corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price; for so the holy women in old time, who trusted in God, adorned themselves.

"Be friendly and courteous toward all, and particularly toward thy uncle and aunt; and bear, if any thing seem hard, at any time.

"Be no teller of tales, nor busy-body in other folk's matters; cause no strife, or discord; nor render evil for evil, or railing for railing.

"Disclose not a secret, nor lay open the faults of others. Keep thyself as much as is possible to thyself.

"Be affable, not open; be courteous, not fond, or foolish; be as wise as a serpent, and innocent as a dove. Watch, pray, and patiently continue in well-doing; and perfect peace will be thy portion here, and eternal glory thy crown hereafter."

"5th of the Eighth Month, 1703."

About the time called Michaelmas, 1703, he laid down his school at Barking, having first given timely notice to the parents and guardians of the children under his care, that they might otherwise provide for their future education.

He dwelt after this, two or three years longer at Barking, employing all the time he had to spare from his necessary temporal affairs, to the service of truth and Friends, both by preaching and writing; and during this discontinuance of his school, he wrote his " Melius Inquirendum," in answer to Edward Cockson, a priest of Oxfordshire. Its publication we shall give a further account of in the year 1706.

On the 19th of the Third Month, 1704, John Love, jun. had a meeting at Barking, in the evening; and the next day preached through the streets of that town, Richard Claridge accompanying him: his words were these, "O repent, people, repent, and turn to the Lord, while the day of his great mercy is continued unto you." He met with no

opposition, but the people were all quiet and peaceable.

Then he came to the market-place, and stood upon an horse-block hard by, and preached to the people repentance more largely, and exhorted them to believe in Christ, the true light, the Saviour of the world. The people were generally sober and attentive, and some broken. But, one Richard Morriss, a tallow-chandler in Whitechapel, who formerly had walked among Friends, but was for his evil life and conversation disowned, made opposition; bid him come down; and called Richard Claridge Jesuit, and other opprobrious names, who made him no reply, but committed his cause to God, who judgeth righteously. John Love was enabled to go on with his testimony, and the Lord chained that wicked and gainsaying spirit, by which Richard Morriss was acted; and notwithstanding his bitter and envious opposition, three several times, the meeting was carried on without any stop, and he was bound to cease his railing, and be quiet.

Some of the people reproved Richard Morriss, and commanded him to let John Love alone, and to be gone. When John Love had finished his testimony, some of the people confessed to the truth of it. And on the morrow, being the 21st of the Third Month, and Barking three weeks' meeting, many people came to it; and John Love had a large and living testimony, which fastened upon the people.

In the Fourth Month, this year, Richard Claridge travelled into the remoter parts of Essex, and some parts of Suffolk; was at the Yearly Meeting at Colchester, on the 18th, 19th, and 21st of that month; and had a meeting, together with Samuel

Waldenfield, at Bury in Suffolk on the 22d, at Bayton on the 23d, at Ipswich on the 25th; and was at the Yearly Meeting at Woodbridge, on the 26th and 27th; and again at Colchester, on his return homeward on the 28th. In all these meetings, he was concerned to bear his public testimony to the truth, which was well accepted, to the comfort and refreshment of the faithful, and the instruction and information of strangers.

In the Fifth Month, this year, Roger Palmer, a Friend of Navestock, about two miles from Harold's Wood, in Essex, being desirous of a meeting at his house, for the sake of his neighbours, there having never been a meeting in that parish before; upon consultation with some Friends, it was agreed to have a meeting there on the 16th. Notice thereof being given, several Friends from Barking, Epping, Hornchurch, &c. were at it. It was in Roger Palmer's barn, he and his son being the only Friends in that parish.

The meeting being gathered, Richard Claridge began with a living testimony, and Samuel Waldenfield declared after him very livingly, and then prayed; after which Richard Claridge concluded the meeting in prayer. There was a great coming in of the neighbours of Navestock, it was guessed about one hundred and fifty, all very serious and attentive, and some much tendered.

The people of the neigbourhood received such satisfaction at this meeting, that upon their earnest desire, it was concluded to have another meeting there, on the 6th of the Sixth Month following. But the priest of the parish being highly incensed, gave out threats of prosecuting Roger Palmer, for having a meeting in an house not li

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censed; for though Roger had taken due care to have his house entered the week before, at the sessions at Chelmsford, and had left it in charge with one of the town, to see it done; yet by the means of two priests, justices of the peace, it was prevented: which prevention, neither the Friends who met there, nor Roger Palmer himself, knew any thing of this occasioned their deferring the appointed meeting, on the 6th of the Sixth Month, till such time as an entry was made; which being done, they had a second meeting there, on the 17th of the Seventh Month, consisting chiefly of the neighbours, as the former did.

At this meeting, William Meade, and Philip Harman, were present and declared; but the principal weight of the service lay upon Richard Claridge, who was drawn forth in a large and good testimony; the substance of which, as committed by himself afterward to writing, is here transcribed in his own words.

"At a Meeting at Roger Palmer's, in Navestock, Essex, the 17th of the Seventh Month, 1704."

"After I had waited upon the Lord in silence, to receive something from him, to deliver in that assembly, being the second meeting that Friends have had in that place, and many strangers there, it opened upon my spirit, in the tender love of God, to lay before them the necessity of their being concerned for their immortal souls, the care of the soul being the chief and principal thing of all other; for if men fall short here, they fail of that which is of greatest consequence, and importance to them. For the soul being immortal, and must subsist for ever, after its removal out of the body, in a state of happiness or misery, according to men's faith and repentance, or their unbelief and disobedience to the holy and righteous law of God, it behoved every one to consider of their ways, and turn their feet unto the testimonies of the Lord, that they might escape

everlasting misery, and be made partakers of eternal happiness. This care of the soul, I pressed upon them with many motives, and much tenderness of spirit; and recommended to them the example of the young man, mentioned by the evangelists, who though a young rich man, and a ruler among the people, that might have followed the vanities of youth, the allurements of riches, or been taken up with the grandeur of his public station, (as sad experience testifies, too many of the youth in our days are;) yet he seemed to have postponed all these things to the concern of his soul. He was sensible, there was something of a nobler nature that he wanted, and was necessary for him, and therefore he came to Christ with this weighty and serious inquiry, saying, 'Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?' He was not inquisitive after temporal things, but eternal. And this inquiry of his, as it signified a good inclination, and disposition in him; so it noted ignorance of the way, how that which he was inquiring after might be obtained. Some good thing he saw was to be done in order to it, but he knew not what it was. However, he was right in his application; he comes to Christ, the good Master indeed, and who alone was able to instruct him in that good thing, which is necessary to be done in order to eternal life. I exhorted all to mind this example; for though the young man did not persevere, yet so far he was worthy of imitation. Here, I showed the vanity and emptiness of the creature, and all outward enjoyments; and directed them to God the Creator, who alone is able to satisfy the desires of the immortal soul, and make it happy hereafter.

"And that they might be taught of God, to be concerned aright for their souls; I entreated them to turn their minds to Christ, the inward teacher, the teacher sent of God, to teach them the way of life and salvation: for he is the way, the truth, and the life; and there is no coming to the Father but by him. How by him? By him in his inward spiritual appearance in the heart and conscience, by him the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' This I enlarged

upon; and then signified to them, (for the obviating an objection, as though this was to lay aside the Holy Scriptures, and to make void faith in Christ's outward appearance,) that our directing them to turn their minds inwardly to Christ, was not to take them off from the Holy Scriptures, or faith in Christ cruci