I have now answered most of the false statements and mis-representations which it has pleased the Reviewers to heap on the Society of Friends; as well as endeavoured to place before the public view, the simplicity and Scriptural character of that great and fundamental principle of Christian truth, which forms the foundation upon which the Society was originally based, and which will remain when all human societies shall have ceased to exist, and when heaven and earth themselves shall have passed away; even the direct and immediate influence of God's Holy Spirit.

If these Reviewers have thus, without any special exciting cause, other than that of hirelings, been led on to this unbecoming attack, I expect nothing but a renewal of the same at their hands. But this I know, that he who

"From seeming evil still educeth good,
And better thence again, and better still,
In infinite progression,”

can make even the rage and malice of Satan redound to his glory and honour. My mind is easy, in that I have performed a duty which has been required of me; and though I cannot expect from men who get a living by writing and preaching up a certain set of dogmas, an honest and candid acknowledgment of that truth, the practical adoption of which would forbid them to take another farthing, during the remainder of their lives, for their stock in trade of opinions, "impressions," and "suggestions," under the fallacious plea of preaching the Gospel; yet," whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear," the day is fast approaching when the people will no longer" give their money

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for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not."

And now, let me address, under the influence of the most affectionate feelings of regard, and deep solicitude, a few words to you, the professed followers and lovers of those principles which regulated the lives, animated the hopes, and soothed the afflictions of those excellent men, who, from the chaotic mass of priestcraft, infidelity and fanaticism, in which the human mind had more or less been enveloped during the darkness of centuries, were enabled through the everlasting Arm of Divine love and power, to show again, the good old way,” to draw men's minds from a dependence upon man whose breath is in his nostrils," and direct them to the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last," to "Christ in you, the hope of glory," and "the Light of the world."

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Reason, my fellow professing Christians, is no less upon your side than truth; for, whilst in the way of salvation, all power but the power of God," immediate, or by duly authorised Ambassadors, is excluded or disowned, and the various faculties of the mind, and senses of the body are left unfettered by the chains which superstition and tyranny have forged for their victims, and at perfect liberty to "use this world as not abusing it, knowing that the fashion of it soon passeth away;" whilst these principles lead to the conviction, that no grasp of mind can reach, no powers of intellect can attain unto, the faintest glimmering of knowledge of the spiritual" kingdom of God, which cometh not by observation," any more than can the mere powers of sense comprehend even the elements of intellectual life and action; whilst these principles

hold the highest "wisdom of this world," as nothing in reference to the next; whilst they bring the conviction, that life and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel," the " power of God" alone, in the hearts of all, be they Jew or Gentile, bond or free, saint, sage, or savage; whilst our principles teach us this, they also erect an insuperable barrier between the holy truth itself, and the disguises and pretensions of priestcraft and fanaticism, and all those numerous imitation" lights," "impressions," and "suggestions which most comport with the particular bent of mind," of any man, or body of men, whatever power or authority they may arrogantly assume. Therefore, if "stand fast in the liberty with which Christ hath made you free," then shall ye be free indeed. That such may be your happy experience, and that all "who name the name of Jesus may depart from iniquity," is no less the fervent desire of my heart, than it is the unshaken conviction of my mind, that this can only be done by a faithful obedience to that light within," and " manifestation of his blessed Spirit, which is given to every man to profit withal.”

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That obedience has not kept pace with knowledge, is too obvious, from the sad falling away, from the waste and desolation—the spiritual declension—the dead formality, and the despicable love of riches, which hath led into " temptation, and a snare,” but, alas! too, too many of those who tacitly or openly acknowledge the same principles as those good and excellent men, who, in times of great trouble and distress, were in many instances cheerfully induced to give up all, and follow Christ. Whilst, therefore, I thus contend for the principles of Friends, as the simple, genuine,

unadorned principles of Christianity, I cannot speak "smooth things," unto all those who have, or do profess them. I cannot, like most of the Reviewers, flatter the people, and revile the principles; but my testimony to them is, "repair the breaches, build the waste places," lest the language go forth against you, as against a people of old," Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men; therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."

Consider, my fellow professing Christians, with reverent thankfulness, the power, the love, and mercy, which, through the midst of intense sufferings, were showered upon the minds of the firm but humbleminded men, to whom was given the contemptuous nickname of Quakers, and who, in truth, “worked out their salvation with fear and trembling." What could have instructed them but Divine Wisdom? What could have upheld them but Divine Power? What could have sustained and consoled them, but Divine Love and Mercy? By what could they have been led, and guided, and governed; but by the immediate and sensible influences of God's Holy Spirit? "But Jeshurun has waxed fat and kicked: thou art grown fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness: then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his Salvation."

POSTSCRIPT.

SINCE writing the Preface to this Edition of "Truth Vindicated," I have been informed that it was attacked at a late Quarterly Meeting, held at Liverpool, upon the ground, (as asserted by one and assented to by another,) that it was "a very pernicious work; that in many parts it had a direct, and in many a more dangerous, because indirect, tendency to disparage the Holy Scriptures." The Friend, who is reported to have said this, is reported also to have said, that the work contained the sentiment, "that we have now nothing to do with the records of events, written eighteen hundred years ago. That he should, indeed, be afflicted, if he thought the sentiments there avowed were those of the Society; on the contrary, he was convinced they were opposed to what had been the principles of the Society, from its commencement to the present period, and which he hoped they would always uphold. He saw no such views in the Epistles of George Fox, the Letters of William Penn to his family, nor in the Catechism or Confession of Faith of Robert Barclay; and he was persuaded they were opposed to the Truth as it is in Jesus.' When he remembered the noble stand made forty years ago, in a painful case that had occurred in