These are the high fentiments which the ancient Quakers entertained of the call and miffion of their first founder, and which R. Barclay, and all the plain friends, who revere the ancient teftimony, seriously and zealously avow. And, to be a confiftent Quaker, it feems neceffary to believe, that George Fox, was the true" Prophet," and "Apoftle of God," fent forth by Him P. 44. "in an extraordinary manner," A. D. 1652, according to Mr. Penn, P. 60. or three years before, according to Fox's journal, (which is to be preferred I know not) to "proclaim the day of the Lord to the nations, and to publish again the "everlafting Gofpel."

On this particular we will only add, that in the laft paragraph of Mr. Penn's fore-mentioned preface, he thus expreffes himself, "Behold the teftimony and "doctrines of the people called Quakers! Behold, "their practice, and difcipline! And behold, the bleffed "Man, and men that were fent of God, in this ex"cellent work and fervice!"

Other fets of profeffed Chriftians, have spoken highly of their famous leaders, but, it must be owned, very few, if any, among us, have expreffed themselves fo strongly as these have done, concerning G. Fox.

In order that we may judge, whether he was indeed the "Apoftle, and Prophet of God," in the extraordinary manner that Mr. Penn, and others have fo emphatically reprefented, let us confider the following paffages, which are fairly extracted from his journal.

His firft revelation was, Vol. I. P. 29, when he was almost nineteen years old. After having been preffed to drink by his companions, he arrived at his habitation, but, could not fleep, and therefore continued walking up and down. Whilft in this reftlefs fituation, the Lord faid to him: "Thou feeft, how young "people go together into vanity, and old people into "the earth, and thou must forfake all, both young " and

" and old, and keep out of all, and be as a stranger ❝to all."

At the command of God, P. 29. on the ninth of May, 1643, he broke off all familiarity or friendfhip with young and old; is troubled, oppreffed, and tempted to despair at Barnel; has great trouble and mifery at London, whither he afterwards went; and continues under these temptations fome years.

When he had left the priests, the feparate preachers alfo, and thofe called the moft experienced people; because he faw none could speak to his condition, and his hope from all men was gone: P. 37. Then, he affirms, "I heard a voice which faid, There is one, even Chrift "Jefus, who can speak to thy condition. And when "I heard it, my heart did leap for joy."

Further on, he declares, "My defires after the Lord grew ftronger, and zeal in the pure knowledge of "God and of Chrift alone, without the help of any "man, book, or writing. For though I read the "Scriptures, which speak of Chrift and of God, yet "I knew him not, but by revelation, as he, who “hath the key, did open, and as the father of life "drew me to his Son, by the Spirit. And then the "Lord did gently lead me along, and did let me see "his love, which was endlefs and eternal, and furpaf❝fes all the knowledge, that men have in the natural "ftate, or can get by history, or books. And that "love did let me fee myfelf, as I was without him. "And I was afraid of all: For, I faw them perfectly, "where they were, through the love of God, which "let me fee myself."

In many other places he speaks of all other religious people as being, "mistaken," "under darkness," and "in a dangerous fituation," juft as he does here, of "all company."

He tells us, that, P. 60. " one day as he was walking in the fields, the Lord faid unto him, Thy E

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"name is written in the Lamb's book of life, which "was from the foundation of the world."

In a letter written to Cromwell, P. 272. he concludes thus, "Given forth from the Spirit of the "Lord, through GEORGE FOX."

At London he published a paper, addreffed to all those who made a fcorn at, P. 272. "trembling," and "quaking," which begins with these words," The "word of the Lord to all you, &c."

He declares alfo, that the voice of the Lord came to him, as it did to the Prophets and Apoftles. Thus he afks five priests at Swarthmore, P. 155. "Whether any "one of them could fay, that he ever had the word "of the Lord, to go and speak to fuch and fuch a "people? None of them durft fay they had: But, "one of them burft out into a paffion, and faid "He could fpeak his experiences, as well as I. I "told him experience was one thing, but to receive "and go with a meffage, and to have a word from "the Lord, as the Prophets and Apostles had and "did, and as I had done to them, this was another 66 thing."

From these paffages in his journal, it is most evident, that he was perfuaded, if honeft, that he was actuated by the Spirit of the Lord God, and divinely commiffioned, in the fame extraordinary manner as the Prophets and Apoftles were. He was alfo equally confident, that his name was written in the lamb's book of life, and that he was a particular favourite of hea

ven.

But more than this, he pretends to the gifts of dif cerning fpirits, of prophecy, and even of miracles. He tells juftice John Sawrey, at judge Fell's, P. 151. "That his heart was rotten, and that he was full of Hypocrify to the brim." "Several other people," he

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What prefumption was it, for this man to call his own fayings "the word of the Lorc," and yet to deny the propriety of applying this epithet to the Scriptures?

adds,

adds,

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came alfo, whose state the Lord gave him a "difcerning of."

He pretends alfo to have had a power of detecting witches, and accordingly goes out of the way into a field to tell fome women, P. 194, 195. "that they

"were in the Spirit of witchcraft."

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The private crimes of harlots were likewife laid open to his view, as he would have us think; accordingly, he afferts that he found out and convicted one at Swarthmore-Hall, P. 194. He alfo writes thus of himself, "The Lord had given me a fpirit of dif cerning, by which I many times faw the states and "conditions of people, and could try their fpirits." Which extraordinary gift, as understood by Mr. Fox, feems to be fomewhat different from that, it is apprehended, which was granted to fome of the Corinthian Church, in the first age of Chriftianity.

In a letter to juftice Sawrey, he prophefies of him, P. 173, and 175. that," he fhould not profper:" And afterwards we are told, "That he was drowned."

"This

He writ a letter to Adam Sands, which contains many threatenings, after which it is added, "Adam Sands afterwards died miserably."

With refpect to miracles, there are many, which Fox himself pretends to have performed, and others, that he ascribes to his friends *. Of this any may be fatisfied, who will give themselves the trouble, to look at the index, under the word "miracle," in the fecond volume, and to the accounts of them, there referred to in his journal.

The following are mentioned: A dying woman raised up again; the king's-evil cured; a diffracted woman compofed in fpirit, and perfectly recovered; a great man, who was given over by his phyficians, reftored;

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* Part I. P. 289. of his journal, he writes, "And great miracles were wrought in many places, by the power of the Lord, through "feveral."

and John Jay's neck, that was broken by a fall from a horfe, fet right again. But of all that are mentioned, in either volume, there is not one feems more apoftolical, if true, than that performed upon the arm of prophet Myer: His account of it is as follows, "After fometime, I went to a meeting at Arnfide, P. 187. "where Richard Myer was. Now he had long been "lame in one of his arms: And I was moved of the

Lord, to fay unto him, among all the people, "Pro"phet Myer, ftand upon thy legs, (for he was fitting "down) and he ftood up, and ftretched out his arm, "that had been lame a long time," and faid, " Be "it known unto you, all people, that this day I am "healed." Yet," after this, the Lord commanded "him to go to York, with a meffage from him, and "he difobeyed the Lord, and the Lord ftruck him "again, fo that he died about three quarters of a year after."

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Some of the principal truths, which he would have his reader think, he was thus miraculously qualified to publish to the world, were the following, that, every man was enlightened with the divine light "of Chrift, and that he faw it fhine through all, &c." "This I faw, P. 60. in the pure openings of the "light, without the help of any man, neither," (writes he) did I then know where to find it in the Scrip"tures, (though afterwards, fearching the Scriptures, I "found it)." He alfo fays, P. 194. "That there "had been a night of apoftacy fince the Apostles days, "And that Chrift was come to teach his people "himself, by his light, grace, power, and Spirit,' "Moreover," he adds, P. 63. " when the Lord fent me "forth into the world, he forbad me to put off my ❝hat to any, high or low; and I was required to "thee and thou all men and women, without respect to rich or poor, great or finall; and as I travelled "up and down, I was not to bid people good-morrow, or good-evening, neither might I bow or fcrape with

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"my