THE PUBLISHER'S PREFACE

To the First American Edition.

THESE Sermons, preach'd by William Penn renown'd,

I long have read, and with delight profound":

As there's a time for business to be done,

All things a season here below the sun;
The time has come, most clearly in my view,
To put these sermons into print anew ;

That those advanc'd to many years, and youth
May hear the tidings that have flow'd from Truth.
Tis surely not premeditation's code,

But in extempore eloquence they flow'd.

This book will doubtless true acceptance find, To ev'ry person of a pious mind,

Who loves religion, in its purest flow,

More than a name, or an external show

To those who wish, when by true wisdom mov'd,
Their hearts amended, and their minds improv'd—
Who humbly and most ardently desire,
And after riches from above aspire.

The piety of this great preacher's mind,
Of a sincere and unaffected kind-
The noble object of his heart most true,
The good of souls, important in his view-
The various subjects, running sweet and free-
The language flowing in its purity,

All tend to make it, unto those who read,

An acquisition very great indeed —

To those unskill'd in learning nice and fine,
And readers of the literary line.

PENN, as a christian, was in manners mild,
He sought the Kingdom as a little child :
Though born to worldly honour; in his youth,
Surrender'd all, to buy the Crown of Truth;
Which was most precious-glorious in his eyes-
He sought for wisdom, and obtain'd the prize.
A bright example, under Wisdom's ray,
To youth who from the Holy Cross would stray.
When persecutions fell upon him strong,
With faith and patience he endur'd the wrong→
When thrown in prison by oppressive laws,
He largely wrote, to aid religion's cause :
He chose affliction, with the humble seed,
Before the pleasures that to mis'ry lead.
When honours great were on his head bestow'd,
He travel'd in humiliations road--

He never stray'd to vanity and pride-
Endur'd the cross-in innocency died.

When we him as a legislator view,
We there behold him to his subjects true;
Not as a partial politician wild,

By money, fame, and honour's love beguil'd:
But those by him were unto honour brought,
Who had true wisdom, truth and virtue sought.
His movements in administration prove,
His views were social, universal love;
From highest rank, down to the orphan child,
And to the natives of the lonely wild.

When as a Gospel Minister he's view'd,
He's richly clad--with grace divine endu'd :
Him meekly running to and fro we see,
With great glad tidings, from a fountain free-
He's cloth'd with love-a living river flows,
And to the precious human fam'ly glows!

He calls to truth-to no external plan,

Nor sect, nor creed that e'er was form'd by man-
He calls to Christ, the shining mental light,
To lead from darkness, and the gloom of night,
To him the heart must perfectly resign,
To gain a rest immortal and divine.

The reader young, who views the humble life
Of this great man, and enemy to strife,
And lover of unfeign'd religion's law,
May this conclusion very fairly draw;
That godliness, the path of which is plain,
With true contentment, is a boundless gain—
That 'tis indeed a glorious choice in youth,
Like Penn, to buy the everlasting truth.
For he who gains this lasting wisdom knows
The Rock from whence his consolation flows-
That God's the fountain of his pleasures great-
His source of goodness, in each place and state-
Foundation Stone-preserver from the fall-
His light and life-his strength and love-his all.

R. W.

C

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