Lords, it was quafhed by a fudden prorogation of the parliament.

The generality of people being now in a hurry and confternation of mind upon the difcovery of the popish plot, and apprehenfions of a French invafion; he, left the minds of any of his friends the Quakers should be drawn from their wonted dependence upon God, to partake of the popular uneafinefs, writ an epistle to them, directed, "To the Children of Light in this "Generation," which is inferted in this collec

tion.

And in the next year, the nation ftill continuing under fears of wicked defigns on foot for fubverting the Proteftant religion, and introducing Popery, he published a book entitled, "An Addrefs to Proteft

ants," wherein he fets forth the reigning evils of the times, and endeavours to excite men to repentance and amendment of life, as the beft means to cure their fears, and prevent the impending dangers.

The fame year alfo he prefixed to the works of Samuel Fisher, then printing in folio, a teftimony concerning that author, who having been a minister of the church of England, and afterwards a preacher among the Baptifts, at length joined in profeffion with the Quakers, and died a prifoner for his teftimony in the year 1665.

The rifing hopes of Papifts, and the juft fears of Proteftants, kept the nation ftill in a ferment; and writs being iffued for fummoning a new parliament, party ftruggles for power ran high, on which occafion our author dedicated to the freeholders and electors a fheet called " England's great Intereft in the Choice "of this New Parliament;" and foon after the parliament fitting, he prefented to them a book entitled, "One Project for the Good of England."

In this year 1680, died that excellent princefs Elizabeth of the Rhine, before mentioned, to whose real worth our author's religious gratitude dedicated

• 1679.

a me

a memorial, by tranfmitting to pofterity her exemplary character, in the fecond edition of his "No "Crofs, no Crown," printed anno 1682.

On the eighth of the eighth month this year alfo, departed this life his dear friend and father-in-law Ifaac Pennington; to whofe virtues he published a teftimony, and prefixed it to his works, that year printed in folio.

There being about this time" fome difference in judgment among his friends the Quakers about establishing church difcipline, (a point not easily fixed, fo as neither to fubject the confcience to an ecclefiaftical authority, nor yet to give an unlimited liberty of running into anarchy and confufion) he published a little book, called, A Brief Examination of Liberty Spi"ritual."

A fresh perfecution being now raised in the city of Bristol, where Sir John Knight, sheriff, John Hellier, attorney at law, and other their accomplices, put the penal laws in a rigorous execution, many of the people called Quakers there were fined and imprifoned. To whom William Penn wrote the following epiftle for their Chriftian confolation and encouragement, directed,

To the Friends of GOD in the City of Bristol.'

'This fent to be read among them, when affembled to wait upon the Lord.'

'I

My Beloved in the Lord!

Do herewith send amongst you the dear and tender 'falutation of my unfeigned love, that is held in 'the fellowship of the lafting Gofpel of Peace, that ' has many years been preached and believed amongst you, befeeching the God and Father of this glorious day of the Son of Man, to increase and multiply his

grace, mercy and peace among you, that you may ⚫ be faithful, and abound in every good word and ' work, doing and suffering what is pleafing unto God, 'that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, which becomes you to be found daily doing, that fo an entrance may be adminiftered unto you abundantly into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, that is an everlasting kingdom. My beloved brethren and fifters! Be not caft down at the rage of evil men, whofe anger works not the righteoufnefs of God, and whofe cruelty the Lord will limit. Nothing ftrange or unufual is come to pafs; it makes well for them that eye the Lord in and through these fufferings: there is food in affliction, and though the inftruments of it cannot fee it, all fhall work toge⚫ther for good to them that fear the Lord: keep your ground in the TRUTH, that was, and is, the faints victory: they that fhrink, go out of it; it is a fhield to the righteous: feel it; and fee, I charge you by the prefence of the Lord, that you turn not afide the Lord's end towards you in this fuffering, by confulting with flesh and blood in eafing your • adverfaries, for that will load you. Keep out of bafe bargainings, or conniving at fiefhly evafions of the cross. Our captain would not leave us fuch an example: let them fhrink, that know not why they fhould ftand; we know in whom we have believed: he is mightier in the faithful to fuffer and endure to the end, than the world to perfecute: call to mind thofe bleffed ancients, " that by faith overcame of "old, that endured cruel mockings and fcourgings, "yea, moreover bonds and imprisonments, that ac-'

с

cepted not deliverance (to deny their teftimony) "that they might obtain a better refurrection: they "were ftoned, they were tempted, they were fawn "afunder, they were flain with the fword;" but YE have not fo refifted unto BLOOD; and it fufficeth, I hope, to you, "that the Lord knoweth how to de"liver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve

"the

"the unjuft unto the day of judgment to be punished," when it may be truly faid, "It fhall go well with "the righteous, but very ill with the wicked." ‹ The Lord God by his power keep your hearts living to him, that it may be your delight to WAIT upon him, and receive the bounty of his love; that being fed with his daily bread, and drinking of his cup of bleffing, you may, be raised above the fear or trouble of earthly things, and grow ftrong in him who is your Crown of Rejoicing; that having anfwered his requirings, and walked faithfully before him, you may receive, in the END of your days, the welcome fentence of gladnefs. ETERNAL RICHES are before you, an inheritance incorruptible: prefs after ' that glorious mark: let your minds be fet on things 'that are ABOVE; and when Chrift, that is the glory of his poor people, fhall appear, THEY fhall appear 'with him in glory; when all tears fhall be wiped " away, and there fhall be no more forrow or fighing, but they that overcome fhall ftand as mount Sion, that cannot be moved.

So my dear friends and brethren, endure, that you may be faved, and you fhall reap, if you faint not. What should we be troubled for? Our kingdom is not of THIS World, nor can be fhaken by the over. turning here below. Let all give glory to God on high, live peaceably on earth, and fhew good-will 'to all men, and our enemies will at last see, they 'do they know not what, and repent, and glorify 'God our heavenly Father. O! great is God's work ' on earth. Be UNIVERSAL in your spirits, and keep ' out of all ftraitnefs and narrowness: look to God's great and glorious kingdom, and its profperity: our 'time is not our own, nor are we our own: God hath bought us with a PRICE, not to ferve ourselves, but 'to glorify him, both in body, foul, and fpirit; and by bodily fufferings for the truth, he is glorified. Look to the accomplishing of the will of God in these things, that the measure of Chrift's fufferings { may be filled up in us, who bear about the " Dying E 3

"of

"of the Lord Jefus ;" else our fuffering is in vain. • Wherefore, as the flock of God, and family and houshold of faith, walk with your loins girded, being fober, hoping to the end for the grace and kindness which fhall be brought unto you at the revelation of Jefus Chrift, to whom you and yours are committed: his precious Spirit minifter unto you, and his own life be fhed abroad plenteously among you, that you may be kept blameless to the ⚫ end. . I am

Your friend and brother, in the fellowship of the fuffering for the TRUTH, as it is ‹ in JESUS.

Worminghurst, the 24th of the 12th month, 1681.'

• WILLIAM PENN.'

Having hitherto attended our author through a continued series of his labours and travels in the fervice of the gospel, and work of the ministry in these parts of the world; we shall now accompany him to his province of Pennsylvania.

King Charles the Second, in confideration of the fervices of Sir William Penn, and fundry debts due to him from the crown at the time of his decease, by letters patent, bearing date the 4th of March, 1680-1, granted to William Penn and his heirs that province lying on the weft fide of the river Delaware, in North America, formerly belonging to the Dutch, and then called the New Netherlands: the name was now changed by the king, in honour of William Penn, whom and his heirs he made abfolute proprietors and governors of it. Upon this, he prefently publishes an "Ac"count of the Province of Pennfylvania," with the king's patent, and other papers relating thereto, defcribing the country and its produce, and propofing an eafy purchase of lands, and good terms of fettlement, for fuch as might incline to transport themselves. Many fingle perfons, and some families, out of England and Wales, went over; and with fingular in

dustry