These tenets, which are thus adopted by the Quakers, are considered by many of the moderns as objectionable, inasmuch as they make reason, at least in theology, a useless gift.  The Quakers, however, contend that they consider reason as one of the inestimable gifts of God.  They value it highly in its proper province.  They do not exclude it from religion.  Men, by means of it, may correct literal errors in the scriptures; may restore texts, may refute doctrines inconsistent with the attributes of the Almighty.  The apology of Robert Barclay, which is a chain of reasoning of this kind from the begining to the end, is a proof that they do not undervalue the powers of the mind.  But they dare not ascribe to human reason that power, which they believe to be exclusively vested in the spirit of God.

They say, moreover, that these tenets are neither new nor peculiar to themselves as a society.  They were the doctrines of the primitive Fathers.  They. were the doctrines also of the protestant reformers.  And though many at the present day consider that scripture, interpreted by reason, is the religion of protestants, yet it was the general belief of these reformers, that the teaching of the Holy spirit was necessary to the spiritual understanding of the scriptures, as well as to the spiritual establishment of their divine origin.

Luther observes—­“It is not human reason, or wisdom, nor the law of God, but the work of divine grace freely bestowed upon me, that teacheth me and showeth me the gospel:  and this gift of God I receive by faith alone.”

“The scriptures are not to be understood but by the same spirit by which they were written.”

“No man sees one jot or tittle in the scriptures, unless he has the spirit of God.”

“Profane men, says Calvin, desire to have it proved to them by reason, that Moses and the prophets spoke from God.  And to such I answer, that the testimony of the spirit exceeds all reason.  For as God alone is a sufficient witness of himself in his word, so will his word not find credit in the hearts of men, until it is sealed by the inward testimony of his spirit.  It is therefore necessary, that the same spirit which spake by the mouth of the prophets, enter into our hearts to persuade us, that they faithfully declared what was commanded them by God.”

Again—­“Unless we have the assurance which is better and more valid than any judgment of man, it will be in vain to go about to establish the authority of scripture, either by argument or the consent of the church; for except the foundation be laid, namely, that the certainty of its divine authority depends entirely upon the testimony of the spirit, it remains in perpetual suspense.”  Again—­“The spirit of God, from whom the doctrine of the Gospel proceeds, is the only true interpreter to open it to us.”

“Divines, says the learned Owen, at the first reformation, did generally resolve our faith of the divine authority of the scriptures, into the testimony of the Holy Spirit;” in which belief he joins himself, by stating that “it is the work of the Holy Spirit to enable us to believe the scripture to be the word of God.”