A COLLECTION OF TESTIMONIES CONCERNING Several Minifters of the GOSPEL Amongst the PEOPLE called 2 UAKERS, Deceased: With fome of their laft Expreffions LONDON: Printed and Sold by LUKE HINDE, in George-Yard, Lombard-Street. 1760. THE PREFACE. HE YEARLY-MEETING obferving, that ΤΗ in many of the TESTIMONIES, received from the different Quarterly - meetings, much useful and profitable Matter was contained, tending to promote and encourage the Practice of Virtue, and of that Obedience and Selfdenial, which the Gospel of Chrift requires of his Servants; together with several short, but full Relations of the bright Examples, and folid and tender Expreflions of many who have had the Happiness to finish well, and leave behind them the best Demonftration of their Belief of the TRUTH, and Excellency of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, by giving a clear Evidence, of its genuine Fruits and Effects, in their Lives and Converfations; and, in the Conclufion, by being divinely favoured with an Affurance of that Life and Immortality, for which, above all, they had defired and laboured. Under A 2 Under thefe Confiderations, the YEARLYMEETING directed the Collecting and Printing of fuch of thefe TESTIMONIES as were judged most likely to be of general Benefit; which COLLECTION is here prefented to the Reader. But we must acknowledge we greatly regret, frequently to find the folid and weighty Expreffions of our dying Friends omitted, under the Excufe of Brevity; when oftentimes they are the most important, and would be the most likely to be of Advantage to thofe to whom they are communicated; but, fo it is in too many Inftances: To avoid which, in future, Friends are defired not to be negligent. at fuch Opportunities, but to make as full and authentick a Collection of the last Words, and Death-bed Expreffions, of our worthy departing Friends, as they are capable; as these are generally the most lively and affecting, and have a stronger Tendency to ftir up the pure Mind in the confiderate Readers, and make them to defire and endeavour fo to walk, in the Counsel of God, as to obtain the like precious Experience: In order to promote which, thefe TESTIMONIES are earnestly recommended to the Perufal and ferious Attention of Friends in general, but efpecially to the Youth of both Sexes; for in them they may may fee a Cloud of Witneffes to the happy Fruits of an early Devotion, and the unfpeakable Advantages refulting to those who embrace the Vifitation of the Moft High, and follow the Discoveries and Requirings of his holy Spirit, in the Way of Regeneration and the daily Cross; Advantages which fo far surpass every Thing, which hath been or can be exchanged for them, that, when put in the Scale, they all appear lighter than Vanity. There are two Phrafes (in the following Collection) that frequently occur, which, to a Reader not of our Perfwafion, may be misunderstood, and by being misunderstood, may give Offence; they are, He, or fhe, was defcended from believing Parents; or, was convinced of the Truth. To obviate which, it may be observed, that it is not thereby intended to circumfcribe the Belief of the Truth, in the general Acceptation of that Phrafe, to curfelves; or to infinuate, that other Societies do not believe the Truths of Christianity: But, as the Words of Christ are, I AM THE TRUTH. This I AM, the essential, everlasting, faving Truth, is that of which they were convinced, and in which they believed: Convinced of him by his own immediate, self-evident Operation upon their 1 |