whose theology, with few exceptions, is unsettled and fluctuating, but only with some of its doctors; who do not all interpret and explain, in the same manner, even that one doctrine of the universal love of God to mankind, which especially separates the Arminians from the Reformed. § 13. The Arminian community, at the present time, is very small, if compared with the Reformed: and if common report be true, it is decreasing continually. They have at present, [1753,] thirty-four congregations in Holland, some smaller, and some larger; over which are forty-four ministers: out of Holland they have one at Frederickstadt. But the principles adopted by their founders have spread with wonderful rapidity over many nations, and gained the approbation of vast numbers. For, to say nothing of the English, who adopted the Arminian doctrines concerning grace and predestination as early as the times of William Laud, and who, on the restoration of Charles II., assented in great measure to the other Arminian tenets; who is so ignorant of the state of the world as not to know, that in many of the courts of Protestant princes, and almost every where among those who pretend to be wise, this sentiment, which is the basis of Arminianism, is prevalent; namely, that very few things are necessary to be believed in order to salvation; and that every one is to be allowed to think as he pleases, concerning God and religion, provided he lives a pious and upright life. The Hollanders, though they acknowledge that the sect which their fathers condemned is gradually declining in numbers and strength, yet publicly lament that the opinions of the sect are spreading farther and farther, and that even those to whose care the decrees of the council of Dort were entrusted; are corrupted by them. How much inclined towards them are many of the Swiss, especially the Genevans, and also many of the French, is very well known. The form of church government and the mode of [Dr. Maclaine has here a long and elaborate note, on the tendency of the Leibnitian and Wolfian philosophy to support Calvinism. The reasoning is ingenious and good. But the effects actually produced by this philosophy seem to be greatly overrated, when he says: "that the progress of Armin ianism has been greatly retarded, nay that its cause daily declines in Germany and several parts of Switzerland, in consequence of the ascendant which the Leibnitian and Wolfian philosophy hath gained in these countries, and particularly among the clergy and men of learning." When Dr. Maclaine wrote worship among the Arminians are very nearly the same as among the Reformed of the Presbyterian churches. Yet the leaders of the sect, as they neglect no means tending to preserve and strengthen their communion with the English church, so they show themselves very friendly to episcopal government: and they do not hesitate to affirm that they regard it as a holy form, very ancient, and preferable to the other forms of government'. CHAPTER V. HISTORY OF THE QUAKERS. § 1. Origin of the Quakers. George Fox.-§ 2. First movements of the sect under Cromwell.-§ 3. Progress in the times of Charles II. and James II.§ 4. Propagation out of England.—§ 5. Their controversies.-§ 6. Their religion generally.-§ 7. First principle.—§ 8. Its consequences.-§ 9. Concerning Christ.—§ 10. Discipline and worship.—§ 11. Moral doctrines.—§ 12. Form of Government. § 1. THOSE who in English are called Quakers, are in Latin called Trementes or Tremuli. This name was given them, in the year 1650, by Gervas Bennet, a justice of the peace in Derbyshire'; but whether because their whole body trembled before they began to speak on religious subjects, or because Fox and his associates said that a man ought to tremble at hearing the word of God, does not sufficiently appear. In the mean time they suffer themselves to be called by this name, thus, about the year 1763, the Germans were going fast into what is called German neology, and the Swiss approximating towards Socinianism; and the philosophy, he speaks of, was rapidly waining. Tr.] 9 Hence, to omit many other things which place this beyond doubt,-they have taken so much pains to show, that Hugo Grotius, their hero and almost their oracle, commended the English church in the highest degree, and that he preferred it before all others. See the collection of proofs for this, by John le Clerc, subjoined to his edition of Grotius' book, de Veritate Religionis Christianæ, p. 376, ed. Hague, 1724. 8vo. 1 See George [William] Sewel's History of the Quakers, p. 23, [vol. i. p. 43. ed. Lond. 1811.] Daniel Neal's History of the Puritans, vol. iv. p. 32, &c. ed. Boston, 1817. p. 60, 61; where see Toulmin's note. Tr.] provided it be correctly understood. They prefer, however to be named, from their primary doctrine, Children or Professors of the light. In familiar discourse they call each other Friends'. The origin of the sect falls on those times in English history when civil war raged universally, and when every one who had conceived in his mind a new form, either of civil government or of religion, came forth with it from his obscure retreat into public view. Its parent was George Fox, a shoemaker, a man naturally very gloomy, shunning society, and peculiarly fitted to form visionary conceptions. As early as the year 1647, when he was twenty-three years old, he travelled over some of the counties of England, giving out that he was full of the Spirit, and exhorting the people to attend to the voice of the divine word, which lies concealed in the hearts of all. After Charles I. was beheaded, when both civil and ecclesiastical laws seemed to be extinguished together, he attempted greater things. For having acquired numerous disciples and friends among persons of a similar temperament with himself, and of both sexes, in connexion with them he set all England in commotion; nay, in 1650, he broke up assemblies for the public worship of God, where he was able, as being useless and not truly christian3. For this reason he and his associates were Sewel, loc. cit. p. 624. [vol. ii. p. 589, ed. Lond. 1811, also Dan. Neal, Hist. of the Puritans, vol. iv. p. 60, 61. ed. Boston, 1817. Tr.] [Fox and his adherents looked upon all worship of God, that did not proceed immediately from the impulse of the Spirit within, as abominable in the sight of God. Hence he had no reverence for the religious worship of most of the sects of christians around him. Yet it does not appear that he felt it to be his duty to attempt, forcibly, to interrupt or suppress such worship. But feeling bound always to obey the impulse of the Spirit, and supposing himself to have this impulse while in or near the places of worship, he sometimes was led to speak in them, to the annoyance of the congregation, and was treated as a disturber of public worship. Three instances are mentioned, all occurring in the year 1649. The first was at Nottingham; and is thus related by Sewel, vol. i. p. 36. ed. 1811. He went away to the steeple house, where the priest took for his text these words of the apostle Peter, We have a most (more) sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. And he told the people that this was the Scripture by which they were to try all doctrines, religions, and opinions. G. Fox hearing this, felt such mighty power and godly zeal working in him, that he was made to cry out, O! no, it is not the Scripture, but it is the Holy Spirit, by which the holy men of God gave forth the Scriptures, whereby opinions, religions, and judgments, are to be tried. That was it, which led into all truth, and gave the knowledge thereof. For the Jews had the Scriptures, and yet resisted the Holy Ghost, and rejected Christ, the bright morning-star, and persecuted him and his apostles; though they took upon them several times thrown into prison, and chastised by the magistrates'. to try their doctrine by the Scriptures; but they erred in judgment, and did not try them aright, because they did it without the Holy Ghost. Thus speaking, the officers came and took him away, and put him in a nasty stinking prison."-The next instance was at Mansfield; and is thus related by the same author, vol. i. p. 38. "Whilst G. Fox was in this place, he was moved to go to the steeple-house, and declare there the truth to the priest and the people; which doing, the people fell upon him, and struck him down, almost smothering him, for he was cruelly beaten and bruised with their hands, bibles, and sticks. Then they hauled him out, though hardly able to stand, and put him into the stocks, where he sat some hours; and they brought horsewhips, threatening to whip him. After some time, they had him before the magistrates, at a knight's house; who seeing how ill he had been used, set him at liberty, after much threatening. But the rude multitude stoned him out of the town."-The third instance occurred at Market Bosworth, and is thus concisely stated by Sewel, vol. i. p. 39, &c. Coming into the public place of worship, he (Fox) found Nathaniel Stephens preaching, who, as hath been said already, was priest of the town where G. Fox was born; here G. Fox taking occasion to speak, Stephens told the people he was mad, and that they should not hear him; though he had said before to one colonel Purfoy, concerning him, that there was never such a plant bred in England. The people now being stirred up by this priest, fell upon G. Fox and his friends, and stoned them out of the town." See a Refutation of erroneous statements, &c. by authority of the Yearly Meeting of Friends for New England, dated New Bedford, 12th month 9, 1811, subjoined to Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. ed. New York, 1824. vol. iv. p. 295, &c. Neal's Hist. of Purit. ed. Toulmin, Boston, 1817, vol. iv. p. 58, 59. Tr.] 4 Besides the common historians of this century, see especially, Gerh. Crosius (Croese), a Dutch clergyman's, Historia Quakeriana tribus libris comprehensa, ed. 2. Amsterd. 1703. 8vo. On this, however, Kohlhans [under the name of Philalethes], a doctor of physic, a Lutheran who became a Quaker, published Dilucidationes, (explanations,) Amsterd. 1696. 8vo. And undoubtedly, Crose's book, though neatly written, contains numerous errors. Yet the French History of the Quakers; Histoire abregée de la Naissance et du Progrès du Kouakerisme, avec celle de ses Dogmes, Cologne, 1692. 12mo. is much worse. For the author does not so much state what he found to be facts, as heap together things true and false, without discrimination, in order to produce a ludicrous account. See Gerh. Croese's Hist. Quakeriana, lib. ii. p. 322 and 376, and John le Clerc's Bibliothèque Universelle et Hist. tom. xxii. p. 53, &c. But altogether the most full and authentic, being derived from numerous credible documents, and in part from the writings of Fox himself, is the Quaker, George [William] Sewel's History of the Christian People called Quakers, [first written in Dutch, and translated by the author into English, Lond. 1722. fol. and 1811. 2 vols. 8vo.] translated from the English into German, and printed 1742. fol. This work exhibits great research, as well as fidelity: yet on points dishonourable or disadvantageous to the Quakers, he dissembles, conceals, and beclouds not a little. Still, the statements of Sewel are sufficient to enable a discerning and impartial man to form a just estimate of this sect. Voltaire also has treated of the religion, the morals, and the history of these people, though rather to amuse than to enlighten the reader, in four letters, written with his usual elegance: Mélanges de Litterature et de Philosophie; Eucres, tom. iv. cap. iii—vi. p. 160, &c. [With which compare A Letter from one of the people called Quakers (Josiah Martin) to Francis de Voltaire, Lond. 1742.] In general, what he says, is true and to be relied on, being derived from Andrew Pitt, a Quaker of London: but the witty § 2. The first association of Quakers was composed, in great measure, of delirious and infatuated persons; and therefore committed many acts which the more temperate Quakers of the present day, extenuate indeed, but by no means commend or approve. For most of them, both male and female, declaimed vehemently against all other religions; assailed the public worship and the ministers of religion, with insult and abuse treated the commands of magistrates and the laws with contempt, under the pretence of conscience and a divine impulse; and greatly disturbed both the church and the state. It is therefore not strange that many of them often suffered severe punishments for their rashness and folly. Cromwell, man, to render his account more entertaining, has adorned it with poetic colouring, and added some things of his own. From these works, chiefly, was compiled, though not with due accuracy, the Dissertation on the Religion of the Quakers, in that splendid work: Cérémonies et Coûtumes Religieuses de tous les Peuples du Monde, tom. iv. p. 124, &c. Among us, Fred. Ern. Meis published a small German work concerning this sect, especially the English portion of it: Entwurf des KirchenOrdnung und Gebräuche der Quæcker in Engelland, 1715, 8vo. [Later works are, John Gough's History of the people called Quakers, Lond. 1789. 3 vols. 8vo. Thomas Clarkson's Portraiture of Quakerism, 3 vols. 8vo. Lond. and New York, 1806. A Summary of the history, doctrines, and discipline of Friends, written at the desire of the Meeting for Suffering in London, 1800, and subjoined to Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. ed. New York, 1824. vol. iv. p. 307– 327; also Joshua Toulmin, D.D. Supplements annexed to his edition of Neal's Hist. of the Puritans, vol. iv. p. 296-308, 518–552, and vol. v. p. 126-140. 245-261. Tr.] See Neal's History of the Puritans, vol. iv. p. 153, &c. [ed. 1817, p. 174, &c.] Sewel's Hist. of the Quakers, in various places. [Mr. Neal, in the passage just named, gives account of the offensive conduct of some of the first Quakers, and of the punishments to which they were subjected. And Dr. Toulmin, in his notes, corrects the statements of Neal, and vindicates the Quakers. The story of James Nayler is there stated. This honest enthusiast, who had been an admired speaker among the Quakers, very improperly suffered some misguided individuals to style him the everlasting Son of righteousness; the Prince of peace; the onlybegotten Son of God; the fairest among ten thousand. He likewise allowed some of them to kiss his feet, when imprisoned at Exeter; and after his release, to conduct him in triumph to Bristol; one man walking bare-headed before him; another, a woman, leading his horse; and others spreading their scarfs and handkerchiefs in the way, and crying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; Hosanna in the highest; holy, holy, is the Lord God of Israel. The magistrates of Bristol caused him to be apprehended; and transmitted him to the parliament, who tried him for blasphemy. alleged that these honours were not paid to him, but to Christ who dwelt in him, and said, " If they had it from the Lord, what had I to do to reprove them ? If the Father has moved them to give these honours to Christ, I may not deny them; if they have given them to any other but to Christ, I disown them." "I do abhor, that any honours due to God, should be given to me, as I am a creature; but it pleased the Lord to set me up as a sign of the coming of the righteous One, and what has been done to me passing through the town,, I was commanded by the power of the Lord to suffer to be done to the outward man as a sign; but I He |