which was declared by the Help and Grace of Chrift; 1713. and many Times, my Heart was, by the Affiftance of that Grace, wonderfully opened to the People. If I should be particular in the Account of these Journies, it would enlarge this Part of my Journal more than I am willing.

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66

In Virginia I had a Meeting at James's River, where a Prieft of the Church of England, with fome of his Hearers, made fome Oppofition (after our Meeting was over) and were for difputing about Religion; and he openly declared, "The Spirit was' "not his Guide, nor Rule; and he hoped, never "fhould be. But, be faid, the Scriptures were his Rule, and that there was no need of any other; "and that they were as plain as Gunter's Line, or as 1, 2, 3." I told him, The Scriptures were a good Jecondary Rule, and that it were well if Men would fquare their Lives according to their Directions; which we, as a People, exhorted all to: But that the holy Spirit, from which the boly Scriptures came, must needs be preferable to the Letter, that came from it; and without which holy Spirit, The Letter kills, as faith the Apoftle. I alfo afked him, How be, or any elfe, without the Light, or Influence of the holy Spirit, could understand the Scriptures, which were parabolically and allegorically expreffed, in many Places? And further to ufe his own Expreffion, How could any underftand Gunter's Line, without Gunter's Knowledge? Or without they were taught by Gunter, or fome other? Neither can we be the Sons of God, without the Spirit of God. Which. he answered not, but went away.

In New-England, one Jofeph Metcalf, a Prefbyterian Teacher at Falmouth, wrote a Book, intitled, Legal Forcing a Maintenance for a Minister of the Gospel, warrantable from Scripture, &c. Which Book a Friend of Sandwich gave me, and defired I would anfwer it; which, after finding fome Exercife on my Mind, for the Caufe of Truth, I was willing to un

dertake;

1713. dertake; and accordingly wrote an Answer thereto, which I called, Forcing a Maintenance, not warrantable from the holy Scriptures, for a Minister of the Gospel. In which I endeavoured to fet the Texts of Scripture in a true Light, which he had darkened and misreprefented by his chimerical Doctrines.

lina.

In this Year 1713, I went from Philadelphia, in the Hope Gally, John Richmond Mafter, for South-Carolina. We were about a Month at Sea; and when it South Caro-pleafed God that we arrived at Charles-Town, in South-Carolina, we had a Meeting there, and divers others afterwards. There are but few Friends in this Province; yet I had feveral Meetings in the Country: The People were generally loving, and received me kindly. What I had to declare to them, I always defired to speak to the Witnefs of God in the Soul, and according to the pure Doctrine of Truth in the holy Scriptures; and there was Openness in the People in feveral Places. I was feveral Times to vifit the Governor, who was courteous and civil to me. He said, 1 deferved Encouragement; and spoke to feveral to be generous, and contribute to my Affiftance. He meant an outward Maintenance; for he would have me encouraged to stay among them. But I told him, that tho' it might be a Practice with them, to maintain their Minifters, and pay them Money for preaching, it was contrary to our Principles to be paid for preaching; agreeable to the Command of our great Mafter, Chrift Jefus, who faid to his Minifters, Freely you have received, freely give: So that we are limited by his Words, whatever others are: And thofe who take a Liberty, contrary to his Doctrine and Command, I think, muft be Antichrift's, according to holy Scripture. The longer I ftaid there, the larger our Meetings were; and when I found myself free and clear of thofe Parts, I took my Paffage for Virginia. Virginia in a Sloop, Henry Tucket Mafter. I had a comfortable and quick Paffage to James's River, it

being about two Hundred Leagues. The Mafter of the 1713. Veffel told me, That he believed he was blessed for my Sake. I wifhed him to live fo as that he might be Ibleffed for Chrift's Sake. And fome Reformation was begun on him in our Voyage; which was the Goodnefs of God, thro' Chrift, to him, and not to be attributed to me, any farther than an Inftrument in the divine Hand; for of ourselves we cannot do any Thing that is Good, it being by Grace, thro' Faith, that we are faved, which is God's Gift to the Soul.

After I had been fome Time in Virginia, I got a Paffage up the Bay of Chesapeak, and had feveral Meetings in Maryland, Friends being glad to see me ; Maryland. and we were comforted in Chrift our Lord. I made fome little Stay at a Place I had in that Province, called Longbridge, and then returned to Philadelphia, Philadel where I lodged at the House of my very kind Friends phia. Richard and Hannab Hill; and was oftentimes at divers neighbouring Meetings; and fometimes had good Service therein.

About this Time I had an Inclination to alter my Condition of being a Widower, to a married State; and the most suitable Perfon that I (with some of my good Friends) could think upon, was Martha, the Widow of Jofeph Brown: And on the 15th of the Second Month 1714, we were joined together in 1714: Marriage, with the Unity of Friends in general. We had a large Meeting at our Marriage, the Solemnization thereof being attended with the Grace and Goodnefs of God; and, for Example-fake, we made but little Provifion for our Guefts: For great Entertainments at Marriages and Funerals, began to be a growing Thing among us, which was attended with divers Inconveniences.

My Wife was a fober and religious young Woman, and of a quiet natural Temper and Difpofition; which is an excellent Ornament to the fair Sex: And indeed it is fo both to Male and Female; for according to the

holy

1714. holy Scriptures, A meek and quiet Spirit is with the Lord of great Price.

1715.

Shrews

bury. Salem.

The firft Child we had I called Abigail (or the Father's Joy, as the Word fignifies) and while fhe lived, I had Joy and Comfort in her, even more than I could expect, her Age confidered; for fhe lived but about eighteen Months, yet in that Time gave frequent Proofs of an uncommon Capacity, and dropt fuch extraordinary Expreffions, that I have faid to her Mother, This Child is too ripe for Heaven to live long on Earth, therefore let us not fet our Hearts upon it. And I have thought, that in this Child, the Saying of Chrift was fulfilled, even in the Letter of it, Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings, thou haft perfected Praife, Mat. xxi. 16.

I was at divers Yearly Meetings in 1715, viz. at Choptank in Maryland; at Shrewsbury and Salem in Maryland, New-Jersey; all which Meetings were very large and comfortable many Things being opened therein, tending to the convincing and establishing the People in the Truth and Doctrine of Chrift. I was likewise at divers other Meetings in thofe Provinces; which were large and fatisfactory.

At Salem Yearly Meeting I was fent for to the Prifon, where there was a young Woman that was to be try'd for her Life. She defired that I would pray for her, and.charged me to warn the young People to be careful not to keep bad Company: For, faid fhe, it has been my Ruin, and brought me to this Shame and Reproach. She had been tenderly brought up and educated; I knew her when fhe wore a Necklace of -Gold Chains, tho' now fhe wore Iron ones: Upon which Subject I had afterwards a large Opportunity to speak to the People in a very moving Manner; which feem'd to very much affect the Youth, and others in the Meeting, which confifted of many Hundreds of People. I faw this young Woman afterwards, the Jury acquitting her; and

I

I told her, that her Life was given her for a Prey; 1715. and reminded her; how it was with her when she was in Prison in Chains; and I advised her to walk more circumspectly for the future; which fhe faid, fhe hoped fhe fhould do.

In the Year 1716, I had fome Concerns which 1716. drew me to the Island of Bermudas (to which Inland I went twice that Summer.) My Family increasing, I traded a little to Sea for their Support and Maintenance: And I can truly fay, I carried on my Affairs and Business in the Fear of God, having an Eye, or Regard therein, more to his Glory, than to my own Intereft. We had We had a rough Paffage to this Inland (in the first Voyage) and were forced, by Diftrefs of Weather, to caft fome of our Goods into the Sea; and the Storm being very violent, fome of the Seamen thought we should be devoured by the Waves; and as for me, they had fhut me up in the Cabbin alone, all in Darkness, and the Water came in fo that they were At Sea forced to take it out in Buckets. When the Storm was a little over, the Master came to me, and asked, How I did all alone in the Dark? I told him, Pretty well; and faid to him, I was very willing to die if it fo pleafed God: And indeed I did expect no other at that Time. After this great Storm was over, we artived at Bermudas in a few Days; but going into the Deal. Harbour the Bottom of the Veffel ftruck the Rocks, but we got well in; for which I was thankful to the: Almighty. I ftay'd on the Ifland about a Month, and had feveral Meetings, to fome of which, many came who were not called Friends. They were all fober, and fome well fatisfied; and the People of the Inland generally received me lovingly, and were very kind to me. (Our Ancients, who bore the Burden and Heat of the Day, met with very different Treatment. I tenderly defire that we who come up after them, may be truly bumble and thankful to the Almighty for all his Mercies !)

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