I answer—­the Quakers believe they may be so moved, and that they ought to be so moved.  They believe also that they are often so moved.  But they believe again, that except their ministers are peculiarly cautious, and keep particularly on their watch, they may mistake their own imaginations for the agency of this spirit.  And upon this latter belief it is, in part, that the office of elders is founded, as before described.

The second is, as there are no defined boundaries between the reason of man and the revelation of God, how do the Quakers know that they are favoured at any particular time, either when they preach or when they do not preach, with the visitation of this spirit, or that it is, at any particular time, resident within them?

Richard Claridge, a learned and pious clergyman of the Church of England in the last century, but who gave up his benefices and joined the society of the Quakers, has said a few words in his Tractatus Hierographicus, upon this subject, a part of which I shall transcribe as an answer to this latter question.

“Men, says he, may certainly know, that they do believe on the Son of God, with that faith that is unfeigned, and by which the heart is purified:  for this faith is evidential and assuring, and consequently the knowledge of it is certain.  Now they, who certainly know that they have this knowledge, may be certain also of the spirit of Christ dwelling in them; for [133] ’he that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself;’ and this witness is the spirit; for it is [134] ‘the spirit that beareth witness,’ of whose testimony they may be as certain, as of that faith the spirit beareth witness to.”

[Footnote 133:  1 John 5.10.]

[Footnote 134:1 John 5. 6.]

Again—­“They may certainly know that they love the Lord above all, and their neighbour as themselves.  For the command implies not only a possibility of knowing it in general, but also of such a knowledge as respects their own immediate concernment therein, and personal benefit arising from a sense of their conformity and obedience thereunto.  And seeing they may certainly know this, they may also as certainly know, that the spirit of Christ dwelleth in them;[135] for ’God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.’  And [136] ’if we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.’” In the same manner he goes on to enumerate many other marks from texts of scripture, by which he conceives this question may be determined[137].

[Footnote 135:1 John 4. 16.]

[Footnote 136:1 John 4. 12.]

[Footnote 137:  The Quakers conceive it to be no more difficult for them to distinguish the motions of the Holy Spirit, than for those of the church of England, who are candidates for holy orders.  Every such candidate is asked, “Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this office and ministration?” The answer is, “I trust so.”]