vanity and wrong ways, when thou canst get over the just witness of God in thy own foul, yet while it ftrives with thee to convert and gather thee up out of earthly and fading pleasures, to have thy mind fet upon heavenly things, and take pleasure in them, thou wilt have no folid comfort in all thy lower enjoyments, but condemnation and anguifh of foul will attend thee, until thou either gets over the witnefs, or leaves the evil, is the experience of the Lord's people, who have been acquainted with the true and inward warfare, and also with the faints victory. Read and learn to follow Chrift by the footsteps of the flocks of his companions; although it be through great tribulations, yet it is the way to have thy garments washed and made white in the myftical blood of the immaculate Lamb of God: This is he, as John the Baptist faid, that taketh away the fins of the world. Happy is every one that truly putteth on his lamb-like nature, his humility, righteoufnefs, and purity, and is covered with his Holy Spirit, and lives and walks in and under the influence and conduct thereof to the end of time here, until we enter into immutability.

Now to return from this digreffion, to the hiftorical part: When I had travelled much of the time between my going forth, which was from about the nineteenth year of my age unto about the twenty-feventh, then finding fome little refpite from the weight of that fervice, I inclined to fettle a little clofer to business, but

had

had little to begin any calling with, being neceffitated to leave my trade of weaving through lameness, as before mentioned; and I had been a fojourner fome time at Whitby, Scarborough, and Bridlington; but upon feeking unto the Lord to know what place I might now fettle in, though my great inclination was for Whitby, yet it founded as in my ear, Bridlington, Bridlington is the place to fettle in; and in the cross I repaired thither, and fettled for fome time, keeping a little fhop, and mending clocks and watches, as I had done for feveral years paft at times; it was of good service my fettling there, for the Lord began to work mightily, especially amongst the young friends, fo that in a few years many had their mouths opened in teftimony for the Lord, and a fine fpring of heavenly miniftry was in that monthly-meeting, the like I have not known in the like bounds, (for it is but a small monthly-meeting) and hath been fo ever fince I knew it; for truth did fo mightily profper, and friends grew fo in the miniftry, that it became a proverb, that BRIDLINGTON was become a fhool of prophets. This mighty work of the Lord, in thefe days, is worthy to be chronicled and remembered among his many worthy and noble acts; we had many heavenly and good meetings, praifed and renowned be the worthy name of the Lord, now and for ever.

We had but little difcipline when I first fettled in that place, but afterwards many friends hearts were ftirred

ftirred up in a holy zeal for the Lord, not only to promote meetings for worship, but alfo for good difcipline in the church, and they began to fee a necesfity of coming up more in the practice of this very needful work; although there were some that faid, They could fee no need of fuch clofe order and difcipline : yet I found it to be my way in the truth to bear with fuch, if they were not irregular in their converfations; but if they were diforderly, we dealt with them as the Lord opened our way in the wifdom of truth; and thus bearing with the eafinefs of fome on the one hand, and encouraging the faithful and zealous on the other, until way was made, beyond my expectation, for the spreading of the truth, its teftimony, and the difcipline thereof in those parts.

I had now travelled and laboured much in the Lord's work at home and abroad for about ten years, but had not in all that time found my way clear to marry, although not without fome likely opportunity, and with such as were a great deal richer than she was whom I did marry; but I was afraid in this weighty affair to miss my way, knowing the great difference there is between them who only profefs, and they who poffefs the truth; and them that are only in the first nature and unregenerated ftate, (and ftrictly speaking, but the fons and daughters of men) and fuch who are born again, not of flesh and blood, nor indeed of any thing that is corruptible, but of that incorruptible

feed

feed and living word of God which leads into a lively hope, and brings forth a new and heavenly birth in man, that takes delight to please and obey the Lord in all things, and fo become fons, or children of God, in a more fpiritual and nearer relation than that of creation only; it is in and through this great work of renovation, and being born again: and, as fuch as live up to that holy feed and regenerating principle, and as the fame doth predominate and rule in man, in this ftate man cannot fin, as the apoftle faid, with this reafon annexed, because his feed (to wit, the feed of God) remaineth in him: thus walking in the light, and living in the feed, grace, and holy spirit, although the terms of it differ, the virtue and nature of it are undividable; fuch who come to be gathered to walk with, and truly love Chrift the bridegroom of the foul, are brought into a greater nearness, truer fympathy, and unity of fpirit, than the world knows of. Read this, you that are born again, and duly confider it in its proper time and place. I believe, and therefore truly speak it, the Lord gave me fuch a wife as really feared him, loved truth and righteousness, and all such as fhe thought loved, and especially fuch as lived in the truth; her name was Prifcilla Canały, daughter of James Canaby; fhe was defcended of an honest family in the cast part of Yorkshire, the only child her parents left; they were bakers by trade, and gave her a commendable education, though they did not leave her any great portion; fhe was under the care of her

uncle

1

uncle Charles Canaby, of Bridlington, an honeft friend, who left something behind him in manuscript concerning his convincement of the truth, and fufferings for the fame; he was convinced early, lived to a great age, and was a man of great fervice in thofe parts where he lived.

I was in the twenty-eighth year of my age when I married my wife, who was a woman of an excellent temper, very affectionate, fober and prudent, loved retirement much, and waiting upon the Lord, and the enjoyment of his internal and living presence, and efpecially with the Lord's people, that they might alfo be made partakers with her of the like fpecial favours; this was as her crown and kingdom while in this world, even from her childhood; and to fee friends profper in the truth was matter of great rejoicing to her. When we had been married fcarce three years, the Lord raifed her up to bear a publick teftimony amongst friends in their meetings, which was very comfortable and acceptable to them; and alfo fhe had the spirit of grace and fupplication, measurably poured upon her, fo that many with me did believe fhe had access to the throne of God, and to that river which maketh truly glad the city of God. She always freely gave me up to answer the fervice I believed the Lord called for of me. She was taken from me when we had been married but about five years, in the twentyeighth year of her age, and died in a sweet frame of

mind,