oblige thofe that are of them, to walk fuitably, or they are denied by them: that is all the mark, they set upon them, and the power they exercise, or judge a Chriftian fociety can exercise upon those that are members of it."

"The way of their proceeding against fuch as have lapfed or tranfgreffed, is this: He is vifited by fome of them, and the matter of fact laid home to him, be it any evil practice against known and general virtue, or any branch of their particular teftimony, which he, in common, profeffeth with them. They labour with him in much love and zeal, for the good of his foul, the honor of God, and reputation of their profeffion, to own his fault, and condemn it, in as ample a manner, as the evil, or fcandal was given by him; which, for the most part, is performed by fome written teftimony, under the party's hand; and if it so happen, that the party prove refractory and is not willing to clear the truth, they profefs, from the reproach of his, or her, evil doing, or unfaithfulness, they, after repeated entreaties, and due waiting for a token of repentance, give forth a paper to disown such a fact, and the party offending: recording the fame, as a teftimony of their care for the honor of the truth, they profess."

“And if he, or fhe, fhall clear the profession, and themselves, by fincere acknowledgment of their fault, and godly forrow for fo doing, they are received, and looked upon again as members of their communion. For, as God, fo his true people upbraid no man after repentance.'

fiftency in

That the general conduct and practice of this Their conpeople have been, in a remarkable manner, con- conduct fiftent with their profeffion, we are well affured, with their not only by the accounts given by themselves, but profeflion, alfo by thofe of others, who appear to have been beft acquainted with their manner of life, in early

&c.

time; and whofe certain knowledge enabled them to speak with that moderation, which is divefted of paffion and prejudice; befides, it is manifest from the many acrimonious and abufive writings of their enemies themfelves against them, yet extant, that their conformity to the principles and customs before mentioned, was the chief caufe of the fevere perfecution and fuffering; which they fo long endured: for which, if any inftances of intemperate zeal, in early time, appeared in any individuals among them, (from which, probably, the first rife of no religious fociety has been entirely free) it feems to have been too much the delight of their adverfaries to exaggerate and mifreprefent them.-For, as they profeffed no theory, but what they chiefly derived from practice or conviction; nor fpeculation, but what they principally had from experiment, fo it has been long obferved, particularly in Great Britain, that, as any of the members of this fociety failed in the practical part, they confequently, for the most part, difcontinued the profeffion, in proportion; and either went over to fuch other religious focieties, as place lefs ftrefs on the practice of Christianity, or of true religion; or elfe they made no formal profeffion of it at all, with any particular fet of people: fome apparently from an irreligious, mean and indolent, or depraved turn of mind; and others, probably, from looking upon all forms of religion, as vain; and that the knowledge of truth, and the interior of religion, or the intercourse between the creature and the Creator, depends not upon, nor is neceffarily connected with, any fixed form; but is rather obfcured, or impeded, by that attention, which fuch forms, in general require; or which ultimately have fo much tendency to engrofs the minds of many people with that flavish formality, which is obfervable to terminate in mere religious fuperftition.

Nevertheless

Nevertheless it is well known, that in later times, divers among them have been obferved, under the covering of a plain garb, and a formal compliance to fundry of these external customs, before mentioned, to make this profeffion an engine to accumulate wealth, and from an apparent zeal for their profeffion, in divers of thofe very things, without the poffeffion of the real life, or fubftance, of it, have notwithstanding continued among them, and used that credit and reputation, which the fociety, in general, had acquired by a better principle, fo as to obtain low, terreftrial enjoyments, and worldly advantages, even, beyond others of the fame degree, or rank of people. For it cannot be reasonably fuppofed that every person who is born and educated, or brought up, merely in the form, is therefore confequently experienced in every practical truth of the profeffion, so much as thofe, who have embraced the fame from real conviction and experience, in their own minds, unless they poffefs the fame experience and enjoyment; which may, or may not be the cafe; for profeffion, or implicit belief, alone, cannot give a lively experience, nor a bare affent, convince the judg

ment.

But the Chriftian care of this fociety, as appears by their discipline, already mentioned, as well as by the many additions, fince made by them, to this part of their religious economy, has not been fmall, to prevent and redrefs this evil, as well as to remedy all other deviations from the truth of their profeffion, and the primitive practice among them; which, in fome or other of their members, cannot but fometimes happen, while in this frail and mortal state of existence:Yet the refult of this very care, fo far, at least, as it refpects the external obligations, upon the members of this fociety, and the many rules increafed from time to time, among them, for that purpofe, it is thought by fome, has had this cer

tain and inevitable tendency, to render it, in fact, more formal, and to diftinguish it more, in realiSee R. Bar- ty, as a fect, than fome of its firft, or early prinverfal love, cipal founders, by their writings, appear to have &c. intended; who would not admit of that name, nor

clay on uni

W. Penn's account of

ous lives of

kers.

the natural contractedness of fuch a diftinction, particularly R. Barclay, and others among them.

I fhall, therefore, after having, in a few words, further expreffed refpecting them, in early time, from two perfons of eminence in their religious fociety, W. Penn and W. Edmundson, conclude this account. The former, addreffing himself to them, fpeaks thus, viz.

"The glory of this day, and foundation of the the religi- hope, that has not made us afhamed fince we were a the primi- people," is that bleffed principle of light and tive Qua- life of Christ, which we profefs, and direct all people to, as the great and divine inftrument and agent of man's converfion to God. It was by this, that we were first touched, and effectually enlightened, as to our inward ftate; which put us upon the confideration of our latter end, caufing us to fet the Lord before our eyes, and to number our days, that we might apply our hearts to wisdom. In that day we judged not after the fight of the eye, or after the hearing of the ear, but according to the light and fenfe this bleffed principle gave us, fo we judged and acted, in reference to things and perfons, ourselves and others; yea towards God, our Maker: for, being quickened by it in our inward man, we could easily discern the difference of things, and feel what was right, and what was wrong, and what was fit, and what was not, both in reference to religion and civil concerns. That being the ground of the fellowship of all faints; it was in that our fellowship ftood. In this we defired to have a fense of one another, acted towards one another, and all men, in love, faithfulness and fear"

"In feeling of the ftirrings and motions of this principle in our hearts, we drew near to the Lord, and waited to be prepared by it; that we might feel drawings and movings, before we approached the Lord in prayer, or opened our mouths in miniftry. And in our beginning and ending with this, ftood our comfort, fervice and edification. And, as we ran fafter, or fell fhort, in our services, we made burdens for ourselves to bear; finding in ourselves a rebuke, instead of an acceptance; and in lieu of well done, “Who has required this at your hands?” In that day we were an exercised people; our very countenances and deportment declared it.

"Care for others was then much upon us, as well as for ourselves; efpecially of the young convinced. Oft had we the burden of the word of the Lord to our neighbours, relations and acquaintance; and fometimes strangers alfo. We were in travail likewife for one another's prefervation; not feeking, but fhunning occafions of any coldness, or misunderstanding; treating one another as thofe that believed and felt God prefent. which kept our converfation innocent, ferious and weighty; guarding ourselves against the cares and friendships of this world. We held the truth in the fpirit of it, and not in our own fpirits, or after our own wills and affections, they were bowed and brought into fubjection, infomuch that it was visible to them, that knew us. We did not think ourselves at our own difpofal, to go where we lift, or fay, or do, what we lift, or when we lift. Our liberty ftood in the liberty of truth; and no pleasure, no profit, no fear, no favour, could draw us from this retired, ftrict and watchful frame. We were as far from feeking occafions of company, that we avoided them what we could, purfuing our own business with moderation, instead of meddling with other people's unneceffarily."

"Our words were few and favcry, our looks compofed and weighty, and our whole deportment