tation to the youth, to obey and honour their parents, and to have a care not to be disobedient to their fathers and mothers. I had a concern also to remind that large congregation, that the Almighty had stretched out his arm of power, with his rod, and had given the people of this land three strokes therewith, as a gentle admonition towards heart-preparation, to meet him, and to prepare for their latter end, or final dissolution : which was first, A sickness, or pestilential fever, which carried off many of the people. Secondly, An earthquake, of which divers in town and country were very sensible. Thirdly, A terrible whirlwind, such as we never before heard of in this land, that I remember. They were admonished to take particular and special notice of those gentle strokes of the divine hand, for if he pleased he could as soon take away many by sickness, as a few, and if he pleased he could have made us a desolation, as well as the country about Mount Ætna, or Port Royal, in Jamaica, not very far from us; and he could also blow us away with a whirlwind of his wrath, and could as easily have blown down all our city, as those few houses in. the country.

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Next day after this meeting I went with John Rodman to the quarterly general-meeting of worship in the county of Chester, which was large and satisfactory.

The 25th of the sixth month, I was at the burial of the wife of Richard Waln, a virtuous and good

woman. Some of her last words were, "Some men's sins go before-hand to judgment, and some follow after them; and that her sins were gone before, which was a great comfort to her, now she was going to leave the world." It was a large meeting, and a seasonable opportunity that we had at the funeral. The people were called upon to work, while it was called to-day, because, as our Saviour said, "the night cometh, wherein no man can work.'

In this and the foregoing year I met with various trials and exercises: As First, Great inward poverty and want. Secondly, Great losses in outward affairs. And Thirdly, The evil spirits of divers stirred up against me, to report falsehoods concerning me, with many other sore exercises both inward and outward. As to the first, I had been often tried that way, and found by experience that I must wait upon God my Saviour, for fresh and renewed visitations from above; in which exercise, I had always in the Lord's time, comfort from him, as by the same exercise I had now the same comfort also; but I thought it very long, and the enemy did greatly endeavour to break in upon my patience now more than usual: but my heart still depended in faith and hope upon the Lord my Redeemer and Saviour, and in his time he was pleased to help me, blessed be his holy arm and power for ever! Many blessed saints and servants of Jesus were brought to my mind, who were in the like con

dition, so that I had a secret joy in their company, who met with the like in their travels to the holy city. Secondly, As to my outward losses, I thought with myself, peradventure it might be best for me: and I remembered that many, through the increase of outward riches, were exceedingly hurt as to their inward state; and though I, or any good man, might be concerned for our children, to get and leave something for them; yet I plainly saw, that generally speaking, much riches doth much hurt to youth. This was a melancholy observation that I had made in my life and travels, and I see at this day, that it is an universal distemper, a very few excepted, wherefore I cried mightily to God, that he would give to me and mine the gift of his grace and holy Spirit, whatever our circumstances might be in the world. In this also I saw that patience was an excellent virtue, and that the meek had the best inheritance of the earth, if they had ever so little of it; and that true happiness did not consist in earthly things, which my experience had largely taught me. And Thirdly, As to the base and evil treatment I met with, which was more than I had ever met with in all my life before, great endeavours were used to lessen my reputation, as a man and a Christian; all which proved false and fruitless, and in due time my innocence was made manifest; and I considered that they could not use me worse than they had done my Lord and Master, and that the Devil was angry with

any who endeavoured to dethrone him, and pull down his kingdom, at the foundation of which, through the help of my Master, I had many a stroke or blow, with such weapons as he was pleased to furnish me withal.

The last of the sixth month, and the 1st of the seventh month, was the quarterly and youths meeting at Burlington, at both which I was. At the quarterly-meeting I was concerned to open to that meeting, how all along the church of God was governed by his Spirit, in the time of the law, and Moses was an instrument therein; and that when it was too hard, and too much work for Moses, he was advised to get the help and assistance of the elders, and that the same power and Spirit of God that was with him and upon Moses, was upon the elders who assisted him in the affairs of the church, and congregation of the Lord's people; so that it was governed by God's Spirit, and is to be governed by the same still, and not by the will of man, nor according to the will of man in his corrupt nature. And when Israel went from God's power and Spirit, the Lord left them, but at last sent to them his only begotten Son, our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and he was, and ever is, to be governor of his church, through his holy Spirit, [respecting] which, he told his disciples, he would pray the Father, and he should send unto them the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, or Spirit, the Spirit of truth, and he should abide with them for ever,

and should lead and guide them into all truth; which sweet and precious promises that he made to them, the true believers do witness to be fulfilled at this day. Glory to his name for ever! he is the wonderful Counsellor, mighty Saviour, and Prince of Peace! of whose peace and government there shall never be an end, and upon whose shoulder the government is to be for ever, for whose power, and holy Spirit, Friends were exhorted to pray and wait, and to be sensible of it in the discipline and government of the church now in this gospel day, in which is a brighter manifestation of God's love, through his Son, than in the time of the law. The youths meeting was also large, and divers testimonies werę borne, by way of exhortation and counsel to the youth. They were with much tenderness advised to take counsel of their elders, and were shewn how it fared with some young men, who slighted the advice and counsel of the elders; and that one, when on a dying-bed, cried out in the bitterness and agonies of his spirit, Oh! that I had taken the counsel and advice of my friends, for then I had not been here, nor in this condition. The youth were advised to beware of keeping bad company, and spending their precious time in taverns, which hath undone many fair and promising youths and it was shewn, how a young man might cleanse his ways, by taking heed thereunto, according to the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, and which the holy