Author Archive

William Penn

William Penn (1644–1718) was an English Quaker writer, colonial proprietor, and political thinker who championed religious toleration and representative government. His major works include No Cross, No Crown (1669), The Great Case of Liberty of

37 summaries in the archive

Christianity Tender Counsel and Advice – William Penn William Penn

William Penn's Quaker epistle urges believers to live in the inward Light and hold fast to faith through…

14 min read

Christianity A Brief Account of the Rise and Progress of the People Called Quakers – William Penn William Penn

William Penn chronicles the rise of the Quakers, defending their inward faith and documenting the persecution they endured.

25 min read

Christian Theology To the churches of Jesus throughout the world – William Penn William Penn

William Penn's pastoral epistle exhorts the scattered Friends to remain faithful to the light of Christ within.

14 min read

Christianity A brief account of the rise and progress of the people called Quakers, in which their fundamental principle, doctrines, worship, ministry, and discipline, are plainly declared – William Penn William Penn

William Penn's insider account explains the history, doctrines, worship, ministry, and discipline of the much-spoken-against people called Quakers.

28 min read

Christianity Achan and Elymas – William Penn William Penn

A short English polemical tract catalogued under Edward Stephens with William Penn as a contributor, not a book…

3 min read

Christian Theology The spirit of Alexander the coppersmith revived, and rebuked – William Penn William Penn

William Penn's polemical Quaker tract rebukes a critic of the Friends by casting him as a new Alexander…

5 min read

Christianity A just rebuke to one & twenty reverend divines (so called) … – William Penn William Penn

William Penn's combative pamphlet answers twenty-one clergymen who condemned Quaker doctrine and conduct in late seventeenth-century England.

6 min read

Christian Theology Quakerism a new nick-name for old Christianity – William Penn William Penn

William Penn defends the Quakers against John Faldo's charge that their faith is a new religion, arguing it…

7 min read

History England’s present interest discover’d with honour to the Prince, and safety to the people … – William Penn William Penn

A 1670s tract by William Penn urging religious toleration for dissenters as both just and in the crown's…

5 min read

Christian Theology A brief examination and state of liberty spiritual – William Penn William Penn

A short apologetic tract in which William Penn defines true Christian liberty for the individual conscience and for…

6 min read

Christianity The Protestants remonstrance against pope and presbyter – William Penn William Penn

A polemical pamphlet attributed to William Penn urging moderation and warning against zealous parties who mask private ambition…

5 min read

Christianity An epistle, containing a salutation to all faithful Friends – William Penn William Penn

William Penn's 1682 farewell letter to Quakers salutes the faithful, reproves hypocrites, and exhorts Friends to walk in…

10 min read

Christianity A defence of the Duke of Buckingham, against the answer to his book, and the reply to his letter – William Penn William Penn

William Penn's short Restoration pamphlet defends the Duke of Buckingham's call for religious toleration against a rigid churchman's…

5 min read

Christianity Considerations moving to a toleration, and liberty of conscience – William Penn William Penn

William Penn's pamphlet urges Parliament to end penal laws against dissenters and to recognize liberty of conscience as…

2 min read

History Advice to freeholders and other electors of members to serve in Parliament – William Penn William Penn

A political pamphlet by William Penn urging freeholders to elect MPs who will oppose penal laws and religious…

2 min read

Other Works by William Penn

To the children of light in this generation, called of God to be partakers of eternal life in Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, the light of the world (1678)