The 17th century (1700-1799)
- Inward Light (1648)
"Now the Lord God opened to me by His invisible power that every man was enlightened by the divine Light of Christ."
- New era begins (1652)
"the Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered..."
- First Quakers in America (1655)
"...the first Quakers to reach the American hemisphere were women ... Mary Fisher and Ann Austin."
- Epistle from the Elders of Balby (1656)
Said to be "the oldest church advice on Christian practice issued by any general body of Friends."
- Outlawed in Boston (1658)
"Whereas there is a pernicious sect, (commonly called Quakers.) lately risen..."
- Mary Dyer hanged in Boston (1660)
"In obedience to the will of the Lord God I came and in His will I abide faithful to death."
- George Fox on slavery (1671)
"For that which we have spoken to them, is to exhort and admonish them to be sober, to fear God, to love their masters and mistresses, and to be faithful and diligent in their service and business..."
- The Germantown petition (1688)
"Pray, what thing in the world can be done worse towards us, than if men should rob or steal us away, and sell us for slaves..."
- Toleration act (1689)
"And every such person that shall make and subscribe the two declarations and profession aforesaid, being thereunto required, shall be exempted from all the pains and penalties of all and every the aforementioned statutes made against popish recusants..."
- A cold reception (1696)
"in its Epistle to London Friends, it expresses a wish that Friends would be 'less concerned in buying or selling slaves.' ... The Society gave these memorials a cold reception."