right to complain because the Gentiles have been preferred, but that you would have no right to complain, even if you were to become the objects of God's vengeance. You cannot forget, in the history of your own nation, the example of Pharaoh. You are acquainted with his obstinacy and disobe dience. You know that he stifled his convictions from day to day. You know that by stifling these, or by resisting God's Holy Spirit, he became daily more hardened; and that, by allowing himself to become daily more hardened, he fitted himself for a vessel of wrath, or prepared the way for his own destruction. You know, at length, that God's judgments, but not till after much long-suffering, came upon him, so that the power of God became thus manifested to many. But if you know all these things, and continue in unrighteousness and unbelief, which were the crimes of Pharaoh also, why do you imagine that your hearts will not become hardened like the heart of Pharaoh; or that, if you are guilty of Pharaoh's crimes, you are not deserving of Pharaoh's punishment ?"

CHAP

CHAPTER IX.

Recapitulation of all the doctrines hitherto laid down with respect to the influence of the Spiritobjection to this, that the Quakers make every thing of the Spirit, and but little of Jesus Christ -objection only noticed to show that Christians have not always a right apprehension of scrips tural terms, and therefore often quarrel with one another about trifles-or that there is, in this particular case, no difference between the doctrine of the Quakers and that of the objectors on this subject.

I SHALL now recapitulate in few words, or in one general proposition, all the doctrines which have been advanced relative to the power of the Spirit; and shall just notice an argument, which will probably arise on such a recapitulation, before I proceed to a new subject.

The Quakers, then, believe that the Spirit of God formed or created the world. They believe that it was given to men, after the formation of it, as a guide to them in their spiritual concerns. They believe that it was

continued

continued to them after the Deluge, in the same manner and for the same purposes, to the time of Christ. It was given, however, in this interval to different persons in different degrees. Thus the Prophets received a greater portion of it than ordinary persons in their own times. Thus Moses was more illuminated by it than his cotemporaries; for it became through him the Author of the Law. In the time of Christ it continued the same office; but it was then given more diffusively than before, and also more diffusively to some than to others. Thus the Evangelists and Apostles received it in an extraordinary degree; and it became through them, and Jesus Christ their head, the Author of the Gospel. But, besides its office of a spiritual light and guide to men in their spiritual concerns, during all the period now assigned, it became to them, as they attended to its influence, an inward redeemer, producing in them a new birth, and leading them to perfection. And as it was thus both a guide and an inward redeemer, so it has continued these offices to the present day.

From hence it will be apparent, that the

acknow

、

acknowledgment of God's Holy Spirit in its various operations, as given in different portions before and after the sacrifice of Christ, is the acknowledgment of a principle which is the great corner-stone of the religion of the Quakers. Without this there can be no knowledge, in their opinion, of spiritual things. Without this there can be no spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures themselves. Without this there can be no redemption by inward, though there may be redemption by outward, means. Without this there can be no enjoyment of the knowledge of divine things. Take, therefore, this principle away from them, and you take away their religion at once. Take away the Spirit, and Christianity remains with them no more Christianity, than the dead carcase of a man when the Spirit is departed remains a man. Whatsoever is excellent, whatsoever is noble, whatsoever is worthy, whatsoever is desirable in the Christian faith, they ascribe to this Spirit; and they believe that true Christianity can no more subsist without it, than the outward world could go on without the vital influence of the sun.

Now an objection will be made to the propo

proposition, as I have just stated it, by some Christians, and even by those who do not wish to derogate from the Spirit of God, (for I have frequently heard it started by such,) that the Quakers, by means of these doctrines, make every thing of the Spirit, and but little of Jesus Christ*. I shall therefore notice this objection in this place, not so much with a view of answering it, as of attempting to show, that Christians have not always a right apprehension of scriptural terms, and therefore that they sometimes quarrel with one another about trifles; or rather, that when they have disputes with each other, there is sometimes scarcely a shade of difference between them.

To those who make the objection I shall describe the proposition, which has been stated above, in different terms. I shall leave out the words "Spirit of God," and I shall wholly substitute the term "Christ." This I shall do upon the authority of some of

* The Quakers make much of the advantages of Christ's coming in the flesh. Among these are considered the sacrifice of his own body, a more plentiful diffusion of the Spirit, and a clearer revelation relative to God and nian.

our