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may keep covenant, ftand our ground, and not again turn into folly. O! have a care of a flothful mind; that which can fit at home and cenfure, but is not diligent in the work of the Lord: let us go on, and prefs forward, towards the glorious recompence. This keeps in the univerfal fpirit, out of murmurings and grudgings, and herein fhall we profper, and be preserved for ever: and let this be the godly ufe we make of this great obligation which the Lord hath now eminently laid upon us, to watch and persevere, that we may hold out to the end, and give no just occafion to any to fpeak evil of this bleffed way of the Lord, that hath fo fignally been borne witness to, (even by such as have spoken evil of it) when they came to die; as this narrative (though briefly, yet fully) proves.

And as to the perfecution that now threatens, you know this, it comes all from the fame root; and he that drew a teftimony from this opposer (and perfecutor, as he confeffeth he was, will, in due time, give witness to his holy way, and you his people, from the consciences of your perfecutors, as you know full well he hath frequently done in divers places of this nation. Therefore never heed it, neither be ye moved at it, but be of good cheer; for the fhout of an immortal king is amongst us, who is the only Sacred Majefty, Dread Sovereign, King, Prince, and Lord of confcience, and no mortal man whatever: for be only can be Lord of confcience, who is greater than conscience, and author of confcience; but that no man is, because conscience is the chiefeft part that constitutes that man; therefore no man can be Lord of confcience. And be it known to all powers on earth, it is this great Lord that hath reached to your fouls, even Ifrael's God: wherefore keep you with him, hearken to his holy voice, and obey it diligently unto all holinefs, and all fhall go well with you in the end: "Say unto the righteous, it fhall go well with "them; but fay unto the wicked, it fhall go ill with "them:" This God gave his prophet in charge of

old,

old, and it stands true to our day, and fhall while a good and a bad man live upon the earth.

You know, my brethren, in whom you have believed, and have good experience of his power and faithfulness: call to mind his noble acts, and valiant deeds, his great falvation in all ages; how fure, how ready, how willing, and how able he hath been to deliver our ancestors; and you know he is the fame now at this day: truft there for ever; for "he is "greater that is in you, than he that is in the world;" and I know affuredly that all these things fhall work together for good, to them that keep in the faith, the royal faith, the victorious faith, that faith that stands all trials, and furmounts all temptations, and, through patient fufferings, triumphs over rage, darknefs, and the grave: it is this exceeding precious faith, that makes the good Chriftian, the good man, the good fubject, and keeps man's confcience void of offence towards God and all men; and as we keep it, of right may we fay, "The Lord is our light, whom

fhould we fear? The Lord is the ftrength of "our life, of whom fhould we be afraid?" O! thofe that flee before informers, and run at the fight of perfecutors (yea, though an army of them) either never had, or have parted from, this noble faith, which is pure confidence in God, and intire refignation to his divine will, come what will come. Chrift will not have one coward in his fpiritual army: "Fear not "what man can do unto you," was a great part of his inftruction to his difciples, the pilgrim preachers of his holy gofpel to the world: but confulters with flesh and blood, thofe that ufe bafe ftratagems to fave themselves, that will not abide the day, but flink from the shock of fufferings, and hide in stormy times, they betray God's prerogative, confcience's liberty, fling up the cause, and bring a spot upon fpot upon "Confci"entious feparation;" fuch fhall become an abhorrence, and utter deteftation, in the fight of the pure jealous God, and all good people,

My

My brethren, I hope that few or none of thefe will be found amongst us: howbeit, these things may be permitted for a winnowing, that many may be proved, that fo their integrity may be the better manifefted; for a fincere, holy, and felf-denying people, God will have to delight himself in: " Blefied are they whofe "God is the Lord, and whofe truft is in him for "ever, for they fhall never be moved."

Into his bleffed care and protection, with myself, do I commit you all; and the Lord of heaven and earth preserve us all in his holy fear, love, and patience, to the end. Amen.

WILLIAM PENN.

TO

то тНЕ

CHILDREN of LIGHT

IN THIS

GENERATION,

Called of GOD to be Partakers of Eternal Life in JESUS CHRIST, the Lamb of God, and Light of the World.

Published in the Year 1678.

My endeared friends and brethren,

MAN

ANY days and weeks, yea, fome months, hath my heart been heavy, and my foul unusually fad, for the fake of this nation, the land of our nativity! For I have not only long beheld, with a grieved eye, the many abominations and grofs impieties that reign therein, the lufts, pleasures, wantonnefs, drunkenness, whoredoms, oaths, blafphemies, envy, treachery, and perfecution of the juft, but for fome time I have had a deep fenfe that the overflowing scourge of God's wrath and indignation was just ready to break out upon the people, confufion, amazement, and mifery! The weight of which hath caufed me to cry within myself, Who fhall fave us? who fhall deliver us? Are there none to ftay the ftroke? To blunt the • edge? To ftop the fury, and intercede for the people, and mediate for this poor land, that the Lord may not utterly depart, and take his glory and his name from it, and make it a defolation for the wild. ⚫ beafts

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