Letters on England [6]
himself in any other manner. This
was the first gift he communicated to his disciples. These aped
very sincerely their master's several grimaces, and shook in every
limb the instant the fit of inspiration came upon them, whence they
were called Quakers. The vulgar attempted to mimic them; they
trembled, they spake through the nose, they quaked and fancied
themselves inspired by the Holy Ghost. The only thing now wanting
was a few miracles, and accordingly they wrought some.
Fox, this modern patriarch, spoke thus to a justice of peace before
a large assembly of people: "Friend, take care what thou dost; God
will soon punish thee for persecuting His saints." This magistrate,
being one who besotted himself every day with bad beer and brandy,
died of an apoplexy two days after, the moment he had signed a
mittimus for imprisoning some Quakers. The sudden death with which
this justice was seized was not ascribed to his intemperance, but
was universally looked upon as the effect of the holy man's
predictions; so that this accident made more converts to Quakerism
than a thousand sermons and as many shaking fits could have done.
Oliver, finding them increase daily, was desirous of bringing them
over to his party, and for that purpose attempted to bribe them by
money. However, they were incorruptible, which made him one day
declare that this religion was the only one he had ever met with
that had resisted the charms of gold.
The Quakers were several times persecuted under Charles II.; not
upon a religious account, but for refusing to pay the tithes, for
"theeing" and "thouing" the magistrates, and for refusing to take
the oaths enacted by the laws.
At last Robert Barclay, a native of Scotland, presented to the King,
in 1675, his "Apology for the Quakers," a work as well drawn up as
the subject could possibly admit. The dedication to Charles II. is
not filled with mean, flattering encomiums, but abounds with bold
touches in favour of truth and with the wisest counsels. "Thou hast
tasted," says he to the King at the close of his epistle dedicatory,
"of prosperity and adversity; thou knowest what it is to be banished
thy native country; to be overruled as well as to rule and sit upon
the throne; and, being oppressed, thou hast reason to know how
hateful the Oppressor is both to God and man. If, after all these
warnings and advertisements, thou dost not turn unto the Lord with
all thy heart, but forget Him who remembered thee in thy distress,
and give up thyself to follow lust and vanity, surely great will be
thy condemnation.
"Against which snare, as well as the temptation of those that may or
do feed thee and prompt thee to evil, the most excellent and
prevalent remedy will be, to apply thyself to that light of Christ
which shineth in thy conscience, which neither can nor will flatter
thee nor suffer thee to be at ease in thy sins, but doth and will
deal plainly and faithfully with thee, as those that are followers
thereof have plainly done.--Thy faithful friend and subject, Robert
Barclay."
A more surprising circumstance is, that this epistle, written by a
private man of no figure, was so happy in its effects, as to put a
stop to the persecution.
LETTER IV.--ON THE QUAKERS
About this time arose the illustrious William Penn, who established
the power of the Quakers in America, and would have made them appear
venerable in the eyes of the Europeans, were it possible for mankind
to respect virtue when revealed in a ridiculous light. He was the
only son of Vice-Admiral Penn, favourite of the Duke of York,
afterwards King James II.
William Penn, at twenty years of age, happening to meet with a
Quaker in Cork, whom he had known at Oxford, this man made a
proselyte of him; and William being a sprightly youth, and naturally
eloquent, having a winning aspect, and a very engaging carriage, he
soon
was the first gift he communicated to his disciples. These aped
very sincerely their master's several grimaces, and shook in every
limb the instant the fit of inspiration came upon them, whence they
were called Quakers. The vulgar attempted to mimic them; they
trembled, they spake through the nose, they quaked and fancied
themselves inspired by the Holy Ghost. The only thing now wanting
was a few miracles, and accordingly they wrought some.
Fox, this modern patriarch, spoke thus to a justice of peace before
a large assembly of people: "Friend, take care what thou dost; God
will soon punish thee for persecuting His saints." This magistrate,
being one who besotted himself every day with bad beer and brandy,
died of an apoplexy two days after, the moment he had signed a
mittimus for imprisoning some Quakers. The sudden death with which
this justice was seized was not ascribed to his intemperance, but
was universally looked upon as the effect of the holy man's
predictions; so that this accident made more converts to Quakerism
than a thousand sermons and as many shaking fits could have done.
Oliver, finding them increase daily, was desirous of bringing them
over to his party, and for that purpose attempted to bribe them by
money. However, they were incorruptible, which made him one day
declare that this religion was the only one he had ever met with
that had resisted the charms of gold.
The Quakers were several times persecuted under Charles II.; not
upon a religious account, but for refusing to pay the tithes, for
"theeing" and "thouing" the magistrates, and for refusing to take
the oaths enacted by the laws.
At last Robert Barclay, a native of Scotland, presented to the King,
in 1675, his "Apology for the Quakers," a work as well drawn up as
the subject could possibly admit. The dedication to Charles II. is
not filled with mean, flattering encomiums, but abounds with bold
touches in favour of truth and with the wisest counsels. "Thou hast
tasted," says he to the King at the close of his epistle dedicatory,
"of prosperity and adversity; thou knowest what it is to be banished
thy native country; to be overruled as well as to rule and sit upon
the throne; and, being oppressed, thou hast reason to know how
hateful the Oppressor is both to God and man. If, after all these
warnings and advertisements, thou dost not turn unto the Lord with
all thy heart, but forget Him who remembered thee in thy distress,
and give up thyself to follow lust and vanity, surely great will be
thy condemnation.
"Against which snare, as well as the temptation of those that may or
do feed thee and prompt thee to evil, the most excellent and
prevalent remedy will be, to apply thyself to that light of Christ
which shineth in thy conscience, which neither can nor will flatter
thee nor suffer thee to be at ease in thy sins, but doth and will
deal plainly and faithfully with thee, as those that are followers
thereof have plainly done.--Thy faithful friend and subject, Robert
Barclay."
A more surprising circumstance is, that this epistle, written by a
private man of no figure, was so happy in its effects, as to put a
stop to the persecution.
LETTER IV.--ON THE QUAKERS
About this time arose the illustrious William Penn, who established
the power of the Quakers in America, and would have made them appear
venerable in the eyes of the Europeans, were it possible for mankind
to respect virtue when revealed in a ridiculous light. He was the
only son of Vice-Admiral Penn, favourite of the Duke of York,
afterwards King James II.
William Penn, at twenty years of age, happening to meet with a
Quaker in Cork, whom he had known at Oxford, this man made a
proselyte of him; and William being a sprightly youth, and naturally
eloquent, having a winning aspect, and a very engaging carriage, he
soon