he placed a Bible for the convenience of reference and perusal, by those who attended the meeting. Samuel Bownas also carried a copy of the Holy Scriptures with him, and sometimes preached with it in his hand; and there is reason to believe that the practice was not uncommon. These facts contradict the groundless accusation which is sometimes made, that those worthy men did not acknowledge the paramount authority of Holy Scripture over all other writings. The Society has always accepted them fully and literally, as a rule of faith and practice under the enlightening influences of the Spirit of Truth, by which they were given forth. Such is the high character they have ever attached to the Sacred text, that they uniformly refused to accept, instead of it, the glosses and interpretations of school men. It was thus they were led to the observance of the positive commands of our Saviour not to swear or fight, even in self defence, as well as to the strict and literal acceptance of those precepts which forbid worldly compliance and indulgence; from the force of which, too many professors have sought to escape. It is true, that they recommended their hearers to Christ Jesus the Heavenly Teacher, who, by his Holy Spirit, has come to teach his people himself; yet they were careful to support this recommendation by showing its entire consonance with the whole scope of the Christian dispensation.

But while Friends fully admitted the divine origin and authority of the Sacred Volume, and acknowledged the richness of the blessing we enjoy in having it preserved and transmitted to us, through the goodness of Divine Providence, they dared not put it in the place of Christ, either as regarded honour or office, nor prefer it to the operations and teachings of the Holy Spirit in the heart; errors which they believed they saw in many of the high professors of their day.

They wished the Scriptures of Truth and the Holy Spirit to occupy the places in the work of salvation, respectively assigned to them in the Bible itself, and that the honour due to the Author and Giver should not be conferred on the gift. It was for these causes, that they pressed on professors the necessity of coming unto Christ, that they might have life, even though versed in the literal knowledge of the Bible. That as its precious truths are not savingly known or appreciated by the unassisted reason of fallen man, so it is necessary to seek the aid of the Holy Spirit, which searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God, to open our understandings, and illuminate the darkness of our hearts, and prepare us for their reception. In asserting the superiority of the knowledge thus derived through the operations of the Holy Spirit, over that which is acquired from reading the Sacred Volume by the mere exercise of the unassisted intellectual faculties, Friends

were sometimes misunderstood; and charged with denying the Scriptures of Truth, placing their own writings on a level with them, and professing that equally good Scriptures could be written at the present day, as those which were penned by Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles. But no sooner were these accusations made, than they were met by an unqualified denial, asserting in the fullest and most solemn manner, their sincere belief in all that the Scriptures say respecting their Divine origin, authority, and use.

The prominent manner in which they believed themselves called to hold up the important offices of the Holy Spirit in the work of salvation, was another source of misapprehension among their opponents. Baxter, in his account of Friends, says of them, "They spake much for the dwelling and working of the Spirit in us, but little of justification and the pardon of sin, and our reconciliation with God, through Jesus Christ."

It is not correct to say that Friends "spake little" on the great doctrines of justification and remission of sins, through Christ Jesus, our propitiation; for they frequently and earnestly insisted on them. But finding that these were generally admitted by all Christian professors, while many either entirely denied, or undervalued the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, they were engaged to call the attention of the people to this, as the life of true religion; without which the Scriptures could not make them wise unto salvation, and Christ would have died for them in vain. But while thus enforcing this important doctrine of Holy Scripture, they were careful to recognize and acknowledge the whole scope of the Gospel, in all its fulness. They declared against that construction of the doctrine of Christ's satisfaction, which taught men to believe they could be justified from their sins, while they continued in them impenitent; asserting that the very design of Christ's coming in the flesh, was to save people from their sins, and to destroy the works of the devil. Yet they fully and gratefully acknowledged the mercy of God, in giving his dear Son, a ransom and atonement for mankind, that the penitent sinner might be justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

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Many of them were persons who had been highly esteemed for their piety, in the societies with which they had formerly been connected, and several of them had been preachers. In the progress of their religious experience, they were vinced that they had been resting too much on a bare belief of what Christ had done and suffered for them, when personally on earth, and also in the ceremonies of religion, without sufficiently pressing after the knowledge of "Christ in them, the hope of glory"-to feel his righteous government

set up in their hearts, and the power of the Holy Spirit giving them the victory over sin in all its motions, and qualifying them to serve God in newness of life. They saw that the Holy Scriptures held up to the view of Christians, a state of religious advancement and stability, far beyond that which most of the professors of their day appeared to aim at or admit; a state in which sin was to have no more dominion over them, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, had set them free from the law of sin and death. That this was an inward work, not effected by a bare assent of the understanding to the blessed truths contained in the Bible, hearing sermons, dipping or sprinkling in water, or partaking of bread and wine, but a real change of the heart and affections, by the power of the Holy Ghost inwardly revealed, regenerating the soul, creating it anew in Christ Jesus, and making all things pertaining to it of God.

Convinced that this great work was necessary to salvation, and yet in great danger of being overlooked amid a round of ceremonial performances, and a high profession of belief in Christ as the propitiation for sins, they zealously preached the doctrine of the new birth; calling their hearers to come to Christ Jesus, the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, that they might experience Him to shine into their hearts, to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The offices of the Holy Ghost, or Comforter, as the guide into all Truth, as the unction from the Holy One which teacheth of all things, and is Truth, and no lie, was the great theme of their contemplation and ministry, and it stands forth no less conspicuously in their writings.

When we turn to the Sacred Volume, and read there the numerous testimonies borne to the great importance of this doctrine in the Gospel plan, we cannot wonder to find it prominently set forth by a people professing eminently the spirituality of religion. But to infer from the fact of their preaching Christ within, that they designed in any degree to deny Christ without, or to derogate from any part of the work which, in adorable condescension, he was graciously pleased to accomplish for us, in the prepared body, or from that complete justification from our sins which is obtained through living faith in Him, as our sacrifice and Mediator, would be illiberal and unjust.

When such accusations were brought against them by their enemies, they indignantly repelled and denied them; and the of ficial declarations and acts of the Society evince that such opinions were never received or tolerated by it.

In carrying out these views of the spiritual nature of the Gospel, and of that great work in the soul described as "the washing

of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost," the primitive Friends were led to the adoption of their peculiar sentiments respecting water baptism and the use of the bread and wine. They found it declared in the Sacred Volume, that as "there is one Lord and one faith," so there is but "one baptism;" and that "the baptism which now saves, is not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Corresponding with this, is the saying of the apostle to the Romans, "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death-therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, even so, we also, should walk in newness of life." Also, that to the Galatians, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ;" and to the Colossians, where he declares that those who are in Christ, "are buried with him in baptism, wherein, also, ye are risen with him, through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Sensible that these blessed effects were not the result of dipping or sprinkling the body with water, and apprehensive that many professors of religion were trusting to the outward ceremony, as a means of initiating them into the Church of Christ, while neglecting the necessary work of "repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ," they pressed upon their hearers the necessity of experiencing that one saving baptism, which John describes when drawing the distinction between his dispensation and that of Christ" I indeed baptize you with water but One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."

Convinced that the Gospel is not a dispensation of shadows, but the very substance of the heavenly things themselves, they believed that the true communion of saints consisted in that divine intercourse which is maintained between our Merciful Saviour and the souls of his faithful disciples; agreeable to his own gracious words; "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with me."

There is a strong tendency in the human mind to substitute the form of religion for the power, and to satisfy the conscience by a cold compliance with exterior performances, while the heart remains unchanged. And inasmuch as the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the communion of the body and blood of Christ, of which water baptism and the bread and wine are admitted to be only signs, are not dependent on those outward ceremonies, nor necessarily connected with them, and are declared in Holy

Scripture to be effectual to the salvation of the soul, which the signs are not, Friends have always believed it their place and duty to hold forth to the world a clear and decided testimony to the living substance the spiritual work of Christ in the soul, and a blessed communion with him there.

A distinguishing trait in the character of the first Friends was, that amid the great political commotions which prevailed, they attached themselves to none of the parties, nor entered into any of their ambitious views. It was a principle of their religion, to avoid all strife and contention, and to live peaceably, under whatever form of government Divine Providence was pleased to permit. When the laws of the land came into collision with their duty to God, and they could not, for conscience sake, actively comply with their demands, they patiently endured the penalties. When the nation was in a great ferment, after the death of Cromwell, George Fox, ever watchful for the welfare of his brethren, addressed a letter, exhorting them "to live in love and peace with all men-to keep clear of all the commotions of the world, and not to intermeddle with the powers of the earth, but to let their conversation be in heaven."—" All who pretend to fight for Christ," says he, "are deceived; for his kingdom is not of this world, and therefore his servants do not fight."

Unaided by any alliance with the great or powerful; ridiculed and hated by the world, and everywhere pursued with contempt and cruelty, the principles of Friends silently spread through the kingdom, winning the assent of men who were inferior to none in education, talents, and respectability. Amid the severest persecution, when deprived of every temporal comfort, torn from home, and all its endearments, with every probability that they should seal the truth of their principles with the sacrifice of their lives, they faltered not. Though all around them looked dark and threatening, yet there was light and peace within;-they not only met their sufferings with patience and fortitude, in the unresisting spirit of their Divine Master, but through the goodness of God, were so filled with heavenly consolation, that they sang for joy even in the extremity of suffering.

Exposed to almost universal hatred and abuse, their names despised and cast out from among men, the disinterested love they showed for each other excited the admiration even of their enemies. While each one seemed regardless of his own liberty and estate, all were zealous in pleading the cause of their suffering brethren, when occasion presented; freely sacrificing their time and property to promote their comfort, and even offering themselves to lie in prison, instead of those whom they thought could be less easily spared from their families or the Society. Such fruits of Christian love and forbearance, under protracted