WILLIAM PENN

[William Penn was born in London 14th October 1644. His father was in the Royal Navy, rising to the rank of Admiral under the Commonwealth and receiving Knighthood from Charles II. He was wealthy and influential. William went to Christ Church, Oxford, at the early age of fourteen. Here he is said to have first met with Quakers. After he left college he travelled in France and Ireland. His first imprisonment for conscience' sake took place at Cork in the year 1667. He was again imprisoned in the Tower during the following year, and incurred the displeasure of his father on account of his religious views. Father and son became reconciled, however, before the former's death. In 1681, in recognition of Sir William's distinguished services and of moneys due to him on the part of the Crown, the tract of land in America, since known as Pennsylvania, was granted to William Penn the younger. Thither, in 1682, he went, accompanied by friends. His first official act was to grant to all liberty of conscience in things spiritual and freedom in things temporal.

Court jealousy got him into trouble. He was accused of certain malpractices and deprived of the government of Pennsylvania by William III. But this was restored to him in 1699. His last years were full of trouble. He was burdened with debt and harassed by his enemies. He suffered from melancholia, and died in 1718.

He was twice married, firstly to Gulielma Springett, secondly to Hannah Callowhill of Bristol.]

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WILLIAM PENN is better known as the founder of Pennsylvania and the chief of the Quakers of his day than as a writer. important work is No Cross, No Crown; A discourse showing the nature and discipline of the Holy Cross of Christ. earnest, sometimes eloquent, exposition of the duty of self-denial as the chief requisite for salvation, denouncing all lip service and ceremonialism.

The style is grave and uniform. It is perhaps somewhat ponderously earnest, and lacks the refreshing humour and imagery of some of his contemporary theologians. It is always clear, though the effect is sometimes spoilt by too much amplification. A fair amount of learning and culture is shown without pedantry.

In attack Penn is self-controlled but courageous. In defence temperate, though pride seems now and then to peep from out of the rags of his humility. His Plea for Liberty of Conscience, and The Proposed Comprehension soberly and not unseasonably considered, are calm, logical, and earnest.

In addition to the theological works above mentioned he wrote an account of his Travels in Holland and Germany, and a General Description of Pennsylvania, in which he shows considerable observation, shrewd common sense and appreciation of the good points of the people and governments which he describes. His judgments on men and manners are sharp and unsparing, but never exaggerated nor unnaturally prejudiced.

He was engaged in various controversies on behalf of the Quakers, into which we need not enter here. He eloquently denounced all intolerance, holding it to be both foolish and inconsistent with Christianity in general and with the Protestant religion in particular. "If this," he said speaking of religious persecutions, "be godly, what is devilish! If this be Christian, what is Paganish!"

A man of action more than of letters, he did not aim at being a stylist nor write for posterity or literary fame. Such charm as his writings have consists in the earnestness, moderation, and piety of the individual, rather than in beauty of diction or elegance of composition.

A. I. FITZROY.

AN EXHORTATION

O CHRISTENDOM! my soul most fervently prays that, after all thy lofty professions of Christ and His meek and holy religion, thy unsuitable and un-Christlike life may not cast thee at that great assize of the world, and lose thee so great salvation at last. Hear me once, I beseech thee. Can Christ be thy Lord, and thou not obey Him? Or, can thou be His servant and never serve Him? Be not deceived, such as thou sowest thou shalt reap: He is none of thy Saviour, whilst thou rejectest His grace in thy heart, by which He should save thee. Come, what has He saved thee from! Has He saved thee from thy sinful lusts, thy worldly affections and vain conversations? If not, then He is none of thy Saviour. For though He be offered a Saviour to all, yet He is actually a Saviour to those only that are saved by Him; and none are saved by Him that live in those evils by which they are lost from God, and which He came to save them from.

It is sin that Christ is come to save man from, and death and wrath, as the wages of it: but those that are not saved, that is, delivered, by the power of Christ in their souls, from the power that sin has over them, can never be saved from the death and wrath that are the assured wages of the sin they live in.

So that look, how far people obtain victory over those evil dispositions and fleshly lusts they have been addicted to, so far they are truly saved, and are witnesses of the redemption that comes by Jesus Christ. His name shows this work. And lo! (said John of Christ) the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world! that is, behold Him whom God hath given to enlighten people, and for salvation to as many as receive Him, and His light and grace in their hearts, and take up their daily cross and follow him; such as rather deny themselves the pleasure of fulfilling their lusts, than sin against the knowledge He has given them of His will, or do that they know they ought not to do.

(From No Cross, No Crown.)

A PLEA FOR TOLERATION

ALTHOUGH the benefits wherewith Almighty God has universally blessed the whole creation are a sufficient check to the narrowness of their spirits, who would unreasonably confine all comforts of life within the strait compass of their own party (as if to recede from their apprehensions, whereof themselves deny any infallible assurance, were reason good enough to deprive other dissenters of nature's inheritance, and, which is more peculiar, England's freedoms); yet since it fares so meanly with those excellent examples, that many vainly think themselves then best to answer the end of their being born into the world when, by a severity which least of all resembles the God of Love, they rigorously prosecute the extirpation of their brethren; let it not seem unreasonable, or ill-timed, that we offer to your more serious thoughts the great partiality and injustice that seem to be the companions of a comprehension, since you only can be concerned at this time to prevent it by a more large and generous freedom.

First, then, liberty of conscience (by which we commonly understand the free exercise of any dissenting persuasion) is but what has been generally pleaded for, even by the warmest sticklers for a comprehension, and without which it would be utterly impossible they should be comprehended. The question, then will be this, What ground can there be why some, and not all, should be tolerated? It must either respect conscience or government if it be upon matter of mere religion, what reason is there that one party should be tolerated and another restrained; since all those reasons that may be urged by that party which is comprehended are every whit as proper to the party excluded? For if the former say they are orthodox, so say the latter too. the one urge, it is impossible they should believe without a conviction; that the understanding cannot be forced; that mildness gains most; that the true religion never persecuted; that severity is most unworthy of her; that sound reason is the only weapon which can disarm the understanding; that coercion doth rather obdurate than soften; and that they therefore choose to be sincere dissenters, rather than hypocritical conformists; the other party says the same. In fine, there can be nothing said for

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