presumption, I trust it will by no means be generally so considered; because a Christian is called upon to express himself with decision concerning the great and leading doctrines of Christianity."

But, my friend, "is a Christian called upon," utterly to misinterpret and misrepresent the views of his fellow-members on those doctrines? Is he called upon to pronounce with decision, charges founded on those misrepresentations, and to assign his errors to his late fellow-professors, as being their principles? And in the course of doing so, is he “called upon" to arrogate to his own imperfect views, the assumption of being "the whole revealed will of God," page 336; and then to heap opprobium and fulminate anathemas, (such as have been already quoted from thy work,) against a Christian community?

The quotations which have been made, exhibit but a VERY small proportion of the passages in J. W.'s "Quakerism Examined," in which he gives utterance to his "Christian Love," in language not at all more equivocal or more courteous, than in those which have been presented to the reader; a fact which the FEW future quotations that will be introduced may fully certify.

References are now before me to considerably more than a HUNDRED * such passages, besides those which have been quoted, or that will be quoted in this "Glance. "

As an individual, I have for a series of years, been an attentive observer of the effects produced by the principles professed by "the early Friends;" and, instead of perceiving

* Since finishing this "Glance," by an extension much beyond what was contemplated; and after marking off the list, such passages as have been either quoted or particularized, very far more than the centiloquy here described remain unspecified. Indeed it has not unfrequently occurred, numerous as those references were, that on recurring to one of them, two, three, or more of a like character have been observed in the context, which had not been noted down.

those "dreadful and fatal consequences, those fatal absurdities," page 141, which J. W. attributes to them, I humbly trust and believe that the secessions which J. W. considers to have naturally arisen from an unsound profession, are clearly attributable to a departure from the Truth; and we cannot be surprised, if in effecting such a departure, the deception has been occasioned by "Satan himself being transformed into an angel of Light." And I conceive it to be possible, that "intelligent minds," and "experienced Christians, without denying the sincerity of J. W.'s profession of kindness, may feel considerable hesitation in deciding that his very spirit of Christian Love," has been at all times tempered with that heavenly ingredient called "CHARITY;" concerning which an eminent apostle thus writes: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not Charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal."

SECT. II.

Hai Ebn Yokdan.

EVEN in "a Glance" at "Quakerism Examimed;" it may be proper before proceeding further, to notice the unfounded sarcasms and illogical deductions of its author respecting HAI EBN YOKDAN.

This subject partaking of the character of opinion on matter of fact, as much or more than of the nature of doctrine, does not appear to claim attention among the subsequent portions of this "Glance;" and, therefore, will be dismissed with the present discussion, as intimated in page 13.

Notwithstanding the multitude of J. W.'s "hard speeches," (see page 21,) I cannot suppose that he has designedly stated this matter in terms calculated to mislead the reader; but this acknowledgement compels me also to state an apprehension, that either prejudice or "mephitic vapour," has spread so thick a veil over a good understanding, as to prevent J. W.'s perception of the real import of his own remarks on this, and, perhaps it may likewise appear, on some other points.

The mention of Hai Ebn Yokdan J. W. introduces, by giving a quotation in pages 79, 80, from Barclay's Apology, 7th edition, page 193, prop. v and vi, sect. 27, as follows:

"

Yea, there is a book translated out of the Arabic, which gives an account of one Hai Eben Yokdan, who, living in an island alone without converse of man, attained to such a profound knowledge of God, as to have immediate converse with Him, and to affirm that the best and most certain knowledge of God, is not that which is attained by premises premised and conclusions deduced, but that which is enjoyed by conjunction of the mind of man with the Supreme Intellect, after the mind is purified from its corruptions, and is

separated from all bodily images. and is gathered into a profound stillness."

This quotation contains all that R. B. says respecting Hai Ebn Yokdan. J. W., however, after giving it, immediately adds, page 80: "That much stress is laid on this as a fact, in evidence of the truth of the argument that precedes it, may be gathered from the next section which begins thus: " "Seeing then it is by this inward gift, grace, and light, that both those that have the gospel preached unto them, come to have Jesus brought forth in them, and to have the saving and sanctified use of all outward helps and advantages; and also by this same Light that all may come to be saved; and that God calls, invites, and strives with all in a day, and saveth many to whom He hath not seen meet to convey this outward knowledge, therefore, we having the experience of the inward and powerful work of this LIGHT in our hearts, even JESUS revealed in us, cannot cease to proclaim the day of the Lord that is arisen in it, crying out with the woman of Samaria: Come and see one that hath told me all that ever I have done. Is not this the CHRIST?' That others may come and feel the same in themselves, and may know that that little, small thing that reproves them in their hearts, however they have despised and neglected it, is nothing less than the gospel preached in them; Christ, the wisdom and power of God, being in and by that SEED seeking to save their souls."

Would any reader imagine from the manner in which this quotation from Barclay is introduced, referring to the argument which precedes the notice of Hai Ebn Yokdan, that instead of one solitary argument, the previous sections are twenty-seven in number, each involving a variety of arguments or illustrations, and consisting together of more than eighty Svo. pages? Or would it be supposed that this twenty-eighth section, is the last and the summing up of all that precede,

instead of having any particular reference to Yokdan? Moreover, J. W. fully owns he was long since informed that the notice of Yokdan, was omitted in later editions of Barclay; and on comparing the quotation which he gives with a later edition, in which all notice of Yokdan is omitted, I find that this entire omission does not occasion the omission of a single word, nor any change in the sum of his arguments, which Barclay in this quotation deduces from his other abundant premises. What a proof, "that much stress is laid on this as a fact!" in the twenty-eighth section.

This, however, is not the only demonstration of the incorrectness of J. W.'s assumption, respecting the quotation which he gives from the beginning of Section twenty-eight. In addition to the preceding general statement of the extent of the twenty-seven sections, and to the numerous arguments in twenty-six of them being chiefly founded on the Holy Scriptures, the twenty-seventh or immediately preceding section, is almost wholly employed in giving Testimonies to the Inward Light, from both Heathen and Christian writers, to show "that it is the Inward Work, and not the Outward History and Scripture that gives the true knowledge."-Apology, Sect. 27, page 191. R. Barclay then quotes from Plato, Pythagoras, Plotinus, Seneca, Cicero as cited by Lactantius, and Phocylides; all tending to show: "They knew that the best knowledge of God and Divine mysteries, was by the inspiration of the Wisdom of God." Thus "They show the work of the Law written in their hearts. "-Apology, page 192.

The Christian writers which R. B. has cited in this section, are Justin Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus, Augustin, and Ludovicus Vives; all alluding to "the DIVINE Word IN such as Socrates," &c.,-" the Light of so living is the gift of God, and proceeds from the Son that enlighteneth every man,”—that "GOD is the true LIGHT which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, &c."

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