qurselves in the estimation of the more serious and thinking part. of the community, with the odious character of Hypocrites! Neither do I believe that we escape, at all times, the like censure from the more unthinking and irreligious part. And, let us remember, the sad effects of thus dissembling will not end here: for if this conduct be persisted in, we must expect to incur the wo pronounced by our blessed Lord: "Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." (Matt. xxiii. 13.) For if every one that nameth the name of Christ is to depart from iniquity, is it not obligatory on the part of such as make the high and holy profession we do, to endeavour to attain to such a state of purity of conduct and converse amongst men ? (2 Tim. ii. 19.)

I believe our first friends were raised up as a people, to bear testimony to the sufficiency of this pure principle of light and life in all mankind, which would direct them the way to the heavenly Canaan, and strengthen them to walk therein. They confirmed the truth of their testimony by the general tenour of their conduct, giving ample proof to by-standers, that through submission to its holy appearance in their hearts and minds, they were mercifully redeemed from the world and its spirit; not only from its pleasures, but also from its treasures; and were enabled to count all things appertaining to this life but as dross, and as dung, so that they might win Christ. (Phil. iii. 8.) Hereby they became as an ensign to the nations; for the fame of them spread far and wide: they became instrumental in the Divine Hand to gather souls unto God, and had to proclaim the glad tidings of the Church being added unto daily.

But alas! my friends, how is the gold become dim, and the most fine gold changed; how is the love of God, and that humility and self-denial so manifest in them, now by too many amongst us turned into the love of other things, such as gold and silver, and a desire to make an appearance of greatness in the world! That these sorrowful reverses have taken place in too general a way amongst us as a Society, let the reports brought up from Monthly to Quarterly Meetings testify, especially as to growth in the truth and convincement. For it is truly distressing to sit at the Monthly Meetings, when this query is answered, and observe the difficulty and embarrassment the active members feel

themselves under, to answer it so as to pass the Quarterly Meeting without remark; especially as respects the first part, of a growth in the truth, which I understand to imply an inquiry, what individual advancement we are making towards the kingdom of heaven. Yet notwithstanding these sifting seasons so frequently occur, (for such I find them to be to myself, and so I doubt not they prove to many others,) they are at times as when a man beholdeth his natural face in a glass," and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." (Jam. i. 23, 24.) For want of abiding enough under these renewed visitations of the Great Head of the Church, how evident is it, that we soon forget again our many deformities, hereby adding sin to sin. Is not this too much our situation as a society at the present day? Are not Monthly Meetings and Quarterly Meetings going on from quarter to quarter, and from year to year, satisfying themselves with telling the same dismal tale, "we hope some among us witness a growth in the truth ?" Now if the ground of this hope (where meetings venture thus far to express themselves) were called for, I fear it would not be found in the general to be that well-grounded hope which gives victory over the world. At other times, "but little growth in the truth, and "some convincement,"-" but little convincement," or "no convincement appears among us!"

Do not these things, my friends! loudly call upon us, as a religious body making a high profession, to be willing, each one for himself, to enter timely into the closet of the heart, and seek for divine help to shut-to the door thereof against carnal reasoning, great natural acquirements, and love of the world; which, there is cause to fear, have overpowered the better judgment of many among us? Hereby, as we become willing to stand open to Divine conviction, we may be favoured, each one, to see in what manner and how far we may have contributed to this sorrowful declension; and timely amend our ways and our doings; seeing we are yet mercifully followed as a religious society, both immediately by the Great Head of the church, and instrumentally with line upon line, line upon line! O, how applicable is the language of the Most High, formerly uttered, to his dealings as respects our society!"How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim ? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of

mine anger. I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee; and I will not enter into the city." (Hosea xi. 8,

9.)

May we no longer be found walking unworthy of these his multiplied mercies, but be prevailed upon to return to the good old ways; that we also may be found in those paths of holiness of life and conversation, in which our forefathers walked under sore travail of mind, and great suffering of body, and waste of outward substance through persecutions. Oh! let us no longer be found trampling as it were upon their testimony, by slighting the many great and precious privileges of this day of outward ease! We, who are uninterruptedly eating the fruit of the vineyards and oliveyards we never planted; but which they were made instrumental to plant for us, thus making the way easy to us, as it now is, to assemble for the purpose of Divine worship, for transacting society concerns, and for the support of our various religious testimonies; lest, if we still continue to refuse yielding our necks to the same precious yoke of Christ, which they took on them, (and by so doing found it to be all-sufficient to bring down, and keep down, the spirit of the world, that has now gained the ascendency over too many amongst us,) by this their obedience giving proof, that although in the world they were not of the world, but at enmity with its spirit, its maxims and manners-dead, not only to its pleasures, but so dead to a desire after its pleasures, that when, in order to preserve a conscience void of offence in the sight of their Creator, they were, for faithfulness to His law and testimony, stript of their outward substance, they counted these losses of their earthly treasure to be gain. I say, if we will not cast away from us these things, which have led into captivity again to the world, to its spirit, its manners, and (there is reason to fear) many of its maxims and deceitful ways-our gods of gold and silver, of wood and stone-our sumptuous and richly furnished houses, in some of which is displayed all the elegance the art of the upholsterer can devise; (for it is lamentably the case that little or no trace of true selfdenial is now to be found in the habitations of many of our members, and even of some who stand in the foremost rank,) lest in the day when the Almighty may see meet, after long forbearing in love and mercy with this favoured nation, to rise up and plead with it in judgment, we should have the largest portion thereof administered unto us as a people; and the declaration formerly

uttered, respecting the children of Israel, be fulfilled also upon the unfaithful members of our religious society-"You have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (Amos iii. 2.)

By unfaithful members, I would not be understood to mean exclusively those among us who have cast off all restraint as to dress and address, and are unfaithful in the other branches of our religious testimony; for these, I have long been led to believe, are not the greatest enemies that the truth has to contend with in the minds of the Lord's visited children, whether of our own or other religious societies; because in our own society, such as these are not looked up to for example; and as respects the world more at large, such are only known to be of us within the circle of their immediate acquaintance; and by their thus becoming (if I may so speak) consistently inconsistent with our profession, there is reason to apprehend they pass along, as to conduct, much unnoticed. But I would wish the term unfaithful to be understood to refer more immediately to those, who in their garb and language support the character of a consistent Friend, but whose conduct, with respect to their commercial transactions and manner of living, their houses and furniture, does not correspond with their religious profession, but proves that they are the friends of the world, and not of Christ Jesus. The fruits brought forth by such testify, that within (like the whited sepulchres,) they are full of dead men's bones and rottenness; (Matt. xxiii. 27.) and that the spirit of the world is the governing principle in most if not all their actions among men. How many among us are pursuing their worldly concerns, as if they counted gain godliness, (and not, as must be the case with the true disciples and followers of Christ, godliness with contentment to be the greatest riches, (1 Tim. vi. 5, 6.) proclaiming in the language of conduct, that all is fish that comes to their net, regarding neither quantity nor quality, so there be a prospect of a good profit attached to it! And how have the gifts which the God of this world hath bestowed on these his vota ries blinded their eyes; (2 Cor. x. 4.) many of whom, I doubt not, were once favoured to see clearly the things that belong to peace and salvation. Oh! these professing worldlings, who say they are Jews and are not, but whose fruits testify that they are of the synagogue of Satan, I have been persuaded, have been the greatest enemies to the spreading of our religious principle and en

largement of our borders: these who maintain a uniform consists ent warfare against the "Babylonish garment," (Joshua vii. 21.) but with all their might grasp at the "wedge of gold," and aim at making a splendid appearance in their way of living. I believe no character is more odious in the estimation of those termed libertines than those-especially where it is known they are taking an active part in society concerns. For in neighbourhoods where meetings are held, it is pretty generally known by those out of the society, who are (what the world calls) our pillars; though it cannot be doubted that such must at times prove stumbling blocks to honest inquirers after Zion, and be instrumental in turning the blind out of the right way of the Lord.

So look to yourselves, my friends, you to whom these remarks apply, you who have resolved to obtain an impossibility, and be heirs of two kingdoms! Is it any marvel at all, that so little fruit is to be found from the labour that has of late years been bestowed, by the messengers of that same Gospel our first friends preached, whose feet have been turned into the highways and hedges? For I cannot doubt but that the Word preached has been both believed and received by many; but that, on their comparing things with things, the conduct of many amongst us has been found at variance with the doctrine preached, and this even with some, whom they considered to be seated as the Aarons and the Hurs, by the side of these the Lord's messengers: (Exod. xvii. 10.) And doubtless many have left the meeting-place with sorrowful hearts, and instead of resolving to pursue the path pointed out towards the heavenly Canaan, have formed this conclusion; that they had better remain as they were, than have the feet of their minds turned into the way, and not persevere, as they clearly saw was the case with many amongst us.

Nor do the sad effects of this dissembling end here; for I think I have frequently been able to trace its sorrowful consequences to many of the dear youth, as being one cause why so few of them, in this day of outward ease as to liberty of conscience, are coming forward in the line of true usefulness in the society, and among mankind; or helping the good cause by the religious exercise of their spirits in meetings, and by consistent conduct out of meetings. We may be active in society concerns, and yet strangers to this religious exercise, without which we cannot become helpers in the Lord's cause, and lights in the world. (Matt. v. 14.) I would