if you will not cenfure him who firft of all arraigned the Chriftian world (fo called) at the bar of his private judgment, (that had fo many hundred years foundly flept, without fo much as giving one confiderable fhrug or turn, during that tedious winternight of dark apoftacy) but justify his proceedings, can you fo furiously affault others? But, above all, you, who refufe conformity to others, and that have been writing these eight years for liberty of confcience, and take it at this very feafon by an indulgent connivance; what pregnant teftimonies do you give of your unwillingness to grant that to others you fo earneftly beg for yourselves? Doth it not difcover your injuftice, and plainly exprefs that only want of power hinders you to act? But of all Proteftants in general I demand, do you believe that perfecution to be christian in yourselves, that you condemned for antichristian in the Papifts? You judged it a weakness in their religion, and is it a cogent argument in yours? Nay, is it not the readieft way to enhance and propagate the reputation of what you would deprefs? If you were displeased at their affuming an infallibity, will you believe it impoffible in yourselves to err? Have Whitaker, Reynolds, Laud, Owen, Baxter, Stillingfleet, Poole, &c. difarmed the Romanists of these inhuman weapons, that you might employ them against your inoffenfive countrymen? Let the example and holy precepts of Chrift diffuade you, who came not to destroy, but fave; and foberly reflect upon his equal law of doing as you would be done unto. member I have not dethroned a divinity, fubverted faith, made void obedience, nor fruftrated the hope of an eternal recompence; much lefs have I injured your perfons, or in any thing deviated from that θεὸς ἔνθετος and συντήρησις, or holy principle, fo much infifted on by philofophers and lawyers as the original of good laws, and life: no, your own confciences fhall advocate on my behalf. Let it fuffice then, that we who are nicknamed Quakers have, under every revolution of power and religion, been the moft re

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viled,

viled, contemned and perfecuted, as if God indeed had fet us forth in these laft days as a fpectacle to "the world, to angels and to men "; " and treated as if, by being what we are, our common right and intereft in human focieties were forfeited; neither accept that for a true measure of our life and doctrines, which hath been taken by the ill-will or ignorance of others; but rather make an impartial examination, that what you judge may be from what you know, and not from what you hear at fecond-hand; and then we fhall as little question your juft opinion of our innocency, as we have too much been made fenfible of the fad effects that follow an ignorant and unadvised zeal: for fo monftroufly fond are fome of their perfuafions, and doting on the patrons of them, that they feldom have difcretion, much lefs religious defires, to confider how true or falfe another religion is, or what may be the confequence of its toleration; but with a fury, not inferior to their ignorance, cry Crucify, crucify; and pharifee-like, out of pretence of honour and fervice done to God Almighty, and the memory of his holy prophets, ftick not to perfecute his beloved Son, and righteous fervants; fo cruel, blind, and obftinate is perfecution: be therefore advised in the words of that meek example Jefus Chrift; call not for fire any more: let the tares grow with the wheat; neither employ that fword any more, which was commanded to be fheathed fo many hundred years ago; suppose we were enemies to the true religion; but have a care you are not upon one of Saul's errands to Damafcus, and helping the mighty against God and his anointed; and rather chufe by fair and moderate debates (not penalties ratified by imperial decrees) to determine religious differences; fo will you at least obtain tranquillity, which may be called a civil-unity. But if you are refolved feverity fhall take its courfe, in this our cafe can never change, nor happiness abate; for no human edict can poffibly deprive us of

W 1 Cor. iv. 9.

his glorious prefence, who is able to make the difmalleft prifons fo many receptacles of pleafure, and whose heavenly fellowship doth unfpeakably replenish our folitary fouls with divine confolation; by whofe holy, meek, and harmless fpirit I have been taught most freely to forgive, and not lefs earneftly to folicit the temporal and eternal good of all my adverfaries. Farewell.

WILLIAM PENN, jun.

A queftionary POSTSCRIPT.

Wfered an eternal death, and infinite vengeance?

HERE doth the fcripture fay, that Chrift fuf

For did not Chrift rise the third day? And is not infinite vengeance and eternal death without end? And doth not God fay he was well-pleafed with his Son before his death? And was not his offering acceptable? And did not the apostle fay, that the faints were accepted in Chrift that was God's beloved? And this was after Chrift died and rofe; and God was faid to be well-pleased with his Son, both before he fuffered, in his fuffering, and after he suffered, though displeased with those that caufed him to suffer,

A

LETTER OF LOVE

то тн Е

YOUNG-CONVINCED

O F

That Bleffed Everlasting Way of TRUTH and RIGHTEOUSNESS

Now teftified unto by the People of the LORD called

QUAKERS,

Of what Sex, Age, and Rank foever, in the Nations of ENGLAND, IRELAND, and SCOTLAND, with the ISLES abroad, but more particularly to thofe of that Great City of LONDON,

Spiritual Refreshments, Holy Courage, and Perfect Victory from God the Father, and the Lord JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

Published in the Year 1669.

My dearly beloved Friends and Brethren,

WHO

HO have been called by the Eternal Spirit unto an holy calling, out of all the pleasures, vanities, cuftoms, profits and cares of this perishing polluted world, unto the pure knowledge of the invifible God, and "JESUS in you, the hope of glory," which, to as many as believe and obey, is life eternal; and who, for that little beginning of your heavenly journey, have met with reproach, lofs, fuffering, and bitter trials; as one among you, and a traveller

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with