A JOURNAL OF THE LIFE, LABOURS, TRAVELS, &c. OF THOMAS CHALKLET. HAV AVING great Caufe to acknowledge the Regard and Protection of Divine Providence in the feveral Stages of my Life, I think it may be of Service to others, to leave bebind me the following Account of my Life and Travels. WAS born on the Third Day of the Third Month 1675, in Southwark, and defcended of honeft and religious Parents, who were very careful of me, and brought me up in the Fear of the Lord; and oftentimes counselled me to Sobriety, and reproved me for Wantonnefs; and that light Spirit, which is incident to Youth, they were careful to nip in the Bud: So that I have Caufe to blefs God, through Chrift, on the Behalf of my tender Parents. 1754 1675 And I may not forget the Dealings of God with me 1684. in my very tender Years. When between eight and ten 1684: ten Years of Age, my Father and Mother fent me near two Miles to School, to Richard Scoryer, in the Suburbs of London. I went moftly by myself to the School; and many and various were the Exercises I went through, by Beatings and Stonings along the Streets, being diftinguished to the People (by the Badge of Plainnefs which my Parents put upon me) of what Profeffion I was; divers telling me, 'Twas no more Sin to kill me, than it was to kill a Dog. Rotherhith. About this Time the Lord began to work ftrongly Southwark, on my Mind by his Grace, infomuch that I could not forbear reproving thofe Lads who would take the Name of the Lord God in their 'Mouths in vain, reminding them of the third Commandment, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain; and of Chrift's Saying, Every idle Word that Men fhall Speak, they shall give an Account thereof in the Day of Judgment; for which I was mocked and derided by fome, and others would fometimes refrain from fuch bad Words when I reproved them. One Time I remember I was amongst fome Men, one of whom I had reproved, and he told the rest of it, and turned to me, and faid, That I was no Chriftian, and asked me, when I faid the Lord's Prayer? I asked him, if he said it? He faid, Yes. I then asked him how he could call God Father, and be fo wicked as to fwear and take God's Name in vain? which I had heard him often do; and I told him what Chrift 1685. faid to the Jews, You are of your Father the Devil, becaufe bis Works ye do; and that thofe that did the Devil's Work could not truly call God Father, according to Chrift's Doctrine. So being convicted in their Confciences that what I faid was true, they were all filent, and wondered that I, being fo young, fhould speak in fuch a Manner; in which I remember I had great Peace and good Satisfaction: And from thenceforth these Men let me alone. Notwith Notwithstanding I hated to hear wicked Words, I 1685. loved Play exceedingly, being perfuaded that there was no Harm in that, if we ufed no bad Words. One Time I was at Play at a Neighbour's House with the Children, and in the midft of my Sport I was reach'd to with strong Convictions, infomuch that I could not forbear Weeping. The Childrens Mother obferving that I wept, faid, Why do you weep, Tommy? I told her I could not tell, except it was because I was a naughty Boy. Ob! faid the, don't believe him, for that's the Devil tells you fo, for you are the beft Boy in all our Street. But I knew I was told the Truth by Conviction, and that he was mistaken : For I plainly understood by cle viction, and by the holy Scriptures (which I had been train'd up in the Reading of) that I was too vain and wanton; for I loved Mufick, Dancing, and playing at Cards, and too much delighted therein betimes, and was followed with the Judgments of God therefore in the Secret of my Soul. What I did in thofe Sports and Games, I always took care to do out of the Sight, and without the Knowledge of my tender Parents; for I was afraid of their Reproofs and Correction, the which I was fure to have, if they had any Intelligence of it. I remember that, unknown to my Parents, I had bought a Pack of Cards, with Intent to make use of them when I went to fee my Relations in the Country, where there was Liberty in the Family fo to do, at a Place called Woodford, about feven Miles from London, where I got Leave fometimes to go; and at the in Effex. Time called Christmas, I went to fee them, and five Miles on my Way went to a Meeting, at a Town Woodford call'd Wanftead; at which Meeting, a Minister of Wanstead. Chrift declared against the Evil of Gaming, and particularly of Cards; and that the Time which People pretend to keep Holy, for Chrift's Sake, many of them Spend mostly in Wickedness, Sports, and Games; event fome 1685. fome pretending to be Religious: And, generally fpeaking, more Sin and Evil is committed in this Time, than in the like fpace of Time in all the Year befides; fo that the Devil is served instead of honouring Chrift. From this Meeting at Wanstead, I went to the House of my Relations, where the Parson of the next Parish lodged that Night, who used to play at Cards with them fometimes; and the Time drawing near that we were to go to our Games, my Uncle called to the Doctor, (as he called him) to me, and to my Coufin, to come and take a Game at Cards; at which Motion I had strong Convictions upon me not to do it, as being Evil; and I fecretly cry'd to the Lord to keep me faithful to him; and lifting up my Eyes, I faw a Bible lie in the Window, at the Sight of which I was glad. I took it, and fat down, and read to myself, greatly rejoicing that I was preferved out of the Snare. Then my Uncle called again, and faid, Come, Doctor, you and I, and my Wife and Daughter, will have a Game at Cards, for I fee my Coufin is better difpofed. Then he looked upon me, and faid, He was better difpofed alfo. So their Sport for that Time was fpoiled, and mine in that Practice for ever; for I never (as I remember) play'd with them more, but as foon as I came Home, offer'd my new and untouch'd Pack of Cards to the Fire. And of this I am certain, the Ufe of them is of evil Confequence, and draws away the Mind from Heaven and heavenly Things; for which Reason all Chriftians ought to fhun them as Engines of Satan: And Mufick and Dancing, having generally the fame Tendency, ought therefore to be refrain'd from. The Sentiments of the Waldenfes, People in great Efteem among Proteftants, are worthy the Confideration of all true Proteftants and Chriftians; which were "That as many Paces, or Steps, as the Man "or Woman takes in the Dance, fo many Paces or "Steps they take towards Hell." I very well remember the Work of God upon my 1685. Soul, when I was about ten Years of Age; and particularly at a certain Time when I had been rebelling gainft God and my Parents, in Vanity and Lightness : And as I had offended both, fo I was corrected by both: For I had not only the Anger of my Parents, but the Lord frown'd upon me, infomuch that I tremled exceedingly, and was as tho' I heard a vocal Voice ay to me, What will become of thee this Night, if I bould take thy Life from thee? At which I was amazed, and in great Fear. Then I covenanted with God, that The would be pleased to fpare my Life (for I thought God would have taken my Life from me that very Moment) I would be more fober, and mind his Fear more than I had done before. Nevertheless I broke Covenant with God my Maker, my Adversary tempting me so to do, telling me I was but a Child, and that it was natural for Children to be brifk and to play, and that God would wink at my Childhood and Youth, and it was time enough for me when a Man, to become religious. But ftill God ollowed me with his chaftifing Rod, and often put me in Mind of my Covenant that I made with him in my Diftrefs; and that he had granted my Request which I then made to him; and unless I would take up Crofs to my own corrupt Will and Inclinations, he hould take me out of the World. Then, Oh then! cryed, Lord help, or I die! Save me, or I perio rever! I cannot keep thy Covenant, nor do thy Will, without thy Help and Affiftance! And indeed the Lord had not helped, I had been undone for ver. So I continued bow'd down in my Mind, calling on he Lord; thinking and meditating on Heaven and avenly Things: But, as I am fenfible, I had an inard Enemy that always fought my Hurt and Overrow, I have Cause to blefs God, who by his Grace mine Eye was turned to it) helped me to do his |