should be ruled and governed; and this he did, by his examplary life. And having passed through the world, and lived such a life as was in all points acceptable to God, he received that power and authority, as the head and ruler of the human race, by which he could righteously demand their subjection-convince them of the evil nature of sin, and justly dispense rewards and punishments, according to their obedience or disobedience..

III. The law and government which Christ established in his first appearing, did not so immediately and extensively respect this present world, as it did the world of spirits. Yet, before he could extend his power and authority to the spiritcal world, it was necessary that he should first pass through the present, and experience a feeling of all the trials that ever had been experienced by those over whom he was appointed ruler: hence he said to his disciples, I go to prepare a place for you: which implied that his law, and the order of his government, were not yet established in the world of spirits.

It was also necessary that Christ should open, in the present world, such a measure of the nature and order of his government, as should subserve his future purpose, when mankind in the present state, should become the more immediate objects of his labour. Hence his parable of a man going into a far country to receive a kingdom, and to return, and giving to each of his servents a certain sum, according to their several abilities, saying, Occupy till I come.

IV. During the time of this preparatory work of Christ, in establishing his law and order in the spiritual world, this earth was a seat of the most perfect confusion, injustice, deception and cruelty; which was properly the period of Antichrist's reign and dominion. Hence that corrupt hierarchy, called the Church, which pretended to have the power of salvation, and assumed all the authority of Christ on earth, was, in reality, the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. And such extravagant superstitions prevailed, during this period, as through the invisible operations of God's providence, have become objects of just contempt to the enlightened part of mankind.

And as Christ did actually go to prepare a place, and to receive a kingdom, and promised to return, and establish his

law of righteousness and order on this earth; so his promise is actually fulfilled; and the most striking evidence in this latter day, that he has gained the kingdom, and begun to set it up on earth, is the manifest change in civil government, and that spirit of toleration and liberty in matters of religion, which began to take place, about the close of the seventeenth century.

V. Faithful witnesses, chosen and appointed of God, had, from age to age, borne testimony against the beastly and bloody power of Antichrist, millions of whom had fallen victims to his cruelty; but under the invisible and restraining power of Christ, his influence began to be cut off, at the time appointed.

The people called Quakers were the last, who were per secuted unto death, for the testimony which they held; but n process of time, distrusting the providence of God, and petitioning the same antichristian power for toleration and protection, they gained an honourable standing in the world, but lost that degree of the light and power of God, in which they had at first set out. Soon after this, the spirit of prophecy appeared in those called French Prophets, attended with the most convincing evidences of divine power; but these extraordinary appearances were not of long continuance.

However, a few of those French prophets came over to England about the year 1706, and opened their testimony in and about London, which was a means of great awakening, and numbers received their spirit, which continued to operate, in a greater or less degree, until its principal effect was produced in a small body of people, who were gathered into a society, under the special ministry of James and Jane Wardley, among whom was a particular work of preparation for the true and real manifestation of Christ. This work began in Bolton and Manchester, in the county of Lancashire, in England, about the year 1747.

VI. James Wardley, a taylor by trade, and Jane his wife, who wrought at the same occupation, had belonged to the society of people called Quakers; but receiving the spirit of the French prophets, and a further degree of light and power, by which they were separated from that community, they continued for several years, disconnected from every denomination. During this time, their testimony, according to what they saw by vision, and revelation from God, was, That the

second appearing of Christ was at hand, and that the Church was rising in her full and transcendant glory, which would effect the final downfall of Antichrist.

From Bolton they removed to Manchester, and lived, for a number of years, in Canon-street, with John Townley, who was by trade a brick-layer, and possessed considerable property. Here the number of persons which were formed into a society, were about thirty.

James and Jane Wardley, as well as most of the society, were in low temporal circumstances; but as John Townley was wealthy, he contributed liberally to the support of such of the society as were needy; on which account he sustained much injury in his property, by persecutors.The meetings of the society were held both at Manchester and Bolton, (which were twelve miles apart,) but more generally at Man

chester.

VII. John Townley had a measure of faith in the testimony of James Wardley; his wife was a member of the society, and had great power of God, and the gift of prophecy.-John Hocknell was her natural brother;-he lived in Cheshire, twenty-four miles from Manchester. According to the account of his daughter, Mary Hocknell, now living at WaterVliet, he, having separated from the Church of England, had joined the Methodist society, and had stated meetings at his house; till visiting the society at Manchester several times, and afterwards being visited by James Wardley, about the year 1766, he received faith in his testimony. And being very zealous for the cause, and a wealthy man, a number of poor members of the society, were gathered and supported at his house, which, at first, displeased Hannah his wife, and her natural relations, (the Dickins family,) who were wealthy and high spirited people; whereupon three of her brothers, with the assistance of a magistrate, had John put into prison at Middlewich, four miles from his own house. He was tried and released, and soon after, Hannah became a member of the society, and continued through all the increase of the work, till she departed this life (in America) sound in the faith.

VIII. About this time, [1766,] and onward, the Believers frequently held meetings at John Partington's, in Mayor-town, as they passed and re-passed from Manchester to John Hocknell's. The manner of public devotion practised by the so

ciety, while under the ministry of James Wardley, was, in divers operations of the spirit and power of God, according as they were moved from time to time.

Sometimes, after assembling together, and sitting a while in silent meditation, they were taken with a mighty trembling, under which they would express the indignation of God against all sin. At other times they were affected, under the power of God, with a mighty shaking; and were occasionally exercised in singing, shouting, or walking the floor, under the influence of spiritual signs, shoving each other about, or swiftly passing and repassing each other, like clouds agitated by a mighty wind. From these strange exercises, the people received the name of Shakers, and by some, were called Shaking Quakers: but from the time of James Wardley's ministration to the present day, they have been, most generally, known and distinguished by the name of Shakers.

XI. The work which God promised to accomplish in the latter day, was eminently marked out by the Prophets, to be a work of Shaking; and hence, the name (though by the world intended for derision) was very properly applied to the people, who were both the subjects and instruments of the work of God in the latter day.

Thus the Lord promised, that he would shake the earth with terror. (Lowth's translation of Isai. ii. 19, 21.)—That, in that day, there should be a great shaking in the land of Israel. (Ezek. xxxviii. 19, 20.)—That he would shake the heavens and the earth. (Isai. xiii. 13. Joel, iii. 16. Hag. ii. 6, 7, 21.) That he would shake all nations, and that the Desire of all nations should come.-And according to the apostle, (Heb. xii. 26.) That yet once more, he would shake not the earth only, but also heaven;-signifying the removing of things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. All which, particularly, alluded to the latter day, and now, in reality, began to be fulfilled; of which, the name itself was a striking evidence, and much more the nature and operations of the work.

The effects of Christ's first appearing, were far from fulfilling those promises in their full extent: for in reality, that heaven which was to be shaken, had not yet been built; neither was the appearing of Christ, in the form of a man, so properly the Desire of all nations. But as his second appearing was to be manifested in that particular object,

(namely woman,) which is eminently the Desire of all nations ; therefore it was, that the present work of God began in shaking, both as a preparatory, and an increasing work, for the full and final manifestation of Christ. And this particular operation was a significant token, that God was about to shake, to the foundation, and utterly ruin all their corrupt systems, and their false notions of the work of God, and of the use and end of his creatures.

X. These various operations continued, with a gradual increase of light and power, until about the year 1770, when the present testimony of salvation and eternal life was fully opened, according to the special gift and revelation of God, through ANNE LRE, that extraordinary woman, concerning whom, so many strange things have been conjectured; and who, at that time, was received by the society as their spiritual Mother of whom it may be sufficient, here, to state tho following particulars.

According to her natural genealogy, she was of the English nation; born about the year 1736, in the town of Mans chester, where she was also brought up. Her natural father, John Lee, lived in Toad-lune, in Manchester, and was a blacksmith by trade, with whom she lived, until she embarked for America. By occupation, she was a cutter of hatter's fur. She had five natural brothers, viz. Joseph, James, Daniel, William and George, and two sisters, Mary and Nancy.

From her childhood, she had great light and conviction of the sinfulness and depravity of human nature, which she often made known to her parents, entreating that counsel and protection, by which she might be preserved from sin. But not having attained that knowledge of God which she early desired, nor having any to strengthen and protect her in the pursuit of that true holiness which she sought after, she grew up in the same fallen nature with the rest of mankind, and was married and had four children, who all died in infancy. Her husband, Abraham Standley, was also a black-smith by trade, and lived with her at her father's house, while she remained in England.

XI. About the year 1758, she became a subject of the work that was under the ministration of James and Jane Wardley, and joined herself to that society of people, who then were called Shakers.

The people of the society were known to be a people of