Such is the strain of this piece: the importance of the fubject, the force of the argument, and the liberality of the fpirit, entitle it to particular notice; and will, it is prefumed, make this review of it acceptable. The authors of it, whofe names are fubfcribed to the prefatory epistle, were Thomas Monck, Jofeph Wright, George Hammon, William Jeffery, Francis Stanley, William Reynolds, and Francis Smith. While they earnestly recommend their treatife to deliberate and ferious perufal, our design, they fay," in what we beg 66 may be perused, is general good, in fetting at liberty that "which God made free, even the conscience." The only particulars I can find concerning these able advocates for liberty are, that Mr. Wright, born in 1623, was a physician: he was educated at theuniverfity, and was a man of great learning and piety; a ferious and diligent preacher, and greatly promoted the cause of the baptifts. He was confined twenty years in the gaol at Maidstone; in this town he died, aged eighty, in 1703. Mr. George Hammon, eminent for the ardour and freedom with which he vindicated what he judged to be truth, on all occafions, and very much perfecuted on that account, was paftor of a congregation at Biddendon in Kent; and died at Hafeldens-wood, in the parifh of Cranbrook. Mr. William Jeffery, born in 1616, of pious parents, in the parish of Penshurst, lived at Bradbourn, in Sevenoaks, Kent; where he and his brother were the great fupporters, if not the founders of a meeting. By his diligence, and that of feveral others, more than twenty congregations were formed in that county, on the principles laid down in Heb. vi. 1, 2, without entering on fpeculative and controverted points. As he was vigorous, unwearied, and fuccefsful in his labours, fo with great patience and pleasure he fuffered much for his principles; thefe he also often defended in publick difputations. He was much valued for his fteady piety and univerfal virtue, and died in a good old age.§ His fon fucceeded him in his church. Mr. Francis Stanley was a man noted for his zeal and piety, and was imprisoned for preaching in the gaol of Northampton. He bore his fuf * Mr. Crosby has preferved it entire in his History, vol. ii. p. 100-144. + Crosby, vol. iii. p. 116. Ibid. p. 103. § Ibid. p. 97, 8. ferings ferings like a christian, and died about the year 1696. He was a native of Northamptonshire, and was buried at EaftHaddon, in that county. Of the other perfons Mr. Crosby gives no particular account. 66 66 In the fame year, in which appeared the piece on Toleration, there were published a finall piece, entitled "A "Complaint of the Oppreffed against Oppreffors; or, the unjuft and arbitrary proceedings of fome foldiers and juftices, against fome fober, godly perfons, in and near London, "who now lie in ftinking gaols, for the teftimony of a good "confcience; with some reasons why they cannot swear al"legiance to obtain their liberty:" and a tract, entitled “ A "Plea for Toleration of Opinions and Perfuafions in matters "of Religion, differing from the Church of England: hum"bly prefented to the King's most excellent majefty. By "Mr.JOHNSTURGEON, a baptift." The former was written by Dr. John Griffith, a worthy man, who fuffered a long imprisonment in Newgate for non-conformity. Each piece was an affecting remonftrance on the unjust proceedings, by which many pious and innocent perfons, of unblemished characters, in London, and in almoft all the counties of England, were fuffering; being taken out of their beds at midnight by foldiers, acting without warrant, and with drawn fwords, to the great terror of their wives and children; and being thrust into prifons, in fuch crouds that the jailors complained they had too many guests; and detained there to the ruin of their families.† Mr. James Atkins, one of thofe who were harraffed by the magistrates of Dover, on his own behalf, and in the cause of his fellow-fufferers, addressed a letter to the mayor and juftices of that town, under the name of a poor fubject;' acknowledging a fubmiffion to the civil magiftrate, except in what concerned the worship of God, and intreating in the bowels of love a confideration of the evil of restraining their liberty. In the year 1662, there came from the press a small pamphlet, entitled "Behold a Cry; or, a true relation of the * Crosby, p. 127. † Ibid. vol. ii. p. 144-148. and vol. iii. p. 120. Crosby, vol. ii. p. 151, 152, cc. in “inhuman and violent outrages of divers foldiers, constables "and others, practifed upon many of the Lord's people, "commonly, though falfely, called Anabaptifts, at their se“veral meetings in and about London.” An incident, which took place in Lincolnshire in 1670, called forth a vindication of their principles from this denomination in a different form from the preceding publications. Mr. Robert Wright, who had been a preacher amongst them, but was on account of his irregular life and converfation excluded their society, having spent his estate, applied to Dr. William Fuller, the bishop of that diocefe, for orders and a benefice; promifing to renounce his fentiments concerning baptifm, and to preach against the Baptifts. The bishop accepted his offer, he was admitted in the miniftry of the church of England, and preached in fupport of the baptifm of infants, in oppofition to that of believers, with great ardour and confidence. This excited great attention, the minds of many were much impreffed by it, and it was fupposed that most, if not all the ministers of the baptist churches would be easily confuted. They, in their own vindication, at the affizes, posted up, in different parts of the city of Lincoln, four papers, addreffed to the citizens and inhabitants, inviting Mr. Wright to a friendly conference, and offering to maintain the doctrine and baptifm of repentance to be from heaven, and the sprinkling and croffing of infants to be man's tradition. They were dated the 11th day of the first month, (vulg.) March, 1670. Two of them were taken down in the morning, and were, it was supposed, carried to the bishop and the judge. The other two were permitted to remain till the afternoon, and were read by many, till they were removed by the clergy, who threatened the writers of them should answer for it before the counciltable. But though the bishop, it was well known, was not a little moved by these proceedings of the baptifts, no other step was taken on the occafion, than fending to them an angry paper, drawn up by Mr. William Silverton, the bishop's chaplain, who called them erroneous antick baptifts. To this paper Mr. Grantham replied, promifing Mr. Silverton either to hear and difcufs his arguments in a free audience, if he would fix a convenient time and place for the the purpose; or to reply to him, if he would defend his fentiments from the prefs. Here the matter ended, as Mr. Silverton faw fit to be filent.* The only publication, which remains to be noticed in this period, was, "A narrative of the late proceedings of fome "justices and others, pretending to put in execution the late "act against conventicles; against several peaceable people in "and about the town of Lewes in Suffex, only for their being "quietly met to worship God: together with a brief account "of the like proceedings against fome at Brighthelmstone, "and others at Chillington, in the fame county." This profeffed to be a faithful Narrative, published with a view to encourage others to fuffer the spoiling of their goods by the example of many, who endured it with patience and joyfulness; and with the hope, that by it the harsh proceedings against a peaceable people, might come to the knowledge of fome in authority, who, out of pity to the diftreffed, and juftice to their righteous caufe, would redrefs their grievances. Such narratives were, indeed, well adapted to each purpose, and were an affecting appeal to the fenfe of humanity and equity. * Crosby, vol. ii, p. 241-244. † Ibid. vol. ii. p. 245, 6. SECT SECT. II.. The Hiftory of the Quakers. THE fociety of those called QUAKERS confidered the reftoration of Charles II. as a fignal inftance of the interpofition of Providence, to reftore peace and order to a diftracted nation: and foon after he was placed on the throne, Mr. Richard Huberthorne obtained access to the king, and stated the exceffive fufferings which his friends had fuftained, and under which they were ftill fmarting. The king entered into free converfation with him on the principles of the Quakers, and promised them his protection: faying, "Of this you may be affured, that you fhall none of you "fuffer for your opinions or religion, fo long as you live peaceably, and you have the word of a king for it; and I "have alfo given forth a declaration to the fame purpose, "that none fhall wrong you or abuse you."* This affurance raised in their minds the encouraging expectation of not being molested in their religious worship and profeffion. Better times than they had hitherto experienced appeared to be opening upon them. Their meetings were large and quiet. Numbers, drawn by curiofity, or better motives, flocked to them, and embraced their fentiments: but this calm was of no long duration: and they foon found, that the word of a king could be a delufive ground of dependence. Venner's infurrection brought on them new and fevere perfecution; though they were, by the dying testimony of the fufferers at their execution, exculpated from all knowledge of the defign. Their meetings were broken up by foldiers. Their perfons were abused by the populace. Their houses were ranfacked. They were forced from their employments, and caft into gaols among felons, who rifled *Gough's History of the Quakers, vol. i. p. 440., them |