This Light--the first Principle of all Religion--is also called in this little Book by many other names. It is "the living Word," "the Truth of God," "the Light of Truth"; it is "Christ"; it is the "Spirit."[39] As a Divine Light, it reproves man of sin, shows him that he has strayed from God, accuses him of the evil he commits. It leads man into Truth, "even though he has never heard or read of Scripture"; it shows him the way to God; it gives him peace of conscience in well-doing; and, if followed and obeyed, it brings him into union with God, "wherein all happiness and salvation doth consist."[40] It operates in all men, though in many men there are serious "impediments" which hinder its operations--"the lets to it are manifold"--but as soon as a man turns to it and cleanses his inner eye--removes the "lets"--he discovers "a firm foundation upon which he may build stable and enduring things: A Principle whereby he may, without ever erring, guide the whole course of his life, how he is to carry himself toward God, his Neighbour and himself."[41] The writer, having thus delivered his message, wishes to have it distinctly understood that he is not trying to draw his readers to any new sect, or to any outward and visible church. "Go to, then, O Man," he says, "whoever thou art, we will not draw thee off from one heap of men to carry thee over unto another, 'tis somewhat else we invite thee to! We invite thee to Something which may be a means to attain thy own { 132} salvation and well-being membership in the invisible Church."
Such is the teaching of this strange little book, written by the friend of Spinoza, and revealing the maturest expression of this slowly developing spiritual movement, which began with Hans Denck and flowed uninterruptedly through many lives and along many channels and burst out full flood in England in "the Children of the Light," who were known to the world as Quakers.
[1] Three important books on this subject are C. B. Hylkema, _Réformateurs_ (Haarlem, 1902); Dr. Heinrich Heppe, _Geschichte des Pietismus und der Mystik in der reformirten Kirche, namentlich der Niederlande_ (Leiden, 1879); and Wilhelm Goeters, _Die Vorbereitung des Pietismus in der reformierten Kirche der Niederlande_ (Leipzig, 1911).