1

trine of final perseverance is denied. We have already expressed our cordial concurrence with the Friends, in reprobating an opinion so contradictory to reason and Scripture.

"As by the light or gift of God," says the tenth proposition, "all spiritual knowledge is received; those who possess this gift are thereby sufficiently ordained to preach, though without human commission or literature; and any person of sober life, without distinction of sex, is allowed, and ought to preach, when moved by the Spirit."

Now, we may ask, is it not one of the certain,. ties established by universal experience, that religious knowledge, and the power of communicating it with propriety and effect, is only to be attained, like all other knowledge, not by instinct, not by immediate impression, but by a course of education and study? Facts must here stand in the place of reasonings. The Apostles, indeed, were inspired immediately with that power of utterance, and knowledge of divine truths, which effectually silenced and confuted the powerful, the eloquent, and the learned. God chose the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, and breathed into them an unstudied wisdom for that express purpose. "Settle it, therefore, in your hearts not to meditate before what ye shall answer; for I will give you a mouth, and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist." Luke, xxi.

14, 15. But we know, that if any man were now to try this experiment, his reasonings and language, under the ordinary assistance of grace, would be in exact proportion to the natural strength of his mind and quickness of his genius, improved by the different modes of study, by ́reading, thinking, discourse, and composition. Mr. Whitfield, it has been said, confidently expected, that, immediately on his arrival in America, he should be gifted with all the languages of the savage tribes. The Friends, themselves, act at present upon a conviction, that the unlettered are unfit to preach. Would they submit to the public instruction of a man altogether devoid of human education? At all events, it is well known, that before any one is permitted to speak publicly, he receives a certain kind of outward and human ordination, namely, the commission of the elders. It seems, then, that a particular body of Friends in a congregation, pretend to determine whether another Friend is moved by the Spirit, or not. Consider what is here admitted and supposed, first, that to feel a strong desire to preach, is not certainly to be moved thereto by the Spirit; and, secondly, that the candidate carries no infallible criterion in his own breast, whereby he may judge as to the genuineness of his impulse. But if the question be thus difficult of decision even to the person himself who courts the privilege of public teaching, how can his judges be infallibly certain that

they are moved in this investigation by the Spirit? How can they pronounce, but by those ordinary, human criteria, which are perfected in the church establishment, and the admission of which destroys the whole system of self-commissioned teaching, namely, an examination of the intellectual and moral qualifications of the candidate *?

Religion, upon the whole, is a branch of knowledge; and, in the general division of labour, a body of men should be separated from the distraction of other occupations, in order to qualify themselves for becoming instructors. Here, as in trades, or civil professions, they should learn their business; they should pass through an apprenticeship, or course of preparation. Ne sutor ultra crepidam, might have been said to George Fox; and the writer of these pages might as well attempt to cobble a shoe, as Dr. Last to preach in the hope of his acquitting himself with propriety, and to the real edification of his hearers.

Without here contending that the Levitical institutions afford a model which Christians are obliged to follow, we may at least affirm, that, from an attention to them, the mind of Infinite

* In private meetings, all are permitted freely to display their gifts: but some among them appear not to be abundantly endowed with the riches either of sense or taste. At the funeral of a Quaker in Lancashire, a female Friend commenced her discourse with the following pathetic exordium: "Man's extremity is God's opportunity."

Wisdom, on certain subjects of high importance, can be gathered. Now, a distinct order of men were set apart for the Jewish priesthood. As to a commission to preach, we know that Christ ap pointed the twelve, and afterwards sent forth the seventy, to teach in every city. "No man taketh this honour upon himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Heb. v. 4. Will any selfconstituted teacher pretend, that his inward call is equal in authenticity to that of Aaron ?

Next, with respect to the Quaker doctrine of inward ordination by the Spirit, it may be observed, that the Apostles ordained by outward forms, by prayer and imposition of hands. Acts, vi. 6, and xiii. 3; 1 Tim. iv. 14; and 2 Tim. i. 6.

It only remains, on this head, to say a few words respecting the preaching of females; and St. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, settled this point long ago. 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35. "Let your

women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak," &c. and again, "For it is a shame for women to speak in the churches." Let it be remembered, that a Quaker accounts every house, where worship is offered, equally sacred; every religious meeting equally a church. But a fair orator, perhaps, will tell us, that the inward light is superior to the dead letter of Scripture. Yet it is somewhat strange, that not one of the Apostles was a female; that

not one of the seventy was a female: how comes it, that there is not a single instance in the whole New Testament, of a female preacher, moved by an inward impulse, contradicting this plain and positive direction of Scripture ?

Having learned, that all persons are permitted to teach, we are told, in the eleventh thesis, that all true and acceptable worship is offered to God by the inward and immediate working of the Spirit; and, therefore, that there are neither times nor places for worship; but men must worship where and when they are moved by the Spirit. All worship, which a man can begin and end at his pleasure, is superstition, will-worship, and abominable idolatry

*

To this let us answer, first, that, admitting it to be will-worship, may not the Spirit of God influence the will? Did not God give the Jews particular hours, and a particular place, for prayer and sacrifice A man, it is true, may and ought to lift the heart to God, whenever and wherever he is prompted. But did not Christ prescribe to his disciples the Lord's prayer? May they not begin and end it when and where they please? and will a Quaker presume to call their doing so, superstition and abominable idolatry? Or, admitting that they are moved to prayer by the Spirit, may not the Spirit move them to pronounce the

* See Christian Observer, Sept. 1813.