time, nor eat nor sleep for about seven days, as I remember, without great difficulty. What the distemper was, we could not be certain. Some supposed it to be the quinsey, others an imposthume; also my little and only daughter at the same time was likely to die; and as for my own part, I was very willing to go, if it so pleased God; for I saw through the deceit of the world, and that the friendship of it was not permanent; and in my sore afflictions in body, mind, and interest, it fared with me as with Job, for divers of my pretended friends added to my afflictions by undue reflections; whom I pray the Lord to forgive for his Son's sake! At these times, the remembrance of that saying of Christ, that the very hairs of your head are numbered, Mat. x. 30. at times supported me in hopes, that all would work together for good.

When I got a little well, so that I could go to meetings, I went to Germantown, Abington, Philadelphia, and Darby. My first going abroad was to Philadelphia, where, on a first day, we had a large meeting, and divers things were opened in my mind. I told them they had Moses and the prophets, and Jesus Christ, who was arisen from the dead for neither death, hell, nor the grave, could detain the Lord of Life and Glory. And I was opened to declare to them, that they had a great advantage of the coming of Christ, not only in his appearance at Jerusalem, but as he came to, and spoke to the heart, by his inward and spiritual appearance; and that this gospel dispensation was by his coming, made more conspicuous, bright, and glorious, than that which went before. Friends were very glad to see me abroad again (they having expected daily to hear I was dead) and there was tenderness over the meeting, and God over all, through his dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, was praised and glorified, who is worthy for ever.

In this year two sober young women, Elizabeth Levis and Jane Fenn, were concerned to visit friends in the island of Barbadoes, and they meeting with some discouragement, in christian love, I wrote them the following letter to encourage them in the work of Christ.

"My dear Friends,

"Elizabeth Levis, and Jane Fenn,

"Understanding by our friend, Grace Lloyd, that you have proposed your intention of visiting those few friends in the island of Barbadoes, and that you meet with some discouragement inwardly and outwardly, therefore it is in my mind to comfort and strengthen you in so great and good an undertaking, and honourable work, as is that of the cause of Christ, who, for our sakes, crossed himself abundantly beyond expression, more than is possible for us to do for his sake, or the sake of his people, whom we may so entirely love, as to lay down our lives for his and their sakes. But what is our lives to the life of the only begotten Son of God? And truly, we must give them up often, if we have the cause of souls at heart; and then he often gives them to us again, glory to his holy name for ever! As Christ said, He that will save his life, shall lose it, and he that will lay down his life for my sake and the gospel, shall find it; which reacheth your case in this undertaking. And, indeed, some of our lives, in our own sense, are hardly worth mentioning, considering the cause of Christ.

And, dear children of our heavenly Father, I may, through some good experience, truly inform you, that there is much openness in many people on that island, and good encouragement I have had, from above, in my visiting the people there; though, true it is, the inhabitants, too generally, are luxurious, and much given to vanity: yet I have this seal in my heart, that the Lord hath a seed in that place who desires to serve him, and that seed will surely join with you in your exercise, and you will be comforted one in another, and in the Lord. And that there are differences among them, is also true; but they have the more need of being visited by such, who are, through their wise conduct and healing disposition, likely to heal those breaches which are, or may be among them. Some, indeed, have gone among them,

and have done hurt, by a rash and turbulent way of management, and by so doing, have rather made the breaches wider, than by a meek and loving, as well as lowly disposition, lessened their differences and healed them.

And, tender friends, though it may seem hard for you in several considerations, to give up to go to sea, and also to divers who love you, and are nearly related to you, know ye, and such so concerned, that the Lord is stronger than the noise of many waters, and than the mighty waves of the sea. And I really believe that you, as well as my soul, with the servants of Christ, have, and will experience it to be so, as David did, whose words they are.

I remember the words of our great Lord and Master, Jesus, when he sent forth his servants to preach his word and gospel; "I send you forth as lambs among wolves." No question but you, like innocent lambs, before your return (if it please God to give you to us again) may meet with the wolf's spirit, or the spirit of the beast, in some or others among whom you may travel; then will the counsel of Christ, added to his commission, be good for you to keep close to: "Be ye wise as serpents, but innocent or harmless as doves."

And, dear maidens, I look upon it as your cross is great, you being two innocent, chaste young women, to give up your names to cross the sea, which I know is a great cross to a chaste woman, or man either, the seamen, too generally, being rude, dissolute people; so your crown will be great also. I have known that by keeping near to Christ, and his truth and power, there hath been a wonderful reformation divers times in several of those rude seamen; and some have been so far convinced, as to be exceedingly kind, and to speak well of friends and their conversation, when it has been coupled with the fear and wisdom of God. When I have gone to sea, I always found a religious and christian concern upon me, for the poor sailors, the good effects of which have been much more than I may speak of; but give this little hint for your encouragement and information.

Well, dear souls, if you go, I believe the Lord will go with you; and sure I am, that my spirit will go along

with you, which will not hurt you, if it do you no good. And although my exercises and tribulations of late have been very great, both spiritual and natural, yet my very heart within me affects the cause of Christ, according to the best of my understanding; and I heartily wish well to all my fellow labourers, who are faithful, painful servants of Christ, and disinterested, except as to the interest which they desire in Christ and his kingdom, for the sake of which, they love not their lives unto death.

I must now take leave, after putting you in mind of remembering me, your poor friend and brother, when before the throne you are supplicating the Father of Mercies in secret, even as my heart is tenderly bowed and broken into tears on your behalf at this time. The Lord be with you, and sanctify the present exercise and concern that is upon you, and you to himself, with all the. faithful lovers and followers of the Lamb, "through his word, whose word is truth." I am your friend and brother, in the fellowship of the gospel of Christ Jesus, our great Lord and good Master; and blessed are all those, who, by their fearing to offend him, manifest him to be their Master, and by their honouring him, manifest him to be their Lord.

T. CHALKLEY."

In the twelfth month I went to the quarterly meeting of friends, held at Providence, for Chester county, for discipline and worship; which meeting was large, and a concern came upon friends at that meeting to suppress excess in eating and drinking, and great entertainments at marriages and funerals, and spending time idly in tippling houses; as also in several other things for the well-ordering our society, in which appeared great love and unanimity. The people were reminded of God's love to them in this land, and many favours were recounted to them, which he had favoured the inhabitants of the land with, which were very singular, and that he expected they should bring forth fruits that might be answerable to the labours of love, which the Lord had bestowed upon them.

About this time I had it in my mind to write to one who was conscientiously concerned to preach the gospel of Christ, but was under great exercise on that occasion.

My Friend,

Frankfort, 24th of 12th Month, 1724-5.

"SINCE I last saw thee and conversed with thee, thou hast often been in my mind, and thy exercise has come before me; and not having an opportunity to converse with thee personally, I take this way of communi. cating my mind, hoping, in Christ, thou wilt reap some satisfaction and advantage thereby. I think I know thou art concerned for Christ's cause, as also was that eminent minister Apollos, yet was instructed more perfectly by good Aquila and Priscilla. The subject on which I have it in my mind to write to thee, is the ministry of the gospel of Christ Jesus, which I believe to be very different from that which it is generally taken for, in most parts of the world, by many professing christianity. First, the greatest part of christendom, so called, calls and elects their ministers themselves, and will not call them unless they have school-learning, although Christ called and chose unlearned men, as to that sort of learning, and the apostles were called, "Not according to the will of man, but by the revelation of Christ Jesus." And Christ thanked his Father that "He had revealed the mysteries of his kingdom to babes and sucklings." And the wise Jews, the Scribes and Pharisees, admired at the apostles, who so wonderfully preached Christ, and were so wonderfully carried forth in their ministry, and yet few of them were men of learning; so that the call, election, and wages of Christ's ministers, are spiritual, and not carnal; and, therefore, their ministry is with divine life and power, by which they are qualified for this service, without either study or premeditation: though it is not denied, that Christ may shew a minister beforehand,