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EXTRACTS 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 WRITINGS OF THE EARLY MEMBERS 
 
 SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, 
 
 THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST, THE BENEFITS OF 
 HIS COMING, THE SCRIPTURES, &c. 
 
 TOGETHER WITH SOME 
 
 ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS ON THESE AND OTHER SUBJECTS 
 CONNECTED WITH THEM. 
 
 THE WHOLE DESIGNED TO VINDICATE THE CHARACTER OF OUR 
 PRIMITIVE FRIENDS, AND THE DOCTRINES THEY MAINTAINED. 
 
 BY ELISHA BATES. 
 
 SECOND ENGLISH EDITION. 
 
 MANCHESTER : 
 
 REPRINTED BY HARRISON AND CROSFIELD, MARKET STREET. 
 
 LONDON: SOLD BY DARTON AND HARVEY. 
 
 1835. 
 
[NTRODUCTION. 
 
 That our primitive friends were eminently favoured with wisdom, is a 
 proposition that will be readily admitted by their successors in religious 
 profession. Their doctrines, their lives, and their sufferings, will endear 
 them to the latest posterity ; and give weight to their sentiments on re- 
 ligious subjects. Copious as their writings were in the beginning, and 
 scarce as those writings are at the present, as respects the Society at 
 large, there are many, even within the Society itself, who lie open to 
 the danger of receiving wrong impressions as to their views on religious 
 subjects. And the circumstance of a large portion of those early wri- 
 tings being rather refutations of erroneous opinions than declarations of 
 belief, adds to that danger. To guard the sincere inquirers after truth, 
 against the influence of the names of those worthy instruments, in giv- 
 ing currency to sentiments which they never held, is but an act of justice 
 to their character, to the principles they held, and to those who stand 
 in need of such information. 
 
 But when we look at the subject itself, it rises into very imposing 
 magnitude. It embraces not merely the character of our primitive 
 friends — but the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the benefits he 
 has conferred upon us. On subjects thus lying at the foundation of the 
 Christian religion, and which have an intimate relation to our feelings 
 of love, gratitude, and obedience to our Divine Benefactor, it is certainly 
 desirable that no discordance of opinion should exist among the mem- 
 bers of the risible Church. To guard as much as possible against such 
 a diversity of opinion, and connectively, against those feelings which 
 naturally spring from such causes, is the object of the following Essay. 
 
 E. B. 
 
 Mount Pleasant, Ohio, 
 5th month, 1825. 
 
 Examined and approved, by the Meeting for sufferings of Ohio Yearly 
 Meeting, Sth Month, 1825. 
 

 EXTRACTS, &c. 
 
 It must be admitted, that the present is an age ot 
 much speculation on rehgious subjects. And as such 
 speculations endanger not only the faith of individuals, 
 but the peace and order of society, it is important that 
 all classes should keep a watchful and guarded care 
 over their thoughts, as well as expressions. Great 
 is the influence of principles, on our feelings ; and, 
 consequently, our preservation and improvement have a 
 very intimate relation to the doctrines and opinions we 
 hold. The injurious consequences of erroneous opi- 
 nions are not confined to those with whom they origi- 
 nate — they have a powerful tendency to spread an evil 
 influence, as said the apostle — " their word will eat 
 as doth a canker." Thus, in different ages of the 
 world, the peace of the Church has been destroyed, 
 and her doctrines tarnished with the inventions and 
 speculations of men. Not only have men departed 
 from the doctrines of the Gospel, and been turned 
 unto fables, but grievous dissentions and controver- 
 sies have been produced, which have grown into open 
 persecution, with fines, imprisonments, exiles, massa- 
 cres, and all the dreadful catalogue of outrages, which 
 mark the grossest depravity of man. 
 
 Even when these worst consequences are not pro- 
 duced, the natural effects of these exciting causes, in 
 their most simple and circumscribed character, are yet 
 highly injurious to the reputation and best interests of 
 religious society. The following extracts, from "Cave's 
 Lives of the Fathers," convey some idea of the effects 
 to be expected to take place, whenever the same causes 
 are brought into operation. *' These pernicious prin- 
 ciples," says he, " which Arius* propagated, both by 
 
 * Arius lived in the beginning of the fourth century. He denied the 
 Divinity of Christ, and declared that he was a cuEATURE--of his own 
 free will capable of vice or virtue. Grievous were the commotions and 
 calamities produced in the Church, by the propagation of these doc- 
 trines, and which lasted with little abatement for almost a hundred 
 years. 
 
 V3o 763 
 
word and writing, were greedily entertained by persons 
 of loose and instable minds : as indeed, men are natu- 
 rally disposed to novel and curious opinions." — " All 
 places were filled with schisms and factions ; of feuds 
 and quarrels ; and that not with open enemies, but 
 amongst friends and neighbours : nothing but disputes 
 and controversies heard in every company ; and the 
 common people, who were least capable to under- 
 stand, were made not only spectators of the difier- 
 ences, but judges of the most abstruse and intricate 
 doctrines of religion : nay, the very Gentiles them- 
 selves were furnished with matter of scorn and laughter, 
 and the sublimest articles of the Christian faith made 
 sport for the theatre:' [Page 350, SoG.'] 
 
 How appropriate, therefore, were the remarks of 
 Constantine the Emperor, when he said, that Arius 
 should not at "first have conceived [his doctrine,] or 
 having conceived it, should have passed it over in 
 silence" — " a fruitless contention of idle brains, which, 
 if conceived at all, should have been kept within the 
 inner closet of the mind." For '* who," said he, " is 
 there, in sifting out so curious a question, that can well 
 pass the peril of plunging into error ? Wherefore, in 
 such cases, we must refrain from verbal disputation, 
 lest that either by reason of the imbecility of our wit, 
 we cannot explicate our mind ; or our auditors, when 
 we teach, by reason of their dull capacity, cannot 
 comprehend the curious drift of our doctrine ; whereby 
 the people, of necessity, incur the danger either of 
 blasphemy, or the poisoned infection of discord. ( Soc. 
 Eccl. Hist. b. }, c. 3. J 
 
 The examples of past ages ought to admonish us, 
 to avoid the rocks on which others have made ship- 
 wreck of faith and a good conscience. For though the 
 arm of secular power may not be brought into action, 
 yet the peace and harmony of society may be as com- 
 pletely laid waste, as in any age of the world. The 
 human mind may still busy itself in vain speculations, 
 instead of submitting to the renovating power of truth : 
 or it may depart from the fliith, giving heed to seduc- 
 ing spirits, and doctrines which stand opposed to the 
 great truths of redemption by Jesus Christ. 
 
These truths our primitive friends maintained. And 
 their faith was made manifest by many clear testimo- 
 nies, in word and writing ; and tested by deep suffer- 
 ings. In those times of persecution, divers of their 
 doctrines were misrepresented by their enemies, in 
 order to injure their Christian reputation. Against 
 these perversions of their principles, they defended 
 themselves with great ability and clearness, making 
 distinct declarations of their meaning, in those "parts of 
 their writings which had been differently construed : 
 that they might bear a standing testimony to the vari- 
 ous doctrines of the Gospel. What was then charged 
 upon them by enemies, though, as some of them said, 
 a thousand times denied, is now taken up by professed 
 admirers of their lives and principles, and represented 
 as their real sentiments. 
 
 It has therefore become necessary to raise up a me- 
 morial of those faithful instruments, in vindication both 
 of their characters, and the dignified principles which 
 they held. The various trials of their day, they en- 
 dured with unshaken constancy ; and maintained the 
 testimonies which had been committed unto them to 
 bear, with a zeal proportioned to their importance. 
 In all their various trials, they were supported by an 
 invincible Arm of power. We then, their successors in 
 the same faith, and believers in the same precious 
 promises on which they relied, may derive encourage- 
 ment from their example, faithfully to discharge that 
 portion of labour which has devolved upon us. We 
 have still to contend for the faith once delivered to the 
 saints. Though the circumstances of that contest are 
 different, the principle is still the same. It is one 
 consolation, however — an important advantage that 
 we enjoy — that though they are removed from works 
 to rewards, their writings have descended as an in- 
 heritance to us — in which, " being dead, they yet 
 speak." 
 
 No one article, written by the members of this So- 
 ciety, has been more unfairly represented, than Wil- 
 liam Penn's " Sandy Foundation Shaken — " a treatise 
 written in the early part of his life, and on purpose to 
 
 A 2 
 
confute some gross conceptions of the Divine Nature, 
 and the Divine purposes, in preparing the means of 
 redemption. 
 
 This treatise was construed, by his enemies, into a 
 denial of the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and the bene- 
 fits of his sufTerings and death : in consequence of 
 which, Wilham Penn was committed to prison. Here, 
 though he was never driven from his principles by 
 persecution, but was as bold in suffering as in writing 
 or in preaching, yet perceiving the inferences which 
 had been drawn from what he had written, he pub- 
 lished a treatise, which he called, *' Innocency with 
 her Open Face." This treatise was considered by his 
 enemies, as a recantation, and he was accordingly 
 released from confinement, — but his friends and he 
 himself, regarded it only as an explanation.* In 
 that treatise, he asserts his innocence of the opi- 
 nions imputed to him, from the Sandy Foundation 
 Shaken, and uses a train of arguments from Scripture, 
 to prove the Divinity of Jesus Christ — that he is truly 
 and properly God. 
 
 The doctrine commonly called the Trinity, he 
 handled with great freedom, to expose the inconsis- 
 tency of his opponents' doctrines. On another occa- 
 sion, however, we find him making the following 
 declarations : " Concerning the Father, the Word, 
 and the S2nrit ; — Because we have been very cautious 
 in expressing our faith concerning that great mystery, 
 especially in such school terms and philosophical 
 distinctions as are unscriptural if not unsound, (the 
 tendency whereof hath been to raise frivolous contro- 
 versies and animosities amongst men,) we have, by 
 those that desire to lessen our Christian reputation, 
 been represented as deniers of the Trinity at large : 
 whereas, we ever believed, and as constantly main- 
 tained, the truth of that blessed, (Holy Scripture,) 
 *' three, that bear record in heaven, the Father, the 
 Word, and the Spirit, and that these three are one ;" 
 the which we both sincerely and reverently believe, 
 
 * Clarkson's Life of Penn. 
 
 
according to 1 John, v. 7. And this is sufficient foi* 
 us to believe and know, and hath a tendency to edifi- 
 cation and hohness ; when the contrary centres only in 
 imaginations and strife, and persecution, where it runs 
 high, and to parties, as may be read in bloody cha- 
 racters in Ecclesiastical Histories." \Penns Testi- 
 mony to the Truth, § ^-l 
 
 This treatise was written thirty years after the 
 Sandy Foundation Shaken. But we see this testi- 
 mony from the same author, and after so many years, 
 of what he, in common with his friends, '* ever 
 believed y and constantly maintained.'' 
 
 About the same time that the Sandy Foundation 
 Shaken was published, that is, in 1668, the Society 
 of Friends issued a tract, entitled : — 
 
 " An Epistle from the people in scorn called Qua- 
 kers ; for all people upon earth to read over, that they 
 may see what the people called Quakers hold, con- 
 cerning God, Christ, his death, his resurrection, his 
 blood, his offering, redemption, salvation, justification, 
 faith, and hope." 
 
 In this Epistle they cite that passage from John, 
 " x\nd there are three that bear record in heaven, the 
 Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three 
 are one." 
 
 As the principal object of this Epistle seems to be, 
 to defend the Society from the charge of denying the 
 Divinity of Christ, &c. I shall refer to it again in its 
 proper place. 
 
 John Brov/n, a Presbyterian minister, having pub- 
 lished what he called, '' An Examination and Refuta- 
 tion of Robert Barclay's Apology," — R. B. published 
 a vindication, in which he says: " I have written 
 nothing, says he, [John Brown,] of the nature and 
 attributes of God" — to which R. B. replies : " I write 
 not to atheists, but Christians, who already acknow- 
 ledge ; and I judge it not my work to write books to 
 persuade men of that they already profess to believe. 
 But I write not expressly and distinctly of the Trinity; 
 yet himself after acknowledges that it would seem I 
 am orthodox herein ; that he finds not any clear ground 
 
8 
 
 to the contrary : I wrote as expressly and distinctly of 
 that, as is expressed in Scripture: which, I hope, J. B. 
 will not say is defective in sufficiently expressing this 
 article of faith." [Barclays Works, foL ed, 733.] 
 
 But the most material charge against the Society, 
 arising out of the discussion of the doctrine of the 
 Trinity, so called, related to the Divinity of Christ. 
 William Penn, as we have already noticed, was sup- 
 posed to have denied this article of Christian faith, in 
 his Sandy Foundation Shaken. We have also noticed 
 that he denies and refutes the charge, in his " Inno- 
 cency with her Open Face ;" and refers to a treatise 
 written before the Sandy Foundation Shaken, for 
 further arguments in support of the Divinity of Christ. 
 But I shall give, in the sequel, some further evidences 
 of his belief. 
 
 George Fox, in a Letter to the Governor of Barba- 
 does, recorded in his Journal, vol. S p. 145, says: 
 ** We own and believe in Jesus Christ, his beloved 
 and only begotten Son, in whom he is well pleased : 
 who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of 
 the Virgin Mary ; in whom we have redemption 
 through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins ; who 
 is the express image of the invisible God, the first-born 
 of every creature ; by whom were all things created 
 that are in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, 
 whether they be thrones, dominions, principaHties, or 
 powers : all things were created by him. And we own 
 and believe, that he was made a sacrifice for sin, who 
 knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth ; 
 that he was crucified for us in the flesh, without the 
 gates of Jerusalem, and that he was buried, and rose 
 again the third day, by the power of the Father, for 
 our justification; that he ascended up to heaven, and 
 now sitteth at the right hand of God — This Lord Jesus 
 Christ, the heavenly man, the Emmanuel, God with 
 us, we own and believe in : he whom the high priests 
 raged against, and said he had spoken blasphemy; 
 whom the priests and elders of the Jews took counsel 
 together against, and put to death ; whom Judas be- 
 trayed for thirty pieces ; — after he was risen from the 
 
dead, the history of the acts of the apostles set forth 
 how the chief priests and elders persecuted the disci- 
 ples of this Jesus, for preaching Christ and his resur- 
 rection : this, we say, is that Lord Jesus Christ, whom 
 we own to be our Life and Salvation." 
 
 The Epistle from the Society, already quoted, and 
 which, from the style, appears to have been written by 
 George Fox, contains almost the whole body of Scrip- 
 ture evidence in support of the Divinity of Christ, and 
 the benefits of his suflferings and death. In this very 
 large body of evidences, mostly in Scripture language, 
 are the following: "Christ Jesus — the Emmanuel; 
 God with us — whom all the angels must worship. 
 Christ offered himself, through the eternal Spirit, 
 without spot to God ; and by his blood purges our 
 consciences from dead works to serve the living God. 
 And so we know that Christ, by one offering hath for 
 ever perfected them that are sanctified. And so as 
 people walk in the Light, they have fellowship one 
 with another, and the blood of Christ cleanseth from 
 all sin. And Christ, who his own self bare our sins 
 in his body on the tree, that we, being delivered from 
 sin, should live unto righteousness— by whose stripes 
 you are healed. And we, being justified by the blood 
 of Christ, shall be saved from wrath through him. 
 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to 
 God by the death of his Son, much more being recon- 
 ciled, we shall be saved by his life." Rom. v. 8 — 10; 
 to which the following simile is added: "So that it 
 is not that people should live in their sins, and unright- 
 eousness, and ungodliness, to dishonour God. For 
 if you should redeem a man from Turkey from being a 
 slave, would it not grieve you for that man to go into 
 Turkey again to be a slave again, after you had paid 
 a great ransom for him ? So Christ redeeming people 
 from sin and iniquity, from ungodliness — by his blood, 
 and death, and offering, and this is God's love to 
 mankind, through Christ Jesus," [did not design that 
 they should lire in sin.] 
 
 To this Epistle is a P. S. from which the following 
 extract is taken : — 
 
It) 
 
 " And this is to clear us from all those pamphlets 
 which are spread and scattered up and down among 
 people, that we should deny the God-head, his Eternal 
 power, or his offering, or his Blood, or that we should 
 be bought with a price. For it pleased the Father that 
 in him the fulness of the God-head should dwell bodily 
 — and the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit, we do 
 own. And so let all stop their mouths that say that 
 the Quakers' principles are hid till now, for we have 
 manifested our principles, both in our printed books — 
 and would that all people knew our inside as they 
 know our outside : and we do know, (and also others 
 know it,) that we have an esteem of Christ's suffer- 
 ings, and death, and blood, and the Scriptures of the 
 prophets, and apostles, more than any other people." 
 
 GEORGE FOX, 
 ELLIS HOOKS. 
 
 This Ellis Hooks was the first Clerk of the Yearly 
 Meeting in London, and the Yearly Meeting was held 
 for some years in the beginning, at his house. 
 
 We hardly can conceive that this P. S. could have 
 been more applicable at the time in which it was 
 written, than it is at present. It still stands as a 
 refutation of " those pamphlets scattered up and down 
 among people," representing those eminent worthies 
 as denying the Divinity of Christ, and the benefits of 
 his sufferings and death ; and also detracting from the 
 just estimation of the Scriptures. 
 
 Robert Barclay, in his Apology, says : " Hence he 
 is fitly called The Mediator between God and man ; 
 for having been with God from all eternity, being him- 
 self God, and also in time partaking of the nature of 
 man, through him is the goodness and love of God 
 conveyed to mankind, and by him again man recciveth 
 and partaketh of these mercies." Prop. 2. § 5. 
 
 " We do not hereby intend any way to lessen or 
 derogate from the Atonement and Sacrifice of Jesus 
 Christ, but on the contrary do magnify and exalt it. 
 For as we believe all those things to have been cer- 
 tainly transacted which are recorded in the Holy 
 Scriptures, concerning the Birth, Life, Miracles, 
 
II 
 
 Sufferings, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ; 
 so we do also believe that it is the duty of every one to 
 believe it to whom it pleases God to reveal the same, 
 and bring him to the knowledge of it. Yea, we believe 
 it were damnable unbelief not to believe when so 
 declared: but to resist that holy Seed, which, as 
 minded, would lead and incline every one to believe 
 it, as it is offered to them ; though it revealeth not to 
 every one the outward and explicit knowledge of it, 
 nevertheless it always assenteth to it, ubi declaratur, 
 where it is declared. Nevertheless we firmly believe 
 it was necessary that Christ should co?jie, that by his 
 death and sufferings he might offer up himself a 
 sacrifice to God for our sins, who his own self 
 bore our sins in his own body on the tree ; so we be- 
 lieve that the remission of sins, which any partake of, 
 is only in and by virtue of, that most satisfactory sacri- 
 fice, and no otherwise. For it is by the obedience of 
 that One, that the free gift has come upon all, unto 
 justification. For we affirm that as all men partake 
 of the fruit of Adam's fall, in that by reason of that 
 evil seed, which through him, is communicated unto 
 them, they are prone and inclined unto evil, though 
 thousands of thousands be ignorant of Adam's fall, 
 neither ever knew of the eating of the forbidden fruit; 
 so also many may come to feel the influence of this 
 Holy and Divine Seed and Light, and be turned from 
 evil to good by it, though they know nothing of Christ's 
 coming in the flesh, through whose obedience and 
 sufferings it is purchased unto them. And as we 
 affirm it is absolutely needful that those do believe 
 the history of Christ's outward appearance, whom it 
 pleased God to bring to the knowledge of it, so we do 
 freely confess, that even that outward knowledge is 
 very comfortable to such as are subject to, and led by 
 the inward seed and light. For not only doth the sense 
 of Christ's love and sufferings tend to humble them, but 
 they are thereby also strengthened in their faith, and 
 encouraged to follow that excellent pattern which he 
 hath left us, who suffered for us." Prop. 5 and 6, § 8. 
 " How many are injured by Adam's fall, that know 
 
12 
 
 nothing of ever there being such a man in the world, 
 or of his eating the forbidden fruit! Why may they 
 not then be saved by the gift and grace of Christ in 
 them, making them righteous and holy, though they 
 know not distinctly how that was purchased unto 
 them, by the death and sufferings of Jesus, that was 
 crucified at Jerusalem ? especially seeing God hath 
 made that knowledge simply impossible to them. As 
 many men are killed by poison infused into their 
 meat, though they neither know what the poison was, 
 nor who infused it ; so, also, on the other hand, how 
 many are cured of their diseases by good remedies, 
 who know not how the medicine is prepared, what the 
 ingredients are, nor oftentimes who made it. The like 
 may also hold in spiritual things, as we shall hereafter 
 prove." ib. § 25. 
 
 *' Secondly, God manifested his love towards us, in 
 sending his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into 
 the world, who gave himself for us, an offering and 
 sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savour ; and 
 having made peace, through the blood of his cross, that 
 he might reconcile us unto himself, and by the eternal 
 Spirit, offered himself without spot unto God, and 
 suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he 
 might bring us unto God." 
 
 " Thirdly, then — Forasmuch as all men who have 
 come to man's estate, (the man Jesus only excepted,) 
 have sinned, therefore all have need of this Saviour, 
 to remove the wrath of God from them, due to their 
 offences, in this respect he is truly said to have borne 
 the iniquity of us all, in his body on the tree ; and 
 therefore is the only Mediator, having qualified the 
 wrath of God towards us ; so that our former sins 
 stand not in our way, being by virtue of this most 
 satisfactory sacrifice, rejnoved and pardoned. Nei- 
 ther do we think that remission of sins is to be 
 expected, sought, or obtained, any other way, or by 
 any works or sacrifices whatever ; (though as has been 
 said formerly, they may come to partake of this remis- 
 sion that are ignorant of the history.) So then, Christ, 
 by his death and sufferings, hath reconciled us to 
 
13 
 
 God, even while we are enemies ; that is, he offers 
 reconciliation unto us, we are put in a capacity of 
 being reconciled, God is willing to forgive us our iniqui- 
 ties, and to accept us, as is well expressed by the 
 apostle, 2 Cor. v. 19; " God was in Christ, reconcil- 
 ing the world unto himself, not imputing their tres- 
 passes unto them : and hath put in us the word of 
 reconciliation." And therefore the apostle, in the next 
 verse, entreats them in Christ's stead to be reconciled 
 to God : intimating that the wrath of God being 
 removed, by the obedience of Christ Jesus, he is 
 willing to be reconciled unto them ; and ready to 
 remit their sins that are past, if they repent." 
 
 ** We consider then our redemption in a two-fold 
 respect or state, both which in their own nature are 
 perfect ; though in their application to us, the one is 
 not, nor can be, without the other." 
 
 ** The first is the redemption performed and accom- 
 plished by Christ for us, in his crucified body without 
 us. The other is the redemption wrought by Christ 
 in us ; which no less properly is called and accounted 
 a redemption, than the former. The first then, is that, 
 whereby man, as he stands in the fall, is put in a 
 capacity of salvation, and hath conveyed unto him a 
 measure of that power, virtue, spirit, life, and grace, 
 that was in Christ Jesus ; which is the free gift of God, 
 is able to counterbalance, overcome, and root out, the 
 evil seed, wherewith we are naturally, as in the fall, 
 leavened. The second is that, whereby we witness 
 and know this pure and perfect redemption in our- 
 selves, purifying, cleansing, and redeeming us, from 
 the power of corruption, and bringing us into unity, 
 favour, and friendship, with God." Prop. 7, § 3. 
 
 " The doctrine of the incarnation^ sufferings ^ death 
 and resurrection of Christ, are necessary every where 
 to be preached, and being preached, to be believed 
 and improved, as being and belonging to, the inte- 
 gral parts of Christianity and the Christian religion." 
 [Barclai/\s Quakerism Conjtrmed, sec. 4. prop. 14.] 
 Here, let it be observed, that a considerable time 
 previous to the publication of Barclay's Apology, a 
 
14 
 
 meeting called the Second day's ]\Ieeting, had been 
 instituted in London, for the examination of such 
 works as related to the Society, or its doctrines or 
 discipline. This meeting consisted of tlie most qua- 
 lified members of the Society, and without whose 
 approbation no such »vork could be published. The 
 Anarchy of the Ranters was written before the Apo- 
 logy. In some proceedings had in relation to that 
 former work, we find the judgment of that Meeting, 
 (pubHshed in Barclay's Works, p. 250,) signed by 
 thirty-three Friends, among whom were John Burn- 
 yeat, Stephen Crisp, Thomas EUwood, C. Marshall, 
 John Osgood and William Penn. These facts are 
 stated to show the care that existed in the Society, 
 even at that early period, in relation to whatever was 
 published to the world as the belief of the Society. 
 And as we cannot suppose those men, so eminent for 
 their talents as well as their virtue, would, after exa- 
 mining and revising manuscripts, over which they had 
 absolute control, suffer such to be published as were 
 contradictory to one another — we must conclude that 
 the true meaning of those keen, controversial stric- 
 tures on particular doctrines, which are to be found 
 among their writings, did not clash with those clear 
 and unequivocal declarations of Faith, which were 
 pubhshed under the immediate sanction of the Society, 
 in its oflficial capacity. The extracts which have been 
 made from Barclay's Apology and his other writings, 
 are of this description — they are not exposures of the 
 opinions of others, but declarations of the doctrines 
 of the Society. They were carefully examined by the 
 Society — were acknowledged then, and have been 
 from that day to this, as the true principles of the 
 Society, 
 
 These principles of the Society, respecting the Di- 
 vinity of Christ, and the benefits of his coming, being 
 then almost universally admitted by Christians, (for 
 though different societies connected certain opinions 
 to these principles, yet the principles themselves they 
 generally admitted,) it did not appear to be necessary, 
 as Robert Barclay observed to John Brown, *' to write 
 
15 
 
 books to persuade men to that they already professed 
 to believe" — or, as John Richardson told George 
 Keith, in a public meeting, that there was " any 
 necessity frequently to press a matter, so universally 
 believed among Christians." 
 
 The doctrine, however, of the immediate operation 
 of the Spirit and Grace of God in the hearts of men, 
 and the necessity of a life of righteousness, not being 
 so generally admitted, it became one of the great 
 objects of their ministry and writings, to open and 
 enforce this doctrine. 
 
 But in order to prevent misconstructions, and to 
 avoid losing sight of one part of the doctrines of the 
 Gospel, by particularly pressing another, and also to 
 explain their true meaning in their controversial writ- 
 ings, they still, from time to time, adverted to these 
 subjects, and made such declarations of their faith, as 
 never can be misunderstood, without a determination 
 not to take their own declarations as evidence of their 
 meaning. 
 
 The extracts from the Apology alone, considering 
 the circumstances attending its publication, the cha- 
 racter in which it was held at the time, and which it 
 has maintained ever since, would be sufficient to 
 establish the belief of the Society at that day, in all 
 the points embraced in those extracts. But in order 
 to show that the doctrines of the Society stand on a 
 much broader ground, I will present the reader with 
 a few, out of a large mass of corroborating evidences, 
 which might be taken from the writings of our primi- 
 tive Friends. 
 
 William Penn, in his Christian Quaker, (chap. 18, 
 § 2,) says : " That as there was a necessity that one 
 should die for the people, so, whoever then or since 
 believed in him, had, and have a seal or confirmation 
 of the remission of their sins in his blood: and that 
 blood, (alluding to the custom of Jewish sacrifices,) 
 shall be an utter blotting out of former iniquities, 
 carrying them into a land of forgetfulness. This great 
 assurance of remission from wrath, due upon the score 
 of former offences, do all receive in the ratifying blood 
 
16 
 
 of Christ, who, repenting of sins, believe and obey 
 the holy light with which he hath enlightened them." 
 
 And that he believed the Gentiles were as deeply 
 interested in his appearance as the Jews, is gathered 
 from the following expressions : — 
 
 § S. " He at once became both the author of a more 
 heavenly dispensation, and therein an example to all, 
 as well Jews as Gentiles, seahng such a common and 
 general religion to both, with his blood, as would for 
 ever end the difference, and slaying the enmity, that 
 they might be all one in Christ. Thus did he end the 
 Jews' external services, and overturn the Gentiles' 
 idolatry, by his own most pure and spiritual offering 
 and worship." 
 
 § o. " That expression of his is greatly worth our 
 notice, — I lay down my life for the world. All he did 
 was for the good of the world : and particularly the 
 laying down of his life, that he might both express his 
 love and our duty." 
 
 § 7. *' But there is yet a further benefit that accru- 
 eth by the blood of Christ, viz. That Christ is a 
 propitiation and redemption, to such as have faith in 
 him. For though I still place the stress of feeling of a 
 particular benefit upon the Light and Spirit revealed 
 and witnessed in every particular person, yet in that 
 general appearance there was a general benefit justly 
 to be attributed to the blood of that very body of 
 Christ, which he offered up, through the eternal 
 Spirit, to wit, that it did propitiate. For however it 
 might draw down stupendous judgments upon the 
 heads of those who were authors of that dismal tra- 
 gedy and bloody murder of the Son of God, and died 
 impenitent, yet doubtless it thus far turned to very 
 great account, in that it was a most precious offering 
 in the sight of the Lord, and drew God's love the more 
 eminently to mankind, at least such as should believe 
 in his name." 
 
 § 9. " Nor is this all the good the coming and 
 sufferings of that blessed manhood brought into the 
 world : for having been enabled so effectually to 
 perform the will of God, living; and having so pa- 
 
17 
 
 tiently suffered the will of wicked men — dying; tlierein 
 freely offering up his most innocent life for the world, 
 he certainly obtained exceeding great and precious 
 gifts ; which, as every man comes to believe in the 
 light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightened him, 
 and to be led by it, he shall assuredly feel a particular 
 benefit to himself, accruing from that general one 
 procured by Christ, who so laid down his life for the 
 world." 
 
 In his *"' Key," § 8, he mentions the charge which 
 had been made against the Quakers, that '^ they ex- 
 pected to be saved by the light within them, and not 
 by the death and sufferings of Christ." To which he 
 replies : " This is both unfairly and untruly stated 
 and charged upon us. But the various sense of the 
 word Justification obliges me here to distinguish the 
 use of it. For in the natural and proper sense it plainly 
 implies making men just that were unjust ; godly that 
 v;e\e ungodly ; upright that were depraved ^ — " In 
 the other use of the word, which some call a laiu 
 sense, it refers to Christ as a sacrifice and propitia- 
 tion (or sin; as in Romans, v. 9,; " Much more then, 
 being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved 
 from wrath through him." And 1 John 2 ; ^* If any 
 man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus 
 Christ, the righteous ; and He is the propitiation for our 
 sins ; and not for our sins only, but also for the ains 
 of the whole world." Which, though a great truth, 
 and most firmly believed by us, yet no man can be 
 entitled to the benefits thereof, but as they come 
 to believe, and to repent of their evil ways, — where- 
 fore we say that whatever Christ tlien did, both living 
 and dying, was of great benefit to the salvation of all 
 that have believed, and now do, and that shall here- 
 after believe in him unto justification and acceptance 
 with God. But the way to come to that Faith is to 
 receive and obey the manifestations of his divine light 
 and grace in their consciences ; which leads men to 
 believe and value, and not to disoum or under-value 
 Christ as a common sacrifice and Mediator ^ " And 
 
18 
 
 because this people say, That Clirist's outward coming 
 and sufferings, profit not to their salvation that live in 
 sin, and rebel against this Divine Light, some have 
 untruly and uncharitably concluded that they deny the 
 virtue and benefit of Christ's comin^j and sufferings 
 in the flesh, as a sacrifice for sin. Whereas we only 
 deny and oppose a false and dangerous application of 
 them in and to a disobedient state. For we believe 
 Christ came not to save men in their sins, but from 
 their sins. — For we have seen a shoal or sand here, 
 that we fear many thousands have split upon, which 
 we desire to avoid, and are earnest that others should 
 beware of it also, viz. That because Christ died a 
 sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, by which he 
 put mankind into a capacity of salvation, and has gi- 
 ven every one a talent of grace to work it out by, they 
 presume upon the sacrifice, and sin on, w^ithout a 
 thorough repentance, reformation, and conversion to 
 God." 
 
 " By all which it is evident to any moderate in- 
 quirer, that we acknowledge Christ in his double 
 appearance ; as in the flesh of the seed of Abraham, 
 so in the Spirit, as he is God over all, blessed for 
 ever. Wherein is a full confession, both to him, as a 
 blessed person, and as a divine principle of Light and 
 Life in the soul — the want of which evident and neces- 
 sary distinction, occasions our adversaries' frequent 
 mistakes about our belief and application of the 
 Scriptures of Truth, concerning Christ in that two- 
 fold capacity." 
 
 " And in his " Primitive Christianity Revived," 
 chap. 8, § 1, he says : " I shall first speak negatively, 
 what we do not own — which perhaps has given occa- 
 sion to those who have been more hasty than wise, to 
 judge us defective in our belief of the efficacy of the 
 death and sufferings of Christ, to Justification. 
 I' r § 2. " First, we cannot believe that Christ is the 
 causBy but effect of God's love. 
 
 " Secondly. We cannot say that God could not 
 have taken another way to save sinners than by the 
 
19 
 
 death and sufferings of his Son, to satisfy his justice— 
 and indeed, we are at too great a distance from his in- 
 finite Wisdom and Power, to judge of the hberty or 
 necessity of his actings. 
 
 " Thirdly. We cannot say Jesus Christ was the 
 greatest sinner in the world, (because he bore our sins 
 on his Cross, or because he was made sin for us, who 
 knew no sin ;) an expression of great levity, and un- 
 sound, yet often used by great preachers and professors 
 of religion. 
 
 " Fourthly. W^e cannot believe that Christ's death 
 and sufferings so satisfy God, or justify men, as that they 
 are thereby accepted of God. They are indeed put in 
 a state capable of being accepted of God, and through 
 the obedience of Faith and sanctification of the Spirit, 
 are in a state of acceptance. For we can never think 
 a man justified before God, while self-condemned, or 
 that any man can be in Christ, who is not a new crea- 
 ture. — Though Christ did die for us, yet we must, by 
 the assistance of his grace, workout our salvation with 
 fear and trembling. As he died for sin, so ive must 
 die to sin, or we cannot be said to be saved by the 
 death and sufferings of Christ, or thoroughly justified 
 with God. Thus far negatively. Now, positively what 
 we own as to Justification. 
 
 ** We do believe that Jesus Christ was our holy 
 Sacrifice^ Atonement, and Projntiation ; that he bore 
 our iniquities : and that by his stripes we are healed 
 of the wounds Adam gave us in his fall : and that God 
 is just to forgive true penitents, upon the credit of that 
 holy offering Christ made of himself to God for us ; 
 and that what he did and suffered, satisfied and pleased 
 God. And that through the offering up of himself 
 once for all, through the eternal Spirit, he hath for 
 ever perfected those, (in all times,) that were sanc- 
 tified, who walked not after the flesh, but after the 
 Spirit." 
 
 " In short, Justification consists of two parts, or 
 hath a two-fold consideration. — The first part of jus- 
 tification, we do reverently and humbly acknowledge, is 
 only for the sake of the death and sufferings of Christ. 
 
20 
 
 Nothing we can do, though by the operation of the 
 Holy Spirit, being able to cancel old debts, and wipe 
 out old scores. It is the power and efficacy of that 
 propitiatory offering, upon faith and repentance, that 
 justifies us from the sins that are past: and it is 
 the power of Christ's Spirit in our hearts that purifies 
 and makes us acceptable before God." 
 
 And finally, in his defence of a paper called " Gos- 
 pel Truth," against the exceptions of the Bishop of 
 Cork, he says of the Bishop : " His second paragraph 
 allows us sufficiently to have expressed our Christian 
 belief in two articles, viz. " Justification by Christ, 
 and submission to the civil government:" and adds, 
 " I heartily rejoice to find you acknowledge the ne- 
 cessity of Christ, as a propitiation, in order to the 
 remission of sins, and justifying you, as sinners, from 
 guilt. It is the first time I have heard of it among 
 you." To which William Penn replies : " If so, it is 
 the Bishop's own fault, and seems to me next to im- 
 possible : since before that paper was given to him, he 
 was pleased to acknowledge he had read several of 
 our books : particularly my Rise and Progress of the 
 people called Quakers — also Robert Barclay's Apo- 
 logy, which states and vindicates our principles at 
 large, in which the two doctrines aforementioned are 
 very clearly declared and maintained, notwithstanding 
 he seems to make this look like a new discovery. But 
 however, I am pleased that the Bishop is so, at two 
 of the Gospel Truths. I am of the opinion if he had 
 well considered the force and comprehensiveness of 
 our belief in Christ that pleases him so well, he might 
 have saved himself the trouble of what he has published 
 to the world upon the rest of them. For whoever be- 
 lieves in Christ as a propitiation, in order to the remis- 
 sion of sins, and justification of sinners from the guilt 
 of sin, can hardly disbelieve any fundamental article of 
 the Christian religion : since every such person must 
 necessarily believe in God, because it is with him alone 
 man is to be justified. To be sure he must believe 
 in Christ, for that is the very proposition. He must 
 also believe in the Holy Ghost, because he is the au- 
 
L 
 
 21 
 
 thor of his convictions, repentance and belief. He 
 must believe Heaven and Hell, Rewards and Punish- 
 ments, and consequently the Resurrection of the just 
 and the unjust: for why should he be concerned about 
 being freed from the guilt of sin, if he were unaccount- 
 able in another world ? So that acknowledging Christ 
 as a propitiation, in order to the remission of sin, 
 comprehends the main doctrines of the Christian reli- 
 gion : and as so many lines drawn from the circum- 
 ference to the centre, they all meet and centre in 
 Christ. Indeed it is as the characteristic of the 
 Christian religion." 
 
 Thomas Story, in a discourse with a priest, on the 
 subject before us, speaking of Christ, and the bene- 
 fits of his coming, spoke both of the Jews and Gen- 
 tiles ; to the former of whom his appearance in the 
 flesh, was principally confined : but to the latter he 
 was promised no less than to the former — being *' pro- 
 posed as the object of faith unto all nations." — " That 
 God, who is divine and eternal love, infinite in good- 
 ness and mercy, is pleased of his own nature and love 
 to mankind, thus to send his Son, the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, into the world ; who, by a voluntary/ death 
 upon the tree of the cross, according to the fore-deter- 
 mined counsel and purpose of the Father, declared his 
 mercy and free pardon of the sins of the whole world, 
 upon terms suiting the state, reason and understand- 
 ing, of mankind." Page 333. 
 
 In page 308, he relates that a young man took some 
 exceptions to what was said in a meeting about infants. 
 1 n explanation of his views, to this person, he queried : 
 " Dost thou not believe that many ages, and nations 
 of people, fell under some disadvantages by Adam's 
 sin, who never heard of him outwardly? He said. 
 Yes. Then said I, Why may not they, through the 
 boundless mercy and goodness of God, manifested by 
 Christ, have the advantages by the death and works 
 of Christ, who never heard of him outwardly? To this 
 he was silent." 
 
 Page 603, of Story's Journal— " On the 18th, 
 (being the last day of the meeting, and our parting 
 
QQ 
 
 time, the Lord being still with us,) in the forenoon, 
 I had a large open time : and though I was very weak, 
 and ill of a great cold I had taken — yet the Lord gave 
 me strength and utterance, so that many things were 
 opened to general satisfaction. One thing happened 
 somewhat remarkable in it. For as I was concerned 
 to speak of the crucifixion of Christ, and mentioned 
 the large incision in his side by the spear, whence is- 
 sued blood and water ; which clearly evinced he was 
 wounded to the heart, through the pericardium which 
 held that water : and this being for the sins of men, 
 without which it would not have been put upon him, 
 I myself was so much affected with it, as also the whole 
 auditory, that I could not go on ; but being much 
 broken, stopped and stood still, till my spirit was a 
 little unburdened by an efflux of many tears; and the 
 whole auditory was bowed, and many surprised, and 
 generally broken and melted. So that many confessed 
 the Truth, and that they had never known the like. 
 And after some time I went on with the matter, which 
 opened so full as I believe nothing stood in the way, 
 before all was ended. As this was the Lord's work, 
 and his hand plainly in it, so to Him alone be the glory 
 and thanks, now and for ever. — Amen." 
 
 In the early periods of the Society, two writers dis- 
 tinguished themselves for bitterness of enmity, and 
 unfairness of representation — George Keith and the 
 " Snake in the Grass." Both of these charged the 
 Society, and William Penn, in particular, with many 
 false doctrines, but none were more insisted on than the 
 denial of the Divinity of Christ, and the benefits of his 
 sufferings and death. G. Keith even called one of 
 his books " The Deism of William Penn and his 
 brethren." The Snake was cotemporary with Keith, 
 and some supposed, a mere tool, to answer his pur- 
 pose. Thomas Ellwood undertook a reply to Keith, 
 and Joseph W^yeth to the Snake. They both quoted 
 from W. Penn some of the most pointed passages 
 which I have selected in this collection, which they 
 gave as a fair statement of the sentiments held by him 
 and his friends. Joseph W^yeth says; — '* I do here, 
 
23 
 
 of set purpose, declare it as a truth, which now is, and 
 always has been, (since we were a people,) believed 
 and declared by us." " Yet such hath been, and is, 
 the inveterate malice of our enemies, that our writings, 
 (no more than our words,) must not mean what w^e so 
 often and solemnly have declared we do mean by them ; 
 but what our adversaries will have them to mean, that 
 so they may not seem to want proofs for these their 
 false and envious charges." [Switch for the Snake, p. 
 192, 199.] And Thomas EUwood says, in his reply 
 to Keith, [see his Journal, p. 408, &c.] " These 
 things, I say, G. Keith certainly knows have been 
 constantly held, believed, professed, and owned, by 
 William Penn and his brethren, the Quakers, in ge- 
 neral, both privately and publicly, in word and writing. 
 These things are so often testified of in our meetings, 
 and have been so fully and plainly asserted and held 
 forth in our books, that we might call in almost as 
 many witnesses thereof, as have frequented our meet- 
 ings or attentively read our books." 
 
 Were I to gather up all the evidences out of our 
 Friends' writings, as T. EUwood observed on the same 
 occasion, " I might therewith fill a large volume." I 
 will however add one more testimony, because it is not 
 only clear, but stands very much as an act of the So- 
 ciety, and also embraces the name of one individual, 
 whose character deserves this justice to be done to it ; 
 I mean George Whitehead. I allude to an Epistle 
 written in 1692, by Friends in London, to Friends in 
 Pennsylvania, on the occasion of their troubles with 
 G. Keith : an extract of which is recorded in Gough's 
 History, vol. 3, p. 328. They testify that the dis- 
 pensation of the Gospel ** committed to them was a 
 spiritual dispensation ; in no wise to oppose, reject or 
 invalidate Jesus Christ's outward coming, suffering, 
 death, resurrection, ascension, and glorified estate in 
 the heavens ; but to bring men to partake of the re- 
 mission of sins, reconciliation and eternal redemption, 
 which he hath obtained for us, and for all men, for 
 whom he died, and gave himself a ransom, both for 
 Jews and Gentiles, Indians, Turks, and Pagans, with- 
 
24 
 
 out respect of persons or people. And Christ is fully 
 to be preached unto them, according to the holy Scrip- 
 tures, by them whom he may send unto them for that 
 end ; that as the benefit of his sufferings extends to all, 
 even to them that have not the Scriptures, or outward 
 history thereof, they may be told who was and is their 
 chief friend, that gave himself a ransom for them, and 
 hath enlightened them ; yet not excluded those from 
 God's mercy or salvation by Christ, W^o never had nor 
 may have the outward knowledge or history of him, if 
 they sincerely obey, and live up to his light ; for his 
 light and salvation reach to the ends of the earth; yet 
 still we that have the holy Scriptures, and those plain 
 outward confirmed testimonies concerning our blessed 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, both as to his coming 
 in the flesh and in the Spirit, have cause to be thank- 
 ful to God for the peculiar favour, and that these 
 Scriptures are so well preserved to posterity ; and we 
 beseech you let us keep to the plainness and simplicity 
 of Scripture language in all discourses about matters 
 of faith, divinity, and doctrine ; and sincerely believe, 
 own, and confess, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ, the Son of the living God, in all his comings, 
 appearances, properties, offices, and works, both for 
 us and in us." 
 
 '' This Epistle," says Gough, " which is very long, 
 concludes with the excellent counsel of the apostle." 
 " If there be therefore any consolation in Christ; if 
 any comfort of love; if any fellowship of the Spirit; if 
 any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be 
 like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, 
 and one mind ; let nothing be done through strife or 
 vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, let every man 
 esteem others better than himself." 
 
 Signed by 
 
 George Whitehead, Samuel Waldenfield, 
 John Field, Benjamin Antrobus, 
 
 William Bingleij, John Vaughton 
 Alexander Seaton, Daniel Monro, 
 Patrick Livingston.'' 
 
25 
 
 Great have been the perversions of the writings of 
 our primitive Friends, in relation to the Scripture?, 
 This subject afforded the Snake in the Grass, and all 
 the ancient enemies of the Society, a copious theme of 
 declamation. Every expression of our Friends, that 
 could bear a construction to suit their purposes, they 
 gathered up, and endeavoured to make them detract 
 from the estimation in which the Society have always 
 held those sacred writings. Some expressions of George 
 Wiiitehead were thought particularly to answer this 
 purpose : in which he said — " That which was spoken 
 irom the Spirit of Truth in any, is of as much autho- 
 rity as the Scriptures, or chapters are, or even more." 
 These expressions, though not the ivhole sentence^ 
 wTre taken up by the Snake, and represented as mean- 
 ing, that the writings, sermons, &c., of our Friends, 
 were of as much authority, or even more than the 
 Scriptures. Joseph Wyeth denies this construction; 
 asserts that G. Whitehead made a direct application of 
 his remark to the Pharisees' reading of the letter, and 
 he illustrates it by " Our Saviour's denying the Sad- 
 ducees, when they spoke and repeated the Law, (Matt. 
 xxii. 24,) and thus also he denied the devil, (Matt. 
 iv. 6,) when the Devil repeated the prophecy of the 
 Psalmist : and thus also he denied the Pharisees, of 
 which there are divers instances." \_Switch p. 171.] 
 Thus it appears from the evidence of a writer, living 
 at the time in which these things were written, that 
 the meaning of G. Whitehead in what he says, that 
 was construed disparagingly of the Scriptures or chap- 
 ters, related to the use of Scripture language in a sense 
 which was not intended — adduced under an evil in- 
 fluence, and for a wrong purpose. 
 
 The sentiments of the Society in relation to the 
 Scriptures, have been so well understood — the daily 
 perusal of them so often recommended by the Society, 
 in its collective capacity, and even incorporated into 
 the disciplines of the different Yearly Meetings, that I 
 need not take many extracts at the present. I shall 
 therefore content myself with a few : one from Francis 
 Howgill's Works, which are very scarce at the present 
 
 c 
 
g6 
 
 day : and the others from the writings of Robert Bar- 
 clay, which have always been regarded as fair state- 
 ments of our Doctrines, and therefore are good evidence 
 in questions as to what the Society believes on parti- 
 cular points. 
 
 ^' It is not my intention to vindicate other men's 
 quarrels, which is no part of my faith ; notwithstanding 
 1 should be sorry but that every thing had its true 
 weight and measure, and shall not in the least detract 
 from the price, value, and true worth of the words of 
 truth : to wit, the Scriptures of Truth, which were 
 spoken forth by the Spirit of Truth and by the Holy 
 Ghost, as it gave utterance; but as men erring in their 
 judgments, run sometimes to the right hand, and some- 
 times to the left hand, and walk not in a straight path ; 
 some men are setting them up above that which they 
 were intended for, and placing them in the stead of 
 God, Christ, and the Spirit ; and others are too much 
 debasing them and dis-esteeming them, as that they 
 would set up the judgment of variable and changeable 
 men, who hold and teach things in contradiction to 
 the Scriptures, and repugnant to the mind of the Spirit 
 in them that spoke them forth. 
 
 " But first of all, I say not against thee in this 
 thing, that the sole or whole Scriptures are not suffi- 
 cient of themselves to teach true faith, and give the 
 knowledge of God w^ithout the Spirit : for many have 
 got the words, and yet have not received the Spirit, 
 nor the power which the Scriptures declare of: such 
 wrangle and contend with the words, and oppose the 
 Life and the Power : the Jews had the Scriptures, and 
 knew by them where Christ should be born, and knew 
 by them what his works should be when he was mani- 
 fest, and yet rejected him, unto whom all the prophets 
 bore witness — from Moses to Samuel, and from him to 
 John ; and they were never intended by God, as to be 
 set up as judge and guide, to wit, the words without 
 the Power and Spirit of God; yet notwithstanding, 
 though I cannot set them up in the place of God, 
 Christ, and the Holy Spirit ; nor contend ignorantly, as 
 some have done, that they are the author of true faith. 
 
57 
 
 and that they are the Eternal Word of God, which the 
 world was made by, that they are the Light and the 
 Way, the Truth and the Life, and that they are the 
 decider of all controversies, and sole and absolute, and 
 only judge of all matters of faith, and of all matters 
 that ever have been, or ever shall be in controversy to 
 the end of the world, without the Spirit of God ; nei- 
 ther am I of that ignorant mind, as some are, that the 
 letter and the Spirit are inseparable, as that whosoever 
 hath the Scripture must needs have the Spirit, or who- 
 soever hath the Scripture must needs be infallible 
 without the Spirit ; all that are of the aforesaid judg- 
 ment are but wranglers for the most part about words, 
 and contenders against the power of God and godli- 
 ness, and bring the words to oppose the life, and them 
 that liaye the Spirit, and walk in it ; for a natural man 
 may read the Scriptures, and yet not perceive the 
 things of God, neither perceive the mind of the Spirit, 
 but wrest to their own destruction, as Peter saith, 
 because they are unlearned and untaught, (by the 
 Spirit's teaching,) though otherwise learned enough in 
 languages, tongues, and speeches. 
 
 " Secondly. Yet I cannot detract from them, nei- 
 ther undervalue them, or dis-esteem them as uncertain, 
 or of no use, or of little use ; but whatever themselves 
 declare themselves to be, that I own them to be ; to wit, 
 the words of God, the words of Christ, the words of 
 the Holy Prophets, and Patriarchs, and Apostles, who 
 were endued with the Holy Ghost, and spake forth 
 the Scripture as they were moved thereby, in several 
 ages, of several things, and unto several states and 
 conditions, as they were led thereto by the Holy Spi- 
 rit; and they are a certain declaration of things that 
 were done, and believed, and practised by the Jews 
 under the first covenant, and by the apostles and 
 primitive Christians in the new covenant, and contain 
 many precious and holy precepts and commands, doc- 
 trines, examples, exhortations, admonitions, reproofs, 
 and instructions, and are as lively examples and holy 
 patterns for all the saints in light to follow, by which 
 we are given to understand what faith, what hope, what 
 
g8 
 
 patience, what love, what mercy, what long-sufferings, 
 what consolation, what virtue and what inheritance the 
 saints in light were made partakers of, through faith in 
 Christ Jesus ; likewise, what doctrines were held forth, 
 and what practice they used in the primitive times, 
 when they walked in the order of the Gospel, and had 
 fellowship with God the Father and the Son, and one 
 with another in the light of the Gospel, which is the 
 power of God, through which they witnessed salvation 
 and remission of sins, and published it unto others that 
 they might believe. 
 
 '* Thirdly. The Scriptures testify of Christ, and 
 Avere written, that they might be believed, and received, 
 and read, that thereby every one that believed might 
 be made wise to salvation, through faith in Christ 
 Jesus, 2 Tim. 3. and instructed in righteousness, that 
 the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished 
 with all good works; and whosoever doth teach any 
 doctrines contrary unto the holy men of God, who spake 
 as they were moved by the Spirit of God, which dwelt in 
 them ; the Scriptures are witnesses against such, that 
 they have not the Spirit of God, but are led by another 
 spirit, which brings forth contrary doctrine, and ano- 
 ther faith than was once delivered among the saints ; 
 and whosoever brings in, sets up other precepts, con- 
 stitutions, orders, and practices in point of worship, 
 in opposition and contrary unto those practices which 
 were held forth in the primitive times, and would set 
 up other traditions than the apostles delivered either 
 by word or writing, such are manifest to have the spirit 
 of error, and are innovators and bringers in of other 
 things, as necessary in point of worship among Chris- 
 tians, which the apostles and ministers of Christ did 
 not see necessary then, and yet they wanted no part of 
 the counsel of God ; for Paul said, he had declared 
 the whole counsel of God ; and furthermore they said, 
 we have the mind of Christ ; and Christ's mind is not 
 variable. 
 
 " Fourthbj. Though divers of the writings of the 
 prophets and apostles be lost, doubtless, as is evident 
 by divers places of Scripture ; yet, blessed be God, that 
 
29 
 
 there are those preserved which do bear witness of the 
 one thing absolutely necessary unto salvation, and of 
 the ministrations that were appointed of the Lord for 
 the Church of God to observe, both in the first and 
 second covenants ; so that Christians of this last age 
 are not left without example and precedent, which all 
 ought to have an eye unto, and a diligent regard ; and 
 though there be divers copies of that which is called 
 the original tongue, and divers translations, yet he 
 unto whom the Spirit of God is given, and waiteth in 
 the measure of Christ's Light, shall receive it, doth 
 see and shall see the mind and will of God in every 
 age, and the mind and intent of the Spirit in them that 
 spoke forth the Scripture, and can receive the matter 
 therein contained, as though they had heard them 
 speak that spoke it at the first ; and though the trans- 
 lators were men, yet I have such an honourable esteem 
 of their labour, that I believe they have not varied 
 wittingly and willingly from the best copies that were 
 extant in their age, neither that they were altogether 
 void of the Spirit of God in such a good work, which 
 conduced to the benefit of mankind, but were assisted 
 by it for so good a Work ; and there be many figures 
 and tropes, improprieties of speech, mysteries and dif- 
 ficulties, yet all these come to be made easy and plain 
 to them that are witnesses of the same Spirit that gave 
 them forth : and though there be diversity of judg- 
 ments and professions of religion, one clashing against 
 another, thwarting and contradicting another, and all 
 will seem to bring the Scripture for their proof, which 
 yet cannot maintain and prove every thing good, espe- 
 cially when their doctrines contradict one another ; this 
 is granted, it is only their private interpretation, and 
 not the Scripture ; and for want of that Spirit that gave 
 it forth, for that alone gives the true understanding of 
 it ; and they that are without this, are like to kill one 
 another about words, and names, sounds, tittles and 
 iotas, but still want the Key that opens, and gives an 
 entrance into the knowledge of the things of God, 
 which alone is the Spirit of God, that gave forth 
 the Scriptures." [F. HoicgiWs Works, p. 635, ^-c] 
 
 c 2 
 
" We then trust to and confide in this Spirit, be- 
 cause we know and certainly beheve, that it can only 
 lead us aright, and never mislead us : and from this 
 certain confidence, it is that we aflSrm, that no revela- 
 tion coming from it can ever contradict the Scriptures' 
 testimony nor right reason." IBarcloi/s Apology, 
 Pro}). 2, § 15.] 
 
 " From these revelations of the Spirit of God to the 
 saints, have proceeded the Scriptures of Truths which 
 contain, 
 
 " I. A faithful, historical account of the actings of 
 God's people in divers ages ; with many singular and 
 remarkable Providences attending them. 
 
 II. A prophetical account of several things, whereof 
 some are already past and some yet to come. 
 
 III. A full and ample account of all the chief prin- 
 ciples of the doctrine of Christ, held forth in divers 
 precious declarations, exhortations, and sentences, 
 which, by the moving of God's Spirit, were at seve- 
 ral times and upon sundry occasions, spoken and 
 written unto some Churches and their pastors. 
 
 Nevertheless, because they are only a declaration of 
 the fountain, and not the fountain itself, therefore they 
 are not to be esteemed \he principal gxoundi of all truth 
 and knowledge, nor yet the adequate primary rule of 
 faith and manners ; yet because they give a true and 
 faithful testimony of the first foundation, they are and 
 may be esteemed a secondary rule, subordinate to the 
 Spirit, from which they have all their excellency and 
 certainty. For as by the inward testimony of the Spirit 
 we do alone truly know them, so they testify, that the 
 Spirit is that guide, by which the saints are led into 
 all truth ; therefore, according to the Scriptures, the 
 Spirit is the first and principal leader. Seeing then 
 that we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures 
 because they proceeded from the Spirit, for the very 
 same reason is the Spirit more originally and princi- 
 pally the rule, according to that received maxim in 
 the schools : Propter quod unumquodque est tale, illud 
 ipsvm magis est tale : That for which a thing is such, 
 that thing itself is more such. ''[lb, — Thesis toProp.S.] 
 
31 
 
 " Though then we do acknowledge the Scripturei« 
 to be very heavenly and divine writings, the use of 
 them to be very comfortable and necessary to the 
 Church of Christ, and that we also admire and give 
 praises to the Lord, for his wonderful providence in 
 preserving these writings so pure and uncorrupted as 
 we have them, through so long a night of apostacy, to 
 be a testimony of his truth against the wickedness and 
 abominations even of those whom he made instru- 
 mental in preserving them, so that they have kept 
 them to be a witness against themselves ; yet we may 
 not call them the principal fountain of all truth and 
 knowledge, nor yet the^r^^ adequate rule of faith and 
 manners ; because the principal fountain of truth must 
 be the Truth itself; i. e. that whose certainty and au- 
 thority depends not on another." [lb. Prop. 3, § 2.] 
 
 " Secondly, God hath seen meet that herein we 
 should, as in a looking-glass, see the conditions and 
 experiences of the saints of old ; that finding our expe- 
 rience answer to theirs, we might thereby be the more 
 confirmed and comforted, and our hope of obtaining 
 the same end strengthened ; that observing the provi- 
 dences attending them, seeing the snares they were 
 liable to, and beholding their deliverances, we may 
 thereby be made wise unto salvation, and seasonably 
 reproved and instructed in righteousness." [lb. Prop. 
 3, § 5.] 
 
 " In this respect above mentioned then we have 
 shown, what service and use the Holy Scriptures, as 
 managed in and by the Spirit, are of to the Church of 
 God : wherefore we do account them a secondary rule. 
 Moreover, because they are commonly acknowledged 
 by all to have been written by the dictates of the Holy 
 Spirit, and that the errors which may be supposed by 
 the injury of time to have slipt in, are not such but 
 that there is a sufficient clear testimony left to all the 
 essentials of the Christian faith, we do look upon them 
 as the only fit outward judge of controversies among 
 Christians ; and that whatsoever doctrine is contrary 
 unto their testimony, may therefore justly be rejected as 
 false. And for our parts, we are very willing that all our 
 
32 
 
 doctrines and practices be tried by them ; which we 
 never refused, nor ever shall, in all controversies with 
 our adversaries, as the judge and test. We shall also 
 be very willing to admit it as a positive certain maxim. 
 Thai whatsoever any do, pretending to the Spirit, 
 which is contrary to the Scriptures, be accounted 
 arid reckoned a delusion of the devil. For as we 
 never lay claim to the Spirit's leadings, that we may 
 cover ourselves in anything that is evil ; so we know, 
 that as every evil contradicts the Scriptures, so it doth 
 also the Spirit in the first place, from which the Scrip- 
 tures came, and whose motions can never contradict 
 one another, though they may nppear sometimes to be 
 contradictory, to the blind eye of the natural man, as 
 Paul and James seem to contradict one another." 
 [lb. § 6.] 
 
 " The last, and that which at first view seems to 
 be the greatest, objection, is this : — 
 
 If the Scripture be not the adequate, principal, and 
 only rule, then it would follow that the Scripture is 
 not complete, nor the canon filled ; that if men be now 
 immediately led and ruled by the Spirit, they may 
 add new Scriptures of equal authority with the old ; 
 whereas, every one that adds is cursed : yea what as- 
 surance have we, but at this rate every one may bring 
 in a new Gospel, according to his fancy? 
 
 The dangerous consequences insinuated in this ob- 
 jection, were fully answered in the latter part of the 
 last proposition, in what was said a little before, offer- 
 ing freely to disclaim all pretended revelations conti*ary 
 to the Scriptures. 
 
 But if it be urged, — That it is not enough to deny 
 these consequences, if they naturally follow from your 
 doctrine of immediate revelation, and denying the 
 Scripture to be the only rule ; — 
 
 I answer : — We have proved both these doctrines 
 to be true and necessary, according to the Scriptures 
 themselves ; and therefore to fasten evil consequences 
 upon them, which we make appear do not follow, is 
 not to accuse us, but Christ and his apostles who 
 preached them. 
 
But secondly, We have shut the door upon all such 
 doctrine in this very position ; affirming, That the 
 Scriptures give a full and ample testimony to all the 
 principal doctrines of the Christian faith. For we do 
 firmly believe that there is no other Gospel or doctrine 
 to be preached, but that which was delivered by the 
 apostles ; and do freely subscribe to that saying. Let 
 him that preacheth any other Gospel than that which 
 hath been already preached by the apostles, and ac- 
 cording to the Scriptures, be accursed. 
 
 So we distinguish betwixt a revelation of a new gos- 
 pel and new doctrines, and a Jiew I'evelation of the good 
 old Gospel ?ind doctrines; the last we plead for, but 
 the first we utterly deny. For we firmly believe. That 
 no other foundation can any man lay than that icJiich 
 is laid already. But that this revelation is necessary, 
 we have already proved ; and this distinction doth suf- 
 ficiently guard us against the hazard insinuated in the 
 objection." [lb. Prop. 3, § 9.] 
 
 In a dispute between Robert Barclay and George 
 Keith, on one part, and some students of Aberdeen, on 
 the otlier, the following argument was advanced by a 
 Student: — 
 
 Student. " That which may beguile a man is fal- 
 lacious : But, according to the Quakers, the Scriptures 
 may beguile a man, without the indwelling of the 
 Spirit : Therefore, according to the Qusrkers, the 
 Scriptures are fallacious. 
 
 R. B. I deny thy second Proposition : for the 
 Scriptures cannot beguile any man, although men 
 may or have beguiled themselves by a wrong use of it. 
 
 Student. Take notice, people, the Quakers say, 
 the Scriptures cannot beguile you. 
 
 11. B. Speak louder yet ; for we do and have con- 
 stantly affirmed it: and we hope it will help to clear 
 us of those misrepresentations, as if we despised or 
 spake evil of the Scriptures." [^Barclay's Works, p. 
 576, 577.] 
 
 The sentiments of many professors at the time of the 
 rise of our Society, (and no doubt at the present day,) 
 
34 
 
 were very objectionable, in relation to the Atonement 
 or Redemption by Christ, and many other articles of 
 faith. It was asserted then in some of the controver- 
 sies in which our friends were engaged, that our Lord 
 Jesus Christ suffered infinite wrath — eternal death — 
 was ihe greatest sinner in the ivorld, (from imputation,) 
 that his sufferings and death so paid the debt for all 
 mankind, that believing in him, they were justified by 
 his blood, though in the daily practice of sin during life 
 — that a freedom from sin in this life, was absolutely 
 impossible — and that a belief in the operations of the 
 Spirit of Truth in the heart, was an extravagant and 
 dangerous doctrine. Against these ideas our primitive 
 Friends earnestly laboured. The teaching and opera- 
 tions of the Spirit of Christ in the hearts of men, 
 cleansing them from sin — regulating their thoughts, 
 words, and actions — teaching that denying ungodli- 
 ness and the world's lusts, we should live soberly, 
 righteously, and godly, in this present world— this 
 teaching, sanctifying principle, was the leading doc- 
 trine of the Society — on this they insisted — because it 
 immediately applied a remedy to all the moral evils to 
 which we are exposed — while they conceived the op- 
 posite doctrine of the atonement, had a tendency to 
 perpetuate sin — and thus at once both to injure man, 
 and dishonour God. 
 
 To draw conclusions, either then or now, that they 
 denied the benefits of his sufferings and death, because 
 they insisted on the necessity of improving the bene- 
 fits which were purchased for us, by those very means, 
 must be considered by the candid, as a perversion of 
 their meaning. They taught, and we have believed, 
 that according to the inscrutable counsels of Infinite 
 Wisdom — through the coming, suffering, death, resur- 
 rection, ascension, and mediation, of Jesus Christ, the 
 whole human race are put in a capacity of obtaining 
 salvation — the free gift has come upon all men — which 
 free gift so come upon all, is a powerful redeeming Prin- 
 ciple — the Grace of God that brings salvation. This 
 free gift — Light — Redeeming principle — by whatever 
 name it may be called, being the remedy by which we 
 
may be raised out of the fallen nature, was procured 
 for us, by what Christ has done and suffered for us. 
 For however we must co-operate with the divine prin- 
 ciple, in the great work of sanctification, yet in ob- 
 taining this remedy, it is clear we could have no 
 co-operation. To be thus disenthralled^ — set at liberty 
 to rise again into the Divine Image — may properly be 
 called a redemption — like opening the prison doors, 
 and paying the price for the ransom of the slave. This, 
 Robert Barclay, and others of our primitive Friends, 
 called the^r*^ part of redemption or justification. But 
 it must be evident it would not be proper for the pri- 
 soner or captive to rest satisfied with this part of 
 redemption alone. Something remains for him to do. 
 He must improve the privilege thus bestowed upon 
 him. Though the prison doors be set open before 
 him, he may still drag out his days in the dungeon : 
 though the ransom be paid for his emancipation, and 
 liberty be thus within his reach, he may still remain in 
 the house of bondage, and realize no advantages from 
 all that had been done for him. From views of this 
 description, our Friends were earnestly concerned to 
 stir up the minds of their fellow men to the necessity 
 of embracing and improving the great and glorious 
 privileges which had been procured for them through 
 Jesus Christ. But they never designed to detract from 
 the character of our divine Benefactor. For how un- 
 grateful must it be in the captive exile, set at liberty 
 to return — redeemed from bondage, " not with cor- 
 ruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious 
 blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish," (al- 
 luding to the ancient sacrifices,) to deny the benefits of 
 that interposing friend — that Redeeming love ! This 
 ingratitude never was justly chargeable to our primi- 
 tive Friends — it never can find place in the minds of 
 true Christians. The feelings of these, in unison with 
 the language of the redeemed in heaven, will still arise 
 in humble acknowledgment and reverent adoration — 
 " Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by 
 thy blood," &c. 
 
 Having thus brought a few extracts together, from 
 
36 
 
 various writers among the leading members of the 
 Society, to show what their principles were in the 
 beginning, I may take the liberty, from the interest 
 which I feel in those Gospel truths they maintained, 
 and for which they suffered, to add some additional 
 observations on the same subjects. 
 
 The extent of Divine mercy, and the means of re- 
 demption through Jesus Christ, is a subject of infinite 
 importance to every rational soul. If the means of 
 salvation are not within the reach of all, how miser- 
 able — how deeply to be lamented must be the condition 
 of those to whom it is not possible ! And if the belief 
 of such an exclusion from heaven — from happiness — 
 from the participation in the mercies of God, may be 
 brought to operate on the mind of each individual, 
 how powerfully must such reflections tend to destroy 
 our hopes, and deprive us of all those animating feel- 
 ings of gratitude and love to God, which make up our 
 happiness here ! " We love him, [said the apostle,] 
 because he first loved us." Whenever, therefore, his 
 love to us becomes doubtful, our love to him is cut up at 
 the very root. Gratitude to him lies at the foundation 
 of obedience, hope, and faith, in him. Take from us 
 the belief of his having made salvation possible to us — 
 gratitude can have no existence in our minds — hope 
 perishes for ever — and faith, where is it ? Thus a 
 belief in the goodness of God stands next to the belief 
 in his existence — so the apostle has given us to under- 
 stand, in the simple declaration — " He that cometh to 
 God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder 
 of them that diligently seek him." Heb. xi. 6. 
 
 And as redemption is only to be obtained by Jesus 
 Christ, we are led to the important consideration of 
 the extent of the benefits derived to mankind, from 
 Him. It must be admitted that the prophecy of Joel 
 related to the Gospel dispensation. If the prophecy 
 itself were not sufficient evidence in the case, the tes- 
 timony of the apostle Peter would be conclusive : 
 " And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, 
 I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh." To the 
 fulfilment of this prophecy, the apostle Peter bore a 
 
37 
 
 very striking testimony, when the Holy Spirit was 
 "shed forth," after the ascension of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ. In explaining the fulfilment of this prophecy, 
 the apostle brings into view the death of our Saviour, 
 according to the Divine purpose — his resurrection, and 
 the impossibility of its being otherwise — his ascension 
 and exaltation through the prevalence of Divine Power, 
 and the shedding forth of the Divine Influence, in 
 connexion with the preceding events, of the death, re- 
 surrection, and ascension of our blessed Lord. The 
 intimate relation which these events had to each 
 other, as related by the apostle, is very clearly corro- 
 borated by our Lord himself, in that memorable 
 discourse with his disciples : " Nevertheless I tell 
 you the truth ; it is expedient for you that I go away ; 
 for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto 
 you ; but if I depart I will send him unto you. And 
 when he is come, he will reprove the world of 
 sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." John 
 xvi. 7, 8. Here the coming of the Holy Spirit, which 
 brings convictions for sin, and gives a true sense of 
 righteousness and judgment, was evidently made to be 
 dependent on the death of Christ, as on a means, with- 
 out which the end could not be obtained. \Ve may 
 well say that the respective events, enumerated by the 
 apostle Peter, was each dependent on its preceding 
 event. For without the Divine counsel, our Lord 
 could not have been delivered to be crucified. — This 
 is evident, from many passages of Scripture. Our 
 Lord said to Pilate, Thou couldst have no power at 
 all against me, except it were given thee from above. 
 And to Peter he said, Thinkest thou that I cannot 
 now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give 
 me more than twelve legions of angels? but how then 
 shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be ? 
 And again, For this cause came I unto this hour — and 
 again, I lay down my life for the sheep : I have power 
 to lay it down, and I have power to take it again : No 
 man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself — 
 this commandment have I received of my Father : — and 
 again, No man laid hands upon him, because his hour 
 
 D 
 
38 
 
 was not yet come: and the church, when under Divine 
 Influence, lifting up their voice, with one accord, said, 
 that the combination of Herod, and Pilate, with the 
 Gentiles and people of Israel, w-as to do what the Divine 
 hand and counsel had determined before to be done. 
 
 Thus it is evident he could not have been delivered, 
 crucified, &c., had not the Divine hand determined it 
 bet'ore to be done. So his resurrection could not have 
 taken place, had he not previously been crucified. His 
 ascension follows this in order — and lastly, the pour- 
 ing out of the Holy Spirit is brought into view, as 
 resulting from, or in immediate connexion with, the 
 preceding events. 
 
 It was, according to Scripture testimony, through 
 the eternal Spirit that our Lord Jesus Christ offered 
 up himself: and this became the means of the effusion 
 of the Divine Influence upon the children of men, as 
 appears by the concurrent testimony of the inspired 
 writings. If then, these events were in fulfilment of 
 the prophecy of Joel, the effects must be of universal 
 extent, for the prophet expressly declared, that it 
 should be on all flesh. There was, therefore, no ex- 
 clusion of any part of the human family; for all classes 
 are included in the prophecy. 
 
 " I will also give thee," said another prophecy, "for 
 a light to the Gentiles, [and for] salvation to the end 
 of the earth." This related to our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and in common with the other prophecies concerning 
 him, had respect to his advent, and what he would 
 do for the redemption of fallen man. This promise, 
 it may also be observed, was not limited in its applica- 
 tion — it embraced the whole human race, — to the end 
 of the earth. Therefore the benefits of the coming of 
 Jesus Christ, and what he did and suffered, were of 
 universal application. 
 
 Accordingly we find a large accession to the true 
 Church was made from among the Gentiles — from the 
 very depth of pagan darkness. — The means of re- 
 demption were placed within their reach, while in that 
 state ; for there is no other means by which they could 
 have risen from their dark and depraved condition, but 
 
39 
 
 those which were provided by Jesus Christ. The 
 preaching of the apostles, and the other outward helps 
 they received, were not the primary^ but secondary, 
 means in the great work of their salvation. *' By 
 Grace ye are saved," said the apostle, " and that not 
 of yourselves, it is the gift of God :" and again ; "grace 
 and truth came by Jesus Christ." So that the pri- 
 mary cause of their salvation was Grace, the gift of 
 God, through Jesus Christ. This placed them in a 
 capacity to believe the truths of the Gospel, and also 
 enabled the apostles to preach that GospeL So that 
 in its original distribution, it could not be dependent 
 on instrumental means, such as preaching, &c. It 
 was the great work, for which the Word that was in 
 the beginning with God, and truly was God — took 
 flesh — and humbling himself unto death, even the 
 death of the cross — tasted death for every man — died 
 for all men, for that all were dead — became the propi- 
 tiation for the sins of the whole world ; through whose 
 obedience the free gift is come upon all men to justifi- 
 cation. 
 
 That the sanguinary sacrifices which were univer- 
 sally practised by the pious of all nations, before the 
 Advent of the Messiah, had reference to his sufferings 
 and death, I think is established by incontrovertible 
 Scripture evidence. And, to my mind, the command 
 to Abraham to offer up his only son — the son of pro- 
 mise, was a lively figure of the very event. It was in 
 that transaction of the patriarch's, that his faith is most 
 particularly spoken of. Our Lord said: '^Abraham 
 saw my day and was glad." He had a view of his 
 son's being raised from the dead. The transaction took 
 place on a mountain, in the land of Moriah — probably 
 the very scene of our Saviour's sufferings. And as it 
 was the greatest exercise of his faith — so at that time 
 too, he received the promise, "In thy seed shall all 
 the families of the earth be blessed ;" " which seed" 
 the apostle says " was Christ." 
 
 The term shedding of blood, in its plain, simple, 
 and obvious meaning, conveys the idea of violence 
 done to the subject whose blood was shed. This was 
 
40 
 
 literally true of all those beasts whose blood was shed 
 in the sacrifices prescribed in the law, and practised 
 during the continuance of that typical dispensation. 
 For there was of necessity t7*o/^//ce done to those things 
 which were sacrificed ; nor indeed is it possible, ac- 
 cording to those institutions, that there should be a shed- 
 ding of blood — or a sacrifice, without violence. And 
 so closely did the apostle make the application of these 
 types and figures to Jesus Christ and his sufferings on 
 the Cross, that he employs much of the epistle to the 
 Hebrews, and several others, to show that relation. 
 The application was made in various particulars of our 
 Lord's sufferings and death : even to the ijlace where 
 he suffered. Thus we find the apostle to the Hebrews, 
 making the following illustration: — For the bodies of 
 those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary 
 by the high priest, for sin, are burned without the 
 camp — wherefore Jesus also, [that great sacrifice to 
 which all others pointed, and in which they ended,] 
 that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, 
 suffered without the gate." Heb. xiii. 11, 12. Now, 
 in that he laid down his life — that his blood v/as shed 
 — was a sacrifice — it was through violence done to his 
 person. 
 
 Here let it be remembered, that in these events — 
 these suflferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, the whole 
 ceremonial law ended. There was no further occasion 
 for the eflfusion of the blood of slain victim's. And all 
 those mighty preparations for sacrifices at the temple, 
 were abrogated for ever : and why ? To what mighty 
 and efficient cause are we to ascribe this important 
 change ? Why was it that the whole system of reli- 
 gion, as to outward forms — which had begun in the 
 very infancy of time, and by successive discoveries of 
 divine revelation, not only received the most une- 
 quivocal demonstrations of divine sanction, but was 
 wrought up to the highest point of outward glory, 
 was abrogated for ever ? Those sacrifices in which the 
 most eminent patriarchs and prophets had found ac- 
 ceptance — those institutions which were given upon 
 mount Sinai — when the great Jehovah descended, with 
 
41 
 
 a visible glory, before whom the mountain trembled to 
 its foundation, and its smoke rose up as from a fur- 
 nace — these sacrifices and these institutions, thus 
 solemnly attested for four thousand years, now lost 
 their divine obligation. It was the introduction of a 
 new dispensation, altogether as much under the divine 
 control as that which was ratified from Mount Sinai — 
 and though it was more simple, it was infinitely more 
 glorious. Not one single event, essential to the in- 
 troduction of that more glorious dispensation, could 
 the Jews or any other human power prevent. They 
 could not destroy the Messiah when Herod sent forth 
 and slew the children from two years old and under — 
 They could not lay hands on him before his ministry 
 was accomplished — because his hour was not yet come. 
 — They could not prevent the sun from being dark- 
 ened — They could not save the veil of the temple 
 from being rent — They could not control the earth- 
 quake, nor prevent the rocks from being rent asunder — 
 'riiey could not, with all their guards, prevent the 
 angel from descending and rolling back the stone from 
 the sepulchre — They could not prevent the Lord Jesus 
 Christ from rising from the dead — appearing to his 
 disciples — instructing them from the law and the pro- 
 phets, of the necessity of his death — and finally mak- 
 ing them eye-witnesses of his ascension to heaven. But 
 they had power to mock — to buflfet — to crucify him — 
 to wound him to the heart — and cast lots for his gar- 
 ment ; because in these events, he became that one 
 great offering to which the blood of victims, for four 
 thousand years, had constantly borne witness ; and the 
 divine hand and counsel had determined before that 
 they should be done. Almighty God, who had deli- 
 vered the Law with such evident demonstrations of his 
 immediate presence and authority — who made it a figure 
 and representation of things to come — in the practice 
 of which figures, the righteous of all ages, through 
 faith, might be made partakers of those good things 
 thus represented — even He also abrogated it, when 
 those events had taken place to which it pointed, and 
 to typify which it was at first instituted. 
 
 D 2 
 
42 
 
 Thus ended the Jewish system — and at the same 
 time, through the greater effusion of the Holy Spirit, 
 which was shed forth, the heathen idolatry was over- 
 turned, and a change took place among the Gentiles 
 altogether as great as that which took place among 
 the Jews. 
 
 The institution of sacrifices, and of approaching the 
 divine presence, through the mediation oi" a priest, and 
 with the blood of slain offerings, was not peculiar to 
 the Jews. We find these things recorded among the 
 first religious performances that are related after the 
 Fall. The acceptable offering of Abel was of this de- 
 scription. It was practised by the patriarchs, one 
 after another. And so far as we are informed, from 
 sacred and profane history, they were common in 
 all nations and in all ages. For as they began in the 
 infancy of human society — that is, after Redemption 
 became necessary, so like some other things, in which 
 the welfare of the whole was concerned — they were 
 common to all. All nations were immediately inte- 
 rested in the means which were appointed for a com- 
 mon salvation ; and all nations appear to have been in 
 the practice of those rites, which typified those means. 
 It is true, that the knowledge of God became very early 
 obscured by heathen superstition ; and the selecting of 
 one nation for the preservation of that knowledge, was 
 for purposes of universal good. Yet the Gentile world 
 was not left without witness. They still retained a 
 sense of a Supreme Power, as an unknown God, and 
 continued to approach that Supreme Power through the 
 mediation of a priest and sacrifices. Though they had 
 corrupted and adulterated those simple principles of 
 Truth, which had been universally distributed or com- 
 municated to men — though they were plunged into 
 darkness and superstition, and their ideas were con- 
 fused as to the object of adoration ; yet they were in 
 the practice of rites and ceremonies, bearing a striking 
 resemblance to those which, in the ceremonial law, 
 pointed to the Messiah, and that offering which he 
 made of himself. 
 
 That the heathen sacrifices were offensive, will be 
 
4S 
 
 readily admitted — so was their belief of Deity. It was 
 the corruption which took place in those principles 
 of religion and devotion that made them offensive. But 
 it proves that they had a sense of an eternal Source of 
 good — and of that worship which pertained to the dis- 
 pensation of that time. The religious performances of 
 the Jews were likewise offensive, when their hearts 
 became alienated from God. For he that killed an ox 
 was as if he slew a man — he that sacrificed a lamb as 
 if he cut off' a dog's neck — he that offered an oblation, 
 as if he offered swine's blood — he that burned incense, 
 as if he blessed an idol. (Isaiah Ixvi.) And even the 
 solemn meeting was iniquity — an abomination. 
 
 That the blood of sprinkling is mentioned in a spi- 
 ritual sense, is true. But if taken altogether uncon- 
 nected with those deeply interesting events which took 
 place at Jerusalem, if understood to have no relation 
 to those events, the terms would be unintelligible, or 
 dangerous in the extreme. Who would not see an 
 alarming and monstrous incongruity in the expres- 
 sions, We are reconciled to God by the death of his 
 Son, unless we have reference to those ideas of sacri- 
 fice which were inculcated by the blood of victims from 
 the earliest ages of the world ; and which, with a few 
 cardinal points of religion, appear to have been uni- 
 versally impressed on the minds of all nations ? The 
 terms, in a spiritual acceptation, cannot relate — it 
 would be monstrous to suppose that they did relate, to 
 violence done to the divine principle in the hearts of 
 men. But they have a reference to those important 
 benefits which were placed within our reach by the 
 mediation of Jesus Christ, and the offering he accom- 
 plished for us in his sufferings and death. To realize 
 these benefits to ourselves, in our individual expe- 
 rience, is to have our hearts sprinkled from an evil 
 conscience : and in the expressions in that spiritual 
 sense, there is still a memorial preserved of the death 
 of our dear Lord and Saviour, who procured the means 
 of salvation, and of all heavenly blessings, by inex- 
 pressible agonies, and a death on the cross: that in 
 all our attainments — in all the spiritual blessings we 
 
44. 
 
 enjoy — we are still to bear about in our bodies, the 
 dying of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 That what he did and suffered for us, was not to 
 place us in a situation to sin with impunity — is an 
 everlasting truth. Unless we submit to the operations 
 and regulating power of his Spirit in our hearts, so 
 far from being saved by his death and sufferings, they 
 will stand in the day of final retribution, in judgment 
 against us, and awfully aggravate our condemnation. 
 
 But though this is indispensably necessary — though 
 to those who have attained to years of rational reflec- 
 tion, salvation is not possible without this operation 
 and government of the Divine Principle in our hearts, 
 yet the belief in, and a reverent regard for, what Christ 
 has done and suffered /or us, is as necessary for us, 
 (who have had the opportunity of that knowledge,) as 
 the receiving of him outwardly was for those who, in 
 the days of his flesh, were favoured with that visible ap- 
 pearance. For though he did not show himself to the 
 whole world then, yet those to whom he did appear, 
 could not have him as their Saviour, while they with- 
 stood the belief and acknowledgment of him in that 
 visible appearance— so, though the knowledge or his- 
 tory of those events is not now universally diffused 
 among men, yet those to whom that knowledge is 
 afforded, cannot have him as their Saviour, while they 
 reject the belief in, and reverent regard for, what he 
 then did and suffered for us. For as the Eternal Spirit 
 which in its fulness dwelt in him, and through which 
 he offered up himself for the redemption of men, led 
 to the acknowledgment of him then, so the same 
 Spirit in the hearts of men noiv, will lead all those who 
 are under its influence, to the acknowledgment of 
 all that he then did, when declared to them. To 
 this our early Friends bore a pointed testimony, as we 
 have seen — and it has been the concurrent testimony 
 of all ages, since those important events occurred. 
 
 It must be supposed that his disciples formerly were 
 under the influence of that Divine Principle, in be- 
 coming his disciples — leaving all and following him, 
 and that they did believe in him, as the Messiah : 
 
45 
 
 though it was evident, from many clear passages of 
 Scripture, that they did not understand the whole 
 mystery of his kingdom. And one of the most emi- 
 nent of them, even after he had been a disciple for 
 years — been enabled to heal diseases and cast out de- 
 vils, did not understand the doctrine of his death and 
 resurrection. For when he began to show unto his 
 disciples, how that he must go up to Jerusalem, and 
 suffer many things, and be killed, and raised the third 
 day, Peter exclaimed; " Far be it from thee. Lord, 
 this shall not be unto thee." But he was severely re- 
 buked, and told, that he savoured not the things of 
 God — and these events were the things he did not 
 savour. Thus they found continually, occasion for 
 the exercise of faith, in things on which they could 
 not reason : and hence that expressive appeal, '' Lord, 
 I believe — help thou mine unbelief." 
 
 He who made this short but pathetic appeal, could 
 not have been under the influence of the opinion, that 
 we are not bound to believe what we do not under- 
 stand. 
 
 This opinion, and especially when connected with 
 a disposition of speculation, or curious inquiry, ap- 
 pears to me to have a very dangerous tendency. There 
 is so nice a shade of difference between not believing 
 and disbelieving, that the distinction may easily be lost, 
 when applied to practice. Taking it on the latter 
 ground, few propositions would be more prejudicial to 
 religious principles and religious improvement. No 
 finite being, it is presumed, can comprehend the Di- 
 vine Nature, in all its infinitude and perfection. Our 
 conceptions, comprehensions, and faculties, themselves, 
 are limited : and therefore, if our belief or assent is not 
 to exceed these limits, we must consider the attributes 
 of the Deity as limited and imperfect. 
 
 We meet with many things in the visible creation, 
 which cannot be explained by any reasoning on the 
 knowledge already obtained. Certain facts are known 
 to exist, and yet the cause of those facts lies far be- 
 yond the reach of our limited comprehension. Those 
 whose minds are most stored with the accumulated 
 
46 
 
 knowledge of past ages — who have made the greatest 
 progress in the researches of science — are most ready 
 to make the confession of their incapacity to explain 
 the whole order and operation of nature. 
 
 If this is true in relation to visible objects — things 
 which are under our continual observation — which en- 
 ter into all our feelings, and make up our sufferings 
 and gratifications, why should it be considered strange, 
 that we should not know every thing of the invisible 
 world, and of the Divine Nature, and of his purposes 
 and motives, in his providence and government of the 
 universe? 
 
 Or if, when certain facts are proposed to us, facts 
 which he has caused to be divulged to us by his spe- 
 cial messengers and servants, are we at liberty to 
 disbelieve them, because we cannot, by any course of 
 reasoning of vvhich we are capable, arrive at an under- 
 standing of the causes and motives that would lead to 
 such results ? 
 
 The dispensations of God to man through all ages, 
 would be disbelieved on this proposition. By what 
 train of reasoning, either from individual experience or 
 from nature, should we arrive at a belief in the Scrip- 
 tural accounts of the primitive affairs of the world — ot 
 the general deluge — of the communication of the Di- 
 vine will, by the ministry of angels — the passage ot 
 the children of Israel through the Red Sea — their 
 subsistence in the wilderness forty years — the giving 
 of the Law, from Mount Sinai — the visible descent ot 
 the Divine Glory on that occasion — or in any miracles 
 whatever ? Any of the general answers which can be 
 given to these questions, will apply to the Christian 
 doctrine of Redemption. The absolute fitness of the 
 ceremonial Law, and the reasons for instituting it, 
 were not discoverable by human reason, any more 
 than the mysteries of the New Dispensation. Indeed, 
 the very existence of a God is the greatest of all 
 mysteries. We cannot conceive how the universe 
 should exist, without an Omnipotent Power, by whom 
 it was originally created, and by whom it is still up- 
 held. But whenever we approach the Divine Cha- 
 
47 
 
 racter, a Being infinite in all his attributes — before 
 whom the whole universe — with all this vast assem- 
 blage of worlds, is but as the dust of the balance — a 
 Cause without a cause — an Infinite Intellisjence, ex- 
 isting from all eternity — reason becomes prostrate as 
 in the dust — we cannot investigate — we cannot argue 
 — we cannot comprehend — but we must believe and 
 adore. 
 
 Thus we are bound to believe many things which 
 we cannot so understand as to be able to explain. 
 
 We must believe in tlie existence of God, but we 
 cannot reason on his self-existence, or on the Infinitude 
 of his Attributes. We must believe that he created the 
 universe, and still upholds it by the Word of his 
 Power, though we cannot be assured that we are fully 
 acquainted with his designs in doing so. We must 
 believe in his moral government of the world, though 
 we may not always be able to understand the interpo- 
 sition of his Providence in human affairs. We must 
 believe in the existence of matter, of which all visible 
 objects consist, and yet no one has yet been able to 
 explain what it is. We must believe that certain por- 
 tions of matter are endued with animal life, and others 
 with vegetable life, but we cannot explain how this is 
 effected. These subjects open a wide field of observa- 
 tion and wonder, in wliich we find, at every step, the 
 evidences of our own limited capacity ; and that if we 
 disbelieve all that we cannot understand, we shall be 
 driven to a state of scepticism, of which the most barba- 
 rous nations upon earth would be ashamed. 
 
 For if, with the professed infidel, we deny the doc- 
 trine of the incarnation, the sacrifice, the atonement, 
 and mediation of Jesus Christ — because it embraces 
 mijsteries ; and abandoning the doctrines of the Gos- 
 pel, resort to what they call natural religion — there we 
 shall meet witli mysteries in the very being of God, as 
 much beyond our comprehension, as those we had dis- 
 carded. If still determined not to bend our exalted 
 minds to the belief of what we could not understand, 
 we denied the existence of Deity, and become unqua- 
 lified atheists; still mysteries surround us on every 
 
48 
 
 side — even our very existence would become inexpli- 
 cable, and we should be driven to deny it, or renounce 
 the principle on which we had set out in the beginning. 
 Thus we shall be driven from Christianity to deism — 
 from deism to atheism — from atheism to universal un- 
 belief, not excepting even our own existence. 
 
 How dreadful is this contest against God and our- 
 selves ! And what a refuge — what an inexhaustible 
 source of consolation is opened to us by the faith in 
 our Lord Jesus Christ ! Here the wise and the sim- 
 ple are received on the same ground — and their hopes 
 and their enjoyments rest — not on human comprehen- 
 sion—but FAITH. 
 
 Whether they have trodden the paths of science, or 
 been excluded from the treasures of human knowledge, 
 they can equally adopt the language of the Psalmist, 
 in contemplating the goodness of God — " Such know- 
 ledge is too wonderful for me, it is high, I cannot 
 attain unto it." Or that of the apostle — " Oh the 
 depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge 
 of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and 
 his ways past finding out." 
 
 For whether we contemplate the Divine Character in 
 the creation of worlds — or in that superintending 
 Providence by which the whole frame of nature is 
 supported, or the various dispensations of his goodness 
 to man, in different ages of the world — in no case do 
 we find such powerful claims on our gratitude, love, 
 and adoration, or grounds for so firm a trust — so lively 
 a hope — so animating prospects, as in the doctrine of 
 redemption by Jesus Christ. 
 
 When we bring to thankful remembrance the conde- 
 scension of our Lord Jesus Christ, in descending from 
 the height of his divine glory — taking our nature upon 
 himself — enduring the various indignities and sufferings 
 to which he was exposed, and finally becoming obe- 
 dient unto death, even the death of the cross, on which 
 he was not only nailed through his hands and his feet, 
 but wounded to the heart — that he did and suffered all 
 these things for our sakes — what powerful claims do 
 we feel upon our gratitude, love, and obedience ! And 
 
49 
 
 how clearly do we see the force of the reasoning of the 
 apostle, when he sets forth the awful consequences of 
 trampling under foot the Son of God, and counting 
 the blood of the covenant an unholy thing ! 
 
 When we further reflect on that wonderful system 
 of sacrifices, which began immediately after the Fall, 
 and was as universal as the belief of a Supreme Power, 
 — which, pointing to the Messiah, and the offering 
 which he made of himself, ended when that one great 
 offering was accomplished — when we further bring into 
 view the repeated declarations that these events ema- 
 nated from the love of God, and were the highest 
 evidences of that love — instead of inquisitively prying 
 into the reasons and motives of Almighty God, for the 
 hidden portions of his counsel, we ought to give place 
 to those feelings of love, gratitude, faith, and obedi- 
 ence, which are intimately connected with a right view 
 of the subject. 
 
 In closing this little essay, I may perhaps be per- 
 mitted to express the desire that I feel for the preser- 
 vation of the Society to which I belong: — That they 
 may maintain the faith once delivered to the saints — 
 and walking in the light of the Gospel, have fellowship 
 one with another. We have seen what were the prin- 
 ciples of our primitive Friends — we have seen their 
 fellowship and brotherly love — their patience under 
 persecution — their animating hope in the hour of death 
 — that through all the rage of persecution — all the 
 vicissitudes of time — in perils by sea, perils by land — 
 perils by open enemies and among false brethren — 
 they could adopt the language of the apostle — " In all 
 these things we are more than conquerors, through Him 
 that loved us :" and " this is our victory, even our 
 faith." Shall we leave this sure foundation on which 
 they stood, and against which no storms or tempests 
 could prevail ? 
 
 When some of the disciples formerly, unable to 
 comprehend the deep yet divine doctrines of our liOrd 
 and Saviour, turned from him, and walked no more 
 with him — he queried with the twelve, " Will ye also 
 go away ?" How appropriate was the responding Ian- 
 
50 
 
 guage, " Unto whom shall we go? thou hast the 
 words of eternal life." Let us make this language our 
 own, and we shall be enabled, in the conclusion, to 
 bear the same noble testimony which that same disciple 
 also bore — " We have not followed cunningly devised 
 fables, when we made known unto you the power and 
 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 Reprinted from the American edition, by Harrison and Crosfield, Manchester. 
 
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