"When I came into the meeting, the men's hats were off, and I thought they had been at prayer, but I soon discovered my mistake; for the man that spake, was preaching. And methought his posture was very odd, for he leaned upon his arms, and hands, crossed before him, with his head hanging down, and his eyes shut; a very careless and lazy posture for one that pretended to such a special dispensation of the Spirit, as he did; for he spake much of that, and several times declared, that God had in this latter day committed to and entrusted them with a more peculiar dispensation of the Spirit, though a small remnant of poor despised people, than any professors of Christianity had been, or were under, since the apostles' days. But God, he said, had passed by the wise and prudent after the flesh, and chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. He concluded his preaching with a prayer, wherein he blessed God for what they felt of his Spirit, and prayed for more, and begged that God would root out all the remainder of corruption in them, and that he would pardon what he saw amiss in them.

"As soon as he had ended, up stood one Cresilla, a woman, with curled locks on her forehead, powdered, an high topping, after the sinful fashion of the age; laced linen about her neck, and a ring, or rings on her finger, an habit and dress contrary to that sobriety and modesty of apparel wherewith the holy women of old adorned themselves, and which the apostle requires, 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4, 5. and made me think these were not the persons that had such a peculiar dispensation of the Spirit, as they assumed to themselves. The man had also a ring upon his finger. This woman talked much of the spiritual flesh and blood of Christ, pretending it was a great mystery to all professors at this day; and indeed it must needs be a great mystery, according to her description of it; for she said, the Word was made flesh, and that flesh was made Spirit; and that after Christ had finished the work his Father sent him to do in it, it was so highly glorified, as to be changed into the very substance of the divinity. She concluded in prayer, much like that which the man had uttered before; and then the man began again, in his former posture; the substance of whose discourse was, to reprove some of the hearers, who were rude in their words and behaviour; concluding with a prayer for their conviction, and the pardoning their own imperfections.

"And immediately the said Cresilla began again to declare, sitting at the table. I observed they held universal redemption, pretended to a special dispensation of the Spirit, were against water-baptism, and outward breaking of bread; but were for justification by Christ's imputed righteousness; and that though the guilt of sin was taken away in believers, and the power and dominion of sin much subdued, yet corruptions and imperfections remained during life. I have been since told, that they are for swearing, and that they have taken the oaths to the present government.

"Whatever they pretended, I thought they were but a new sort of notionists, and not entrusted with that special dispensation they talked of; for I observed, they were often talking to one another, and to others, and no such waiting in silence, as the true Christian worshippers are found in. They seemed to me, to be a people that could pray and preach when they would. The Lord hath shown me, that this society is begun in man's spirit and will, and shall soon pass away as a morning cloud, or as the early dew."

Richard Claridge had been well beloved by many of the Baptists; and several noted men of that communion continuing a personal respect for him, came to visit him after he had joined in society with the Quakers, and had divers free conferences with him; some of which as extracted from his own memorandums, are here inserted.

The heads of a discourse between Richard Claridge, and Thomas Harrison, a Baptist, on the 23d of the Seventh Month, 1697, upon those words in John i. 9. "That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."

R. C. asserted, That that light, wherewith Christ enlighteneth every man, was a spiritual and saving light; for it was that which John bore witness to, that all men through it might believe, v. 7.

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T. H. said, All men were not enlightened by it, but that it enlightened all men that were enlightened by it; and that the light here spoken of, was taken both for spiritual and natural light.

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R. C. replied, Natural light was not here excluded, but spiritual light was the thing principally intended; because all things were made by the Word, or him who is the Light, Christ Jesus; for all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made, v. so that natural light was not excluded, but spiritual light was principally intended; because, in him was life, and the life was the light of men, v. 4. and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not, v. 5, therefore it was spiritual light, for it shineth in the darkness, that is, in the dark hearts of man and woman, which could not be understood of natural light, for that man and woman comprehended in their natural state, that is, in their darkness, or in their dark hearts. They knew this as they were naturally endued with reason and understanding, but none knew Christ a spiritual light, but as it comes to be supernaturally revealed in them for no man, said Christ, knoweth who the Son is, but the Father, and who the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him, Luke, x. 22.

T. H. said, He had been conversant in the writings of the Socinians, and Arminians, and had studied the controversies between them and the Calvinists; but he had read but little of the Quakers; adding, that the heathens were not enlightened with saving light.

R. C. replied, They were; for John saith, that was the true light, which lighteth every man that

cometh into the world, v. 9. And the apostle, speaking both of Jews and Greeks, under which terms he comprehends all mankind, says, That which may be known of God, is manifest in them, Rom. i. 19, for God hath showed it unto them. And that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, 1 Cor. xii. 7. Which was also further manifest from the parable of the sower and the seed, Mat. xiii. where the several sorts of ground, as the way-side, the stony places, the thorny, and the good ground, set forth the several conditions of all mankind. And from the parable of the talents, as of giving to one five, to another two, and to another one, Matt. xxv. 14, 15, to every man according to his several ability; under which Christ showeth, that to all men a talent of grace is given, or a measure of his saving light and Spirit, agreeable to that of the apostle, As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men unto condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life, Rom. v. 18.

T. H. said, The heathen were concerned about moral actions, but not any of them about thoughts.

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R. C. answered, The heathen were some of them concerned about thoughts, for they were cerned about purity of heart; for which he quoted Cato,' Pliny, and Pythagoras.

1 "If God be a Spirit, as the poets inform us, let him be worshipped by thee, especially with a pure mind." Cato's Distichs, lib. i. v. 1, 2.

"I observe, the gods are not so well pleased with the accurate prayers of their worshippers, as with their innocence, and holiness; and that he is more acceptable who brings a pure and chaste mind into their temples, than he that comes with a premeditated prayer." Pliny's Panegyr. prope initium.

T. H. asked him, If he was willing to have a conference with the elders of the Baptists.

R. C. replied, That he was not free to a conference with many at a time; because where many were together, there often happened interruptions by some, reflections by others, and seldom any good issue attended such meetings, and therefore he thought it better to agree upon a question, and to discuss it by writing.

After some debate, they agreed upon the following question; namely, Whether Jesus Christ hath given a measure of spiritual light to every man, as a means sufficient for his eternal salvation, without external revelation?

T. H. declared, he held this question negatively.
R. C. held it affirmatively.

T. H. took a copy of the question with him, and promised that either he, or some other, would in a little time write their minds upon it; and so took his leave very affectionately.

R. C. thanked him for his visit, and so they parted.

The substance of a discourse between R. Claridge, and John Tombs, a Baptist Preacher, the 28th of the Seventh Month, 1697.

J. T. began the discourse with telling him, That Mr. D. had written to him, to know whether he (R. C.) was turned Quaker; and being not willing to write from report, he came to enquire of himself, whether it were so or not?

R. C. replied, That he regarded not what names, or denominations persons were called by, but it was truth that he had respect to.

J. T. said, The Quakers held many errors; they