bert Latey, with our friend George Whitehead, made many weary steps in attending and soliciting the government on suffering friends' behalf; and friends have great reason to give thanks to God, who made use of those our ancient friends and elders in the church, for the ease and liberty we now enjoy. And my desire to God is, that many other faithful friends may be raised up to succeed them. And it is well known, friends would have been glad to have met together in a peaceable and quiet manner, as thanks be to God we now do. And how did many petitions go up to God for these peaceable times, and good opportunities that the Lord in love, and tender mercy and compassion towards his poor distressed people, hath answered: and I pray God, that all friends may prize the time, and make good use of the precious opportunities that God Almighty hath put into our hands, that no time in meetings or out of meetings, may be spent in vain; but that the times and seasons the Lord hath put into our hands, may be so spent, that it may redound to his glory, which will be to all our comforts; and friends, in so doing, the Lord will look down upon us, and take delight in us, in order to do us good.

Now friends, consider and see what the Lord hath done for us; you know that once we were strangers to the truth, and knew not whereon to

stay our hearts or minds, nor amongthe various professions in the world could we find any true satisfaction, until we took the Lord's counsel, through our ancient friends, to have regard to the light and grace of God, manifested in the heart, and in that to have our minds stayed, which is the ready way to obtain peace with the Lord in our inwards parts, (which peace is more worth than all the world,) unto which I shall recommend all; and in love to all take leave, and remain as one that hath true love to truth,

Kingston, the 6th of the

3d Month, 1705.

RICHARD WEBB

THE TESTIMONY OF RICHARD HAWKINS, CONCERNING HIS DEAR and well-beLOVED UNCLE, GILBERT LATEY.

THE Testimony I have to bear concerning my deceased dear uncle is, that he was a man fearing God, and hating iniquity; fervent and zealous against deceit and hypocrisy, and endued with a Gospel testimony: which according to his ability he bore faithfully in his day, and the Lord was with him; he always had a very valuable and honourable regard for them who were his elders in the Lord, and a sincere true love towards such as the Lord had raised up more lately in the ministry, as they kept to that power which first brake forth in their elders in the morning of this day of the Lord: he rejoiced in such, and would often say, they were as marrow to his bones, and his love to them was as firm and as true, as that of David and Jonathan, in which he was still ready to lend a hand to those that were young or weak, for the helping them, having also a true regard for them who were the hindermost of the flock, and would often strengthen and advise, them: and in whom innocency and truth had place, he encouraged such to persist in the way of the Lord, having a godly care upon him for the tender and simplehearted; and thus he loved the flock of the

Lord's pasture, and was well beloved among them. His parts were quick, and his apprehension lively; his memory good, and his judgment sound and strong; his example shining in self-denial; yet he was of a generous and free spirit; an early plant in the Lord's vineyard, which he caused to grow and prosper, to the praise and glory of God's grace, who made him acceptable in and through his beloved Son, Christ Jesus, the true light, and the effectual operation of his great power, whereby he was in the Lord's hand made serviceable to many, and a good savour both to them that walk in the way of the Lord, and also to many that were rich, high, and great in the world. And the Lord hath crowned the labours of this faithful witness, whose days in good old age ended in peace; and he hath his crown that fadeth not away, an inheritance everlasting among the righteous in glory, in the kingdom of our blessed Lord, I am well assured, by whose mercy he was continued in the enjoyment of his sense and reason to the last moment of his life, and died in the Lord, and rests from his labours, whose works follow him, and his memorial is blessed among the righteous in the Lord's heritage, he having been a strength to many, and a worthy soldier and follower of the Lamb, and kept his habitation in Christ Jesus, in whom he now rests; and I pray God, that both I, and all

that remain, may in life and conversation, as he hath done, bear a faithful testimony for the blessed truth, and in the same be preserved, to walk in the footsteps of the Christian flock to the end of our days, having the loins of our minds girded up, and our eye single to the Lord, and the recompence he hath in store for the righteous, which will remain and stand us in stead, when we shall be called out of this fading perishing, world, and our days here are expired.

RICHARD HAWKINS.