A.

D. was to turn them to the grace of God, and to the truth in the 1648. heart, which came by Jesus Christ; that by this grace they might be taught (which would bring them salvation): that their hearts might be established by it, their words might be seasoned and all might come to know their salvation nigh. I saw Christ died for all men, was a propitiation for all, and enlightened all, men and women, with his Divine and saving light; and that none could be true believers but those who believe therein. 1 saw that the grace of God, which brings salvation, had appeared to all men, and that the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every man to profit withall. (h)

"These things I did not see by the help of man, nor by the letter, though they are written in the letter; but I saw them in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by his immediate Spirit and power; as did the Holy men of God by whom the Holy Scriptures were written."- "Yet I had no slight esteem for the Holy Scriptures; they were very precious to me; for I was in that Spirit by which they were given forth: and what the Lord opened in me I afterwards found was agreeable to them. I could speak much of these things, and many volumes might be written --but all would prove too short to set forth the infinite love, wisdom, and power of God, in preparing, fitting, and furnishing me for the service he had appointed me to-letting me see the depths of Satan on the one hand, and opening to me on the other hand the Divine mysteries of his own Everlasting kingdom. (i)

(h) Titus ii, 11. 1 Cor. xii, 7. Journ. p. 20, 21.

(i) In his second Proposition, Of immediate revelation' Robert Barclay says, § xi. But there are some that will confess, that the Spirit doth now lead and influence the saints, but that he doth it only subjectively-by enlightening their understandings to understand and believe the truths delivered in the Scriptures; but not at all by presenting those truths to the mind by way of object—and this they call Medium incognitum assentiendi, as that [medium of assent] of whose working a man is not sensible."

I may remark, here by the way, that these persons go the full length required by us at this day (at least by myself, and others whom I could cite) to justify George Fox, in his pretensions to immediate revelation; so far as this consists in having the truths contained in the letter of Holy Scripture (and which are yet a mystery to the unconverted) made clear to him, by the influence of God's Holy Spirit operating as Light in his understanding. Barclay goes on, thus, in reply to the objection,

"This opinion, though somewhat more tolerable than the former, is nevertheless not altogether according to truth, neither doth it reach the fulness of it:

1. Because there be many truths which, as they are applicable to particulars and individuals, and most needful to be known by them, are in no wise to be found in scripture, as in the following proposition shall be shewn.

Besides, the arguments already adduced do prove, that the Spirit doth not only subjectively help us to discern truths elsewhere delivered, but also objectively present those truths to our minds. For that which teacheth me all things, and is given me for that end, without doubt presents those things to my mind, which it

A. D.

Geo. Fox having in the preceeding year opposed a priest in 1649. his pulpit, at Nottingham, and having been therefore imprisoned, "a pretty long time," is now set at liberty, and travels in the counties of Nottingham, Leceister, Derby and Warwick; making a number of proselytes to his doctrine, and taking his first taste of personal ill usage from opposers. (k)

1650.

William III, born. Geo. Fox appearing at a divinity lecture at Derby, and preaching there, unbidden, is imprisoned: probably in consequence of having asserted before the examining magistrates the doctrine of perfect sanctification, even in this life, by Christ in the Spirit. The charge was blasphemy! He had at first a companion in this imprisonment, who procured his own release. Fox continues in prison the six months prescribed by the Committment: at the expiration of which he is publicly offered the post of captain in the Parliamentary army, and even courted to accept it. He flatly refuses; alleging his Christian principle against all war and fighting-is imprisoned nearly six months longer, and at length discharged. He writes during this time many papers of remonstrance to the priests and magistrates, and of counsel to his friends in religious communion. (1)

From these we learn his disapprobation of religious persecution -of putting men to death for theft (he proposes the Jewish punishment of slavery, or restitution four-fold) of oaths, and of bribery.

As to the priests, he accuses them of refusing to labour, of preaching for hire, of teaching that there is no freedom from sin in this life, and of unjust rule over the people. "Take away

their means (he says) and they will bear rule over you no longer!" I shall hereafter have to make some kind of apology in George's

(k) Journ. p. 24-28. (1) Journ. p. 29-48.

teacheth me. It is not said, It shall teach you how to understand those things that are written, but, It shall teach you all things—before the all things were written. Again, That which brings all things to my remembrance must needs present them by way of object. Else it were improper to say it brought them to my remembrance; but only that it helpeth to remember the object brought from

elsewhere.

2. "My second argument shall be drawn from the nature of the New Covenant, by which, and those that follow, I shall prove that we are led by the spirit both immediately and objectively. The nature of the New Covenant is expressed in divers places: and 1st, Isa. lix. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them saith the Lord. My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put into thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.' By the latter part of this is sufficiently expressed the perpetuity and continuance of this promise. It shall not depart, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. In the former part is the promise itself; which is the Spirit of God being upon them, and the words of God being put into their mouths.

First, this was immediate; for there is no mention made of any medium: he saith not, I shall, by the means of such and such writings or books, convey such

A. D. behalf for this 'radical' counsel; and to shew what would 1651. probably have satisfied him, then, as it would certainly content

1652.

us, now, on the snbject of a maintenance for those whose time is honestly devoted to the work of public religious instruction. Under a sudden persuasion of " a command from the Lord,' Geo. Fox passes with his shoes off through Lichfield, crying "Woe to the bloody city of Lichfield." He seems to have been under very strong mental excitement on this occasion, and states that there seemed to him " to be a channel of blood running down the streets, and the market-place appeared like a pool of blood." No one laid hands on him, and he went out of the town in peace. He ascribes the "prophecy" (to give to this act the antient scriptural name) to the fact, which he learned afterwards, that in the Emperor Dioclesian's time a thousand Christians were martyred in Lichfield. I may have occasion to investigate in its place the grounds of this interpretation, and of his conduct in the thing. Suffice it here to say, that nothing like it appeared in him afterwards. (m)

Having preached through Yorkshire, and some parts of Westmoreland and Lancashire, (under much personal ill-treatment and through much disputation) his doctrine gains ground, as well among persons of education, and those moving in the higher circles, as among the more humble in circumstances, and illiterate. (n)

(To be continued)

and such words into your mouths, but, My words I, even I, saith the Lord, have put into your mouths.

"Secondly, this must be objectively; for the words put into the mouth are the object presented by him. He saith not, The words which ye shall see written my spirit shall only enlighten your understandings to assent unto; but positively, My words, which I have put into thy mouth, &c. From whence I argue thus: Upon whomsoever the Spirit remaineth always, and putteth words into his mouth, him doth the Spirit teach immediately, objectively, and continually: But the Spirit is always upon the seed of the righteous, and putteth words into their mouths, neither departeth from them: Therefore, the Spirit teacheth the righteous immediately, objectively and continually.

"The nature of the New Covenant is yet more amply expressed, Jer. xxxi. 33. which is, again, repeated and re-asserted by the apostle, Heb. viii. 10. 11. in these words: For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days [of restoration] saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people; and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest.' The object, here, is God's law placed in the heart, and written in the mind; from whence they become God's people, and are brought truly to know him."

So far Barclay-of the many truths which, being applicable to individuals, and needful to be known by them, are yet not found in Holy Scripture, I may treat further in the continuation of this subject. Ed.

(m) Journ, p. 49. (n) Journ. p. 50-75.

ART. II.-Tithe controversy continued; Professor Lee, and Joseph Storrs Fry.

Since my publication of No. XIII, Professor Lee has met the Rejoinder of my friend Joseph Storrs Fry with a Rebutter-for such are the proper designations on each side-the controversy having begun with the Friends Yearly Meeting paper, to which the Professor replied. As I conclude the matter will not end here between them, I shall leave the special pleadings to the parties themselves, my account of the pretended grants of Offa and Ethelwolph having anticipated most of the general argument. The Professor rejects stoutly the imputation of asking a maintenance for the Clergy, or of taking wages for preaching the Gospel. He thinks that, though the example of our Lord, and both the doctrine and example of the apostle Paul, establish the position, that Christians ought to support Ministers who labour for their edification (not indeed those who serve them not) yet that this conclusion is unessential to the validity of the claim, which the Ministers of the Church of England make to Tithes. He puts this on what he doubtless finds much firmer ground, the present Legal obligation; which constitutes it a debt. He says "the fact of the case is, the tithe payments which they expect are not favours but debts, and to the discharge of which they have as good a claim, as the landlords of the several estates on which they are collected have to their rents." And he spends much of the book in endeavouring to make it appear, First that Offa and Ethelwolph, &c. had a good title to their lands, (which was possession, through inheritance or conquest) and consequently a clear right to give them to whom they thought proper: Secondly, that Ethelwolph was neither a fool nor an enthusiast; nor was cajoled or cheated into his grant, but that it was freely made.

Thirdly, that this grant was in the nature of a rent-charge, and consequently

Fourthly, that no one can now hold land without feeling himself obliged, if he be an honest man and a Christian, to the payment of the said rent in the shape of tithe. His adversary having admitted the legal obligation incurred under acts of the British Parliament, and hinted, that what Parliament established, Parliament could also set aside, the Professor feels indignant at the very supposition of such a catastrophe, and accuses my friend of an intent "to threaten the clergy of the established Church, by shaking at them a revolutionary act of Parliament."

I

may probably have occasion, in an early number of this work, to go more fully into the question of the difference between tithe and rentcharge-in producing the report of a controversy between our late friend Joseph Gurney Bevan and a beneficed clergyman, my neighbour, to the origin of which I was myself a party.

Suffice it to say, here, that the possession of land is one thing, the cultivation another. That without the latter, there arises no great tithe: Then, where is the Professor's rent-charge?-That, supposing

cultivation and a crop, no part of this is tithe till it has been set forth by the owner, or by some person authorized to do it between him and the claimant: That the neglect or refusal to do this, is an Ecclesiastical, not a civil trespass; and that if civil process ensue, it is because the power of the bishop has been found insufficient, without the aid of the king, to argue the party into the payment of the demand"-see my No. XIII. p. 203—Where again, in this case, is the Professor's rentcharge?

I cannot, however, dismiss the subject at this time, without taking notice of the manner (the very picture of that of a counsel fee'd to a bad cause) in which the Professor treats the subject of the pretended grant of tithes by Ethelwolph. Without incumbering my pages with the whole of the Latin, and exhibiting, as I might have done, the petty device of capital type and italics put in place of matter of fact and argument, I shall here give, chiefly in the literal English, what he has brought forward on the subject.

At p. 57 of this little pamphlet of 76 pages, begins the following passage: "With regard to the terms of the grant (he is arguing that the grant was to the Church of England not to the Church of Rome exclusively) in the first place, the following extracts taken from the best authorities now accessible, will perhaps be sufficient and satisfactory. The Saxon Chronicle, under Anno 854 speaks of the transaction in this manner: The same year, King Ethelwolph registered a tenth of his land, over all his kingdom, for the honour of God, and for his own everlasting salvation [to know what is meant by registering here, it is plain we must go to the charter itself], Ingram's Ed. p. 194. Asser, the biographer of Alfred, and one of his illustrious friends and advisers, delivers himself in these words: [in English] In the same year 855, the forementioned venerable king Ethelwolph freed the tenth part of his whole kingdom from all royal service and tribute, and by a perpetual inscription on the cross of Christ, sacrificed it to the Triune God; for the redemption of his own soul and the souls of his ancestors. Elfridi Ed. Wise. p. 8.*

Annales

"Matthew of Westminster states the matter thus [in English] The magnificent monarch King Ethelwolf gave the tenth of his kingdom to God and the blessed Mary and all the saints, free from all secular services, and from all exaction and tribute.'

"And the words of the grant itself, thus: Ego Æthelulfus rex Occidentalium Saxonum, cum consilio Episcoporum ac Principum meorum- -aliquam portionem terræ meæ, Deo, et beatæ Mariæ, et omnibus sanctis, jure perpetuo possidendam concedam, decimam scilicet partem terræ meæ, &c.--ad serviendum soli Deo sine expeditione, &c. (Matt. West. Ed. 1601, p. 158) Now it is curious enough to observe, that in these three authorities [doth he call them authorities?] the terms sanctæ ecclesiæ nowhere occur [ergo, non Romæ datum!]

"So in Magna Charta, as cited by Spelman, p. 65. Ed. 1727. 'Concessimus Deo.' Other editions of this grant may be seen in Selden..