incumbent on Christians to meet often together, (c) in testimony of their dependence on their heavenly Father, and for a renewal of their spiritual strength we therefore in common with almost all who profess the Christian name, are in the practice of assembling for this purpose on the First day of the week; and it is also our practice to hold a meeting for worship on some other day, about the middle of the week.-The due observance 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, we believe to be incumbent on a Christian community, agreeably to the authority of Holy Scripture; and of incalculable importance in its results.

Although we have thus our stated times for assembling together for the performance of public worship, nevertheless we dare not depend, for our acceptance with God, on a formal repetition of the words and experience of others: but we believe it to be our duty to lay aside (d) the activity of the imagination, and to wait in silence to have a true sight of our condition bestowed upon us: Heb. x. 25.

(c) Thus "Each not only partakes of the particular refreshment and strength which comes from the good in himself, but is a sharer of the whole body, as being a living member of the body, having a joint fellowship and communion with all.” Barclay's Apology, Prop. xi. § 8. (d) If any should object the difficulty of laying aside the activity of the imagination, let such consider the following

believing even a single sigh,* arising from such a sense of our infirmities, and of the need we have of divine help, to be more acceptable to God, than any performances, however specious, which originate in the will of man.

From what has been said respecting worship, it follows that the ministry we approve must have its origin from the same scource: for that which is needful for a man's own direction, and for his acceptance with God, must be eminently so to enable him to be helpful to others. Accordingly we believe that the renewed assistance of the light and power of Christ, is indispensably necessary for all true ministry; and that this holy influence is not at our command, or to be procured by study, but is the free gift of God to chosen and devoted servants. Hence arises our testimony against preaching for hire, in contradiction to Christ's positive command, "Freely ye have received freely give ;"+ and hence our conscientious refusal to support such ministry, by tithes or other means.

As we dare not encourage any ministry, but that which we believe to spring from the influence of the Holy Spirit, so neither dare we attempt to *Rom. viii. 26. Matt. x. 8.

statement:-That it is our duty to maintain a watch over our thoughts, by endeavouring to preserve our attention from being carried away by such as manifestly originate in our own natural will or habits, and to wait patiently for the arising of the life of Christ: which by bringing every thought into subjection, produces a true inward silence, and therein affords a true sense of our condition.

:

*

The

restrain this ministry to persons of any condition in life, or to the male sex alone; but, as male and female are one in Christ, we hold it proper that such of the female sex as we believe to be endued with a right qualification for the ministry, should excercise their gifts for the general edification of the church and this liberty we esteem a peculiar mark of the gospel dispensation, as foretold by the prophet Joel, and noticed by the apostle Peter.t There are two ceremonies in use among most professors of the Christian name, Water-Baptism, and what is termed the Lord's Supper. first of these is generally esteemed the essential means of initiation into the Church of Christ; and the latter, of maintaining, communion with him. But as we have been convinced, that nothing short of his redeeming power, inwardly revealed, can set the soul free from the thraldrom of sin; by this power alone we believe salvation to be effected. We hold that as there is one Lord and one faith, so his baptism is one, in nature and operation; that nothing short of it can make us living members of his mystical body; and that the baptism with water, administered by his forerunner John, belonged, as the latter confessed, to an inferior and decreasing dispensation.§

With respect to the other rite, we believe that communion between Christ and his church is not maintained by that, or by any other external per* Joel ii. 28. 29. † Acts. ii, 16-18. ↑ Eph. iv. 5.

§ John iii. 30,

formance, but only by a real participation of his divine nature through faith; that this is the supper alluded to in the Revelation, "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me ;"+ and that where the substance is attained, it is unnecessary to attend to the shadow; which doth not confer grace, and concerning which, opinions so different, and animosities so violent, have arisen.

Now, as we thus believe that the grace of God, which comes by Jesus Christ, is alone sufficient for salvation, we can neither admit that it is conferred on a few only, whilst others are left without it; nor, thus asserting its universality, can we limit its operation to a partial cleansing of the soul from sin, even in this life. We entertain worthier notions both of the power and goodness of our heavenly Father, and believe that he doth vouchsafe to assist the obedient to experience a total surrender of the natural will, to the guidance of his pure unerring Spirit; through whose renewed assistance they are enabled to bring forth fruits unto holiness, and to stand perfect in their present rank.‡

There are not many of our tenets more generally known than our testimony against Oaths, and against War. With respect to the former of these, we abide literally by Christ's positive injunction, delivered in his sermon on the mount, "Swear not 2 Pet. i. 4. + Rev. iii. 20. Mat. v. 48. Eph. iv. 13. Col, iv. 12.

at all."* From the same sacred collection of the most excellent precepts of moral and religious duty, from the example of our Lord himself,+ and from the correspondent convictions of his Spirit in our hearts, we are confirmed in the belief that wars and fightings are, in their origin and effects, utterly repugnant to the gospel; which still breathes peace and good-will to men. We also are clearly of the judgment, that if the benevolence of the Gospel were generally prevalent in the minds of men, it would effectually prevent them from oppressing, much more from enslaving, their brethren (of whatever colour or complexion,) for whom, as for themselves, Christ died; and would even influence their conduct in their treatment of the brute creation; which would no longer groan, the victims of their avarice, or of their false ideas of pleasure.

Some of our tenets have in former times, as hath been shown, subjected our Friends to much suffering from Government; though to the salutary purposes of Government, our principles are a security. They inculcate submission to the laws in all cases wherein conscience is not violated. But we hold, that as Christ's kingdom is not of this world, it is not the business of the civil magistrate to interfere in matters of religion; but to maintain the external peace and good order of the community. We therefore think persecution, * Matt, v, 34. + Matt. v. 39. 44, &c. xxvi. 52. 53. Luke xxii. 51. John xviii, 11.