sonal knowledge of the Quakers, and upon my desire not to deceive. It is fortunate, however, that I shall be able in this case to apply to a test which will be more satisfactory to the world than any opinion of my own upon this subject. I mean to say that the Quakers, like others, are the creatures of their own education and habits, or that there are circumstances in their constitution, the knowledge of which will assist us in the discussion of this question; circumstances which will speak for themselves, and to which we may always refer in the case of difficulty or doubt. Their moral education, for example, which has been already explained, cannot but have an influence on the minds of those who receive it. Their discipline also, which has appeared to be of so extraordinary a nature, and to be conducted in so extraordinary a manner, cannot but have an effect of its own kind. The peculiar customs in which they have been described to have been born and educated, and which must of course act upon them as a second nature, must have a correspondent influence again. From these and other prominent and distinguishing features in their constitution,

constitution, I may hope to confirm some of the truths which have been told, and to correct some of the errors that have been stated, on the subject which is now before us.

Nor am I without the hope, that the discussion of this subject upon such principles will be acceptable to many. To those who love truth, this attempt to investigate it will be interesting. To the Quakers it will be highly useful. For they will see, in the glass or mirror which I shall set before them, the appearance which they make in the world: and if they shall learn in consequence any of the causes either of their merits or of their failings, they will have learnt a lesson which they may make useful by the further improvement of their moral character.

CHAP.

CHAPTER II.

Good part of the character of Quakers-this general or particular-great general trait is, that they are a moral people-this opinion of the world accounted for and confirmed by a statement of some of the causes that operate in the produc tion of character-one of these causes is the discipline peculiar to this Society.

I COME, according to my design, to the good part of the Character of the Quakers. This may be divided into two sorts,-into that which is general, and into that which is particular. On the subject of their general good Character I shall first speak.

It is admitted by the world, as I had occasion to observe in the first chapter of the first volume, that, whatever other objections might be brought against the Quakers as a body, they deserved the character of a moral people.

Though this fact be admitted, and there would therefore appear to be no necessity for confirming it, I shall endeavour, accord

ing to the plan proposed, to show, by means of the peculiar system of the Quakers as a religious body, that this is one of the traits given them by the world, which cannot be otherwise than true.

The Quakers believe, in the first place, that the Spirit of God, acting in man, is one of the causes of virtuous character. They believe it to be, of all others, the purest and sublimest source. It is that spring, they conceive, to good action, and of course to exalted character, in which man can have none but a passive concern. It is neither hereditary nor factitious. It can neither be perpetuated in generation by the father to the child, nor be given by human art. It is considered by the Quakers as the great and distinguishing mark of their calling. Neither dress, nor language, nor peculiar customs, constitute the Quaker, but the spiritual knowledge which he possesses. Hence all pious men may be said to have been Quakers. Hence the Patriarchs were Quakers; that is, because they professed to be led by the Spirit of God. Hence the Apostles and primitive Christians were Quakers. Hence the virtuous among the Heathens,

who

who knew nothing of Christianity, were Qua kers also. Hence Socrates may be ranked in profession with the members of this Society. He believed in the agency of the Divine Spirit. It was said of him, "that he had the guide of his life within him; that this Spirit furnished him with divine knowledge; and that it often impelled him to address and exhort the people." Justin the Martyr had no scruple in calling both Socrates and Heraclitus Christians, though they lived long before Christ; "for all such as these,” says he, "who lived according to the Divine Word within them, and which Word was in all men, were Christians." Hence also, since the introduction of Christianity, many of our own countrymen have been Quakers, though undistinguished by the exterior mark of dress or language. Among these we may reckon the great and venerable Milton. His works are full of the sentiments of Quakerism*. And hence, in other countries

Milton not only considered the Spirit of God as a divine teacher, but that the Scriptures were not to be spiritually understood but by the means of this Spirit. He believed also, that human learning was not necessary for the qualification of a Minister of the Gospel. And he wrote an Essay against Tithes.

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