are in the fall and separation from God, and prophesy to the four winds of heaven;" and so went on in the mighty power of God Almighty, opening the way of life. But ah! the seizings of soul, and prickings at heart, which attended that season. Some fell on the ground, others cried out, under a sense of the opening of their states, which indeed gave experimental knowledge of that which is recorded Acts ii. 37. Indeed it was a notable day, worthy to be left on record, that our children may read, and tell to their children, and theirs to another generation; that the worthy, noble acts of the arm of God's salvation may be remembered. At this meeting many were effectually convinced, and from darkness to light turned; and afterwards our meetings grew larger and larger. They visited the meetings of those called Independents and Baptists, testifying amongst them, in great power, the things given them of God; directing the poor and needy in spirit, who saw their want of the Lord Jesus Christ, no longer to seek the living among the dead; but to look from the mountains and hills, dead ways and worships, unto Christ Jesus, the Fountain of life and salvation. There was added unto the gathering daily; and great dread was round about and in our meetings, under the seasonings of the Holy Ghost. Oh the tears, sighs and groans, tremblings and mournings, in the sight of the middle wall of partition, that we saw then, in our awakened state, stood between us and the Lord, and in the sight and sense of our spiritual wants and necessities! Oh! the hungerings and thirstings of soul that attended daily, and great travails of spirit, to obtain, through the working of the mighty power of God, dominion and spiritual victory over the enemy of our souls, who had led us in the paths of death and darkness!

And indeed, as the visitation of God's holy and ever blessed day, was signal and inexpressible; so I testify, in the fear and dread and awe of God Almighty, we received the gospel with a ready mind, with broken hearts and affected spirits; and gave up to follow the Lord fully; casting off the weights and burdens, and the sin that easily beset, and from the evil ways and vanities of the world departed. Oh! the strippings of all needless apparel, and the forsaking of superfluities in meats and drinks! in the plain, self-denying path we walked, having the fear and dread of God so on our souls, that we were afraid of offending in word or deed. Our words were few and savoury, our apparel and houses plain, being stripped of superfluities; our countenances grave, and deportment weighty, among those we had to do with. Indeed we were a plain, broken-hearted, contrite-spirited people; our souls being in an inexpressible travail to do all things well-pleasing in the sight of God: for our great concern night and day was, to obtain through Jesus Christ, the great work of salvation, and thereby an assurance of the everlasting rest and sabbath of our God.

And in those days, Oh! the inexpressible labour, travails, and spending of the strength of these servants of the Most High, in great assemblies in that city, and countries round about! Our meetings were so large that we were forced to meet without doors, and that in frost and snow. In which meetings, Oh ! the extending of the voices of these servants of God, to reach over the great multitudes, when several thousands have been assembled together! And as the work of the Lord increased, so the enemy wrought in priests and people in those days, who stirred up the youth of the city, into a tumult, like the [shrinemaker] of Ephesus; and once we had a very great

tumult the streets were crowded, and these two servants of the Lord were seized by the multitude, and were in great hazard.

But the Lord signally delivered them, (as in days past he did his servants on such occasions,) and all came to be quieted, and our meetings peaceable: many grew in grace, and in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus, which is eternal life. Much more of particulars I might write, but I affect brevity for several reasons. I say in short, such was the effectual working of the mighty power of God, and making bare of his arm of salvation, that attended those servants of the Most High, and the great work of our gospel Meetings, with the various trials and exercises that attended them, and us who were the fruits of their labours in the Lord, that my tongue cannot express [all] that I was an eye and ear witness of, and soulsharer in. Therefore to the God of this bright morning of our day of visitation, ariseth, springeth up, as [from one] in covenant with Himself through Christ Jesus, holy, heavenly high praises; and might, majesty and dominion are ascribed to the Lord God and the Lamb so let it be, saith my spirit, in fear and trembling, through ages and generations, for ever and evermore. Amen.

And now, dear Friends everywhere, but more particularly in and about the city of Bristol, who have seen the morning of the day of God break forth in our age, as aforesaid; and by the Divine light thereof, have seen the darkness that has covered the people dispelled; (in which darkness, people have been ignorant of the true and living God, and his precious work of salvation, and in this ignorance have performed their worship, even in the same nature in which they are sinning, and rebelling, and grieving

the good Spirit of God, which all ought to be subject to :) [Remember how] it pleased the Divine Being, in his infinite love, and tender pity and compassion, to look down upon us, whilst in the land of Egypt, and house of bondage spiritually and to send forth his light and truth, to give us a sense inwardly of the deplorable state of our souls, in the separation from, and deprivation of, the enjoyments of the Lord. This sense and sight begat in us living breathings, and a holy cry after the knowledge of Him we saw ourselves ignorant of; and He, in the fulness of the dispensation of time visited us, as afore-mentioned; of which, dear Friends, we were right glad; although when the Lord discovered our states, he laid judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, and gave to us the cup of trembling, wherein was the wine of astonishment. [Yet this] was in mercy to our poor souls, that could not be redeemed but by judgment poured on the nature that had separated us from God, and on us as joined thereunto; and here, although sin revived, we began to die to it. Oh, good day, and precious season! worthy, worthy, to be remembered both by us, and our offspring, through generations! for although it was the season of the administration of condemnation, yet was it glorious; and in this season the Almighty God, by his spiritual trumpet, sounded to us, that the end of this his spiritual appearance was to root out, lay waste, and utterly destroy the nature of sin and iniquity, that had divided and separated us from God, and hindered the good things from us of his heavenly power and kingdom. We were persuaded the set time was come for cleansing and sanctifying the temple, and fitting it for the pure immortal God; and did not we begin inward, as in the day of Hezekiah,

that the temple might be cleansed thoroughly in every part? For in the outward temple they cleansed first the inward part of the house of the Lord, and so came along to the porch, until the temple was thoroughly cleansed. Indeed in the morning of our precious day of visitation, the axe was laid to the root of the corrupt tree, and the hammer to the hard, rocky heart, and the spiritual fire was kindled in the stubble. Now, dear Friends, in the word of Truth I say unto you, search with the holy light of Christ Jesus, how this work has prospered in your souls; see whether you that knew a right beginning first in the inward part, have come along faithfully in the work of sanctifying the heart and the temple, from the inward part to the outside; see whether the root has not escaped the axe, the rocky heart the hammer, and the chaff the fire; for if it has, the cause is not in the Lord, nor in his power, but in your disobedience and negligence, going from the axe, hammer and fire, and so sparing the best, as disobedient Saul and Israel did; so the root of bitterness springs up against the work of God, and bringings forth of his heavenly wisdom. To the holy, plain speaking witness of God I appeal, earnestly desiring and entreating all to have a single regard to that which will duly and rightly apply these things; and let all see whether that nature be alive, that the holy power of the Lord did work against in the beginning; and if so, see the cause, which being seen, will deeply humble and seize on the spirits of all concerned. Oh! what a day have we had! How has the good Husbandman been at work in his vineyard! How did He plant in a fruitful hill, with the choicest vine! He digged, pruned, and gathered out the stones, and hedged and walled about; and, after all, He looked for good fruit; but where the unspeakable mercy and loving-kindness of the