The following, parts of which are often quoted out of context in support of an identification of Quakerism with religious synchretism, is excerpted from Penington's defense of Quakers called "An Examination of the Grounds or Causes which are said to induce the Court of Boston in New England to make that order or law of banishment, upon pain of death, against the Quakers...." Penington argues that the governance of the church is to be by the Spirit of Christ, not by human authority, and that Quakers should not be persecuted for not following the practices that the churches insist upon.
Paragraphing has been added in order to increase readability.
Men keeping close to God, the Lord will lead them on fast enough, and give
them light fast enough; for he taketh care of such, and knoweth what
light, and what practices are most proper for them; but for men to walk on
faster than the Lord holds forth his light to them, this overturns them,
raising up a wrong thing in them, and the true birth hereby comes to
suffer, to shrink and be driven back. And oh, how sweet and pleasant it is to the truly spiritual eye to see
several sorts of believers, several forms of Christians in the school of
Christ, every one learning their own lesson, performing their own peculiar
service, and knowing, owning, and loving one another in the their several
places and different performances to their Master, to whom they are to
give an account, and not to quarrel with one another about their different
practices! [Rom. 14:4]
For this is the true ground of love and unity, not that such a man walks
and does just as I do, but because I feel the same Spirit and life in
him, and in that he walks in his rank, in his own order, in his proper way
and place of subjection to that. And this is far more pleasing to me, than
if he walked just in that rank wherein I walk; nay, so far as I am
spiritual I cannot so much as desire that he should do so, until he be
particularly led thereto, by the same Spirit which led me.
And he who knows what it is to receive any truths from the Spirit, and to
be led into practices by the Spirit, and how prone the fleshly part is to
make haste, and how dangerous that haste is, will not be forward to press
his knowledge or practices upon others, but rather wait patiently till the
Lord fit them for the receiving thereof, for fear lest they should receive
and practise too soon, even in that part which cannot serve the Lord. And
this I can truly say concerning myself, I never found my spirit forward to
draw any, either to any thing I believed to be true, or to any practice or
way of worship I walked in; but desired that the power and leadings of
life might go before them, and was afraid lest men should receive things
from my hand, and not from the Lord's. [...]
...Care must be taken that the conscience be kept clear, that nothing be
received, but according to the light in the conscience. The conscience is
the seat of faith; and if it be not kept close to the light which God
lighteth there, faith is soon made shipwreck of. Christianity is begun in
the Spirit, which keepeth out the fleshly part, with all its fleshly
wisdom and reasonings about spiritual things; and as the beginning is in
the anointing, so must the progress be. As the Spirit begins in the
conscience, by convincing that, by persuading that, by setting up his
light there, and leading the soul by that light; so that light must still
be eyed, and according to its growth and manifestation in the conscience,
so must the soul stand still, or go on. The great error of the ages of the apostacy hath been to set up an
outward order and uniformity, and to make men's consciences bend
thereto, either by arguments of wisdom, or by force; but the property of
the true church government is, to leave the conscience to its full
liberty in the Lord, to preserve it single and entire of the Lord to
exercise, and to seek unity in the light and in the Spirit, walking
sweetly and harmoniously together in the midst of different practices.
Yea, and he that hath faith, and can see beyond [i.e., farther than]
another, yet can have it to himself, and not disturb his brother with it,
but can descend and walk with him according to his measure; and if his
brother have any heavy burthen upon him, he can lend him his shoulder, and
bear part of his burthen with him. Oh! how sweet and lovely it is to see
brethren dwell together in unity, to see the true image of God raised in
persons, and they knowing and loving one another in that image, and
bearing with one another through love, and helping one another under their
temptations and distresses of spirit, which every one must expect to meet
with.
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