an evidence of peace with God, through Jesus Christ.

31. After a deeply-exercising night, in which the alarm of death was as loud within, as the tempest without, I wrote out a fresh copy of my will, which I design to get speedily executed. I have nothing to boast of, but many backslidings bitterly to bewail; nevertheless, since I have possessed some outward substance, I have been desirous to expend it in the most equitable manner I could, and that my fellow-creatures, both professor and profane, might partake of the benefit ; and my own reputation, as an individual, hath been pretty much absorbed in the consideration of my religious profession, that none might have any cause to reproach the blessed truth, as having a narrow, illiberal, and selfish tendency.

NINTH MONTH, 1781.

12. I was attended with pain of body and lowness of mind: a distinction betwixt the life of faith and the life of sense, was the object of my meditation. I have lived more than three-score years too much after the bias of my senses, at least, in those things that are esteemed innocent by men. "The life that I now live," said the blessed apostle, "is by the faith of the Son of God:" almost daily desires after the experience thereof, hath attended for more than forty years; yet I

remain to this day too great a stranger to the full enjoyment of that "life which is hid with Christ in God." O may I daily experience an increase in it! that when he, who is the life of his people, shall appear, I also may appear with him.

14. It hath long been my judgment, that the circulating of reports which, in any wise, have a tendency to depreciate others, is inconsistent with our Christian duty; the mortifying our natural propensities, in that respect, is certainly a branch of the Cross of Christ, and compatible with his spirit and precepts. Great, indeed, even in this particular, is the prevalence of the law in the members, against that of the mind, and of corrupt propensity over a more rightly informed judgment.

25. Having been for some time past pretty much confined, I had an opportunity of perusing some tracts, lately published, written by my long acquainted friend Joseph Phipps; in which our religious sentiments concerning baptism, Christian communion, silent waiting, oaths, fasting, and rejoicing, are stated and supported. The great error of the Calvinists, and those called remonstrants, or predestinarians and free-willers, hath been in endeavouring to reduce the deep mysteries of the incorruptible God, into an image or system made in the likeness, and after the manner of corruptible men ; and so seeking, by the arts and devices of their own hearts, to elucidate the ways and works of an infinite Creator, by those of finite creatures :—a most vain and fruitless effort, replete with ab

surdity, and inconsistent with the express declaration of the Lord Jehovah, "Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon;" "for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

TENTH MONTH, 1781.

9. Being, contrary to my knowledge, nominated to attend the meeting for sufferings, as one of the committee of the yearly meeting, in considering and digesting the Book of Extracts, containing rules and advices relative to our religious society, I went from Hartford to London.

ELEVENTH MONTH, 1781.

6. This day the committee on the Book of Extracts was dissolved for the present, having sat from the 19th of last month inclusively. I was enabled to attend pretty closely; my lips were generally sealed in silence, but some inward exercise of spirit was at times experienced for the revival of the law and the testimony, that Zion

might be redeemed by judgment, and established in righteousness. How good is it for brethren to dwell together in unity, and to be preserved from anger, wrath, clamour, envy, and evil-speaking; which favours were measurably experienced in the course of the foregoing service. Thanks to the God of Peace, and Master of Assemblies, to whom the glory of every good word and work belongs, now and for ever.

20. Myself and wife dined at Youngsbury: after dinner I had some discourse with D. Barclay concerning that excellent man and skilful minister of Christ, his grandfather, and the elaborate Apology he wrote for the true Christian Divinity: his memory I much esteem for the evangelical testimonies contained in that work, and the distinctions between the doctrines of truth and Calvinistical and Pelagian errors. May none, professing with us, forsake the fountain of living waters," who thus speaketh; "If any man is athirst, let him come unto me and drink," and turn not aside to the corrupted channels of carnal reason and creaturely power; for if So, "the strong, shall be as: tow, and the maker of it as a spark," when the Lord shall shake terribly the earth, and exalt his only-begotten Son, as the refuge of the poor, and strong hold of the daughter of Zion."

22. I read the 3d and 4th chapters of the prophet Daniel; in the former, there appears a striking instance of the tyranny of despotic princes, in the person of the king of Babylon, his unreason

able requisitions of the Chaldeans, and his tyrannous decree concerning them, because they were unable to comply therewith. Equally arbitrary and irrational was the command of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to the children of Israel, to make brick when their usual allotment of straw was withheld.. The mighty Lord and Ruler of princes, "the blessed and only potentate," "the King of kings, and Lord of lords," dealeth not so with his creatures. He hath, indeed, a right to do what he pleaseth with his own; and who will say to him, "What doest thou?" His works, indeed, are marvellous, and "past finding out;" but "just. and true are all his ways." There is also exhibited a striking instance of the divine superintendence, and the faithfulness of the Almighty to them who trust in him, in the preservation of Shadrach, Mesheck, and Abednego, in the midst of the fiery furnace; because they would not serve, the gods of Nebuchadnezzar, nor worship the graven image he had set up.

25. "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." In an introversion of the heart to God, in mental supplication, and the breathing of the Spirit, which "maketh intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered," consists the essence of all acceptable, prayer and praise.