These meetings then, which are usually denominated silent, and in which, though not a word be spoken, it appears from the testimony of others that God may be truly worshipped, the Quakers consider as an important and sublime part of their church service, and as possessing advantages which are not to be found in the worship which proceeds solely through the medium of the mouth.

For in the first place it must be obvious that, in these silent meetings, men cannot become chargeable before God, either with hypocrisy or falsehood, by pretending to worship him with their lips, when their affections are far from him, or by uttering a language that is inconsistent with the feelings of the heart.

It must be obvious, again, that every man’s devotion, in these silent meetings, is made, as it ought to be, to depend upon himself; for no man can work out the salvation of another for him.  A man does not depend at these times on the words of a minister, or of any other person present; but his own soul, worked upon by the divine influence, pleads in silence with the Almighty its own cause.  And thus, by extending this idea to the congregation at large, we shall find a number of individuals offering up at the same time their own several confessions; pouring out their own several petitions; giving their own thanks severally, or praising and adoring; all of them in different languages, adapted to their several conditions, and yet not interrupting one another.

Nor is it the least recommendation of this worship, in the opinion of the Quakers, that, being thus wholly spiritual, it is out of the power of the natural man to obstruct it.  No man can break the chains that thus binds the spirit of man to the spirit of God; for this chain, which is spiritual, is invisible.  But this is not the case, the Quakers say, with any oral worship.  “For how, says Barclay, alluding to his own times, can the Papists say their mass, if there be any there to disturb and interrupt them?  Do but take away the mass-book, the chalice, the host, or the priest’s garments; yea, do but spill the water, or the wine, or blow out the candles, (a thing quickly to be done,) and the whole business is marred, and no sacrifice can be offered.  Take from the Lutherans and Episcopalians their liturgy or common prayer-book, and no service can be said.  Remove from the Calvinists, Arminians, Socinians, Independents, or Anabaptists, the pulpit, the bible, and the hourglass, or make but such a noise as the voice of the preacher cannot be heard, or disturb him but so before he come, or strip him of his bible or his books, and he must be dumb:  for they all think it an heresy to wait to speak, as the spirit of God giveth utterance; and thus easily their whole worship may be marred.”

SECT.  III.

Quakers reject every thing formal, ostentatious, and spiritless, from their worship—­Ground on which their Meeting-houses stand, not consecrated—­The latter plain—­Women sit apart from the men—­No Pews—­nor priest’s garments—­nor psalmody—­No one day thought more holy than another—­But as public worship is necessary, days have been fixed upon for that purpose.