prejudice, and compared with other Scriptures, it will appear that there is not any positive command for it at all, much less is it made a standing ordinance; but left to the option and discretion of his disciples; to whom it was first mentioned how often they should do it, and consequently also, how long they should continue it; as appears by the same text now adduced, viz: "This do, as often as ye do it, in remembrance of me."

declaring the mercy of God the Father, who sent him in love to the whole world, he then said to his disciples, "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before 1 suffer." And at the time of it, as father and chief of his flock and family, he cele brated the passover in form, with this difference only, that whereas the Jews, until that time, in the celebration of it, had looked back to the type and the outward deliverance from Egypt, the Lord now directs them to himself,

he would not any more eat thereof, (the passover) until it should be fulfilled in the kingdom of God; nor drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day "when he should drink it new with them in his Father's kingdom."

But to set this matter in a clearer light, it is well known, that at the time of the redemp-as the antitype of all figures; and tells them, tion of the Jews from their Egyptian slavery, the passover, with the paschal Lamb, was instituted as a standing ordinance in commemoration of it, until Christ the Lamb of God, and antitype of that figure, should come. But as Israel, offending the Lord, was afterwards sent into captivity under the Babylonians, they could not in that state, and under that government, celebrate it in form; and therefore they invented another way to keep that great deliverance in memory, which was this:

The father or chief of the family, at the proper time of the paschal supper, took bread and blessed it, saying, "Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, who gives us the fruit of the earth," then dividing it among the company; in like manner also he took the cup, and blessing it, said, "Blessed be thou, O Lord, who gives us the fruit of the vine." This they did in a solemn manner, remembering their Egyptian slavery and deliverance, lamenting their present state, acknowledging their sins, and the justice of God in their punishment, and hopes of his mercy, from his former kind dealings and gracious promises.

Which eating and drinking in the kingdom. of God, cannot relate to material bread and wine; which can only be exhibited as symbols of the outward body of Christ, and the blood of that holy body; which to be eaten and drank in a natural sense, profiteth nothing: but to the all-quickening virtue and power of his Holy Spirit; which is all in all, and the true feeding to the commonwealth of the whole Israel of God. Therefore this passover, or any part or relative to it, whether bread, wine, or any other matter in it, could be of no further use or obligation to the disciples of Christ, than till they should experience in themselves his divine and spiritual appearance and coming in them; and Him to be the same to their souls or minds, which natural food and drink is to the body; its support, strength, nourishment and means of duration. This coming of Christ, as such, can mean no other than his being made manifest in a spiritual administration: for, as he is that eter. nal Spirit of Truth and Word, wisdom and power of God, it is not strictly proper to say of him, in that sense, that he shall come or go any where, but to be made manifest; for, as such, he ever was, is, and will be, omnipresent, and never absent from any place or time.

His coming then must intend his powerful manifestation where he already is, and not a loco-motive coming from where he is, to any other place where he was not before: "For the heaven of heavens cannot contain him." 2 Chron. ii. 6.

The Jews being thus initiated into this practice, upon so solemn an occasion as the Lord's being pleased to remember them with redemption a second time, the succeeding generations continued it, as incident to the passover, until the Lord Christ, the antitype, as well of the paschal Lamb, as of the bread and wine, did come; who, when he appeared, was declared by John the Baptist, to be "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world" and he declared himself to be "the bread of life, the living bread which came down from heaven:" proclaiming also, and that very emphatically, that his "flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed;" that "except they ate his flesh, and drank his blood, they had no life in them." And all this was meant of the Spirit of Christ, and not of his flesh; "it is the Spirit that quick-membrance of me," laid no obligation upon eneth, the flesh profiteth nothing."

The time drawing near when the Lamb of God was to be slain, and offered as a sacrifice,

Seeing then this was only the passover, and the terms of the application of it to himself not institutive of any new command or ordinance, but a liberty to do or not to do it, at discretion, "this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in re

them to do it any more at all; it being ended by the manifestation of its antitype; and in the nature of the thing, could be of no further

obligation or reasonable use, when Christ himself was witnessed in them, to be that eternal, never-failing, divine substance.

God, through the ignorance and darkness that was in him, and separated also one from an other, as without a proper medium and condi tion of union; but being ordered and prepared by the Father of mercies, through Christ his eternal Word, they become one body, and one spirit, the church; which is his body; the fulness of him who filleth all in all.

The substance of this was what I observed to the doctor, though I have in this place ex patiated somewhat further upon the subject, and generally applied the Scriptures; to which he made little other reply, than by telling me in a very calm and familiar manner, that as he had always believed it to be an ordinance of Christ, he had solemnly used it as such, and found comfort in it.

To which I returned, That I did not doubt but that he might have some satisfaction in it, since he believed it a remaining ordinance,

But the apostle Paul, whose concern for the Jews, and zeal for the conversion of the Gentiles, to whom in an especial manner he was sent, engaged him to "become all things to all men, that by all means he might gain some," recommended to the Corinthians the practice of the passover, with the new application of it to Christ, at the time of their first believing in him by that apostle's ministry; that being yet carnally minded, they might have an outward communion, till the true communion should be made known; which their state, at that time, could not bear: as, in point of prudence only, he practised some other legal rites, at some times; which, in his doctrine, he condemned at other times, where the state of the people was able to bear it. It is much more likely, considering the na-and did it under that apprehension. Whosoture and end of the gospel, and its excellency above the law, and all legal and typical rites, as substances excel shadows, that the apostle, observing how much some of the Corinthians had abused the passover in practice, and their very carnal state under it, was rather, by that epistle, endeavouring to supersede it, and bring them off to the living substance; where he saith to such among them as were already sanctified, and to whom he inscribed his epistle, "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say the cup of blessing, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread."

ever in his heart believes any thing to be a standing duty in the church of Christ, which ever had any countenance in it by practice, and performs it faithfully, according to his belief and understanding, may find a satisfaction in it.

But since God, in mercy, is pleased to af ford the living substance, without the use of those means which are supposed to lead to an end already attained, they can be no more a duty to such; and that is the real case among the true Quakers, who love and fear the Lord sincerely.

As to the other point, viz: baptism, he said but little about it; for he knew very well, that in strictness, they were not so much as in the form of water baptism. And I only asked It is plain therefore, that the communion of him this question, Whether he did believe it the sanctified and wise in Corinth, stood not necessary to salvation? He answered, That in the bread which perisheth, nor in the wine of the grape, which some of the Corinthians were carnally abusing, but in the quickening Spirit and power of Christ, the true, living, life-giving, and life-preserving bread; which daily comes from heaven, into all the sanctified and saved of the Lord.

This is that Spirit that quickens and preserves to life eternal; the flesh profiteth nothing and since it is so, much less does any symbol of the flesh profit; but the divine substance only. This is that substance of which the apostle draws the comparison; "we, being many, are one bread." For, as wheat consists of many particular grains, each containing a distinct principle of life after its kind, and all of the same nature; which, being broken and rightly prepared and ordered by the good husbandman, become one bread: even so is the church of Christ. Every member, in his natural state, being alienated from the life of

he did not think it absolutely necessary. Then, said I, we shall not need to say any more about it; and so the whole matter ended, as to these points.

Then he said something concerning the books I had sent him, speaking slightly of them; but thought that about prayer, written, I think, by George Keith, the best and said, that seeing the Quakers pretended, that they did not know before they went to meetings, whether they should preach or pray, or what way in either, and yet travelled in strange places, how could they speak to the states of the people, or be joined with in prayer?

To this I answered, That such as went to a meeting empty of all things, and waited upon God, were filled with his Holy Spirit, who knows all states, at all times and places: and if the preacher attend to him as he ought, and delivers those matters opened to him at the time, the Lord both gives the word, and

makes the application to every state, in every particular person; which no preacher or instrument, of himself, is able to do.

and evidence, to support its own cause, and justify me.

After this I had divine peace and consolaAnd as to joining in prayer, all right prayer tion in my mind for some time, and was is by the aid of the Spirit of Christ, the Medi- mercifully favoured with the living bread ator between God and man; which, in that from above daily. I went constantly to the respect, is called the spirit of prayer and of meetings of Friends, where, in a state of supplications; and as such, is promised of silence, my heart was frequently tendered the Father to the church, and received by her. Her unity in prayer stands not so much in the form of words, though sound and pertinent, as in the nature, virtue, and influence of the Holy Spirit of Christ, her holy Head, Life, Law-giver, and Comforter.

The doctor did not oppose this; but only said I had given him better satisfaction in that point, than he had found in the book; and afterwards he was much more free and familiar with me than before, or than I expect ed and so we parted in friendship, and I returned in peace and gladness.

and broken, by the divine influence of the truth, to my unspeakable satisfaction: a holy pleasure and enjoyment, which the world, or any thing therein, can never afford.

gion."

Our meetings in the north in those days were frequently broken and melted in silence, as well as under a powerful, living ministry, by the Word; which gave me occasion sometimes to remember another saying in a piece which I wrote; "He gave me joy which no tongue can express, and peace which passeth understanding." In the mean time my father began a little to relent, and admit some From henceforth I was easy as to every Friends to come to my chamber to see me; thing any of that sort could say. And divers and he was brought by degrees, into a pretty disputes I have had with many of them since, low state of mind. One day, as I was sitting in other parts of the world; but never began by him, he read in a book entitled, Clerk's any controversy, being always on the defen- Lives, &c., as I remember, when I observed sive side; and rarely entered upon any point his tears drop upon the book; but he did not in question, with any sect, till I knew the know that I perceived it. After he had wiped divine truth over all in my own mind, and my his face, he turned towards me and said, "I will subjected by it. And my next care usu- see there have been in former times, as great ally was, not to provoke my opponent; for, fools as you, to leave their friends and preferby keeping him calm, I had his own under-ments in the world for their opinions in relistanding, and the measure of grace in him, for truth and my point, against the error he But he did not remain long in this condi contended for; and my chief aim generally tion; for the spirit of the world began to has been, to gain upon people's understand work another way. Some of his acquaintings for their own good. But when a man is ance discoursing with him concerning me, as put into a passion, he may be confounded, I was for a time frequently the subject of but not convinced. For passion is as scorch- common conversation, one day told him, ing fire without light; suspends the under- We know your son very well; though standing, and obstructs the way to it, so that it cannot be gained upon or informed: which ought to be the true aim, in all conferences and reasoning in matters of religion; else all will end in vain and unprofitable jangling, contrary to the nature of the thing they reason about, and displease the Holy One. In two or three times, at most, in the course of my life, in some low cases, and in too hasty engagements in my own strength, my mind hath been ruffled and though I have gained the point, by force of argument, from the This temptation being skilfully adapted, principle of reason only, and not from the took immediately with him, and entered very principle of divine Truth; yet I have not had deep, the ill effects whereof quickly appearthat peace and satisfaction of mind which is ed. He soon got from under that humble to be found in the virtue of truth alone. state of mind and tenderness he had in some And this has also taught me to be totally si- degree experienced; and though his counlent, and sometimes even insulted by ignorants, tenance seemed very open and cheerful as if I had nothing to say; till the power and towards me, yet it was from that wrong virtue of truth hath arisen in my mind, and ground and worldly view; which greatly loadthen it hath never failed, by its own lighted and oppressed my mind. I clearly per

young, he is no fool. You know the Quakers are an opulent people, and their principles lead them to refuse the payment of tithes to the clergy; which, together with other oppositions they meet with from one or other, occasions many law-suits and much business: and as they favour one another in all things, particularly in trade and the like, you will see he will have as much business soon as any man in England; and will be well paid without question."

sonable motive to such an undertaking, but lucre only. Some having told my father, that such and such ministering Friends whom he knew, went often abroad preaching, and as often brought home good sums of money; and that his son, being ingenious, would soon learn to preach among them, get money, and become rich too; this seemed to take some hold, and he would now and then pass a joke upon me about it; but I being silent for some years after, it afforded him no great hopes of my living by it.

ceived the practice of the law, and to be fre- This temptation being overcome, another quently in the suits and contests of the world, quickly followed: the world had formed a would be inconsistent with divine peace in false notion in those days, that our ministers, my own mind, expose me to many tempta- like their priests, were well paid by the Soci tions, and confine me so that I could not fol-ety for preaching, and generally grew rich by low the Lord in that way wherein I understood that means; they not knowing of any reahe was leading me, and purposed to bring me forward; that is, not only in sanctification and justification, for my own salvation, but also in a public ministry of that holy and powerful Word of life, by which the Lord, of his own free will and grace, had called me; and to that end, I knew, was working in me qualifications suiting his own purpose thereby. Therefore my secret concern was, how to get rid of that great and dangerous obstruction; well knowing it would very much oppose my father's views, heightened as aforesaid, and I was loath to offend him; but had no concern, This I think proper to remember here, that prospect, or doubt then, as to a way of living though I had no more dislike to priests than in the world. On the other hand, to offend to others, as men, yet, when any of them and the Lord by neglect or disobedience, was I happened to come into the same company justly to forfeit his mercy and favour, and or place, they usually fell into some visible cancel the seal of the covenant of life; de- disorder and uneasiness, though I said nopending, on my part, upon perseverance in thing to occasion it; which I took, therefore, moral righteousness, and a faithful future to arise from a prepossession and general obedience to his holy calling. Where the prejudice and enmity against Friends, supword of God is given, and become a law of posing them enemies to their persons, as to life and an immediate director, disobedience is their errors. And particularly one of them of a higher nature and more immediately at- coming into a place where I was, all of a tended with the sensible and dreadful condem-sudden, and in a confused manner, without nation of this immortal law, thus ministered, any occasion given to lead to it, cried out, than for the neglect of any moral command, mediately administered to mankind, whilst yet in a natural and rational state only.

"You deny the resurrection." I replied, that he had not heard me say any thing on that subject. Then said he, "The people you have joined yourself to deny it." I replied, I did not understand they denied the resurrection; and that Christ, to prove the resurrection, adduced that Scripture, where it is written, "But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

Duty to the Almighty, and the will and views of my natural parent, becoming opposite, I remained not long in suspense what to do. For as, through grace, I had been enabled to take up the cross of Christ, in confessing his holy Name, in the dispensation of God to his people at that time; so, by the same grace, I was likewise enabled to undergo the displeasure of my father, to close my eyes from all worldly views, and to stop my ears for ever from hearkening to any preferments there. Being furnished with a full resolution in my mind to decline the practice of the law, though the only thing designed as a means of life, the next persons who came to employ me in business of that kind, I re-earthly bodies. fused in my father's presence; and told them in his hearing, that I should not undertake business of that kind any more.

Upon this the load went off my mind; but from that time my father's countenance was changed towards me, and his behaviour quite another thing; often asking me with a supercilious brow, how I expected to live in the world? as if he feared I should become a dead charge upon him.

God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." If then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had attained the resurrection from the dead, in Christ's sense of the resurrection, and yet the bodies of those saints then remained in the earth, something else must be meant by the resurrection of the dead than

Then said the priest, "I believe that Abraham, &c., did arise, not only to a state of righteousness in this life, but also to a state of glory in heaven after his death." Then said I, "Since he attained a first and second resurrection, he completed that state, without the resurrection of this earthly body; for of a third resurrection we read not, and of a second, by implication only." And so the matter ended: and from that time we became

acquainted and intimate so long as I remained a prophet greatly beloved of God, and wrote in the country. the Psalms, owned by Christ as of divine authority.

Another time there came a priest into the company where I was, and I being silent, and the rest cheerful in their way, he being a wanton, airy man, and a little in drink, observing me, cried out in a scoffing manner, "What have we got here, one of the holy brethren?" I returned upon him, "What! art thou a teacher of the people, and scoffest at holiness? What canst thou teach, since thou art void of a qualification indispensably necessary to that work?" Upon which he became so uneasy and downcast, that he could no longer stay in the room, but went off troubled. And that night, being from home, I lodged with another priest at his house, with whom I was acquainted, a sober, religious man; where I was kindly entertained, and had no occasion of offence, either by himself or any of his family.

I replied, that David employed his music in holy hymns and spiritual songs to the Lord, according to the dispensation then in being; but that afterward, some airy persons, such as the priest himself, had invented unto themselves instruments of music like unto David's, and used them in their profane revellings, as he and his company were then doing; and therefore a prophet of God, by divine authority and direction, cried out, “Wo to them that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music like David ;" and thou being in that practice, the wo is upon thee also. Upon this I was very easy, and left him sitting silent, and the company in some surprise; and wishing them all well, I departed in peace and great tranquillity of mind.

me, we being so very different in our sentiments in some things relating to religion. One day, there being a goose on the table at dinner, he intending to disappoint me of a part, whispered to me so loud as that all about the table heard him, "This is a tithe goose ;" and then sleered. I replied, "Let him look to the evil of that to whom it is tithe; but to me it is no tithe, but a goose only; and with my father's leave, I will take a share." After this we had much dispute about the maintenance of the ministers of Christ. I alledged, that when Christ sent out his disciples to preach to the people, he said, "Freely ye have received, freely give;" and did not allow them either gold, silver, or brass in their purses, nor scrip, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor staves, but to depend on Divine Providence only for their subsistence; "eating such things as should be set before them; for the workman is worthy of his meat."

Again, having been concerned in writing a My eldest brother being priest of the pasettlement for a gentleman, upon the marriage rish, and likewise dean of Connor, afterward of his daughter, and at his house in the coun- of Limerick, in Ireland, had one of the Scots try on that occasion; after the ceremony was Episcopal priests for his curate, or journey. over, and dinner upon the table, the priest said man, who had been turned out at the estab what they called the grace; wherein he gave lishment of Presbytery as the national way thanks for their creation, redemption, sanctifi- in Scotland. This priest being poor, my facation, &c., to which I paid no respect, keep-ther took him into his house for his better acing on my hat all the time, because it was a commodation; which proved some exercise to dead form; and that neither the priest himself, nor any of his company seemed to have any real sense of what he said. As soon as dinner was over, a fiddler began to play; and up started the priest, and taking one of the young women by the hand, fell to dancing very merrily. I being in the room, and under heaviness, some others of the company could not take all the liberty the occasion called for in their way; and expecting I would not stay long, forbore. Nor could the priest make much of his dance; for the load upon my mind was to be left among them before I departed, and I only waited a proper occasion, which was soon offered; for the priest's dance going on heavily, he left it, and came to me, where I was sitting quietly, and would have had me dance with one of the young women. Then I took the opportunity to tell him, that I had observed his grace, and what he had said before the Almighty and the company so very lately, giving thanks for his creation, To this he answered, that Christ and his redemption, sanctification, &c., and so very apostles received money for preaching, otherquickly after to fall into such behaviour as wise where did they get the money they had did not consist with sanctification and redemp-in the bag; for they were poor men, and had tion, denoted his very great insensibility of the import of his own words. Then he clapped himself down on a seat, and began to defend the use and innocence of music, which at that time was not the most offensive part, and said that king David used music, yet was

nothing to give, or any other way to procure money. Upon this I asked him whence that money came that Christ sent Peter to take out of the mouth of the fish? Had he not command over all things to have what he pleased? But you priests, to justify yourselves in your