True Old Light Exalted Above Pretended New Light, To the reader
To the Reader.
Reader,
IF thou live in England, it's like thou hast heard of (if not seen) that new and strange generation of people called Quakers: And if thou be one that hast not lost thy faith and wit, I may presume that thou art grieved for their folly and impiety, and wonderest at their brazen-faced impudency, and lamentest the dishonour which they bring upon the Christian name, and blushest at them as the Nations shame. But all understand not their originall and tendency: who sends them forth; and what is their designe. Had there been no other discovery of these, they are legible enough in their doctrines and their workes. He that is no stranger to Popery, and is conversant in the writings of the Fryars and Jesuites, may perceive who taught them their doctrine of universall sufficient light; of Perfection, against imputed righteousness; of the necessity of an infallible judge; that concupiscence antecedent to consent is no sin; their undervaluing the Scriptures, and many the like. The principal work of the Papists and Quakers is to take off the people from the holy Scriptures, and from the Reformed faithfull Ministers. This is none of the work of Christ, who teacheth his Discipies by his Spirit, Word, and Ministers conjunctly. He that would have no Ministry, would have no Church and no Christ: And he that would have another Church and Ministry, in reason should tell us plainly which is the Church and Ministry which he would have. If it be the Papal, why do they not speak out and say so: doth jugling suit with matters of eternall life or death? If it be not the Papal but the Quakers, it cannot be the Church and Ministry of Christ. For the Church and Ministers of Christ have been not only conspicuous since his Ascension and sending the Holy Ghost, but also have been that part of the world which providence hath tendered, and for which the earth hath been sustained, and for whose happinesse all things do conspire. But the Quakers Church (if they have any) is but about ten or twelve years old at utmost: unless the Weigelians, Paracelsians, Behmenists, and the rest of the Fanaticks in Germany, or the Familists in England and New-England may be accounted their progenitors: And yet their Church will not be found to be of two hundred years continuance. Indeed Stubbe (Sir H. Vane's egregious Vindicator) had neither wit, nor modesty, nor fear enough to restrain him, from telling the world (in his malice, pag. 36.) that it was ignorantly said of me, that [The Quakers had no being in the world, till a few years ago] and the Gnostick adds that [as to the generality of their opinions and deportment, he doth AVOW it out of as sure and good records as any can be produced, that they can plead more for themselves from the first two hundred seventy years, then Mr. Baxter for the present orthodox Religion laid down in the Saints Everlasting Rest, or the Confession of the Assembly.] But when will the undertaker produce these Records? Such a heart and face might have served him to avow, that the holy Apostles were railing lying Quakers, or whatever filthiness had come into his thoughts. Some of their abominable opinions and practices, have troubled the world since the Romish iniquity did abound: but no times were freer from them then the first, and none more unlike to them then Christ and his Apostles, however Satan would gain credit to his impieties, or discredit to the Gospel by his apish imitations. The witness of their late Leader James Nailor is regardable, who in his Recantation saith that they are [Unclean Spirits gene out from the unity of the truth and light by which we have been called and gathered into one Christ Jesus, the Head over all his, blessed for ever: whose name hath been greatly dishonoured by many wilde actings, and his innocent Spirit grieved, and many simple souls deceived,—and that the work of the murderer and devourer is therein, against the life of God in his Temple: which though they seek entrance under pretence of humility; promising some great things, and more holiness in that way, to steal into simple minds, yet being got in, exalts himself above the seed of God, and tramples the meek spirit under foot.—And by this (saith he) you shall all perceive that Spirit, whatever it pretends, it will secretly withdraw your entire love from the flock of God, already gathered, and cool your affections and zeal towards their present meetings: and if you judge it not there, it will grow on with an evil eye, to spie out for their failings; and to delight to hear of them with an hidden joy, whispering them to others, and adding thereunto, with a desire to see them broken, and their nakedness laid open, if anything be amiss. And thus it hath wrought in a mystery of wickedness in some unjudged, untill it be seated in the throne of open enmity and strife against the Lambs of Light, preferring the society ef the prophane before them, and taking part therewith against them, joyning to any who seek to scatter them. And whatever pretence this Spirit covers it sellf with, this I declare against it, (having been kept by the good hand of God, to see it revealed in its ground and end) that it is the old Spirit of the Ranters, which now in a new way makes head against the Light of Christ and life of the Cross, which is the only thing that stands in its way, by condemning its filthiness in every conscience.]
Thus speaks James Nailor, after his lamentable experience, and the Papers he hath written (against me and others) for their way. And yet his followers will not be undeceived, nor follow him in his Recantation.
Had they their will against the Ministry in this Land, would it promote the Gospel, and the salvation of the people? Who would instruct them publikely and privately? As constantly, and diligently, and soundly, as now they are instructed? If there were joyin Hell, what joyfull tidings would it be to the infernal Spirits, to hear of the accomplishment of the desires of the Quakers, and their partakers?
The accusations against us, which the grand accuser of the Brethren hath put into their mouthes, are partly from our hearts (unknown to them) and partly from our duties (imputed to us for our crimes) and partly from our afflictions (in which they should rather compassionate us, then reproach us.)
Yesterday in the Congregation and the streets, a stranger that never saw my face before, cryed out [The judgement of the Lord is gone out against thee, thou hypocrite, thou painted Sepulcher, that hast an outside of humility, but an inside of pride; an outside of godliness, but within is envy, wrath, malice, and all wickedness: in the day of thy misery thou shalt remember me.] When I heard the man, I blessed God that had caused me to be contented with his own approbation, and given me the testimony of my conscience, that my soul, and life, and all that I have is devoted to him, and that I have a most just heart-searching Judge, that yet hath the compassions of a Father. And I wondered that sin should ever prevail so far with men, as to harden them to so open and impudent an usurpation of the prerogative of God, while they pretend to know the hearts of men, as soon as they see their faces. And I thought with compassion on the state of weak unsetled consciences, that are like young Horses among Drums and Guns, that are frightened meerly by a noise. As if any man that could but repeat a Scripture-threatning, and speak terribly, and counterfeit himself a Prophet, should frighten us from our peace and faith.
And it is our very preaching and labours for our peoples souls, that is the principal thing they hate us for: And the more laborious and faithfull any man is, the more maliciously do they oppose him; being incomparably more patient with a Whoremonger, or Drunkard, or prophane Worldling, then with such, So that our diligence (so strictly commanded us by God) is with them our crime. That we do not (as the old worldly Readers did) follow the Plow and Cart, and labour about earthly business, when we should be doing the spiritual work that we are engaged in, and that our peoples souls require, though we are commanded to [meditate upon these things, and give our selves wholly to them] 1 Tim. 4. 15. A good Minister of Jesus Christ, being one that is nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereto they do attain.] vers. 6.
The great word by which they think to make us odious to the people (working on their carnal minds and interests) is that we are Hirelings, because (forsooth) we bargain for so much, or else we will not preach. But Satan is a liar: By Gods assistance, we will preach while we have life, and strength, and liberty, though instead of maintaining us, they spit in our faces. But we dare not encourage our people to be ungratefull Monsters, nor sacrilegious Theeves, to detain the Tithes or Glebe that never was their own, nor they nor their Fathers never paid for, nor had the least pretence of title to. For my own part I never took Tithe, by suit or force to my self, and resolved still that I never would do it: but if ever I were put to suit, I give order to the Collectors, to give all that they recover to the poor, with all the damages and addition, that so neither I may have Tithes by Law-suit, nor the wicked worldlings be encouraged to damn their souls by sacriledge, while I connive at it. And sure I am that it was God that told the Israelites, Mal. 3. 8, 9. They were cursed with a curse, even the whole Nation, for robbing God in Tithes and Offerings. And that Christ saith to the Tithers of Mint and Cummin, Mat. 23. 23. These things ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone: And that the primitive Christians sold all, and laid at the Apostles feet, for the maintenance of themselves and of the poor: And that the Holy Ghost hath fully decided the controversie, 1 Cor. 9. That we have power to forbear working, vers. 6. And not to go on warfare at our own charges, vers. 7. And that the Law about Churchmaintenance is so far from being repealed, that Paul proves he saith not these things as a man, because the Law doth speak the same, vers. 8. The Ox is not to be muzzled that treadeth out the Corn; which God speaks in care of his Ministers and Churches, though Quakers would have more care of Oxen. Do we not know that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of the Temple? (even on a stated maintenance) and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel, vers. 13, 14.
Is it a crime to eat and be cloathed? Or are Ministers most unworthy of their daily bread? Shall Lawyers and Physicians live on their professions, and only the Preachers of the Gospel be thought unworthy of any competent maintenance in the world? Or will not Christ (that will reward a cup of cold water given to his servants, taking it as done to him) severely one day reckon with these unthankfull men, that grudged a competent maintenance to his Ministers, and made it their reproach that they live? When he had generally required, G…l. 6. 6, 7. [Let him that is taught in the Word, communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things: Be not deceived, God is not mooked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.] And yet we desire none of their communications: but only that they deny us not that which never was their own.
But they say, that their Teachers are content with food and raiment; and so should we. To which I answer, we are content with it: Where there is one Minister that hath much more, I believe there is ten, if not twenty that are hardly put to it, to have ordinary food and raiment for themselves and families: And yet if they be enabled to relieve the poor, or to breed up their children (at least) to some honest trade, it would not have been grudged them, if their holy doctrine had not first been hated, and these Apostates proved more ungratefull Monsters, then many Turks or Heathens are.
The Affliction with which they reproach us, is, the unreformedness of our people; They tell us, as the Papists do, that none are converted by our Ministry. But how ill the Lord will take it at their hands to blaspheme the workings of the Holy Ghost, and deny his grace, that manifesteth it self in thousands of his servants, and to put the name of Satan on the sheep of Christ, these wretches are shortly like to know, to their everlasting horror, if repentance prevem it not. To our joy, and the praise of the grace of God, we see (though not in all places alike) so many hundreds and thousands of souls converted, within these few years by our Ministry, that all the malicious Spirits in Hell, and slanderous tongues on earth, shall not deprive us of our comfort, nor God of the honour, nor these converts of the happiness hereof.
But what if some Ministers do labour with less encouragement and success? Is that their fault? Or is it long of wicked hearts? And of slanderers that reproach their Ministry? When Christ bid his Apostles shake off the dust of their feet against the refusers of his Gospel, and told them, it should be more easie for Sodom in the day of judgement, then for them; would they have cast this as a reproach upon the Apostles, which was the sin and dreadfull misery of the people? O what deceivers of poor souls are these? That would turn the eyes of obstinate sinners thus from the observing of their own iniquities. And what! Are we better then the Apostles? And then Christ himself? How few did he convert, that spake as never man spake? How many thousand remained malicious cruel enemies? And how many places did the Apostles preach in, where they converted not one (I think) for a hundred, that some of us see converted in one Parish? And why do not the Papists and Quakers observe, how they condemn their own Ministry by this Argument? Do they make Papists and Quakers of all where they come? How few do they win in a whole Countrey? I have here allowed them to dispute in publike; and they frequently preach and rail in the Market place: and yet it is but a few weeks, since they passed through this Town with this Lamentation. [What miserable places are Kederminster and Bewdeley, that we cannot convert one soul in them!] And yet to make a man a Quaker, is a far easier matter then to make him an honest godly man: as it's easier to make a man an uncharitable railer, then a meek and charitable Christian.
Their great pretence, when they dishonour the Scripture and the Ministry, is to lead men to a Light or Word of God within them; and this is their cry in our Assemblies and our streets [Hearken to the Light and Word within you:] and the sufficiency of this they clamorously defend; and accuse us grievously for contradicting them. But what mean these dark contentious men, when their words are freed from confusion. Do they affirm that all men have the light of Reason? And who denieth it of any, but Ideots and Infants? Do they maintain that Reason by the help of natural evidence in the creatures, may know much of God and duty, even so much as to leave men without excuse, at the barre of God? And who denieth this? Do they maintain that this Light is from Jesus Christ, both as the author and restorer of nature? And by whom among us is this denyed? Do they say that repaired or reprived nature, may be fitly called grace? About this also we have no mind to quarrell with them; so they will not with Pelagius exclude supernatural grace hereby. Do they hold that common supernatural light, outward and inward, objective and inherent, is given to many (at least) of the unsanctified, that live under the preaching of the Gospel? And who contradicteth them in this? Do they hold that, as the Sun is appointed in nature, to be the light of every man that cometh into the world, though some parts of the earth were never illuminated by it, and blind men partake not of its light, and the night or shutting our eyes or windows may exclude it; so Christ is by office the Sun in the world of grace, giving men actually all the gracious light they have, and being sufficient himself to enlighten all, and giving them an illuminating Word, which is sufficient in its own kind, to do its own part; though many are blind, and many for their sin are deprived of the communication of this light? Why all this we maintain as well as they. Do they say that all this light (within us and without us) is to be hearkened to and obeyed? Why what man did they ever speak with, that's a Christian, that denieth it?
But if they make mans Reason in faculty or act, or any of this inward light, to be Christ personally within us, and deny any Christ but such a one that is essentially one with such a light, (that is, with every wicked man) we abhor this Infidelity and blasphemy, and marvell that such hellish darknesse should have the face to assume the name of light. If they maintain that the common Reason of the world, is sufficient to bring men to the Faith of Christ, without any other kind of light, from the Spirit, or written or preached Word; I would fain be resolved in these few Questions.
Q. 1. How comes it to passe that all Nations that never heard the Gospel, are utterly void of Faith in Christ, when the Nations that have the Gospel do generally know him more or lesse?
Q. 2. Why did not the world believe in Christ, even generally, before his coming? if Reason was then a sufficient Light?
Q. 3. Why did Christ preach himself while he was on earth, if the people had all sufficient Light before?
Q. 4. Why did he send his Apostles to preach through the world, if the people had sufficient Light before?
Q. 5. Why did he set Pastours and Teachers in his Church, if all have a sufficient Light within them?
Q. 6. Why do the Quakers go up and down teaching men their own Doctrines, if all men have sufficient Light already?
Q. 7. Why do they cry out against us as being in darknesse, when all men have sufficient Light within them?
Q. 8. Will they pray for more light and grace, or not? If not, they are impiously proud: If yea, then it seems they have not yet light and grace sufficient.
Q. 9. Whereas they say, the light within is sufficient, if obeyed: Our Question is, Whether it be sufficient to make men obey it? For that's the grace that we are speaking of, that causeth men to hearken, believe and obey: For Faith is not of our selves, but it is the gift of God: And mens hearts must be opened, as Lydia's was, Act. 16. to hear and receive the truth revealed. Now to say, that the Light or Grace which is given to cause us to Believe and Obey, is sufficient if we will believe and obey, is ridiculous: as if Christ should have said to Lazarus, [I will raise thee, if thou wilt first raise thyself.]
Q. 10. But how can any Light be sufficient, (were a man never so obedient,) to reveal that which is not manifested by it, or by any Revelation that doth accompany it? No Light or Revelation among the Heathens in America, doth tell them that Christ was incarnate, dyed, rose, ascended, or intercedeth for us, or is the King, Priest, or Teacher of the Church, or will raise the dead, and judge the world. How then can their light be sufficient to help them to the belief of this? I think it's past controversie, that no man hath sufficient Grace for salvation, till his last breath. For if God adde not more, for his preservation, excitation and perseverance, all will be lost.
But this point (which Quakers most insist on) the Reverend Author hath very judiciously handled in this Treatise, and therefore I shall say no more of it. The truth is here opened (to the shaming of their errours) with great Scripture evidence; which impartially considered, may easily convince all that believe the Scriptures: and make it appear that the Light that is in these men is Darknesse; (Luk. 11. 35.) Though the difference, and too-eager Disputations between the Reverend Author and my self, about the point of Infant-Baptism, be too well known, yet it is our desire that it be as much known, that we desire to hold the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace; as Members of the same Head and Body, uniting our force for the common Truths against the pernicious adversaries thereof: And though we own not in each other, or our selves, the discerned errours of doctrine or life, which through humane frailty we may be guilty of; Neverthelesse, whereto we have already attained, we desire to walk by the same Rule, and mind the same things; hoping that if in any thing we be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto us. (Phil. 3. 15, 16.) I think it is time for men that have any sense of the common interest of Christianity and Reformation, to lay by those contentions that have brought us so low, and almost made us a prey to the common Romish adversaries: The Lord grant it be not too late. The two great works of the Jesuites in England, are to procure Liberty for the Profession of Popery, and to weaken, if not take down a fixed able Ministry: They cannot do this work of themselves, without the help of men professing a zeal for Reformation. But how much they have promoted it by such hands, and how much they are likely further by them to promote it, I had rather lament with daily tears, than open to a generation of deluded souls, that will not believe they are doing the work of the Devil and the Pope, till they find themselves in Rome, or the Inquisition. It astonisheth me to foresee, (if a wonder of mercy do not prevent it,) how these contetious souls will be worryed by their consciences, and ready even to eat their flesh, when they see (by the conjunction of forreign and Domestick Papists) the Cause of Christ once trodden down in the hand, and see how they betrayed the Gospel of their Posterity, into the hands of tyrannous Idolaters, and how the familistical Juglers of these times, made use of them to set up Popery: Which …ow is the work that is already so farre carried on, that all our endeavours, if united, are like to be little enough to prevent. We are not so childish as 'to fear lest Quaking should become the National Religion: We know these squibs will soon be out. But those that animate them, have Italy and Spain, and Austria, and France, Armies and Navies, and swarmes of Fryers and Jesuites at their backs; and I take their Liberty and Dominion, to be words almost of the same signification. But let the Curse of the Almighty Defender of his Church, yet follow the underminers of his holy Truth, and confound the builders of this Babel! And never let the Deliverances in 88, and from the Powder-plot, be buried in the ruines of an ungratefull apostatized Land! When you hear, that among our Rulers it shall be endeavoured, that Liberty for Popery shall be granted, and secured from interruption from any future Parliaments, then remember what I say, and let the consciences of those that have betrayed us, be awakened, and let them see then what friends they have been to our Religion, and whither their uncharitable perversnesse hath brought a miserable Land.
I have already told the Episcopal Brethren, that Bishop Usher and I did fully agree in half an hour, and therefore it is not long of us, that our wound is yet unhealed. And (though I never treated with Mr. Tombes about such a matter) I am confident that he and I should agree in one daiestreaty, upon termes of communion, charity, and forbearance, among those of our several waies. And therefore if we yet continue unhealed, let the shame and horror lie on them that are obstinate in their uncharitable waies. And that it should be harder to agree with the Congregational Brethren, is incredible. Why then is there not long ago, a setled concord among all these? That yet there should be a frustration of all Assemblies and endeavours to these ends, and so easie, so necessary, so Christian a work should be yet undone (yea obstinately resisted) after so many years experience and opportunity, till we are all ready to be devoured by the common adversary, this is our astonishment, and Englands shame, and especially of some that have been the hinderers, and will cost the consciences of some men dear, when God ariseth to judge the earth, and vindicate his honour which they betrayed, by their self-blinding and Church-troubling Pride. Reader, as I invite thee to the perusall of this Treatise for thy edification, so do I most earnestly intreat thee, if thou beest a divider, to study the nature of holy Charity, and Catholick Unity, and follow us that desire to lead thee to the Love and Concord of the Saints. And to further this work, I intreat thee also impartially to peruse Mr. William Allen's Retractation of Seperation; which if thou wilt do with a Christian frame of spirit, then go on to destroy the Church by divisions, and further their work that would betray us to the Papists, if thou canst. If our wickednesse have not caused God to passe an irreversible Decree, of departing from us, and leaving England to be a stye of Romish abominations, he will yet cause his people to retreat from their divisions, and presently to hear the Voice of Peace: For which I shall daily pray and groan, and labour according to my power; and if God deny it me, and tell me this is not a world that's fit for so great a mercy, I hope I shall long the more for Heaven, and cry and wait, for the glorious appearing of the Prince of Peace. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.
Richard Baxter. October 17.