nance of God, and where it is justly administered, a great benefit to mankind. Though it has been their lot, through blind zeal in fome, and interest in others, to have felt the trokes of it with a greater weight and rigour, than any other perfuafion, in this age; while they, of all others, religion fet afide, have given the civil magiftrate the leaft occafion of trouble, in the discharge of his office."

Concerning this point it may be further obferved from R. Barclay, viz. For it is as easy to obfcure the fun, at mid-day, as to deny that the primitive Christians renounced all revenge and fighting, and although this thing be so much known, yet it is as well known, that almost all the modern fects live in the neglect and contempt of this law of Christ, and likewife opprefs others, who in this agree not with them, for confcience fake towards God: even, as we have fuffered much in this our own country, because we could neither ourselves bear arms, nor fend others in our places, nor give our money for the buying of drums, ftandards, and other military attire. And lastly, because we could not hold our doors, windows and fhops close, for confcience fake, upon fuch days as fafts and prayers were appointed, to defire a bleffing upon, and fuccefs for, the arms of the kingdom, or commonwealth, under which we live; neither give thanks for the victories acquired by the effufion of much blood. By which forcing of the confcience they would have constrained our brethren, living in divers kingdoms at war together, to have implored our God for contrary and contradictory things, and confequently impoffible; for it is impoffible that two parties

*It is obfervable, that though they abfolutely declined all military fervice, not only in their perfons, but also in their refufing to procure subftitutes, or others, in their room, by hiring, or in anywife paying, or contributing for the perfonal fervice of fuch for them, in that capacity, or for any particular military purpose folely; yet in all other refpects, they punctually and willingly paid their taxes, though of a mixed nature, that is both military and civil, for the fupport of government, as before obferved. Vide page 51.

parties fighting fhould both obtain the victory. And because we cannot concur with them, in this confufion, therefore, we are fubject to perfecution."

Fourthly, The last thing I fhall mention under Their cha-. this head, is their maintaining all their own poor, at rity to the their own expence; or, without being chargeable poor, &c. to others, befides contributing towards the fupport of the poor of other focieties, equally with themfelves, in all common poor rates or taxes: infomuch that no fuch thing as a common beggar was permitted, or known, to be among them, of that fociety. For, as they fuffered none of their fociety to be in fo neceffitous a condition, as others, fo they were fo careful in the education of their children and youth, that there were none among them, brought up without a competency of ufeful and plain learning; these things being annually and methodically enquired into, and ftrictly practised through the whole fociety, in every place. Thus, while, in these important matters, they were no ways burthenfome to others, and while they contributed to other focieties equally with themselves, in paying all poor rates and taxes of every kind, they were moreover and befides no lefs noted for moft other acts of beneficence according to their ftations in civil fociety; being ever among the firft, in works and inftitutions of charity, where they lived, according to their abilities: fo that in contributions of this nature, they were observed moftly either to be among the introducers or promoters of them, or otherwise distinguished for their liberal donations; and if any were in diftrefs, they were generally known to be among the first to relieve them.

As the practice of divers of these particulars, mentioned under the preceding heads, made them appear, at first, very fingular to many in all ranks and focieties of people; from whom they fuffered

much

Thefe things made the

gular, &c.

much redicule, unmerited abufe, and cruel perfecution, chiefly on account of divers of these Quakers things; and as they ftill appear to be fubject to appear fin- fomething of the fame nature, though in lefs degree, in fome places, where they are but little known, and labor under falfe reprefentations; and where ignorance and a blind zeal difpofe people. to reject and despise moderate enquiry; or where a ftrong attachment to old cuftoms, however abfurd, too frequently flights and refufes fober reafoning, on religious fubjects, for unprofitable and acrimonious difputes, I fhall, therefore, close this part with the following fhort conclufions, respecting them, from R. Barclay, viz.

Conclufi

R. Barclay.

"But laftly, to conclude, if to give and receive ons from flattering titles, which are not used because of the virtues inherent in the perfons, but are, for most part, beftowed by wicked men upon fuch as themfelves; if to bow, fcrape and cringe to one another; if, at any time, to call one another humble fervant, and that moft frequently without any defign of real fervice; if this be the honor that comes from God, and not the honor, that is from below, then indeed our adverfaries may be faid to be believers, and we condemned, as proud and stubborn, in denying all these things.

"But if, with Mordecai, to refufe to bow to proud Hamon, and with Elibu, not to give flattering titles to men, left we should be reproved by our Maker; and if, according to Peter's example, and the angel's advice, to bow only to God, and not to our fellow fervants; and if, to call no man lord nor mafter, except under particular relations, according to Chrift's command; I fay, if these things are not to be reproved, then are we not blame worthy in fo doing.

"If to be vain and gaudy in apparel; if to paint the face and plait the hair; if to be cloathed with gold and filver, and precious stones; and, if

to

to be filled with ribbands and lace, be to be cloathed in modeft apparel; and, if these be the ornaments of Chriftians; and, if that be to be humble, meek and mortified, then are our adverfaries good Chriftians indeed, and we, proud, fingular and conceited, in contenting ourselves with what need and convenience calls for, and condemning what is more, as fuperfluous; but not otherwife.

"If to use games, fports, plays; if to card, dice and dance; if to fing, fiddle and pipe; if to ufe ftage plays and comedies, and to lie, counterfeit and diffemble, be to fear always; and if that be to do all things to the glory of God; and if that be to pafs our fojourning here in fear; and if that be to ufe the world, as if we did not ufe it; and if that be, not to fashion ourselves acording to our former lufts; to be not conformable to the spirit and vain converfation of this world; then are our adverfaries, notwithstanding they use these things, and plead for them, very good, fober and felf-denying Chriftians, and we justly to be blamed, for judging them, but not otherwife.

"If the prophanation of the holy name of God; if to exact oaths one from another, upon every flight occafion; if to call God to witness, in things of fuch a nature, in which no earthly king would think himself lawfully and honorably to be a witnefs, be the duties of a Chriftian man, I fhall confefs that our adverfaries are excellent good Chriftians, and we wanting in our duty: but if the contrary be true, of neceflity our obedience to God, in this thing, must be acceptable.

"If to revenge ourselves, or to render injury, evil for evil, wound for wound, to take eye for eye, tooth for tooth; if to fight for outward and perifhing things; to go a warring one against another, with whom we never faw, and with whom we never had any conteft, nor any thing to do;

being moreover altogether ignorant of the cause of the war, but only that the magiftrates of the nations foment quarrels against one another; the caufes whereof are, for the most part, unknown to the foldiers, that fight, as well as upon whofe fide the right and wrong are; and yet to be fo furious, and rage one against another, to destroy all, that this, or the other worship may be received, or be abolished; if to do this, and much more of this kind, be to fulfil the law of Chrift, then are our adverfaries, indeed, true Christians, and we miferable heretics, that fuffer ourselves to be spoiled, taken, imprisoned, beaten and evilly treated, without any refiftance, placing our trust only in God, that he may defend us, and lead us, by the way of the cross, into his kingdom: but if it be otherwife, we fhall certainly receive the reward, which the Lord hath promised to those, that cleave to him, and, in denying themselves, confide in him.

"And, to fum up all, if to ufe all these things, and many more, that might be inftanced, be to walk in the ftrait way, that leads to life; be to take up the cross of Chrift; be to die with him to the lufts, and perishing vanities of this world, and to arife with him in newness of life, and to fit down with him in the heavenly places, then our adverfaries may be accounted fuch, and they need not fear, they are in the broad way which leads to deftruction; and we are greatly mistaken, that have laid afide all these things for Chrift's fake, to the crucifying of our own lufts, and to the procuring to ourselves fhame, reproach, hatred and ill-will, from the men of this world: not as if, by fo doing, we judged to merit heaven, but, as knowing they are contrary to the will of him, who redeems his children from the love of this world, and its lufts, and leads them in the ways of truth and holiness, in which they take delight to walk."

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