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cumstances and history of Friends. Now, there is much reason to believe that, the causes which thus operate on individuals, would, in the same manner, and under parallel circumstances, affect the Society at large; and that, were we to sacrifice these protecting peculiarities, we should not long continue to maintain, in other respects, our particular and appropriate place in the church of Christ. Not only would such a sacrifice of our minor scruples naturally introduce a relaxation respecting those major ones which arise out of the same root, but, the line of demarcation, by which we are now so providentially surrounded, being removed, there would be little to prevent our becoming completely mixed up with general society. Thus should we be gradually subjected to an influence directly opposed to all our peculiar views; and, with our distinctness and singularity as a religious body, might very probably be lost the high and conspicuous standard which it is now our privilege to uphold, respecting the Christian law of peace, and respecting the complete spirituality of the Gospel dispensation.

If, then, our young men and women are aware of the importance and excellency of that standard,—if they have good reason to believe, that our religious Society is raised up for the purpose of shewing forth certain practical truths, not yet fully embraced by Christians in general,-let them not venture to break down that "hedge round about us," which not only affords a useful protection to themselves, but appears to be graciously provided by our heavenly Father, for the purpose of preserving us in our peculiar place, and of facilitating the performance of our peculiar duties, in his church universal. Nor will those distinguishing habits, which are thus useful in promoting our own particular views, produce the slightest interruption in our harmony and unity with the serious

members of other Christian communities. Experience amply proves the contrary to be the fact. The religious and consistent Friend is at peace with all the world, and is capable of a free communion of spirit with many who have little or no participation in some of his sentiments. The more faithful we are in filling that place in the body which has been assigned to us by the Great Head of the church, the greater will be our capacity for a true brotherhood with all those persons who are building on the same foundation— with all who love, serve, and follow, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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CONCLUSION.

OUR discussion, of the several religious sentiments and practices in great measure peculiar to the Society of Friends, being now brought to its conclusion, the reader is invited to take a short and general review of that train of reflection, which has been pursued in the present volume. For this purpose, his recollection will be assisted by the following summary.

However the members of any particular religious community may rejoice in those privileges, which, in consequence of the adoption of certain principles, attach in a preeminent manner to themselves, they ought never to lay aside a just and candid view of the spiritual blessings which are offered to all mankind, and of those, more particularly, which appertain to all the true members of the visible church of Christ. All men are the children of God by creation, and over all he extends his loving kindness and tender mercy. Christ died for all men; and all, as we may conclude from certain passages of Scripture, are endued with a measure of the moral light, and redeeming power of the Spirit of Truth. With respect to the true members of the visible church of Christ, these, to whatever name, sect, or country, they may belong, are the common participants of the especial favours of their

Lord. It is their happiness to love and serve an incarnate, crucified, risen, and glorified, Redeemer. They enjoy a superabundant light; an exceeding grace; a revealed and established hope; and a preeminent degree of the communion of the Holy Spirit.

United, as all real Christians are, on the basis of fundamental truth, they are found to differ from one another in their view and estimate of various particulars in religion. Thus (for the present) do those principles which are essential to the salvation of souls pass to the various classes of true Christians, through as various mediums; and although some of these mediums are, evidently, purer and more spiritual than others, it may be acknowledged, (with gratitude to that Being whose mercies are manifold and whose resources are infinite,) that this consequence of human infirmity is overruled for good, and that there is permitted to exist, in the Christian church, a real and even useful variety of administration, under one Head.

Christians, however, while they abstain from judging one another on such matters, and rejoice in their great and common salvation, ought, nevertheless to endeavour after a full persuasion respecting their peculiar religious views;-to examine the foundation on which they rest; to leave hold of them, and suffer them to pass away, if their foundation is a bad one; but, if they are grounded, according to the decision of their deliberate judgment, on the unchangeable truth of God, to cleave to them with integrity, patience, and perseverance. Let us, who belong to the Society of Friends, apply these remarks to our own religious peculiarities. They are, evidently, of a striking character, and of considerable importance in their practical results, and even, at first sight, they appear calculated to promote the tranquillity of the world, and the spiritual prosperity of the church of Christ. What, then,

is the nature, what the authority, of those principles out of which they spring?

In reply to this enquiry it may be observed, in the first place, that the great doctrine which lies at the root of them—a doctrine declared in Scripture, and admitted to be true by the generality of pious Christians-is that of the immediate and perceptible guidance of the Holy Spirit. Whatever may be the experience of other persons, it is certainly our experience, that the very same guiding and governing Spirit which leads the right-minded amongst us into the practice of universally acknowledged Christian virtues, also leads into these peculiarities; and hence we derive a satisfactory conviction that they are truly consistent with the law of God, and arise out of its principles.

In order to the confirmation of this general argument, we cannot do better than bring our several peculiarities, respectively, to the test of that clear revelation of the divine will which is contained in the Holy Scriptures, and which more particularly distinguishes the New Testament. Such has been the work attempted in the present volume. The points first considered, in pursuance of this plan, have been those which have a more immediate connexion with our religious duties towards God himself. Again to recapitulate the arguments adduced on the several particular objects alluded to, would be at once tedious and unnecessary; but the reader will recollect that our disuse of typical ordinances, our refusal to admit any ministry in our congregations but such as flows from the immediate influences of the Holy Spirit,our views respecting the selection, preparation, and ordination, of the ministers of the Gospel,-our declining to participate in the prevalent system of hiring preachers, or of otherwise making for the ministry pecuniary returns, our allowance of the publick pray

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