out of all sects that stand in the oldness of the letter, into His own holy Spirit, life, and power; and that in this, the unity of faith and bond of peace should stand.”

He and Jacob Claus, his companion, visited some other serious individuals, and had in their inn, frequent opportunity to declare the way of Truth; and leaving books among the people, they took their leave of them, and went again to Herwerden. Here they had much satisfaction in the company of those pious women, the Princess Elizabeth and Countess De Hornes, and held several meetings in the house, which appear to have been remarkable opportunities of divine overshadowing, to the tendering of the hearts of those assembled. Having at length taken an affectionate and solemn leave of this family, they travelled by wagon to Wesel, about two hundred miles, riding three nights and days without rest; and arriving at Amsterdam, they had on the tenth of Eighth month, a "blessed public meeting, never to be forgotten." In this city they had a dispute with Galenus Abrahams, the great father of the Socinian Menists in those parts, who came accompanied by several of his congregation, and some of their preachers, and affirmed in opposition to Friends, that there was no Christian church ministry, or apostolical commission now in the world. But the Lord assisted them with His wisdom and strength, to confound his attempts.

From Amsterdam they went to Delft and Rotterdam, where they had a large and favored meeting among Friends and others; thence to the Hague and Leyden, and on the 21st embarked at Briel for Harwich, on their return to England.

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CHAPTER XXIX.

ACCOUNT OF ISAAC PENINGTON.

N the year 1679 died Isaac Penington, a man remark

veet Christian limarily

clear views of the mysteries of godliness, and the true character of pure and undefiled religion. He was born about the year 1617, and was the eldest son of Alderman Penington, who was twice elected lord mayor of London, a noted member of the Long Parliament, and nominated, though he never acted, as one of the judges for the trial of King Charles the First. Isaac's education was suited to his quality and expectations in life, having all the advantages which the schools and universities, and the conversation of some of the most considerable men of the age, could afford. His natural abilities enabled him to avail himself of these advantages, being possessed of a quick apprehension, an acute mind, sound judgment, and good general understanding. His disposition was remarkably mild and affable, free from pride and affectation; his common conversation cheerful but guarded, equally divested of moroseness and levity. Tempering easy affability with serious gravity, he was pleasing in the manner, and instructive in the matter of his discourse.

His father's station in public employments, and his rank in life, opened for him a fair prospect of worldly greatness, if his views had been turned that way; but actuated by higher and nobler considerations, he was induced to relinquish the short-lived glories of this world, as unworthy to engage the principal attention of man born for immortality; and with Moses he "chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."

"Very early," says his intimate friend, William Penn, who married his step-daughter Gulielma Maria Springett, "very early did the Lord visit him with a more than ordinary manifestation of his love; and it had that good effect upon him, that it kept him both from the evils and vain worships of the world; and he became the wonder of his kindred and familiars, for his awful life and serious and frequent retirements, declining all company that might interrupt his meditations." He was frequent in reading the Holy Scriptures, and faithful in practising what was thereby manifested to his understanding, though in this he met with much reproach and opposition. But in reading the lives of holy men of God, recorded in the Scriptures, he perceived in himself and in the generality of professing Christians, a great falling short of the power, experience, and spiritual attainments, which the Scriptures testified to have been acquired in former times. So that the religion of that age, though very high in profession, appeared to him for the most part but a talk, in comparison with what was enjoyed, possessed, and lived in by the primitive believers.

Under this view, he was led to separate himself from the public worship he had usually frequented, and to join a select society of pious persons similarly dissatisfied with the prevailing empty professions. Amongst these he found a good degree of sincerity, and Divine help was often near them. But still there was wanting a greater degree of inward watchfulness, and retirement to the gift of Christ in the heart; and they fell into a mistake, and lost ground. For whilst they should have pressed forward into the spirit and power of godliness, they ran too much outward into the letter and form; in consequence whereof they became darkened in their minds, and confusion and scattering overtook them.

Isaac being now left alone, connected with no visible society, and in a state of darkness and uncertainty, fell under

great trouble of mind for a long season, secretly mourning and praying to the Lord, night and day. At length he met with some of the writings of the people called Quakers; but he cast a slight eye over them and threw them aside with disdain, as falling very short of that wisdom with which he supposed the living faith which he was seeking would be attended. Some time afterwards, he had opportunities of conversing with some of them; and although (to use his own expressions) they reached the life of God in him, and that life answered to their discourse, and engaged his affectionate regard towards them, yet he seemed to himself to have such an advantage over them in the power of reasoning, and superiority of understanding, that he viewed them rather in a contemptuous light, as a poor, weak and despicable people, who had some smatterings of truth in them, and some honest desires towards God, but who were very far from the full understanding of His way and will.

One of these opportunities was at Reading in 1656, where Alexander Parker met with him. Alexander thus mentions the interview: "Though at that time he had not the outward garb and appearance of a Quaker, yet did mine eye behold an inward beauty and hidden virtue of life in him; and my soul in the love of truth, did cleave unto him, and I could have embraced him in the sense thereof; but in those early days we were cautious, and laid hands on no man suddenly." He did not hastily join Friends; but for some time reasoned about things, without being able to arrive at a clear view of the Divine will, because he sought it not yet in that low and humble state, wherein the still small voice was to be discerned from the insinuations of the adversary of truth.

But in the year 1658, being invited to a meeting of Friends at John Crook's in Bedfordshire, he went with a fixed disposition and desire to receive nothing as truth, which was not of God, nor withstand anything that was. George Fox

was at that meeting; who spoke so clearly to Isaac's state, and expounded the mystery of iniquity, and the gospel of peace and salvation, with such energy, that he gained his full assent to the truth; and from that time forward, Isaac heartily joined in society with this people; though for a season he endured great spiritual conflict, as well as much opposition and reproach from his father and other relations, and from the people and powers of the world.

Being well prepared by the religious exercises through which he had passed, previous to his convincement, as well as after, he soon became an eminently serviceable member of the Society of Friends. His piety was manifested in his humble and reverent adoration of the Most High, and circumspect conversation as in His divine presence. His benevolence and Christian charity was displayed in the diligence with which he visited and administered to the afflicted in body or mind; and his hospitality, in opening his heart and house for the reception of the messengers of peace, and for the religious meetings of his friends. He was a man of quick apprehension, and when any spark arose from the coals of God's altar, it soon kindled in him a flame of holy zeal for God and his truth. Through his ministry many were converted to the truth he had received, and many more confirmed in it; his preaching being with divine authority, in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. In all his declarations, and writings too, which were numerous and highly edifying to the spiritual traveller, he ever pointed to the life—the living efficacy—of religion; and pressed all to mind the power of godliness, and not to settle or content themselves in the letter or form. Indeed this was the very bent of his mind; and the strong cries of his soul to the Lord were, that all might partake of this living efficacy, even the life of Jesus, of which he, through the death of the cross, had been made a partaker; in which life re lived unto God, and was a striking pattern of humility,