Samuel Bownas comes forth in the ministry - count of his early life-Friends' peaceable testi- The sufferings of Friends in Ireland, during the re- THC HE religion instituted by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and spread abroad in the world by his blessed Spirit accompanying the labors of his inspired apostles, was beautiful for its simplicity and adaptation to man's spiritual need. The preceding Mosaic dispensation, while it enjoined devotion of heart to the Creator, according to the measure of light vouchsafed, was nevertheless characterized by a multitude of outward observances, suited to the state of the people, which did not make the comers thereunto perfect, yet pointed to the substance of that which was to follow. But when our blessed Lord, in his coming, sufferings and death, had fulfilled and abrogated the ceremonial requirements of the law, he introduced the more glorious dispensation of the Gospel, in which life and immortality, and the mysteries of redeeming love, were brought to light. The former dispensation was outward and typical, the latter inward and spiritual; in which, through the regenerating power of divine grace, the heart was to be made the temple of the Holy Ghost. Christ declared himself to be "the way, the truth and the life;" that no man can come to the Father but by Him; and that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." It was not in outward appearance only, that a change was to be made in the natural man; but the axe was to be laid to the root of the tree, and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, was to be hewn down and cast into the fire. The lives of his followers were to be characterized by holiness, and watchfulness unto prayer; every individual seeking a knowledge of God for himself, instead of depending on a class of men set apart for the purpose of exclusively conducting the affairs of religion, as had prevailed among the heathen, and even in degree among the Jews themselves. This knowledge of God and of the way of life was to be obtained by the repenting sinner, through inward waiting of the soul on the Lord himself in humility and sincerity; through submission to the cleansing operations of the "Word quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit;" and through unreserved obedience to the secret manifestations of the Divine Spirit, which was promised "to lead into all truth." The disciples were distinctly informed by the Saviour, that He was "the Light of the world," and that He who was with them in that prepared body, should henceforth be in them, by his blessed Spirit. To this Light therefore, even Christ in them the hope of Glory, the primitive Christians looked, as the great Guide of life. This it was that was to "sanctify them wholly;" so that all were to be "kings and priests unto God," and to seek to be made "perfect as the Father who is in Heaven is perfect." The followers of our crucified Lord, desirous of avoiding every thing that might minister to the natural vanity of the human heart, and thus imperceptibly lead away from that humility which was known to be an essential requisite to the character of a true Christian, renounced the vanities of the world, and set an example of simplicity in life and conduct. Not that they affected singularity, as the ascetics, hermits and monks afterwards did; but remembering the declaration of the Saviour, "whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple," they dared not to sanction in their own practice any incentives to a worldly spirit, or the gratification of "the lust of the eye and the pride of life." Neither dared they, in defiance of the law of universal love taught them by their adorable Redeemer, to cherish in their hearts those dispositions which lead man to destroy his fellow-man, either in revenge or in self-preservation. War they knew to be prohibited by the whole tenor of “the gospel of peace," no less than by the positive injunctions of Him who said, "love your enemies-do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you." Many instances of deep suffering proved the hold which this peaceful principle had on the minds of the early believers. We need hardly cite the well known example of the martyr Maximilian, who, even in the third century, nobly declared in the face of death, that "because he was a Christian" he could not take arms nor engage in war, even though at the command of the Roman proconsul; for the refusal to fight was generally acknowledged to be a distinguishing feature of the Christian profession.* Their outward callings were to be such as should not clash with their testimony to purity and holiness and selfdenial; nor were they at liberty, like the people of the heathen world around them, to please themselves with frivo * Tertullian (De Coronâ militis) says emphatically, "Will the child of peace engage in battle, to whom it is not becoming even to dispute with his fellow-men at law?" "Faith admits not the plea of necessity." |