Q. Do you not believe this scripture, that "when man goeth to his long home, then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it?"

A. We do believe that, and all other scripture testimonies.

Q. Do you believe in the affirmative of this argumentative question of George Fox, "if your vile, natural, and human bodies must be changed and made like unto his (Christ's) glorious body, then how can you say that Christ is in heaven with a carnal, natural, or human body?"

A. We believe with George Fox, that "Christ is in heaven in a glorified body; and therefore it cannot be such a carnal, natural, or human body as his opponents wished to make it appear to be." I do therefore thus believe in the affirmative of his question.

Q. Does your society believe, that Christ is now in heaven in that outward body that was born of the virgin Mary, and in which he walked, lived, and suffered in the land of Judea?

A. I answer in the words of the declaration of faith, issued on behalf of the society in the year 1693, which was approved by the morning meeting of London, and published by the Yearly Meeting of Philadel phia in 1730, or thereabout, to wit: "that divine honour and worship is due to the Son of God, and that he is in true faith to be prayed unto; and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ called upon as the primitive christians did, because of the glorious union or oneness of the Father and the Son, and that we cannot acceptably offer up prayers and praises to God, nor receive a gracious answer or blessing from God, but in and through his dear son Christ; that Christ's body that was crucified was not the godhead, yet by the power of God was raised from the dead, and that the same Christ that was therein crucified ascended into heaven and glory, is not questioned by us. His flesh saw no corruption, it did not corrupt, but yet doubtless his body was changed into a more glorious and heavenly condition than it was in when subject to divers sufferings on earth; but how, and what manner of change it met withal after it was raised from the dead, so as to become such a glorious body as it is declared to be, is too wonderful for mortals to conceive, apprehend, or pry into, and more meet for angels to see; the scripture is silent therein as to the manner thereof, and we are not curious to inquire or dispute it; nor do we esteem it necessary to make ourselves wise above what is written, as to the manner or condition of Christ's glorious body as in heaven, no more than to inquire how Christ appeared in divers manners or forms, or how he came in among his disciples, the doors being shut, or how he vanished out of their sight after he was risen.[See Sewell's Hist. vol. ii. p. 499, et sequuntur.]

Q. That quotation says that Christ's body that was crucified was not the godhead, yet by the power of God was raised from the dead, and that the same Christ that was therein crucified ascended into glory;-but does not answer my question, which is, whether Christ is now in heaven in that outward body?

Witness. If the counsel believes that Christ, as he was the eternal word, or in his godhead, was crucified and put to death, buried in the sepulchre, and raised again from the dead, then I grant his question is not answered; but unless he so believes, I conceive the answer to be a full one.

Counsel. The counsel cannot see that the question is answered. Witness. It appears to me to be clearly answered when it says, "his VOL. I.-38

flesh saw no corruption: it did not corrupt, but yet doubtless his body was changed into a more glorious and heavenly condition than it was in when subject to divers sufferings on earth; but how and what manner of change it met withal after it was raised from the dead, so as to become such a glorious body as it is declared to be, is too wonderful for mortals to conceive, apprehend, or pry into, and more meet for angels to see." Now unless the counsel believes all this to be predicated of the godhead of Christ, it appears to me his question is fully and clearly answered. Q. Does the witness then mean that the society believes that Christ is now in heaven in that outward body?

A. "The glorious body of Christ," says George Whitehead, "is not now like ours, nor of an earthly, perishing nature, but heavenly, spiritual, and most glorious, far excelling all terrestrial bodies:"-and to the question whether Jesus Christ hath a body glorified in the heavens, distant and distinct from the bodies of his saints here below, he answers, "yea, as a glorified body is distinct from natural or earthly bodies, and heaven from the earth."

Q. Does not George Whitehead also truly say, "that God, Christ, and the Spirit the Quakers own, is no other but the true God and Christ, even that God that cannot be confined, circulated nor limited to a place of residence, seeing the heaven of heavens cannot contain him?

(The counsel is not sure that the word circulated in this last quotation is correct; and requests the witness to answer, as though the term circumscribed was substituted for it; or as he may believe the sense to be.) Witness. As I am called to answer a quotation involving important points of christian doctrine, which quotation the counsel himself cannot assert to be correct, and as I am not authorized to put down words as George Whitehead's, which I do not know to be his, I must request to have the quotation correctly furnished, before I answer it.

Counsel. What are the doctrines held by the Society of Friends, which your Exposition professes to treat of?

A. The title of the book is, "An Exposition of the Faith of the Religious Society of Friends commonly called Quakers, in the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Religion;" and in the body of the work nearly all those doctrines in which christianity consists, are either directly or indirectly treated of.

Q. What are the headings of the different divisions of the work? A. 1st. Of the one only true God, and the three that bear record in heaven.

2nd. Of the divinity and offices of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 3d. On the holy scriptures.

Q. Was it a belief in those subjects that characterized and distinguished the society from other sects?

A. They were distinguished from other sects by a great variety of circumstances.

Counsel. I speak as to doctrines.

A. As regards most of the doctrines of the christian religion, there was a remarkable harmony among themselves, and with christian professors generally: William Penn in speaking on the subject says, be cause we are separated from the public communion and worship, it is too generally concluded that we deny the doctrines received by the church, and consequently introduced new religion; whereas we differ least where we are thought to differ most, for setting aside some school

terms; we hold the substance of those doctrines believed by the church of England, as to God, Christ, spirit, scripture, repentance, sanctification, remission of sin, holy living, and the resurrection of the just and unjust to eternal rewards and punishments: but that wherein we differ most, is about worship and conversation, and the inward qualification of the soul by the work of God's spirit thereon, in pursuance of these good and generally received doctrines." [Works, vol. ii. p. 881.] While Friends fully accorded with other christian professors in a belief in the outward coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and in all that he did and suffered for us in the flesh, as well as whatsoever else is recorded concerning him in the holy scriptures, they apprehended that too many were resting in a mere historical belief of these gospel truths, without coming to the living experience and application of them in their own hearts; hence they were led to press upon all the necessity of yielding obedience to the manifestations of the light of Christ Jesus in their own consciences, in order that they might experience the great work of regeneration accomplished in them, and realize the truth of that scripture declaration, that Christ died for us, that henceforth we should no more live unto ourselves, but unto him who died for us: as the preaching of this light and grace had been greatly overlooked and neglected by many of the professors of christianity, so their pressing it upon the attention of the people drew upon them the notice of other christian professors, and either through misconception or ill will, subjected them to much misrepresentation.

Adjourned until 9 o'clock to-morrow morning.

Friday, October 22nd, 1830, at 9 o'clock. The cross-examination of the same witness continued. Present as before.

Question. If not by doctrines, what were the circumstances by which Friends were principally distinguished as a society from other sects?. Answer. I have already answered that question, in the language of William Penn, as quoted last night: they were also distinguished from most other christian professors by their testimonies against war, oaths, and a hireling ministry, and by disusing those outward ordinances which most christian professors contend for.

Q. Is there any division of the "Exposition," particularly devoted to that matter in respect to doctrine, wherein the society, according to the quotation from William Penn, differ most from the church of England? A. The counsel will please to state, whether he means about worship, conversation, or the inward qualification of the soul by the work of God's spirit thereon, in pursuance of those good and generally received doctrines.

Q. The witness may understand me, as meaning in relation to "the inward qualification of the soul by the work of God's spirit thereon." A. As one object which I had in view in preparing the Exposition was, to refute the numerous charges or insinuations which were made against the society, as not believing in several of the fundamental doctrines of the christian religion, I arranged the extracts in such a manner as I thought would most clearly meet that view; there is no section peculiarly devoted to the subject which the counsel queries after; but as I anticipated at the time, that either through ill will or prejudice, an attempt might be made to draw an inference therefrom, as though I did not wish to hold up that doctrine to view, in order to remove any objec

tion of the kind, I made the following observations in the preface, to wit: "it will probably be objected, that the doctrine of the immediate and sensible influence of the Holy Spirit is not made the subject of a distinct chapter in the following compilation. In reply to this, it may be observed that this essential article of faith appears to be properly included in the section appropriated to the divinity and offices of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, inasmuch as it is his peculiar office to shed forth on his rational creation the gift of his grace. In the extracts on this subject, care has been taken to give a view of the sentiments of Friends, in relation both to his outward appearance in the flesh, and his second coming by the Holy Spirit, without sin, unto salvation. The society are so well known to hold this as a fundamental principle, and their belief on the subject is so fully and largely treated of, that I apprehend it is scarcely probable any opponent, however prejudiced or uncharitable, will charge them with denying it."

Q. If as you say of Friends, that as regards most of the doctrines of the christian religion, there was a remarkable harmony among themselves, and with christian professors generally, were they not in respect to doctrines peculiarly distinguished from other sects, by that essential article of faith of the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit on the soul?

A. A reference to my answer to which the counsel now alludes will show, that the harmony which I speak of, as existing among Friends and other christian professors, relates to most of the doctrines of the christian religion; in my answer to a question put to me last evening, I stated clearly, that the manner in which Friends pressed upon all the necessity of obedience to the inward operations of the light of Christ Jesus in their consciences, did bring them conspicuously into view; and may, therefore, be considered as one of their distinguishing characteristics, inasmuch as that doctrine, as held by Friends, was either denied or overlooked by too many of the professors of christianity.

Q. In respect to the trinity, the divinity and offices of Christ, and of the holy scriptures, can it be said that William Penn and George Whitehead agreed with the substance of those doctrines, believed by the church of England, when they wrote their several works, entitled "The Light and Life of Christ Within," "The Sandy Foundation Shaken," "The Divinity of Christ," and "The Christian Quaker?"

A. I consider William Penn as the best evidence of his own sentiments, and as he was cotemporary with George Whitehead, and intimately acquainted with him, I consider him better authority as to what his views were at the time those books were written, than I am. I therefore refer to the quotations which I made from William Penn's works yesterday afternoon, in reply to a question involving the same points, as far as I understand, as that now put to me.

Q. If there was such an agreement in respect to doctrines, as you speak of, between Friends and the other professing christians, must not the latter have been under a very extraordinary delusion, to persecute Friends in the manner you have stated in your preface, in these words, "those precious doctrines, in support of which your forefathers endured the heat of a cruel persecution, suffered patiently the loss of property, imprisonment in loathsome and unhealthy dungeons, and even sealed their testimony with the sacrifice of life?"

A. This quotation also, as well as several others which have been put to me, is not so given as to state the meaning clearly. In that part of

the preface, I am speaking of the too great ignorance in which many have grown up respecting the doctrines of the society in which they were members; no particular doctrines are alluded to, but the doctrines of the society generally spoken of, in relation to which I say, "that too many among us have grown up in ignorance of those precious doctrines in support of which their forefathers endured," &c. the quotation following as given in the question. Any person who has made himself acquainted with the early history of our religious society, must know that a large proportion of the suffering which our early Friends endured, was in consequence of their dissent from other christian professors in the points alluded to by William Penn, where he speaks of worship and conversation, and also in consequence of their testimony against oaths and a hireling ministry. That there were among other professors of the christian name, as well as some, who for a time walked with them, but afterwards apostatized, those who perverted their writings, and mangled and distorted their expressions, in order to make them speak what they never intended, and what they positively declared they did not intend, in order to misrepresent their christian faith, is too true to be denied. And that they did also endure much calumny and reproach in consequence of this. In a question put to me last night, a quotation was included, said to be taken from George Whitehead, but as the counsel could not then say, whether the word circulated which it contained, was correct, or whether it should be circumscribed, and as I myself apprehended the passage to be unfairly quoted, I deferred answering until the quotation could be corrected; on examining the work of George Whitehead from which it is taken, I find the word circulated is there printed, but it is evidently a typographical error, as he is replying to an opponent, who contended that "God, Christ, and the Spirit, were circumscribed above the clouds;" but the quotation as offered to me last evening is garbled, inasmuch as it stops at a semicolon, and omits the last member of the sentence, which is essentially necessary to convey George Whitehead's meaning, being in immediate connexion with, and having direct reference to, what precedes; thus it says," that God, Christ, and a Spirit, the Quakers own, is no other but the true God and Christ, even that God that cannot be confined, circulated, [circumscribed,] nor limited to a place of residence, seeing the heaven of heavens cannot contain him;" here the quotation exhibited by the counsel stops, but George Whitehead proceeds, "and that Christ which ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, who is God over all, blessed for ever." In answer to the question put to me last night, I now say, that George Whitehead does truly speak, when he says what I have quoted; and I leave it to those who may hereafter read this testimony, to judge how far the above suppression was made, in order to misrepresent and pervert the meaning of George Whitehead, and through him, the doctrines of the religious Society of Friends.

And the counsel concedes, that he is willing to leave it to those who may hereafter read this testimony, to judge how far the addition to the quotation now made by the witness, alters the sense of the passage; and requests that it may be here noted.

Counsel. To return to the subject from which we have digressed, was it not in respect to a supposed difference in doctrine alone, and that in relation to the "holy three," and the "divinity and offices of Christ," that Penn's biographer had occasion thus to speak, saying, "His Sandy Foundation Shaken,' which gave great offence to some at the helm of