Glimpses of Christian History Presents Pastwords #23: An Account of William Penn's Travails by William Penn ©2007

Penn, William (1644-1718), Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania. The eldest son of Admiral Sir William Penn (1621-70), who captured Jamaica from the Dutch (May 1655), he was for a time an undergraduate at Christ Church, Oxford, whence he was sent down in 1661 for refusal to conform with the restored Anglicanism. After some years of travel abroad he was admitted in 1665 a student at Lincoln’s Inn. A sermon of Thomas Loe, an Oxford tradesman with who he had been acquainted since boyhood, which he had heard at Cork in 1665, had a decisive influence and henceforward he attached himself to the Quakers. During the seventies Penn became increasingly interested in the foundation of a colony in America which would assure liberty of conscience for Quakers and others, and eventually in 1682 he obtained by letters patent grants of East New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In the same year he founded the ‘Free Society of Traders of Pennsylvania’, drew up a constitution for the colony which permitted all forms of worship compatible with monotheism and religious liberty, and himself sailed for America. After establishing the colony he returned to England in 1684. Believing that James II, with whom he had had relations from the days of his father’s admiralship, was a true advocate of toleration, he expressed the Quakers’ thanks for the Declaration of Indulgence (1687) in a loyal address and followed it with a pamphlet, Good Advice to the Church of England, Roman Catholics and Protestant Dissenters. In 1693 he resumed his practice of itinerant preaching and in 1696 wrote his Primitive Christianity, upholding the identity of Quaker principles with those of the early Church. In 1699 he paid a second visit to Pennsylvania, intending to settle there for good, but in 1701 the proposal to introduce legislation changing the status of the province into a Crown Colony brought him back to England, where he lived successively at Kensington, Knightsbridge, Brentford, and Field Ruscombe (near Twyford).

nd I must tell you, that there is a Breathing, Hungering, Seeking People, solitarily scattered up and down this great Land of Germany, where the Lord hath sent me; and I believe it is the like in other Nations. And as the Lord hath laid it upon me, with my Companions, to seek some of them out, so have we found several in divers places. And we have had many blessed Opportunities amongst them, wherein our Hearts have greatly rejoiced; having been made deeply sensible of the Love of god towards them, and of the great openness and tenderness of Spirit in them, to receive the Testimony of Light and Life through me. And we have a stedfast belief, that the Lord will carry on his Work in this Land effectually; and that he will raise up those, that shall be as Ministers of his eternal Testament amongst them. And O! our desire is, that God would put it into the Hearts of many of his faithful Witnesses, to visit the Inhabitants of this Country, where God hath a great Seed of People to be gathered; that his Work may go on in the Earth, till the whole Earth be filled with his Glory.

The enclosed I received from a Religious young Woman at Franckfort. We have had a blessed Opportunity in this Town with some that have a desire after the Lord, in which we are abundantly comforted. We have just now received thy Message and Salutation from H.V. which hath exceedingly refreshed and revived us; for our trouble was not for our selves, but for thee; and we hope our Love will not turn to thy Disadvantage, for we mentioned nothing of thy Name, nor the Name of any other Person, only that we desired to speak with the Minister of Mulheim, and that was only to the Souldier. The Lord made us a good Bed in the Fields, and we were very well satisfied. We are going this Afternoon out of the Town towards Wesel, from thence to Cleve, and thence to Herwerden (the Lord willing) so farewel in the Lord.

Here followeth a Letter to her Father the Graef of Bruck and Falckensleyn.

To the Graef or Earl of Bruck and Falckensleyn.

By what Law on Earth are Men not Scandalous, under no Proscription, harmless Strangers, about lawful Occasions, and Men, not Vagabonds, but of good Quality in their own Country, stopt, menaced, sent back with Souldiers, and that at Sun-set, exposed to the Night in an unknown Country, and therefore forced to lie in the Fields: I say, by what Law are we judged, yea, thus punished before heard? Is this the Law of Nations, or Nature, or Germany, or of Christianity? Oh! Where’s Nature? Where’s Civility? Where’s Hospitality? But where’s Christianity all this while? Well, but we are Quakers: Quakers! What’s that for a Name? Is there a Law of the Empire against that Name? No: Did we own it? No: But if we had, the Letters of that Name neither make up Drunkard, Whormaster, Thief, Murderer nor Traitor: Why so odious then? What harm hath it done? Why could Jew pass just before us, that have Crucified Christ, and not Quakers that never Crucified him? But Ignorance is as well the Mother of Persecution as Devotion: And the false Christian, and the false Jew have but one Father.
But, Argumentum ad hominem, my Friend, bear with me a little: Art thou a Christian? How canst thou be rude, uncivil, and persecute then? Thou art to love Enemies, not abuse Friends; harmless Strangers. Well, but this Life is dead, this Doctrine antiquated, Jesus Christ turn’d out of doors, I perceive.

What art thou for a Christian? A Lutheran? Yes; Canst thou so lately forget the Practices of the Papists, and with what Abhorrence thy Ancestors declared against such sort of Entertainment? Were not they Despised, Mocked and Persecuted? And are their Children treading in the steps of their old Enemies? Friend, ‘tis not Reformed Words, but a Reformed Life that will stand thee in stead. ‘Tis not to live the life of the Unregenerate, Worldly-minded and Wicked, under the Profession of the Saint’s Words, that will give an Entrance into God’s rest. Be not deceived, such as thou Sowest, such must thou Reap in the day of the Lord. Thou art not come to the Berean-state that tried all things, and therefore not Noble in the Christian sense. The Bereans were noble, for they judged not before Examination.

And for thy saying, We want no Quakers here, I say, under favour, you do: For a true Quaker is one that Trembleth at the Word of the Lord, that worketh out his Salvation with fear and trembling, and all the Days of his appointed Time waiteth in the Light and Grace of God till his great Change cometh; and that taketh up the daily Cross to his Will and Lusts, that he might do the Will of God manifested to him by the Light of Jesus in his Conscience; and according to the holy Precepts and Examples in the holy Scriptures of Truth, laid down by Jesus, and his Followers, for the ages to come. Yea, he is one that Loveth his Enemies, rather than feareth them; that Blesseth those that Curse him, and Prayeth for those that despitefully treat him; as God knoweth we do for thee. And O that thou wert such a Quaker! Then wouldst thou Rule for God, and act in all things as one that must give an account to God for the Deeds done in the Body, whether Good or Evil. Then would Temperance, Mercy, Justice, Meekness, and the Fear of the Lord dwell in thy Heart, and in thy Family and Country. Repent, I exhort thee, and consider thy latter End, for thy Days are not like to be many in this World, therefore mind the things that make for thy Eternal Peace, lest Distress come upon thee as an Armed Man, and there be none to deliver thee. I am Thy Well-wishing Friend.

The Pacquet-boat not being come, we were necessitated to lye there that Night.

That Night it was upon me, in the earnest Love of God, to salute the Princess and Countess, with a few farewel-lines, as followeth.

To the Princess Elizabeth,

Salvation in the Cross, Amen.

Dear and truly respected Friend,
My soul most earnestly desireth thy Temporal and Eternal Felicity; which standeth in thy doing the Will of God now on Earth, as ‘tis done in Heaven. O dear Princess, do it! Say the Word once in Truth and Righteousness, not my Will, but thine be done, O God! Thy Days are few, and then thou must go to Judgment. Then an Account of thy Talent God will require from thee. What improvement hast thou made? Let it prove and shew its own excellency, that it is of God, and that it leadeth all, that love it, to God. O that thou mayest be able to give an Account with Joy!

I could not leave this Country, and not testifie the Resentments I bear in my mind of that humble and tender Entertainment thou gavest us at thy Court: The Lord Jesus Reward Thee: And surely he hath a blessing in store for Thee. Go on; be stedfast, overcome and thou shalt inherit. Do not despond; one that is mighty is near thee; a present help in the needful time of trouble. O let the desire of thy Soul be to his Name, and to the remembrance of him. o wait upon the Lord, and thou shalt renew thy Strength! The Youth shall faint, and the young Men shall fail, but they that trust in the Lord shall never be confounded.

I wish thee all true and solid Felicity, with my whole Soul. The Lord God of Heaven and Earth have thee in his keeping, that thou mayest not lose, but keep in the Divine Sense, which, by his Eternal Word, he hath begotten in thee. Receive, Dear Princess, my sincere and Christian Salutation. Grace, Mercy and Peace be multiplied among you all that love the Lord Jesus.

The Business I shall follow, with all the diligence and discretion I can, and by the First give thee and Account, after it shall please the Lord to bring me safe to London. All my Brethren are well, and present thee with their dear love, and the rest with Thee that love Jesus, the Light of the World, in the Family. Thou hast taught me to forget thou art a Princess and therefore I use this freedom; and to That of God, in Thee, am I manifest; and I know my integrity. Give, if thou pleasest, the Salutation of my dear Love to A. M. de Hornes, with the inclosed. Dear Princess, do not hinder but help her. That may be required of her, which (considering thy Circumstances) may not yet be required of thee. Let her stand free, and her freedom will make the passage easier unto thee. Accept what I say, I intreat thee, in the pure and heavenly love and respect, in which I write so plainly to thee. Farewel my Dear Friend, and the Lord be with thee. I am more than I can say, They Great Lover and Respectful friend, William Penn.

I refer thee to the Inclosed for Passages. We visited Giftall and Hooftman, and they us: They were at one or two of the Meetings at Amsterdam. Vale in eternum.

The day following we took our Journey for London; came there in good time, that Evening; where I found all things, relating to Friends, in a good condition: Blessed be the Name of the Lord. I stayed about a week in Town; both to visit Friends at Meetings and to be serviceable to the more general Affairs of the Truth: Where a second Letter from the Princess Elizabeth came to hand.

Herfort, the 29. of October, 1677.

Dear Friend,
Your tender Care of my Eternal wellbeing doth oblige me much, and I will weigh every article of your Counsel to follow as much as lies in Me, but God’s Grace must be assistant; as you say your self, he accepts nothing that does not come from Him: If I had made me bare of all Worldly Goods, and left undone what he requires most, I mean to do all In, and By his Son, I shall be in no better Condition than this present. Let me feel him first governing in my Heart, then do what He requires of me; but I am not able to teach others, being not taught of God my self. Remember my Love to G.F. B.F. G.K. and dear Gertruick. If you write no worse than your Postscript, I can make a shift to read it. I spoke to you the last Evening, I only stay to do it in a way that is answerable before God and Man. I can say no more now, but recommend to your Prayers, Your True Friend, Elizabeth.

I almost forgot to tell you, that my sister writes me word, she had been glad you had taken your Journey by Osenburg to return to Amsterdam: There is also a Drossard of Limbourg near this place, (to whom I gave an Exemplar of R.B. Apology) very Desirous to speak with some of the Friends.

The fifth day of the next week I went to Worminghurst, my house in Sussex, where I found my Dear Wife, Child and Family all well: Blessed be the name of the Lord God of all the families of the Earth. I had that Evening a sweet Meeting amongst them, in which God’s Blessed Power made us truly glad together: And I can say, truly blessed are they who can chearfully give up to serve the Lord: Great shall be the encrease and growth of their Treasure, which shall never end.

To him that was, and is, and is to come; the Eternal, Holy Blessed, Righteous, Powerful and Faithful One, be Glory, Honour and Praises, Dominion and a Kingdom, for ever and ever. Amen.

a 3rd Letter from the Princess, which tho’ it be after the closing of this Journal, yet being an answer to one writ to her in Holland, relates to it.

This 17. Nov. 1677.

Dear Friend,
I have received a Letter from you, that seemeth to have been written at your Passage into England, which I wish may be prosperous, without date, but not without vertue, to spur me on, to do and suffer the will of our God. I can say in Sincerity and Truth, thy will be done O God, because I wish it heartily; but I cannot speak in Righteousness, until I possess that Righteousness which is acceptable unto him. My house and my Heart shall be always open to those that love him. Gichtel has been well satisfied with the Conferences between you. As for my Business, it will go as the Lord pleaseth, and remain in him. Your Affectionate Friend, Elizabeth.

It came upon me to write a Letter to Friends in England concerning the present Separatists, and their Spirit of Separation, which hath several times been opened unto me, and had remained some days upon my Spirit. The Letter followeth.

This came upon me in the Ship, between Delfzyl and Embden, upon the 16th of the 7th Month, 1677 to send amongst you.

To Friends everywhere concerning the present Separatists, and their Spirit of Separation.

Friends and Brethren,
By a mighty Hand, and by an outstretched Arm, hath the Lord God everlasting gathered us to be a People, and in his own Power and Life hath he preserved us a People unto this Day: And praises be to his Eternal Name no Weapon that hath yet been formed against us; either from without, or from within hath prospered.

Now this I say unto you, and that in his Counsel that hath visited us; whoever goeth out of the Unity with their Brethren, are first gone out of Unity with the Power and Life of God in themselves, in which the Unity of the Brethren standeth, and the least Member of the Body in the Unity standeth on the top of them, and hath a Judgment against them; unto which Judgment, of both great and small amongst the living Family that in the Unity are preserved, they must bow, before they can come into the Unity again: Yea, this they will readily do, if they are come into Unity with the Life and Power of God in themselves; which is the holy Root, that beareth the Tree, the Fruit, and the Leaves: all receiving Life and Virtue from it, and thereby are nourished unto God’s praise.
And let all have a care how they weaken that, or bring that under the exaltation and high imagination of those that it is revealed against. For I feel that unruly Spirit is tormented under the stroke and judgment of the Power, and in its subtilty is seeking occasion against the Instruments, by whom the Power gave it forth. Let all have a care how they touch with this Spirit in those Workings, for be being one with this Spirit in judging those that have been faithful, according to the Gift of Wisdom they have received from god, they will feed it and fortifie it, and in the end come to be one with it against the power it self; and at last run out and become open Enemies and Despisers, for whom is reserved the blackness and darkness for ever, unless they repent.

Wherefore all that labour for the Restoration of those that are out of Unity with the Brethren, let them be such as are of a sound mind themselves: Else, What will they gather to? Or, What will they gather from? And let them labour in the Simplicity, Integrity, Love and Zeal of the Power that first gathered us to God. For that which is rightly gotten will endure, but that which is obtained by the Contrivance, Interest and Perswasions of Men, getteth no farther than Man, and is of the Flesh: and what is of the Flesh is fleshly, and shall never inherit the Kingdom of God.

Therefore let none look out of the Seed for help, for all Power is in it, and there the true Light and Judgment stand for ever; and that Seed only hath God ordained to bruise the Serpent’s head. They that would save it, and those that would bruise it by any other thing, are Breakers of God’s great Ordinance, and fly to Eqypt for strength. For ‘tis David, the Stripling, that shall be too hard for Goliah the Giant; and that not by Saul’s Armour, but with God’s living little stone cut out of the Mountains without Hands; without Man’s Invention and Contrivance. O this hath wrought all our mighty Works in us, and for us to this day! Wherefore let us be still, and trust and confide therein for ever. Let none look back, faint or consult; for if they do, they will darken their pure eye, and lose their way, and into the Eternal Rest of the Flocks of the Companions will never come.

Brethren, the Judgment given forth against this Spirit (and all those that have resisted our love and forbearance that are joined to it) must stand, and all that are out of our Unity with the Judgment are judged by it: Therefore as all would stand before the Lord, and his People, let not this Spirit be reasoned withal; enter not into Proposals and Articles with it, but feed it with Judgment; that is God’s Decree: So may the Souls that are deceived come by the right door into the heavenly Unity.

My Brethren, look forwards, and lift up your Eyes, for the Fields are even white unto Harvest, up and down the Nations. Remember the great name of the Lord, and behold the great Work that he is doing before all People; whose saving health is visiting the World, and whose eternal Word and Testament must from among us go forth to gather the Nations. Let That that will be unjust, be unjust still; let the Dead bury the Dead: Let us all who have received the Gift from God wait, in deep humility, to be raised up and impowered by him more and more to eye and prosecute his universal Service in the World, to whose appearance the Kings and Kingdoms of the Gentiles shall bring their glory: Which noble Work, had those that are gone into the Separation but laid deeply to heart, they would never have sate at home murmuring, fretting and quarrelling against the comely and godly Order and Practice of their Brethren: But Love, Peace and Joy had filled their Hearts and not the Troubler and Accuser of the Brethren; who hath opened and evil Eye in them, and begotten them into a discontented self-separating mind, and this Image they bear, and the pure Eye sees it.

O let none tempt the Lord! Let none provoke the Eyes of his Jealousie; let us all dwell in that Divine Sense that he hath begotten in us: Where our love, as a fresh and pure stream, will always flow to God and to one another. Here all his ways are pleasantness, and all his paths are peace; for where he keepeth the House who is Prince of Peace, he will keep all in his heavenly peace. We are but as one Family, and therefore we have but one Lord and Master. We are but as one Flock, and we have but one heavenly Shepherd to hear, who goeth before us, and giveth eternal life to follow him. If any are offended in him or in his, it is their own fault; if they faint and grow weary, we are truly sorry; if through unwatchfulness the Enemy hath enter’d, begotten coldness to the Brethren, and carelessness of embracing the opportunities by which the Unity is renewed and increased; so that what’s done by the Brethren without them, is looked upon, first with a slight Eye, and then with an evil Eye; which begets distance, and this distance in time, a separation, and separation continued, bringeth forth enmity, and this enmity, death it self; we are in our spirits truly griev’d for them. However the Judgment of God must stand against them, and that Spirit that leadeth them, in which they gather not to God but to themselves: and wo to them, that strengthen their hands and despise counsel, they will have much to answer for before the Lord. I feel a slighting, scornful, laughing Spirit often flying at me with its venemous Sting, but the Seed of Life is over it, and the Lord God will destroy it.

Wherefore Friends, in all places where this Spirit hath had entrance, keep sound Judgment upon it, if you will keep your Garments clean: And enter not into Disputes and Contests with it; ‘tis that it seeketh and loveth; but go on in your Testimony and Business for the Lord, in the Lord’s peaceable Power and Spirit, and his blessings and presence of Life shall be with you; and in multiplying he shall multiply you; for no good thing will he withhold from you. We can say it of a truth, God is good to Israel, and to all that are of an upright heart. And let us be of good chear, for ‘tis God’s determination, that the House of David shall grow stronger and stronger, and his Branch shall encrease and spread, and of his Government, Kingdom and Dominion there shall be no end.

Your faithful Friend and Brother
in the service of our dear Lord

God's blessed Work encreaseth
and prospereth in these Lands,
magnified be his Everlasting Name. Wm. Penn

From on Board the Passage-boat between Delfzyl and Embden, the 16th of the 7th Month, 1677.