bath, which is the true silence of all flesh indeed, which profits above the formal Christian's bodily exercise. And in these heavenly sequestrations of soul, and true resignation unto the divine will of my Father, have I taken a most clear prospect of you, and every circumstance that may be fit for me to know: your education, your quality, your dignity, the envy of the clergy, the fury of the rabble, and the strength and power of temptation, arising from all these considerations, if possible to smother your blessed beginnings; and as so many bands of soldiers, employed and commissioned of their great prince of darkness, to watch and to hinder Jesus from rising in you. In a weighty sense of all which my heart opens itself unto you in God's counsel, after this manner.

"Be faithful to what you know, and obedient to that which God, by the light of his Son, makes manifest in your consciences. Consult not away the pure and gentle strivings of the Holy Ghost; drown not his still voice with the crowd of careful thoughts and vain contrivances; break not the bruised reed, neither quench the smoking flax in yourselves. If you truly love Jesus, hear Him; and since it hath pleased God in some measure, as with Paul, to reveal his blessed Son in you, consult not with flesh and blood, which are below the heavenly things; for that inherits not the kingdom of God; but with sincere Mary, from a deep sense of the beauty, virtue, and excellency of that life, that is hid with Christ in God, wait out of all cumber, free from that running, willing, sacrificing spirit that is in the world, in the pure obedience, humiliation, godly death or silence, at the feet of Jesus, choosing the better part, which shall never be taken from you: and

Jesus will be with you; He will shed his peace abroad in the midst of you, even that which flows from the crystal streams of life, that arise from under the throne of God."

It concludes in the following manner: "Remember the poverty, simplicity, self-denial, patience, and the cross of Jesus. I beg of you, by all that is dear and sacred to you, shrink not at this baptism, neither so much as tamper with any latitude that would evade his bitter cup. Let not his vinegar and gall be unpleasant, nor his crown of thorns troublesome; last of all, let not his nails and spear be terrible to you. For they that will not forsake Him in his agonies, but be the companions of his tribulations, and cheerfully lay down their life and die with Him to the world, they and none else shall rise with Him in the newness of life, and ascend with Him to his Father, by Him to be glorified with that glory which He had with his Father before the world began. Unto which kingdom, God Almighty conduct you, through this earthly pilgrimage. Amen."

VIII.

T has been mentioned that William Penn, about the

IT

year 1671, travelled in the work of the ministry through some parts of the continent; but of that journey there is no particular account. By the labors of Friends, particularly William Penn and William Caton, a knowledge of the doctrines of the Society of Friends was spread on the continent; and a number had been convinced, and joined in fellowship with them.

In the Fourth month of 1676, we find William Penn leaving his family at Worminghurst, in Sussex, where he then lived, and attending the Yearly Meeting at London.

Soon after this he parted with his wife and family, in order to make a second visit, in the love of the Gospel, to Friends and others in Holland and Germany. Of this journey he has preserved an account, which was first published in the year 1694, from which the following is taken:

This ensuing "JOURNAL OF MY TRAVELS IN HOLLAND AND GERMANY," in the service of the Gospel of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, was written for my own satisfaction, and that of some relations and particular friends, as the long time it has lain silent shows. But a copy that was found amongst the late Countess of Conway's papers, falling into the hands of a person who much frequented

that family, he was earnest with me, both by himself and others, to have leave to publish it for a common good.

Reader, this journal is of a religious voyage, and has some passages in it that may engage thy soul to seriousness, and let thee see how good God is to those that go of his holy errands.

On the 22d of the Fifth month, 1677, I left my dear wife and family at Worminghurst, in Sussex, in the fear and love of God. We set sail from Harwich about three o'clock in the morning of the 26th, being the fifth day of the week; and got the sixth day at night within half a league of the Briel. Those that came over were George Fox, Robert Barclay, G. Keith, G. Watts, John Furly, William Tallcoat, Isabel Yeomans, Elizabeth Keith, and myself, with two of our servants.

Finding letters at Amsterdam from the Friends of Dantzic, complaining of the heavy sufferings they underwent, informing us also that the King of Poland was there, and asking advice about an address to him, it fell upon me to write the following letter in the name of the Friends of Dantzic:

"GREAT PRINCE!

"To the King of Poland.

"Actions of justice, mercy, and Truth are worthy of all men; but in a most excellent manner of the serious consideration of kings and princes. We, certain inhabitants of the city of Dantzic, have been long great sufferers, not for any wickedness committed against the royal law of God, or any breach of those civil laws of this city that relate to the well-government of it in all natural and civil

things, but purely and only for the cause of our tender consciences towards God.

"We believe that all true ministry and worship stand only in the experimental sense, operations, and leadings of the holy light, spirit, or grace that is shed abroad in the hearts of men and women, to conduct them in the holy way of regeneration unto life eternal. This was the ancient apostolical doctrine; they spoke what they had seen, tasted, and handled of the Word of God. And this is our faith, doctrine, and practice in this day.

"And be not displeased with us, oh, King, we entreat thee, if we give this for the reason of our absenting ourselves from the public and common ministry or worship; namely, that we have no taste or relish, no sense or evidence, that their ministry and worship are authorized and performed by the apostolical power and spirit of Jesus; but rather that they are the inventions, studies, and powers of man's nature; all which are but strange fire, and therefore cannot kindle a true and acceptable sacrifice to God.

"For it is not man's spirit and degenerate nature, speaking and professing the words of God's Spirit, that giveth acceptance with the Lord, or administereth heavenly edification to men.

"And as this is the reason in the sight and presence of that God that made heaven and earth, and will judge the quick and dead, wherefore we cannot join in the common and public worship of these parts; so doth the same light and Spirit of God lay an holy necessity upon us, with a meek and quiet spirit to come together, after the manner of the ancient Christians, that were the true followers of Jesus; and with godly fear and a retired mind