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and increase, or advance, their felicity, fo far as human nature is capable of it, both in a particular and general relation; rather than the contrary, or difcord, rebellion and revolt, fo often advocated, purfued, and in the end, unhappily experienced, under the plaufible name and falfe appearance, of

melioration.

caufes

of

But how muchfoever the recommendation and Original extenfion of unity, concord and amity, with a due happiness submission, in civil fociety, may be contrary to the and mifery ambition, and selfish views, of an independent and fame. rebellious fpirit, in any age, or country, yet it is

ftill the

most certain that as the former conftituted the ftate of original, and moft complete, felicity, fo the latter occafioned the contrary; and cannot, in the nature of things, do otherwife;-and that human happiness may be much further increased, or augmented, both in an individual and collective capacity, than either idleness or wickedness will permit many to believe, or think poffible, the province of Example of Pennfylvania has afforded a very fignal example, Pennfylvaand inconteftible proof, to the admiration of ftrangers; and doubtlefs far beyond the credibility of many, who are not fufficiently acquainted with the early, as well as the later state of the country.

nia.

be

To conclude, as the world is faid to have been How good formed out of a chaos, and that order fprung from things may diforder, by the effect of Omnipotence; fo, in the and reftorrife of this province, appears a remarkable inftance od. of happy confequences, from apparent unhappy caufes; rational liberty, with an equal participation of natural and civil rights, and religious privileges, with the glorious effects, have rifen out of oppreffion, perfecution and bigotry:-But, as the abufe of the former has always introduced the latter, fooner or later; and as human nature ever remains to be the fame, fo the reverfing of thofe enjoyments continues to be no lefs incident to the hu man race, than it was in former ages of the world;

and

and their preservation depends as much upon the wifdom and conduct of the poffeffors of them, as their restoration will do, on means fimilar to those, which raised, and fo long preserved, the happy state of the province of Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia, 1797.

INTRODUCTION.

CONTENTS

OF THE

INTRODUCTION.

PART THE FIRST.

The parentage, birth and education of William Penn, with the time
and manner of his embracing the religion of the people called
Quakers, &c.

In the account of the religious system and manners of the Quakers,

are comprehended:

1. The time, motive and manner of their first rise, and becoming

a religious fociety.

2. Their first and chief principle, &c.

3. Their worship and ministry, with fome of their chief and particular

doctrines.

Their other tenets, doctrines, practices and customs, more pecu-

liar to them than to other people, are ranged under the following

heads, viz.

1. Their juice, veracity and true Chriflian fortitude.

2. Their temperance and moderation.

3. Their charity and loving one another.

4. Under the first of these heads are comprised:

Their difufe of flattering titles, and their not refpecting perfons, &c.

Their ufing the plain and true speech of thou and thee, to a fingle

perfon, &c.

Their difufe of the common falutations, &c.

Their non-obfervance of holy-days, faft-days, &c.

Their manner of naming the months, and days of the week, &c.

Their refufing to pay tithes, prieft wages, &c.

Their ftrictly paying the government taxes, dues, &c.

Their not fuffering the Negro or flave-trade among them.

Their refufing to wear on any occafion.

Their fortitude, in valiantly fuffering for their teftimony.

5.

6. Under the third head are reprefented:

Their loving one another, and refraining from law-fuits, among them-
felves.

Their loving enemies, and not fighting, but fuffering, &c.

Their charity to the poor :-With fome conclufions on divers of these
things, from R. Barclay.

7. Their marriages, births, burials and difcipline, from W. Penn; con-
cluded with fome further hints of the temper, and general difpo-
fition of mind, and of the practice of this people, in early time,
from W. Penn, and W. Edmundfon.

Further account of the life of William Penn, continued till about the
time of the grant and fettlement of Pennsylvania.

PART THE SECOND.

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A general and comprehenfive view of the rife, princi-
ples, religious fyftem and practice, or manners, of
the people called QUAKERS, who first fettled
the province, under his government.

THE wifdom of former ages, when tranfmitted, Office and

tory, &c

in writing, to pofterity, is an ineftimable treasure; ufe of hif but the actions of illuftrious and virtuous perfons, in the fame manner exhibited, is ftill more beneficial: by the former our judgments are rightly informed, and our minds brought into a proper way of thinking; by the latter we are animated to an imitation; and while the excellency of noble examples is displayed before our understandings, our minds are infpired with a love of virtue. This appears to be the office of hiftory; by which every fucceeding age may avail itself of the wifdom, and, even, of the folly, of the preceding, and become wifer and happier by a proper application. Though

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