what abat.

"After a confiderable time, his fteady perfeve- His father's rance evincing his integrity, his father's wrath be- wrath fome came fomewhat mollified, fo that he winked at his ed. return to, and continuance in his family; and though he did not publicly feem to countenance him, yet, when imprisoned for being at meetings, he privately used his intereft to get him released." "About the year 1668, being the 24th. of his 1668. age, (continues the writer of his life) he first appeared in the work of the miniftry, rightly called to, and qualified for, that office; being fent of God to teach others what himself had learned of him; commiffioned from on high, to preach to others that holy self-denial, which himself had practifed; to recommend to all that ferenity and peace of conscience, which himself had felt; walking in the light, to call others out of darkness; having drank of the water of life, to direct others to the fame fountain; having tafted of the heavenly bread, to incite all men to partake of the fame banquet; being redeemed by the power of Christ, he was fent to call others from under the dominion of Satan, into the glorious liberty of the fons of God, that they might receive remiffion of fins, and an inheritance, among them that are fanctified through faith in Jefus Christ."

Of the rife, religious principles and practice, &c. of the people called Quakers.

Before I proceed to be more particular refpec- Account ting William Penn, I fhall here intermit the further of the Quaaccount of his life; and, that the reader might kers, &c. have some just idea of the people, with whom he joined in religious fociety, and who first settled the province of Pennfylvania, under him, I fhall next exhibit a fhort fummary of the rife, religious principles, general fyftem and practice or manners, of the people called Quakers, fufficient for the purpofe, principally extracted from their own accounts,

and

Evidences

providence,

and in their own words, referring the more in, quifitive enquirer to their particular writings, for further information.*

Nothing can be a more fignal evidence of an God's over-ruling Providence, fuperintending the works in the rife of the creation, and directing the end of things, of the Qua than the rife of good out of evil; and the converkers. fion of the wicked machinations of perverse man

Time

of

the Quakers.

kind to good purposes: that out of perfecution and hatred fhould fpring charity, and mutual benevolence; that from tyranny and ignorance fhould flow rational liberty, and true knowledge, is as manifeft a demonstration of an all preferving cause, as the creation itself is evident of its own existence: this appears, in part, from the rife of the religious people called Quakers, and the fettling of the flourifhing province of Pennsylvania.

Near the middle of the 17th. century, during the the rife of civil war, in England, when men were tearing each other in pieces, and when confufion and bloodshed had overfpread the nation, many fober and thinking perfons of the different religious focieties, weighing the uncertainty of human affairs, and beholding the various viciffitudes in the political fyftem, after having examined the many vain and futile opinions, and abfurd customs, in religion, which were either impofed, practifed or infifted on, by the various profeffors of Chriftianity, under all denominations, in that country, withdrew themfelves from their affemblies for divine worship; and, having their minds turned to what appeared to them more rational, and confiftent with a rightly informed understanding, and a life more congruous, or agreeable, to the mind of that Deity which is fpiritual, and communicates his goodness and knowledge

Among other writings of this people, the reader is referred to the following:

Their history, by W. Sewel, in folio, and by J. Rutty, in 4to. Their fufferings, in two vols. folio, by Jof. Beffe, alfo to the works, or writings, of R. Barclay, W. Penn, G. Fox, If. Penington, Samuel Fisher, Ed, Bur roughs, Fr. Howgill, Thomas Story, with many others.

knowledge more nearly through a medium of his own nature; and places the human mind above the reach of terreftrial influence; they thence fell into that practical belief, and christian conduct, which gave rife to this religious fociety.*

ge

It was not till the year 1650, that the name of Quakers was impofed on them; who before had nerally gone under the denomination of profeffors, or children, of the light; but the most common appellation, by which they diftinguished themselves from others, and even to this day, is by the name of Friends.

their firft

and

"Now these people (faith Robert Barclay, one Caufe and of their early and principal writers) who hold forth manner of the principles and doctrines hereafter to be menti- rife oned, were not gathered together by an unity of uniting in opinion, or by a tedious and particular difquifition of fociety. notions and opinions, requiring an affent to them, and binding themfelves by leagues and covenants thereto; but the manner of their gathering was by a fecret want; which many truly tender and ferious fouls in divers and fundry fects, found in themselves, which put each fect in fearch of fomething beyond all opinion; which might fatisfy their weary fouls, even, the revelation of God's righteous judgment in their hearts, to burn up the unrighteous root and fruits thereof; that, the fame being deftroyed, and done away, the inward peace and joy of the holy fpirit, in the foul, might be felt to abound, and thence power and life to follow him, in all his commandments. And fo many came to be joined and united together in heart and fpirit, in this one life of righteoufnefs, who had been long wandering

in

It may be here noted, that the fame unhappy and diftracted times likewife originally gave rife to the inftitution of the Royal Society, in London: When men were tired out with wars, contentions, and the changes confequent thereon, divers perfons of genius and fortune began to turn their minds from the broils of ftate affairs, to a philofophic life; and by degrees formed that venerable body, for the promotion of science and natural knowledge; a fociety, which has done no fmall honour to the Britife nation, and has been of great benefit to mankind.

Vide fpectator, No. 262, on the rife of the R. Society.

Firft and

ciple of the

*

in the several sects; and by the inward unity, came to be gathered in one body; from whence, by degrees, they came to find themfelves agreed in the plain and fimple doctrines of Christ. And as this inward power, they longed for, and felt, to give them victory over fin, and bring the peace, that follows thereon, was that, whereby they were brought into that unity and community together; fo they came first thence to accord in the univerfal preaching of this power to all, and directing all unto it; which is the first and chiefcft principle held by them, viz.

"That there is fomewhat of God, fome light, chief prin- fome grace, fome power, fome measure of the spirit, Quakers. fome divine, fpiritual, heavenly, fubftantial life and virtue, in all men; which is a faithful witness against all unrighteoufnefs, and ungodliness in the heart of man, and leads, draws, moves and inclines the mind of man to righteounefs, and feeks to leav en him, as he gives way thereunto, into the nature of itself; whereby an inward, thorough and real redemption may be wrought in the hearts of all men, of whatsoever nation, country or kindred they be, notwithstanding whatfoever outward knowledge, or benefit, they may be, by the providence of God, deprived of: because whatsoever they want of that, yet fuch a measure of this light, feed, life and word, is communicated to all, as is fufficient truly to convert them from the evil of their ways, purify and cleanse them, and confequently bring them to falvation. And in the affirming of this, they do *Whence the name of Quakers impofed

It may be obferved, "that through the deep and inward operation of this porver in them, a dread took hold on them, not only to the begetting of God's fear in their hearts, but even to the reaching and inructing of their outward man, hence the name of Quakers, or Tremers, hath been in reproach, by their enemies caft upon them, which ferveth to distinguish them from others, though not affumed by them; yet as the Chriftians of old, albeit the name of Chriftian was caft upon them by way of reproach, gloried in it, as defiring, above all things, to be accounted the followers of Chrift; fo they alfo are glad the world -reproacheth them as fuch, who tremble before the Lord, and who work out their falvation in fear and trembling.”

R. Barclay

hot at all exalt felf, or nature; (as do the Socinians) in that they freely acknowledge that man's nature is defiled and corrupted, and unable to help him one ftep, in order to falvation; judging nothing more needful than the full and perfect denial and mortification of felf, in order thereunto. Nor do they believe this feed, light and grace to be any part of man's nature; or, any thing that properly, or effentially, is of man; but that it is a free grace and gift of God, freely given to all men, in order to bring them out of the fall, and lead them to life eternal. Neither do they fuppofe this feed, word and grace, which is fufficient to lead to falvation, to be given to men without Chrift; for they believe it to be the purchase of Christ's death, who tafted death for every man: fo that they confefs all to be derived to them in and by Christ, the mediator; to whom they afcribe all. Yea, they believe this light, grace and feed to be no other, but a measure of that life and fpirit, that was in Chrift Jefus; which, being in him, who is the head, in the fulnefs of it, is from him, (in whom it refideth) as he is afcended up unto, and glorified in, the heavens, extended to all men, in order to redeem them from fin, and convert them to God."

"Thus, according to this principle, without attributing any thing to felf or to the nature of man, or, claiming any thing without Chrift, the univerfal love of God to all men is exhibited; whereby the means of falvation by Chrift, and reconciliation unto God, is fo afferted, that no man is altogether excluded from it, but each fo reached, as puts him into a capacity to be faved.”

church Ca

Hence, as it naturally arifes from this univerfal Definition principle, the church Catholic, or univerfal, with of the out which there can be no falvation, is by them understood to comprehend all perfons, or fo many, univerfal, of every nation and kind of people, without exception, whether they have the knowledge and be

tholic, or

&c.