W. Penn on fters and ministry, &c. ed, through their ministry, from darkness to light, and out of the broad into the narrow way of life and peace; bringing people to a weighty, ferious and God-like converfation, the practice of that doctrine, which they taught." Of their minifters and ministry, W. Penn Speaks as follorus: 1. "They were changed men themfelves before their mini- they went abroad to change others. Their hearts were rent, as well as their garments; and they knew the power and work of God upon them. And this was seen by the great alteration it made; and their ftricter course of life, and more godly conversation, that immediately followed upon it.' 2. "They went not forth to preach in their own time, or will, but in the will of God; and spoke not their own ftudied matter, but as they were opened and moved of his spirit; with which they were well acquainted, in their own converfion; which cannot be expreffed to carnal men, fo as to give them any intelligible account; for to such it is as Chrift said, like the blowing of the wind, which no man knows whence it cometh, or whither it goeth.Yet this proof and zeal went along with their miniftry, that many were turned from their lifelefs profeffions, and the evil of their ways, to an inward and experimental knowledge of God, and an holy life as thoufands can witnefs. And as they freely received, what they had to fay, from the Lord, fo they freely administered it to others."— Barclay's (And, as R. Barclay further obferves on the subapology, ject)" they coveted no man's filver, gold nor apparel; fought no man's goods; but fought them, and the falvation of their fouls: whofe hands fupplied their own neceffities, working honeftly for bread, for themfelves and families. And if, at any time, they were called of God, fo as the work of the Lord hindered them from the work of their trades, they took what was freely given them by &c. ' fuch, fuch, to whom they had communicated fpirituals, and having food and raiment, were therewith con tent. 3. "The bent and ftrefs of their miniftry (continues W. Penn) was converfion to God, regeneration and holiness. Not schemes of doctrines, and verbal creeds, or new forms of worship; but a leaving off, in religion, the fuperfluous, and reducing the ceremonies, and formal part, and preffing earnestly, the fubftantial, the necessary and profitable part, to the foul. 4 "They directed people to à principle in themfelves, though not of themselves, by which all, that they afferted, preached and exhorted others to, might be wrought in them, and known to them, through experience, to be true: which is an high and diftinguishing mark of the truth of their miniftry, both that they knew what they faid, and were not afraid of coming to the teft: for, as they were bold from certainty, fo they required conformity upon no human authority, but upon conviction of this principle; which they afferted was in them, that they preached unto; and unto that they directed them, that they might examine and prove the reality of these things, which they had affirmed of it, as to its manifestation, and work in man. And this is more than the many minifters in the world pretend to."" Thus this people did not only in words, more than equally with others, prefs repentance, converfion and holinefs, but over and above did it knowingly and experimentally; and directed thofe, to whom they preached, to a fufficient principle; and told them where it was, and by what tokens they might know it, and which way they might experience the power and efficacy of it, to their fouls' happiness; which is more than theory and fpeculation; upon which moft other minifters depend: for here is certainty; a bottom upon which man may boldly appear before God, in the great day of account. 5. "They reached to the inward state and condition of people, which is evidence of the virtue of their principle, and of their ministering from it, and not from their own imaginations, gloffes or comments, upon fcripture. For nothing reaches the heart, but what is from the heart, or pierces the confcience, but what comes from a living confcience. Infomuch, as it hath often happened, where people have, under fecrecy, revealed their state, or condition, to some choice friends, for advice, or eafe; they have been fo particularly directed, in the ministry of this people, that they have challenged their friends, with discovering their fecrets, and telling their preachers their cafes, to whom a word had not been spoken. Yea, the very thoughts and purposes of the hearts of many have been fo plainly detected, that they have, like Nathaniel, cried out of this inward appearance of Chrift, "Thou art the fon of God, thou art the king of Ifrael." And thofe, that have embraced this divine principle, have found this mark of its truth and divinity, that the woman of Samaria did of Chrift, when in the flesh, to be the Meffiah, viz. It had told them all that ever they had done; fhewn them their infides, the most inward fecrets of their hearts, and laid judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; of which thousands can, at this day, give in their witness. So that nothing has been affirmed by this people, of the power and virtue of this heavenly principle, that such as have turned to it, have not found true, and more; and that half had not been told them, of what they have seen of the power, purity, wisdom and goodnefs of God therein. 6. "The accomplishments, with which this principle fitted, even some of the meaneft of this people, for their work and fervice; furnishing fome of them with an extraordinary understanding, in divine things, and an admirable fluency and taking way of expreffion, expreffion, gave occafion to fome to wonder, faying of them, as of their master, "Is not this fuch a mechanic's fon? How came he by this learning? As from thence others took occafion to fufpect and infinuate, they were Jefuits in disguise, who had the reputation of learned men for an age past, though there was not the leaft ground of truth for any fuch reflection, in that their ministers are known, the places of their abode, their kindred and education. 7. That they came forth low, defpifed and hated, as the primitive Chriftians did; and not by the help of worldly wifdom or power, as former reformations, in part, have done: But, in all things, it may be faid, this people were brought forth in the cross; in a contradiction to the ways, worfhips, fashions and cuftoms of this world; yea, against wind and tide; that no flesh might glory before God. 4. and 19. i.ch. 5,6,7, 8. They could have no defign to themselves, in this work, thus to expose themselves to fcorn and abuse; to spend and be spent: leaving wife and children, house and land, and all that can be accounted dear to men, with their lives in their hands; being daily in jeopardy, to declare this primitive meffage, revived in their fpirits, by the John i. ch. good fpirit and power of God, viz. That God is iii. ch. 20, light and in him is no darkness at all; and that he 21. I. John has fent his fon, a light into the world, to enlighten all men, in order to falvation; and that they, that say they have fellowship with God, and are his children and people, and yet walk in darkness, viz. in difobedience to the light in their confciences, and after the vanity of this world, they lie, and do not the truth. But, that all fuch as love the light, and bring their deeds to it, and walk in the light, as God is light, the blood of Jefus Chrift, his Son, fhould cleanse them from all fin. Of their 9. "Their known great conftancy and patience, in fuffering for their testimony, in all the branches of it, and that fometimes unto death, by beatings, bruifings, long and crowded imprisonments, and noifome dungeons. Four of them, in New England, dying by the hands of the executioner, purely for preaching among that people; befides banishments, and exceffive plunders and fequeftrations of their goods and estates, almost in all parts, not easy to be expreffed, and lefs to have been endured, but thofe that have the fupport of a good and glorious caufe; refufing deliverance by any indirect ways, or means, as often as it was offered to them. IO. 10. "That they did not only not shew any dif pofition to revenge, when it was at any time in their power, but forgave their cruel enemies; fhewing mercy to those, who had none for them. II. "Their plainnefs with thofe in authority, like the ancient prophets, not fearing to tell them, to their faces, of their private and public fins: and their prophecies to them of their afflictions and downfall, when in the top of their glory:-Alfo of fome national judgments; as, of the plague and fire of London, in exprefs terms; and likewife particular ones, on divers perfecutors, which accordingly overtook them; and were very remarkable in the places, where they dwelt, which in time, may be made public for the glory of God." "As to the doctrine, which they taught, (fays the doctrines. fame author) having already given fome account of their fundamental principle, their characteristic; or main diftinguishing principle, viz. the light of Christ within; which is, as the root of the goodly tree of doctrines, that grew, and branched out from it, I fhall, therefore, now speak of them, in their natural and experimental order. Repent ance. ઃઃ First, repentance from dead works, to serve the living God; which comprehends three operations; firft |
