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none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, but that of Jesus Christ, who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification, and is able to save them unto the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them-my faith and hope are in God alone, for the free and full remission of all my transgressions, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ,—who is the word, the light, the way, the truth, and the life, the one Mediator and Advocate with the Father, and the propitiation for my sins, and not for my sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world; that, being throughly washed, sanctified, and justified in his name, and by the Spirit of my God, I may be received into that everlastingly-glorious rest, which he hath prepared for his people,-not for any works of righteousness which I have done, but according to the exceeding riches of his free grace and mercy, in and through Christ Jesus, the Son of his infinite love,-into whose hands I humbly commend my immortal spirit, earnestly and fervently beseeching him, to keep me by his power, through faith, in love to him above all, and to my neighbour as myself,-walking, through the assistance of his grace, in righteousness and holiness, before him all the days of mine appointed time here upon earth, waiting in patience and resignation to his holy will,-and watching and praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, that my soul may be ready, through his preparing power, whensoever my earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved, to enter into that building of God, the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

"My body I commit to the earth, from whence it was taken, believing that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust

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About four days after the settling of his temporal concerns, namely, on the 22d of the Second Month, 1723, he was taken with a shortness and difficulty of breathing, attended with an inward fever, which increased upon him to his end.

During the time of his sickness, he expressed to several friends that visited him, his peace and

satisfaction of soul, and an humble resignation to the will of God.

He departed this life on the 28th day of the Second Month, 1723, being in the 74th year of his age; and was buried on the 3d day of the Third Month following, in the burying-ground of the people called Quakers, near Bunhill-fields, London; his corpse being attended from the Peel meeting house thither, by a numerous company of his friends and acquaintance.

We shall conclude these memoirs with the character given him, by the Peel monthly meeting, in their testimony concerning him, a few weeks after his decease; in which, after they have given a general account of his birth, education, convincement of the truth, as professed by the people called Quakers, and his coming forth in the ministry amongst them, they proceed thus.

"His testimony was sound and edifying, pressing all to purity and holiness of life, that giving up in faithful obedience to the light of Christ, inwardly manifested, they might come to witness the free and full remission of all their transgressions, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, the one Mediator and Advocate with the Father, and the propitiation for the sins of the world.

"Great was his care and concern for the church, that it might be kept clean from the spots and pollutions of the world: he was a reprover of vice and immorality, without respect of per

sons.

"His Christian gravity, and judicious solidity, tempered with a natural affability, and sweetness of disposition, rendered his conversation among his intimate friends and acquaintance, very profitable and delightful.

"His piety toward God, his love to his neighbour, the truth and justice of his words and actions, made him as a light in the

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THE LIFE OF RICHARD CLARIDGE.

world, and gave forth a testimony to the truth, in the hearts of those, who came not to hear his preaching thereof.

"In his own private family he was a living example of virtue; an affectionate husband, a loving father, a kind and gentle master, and frequent and fervent in supplication to the Lord, for the preservation of himself and his household, in the way of truth and righteousness.

"His charity to the poor was very extensive, not only to Friends, but others, he being a practical observer of the pure and undefiled religion, recommended by the apostle James, i.

27. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.'

"The loss of this our worthy elder, and of his eminent services in the church, doth sensibly affect us; but, we trust, the great Lord of the harvest will supply the place of those faithful labourers, whom he is pleased to remove, by raising up and inspiring others for the carrying on his work and service."

END OF THE LIFE.

APPENDIX.

[The two following letters are without date, or they might have been placed in the preceding Life. In the former editions they are inserted among the Essays not now republished.]

A Letter to a Friend, exhorting to faithfulness and obedience to the Lord's requirings.

Dear Friend,

EVER since my understanding was enlightened in, and my judgment convinced of the blessed truth, to which I was not only a stranger, but an enemy also by wicked works for many years past, the Lord hath brought a weighty concern upon me for the prosperity of truth, both in my own soul, and the souls of others, and especially those of my own family, to whom I stand more immediately related. I have often thought of that testimony which the Lord gave of Abraham, "I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that which he hath spoken of him,” Gen. xviii. 19. Now Abraham had this promise, that he should become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth should be blessed in him, v. 18. But how is this to be understood? I answer, the blessing there promised, doth not come to any by virtue of any lineal descent from Abraham, for

this were to entail the blessing upon carnal birthright. But as it is testified of Abraham, That he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness, Gen. xv. 6, so the apostle witnesseth, That this was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, Rom. iv. 23, 24. So then the blessing promised comes to us, not because we are of the circumcision or of the uncircumcision, but through faith in Jesus Christ. For, "They which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham," Gal. iii. 9. And they that come to partake of this blessing, which is the righteousness of faith, through which iniquity is forgiven and sin is covered, are conscientiously concerned to walk in the steps of Abraham, who "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." Rom. iv. 20.

We find that he obeyed the command of the Lord, not only to the leaving of his native country, to the offering up of his son Isaac, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Abraham was given up by perfect resignation to the will of God, so as not to dispute or disobey what the Lord required of him. And if we would be Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise, we must transcribe his example in our own practice. Suppose now there were any thing as near to us as our native country, or as an only son; if the Lord required it of us, we must give it up: yea, be it as a right eye, or a right hand, it must be plucked out, and cut off, and cast from us. He that would enter into life must keep the commandments. For my own part, to tell thee a little of my experience, I have

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