with the salutation of sincere love from myself and wife, to thee and thine, I remain "Thy affectionate Cousin, "RICHARD CLARIDGE." "George's Court, near Hick's Hall, London, 12th of the Eleventh Month, 1719." "In the 70th year, 1st month, and 5th day of my age; for which, and all other mercies extended to me, my soul doth magnify the name of the Lord, saying, 'Alleluja! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,' Rev. xix. 6. To whom be glory, and honour, and majesty ascribed, both now and for Amen." ever. We are now come, in the series of our memoirs, to the remarkable year 1720; a time, which it becomes us to be humbled in the remembrance of; a day of trial, when the love of money, and the tempting bait of profit, allured multitudes, both of this and other nations, into an inordinate and imprudent pursuit of it. But though too many, even of the professors of the truth itself, were prevailed upon by the popular temptation, yet some were preserved from, and enabled to testify against the general corruption, among whom it were injustice to the character of Richard Claridge not to mention him. He was concerned at that time to bear a zealous and fervent testimony in the public assemblies, full of scriptural exhortations against the sin of covetousness, showing the inconsistency of such an extravagant pursuit of the uncertainties of this world, as was then practised, with that state of self-denial and contentment, which it becomes a Christian to be found in: nor was he wanting privately to admonish such particular persons of his acquaintance, as he thought a timely caution might be useful to. Had the faithful exhortations of him, and some other worthies in Israel, been duly regarded, the professors of truth would not have mixed themselves with worldly-minded men, nor have partaken of the dishonour and disappointment that ensued. In the year 1721, his bodily infirmity increasing, and he being often afflicted with pains of the cholic, was not able to walk very far, but still constantly attended the meetings nearest home, both on First-days and week-days. In the year 1722, he went twice in the summer to Barking in Essex, residing there a few weeks for his health-sake. His weakness now growing much upon him, he was unable to speak long together in the public assemblies, and on that account was often silent. He was present, and preached at the burial of John Whiting, at the Bull and Mouth Meeting, on the 16th of the Ninth Month, 1722, concerning whom he left the following character in writing. "He was a faithful servant of Christ, and free and constant helper of his brethren, who suffered for the testimony of a good conscience, because they could not pay tithes to the priests or impropriators. Note: This (namely at John Whiting's funeral) was a very large meeting, especially of men Friends, unto whom he was well known, and by whom he was universally beloved for his many and great services in and to the church, the Lord having endued him with eminent gifts for that end and purpose." Richard Claridge was also about this time con'cerned in several public meetings, tenderly to reprove those that sat in time of prayer, a practice which he judged to be very indecent and irreverent. T CHAPTER XII. IN the Tenth Month, 1722, Richard Claridge received a letter from a woman Friend, the wife of an intimate acquaintance of his, she being at that time under much dissatisfaction of mind, and in a sort of despairing condition, which she expressed in the following words, "The Lord has been wonderfully merciful to me formerly, in many respects; but I have been very careless, and have not kept my promise, though I have kept the outside of profession. I desire thee to wait upon the Lord, to know whether he will have mercy on me; and whether thou canst find an openness in thy heart to pray for me; for thou art a man I have had a great love for, and therefore desire a few lines from thee; for I do not desire to see the face of any honest Friend, for I am an afflicted, disconsolate poor woman, not worthy that any honest Friend should come under my roof, but desire their prayers, if God hath not shut up their hearts towards me, who am thy afflicted and distressed,-I wish I could say, Friend, "S "12th of the Tenth Mo. 1722." To the letter of this poor disconsolate Friend, he returned an answer, which being one of the last pieces we find written by him, we have thought meet to insert, being as follows. "Dearly beloved Friend, "Though my answer to thy letter of the Twelfth of the last Month hath been delayed, yet I have not been unmindful of thee and thy afflicted state, but have had both much upon my spirit ever since. And having waited with my mind retired unto the Lord, that I might know something of his good pleasure concerning thee, and be enabled to write a word in season to thee, in this thy sorrowful distressed condition; he hath been graciously pleased to irradiate mine understanding in some measure with his divine light, and in part to open counsel to my soul, in reference to thee and thy present disconsolate state. "Letter. "The Lord has been wonderfully merciful to me formerly in many respects; but I have been careless, and have not kept my promise, though I have kept the outside of profession.' "Answer. This is not the language of a formal or pharisaical professor, who pleaseth himself with outside shows and appearances of being religious, while his heart is corrupt, and his mind rotten and abominable in the sight of the most holy God: but it is the confession of a soul whom the Lord, in his love, hath visited by his light, grace, and Holy Spirit, as I am persuaded he hath visited thee, and touched thy heart with a real sense of thy former negligence and unfaithfulness, and consequently of thy lost and undone condition, without a Saviour. Now all this is, as I am made sensible, in love to thy immortal soul, that thou mayst look by an eye of unfeigned faith unto Jesus, the author and finisher of it, and the giver of that godly sorrow, which works repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of. I am satisfied, that the Lord is at work in thy soul, for its redemption from sin and death, who said, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,' Matt. xi. 28. 'I am the way, the truth, and the life,' John, xiv. 6. Again, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.' John, v. 24. O! be not faithless, but believe that Jesus Christ is come to deliver thee, and will in his own appointed time deliver thee out of thy many trials and tribulations, as thou abidest in faith and patience, kissing the rod, and bearing the indignation of the Lord, because thou hast sinned against him, for he is worthy to be waited upon and submitted unto. He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Though it may be with thee now as the time of Jacob's trouble, yet thou shalt be saved out of it. See Jer. xxx. 7. O! be still, and know that it is God, even thy God, that hath cast thee into the furnace of affliction, in order to bring thee forth as gold, after he hath purged away thy dross, and taken away thy tin, by the spirit of judgment, and the spirit of burning. "The times and seasons of the Lord's delivering of his people, are in his own hands, and when the set time for their deli verance is fully come, he will appear and bring salvation with him. "Letter. 'I desire thee to wait upon the Lord, to know, whether he will have mercy on me, and whether thou canst find an openness in thy heart to pray for me.' "Answer. I have observed, in the course of my own experience, that when the Lord hath inspired my heart with good meditations, Satan hath been sometimes nigh to suggest either vain or sinful thoughts; but as I have been assisted by the grace of God, to keep my mind stayed upon him, and to wait and cry for his appearance, in the manifestation of his light and Spirit, I have found him nearer to help me, than the enemy to hurt me, and I have come to see the counter-workings of Satan defeated, and to witness the snare broken, which he laid to entrap my soul. And thus I take it to have been with thee; the Lord is pleased graciously to show thee, wherein thou hast failed and fallen short, and to remind thee of his former mercies to thy soul when thou wast in distress; and now Satan labours to possess thee with fears, doubts, and questionings, concerning the lovingkindness of God to thy soul, as though he had withdrawn his mercy from thee, and would be no more entreated. But, my dear Friend, I have waited upon the Lord on thy behalf, and am persuaded, that this is one of Satan's wiles; and that the Lord will yet extend his mercy to thee, as he hath done to his afflicted servants in all ages, upon their returning to him through faith in Christ, and repentance from dead works to serve the living God. I also find an openness in my heart, not only to sympathize with thee, but also to put up my fervent supplications to the Lord for thee, that thou mayst obtain mercy at his bountiful hands, and find grace to help thee in this thy time of need. And I believe he will answer my cries for the sake of his beloved Son Christ Jesus, in whom alone is my trust, and will again cause his face to shine upon thee. For, as the Psalmist testifieth, 'His anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.' Psal. xxx. 5. "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever,' Psalm ciii. 8, 9. And the prophet Isaiah exhorteth, saying, 'Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.' Isai. lv. 6. Adding, for the encouragement of poor sinners, to forsake their evil ways, and re |