and most plentiful measure of the Lord's blessed power they had witnessed, he being wonderfully borne up through all, though very weak in body; so that they term it, "his endeared farewell to his spiritual kindred."

After his return home, he grew weaker, until he departed this life, on the 15th of the 4th month, 1694, at the house of John Kirton, Kensington, near London, where he had been removed for the benefit of the air. Several Friends were present with him in his last hours, during which time these heavenly expressions flowed from him. The day before his departure, he said, “I am in unity with all faithful Friends, and in love to all men." About an hour previous to his close, he cried, "O Father! O Father!" A little while after, mentioning his weakness of body, as if he desired more strength to utter what was on his mind, and this being then apparently granted to him, he said, "Let Life reach unto all here;" and pulling off his nightcap with his own hand, about half an hour ere he was removed hence, he said, "Blessed, praised, magnified, and exalted, be the mighty, powerful, great, and everlasting name of the Lord God, for evermore!-Oh! that thy Life may arise in full dominion over all, and that Friends may feel it so, in all their assemblies ;— that they may be kept in love, concord, and unity together, and show it forth in word, work, testimony, life, and conversation unto all !"-adding, "Life being over all, here we have all we need, and here there is a lying down in true submission to the will of the Lord; and laying down our heads in peace and rest with Him for evermore, for evermore!" Then said, "Here is victory over death, hell, and the grave, and resting in peace with the Lord for evermore." SEE APPENDIX, FF.

CHAPTER XVIII.

1699: VISIT AND EPISTLE OF SAMUEL WATSON TO FRIENDS IN SCOTLAND1723: MEMOIRS OF ALEXANDER SEATON, ROBERT SCOTT, AND DAVID WALLACE; ALSO SOME ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN BARCLAY AND HER FAMILY.

THE preceding chapter has carried forward to the close of the 17th century, these memorials of the faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God towards a little remnant, who had made a covenant with him by sacrifice. They had embraced that law in the inward parts, to which the Prophet Jeremiah, when describing the new covenant dispensation, makes allusion," the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus," who remains the blessed Mediator of it. While a people thus separated unto God, abide true to him, while their heart is right in his sight, while they continue steadfast in his covenant of light and life, how excellent is their heritage, how desirable their portion! and how fully does it come up to that prediction of the evangelical messenger of the Lord concerning these times, when "the Spirit," being poured upon us from on high," "My people," saith he, "shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places." Isai. xxxii. 15, 18.

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That this was in good degree the experience of the Friends in Scotland, up to the time of the opening of another century, may be somewhat seen by the tenour of an epistle, in gospel love addressed to them by Samuel Watson, an able and weighty minister, whose

residence was in England. He had then recently, in his old age, paid them a second general visit through their meetings; and was on his way home. Having, as he intimates, at a very early period,-and probably before there were any Friends at Aberdeen or its neighbourhood,-witnessed the first breaking forth of that heavenly faith and zeal, which was remarkable among the precursors of this people; he was well qualified, sensibly to perceive any departure from the purity and strength of primitive days.

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SAMUEL WATSON TO FRIENDS IN SCOTLAND.

"Hamilton, 29th of 5th month, 1699.

My dear Friends in Scotland!

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The Lord of the whole earth hath drawn me, out of my own country, to visit you in the ancient Truth, having been formerly in this nation about forty years ago, a time of hazarding my life for the elect's sake, when little appearance of that heavenly life was brought forth, which now is made manifest, and shines over the cloudy day. Many are now brought into the fold, where the true Bishop and Shepherd of their souls is teaching them; and they know a feeding in the green pastures of divine love, and a sitting down where none shall make them afraid-living praises to our God, who hath wrought this great and marvellous work for a remnant! And this I do witness in my travel, in the several parts of this nation; wherein I have been comforted in the sweet appearances of divine life, and the overflowings of heavenly love have run forth as a glorious stream, to the watering .God's heritage; and the plants of renown spring up together, and are more and more strengthened to bring forth fruit to the honour and renown of Him, who not only plants but gives an increase.

"O you tender-hearted ones, and honourable! who spring from the royal seed, where is no mixture of wickedness, you are as marrow to my bones, and so near to my life, that I am made to rejoice in the feeling of this great work of salvation, which God hath wrought among you. O keep in the tents of holiness, and to the Rock of your salvation! and then, (it is the word of the Lord to you,) no tempest or storm, which may come for the trial of your faith, shall remove you; but ye shall be built upon Mount Zion, which cannot be removed. Let the weak be assisted and strengthened by your gentle and tender care over them; let them never be discouraged by your neglect, or by a want of godly care to help them, even the very hindermost of the flock; for over these, the enemy seeks to get advantage, and, Amalek like, to destroy them. But the camp of the Lord is full of love and of power, and the shout of a king is among them; and the Captain of our salvation is with us, and He teacheth us to make war in righteousness, and He it is that will overcome all our enemies; everlasting praises be to Him, and that for evermore, amen!

"And further, I declare it unto you, as it appears unto me-O let your hearts be tendered in the love of God-This visiting again of your nation, did often stir in me as a fire in my bosom, which could not be quenched; being of the nature of that love, which, it is said, "many waters cannot quench, neither can the floods drown," (for if it could, I had many reasonings to stop it)-but divine love is of that force, that it prevails over all, and possesses the kingdom. In which love, I was prevailed with, to come and visit you who are gathered of the Lord, and who feel divine refreshing, as well as those who are not yet gathered among the lost sheep of Israel;-that they may come

and feel the touches of His love, who would not the death of any, but that all might come to Him, who is the Life, and gives life unto the saints. And for no other end was I drawn to visit this nation, together with these two striplings who are with me, the one being my own daughter, and the other an innocent Friend [Janet Stow;] both of them being my spiritual relations. And the Lord's power hath gone along with us, according to our upright intention; we not coming in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in plain evidence and demonstration of the Spirit of God; that the holy witness might be reached in all, and that life might spring in all, that death and dead works might be reigned over in every individual, and life and immortality might be brought to light through the gospel, of which He hath made a remnant publishers, to his praise and glory for ever! And the good effects of the love of God, we have felt, in the places where we have been travelling; and we can now return to our own nation with sheaves of joy in our bosom, and give good tidings to our friends, that the Lord's power and presence is with you, and his mighty and glorious work of redemption and sanctification is going on. And we have been truly comforted in a remnant, who are valiant for the Truth upon earth, and find nothing too dear to part with, for the honour of his name and that blessed Truth, of which they are made living partakers; so that, with one spirit and one consent, we can praise and magnify His power, which hath called us unto this great work of his gospel.

And finally, my Friends, brethren and sisters in the fellowship of the gospel, considering the great care and pains the Lord hath taken with us, to make us polished stones for the building of his church; how