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only in an earthly mind, and uttered out of the memory by man's voice, which make a noise in the ears of flesh and blood, are not, nor can be accounted a prayer before our Father which is in heaven." Dr. Smallridge, bishop of Bristol, has the following expressions: "Devotion of mind is itself a silent prayer, which wants not to be clothed in words, that God may better know our desires. He regards not the service of our lips, but the inward disposition of our hearts." Monro speaks to the same effect in his Just Measures of pious Institutions of Youth. "I am persuaded," says he, "that it would be vastly advantageous for youth if care were taken to train them up to this method of prayer; that is, if they were taught frequently to place themselves in the Divine presence, and there silently to adore their Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. For hereby they would become habitually recollected. Devotion would be their element, and they would know by experi ence what our blessed Saviour, and his great apostle means, when they enjoin us to pray without ceasing. It was, I suppose, by some such method of devotion as I am now speaking of that Enoch walked with God; that Moses saw. Him that is invisible; that the royal psalmist

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set the Lord always before him; and that our Lord Jesus himself, continued whole nights in prayer to God. No man, I believe, will imagine, that his prayer, during all the space in which it is said to have continued, was altogether vocal. When he was in his agony in the garden, he used but few words. His vocal prayer then consisted only of one petition, and an act of pure resignation, thrice repeated. But I hope all will allow, that his devotion lasted longer than while he was employed in the uttering of a few sentences." Prayer, therefore, being purely of divine origin, and only brought forth in man by the immediate openings and leadings of the Spirit of God, Friends believe, that all who enter upon it, without such direc tion and government, are only fulfilling the will of the creature; and though they may repeat the best of words, even the prayer which Christ taught his disciples, it is not prayer to them, nor will it enter the ears of the Most High. As in regard to prayer, we hold that no human acquirements can qualify for it, or in any degree be equal to it; so also we believe with respect to singing of hymns and spiritual songs. On this subject we differ from many other professors of Christianity; and we have

reason to believe that some pious and well disposed professors have not seen how to reconcile our omission of this practice. But the society of Friends do not believe that songs of thanksgiving or praise are, of necessity, vocal. If by the divine Spirit, they are favoured to feel praise, to spring in their souls, let them sing their spiritual song in spirit, where it properly originates; and we, doubt not God, who is a spirit, will understand their spiritual song. But we do not see that those inward joys of the soul, at all stand in need of any outward or musical tone, to render them acceptable to God. And though we were sometimes to admit the outward voice to be incorporated with this spiritual impression, yet we are not of the judgment that this would be proper in our religious assemblies, because we are aware that all could not in truth sing the same song; some would be likely to be unqualified. Indeed it could seldom occur, that the whole congregation would be raised into the same spiritual song, and if any should outwardly sing, that which was not inwardly brought forth in them by the spirit of God, such would be acting contrary to truth, and could not be edified thereby. From this view of the subject we apprehend all

those who are not prepared in spirit, to sing, had better be silent. And those who are opened in spirit, into the songs of the Lord, let them sing to the Lord in spirit; and not to men, lest they become the instruments of spiri→ tual death to those whom the Lord has not yet given a song; and who according to his righteousness, are yet to pass under the just dispensation of condemnation. But if the whole assembly were born of the spirit, and each of them were in consequence prepared for the true worship of God; we have eleswhere said, that this does not require the aid of the human voice; but being an inward and divine qualificationknown unto God, because brought forth by him,' we are not sensible that it is made any more acceptable, by being proclaimed outwardly in. songs to men. And if the outward singing does not add to the spiritual virtue of the thanksgiving or praises, then there is no advan tage gained by it. That singing then, which is pleasing to the Almighty, must proceed from that which is pure in the heart, even from the divine life, and manifestation of the spirit; and all those will, no doubt, as they are moved. thereby, have spiritual songs and hymns, to return unto the Lord. But we do not findin

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the New Testament, any thing to warrant the use of instruments of music, or artificial singing in the worship of God; and being satisfied that he is and may be worshipped in spirit, and in truth, we leave all those outward acts, which are often attended with danger to the cause of sincerity, out of our practice. According to the usual method of those, who unite with vocal singing, a psalm is offered to the assembly, and then they join in singing the same. But let us, for the sake of further understanding the subject, suppose the following is to be sung: "I am weary with my groaning, all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears." Psal. vi. 6. It must be evident, that those only could sing this psalm, who had been in the same state; all others would be. singing that which they had not known. And thus it must be in every instance, where any join in the songs of the faithful, who have not themselves been faithful. We, therefore, believe, that as the worship we are called to is of divine original, there is no mistake in its operations; but all the living, may harmonize to gether in the same spirit, and worship God, "according as he has dealt, to every man, the measure of faith," Rom. xii. 3.. Nor do we

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