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cases where the custom had a meaning, it was generally the sign of flattery. But no man could give way to flattery without degrading himself, and at the same time unduly exalting the person whom he flattered. Hence they gave to the custom the name of hat-worship, a name which it bears among them at the present day. Besides,

it was the practice of their ministers, a practice enjoined by the apostle Paul, to uncover their heads when they preached and prayed. But if they took off their hats as an outward act of reverence to God, neither they nor their followers could with propriety take them off to men, because they would be thus giving to the creature the same outward honour which they gave to the Creator.

The ceremonial use of the hat therefore was considered by the early Quakers as more connected with the conscience than the Admiral had imagined: and in this point of view it was considered by his son. He looked upon the request of his father as neither more nor less than a call upon him to sacrifice principle. This thought produced in him a most awful feeling. He conceived that if an inroad, however small, were once offered to be made on principle, other inroads would become more easy, that if the mind gave way but to one deviation from what was right, it would more easily give way to others, -that as the mind could not give way in any instance without losing a portion of its virtue, so, this portion being lost, its powers of resistance would be weakened. The conflict which he experienced on the present occasion was painful beyond measure. He loved his father, and respected him; yet he dared not do that which he conceived would hinder his religious growth. He was sensible of the duty which he owed to his parent; but he was equally sensible of a superior duty to God. He found himself therefore compelled to inform his father, that he could not accede to his request. This he did with expressions of the greatest tenderness and affection, as well as of filial submission. The Admiral heard his answer; but he could not bear it. Unable to gain the least concession from his son, even in a point on which he judged

it impossible that persons bred up as gentlemen could disagree, he gave way to his anger, and in the violence of his grief and anguish, he once more turned him out of doors.

CHAPTER III.

A. 1668.

PENN was now thrown upon the wide world. Having no independent fortune, and having been brought up to no trade or profession, he had not the means of getting his livelihood like other people. This sudden change from affluence to poverty affected him greatly at first but that which occasioned him the most pain was the thought of having broken, tho' innocently, the peace of mind of so valuable a father, and of being at variance with him. Yet he bore his situation with great resignation, deriving support from the belief, that they who left houses and parents for the kingdom of God's sake, should both find them again in this life, and reap an eternal reward in heaven. He soon began to find that he was not deserted. His mother kept up a communication with him privately, feeding him as well as she could from her own purse; and several kind friends also administered to his wants.

In 1668, being then twenty-four years of age, he came forth as a minister of the Gospel.

In this year also he became an author. His first work bore the following title: "Truth exalted, in a short but sure Testimony against all those Religions, Faiths, and Worships, that have been formed and followed in the Darkness of Apostacy, and for that glorious Light, which is now risen and shines forth in the Life and Doctrines of the despised Quakers, as the alone good old Way of Life and Salvation." This work was an address to kings, priests, and people, and to persons of all denominations

in religion; to the Catholics first, then to those of the Church of England, and lastly to the different Protestant Separatists, exhorting them to examine the ground on which their faith and worship stood; to inquire how far these were built on divine authority, or only on the notions of men. He then called their attention towards the principles of the Quakers, as a system by means of which Christianity was exalted and redeemed from human traditions, carnal ceremonies, and a persecuting spirit.

It was the belief of the early Quakers, that the system of religious doctrine and practice, which was introduced chiefly by George Fox, was really a new dispensation, to restore Christianity to its primitive purity, and that they were to have the honour of being made the instruments of spreading it through the earth. This belief was strengthened by various considerations. In the first place, the first teachers and followers of this system led a life of great self-denial. They abstained from all those pleasures

of the world that could contaminate their moral character. They discarded all customs which could bring their sobriety, chastity, and independence into danger. They watched over their very words, and changed even the names of things, that they might always be found in the truth. They avoided, as far as possible, all recourse to law, and refused to bear arms against their fellow-creatures on any pretence whatever. Comparing their system with the practice of the world, it appeared to them like the restoration of the primitive Christian system upon earth, and to a great extent it was so. Besides, when ushered into the world, it was followed by an almost miraculous proselytism. Priests, magistrates and people left their sects in great numbers, many of the priests giving up valuable livings to support it. And they who thus espoused it, were ready, like the apostles of old, to prove the sincerity of their conversion by martyrdom. Hence it was that the early Quakers spoke and wrote with an authority which might have the appearance of arrogance and presumption with others.

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Much about this time a person of the name of Jonathan

Clapham published "A Guide to the True Religion." His object, as there stated, was to assist persons in making a proper choice of their faith. For this purpose he drew up a number of articles, which he considered to compose the true Christian creed. Those who embraced other articles, he pronounced to be incapable of salvation, but particularly the Papists, Socinians, and Quakers; the last of whom he treated with the most severity. This publication happened to fall into the hands of William Penn. It set him as it were on fire, and he brought out almost immediately "The Guide mistaken." In the first chapter he attempted to confute the Guide's system of religion; in the second, he reprehended his aspersions ; in the third, he laboured to detect his hypocrisy ; and in the fourth, he compared his contradictions.

This

About this time, two persons belonging to a Presbyterian congregation in Spital-Fields, went one day to the Quakers' meeting-house, just to learn what their religious doctrines were, and got converted there. news being carried to their pastor, Thomas Vincent, it so stirred him up, that he not only used his influence to prevent the converts in question from attending the Quakers' meeting again, but decried their doctrines as damnable, and said many unhandsome things concerning the Quakers. This slander having gone abroad, William Penn, accompanied by George Whitehead, an eminent minister among the Quakers, who had already written twenty-nine pamphlets in their defence, went to Vincent, and demanded an opportunity of defending their principles publicly. This, after a good deal of demur, was agreed to. The Presbyterian meeting-house was fixed upon for this purpose, and the day and hour appointed.

When the time came, the Quakers presented themselves at the door; but Vincent, to insure a majority on his side, had filled a great part of the meeting-house with his own hearers, so that there was but little room for them. Penn however and Whitehead, with a few others of the society, pushed their way in. They had scarcely

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done this, when they heard it proclaimed aloud," that the Quakers held damnable doctrines." Immediately upon this, Whitehead showed himself, and began, in answer to the charge, to explain aloud what the principles of the society really were; but Vincent interrupted him, contending that it would be a better way of proceeding for himself to examine the Quakers as to their own creed. He then put this unreasonable proposal to the hearers. They, of course, agreed to it, and their voice was law.

Vincent, having carried his point, began by asking the Quakers, "Whether they owned one Godhead subsisting in three distinct and separate persons." Penn and his friend Whitehead both asserted that this was no Scriptural doctrine. Vincent, in reply, formed a syllogism upon the words, "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one," and deduced from them the doctrine of three separate subsistences and yet of but one deity. Whitehead immediately rejected the term "subsistence," as nowhere to be found in the Scriptures, and demanded that their opponents should explain it, as God did not wrap up his truths in heathenish metaphysics, but delivered them in plain language. Upon this, several attempted an explanation; but could make the matter no plainer. While the debate was going on, great want of moderation was betrayed on the part of several of the Presbyterians. They laughed, hissed, and stigmatized the Quakers by various opprobrious names. Penn they called a Jesuit. On an answer which George Whitehead gave to a question, the indignation of the audience increased, so that Vincent immediately went to prayer. In prayer he accused the Quakers of blasphemy; and having finished, he desired his hearers to go home, and he withdrew himself at the same time from the pulpit. In this situation the Quakers hardly knew what to do. The congregation was leaving the meeting-house, and they had not yet been heard. Finding they would soon be left to themselves, some of them ventured to speak at length; but they were pulled down, and the candles were put out. They were

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