more and more subservient to promote the reality and power of it. The form of religion may indeed be, where there is little of the thing itself; but the thing itself cannot be preserved amongst mankind without the form.[1] And this form frequently occurring in some instance or other of it, will be a frequent admonition[2] to bad men to repent,
- ↑ The thing itself cannot be preserved amongst mankind without the form.]—The Quakers reject all forms, even the two of Christ's own institution; will it be said, that "these men have no religion preserved among them?" It will neither be said nor insinuated. The Quakers, though they have not the form, are careful to keep up the face of religion; as appears not only from the custom of assembling themselves for the purposes of public worship on the Lord's day, but from their silent meetings on other days of the week. And that they are equally sensible of the importance of maintaining the influence of religion on their minds, is manifest from the practice of what they call inward prayer, in conformity to the direction of Scripture, to pray continually; "Which," saith Robert Barclay, "cannot be understood of outward prayer, because it were impossible that men should be always upon their knees, expressing the words of prayer; which would hinder them from the exercise of those duties no less positively commanded."—Apology for the Quakers, Prop. xi. of Worship.
- ↑ This form frequently occurring in some instance or other of it, will be a frequent admonition, &c.]—Here it has been objected, that "the number, variety, and frequent occurrence of forms in religion, are too apt to be considered by the generality as commutations for their vices, as something substituted in lieu of repentance, and as loads and incumbrances upon true Christian edification." This way of arguing against the use of a thing from the abuse of it, instead of arguing from the nature of the thing itself, is the master sophism that pervades the whole
looked farther he would have found other methods recommended to the clergy, of introducing a sense of religion into the minds of their parishioners, which occur much oftener than the times allotted for the public services of the church; such as family prayers; acknowledging the divine bounty at our meals; personal applications from ministers of parishes to individuals under their care, on particular occasions and circumstances; as at the time of confirmation, at first receiving the holy communion, on recovery from sickness, and the like; none of which are prescribed in our established ritual, any more than those others so ludicrously mentioned by this writer, "bowing to the east, turning their face to that quarter in repeating the creeds, dipping the finger in water, and therewith crossing the child's forehead in baptism."
