LETTER II.

ΟΝ ΤΗ Ε

QUAKER S

S

UCH was the fubftance of the converfation I had with this very

fingular perfon; but I was greatly furpriz'd to fee him come the Sunday following, and take me with him to the Quaker's meeting. There are several of thefe in London, but that which he carried me to stands near the famous pillar call'd the monument. The brethren were already affembled at my entring it with my guide. There might be about four hundred men and three hundred women in the meeting. The women hid their faces behind their fans, and the men were

cover'd

cover'd with their broad-brimm'd hats; all were feated, and the filence was univerfal. I paft through them, but did not perceive fo much as one lift up his eyes to look at me. This filence lafted a quarter of an hour, when at last one of them rofe up, took off his hat, and after making a variety of wry faces, and groaning in a moft lamentable manner, he partly from his nose, and partly from his mouth, threw out a ftrange, confus'd jumble of words, (borrow'd as he imagin'd from the Gofpel) which neither himself nor any of his hearers underftood. When this distorter had ended his beautiful foliloquy, and that the stupid, but greatly edified, congregation were separated, I afk'd my friend how it was poffible for the judicious part of their affembly to fuffer fuch a babbling. We are oblig'd, fays he, to fuffer it, becaufe no one knows when a man rifes up to hold forth, whether he will be mov'd by the spirit or by folly. In this doubt and uncertainty we liften patiently to every one, we even allow our women to hold forth; two or three of these are often

often infpir'd at one and the fame time, and 'tis then that a moft charming noise is heard in the Lord's house. You have then no priefts, fays I to him. No, no, friend, replies the Quaker, to our great happinefs. Then opening one of the friend's books, as he call'd it, he read the following words in an emphatic tone: God forbid we should prefume to ordain any one to receive the holy fpirit on the Lord's day, to the prejudice of the reft of the brethren. Thanks to the almighty, we are the only people upon earth that have no priefts. Wouldeft thou deprive us of fo happy a diftinction? Why fhou'd we abandon our babe to mercenary nurses, when we our felves have milk enough for it? Thefe mercenary creatures wou'd foon domineer in our houses, and deftroy both the mother and the babe. God has faid, freely you have receiv'd, freely give. Shall we after these words cheapen, as it were, the Gofpel; fell the Holy Ghoft, and make of an affembly of Chriftians a mere shop of traders. We don't pay a fett of men cloath'd in black, to affift

Our

our poor, to bury our dead, or to preach to the brethren; thefe offices are all of too tender a nature, for us ever to entruft them to others. But how is it poffible for you, fays I, with some warmth, to know whether your difcourfe is really infpir'd by the Almighty? Whofoever, fays he, fhall implore Christ to enlighten him, and shall publifh the Gospel truths, he may feel inwardly, fuch an one may be affur'd that he is infpir'd by the Lord.

He then

pour'd forth a numberless multitude of Scripture-texts, which prov'd, as he imagin'd, that there is no fuch thing as Christianity without an immediate revelation, and added these remarkable words: When thou moveft one of thy limbs, is it mov'd by thy own power? Certainly not, for this limb is often fenfible to involuntary motions; confequently he who created thy body, gives motion to this earthly tabernacle. And are the several ideas of which thy foul receives the impreffion form'd by thy felf? Much lefs are they, fince these pour in upon thy mind whether thou wilt or no; confe

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confequently thou receiveft thy ideas from him who created thy foul: But as he leaves thy affections at full liberty, he gives thy mind fuch ideas as thy affections may deferve; if thou liveft in God, thou acteft, thou thinkeft in God. After this thou needeft only but open thine eyes to that light which enlightens all mankind, and 'tis then thou wilt perceive the truth, and make others perceive it. Why this, fays I, is Malbranche's doctrine to a tittle. I am acquainted with thy Malbranche, fays he; he had fomething of the friend in him, but was not enough fo. These are the most confiderable particulars I learnt concerning the doctrine of the Quakers; in my next letter I fhall acquaint you with their hiftory, which you will find more fingular than their opinions.

LETTER III.