havior, and not to religious apprehensions, it being the constant principle of myself and friends, to maintain good works, and keep our consciences void of offence, paying active or passive obedience, suitable to the meek example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Nor would I have any ignorant, how forward I was by messages, letters, and visits, to have determined this debate in a sober and select assembly, notwithstanding the rude entertainment we had met with before. But contrary to their own appointments our adversaries failed us, which necessitated me to that defence; and finding the truth so pressed with slander, I cannot but say I saw my just call to her relief. But, alas! how have those two or three extemporary sheets been tost, tumbled, and torn on all hands, yea, aggravated to a monstrous design, even the subversion of the christian religion, than which there could be nothing more repungent to my principle and purpose. Wherefore how very intemperate as well as unjust have all my adversaries been in their revilings, slanders, and defamations? Using the most approbious terms of "seducer, here-tic, blasphemer, deceiver, Socinian, Pelagian, Simon Magus, impiously robbing Christ of his divinity, for whom the vengeance of the great day is reserved," &c.* Nor have these things been whispered, but, in one book and pulpit after another, have more or less been thundered out against me, as if some bull had lately arrived from Rome; and all this acted under the foul, pretence of zeal and love to Jesus Christ, whose meek and gentle example always taught it for a principal

*See T. Vincent's late railing piece against the Quakers, also T. Danson's and Dr. Owen's.

mark of true christianity, to suffer the most outrage ous injuries, but never to return any.-Nay, if my adversaries would but be just and constant to themselves, how can they offer to conspire my destruction upon a religious ground, who either are themselves under a present limitation, or have been formerly by the Papists. Tell me, I pray, did Luther,* that grand reformer, whom you so much reverence, justly demand from the emperor at the diet of Worms, where he was summoned to appear, that none should sit judge upon his doctrines but the scripture, and in case they should be cast, that no other sentence should be passed upon him, than what Gamaliel offered to the Jewish council, "if" it were not of God it would not stand." And if you will not censure him who first of all arraigned the christian world (so called) at the bar of his private judgment), that had so many hundred years soundly slept, without so much as giving one considerable shrug or turn, during that tedious winter night of dark apostacy), but justify his proceedings, can you so furiously assault others? But above all, you, who refuse conformity to others, and that have been writing these eight years of liberty of conscience, and take it at this very season by an indulgent connivance; what pregnant testimonies do you give of your unwillingness to grant that to others you so earnestly beg for yourselves? Doth it not discover your injustice, and plainly express what only want of power hinders you to act? But of all protestants in general I demand, do you believe that persecution to be christian in yourselves, that you condemned for antichristian in the Papists? You judged it a weakness in their religion, and is it a

* Coun. Trent. p. 14.

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cogent argument in yours? Nay, is it not the readi est way to enhance and propagate the reputation of what you would depress? If you were displeased at their assuming an infalliability, will you believe it impossible in yourselves to err? Have Whitaker, Reynolds, Laud, Owen, Baxter, Stillingfleet, Poole, &c. disarmed the Romanists of these inhuman weapons, that you might employ them against your inoffensive countrymen? Let the example and holy precepts of Christ dissuade you, who came not to destroy, but save;" and soberly reflect upon his equal law "of doing as you would be done unto." Remember I have not dethroned a divinity, subverted faith, made void obedience, nor frustrated the hope of an eternal recompense; much less have I injured your persons, or in any thing deviated from that THEOS ENTHETOS and SUNTERESIS, or holy principle, so much insisted on by philosophers and lawyers, as the original of good laws, and life. No, your own consciences shall advocate on my behalf. Let it suffice, then, that we who are nick-named Quakers, have, under every revolution of power and religion, been the most reviled, contemned, and persecuted, as if God indeed "had set us forth in these last days as a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men;" 1 Cor. iv. 9. and treated as if, by being what we are, our common right and interst in human socie ties 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, not from what you hear at second hand; and then we shall as little question your just opinion of our innocency, as we have too much

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been made sensible of the sad effects that follow an ignorant and unadvised zeal. For so monstrously fond are some of their persuasions, and doating on the patrons of them, that they seldom have discretion, much less religious disires to consider how true or false another religion is, or what may be the consequences of its toleration; but with a fury, not inferior to their ig norance, cry crucify, crucify; and pharasee-like, out of pretence of honor and service done to God Almighty, and the memory of his holy prophets, stick not to persecute his beloved Son, and righteous servants. So cruel, blind, and obstinate is persecution. Be therefore advised in the words of that meek example Jesus Christ, call not for fire any more; let the taers grow with the wheat; neither employ that sword any more, which was commanded to be sheathed so 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 Demascus, and helping the mighty against God and his Anointed ;) and rather choose by fair and moderate debates, not penalties ratified by imperial decrees, to determine religious differences. will you at least obtain tranquility, which may be called a civil unity. But if you are resolved severity shall take its course, in this, our case can never change, nor happiness abate, for no human ediet can possibly deprive us of his glorious presence, who is able to make the most dismal prisons so many receptacles of pleasure, and whose heavenly fellowship doth unspeak ably replenish our solitary souls with divine consola tion; by whose holy, meek, and harmless spirit I have been taught most freely to forgive, and not less earnestly to solicit the temporal and eternal good of all my adversaries. Farewell. WILLIAM PENN..

So

A QUESTIONARY POSTSCRIPT.

Where doth the scripture say, that Christ suffered an eternal death, and infinite vengeance? For did not Christ rise the third day? And is not infinite vengeance and eternal death without end? And doth not God say he was well pleased with his Son before his death? And was not his offering acceptable? And did not the apostle say, that the saints were accepted in Christ that was God's beloved? And this was after Christ died and rose; and God was said to be well pleased with his Son, both before he suffered, in his suffering, after he suffered, though displeased with those that caused him to suffer..