CLARKSON'S PORTRAITURE OF QUAKERISM. (Concluded from page 305.)

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S the Quakers maintain the neceffity of being under the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit for the ordinary purposes of the Chriftian life, of course, they hold this divine influence to be effentially neceffary as a qualification for the Chriftian miniftry. Conformably with this principle, they set aside human learning, a preparatory education, and the laying on of hands in the way of ordination. In fupport of their notion and practice, Mr. Clarkfon adduces the names of Juftin Martyr and Chryfoftom among the antients; and of Luther, Calvin, Wickliffe, Tyndal the martyr, Dr. Dell, and John Milton, of the modern ages. He has, however, omitted to quote the words of the fathers and reformers, nor has he even condefcended to refer us to the pages in their works where their fentiments on the fubject may be found. This is a curious way of citing authorities, but it can impofe only upon the grofsly ignorant, or the ftupidly indolent. No man of an inquifitive mind, whatever may be his prejudices, will be fatisfied with fuch a groupe of filent evidences, who are neither fuffered to speak nor to explain their own meaning. An invidious paffage is indeed extracted from Milton, but his hatred to the whole order of priesthood, and the favage ferocity of his mind, whenever he had occasion to speak of ecclefiaftical concerns, render his opinion on this fubject of no weight. The character of Dell is equally exceptionable. Even the men of his own party, looked upon him with contempt. Richard Baxter, no mean judge, fays of him "that Dell neither understood himself, nor was understood by others, any further than to be one who took Reason, Sound Doctrine, Order and Concord, to be intolerable maladies of church and flate, because they were the greatest ftrangers to his mind."

Three remarkable circumftances are recorded of this confiftent divine.

"1.

He was profeffedly an opponent of Infant Baptifm, and yet had his own children baptized. 2. He preached against universities and all academical inftitutions, while he continued to hold the head fhip of a college. 3. He preached and wrote against tithes, and at the fame time re

ceived tithes and other fees at his living of Yeldon".

So much for Dr. Dell, to whofe authority on this fubject, Mr. Clarkfon might have added the refpectable name of Cobler Howe, of Gloucefter, who publifhed a famous tract at that period, entituled "The Sufficiency of the Spirit's Teaching." This delectable performance has been lately revived, and is confidered as a kind of text-book and vade-mecum, by the tinkers, coblers, and taylors, who take up the fixpenny privilege of preaching the Gofpel.'"

The right of women to preach, is contended for by the Quakers, and the practice, which is very common among them, is here vindicated in direct oppofition to the authority of St. Paul, who fays "Let your women keep filence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak." To get rid of this troublesome text, it is roundly afferted, that the charge of the Apostle has no allufion to "preaching" but to the making of fpeeches, and the putting of queftions; for according to a wonderful discovery made by Mr. Clarkson, the primitive churches were debating focieties, in which one member frequently interrupted another. The women it feems, were particularly troublesome on thefe occafions, and, according to the natural infirmity of the fex, their curiofity and propensity to tattle, led them oftentimes to disturb the order of debate. Now fuppofing this to be a true reprefentation, we cannot fee, upon the principles of the Quakers, backed by the authority of Cobler Howe or Doctor Dell, why the women had not full as much right to difplay their oratory on one occafion as the other, or that if they had the high privilege of addreffing the whole church, è cathedrá, why they fhould be refufed the leffer right of afking questions concerning doctrine, or difcipline.

The apoftolical command, however, is peremptory and plain against the "fpeaking of women at all in the church," it will therefore require better fophiftry than this, to prove that "preaching" is not included in the prohibition. Such miferable fubterfuges are unworthy of any cause, and they particularly difgrace a mafter of arts, who muft know if his reading in ecclefiaftical hiftory has extended to the early writers of Chriftianity, that no fuch thing was ever heard of as a female preacher among Chriftians, till the rife of Montanifm, of which herefy, Quakerifm is the counterpart.

Much is faid about the fermons of the Quakers, and the author labours to defend not only the general fubjects of

them,

them, but the canting manner in which they are ufually delivered.

He fays "They always deliver their difcourfes with great ferioufnefs. They are alfo fingularly bold and honeft when they feel it to be their duty, in the cenfure of the vices of individuals, whatever may be the riches they enjoy. They are reported also, from unquestionable authority, to have extraordinary fkill in difcerning the internal condition of thofe who attend their miniftry; fo that many feeling their advice to be addreffed to themselves, have refolved upon amendment in the feveral cafes to which their preaching feemed to be applied."

The "extraordinary fkill" which is here mentioned in fuch a manner as to make weak readers believe, that the modern Quakers poffefs the fame faculty as was claimed by Fox and his immediate difciples, namely, that of "difcerning fpirits,"" or of "knowing the hearts of men," arifes from nothing more than the intimacy which fubfifls between the teachers and the families of their feft: It is the practice of thefe teachers, to vifit all the members of their fociety in turn, and this of course, brings them intimately acquainted with their private characters and circumftances; it therefore requires no "extraordinary skill" for men and women so informed, to level their occafional difcourfes at particular perfons. It would indeed be very extraordinary, if in fuch a fyftem and order of things, this inquifitive fpirit did not frequently produce that public mode of advice and reprehenfion, which might lead the perfons addreffed to conclude that the teacher was divinely led into a knowledge of their condition. This " ex traordinary fkill" naturally reminds us of the fupernal faga city difplayed by Sidrophel after he had received his cue from Whachum,

Whose business was to pump and wheedle,

And men with their own keys unriddle.

The fame "extraordinary fkill" is often to be found among other fectaries, particularly the Methodists, and it has its origin with them precifely from the fame cause, the familiar intercourse maintained between the preachers and the people. By thofe means, much minute information is obtained, of which artful ufe is made, and no doubt, a confiderable impreffion produced on the minds of the hearers. We have heard fome pious, but weak perfons, express their firm perfuafion that the paftor was divinely led to defcribe their cafes and character in his fermon, when in fact he had previously obtained all the particulars from 3 N their Vol. XIII. Churchm. Mag. for December 1807.

their own lips, or from the information of one in their confidence.

In vindication of the filent meetings of the Quakers, feve ral authorities are produced, and the firft is the father of the Quietists, Michael de Molinos; but to fuch an oracle who will attend, even in this age of hypothetical extravagance?

Among other names brought forward by Mr. Clarkson, are thofe of the ever-memorable John Hales and bishop Smalridge, but we fcruple not to fay, that they are impertinently produced, and most unfairly quoted. Thefe respectable writers it is true, were great advocates for mental prayer, but not more fo than bishop Butler, and other profound divines of our church; what however has this to do with filent worship in public? They thought, and every man of fense and seriousness must be of the fame opinion, that prayer does not confift in bending the knees, in the service of the lips, or in the lifting up of the hands and eyes to heaven. When they maintained this, could they suppose that their words would be preffed into the fervice of Quietifm; or could they poffibly conceive, that by any rule of fair conftruction, their arguments for the prayer of the heart would ferve to prove external worship unneceffary?

But Mr. Clarkfon is as unfortunate in his reafoning as in citing evidences.

"It must be obvious" fays he " that in these filent meetings, men cannot become chargeable before God, either with hypocrify or falfehood, by pretending to worship him with their lips, when their affections are far from him, or by uttering a language that is inconfiftent with the feelings of the

heart.'

In reply to this miferable sophiftry, we fhall not scruple as pofitively to contend that there must be at least as much hypocrify and falfehood in these meetings, as in places where the worship is conftantly oral.

It will not be denied, that the Quakers profeffedly go to their meeting for the purpose of public worship, and for edification; now the younger part of the congregation, and tlofe who are not in the habit of speaking, must be deprived of inftruction if all the preachers remain filent. But perhaps it will be faid that they may meditate. That, however, they might as well do at home, or in fome fuitable place of retirement. Now it is impoffible that where fo many perfons of different ages and difpofitions are affembled together, the minds of all can be compofed into folemnity of thought and abftractednef

abstractedness from worldly concerns. According to the plea of the Quakers, they fit in thefe meetings waiting for the motion of the Spirit, and worshipping God in their hearts; but they will hardly prefume to fay that every individual among them has his mind intent upon fpiritual things. Of the many who fit penfive, with their eyes fhut under the fhade of their broad beavers, fome would be found, if we could penetrate their bofoms, meditating the price of fugar, anticipating the arrival of a fleet, or the event of fome commercial speculation. Whatever may be the case with regard to the chofen few who occupy the elevated benches of the meeting, of thefe, at least, it must be faid that they are hypocrites, and are guilty of falsehood to God and man, though they do not fay a word. Their deportment has the appearance of fanctity and devotion; and they would be thought by their junior brethren to be waiting on the Lord, while in fact, under all their affected gravity, they are bufily employed about fecular things, and their thoughts are wandering, like the fool's eye, to the ends of the earth.

On the fentiments of the Quakers with refpect to the great Chriftian doctrines of Original Sin, the Trinity, the Refurrection and Juftification, Mr. Clarkson is very concife, and evidently much embarraffed. Indeed, it is no eafy matter to ftate what are the precife opinions of the Quakers upon thefe fubjects; but it is an error to say that these fectaries have avoided much perplexity and difficulty, by adhering to fcriptural terms. On the contrary, their language upon the most important points, is myftical and confufed in the extreme. They admit of Father, Son, and Spirit, in the Deity, but it is plain enough that in their eftimation, the diftinction is only nominal, and Fox exprefsly declared, that it was "God the Father who took upon him human nature." It is remarkable enough, that Mr. Clarkfon does not once quote the father of Quakerifm in this part of his work; though he has drawn the character of Fox to the highest advantage in the Introduction. The omiffion is no proof of that candour, to which Mr. Clark fon makes fuch great pretensions. He must know, for he has read the writings of Fox, that this fanatick called himself the " Son of God" and "Chrift who was yesterday, to day, and for ever," which blafphemy was pretended to be accounted for, on the ground that " Chrift" or the "Word" or the " Light" was only a divine principle which dwelt in Jefus, and afterwards was in George Fox,

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