reduced into the form of words and sentences bearing that name. The common law, which is unwritten, is more full and comprehensive than any statute, and it is no more requisite that a creed should be reduced into form, to be a creed, than a law to be a law: a strict examination would perhaps show us, that those sects who profess to have no creed, act at times with less lenity than others; not indeed, because they have none; but by reason of its not being defined, a greater latitude is given to judge of the doctrine of its members, and they are more liable to censure from being unacquainted with the particular test which their faith is to be subject to.

But though I have spoken thus plainly, I have no disposition to condemn societies, or contribute to their overthrow, if that were in my power: unregenerate men will find employment, and if societies were abolished their occupation would be no better. There are many who admire them, have great confidence in the good they may do; they will be disposed zealously to defend them, and will say, that laws to govern them are necessary, and that these have been given them by the spirit of Truth. I am not disposed to dispute all this, but if it be true,

they have been given because societies are not what they pretend to be, the church of Christ; the very existence of law, is a proof of it; for so truly as Christ comes, all laws are fulfilled and done away, not an outward Christ, but the power of God in the mind.

Though I am most assuredly persuaded, that people may be righteous, without any kind of religious communities; yet if men were members of the true church, societies could exist without any shadow of creeds or discipline of any kind; the disciples of Jesus declared, that spirits were subject to them; and a state of perfect conformity to the Divine will, feels no offence; it is a state in which the worship of God is not interrupted, whether engaged in the common affairs of life which may rightly employ us, in meeting houses, or in other places.

It would indeed, be some argument in favor of particular sects, if faith and principles were communicated to sects and not to individuals; but the very reverse is the fact, men only know truth individually; and yet each one is expected to believe those doctrines which his sect acknowledge. Thus many make for themselves. a verbal faith, which they no more truly believe in, than those who never heard of it. One man says he believes in the Trinity, another is a

predestinarian, when perhaps they do not know what the terms mean; a third pretends that war is unlawful, and that ordinances are wrong; and yet he may privately indulge in every species of war that is not open fighting, and be daily living and acting under ordinances.

Sects, as they now exist, tend to level all into one common mass-if members believe too little they are censured; if they believe too much, they are equally faulted; not because they are not believing, what in righteousness they only can believe; but because their faith does not correspond to that standard which has been set up to judge them by: and this levelling business is going on as fast as the work is accomplished which the different sects are so ardently engaged in-of propagating their respective forms of religion. They are building meeting houses, and locating worship, but do they not set up altars, as the Athenians did formerly, “to the unknown God." Most truly F believe, that if it were not for the righteousness of those individuals among them, who have, in fact, their confidence placed upon better promises, there would hardly remain the shadow of true religion among them.

Perhaps I shall be met by those who may say, that in circulating the Bible, building up

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societies, establishing creeds, and erecting meeting houses, they are acting from the best knowledge they have of right. To these I answer, L have no feeling that would condemn; I should, by so doing, be attempting to withhold that liberty of conscience, which is the right of all. But let them query whence they got their notions of religion? if they believe that irreligion is in their own selfish natures, I would ask them what lust, or passion, or appetite is overcome thereby? do they covet riches less? are they less easily excited to anger? or less given to excess in eating or drinking? if making creeds to bind the consciences of their fellow creatures, or building meeting houses, does overcome their passions, which they themselves confess, to be the man of sin; then indeed there might be some show of truth in their remarks; but on the contrary, do we not sce, that those who are the most zealous actors herein, have their lusts and passions as easily excited as other men. Some of them may, as I have said of preachers, pay so much homage to their profession, as to endeavour to regulate their feelings by that-their reputation among men is at stake; thus the stronger selfish feeling casts out that which is weaker.

But they plead that their exertions may do good to others.

The same causes operate upon all, none ever have their natural propensities overcome by reading the Bible or by attending meetings, or subscribing to creeds; if it were so then we should find, that all who practice these things are more pure and righteous than others who take no part therein; which is believed not to be the case. There are thousands of men who are members of no sect; will any one presume to say, that they are more sinful, than as many taken promiscuously, from among those who are in religious communities? will they give less credit to their words? or trust them less in their dealings? is not the query rather, whether they are honest men, than members of sects. And yet with the full knowledge of these facts, men continue to act upon sectarian views! The Divine light in their souls would perhaps show them that they have drawn their principles from books and from men; for priest-craft is so deeply rooted, that it is difficult to avoid or detect its influence.

If a man is supposed to be seriously inclined, he is met by sectarians in every stage of his progress, recommending him to men and to books; and he receives truth tinged with those