There are not many of them at present in England; for this much is certain, that no attachments to systems will ever go down with the people where the doctrine is not popular. They have no rule by which they can proceed in church censures; for as there is no gate to come in, so there is no opposition against their going out. In a word, these people are, perhaps, as destitute of Christian knowledge as the Heathens. Their ministers are enemies to the gospel, but the people do not so much as know any thing concerning true religion. However, we shall have occasion to speak of some sects more inconsiderable than those, and such as are but little known by the generality of people in the present age. AN ACCOUNT OF THE SABATTARIANS. 'N treating of these people, there are two things necessary to be considered. First, their general principles; and secondly, their present state. As for their principles, we are naturally led to enquire into the origin and authenticity of what we commonly call the Christian sabbath. And here the following questions naturally present themselves to us for solution. First, is it a moral principle, that one day in seven should be kept holy to God? To this it is answered, that it is not moral, nor has it any connection with natural religion. That some of our time should be set apart for the worship of the Divine being, is beyond all manner of dispute, but that one day in seven, or in seven hundred should be observed, natural religion does not point out. Secondly, was this a patriarchal institution? The answer is, it was not, for it took place long before. We read, that when God finished the glorious work of the creation, he rested from his labours, and pronounced the whole to be good. This was on the seventh day, and it is intimated, that the seventh day from that period, should be a time of rest among men. It is impossible, at this distance of time, to say in what manner this sacred institution was attended to in the antideluvian world. Perhaps, nay it is probable, that the neglect of this institution, was one of those sins, for which the people were destroyed by the deluge. Whether the sabbath, or one day in seven was observed by the patriarchs, cannot now be known; only thus much is certain, that in all the accounts we have of them, it is not so much as mentioned, although the narrative is particular in other things. But then it will be enquired in the third place, was the observation of one day in seven among the Jews, a ceremonial or a moral institution? The answer is, that in some sense it was both ceremonial and moral; ceremonial so far as it was connected with the Jewish law; moral, as being the effect of some Divine revelation. As a ceremonial practice, it took place among the Jews; and it is well known, that these people were so superstitiously attached to the observance of it, that many hundreds of them were massacred by Antiochus Épiphanes, because they would not fight on that day. On the other hand, the moral obligation was quite of a different nature, for it was reasonable that some time should be set apart for the worship of the Divine Being, and as the Jews believed that the high command came from God, so they were under the most absolute and indisputable necessity to consider it as moral. There is a morality in natural religion, which cannot be known unless we attend to the state of man in this world. But in Divine Revelation, there is a necessity of believing, that whatever God reveals is moral. If we believe a precept inculcated by Divine Revelation, we must believe it to he mcral; for what can be immoral that God prescribes as a duty. In judging of all these things, we are to consider, how far the evidence will support us through the whole of the argument, and then, if doubt arises we are to draw the line between natural and revealed religion. any But But this leads us to consider the state of the Christian sabbath, under the New Testament dis pensation. We respect to the New Testament dispensation, here is a grand question indeed. It is certain, that Christ came to put an end to all carnal ordinances in the law of Moses. He came not to destroy any thing moral in that law, but to fulfil in his own person, every thing pointed out by the different types and shadows. Christ taught the Jews that the sabbath should be kept, but not in the manner they did it; for the Pharisees had made it a rule, not so much as to do good to the afflicted on that day. To convince them of the depravity of their conduct, he asked them, or rather asked their consciences, whether it was lawful to do well on the sabbath day, and then wrought a miracle. When Christ said, it is finished, the whole law of carnal ordinances fell to the ground, and the veil tof the temple was rent, and the partition wall was broken down that separated the Jews from the Gentiles. What command Christ gave to his disciples concerning their keeping the day of his resurrection, cannot be known. Whether he did so or not, this much is certain, that his disciples considered the first day of the week as coming in the room of the Jewish sabbath. Thus we read (Acts xx. 7.) " And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them." Now it is not said, that he called them together, but that he found them met there according to their constant practice: In the Revelation (i. 10.) St. John says, I was in the spirit on the Lord's day." Now whether Christ desired them to remember him on that day, or whether they did it in gratitude for the many blessings he had procured for them, is not certainly known. It seems, however, that many of the Christians in Galatia kept the Jewish sabbath, for which they were severely reprimanded by the apostle Paul. However, it was the uniform custom of the primitive Christians, to meet on the first day of the week, as frequently as they had an opportunity. But this duty could not be imposed, because many of the first converts were slaves. When the church obtained peace, under the emperor Constantine, then the first day of the week was religiously observed as the Christian sabbath, and about two hundred years afterwards, the emperor Justinian published an edict, commanding, No. 31. There seems not to be much force in this part of the argument, for we cannot suppose that the very men, who were called and instructed by our Saviour himself, would have kept the resurrection day in stead of the seventh sabbath. To this we may add, that as God ordered the seventh day of the week to be observed, in-memory of the creation, and as the work of man's redemption was the greatest event that ever took place here below, so it was necessary that it should be commemorated as long as the existence of time, till Christ should make his second appearance. This is certainly the best way to consider the subject; and it is certain, that nothing can be more dangerous, vague and uncertain, than to take disputed points of religion by inference or implication, when at the same time, a better proof offered itself. Now it is certain, that the observation of the first day of the week as the Christian sabbath, hath been uniformly observed by all those who bear that nante, except a few; and this is evidence much stronger than any thing that can be taken by implication. Thus far we think the argument rests in favour of those who keep the first day of the week as the Christian sabbath, but we are not to dictate to any one. Men are to be judged by the evidence of their consciences, in consequence of that degree 8 X of of knowledge which they have had opportunity of acquiring. These Calvinistical Sabattarians differ in nothing from the Calvinistical Anabaptists, except in worshipping God on Saturday. They have very little discipline in the churches or meetings, and their sermons are generally void of exhortations. They are very morose in their tempers, and in general uncharitable to those who differ from them in sentiments. When they admit members among them, they are very strict in making enquiries into all that can be known concerning all those notions they formerly embraced. They also enquire into their moral characters; for although these people believe that no moral duties can be of any service in the article of religion, yet they like to be moral themselves and to have moral people among them. t Their public devotions are the same as those of the Independents and Calvinistical Anabaptists; and when they excommunicate one of their members, they seldom re-admit him to their communion. We have already seen how this applies to the cause of the Arians in general, and to none can it be more particularly applied than to the Arian Sabattarians. If ever they mention the name of Christ it is with some mark of reproach, and not with that mark of reverence one would naturally expect from those who would make us believe they were his followers. But here let us stop a little. Perhaps these men are not Christians. They observe part of the Jewish law, but they reject the divinity of Christ. They pretend to a more than ordinary zeal for the sacred scriptures, and yet their sermons are nothing more than dull moral precepts. They have this advantage, however, above the Calvinistical Sabattarians, in that they exhort their people to duty. It would not be difficult for a man of understanding to make a good sermon out of two of theirs; for the Calvinistical Sabattarians would furnish him with speculation, and the Arians with duty. They have but few hearers, and these are in general so pliable, that they keep both the Jewish and Christian sabbaths. Here is an inconsistency, not only in speculation, but in practice; but what can we look for in human nature? It is possible, that these people will die away with the present generation; for as they were never very numerous, so they are daily dropping off. They are all millenarians, that is, they believe that Christ will reign a As these men are, in general, necessitous for the thousand years on the earth; which notion is em- necessaries of life, and as they are but little regarded braced by many of the other Dissenters. There by those few people who follow them, so some are no other particulars relating to them worth of them are obliged either to follow mechanical mentioning, nor do they make much figure at pre-employments, or, if they have education, to keep schools, sent. The Arian Sabattarians. These people are most pliant of any in the world, for they generally act in a double capacity. Thus they preach in their own meetings on Saturdays, as the real sabbath, and in other meetings on Sundays, as the Christian sabbath. Upon this last, however, it is probable that they are rather a sort of assistants to the Arian Anabaptists. But let them act from whatever motives they think proper, yet this much is certain, they are not popular. It is remarkable, that whatever popularity may take place among the vulgar, yet when men of knowledge preach the truths of the gospel in their And here we would make an observation that perhaps was never before committed to writing, namely, that the Arians, Socinians, and Arminians, all sing in their public worship Dr. Watts's Psalms, Now it is well known that the doctor's imitation of the Psalms is purely Calvinistical; and how these men who deny the divinity of Christ and the Holy Ghost, can sing that in their public worship which is totally opposite to their principles, we are not able to account for. To hear a minister preach a full hour against all the glories of Christ's kingdom, and at the same time, order a Psalm to be sung in public worship contradictory to what he had before advanced, is one of the greatest paradoxes in the world. Nay, we will not hesitate to declare, that it is a very serious matter. For true religion is of an uniform nature own. nature: no part of it must class or interfere with | cal in the world, for every one has a system of his another; all must be beautiful, regular, and uniform; but how can this be found where there is a total opposition.. These people admit their members by immersion in riper years, but indeed they make so few converts, that they do not practice this ceremony much. The person to be baptized, has a declaration of his faith drawn up on purpose for him by the minister, who reads it to the people, that are in the meeting. This confession has always something in it against the trinity, and against all systems of divinity; and yet these people are the most systemati They have no manner of discipline, which indeed would be unnecessary; for what great occasion has that schoolmaster for a rod, whose school contains but few scholars. In their public worship they are like the other Arian Dissenters, and they generally select a chapter of the bible to read before sermon. They read their sermons to the people in a dull lifeless manner, so that it cannot be supposed that they will make much impression upon them. Probably in a few years they will be totally extinct; for at present, perhaps, there are not a great number in the nation. AN ACCOUNT OF THE FRIENDS, COMMONLY CALLED QUAKERS. N treating of these people in an historical mantenderness. That they differ from the generality of Protestants in some of the capital points of religion cannot be denied, and yet, as Protestant DisIsenters, they are included under the description of the toleration act. It is not our business to enquire whether people of similar sentiments had any existence in the primitive ages of Christianity; perhaps, in some respects they had not; but we are to write of them not as what they were but what they now are. That they have been treated by several writers in a very contemptuous manner is certain; that they did not deserve such treatment is equally certain. The appellation Quakers was bestowed upon them as a term of reproach, in consequence of their apparent convulsions which they laboured under when they delivered their discourses, because they imagined they were the effect of Divine inspiration. It is not our business, at present, to enquire whether the sentiments of these people are agreeable to the gospel, but this much is certain, that the first leader of them, as separate body, was a man of obscure birth, who had his first existence in Leicestershire, about the year 1624. In speaking of this man we shall deliver our own sentiments in an historical manner, and joining these to what has been said by the Friends themselves, we shall endeavour to furnish out a complete narrative. He was descended of honest and respected parents, who brought him up in the national religion: but from a child he appeared religious, still, solid, and observing, beyond his years, and uncommonly knowing in divine things. He was brought up to husbandry and other country business, and was particularly inclined to the solitary occupation of a shepherd; "an employment," says our author, "that very well suited his mind in several respects, both for its innocency and solitude; and was a just emblem of his after ministry and service." In the year 1646, he entirely forsook the national church, in whose tenets he had been brought up, as before observed; and in 1647 he travelled into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, without any set purpose of visiting particular places, but in a solitary manner he walked through several towns and villages, which way soever his mind turned. He fasted much," says Sewell, and walked often in retired places, with no other companion but his bible." "He visited the most retired and religious people. people in those parts," says Penn, "and some there were, short of few, if any, in this nation, who waited for the consolation of Israel night and day; as Zacharias, Anna, and Simeon, did of old time. To these he was sent, and these he sought out in the neighbouring counties, and among them he sojourned till his more ample ministry came upon him. At this time he taught, and was an example of silence, endeavouring to bring them from self-performances; testifying of, and turning them to, the light of Christ within them, and encouraging them to wait in patience, and to feel the power of it to stir in their hearts, that their knowledge and worship of God might stand in the power of an endless life, which was to be found in the light, as it was obeyed in the manifestation of it in man for in the word was life, and that life is the light of men. Life in the word, light in men; and life in men too, as the light is obeyed; the children of the light living by the life of the word, by which the word begets them again to God, which is the generation and new birth, without which there is no coming into the kingdom of God, and to which whoever comes is greater than John; that is, than John's dispensation, which was not that of the kingdom, but the consummation of the legal, and fore-running of the gospel times, the time of the kingdom. Accordingly several meetings were gathered in those parts; and thus his time was employed for some years. In the year 1652, "he had a visitation of the great work of God in the earth, and of the way that he was to go forth, in a public ministry, to begin it." He directed his course northward, "and in every place where he came, if not before he came to it, he had his particular exercise and service shewn to him, so that the Lord was his leader indeed." He made great numbers of converts to his opinions, and many pious and good men joined him in his ministry. These were drawn forth especially to visit the public assemblies, to reprove, reform, and exhort them; sometimes in markets, fairs, streets, and by the highway-side, calling people to repentance, and to return to the Lord, with their hearts as well as their mouths; directing them to the light of Christ within them, to see, examine, and to consider their ways by, and to eschew the evil, and to do the good and acceptable will of God." They were not without opposition in the work. they imagined themselves called to, being often set in the stocks, stoned, beaten, whipped and imprisoned, though as our author observes, honest men of good report, that had left wives, children, houses, and lands, to visit them with a living call to repentance. But these coercive methods rather forwarded than abated their zeal, and in those parts they brought over many proselytes, and amongst them several magistrates, and others of the better sort. They apprehended the Lord had forbidden them to pull off their hats to any one, high or low, and required them to speak to the people without distinction, in the language of thou and thee. They scrupled bidding people good morrow, oI good night; nor might they bend the knee to any one, even in supreme authority. Both men and women went in a plain and simple dress, different from the fashion of the times. They neither gave nor accepted any titles of respect or honour, nor would they call any man master on earth. Several texts of scripture they quoted in defence of these singularities; such as swear not at all. How can ye believe who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which comes from God only? &c. &c. They placed the basis of religion in an inward light, and an extraordinary impulse of the holy spirit. In 1654, their first separate meeting in London was held in the house of Robert Dring, in Watling street, for by that time they had spread themselves into all parts of the kingdom, and had in many places set up meetings or assemblies, particularly in Lancashire and the adjacent parts, but they were still exposed to great persecutions and trials of every kind. One of them in a letter to the protector, Oliver Cromwell, represents, that though there are no penal laws in force obliging men to comply with the established religion, yet the Quakers are exposed upon other accounts; they are fined and imprisoned for refusing to take an oath; for not paying their tithes; for disturbing the public assemblies, and meeting in the streets, and places of public resort; some of them have been whipped for vagabonds, and for their plain specches to the magistrate. Under favour of the then toleration, they opened their meetings at the Bull and Mouth in Aldersgatestreet, where women, as well as men were moved to speak. Their zeal transported them to some extravagances, which laid them stili more open to the lash of their enemies, who exercised various severities upon them throughout the next reign. Upon the suppression of Venner's mad insurrection, the government having published a proclamation, forbidding the Anabaptists, Quakers, and fifth monarchy men, to assemble or meet together under pretence of worshipping God, except it be in some Parochial |