436 FRIENDS’

REVIEW.

 

mo. 5th, 1795, in his 71st year. It is possible
that further extracts from his diary may, at
some future time, be offered ‘to the readers of
the Review. W. J. As

 

For Friends’ Review.
PERFECTION, FAITH, AND SALVATION.

The following testimony sets forth with much
clearness the Scriptural doctrine of Perfection,
as held in the Society of Friends from earliest
times ; and it is also valuable as showing the
conviction of early Friends that repentance to-
ward God must be followed by faith in our Lord
Jesus, which they realized as the beginning of
conversion and as containing in itself salvation,
ere there could be any true denying of ungodli-
ness, and walking acceptably before Him.

William Smith is several times mentioned by
George Fox, who made his home with him when
he came intv Nottinghamshire. On one ocea-
sion, in 1666, he found him * very weak and
sick, and the constables had seized all his
goods, to the very bed he lay upon, for truth’s
sake,’ &c. The extract which follows is from
an old folio copy of his works in Friends’ Li-
brary, Philadelphia. e

“This is the man that is after God, [he] who
is regenerated by the power of God and born of
the seed of God, which seed is Christ, the wis-
dom and righteousness of God. And as He is
in himself, so He is made the same to all that
are born of Him; the man with His virtue be-
comes clothed, and is holy as He is holy.

Oh how many entertain their enemy in their
house, how do they harbor him, and lodge him,
and every way seek to please him, as the most
worthy guest, but the best friend may stand
and knock, and not a door open to Jet Him in.

We believe that with God all things are pos-
stble, and we also believe that whosoever are
born of God do not commit sin, but are perfect
as the heavenly Father is perfect, whose chil-
dren they are ; and we believe that such a state
is attainable in this life, whilst in the body,

There is a state, whilst the birth is in travail,
as that temptations may at sometimes prevail,
for in that state the birth is not come into full
strength through the growth of faith and so
may sin through weakness; but where it is so,
there is acry goes unto God to be delivered, and
though there may be such an overcoming in
weakness as that sin may have some power, yet
that which cries to God in the sense of sin, it
hath an advocate with the Father, even Jesus
Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation
by whom the atonement is made, and through
whom the sin is pardoned and remitted ; and so
the birth grows stronger.in the faith, and goes
on from one degree to another, until it be made
perfect in Christ Jesus.

We have life before we have motion to act, or
to do anything that is pleasing unto God; and

 

in the life we have salvation. Life and salva.
tion are freely given us of God, and i
grace we are saved, through our faith which we
have in him, and that puts us upon motion and
action to do his will in all things, and yet not
to depend upon what we do for life, but to an.
swer his will in all faithfulness because he hath
given us life. And so we do not act or do any.
thing for life; but do all things which he com.
mands us from the motion of his life; and this
is life before action, which moves us to action,
and not action before life, thereby to attain to life.
And so we are his workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them ;—
and this is ordained of God to be the fruit of
our life and faith. And in these good works
we walk, to His glory, and depend on Him
alone fur the renewing of our strength to con-
tinue in them unto the end. 2 Re
WitiiaM Smita.
Nottingham county Gaol, 1664.2

     

 

From the British Friend.
SELF-DENIAL IN FIRST-DAY SCHOOL TEACHING.

Dear Friend,—Perhaps thou wilt kindly
allow me to make a few remarks upon the letter
signed B. E. H. which appeared in thy last
number. a ae

The writer of that letter seems unwilling to
accept theevidence in favor of increased spiritual
vitality in our Society, afforded, in the opinion
of a previous correspondent, by the large num-
ber of young people engaged io First-day schéo!
teaching. He inquires whether all, or nearly
all, the young people so engaged can honestly
regard the work as an act of “self-denial and
cross-bearing ;”’ fears that many inducements
other than those arising from love to Christ are
found “sufficient ;”’ and instances the case of a
young Friend who felt it an act of “ self-denial”
to relinquish her postasateacher, =

Questions of interest and importance are thus
raised, with regard to which I venture to differ
from thy correspondent B. E.H.

In the first place, I think that he uses the ex-
pression ‘ self-denial ’’ without sufficient pre-
cision. Whatis the true nature of Christian
“self-denial ?” The denial, surely, of the cor-
rupt inclinations of the unrenewed heart, for
Christ’s sake, and in view of that higher good
in which our true happiness is seen to consist.
It is the losing of the life of sin, and the finding
of the spiritual life. In the present condition
of the world, Christian self-denial will also often
involve the abandonmentof many things in them-
selves lawful, but which are now inconsistent
with an entire devotion to Christ. But itis 4
great mistake to suppose that our Lord is such
a hard master as to connect with no feeling of
pleasure, and to surround with no ei nc
of interest and enjoyment, the service