inward inspirations; especially the sincere believer in whom his spirit dwells and operates. Oh! that men therefore would lift up their minds and open their hearts to him, when by his holy Spirit he reproves them for sin, and brings a damp upon. their spirits for evil; from which they would, perhaps, if they could, run, or divert themselves from the sense of it. But, alas! there is no fleeing from his presence, who is everywhere; nor avoiding his judgment, whose kingdom comprehends all things: but woe is especially to them with whom his spirit ceases striving. Holy David certainly was very sensible of this, when he wrote that admirable description of the Divine Omnipresence, “ Whither shall I go from thy spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up to heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me, yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." With these views of the infinite power and presence of the Almighty, I shall pass to the relation promised, which may here be properly inserted. My author was Jonathan Dickenson, merchant in Philadelphia, who was present with the young men whom this extraordinary providence befell, at Port Royal, in Jamaica: he gave me the following account. Two ingenious young men, who were lately arrived at Jamaica, from London, discoursing about earthquakes, asserted that all things came by nature: and so argued thereupon, that it brought terror upon the company, who were many, at dinner in an upper room. Whilst this lasted, to the great astonishment of all present, the earth began to move and tremble, which put most of them to flight in such haste, that they ran one almost over another, some down stairs, others leaping over the balcony. But my author said he considered there was no running from Divine Providence, and that the same hand which moved the earth, was able to preserve him; in which he trusted, and was preserved. As he continued with the young men in the same room,-oh! terrible to relate, and my heart and hand tremble in the writing thereof,— the mighty hand of an offended God struck these young men with death, and they fell down, and never rose any more, being in all appearance unprepared for so sudden a change. And how many other gay, witty young people have been suddenly snatched away by death, though perhaps not so immediately, nor in so extraordinary a manner, seems worthy of reflection. The author of this account added, that he took up the young men, and laid one of them upon a bed, and the other upon a couch; but that they never spoke again after their blasphemy against God and his works. Upon which I think it very natural, as well as necessary to remark, that this was indeed an eminent in stance of the just judgment of God against such as deny his wonderful power and providence in the creation; with this terrible circumstance, that these unhappy persons were cut off in the midst of their ungodly discourse and corrupt reasoning, without so much time afforded them as to ask pardon and crave mercy of a provoked Lord; which is very dreadful to consider. I especially recommend it to the serious reflection of all such as affect the name of freethinkers, as they are commonly distinguished, that they may no longer, under such a pretence, abuse their understanding with a latitude of profane and evil thinking: who, as they must be sensible that they have not conferred the excellent faculty of reason upon themselves, so they may as certainly conclude that they never received it to exclude His existence, power, and providence out of the world, who gave it them; nor to employ it to their own destruction, by such a perversion thereof, which must inevitably be the consequence, without timely and due repentance; but that they may apply themselves to Him for true wisdom, who is the eternal fountain of it, who would direct all their thoughts aright therein. Then would they find a substantial and enduring happiness and satisfaction, in the honorable thoughts and practice of true religion and virtue; and that all vain and evil thoughts directly tended to the misery and destruction of mankind. Lastly, if any expression in this short tract should prove successful to promote, in any measure, the con 620 THE JOURNAL OF THOMAS CHALKLEY. templation of the Divine Being, the consideration of man's duty to him, his Almighty Creator, or to convince but one soul of the error of his thoughts and ways, the author will think himself richly rewarded for his endeavors, and reverently ascribe the glory and praise to God, the prime Author and mover of every good thing, who is worthy forever. BELL, JOHN, accompanies T. C. to Holland........ 90 BERMUDA, loss of the people of, by a hurricane............... 113 46 BEWLEY, MUNGO, met by T. C........... 322 BORDEN, JOSEPH, kind offer of, to Friends.............................................. 320 Bowles, AbigaiL, attends Philadelphia Yearly Meeting... 204 BROWN, THOMAS, travels with T. C........ 109 138 C. CATHING, ROBERT, sickness and death of............... persecution of, when going to school; reproves conversation of, with some men he had reproved; declines playing with his uncle.......... 14 15 (621) |