except about twenty, who composed his church. But as all such public tournaments are most unhappily calculated to make men contend for victory, rather than truth, so both sides claim the victory as their own, which was the case in the battle of Bewdley.

While the baptists were struggling for the establishment and diffusion of their principles, the quakers arose, with most decided hostility to what they called water-baptism. Hence these two parties, from their origin, stood peculiarly opposed to each other; for to contend in behalf of the exclusive baptism of believers by immersion, would be a nugatory warfare, if George Fox and his followers could prove that the only Christian baptism was that of the Spirit.

A public dispute was held at High Wycomb, Bucks, in the year one thousand six hundred and seventy, between a baptist and a quaker. Four years after they persecuted each other with books, of which the bitter titles excite deep regret, that the sufferings which they both endured, had not taught them more respect for their companions in tribulation. William Penn, irritated by the charges which a baptist had preferred against the friends, appealed to the whole body for justice. To rouse their attention, Penu's book was given away at the doors of the baptist meeting-houses. But after an examination, the baptists pronounced their champion innocent. The quakers, however, deny that the affair received an impartial investigation."

b Crosby's History of the Baptists, vol. II. p. 295. Gough's

History of the Quakers, vol II. p. 368.

The baptists endured conflicts more severe. Mr. Henry Denne was by the long parliament imprisoned for preaching against infant baptism, and for acting upon what appeared to him more scriptural princiciples. This, and too many other instances, painfully prove, that instead of the unbounded sectarian license, which is supposed to have been the sin of those times; the vile spirit of intolerance still usurped the throne of deity, by attempting to rule in the empire of conscience and religion.

After the senate had published what we may term an apology for the sectaries, it published a most disgraceful ordinance, which denounced severe penalties on certain opinions, among which the denial of infant baptism was distinctly enumerated. This law was found too vile to be executed. When Cromwell was rising into power, having determined, for political reasons, to cashier the officers of his regiment, he assigned what he thought would be the least odious pretence, that they were anabaptists. Yet in the general tenour of his government, the protector merited that title for his conduct towards the baptists, whom the advocates for covenant uniformity longed to crush.

At the restoration, major-general Harrison, who was of this communion, being condemned as one of the regicides, died, not merely with calmness, but with joy. Venner's insurrection was the signal for a general persecution of the baptists. Though Mr. Henry Jesse shortly after declared, that Venner himself said, "there was not one baptist in his party, and that if they succeeded, the baptists should know that infant baptism was an ordinance of Jesus Christ."

A congregation of seventh-day baptists in London was disturbed, and the preacher, Mr. John James, was accused by a despicable wretch of uttering treasonable words. Though it was solemnly sworn by those who were present that the words were never uttered, he was condemned. His wife presented a petition to Charles, who, on hearing the name of the petitioner, said, "O, Mr. James, he is a sweet gentle

man."

But he afterwards so completely changed his tone as to say, "the rogue shall be hanged," For once the king remembered his promise, and Mr. James was sent to join the noble army of martyrs'.

Upon the infamous statute of Elizabeth, ten men and two women, taken at a meeting near Aylesbury, were required to conform to the establishment, or abjure the realm. Declaring that they could do neither, they threw themselves on the mercy of the court but as the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel, they were condemned to die. Aylesbury was thrown into the utmost alarm at the bloody sentence; for the rest of the dissenters, who were the principal part of the inhabitants, expecting that their turn would come next, shut up their shops, and abandoned all attention to business. The son of one of the condemned persons rode up to London, where he laid the case before Mr. William Kiffin, who, though a baptist, had some interest at court. When chancellor Hyde laid the case before his majesty, Charles seemed much surprised, and promised his royal pardon. But as the son was afraid his father would be pardoned after he was hanged, he begged for an immediate re

d Crosby.'

prieve; which having obtained, he returned with suf ficient speed to save these devoted lives.

с

Among numerous instances of faithful suffering for God, and almost miraculous interposition of providence in behalf of the oppressed, we can only record the case of Mr. Andrew Gifford. He was a baptist minister of high repute in the west of England. At Bristol, the principal field of his labours, he was three times confined in Newgate, and once was hurried away to Gloucester. He had been preaching among the colliers in the forest of Kingswood, near Bristol, where his son, who was the centinel, was prevented from giving notice of the approach of the informers, by being frozen to the ground. An independent minister, who, pursued by the same harpies, had been preaching in another part of the wood, lost his life in attempting to escape across a river: But the colliers hearing that Mr. Gifford was taken, rose in arms for his deliverance. This, however, he declined, saying, that he would rather leave his cause with God, who, he doubted not, would order all for the best. The justices gave him permission to visit his wife, who was near lying in, and to settle his affairs. But the informers, as soon as he reached home, seized him and hurried him away to Gloucester, a distance of thirty miles. Thus it was ordered, that he entered the castle, just as the public chimes announced twelve o'clock at night. When the six months, for which his mittimus had condemned him, was expired, he desired to to be dismissed. The keeper objected that it was unusual to open the gates at midnight, to which Mr. G. replied, that they were opened at that hour to let him in, and therefore why should they not to let him out? He was discharged, and the next morning at six o'clock, arrived an express from London, with an order to confine him during life, from which hard fate he escaped by the relentless fury of his enemies, who hurried him away to prison at midnight. Crosby.

SECTION IV.

OF THE QUAKERS.

THIS was originally a term of reproach; but it is now generally employed to distinguish an important and singular body of dissenters from the establishment, when no disrespect is intended. They call each other by the name of friends, deriving it from the scriptural word, which is translated beloved, and equally signifies friends. But George Fox having charged Gervas Bennet, Esq. one of the justices of Derby, to tremble at the word of the Lord; and many of them discovering great agitations of body, arising from the emotions of their minds, they received the name of quakers. There is no denomination of Christians whose principles render them so conspicuous as the friends.

They are chiefly distinguished by their opinions. concerning the Holy Spirit, and his influences. Maintaining what are called arminian doctrines, they believe that a portion of the Holy Spirit is imparted to every child of Adam. This divine principle they call by the various names of the seed, the light, the power, the word within. The sacred gift they suppose, is committed to the free-will of every man to improve; and notwithstanding the depravation of human nature by the fall, they affirm, that every one may so improve this heavenly gift, as to be led by it to perfection, even in this life.

f Gough's History of the Quakers, vol. I. p. 96.