compared with those of the Light Sect. 3. The Light and Grace flow from the same Principle proved by their agreeing Properties Sect. 4. An Objection Answer'd Sect. 5. Difference in Manifestation or Operation especially in Gospel-Times but not in Principle Illustrated Obj. BUt some may say we could willingly allow to the Spirit and Grace of God which seemed to be the peculiar Blessing of the New and Second Covenant and the Fruit of the coming of Christ all that which you ascribe to the Light within but except it appeared to us that this Light were the same in Nature with the Spirit and Grace of God we cannot easily bring our selves to believe what you say in favour of the Light within Answ This Objection at first look seems to carry weight with it But upon a just and serious Review it will appear to have more Words than Matter Show than Substance Yet because it gives occasion to solve scruples that may be flung in the way of the Simple I shall attend it throughout I say then if it appear that the Property 's ascribed to the Light within are the same with those that are given to the Holy Spirit and Grace of God and that those several Terms or Epithytes are only to express the divers Manifestations or Operations of one and the same Principle then it will not it cannot be denied but this Light within is Divine and Efficacious as we have Asserted it Now that it is of the same Nature with the Spirit and Grace of God and tends to the same End which is to bring People to God let the Properties of the Light be compar'd with those of the Spirit and Grace of God I say they are the same in that First The Light proceeds from the one Word and one Life of that one Word which was with God and was God Secondly It is Vniversal it lighteth every Man Thirdly It giveth the Knowledge of God and Fellowship with him Rom. 1. 19. John 3. 21. 1 John 1. 5 6. Fourthly It manifesteth and reproveth Evil John 3. 20. Eph. 5. 13. Fifthly It is made the Rule and Guide of Christian Walking Psalm 43. 3. John 8. 12. Eph. 5. 13 15. Sixthly It is the Path for Gods People to go in Psalm 119. 105. Prov. 4. 18. Isa 2. 5. 1 John 1. 7. Rev. 24. 23. and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of the Lamb. Lastly It is the Armour of the Children of God against Satan Psalm 27. 1. The Lord is my Light whom shall I fear Rom. 13. 12. Let us put on the Armour of Light § 2. Now let all this be compar'd with the Properties of the Holy Spirit and their Agreement will be very manifest First It proceedeth from God because it is the Spirit of God Rom. 6. 11. Secondly It is Vniversal It strove with the Old World Gen. 6. 3. Then to be sure with the new One Every one hath a measure of it given to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. Thirdly It revealeth God Job 32. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. Fourthly It reproveth Sin John 16. 8. Fifthly It is a Rule and Guide for the Childten of God to walk by Rom. 8. 14. Sixthly It is also the Path they are to walk in Rom. 8. 1. Gal. 5. 15. Walk in the Spirit Lastly This is not all it is likewise the Spiritual Weapon of a true Christian Eph. 6. 17. Take the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God After this I hope none will deny that this Light and this Spirit must be of one and the same Nature that work one and the same Effect and tend evidently to one and the same Holy End § 3. And what is said of the Light and Spirit may also very well be said of the Light and Grace of God in that First The Grace floweth from Christ the Word that took Flesh as well as the Light for as in him was Life and that Life the Light of Men so he was full of Grace and Truth and of his fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Secondly It is Vniversal both from this Text and what the Apostle to Titus teacheth For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men. Thirdly It manifesteth Evil for if it teaches to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts it must needs detect them and so says the Text. Fourthly It revealeth Godliness and consequently it must manifest God Fifthly It is an Instructor and Guide for says the Apostle It teaches to deny Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World and herein is a Rule of Life Tit. 2. 11 12. Sixthly It is to all that receive it all that they can need or desire 2 Cor. 12. 9. My Grace is sufficient for thee An high Testimony from Heaven to the Power of this Teaching and Saving Grace under the strongest Temptations § 4. Obj. But there is little mention made of the Spirit and none of the Grace before Christs coming and therefore the Spirit as spoken of in the Writings of the New Testament and especially the Grace must be another and a nobler thing than the Light within Ans By no means another Thing but another Name from another Manifestation or Operation of the same Principle It is called Light from the Distinction and Discerning it gives Let there be Light and there was Light said God in the beginning of the Old World so there is first Light in the beginning of the New Creation of God in Man It is called Spirit because it giveth Life Sense Motion and Vigour And it is as often mentioned in the Writings of the Old as New Testament which every Reader may see if he will but please to look into his Scripture Concordance Thus Gods Spirit strove with the Old World Gen. 6. 3. and with Israel in the VVilderness Neh. 9. 30. and David ask'd in the Agony of his Soul Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Psalm 139. 7. and the Prophets often felt it It is stiled Grace not from its being another Principle but because it was a fuller Dispensation of the Virtue and Power of the Same Divine Principle And that being purely God's Favour and Mercy and not Mans Merit is aptly and deservedly called the Grace Favour or Goodwill of God to undeserving Man The Wind does not always blow fresh nor Heaven send down its Rain freely nor the Sun shine forth clearly shall we therefore say it is not of the same kind of Wind Rain or Light when it Blows Rains or Shines but a little as when it Blows Rains or Shines much It is certainly the same in Nature and Kind and so is this blessed Principle under all its several Dispensations Manifestations and Operations for the Benefit of Mans Soul ever since th◠World began § 5. But this is most freely humbly and thankfully acknowledged by us that the Dispensation of the Gospel was the clearest
Grace being received and obeyed by us he overcomes him in us That is he detects the Enemy by his Light in the Conscience and enables the Creature to resist him and all his Fiery Darts and finally so to Fight the Good Fight of Faith as to overcome him and lay hold on Eternal Life § 4. And this is the Dispensation of Grace which we declare has appeared to all more or less teaching those that will receive it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World looking for which none else can justly do the blessed Hope and glorious Appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ c. Tit. 2. 11 12 13. And as from the Teachings and Experience and Motion of this Grace we minister to others so the very drift of our Ministry is to turn Peoples Minds to this Grace in themselves that they may all up and be doing even the good and acceptable Will of God and work out their Salvation with fear and trembling and make their High and Heavenly Calling and Election sure which none else can do whatever be their Profession Church and Character For such as Men sow they must reap and his Servants we are whom we obey Regeneration we must know or we cannot be Children of God and Heirs of Eternal Glory And to be Born again an other Spirit and Principle must prevail leaven season and govern us then either the Spirit of the World or our own depraved Spirits and this can be no other Spirit than that which dwelt in Christ for unless that dwell in us we can be none of his Rom. 8. 9. And this Spirit begins in Conviction and ends in Conversion and Perseverance And the one follows the other Conversion being the Consequence of Convictions obey'd and Perseverance a natural Fruit of Conversion and being Born of God for such Sin not because the Seed of God abides in them John 3. 7 8. but through Faithfulness continue to the end and obtain the Promise even Everlasting Life § 5. But let my Reader take this along with him that we do acknowledge that Christ through his Holy Doing and Suffering for being a Son he learned Obedience has obtained Mercy of God his Father for Mankind and that his Obedience has an Influence to our Salvation in all the Parts and Branches of it since thereby he became a Conqueror and led Captivity Captive and obtained Gifts for Men with divers Great and Precious Promises that thereby we might be partakers of the Divine Nature having first escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust I say we do Believe and Confess that the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ Jesus affects our Salvation throughout as well from the Power and Pollution of Sin as from the Guilt He being a Conqueror as well as a Sacrifice and both through Suffering Yet they that reject his Divine Gift so obtained and which he has given to them by which to see their Sin and the sinfulness of it and to repent and turn away from it and do so no more and to wait upon God for daily strength to resist the Fiery Darts of the Enemy and to be Comforted through the Obedience of Faith in and to this Divine Grace of the Son of God such do not please God believe truly in God nor are they in a state of true Christianity and Salvation Woman said Christ to the Samaritan at the Well hadst thou known the Gift of God and who it is that speaketh to thee c. People know not Christ and God whom to know is Life Eternal John 17. because they are Ignorant of the Gift of God viz. a measure of the Spirit of God that is given to every one to profit with 1 Cor. 12. 7. which reveals Christ and God to the Soul Flesh and Blood cannot do it Oxford and Cambridge cannot do it Tongues and Philosophy cannot do it for they that by Wisdom knew not God had these things for their Wisdom They were strong deep and accurate in them but alas they were clouded puft up and set farther off from the Inward and Saving Knowledge of God because they sought for it in them and thought to find God there But the Key of David is an other thing which shuts and no Man opens and opens and no Man shuts and this Key have all they that receive the Gift of God into their Hearts and it opens to them the Knowledge of God and themselves and gives them a quite other Sight Taste and Judgment of things than their Educational or Traditional Knowledge afforded them This is the beginning of the New Creation of God and thus it is we come to be New Creatures And we are bold to declare there is no other way besides this by which People can come into Christ or to be true Christians or receive the Advantage that comes by the Death and Sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ Wherefore we say and upon good Authority even that of our own Experience as well as that of the Scriptures of Truth Christ will prove no Saving Sacrifice for them that refuse him for their Example They that reject the Gift do deny the Giver instead of themselves daily for the Givers sake O that People were wise that they would consider their latter End and the things that make for the Peace thereof Why should they perish in a vain hope of Life while Death Reigns Of living with God who live not to him nor walk with him Awake thou that sleepest in thy Sin or at best in thy Self-righteousness Awake I say and Christ shall give thee Life For he is the Lord from Heaven the quickening Spirit that quickens us by his Spirit if we do not resist it and quench it by our Disobedience but receive love and obey it in all the Holy Leadings and Teachings of it Rom. 8. 14 15. To which Holy Spirit I commend my Reader that he may the better see where he is and also come to the true Belief and Advantage of the Doings and Sufferings of our Dear and Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who saves from the Power and Pollution as well as Guilt of Sin all those that hear his knocks and open the Door of their Hearts to him that he may come in and work a real and through Reformation in and for them And so the Benefit Virtue and Efficacy of his Doings and Sufferings without us will come to be livingly applied and felt and Fellowship with Christ in his Death and Sufferings known according to the Doctrine of the Apostle which those that live in that which made him suffer know not tho' they profess to be saved by his Death and Sufferings Much more might be said as to this matter but I must be brief § 6. To conclude this Chapter we wonder not that we should be mistaken mis-construed and mis-represented in what we believe and do to Salvation since our Betters have
Primitive Christianity REVIVED IN THE Faith and Practice Of the PEOPLE called QUAKERS Written in Testimony to the present Dispensation of God through Them to the World That Prejudices may be removed the Simple informed the Well-enclined Encouraged and the Truth and its Innocent Friends Rightly Represented By William Penn. This People have I formed for my self They shall shew forth my Praise Isa 43. 21. LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sowle near the Meeting-house in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street and at the Bible in Leaden-Hall-Street near the Market 1696. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Reader BY this short Ensâ—â—ing Treatise 〈…〉 perceive the Subject of it viz. The Light of Christ in Man as the Manifestation of Gods Love for Mans Happiness Now for as much as this is the Peculiar Testimony and Characteristick of the People called Quakers their great Fundamental in Religion That by which they have been distinguished from other Professors of Christianity in their Time and to which they refer all People about Faith Worship and Practice both in their Ministry and Writings That as the Fingers shute out of the Hand and the Branches from the Body of the Tree so true Religion in all the Parts and Articles of it Springs from this Divine Principle in Man And because the Prejudices of some are very great against this People and their Way and that others who Love their Seriousness and commend their good Life are yet through Mistakes or want of Inquiry under Jealousie of their Vnsoundness in some Points of Faith and that there are not a few in all Perswasions which desire earnestly to know and enjoy God in that sensible Manner this People speak of and who seem to long after a State of Holiness and Acceptance with God but are under Doubts and Dispondings of attaining it from the want they find in themselves of inward Power to enable them and are unacquainted with this Efficacious Agent which God hath given and appointed for their Supply For these Reasons and Motives know Reader I and so often trod upon and treated as the Off-scouring of the Earth are the People of God and Children of the most High Bear with me Reader I know what I say and am not high minded but fear For I write with Humility towards God though with Confidence towards thee Not that thou shouldst believe upon my Authority nothing less for that 's not Act upon Knowledge but Trust But that thou shouldst try and prove what I write For that is all I ask as well as all I need for thy Conviction and my own Justification The whole indeed being but a spiritual Experiment upon the Soul and therefore seeks for no implicite Credit because it is Self-evident to them that will uprightly try it And when thou Reader shalt come to be acquainted with this Principle and the plain and happy Teachings of it thou wilt with us admire thou shouldst live so long a Stranger to that which was so near thee and as much wonder that other Folks should be so blind as not to see it as formerly thou thoughtest us singular for obeying it The Day I believe is at hand that will declare this with an uncontroulable Authority because it will be with an unquestionable Evidence I have done Reader with this Preface when I have told thee First That I have stated the Principle and opened as God has enabled me the Nature and Virtue of it in Religion Wherein the common Doctrines and Articles of the Christian Religion are delivered and improved and in which I have endeavoured to express my self in Plain and Proper Terms and not in Figurative Allegorical or Doubtful Phrases that so I may leave no room for an Equivocal or Double Sence but that the Truth of the Subject I treat upon may appear Easily and Evidently to every common Vnderstanding Next I have confirmed what I have writ by Scripture Reason and the Effects of it upon so great a People whose uniform concurrence in the Experience and Practice thereof through all Times and Sufferings since a People challenge the Notice and Regard of every serious Reader Thirdly I have written briefly that so it might be every ones Mony and Reading And much in a little is best when we see daily that the Richer People grow the less Mony or Time they have for God and Religion And perhaps those that would not buy a large Book may find in their Hearts to give away some of these for their Neighbours Good being little and Cheap Be serious Reader be Impartial and then be as Inquisitive as thou canst and that for thine own Soul as well as the Credit of this most misunderstood and abused People And the God and Father of Lights and Spirits so bless thine in the Perusal of this short Treatise that thou mayst receive real Benefit by it to his Glory and thine own Comfort Which is the Desire and End of him that wrote it who is in the Bonds of Christian Charity very much and very ardently Thy Real Friend William Penn. CHAP. I. Sect. 1. Their Fundamental Principle Sect. 2. The Nature of it Sect. 3. Called by several Names Sect. 4. They refer all to this as to Faith and Practice Ministry and Worship § 1. THat which the People called Quakers lay down as a main Fundamental in Religion is this That God through Christ hath placed a Principle in every Man to inform him of his Duty and to enable him to do it and that those that live up to this Principle are the People of God and those that live in Disobedience to it are not God's People what ever Name they may bear or Profession they may make of Religion This is their Ancient First and Standing Testimony With this they began and this they bore and do bare to the World § 2. By this Principle they understand something that is Divine and though in Man yet not of Man but of God that came from him and leads to him all those that will be lead by it § 3. There are divers ways of speaking they have been led to use by which they declare and express what this Principle is about which I think fit to Precaution the Reader viz. They call it the Light of Christ within Man or Light within which is their Ancient and most General and Familiar Phrase also the Manifestation or Appearance of Christ the Witness of God the Seed of God the Seed of the Kingdom Wisdom the Word in the Heart the Grace that appears to all men the Spirit given to every Man to profit with the Truth in the inward Parts The spiritual Leaven that Leavens the whole Lump of Man Which are many of them Figurative Expressions but all of them such as the Holy Ghost hath used and which will be used in this Treatise as they are most frequently in the Writings and Ministry of this People But that this Variety and Manner of Expression may
the Divine Nature and Vniversality of the Light of Christ within are confirmed together CHAP. III. Sect. 1. How this Scripture is wrested Sect. 2. That 't is a Natural Light Sect. 3. That it Lighteth not all Sect. 4. That 't is only the Doctrine and Life of Christ when in Flesh all answer'd and its Divinity and Universality proved § 1. BUt though there be no Passage or Proposition to be found in Holy Scripture in which Mankind is more Interested or that is more clearly laid down by the Holy Ghost than this I have produced yet hardly hath any place been more industriously wrested from its true and plain Sence Especially since this People have laid any Stress upon it in Defence of their Testimony of the Light within Some will have it to be but a Natural Light or a Part of Man's Nature though it be the very Life of the Word by which the World was made and wrapt within those Verses which only concern his Eternal Power and Godhead But because I would be understood and treat of things with all plainness I will open the Terms of the Objection as well as I can and then give my Answer to it § 2. If by Natural be meant a Created thing as Man is or any thing that is requisite to the Composition of Man I deny it The Text is expresly against it and says the Light with which Man is lighted is the Life of the World which was with God and was God But if by Natural is only intended that the Light comes along with us into the World or that we have it as sure as we are Born or have Nature and is the Light of our Nature of our Minds and Understandings and is not the result of any Revelation from without as by Angels or Men then we mean and intend the same thing For it is Natural to Man to have a Supernatural Light and for the Creature to be lighted by an uncreated Light as is the Life of the Creating Word And did People but consider the Constitution of Man it would conduce much to preserve or deliver them from any Dilemma upon this account For Man can no more be a light to his Mind then he is to his Body He has the Capacity of seeing Objects when he has the help of Light but cannot be a Light to himself by which to See them Wherefore as the Sun in the Firmament is the Light of the Body and gives us discerning in our Temporal Affairs so the Life of the Word is the glorious Light and Sun of the Soul Our Intellectual Luminary that informs our Mind and give us true Judgment and Distinction about those things that more immediately concern our Better Inward and Eternal Man § 3. But others will have this Text read thus Not that the Word enlightens all Mankind but that all who are Enlightned are Enlightned by him thereby not only narrowing and abusing the Text but rendring God Partial and so severe to his Creatures as to leave the greatest part of the World in Darkness without the means or opportunity of Salvation though we are assured from the Scripture That all have Light that Christ is the Light of the World and that he dyed for all yea the Vngodly and that God desires not the Death of any but rather that all should repent and come to the Knowledge of Truth and be saved and that the Grace of God has appeared to all Men c. § 4. There is a Third Sort that will needs have it understood not of any Illumination by a Divine Light or Spirit in Man but by the Doctrine Christ Preached and the Life and Example he Lived and led in the World and which yet neither reach'd the thousandth Part of Mankind nor can consist with what the Apostle John intends in the beginning of his History which wholly relates to what Christ was before he took Flesh or at least what he is to the Soul by his immediate Inshinings and Influences 'T is most true Christ was in a Sence the Light of the World in that very Appearance and shined forth by his heavenly Doctrine many admirable Miracles and his Self-denying Life and Death But still that hinders not but that he was and is That Spiritual Light which shineth more or less in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men. For as he was a Light in his Life and Conversation he was only a Light in a more excellent Sence then he spoke of to his Disciples when he said Ye are the Lights of the World But Christ the Word enlightned them and enlightens us and enlightens all Men that come into the World which he could not be said to do if we only regard his Personal and Outward Appearance For in that Sence it is long since he was that Light but in this he is continually so In that respect he is Remote but in this Sence he is Present and Immediate else we should render the Text That was the True Light which did lighten instead of which Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World And that the Evangelist might be so understood as we speak he refers to this as an Evidence of His being the Messiah and not John for whom many People had much Reverence for verse 8. he saith of John He was not That Light but was sent to bear Witness of That Light Now comes his Proof and our Testimony That was the True Light which lighteth Every Man that cometh into the World which was not John nor any else but the Word that was with God and was God The Evangelist did not describe him by his Fasting Forty Days Preaching so many Sermons Working so many Miracles and Living so Holy a Life and after all so patiently Suffering Death which yet Christ did thereby to prove him the Light of the World but says the Evangelist That was the True Light the Word in Flesh the Messiah and not John or any else which lighteth Every Man that cometh into the World So that Christ is manifested and distinguished by giving Light And indeed so are all his Followers from other People by receiving and obeying it There are many other Scriptures of both Testaments that refer to the Light within either expresly or implicitely which for Brevity's sake I shall wave reciting but the Reader will find some Directions in the Margent which will guide him to them CHAP. IV. Sect. 1. The Virtue of the Light within It gives discerning Sect. 2. It manifests God Sect. 3. It give Life to the Soul Sect. 4. It is the Apostolical Message Sect. 5. Objection Answered about two Lights Sect. 6. About Natural and Spiritual Light Not two Darknesses within therefore not two Lights within Sect. 7. The Apostle John answers the Objection fully The Light the same 1 John 2. 8 9. § 1. THe Third thing is the Virtue and Efficacy of this Light for the end for which God hath given it viz. To
cannot subsist without it Which made David break forth in his Expostulations with God Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence Psalm 139. 7 8 9 10. Implying it was every where though not every where nor at every time alike If I go to Heaven to Hell or beyond the Seas even there shall thy Hand lead me and thy Right Hand shall hold me That is there will this Divine Word this Light of Men this Spirit of God find me lead me help me and comfort me For it is with me where ever I am and where ever I go in one respect or other Prov. 6. 22. When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee And I can no more get rid of it if I would then of my self or my own Nature so present it is with me and so close it sticks unto me Isa 43. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the Fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the Flame kindle upon thee David knew it and therefore had a great value for it In thy Light shall we see Light or we shall be enlightned by thy Light Thou wilt Light my Candle the Lord my God will lighten my Darkness Again The Lord is my Light whom shall I fear It was his Armour against all Danger It took Fear away from him and he was undaunted because he was safe in the way of it Of the same blessed Word he says elsewhere It is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Lanthorn to my Paths In short a Light to him in his way to Blessedness § 3. Obj. But if the Jews had this Light it does not follow that the Gentiles had it also but by your Doctrine all have it Answ Yes and it is the Glory of this Doctrine which we profess that Gods Love is therein held forth to All. And besides the Texts cited in general and that are as Full and Positive as can be exprest the Apostle is very Particular in the second Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans That the Gentiles having not the Law did by Nature the things contained in the Law and were a Law unto themselves That is they had not an outward Law circumstanced as the Jews had but they had the Works of the Law written in their Hearts and therefore might well be a Law to themselves that had the Law in themselves And so had the Jews too but then they had greater outward helps to quicken their Obedience to it such as God afforded not unto any other Nation And therefore the Obedience of the Gentiles or Vncircumcision is said to be by Nature or Naturally because it was without those Additional External and extraordinary Ministries and Helps which the Jews had to provoke them to their Duty Which is so far from lessening the obedient Gentiles that it exalts them in the Apostles Judgment because though they had less Advantages then the Jews yet the Work of the Law written in their Hearts was made so much the more evident by the good Life they lived in the World He adds their Consciences bearing Witness or as it may be rendred witnessing with them and their Thoughts mean while accusing or else excusing one another in the Day when God shall judge the secrets of all Hearts by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Which presents us with four things to our Point and worth our serious Reflection First That the Gentiles had the Law written in their Hearts Secondly That their Conscience was an allowed Witness or Evidence about Duty Thirdly That the Judgment made thereby shall be confirmed by the Apostles Gospel at the great Day and therefore Valid and Irreversible Fourthly That this could not be if the Light of this Conscience were not a Divine and Sufficient Light For Conscience truly speaking is no other then the Sence a Man hath or Judgement he maketh of his Duty to God according to the Vnderstanding God gives him of his Will And that no ill but a true and scriptural Use may be made of this Word Conscience I limit it to Duty and that to a Virtuous and Holy Life as the Apostle evidently doth about which we cannot miss or dispute read verse 7 8 and 9. It was to that therefore the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ desired to be made manifest for they dared to stand the Judgment of Conscience in reference to the Doctrine they preach'd and prest upon Men. The Beloved Disciple also makes it a Judge of Man's present and future State under the Term Heart For if our Heart condemn us God is greater then our Heart and knoweth all things Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God Plain and strong Words And what were they about but whether we Love God in Deed and in Truth And how must that appear VVhy in keeping his Commandments which is living up to what we know And if any desire to satisfie themselves farther of the Divinity of the Gentiles let them read Plato Seneca Plutarch Epictetus Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and the like Gentile VVriters They will also find many of their sayings collected in the first Part of a Book called the Christian Quaker and compared with the Testimonies of Scripture not for their Authority but agreeableness In them they may discern many Excellent Truths and taste great Love and Devotion to Virtue A fruit that grows upon no Tree but that of Life in no Age or Nation Some of the most Eminent VVriters of the first Ages such as Justin Martyr Origen Clemens Alexandrinus c. bore them great Respect and thought it no lessening to the Reputation of Christianity that it was defended in many Gentile Authors as well as that they used and urged them to engage their Followers to the Faith as Paul did the Athenians with their own Poets CHAP. VII Sect. 1. An Objection Answer'd about the various Dispensations of God The Principle the same Sect. 2. God's Work of a Piece and Truth the same under divers Shapes Sect. 3. The Reason of the prevalency of Idolatry Sect. 4. The Quakers Testimony the best Antidote against it viz. walking by a Divine Principle in Man Sect. 5. It was God's End in all his Manifestations that Man might be God's Image and Delight § 1. Obj. BUt it may be said If it were one Principle why so many Modes and Shapes of Religion since the World began For the Patriarchal Mosaical and Christian have their great differences to say nothing of what has befallen the Christian since the Publication of it to the World Answ I know not properly they may be called divers Religions that assert the true God for the Object of Worship the Lord Jesus Christ for the only Saviour and the Light or Spirit of Christ for the