it is the Spirit of Holineſs moſt exactly correſponding with the written Word.
8. Does not that conviction alſo follow them, though they flee never ſo faſt from it, what burning and ſhining Lights there have been, and yet are among the Miniſters of Chriſt in theſe late times, ſuch as were Mighty in the Scriptures, ſervent in Spirit, cloathed with the Power and Authority of God, before whoſe Miniſtry the moſt daring and ſtout-hearted have been made to tremble, than whom none have witneſſed more zeal for the Truth, and that Doctrine ſo much now cryed down by the Quakers; yea, how ſome alſo of theſe we have known to have had very extraordinary diſcoveries, and immediate in-breathings of the Mind of God, in particular caſes, who in this were led by a Scripture-ſpirit, and in no other path, but in the way of the Word, though by ſome more ſingular enforcing Application of the ſame.
9. Are not ſuch enforced alſo to ſee, ſo as their Conſcience cannot contradict, What unſpeakable joy and peace Chriſtians do witneſs in their ſufferings for the Truth, and bearing Teſtimony to that way, to which they are ſo known and ſtated Adverſaries: yea, that when ſuch are a-dying, with what a marvelous gale of aſſurance and joy they have parted from time, putting their Seal to the ſame Doctrine of the Church, and Miniſtry thereof, which they ſo virulently revile, bleſſing the Lord, that ever they were made acquainted therewith; even then, when all that lookt on might perceive their ſoul raiſed, and under ſome preſent Tranſport, with theſe begun unexpreſſible Taſts of Heaven, and that ſome ſight thereof was there broken up unto them which no Words could expreſs.
10. I muſt atteſt their Conſcience, if they be not conſtrained to juſtifie ſuch as are moſt ſerious in adherence to the Truth, even over the belly of the greateſt prejudice; that they are ſuch as are real, and ſerious in what they profeſs, and may be known to make no naked and empty ſhew thereof, but are willing to be tried in what is their Teſtimony, and render a reaſon of that hope within them, with the greateſt ſeriouſneſs, by bringing it to the Tryal of the Scriptures of Truth.
I ſhall but further appeal to their own Conſcience and Light within, if they do not ſee this way of Holineſs, and ſerving the Lord according to that Rule of the Scripture, which they ſo expreſly diſown, to be that good and old way, in which the footſteps of the Saints may be found ſince the beginning; and how it is no new Light broken up in the World, but a continued ſucceſſion hath been ſtill of thoſe who from one time to another delivered over the ſame Truth to ſucceeding ages: yea, can they poſſibly deny that as at the firſt up-breaking of the Chriſtian Faith, ſo in theſe late times the Lord hath put to his Seal by extraordinary Signs and Confirmations, with ſuch an immediate appearance of himſelf, to the ſame Truth now owned, and profeſſed by the reformed Churches, as the greateſt Atheiſts will ſtand in a we to queſtion?
I muſt ſhut up this with one Word more of appeal to the World, and moſt ordinary obſervers in this time, If without ſhutting their eyes, they can conſider this way of the Quakers, and not ſee the impoſture thereof alſo. 1. How their work is, as the Serpent deceived Eva, to engage more by enticing words, and laying baits before the Affections, than to clear and convince the Judgment; ſo as it is not ſtange, though ſuch are induced to change their Religion as had never yet in earneſt imbraced any. 2. Can they ſee here any thing elſe but the groſſeſt Atheiſm under a new dreſs, when ſuch do expreſly deny (whatever they pretend) the only true God revealed in Jeſus Chriſt, except as an abſtract Notion and Principle within every one? 3. And may not the moſt ordinary obſervers of the time be ſtruck with the conviction of a more excellent ſpirit in ſuch, as ſeriouſly own and imbrace the Truth, with that ſavour their way hath of humility, ſelf-denial, without daring to revile; and what a more convincing reſemblance this hath to that perfect Rule of the Scripture than that imbittered, raging ſpirit, which in ſuch horrid, ſcurrilous expreſſions fears not to vent it ſelf among this Party? 4. Do not all ſee this alſo, their taking advantage to wreſt the Scripture, ſo far as they can ſee the leaſt ſhadow there to bring it to their Intereſt, whilſt yet they fear not to throw off the whole, and deny ſubjection thereto in its being the alone Rule of a Chriſtians Faith and Practice; as though theſe they converſe with were in no caſe to diſcern ſo groſs and viſible an Impoſture?