myself therefore with a plain historical relation concerning it.

It has been an established rule with the Quakers, from the formation of
their society, not to temporize, or to violate their consciences, or, in
other words, not to do that which as a body of Christians they believe
to be wrong, though the usages of the world, or the government of the
country under which they live, should require it, but rather to submit
to the frowns and indignation of the one, and the legal penalties
annexed to their disobedience by the other. This suffering in preference
of the violation of their consciences, is what the Quakers call "the
bearing of their testimony," or a demonstration to the world, by the
"testimony of their own example," that they consider it to be the duty
of Christians rather to suffer, than to have any concern with that which
they conceive to be evil.

The Quakers, in putting this principle into practice, stand, I believe,
alone. For I know of no other Christians, who as a body[34] pay this
homage to their scruples, or who determine upon an ordeal of suffering
in preference of a compromise with their ease and safety.

[Footnote 34: The Moravians, I believe, protest against war upon
scriptural grounds. But how far in this, or in any other case, they bear
a testimony, like the Quakers, by suffering, I do not know.]

The subjects, in which this trait is conspicuous, are of two kinds,
first as they relate to things enjoined by the government, and secondly
as they relate to things enjoined by the customs or fashions of the
world.

In the first case there was formerly much more suffering than there is
at present, though the Quakers still refuse a compliance with as many
injunctions of the law as they did in their early times.

It has been already stated that they refused, from the very institution
of their society, to take a civil oath. The sufferings, which they
underwent in consequence, have been explained also. But happily, by the
indulgence of the legislature, they are no longer persecuted for this
scruple, though they still persevere in it, their affirmation having
been made equal to an oath in civil cases.

It has been stated again, that they protested against the religious
observance of many of those days, which the government of the country
for various considerations had ordered to be kept as holy. In
consequence of this they were grievously oppressed in the early times of
their history. For when their