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Of the Light within, what it is, and the virtue and benefit of it to man.

Perversion 1. ‹

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THE Quakers hold, that the natural light in the confcience of every man in the world, is fufficient to fave all that follow it; and fo they overthrow falvation by Chrift.' A mighty error indeed, if it were true.

Principle. But it is, at best, a great mistake: for their belief and affertion is, "That Chrift, who is the

Word, that was with God, and was God; (and is "fo for ever) hath lighted every man that cometh "into the world, with his own light, "" as he is that true light, or fuch a light, as there is no other to be compared with him; which is the meaning of the emphasis true in the text, John i. 9. And that fuch as follow the reproofs, convictions, and leadings of that light, with which he enlightens the understandings and consciences of men, fhall not walk in darknefs, that is, in evil and ignorance of God, but fhall have the light of life; that is, be in a holy and living ftate or condition towards God: a state of acceptance and falvation; which is, from fin here, as well as from wrath hereafter; and for which end Christ was given

a John i. 1, 9.

of God. So that they affert the light of Chrift to be fufficient to fave; that is, to convince of fin, lead out of it, and quicken the foul in the ways of holiness ; and not to be a natural light, otherwife than as all men, born into the world, have a measure of Christ's light; and fo it may, in a sense, be faid to be natural to all men, because all men have it coming into the world. For this light is fomething else than the bare understanding man hath as a rational creature; fince, as fuch, man cannot be a light to himself; but has only a capacity of Jeeing, by means of the light with which Chrift, the Word, enlighteneth him. For we can no more be a mental or intellectual light to ourselves, than we are an external and corporeal light to ourselves: but as the fun in the firmament is the light of our BODIES, fo the light of the Divine Word, is the fun of our SOULS; the glorious luminary of the intellectual world; and they that walk in it, will by it be led to blessednefs.c

Perverf. 2. The Quakers hold, that the light within them is God, Chrift, and the Holy Spirit: so that every Quaker has whole God, Chrift, and Holy Spirit, in him; which is grofs blafphemy.'

Principle. This is alfo a mistake of their belief: they never faid that every divine illumination, or manifeftation, of Chrift, in the hearts of men, was whole God, Chrift, or the Spirit; which might render them guilty of that grofs and blafphemous abfurdity fome would fasten upon them: but that God, who is light, or the Word Chrift, who is light, ftiled "the Second "Adam, the Lord from heaven, and the quickening ૯૯ "Spirit, who is God over all bleffed for ever," hath enlightened mankind with a measure of faving light; who faid, "I am the light of the world; and they "that follow me, fhall not abide in darkness, but "have the light of life."" So that the illumination

12.

b See Ifa. xlix. 6.

C. X. 10.

XV. 45, 47.

Johnţi. 4, 9. c. iii. 21. c. v. 40. c. viii. c Rev. xxi. z4. • John i. 4, 8, 12. I Cor.

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is from God, or Chrift, the Divine Word; but not therefore that whole God, or Chrift, is in every man, any more than the whole fun, or air, is in every house or chamber. There are no fuch harsh and unfcriptural words in their writings. It is only a frightful perverfion of fome of their enemies, to bring an odium upon their holy faith. Yet, in a fenfe, the fcriptures fay it; and that is their fenfe; in which, only, they say the fame thing. "I will walk in them, and dwell in "them. He that dwelleth with you, fhall be in "you: I will not leave you comfortless, I will come "to you: I in them, and they in me: Chrift in us, "the hope of glory. Unless Chrift be in you, ye " are reprobates. Little children, of whom I travail "again in birth, until Chrift be formed in you." Now if they who denied his coming in the flesh, though high-profeffing Jews, were to be accounted Antichrifts, because enemies to that appearance and difpenfation of God to men; what muft they be reputed, who as ftiffly difown his inward, nearer, and more fpiritual coming, formation, and dominion in the foul; which is to be fure the higher and nobler knowledge of Chrift? Yea, "the mystery hid from ages," and now revealed to God's people: " the riches of "the glory of the mystery which God reserved to be "made known to the Gentiles," of whose stock we are. Certainly though they are called Chriftians, they must be no whit lefs Antichrifts than those obftinate Jews of old, that oppofed his more visible and bodily appearance.

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Perverf. 3. By the Quakers doctrine, every man 'must be faved; for every man, they fay, is favingly enlightened.'

Principle. Not fo neither: for though the light, or grace, of God hath and doth more or less appear to all men, and that it brings falvation to as many as are

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John xiv. 3, 17, 18, 20. Gal. iv. 19. f Col. i. 27.

Col. i. 26, 27. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. A 4

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taught by it to "deny ungodlinefs, and worldly lufts, "and to live foberly, and righteously, and godly in "this present world," as the scripture teacheth; yet it no ways follows that men must obey, and learn fo to do, whether they will or not. God tenders faving light or grace to all, and by it calls all, and strives and pleads with all, according to the measure and manifestation of it: but if they will not hearken to it, he is clear of their blood." His light is faving, that lighteth them; but it cannot be faid to fave them, while they rebel against it. In fhort, though men are lightened or vifited with a saving light or grace, yet the Quakers never concluded, nor can it rightly be concluded from their teftimony, that fuch men muft neceffarily and abfolutely be saved, whether they obey, or rebel.

Perverf. 4. By the Quakers light or fpirit, they may be moved to murder, adultery, treafon, theft, or с any fuch-like wickednefs; because they say that fuch as are fo led, have the light within them.'

Principle. This never was their doctrine, nor is it confequent of it: for though they hold that all have light, they never faid that all obeyed it, or that evil men, as fuch, or in fuch things, were led by it: much lefs could the light be chargeable with the fins of those that refused to be led by it. For herein they know the Spirit of God, and the motions of it, from the fpirit of this world, and its fruits, that the Spirit of God con⚫ demns all ungodliness, and moves and inclines to purity, mercy, and righteoufnefs,' which are of God."

They deny and abominate that loofe and ranting mind, which would charge the Spirit of God with their unboly liberty. God's Spirit makes people free ( from fin, and not to commit fin. Neither do they distinguish, as fuch loose people wickedly do, between

Tit. ii. 11, 12. Gen. vi. 5. Ezek. xviii, 1 Tim. ii. 4. 2 Pet. iii. 9. Job chap. xxiv. 13. h John iii. 20,

John iii. 20, 21. 21, 22, 23, 24. Mic. vi. 8. vii. 17, 18. chap. xxi. 17. Gal. v. 16, 26.

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the act, and the evil of it. Wherefore they fay, That as the tree is known and denominated by its fruits; fo fpirits are by their influences, motions, and inclinations: and the Spirit of God never did incline any one to evil. And for that cause they renounce this conftruction of the ranters, That evil is no evil, when they are led to it by God's Spirit:' for that grofsly implies, as if the Spirit of God led man at any time to that which is evil in itself; or that it were poffible to be finless in the commiffion of fin, as murder, theft, adultery, revenge, &c. For that never was, nor can be, the way and method of God's Spirit, which is pure and holy for ever; and brings all, that regard the convictions and motions of it, into a sense and forrow for fin, and fo leads them into a state of reformation; without which, all profeffion of religion is mere formality and hypocrify. So that man's fin and deftruction are of himself; but his help is in God alone, through Jefus Chrift, our bleffed Sacrifice and Sanctifier.

SE C T. II.

Of Infallibility and Perfection.

Perverf. 5. The Quakers must be all infallible and perfect, if they have fuch an infallible light in them.' Principle. No fuch matter: this is also a great abuse of their true meaning. They fay, the principle is pure, perfect, unerrable, in itself; or else it were very unfit to lead men out of error and impurity.' But they never did affert themselves füch, merely because it was within them: by no means. But that all who are led by it, and live according to its manifeftation, are fo far perfect; and fo far infallible in the right way, as they are led by it, and not a jot farther. For it is not opinion, or fpeculation, or notions, of what is true; or affent to, or the fubfcription of, articles or

i Rom. viii. 4.

propo