people, some of whom thought that in killing them they did God service.

So deep is Divine love, that in steadfastly abiding in it, we are prepared to deny ourselves of all gain which is contrary to pure wisdom, and to follow Christ, even under contempt and through sufferings.

While Friends were kept truly humble and walked according to the purity of our principles, the Divine witness in many hearts was reached; but when a worldly spirit got entrance, therewith came in luxuries and superfluities, and spread by little and little, even amongst the foremost rank in society, and from thence others took liberty in that way more abundantly.

In the continuation of these things from parents to children, there were many wants to supply, even wants unknown to Friends while they faithfully followed Christ. In striving to supply these wants many have exacted on the poor, and many have entered on employments, in which they often labour in upholding pride and vanity. Many have looked on one another, been strengthened in these things, one by the example of another, and as to the pure divine seeing, dimness has come over many, and the channels of true brotherly love have been obstructed.

People may have no intention to oppress, yet by entering on expensive ways of life, their minds may be so entangled therein and so engaged to support expensive customs, as to be estranged from the pure sympathizing spirit.

As I have travelled in England, I have had a tender feeling of the condition of poor people, some of whom though honest and industrious, have nothing to spare toward paying for the schooling of their children.

There is a right proportion between labour and the

necessaries of life, and in true brotherly love the mind is open to feel after the necessities of the poor.

Amongst the poor there are some that are weak through age, and others of a weakly nature, who pass through straits in very private life, without asking relief from the public.

Those who are strong and healthy may do business, which to the weakly may be oppressive; and in performing that in a day which is esteemed a day's labour, weakly persons in the field and in the shops, and weakly women who spin and knit in the manufactories, often pass through weariness; and many sighs I believe are uttered in secret, unheard by some who might ease their burdens.

Labour in the right medium is healthy, but in too much of it there is a painful weariness; and the hardships of the poor are sometimes increased through the want of more agreeable nourishment, more plentiful fuel for fire, and warmer clothing in the winter than their wages will answer.

When I have beheld plenty in some houses to a degree of luxury; the condition of poor children brought up without learning, and the condition of the weakly and aged, who strive to live by their labour, have often revived in my mind, as cases of which some who live in fulness need to be put in remembrance.

There are few if any, who could behold their fellowcreatures lie long in distress and forbear to help them, when they could do it without any inconvenience; but customs requiring much labour to support them, do often lie heavily on the poor, while they who live in these customs are so entangled in a multitude of unnecessary concerns, that they think but little of the hardships which the poor people go through.

CHAPTER III.

On Silent Worship.

WORSHIP in silence hath often been refreshing to my mind, and a care attends me that a young generation may feel the nature of this worship.

Great expense is incurred in relation to that which is called Divine worship.

A considerable part of this expense is applied toward outward greatness, and many poor people in raising of tithe, labour in supporting customs contrary to the simplicity that there is in Christ, toward whom my mind hath often been moved with pity.

In pure silent worship, we dwell under the holy anointing, and feel Christ to be our shepherd.

Here the best of teachers ministers to the several conditions of his flock, and the soul receives immediately from the Divine fountain, that with which it is nourished.

I have travelled at times where those of other societies have attended our meetings, and have perceived how little some of them knew of the nature of silent worship; and I have felt tender desires in my heart that we who often sit silently in our meetings, may live answerably to the nature of an inward fellowship with God, that no stumbling block through us, may be laid in their way.

Such is the load of unnecessary expense laid in many places on that which is called Divine service, and so much are the minds of many people employed in outward forms and ceremonies, that the opening of an inward silent worship in this nation, to me, has appeared to be a precious opening.

Within the last four hundred years, many pious people

have been deeply exercised in soul, on account of the superstition which prevailed amongst the professed followers of Christ, and in support of their testimony against oppressive idolatry, some in several ages have finished their course in the flames.

It appears by the history of the reformation, that through the faithfulness of the martyrs, the understandings of many have been opened, and the minds of people, from age to age, been more and more prepared for spiritual worship.

My mind is often affected with a sense of the condition of those people, who in different ages have been meek and patient, following Christ through great afflictions. And while I behold the several steps of reformation, and that clearness, to which through Divine Goodness, it hath been brought by our ancestors, I feel tender desires that we who sometimes meet in silence, may never by our conduct lay stumbling blocks in the way of others, and hinder the progress of the reformation in the world.

It was a complaint against some who were called the Lord's people, that they brought polluted bread to his altar, and said the table of the Lord was contemptible.

In real silent worship the soul feeds on that which is Divine; but we cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and that table which is prepared by the god of this world.

If Christ is our shepherd and feedeth us, and we are faithful in following him, our lives will have an inviting language, and the table of the Lord will not be polluted.

AN EPISTLE

TO THE

QUARTERLY AND MONTHLY MEETINGS OF FRIENDS.

Beloved Friends,

FEELING at this time a renewed concern that the pure Spirit of light and life, and the righteous fruits thereof, may spread and prevail amongst mankind, there is an engagement on my heart to labour with my brethren in religious profession, that none of us may be a stumblingblock in the way of others; but that we may so walk that our conduct may reach the pure witness in the hearts of those who are not in profession with us.

And, dear friends, while we publicly own that the holy Spirit is our leader, the profession is in itself weighty, and the weightiness thereof increases, in proportion as we are noted among the professors of Truth, and active in dealing with those who walk disorderly.

Many under our profession for want of due attention, and a perfect resignation to this Divine teacher, have in some things manifested a deviation from the purity of our religious principles, and these deviations having crept in amongst us by little and little, and increasing from less to greater, have been so far unnoticed, that some living in them, have been active in putting discipline in practice, with relation to others, whose conduct has appeared more dishonourable in the world.

As my mind hath been exercised before the Lord, I have seen that the discipline of the church of Christ