The Snake in the Grass Further Discovered, Conclusion
THE CONCLƲSION.
I Have not in this Treatiſe dealt with the more minute and light Errours and Abſurdities of the Quakers, becauſe they would amount to too large a Volume for this Subject; and I love not to Tythe Mint, Annis, and Cummin, where weightier matters call forth my thoughts. Where the Lord ſhall make what hath been written convincing and effectual, thoſe Superſtructures and Appendices of the conceit of Perfection, denying the ſober uſe of Civil Ceremonies, unneceſſary ſcrupling at modeſt Ornaments, Pedantick Words, Phraſes and Geſtures, obſtinate Jewiſh and Ceremonious reſpect to this or that place for Worſhip, and a multitude more, will quickly and eaſily diſſolve of themſelves.
I doubt not but all whoſe Judgments are not in § 2 captivity to the ſillieſt Errours, will conclude with me, that Quakeriſm is no Chriſtianity, yea, Not conſiſtent with Chriſtianity; being no more capable of dwelling together in one Breaſt, than light and darkneſs in their abſolute and ſupreme Dominion. I am perſwaded that all who have honeſt meanings among the Quakers, little think that in turning to Quakeriſm, they turn Chriſtianity out of doors: yet it is a truth, a ſad truth, that calls for more ſerious notice than themſelves, or moſt others afford it, who profeſs (and that ſincerely) a love to Truth and Souls.
My greateſt diſcouragement in writing this Treatiſe, § 3 was from the ſenſe of the Quakers being out of the reach of Scripture and Reaſon, to almoſt, or altogether a Spiritual Delirium. Yet I was not without ſome encouragement, from my hopes that the Lord would bleſs it, to the informing and ſecuring of many whoſe feet are yet out of their ſnare. I have not a little been amazed, to read in their Authors ſuch Expreſſions, as prompt us to diveſt our ſelves of being men, that we may be Chriſtians: As if Rational and Spiritual, God and the Scriptures, Underſtanding and Chriſtianity, were mortal Foes▪ I intended a Chapter by it ſelf, to demonſtrate Quakeriſm to be no Chriſtianity, from its excluding right Reaſon, any thing called Reaſon from having to do in the ſearch after Chriſtianity, its Choice, Defence or Approbation.
I care not if I collect a few, for my Readers ſatiſfaction. § 4 Smith's Prim. pag. 56.Queſt. How do you manifeſt this inward foundation, which you ſay is Chriſt, to be the true and only foundation which God hath laid?
Anſw. From the feeling we have of it, by which we know that it is ſure in us; and from the ſure and certain knowledge which we have of it in the feeling, we manifeſt it from its own Nature and Being, to its own Nature and Being. You may here perceive what a reaſonable Religion the Quakers is, whoſe demonſtration is nothing elſe but ſenſe and feeling, and this ſenſe and feeling nothing is capable of, but the very nature and being of this Foundation.
He proceeds further, pag. 65. Queſt. And can § 5 none have true Faith unto Salvation and Life Eternal, but ſuch as are of your Opinion? Anſw. We are not in any Opinion, but in the principle of Life, by which we are ſaved, and receives life; and in this ſtate we ſtand, not in any Opinion, but in a feeling of life and ſalvation; for all Opinions are in notions and apprehenſions, in which none feels the Life and Salvation in Chriſt, but what they apprehend in the natural part, unto that they give up their own belief, and ſo erres from the life in themſelves, and neither believes unto Salvation, nor receives Eternal Life. Smith Prim. p. 61.
I ſhall not trouble you with an explanation of theſe uncouth phraſes: you may turn to the Key, and reſolve your ſelves. Sure, if this be the way to underſtand Truths, we may caſhier our underſtandings, and judge the moſt Senſual to have moſt of the Spirit. Mr. Pen is much of the ſame mind.
He calls thoſe diſputing from the Scriptures, Dry § 6 cavil…ing Letter-mongers. Penington is a little ingenious, when he ſaith in his Queſtions concerning Ʋnity, pag. 4. Wherein I confeſs my heart exceedingly deſpiſed them, and cannot wonder that any wiſe man did, or doth yet deſpiſe them. Speaking of the way the Quakers have to get Proſelites, being without Rational demonſtrations. This is far from the Apoſtles Doctrine and Practiſe, who demonſtrated by Reaſon that Jeſus was the Chriſt; who reaſoned with Faelix, and exhorts to be ready to give a Reaſon of the hope that is in us, to every one that ſhall ask us.
I expect ſome Replies to my Book agreeable to § 7 this irrational humour: But I deſire thoſe who ſhall think fit to undertake an Anſwer, that they would not play the Rats, and gnaw here and there a ſcrap, leaving the grand deſigns and demonſtrations of it untouched. I do aſſure them, I am not arrived yet in my own Opinion to ſuch a perfection, but I am willing to learn from (even) my Adverſary: although I muſt likewiſe acknowledge, I am not very big with expectation from the Quakers power of convincing: But if they ſhall, inſtead of anſwering, fill ſome ſheets with perſonal reproaches and reflections, which do not render the things aſſerted more or leſs true; I bleſs God, I am too much above them to be moved, and have caſt up my accounts of thoſe Coſts before I began this Building. If they ſhall deny what I charge them with in my Book, they muſt diſcard their Authors I quote, or prove I give not the ſenſe of their words I ſhall be glad of the former, and I fear not the latter.
I deſire the Quakers from henceforth, if they will § 8 maintain Moral Honeſty, even ſuch as many Heathens were poſſeſſed of, that they would no more call themſelves Chriſtians, until they fall under another Converſion: for it is groſs Hypocriſie and Cheating, if not of themſelves, yet of others: And although ſome of them have ſcorned my prayers, and told me they hated I ſhould pray for them; I ſhall love them with ſo much benevolence, as to beg of God to convince them of the Truth, by this or what means he pleaſeth, that they may not only be loved of the truly good with good will, but alſo delight; but above all, that they may glorifie God on Earth in a better way, and enjoy God in Heaven to a greater bleſſedneſs, than their Principles expreſs. I have done.
But let every man prove his own work, and then ſhall he have rejoycing in himſelf alone, and not in another, Gal. 6. 4.
FINIS.