Thirdly, he appealed to the lives and doctrines of some of the Heathen philosophers both among the Greeks and the Romans; of Thales, Pythagoras, Solon, Chilon, Socrates, Plato, Quintilian, Seneca, and Epictetus This appeal was of considerable length, as it contained biographical memoirs of no less than twenty-three philosophers of the same description, besides those just mentioned.

Fourthly, he quoted the accounts handed down to us of the conduct of virtuous Heathen women. He selected twelve for this purpose, among whom were Penelope, Lucretia, and Cornelia.

From the Heathen he went to Scripture history and that of the primitive Christians. He quoted sayings from Solomon, the doctrine of Christ as recorded by Matthew about denial of self, the example of John the Baptist, the testimonies of the apostle Peter, and the exhortation of Paul against pride, covetousness, and luxury. To this he added an account of the nonconformity of the primitive Christians to the world, sayings and observation's by the Fathers of the church from Ignatius down to Augustine, quotations

from

from canons and epistles, and the examples of some of the ancient Christian bishops.

Lastly, he gave an account of the lives and sayings of many of those who lived in more modern times of Charles the Fifth, Michael de Montaigne, Cardinal Woolsey, Sir Philip Sidney, Secretary Walsingham, Sir John Mason, Sir Walter Rawleigh, and twenty-six others, among whom were Kings, Princes, Chancellors, Counts, Cardinals, and others, who had distinguished themselves in England, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, and other parts of the world.

His great object in making the above collection was to corroborate and enforce all that he had laid down in the first part or div sion of his work, namely, that a life of strict virtue, that is, to do well and to bear or suffer ill, was the way to everlasting happiness; or that, where there was no bearing of the cross of Christ, there would be no wearing of the crown of glory.

Such then were the contents of "No Cross, No Crown," as consisting of its two divisions, of which it may be truly said, that taking it altogether, it was a great work, and more especially when we consider the youth of

the

the author, and the short time in which he composed it. It was rich in doctrine, rich in scriptural examples, and profuse in a display of history. It discovered great erudition, extensive reading, and a considerable knowledge of the world.

Among other employments of William Penn, while in the Tower, he wrote to the Lord Arlington, then principal secretary of state, by whose warrant he had been sent there. Having reflected upon his own case, during his confinement, he was of opinion, the more he considered it, that the Government, by depriving him of his liberty, had acted upon principles not to be defended either by the laws of the Christian religion or by those of the realm. He therefore wrote to him to desire his release. We find in this letter several just and noble sentiments. He tells the Lord Arlington, "that he is at a loss to imagine how a diversity of religious opinions can affect the safety of the State, seeing that kingdoms and commonwealths have lived under the balance of divers parties. He conceives that they only are unfit for political society, who maintain principles subversive of industry, fidelity, justice,

and

and obedience; but to say that men must form their faith of things proper to another world according to the prescriptions of other mortal men in this, and, if they do not, that they have no right to be at liberty or to live in this, is both ridiculous and dangerous. He maintains that the understanding can never be convinced by other arguments than what are adequate to its own nature. Force may make hypocrites, but can make no converts; and if, says he, I am at any time convinced, I will pay the honour of it to truth, and not to base and timorous hypocrisy.He then desires, as many of his enemies have retracted their opinions about him, and as his imprisonment is against the privileges of an Englishman as well as against the forbearance inseparable from true Christianity, that he may receive his discharge. Should this be denied him, he begs access to the King; and if this should be denied him also, he hopes the Lord Arlington will himself hear him against such objections as may be thought weighty; so that, if he is to continue a prisoner, it may be known for what. He makes, he says, no apology for his letter, the usual style of suppliants,

VOL. I.

E 4

because

because he conceives that more honour will accrue to the Lord Arlington by being just, than advantage to himself as an individual by becoming personally free."

William Penn, notwithstanding this letter, continued still in prison; when understanding that "The Sandy Foundation shaken," which had occasioned such an outcry against him, had been misrepresented, he wrote, by way of apology for it, and to correct any misapprehension about it, a little tract, which, in allusion to the conscious rectitude of his own conduct and the undisguised manner in which he there explained himself, he called "Innocency with her open Face." In this new work he reviewed the three subjects which constituted the contents of the former. He argued, as before, against the notion of the impossibility of God pardoning sinners without a plenary satisfaction, which was one of them, and also against that of the justification of impure persons by an imputative righteousness, which was another; and he appealed additionally to the high authority of Stillingfleet, in his late discourse about Christ's sufferings, against Crellius, in his favour. With respect

to