Saviour, not as the Word made Flesh, both God and Man; but as the Word or God only, which is a direct fetting up of Deism, and overthrowing of Christianity. Truths, Quest. May it not be truly faid, that the W. Pen's Light within, is neither natural Confcience, Defence nor the Law of God in the Heart of Man, of Gospel nor Confcience illuminated by the Preaching p. 50. of the Gofpel, and the Operation of the PrimiHoly Ghoft thereon; but the Word God tive Chrihimself within them; and differs from other ftianity, P. 14, 36. Emanations of divine Grace, as the Work- Key, p. man from the Work; for the Scripture fays, 11. In the Word was life, and the life of the Word was the Light of Men, John i. 4.? Anf. No, This cannot be truly faid; for the meaning of that Scripture, that in the Word was life, is, that in and through Chrift the Word (not as the Word only, but as he is there afterwards defcribed, the Word made Flesh) was Life, v. 14. As when it is faid, Neither is there Salvation in, that is, through any other, Acts iv. 12. And by Life there is meant eternal Life, as appears by what the fame Evangelift fays elsewhere, that, This is the record that God hath given us eternal life, and that this life is in, that is, through his Son, 1 Joh. v. 11. And when he fays, the life of the Word was the light of men, he does not fay it was the Light within them; but his meaning is, that the Knowledge of that eternal Life, that is in or through Chrift the Word made Flesh, who is the Author and Giver of it, and who has brought it to light to us through the Gospel, and the way of attaining it through him, was incomparably the beft Knowledge and Light of Men, wherewith they could be enlightned; as fhew G. White- ing them where their true Happiness is, and how to direct all their Actions and Designs to the attaining thereof. Or fuppofe we were to understand the Words in the Quakers Senfe, of the Word, or the divine Life of the Word, as the Word only, being the Light of Men; it could not be meant of the Word, or the Life of the Word being itself the formal Light of Men; but only, of its being the efficient Cause thereof; as Chrift is our peace, that is, the Author and Procurer of it, Eph. ii. 14. And therefore the Light within, is not the Word God, or the Workman himself, but only his Work, as the Light in a Room, is not the Sun itself, but an effect of it only. Queft. What do you think of them, who even worship and adore the Light within one another, as Chrift and God? Anf. I think they are plainly guilty of Idolatry, in worshiping that as God, which is not God; for no Light within Men can be God hinfelf, but only at moft, a gracious Gift of God, and communication of Light from him. And to worship that Light as God, is to worship the Gift instead of the Giver. And if it be a falfe Light, that leads them to grofs Errors, contrary to the Scriptures, and the effential Principles of the Chriftian Religion, it can never come from God or Chrift, or the Spirit of Truth, but from the Father of Lies, and a Spirit of Error. And therefore to worship that lying Spirit as God, is really the fame grofs Idolatry, with that of the Heathens worshipping of Demons or Devils as the true God, when they gave forth their lying Responses and Oracles among them in their Temples. Queft Queft. What is your Opinion of their R. B's Ap. Notion of the Light within, who do not P. 137, 138, 139, allow it to be Chrift or God himself, or the 161. proper Effence and Nature of God, nor any part of Mans Nature, nor an Accident; but a heavenly Principle, and real fpiritual Subftance, diftinct from Man's Soul and its Faculties, and which by the Soul may be felt; in which God as Father, Son, and Spirit dwells; a measure of which they fay, is in all Men as a Seed, which they call the Vehicle of God, or the spiritual Body of Christ, in which he is, and from which he is never feparated, and by which he enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World? Anf. It is but a mere groundless and imaginary Notion, which was contrived, as has been owned by fome of them who first used it, and who borrowed it from the Jewish Cabbalifts, or myftical traditionary Writers, only to render (if poffible) the Quakers Notions about the Principle of God's Grace in Men, intelligible, and to guard against the moft abfurd and nonfenfical Notion, as they fay, of fome of the Quakers; who ignorantly fancy God or Chrift himself to be the Light within them, or any other Men, as the immediate Object of their Knowledge, Thoughts and spiritual Perception; without any intermediate Illumination, divine Ray, Beam, or Influence and Operation of God upon their Minds, or without any Medium or Means, by which he inwardly enlightens them, as the Sun does outwardly enlighten us, by his Rays or Beams. But if this intermediate Thing, or Vehicle of God, though they call it a fpiritual Substance, be really a material Subftance, as it 3 must Some of 14, 15. G. W's must needs be, if it be capable of being di vided into Parts and Measures, a Measure whereof they fay is given to every Man; it cannot but be a very irrational Notion, to make it a Principle of any fpiritual Illumina tion to the Soul of Man; it being abfurd enough, to make Matter capable of thinking itself, but much more fo, to make it a Principle of Thinking, and of illuminating a Spirit with fpiritual Truths. And it was a Notion no wife liked by the Founder of their Sect, when he said, Away with their Vehicles and intermediate Things. Queft. What if fome of the Quakers should mean no more by the Light within, but fome Illumination and divine Light fent in upon the Confcience; a Measure of which is given to every Man to warn them of their Duty, and reprove them for Sin? Anf. If this were all that any of them meant by the Light within, we should not have any Controverfy with fuch of them about it, provided they did not make this Light within, given in fome measure to every Man, fufficient to teach them all the Effentials of Chriftianity, without the Scripture or any outward Teaching. Queft. What is to be thought of those, the Qua- who fay, that every particular Man has a sufkers Prin- ficient and infallible Light within him, to ciples, teach him all that is neceffary for him to know, and to guide him into all Truth; and Chriftian that in the beginning, Friends were turn'd to Quaker, the Light in their own Confciences, as their p. 9. proper Guide in all things belonging to ReliBarbadoes gion: But when it pleased the Lord to gather Judgment. fo great a Number into the Knowledge and Yearly EBelief of the Truth, that now the Light in Part 1 pistle, 666, par particular Men is to be tried and judged by the Light of the Body; to wit of ancient Friends, in their Affemblies and Meetings which is the Church; and that it is abominable Pride in any Particular, that will not admit of the Church's Judgment to take Place against them; as believing it to be more according to the univerfal Wisdom of God, than any particular Measure in themselves? Anf. I think this is plainly to introduce a blind Obedience to the Church, and an implicit Faith in whatever the Church determines; which is the very Effence of Popery. And in this the Quakers are no way confiftent with themselves, but deftroy their main Principle upon which they firft fet up, and feparated themselves. from all other Churches, which was the Sufficiency and Infallibility of the Light within every Man, to guide him into all Truth in Matters of Religion. And therefore, they cried down all Church Authority over the Judgment of others, as Carnal and Antichriftian; whereas now, their Affemblies and Meetings for Worfhip and Difcipline, which they call the Church, do affume an Authority over the Light within particular Perfons. But if the Light within particular Perfons be infallible, what can the Light of the Body be more than infallible; there being no Degrees in Infallibility? And what does. the Sufficiency of the Light within every Man fignify, if it is not to be followed, but muft fubmit to the Light of the Body? And how can he that believes his own Light fubmit it to another? And was it not the Sin for which the Prophet that went to Bethel died, that he acted contrary to a Revelation made to himself, in Compliance with a pretended |