sanctifying operation thereof in the heart. His speech was not with affected eloquence or oratory, or human wisdom, but in the simplicity of the Gospel, to turn the mind to the Light and Life of Christ; and the Lord abundantly blessed his ministry to many.

Our meetings in Sedbergh were often at Thomas Blaykling's house, whose family was honest and of good reputation; and at Gervas Benson's house, who had been a justice of the peace; at Richard Robinson's at Brigflats, who was an innocent faithful man; and at other places near in those parts.

Being joined to the said people in derision termed Quakers, and being by the Grace of God, resolved to continue and persevere in their communion, and to wait upon God in his Light, wherewith He had enlightened my understanding in a good measure, I had great satisfaction therein; being sensible that our society and converse with one another, as we had received the love of the Truth, was helpful and encouraging to us, and tended to our edification and comfort: I greatly loved and delighted in the free conversation and fellowship of sober, faithful Friends.

When I was a school-boy, at the free school at Blencoe in Cumberland, I had loved retirement with sober, studious scholars, though but mean and poor in the world, rather than the company of loose, extravagant boys, though of the gentry or richer sort, who were given to much play and gaming; for in that company which I most affected, we were the most profitable one to another in our learning, and communicating the effects of our studies to each other: much more, in a spiritual and higher sense, when we were in some degree come to know the blessed Truth, in the Light of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Christian society and communications therein of our inward experiences did all redound to our mutual help and edification in the love of the Truth, as it is in Christ the Light and Life, and our great Apostle and minister; who teaches his true followers to profit, in that love and life which flows from

Him, the Fountain and Foundation of all our mercies; to whom alone be the praise and glory thereof for evermore!

As to the progress which, by Divine assistance, I came to experience in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in me, after I came to be settled in my mind and conscience to join in communion with the said people, and to frequent their assemblies as aforesaid; the Lord by his Light and Grace of his Holy Spirit, fully persuaded me that without being converted as well as convinced, and without being regenerated, sanctified, and born again, I could not enter into his kingdom nor be an heir thereof; and that the godly sorrow unto repentance, and a real amendment of life, must be wrought by his Grace and good Spirit in me; and that without holiness none can see God.

Upon these and such serious Christian considerations, I was persuaded by the Grace of God to give up in obedience to follow Christ Jesus; to believe in and obey his Light given me; and to wait therein diligently, to receive power from Him to become a true child of God; for to as many as truly receive Christ the Son of God, He gives power to become sons of God.

I saw it was my place to retire inward to the Light, to the Grace of God, the immortal incorruptible Seed, the ingrafted Word, which is our Divine Principle, and frequently testified of among the said people, according to Holy Scripture: and my mind being turned to this Light, I came plainly to see my inward and outward state; how much fallen into a state of degeneration, and how much depraved, corrupted, and alienated from the Life of Christ and of God. The very vanity of mind and thoughts, wherein I had been wandering and estranged from the Light and Life of Christ, became my great burden and exercise to be delivered from, that I might be truly renewed in the spirit of my mind, and therein joined to the Lord. Being persuaded to wait in the Light, in the way of his judgments, and to bear and submit to his fatherly chastisements and reproofs

VOL. I.

of instruction-believing, that Sion must be redeemed through judgment, and her converts with righteousness -vain thoughts, imaginations, and wanderings of the mind, became a suffering and burden to me, and I earnestly sought the Lord for power to suppress them, and that He would give me victory over them all, and stay my mind upon Himself, that I might enjoy inward peace with Him.

In waiting upon God, and sincerely seeking after Him with my mind inwardly retired, and my soul desiring and breathing after his Name and Power, He was graciously pleased often to renew his merciful visitations to my poor soul, and in the midst of judgment and chastisements to remember mercy, that He might be feared; and the sense hereof did soften, break, and tender my heart, and cause me to be the more mindful of the work of the Lord our God, and the more to consider the operation of his Divine Hand, whose dealing with me was in judgment and mercy; his Eternal Word by judgment, caused fear and trembling in his presence; and by showing mercy, brokenness and true tenderness of heart. And in the lively remembrance thereof, I find still great cause to ascribe the praise and glory to his excellent Name, power, and Divine goodness, manifest through his dear Son, even the Son of his Love, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

SECTION II.

General prejudice against the principle of the New Society-His parents' views-His own progress and experience, and a statement of his principles and sentiments in regard to Christ as our sacrifice-As the Light of the world.-Necessity of repentance -Value of the Holy Scriptures-The New Covenant-Gospel Ministry.

Many of the Presbyterian priests, in those early days, in Westmoreland and other northern parts of England, appeared very envious against us, in the years 1652, 1653, 1654, &c.; and, in their lectures and sermons, much bestirred themselves to revile and reproach the Quakers and their ministers, terming them deceivers and antichrists, come in the last times; gathering what evil and false reports they could against us, and all to incense their credulous hearers; thereby setting both neighbors and families at variance and discord, like invidious sowers thereof.

I have known some of their hearers, even of my own relations and others, when they have come from their public worship, and from hearing a preachment against the Quakers, who have come full fraught therewith, to talk and prate against them, oftentimes nonsense : sometimes I have returned them a Christian answer, which when rejected, I have many times found it my place to be silent, and let them clamour and scoff on ; the leaders of the people, even those priests, caused them to err, and with their sour leaven, soured the spirits of many into enmity.

My parents were hurt by them, and the more influenced against me for a time; until the Lord turned their hearts and opened their understandings, to see better than they could by following their blind guides, whose work was to make divisions among relations; yet their trouble and grief came more from their priest's

of instruction-believing, that Sion must be redeemed through judgment, and her converts with righteousness -vain thoughts, imaginations, and wanderings of the mind, became a suffering and burden to me, and I earnestly sought the Lord for power to suppress them, and that He would give me victory over them all, and stay my mind upon Himself, that I might enjoy inward peace with Him.

In waiting upon God, and sincerely seeking after Him with my mind inwardly retired, and my soul desiring and breathing after his Name and Power, He was graciously pleased often to renew his merciful visitations to my poor soul, and in the midst of judgment and chastisements to remember mercy, that He might be feared; and the sense hereof did soften, break, and tender my heart, and cause me to be the more mindful of the work of the Lord our God, and the more to consider the operation of his Divine Hand, whose dealing with me was in judgment and mercy; his Eternal Word by judgment, caused fear and trembling in his presence; and by showing mercy, brokenness and true tenderness of heart. And in the lively remembrance thereof, I find still great cause to ascribe the praise and glory to his excellent Name, power, and Divine goodness, manifest through his dear Son, even the Son of his Love, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.