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any other, but to be examples of the peaceable government of Christ? Therefore, let all those who profess to be his subjects, and who believe in his lamb-like, suffering nature, beware how they mar his work in their own souls, and retard its progress in the earth, lest they stumble and fall, and lose that inheritance in his light and truth, to which they are called.

But some will say, that if this be the profession of Friends, they are against all civil government, and look for the kingdom and government of Christ to do all things, to answer all ends and purposes. To such I would observe, that the foundation of Christian government stands upon the ground of conviction, convincement, and good-will to men: and that I know of no constitution or government in the world that at this day, agrees with Christianity: they all make provision for war, they all complete their ends by force. And therefore, it becomes a people who cannot act upon opposite principles, to be on their guard how they connect themselves with the measures of government. The Christian may live in the world, he may comply with all the commands of government, either actively or passively, and

there is nothing to fear from him, if he be a Christian. And if all men were Christians,

the principles of civil government would be changed from compulsion to consent, the subjects from force to submission without it. But I may be told, all men are not Christians, therefore force is necessary to protect Christians. This consequence will not follow; for a Christian is like a plant in the earth, he stands till he is cut down; or in other words, his stay on earth is wholly submitted to the will of his Creator; and because his Creator has forbidden the exercise of force, he knows that it is not the will of his Lord that he should resort to it, even when he cannot stand without it. He is removed from the world, he has made no resistance, he dies in peace; therefore, by the power of non-resistance, he is made victorious; and this is our victory, even our faith. And thus it is, that the Lamb and his followers are unconquerable, because they never strive. All, therefore, who take this ground, are members of the kingdom of the Prince of Peace; they are redeemed from war, and the occasions that lead to it, and stand in that spirit which is of God, and which is willing, like him, that bles sings should flow upon the evil and the good...

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I have confidence that the day is fast approaching, when, according to the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah, "he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people, and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Isaiah ii. 4. and Micah iv. 4. But there will be a qualification to say one to another, "Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord." Isaiah ii. 5.

CHURCH GOVERNMENT..

HAVING now completed a summary of the profession of the society of Friends, respecting ministry, worship, and doctrines, I come in the next place to speak of church government. That it is consistent with the practice of primitive believers in Christ to adopt some form of government, will appear from many passages in the Scriptures; and that they were united for this purpose, we may surely take for granted. But it is possible, and even probable, that after the apostles had received the promise which was

made unto the Fathers, and were united in the Holy Spirit, that they did not, at their memorable meeting on the day of Pentecost, agree upon all the orders and rules, which, by the light of Christ, they in process of time were led into; for they were not then aware, that their ministry was to extend to the Gentiles, or that these also were to become members in the same spiritual family. I shall, in the first place, introduce such testimony as has served to satisfy me, that they were in some general connexion, and that they held certain powers and instructions which their Holy Head had delivered to them. The first which relates to the foundation whereon the church should be built, appears when our Lord asked them, "Whom say ye that I am? and Simon Peter answered, and said, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered, and said unto him, blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on

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earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsa ever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." Mat. xvi. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Our Lord, knowing that his disciples were to receive a divine impression, by which they should clearly understand in whose company they were, makes use of this opportunity to inform them on what foundation his church should stand; and having noticed to Peter, that the knowledge which he was then favoured with was spiritual and divine; he holds up the principle by which this knowledge was obtained, as a principle capable of giving access to the knowledge of the mind of God. But this was not only given to Peter; for if that had been the case, all others must have been excluded; which cannot be admitted; for the same spirit opened the hearts of all the living and spiritually begotten children, in every age of the world. Now, all they that have submitted to the manifestation of the spirit, and stand in the life and power of it, are made capable of looking into the mind of the spirit. We therefore believe, that the church of Christ is built upon this foundation, this corner stone, which the prophet spoke of. "Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation,

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