Wisdom Juftified of her Children,

FROM THE

IGNORANCE AND CALUMNY

O F

H. HALLY WEL,

IN HIS BOOK, CALLED

AN ACCOUNT of FAMILISM, as it is Revived and Propagated by the QUAKERS.

BY WILLIAM PENN.

But all these things will they do unto you for my name's fake: Yea, the time cometh, that whofoever killeth you, fhall think he doth God fervice. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. JOHN XV. 21. and xvi. 2. 33.

Published in the Year 1673:

TO THE

JUSTICES of the PEACE in the County of Suffex.

A

Certain perfon in your parts hath lately troubled himself and the world with a book, entitled, An Account of Familifm, as it is revived and pro'pagated by the Quakers;' and this dedicated to Sir J. Covert, knight and baronet, &c. How ill he spent his time in writing it, and how unadvised he was in publishing it, an impartial perufal of this small difcourse will briefly, yet abundantly manifeft.

I come not to you for protection, (a thing he and his caufe wanted), but for impartiality and juftice: truth is fufficient to patronize and defend her own cause from the lash of envy, without the weak auxiliaries of human force; fhe gives fanctuary to all that take to her for refuge, but is all-fufficient to her own relief from the deepest preffure, and most inveterate profecutions of her implacable enemies. And though the evil difpofition of the world to receive her apologies, feems to confpire with the indefatigable endeavours of her adverfaries to traduce her; yet her own pureft innocency and unwearied patience have ever in the end broke forth, to fuch a clear conviction of her opposers, as hath proved at once both their confutation and their fhame.

And let it seem no riddle to you, that I write so affured of truth on our fide. There is no objection our adversary has made to the contrary, which we shall not easily remove. Our meanness in quality, breeding, literature, and fortunes in the world, (badges of reproach with him) will receive an ample parallel from the best perfons and times, and is fo far from making to overthrow, that if the fcripture and other story be to be credited, they tell us, that not many

« wife, learned, or noble:" not that they are excluded; but, as perfons ftumbled at the cross of Chrift, and the fimplicity of the gofpel, through the power that greatnefs and pleasure have with them, they exclude themselves.

But fince great and rich men have fouls to be faved as well as poor, it is equally their concern to inform themselves of that way which most affuredly leads to the reft that is eternal. I confefs the variety of fects in the world to be a great difcouragement, efpecially when we confider with what confidence each party pleads the truth and divine original of his own perfuafion but men are not to be fatisfied with pretence, but evidence: education is too fhort, nor will tradition reach far enough, to ascertain any man of the verity of his persuasion.

Could the two firft have done, there had been no need of relinquishing the Roman church, which was neither wanting in pretences, nor an education prejudiced enough against all reformation: and if tradition had been all-fufficient, the direction of God's unerring grace, and the neceffary convictions of mens reasons, might have been spared.

For if men are to believe what is recommended for true, because recommended, and not because true, we are to believe we know not what; and fhall be to feek fo far for a reason for the hope that is in us, that in reality we can have no other answer to glve, than that fuch or fuch told us fo, and therefore we believe it but if the ground of our faith ought to be more fure and better founded, it will stand us greatly upon to examine, what is the reafon we have to render for our faith and hope in God, and that belief we have of holy fcripture? If we err here, our building is infecure; and the danger is, that we fhall not only one day lose our faith, but, which is worfe, our fouls too. This neceffarily brings a man to a more inward search and teftimony, fome divine principle in man, planted by God himself, which gives to believe "that God is, "and that he is a rewarder of them that fear him."