from thee, that being the only one I have had from thee since I left home. Both them and this were long coming, but very welcome when they did come. I have much desired more from thee, but am learning in all things to submit, and submit wholly, for I find no other way of perfect peace. I have written and sent thee 12 letters before this. I am now pretty well for me; have had divers meetings since I last wrote, as well as before, where there are no Friends, to great satisfaction and relief of mind. I go to these places, in the necessity; and get through far beyond expectation. The work is the Lord's, and he shows himself abundantly able to carry it on. Great is the openness and tenderness among Methodists, Baptists, &c., but much greatest among the Methodists. They are the burning and shining light of this country. It seems to me like John Baptist's ministration, "to prepare the way of the Lord," in order that Christ" may be made manifest to Israel." Their doctrines are nearer Friends, than any others; their lives religious; their hearts tender: but, alas! they are abundantly mistaken in the great haste they are making. I fear it will hasten many into flat formality, and into a loss of the tender lively thing they now feel. But, Oh! there is little among Friends, to instruct and settle them; else I believe many would flock to our society. However, I am well assured, the Lord is at work among them, and has done great things, for many of them.

I expect to be here a few days, and then go for Georgia, Friends in that state are about 200 miles from here. Thence I expect to move north to Bush river, a few or divers meetings there; thence to Yearly Meeting at Centre, in North Carolina, so round to the other meetings in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. It will, doubtless take me till spring meeting at Philadelphia. Indeed, I have little openings, at times, so extensively, in regard to people of other professions, that I am now and then doubtful of getting home under a longer time than I have yet spoken of; but as I have hitherto found myself excused, with only attending Friends' meetings, and here and there, (though pretty often,) a meeting at the larger towns, and some particular places, where there are a good many Methodists, &c. I am encouraged in a hope, that I shall still be so excused; and VOL. II.-16

that others will be sent to other places. For it may be scarce credible in New England, what a field is open for labour in these states. I receive daily and abundant confirmation, that my coming was of divine necessity, and in the right time. The Methodists count considerably more than a hundred thousand members, in Europe and America, and are daily, and rapidly increasing; and yet Wesley, their founder, is still alive, and rides and preaches much; and they say almost continually. I believe some of them here, begin to doubt the safety of their hasty and constant preaching, and other activity; part of which is very tumultuous. These things induce me to hope, "the Lord of the harvest" will send more faithful labourers into this land. But his will be done in all things.

I have never wished the enjoyment of thy company more, than since I left thee. And though my will has been much bowed, and given up, yet I continued to have such fulness of affectionate desire towards home, that when I looked forward, my journey seemed very long and tedious. But of late, though I feel thee, the babes, and others, as near as ever, and desire to return to you, in the Lord's time, as heartily as ever; yet I feel much more of a thoroughly contented mind; not only believing but feeling, that Master's will is ever the best that can happen to me, or take place respecting me. The language of my inmost thoughts is much on this wise: "I am the Lord's, and in no degree, at my own disposal." I don't say, I live always up to this. Would I could say it; yet, I go on from day to day, mostly in that line." And though much bitter in my cup is thrown," I drink it with very little repining, and find it promotes health, gives a good appetite, and increases digestion. Thus giving strength for very constant and arduous employment.

I never found myself under such constant necessity, or indeed qualification for extensive labour, in nearly every meeting as I have since Yearly Meeting in Virginia. Some about home may be ready to think Job has got into a line of constant service, by some easier way than his old path. But, alas! my dearest, his old path is what he ever expects to walk in, under the cross, if faithful; and "in deaths oft." A path "the vulture's eye hath not seen;" a path seen by none fully, but the all-seeing eye of

Heaven. Here is my consolation-here my repose, that it is seen, and I hope, directed too, by that holy eye. And my faith is in good degree unwavering, and much of the time, wholly so, that if I henceforward continue faithful, as I know not but I have of late, I shall want no good thing, spiritual or temporal; for who can want, whose shepherd is the Lord of hosts? And I think I can in humble confidence say, in much abasement of soul before him, "Lord, thou art my shepherd."

O my dear, dear wife, thou knowest somewhat of the many pangs, and deep tribulations, through which I have had to pass, in order to the reduction of the creature. I rejoice now in them all, even in many a bitter pill, which want of stability procured; even whilst I mourn under an abasing sense of that want of stability and strict faithfulness, which has made so many bitter pills necessary. For, blessed forever be the Lord, my only helper, he has followed me through all; laying the axe to the root of the corrupt tree, in order to hide pride from my soul, and every other evil, that at length the government of all within me may be wholly upon the shoulders of him, whose right it is. For I believe Christ must reign, even in us as individuals, till he has put down all other rule, power, and authority in us; destroyed not only all direct sinfulness, but even all independent action; bringing us to the loss of all things; reducing us, till we gladly count all things as dross and dung, that we "may win Christ, and be found in him," having nothing of our own righteousness, our own activity in things religious; all this being as filthy rags. Oh! how the world mistakes this mystery! All our own righteousness must surely be renounced, and even done away; all things must become new; all things of God; feeling him to be the only spring and motion. This is being found in Christ. This is not having on our own righteousness; yet not the least room for sin of any kind; on the contrary, a perfecting strict holiness in the fear of the Lord.

Oh! that I may never stop short; never give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids, till this is attained. I have the most unshaken belief, both of the possibility, necessity, and unspeakable advantage of it. But Oh! it is through many deaths. Let us, dear love, entirely deny, and give up all that would hin

der this best of all experiences. Let death do all its office in us; for till then, Christ cannot render up the kingdom to the Father, that God may become all in all. For till then, there will, in the nature of things, be some enemy, or enemies remaining and he must reign in his mediatorial capacity, reconciling us unto the Father, till all enemies are, not in part only, but entirely subdued and destroyed. Hence it is, that the last enemy that shall be put under, or destroyed, is death. For when mention is made of the putting down of all enemies, and all rule and authority, it is evident, that by which they are put down is excepted, or remains, till all the rest are put down. And as all those who know these to be put down in themselves, feel it to be by and through death, the death of the cross, so they will find there must be, and is room for the repeated operations of this death, this being buried with Christ, by baptism, into death and sufferings, from time to time, till all other ene mies are put under; till our whole will bows, and remains bowed; till all in us that would act, rule, or exercise authority out of the holy seed, is done away entirely. When this is done, death has no more dominion, no more work to do in us; but being swallowed up in perfect victory over all our enemies, God does then indeed become all in all in us. Here Christ has finished the work he came to do; saved us from our sins, put an end to sin, finished transgression, and brought in everlasting righteousness. And thus, presenting us to the Father, without spot or wrinkle, as "the righteousness of God in himself," or made pure and holy in him, he renders up the kingdom wholly to the Father, as having thoroughly done the office of mediator between God and man, by joining us to the Lord in the one spirit.

Here is the great mystery of godliness. Oh! that thou and 1, my best beloved, my chosen bosom friend, may earnestly, not faintly, but with full purpose of heart, press forward to this blessed mark. And I may tell thee, that I am at length fully convinced there is no other certain way of attaining it, than by submitting to a constant death of all that is wrong. For death must continue its work till all is put down. And it is above all things necessary, that we get about, and keep about this great

work, dying daily till it is accomplished; that we give up our whole life without even any secret reserve. Oh! how many have been ruined by their reserves: giving up only in part; having only a half-way religion; striving to serve God and mammon, or something else beside God; living to themselves in gratifications, which, so far as indulged, never fail to keep the soul from dying into perfect life and liberty. Oh! the bondage! They bow down alway; never rise superior to the power of the oppressor. They see that rest or ease is seemingly good; so they bow down as between two burdens, and "become servants unto tribute." They have so much religion as makes wrong indulgences a burden to the tender-breathing life, yet so much reluctance to the entire death of the cross, as makes their religion a burden. So, between these two burdens, they are rather distressed tributaries, than free subjects of either kingdom. My soul knows, and has deeply groaned under this cruel bondage: but, blessed be the Lord of liberty, he has so engaged my heart to follow him, that it is, and has been for some considerable time, the fixed, steady intention of my mind, through holy aid, to make war in righteousness, not in part only, but in true righteousness, with all evil of every kind. For I am, beyond doubt, assured, that no other state will ever afford unshaken peace.

If all that profess to believe in perfection, did really believe in it, and steadily press after it, I believe God's kingdom would soon come on earth as in heaven, far more extensively than there is now any room to expect it soon to do. For, alas! where are they who even intend steadily, and unceasingly, henceforward to deny themselves, take up their constant cross, and follow Christ fully, and wherever he leadeth. Few, I believe, with full purpose, even intend this; and without intending it, aye, and earnestly wrestling and labouring for it too, we shall never ascend to the top of the hill. We may have good desires at times; and now and then be alarmed, and resolve, and re-resolve; and yet make very little progress. And this, I fear, is too much the case, with the great bulk of even our society. Far be it from me to say to the least in Israel, stand by thyself. The Lord knows I often abhor myself in dust and ashes. But I see that this irresolute, half-way of being religious, will not do':