his own manuscripts express it, he found them to have a serious remnant among them, sounder in doctrine, holier in life, and to have less of human invention in their worship, than those of the national way; yet were they far short of that purity in faith, worship, and discipline, for which the primitive Christians were so famous in the age of the apostles. And therefore, his soul being desirous to find out and walk with a people, whose ministry, church, doctrine, worship, and discipline, were in all things according to the apostolical pattern; the Lord, who raised this desire in him, was graciously pleased, by his divine light, to shine more and more into his soul, and by gradual manifestations and discoveries, in his waiting humbly upon him and sincere breathings unto him, to lead him to his holy hill, and heavenly tabernacle,-to Christ Jesus in his inward spiritual appearance, by his light, grace, and Holy Spirit in the heart, where he found him whom his soul desired, the living rock, the sure foundation, the chief corner-stone in the spiritual building. And now, his eyes being opened and his mind turned from darkness to the true light, he saw the insufficiency of all those foundations, gatherings, faiths, and worships, which men have invented in their carnal wisdom, and by which they have distinguished themselves one from another; and upon a serious inquiry into the principles and practices of the people in scorn called Quakers, he found them to be a people called, gathered, and constituted in church society, according to the Holy Scriptures, to which he had a special regard in this great concern of his soul; as he also found them to have, though the contrary was said of them by their adversaries.

Upon this, he began to frequent the meetings of that people, where he met with the desired satisfaction, which his soul had long sought after. Their ministry he found to be lively and edifying, and their meetings attended with the gracious presence of God, ministering abundant consolation and refreshment to weary and waiting souls; of which divine enjoyments, as he received a taste and relish, those meetings were more and more desirable to him, and he quickly became a constant attender of them.

Being now no longer exercised in external forms, and shadowy administrations, he set himself to seek the true living substance, waiting in silence and humility, to hear the voice of Christ, in the secret of his own soul. The dealings of the Lord with him at this time, are best expressed in his own words.

"I was high in notion, and full of imaginations and reasonings, and abounded with words; but as I came to cease from my own reasonings and imaginations, and to be still before the Lord, so I came to hear his voice, and to give up in obedience to his word. The Lord brought me to lay aside all creeds,"articles, and confessions of faith, drawn up in the fallen wisdom of man; all notions I had learnt from the study of the letter of the Scripture; yea, I became as one dead to chapter and verse, even as a fool that I might be made wise: for the Lord stript me of all my old jewels and ornaments, wherewith I was wont to deck myself; and enabled me to part with those large possessions, wherein I took delight and pleasure. Now, as I came to be stript and emptied of my own enjoyments, and to have an hunger and thirst after the true riches, the wisdom and righteousness of God; so the Lord had a regard to the desires he had raised in my soul, and began to open his bountiful hand, and to fill the hungry with his good things, and to teach me his judgments; and so I came to receive the law at his mouth, and to mind his inspirations, which alone give understanding; and

as he opened mine understanding, so I came to understand the Scriptures, and the glorious things recorded therein."

In this state of humble silence, and patient waiting upon God, he remained a considerable time, passing through the dispensation of condemnation, and ministration of judgment, until he came to witness the ministration of life and peace, and to walk in the light, wherein the true Christian fellowship stands. Being now humbled, and judged for his former preaching, in his own will, wisdom and time, he dared not again to open his mouth, in a public assembly, until he felt the immediate operation of the Holy Spirit, and found himself acted thereby to pray or preach, as He should be pleased to give both matter and utterance. See his "Lux Evangelica Attestata," p. 11. This was at a meeting at Sarah Sawyer's, in Aldersgate-street, London, on the 24th of the Eighth Month, 1697; being the first time he declared among the people called Quakers, and above nineteen calendar months after he had desisted from preaching among the Baptists.

In this year, he gives an account of his going to a meeting of the Philadelphians, which we shall insert in his own words.

"A few people that called themselves by the name of the Philadelphian Society, having spread some papers abroad relating to the said society, and therein given notice of their meeting in Hungerford-market, I was moved this 15th of the Sixth Month, called August, 1697, to go to their meeting, whereunto I went in the afternoon, not because I had any the least doubt or scruple about the blessed truth professed by the Quakers, and whereof I am convinced; but to satisfy myself about the people and their worship, that made high pretences to such a peculiar dispensation of the Spirit, which no other professors of Christianity besides themselves (if they may be credited) were under.

"When I came into the meeting, the men's hats were off, and I thought they had been at prayer, but I soon discovered my mistake; for the man that spake, was preaching. And methought his posture was very odd, for he leaned upon his arms, and hands, crossed before him, with his head hanging down, and his eyes shut; a very careless and lazy posture for one that pretended to such a special dispensation of the Spirit, as he did; for he spake much of that, and several times declared, that God had in this latter day committed to and entrusted them with a more peculiar dispensation of the Spirit, though a small remnant of poor despised people, than any professors of Christianity had been, or were under, since the apostles' days. But God, he said, had passed by the wise and prudent after the flesh, and chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. He concluded his preaching with a prayer, wherein he blessed God for what they felt of his Spirit, and prayed for more, and begged that God would root out all the remainder of corruption in them, and that he would pardon what he saw amiss in them.

"As soon as he had ended, up stood one Cresilla, a woman, with curled locks on her forehead, powdered, an high topping, after the sinful fashion of the age; laced linen about her neck, and a ring, or rings on her finger, an habit and dress contrary to that sobriety and modesty of apparel wherewith the holy women of old adorned themselves, and which the apostle requires, 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4, 5. and made me think these were not the persons that had such a peculiar dispensation of the Spirit, as they assumed to themselves. The man had also a ring upon his finger. This woman talked much of the spiritual flesh and blood of Christ, pretending it was a great mystery to all professors at this day; and indeed it must needs be a great mystery, according to her description of it; for she said, the Word was made flesh, and that flesh was made Spirit; and that after Christ had finished the work his Father sent him to do in it, it was so highly glorified, as to be changed into the very substance of the divinity. She concluded in prayer, much like that which the man had uttered before; and then the man began again, in his former posture; the substance of whose discourse was, to reprove some of the hearers, who were rude in their words and behaviour; concluding with a prayer for their conviction, and the pardoning their own imperfections.

"And immediately the said Cresilla began again to declare, sitting at the table. I observed they held universal redemption, pretended to a special dispensation of the Spirit, were against water-baptism, and outward breaking of bread; but were for justification by Christ's imputed righteousness; and that though the guilt of sin was taken away in believers, and the power and dominion of sin much subdued, yet corruptions and imperfections remained during life. I have been since told, that they are for swearing, and that they have taken the oaths to the present government.

"Whatever they pretended, I thought they were but a new sort of notionists, and not entrusted with that special dispensation they talked of; for I observed, they were often talking to one another, and to others, and no such waiting in silence, as the true Christian worshippers are found in. They seemed to me, to be a people that could pray and preach when they would. The Lord hath shown me, that this society is begun in man's spirit and will, and shall soon pass away as a morning cloud, or as the early dew."

Richard Claridge had been well beloved by many of the Baptists; and several noted men of that communion continuing a personal respect for him, came to visit him after he had joined in society with the Quakers, and had divers free conferences with him; some of which as extracted from his own memorandums, are here inserted.

The heads of a discourse between Richard Claridge, and Thomas Harrison, a Baptist, on the 23d of the Seventh Month, 1697, upon those words in John i. 9. "That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."

R. C. asserted, That that light, wherewith Christ enlighteneth every man, was a spiritual and saving light; for it was that which John bore witness to, that all men through it might believe, v. 7.

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