tions, enlargement at times bath followed, and the power of truth has risen higher in some meetings, than I ever knew it before through

me.

Thus I have been more and more instructed as to the necessity of depending, not upon a concern which I felt in America, to come on a visit to England; but upon fresh instructions of Christ, the Prince of peace from day to day.

Now of late I felt a stop in the appointment of meetings, not wholly, but in part; and I do not feel liberty to appoint them so quick one after another as I have heretofore.

The work of the ministry, being a work of divine love, I feel that the openings thereof are to be waited for in all our appointments.

Oh! how deep is divine wisdom! Christ puts forth his own ministers, and goeth before them: and Oh! how great is the danger of departing from the pure feeling of that which leadeth safely.

Christ knoweth the state of the people, and in the pure feeling of the gospel ministry, their states are opened to his servants.

Christ knoweth when the fruit-bearing branches themselves have need of purging.

Oh, that these lessons may be remembered by me and that all who appoint meetings may proceed in the pure feeling of duty!

I have sometimes felt a necessity to stand up, but that spirit which is of the world hath so much prevailed in many, and the pure life of truth has been so pressed down, that I have gone forward, not as one travelling in a road cast up, and well prepared, but as a man walking through

a miry place in which are stones here and there, safe to step on, but so situated that one step being taken, time is necessary to see where to step next.

Now I find that in the pure obedience, the mind learns contentment, in appearing weak and foolish to that wisdom which is of the world ; and in these lowly labours, they who stand in a low place, rightly exercised under the cross, will find nourishment.

The gift is pure; and whilst the eye is single in attending thereto, the understanding is preserved clear: self is kept out. We rejoice in filling up that which remains of the afflictions of Christ, for his body's sake, which is the church.

The natural man loveth eloquence, and many love to hear eloquent orations; and if there is not a careful attention to the gift, men who have laboured in the pure gospel ministry, growing weary of suffering, and ashamed of appearing weak, may kindle a fire; compass themselves about with sparks, and walk in the light; of that fire which they, going from the gift have kindled; and that in hearers which is gone from the meek, suffering state, into the worldly wisdom, may be warmed with this fire, and speak highly of these labours. That which is of God gathers to God; and that which is of the world is owned by the world.

In this journey a labour hath attended my mind, that the ministers amongst us may be preserved in the meek feeling life of truth, where we may have no desire but to follow Christ,

and to be with him; that when he is under suffering we may suffer with him; and never desire to rise up into dominion, but as he, by the virtue of his own Spirit, may raise us.

A few days after writing these considerations our dear friend, in the course of his religious visits came to the city of York, and attended most of the sittings of the quarterly meeting there; but before it was over, he was taken ill of the small pox. Our friend Thomas Priestman, and others who attended him, preserved the following minutes of his expressions in the time of his sickness.

First day the 27th of the ninth month, 1772. His disorder appeared to be the small-pox. Being asked to have a doctor's advice, he sig nified he had not freedom nor liberty in his mind so to do, standing wholly resigned to his will, who gave him life and whose power he had witnessed to raise and heal him in sickness before, when he seemed nigh unto death, and if he was to wind up now, he was perfectly resigned, having no will either to live or die, and did not choose any should be sent for to him; but a young man, an apothecary coming of his own accord the next day, and desiring to do something for him, he said he found a freedom to confer with him and the other friends about him, and if any thing should be proposed as to medicine, that did not come through defiled channels or

oppressive hands he should be willing to consider and take it, so far as he found freedom.

Second day. He said he felt the disorder affect his head, so that he could think but little, and as a child, and desired, if his understanding should be more affected, to have nothing given him that those about him knew he had a testimony against.

Third day. He uttered the following prayer; "O Lord, my God, the amazing horrors of darkness were gathered around me and covered all over, and I saw no way to go forth: I felt the depth and extent of the misery of my fellowcreatures, separated from the divine harmony, and it was heavier than I could bear, and I was crushed down under it; I lifted up my hand, I stretched out my arm, but there was none to help me; I looked round about and was amazed. In the depths of misery, O Lord! I remembered that thou art omnipotent, that I had called thee Father, and I felt that I loved thee, and I was made quiet in thy will, and I waited for deliverance from thee. Thou hadst pity upon me when no man could help me, I saw that meekness under suffering was shewn to us in the most affecting example of thy Son, and thou taught me to follow him, and I said, "Thy will, O Father, be done!"

Fourth day morning, being asked how he felt himself, he meekly answered, I don't know that I have slept this night; I feel the disorder making its progress, but my mind is mercifully preserved in stillness and peace. Some time after he said he was sensible the pains of death

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must be hard to bear, but if he escaped them now, he must sometime pass through them, and he did not know that he could be better prepared, but had no will in it. He said he had settled his outward affairs to his mind, had ta ken leave of his wife and family as never to return, leaving them to the divine protection; adding, though I feel them near to me at this time, yet I freely give them up, having a hope that they will be provided for." And a little after said, "This trial is made easier than I could have thought, my will being wholly taken away; for if I was anxious for the event it would have been harder, but I am not, and my mind enjoys a perfect calm."

In the night a young woman having given him something to drink, he said, "My child, thou seemest very kind to me, a poor creature, the Lord will reward thee for it." A while after he cried out with great earnestness of spirit, "Oh my Father! my Father!" and soon after he said, "Oh my Father! my Father! how comfortable art thou to my soul in this trying season!" Being asked if he could take a little nourishment, after some pause he replied, "My child, I cannot tell what to say to it; I seem nearly arrived where my soul shall have rest from all its troubles." After giving in something to be inserted in his journal, he said, "I believe the Lord will now excuse me from exercises of this kind; and I see no work but one, which is to be the last wrought by me in this world; the messenger will come that will release me from all these troubles, but it must be in