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That it is our true interest, as well as duty, to be faithful in the observance of such a course, is sufficiently evident from this single consideration—that, in the sight of Him who is the Judge of all men, and the Author of every blessing, "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of rams." But the same inference may be deduced from another position, equally incontrovertible; viz., that the Christian's religious prosperity and advancement in grace will ever be found to depend, in a great degree, upon keeping his own right place in the body of Christ.

It is by no means difficult to figure to ourselves the case of a loose and latitudinarian quaker, and to mark the dangers by which he is surrounded. Placed, by the good hand of Divine Providence, under that high administration of Christianity which I have now been endeavouring to describe, and plainly called upon to glorify God by the steady maintenance of our peculiar religious testimonies, he flies from the mortifications which they involve, and pacifies his conscience with the persuasion that nothing more is necessary for him than an adherence to those fundamental truths, the profession of which is common to Christians in general. The impartial observer will, probably, allow that such an individual greatly deceives himself, and falls into a very dangerous snare. He stifles the secret convictions of his own mind, quenches the gentle and salutary influences of the Lord's Spirit, leans to his own understanding, indulges himself in plausible and misapplied reasoning, and departs from that practical confidence in God, which is the life and substance of true religion. Although he may cherish the notion that he is still maintaining the general principles of Christianity, he neglects to carry those principles into detail, omits his own duty, and fails to occupy that station in the church which has been really assigned to him by the Shepherd and Bishop of souls. The lamentable consequences of such a failure-of such a frustration of the gracious purposes of his Divine Master-are but too evident. So far is he from growing in grace, and from prospering in that course which is trodden by all the followers of Christ, that he too often dwindles into a carnal, lifeless, and worldly spirit, and gradually loses his footing on the Rock of Ages.

It has occasionally happened, that some of our members, who

1 1 Sam. xv. 22.

have never thoroughly understood or embraced the sentiments of Friends, and who have been thrown into much intimate association with other Christians, have quitted the ranks of the Society, and have been permitted, under some other administration of religion, to pursue their course with religious zeal and fidelity. Although I am persuaded that such persons would never have forsaken so pure and practical a form of Christianity, had they been more fully aware of the Christian grounds and real value of our principles, it is not to them that the observations now offered are intended to be applied, but to another class of persons, somewhat more numerous than they ;-persons, whose notions of religion are derived, almost exclusively, through the medium of Friends, and who are secretly convinced of the truth of our principles; but who, nevertheless, are unfaithful to the light bestowed upon them, and pusillanimously forsake the peculiar testimonies of the Society, as soon as they are exposed by them to the necessity of denying their own wills, and of bearing the cross of Christ. Such persons have both known and slighted the visitations of divine love in their hearts; and now, perhaps, they are left in a state of dwarfishness and sterility, destitute at once both of the form and of the substance of religion. Our gracious Redeemer appears to have marked out for us, within his varied and extended fold, a little space, where we may dwell in safety, and find abundant opportunity to promote "the glory of God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good-will to men." But, no sooner do we transgress the limits by which we are encircled, forsake our own station, and neglect the performance of those particular duties in the church, which are committed to our charge, than we lose our religious strength, and are in great danger of falling back into the spirit of a vain and irreligious world. Finally, when this lamentable effect is produced, "the salt has lost its savour," and is "thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.'

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Let us, then, be circumspect, steady, and bold, in the observance of our peculiar religious testimonies. Believing, as I trust we do, that they are given us in charge by Him who "hath all power in heaven and in earth," let us pray for his grace, that we may be preserved from the snares of the enemy, and may be enabled, in an

1 Matt. v. 13.

awful day to come, to give a good account of our stewardship. We know that, in exact proportion with the measure of light bestowed upon us, is the weight, the extent, the awfulness of our responsibility.

Here it may not be improper to remark, that the true efficacy of our religious peculiarities will greatly depend on the degree of completeness with which we maintain them. The double-minded man is declared to be "unstable in all his ways;" and nothing, surely, is more calculated to diminish our usefulness in the church than a want of true consistency. The garment "mingled of linen and woollen" was forbidden under the law; and such a garment (to employ the expression in a metaphorical sense) is worn by those persons, who, in some of their actions, adopt the highest standard of Christian conduct, and on other occasions are content with one of a much lower character. Is not such a description in some degree applicable to the member of the Society of Friends who refuses to take an oath, but consents to the payment of ecclesiastical demands? or to him who bears a clear testimony in respect to tithes, but indirectly assists in military operations, or carries arms in selfdefence? or to him who is faithful in all these particulars, but conforms to the fashions of the world in his language, manners, and appearance? or to him who wears a plain dress, but scruples not the use of flattering titles? I have already found occasion to remark, that throughout the religious system adopted by Friends there exists an unbroken harmony-a real adaptation of practice with practice, and of part with part; and no sooner is any one of our testimonies forsaken, than this harmony is interrupted, and the work is, in some degree, (whether greater or less) marred upon the wheel. It cannot, indeed, be expected that those persons, whether members of the Society or otherwise, who are under the influence of convincement, should be brought to see the whole of their duty at once. It is more probable that the several points of prospect should open upon them in succession. But, as they are preserved in watchfulness unto prayer, and enabled to "follow on to know the Lord," I believe they will find that our several religious views and practices are the result of perfectly accordant principles, and flow from the same Spirit; and that, in order to glorify God in the way which he has thus cast up for us, it is needful that we maintain them all, in a simple, undeviating, and consistent, manner.

Many of my readers must, indeed, be well aware, that the performance of our duty, in these respects, is no light, easy, or familiar matter. In abstaining from so great a variety of practices which we deem to be inconsistent with the spirituality and purity of the Gospel, and in thus opposing the opinions and habits of the generality of our fellow-Christians, it is our lot, as I have already observed, to tread a very narrow path, and to be exposed to many circumstances of a mortifying nature. Let us, then, seek to be preserved in deep humility; for this is a condition of mind which, above all others, will be found to soften the asperities and to diminish the difficulty of our course. The more our own pride and vanity are laid low, the more we are redeemed from the pursuit of that false honour which is given and received by man-the better shall we be prepared for the service of Christ, and the less will be the pain of our conflict, in becoming fools in the sight of the world for his sake. And, truly, we need not fear to take up the cross, which we are thus called upon to bear; for if we be but faithful in following the monitions of our heavenly Guide, we shall find that his grace is sufficient for us, and that true wisdom is still "justified of her children." It will be amply proved in our experience, as it is in that of every humble and devoted Christian, that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God stronger than men." Nor shall we dare to repine, when we reflect on the known character of the Christian calling: "For ye see your calling, brethren," said the apostle, "how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence.

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Having thus considered the dangers and evils which attach to the latitudinarian professor of the truth, as we hold it, we ought by no means to forget those which are equally inseparable from the condition of the formalist. Such is the weakness, such the deceitfulness, of our hearts, that our very abstinence from forms may sometimes

1 1 Cor. i. 26-29.

become formal, and our several religious peculiarities may be maintained in the spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees, who paid "tithe of mint, and annise, and cummin," and omitted "the weightier matters of the law-judgement, mercy, and faith." It is an awful thing to be liable, in any respect, to the charge of hypocrisy; for this is a sin which, as it finds a place in us, must not only render us very offensive in the sight of God, but can never fail to retard the progress of that cause which we profess to love and to promote. When those who object to war in all its forms, as inconsistent with the Christian principle of love, forget in their private life, the law of meekness and long-suffering, and yield themselves a prey to wrath, malice, envy, and bitterness; when those who speak of worshipping the Father in a pre-eminently spiritual manner, are really living in the neglect of devotional duty; when those who sedulously shun the idle vanities of general society are seduced into that covetousness which is idolatry, or are found indulging their gross and sinful appetites; when those who, in professed adherence to the law of truth, refuse to substitute even the You for the Thou, are found defective in common sincerity of language, or integrity of conduct;then, indeed, the cause of truth is fearfully laid waste, and all that is distinguishing in our religious system is thrown, to the eyes of an inquiring world, into a deep and almost impenetrable shade.

Although we may reasonably entertain the hope, that the character of but few of our members will correspond, in any great degree, to the description now given, that description may, nevertheless, be partially and 'slightly applicable to many; and all of us, indeed, who are attached by the force of long-continued habit to the practices of Friends, have great need of watchfulness, lest we fall into this snare of our enemy;-lest, while he leaves us in quiet possession of the figure or shell, he rob us of the substance and kernel of our religion.

In conclusion, I would remark, that the true preservative from any such dereliction of the virtue, honour, and love, which become our religious profession, as well as from the neglect of those duties, which are, in some degree, confined to ourselves, will ever be found in the fear of God, and in a steady, abiding, reliance upon our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If Christ be made unto us, of the Father, "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," we shall

1 Matt. xxiii. 23.

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