short of that order and power of the true Church, which he taught to them and others; and who also had fornication among them of the most aggravated kind-that one should have his father's wife, and that publicly known; and there was not as much Christianity among them all, as could exterminate that evil, and with it all, they were not humbled, but puffed up. And yet in our days, these are accounted a church of the true saints of God, born of the Spirit, and esteemed as patterns for believers. Notwithstanding there were many, and perhaps some even at Corinth, who bore a full and faithful cross against the flesh and all evil, walking in the simple Spirit of the Gospel, who were the Church in the true sense of the word in that day; with whom they who were carnal and walked as men could not keep full fellowship, but were the outer court, or worldly sanctuary, to whom the enemy had access, to keep up divisions and promote the practice of living after the flesh, as most acceptable to human nature, to the utter overthrow of genuine Christianity in that day. Accordingly, Antichrist is of the world, but went out from the Church, that is, from among the faithful. "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. "They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them." (1 Jno. ii. 18, 19, and iv. 5.)

This view of the subject shows why the apostles dealt with the people as they did, in all long suffering and forbearance; warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that they might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus-that if by any means they might hold all those who believed, or as many as possible, to the simplicity of the Gospel, until they should gain the point of salvation, or power over all sin, and not be carried away with the spirit of the world, which is Antichrist, as it exists in professors. Accordingly, they were reminded of that to which they were called by the Gospel; "To put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of their minds, and to put on the new man who is created in righteousness and true holiness, and thus to become new in all respects.

One other subject I must notice in this place. It becomes necessary, according to the testimony of the denominations who have not the faith that Christ has come the second time, to leave their present standing and receive a different faith. Their testimony is that the day of the Lord is come; and with many of them it is, or has been, that it is at hand; consequently, they are not in it, but on the contrary, if they desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, they cannot see it without a change. For the introduction of the day of the Lord must produce a change in all who receive him; because if they had the same faith and the same understanding of things before as after, they would have already all things pertaining to that day, but the practice, which they might at any time commence. But this they know is not the case; they know not what the work of that day is; for of that day and hour knoweth no man before its commence

ment, and how should he perform its duties? The people of each denomination have the perfect Gospel and power of salvation, or they have not. Those who have, bring forth the fruits heretofore stated in different places, and may increase on the same ground; and those who have not, are subjected to the indispensable necessity of moving forward to perfection, or of perishing without. For God will finally accept of nothing short of perfection: Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Yet

The alarming apprehension, therefore, of innovation, which systematics and formalists so much dread, and against which they watch with so much assiduity, is an insidious usurper of the throne of God, and an enemy to the coming of the Lord. Without such innovation how should there ever be any recovery from the darkness of any formal or Antichristian religion? But it is conclusively evident, that they who testify that the day of the Lord, or latter day of glory is at hand, are conscious that it has not yet come, at least to them. this is no proof that they are not moved by the Spirit of God in their testimony. God sent John to baptize and to preach, saying, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Yet John was not then in it; for the least in the kingdom, or Gospel Church, was greater than he. But such a testimony proves that those who bear it have not the thing in possession; according therefore to their own testimony, the work in which they stand must cease and give place to that which is greater. Thus John honestly confessed the ground on which he stood and the nature of his mission. "And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ." "He must increase but I must decrease." (Jno. i. 20, and iii. 30.) Dost thou not remember the time, when on a certain morning, at the time of writing The last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery, one of the brethren, being in a peculiar operation of the Spirit, exclaimed, in thy house, Ho! this is not the Christ! It is only John the Baptist! relating to a greater work to come. For though Christ was then amongst us, we knew him not in the work of full redemption.

But as well might John and his disciples have rejected the testimony of Jesus, and have said, We have the truth, and stand in the true testimony of God, (and so they did, for it was true as far as it went,) as they who have received a measure of light from God, to let them know that the day of the Lord is at hand, and that God is about to restore the pure work of the Gospel on the earth, can maintain that they are in the true and perfect way. They may plead that they have evidently had the power of God among them; but that is no proof, as already shown, that they are in the perfect way, or have that work which is competent to salvation. For John had the power of God with him; he was a burning and shining light, but he was not the true light he was sent to bear witness of that light. Thus after the apostacy had had its day, and had begun to verge towards a close, God raised up many witnesses in the spirit of the apostles, as John had once come in the spirit of Elias, all testifying that the kingdom is at hand. And in the midst of this testimony the kingdom appeared. But as John said, He must increase, but I must decrease, so has it been with them in part, and still continues to be.

But as the first appearing of Christ was to be made among the

Jews only, the Gentiles having not yet been invited to salvation, one principal forerunner was sufficient; whereas the second, or last appearing to those who look for him, being to include the face of the whole earth, it becomes necessary that a testimony of the same kind be sent forward from time to time, and in divers places, to prepare the way of the Lord-to wake the people up to some care and feeling after salvation, that they may be in expectation of the coming of the Lord. But as with the testimony of John, so with that of all the rest. It accomplished the work which it was sent to do, and in a while ceased; and those who would not receive the testimony of Jesus perished, their standing for a time in the light and truth of God, sent by John, notwithstanding. So it is with all the subjects of the preparatory work of God in this day of Christ which has now opened; all those who reject the testimony of Christ in his second appearing, soon lose their power, and become formal and earthly, scatter and divide, and show in all respects, that notwithstanding they have had a day of the mighty power of God, they have finished their work and done all they can do on that ground; and that if ever the subjects of that day of power would find salvation, it behoves them to leave the ground whereon they stand, and advance into the perfect work; like John, to decrease, and be superseded by that kingdom which is superior, perfect and everlasting.

An urgent argument among the people some years ago was, Stay where you are and get more-stay where you are and get more; as if more could be had without advancing. I stayed there until I had gotten all I could get, or saw any prospect of getting, and have never seen any one gain any thing by staying there past the time. Such was the language of the Jews as if they had said: Stay where you are; go not after this innovator. We know that God spake to Moses; but as for this fellow, we know not whence he is. True enough, God spake to Moses, and by Moses taught that another should supersede him: "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear." (Acts vii. 37.) So might the disciples of John have said: We know that God sent John, let us hold fast to him. True, God sent John, and by him taught that a greater than he should come after him, to whom he must yield. So may the society of Friends say, Let us stay where we are. We know that God spake by Fox, but as for this Anna Lee, or her followers we know not whence they are. True enough, God spake by Fox, and by Fox taught that the kingdom was at hand; of course that he had it not, and therefore must be superseded. Accordingly this testimony of Fox, having done its work, ceased-the Friends have not their former power. So may the Methodists say, Let us stay where we are. We know that God spake by John Wesley; but as for these Shakers, we know not whence they are. True, God spake by Wesley, and by Wesley foretold, or signified, a greater and deeper work than was in his days, or ever had been; for which he was no doubt sent to prepare the way, but not to build it up. It therefore behoves them also, if they would be saved, to be superseded. For it is manifest they have not the kingdom; their day of power is too unstable and fleeting. So may the people of the late revival say, Let us stay where we are and get more. We know that God spake

by his Spirit in the revival, and is not that enough? but as for those who tell us that Christ has come the second time, we know not what to make of them, we do not see him. True, God spake by his Spirit in the revival, and by that Spirit he said, That his everlasting kingdom was at hand; and also, That that revival would never cease until the latter day of glory should commence. But the revival is gone. The people who were the subjects of it, have no more the Spirit and power which they once had, as many as have rejected the testimony of Christ in his second appearing: little if any is among them all. Now that revival was either false and no work of God, (for it could not be a true work and its testimony false, because a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,) or the work which entered at the latter part of it, and which claims the character of the everlasting kingdom, is true. But the revival carried such convincing marks of the work of God, that almost all who believe in Christianity as being the living work of God, claim the honour of acknowledging the revival; even those who have turned away from it, to escape the cross which was found in the fulfillment of its testimony. Its testimony, therefore, that the latter day of glory would be introduced before it closed is also true.

This work differs from all those who have preceded as forerunners; in this amongst other things, That whereas they have testified that the kingdom is to come, and therefore, according to their own testimony, must cease and give place to it, on its appearing; the present work testifies, that the kingdom has commenced, and that this is it; and therefore according to its testimony, seconded by others, ought to stand forever. Accordingly it has outlived all those revivals and testimonies which have preceded and testified of it; for though they keep some form or shadow, they lose the power. And this is not all; God will yet send the same spirit of Elias, or rather of the apostles, to wake up the people, and make farther preparation for the work and testimony of the everlasting kingdom, which has entered on the earth for the salvation of souls. "But now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." The day is come, and God has begun to remove the things which may be shaken, as things which are made by the contrivance and wisdom of men, that the work of the kingdom, which shakes all things and cannot itself be shaken, may remain. "Wherefore we, receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and Godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire." (Heb. xii. 26-29.)

FARTHER OBSERVATIONS

SECTION IV.

AND CORRECTIONS, TOGETHER WITH SUNDRY MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE REVELATION OF CHRIST IN HIS EVERLASTING KINGDOM.

BARTON :-I now come to consider those parts of your writings, which immediately respect the faith of Christ in his second appearing, or the faith of the people called Shakers. And on your own principles, you cannot count it ungenerous, if I point out some of the same evils in you, of which you so heavily complain in others, and require you to prove by the Scriptures, that our tenets are wrong, before you condemn them and reproach us as the degenerate sons of the Pope of Rome. We are, it is true, charged with claiming infallibility, because we maintain, (as the only pretext for such allegation with which I am. acquainted,) that God has opened and confirmed in Christ, the everlasting Gospel, which is his perfect work, and infallibly saves from sin and ruin all who keep it, and that in keeping this Gospel we are saved from sin and all criminal or dangerous error, and that God has made this Gospel known to us, for the use of all men who are willing to be saved. If maintaining this Gospel be to claim infallibility, we shall not repel the charge. We will bear the censures of men, rather than deny the work of God.

and

You complain of a flood of opposition poured forth against you, yet pouring. And if you bore it in the simple defence of the truth, without endeavouring to check it in yourself, or to disguise and pervert it in others, I would compassionate your distress; but as you do the same things of which you complain, your calamity is not so pitiable. I intend therefore to deal freely with your publications, on those points which I shall notice in them, and with yourself, as a professed Christian, even as freely as you did with another, not without reason, when you said, "Heaven knows you are wrong. I deal thus freely, purely for the sake of uncovering the truth, in those matters which ought to be known, for the information of those who seek the truth, and not instigated, from the beginning, with any sanguine expectations that it would be of any benefit to you, or to many of your present adherents. For, as it is written, "Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded to this day;" so the people in the revival have not obtained that kingdom which they expected, but the election has obtained it, and the rest were blinded to this day. Yet it is not wrong to provoke them to jealousy, that if by any means we might save some of them.

You say you have no interest in being wrong. (Address, p. 5.) But if you have no interest in being wrong, we more so. We know godliness has promise of this life, as well as that which is to come; but we do not know, that it indulges in fleshly lusts and gratifications, lawful or unlawful, the rejecting of which is the cause of our heaviest oppositions, and the central barrier in the way of general approbation. But if we are right, you have an interest in being wrong-an interest for which many have laboured hard at the expense of being wrong and missing the point