But

to fubmit to that carnal ordinance. art thou circumcis'd, added he? I have not the honour to be fo, fays I. Well, friend, continues the Quaker, thou art a Christian without being circumcis'd, and I am one without being baptiz'd. Thus did this pious man make a wrong, but very fpecious application, of four or five texts of fcripture which feem'd to favour the tenets of his fect; but at the fame time forgot very fincerely an hundred texts which made directly against them. I had more sense than to contest with him, fince there is no poffibility of convincing an enthufiaft. A man fhou'd never pretend to inform a lover of his mistress's faults, no more than one who is at law, of the badness of his caufe; nor attempt to win over a fanatic by strength of reafoning. Accordingly I wav'd the subject.

WELL, fays I to him, what fort of a communion have you? We have none like that thou hinteft at among us, replied he. How! no communion, fays I? Only that spiritual one, replied he, of hearts. He then began again to throw

out

out his texts of scripture; and preach'd a moft eloquent fermon against that ordinance. He harangued in a tone as tho' he had been infpir'd, to prove that the facraments were merely of human invention, and that the word facrament, was not once mention'd in the gofpel. Excufe, fays he, my ignorance, for I have not employ'd an hundredth part of the arguments which might be brought, to prove the truth of our religion, but thefe thou thy felf mayeft perufe in the Expofition of our Faith written by Robert Barclay. 'Tis one of the best pieces that ever was penn'd by man; and as our adverfaries confefs it to be of dangerous tendency, the arguments in it must neceffarily be very convincing. I promis'd to perufe this piece, and my Quaker imagin'd he had already made a convert of me. He afterwards gave me an account in few words, of fome fingularities which make this fect the contempt of others. Confefs, fays he, that 'twas very difficult for thee to refrain from laughter, when I answer'd all thy civilities without uncovering my head, and at the fame

time faid Thee and Thou to thee.

However, thou appeareft to me too well read, not to know that in Chrift's time no nation was fo ridiculous as to put the plural number for the fingular. Auguftus Cæfar himself was spoke to in fuch phrases as thefe, I love thee, I beseech thee, I thank thee; but he did not allow any person to call him Domine, Sir. 'Twas not till many ages after, that men wou'd have the word You, as tho' they were double, instead of Thou employ'd in speaking to them; and ufurp'd the flattering titles of lordship, of eminence, and of holiness, which mere worms bestow on other worms, by affuring them that they are with a most profound refpect, and an infamous falfhood, their most obedient, humble fervants. 'Tis to fecure our felves more ftrongly from fuch a fharneless traffick of lies and flattery, that we thee and thou a king with the fame freedom as we do a beggar, and falute no perfon; we owing nothing to mankind but charity, and to the laws refpect and obedience.

OUR apparel is also somewhat different from that of others, and this purely, that

it

may be a perpetual warning to us not to imitate them. Others wear the badges and marks of their several dignities, and we thofe of chriftian humility. We fly from all affemblies of pleasure, from diverfions of every kind, and from places where gaming is practis'd; and indeed our cafe wou'd be very deplorable, should we fill with fuch levities as those I have mention'd, the heart which ought to be the habitation of God. We never swear, not even in a court of juftice, being of opinion that the most holy name of God ought not to be prostituted in the miserable contests betwixt man and man. When we are oblig❜d to appear before a magistrate upon other people's account, (for law-fuits are unknown among the friends) we give evidence to the truth by fealing it with our yea or nay; and the judges believe us on our bare affirmation, whilst fo many other Chriftians forfwear themfelves on the holy Gofpels. We never war or fight in any case; but 'tis not that we are afraid, for fo far from fhuddering at the thoughts of death, we on the contrary blefs the moment which unites

us

us with the Being of Beings; but the reason of our not using the outward fword is, that we are neither wolves, tygers, nor maftiffs, but men and Chriftians. Our God, who has commanded us to love our enemies, and to fuffer without repining, would certainly not permit us to cross the feas, merely because murtherers cloath'd in fcarlet, and wearing caps two foot high enlist citizens by a noife made with two little sticks on an afs's fkin extended. And when, after a victory is gain'd, the whole city of London is illuminated; when the fky is in a blaze with fireworks, and a noise is heard in the air of thanksgivings, of bells, of organs, and of the cannon, we groan in filence, and are deeply affected with fadness of spirit and brokenness of heart, for the fad havock which is the occafion of those public rejoycings.

LETTER II