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feelings of mankind, and to bring them to the knowledge of God."

The doctrine that Jesus Christ suffered as a substitute for sinners, and paid the penalty of death that was denounced against Adam for transgression, is equally contrary to reason, and inconsistent with the Scriptures. In the first place, it must be borne in mind that the death which was denounced against Adam for transgression, was not the death of the natural body, or else it would have taken place agree-→ ably to the prediction of the Most High-"In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

I have shown, in a former conversation, that this death did take place at the time predicted, and that it was a death in the soul; for "to be carnally minded is death." It was a being "dead in trespasses and sins," and it is evident that Jesus never did die this death, for he never sinned.

That he should suffer an outward death, in order to take away the effects of an inward one, is contrary both to reason and to Scripture: "Shall I give my first-born for my transgressions?—the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?". Micah vi. 7. Yet the authors of this doctrine would take the fruit of Adam's body, (for the Messiah "was made of the seed of David [and consequently of Adam] according to the flesh," Rom. i. 3,) and they would offer it up for the sin of Adam's soul! But let us suppose for a moment, that it was the death of the natural body that was denounced against Adam for transgression; did Christ's suffering in his stead prevent him from dying? Certainly not: for "all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died." And all his posterity continue to die, notwithstanding the debt being paid us, according to this strange doctrine of man's invention.

James. I think that Jesus Christ is spoken of in the Scriptures as the "one mediator between God and man," and as "the mediator of the new cove

nant. "What are we to understand by these expressions?

Father. This question may be answered in the language of George Fox, who says that "None know Him as a mediator and a lawgiver, nor an offering, nor his blood that cleanseth them, but as they know him working in them." Vol. 3, p. 119, 120. As God is a spirit, and the, soul of man is spiritual, it appears evident that the mediator (or medium of intercourse) between God and man must be spiritual.

The eternal word, or spirit of Christ revealed in the soul, is our advocate and our intercessor. For "the spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Rom. viii. 6. "As the word manifested in the flesh, or become man, is the one mediator or restorer of union between God and man; so, to seeing eyes it must be evident, that nothing but this one mediatorial nature of Christ, essentially brought to life in our souls, can be our salvation. through Christ Jesus. For that which saved and exalted that humanity in which Christ dwelt, must be the salvation of every human creature in the world." (See Law's Address to the Clergy, p. 51.) "It is the spirit, the body, the blood of Christ within us, that is our whole peace with God, our whole adoption, our whole redemption, our whole justification, our whole glorification; and this is the one thing said and meant by that new birth, of which Christ saith, except a man be born again from above he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Now the true ground why all that is said of Christ in such a variety of expressions, hath only one meaning, and pointeth only to one and the same thing, is this: it is because the whole state and nature of fallen man wants only

one thing, and that one thing is a real birth of the Divine nature, made living again in him as at the first; and then all is done that can be done, by all the mysteries of the birth and whole process of Christ for our salvation."

"All the law, the prophets, and the gospel are fulfilled, when there is in Christ a new creature, having life in and from him as really as the branch hath its life in and from the vine." (Ibid. p. 47.)

This union of the soul with God, by obedience to the manifestations of his spirit within us, is the whole sum and substance of the Christian religion. It was this which the blessed Messiah came to preach and exemplify; for the new covenant of which he was the minister, is not like the old law written upon tables of stone, but it is a spiritual law "placed in the mind and written in the heart:" therefore he said, when he began to preach, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke iv. 18.

How plain and practical was his preaching! "The kingdom of God," said he, "cometh not with observation, for behold it is within you." "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." The kingdom which he preached is a spiritual kingdom; it is the dominion of God established in the soul, bringing forth "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." This practical and experimental part of religion is the only one in which the pious and faithful in all ages have agreed;-it is the only part that is essential to salvation, and the best evidence we can give of its possession is, by showing forth the fruits of righteousness in our life and conversation; for the tree will be known by its fruit.

APPENDIX.

The following brief extracts from the writings of some of the primitive members of the Society of Friends, will show the views entertained by those faithful advocates of practical Christianity, in relation to the Divine Being, and the true doctrine of salvation by Christ; and will, at the same time, serve to confirm those inculcated in the preceding Conversations.

George Fox, in his "Great Mystery," page 397, says, in reply to Christopher Wade, who had asserted that "the Holy Ghost is a person, and that there was a trinity of three persons before Christ was born," "Thou knowest not him that is in the Father, and the Father in him, glorified with the Father before the world began. And the Scriptures do not tell people of a trinity, nor three persons; but the commonprayer-mass-book speaks of three persons, brought in by thy father the pope; and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was always one.

Again, in pages 463-4. "He said, 'that Christ, and the Father, and the Holy Ghost, are not one; but they are three, therefore distinct.'

"Answer. This is the denying Christ's doctrine, who said, 'I and my Father are one;' and the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, and he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and they are all one, and not distinct, but one in unity; that which comes out from him, leads the saints into all truth, (that was ever given forth from the spirit of truth)

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and so up unto God the Father of truth, and so goes back again from whence it came."

William Penn, in his publication "The Sandy Foundation Shaken," says, in his introductory address to the reader: "What remains, is to inform the reader, that with great brevity I have discussed, and endeavoured a total enervation of those cardinal points, and chief doctrines so firmly believed, and continually imposed for the articles of Christian faith: 1. The trinity of separate persons, in the unity of essence. 2. God's incapacity to forgive, without the fullest satisfaction paid him by another. 3. A justification of impure persons, from an imputative righteousness. Which principles, let me tell thee, reader, are not more repugnant to Scripture, reason, and souls'-security, than most destructive to God's honour, in his unity, mercy, and purity."—Works, vol. 1, p. 251.

"And he said, Lord God, there is no God like unto thee; to whom then will ye liken me? or shall I be equal, saith the Holy One?' 'I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God besides me.' Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.' 'I will also praise thee, O my God; unto thee will I sing, O Holy One of Israel.' 'Jehovah shall be one, and his name one.' Which, with a cloud of other testimonies that might be urged, evidently demonstrate, that in the days of the first covenant, and prophets, but one was the Holy God, and God but that Holy One. And Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, and that is God.' And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee (Father) the only true God.' 'Seeing it is one God that shall justify." There be gods many, but unto us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things." One God and Father who is above all things.' For there is one God.' 'To the only wise God be glory now and for ever.' From all which I shall lay down this one assertion, that the testimonies of Scripture, both under the law, and

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