Antidote Against Quakerism, Dedication
To the Miſguided FLOCK Commonly Termed QUAKERS, Eſpecially in and about Samford.
YOU will bear with me in this Application, allowing every man to ſpeak according to the Light of his own Conſcience. For your ſakes, Brethren, did I engage in Diſputation; for your ſakes, in good will, and true compaſſion to your ſouls do I alſo now write. My deſign in it falls in with your deſire; even that you might have an undeceiving perſwaſion touching the way to Heaven and Glory; that walking therein you may not miſs of everlaſting Reſt when you are departed hence. How you may attain this perſwaſion, is a matter of very great importance, and well worth a ſtrict inquiry: Do but think with your ſelves how others might attain it. A Jew, a Turk, a Papiſt, an Independant, a Presbyterian, an Anabaptiſt; If they ſhould ſay, our preſent perſwaſion is undeceiving, becauſe our hearts aſſure us therein, or becauſe our Teachers do ſo inſtruct us, or becauſe we have an infallible ſpirit which will not ſuffer us to be deceived in any thing; your Light would tell you they took not a …. But if looking up to God for illumination and … …earch for, and examine the grounds of their own and others Opinions; and what they ſee upon good grounds to be truth, that they embrace, whoever rejects it; what they ſee upon good ground to be error, that they caſt aſide, whoever countenanceth it; would not your Light tell you, this were a better and a ſafer courſe for them? Now be your own Judges; is not that a good and a ſafe courſe for you to take, which is ſo for others? You may not then ſay, it is impoſſible I ſhould be deceived touching my preſent Opinion, becauſe my heart perſwades me it is right. As a Papiſt may not thus argue, ſo neither may you: For the Heart is deceitful above all things. He that truſts to his own Heart is a Fool. Lean not, ſaith God, to thine own underſtanding. Neither may you ſay, it cannot be that I ſhould be miſtaken in this, for ſuch and ſuch have taught it. A Turk, a Socinian may not thus pin his Faith on anothers ſleeve; for deceitful workers transform themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt: therefore neither may you: Our Saviour cautions you; take heed that no Man deceive you: commands you, call no man Maſter on Earth: and threatens too, Curſed be the man that truſteth in man. Nor may you ſay, it is impoſſible I ſhould be out, for I have an infallible ſpirit that will not ſuffer me to erre in any thing. As a Presbyterian, an Independant, an Anabaptist may not thus build his conſidence; ſo neither may you. It is incumbent on you as well as on them, to try the ſpirits whether they be of God. Your work then is, looking up for ſpecial aſſiſtance, to examine the grounds of what you and others hold, to prove all things, that you may hold faſt that which is good. And truly a well grounded knowledge, is a very choice mercy. Wiſdome and knowledge, ſaith God, ſhall be the Stability of thy times and Strength of Salvation. For your furtherance herein, if the Lord ſhall adde his bleſſing; I put this ſmall book into your hands: It will preſent you with the grounds of what your Teachers hold for truth; and what we hold, Read, and Judge which have cleareſt reaſon for what they hold, which have Scripture taken in its true ſenſe and meaning. And as Elijah ſaid to Iſrael, If God be God, follow him; if Baal be God, follow him. So ſay I to you, If what we teach be well built upon a ſure foundation, embrace it. If what yours teach be rightly drawn from ſound Principles, cleave to it for ever. Remember it ſpeaks a Generous and a free Spirit, to be able with Candor and Impartiality to read an Adverſary. But unleſs Gods ſpirit enlightens your mind, you may ſee truth, and not perceive; it unleſs he ſanctifies your heart, you may perceive it, and not embrace or practiſe it: You muſt therefore needs beg for the gracious preſence of God with you, if you would benefit your ſouls by reading. Examine your ſelves alſo whether you have a Love of the Truth, a Readineſs to acknowledge and cloſe with it, whether it ſhall appear to be your own opinion, or ours? If you are reſolved in heart to caſt away our doctrine, though it ſhould never ſo clearly appear to be the truth of God; to retain what you have received from your Teachers, though it ſhould never ſo plainly be diſcovered error; to what good intent can you read? It is not Truth you are for, but a Party. But if you can be willing to take in Truth on which hand ſoever you find it; then are you capable to aim at and receive profit by Reading. What do you ſay? How do you find it with you? If our preſent Opinion ſhall appear to be Truth, we can hold to it: Thats not ſo difficult a buſineſs. But what if the contrary Opinion proves true? If it ſhould indeed, we hope through Gods grace we ſhould not reject it. Only Truth leads to Heaven: we ſhould otherwiſe provoke God to give us up to ſtrong deluſions to believe a lie that we might be damned. This is like Perſons that are in good earneſt for Heaven. But it is good for you to conſider before hand, that it is no eaſie thing to part with an Opinion, you have been long wedded to, and it may be commended, and contended for; to be reconciled to an Opinion, at which you have, it may be, for ſeveral years taken diſtaſt, and oppoſed; and to expoſe your ſelf to diſgrace, by openly, as it were, proclaiming your own ignorance during that time; and by becoming unconſtant to what you have ſo long profeſſed: to bear the reproach, ill will and malice of your own Party; they will contemptuouſly call you Apoſtates, and what not. What do you now ſay to the matter? Can you ſtill hold your purpoſe? Now you begin to ſtagger. The Devil is an utter enemy to Truth; he knows it leads to Heaven. In this caſe therefore he will be prompting, what ever hazard thou doſt run, ſpare thy ſelf. Concerning the Kings Meſſenger ſaid the Prophet, See how this Son of a Murderer hath ſent to take away mine Head; look when the Meſſenger cometh ſhut the door, and hold him faſt at the door. Unleſs the great God of Heaven and Earth ſtand by you, thus will you deal with Truth, if our Opinion appear to be it; you will look on't with as much malignity, as on a ſpiteful enemy that would take away all that ever you have, you would be ſure to bar it out of your hearts. But the Lord will enable all his ſavingly to take in his Truth. Concerning ſuch, the Apoſtle could ſay, God hath choſen you to Salvation, through ſanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth. Seek therefore your help from the Lord. If he ſhall graciouſly transform you by the renewing of your mind, in ſpite of fleſh and blood, Earth and Hell, you ſhall prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And ſo ſhall your perſwaſion be undeceiving; ſo ſhall your hopes be ſuch as maketh not aſhamed. The Deſire as well as Deſign of
Your Souls hearty Friend, STEPHEN SCANDRETT.