all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Col. i. 15, 17. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;" Col. ii. 9. and to him did the Evangelist bear testimony when he said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. He was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." John i. 1, 4, 9. Our blessed Lord himself spoke of his perpetual dominion and power in his church, when he said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life:" (John x. 27, 28.) and when describing the spiritual food which he bestoweth on the true believers, He declared, "I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." John vi. 35. He spoke also of his saving grace, bestowed on those who come in faith unto Him, when he said, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life." John iv. 14. : Our religious Society, from its earliest estab Jishment to the present day, has received these most important doctrines of Holy Scripture in their plain and obvious acceptation; and we do not acknowledge as in fellowship with us, as a Christian community, any body of religious pro fessors which does not thus accept them, or which openly receives and accredits as ministers, those who attempt to invalidate any of these doctrines, which we esteem as essential parts of the Christian religion. It is the earnest desire of this Meeting, that all who profess our name, may so live, and so walk before God, as that they may know these sacred truths to be blessed to them individually. We desire that, as the mere profession of sound Christian doctrine will not avail to the salvation of the soul, all may attain to a living, efficacious faith, which, through the power of the Holy Ghost, bringeth forth fruit unto holiness; the end whereof is everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. vi. 22. Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb tor ever and ever." Rev. v. 13. ON WORSHIP, AND THE MINISTRY. In common with almost all who profess the Christian name, the Society of Friends are in the practice of assembling for the purpose of worship, on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, and it is also their practice to hold a meeting for worship on some other day, about the middle of the week. The due obser vance of one day in seven as a day of rest, and a day more especially set apart for the purpose of public worship, and for other duties of a religious nature, they believe to be incumbent on a christian community, agreeably to the authority of Holy Scripture, and of incalculable importance in its results. Except during the time of prayer, when they are all uncovered, the men do not take off their hats in their religious meetings, unless for their own convenience; the custom of doing so in places of worship, originated, no doubt, in a superstitious reverence for particular places; but the Friends think that the observation of our Saviour to the woman of Samaria, is conclusive upon the subject, when He told her, "the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem (exclusively) worship the Father." What relates to the subject of worship is given in the words of a little pamphlet published with the sanction of the Society.* The Divine Majesty is not to be comprehended by our gross organs; as he is a Spirit, so he communicates spiritually with the soul or spirit of man. Religion, we have seen, is a spiritual work, and its highest office, worship, can only be acceptably performed by those who have experienced something of a preparation of heart for this solemn duty. The apostle declares, Brief Remarks on the Carnal and Spiritual state of Man. To be procured of J. and A. Arch, Cornhill; Harvey and Darton, Gracechurch Street; or Edmund Fry, Bishopsgate Street, London. "to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." "The carnal mind is enmity against God," (Rom. viii. 7.) therefore, they who are in this state, cannot be prepared to worship aright. Worship implies service, devotion, obedience; and as we cannot without Divine help, bring our minds into a proper state to approach the Source of purity, it is our duty to wait for qualification in reverential silence. We must endeavour to abstract our thoughts as much as possible from the things of time and sense: we must labour to still the passions, that so our minds may be fixed upon infinite wisdom and goodness; we must avoid following any train of ideas, which do not bring with them a degree of evidence that they originate from the operation of the Divine Spirit in the heart. If, at these times, we are made sensible that our sins and infirmities prevent our approach before the Almighty, with acceptance; or if even condemnation and sorrow should be our portion, in feeling that we have incurred the displeasure of so good and gracious a Being, let us not be too much discouraged. We have abundant cause to believe, that if in sincerity and faith, we seek unto Him whom we have offended, these very conflicts will prove great blessings unto us, and that in his appointed time we shall have to praise the Lord for his goodness. Nor ought we to be discouraged, if sometimes we should have to wait long, under a sense of deep poverty of spirit; for if this does not arise from unfaithfulness on our part, it is a highly acceptable state, however humiliating to human nature. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their's is the kingdom of heaven." Matt. v. 3. But if we persevere, and faint not, we shall, in the Lord's time, which no man can hasten, assuredly reap the soul-enriching harvest of that peace, which passeth all understanding, (Phil. iv. 7.) we shall at times, in our humble and silent waiting, feel our hearts filled with the love of God, and experience a joy far superior to any thing which this world can afford. What could any poor mortal desire more than to feel a degree of union with the greatest of Beingseven with Him who created and sustains the worlds. When any thing like this is experienced, all anxiety will be removed respecting the things of time, as well as of eternity; knowing that we have ample ground to trust our great and good Master for that support which he has uniformly promised. When the mind is thus prepared, it is peculiarly fitted to receive divine impressions; and as we yield obedience to the requirings of duty, which may be opened before us, though at first they may appear small and contrary to our natural inclination, we shall surely witness an increase of strength. If we continue faithful, we shall know by incontrovertible evidence in the secret of our souls, "that we have not followed cunningly devised fables," (2 Pet. i. 16.) but, through the power of redeeming love, have been enabled to build upon the "sure foundation," (2 Tim. ii. 19.) the immutable Rock of truth. While these dispositions of mind are experienced, our whole lives |