mony was against a sleepy state in some, and good meeting at Aimsbury, in the house of a wandering spirit in others; which I perceived one Samuel Weed, a friendly man, and many infested and hurt that meeting, and hindered things were opened, through the grace of the growth of several. It was a tender, com- God, to the satisfaction of the people in genefortable meeting, and I was told afterwards ral; but some were not pleased, because the there was great need of such a testimony: testimony of Truth was against their ways one ancient Friend confessed, with tears, that and sentiments; the priest's son and other he had received great hurt in meetings by opposers being there. a wandering spirit, which draws away the mind from a true and sincere waiting upon God, and hinders its progress in the truth, and in the true worship.

On the 26th I went towards Hampton, accompanied by my kind friend Samuel Collins, of Lynn, and as we were near Ipswich, one of his acquaintance, not a Friend, overtook and invited us to his house. Meat being set before us, I was concerned in prayer before we ate, and they were well affected with it; and before we parted I had much discourse with them concerning the things of God, and opened many things to them, as the Lord revealed them in me; in which they were well satisfied, and very loving.

But that which occasioned the meeting to be so large, was this: there was one Joseph Ring, formerly mentioned, a bold, confident adversary, who, from time to time, had challenged Friends, not only in those parts, but also travelling Friends, to dispute with him; but being of no good fame, they had general. ly declined it; upon which he had boasted greatly, and had done much hurt to some weak persons, who had been at our meetings, and under convincement, by perverting the Scriptures, and by unlearned questions; which, in their weak state, they could not answer.

When I was at Hampton, as before, the Friends told me, that this man had greatly boasted, that we durst not give him a meeting, On the 27th had a pretty large meeting at lest our errors should appear to the people; Hampton; the sum of my testimony being, and so was going on in his former course, as in the meeting at Salem, against a drow- when he thought we were gone out of the sy, lukewarm, indifferent spirit which had country: therefore they desired me if I was overtaken some; with an exhortation to the free, to give him a meeting, for they thought old convinced, not to rest in that condition, it might be of service; to which, after some lest they might lose their crowns, and become consideration, I yielded, and had sent him stumbling blocks in the way of the weak then word of this meeting to be at Aimsbury, so under convincement. And to the young, that that he had full time to prepare; and into the they should mind the Lord alone, and that if meeting he came accordingly. After it was they should see any thing amiss in any one ended, and before I sat down, I inquired if who professed the Truth, either in conversa- there was one Joseph Ring in the place? He tion, or in meetings; whether in the vanity of started up, seeming to be surprised, and said, the one, or indifference of the other, or in not "Here am I." Then I called him in to the coming to meetings, or negligence when in place where I stood, and he came with his hat them, they should not look at the failings of off, and his hands trembling. I looked steadi. others, but to the Lord for help; to whom we ly upon him, but he could not look upon me. must all stand or fall, and answer for our- Then I asked him, "Art thou he that wrote selves, and not for another. Though at first to one of our friends, purporting thy dissat my concern was a little hard, we had a ten-isfaction about some things we hold in reder time in the melting Truth, several, both ligion?" He answered, "I am." "What are old and young, being broken, and I went away well and easy blessed be the Lord for

ever.

thy objections?" Upon which he pulled out a paper, and read them: "1st; Your preachers, as you say, have an infallible spirit. 2ndly; Next day we went to Cachecah, to Thomas That Christ doth dwell in them and of these Hanson's, where I remained till the 30th, things I want to be satisfied." "What satiswhich being the first of the week, I went to faction wouldst thou have?" "I would have the meeting at Dover; and among other you demonstrate to me, and prove these things things, exhorted Friends to re-establish and to be true, if you can; for I deny them." continue their week-day meetings, in which" What demonstration or proof wouldst thou they had been deficient; and to be watchful have?" "From plain Scripture;" said he, against an indifferent, easy, and lukewarm" which I think you cannot do." spirit and state: several, both Friends and others, were tendered in the divine presence; which was mercifully with us that day, to his own praise.

The 1st of the sixth month I had a large

Seeing I had to deal with one who was not a conscientious inquirer, but a bitter, opposer of the Truth, I further asked him, "Art thou a member of any society of people professing Christ? Art thou a Papist, or

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Episcopalian, or Presbyterian, Independent, words, any man,' in the text, are indefinite or Baptist; or dost thou represent any of terms, signifying every man, male and fethese in what thou dost ?" No; but I can male; I, thou, he, she, they, (pointing to the hear all these, and the Quakers too, and ob- people all around) all people. And since ject against any thing I like not in any of thou hast confessed this is an infallible Spirit, them." and the Scriptures say every man hath it, as "But I suspect thou art put upon this by it is written, The manifestation of the Spirit some others, who would not be seen in it is given to every man to profit withal,' then themselves; be plain, tell me the truth, is it thou and I both have the Spirit of Christ, or so?" "No; it is only of myself, to be satis-once had it; and if we are not infallibly led by it in the way of Truth, we have not profited, and it is our own fault and loss."

fied."

Then I proceeded thus: "I now perceive I have one to deal with who is ignorant of Christianity, though as a seeming inquirer; therefore begin with that point of infallibility. People, it is necessary, in this case, that you should clearly understand what is intended by an infallible spirit. We do not mean a spirit, whereby to know what weather it will be tomorrow, or the good or ill fortunes of mankind in this world, or the like; but mean only the Spirit of Truth; that is, the Spirit of Christ, who is the Truth, and infallibly discovers sin in men, good and evil, right and wrong, in matters of religion; and infallibly leads into all truth, and out of all error, in all things respecting our own salvation, as the same is received, believed in, and obeyed. Those who are made ministers of this spirit, by its powerful working in them, may thereby, but not otherwise, infallibly declare the mind of God to the people, being themselves perfectly assured by the Spirit, of the truth of what they deliver; and yet do not pretend to impose their own sense, though infallible to themselves, upon any others, but as they also are satisfied of the same truths by the same Spirit. And as sure as men can distinguish and be certain of outward objects, by the eye and light of the sun in the firmament of heaven, so sure men may be in matters of a spiritual nature, by the inshining of the light of the Spirit of Christ into the understanding. But if mankind will not fully believe and obey, and attentively wait upon the Spirit in their hearts, they may, and do err, both in doctrine and practice; and this is the cause why so many and great errors are in the world." And then I turned to my opponent, and queried, "Dost thou believe that the Spirit of Christ is an infallible spirit?"

This much weakened him as to that point, for he could not get over these Scriptures, yet would have been at another argument, which he could not form, for the disorder and confusion he was in. It was this: "None who deny the ordinances of Christ can be led by the Spirit of Christ: but the Quakers deny the ordinances of Christ; that is, they do not baptize with water, therefore are not guided by his Spirit." This not being fairly stated by him, but by myself, in order to an answer before the people, I presently followed it with this: "That what he meant by baptism was sprinkling of infants, which Christ never instituted; therefore we may omit it, and yet be led by the Spirit of Christ into that omission, as a testimony for him against it. And that he would unchristian all the people there, and himself too, and likewise nearly all who profess Christ at this day throughout the world; for none are in the practice of water baptism but a few called Baptists; who only imitate John's baptism as nearly as they can, and that by their own assumption and authority, without any mission by Christ on that account. The sprinkling of infants I maintained to be only a Popish innovation and institution, and no ordinance of Christ, as I had before more fully opened it in the meeting; and added, that we do not deny, but believe that water baptism was commanded of God to John the Baptist, and practised upon the Jews only, as an ordinance of God, in its dispensation of time, place, and subjects; but that it is superceded, and in point of obligation, ended, by the institution and introduction of Christ's spiritual baptism with the Holy Ghost: and there is now remaining in the church of Christ only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism;' for He answered, yea. "Well then, since by one Spirit are we all baptized into one thou hast agreed to be determined in these body, and have all been made to drink into points by the Holy Scriptures, I prove the one spirit. For the body is not one memSpirit of Christ is in all Christians: and first, ber but many. The church, which is his in his ministers; At that day ye shall know body; the fulness of him that filleth all in that I am in my Father, and you in me, and all. And therefore his imagination, that we I in you.' And secondly, in all others; Now could not be led by the Spirit of Christ, for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, omitting the sprinkling of infants, is unreasonhe is none of his: and if Christ be in you, able, and not a just consequence.' the body is dead because of sin.' These By this time he was weary of his under

taking, and silent as to any further argument" give me a plain and positive answer; hast on the first point; and so we proceeded to the thou found Christ in thee?" But he would not other, viz: That Christ dwells in his people. answer. Then I observed to the people, "He To prove the absurdity, as he thought, of confesseth, you see, that he hath examined this, he brought that Scripture where Thomas and proved himself, but dares not say he hath and the apostles doubting of the bodily ap- found Christ in him, therefore the text is con pearance of Christ after his resurrection, the clusive upon him, he is a reprobate; and as Lord said to them, "A spirit hath not flesh such, I set him aside, as not worthy to be and bones as ye see me have." "Now," talked with any more in matters of Chrissaid he," since Christ hath flesh and bones, tianity." He said no more, but soon after as we have, how can he be in every one of slunk away out of the company. This struck you?" an awe upon the people; for the Lord was with me, and was my director, to his own glory; and presently came to me a young man, in a consternation, and said, Ah, sir! I would not have been before you today, as that man was, for the whole world."

Upon this I desired the people to be still, and told them, "This man's imagination, concerning Christ's being in his people is very gross, carnal, and foolish, and not at all as we understand it; for we speak of the light and spirit of Christ in the sense mentioned in Immediately upon this came another sober the other argument, and not of his human young man to me, and said, "I have heard body. But as the body of the sun is at a what you said this day in the meeting; and great distance, in the open firmament, yet his many things I liked, which you explained be light and influence shines over and affects all yond what I ever heard from any of your the earth, and into many thousands of houses persuasion; but one thing I am not satisfied and places at the same time; and in what in; that which you call spiritual, I call natu proportion the light shineth into any house, ral.” "What is that?" said I. "You said, by the same proportion is the virtue, influence, that which reproves sin in mankind is suffiand power of the sun there dispensed; so, cient for salvation, provided it be believed in and infinitely more, it is with Christ; whose and obeyed; which I cannot receive. For holy body, though far remote from us, yet his that Scripture which you mentioned will be Spirit is every where, in all hearts; and he against you; where you said, When the is the "Word of God," and "true light, that Gentiles, which have not a law, do, by nalighteth every man that cometh into the ture, the things contained in the law; these, world." The mystery which hath been hid having not the law, are a law unto themfrom ages and generations, but now is made selves; which show the work of the law manifest to his saints: to whom God would written in their hearts.' Now," said he, make known what is the riches of the glory" that which reproves sin, the Gentiles had of this mystery among the Gentiles, (whose offspring we are) which is, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

"But I have something more to say of Christ's being in men. It is no new thing for perverse men to oppose the Truth; and no wonder it falls thus to our lot now, since the like objection was moved to the apostle Paul, and by such too as had sinned, secking a proof of Christ's speaking in him; and all the proof he thought fit to give them was, to bid them examine themselves whether they were in the faith; prove your ownselves: know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates."

My adversary quickly turned to the place, and I bid him read it to the people, and then said to him, "Thou art the man seeking a proof of Christ being in us. Hast thou examined thyself on that account?" "Yea. Hast thou proved thyself? Yes. What hast thou found?" Then he, perceiving what the conclusion was like to be, would have evaded and shuffled. "No, but," said I,

before Christ came, even from the beginning: how then can that be the Spirit of Christ, but only the law, the same that reproves men now? It is the remains of that righteousness that was in Adam, in his state of creation, before he fell.”

I answered, "That if he rightly considered that righteousness which was in Adam before he fell, it is the same that the saints and people of God now have, after they are restored out of the fall. The better to understand this, let us observe what John the Evangelist saith concerning Christ the Word of God: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the the darkness comprehended it not. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and (we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only be gotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. And of his fulness have we all received,

and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

The Word, Wisdom and Power of God therefore, clothed and veiled with a reasonable soul and human flesh, is Jesus Christ, born into this world by the blessed Virgin Mary. This Word is the righteousness of God, which was light and wisdom in Adam before he fell; and by whom God judged and condemned Adam for sin, in disobeying and departing from this Word, light and life, through unbelief and actual transgression. It was by the light and life of this Word, that God, the Father of all, strove with the old world to reclaim them, as by a law written in them, and against which they likewise rebelled; whereby the Almighty was provoked at length to destroy them by the flood, save righteous Noah, who had not offended, and his family.

"In the mean time, God made choice of Abraham and his posterity, in whom to restore this law of light and life. For the children of Israel being in bondage, and a state of slavery in Egypt, were also degenerated and become transgressors; and therefore God added the law of moral righteousness, by the mediation of Moses, his servant, written on tables of stone by the finger of God; which, for the transgressions of the people, were broken by the mediator of that law, on the side of the mountain before which they were. But the mercy of God returned unto them, and he commanded Moses to prepare other tables of stone, on which to write the same law: which thing, though matter of fact, is also an allegory. For the law of light and life being written in the hearts of men from the beginning, was broken and blotted out by their sins; but the Most High, in love and mercy to lost and de"And after the flood the same law of light generate mankind, provided a more excellent and life was still with and in the posterity of mediator than Moses, and of a better and more Noah and his family, by which they had the powerful law, which I may further speak of in knowledge of God, of the creation, and of the sequel. Though this law was given by moral righteousness; and being obedient, Moses, by the command of God, and the peothey were ruled and governed thereby for ple received it as reasonable and good, yet, a time. It was by this divine nature in being inwardly departed from the light and their hearts, and not by their own fallen life of the divine Word, that outward law and corrupt nature, that they did the things could not give them life, but condemnation ; contained in the moral law; but by degrees for they could not keep it in the state they they likewise degenerated, as the old world were in: and therefore the Almighty, in jusdid, and departed from the law of light tice and mercy, restored to them a manifestawhich gave them that knowledge; Because, that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God; neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and (departing from that light) their foolish hearts were darkened;' and they became darkness.

tion of the same Word, and light and life in him. This is the eternal Word and commandment of God preached by Moses in that day unto Israel in the wilderness, of whom he saith, This commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee; neither is it far off: it is not in heaven, that thou shouldst say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldst say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.'

"Departing from the wisdom of this divine Word, they became fools and vile idolators; and therefore God departed from them, and 'gave them up to their own hearts' lusts, and to believe and follow lies, and vile affections. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, "In this manner was Christ preached by maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, Moses many ages before he came in the flesh; deceit, malignity, whisperers, back biters, ha and after he did so come, was preached in the ters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, in- same way by the apostle Paul; for the same ventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, that Moses preached as the Commandment, without understanding, covenant breakers, and the Word, the apostle calleth Christ, without natural affection, implacable, unmer- and the Word of faith, whom they preached, ciful.' And though they knew at the same and whom they knew no more after the flesh, time, by that law of light, that the judgment after they had thoroughly preached him come of God was against them for these things; in the flesh; but consequently, as he is the yet they did them, and took pleasure one in Word of God, Light of the world, divine another therein. And therefore God left them Truth, and quickening Spirit.' under the power of their own sins, in this miserable state, for many ages. VOL. X.-No. 3.

“And again, 'All Israel did eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same

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spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual the Gentiles.' This is he, of whom it was Rock that followed them, and that Rock was said, seven hundred and forty years before he Christ.' And this is also the same of which came, Unto us a child is born, unto us a son he speaketh, where he saith, Whosoever is given, and the government shall be upon drinketh of the water that I shall give him, his shoulder.' This is he who spake unto the shall never thirst; but the water that I shall Father in Spirit, saying, 'Sacrifice and offer. give him, shall be in him a well of watering thou wouldest not; but a body hast thou springing up into everlasting life.'